Sixth Street Sundries

Emily Midgett

stamptember

Simon Says Stamp STAMPtember Exclusive Collaboration: Memory Box!

Hi friends! I am back with another darling collaboration from the Simon Says Stamp STAMPtember celebration! Today’s collaboration company is Memory Box, who makes not only darling stamp sets like Stay Cozy (click HERE to purchase this set!) but tons of spectacular standalone dies. I couldn’t resist the festive little deer in this set, though the snowman and penguin are equally as precious!! Here’s a sneak peek at today’s exclusive and limited edition set:

Simply adorable, right? **Reminder: the limited edition exclusive collaboration sets (check them out HERE) will not be restocked once they sell out, but the STAMPtember collection (check it out HERE) will be restocked if/when they sell out!** I created this icy little scene for my cozy reindeer with some ink blending, simple coloring, and a touch of shimmer. Let’s get started on the details for my project!

I began my project by stamping the adorable deer from Stay Cozy using black, alcohol marker-friendly ink. I then used OLO markers to add vibrant sky blue to the scarf and hat. I only used two markers; the more layers you add with the darker marker, the more contrast and shadow you can create!

To coordinate with the pretty blue scarf and hat, I created a wintry background by blending Simon Says Stamp’s Pawsitively Saturated Ink in Marine on an A2 white card front. I then stamped the individual snowflakes included with Stay Cozy on the blended area, using the stamping off method to create multiple levels of intensity for the snowstorm. I also splattered the background with some iridescent watercolors to add to the whimsy and magic of the snow falling. To add some extra dimension and interest, I stamped the snowflakes with the same Marine ink on a separate panel of white cardstock and added embossing ink over the top, then sprinkled on some iridescent embossing powder and die cut the snowflakes.

After I had created the focal point and snowy background, I stamped one of the sentiments from the Stay Cozy set with Nocturne ink and added clear embossing powder over the top to create a crisp and bold sentiment. I die cut the greeting with it’s coordinating die, then trimmed down a strip of white glitter cardstock and flagged the end with my scissors, creating a banner to back my sentiment and ground my snowy scene. I placed the banner on the card front with thin foam adhesive, then added the greeting with another layer of thin foam adhesive. I tucked the deer behind the very top of the greeting and added the die cut snowflakes around it with some more thin foam adhesive. Finally, I added a few Surf Pawsitively Dazzling Gems for added sparkle in my snowstorm!

Well, that’s all for my project today. Reminder: the Stay Cozy stamp and die STAMPtember collaboration set is limited edition and will not be restocked, so don’t wait!! Thanks so much for stopping by today, and happy STAMPtember!

Simon Says Stamp STAMPtember Exclusive: Honey Bee Stamps!

Hi friends! I am back with another STAMPtember Collaboration Release today, and we’re celebrating Honey Bee Stamps in all of it’s gorgeously vintage glory today! I have gotten to know Melissa, the owner and caretaker of Honey Bee Stamps, as a member of her Design Team and as a friend over the last several years, and she is genuinely one of my favorite people in the crafty world. She is so kind and warm and such a talented human in so many ways! The STAMPtember collaboration product is just like her: filled with beautiful details and with a touch of vintage charm. Here’s a sneak peek:

The Holly Jolly Frames (click HERE to check it out!) product suite features a variety of intricate frames and holiday imagery with which to fill the openings. I thought that the gorgeous filigree frames would be absolutely perfect to create some elegant gift tags, and so pulled out my deepest Christmas red cardstock, gold embossing powder, and some jewels and created these pretties:

Don’t the gold embossed frames just look stunning against that vibrant red cardstock? Talk about festive and oh, so elegant! For each frame, I stamped the image on Rainbow Splash Scarlet cardstock using embossing powder, then added the luminous gold embossing powder and heated it. I love how those details pop so perfectly against that deep red. After embossing each frame, I used the coordinating dies to cut them out.

Because the dies come with detachable center circles, you can cut the detailed frames with a center opening or you can leave the center circle out and cut the solid image. I die cut one more of each frame from the same Scarlet cardstock, this time leaving off the center circle die and cutting a solid backer that would fit perfectly behind the frames. I used a blending brush to blend Cherry ink on the edges of each solid die cut, adding some vintage “distressing” to the background.

To adorn the center of each frame, I heat embossed some of the holiday imagery included with Holly Jolly Frames with the same opulent red and gold color palette and die cut them with their coordinating dies. I adhered the frames to their solid, blended backers with thin foam adhesive squares, then added the holiday icons in the center of each frame, turning the frames on the diagonal so that they were diamond-shaped instead of squares. I used my Crop-A-Dile to cut a hole at the top of each diamond, then threaded some sparkling gold twine through to create the loop to easily attach the tag to a gift. Finally, I added some sparkling Cherry Pawsitively Dazzling Gems for extra sparkle and luxury!! I think these look like they came directly from the North Pole!

Well, that’s all for my projects today. Wouldn’t these be so pretty in a variety of Christmas colors and given as a gift? Or as a collage on an A7 card front? So many possibilities with these pretty frames!!

Important note: these fabulous and exclusive STAMPtember collaboration sets are limited edition, meaning that once they sell out, they won’t be restocked. Don’t wait on these! You won’t want to miss out! Thanks so much for stopping by today, and happy STAMPtember!!

Simon Says Stamp STAMPtember Collaboration: Alex Syberia Designs!

Hello friends! I am back today with another STAMPtember Exclusive Collaboration, featuring one of my favorite companies: Alex Syberia Designs! Alex’s gorgeous floral illustrations speak to my heart, and I was tickled pink (or maybe teal!) to have an excuse to spend a delightful afternoon coloring this gorgeous new bouquet from the Exclusive STAMPtember release called Lovely Day (click HERE). Here’s a sneak peek at today’s collaboration set:

Spectacular, right? It is important to remember: these exclusive collaboration sets for STAMPtember are limited edition, so once they sell out, they won’t be restocked. Most sell out fairly quickly, so don’t wait if you are unsure! Click HERE to see all of the companies that will have these limited edition collaboration sets, and be sure to sign up for email reminders when they’re in stock, because their release days are top secret!!

I love that the Lovely Day set also has coordinating dies available, and the suite is super affordable. I chose to do a non-traditional color palette for my project today, pivoting away from my typical pinks and purples to some vibrant (if a little whimsical) teal and royal blue floral bouquet, colored on deep teal cardstock with colored pencils. Let’s get started with the details!

I began my project by locating two A2 panels of deep, saturated teal cardstock because I knew that I wanted to layer the vibrant, penciled bouquet on a monochromatic background to increase the dramatic aesthetic! I stamped the bouquet from Lovely Day onto one of the panels using White Pigment Ink, which I find works beautifully with colored pencils on colored cardstock. I then selected colored pencils from my stash in shades of teal and blue that were vibrant enough to still pop on the deeply saturated colored cardstock. I kept the color palette analogous, meaning colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. It still brings the drama of a monochromatic card but keeps things visually interesting!

After I had finished coloring the images on the colored cardstock, I used the detailed coordinating die to cut the image out. I just love how intricate these dies have become; they really increase the level of professionalism for the cards! I also heat embossed a simple greeting from the Lovely Day stamp set on another piece of the deep teal cardstock, stamping with white pigment ink and adding iridescent embossing powder over the top. I die cut the greeting with it’s coordinating die, as well, and set both die cuts aside to work on the card front.

To pull in some of that deep, royal blue from the bouquet, I used a Shading Brush to blend Royal Pawsitively Saturated Ink in the top left corner of my A2 card front. I then splattered some sparkling iridescent watercolors over the blended area, which I think adds so much magic, texture, and shimmer to the finished card! I popped up the colored die cut and sentiment with thin foam adhesive, then added some shimmering Royal Pawsitively Dazzling Gems for added sparkle.

Well, that’s all for my project today! The Exclusive, Limited Edition Lovely Day (click HERE) STAMPtember Collaboration set will not be restocked, so be sure to get it while you can! Thanks so much for stopping by today, and have a marvelous day!

Simon Says Stamp STAMPtember Collaboration: CZ Design!

Hi friends! As part of our STAMPtember fun, Simon Says Stamp collaborates with some of our favorite companies to create fabulous, limited edition stamps and die sets (and sometimes stencils, too!). Many of these collaboration sets are truly limited edition-once they’re sold out, they’re gone for good!- but today’s collaboration products are from CZ Design, and that means that they *will* be restocked if/when they sell out! Today’s collection (click HERE to see everything from CZ Design!) features lots of unique products for a variety of occasions, from Halloween to encouragement to flowers, all in Cathy Zielske’s distinctively clean style. I have a soft project featuring some stenciling, some stamping, and some embossing, all with sketchy flowers and my favorite shades of aqua. Let’s get started with the details on my project!

I wanted to create one of those simple but oh-so-effective stenciled frames for which Cathy is renowned using the new Cropping Panels stencils. I placed one of the stencils in the center of my A2 card panel and kept it in place with some washi tape while I completed my blending. I used a Shading Brush to blend Seafoam Pawsitively Saturated Ink on the stencil’s opening. Keeping the stencil in place, I also selected some stamps from the new CZ Sketch Florals and stamped a variety of flowers and foliage on the bottom right corner of the blended area using Surf ink. Once I had finished stamping the pattern, I splattered some iridescent watercolor before removing the stencil, keeping the crisp white frame nice and clean.

After I had completed the background, I decided to create a couple of special floral accents for my focal point, so I stamped some more flowers and foliage from CZ Sketch Florals using Surf ink so that it popped a bit more from the background pattern. I also stamped directly over the top of the stamped image with embossing ink and sprinkled some iridescent embossing powder over it to help it pop from the background even more beautifully! I used the coordinating dies to cut the images out, then blended a touch of Seafoam ink on the die cuts to help them coordinate better with the overall color palette.

For the greeting, I stamped a sentiment from the new Fresh Sentiments again using Surf ink and adding iridescent embossing powder over the top. When heated, the iridescent powder over the colorful ink creates the most beautiful sheen! I arranged the die cuts over the stenciled area on the card front, adhering them with foam adhesive squares, then added a smattering of Surf Pawsitively Dazzling Gems for additional sparkle. I just love how this one came out! Definitely simple to replicate, and how pretty would it be as a card set in multiple colors?

Well, that’s all for my project today! As a reminder, the CZ Designs STAMPtember release *will* be restocked if and when they sell out, so if things are out of stock, be sure to add your email address to be notified when they come back. Thanks so much for stopping by today, and happy STAMPtember!

Simon Says Stamp STAMPtember Collaboration: Tim Holtz!

*I have gathered links to all of the products used at the bottom of the post for your convenience, using affiliate links at no extra cost to you. Thank you for shopping with my links! I truly appreciate your support for my work!*

Hello friends! It’s time to start sharing the ever-popular and highly-anticipated STAMPtember Collaboration Releases! For our first collaboration, we are starting off with a bang with a fan-favorite: Tim Holtz! (FYI: You can keep an eye on all of the collaboration sets by clicking HERE. Each new set will go live on a certain day of the month, so be sure to keep refreshing that page to see what new goodies come out at noon Eastern time!) The new illustrations from today’s kit release have a super unique, sketchy quality to them that is immediately recognizable as Tim’s signature style. (Click HERE to see this exquisitely curated kit!) I chose to create a vibrant holiday card with some mixed media flair and watercolored baubles for my project today. Let’s get started with the details!

To begin, I taped an A2 panel of Distress Watercolor Cardstock to my watercolor board using masking tape, leaving a 1/4″ frame around the edge of my panel. I then used Distress Ink Reinkers in shades of Kitsch Flamingo, Festive Berries, Mowed Lawn to create a watercolored panel, taking care to keep the green and red slightly separated so as to avoid creating a muddy mess! Once I had completed the watercoloring, adding multiple layers to make it look painterly and intentional, I allowed the panel to dry while still taped to the watercolor board to minimize warping. When completely dry, I added some gold splatters and stamped a few sparkles from the STAMPtember Exclusive Season of Magic stamp set using gold pigment ink. Once completely dry, I removed the masking tape from the edges, leaving a crisp white frame around my colorful watercolored background!

For the main focal point on the card, I used Gold Embossing Powder to heat emboss the baubles from the STAMPtember Exclusive Season of Magic stamp set twice on some more Distress Watercolor Cardstock. I used the same color palette of Kitsch Flamingo, Festive Berries, and Mowed Lawn Distress Reinkers to add color to the baubles, loosely reflecting the colors in the background, almost like they are reflecting the colorful lights from the Christmas tree! I also added some sparkling gold glitter watercolor on the bottom edge of each bauble for extra shimmer. Once the ornaments had dried completely, I used the coordinating dies to cut them out. I die cut several Pointy Pine Sprigs dies from two different shades of green cardstock and then layered the pine sprigs and the baubles atop the watercolored background to create a “branch” filled with gorgeous greenery and Christmas cheer!

After I had finished adhering the baubles and greenery to the card front, I heat embossed a greeting from the Season of Magic onto some more Distress watercolor paper using the same gold embossing powder. I die cut the finished sentiment with it’s coordinating die, then popped it up on the card front with a double layer of thin foam adhesive squares. The final finishing touch was a trio of Gold Pawsitively Dazzling Gems to add extra festive sparkle to the card!

Well, that’s all for my project today! As a reminder: these limited edition STAMPtember collaboration sets are not going to be restocked, so if you have your eyes on one, don’t let it slip away! You’ll be sad to have missed out! Thanks so much for stopping by today, and have a marvelous day!