Sixth Street Sundries

Emily Midgett

thinking of you

Colored Pencil Daisy Frame with New Simon Says Stamp!

This post was sponsored by Simon Says Stamp. Thanks, Simon! *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!*

Hi friends! I am back today with another project featuring my latest design for Simon Says Stamp: Daisy Frame! This pretty stamp set was released during the Simon Says Stamp Every Happiness release (click HERE to check out the entire release!), and it features two different daisy arrangements with lots of gorgeous sentiments, and of course you can also purchase fantastically detailed dies and even simple coloring stencils! After creating THIS card in which I enhanced the stenciled images with some light colored pencil shading, I chose to put my colored pencils to use again on their own with this inlaid project. Let’s get started with the details on how I created this dramatic thinking of you card!

To begin, I placed the large frame die from the Daisy Frame product suite in the (approximate) center of an A2 card front created using Midnight Green Simon Says Stamp cardstock. I reserved the positive die cut for another project, then placed a clean A2 card front in the same Midnight Green cardstock in my MISTI and placed the negative die cut leftover over the top, lining up both pieces of cardstock in the corner of my MISTI. I then placed the coordinating daisy frame stamp from Daisy Frame within the negative die cut and closed the lid of my MISTI. This technique allows me to place the stamped image exactly in the center of the die cut window!

After I had placed my stamp in the proper spot, I stamped the image onto that deep green cardstock using Simon Says Stamp White Pigment Ink. I find that stamping the images on which I intend to color using colored pencils onto dark cardstock with the White Pigment Ink works a treat; the white pigment ink sits atop the cardstock rather than sinking down into it like a dye ink, so the lines get reabsorbed into the opaque colored pencil coloring! I used colored pencils in shades of coral and cool jungle green to color this detailed image with a no-line coloring style, and you can see in the photos how nicely that white pigment ink is absorbed into the colored pencil coloring, making it look like I drew this wreath by hand! (Sneaky, sneaky!)

After I had finished coloring the image, I placed the negative die cut frame over the top, centering it over the stamped image and adhering the panel with thin foam adhesive squares. This is a hard one to see in photos because of the dark cardstock, but the raised frame adds a bit more dimension and interest to the card front. I wanted to keep the color palette simple, so instead of adding any more colors or metallic accents, I decided to stamp the greeting from Daisy Frame onto more Midnight Green cardstock using White Pigment Ink and added white embossing powder over the top. I die cut the finished sentiment with it’s coordinating die, then placed it in the center of the floral wreath image with a double layer of foam adhesive to help it pop from the deeply saturated background. I thought that the card could use a bit more texture around the edges, so I die cut the More A2 Rectangles die from some more Midnight Green cardstock and adhered the largest one to the card front using liquid adhesive. Finally, I added some Peachy Pawsitively Dazzling Gems for a bit of sparkle!

Well, that’s all for my project today! I love using coordinating dies to create inlaid images, and creating these pretty coral daisies on this dramatically dark green cardstock was such a fun way to blend the two techniques. Thanks so much for stopping by today, and have a marvelous day!

Floral Thinking of You with New Simon Says Stamp and Leftovers!

This post was sponsored by Simon Says Stamp. Thanks, Simon! *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!*

Hi friends! I have a project to share with you today using some “leftovers” from THIS project! As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I have such a fondness for cover plate dies. With one pass through your die cutting machine, you can create such lovely cards with so many options for techniques and customization. I especially love cover plates that do double duty, with which you can use both the positive and negative die cuts to create beautiful projects! I was enamored of the fabulous Dancing Meadows cover plate die, because not only does it die cut lovely standalone flora and foliage, it also leaves you with a full sized A2 panel with a delicate floral pattern. The project linked above showcases the individual die cuts used to embellish a large scale sentiment, but today’s project uses the leftover cover plate die cut to create a crisp floral background. Let’s get started with the details!

To begin, I die cut the Dancing Meadows cover plate die from a panel of plain white cardstock. I enhanced the positive floral die cuts with my alcohol markers for the project linked above, but for this project wanted to keep things simple. I adhered the negative die cut to a panel of gorgeous Audrey Blue cardstock, a perfectly vibrant, mid-weight turquoise that just pops behind that crisp white die cut!

To make sure that the peekaboo pattern was the star of the show, I chose to add a simple sentiment and embellish it with a few extras. To ground the sentiment, I die cut a vellum Embossed Squovals die; this vellum softens the vibrant and somewhat busy background, allowing the sentiment to be a bit more visible. I also used some glittering aqua scrap cardstock to die cut a few sprigs with the Dancing Meadows die, strategically placing the scraps on the sprigs that I wanted to cut and securing them with some low-tack tape before running the plate through my die cutting machine.

For the greeting, I heat embossed a simple sentiment from the new Cottagecore stamp set using silver embossing powder on white cardstock, cutting it out with sharp scissors. I layered the sentiment in the center of my Squoval vellum die cut with some foam adhesive, then tucked the glittering sprigs behind the sentiment, further enhancing the greeting and making it pop from the background. I added some more thin foam adhesive squares behind the sentiment, hiding the adhesive behind the solid die cuts, and placed the entire piece in the corner of my card front. Finally, I added some shimmering embellishments, tucking an Iridescent Cord bow next to the greeting and placing lots of sparkling Opal Pawsitively Dazzling Gems in the center of each individual flower in the background. I think those gems add just the right finishing touch, don’t you?

Well, that’s all for me today! I am getting ready to head out on vacation with our kiddos and my husband’s family, so I will be popping in periodically, but won’t be around as much next week. Tis the season before school starts in just a few short weeks!! Thanks so much for stopping by today, and have a marvelous day!

Peony, Bells, and Sympathy with New Simon Says Stamp!

This post was sponsored by Simon Says Stamp. Thanks, Simon! *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! Whenever Simon Says Stamp releases gorgeous and detailed floral embossing folders with coordinating dies, I am immediately smitten. The new Peony & Bells embossing folder and coordinating dies from the Always There release. (Click HERE to see the entire collection!)  is truly exquisite. I am always up for a peony project, even more so when I can pull out my favorite markers and add detailed, vibrant color. I combined the individual die cuts with an older foliage die and my OLO Markers to create this detailed thinking of you card. Let’s get started with the details on my project!

To begin, I die cut the individual pieces for the Peony & Bells embossing folder set, cutting one large peony and several of the lily of the valley images. I also die cut the Grand Corner Leaves set, cutting all of these elements from Hammermill cardstock so that I could do some detailed coloring using my OLO Markers. After die cutting the individual pieces, I placed the Peony and Bells images in the embossing folder in the appropriate spot, then ran them through my die cutting machine to add that spectacular texture and shape to the die cuts. These embossed die cuts really add an element of texture to your cards that is simply incredible!!

Once the die cuts had been embossed, I used OLO Markers to add detailed and vibrant colors to the individual die cuts, keeping the peony a gorgeous peachy pink and adding subtle mauve shadows to the bells. I used deep jewel toned greens for the greenery. Once I had finished coloring the images, I used a blending brush to lightly blend Shell Pawsitively Saturated Ink on the white A2 card base before arranging and adhering the colored die cuts. I love the subtle halo the blending adds behind the floral arrangement!

For the sentiment, I heat embossed a greeting from the new Inside Greetings 1 using gold embossing powder on vellum, which adds a subtle metallic shimmer to the card without adding visual weight to detract from the floral arrangement. Finally, I added some Opal Pawsitively Dazzling Gems for some gorgeous sparkle!

Well, that’s all for my project today! I hope you will check out the spectacular Peony & Bells die and embossing folder combo… it’s truly spectacular, especially when paired with some detailed coloring. Thanks so much for stopping by today, and have a marvelous day!

Delicate Thinking of You Card with Simon Says Stamp Dies!

This post was sponsored by Simon Says Stamp. Thanks, Simon! *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!*

Hi friends! I have another soft, peachy project filled with lots of beautiful die cut details to share with you today! Simon Says Stamp has been knocking it out of the park with these stunning frame dies, featuring beautifully feminine and delicate details along each edge, like the Lacy Point Frame dies (click HERE to see them) and the Teardrop Pinpoint Frames dies (click HERE), that add such gorgeous and unique details to your cards. I love pairing them with plain rectangular dies to create delicate frames, which I think are perfect paired with florals! Today’s Thinking of You card is made entirely from die cuts and pretty colored cardstock, layered together to create lots of dimension and texture. Let’s get started with the details on my project!

To begin, I die cut two different sizes of the Eyelet Layer Frames from plain white cardstock, nesting the two dies together. The Eyelet Layer Frames dies cut the decorative scalloped edge only, so to create the clean, straight edge on the interior of the larger frame, I used a plain rectangular die to cut quite close to the edge of the die cut. Initially, I had intended to use only the larger frame behind my floral focal point, but I loved the look of the two scalloped rectangular die cuts layered together as they were lying on my desk that I decided to use both on my card! I adhered both scalloped rectangles to my A2 Seashell cardstock card front using liquid adhesive, and I just love the stacked effect created using both die cuts!

I personally think that florals and frames work together so beautifully, so I pulled out an older floral die set called Beautiful Branch. I die cut the foliage from Simon Says Stamp’s Sage cardstock, then cut the blooms from Apricot cardstock, which is a bit more intense peach than the Seashell card front. I also die cut the Scripty Thinking of You, layering two of the coral detail die cuts together to create a bit more height, then adhering this delicate dimensional sentiment to the shadow layer cut from vellum.

Once I had completed all of the die cutting, I began the work of arranging everything. I used thin strips of foam adhesive to adhere the scripty die cut sentiment in the center of my card front, then used my scissors to snip the foliage die cuts apart so that I could arrange them to fit around my large sentiment die cut. I adhered the leaves with thin foam adhesive, as well, then tucked lots of the pretty Apricot blooms amongst the greenery, adhering the flowers with regular foam adhesive to add a touch of extra height to the blooms. So much texture and variety on this card front! Finally, I added a few sparkling Opal Pawsitively Dazzling Gems to the centers of each flower. I love the touch of shine that this adds to the card front!

Well, that’s all for my project today! I feel like you can never have too many Thinking of You cards on hand, and this one would be easy to recreate in a variety of colors. Die cutting is such a great way to make an impact on your card design without a huge time investment! Thanks so much for stopping by today, and have a marvelous day!

New Simon Says Stamp In My Heart Release Now Available + New Illustration!

This post was sponsored by Simon Says Stamp. Thanks, Simon! *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! The new Simon Says Stamp In My Heart release is now live and ready to spark your creativity! (Click HERE to see the entire new release!) These springtime releases are filled with all kinds of things that I love: flowers, butterflies, textures, poignant sentiments… but I am especially excited when one of these releases features a new stamp set that I’ve designed. My new Wild Rose stamp set (click HERE to see the whole set!) features two large bouquets of wild roses with clusters of eucalyptus and some dainty filler flowers to create lush nosegays of blooms! I love creating large bouquets that you can use as a focal point to practice coloring or that you can use as simple stamped images to create a pretty background. For today’s project, I used the larger bouquet to create an A7 watercolored panel. Let’s get started on the details for my project!

To begin, I placed the larger bouquet from Wild Rose in the corner of a 4.75″ x 6.75″ panel of hot press watercolor paper (hot press=smooth surface) inside my MISTI, then stamped the image using Simon Says Stamp Intense Black Ink, which works nicely with water media, then rotated the panel inside my MISTI 180* so that the opposite corners had switched and stamped the image again. This leaves me with two large bouquets in opposite corners! After I had stamped the images and given them a few minutes to dry completely, I used Distress Oxide inks to watercolor the images. Did you know that you can watercolor with Oxide inks the same way that you can with regular Distress Inks? Simply tap the inkpad onto your palette or glass mat, then pick up the color with your damp paintbrush and apply it to your watercolor paper! The Oxide inks create a slightly opaque, almost velvety effect on your watercolor paper.

After I had finished watercoloring the images, I used my Simon Says Stamp T-Square and a black pen to add a frame around my florals, which I think helps make the panel look more polished and intentional! I added some opaque gold gel pen to the stamens of the open flowers and splattered some Simon Says Stamp Pawsitively Perfect Black Splatter Medium on the panel as well, highlighting the crisp black stamped lines of the stamped images. I typically like to use floral stamps with no-line coloring ink, but wanted to do something a bit simpler for this project (no-line watercolor can be somewhat fussy) and so decided to lean in to the black lines by adding multiple black accents to make the black lines pop!

To complete the card, I mounted the watercolor panel to a full sized A7 panel of So Very Black cardstock using Tear-rifically Tacky Tape, which helps to minimize any warping that might occur during watercoloring. For the greeting, I die cut the new Reverse Friendship XL EZ sentiment cards with the new XL EZ Strips Rounded Rectangles, selected one, and mounted it in the center of the watercolored panel with some thin foam adhesive squares. Finally, I added two more touches of textured black accents with some Black Pawsitively Dazzling Gems and a black twine bow tucked beneath the sentiment strip!

Well, that’s all for my project today! The new In My Heart release (click HERE to see the entire new release!) has so many marvelous products and truly inspired tons of creativity for me. I can’t wait to share the other projects that I’ve created with you! Thanks so much for stopping by today, and don’t forget to come back for the blog hops tomorrow and Saturday! Have a marvelous day!