Fang-tastic!

Bringing a quick share today with a fun little octopus creature and his cute uplifting sentiment ...

The Splitcoaststampers clean & simple challenge (CAS499) this week is to "frame it".  I opted to use a fun shape for my frame for a bit of added fun.  Little Octo is in the midst of morphing colors ... he's still learning how to manage that.

Stamps:  Little Monsters (Art Gone Wild - Nicole Tamarin), and Watercolor Basics (The Cat's Pajamas)

Accessories:  Misti, Labels framelits (The Stamps of Life), Sakura lacquer, sequins (gifted stash)

Inky (((hugs))),

Stampy Stuffs for Sale!

My Stampy Clean-outs = Your Happy Mail!

I've added a new 'page' today, offering a variety of stampy items that need to leave the studio to share paper & ink joys with others in the USA!  The teeny tiny 'button' for the page is in bitty little print right below the blog header, but alas, I'm unable to change that font size.  

**Here's a direct link to my 'sale' page.  Whenever you visit my blog, just click the Stampy Stuff Sale page button just below the blog header.  I'll be updating the sales as my periodic studio reorganization moves forward.  **Email me with your requests for quickest response.  

Happy Fall, Y'all!

Mimosa Sympathy

One of my very favorite subjects in stamping and card making is florals and foliage.  Over the years and across my previous blog as well as this one, I've likely revealed this from time to time.  Today's card is from the heart of me for special cousins.

A few years ago I was literally browsing along the fence line, simply enjoying the leaves of bordering trees and shrubs.  Among them stands one mimosa tree that actually reaches over from the neighbors' yard.  On that day, I plucked a couple of the leafy mimosa stems with an idea of pressing them onto card stock ... just to see what might result.  I so enjoyed the result that I made nearly 30 of those prints for cards to be given to friends at an upcoming retreat.  

The sentiment was embossed on vellum card stock, then framed with a muted metallic gold card stock 'frame'.  Although it might appear as 'copper' on some screens, the embossing and framing are both a lovely, soft gold color.  I was happy to see the green showing through the vellum, just as I had hoped.

For me, this is the one of the most natural of all the card making techniques or styles I've utilized.  I believe that I shall love it always.  

I hope you've found some inspiration here today!  Thanks for having visited.

Inky (((hugs))),

Butterfly Kisses?

Cute little critters and/or cute little critter stamps ... they're both incredibly hard to resist!   

Fluttery little nose-to-nose touches is something I've loved passing along to the little ones across my life.  It's a treasured memory that seems so simple but its value runs very deep into my heart.  So how could I not adore and need this House Mouse stamp?!   

Admittedly, I did have to browse through a couple of crafty drawers to search for a possible charm, and ta-daahhh!  I found one ... for the current House Mouse Challenge, HMFMC #273.  

Inky (((hugs))),

Card Supplies:

Stamps:  House Mouse 'Nose to Nose in Flowers'

Inks:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers

Papers:  SEI designer paper, Neenah White

Accessories:  Stitched Rectangle dies (The Stamps of Life), natural thread, 'love' charm

Neutral & Gold

Hello, stampy friends!  Today my card making shifts into using hardly any stamping at all ... it's there, but it's very subtle.  

This card as August's guest designer for Creative Escape Papercrafting (CEP) came together very quickly, actually became a working idea as I unboxed the fully-loaded August Kit.  {See the full kit in my previously video linked here.}

Everything you see was included in the August Kit, with the exception of that tiny strip of gold mirror card stock, which is available at CEP as one of the many stamping products offered in addition to their kit subscriptions.  I love the heavy weight (approx. 100-lb. cover) of the card stocks provided in their kits!

The foliage stamp from the All the Good Things stamp set was inked with Distress Ink Antique Linen.  When I sampled it, the color was a little deeper, but as it dried, it softened quite a bit atop this lovely kraft card stock base.  I really like the way that stamp coordinates with the foliage wreath on this gold foiled piece from the kit's My Bright Life Ephemera package.  

One more creation to come from the same kit of goodies!  I hope that you're being inspired to get inky 'n creative!

Inky (((hugs))),

~Bev Gerard

Card Supplies:

Stamps:  All the Good Things (American Crafts)

Papers:  My Bright Life collection (Jen Hadfield for Pebbles), Gold Mirror c/s, kraft 

Ink:  Distress Ink Antique Linen

Accessories:  Gold sequins, My Bright Life Ephemera package (Pebbles)