Time for the Create with Connie & Mary Challenge.  This week we have a sketch challenge.  I love how this card came together and hope you will too!

I used the oh so pretty Art Gallery Bundle, what a beautiful stamp set and dies.  I started by inking the flower and leaves in Old Olive ink and stamping  on the Stitched Shape circle.   I inked the image again  in Rococo Rose ink and stamped off the image once on a piece of scrap paper and then on a piece of Basic White CS.  I stamped the outline stamp over the flowers again using Rococo Rose ink.  I used the Floral Gallery dies to cut out the flowers.  There was a little fussy cutting involved to separate the smaller blooms.  The larger flowers were attached using Stampin' Dimensionals and the smaller flowers with Multipurpose Liquid Glue.  

Behind the stitched circle I used the Rococo Rose ombre from the Sale-A-Bration paper, Oh So Ombre. Love the soft coloring of the ombre and how lovely it looks with the  gray patterned paper from the Peony Garden DSP. 

The sentiment is also from the Art Gallery bundle and  cut out using the Floral Gallery dies.  The sentiment was inked. using Versamark and heat embossed using White Embossing Powder.  The grey twine is from the Well Suited Twine Combo Pack and it well, ties it all together.  In this combo pack you get 15 yards of Basic Gray twine and 15 yards of the Night of Navy twine.  A few Metallic Pearls were added to finish up the card.

On the inside I added a strip of the Peony Garden DSP and another floral image from the Art Gallery bundle.  I love this color combination of Rococo Rose, Basic Gray and Basic Black.   A pretty classic combination.

Thank you for stopping by!

Tutorial for Sale 

13 tutorials featuring products from the 2021 Jan-June Mini Catalog, Love You Always Suite.  $15 or my gift to you with a $50 online order. 

Product List

Art Gallery Bundle [156227]	Rococo Rose Classic Stampin’ Pad [150080]	Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad [147090]	Versamark Pad [102283]
Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [121045]	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [159276]	Peony Garden Designer Series Paper [152483]	Oh So Ombre 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [155225]
Stitched Shapes Dies [152323]	Metallic Pearls [146282]	Well Suited Twine Combo Pack [154566]	White Stampin' Emboss Powder [109132]

Welcome to the first Creativity Abounds Blog Hop.   We are a group of Stampin’ Up!® Demonstrators from all around the world that are coming together to share our ideas with you.  We are happy that you  are joining us and hope you will be inspired!

You may be starting here or have come from someone else's blog - either way there is a list at the end of this post to help you move around all the different blogs. We all have our country listed - so if you are looking for a demonstrator in your country, these demonstrators would love to look after you with your Stampin' Up!® shopping or any of your stamping needs.  

I am excited to be a part of this brand new blog hop team.  Lots of new ideas and ways to share the creative fun are in the works!  

Since this is a blog hop, it only seems right to use the adorable Kangaroo & Company bundle from the 2021 January-June Mini Catalog.  This bundle of products (stamp set and dies) just makes me smile.  There are lots of fun images from  kangaroos to a party hat, butterfly and lots of sentiments too! The Kangaroo dies cut out all the images so creating fun scenes is easy.

I stamped the kangaroo using Tuxedo Black Memento ink on Gray Granite CS.  The ear, nose and belly were colored using Watercolor Pencils Asst 1 (Real Red and Basic Black).  Super quick and easy way to color the kangaroo.

The beautiful scalloped heart is from the Many Hearts Die.  In addition, the Basic Black frame was made using the Stitched So Sweetly and the Stitched Rectangle dies.

There is also an interactive component to the Kangaroo & Company bundle.  You can create a little insert for the kangaroo's pouch.  The die for the large kangaroo cuts a slit in the pouch where you can insert one of the other images and a secret message.  So fun!

Yes, there is a die for this tab.  You probably noticed that the hearts are a little shiny and glittery.  After I stamped the Real Red CS, I filled in the hearts with Shimmery Crystal Effects. The Crystal Effects does take a few minutes to dry so do this as the last step.

On the inside of the card I used another die from the Many Hearts dies.  I love it, a little variation on the XOXO!  I die cut it on the True Love DSP and then placed Real Red CS  behind it.  

One last thing.

Yup, I added a wobble to the back of the heart so the kangaroo can move.  I found the Wobbles in my craft room but you can find them on Amazon.

One last big thing!  The Creativity Abounds Blog Hop team has also put together a tutorial bundle of brand new projects.  There are 13 tutorials and they feature projects using products from the Love You Always Suite (page 10-17 of the 2021 Jan-Jun Mini Catalog).  

You can purchase this fun tutorial bundle (all brand new projects) for $15 (US) or receive it free with a minimum $50 order placed with me via my online store..  Contact me to order the tutorial (sharon@astheinkdries.com)

Now it is time for you to hop along!

I am not a fan of snails in real life but the Snailed It bundle in the 2021 Jan-Jun Mini Catalog is SO darn cute.  In fact I like the entire Snail Mail Suite.  

The DSP (Designer Series Paper) is the Snail Mail DSP.  So cute!  I also used the Blushing Bride twine from the Snail Mail Twine Combo Pack.  I love having solid colored twine back.  This pack also comes with White twine.  I think it is a must have.  The big stitched postage stamp is in the Snail Dies.  It is a great size measuring about 2-1/2" .    The dies were used to cut out the 2 mushrooms from the Snail Mail DSP and the adorable snail which was stamped and colored using Stampin' Blends.

I couldn't resist the googly eyes!  Doesn't it just up the cute factor?   I am a fan of the entire Snail Mail Suite.  The only thing I didn't use from the suite on this card are the resin hearts.  I have used the hearts a lot and if you saw this post, you  know that you can color the white hearts using Stampin' Blends!

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you will check out the Snail Mail Suite.  

Welcome to the first Stampers Dozen Blog Hop of 2021!  We are here to Sale-A-Brate!  Sale-A-Bration is such a fun time to be a customer and a demonstrator.  Sale-A-Bration lasts for 2 months (January-February)  and this year there will be ANOTHER Sale-A-Bration July-August!  I love that SU! is changing things.

I am back using the Flower & Field DSP available during Sale-A-Bration.  This pack of paper is lovely and it is one of my favorites.  I love the florals and the coordinating patterns side too.  I used the dragonfly and punch  from the Dragonfly Garden bundle and a sentiment from the Garden Wishes set.  These 2 stamp sets are all part of the Dandy Garden suite and coordinate so beautifully.  You will be seeing lots more of these 2 bundles.

This is a pocket card and if you are interested I have a tutorial HERE.  

If you haven't seen the 2021 Jan-Feb Sale-A-Bration  or the 2021 Jan-Jun catalogs, you can click on the image on the right hand side of the blog.  If you would prefer to see the catalogs in person contact me (see the right hand side of the blog).

Thank you for stopping by!  It is time for you to check out what Carol Payne has created for you!

Stamper's Dozen January 2021 Blog Hop

1. Patty Chenail – Stamp-Patty’s - Stamping in My Flops
2. BJ Peters – Create & Feel Great
3. Judy Garza – Creativity Released
4. Sharon Hashimoto Burkert – As the Ink Dries
5. Carol Payne – Carol Payne Stamps
6. Joanne Cantrell – Keep It Simple, Stampers
7. Rachel Yurkanin – Rachel’s Stamping Place
8. Debbie Naylor – Unfrogettable Stamping!
9. Bonnie O'Neill – Bonnie Stamped

Product List

Dragonfly Garden Bundle (English) [156224]	Garden Wishes Cling Stamp Set [154408]	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708]	Bumblebee Classic Stampin' Pad [153116]
Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [121045]	Bumblebee 8-1/2X11 Cardstock [153077]	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [159276]	Flower & Field 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper [155223]
Stitched Shapes Dies [152323]	Layering Circles Dies [151770]	Black 5/8" (1.6 Cm) Glittered Organdy Ribbon [147897]

The past few days have been windy and wet which has me longing for some sunshine.  I cannot travel to the sunshine so I am going to have to be content to make some.  This week's Create with Connie & Mary Challenge #CCMC646 is a color challenge and it was perfect combination to use for a bright and cheery card.

What do you think?  Does it look like spring to you?  The colors are Flirty Flamingo, Merry Merlot and Old Olive.  I used the super cute stamp set/bundle, Pretty Perennials, which is Dena Rekow's Million Dollar stamp set.  I love the pretty flowers and leaves.  They look like they are water colored  and there are so many ways to arrange them.  You know what I really like?  I really like "happy".  I wish there were a die to cut that out but  since there isn't I am glad it isn't too difficult to fussy cut out.  

I embossed the Basic White CS using the Tasteful Textile embossing folder and I am sure I do not have to tell you how much I like this particular folder.  

Hope you liked this little bit of sunshine from my stamp room!  Be sure to check out what the other members of the Create with Connie & Mary Design team created for the challenge.  

Product List

Pretty Perennials Bundle [156234]	Merry Merlot Classic Stampin' Pad [147112]	Flirty Flamingo Classic Stampin' Pad [147052]	Flirty Flamingo 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [141416]
Merry Merlot 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [146979]	Old Olive 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [100702]	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [159276]	Tasteful Textile 3 D Embossing Folder [152718]
Rhinestone Basic Jewels [144220]

Welcome to the New at SU! first blog hop of the new year.  This month we are hopping and sharing ideas around the theme Love & Hearts.  Grab something to drink and hop along with us!

I love the versatility of the Lots of Hearts bundle.  Great dies that go beyond hearts and I couldn't resist the checked heart and the heartfelt sentiments are going to be so useful.   Today's project was the perfect time to try the pretty floral overlay die.  I thought about trying it in vellum but decided I needed to try the new Pearlescent Paper.

This photo doesn't do it justice but I hope you can see some of the sheen of the Pearlescent Paper.  When I opened the paper I was surprised that it was a lightweight paper similar to DSP, maybe even a little lighter.  This makes it super easy to die cut and doesn't add much bulk.  I am looking forward to experimenting with this paper so stay tuned for that.  The flower centers are the Opal Rounds.  You can see the "fire" in these rounds and they look great with the Pearlescent Paper.

The Very Vanilla layer was embossed using the Tasteful Textiles embossing folder.  You have probably guessed it is one of my go-to embossing folders.  

I am so happy that twine is back!  The Blushing Bride twine is from the Snail Mail Twine Combo Pack.  I really like solid colored twine and am hoping that we will see the return of black twine...please. 

You can see that I couldn't resist adding the connected hearts from the Many Hearts dies to the inside of the card.  I layered it on to a black cardstock strip and I love how this looks!

Now it is time to see what the talented Rochelle Smith has made for you.

Here is a list of all the stops on the hop! 

January 2021 New at SU! Hop: Love & Hearts

Tricia’s Stamping Creations - Kangaroo & Company

Creative Juice by Loni - Treasures of Life

Sugar & Scraps - Heartfelt

Gifted Hands, Ink! - Love Always & Many Hearts Dies

As the Ink Dries - Lots of Hearts you are here!

Stamping Flair - Always in My Heart

Carterie Plus - Heartfelt

Scraphexe - Lots of Hearts/Ganz viel Herz

A Little Kinder - Lots of Hearts

24/7 Inkspiration - Love You Always

Stampin’ Scrapper - Forever & Always

Thank you for stopping by and enjoy the hop!

Product List

Lots Of Heart Bundle (English) [156202]	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708]	Blushing Bride 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [131198]	Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [121045]
Very Vanilla 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [101650]	Pearlescent Specialty Paper [154291]	Tasteful Textile 3 D Embossing Folder [152718]	Opal Rounds [154289]
Snail Mail Twine Combo Pack [154579]

Welcome to the Around the World on Wednesday Blog Hop.  We are an international group of Stampin' Up!® demonstrators here to share ideas and inspiration.  This month the theme is Favorite Inspiration.

This theme really made me think.  What does inspire me?  In the past I think I would have said magazines.  I still have a few old stamping and scrapbook magazines that I  look through on occasion but now that I think about it, I haven't looked through one in months.  I was going to say my stamps and paper are inspirational but often it is because I have new stamps and paper that I need to be inspired.  I reflected on my process and I realize it is my box of cards I have collected over the years both handmade and store bought that I look through when I need to be inspired.  I look through this beat up plastic container and always find a color combination, fold or layout that sparks an idea.  There are other ways I am inspired but I think this collection of ideas is the one I turn to the most.  Now that I think of it I should treat these projects more respectfully and find a nicer container for them.

This is the card I pulled out of my box of ideas. I do not  remember the name of this stamp set or how old it is.  I do know that I had a class using this stamp set and this was one of the cards.  I have always liked this kind of sampler style layout.

This is what I came up with using the Snailed It bundle.  You can see the similarities between the 2 cards and how one inspired the other.  

The card base is 4-1/4" x 9-1/2" scored at 5-1/2".  The snail and the "hellos" were die cut from the Snail Mail DSP using the Snail dies.  I love that the hello is in different languages.  I thought it perfect for this international hop.  The little envelopes were stamped and then cut out using the die.  The little hearts are the Resin Hearts.  The hearts come in Real Red and Whisper White.  I colored the white heart using a Bermuda Bay (Dark) Stampin' Blend.  Isn't that good to know?  The little mushrooms were also die cut using the Snail dies in Bermuda Bay, Blushing Bride and Real Red.  

Inside is a little heart that was die cute from the Snail Mail DSP.  It was originally going to go on the front of the card but it didn't fit, so I added it to the inside.   I am not adding a sentiment to the inside yet.  I think this card would work for lots of different occasions.  I hope it will brighten someone's day.  

Now it is time to see what inspires the talented Teri West.

Here is the list of all the stops on the blog hop!

Angela Meiritz-Reid - NZ

Tatiana Tobin - AU

Rochelle Laird-Smith - AU

Cheryll Miller - AU

Melissa Gifford - AU

Ximena Morales - DE

Aurélie Fabre - FR

Mikaela Titheridge - UK

Tina Zinck - CA

Annette Ball - CA

Angie McKenzie - US

Wendy Lee - US

Shel Anderson - CA

Chris Smith - US

Brenda Nelson - CA

Tricia Butts - US

Elaine de Montmorency - CA

Sharon Hashimoto Burkert - US

Teri West - US

Cheryl Hamilton - US

Product List

Snailed It Bundle [156255]	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708]	Bermuda Bay Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [154878]	Real Red 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [102482]
Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [159276]	Blushing Bride 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [131198]	Bermuda Bay 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [131197]	Snail Mail Designer Series Paper [154577]
Stitched So Sweetly Dies [151690]	Resin Hearts Embellishment [154578]

Welcome to the first Inspire, Create, Share blog hop of 2021!  This month we are hopping and sharing lot of ideas using Sale-A-Bration products.  In 2021 there will be two Sale-A-Bration periods, January -February and again in July-August.  During Sale-A-Bration you can choose a free gift from the Sale-A-Bration brochure with a qualifying order.  I am using two Sale-A-Bration choices on my project, Flower & Field DSP and the Heal Your Heart stamp set.  Both of these choices are level 1 choices which mean they are free with a $50 purchase (US).

Love the Flower & Field DSP.  The flowers and colors just pop against the black background.  So many pretty flowers that I had to fussy cut some of them to decorate the sentiment panel.  

What do you think of the Heal Your Heart font?  I think it is beautiful and would love to be able to write like this.  

I think this fold is called a Double Dutch fold.  

Main card base is 4-1/4" x  9" scored at 5-1/2" 

The arms are 2" x 8-1/2" scored at 2-1/8" on either end.  You attach these arms to the card base and then cover them up with the layers inside of the card.  

The rest is just layering.  Like most fun folds it looks more difficult than it actually is.

I added a couple more flowers that were fussy cut from the DSP, along with another strip of DSP. 

Now it is time for you to hop on over to see what the talented Anastasia has created for you.

Thanks for stopping by and below I have provided  a list of all the products used on today's project.

Product List

Heal Your Heart Cling Stamp Set (English) [155291]	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708]	Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [121045]	Bumblebee 8-1/2X11 Cardstock [153077]
Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [159276]	Flower & Field 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper [155223]	Stitched So Sweetly Dies [151690]	Stitched Rectangle Dies [148551]
Matte Black Dots [154284]

It is unusual that we have 3 packs of Designer Series Paper in the Sale-A-Bration brochure.  I have shared samples using the Flower & Field DSP here, here, here,  and here.  I have cards using the Paper Blooms DSP here and  here.  Today I am sharing a sample using the Oh So Ombre DSP.

The Oh So Ombre DSP colors are Bermuda Bay, Blackberry Bliss, Granny Apple Green, and Rococo Rose.   I cut a Basic White frame using the Stitched So Sweetly and the Stitched Rectangles dies.  Inside of the frame I inserted the circle pattern Granny Apple Green that is also part of Oh So Ombre DSP.  The Pretty Perennial flowers were stamped in Magenta Madness and die cut using the Perennial Petal dies.  

I really like the Matte Black dots and used them for the centers of the flowers.  Love this color combination.  It is a bright, happy card and pretty quick and easy to make.

Product List

Pretty Perennials Bundle [156234]	Granny Apple Green Stampin' Pad [147095]	Magenta Madness Classic Stampin' Pad [153117]	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock [159229]
Magenta Madness 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [153080]	Granny Apple Green 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [146990]	Oh So Ombre 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [155225]	Stitched So Sweetly Dies [151690]
Stitched Rectangles Dies [151820]	Matte Black Dots [154284]

Thanks for stopping by!  Remember if your wish list is long, maybe it is time to check out all the benefits of being a demonstrator!

Welcome to the very first Stamping Inkspiration blog hop!  I am excited to be a part of this fabulous group.  The theme for our first hop is Something New, a very appropriate theme for our first hop.  There are 35 stops on this hop (WOW!) so grab your favorite drink and hop along with us!

My project uses the In Bloom bundle in the 2021 January-June Mini Catalog and the coordinating DSP, Paper Blooms from the 2021 Jan-Feb Sale-A-Bration catalog.   The In Bloom bundle has been on my craft table from the first day I received it.  I love the piercing detail of the dies and the sentiments in the stamp set are ones I will use a lot.

The Paper Bloom DSP is such a happy pack of paper.  The colors and blooms  are so cheery and it is one of the Sale-A-Bration choices which means it is free with a qualifying order.  In the Sale-A-Bration brochure  it says it coordinates with the Pretty Perennials bundle but it coordinates more closely with the In Bloom bundle.

The middle panel lifts up to reveal another sentiment and a place for you to write a little note.  

Now it is time to check out what the talented Cheryl Miller  has created for you.

Here is the list of all the stops on the hop!  Enjoy!

JANUARY 2021

Angie McKenzie  ●  Jo Blackman  ●  Jan Musselman 

Tricia Butts  ●  Shel Anderson  ●  Libby Fens 

Gez Carpenter  ●  Sue Allen  ●  Karen Henderson

Elaine de Montmorency  ●  Leonie Stuart  ●  Mo Rootes

Linda Moore  ●  Annette Ball  ●  Jill Chapman

Ann Krucek  ●  Susan Webster  ●  JoAnn Pollock

Narelle Fasulo  ●  Terry Hamilton  ●  Rebecca-Jo Unwin

Susan Simpson  ●  Danielle Kassing  ●  Sharon Hashimoto Burkert

Cheryll Miller  ●  Rochelle Laird-Smith

Teri West  ● Chris Smith  ●  Melissa Gifford

Vicki Milyard  ●  Anne Marie Hile  ●  Aurélie Fabre 

Mikaela Titheridge  ●  Alejandra Gomez 

Thank you for stopping by!  Enjoy the hop and all the Stamping Inkspiration!