Welcome to the Around the World on Wednesday blog hop,  #aWOWbloghop.  We have 25  stops on this  hop representing 13 different time zones (Midnight in Hawaii through 10PM in New Zealand) in all of Stampin' Up's markets!  Thank you so much for joining us as we hop Around the World on Wednesday!

This month the theme for the hop is all about coloring.  We are lucky that Stampin' Up! offers so many different coloring tools, making it difficult for me to choose a favorite.  My favorite coloring tool changes depending on what I am coloring but if I could only choose one, it would be ink refills.

The flowers from the Floral Essence stamp set were colored using Cherry Cobbler ink refill and a Aqua Painter.  I stamped the flower with Versamark ink on Shimmery White cardstock and embossed  with white embossing powder.  I like to use the Aqua Painter without any water in the barrel.  I prefer to dip the Aqua Painter into a container of water,  I feel this gives me more  control of the amount of water on the brush.  Once the petal is wet,  I dip the Aqua Painter into the Cherry Cobbler ink refill and then touch it to the petal.  It is so fun to watch the ink spread coloring the petal.  Sometimes if the ink isn't moving the way you want it to, you can help it along. The leaves (To A Wild Rose stamp set) were colored the same way using Mossy Meadow ink refill.

I used the border die from the Wild Rose dies and cut out the border.  I layered the Whisper White cardstock onto a piece of Sparkle Glimmer paper.  I glued the flower border back in to the cutout allowing the Sparkle Glimmer paper to shine through.  I love the bit of sparkle it adds to the card.

The sentiment is from To A Wild Rose set and stamped in Cherry Cobbler ink.  The Perennial Essence Floral Centers were used for the centers and they add a lot of texture and dimension.  

Time to see what coloring tool the  talented Teri West chose to share.

Angela Meiritz-Reid  - NZ

Tatiana Tobin - AU

Rochelle Laird-Smith - AU

Cazz Boylan - AU

Cheryll Miller - AU

Satomi Wellard - JA

Melissa Gifford - AU

Danielle Kassing - NL

Manuela Geiswinkler - AT

Ximena Morales - DE

Aurélie Fabre - FR

Emma Goddard, Special Guest - UK

Mikaela Titheridge - UK

Tina Zinck - CA

Annette Ball - CA

Angie McKenzie - US

Mary Deatherage - US

Shel Anderson - CA

Chris Smith - US

Brenda Nelson - CA

Tricia Butts - US

Elaine de Montmorency - CA

Sharon Burkert - US

Teri West - US

Cheryl Hamilton - US

Thank you for stopping by!  Hope you are enjoying hopping Around the World!

I have been seeing beautiful cards colored using just black, white and gray and knew I wanted to try it.  While I had the Accented Blooms set out I pulled out the combo packs of Black and  Smoky Slate Stampin' Blends and the Color Lifter.  I thought this set might be a good choice for this coloring idea since the images are pretty open and it isn't too fussy or big.

I am pretty happy with how this turned out and will definitely try this technique  again.  One of the hardest things is during the coloring process  I was so tempted to add a splash of color like red or yellow but when it was all done I am glad I didn't.  

The sentiment was stamped using Versamark ink on Whisper White cardstock and embossed using Black embossing powder.  I also used the retired Black Baker's twine.   I still miss the Black Baker's twine and sometimes I just have to use it.  The Basic Gray cardstock was embossed using the Scripty 3D folder. 

Product List

Accented Blooms Clear-Mount Stamp Set [146681]	Versamark Pad [102283]	Basic Black Combo Pack Stampin' Blends [147942]	Smoky Slate Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack [145058]
Stampin' Blends Color Lifter [144608]	Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [121045]	Basic Gray 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [121044]	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [100730]
Butterfly Beauty Dies [151819]	Scripty 3D Embossing Folder [149634]	Tailored Tag Punch [145667]	Black Stampin' Emboss Powder [146956]

If you have any paper crafting needs please check out my online store.  If you would like a 2020-21 Stampin'Up! catalog and do not have a Stampin'Up!® demonstrator please contact me.

I haven't inked the Accented Blooms set in a while.   It is now on the Retiring Products list, which makes me want to use it all the time!

The image was stamped with Versamark ink on Shimmery White cardstock and heat embossed using white embossing powder.  I use Shimmery White cardstock or Fluid 100 Watercolor paper when I color using an Aqua Painter and ink refills.  Why?  Because the water doesn't absorb as quickly as it does on Whisper White or Very Vanilla cardstock, enabling me to move the color around.  I used Melon Mambo, Call Me Clover, Daffodil Delight and Gorgeous Grape ink refills to color the image. The sentiment was inked using  Versamark on Melon Mambo cardstock and heat embossed with white embossing powder and then punched out using the Tailored Tag punch.  

To finish the card I layered the image on Melon Mambo and then on to a Whisper White layer that was embossed using the gorgeous Parisian Flourish 3D folder.  If you like texture and beautiful backgrounds this folder is a must have.  I cut out some butterflies using the Butterfly Beauty dies and added a little rhinestone bling to each butterfly.  

Here are samples of the Accented Blooms from past posts, check them out HERE,  HERE,  HERE,  and HERE.

Product List

Accented Blooms Clear-Mount Stamp Set [146681]	Versamark Pad [102283]	Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [115662]	Daffodil Delight Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [119672]	Call Me Clover Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [147178]
Gorgeous Grape Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [147164]	Melon Mambo 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [115320]	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [100730]	Shimmery White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [101910]	Tailored Tag Punch [145667]
Butterfly Beauty Dies [151819]	Parisian Flourish 3D Embossing Folder [151474]	White Stampin' Emboss Powder [109132]	Rhinestone Basic Jewels [144220]	Aqua Painters [103954]

It is Thursday and time for the Create with Connie & Mary Challenge.  This week we have a color challenge.

I am working through my stamp sets that will be retiring soon and one of the first sets is Abstract Impressions.  The stamp set is reduced in price to $20.80 and the coordinating die, Springtime Impressions is also reduced and just $11.60.

I used the die from Springtime Impressions and cut it out in Whisper White cardstock.  I sponged on Terracotta Tile, Old Olive and Crushed Curry ink using sponge daubers to color the die cut.  The colors overlap and blend a bit adding to the effect.  The sentiment from the Abstract Impressions set was stamped in Terracotta Tile ink.

I wanted to add a little sparkle so I added some rhinestones in the centers of some of the flowers.  I also added some Crushed Curry tiny butterflies cut using the Butterfly Beauty dies.  

Product List

Abstract Impressions Photopolymer Stamp Set [147513]	Terracotta Tile Classic Stampin’ Pad [150086]	Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pad [147087]	Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad [147090]	Old Olive 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [100702]
Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [100730]	Crushed Curry 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [131199]	Springtime Impressions Dies [146326]	Butterfly Beauty Dies [151819]	Rhinestone Basic Jewels [144220]

Thank you for stopping by.  Hope you are staying happy and healthy!

Today is another big day for Stampin' Up!® demonstrators.  It is the day we get to pre-order from the upcoming Annual catalog.  It is always exciting to do the pre-order and then it's agony waiting for the order to arrive.

You may have noticed that lately I haven't been as consistent in my posting.  Honestly,  I am in a bit of a slump.  I have  ideas and want to play with all the sets I have that are retiring but it is just not coming together.  It took me quite a while to make today's card featuring the Beautiful Day stamp set and the Share Sunshine PDF.   I am just happy I have something to share.

Yes, the Beautiful Day stamp set is retiring.  Here I embossed it with white embossing powder on Shimmery White paper.  I did some watercoloring using an Aqua Painter and Lovely Lipstick (retiring) ink refill.  The leaves were cut and embossed using the Nature's Roots dies.  I also added some loops of Silver Metallic Thread behind the flower.  The sentiment is from the Share Sunshine PDF which is a Covid 19 Product Giveback.  The PDF costs $12 and is 15 pages of sayings and images.  100% of the download's proceeds will go to Covid 19 efforts.  You can get more information about the download HERE.

Product List

Beautiful Day Clear-Mount Stamp Set [145915]	Lovely Lipstick Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [147179]	Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [131158]	Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [121045]
Shimmery White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [101910]	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [100730]	Old Olive 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [100702]	Sparkle Glimmer Paper [146957]
Botanical Prints Product Medley (English) [151301]	Nature's Roots Dies [146341]	Silver Metallic Thread [138402]

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I was sad to see that the On To Adventure stamp set will be retiring.  I have really enjoyed using the set and the cute characters.  Today I  am pairing it up with the Country Club DSP, which is also retiring.

Does the layout look familiar?  I used the same layout as I did on this card.   Here are the measurements for the papers I used:

• Garden Green card base-4-1/4" x 11" scored at 5-1/2"
• Country Club DSP Night of Navy layer 4-1/8" x 5-3/8"
• Garden Green panel layer 3-1/4" x  4-3/8"
• Country Club DSP golf balls and tees 3" x 4-1/4" cut in to three 1" x 4-1/4" strips

Inside of the card you can see a peek of a strip of DSP 1/2" x 4"  and a stamp from the Clubhouse set, cut out using the Golf Club dies.  I  am not sure who I will be sending it to yet so for the time being I am not adding a sentiment.

The cute little golf guy was colored using Stampin' Blends in Lt Night of Navy, Light Smoky Slate, Ivory, and Light Poppy Parade.  His cap and the grass  were colored  using a Garden Green watercolor pencil and his pants a Crushed Curry Stampin' Write marker.  The Night of Navy twine is from the Country Club Twine Combo Pack.  

Product List

On To Adventure Cling Stamp Set [149334]	Clubhouse Bundle [153816]	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708]	Watercolor Pencils Assortment 2 [149014]	Night Of Navy Light Stampin' Blends Marker [144036]
Poppy Parade Light Stampin' Blends Marker [146878]	Smoky Slate Light Stampin' Blends Marker [145054]	Ivory Stampin' Blends Marker [144606]	Garden Green 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [102584]	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [100730]
Country Club Designer Series Paper [151314]	Stitched Shapes Dies [152323]	Country Club Twine Combo Pack [151318]

Be sure to check the Retiring list for the Stampin' Up! Annual Catalog   Check here for the retiring list for the 2020 January-June Mini Catalog.  

Did you know there was a National Lucky Penny day?  Well, there is and it is celebrated on May 23.  National Lucky Penny Day is the festivity featured on the Festive Friday Challenge #FF0058.  

To play in the challenge pick 3 of the elements to include in your project.  It is easy and fun to play along!  

Here's what I made using the elements: copper, green, gift card holder, and congratulations sentiment.  This just may be the easiest gift card holder you will ever make.

All you need to do is cut the front of the card to the score line to form a pocket.  Secure the side and along the bottom to form a pocket.  Lots of retiring products were used to make this card.  

Retiring Products Used

• Garden Lane DSP  this is now available for only $8.05 , while supplies last
• 6" x 6" Subtles DSP this unfortunately has already sold out
• Leaf Punch  I use this one a lot
• Parisian Dies  going to miss those pretty swirls
• On to Adventure cutest images and sentiments

 Click HERE for a PDF Tutorial!

Product List

On To Adventure Cling Stamp Set [149334]	Mossy Meadow Classic Stampin' Pad [147111]	Mossy Meadow 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [133676]	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [100730]	Copper Foil Sheets [142020]
Garden Lane Designer Series Paper [149488]	Subtles 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [149615]	Parisian Dies [151463]	Medium Daisy Punch [149517]	Leaf Punch [144667]

Hope to see your project for Festive Friday #FF0058 in the Gallery!