Hi friends - I'm back as a regular blogger - yippee! Thank you to those that left me a comment on my last post about losing my father. Those comments meant so much to me. I was also glad to see I still have some visitors after my three month absense!
Today I want to share a tag I made with all of you. As I said in the last post, I've been discovering lots of new products to play with. I'm not doing this as a "job" and I'm not trying to sell you anything. I'm just creating for me right now and dare I say I've never had more fun doing it?!?!?!? I'm trying all kinds of new techniques and really exploring what my products can do. I think this might be better than therapy for my sad soul!
One of the new websites/online stores I have fallen in love with is Simon Says Stamps. They sell all kinds of stamps and dies and stamping/card making products, but they also have their own line of stamps. I fell in love with a set called Favorite Flowers. I think this set is designed by the talented Kristina Werner. I really became obsessed with all of this new creative card making stuff by watching her videos on youtube. This is actually a very funny story from CHA, so I think I will share it at the expense of embarrassing myself. I attended CHA with my friend Deb Duty. We both had things we wanted to do or accomplish at CHA and she had told me that her number one mission was to meet Kristina Werner. She would look at her Instagram photos as she posted them and try to figure out what booth she was at. For two days we tried to hunt her down (or stalk her really!) with no luck. Everywhere we went someone would tell us she had just been there. I promised Deb we would find her and became obsessed with this mission. So being the not so shy girl that I am, I left a comment on her most recent IG photo saying that I wondered if she could tell us where she was as I really wanted to meet her as I was her biggest fan/stalker. I didn't even know WHO she was at this point. I had never followed her or watched a video. But for my sweet friend Deb who had come all the way from Louisiana to attend CHA with me, I would sacrifice myself. Well, to make a long story short, we never heard back from her. And we never found her. AND, I was left wondering if she thought I was a complete wack job (some truth to that point). The irony of this story is, I came home and started trying to figure out why Deb had such a crafty crush on this girl and guess what? I do too now - she is so amazing and I can't stop watching her videos. She is incredibly talented and now I totally WANT TO MEET HER! No wonder she has 120,000 followers on youtube! haha
Ok, back to the reason for this post. I ordered this adorable stamp set and made this tag. The end. haha
Instructions and supplies:
- I cut a Paper Smooches Stitched Tag Die out of Ranger Watercolor Paper
- I stamped the flower doodles and leaf doodles with Versamark Ink and then embossed them with Clear Embossing Powder. If you use white, the color doesn't match the background. But using clear kept the flowers perfectly white like the paper.
- I used a Worn Lipstick Distress Ink Pad to paint the flowers. I stamped it on my Ranger Craft Sheet and then picked some up with a wet paintbrush. I applied the color first as a wash - a light coat that went beyond the flower doodles. I came back with a more vibrant coat using less water after drying it with a heat tool. This added the shading you see in the image. I used the same process with Mowed Lawn Distress Ink for the leaves.
- Last, I used Archival Black Ink by Ranger (holds up perfectly when it gets wet which I believe is called water proof!) to stamp the sentiment and the little swirl designs.
And that my friends is my "card" for today. I'll be posting all week because I have a lot more cards to share so please come back and visit. I entered this tag in the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog because someone that enters can win a $50 shop GC and I really need more money to spend or I'm going to go broke over here. This is an addictive hobby to say the least!
Happy Monday and have a great week. Thanks again for the love on the last post. I so appreciate those of you who continue to visit and leave comments after years of me blogging. I feel like we are real friends! xoxox suzy
Haha good memories!! I appreciate you helping me on my mission at CHA even if it didn't work out. At least you now understand why I was obsessed and I love that you are enjoying her awesome videos too! Love the sweet tag! :)
Posted by: deb duty | February 23, 2015 at 11:54 AM
You are so funny - I'd be that friend, too. Somebody's gotta try to make things happen! I'm so sorry to hear of your father's passing - I chose today to catch up on blogs and that's weird timing. And JK Simmon's speech last night on the Oscar's seals the deal. I'm lucky to have both of my parents still...I'm going to call my mom and dad tonight. Hugs!
Posted by: Kirsten J | February 23, 2015 at 06:12 PM
So pretty! I love that soft watercoloring!
Posted by: Miriam Prantner | February 23, 2015 at 07:32 PM
This is just beautiful thanks so much for posting
Posted by: ns | February 23, 2015 at 10:54 PM
Lol! So funny! And I feel so bad that you never tracked me down! Part of the reason is probably because I would take a bunch of photos and then go sit down somewhere to edit them and post them. I was never still at the booths the photos were from. Again, sorry you didn't catch me. :) But thanks for watching my videos. So happy you're enjoying them. :)
Posted by: Kristina Werner | February 24, 2015 at 10:09 PM
I love this tag! I have this stamp set (cause their stamps are totally addicting!!) but I haven't done watercolor with distress inks yet so off to try that tomorrow. I'm thinking this technique and stamps will make a gorgeous birthday card for a friend. So glad you are creating for yourself - that's the best kind. :)
Posted by: Brenda | February 26, 2015 at 08:28 PM
This is such a beautiful, elegant tag and so, so pretty! Thank you so much for sharing your project and for joining us over on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog! :)
Posted by: Emma | February 28, 2015 at 07:15 AM
I just found this wonderful brand Simon says stamp!! And as I have a Boston terrier myself I really love their logo, I am with you... close to the bankruptcy because of this hobby lol. Love your tag ♡
Posted by: Angela | March 01, 2015 at 08:39 AM