Living My Dream: Simon Says Stamp BLOG HOPPITY HOPPITY HOP!!!

Ahhhhh I'm SO excited about this new Simon Says Stamp release called "Reason to Smile"!!! I LOVE making spring cards because I love spring colors and I love bunnies and chicks and all things Easter! Soooooooooo I (((might))) have gotten a little carried away and made a few too many things. Just scroll through the many images and ignore the text. And if you want to come back later after the blog hop, you can read all my details about how I made each card. So here we go ........

First I want to show you the two products I designed that are part of this release. This is my fourth set of watercolor cards - and it's my favorite as IT WAS SO MUCH FUN drawing flowers and bunnies and chicks! I made some of these designs much more detailed for those that like a painting challenge. There are 12 designs all printed on watercolor paper and the size of a standard card front (5.5"x4.25"):

The second thing I designed for this release is a new spring stamp set called Hoppy Easter. The main image is the bunny and he can hold many of the other images - the egg, the basket, the chick, or flowers. The flowers can also go in the Easter Wishes pot. And the bow and row of flowers can decorate the bunnies neck. There are lots of possibilities in combining these images as you will see in my card examples below.

And now it is time to share all my creations. First off, here are a bunch of cards and tags I made using my stamp set above. I made several little tags as I love the way stamped images fit on small canvases. These would be so cute tied to an Easter basket or a little Easter treat (click on the image to see them larger):

I die-cut several tags out using several tag dies (one of my staples as I make a lot of tags!) including this set by SSS and this set by Paper Smooches and this set by Lawn Fawn. I watercolored some and left others plain. For the second one, I used the Peeps background stamp and Judikins Sparkly embossing powder. I added stamped images to each and then I tied some twine in the top of some of the tags.

Next, I have five cards to share using the stamp set. The bunny on this card is holding the Easter basket which fits in his hands perfectly. For the background of this card, I stamped the Peeps Background stamp with Versamark Ink and then used White Embossing Powder on it. I then watercolored it which gave the stamped images a resist effect. I die cut that with a stitched rectangle die. I then added a white scalloped frame around the edges using the SSS Frames die and Neenah white cardstock. I watercolored the stamped images and cut them out. I use Canson Mixed Media paper when I don't have dies as it is 98 lb instead of the usual 140 lb of watercolor paper. It is pure white and doesn't warp so it works really well for stamping. I also use the SSS new Intense Black Ink Pad as it works with watercolor AND Copic markers so it is my new favorite ink. I added a picket fence die from My Favorite Things (linked below is the Lawn Fawn set as the MFT one is no longer for sale at SSS).

For this card, I watercolored a stitched rectangle die and used the same SSS Frame die as in the above image to frame it. I added the stamped images which I watercolored and cut out (see supplies used on card above). I cut around one of the bunnies "paws" and used a pop dot under it so he looks like he is holding the basket. I added the flowers around his neck. I glued some Pretty Pink Posh sequins around the background to finish the card.

Another bunny card!!! This time he is holding a flower - see, he can hold all of the items in the set. For the background, I first watercolored it, then I die cut it with a stitched rectangle. Next, I stamped the dots with the Pattern Swatches stamp set using Mama Elephant Rainwater ink. Then I embossed them using SSS clear embossing powder so they are raised and shiny. I added another picket fence and the stamped images. I stamped the words on another stitched rectangle. Behind the watercolored panel, I used a Mama Elephant Framed Tags die with a stitched scalloped frame.

I (again) watercolored a panel and die-cut it with a stitched rectangle and also a stitched circle die. I attached that to white cardstock and another of the Mama Elephant scallop edged frame dies. Inside the circle, I used the pot and filled it with flowers from the stamp set. I added a tulip to the little chicks wing and added that and the other stamped images. This card was my favorite with the new stamp set.

Next, I made some cards using the watercolor card fronts. All of these were watercolored (except Bright and Beautiful that I used Copic markers on). I die-cut each with the largest size stitched rectangles (except one that I cut one size smaller so it shows the card edges). I attached each to a colored card base. On many of these images I used a Wink of Stella glitter pen and a white Uniball to add details and sheen. I had so much fun coloring these images!

Whew - that was a lot of images - which one is your favorite? Would you use watercolor or markers or Copics to color them? I still have four more to go!

Next, I made a couple of cards with other stamp sets in this release. First is a card using the adorable Melody's Easter set.

I used several SSS dies on this card - stitched oval, stitched rectangle and a wavy scallop border die. Each of the three pieces is watercolored. I colored all of the stamped images with Copic markers. I added a little fence die and then used Glossy Accents on the eggs. This next card uses the Friendship Blooms stamp set:

I stamped all of the flowers and leaves on Neenah white cardstock and colored them in with Copic markers (note: I used the same SSS new black ink as it works with both watercolors and Copic markers so it is the only black ink I need now!). I used the same wavy scallop edged border as in the card above as a piece for the message stamp. First I watercolored a piece and then die cut it with the scallop border and then a stitched rectangle to finish off the other edges.

Whew - I'm finally done!!! Leave a message on this blog post for a chance to win a Simon Goody Bag worth $50 (one will be given away on each stop of this blog hop!). The winners will be announced on the Simon Says Stamp blog on Tuesday, February 23rd.

Next on the blog hop is Sarah Moerman.

Last, I want to tell you all about a new blog feature I will be doing twice a week. It is called "One Stamp, Five Ways". I will be using one recent stamp set and showing you five projects with it. This will help us all to utilize our stamp stash more! I hope you will visit my blog for these posts on Tuesdays and Fridays of each week. Thank you so much for stopping by today and have fun on the blog hop!!! Suzy