Today is the release of the Simon Says Stamp May, 2023 Card Kit which is called "Best Year Yet". It is full of birthday card making goodies and who doesn't need more birthday cards! Here is an image of the kit in it's entirety:
My "one stamp, five ways" focuses on the stamp, but also uses the AMAZING Crafter's Companion Glitter Shades Gel Pens in the kit on almost all of my projects. I've used a lot of glitter pens and these are the best as the flow never stops! I used them so much, my grandkids used them a lot, my daughter colored with them, and they just keep flowing! I also love and used the Large Fancy Happy Birthday Die in the kit. And the new Pastel Color Blend Cardstock Assortment is used on almost every card! The stamp set is also called Best Year Yet Stamp Set and has a set of matching Best Year Yet Dies (which I did not have, but I am a master fussy cutter, so all is good!). And here are my five cards:
I started by stamping with my "random stamping" technique on this card. I stamped all of the images in the Best Year Yet stamp set with Latte PSInk on an A2 piece of white cardstock. I arrange the images like a puzzle, filling in the openings with the small star bursts. I colored all of the images on this card with colored pencils as I wanted it soft (the glitter pens are brighter as you will see). I used a white Uniball gel pen to add details and outlined some things with a black Micron.
I die-cut a frame using one of the Color Blend Cardstock A2 pieces that come with the kit using the MFT A2 Rectangle Frames. I stamped a sentiment "birthday wishes" from the stamp set with Latte ink as well and outlined them with the glitter pens in the kit. It was so easy! I love the pens as they flow so well and are the perfect thickness. I ended up using them over all of my sentiments. I used some of the Surprise Party sequins in the kit around the sentiment.
For the background of this card I used the new Bold Geometrics stencil from the Beautiful Days release. I used foam applicators to rub Pawsitively Saturated Inks over it very softly, not all the way to the edges. I used an assortment of colors that would match my images in little circular areas. I attached this piece to some lavender/blue cardstock.
I die-cut the Large Fancy Happy Birthday Wafer Die from one of the Pastel Color Blend Cardstocks. I attached that to the center of the card and I had to slightly trim off the curly edge of the Y. I stamped some images from the stamp set with Intense Black Ink and colored them with Copics as well as well as the glitter pens in the kit. I like the glitter pens for decorating things like adding dots on things. I also always used them on the bows on the boxes. I fussy cut these out since I didn't have the matching dies (which I weirdly enjoy doing). I arranged them around the sentiment. I added some of the Surprise Party sequin mix in the kit.
There is a transparent sheet in the kit, so I wanted to make a shaker card. I made the background first by inking a piece of cardstock with Bubblegum, Peachy, and Lemonade as I moved down. I flicked some water over it to get some spots. You can't really tell because I covered most of it. I then stamped all of the sentiments in the stamp set over it with black ink in a "random stamping" way. I die-cut one of the Color Blend Pastel Cardstock sheets with a SSS Stitched Rectangle and used the outside portion as a frame. I built up the sides with two layers of foam tape and then inserted a bunch of the Surprise Party sequin mix that came in the kit inside.
I stamped the large happy birthday sentiment with Latte ink and then went over the letters with the glitter pens. Have I mentioned how much I love them?!!! hahaha. I cut around it (not sure if the die that matches would look the same as my fussy cutting!) and attached it in the center of the shaker window. I added three of the largest sequins to the top of the window.
I die-cut a SSS Slimline Rectangle Die from white cardstock. I used a foam applicator to apply some Pawsitively Saturated Ink to it. I used Carnation on the left, Tidepool in the center, and lemonade on the right. I attached that to a piece of Holographics Rainbow paper under it and made a white cardstock card base.
I stamped a bunch of the images in the stamp set on white cardstock with Latte Ink. I then colored them all in with the glitter pens. I also used glitter pens over that cool happy birthday sentiment - love that font. I used foam tape behind the sentiment and packages, but not the balloons. I added some of the Surprise Party sequin mix around the sentiment. If you want to know the how the glitter pens look when used for coloring, these are 100% glitter pens!
This card was just to use up some of the images I had colored and hadn't used yet. I colored the sentiment that looks like a big bubble with the glitter pens in a rainbow sequence. I used a white Uniball over the letters to make them stand out more. I also colored the balloons with the glitter pens. I fussy cut them all out.
I die-cut an oval using the SSS Stitched Oval Dies from white cardstock. I had a piece of patterned paper left over from a card kit a couple years ago that has rainbow colors all over it. I die-cut it with the Lawn Fawn Stitched Rectangle Dies. I attached the oval to the patterned paper. I then attached the sentiment and balloons with foam tape behind them. I stamped some more of the little starbursts with Latte Ink around the background and colored over them with glitter pens. I added some of the Surprise Party sequins around them.
There is a tag in the kit that I wanted to use, so I attached some of my leftover colored images to it and bam, it was done! I used the Wish Big sentiment and 3 of the single string balloons and colored them all with glitter pens. I then added some twine to the top.
That's a lot of projects you can make with the SSS May Card Kit called Best Year Yet. I love the Best Year Yet stamp set as it is so versatile for birthday cards. There are lots of images to color which made me happy and did I mention how much I love these glitter pens? haha. I hope you enjoy this kit as much as I clearly did! suzy
Love your cards from the May Card Kit! You are quite the inspiration!! Can't wait to receive my kit! Thanks for your friendship and such a fun time at the Simon Says Show. I love your cards so much and they are so much fun to color with whatever media you enjoy using. Keep up with the motivation for all of us who need to enjoy your talent! Love and Happy Crafting! Rita
Posted by: Rita Waddle | April 23, 2023 at 04:47 AM