Mini Delight Very Berry Stamp & Die Set

 Hello friends!

I’m joining a fun Instagram Hop with Altenew today to celebrate the release of Altenew’s Mini Delight Very Berry. Feel free to start the hop over at my IG (yesvirginialu)

 

 This small stamp set packs a punch and does not disappoint. Thanks to the fine details, you can really have fun with it.

 

 I stamped the vines in black and also added a strip of glitter card-stock.

 

 This Stamp is so versatile that you can stamp loosely (like I do) or create a wreath or borders. 

 

  

 I love the color contrast and splatter in the mix.

 

What do you think? Does the small stamp set excite you? I know it always does for me.

 

To celebrate this Mini Delight release, Altenew is giving away a $20 gift certificate to 5 lucky winners! For a chance to win, please follow @altenewllc and leave a comment on each stop on this Instagram Hop. Meanwhile, please also follow me on my Instagram (yesvirginialu)

Thanks for stopping by!

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Spellbinders September Monthly Club Kit Blog Hop

 Hello friends! 

Welcome to Spellbinders September Club Kits Blog Hop.  I am honored and excited to be part of this hop. Please feel free to start at Spellbinders Blog and get inspired.

Each month, Spellbinders comes up with incredible designs with their monthly kits. I know it's impossible to get all of your dream kits. However, it is awesome to see how the designers create with these products and make them shine. So, come join the hop and get some serious inspiration.

For my project, I used Clear Stamp of The Month. I am a true stamper and I love how Spellbinders offer varied designs of stamps. This month is a cute one with birds!

I stamped and colored the birds on pattern paper (part of the monthly kit). For the vellum pieces, I white embossed the circles with the blows and fussy cut them out.

These circles give the birds an ethereal look and the background make them look even more captivating. I positioned the birdies facing each other as if they are tweeting to each other.

I drew the faux stitching with a fine black pen to simulate the hanging ornaments. The sentiment from Small Die Of the Month makes this an extra SWEET card!

Here are my other favorites that I share in the last two weeks.

I hope you are inspired and enjoy this hop. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Do take a look at the amazing deals over Spellbinders Warehouse Sale and check out HERE.

 Today's Blog Hop

Spellbinders Blog
Tina Smith
Yana Smakula
Sandi MacIver
Becky Roberts
Bibi Cameron
Annie Williams
Yasmin Diaz
Kristie Marcotte
Jenny Colacicco
Jill Hilliard
Rosemary Dennis
Jennifer Kotas
Betty Wright
🌻🍁🍃Virginia Lu🌻🍁🍃
Jean Manis
Jessica Vasher
Ilina Crouse
Hussena Calcuttawala
Alanna Moses

TEXT-Savvy: Incorperate TEXT Into Your Design

 Hello friends!

Have your texted lately? More importantly, have you used TEXT as part of your stamped design?

 

Today's post is to remind and inspire you to use your sentiment set as part of your background and focal point. I am also participating in today's Altenew Educator Instagram Hop.

 

I started out by creating a ink-blended background with Altenew Simple Frame Mask Stencil

With the Ink-blending Tool, you can ink up the background very easily.

 

 

 

With the Stencil in place, I then stamped the background with Tall Alpha Lowercase Stamp Set

With the that background, I arranged the sentiment die (stamped in Checkerboard Stamp and then die cut). Noticed that I stamped in assorted colors? Yum!

To add that extra touches, I added a piece of Glitter Card-stock and enamel dots.  You can start HERE in my IG stop. Do comment if you are hopping as you get a chance to win Altenew Gift Card!

 edited---Last day today!

When you load up shopping cart, check out here. Thank you!!!

Altenew Craft Your Life Project Kit: Hello Beautiful Release Blog Hop + Giveaway ($300 in total prizes)

 Hello friends!

It's time to share another exciting Altenew Craft Your Life Project Kit with you.
We are celebrating this month's project kit Hello Beautiful with a blog hop!

 

Craft Your Life Project Kit: Hello Beautiful :

This kit features a gorgeous stamp set with three beautifulfloral clusters. The flowers and leaves were drawn with great care, giving special attention to the folds and curves of the petals. The set includes eight messages great for everyday occasions. The kit also features FIVE coloring stencils which will allow you to color the floral clusters in two coloring layers. Furthermore, there is a matching die for each of the floral clusters and an embossing folder featuring an elaborate version of one of the floral clusters from the stamp set. Pair them together for the best results.

If you arrive from the blog of Daniel Diaz, you are in the right place.

 For all the ideas and inspiration about this release hop, please visit Altenew Card Blog. 

For my design, I love using everything in the kit. Therefore, I used stamps, dies, stencils and embossing folder. I started with Partial Dry-embossing.

When I tilted the Embossing Folder in an angle, it only showed up at the bottom right. It did leave a line on the Gray Card-stock. However, no worries! Because I placed my stamped, stenciled and die cut piece over the line and no one would ever notice! 

If you look closely, I did die cut the image and joint the piece with the white card stock. This is considered as Inlaid Diecutting. It leaves the entire piece as one and it is seamless.

I love how it turned out. However, to give it an extra oomph, I took out the Dazzling Diamond Glitter Card Stock and added a stripe with a small bow on top.

 

 

 

 I am loving this simple color combo. This Craft Your Life Project Kit is amazing that it will keep you creative and busy for hours! The best thing is.... it is incredibly easy to use!

 

👉----> if interested, get the Hello Beautiful Project Kit as quickly as you can as they do sell out! HERE is the monthly subscription if case you don't want to miss out the monthly fun! 

 

Last but certainly not the least, Altenew's Craft Your Life Retreat - Holiday Extravaganza 2021 is now available. As the AECP coordinators, Erum and I had the pleasure selecting and organizing the 6 curated classes. They are specifically designed with using the products in the package. Sign up HERE.

 

 Sign up NOW and SAVE! Early Bird Discount: CYLWINTEREB (valid until September 15th, 2021)

All products links are listed below. Affiliate links are applied at no additional cost  to you. 

Thank you for your support. 

Giveaway Prizes: $200 in total prizes! To celebrate this release, Altenew is giving away a $50 gift certificate to 2 lucky winners and a $25 gift certificate to 8 winners! Please leave a comment on the Altenew Card Blog and/or each designer’s blog post on the blog hop list below by 09/18/2021 for a chance to win. Altenew will draw 7 random winners from the comments left on each stop of this blog hop and announce the winners on the Altenew Winners Page on 09/20/2021.

 

Your next stop is the blog of Seeka

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Craft Your Life Project Kit: Lush Garden

Hello friends!

I am popping in with another project that I created with Altenew Craft Your Life Lush Garden. 

Here are the details about this kit: 

This elaborate stamp set features two gorgeous layering flowers and leaves. Each flower features an outline layer and 2-3 coloring layers for the petals, as well as 2 coloring layers for the flower center. The leaves each consist of an outline layer and 3 coloring layers. With their simple yet creative layers, these images are easy to stamp and will give you stunning results every time!

Note: These products are NOT sold separately.

This project kit contains the following exclusive products:

• one 6" x 8" clear stamp set containing 24 stamps made in the USA from high-quality photopolymer
• four coordinating dies
• one simple coloring and layering stencil which coordinates with the stamp set
• one 6x6 3D embossing folder
• one simple coloring stencil set (3 stencils) which coordinates with the embossing folder

 To me, it is unjustified just creating one card with the entire project. Therefore, I have to share one more at least. 

 I love layers, but not a ton. That is why I dry-embossed directly onto the white card stock. This give a ton of textures and interest. I decided to use a bit of blue to highlight the background.

 The flowers in this set us super easy to stamp and stencil. Layering stamps have also come a long way. They are now much easier to line up and less confusing.

I arranged the stamped flowers as best as I can and popped them up and stamped a sentiment.

 Here's my first card with this same kit.

 

I hope that you like my rendition with this set.

Last but certainly not the least, Altenew's Craft Your Life Retreat - Holiday Extravaganza 2021 is now available. As the AECP coordinators, Erum and I had the pleasure selecting and organizing the 6 curated classes. They are specifically designed with using the products in the package. Sign up HERE.

 Sign up NOW and SAVE! Early Bird Discount: CYLWINTEREB (valid until September 15th, 2021)

 Thanks for stopping by!

Stamping on Pattern Paper

Hello friends! 

I am popping in with project that I created with Card Kit of The Month from Spellbinders. I am using the stamp set from the kit. They are the Nesting Dolls image commonly know as Babushka Dolls. stacking dolls, nesting dolls, Russian tea dolls, or Russian dolls

The September Clubs are now open. Join September 1st - 24th and receive the pictured kit.

About the Card Kit of the Month Club: an expertly curated cardmaking kit each month, complete with inspiration. Plus, members get store savings, extra deals, gifts, and more.

This month's "Together is the Best" Card Kit includes a 6x6 paper pad, clear stamps, an adorable die set, tons of embellishments, and more!

 Creating this card reminds me of my childhood. Remember paper dolls?

 

Well, that's what I did with these dolls. Simply stamp them on the pattern paper. I then added some colors with alcohol markers on the dolls' hair. Truly, it is a child's play!!

I arranged many dolls in this design as you can see. Since I fussy cut each one out and wanted to use as many as possible. What I love about this stamp set is that it has such gorgeous lines and details.

I did use 3 Russian dolls from the ephemera (from the Card Kit) to compliment the group of stamped dolls.

I love how this card came together! Thanks for stopping by! 

Applying Inks to Embossing Folder

 Hello friends!

You must have seen so many cards that I created with Embossing Folders. HERE is a simple guide and reference of 12 samples, in case you miss seeing it.... and here.

 Way back (about 10 years ago), I used to have a "like and dislike" relationship with Embossing Folders. I tend to like to "collect" them. However, once I bought them, I used it in 2-3 ways and that's it! I find that they "limit" your creativity....! I know, shocking.  

 

Well, excuse me! Time has changed. First of all, the embossing folders these days have improved so. much. They are more durable and die cut better. And most of them are 3D! Plus, I am much older and wiser....and thus, more skillful. I can think of MORE creative ways of using it. 

I am finally grown up.. I think.

Today's card is one that I would have never come up with ....10 years ago.

I inked with the Gel Plate first and made the plate KISS the "Rose-Bouquet". I then dry-embossed the 110 Lb card stock and you are left with such a detailed print.

Let's talk about the ink variation. Yup, it's not just monochromatic any more. I also inked up the middle part of the roses and you get such a great mix of colors. 

I would have never thought to use Embossing Folder with Gel Plate! You can use either Dye Ink or Pigment Ink. I used a bit of both (all linked below). Sorry that I don't remember which set the sentiment is from. I will keep looking and will update if I find the source.

I now realize that when you set yourself a limit... you are then limited to be free and creative. No wonder they say Sky is the Limit. I now like to think like that. too.

 Thanks for stopping by!