Holy Guacamole, It’s Your Birthday!

Do you ever get overwhelmed with all the options in your craft room? This quote, which I heard on a podcast recently, really resonated with me, and for crafters, it’s GOOD ADVICE:

“Creativity THRIVES on LIMITATIONS” – Sarah Jane Wright

It got me thinking about what helps me to be creative, and she was correct: When I have parameters to work within, I’m always more productive and imaginative! For instance, a card sketch is a limitation:

A sketch constrains you to stay within the prescribed boundaries, with a few options for making it your own, as I did by twisting the background for the Global Design Project sketch #gdp374 a bit for my card:

I also “limited” myself to (mostly) the 2022-2024 In Colors as my color palette. It seemed the best choice for a FIESTA!

I “sprinkled” the images from the Taco Fiesta stamp set (item #167032, available 1/5/2023) across the glimmer paper 2-3/4″ square to capture the feeling of a party (with chips & guac). You can watch the creation of the card in my video replay:

Product List

Sale-A-Bration is AMAZING

Part TWO of Sale-a-Bration 2022 continues through August! Don’t miss the NEW freebies added for August (at the bottom of the post!)

During Sale-a-Bration, you get EXTRA when you shop, host or join:

Today I’m sharing a tutorial for a card you could create with the AMAZING PHRASING stamp set that you could choose free with a qualifying order during this great time for crafters…and it’s more sparkly in person:

The way the playful fonts work together are going to make it a stamp set you’ll enjoy crafting with for all sorts of reasons. And I’ve created a tutorial for you to download and print, making this card duplicatable in any color of glimmer paper and every combination of sentiments!

Need more ideas with the Amazing Phrasing stamp set? Don’t miss my previous ideas in THIS POST!

Remember that the exclusive Sale-a-Bration products are only while supplies last (and the Tree Lot Dies and Pool Party & Soft Seafoam Cards & Envelopes are sold out). Never fear: There are also NEW choices that have been added from our year-round offerings:

If you want to choose one of these as your freebie-with-purchase in August, REMEMBER to use these item codes:

All the Newness and Colors!

New catalog, new colors, new creations…there is so much to look forward to getting your hands on since the 2022-2023 Stampin’ Up! catalog went live yesterday!

(Click on catalog image to flip through the catalog online)

The first things on my list are always the pretty new In-Colors and this year they feel fresh and vibrant! Sweet Sorbet, Parakeet Party, Tahitian Tide, Starry Sky and Orchard Oasis will quickly find their way into your crafting palette.

Would you like a Color Coach to see which of your current colors they coordinate with? Download the .pdf below for creative color combinations for the new colors AND last year’s hues as they integrate with Stampin’ Up!’s core colors.

Now if your catalog wish list is longer than $125 AND you would love the new 2022-2024 In-Colors, the best deal is the May Starter Kit Special! You’ll get to choose $125 in SU! products PLUS get the new In-Color Ink Pads, 8.5″ x 11″ card stock, 6″ x 6″ designer series paper, and grid paper to match…all for just $99! HURRY! This offer is only good through May 31, 2022!

Best of all, you’ll get a discount on your future craft supplies and a community of caring, creative cohorts who love all things stamps, ink and paper as much as you do! My Sprinkled Ink team is a mix of friends who love the hobby, others who are building a business and some who just enjoy a discount. All are welcome.

Click below to learn more…

Here’s the new color Orchid Oasis color (and a bit of Parakeet Party for the foliage) using the new Wisteria Wishes stamp set (which also comes in a discounted bundle with coordinating dies) . Check out the pretty ombre glimmer paper behind the main image… a little bling makes every stamper happy!

Epic Celebrations & Happy Accidents

If you watched my Lunchtime Crafting video on my Facebook Page yesterday, you saw me create this card (and a few alternatives) from the Epic Celebrations set (one you can choose FREE with qualifying order during Sale-a-Bration~ until March 31, 2018):

Watermarked2(2018-02-13-1400)-2

It’s a super easy technique called “Reverse Masking” and the colors were suggested on the #gdp125 color challenge:

gdp125_colour_challengeWatermarked1(2018-02-13-1359)

I love coloring Dazzling Diamonds glimmer paper with Aqua Painters and ink refills to match any project!

IMG_6575

But what you DIDN’T see is the second card I made (since I had to cut a piece of card stock to create one card, I might as well make TWO cards). I accidentally dropped a stamp inked in Melon Mambo on the finished product:

IMG_6574

But as Bob Ross was fond of saying, “We don’t make mistakes {in art}, just happy accidents!” So I pulled out my Classic Label Punch and created some arrows to cover it up:

Watermarked4(2018-02-13-1401)

Lesson learned: Don’t be afraid to make mistakes ~ Uncommon solutions may be discovered!

Falling For You: Love and Valentines Day

Ready for Valentines Day? Here’s a little inspiration to get you going:

This worked so well with the TGIF Sketch Challenge this week:

Perhaps you don’t have one special person yet: Don’t fret! This could also be a wedding or anniversary card, just by switching out the greeting (also included in the stamp set) and it’s fun that there are matching sentiments for each greeting to put on the inside (or as a “tag line” under the flourishing font of the main greeting). 
Product List

Ready to create some unique decor for Valentine’s Day? Come to my Valentine Sampler Class on January 31st! 

Endless Wishes: 5 Ways on Fridays!

Well, I had this ready for last Friday when my computer was out of commission…and wouldn’t you know it: Stampin’ Up! sold out of this awesome Photopolymer stamp set on Tuesday!!! GRRRR…

But I’m sharing it anyway because of all the time and effort I put into it, and those of you who were lucky enough to snag one before they sold out~ You’re Welcome! Of course,  many of the designs & techniques could be re-created with another snowflake stamp set, such as Festive Flurry 🙂

P.S. Endless Wishes *is* available as a digital brush set (item #136559) for all you digi-crafters and if SU! changes their minds and produces more, I’ll make sure to update this post (we can hope, right?)

1. Faux Diamonds. This is always a big hit and so very easy! I gave step-by-step instructions on the Faux Diamond technique in this post. The Designer Series Paper is from the Winter Frost Specialty DSP (132341)

2. Random Stamping. Just go crazy with it. Let them overlap, go off the edge of the paper and layer them on top of one another. I really loved the look of White/Baked Brown Sugar/Cherry Cobbler on Crumb Cake card stock and even stamped a piece to go on top of my jar of apple pie filling.

3. Make a Window. The Squares Collection Framelits (130921) and the Big Shot (113439) create perfect windows. I used a piece of a window sheet and stamped the snowflakes using the White Stazon ink pad (106960), then placed it between the Navy and (polka dot embossed) Blushing Bride layers to appear that you were gazing outside to a frost covered world.

4. Use the Words. While the snowflakes are delicate and delightful, the words are what sold me on this set. It’s awesome to be able to mix up the script with the print and come up with dozens of greetings. So cute! I paired the greetings with some of the Season of Style Designer Series Paper (132340), the 1″ Cherry Cobbler Grosgrain ribbon (132135) and Cherry Cobbler Baker’s Twine (123125) and a Vintage Faceted Designer Button (127555).

5. Monochrome Embossing. The words & snowflakes on the white were simply stamped using the Silver Encore pad (132141) and I embossed in silver on the Silver Foil Sheet (132178). This card is stunning in person, though the photo doesn’t do it justice (sorry…I tried). Just because it needed MORE bling, I added the Silver Glimmer paper (124005) as a layer, too!

Stamped snowflakes are much warmer than the real thing, eh?
post signature

A Piece of Cake Birthday Mashup

Couldn’t resist the color challenge at the Friday Mashup…and whenever there is cake, I’m ALL in!

Here’s the card I crafted:

It has a fun fold to open like this:

Take a Coastal Cabana marker to a little bitty Glimmer Paper flower and add a pearl: 

Card Recipe (all supplies from my Stampin’ Up! store):

Stamps: Birthday Cake (130390), Remembering Your Birthday 
Ink: Coastal Cabana, Crushed Curry, Basic Gray, Smoky Slate Stampin’ Write Markers
Paper: Whisper White, Crushed Curry and Smoky Slate card stock, Eastern Elegance Designer Series Paper (130131), Silver Glimmer Paper (124005)
Accessories: Coastal Cabana Ruffle Stretch Trim (130024), Daffodil Delight Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon (126872), Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack (118309), Scallop Trim Border punch (118402), Pearl Basic Jewels (119247)
post signature

Feminine Colors and County Fair

Needed a special thank you card and the color challenge over at Create with Connie & Mary this week epitomized the person I am sending it to:

And here is my finished project :

Card Recipe (all from Stampin’ Up!):
Stamps: En Francais background stamp, Too Kind and Itty Bitty Banners
Ink: Smoky Slate, Pistachio Pudding, Blushing Bride, Versamark
Paper: Blushing Bride, Pistachio Pudding, Whisper White, Silver Glimmer Paper
Accessories: Clear Embossing Powder (109130), Heat Tool, Sponge Daubers (102892). Big Shot Machine, Deco Labels Collection Framelits (130102), Modern Mosaic Embossing Folder (129984), Silver 1/8″ ribbon (132137)

In other news…I won a blue ribbon (actually two) at the Utah County Fair for some of my paper creations!

post signature

Give "Fourth" a Little Sparkle

Looking for a quick Independence Day favor? Try this!

Stampin’ Up!’s 1″x8″ cello bags are perfect for a few sparklers and dress it up with a label and shimmery star…it’s festive and quick for your 4th of July celebration or a gift for a friend.

Project Recipe (all supplies from Stampin’ Up!) :

Stamps: Simply Stars, Label Love
Ink: Smoky Slate and Real Red ink pads
Paper: Midnight Muse & Whisper White card stock, Silver Glimmer Paper (124005)
Accessories: Artisan Label (130920), 7/8″ Scallop Circle (129404) and small Star (retired) punches. 1″x8″ Cello Bags (124134)

And for those of you with children, THIS is a genius sparkler safety tip: Use a large plastic cup as a Sparkler shield to keep little ones from getting burned!

Have a SAFE and happy 4th!
post signature

Dads & Grads: Blue Ribbon Days!

Quick share today! I used the Blue Ribbon stamp set to create a card for Dad:

And also a card for a Grad!

And here’s a little tip on how to use your 2-3/8″ Scallop circle punch to punch out the medallion without cutting off the ribbons: Just cut up the side of each ribbon first, then pull it out the top of the punch: 
Whoever thought that one up deserves a ribbon!

post signature