Pixie Dust

Hi folks! This week's Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Challenge is brought to us by the lovely Alice...she wants to see "White on White" cards this week! Well, other than your coloured image of course! :)

I inked up Tinkerbell from our most recent release of Neverland Stamps. The sentiment is from the Neverland Sentiments Set. The base layer of cardstock was embossed with a Couture Creations folder while the three vertical panels were embossed with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder. The image was cut out with Spellbinders Labels 8 which was adhered on top of a Spellbinders Lacey Circle. To finish it off, I added a bow tied with some sheer white ribbon.

Tinkerbell was stamped on Neenah with Memento ink and coloured with Copics. The wings were given  a coat of clear glue that was generously sprinkled with Glamour Dust...this is probably my favourite glitter. :)  It's very fine and picks up the light beautifully. I also ran a bead of glue around my image panel and sprinkled Glamour Dust over that as well.

Skin: E000, E00, E11, R20, RV95  Hair: E50, E31, E33, E37, E59  Dress: YG00, G82, G85, G99, C9 Wings: RV000, YG11, B000

If you play along with our challenge this week, you could win the stamp featured on Alice's gorgeous card. Just make sure to use a Kraftin' Kimmie Stamp to be eligible. For some inspiration, hop on over to the KKS Blog to check out the beautiful samples by the rest of the Krafty Girls this week. :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Blessings,

Melanie

Time for Another Release at SCACD!

Welcome to our release day blog hop at SCACD. :)

Susana is releasing a few fantastic sets today. Two of these sets feature some super cute monsters, "Oddly Sweet Curiosities One" and "Oddly Sweet Curiosities Two". These monsters are available as complete sets or individually, and each monster comes with a coordinating sentiment. The third set features some sweet little goth girls, "Little Sassy Crew". These are also available as a set or individually. Finally, there is the "Susana Loves Stamps-M's Place Set"...this is a great collection of funky little houses, clouds, trees and a few other objects that are perfect for creatining scenes for your main image stamps or for use in your mixed media projects. This collection will ONLY be sold as a set.

If you've been hopping along, you should have arrived here after visiting with the lovely Lorraine. If not, pop on over to the beginning of the hop with Danni.

I've got two cards to share with you today. Up first, is one of the "Little Sassy Crew" in combination with some stamps from the "M's Place Set". This is "Little Stargazer"...a little sweet, a little sassy and maybe even just a little funky. :)  To create my scene, I first stamped "Little Stargazer" in Memento Ink on Neenah paper. I masked her and then stamped one of the M's Place houses. I then masked the house and stamped one of the M's Place clouds. The papers on this card are from Fancy Pants Summer Soul. I also used one of the Classic Corner Dies by SCACD and a Memory Box Die to create the vine border. To finish it off, I added some pearls created with a Viva Decor Pearl Pen in Black.

The images were coloured with Copics. The house was paper-pieced and then shaded with markers.

My second card was made with one of the monsters from "Oddly Sweet Curiosities One"...this is "Monster Bling", along with the sentiment that accompanies her. The papers are from Basic Grey "Little Black Dress". She was matted with Spellbinders Circles and Lacey Circles. I used the Classic Corner Dies by SCACD and added a few rhinestone swirls. You can check out SCACD's selection of rhinestone embellishments HERE.

Monster Bling was coloured with Copics. Her ring was given a bit of extra pizzazz with my Viva Decor Hologram Glitter Liner. 

All the new stamps are now available for purchase exclusively at SCACD and at Quixotic Paper for our international friends.

That's it from me today! It's now my pleasure to send you off to visit with the talented Lori...enjoy the hop!

Blessings,

Melanie

Classic Corner Elegance

Good morning. :)

One of my favourite paper crafting tools are dies. They are so versatile and are a fantastic investment. So I was really excited when Susana released her own line of Dies by SCACD. For my card today, I used one of the Classic Corner dies. Just because they are called "corner dies" doesn't mean that they need to be used exclusively to adorn the corners of your projects. Some of the SCACD designers have used them to create borders and butterflies...these dies have so much potential! I decided to make a medallion with this Classic Corner die. All the cardstock used on my card is metallic. I cut eight corners out of silver cardstock. I arranged four to create the medallion and used the four remaining corners to frame it.

The completed card measures 4x4. This would make a lovely set of notecards. You could make the notecards all the same, or use the other Corner Dies by SCACD for a little variety. This medallion would also make a great embellishment for boxes or maybe even a journal cover.

So don't be afraid to think outside the box with your Dies by SCACD...let your creativity run wild and have fun playing!

Blessings,

Melanie

"No Boundaries" with a vintage flair

Good morning. :)

I'm sharing a card today that was created around the Mixed Media Blank Canvas  stamps available exclusively at SCACD. These stamps are so versatile. They are wonderful for a wide variety of projects including cards, art journals, canvases, scrapbook layouts, tags, altered projects, etc. They also suit different styles. If you are a follower at the SCACD Store Blog or at our Facebook Group, you have probably seen the projects that my fellow DT members have been posting with these new stamps. Some projects are edgy and funky, while others have been vintage and elegant. I love seeing how different designers can take the same stamps and yet come up with such different projects, each reflecting their own personal style.

This card features "No Boundaries Woman". The image was stamped in Walnut Stain Distress Ink on some Prima Nature Garden paper. I also stamped portions of one of the Graphic and Grunge Shells on the paper. I didn't even bother to put the stamp on my block as I was not trying to produce a crisp and clean impression...I just held in in my fingers and lightly touched it randomly over the paper. I also used the sentiment "Makes Me Stronger" which is a bonus stamp that you will only get when purchasing the Complete Blank Canvas Collection which includes a total of seven image stamps. I inked it up in two separate portions so that I could break up the words on my paper. (the "Makes Me" portion is kind of hidden under my watermark) The paper edges were torn and/or distressed  before being inked up for a softer effect. The pearls were all made with my Viva Decor Pearl Pen in Dark Brown. The flourish was cut with the Memory Box Elegant Scrollwork die. You will also spy one of the new "Classic Corner Dies" by SCACD. These are another new product available at SCACD. I love this corner die and have made very good use of it already. I love the way it fills those empty corner spaces that need a little something special. :)

Susana is always adding new products to the SCACD website, so make sure to check in often! She recently added some new Memory Box Dies, Gorjuss Girls stamps and some lovely 6x6 paper pads.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful day. :)

Blessings

Melanie

Summer Fun at Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps

Happy Saturday!! My post is late today...we were having some computer issues in the Holtz household, but all is fixed now. :)

This week's Kraftin' Kimmie Challenge is brought to us by the very talented Sandie! She wants us to have some "Summer Fun" with our projects this week.  

I inked up one of the cute fairies from the "Flirty Fairies 2" set by Krafty Artist Emilie Goulet. (the set includes three main image stamps and several coordinating sentiments.) In keeping with the summery theme, I coloured in some grass and sponged in a sky. She was cut out and matted with Spellbinders Circles and Lacey Circles. The paper is MME Love Me. The flourish was cut with an MFT Die and the sentiment nestled in it is from Flirty Fairies 2. To finish it off, I added some pears made with my Ice White Viva Decor Pearl Pen and a little cluster of flowers that were brushed with some Stardust Stickles.

This litle "Flirty Fairy" was stamped on Neenah in Memento Ink and coloured with my Copics. Her wings and antennae were given a coat of Stardust Stickles.

Skin: E000, E00, E11, R20  Hair: E50, E33, E37, E59, YR31  Dress: R81, R85, R89, BG72, BG75, C9  Wings: V1, RV000, B000, BG01, BG05, R81   Grass: YG00, YG03, YG25, YG67, G99, C9

If you play along with our Summer Fun challenge this week, you could be the lucky winner of the stamp used on Sandie's beautiful card...just make sure to use a Kraftin' Kimmie Stamp on your project to be eligible. You can check out the projects by the rest of the talented Krafty Girls over at the KKS Blog.

Don't forget that all the new June release stamps are available for purchase at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Online Store. You can also scoop up the Gimmie Kimmie Kits, but only for a limited time! These kits are divided by artist and offered as a fantastic discount.

You can also find the Frugal Friday stamps HERE. Each week (except during a release week), Kimmie will select a few stamps to put on sale for the weekend. This is a great opportunity to pick up some great stamps at a fantastic price, but the sales end Sunday night so make sure not to miss out!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Blessings,

Melanie

Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps June Release Day!!

Welcome to the release day blog hop with Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps!! Kimmie has yet another fantastic collection of stamps that I know you will love. :)  There's the new Lulu and Libby set from Cheryl Alger, two sets featuring teenagers called "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Emilie Goulet, six Neverland themed characters by Annie Rodrigue, a "Neverland Sentiments" set and the "Thank You Trinkets" set designed by Krafty Girl Nicole Aspinall!!

The hop starts over at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog where you will find the complete hop list. If you have been following along, you should have arrived here after visiting the lovely and talented Jenny.

My first card today features my personal favourite from Annie this month, "Captain Hook". I love him!! He comes with two sentiments, "Hooked on You" and "Ya Scalliwag!". I used the sketch from our weekly Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Challenge and flipped Pam's sketch on it's side. The map paper, banner and vertical panel are all from DCWV "Once Upon A Time". The background paper is actually from MME "Lost and Found Christmas". The "map" was crumpled up and sponged with Walnut Stain Distress Ink, as was the "Treasure Map" banner. The banner was cut from the same piece of paper as the "map". I placed some pop dots under a few sections of the map and banner to give it a bit of dimension. The little skull is from some fabric trim.

Here's a closer look at Hook...Annie put an incredible amount of detail into him. Just take a look at that feathered hat, curled hair, trademark "hook" and that amazing jacket. He's awesome. :) I stamped Hook on Neenah with Memento Ink and coloured him with Copics.

Skin: E000, E00, E11, RV95  Hair: B60, C1, C3, C5, C7, C9, 100  Hat: C5, C7, C9, 100, Y21, Y17, E17, E18  Jacket and feather: R27, R46, R59, C7, C9, Y21, Y17, E17, E18  Cuffs and ascot: BG70, C3, C5, C7  Belt: E13, E17, E18  Pants: B91, B93, B95, B97, C3, C5, C7, C9  Boots: C3, C5, C7, C9, 100

My second card features one of the stamps from the new Thank You Trinkets Set. These trinkets are fabulous to add as sentiments with your image stamps, for use in scrapbooks, journals, smashbooks or as the focal point of a card as I've done here. The papers are from Cosmo Cricket Tea for Two. The trinket was mounted and framed with Cirlce and Lacey Circle Spellbinders. The flourish was cut with an MFT die and the rose is from Prima.

All the new June stamps are now available for purchase at the KKS Online Store. Kimmie will also be offering the Gimmie Kimmie's Kits which will be availabe at a great discount but only for a limited time. The kits are divided by artist and are a fantastic bargain for those stampers who "need" them all. :)

Ok, it's now time for me to send you off to visit with Sandie, who I know has something gorgeous to share with you!  Don't forget to leave comments along the way as Kimmie will be drawing some lucky winners who will receive packages of some of the new June stamps!!

Blessings,

Melanie

Angel Eyes

This is my second post of the day...if you're looking for the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Sneak Peeks, please scroll down or just click HERE!

Good morning! My card today features "Angel Eyes" from Susana Loves Stamps "Eyes of Beauty and Dreams Collection" available exclusively at SCACD. I paired her up with some pretty Simple Stories "Fabulous" papers. I love this paper pack. The patterns and colours are so pretty. Also included in this 6x6 pad are several papers composed of tags that can be cut apart and used on your projects...this "be true to you!" tag is just one example. They are such a fast and easy way to add a sentiment. Some of the tags are blank, which are perfect for adding you own journaling. They would be great on cards, scrapbook layouts, art journals or even in your Smashbooks. 

Angel Eyes was stamped on Neenah with Memento Ink and coloured with Copics. Her wings were given a coat of Stardust Stickles.

Make sure to pop by SCACD to check out all the newest products in stock. Here are just a few that might tickle your fancy. :)

• New Memory Box Dies
• New Gorjuss Girl stamps
• New Crafty Individual Stamps
• New Susanna Loves Stamps Mixed Media stamps
• New Dies by SCACD

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings, 

Melanie

"Smells Like Teen Spirit" and "Girls Just Want to Have Fun"...Kraftin' Kimmie Sneak Peeks!

TGIF!!

Are you all ready for another round of Kraftin' Kimmie previews?? Today is all about the teens!! We are introducing two brand new teenager sets by Emilie Goulet, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and "Girls Just Want to Have Fun". These will be sold only as complete sets. Each set includes three main image stamps with an assortment of coordinating sentiments.

I am loving these two sets!! Emilie did a fantastic job creating such great personality for these teens. :)  I made two cards, one for each set.

First up is "Girls Just Want to Have Fun".  I'm sure we all know a teen or two who loves to hit the mall with her friends. :) The papers are all from My Minds Eye. The edges were distressed and sponged with Walnut Stain Distress Ink. I also added some Make It Crafty Chipboard corners and pearls made with a Viva Decor Pen. This sentiment comes with the set.

She was stamped on Neenah in Memento Ink and coloured with Copics.

Skin: E000, E00, E11, RV95  Hair:   Shirt: BG70, BG72, BG75, BG78, B99, BV29, C7, C9  Tights: R81, R85, R89, E18

Next up is the boys with "Smells Like Teen Spirit". The papers on this card are from Authentique. He was matted on Spellbinders Labels 8. All paper edges were distressed and sponged with Walnut Stain Distress Ink. The sentiment come with the set.

Skin: E000, E00, E11, RV95  Hair:  Shirt: G20, G82, G85, C9, BV29  Pants: B000, B91, B93, B95, B97, B99, C9  Guitar: E50, E31, E33, E37, E59, E77

The new June 2012 release stamps will all be available for purchase this Sunday! In the meantime, can we interest you in some:

BLOG CANDY??!! 

Pop on by the KKS Blog for links to all the Krafty Girls sharing previews today. As you're visiting their blogs, make sure to leave each lovely lady a comment. Kimmie will draw two winners from those comments!! One lucky stamper will win "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" and the other will win "Smells Like Teen Spirit"!! Good luck. :)

Thanks for stopping by today. Hope to see you tomorrow for another round of previews as well as our weekly challenge!

Blessings,

Melanie

Thank You Trinkets...a Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Sneak Peek!

We are kicking off the *New* June Kraftin’ Kimmie Stamps release today and first off, we’d like to introduce you to our second set in a whole new line of stamps!!!  We are very excited to share with you our….THANK YOU TRINKETS!!!  

These circular sentiment stamps have been created and designed by the totally talented Krafty Girl, Nicole Aspinall!!  They are made especially to fit in your 1 3/8ths and 1 ¾ inch punches, for quick and easy cutting!!!  This month we are releasing the Thank You Trinkets set which includes EIGHT trinkets in each set with four of each size and they come as both positive and negative images, so you can use your black or brown ink with the positive stamps and use your coloured inks with the negative ones!!  

A lot of the Krafty Girls are cardmakers and we have found these to be such a quick and easy way to add a sentiment to our creations but they are also perfect for your Smashbook pages and your scrapbook pages, not to mention your altered items!!  I can’t wait to see them used everywhere!!!  Be sure to share your creations on our Facebook page and in our weekly challenges!!!

You will get the set as a completely unmounted full sheet of deeply etched grey rubber.  And keep your eyes peeled for more themes because we’ve got lots more Trinkets on the way!!!

Here's my sample card featuring one of the great new Thank You Trinkets. The Trinket was stamped on a textured white cardstock and then coloured over with my R81 Copic marker. I hand cut the scalloped trinket out, matted it with a pink circle cut with my Spellbinders and mounted it on an element cut with Spellbinders Parisian Accents. The decorative border was also cut with this Spellbinder set. The papers are all Teresa Collins "Timeless". I added a bow tied with my Bow Easy, a little rose and a pretty decorative Prima Pin. The pin really does match the card...it just didn't photograph that way. :(  

Make sure to check out what the rest of the Krafty Girls have created for today's previews....you can find links to their blogs over at the KKS Blog. Don't forget to comment on each and every stop because one lucky stamper is going to WIN the new THANK YOU TRINKETS set!!!

Blessings, 

Melanie

New Products at SCACD!!

Hi crafty friends! I just wanted to pop on for a moment to let you all know about some of the newest products now in stock at SCACD:

• New Gorjuss Girls
• New Crafty Individuals Stamps
• Dies by SCACD
• Mixed Media Blank Canvas Collection stamps

That's it for now...I'll be back a bit later with a card to share. :)
Blessings,

Melanie

Under the Sea at Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps

Hi friends! This week's challenge over at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog is "Under the Sea", which of course is just perfect for the brand new "Sea Jewels Set" released yesterday! Our hostess this week is the lovely Jenny Peterson.

The Sea Jewels Set features three mermaids designed by Annie Rodrigues and seven coordinating sentiments. I inked up one of the mermaids and paired her up with some MME papers. The layer behind her was cut and matted with Spellbinders Labels 8. The decorative edges were made with one of the Classic Corners Dies by SCACD. The flourish was cut with an MFT die. The sentiment is part of the Mermaid Sentiment Set. This is an older set, but it goes perfectly with the Sea Jewels Set. To finish it off I added some machine stitching and scatterings of pearls created with my Viva Decor Pearl Pen in Ice White.

The mermaid was stamped on Neenah cardstock and coloured with Copic markers.The shells and stars were jazzed up with some Smooch Illuminate. Her tail was first coated with Smooch Illuminate followed by a very thin coat of Stardust Stickles.

Skin: E000, E00, E11, R20, RV95  Hair: E50, E31, E33, E37, E59, YR31 Tail: BG01, BG05, BG09, BG10, YG00, YG11, C9  Shells: Y11, Y15, Y17, E17  Stars: Y17

Make sure to swing by the KKS blog to see what the Krafty Girls have created for this week's challenge. If you play along and use a Kraftin' Kimmie Stamp on your projects, you could be the lucky winner of the stamp seen on Jennie's gorgeous card.

Remember the Sea Jewels Klubhouse Set is available exclusive at the Kraftin Kimmie Stamps Online Store. There is no actual "club" membership required...anybody can get their inky fingers on the Klubhouse sets. :)  Kimmie will release a special Klubhouse set every few months that you will only find at the KKS Online Store. As a bonus, purchasing the Sea Jewels Set will also get you a 20% off coupon code to use on your next order!

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Hope you all have a fantastic weekend. :)

Blessings,

Melanie

"Sea Jewels" Release at Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps!!

Hi crafty friends! :) 

Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps has some beautiful new MERMAIDS!!!

Today Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps is releasing an EXCLUSIVE Moonlight Whispers stamp set!!! SEA JEWELS is the second of our special Krafty Klubhouse Kits…..we'll be releasing a new one every few months!!

Be part of the Krafty Klub and order your exclusive set which features THREE special edition stamps designed by Annie Rodrigue PLUS SEVEN coordinating sentiment stamps! Sea Jewels will be sold ONLY as a set and ONLY at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Shop!! Not only will you get this special set, but you will also receive a special coupon code for 20% OFF, to be used on your next online order!

Now just to clarify…..there is NO club to join or sign up for! ANYONE from ANYWHERE in the world can order this special set but ONLY at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Shop!! These images will not be sold individually, but only as the complete set called…..SEA JEWELS! 

To celebrate today's release, we are having a blog hop to showcase these new mermaids. Be sure to leave some love at each and every stop because one lucky stamper will receive the new set, SEA JEWELS!!!

If you've been following along, you should have arrived here after visiting with the lovely Jenny. If not, make sure to start the hop at the KKS Blog so you don't miss any blogs.

I am a HUGE fan of Annie's mermaids, so I've been very excited to colour up the images from this set. This lovely little mermaid is one of the three images you will receive in the Sea Jewels Set. I paired her up with some Kaisercraft Blae and Ivy papers. All paper edges were sponged with Walnut Stain Distress Ink. She was matted and framed with Spellbinders Circles and Lacey Circles. Those gorgeous corner embellishments were cut with a "Classic Corner Die" by SCACD. I added some machine stitching and a snippet of pretty crocheted trim that I scored on sale at my local fabric store. Oh, and the embossed white card base was a dollar store find...actually, they were a fantastic bargain as there were five cards with envelopes in the pack for $1. Gotta love a good bargain. ;)  (too bad I hadn't thought to photograph it against a darker background though as you can hardly see the white card base. tsk tsk)

She was stamped on Neenah in Memento Ink and coloured with Copics. I adore colouring mermaids. :)  After I was done colouring, I added some Smooch Illuminate for a bit of shimmer...although unfortunately, it's not really showing much "shimmer" in the photo.

Skin: E000, E00, E11, R20, RV95  Hair: E50, YR31, E31, E33, E37, E59  Shells: R81, R85, R89  Tail: BG01, BG05, BG07, BG09, BG10, YG00, YG11, C9

Sea Jewels is now available for purchase exclusively at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Online Store. I predict that this set is definitely going to be a hot seller! :)

It is now my pleasure to send you off to visit with the talented Miss Kraftin' Kimmie, and I know she has something gorgeous to share with you.

Happy hopping!

Blessings,

Melanie

Kraftin' Kimmie's Klubhouse Release This Friday!!

There's more fun goin' on at Kraftin' Kimmie's Klubhouse!!

Okay, all you Kraftin' Kimmie KEENERS (and you KNOW who you are), we have some VERY exciting news to share with you today!!! Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps is releasing our second Krafty Klubhouse Kit!!!

We had such an amazing response to our first kit, Going Places and you all have asked for more, and we aim to please! So we're bringing you our second kit VERY soon!!!

On Friday, June 8th, Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps will release an EXCLUSIVE Moonlight Whispers stamp set!!! SEA JEWELS is the second of our special Krafty Klubhouse Kits…..we'll be releasing a new one every few months!!

Be part of the Krafty Klub and order your exclusive set which features THREE special edition stamps designed by Annie Rodrigue, PLUS SEVEN coordinating sentiment stamps! SEA JEWELS will be sold ONLY as a set and ONLY at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Shop!! Not only will you get this special set, but you will also receive a special coupon code for 20% OFF, to be used on any additional online order at the Shop during the month of July!

The Krafty Girls have been busy playing with the new stamps and creating gorgeous samples which we will preview on Thursday at the KKS Challenge blog, with the release going live in the Shop on Friday, June 8th!! We know you'll be as excited as we are to see these gorgeous new stamps!! See you Thursday!

ps...you are going to LOVE this set!! ;)

Blessings,

Melanie

A Very Special SCACD New Release!!

Just wait until you see what Susana has in store for all her crafty friends this month!! Here's a little note from Susana introducing today's release:

We've been "die"ing to mix things upSCACD !  So, this month we have the launch of two awesome new Collections. :)

 

First is a fantastic new line of DIES.  Susana has collaborated on a collection of dies with a timeless, classic feel.  Delicate and beautiful, the diecuts from these high quality wafer thin metal dies will be featuring on your projects for years to come!

 

Second is a wonderful new direction for SCACD.  Susana is following her heart with a new line of Mixed Media stamps.  For those of you who are new to the concept, Mixed Media is a style that embraces creativity and experimentation. Let SCACD take you on a new creative adventure with the Blank Canvas Collection.  From the beginner to the mixed media enthusiast, these stamps will have the creative juices well and truly flowing! 

 

Each set in the collection comprises looks, perfect for mixing it up with different techniques.  Use the elements set to enhance the blank canvas silhouettes, or use them on their own for gorgeous effects.

 

In addition there is a fabulous set of word outlines, ready to be customized however you like!  Color them in, doodle, zentangle, paper piece - go wherever your creativity takes you.

 

Mix it up and most importantly - HAVE FUN!

I have always been intrigued with mixed media pieces. I love the layering, textures, various tools and mediums used to create these projects. That being said, I am a complete mixed media rookie! I have dabbled with a few ideas and techniques, but this is a whole new ball game for me. That being said, I absolutely love pulling out various art supplies, experimenting and getting messy. I have had a lot of fun playing with the exclusive dies and stamps being released at SCACD today. They are so versatile and able to suit so many different styles as you will see on today's blog hop. The entire SCACD design team and some special guests have been busy in their studios getting crafty and creative to share some inspiration featuring these new dies and stamps. If you've been following along, you should have arrived here after visiting with the lovely and talented Lorraine. If not, make sure to pop on over to Danni's blog so you don't miss out on any of the gorgeous projects these ladies have created. 

I am sharing two projects with you today. First up is an Inkssentials Tag I created featuring two of the new Dies for SCACD, "Uncaged Bird" and one of the corner dies from the "Classic Corners" set. These dies are gorgeous...the cuts are beautifully detailed and elegant. I love how the vines are intertwined around the birdcage. I used my Cuttlebug to cut Uncaged Bird and three corners out of plain white cardstock. I then coated each element with modelling paste and allowed them to dry thoroughly. This gave the die cuts a different texture than bare cardstock. I was going for a rustic, antiqued feel. The cage was then painted with gold and brown craft. It was also touched with some Honey Amber Luminarte Silk. The vines were painted with Mallard Luminarte Mica Powder that was mixed with some matte medium to create a paint. The bird and butterflies were also painted with a mica/matte medium combination using Blue Flame. I added some extra vines extending out from the birdcage by cutting an additional Uncaged Bird and trimming the vines from that die cut. In the bottom left hand corner, you will see the Classic Corner Die. (you will get two different dies in this set) It was painted in the same manner as the bird cage. The butterfly in the upper right corner was created by combining two of the Classic Corner Dies...this is a great way to extend the versatility of your corner dies. With their intricate designs, they make stunning butterflies. This was painted with the Luminarte Mica Powder/matte medium "paint" mixture using Mallard and Blue Flame. I also spritzed them with some water in a Mini Mister and blotted them with a paper towel to soften the blend of the colours. I hand cut the little body and drew on the antennae. The background of the tag was first coloured by finger painting on Luminarte Silks in Honey Amber, Coral Berry and Guatemalan Green. I also added touches of the Blue Flame Mica powder mixed with matte medium.  If you look closely, you will see two of the mixed media Blank Canvas Collection stamps being released today...the sun rays on the bottom of the tag and in the upper left corner as well as the a little cog from the clockworks stamp in the top left corner. They were stamped in Archival Ink. I also added a strip of paper from Prima Nature Garden 6x6 pad across the middle of the tag which was coloured in the same manner as the tag background. 

Here's a look at how Uncaged Bird looks fresh out of your die-cutting machine...isn't it gorgeous?? Remember, the extra vines on my tag were made by simply trimming them from the die cut before adding them to the other. 

Up next is a watercolour featuring "No Boundaries Woman" and the sun rays from the Blank Canvas Collection. This was done on watercolour paper. I pulled out my Luminarte Mica powders and simply added water to them. When used in this manner, they give a lovely colour to your project, but not the intense shimmer effect that you will get when you use them in combination with a product that "binds" the shimmer to your surface. (like when mixing them with a matte medium or gum arabic...these mica powders are definitely multi-functional!!) Now I should say that I wasn't necessarily going for a completely realistic sunset here...it's a little stylized. I didn't use a picture for reference...I just went with what was brewing in my head, lol. I began by mixing Blue Flame with water and painting it in streaks, followed by Pink Azalea to fill in the gaps. I also mixed the two colours together to create a purple which was also streaked through the "water". I then worked on the sky using the Pink Azalea. The clouds were loosely worked in with the purple I had created on my palate with the Pink Azalea and Blue Flame. I also added some straight Pink Azalea to highlight them. The ground was created with Mallard mica powder mixed with water and a touch of Dragonfly Wing mica. To create the sun, I stamped the line art rays from the Blank Canvas Collection in Archival Ink. I then rotated the stamp and stamped it again to create the reflection in the water. This was done after "stamping off" some excess ink on scrap paper so that the impression would be faint in the water. The sun and rays were then painted with Coral Berry and Honey Amber Luminarte Silks. I also drew some of the silks through the sky and water to complete the sunset. Finally, I stamped No Boundaries Woman in Archival Ink. I love this stamp. :) 

Remember, these new Dies and Blank Canvas Collection stamps are all SCACD exclusives!! So when you are done hopping today, make sure to pop by SCACD to place your orders! (just click on the coloured  links above to be taken directly to these pages at the store) Our International Friends can check out Quixotic Paperie for your SCACD Stamp needs here and now also Dies by SCACD here.

It is now my pleasure to send you off with one of the very talented members of the SCACD design team, Lori...I know she has something stunning to share with you. :)

Happy hopping, shopping and creating. :)

Blessings, 

Melanie