I go to the Scrapbook Expo and then go home with wonderful stamps... and then proceed to forget about them. So we got together to play with our "forgotten" purchases one day and was pleased to make these three cards. The middle one used stamps from Local King and the sloth is Art Impressions.
These birds from Stampin Up's Bird Banter (sadly retired too soon) have such wonderful expressions and the words to go with them are great.
Another retired too soon Stampin Up set "Charming Cafe" with a lovely little window.
Don't know why I love hedgehogs so much... maybe it was that trip to the San Francisco Zoo where I got to touch a baby one.... TOTALLY CUTE! These cuties are from Stampin Up's Hedge Hugs.
I love bird fowl and especially egrets... From Stampin Up's Lilypad Lake
Combining 3 great Stampin Up sets: Tuscan Vineyard, Mediterranean Moments, and Postscript.
This is a framed project for my mom- all the stamps are Art Impressions using the water color technique.
I went bananas in conquering StampScapes.... such a great technique.
Such beautiful scenes when combining awesome stamps.
Check out the magnificence of Kevin Nakagawa's work http://www.stampscapes.com/
Here are some of my first attempts.
Inspiring skies where I live....
As soon as I started doing StampScapes cards... I started looking up to the sky.
And through the mimosa tree flowers.
My grandparents had mimosa trees in their Cape May back yard.
Nothing smells sweeter nor is lovelier than the puffball mimosa flower.
Happy anniversary card for the BEST MAN EVER! my hubby, Rory.
Stampin Up understands my de-stress methods- bubble bath and .... well I didn't stamp her hand that was holding a glass of something shall we guess, relaxing? SU set Bubbles and Bubbly
The panda is from retired SU Party Pandas and the doggy is from SU Bella and friends.
I made this for a guy's dad's birthday who was born in the year of the dog.
This was for my friend Kyle... so he remembers the rules of life.
I realized that copic colored purple pearls are perfect for grapes. The grape leaves and sticks are a retired Memory Box die and the bottle and glass came from a stamp set called Bubbles and Fizz that came with the UK magazine Paper Craft Essentials.
Another day in paradise... nature inspiring me again.
"Nature inspiring Art"
My stamping friends and I worked on leaving what I call a river or area of white down the center to make the light seem more real... We used make up sponges! and cotton balls! (thanks Dollar Tree) :) Still working on this technique....
I decided to pull out an oldie but a goodie - SU Sun Ripened
SU Apron of Love... I love miniature things... so I was sold instantly on the utensils!
I decided I need to inspire (and to be inspired) by my little house mouse working out lifting lifesavers. I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder to make the background paper.
Love this little dude.
At the 2018 Santa Clara Scrapbook Expo, I did a Heartfelt class with my dear friend and was blown away at how fun it was to make these window cards and flowers that pop up.
Local King Rubber Stamps is an amazing stamp company. Her technique is great (great You Tube videos) and wonderful dies and matching stamps. This card took a couple of days to figure out... but I did it. And it made me quite happy. Go check out her work at
So... I was thinking that many of my stamps sucked, because they didn't pick up ink very well.... and then I realized it was the ink's fault. Let's just reveal now that I am very much so NOT A FAN of Stampin Up ink anymore. I discovered the Versafine Clair inks, got a bunch of Memento teardrops and all the mini distress inks.... and I feel like a whole new world has opened for me.
Here's my comparison of Versafine Clair with Versafine regular and Stampin Up with a rubber stamp tree from SU's Rooted in Nature.
HUGE DIFFERENCE in definition and detail!!
Another comparison showing the ink pad differences but also the difference between Tombow (proven inferior for inking a rubber stamp) and Marvy Le Plume II (amazing ink coverage on the stamp).
An example of the depth of color coverage using Versafine Clair.
Stamp set used was SU Tropic Chic.
I stole this idea from the 2018 SU catalog.... love it's simplicity.
This card was done using a lovely set I picked up at the Scrapbook Expo Petticoat Parlor book.
They are the only US vendor who sells this stamp line called Honey Doo Crafts from the UK.
Very sweet images and great sayings.
I was motivated by a card I saw online... this little House Mouse bunny relaxing in a bubble bath (again, as I've mentioned, it's the best relaxation location in my house). I used the SU Marbled background and the large bubbles are called Large Ringlets by Memory Box.
Simple yet lovely- SU hostess set Artfully Folded.
Here's my first attempt using the Stampin Up Buffalo Check background. The only ink that worked well was.... can you guess... not Stampin Up.... you got it... Versafine Clair!
I love the fence and house that comes with the SU stamp/die bundle Farmhouse Christmas.
Another stolen idea straight from the 2018 SU Annual Catalog. I just love this lady from SU Beautiful You and she's so happy kicking up her heels in the river from SU Peaceful Place.
Making 3D flowers with my new blossom flower mold... and even trying it with other stamps!
So that Heartfelt Creations class I took in August, led me to go on their website a few weeks later so I could use that generous 15% off coupon they gave me at the Expo
and I ended up entering a contest.... and winning!
I ACTUALLY WON!
When I picked up the package at the Post Office, I thought, oh no, did I drunk purchase this???!!!
Nope.
I (and 3 other people) won an entire line of stamps, dies and tools from Heartfelt (~ $260 value).
It's called Oakberry Lane Collection and has the CUTEST critters and
most amazing tools to make 3D flowers. I am very grateful!
THANK YOU HEARTFELT!
Watch Emma Lou of Heartfelt make flowers two different ways...
1) the new fangled way with the Blossom Shaping Mold
or
2) using a good old fashioned embossing tools
(PS they donate 10% of their profits to the extreme poor- rather nice I think)
So... I didn't know I wanted the set nor the cool flower making tool until I got it and now I'm hooked!
Here's my first creation I did:
And here is my second creation.. for my friend who is fabulous grandma of a spunky 5 year old
I was inspired by the ideas on the Heartfelt website to come up with this...
Here is another batch of cards that came from the UK magazines that come with stamps.
This set is called Life's a Picnic and came with the Aug 2018 Make Cards magazine.
The designer paper and stamps were all included. I love these critters.
Another inspired card- using a die that cuts a bubbly window, some vegetation from SU's Sea of Textures and some fish, etc from a set I have.
This card used SU Sea of Textures and by accident I used a Darice Zebra embossing folder instead of the SU water lines I wanted to use. Still turned out nice, I think.
This card is using the otter and grass from the free stamp set "Go Wild" that came
with the UK Creative Stamping Magazine Issue 57.
I used a StampScapes for the water and SU Delicate Details for the borders.
Here's another card that came from combining Go Wild and StampScapes and SU.
I made this little candle holder using the old SU Matchbox die and the Delicate Lace Edgelits. I picked up battery operated candles at the Dollar Tree (2 for $1) and these will be given out at a memorial for my sweet sister in law next weekend.
So that's all....
thanks for looking.
see you in another few months.
Makani
Aloha....
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