SSS May Card Kit: Illustrated Faith with Animation

Hey y'all!  I'm so late getting this post up.  Its been one of those days...you know, the kind where you try so incredibly hard to get everything on your list done, but instead only accomplish a fraction??  So, I have to be honest here...when I first got this kit, I didn't have a clue where to start!  The papers were so bright and cheerful...the stamp set was extremely cool...the acetate images were super fun!  Why was I having so much trouble getting started??  Did any of you experience something similar?  To this day, I still don't know what was wrong with me.  I eventually woke up one day and just decided to sit with it until "it" came to me.  Then the flood gates opened... and I was groovin'!  I am still thinking of things to do with this kit!  Let's have a look so you can see what I mean.

Hands down, my favorite items in the kit were/are the Suzy's Doodles water color pieces!  I even made a copy or two in case I wanted to do something with them later!  Overall, I used pretty basic techniques for all 10 cards: cut & paste, color & piece, die cut and embellish...same ole' same ole'!  The fun part was the animation.  Once you figure out just how you want the images to appear on your cards, you build your little animation slider element and you're off to the races. :D 

So, here are all 10 cards that I created using the Simon Says Stamp May 2017 Card Kit:

This next card, in particular, was inspired by Nina Marie Trapani's double slider card that was featured on both her YouTube channel and on her blog...such a great technique!

And a few detail shots... because if you're like me, you lean into your computer screen thinking it will make it easier to see! Ha! :D

And that's it for May!  All additional products will be listed below.  I hope you had fun with your kit this month, and if you haven't tried the SSS kits then I highly recommend it!  They really are pretty great! :D

Hugs,

Additional Products used: Tim Holtz Alterations Frameworks - Honeycomb; Big Chat stickers by Tim Holtz Ideology; Stitch Oval Scallop Edge Frame die by My Favorite Things (MFT from here on); Double Stitched Oval STAX by MFT; Chevron Fringe die by MFT; Succulents2Stamp by Stamps of Life; Pierced Heart STAX by MFT; Tons of Hearts clear stamps by Simon Says Stamp; Wonky Stitched Rectangle STAX by MFT; Stitched Rectangles by SSS; Love & Quotes clear stamps by SSS; Heart Parade die by SSS; Stitch Round Rectangle Frames by MFT; Heart Smile die by SSS; Birthday Wishes Frame by SSS; Advent Numbers clear stamps by SSS; Terrace Butterfly die by Memory Box; Blueprints 9 by MFT; Corner Round punch; twine; Pretty Pink Posh sequins; Simon Says Stamp sequins; light pink cardstock; yellow cardstock; various inks; shaker elements; white gel pen

**Some of these cards will be entered into the Simon Says Stamp Monday & Wednesday Challenges**

Color Throwdown #439: Magical Birthday

Hi there!  Today I'm sharing a card that I created with a few challenges in mind.  The Color Throwdown Challenge this week is full of gorgeous colors!  They are some of my favorites. 

This is also a special post dedicated to my daughter, Madeline Belle!  We call her Maddie.  Yesterday was her 9th birthday!  If anyone had told me how fast time flies when you have children, I'd have never believed them.  Let me tell you folks, I'm a believer now!  With each year, the time seems to pass more quickly than the year before.  They grow in so many ways...Maddie is our second born, although at times you'd swear she is the oldest.  She is wise beyond her years, and one of the most compassionate and patient little ladies I've ever known.  I am so lucky to be her mother!  I made this card because it reminds me of her...she is definitely magical!  So, Maddie Belle, this one is for you sweet girl! :D

For this card, I used the Once Upon A Time stamp set by My Favorite Things...its a favorite!  Papers are by My Favorite Things and Doodlebug.  A little close up of the sparkle in the images...why is glitter so hard to capture in photos??

Maddie, you will forever be our magical little princess...grow in grace and beauty my love! 

It just so happens that the My Favorite Things Color Challenge and the Wednesday Sketch Challenge were a perfect fit for this card!  If you'd like to check them out, and I highly suggest that you do, just follow these links!

My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge #329

My Favorite Things Color Challenge 67

Thanks so much for stopping by today! 

Hugs, 

Supplies used: My Favorite Things Blueprints 1, My Favorite Things Tag Builder Blueprints 5, MFT Once Upon a Time clear stamps and dies, MFT Radiating Rays stencil, Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside Borders, MFT Dots & Stripes Confection 6x6 paper pad, Doodlebug Kraft in Color 6x6 paper pad, Copic markers, WOW! Opaque white embossing powder, Simon Says Stamp A2 Side Folding card base, Distress Ink in Mustard Seed, Wink of Stella clear glitter pen, Pretty Pink Posh sparkling clear sequins, ribbon

Color Throwdown #437: It's Your Special Day

Hi there! Today I'm sharing a card that I created for Color Throwdown #437 featuring a lovely Sunflower image by Stampendous.  So, for the  inspiration this week, Lori chose a pretty vase of tulips.  So perfect for spring don't you think?! 

I don't own any tulip stamps, or I might have chosen to do tulips, but I'm glad I didn't because I'm very pleased with the way that this turned out! 

First of all, I love this stamp!  It's so bright and happy, and that little ladybug is so sweet!  It just puts a smile on my face!  Secondly, sunflowers are my favorite flower.  I've never seen a sunflower that I didn't love!  I started out by heat embossing the image with black embossing powder onto watercolor cardstock.  I colored the image using a water brush and Zig Clean Color Real Brush markers.  The background is just a wash of mixed blues and greens from a Koi palette.  I used Simon Says Stamp stitched rectangle dies to cut out the panel and also the red gingham, which is from the My Favorite Things Tiny Check paper pad. 

The sentiment comes from the MFT Jungle Friends stamp set.  I think this one in particular works great for a birthday card!  I heat embossed it with Wow! Opaque Bright White embossing powder onto black cardstock, and then cut it out using one of the stitched label dies, also by My Favorite Things.  To finish it off, I adhered my panel onto a Nina Desert Storm card base, added some twine and popped my sentiment up with a bit of foam tape.  I didn't even need to add sequins!  Lol :D

Since the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge is all about Birthdays this week, I'll be entering it there as well.  Now I'm off to work on some Easter cards and goodies for the kiddos!

Hugs!

SSS April Card Kit featuring Lawn Fawn Rainbow Plaid Papers

Hi and Happy Saturday! The moment I opened my April kit from Simon Says Stamp, I was in love! This kit was definitely my favorite so far! I mean, who doesn't love rainbow colors and cute cuddly wild animals?!?! Here is a quick peek at the kit contents:

Doesn't it just look like a bucket full of fun??? The kit sold out VERY quickly, but you can always order the items individually.  That's one thing that I really appreciate about SSS kits.   

It took me a few days to crank out these cards (its Spring Break so the kiddos are all home!), but I had such a great time! Plus, since the kiddos were home, they got to help! I will list all of the additional products used at the end of this post.  Let's get to it!

The little penguin in the stamp set was a sure fire place to start for me.  And what can be better than penguin lovebirds!? I fussy cut the eyes on a third image and pasted them on to my boy penguin so that they could be looking at one another...then of course my girl needed some eyelashes!

This was the trickiest card of the bunch.  I stamped the images on the inside of my card base and then die cut the circles on the outer cover after attaching the plaid panel.  To get the alignment just right, I used a transparency and traced the circles so that I could line it up before running through the big shot.  Here's a look at the inside of the card.

This little guy is the only one on a wobble! I meant to use more wobbles but really, I just forgot!

I found that these patterned papers go perfectly with distress inked backgrounds! This card is made using up some leftovers from all of the papers I'd cut into.  Waste not want not! Lol...  

This one was a total experiment.  I wanted to see how the critters would look if embossed with clear EP and then water colored.  I'm not crazy about the result, but couldn't bear to throw him away!

These penguins really crack me up!  I did the same thing with the eyes on this one...each ones eyes are slightly different, but the look on the one in front is hysterical! :D

I tried to think of different ways to use the tags in the kit, so this one got another Distress Ink application, but with the smooshing and water spritzing technique! Love how this tag turned out.  And, this little elephant is just the sweetest thing ever! He reminds me of Dumbo...one of my Disney favorites to this day! Here's a closer look...

Another great use for scraps! Make balloons! The sentiment comes from a previous SSS card kit - September 2016, I believe. 

Rather than Distress Inks, this tag was blended using the inks that came in the kit. They blend so nicely! The background is also stamped with the inks from the kit.

Last, but not least, I had to try some no line coloring with pencils on this kraft tag.  I found that the pencils don't blend as smoothly on this kraft as they do on Nina's kraft cardstock, but its still a nice effect, don't ya think? I love the feel of the soft colors, and who doesn't love a blue-eyed baby elephant!?

Thank you so very much for stopping by today! I hope you were able to find some inspiration! Now, go get your craft on... :D

Hugs,

Additional Supplies: SSS Scallop Stitches, MFT Pierced Heart Stax, SSS Stitched Rectangles, SSS Stitched Circles, MFT Concentric Circle Grid stencil, SSS Ring Frame, SSS Tiny Dots and Hearts background stamp, MFT Abstract Art stamp set, SSS It's No Secret stamp set, Lawn Fawn Put A Bow On It, Lawn Fawn Stitched Slopes, Hero Arts Birthday background stamp, Distress Inks, SSS Clear Ink, enamel dots, glossy accents, white embossing powder, Copic Markers, Prismacolor pencils, Pretty Pink Posh sequins, twine, ribbon, and some card bases in Fog Gray and Nina Desert Storm

**I will be entering some cards featured in this post to the Simon Says Stamp Monday and Wednesday Challenges**