STAMPIN' UP: GORGEOUS GRUNGE AND WETLANDS

Can somebody tell me what happened to our summer?  I'm going to think positive and hope it will be back in September.  I do have to admit that I love all the green, lush foliage I am surrounded with this year and the fact I don't have to run the air conditioning, but this is very unusual for Michigan in August.

Some very good news:  I actually felt well enough to get my boxes of new Stampin' Up product opened from the Winter Mini Catalog and then created two new cards.  Yes, they were both very simple cards, but I really liked them, and it just felt great getting to stamp after more than a month of being sick.  I went to the doctor last Monday and found out I had pneumonia and acute bronchitis (along with my poison ivy).  The poison ivy is now gone and I'm not running a fever, but still have a croupy cough that will just take time to heal.  So things are looking a lot better -- YIPPIE!! 

Here are my cards:

I love, love this stamp set:  Gorgeous Grunge.  So simple to use, but always looks different and so many designs you can create with five different stamps in the set.  My Classic Ink colors:  Crushed Curry, Marina Mist, and Gumball Green.  I also used the new Yippee-Skippee! Stamp Set for the sentiment.

This was my "throw-away" card because I dropped my stamp TWICE on the card.  But you know stampers hate to throw anything away so I tried to cover most of it up with chevron pieces punched with the new Chevron Boarder Punch.  I like how it looks completely different just by adding the chevrons.

This card was made for my son-in-law's birthday, and was CASEd from Michelle Zindorf's art.  I used one 8 1/2" x 11" piece of Early Espresso Card Stock to fold in thirds to make a gift money card.  Sorry I forgot to take a picture of the inside before I sent it out.  Stampin' Up product used:  Wetlands Stamp Set; Whisper White and Early Espresso Card Stock; Soft Suede, Crushed Curry, and Early Espresso Classic Ink; White Gel Pen; 1 3/8" Circle Punch; Sanding Block; Brayer; and Sponge Daubers.

Until next time,
Sandi
"Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly . . . singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."

-- Colossians 3:16

STAMPIN' UP GRUNGE AND WASHI TAPE!!

Yes, I'm still alive and functioning!!  Even though I have been debating with myself this last month as to whether it would be easier to move to a new home or to continue cleaning 30 years of "stuff."  Yes, I do clean on a regular basis, but for some reason I got it in my head to obliterate every piece of dirt and dust in my house before my grand-daughter's Open House in 8 days. Now that I am down to crunch time, I realize that is not going to happen (and as my husband keeps reminding me -- who cares???).  I keep telling him that "I care," but he just doesn't get it.  I just keep telling myself that Stampin' Up's 25th Anniversary Convention is right after Open House and I can go knowing that if the plane goes down, I won't be too embarrassed because my house will be clean (cleaner?).  Why are women like that?? (E.g., like my mom always said, "Make sure you have clean underwear on in case you have an accident."  I'm sure not many men think of this.)

I did squeeze in a couple of hours this week to make 50 Convention swap cards and a couple more album pages for my grand-daughter:

I am so in love with Stampin' Up's new Washi Tape!!  After making 50 swap cards with the new Gingham Garden Washi Tape, I still had over half a roll of each left over (talk about economical!!).  Plus it is so forgivable if you have to reposition.  I used the Simply Sketched Stamp Set, water coloring with the Melon Mambo and Old Olive Classic Inks, using the Aqua Painter.

Yep, this page is not for everybody -- but it works for the person I made it for, and was so much fun to put these pages together.  I love the new "grunge" style of art (hard to believe when everybody knows I love Vintage and Shabby Chic).  But to me it is basically the same, just different stamp sets and backgrounds.  It's all about texture, layering, and lots of color!!  The texture shows up better if you enlarge these picture by right-clicking and selecting "open in new page."

How did I do it?  I applied Gesso on Stampin' Up's Basic Black card stock, let it dry if you choose (I didn't on the page above and got a completely different look with the ink), apply ink refill, let I dry, add designer paper, then stamp away!!  You can't see it in the pictures, but there is lots of texture.

Here are the 2 pages together.  Notice the difference on how the ink refill bled out on right page when the Gesso was still wet.  I used the following stamp sets for these pages:  Off the Grid, Gorgeous Grunge, and Clockworks.  Accessories included the new Smoky Slate Chevron Ribbon, Basics Glimmer Brads (Black), and Modern Medley Designer Series Paper.

I am truly interested in your comments on my "grunge art" and constructive criticism on how I can improve.  I haven't seen any samples on blogs yet using our new grunge stamps so your thoughts would be very welcomed.

Until next time,
Sandi

"You have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble."  -- Psalm 59:16