Hello, everyone! So, are you having a good time? Enjoying yourself? It's amazing how much fun can be had between computers that are stretched out around the globe, isn't it!
Today I will be talking about THE one and only, Heather Nichols and her TWO new stamp releases for February! You've probably already seen the sneak peeks on her blog the last few days, which means you've also been tempted to add the sets to your cart on the 15th, I'm sure! The first set is entitled Beyond Basic Borders with an amazing array of (you guessed it!) borders that capture Heather's signature style. I just love how crisp & clean everything is, but yet so much personality and flair is represented at the same time. The second set is called Journaling Lines, which contains the obvious. The two journaling lines stamps are about 4.75" long, allowing them to double as background stamps for creating striped patterns. The dotted lined version included in the set has been used on SEVERAL of my projects already. I love things that are double duty like that!
What a better way to start off than to get right to the projects!
(click on photo for larger view)
First up is this little note I made to give David before he leaves on a ski trip in Colorado next week. I'll probably tuck it in his suitcase as a little surprise for him to find once he gets there. It's a super simple card that took hardly any time at all to make. Notice the dotted "journaling lines" stamped in Versamark on the dark chocolate background. I think it helps to make this card feel a bit more masculine. Did I already mention how much I love that stamp?!?!?
The swirled branch image is JUST gorgeous. The small dots that are part of it provide the perfect platform for embellishing. Think brads, stickles, liquid pearls, beads or buttons, as I have done here. One of the things I love about this type of image is the ability to add as little or as much embellishment as you want, and the main image is simple enough to pull it off! I went simple and used three of our NEW! cream vintage buttons. I liked how I was able to stitch the buttons just on one side of the branch, allowing the sentiment to balance out the other side.
For the border, I wanted to show you how it doesn't need to be used as is. I stamped this reverse border onto spring moss cardstock using ripe avocado ink and trimmed it out. I used a pencil to draw a curved line to serve as a cutting guide. Using scissors, I cut along the line. I ran back over the edge with a sanding block to make sure all the curves were nice and even and that there were none of the snags that scissors sometimes leave behind. Quick, easy and this type of technique will allow you to get twice as much use from all of Heather's border images!
The next project uses one of my FAVORITE Papertrey products, White Shimmer cardstock. Have you tried it yet? It's a bit heavier in weight when compared to our regular white stock and the sparkle it has is just stunning in person. One of my favorite things about it, is the way that it accepts ink. Once you stamp an image on it, especially the bolder images like what is found in these border stamps, it's as if the image is deeply absorbed into the paper. This allows all of the sparkle to resurface through the ink in the most beautiful, subtle way. It's difficult to put into words, but just try it out and you will see exactly what I mean!
(click on photo for larger view)
Okay, now back to the card! I stamped just about all of the images from the set onto the shimmer cardstock and cut them into strips. The shimmer is hard to see in this photo, but it is SO cool in reality! I staggered the strips on the cover of my spring moss card base.
I adhered a piece of the New Leaf grosgrain ribbon to Ocean Tides cardstock and trimmed the edges down with scalloped scissors, creating a border. The sentiment was stamped in fresh snow ink onto Classic Kraft cardstock, with a little additional ink sponged onto the edges too. I spy two New Leaf Vintage Buttons on either side of the focal point, adhered in place with glue dots!
(click on photo for larger view)
My last and final project is a fun little card that can be used for just about any occasion. The "tree" image is probably one of my favorites from the set. (Although I am pretty sure Heather intended it to be a branch!)
I stamped the tree in dark chocolate ink and then added punched 1/4" circle of Melon Berry cardstock to the ends of a few branches. I used Stardust Stickles on each of the remaining points along with on top of the punches circles. How fun would it be to make these according to season!?!?! All the colors of autumn, small flowers for spring, endless possibilities!
The strips at the bottom were created by stamping one of the long sentiments from Around & About Sentiments with dark chocolate ink onto three shades of cardstock (spring moss, lemon tart and melon berry). I then stamped the border images on TOP of the sentiments using versamark. I really liked the effect and the subtlety of it. I finished the card off with a Melon Berry Vintage Button tied with twine and a spring moss scalloped edge adhered to the back of the front cover.
I hope the versatility of these sets came shining through with the projects I shared with you today!
Please join me congratulating Heather on yet another amazing collection of images! Stop by and visit her blog today, where you will see a few projects she has created herself using the new sets but ALSO a very special *giveaway*!
Pine's Picks Prize Package
(nearly a $100 value!)
DO NOT post here for a chance to win big, just visit Heather's blog to enter!
You have until midnight EST tonight (Feb. 11th) to post your guess. The winner will be listed on our special Anniversary Prize Page after 12 noon EST, February 12th. You can always access this list through the Anniversary Quick Link list to the upper left sidebar here. A copy of the list will also be updated daily in our customer forum.
Thanks for stopping by and good luck with Heather's contest!
Stop by to visit Lauren Meader's blog today to see a peek at one of her all-new Timeless Templates!
Dawn McVey continues to keep us inspired with all of her creations using her new set.
And don't forget about Melissa Bickford's sneak peeks too!
"Love You" card
Stamps: Beyond Border Basics & Journaling Lines (both available Feb. 15th)
Ink: dark chocolate, ripe avocado, versamark
Paper: dark chocolate, spring moss, vintage cream
Other: white & cream mix vintage buttons, needle & thread, sewing machine, sanding block, foam dimensionals
Finished Size: 4.75 x 4.5"
"Borders & Strips Thanks" card
Stamps: Beyond Border Basics & Journaling Lines (both available Feb. 15th)
Ink: new leaf, ocean tides, spring moss, fresh snow
Paper: spring moss, white shimmer, ocean tides
Other: new leaf grosgrain & vintage buttons, scalloped scissors (Paper Studio), oval punch (EK Success), glue dots (to adhere buttons), foam dimensionals
Finished Size: 6 x 4.25"
"Simple Sparkle Tree" card
Stamps: Beyond Basic Borders (available Feb. 15th), Around & About Sentiments
Ink: dark chocolate, versamark
Paper: vintage cream, spring moss, lemon tart, melon berry, dark chocolate
Other: melon berry vintage button, paper piercer, twine, 1/4" hokle punch (Fiskars), stardust stickles (Ranger), scalloped scisors (Paper Studio), corner rounder punch (Fiskars), foam dimensionals
Finished Size: 3.75 x 7"
