Well, it's hard to believe, but the final day of the countdown is here! The BIG party and release are tonight!!! I'm so excited, I can hardly stand it!
But before we get to actual release festivities, let's talk about another one of my very favorite stamp sets up for release, Damask Designs created by none other then THE Dawn McVey. Dawn thought of EVERYTHING when creating this set. If you love damask or even just pattern in general, this set is definitely a must have. With several different scales of images to play around with, you will never be lacking. Single images along with repetitive rows are both included, so you can focus on creating a custom look, or take the quick & easy route. No matter how you stamp it, this set is an incredible basic that I have already put permanently on my table next to Polka Dot Basics and Background Basics: Retro!
The first project I have to share with you today uses a fun glittering technique, which I think looks *stunning* with Dawn's new images. I stamped the medium damask image with Fresh Snow ink repeatedly on my Melon Berry cardstock. I then cleaned my stamp and got out my trusty Glue Pad and stamped a second time on each of the images with that. A little sprinkle of glitter and you have instant *sparkle shimmer* damask. Wouldn't you just DIE to recreate this in every Papertrey color! If you buy paper like that at the store it is nearly $3 for a 12x12 sheet! (See that justifies spending $24 on the stamp set right there! *wink*)
By the way, notice that glitter? The color is called Prisma and it is the prettiest iridescent white I have ever used! It's super fine too, so it works well for techniques like what I showed above. This glitter will be going up for sale tonight, $3 for 3gram jar.
(click above photo to enlarge)
On the completed card I paired the Melon Berry with Aqua Mist & Dark Chocolate. The Aqua Mist is stamped with Polka Dot Basics and the Dark Chocolate is stamped with Background Basics: Retro. I punched notches out of the top and bottom of the Melon Berry using a 3/4" circle punch, just to add some character.
The "Celebrate" sentiment is also from Dawn's set, don't you just adore that font choice? A girl after my own heart, I tell ya! One of our new Vintage Cream buttons is added to the tag, tied in place with twine.
(click above photo to enlarge)
Now, if any of you are frequent visitor's of Dawn's blog, you know that she is well-known for her unique color combinations. I decided to take a step out of my comfort zone and play around with a few unlikely choices. First up is the combo of Spring Rain & Berry Sorbet. At first I was a bit nervous about putting these two together, but I ended up really liking it, and hope to apply that combination to another project soon! I used the largest of the damask pattern to create the background on the Berry Sorbet cardstock with Fresh Snow ink. To me, it's such a nice over-scaled image, which is so popular right now.
The "forever" tag was punched with the Making Memories slot punch and our Fresh Snow Twill is threaded through. A blue gingham brad is used to cinch the twill together and hold it in place on the tag. "Forever" is one of the many sentiments from Friends 'Til the End and it was stamped on the tag with Berry Sorbet ink.
(click above photo to enlarge)
And last (but certainly not least!) is this quick little project that uses spring moss, ripe avocado, sweet blush and raspberry fizz. I stamped the pre-fab damask pattern rows onto sweet blush cardstock using raspberry fizz ink. It was so easy to do since the pattern was already formed into the precise rows for me. All I had to do was work my way up the block, stamping one row above the other. LOVED that too! The entire project is mounted to a spring moss card base.
The "Happy Birthday" sentiment is another contribution by Dawn to our new Handwritten Notes stamp set. It is stamped in ripe avocado ink onto a white cardstock strip. The flower is one from the Sheer Blossom Collection by Maya Road. It is attached in place with a glue dot and one of our New Leaf Vintage Buttons.
I had a lot of fun exploring some new color possibilities. Dawn & I thought you might have fun with your own color exploration, so we have put together a special little challenge for you!
So, go to Dawn's blog and look over ALL eighteen of the cards she has posted this week using Damask Designs. Pick one of her amazing color combinations that appeals to you, yet is also something outside your normal realm. Create your very own project using your chosen combo and post it somewhere online, whether it be your blog or your favorite online gallery. Then, be sure to come back here and link it up to Mr. Linky below!
Wanna know what's up for grabs?
FOUR lucky stampers will win their very own copy of Dawn's NEW! stamp set, Damask Designs!
There's actually TWO ways to win!
Perhaps you don't dig participating in the challenges but still wanna play for the prize? Post a comment on Dawn's blog post today and tell her about where you might have spotted some damask while out and about. Fashion, home decor, table settings, bedding or anywhere else you have stumbled across it! Posting a comment there will automatically give you a chance to win!
Now don't worry, participants that post a comment with Dawn AND a challenge card with Mr. Linky here will be entered to win TWICE! That's right! Double your chances just by playing along!
You have until tonight @ midnight EST (Feb.14th) to share your challenge project and/or post a comment. The winner will be listed on our special Anniversary Prize Page shortly after midnight. 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.
I hope you are looking forward to this evening for the BIG release! I'll see you then!
Our very first Distinguished Guest Designer, Maggie Holmes, has some projects to share with you using many of our new release products!
Becky Oehlers has some more AMAZING things to show you with Damask Designs as well!
Heather Nichols has one last project to share with you using her new sets.
Melissa Bickford has pulled out all the stops for her final peeks.
Lauren Meader has topped it all off with another project using her latest Timeless Templates!
"Celebrate" card
Stamps: Damask Designs & Background Basics: Retro (available Feb. 15th), Polka Dot Basics
Ink: fresh snow & dark chocolate, versamark & glue pad (tsukineko)
Paper: Stamper's Select White, melon berry, aqua mist, dark chocolate
Other: vintage cream button, twine, palette prisma glitter, 3/4" circle punch (EK Success), foam dimensionals, sewing machine
Finished Size: 4.25 x 5.5"
"Forever" card
Stamps: Damask Designs & Friends 'Til the End (available Feb. 15th)
Ink: fresh snow, berry sorbet
Paper: Stamper's Select White, spring rain, berry sorbet
Other: fresh snow twill, blue gingham brad (Paper Studio), slot punch (Making Memories), 2" circle punch & corner rounder (with guard removed) EK Success, foam dimensionals
Finished Size: 4.25 x 5.5"
"Happy Birthday" card
Stamps: Damask Designs & Handwritten Notes (available Feb. 15th)
Ink: raspberry fizz, ripe avocado
Paper: Stamper's Select White, sweet blush, ripe avocado, spring moss
Other: new leaf vintage button, sheer blooms (Maya Road), foam dimensionals
Finished Size: 4.25 x 5.5"
