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A wonderfully sweet collection of papers perfect for baby projects and more, designed by Heather Nichols. You'll love the subtle distressing that she incorporated. It includes elements of Melon Berry, Spring Moss, Spring Rain, Lavender Moon, Lemon Tart & Sweet Blush.
I am so excited to introduce today's set...it is something that I myself have wanted a long time in my own collection and I am looking forward to exploring its capabilities over the next few months.
Through the Trees is a collection of three large-scale tree images. Each of them was created in a very clean & simple style to allow you, the stamper, to add your own personal touches & techniques to make them your own. The large scale makes it easy to complete a card front with little embellishment. The companion sentiments are heartfelt and something you will enjoy using in conjunction with the tree images along with other images in your collection.
The details.Are you ready to dive into the world of possibilities that this set holds? Let's begin!
This first project is something I envisioned in my head when I designed this set. The rustic look of the white ink on kraft cardstock. The pop of red used in the birds and the ribbon. The small, subtle sentiment. And I am so thrilled that the execution turned out better than I imagined. (I just love it when things work out like that.) The card base is made from Rustic White cardstock. I added a mat layer of the same cardstock, lightly inked with Chamomile Tea Dye ink. I love the soft frame it provided.
This image is what I have come to call "the birches", stamped here in Fresh Snow ink. If you look closely, there are small strokes that appear to be *carved* from the sturdy trunks. I was trying to imitate the look of wood-block printing that was popular so long ago. I love images that are in a block like this because they allow you to stamp, trim and go with a perfectly filled, balanced focal point.
The small birds are two separate images that you can place any way you like within the trees in whatever color you desire.
I trimmed the block out and adhered it to my card cover on top of some layered Pure Poppy Twill. The twill helps to reinforce the rule of threes that I like to follow. With the two red birds, a third pop of red was needed to make everything balanced and cohesive. Just *so* in love with this project and I hope you are too!
I love sunsets and the beauty they possess and this card pays tribute to that. Quite a different look from the first project, isn't it? This technique may look complicated, but it is really quite simple to execute.
I stamped the birches in Dark Chocolate ink onto Stamper's Select White cardstock.
Copic markers are the key to this graduated color scheme. I used three of our Copic Trios, Terracotta Tile, Orange Zest and Summer Sunrise. Working from darkest at the bottom of the block to lightest at the top, I created stripes for each shade. I did a few strokes with my Colorless Blender at the very top to help blend in the yellow a bit and make it look more natural. A few wraps of Rustic Jute Button Twine finish off the project!
One of my favorite things about growing up in Maine was how beautiful a snowfall could be, especially from the windows of our cozy little house deep in the woods. I wanted to try to recreate that feeling from my childhood with this card.
I heat embossed the birches with Clear Filigree Embossing Powder onto Ocean Tides cardstock. I then used a slightly damp paper towel to apply Vintage Cream ink in small circular strokes on top of the image.
Using a clean portion of the same slightly damp paper towel, I carefully rubbed off the ink residue that remained on the embossed trees. Almost like a polishing action. You can see in the photo above that the trees on the left hand side have been polished up and the ones on the right have not.
To create my snowfall, I added small dots with my favorite white gel pen. I also used a ruler with the same pen to outline the birches. This project not only makes a wonderful winter birthday card, but could also work well for a holiday card if paired with a different sentiment.
This collection of cards features the same design, just utilizing various colors of cardstock. (From left to right, Scarlet Jewel, Terracotta Tile, Ripe Avocado, Ocean Tides and Spring Moss)
These cards feature what I like to call the "tree trio". To begin, I scored two lines approximately 1/2-inch from the bottom of the card using my Scor-Pal. The sentiment was stamped next (also from Through the Trees) using True Black ink. The tree trio was stamped off center, leading off the edge of the page. Super simple design, only taking me 15 minutes to create all five of these.
Here is the same tree trio heat embossed with White Filigree Embossing Powder on Soft Stone cardstock. I love how subtly the contrast is between the embossing and the cardstock. The 5x5 card base is created from Smokey Shadow Cardstock.
The sentiment is from Autumn Abundance, stamped in True Black ink. I wrapped the card front with white crochet thread to add a bit of texture and help ground the tree images. I think this would be a great masculine card!
I got inspired by Ted Mattos' Guest Star Stamper entry last month and decided to try a card that was sentiment-free. This large tree image is something I have wanted for a very long time. Simple, clean & elegant.
The tree is actually in two parts, with the leaves being separate from the trunk. This will allow you to be use two colors, among other techniques. In this project I opted to stamp both portions in Vintage Cream ink onto Ripe Avocado cardstock. I used some of the typewriter text from Text Style II to ground the tree and make the overall project a bit more modern. A few wraps of Rustic Jute Button Twine is the last detail I added.
This last card is like a breath of fresh air to me, clean cool and crisp.
I stamped the new Background Basics: Petal Power in Fresh Snow ink onto the Aqua Mist card front. Don't you just love it!
The tree is stamped in Aqua Mist ink for something a bit untraditional. It's also off center, which I like. The sentiment is from Cupcake Collection and it is stamped in Smokey Shadow ink. I used Scor-tape to add glitter above and below the sentiment. Love how this framed it out.
I am very confident that after seeing today's samples, you will agree that this set is a wonderful basic that you will find dozens upon dozens of uses for. Is there anything that you've seen today that you find especially inspiring? What will you do first when you get this set in your own hands? We would love to hear your thoughts! Just for sharing a bit with us,we have a fun prize package up for grabs!
A prize package that will give you most of the tools needs to recreate today's projects! You have until 7am EST, Tuesday, January 12th to leave a comment here to be eligible to win. One winner will be randomly selected by noon EST the same day and officially announced on our January Release Winners page. Please play nice, only one comment per person.
Want to to see more of Through the Trees? Stop by Heather Nichols' blog today to see what she created using this set.
Dawn McVey is offering up another sneak peek of her new sets, Top Ten & Top Ten Additions.
Alli Miles is also featuring a project created with her new sets Daily Designs & Sentiments.
Kim Hughes is featuring a project that utilizes her new In Shape collection, Rock-a-bye Baby.
Our Click Simple Team members are also showcasing some sneak peeks of Kim's new templates (more about them later this week!).
When I was first putting the finishing touches on Everyday Button Bits, I asked the design team if they had any other images other than the ones I had already included in the original set that they would like to see included in a future Button Bits set. To my surprise, my dear friend and team member Michelle Wooderson, immediately sent me some sketches she had for a baby version of the set.
Michelle and I really work well together and as soon as I saw her ideas on paper, I also saw her vision and knew that I could execute what she had in mind. So without further ado, I bring you Baby Button Bits.
The details.One of my favorite aspects of this set is the way that the images that were selected are so versatile. Many of them definitely do not need to be restricted just for baby specific occasions. However, I thought I would start out with showcasing the original intention behind this set... celebrating those adorable, newborn babies & their mamas!
(click on image above for a larger view)
This sweet little card is one of my personal favorites from the bunch I created for today. Plus, it just happens to be quick, clean and simple!
This card also highlights one of my favorite aspects of Michelle's sketches. Large sentiments that have the letter "o" removed, allowing you the stamper to replace it with a button, punched shape or anything else your heart desires. But don't worry, I made sure there was a separate letter "o" stamp included in the set, just in case you didn't want to use embellishments.
I love the font chosen for these open-face letters. This type of styling would allow you to use Copic markers to color them in as you desired.
The pattern along the side is created with a flower cluster that is also found in Baby Button Bits. Totally in love with the pattern I was able to create with it here, stamped in Raspberry Fizz ink on Sweet Blush cardstock.
(click on image above for a larger view)
Here is the same flower cluster image, except now it is stamped just once and colored in using Copic markers. Don't you just love it?!?!?
The floral image is colored in with Terracotta Tile, Lemon Tart and Ripe Avocado Copic Trios and I love the results. I added just a bit of T1 underneath the appropriate edges to create shadows. You might recognize the sentiment from Take Note. This shows how these images can be used for many different occasions, not just babies! A single Terracotta Tile button is adhered to the center of the largest bloom with glue dots as the perfect finishing touch!
(click on image above for a larger view)
Cute & cuddly are the first words that come to mind when thinking of how to describe this adorable little card. The teddy bear on the cover along with the sentiment are both included in this set.
I thought I would show you how I prepared the little bear so you could make oodles of them for yourself. Here it is stamped in Black Noir ink onto Kraft cardstock,
First I colored the image in with Ocean Tides Copic trio.
I then used the colorless blender to create lines on the bear and make him look like he's made out of old gingham fabric.
Here is the completed bear in place on the cover. Notice the background? I made it by sticking several of my Trajan alphabet stamps onto a single block, just like I did HERE for a Teacher's Apple gift. You should try it It's so fun!
(click on image above for a larger view)
This little sweet pea card is super easy to assemble and the overall layout could be adapted for many other occasions. Is that a new background set I see? More about that later on in the week!
Once the little pod image is stamped, you can begin selecting the buttons or baubles!
Once the buttons are added, it's apparent just how adorable this can be! :)
(click on image above for a larger view)
This little 4x4 card uses a cupcake image that can also be found in the set. Hooray for Baby Button Bits! I created this project to show you how you can paper piece many of these images, just in case you aren't big into coloring.
You can't help but smile when you see this adorable little piece paired with the the Background Baiscs: Hearts. Just a cute, quick project that can easily be shared with friends or family.
Well there you have it! I know that I have just begun to scratch the surface with this super cute set and I know when all of you have gotten the opportunity to start stamping with it and sharing your work online, even more possibilities will be revealed! We would love to your initial impressions of this new set and if you know any expecting mothers (or perhaps you are even one yourself!). Just for sharing a bit with us,we have a fun prize package up for grabs!
That's nearly $75 worth of stamps! You have until 7am EST, Monday, January 11th to leave a comment here to be eligible to win. One winner will be randomly selected by noon EST the same day and officially announced on our January Release Winners page. Please play nice, only one comment per person.
Want to to see more of Baby Button Bits? Stop by Betsy Veldman's blog today to see what she created using this set.
Dawn McVey is offering up a sneak peek of her new sets, Top Ten & Top Ten Additions.
Alli Miles is also featuring a project created with her new sets Daily Designs & Sentiments.
Kim Hughes is featuring a project that utilizes her new In Shape collection, Rock-a-bye Baby.
Our Click Simple Team members are showcasing some sneak peeks of the new January packaging template, Back to Basics Box (more about it later this week!).
For complete supply lists & dimensions for all of today's project, please CLICK HERE.
This month's honorable mention post is going up a lot later than usual, but I felt that many of this month's entries were so amazing, they couldn't possibly go without a shout out!!!
Regina Magnum's advent calender will probably go down in history as one of the most impressive advent projects of all time! The detail she put into it, from the numerous windows, to the brick siding to the wreaths on the doors, she included everything. This is sure to be a family treasure for her home for many years to come!
Michele Hetland created a version of Home Made that is full of sunshine & celebration. I loved the way she displayed & emphasized the sentiment, flanked on both sides by buttons & ribbon. If you look really closely at the front window you will even see a Christmas tree peeking out!
Kittie Coracciolo preserved an amazing air or sophistication & elegance with her version of the house. Her ribbon accent around the middle is just amazingly stunning. The way she included a black front door is unique & perfectly suited for the style she chose. Way to go Kittie!!!
Kerri Michaud's house is a perfect example of clean and simple. The color scheme is very holiday and festive. One of my very, very favorite touches is the tag accent hanging from the chimney. A perfect way to finish one of these little projects off.
It's not hard to see why Aga won for the Best Use of Leaves. Such an amazing and intriguing contribution to this contest. The pretty metallic heat embossing paired with the snowflake style formation, complete with a sparkling baubled center is nothing short of breath-taking. I love her choice of colors, her unconventional design and just the overall "thinking outside of the box".
Winter Sims caught my attention for several reasons. The colorful pieced background, the large cut-out scrolling vine, the bright flowers that provide color pop. But most of all, the overall design is well-balanced and easy to replicate.
Tracey Mason cleverly created a poinsettia from the leaves included in Friends 'til the End. It took me a minute after looking at her project to figure out exactly how she had created the beautiful bloom, but once I did, I could see the pure genius behind it.
Ted Mattos kept it super simple and made an amazing windowed creation, highlighting a single leaf as it's focal point. One of the best parts? There's no sentiment, so you can literally use something like this for any occasion.
Crisanne used Star Prints and her creative eye to make this amazing holiday ornament. The shimmer and shine she was able to capture with nothing but mere paper crafting supplies is truly amazing. I can just picture dozens of these adorning any paper crafter's tree!
Julie Cameron utilized a bright & cheerful color scheme that I am anxious to try out myself. By pairing several popular Papertrey sets, she proves that even the smallest elements can be combined to make an impressive impact. The label from Tea for Two was a great finishing detail that added emphasis to her theme.
Dee Woodland used Faux Ribbon to create a festive striped pattern on the "gift " she put on the front of her project. The photo of her son cleverly pulls out as an insert from the gift, as if the recipient is truly opening something special.
Valerie Johnson assembled an amazingly festive gift card holder using one of the three selections from our Cash or Charge template collection. I loved the way she opted to not punch out a handle at the top and instead accented it with a button. The small cluster of pearls paired with the sparkling snowflake really add a touch of magic to this project. Be sure to keep an eye out tomorrow for a sneak peek of the amazing project that Valerie created with this month's new template!
Jeni16 enjoyed created different variations & sizes of the Around Town Tote. Her embellishments were created with Vintage Ornaments in festive shades of pink. I also loved the subtle background she created with Borders & Corners Squares set.
rj77 really kept things simple with her version of Tucked Away. She used a large image from Turning a New Leaf as the major decorative element, then accented with a pretty gathered ribbon flower. I love the way this looks and think it would be so easy to mass-produce for nearly any occasion.
Wendy Beck used the element of surprise to accent the interior of this gift card wrap from Cash or Charge. The layers of cupcakes are the perfect thing to greet the recipient that would most likely be celebrating a birthday! The same application could be done for other events and celebrations to add a fun element to the unwrapping process!
I hope that you found all of this month's entries as inspiring as I did. Especially the numerous entries we had for the Home Made category (you can check them ALL out HERE). If I listed your winning entry today and you happened to highlight it on your blog, please feel free to add a link in the comments section and I will be sure to include it in the body of this post so others can reference it! I look forward to seeing you back here for the countdown festivities that begin tomorrow!
We all have 'em. Lots and lots of scraps. Whether it be paper scraps, ribbon scraps or fabric scraps, this month's challenge is to share a clever & unique idea for using those little bits that sometimes end up neglected. I couldn't be more thrilled with what the team came up with for innovative uses of all their little snippets. Please join me in exploring all of their innovative ideas and perhaps even get your creative juices flowing on this New Year's Day!
CLICK HERE to read more from Heather Nichols.
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CLICK HERE to read more from Betsy Veldman.
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CLICK HERE to read more from Lisa Johnson.
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CLICK HERE to read more from Michelle Wooderson.
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CLICK HERE to read more from Becky Oehlers.
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CLICK HERE to read more from our Distinguished Guest Designer, Jessica Witty.
I hope you enjoyed all of these amazing projects and the inspiration they provided. Not to mention the tips & tricks the girls went into detail about as far as sorting & storing all of those little scraps are concerned. If you have a few moments today, I urge you to pull out a few of your scraps and either utilize one of the ideas mentioned here today or come up with your own idea for using any of the leftover bits & pieces you have laying about. I've inserted a Mister Linky box below so you can share your work! We would love to see what you whip up! Happy Stamping!
