Well, I can honestly say that today has been a day that I have been eagerly awaiting for a few months now. Today I get to introduce all of you to a stamp design concept that will have you anxiously waiting to get inky...something new, fresh and fun that you simply won't be able to live without!
When I designed this set, it was one of those *aha* moments that I sometimes have...where everything came together perfectly just as I had envisioned it in my head.
Happy Trails is a set is full of things that leave behind "trails"...butterflies, ink pens and so much more. Each sentiment features a large script word with an unfinished "tail" at the end. The set contains three different scrolled tails that you can add to the ends of these words and finish off with your desired image. Coordinating dies make this set easy to layer and utilize unique color combinations!
The details.
- Happy Trails will be available for sale on June 15th.
- It will retail for $24.
- Happy Trails contains a total of 26 stamps (1 dragonfly, 1 butterfly, 1 quill, 1 pen, 1 pencil, 1 scribble, 1 paper airplane, 2 birds, 3 trails 2 ink spatters and 12 sentiments)
- The dragonfly measures 1-1/2" x 3/4". The butterfly measures 1" x 3x4". The pen & pencil each measure 1-3/4" x 3/16". The paper airplane measures 1-1/4" x 3/8'. The bird(s) measure 1-1/8" x 3/4" each. The quill measures 1-1/2" x 3/8".
- A coordinating Happy Trails die will be available for purchase separately for $5. The die will cut out shapes that coordinate with all of the images in this set except the quill.
I have some really cool things to show you today, so let's get onto the projects! With twenty-five cards made in the last few days, I decided I wanted to step a bit out of my normal comfort zone today and try a few new things. I did a bit of exploring online to gain some inspiration.
I stumbled across this piece of jewelry on Etsy and instantly fell in love with the colors and design and decided to try to re-interpret that into a card.
I got a bit *artsy* and layered images in ways that I have never done before and I am just thrilled to pieces with the results. I started by stamping the leaf image from Beautiful Blooms around my card front in SUmmer Sunrise, followed by the dotted flower from Daydreamer in Lemon Tart.
On a separate sheet of Vintage Cream cardstock I stamped YOF: Roses and YOF: Mums images in Smokey Shadow and cut them out. I then layered them along the edge of my card front and then squared them off from the back to fit within the card cover. The sentiment is stamped in True Black.
The "trail" was added with Smokey Shadow ink, with the butterfly die-cut and then stamped it with the coordinating image from Happy Trails in Simply Chartreuse. All of the images in this set feature a fine corduroy ribbing to them. I love this subtle texture, it really adds a lot to the image and makes it look more textile in nature.
I'm really pleased with this project and it was so fun to create...I just threw all my standard "rules" aside and let the creativity flow. I really enjoyed it! I would love to see YOUR take on the inspiration piece I shared above...please feel free to link your results in the comments section!
Now for something a bit more whimsical in nature. I thought I would pair up the dragonfly image from Happy Trails with Friendship Jar.
I layered patterned papers at the bottom of the card front and also some little pieces of trim made with my pinking shears and Spring Rain cardstock. The star was punched from white cardstock and covered with glitter.
I stamped the jar in CVersaMark and heat embossed it with Filigree White embossing powder. I then covered the Kraft cardstock with Background Basics: Twinkle using Fresh Snow ink. I stamped the trail with VersaMark and used it as my guide to pierce holes for stitching. I stitched the trail with purple embroidery floss. I die-cut the dragonfly from white cardstock and stamped it with the coordinating image from Happy Trails.
For the sentiment, I die-cut an Angled Label and stamped the coordinating frame from Label Basics using Plum Pudding ink. The sentiment (from Daydreamer) was added using Smokey Shadow ink. I love the colors of this card as well as the "softness" it seems to have.
I had to get out those adorable little animals from Sweet Baby again and this time I paired the elephant up with the new pencil image from Happy Trails. Having the die for the pencil is SO great because it would have been a bit tedious cutting it out!
I die-cut the elephant from Vintage Cream cardstock and stamped the elephant from Sweet Baby in Spring Moss. For the pencil, I die-cut it from Vintage Cream as well and stamped the coordinating image from Happy Trails with Summer Sunrise and Smokey Shadow inks. I added a bit of Melon Berry Copic to the eraser for color. The "thank you, teacher" sentiment (also from Happy Trails) was stamped onto this Library Ledger paper in Smokey Shadow.
I die-cut a heart using a Heart Prints die and Melon Berry cardstock. The heart was stamped with one of the small medallions from Mehndi Medallion (more about that later on this week). I stitched the heart in place with my sewing machine.
The Kraft card base was stamped with Polka Dot Basics II using VersaMark ink. Isn't this just the cutest? I can hardly wait to send this in to the teachers when school starts for us in a few weeks!
I have another piece of art that I found inspirational today, if you'll allow me to indulge. This is a painting I ran across on Etsy.
And here's the card I created as a result of the beautiful piece of art I used as my inspiration. Lots of image layering for fun artsy effects!
The sentiment was stamped in True Black and then I added the birds across the top in Hawaiian Shores...both images are from Happy Trails.
In the corner, I stamped splatters from Grunge Me in both Ocean Tides & Hawaiian Shores. I then heat embossed the trees from Through the Trees with White Filigree Embossing Powder. I love the way this turned out and the Grunge Me set is definitely getting a lot more use than I initially expected!
Now for something a bit more masculine. The card front for this projects is made of strips of True Black, Smokey Shadow, Silver Shimmer & Soft Stone cardstocks. After assembling the strips together, I added the trail image from Happy Trails. I die-cut the paper airplane from white cardstock and stamped it with the coordinating image as well as Background Basics: Newsprint.
I die-cut this red felt heart and stitched it in place with a button. This definitely says I love you without getting too carried away!
The "Sending You" sentiment is heat embossed with Clear Filigree Embossing Powder, with the secondary sentiment added underneath using True Black ink. I had fun creating this card since it was a bit more modern and out of the ordinary for me! And I adore how it turned out!
Now that you have seen my creations, let me show you a few things that our talented team has put together for you today! Prepare to be amazed!!!!
CLICK HERE to read more from Betsy Veldman.
CLICK HERE to read more from Danielle Flanders.
CLICK HERE to read more from Dawn McVey.
CLICK HERE to read more from Erin Lincoln.
CLICK HERE to read more from Heather Nichols.
CLICK HERE to read more from Jessica Witty.
CLICK HERE to read more from Lisa Johnson.
CLICK HERE to read more from Maile Belles.
CLICK HERE to read more from Melissa Phillips.
CLICK HERE to read more from Michelle Wooderson.
Aren't all of their projects just breath-taking?!?!? And SO unique! SO inspiring! Many of them really got to their artistic roots, didn't they? I think this may possibly go down as one of my favorite group posts EVER! So, what did you think? Are you excited to get started with Happy Trails yourself? What project today left you inspired? We would love to hear from you! You could have a chance at winning an amazing prize package just for sharing your thoughts with us!
- Happy Trails stamps set
- Happy Trails die
- Up, Up & Away stamp set
- Up, Up & Away die
- Cloud 1 & 2 die collection
- Butterfly Dreams
- Butterfly die
- Fly Away stamp set
- Fly Away die
You have until 7am EST, Tuesday, June 14th to leave your comment and be eligible to win. Only one comment per person please. One randomly selected winner will be announced on our June 2011 Release Winners page no later than noon EST the same day. Thanks for stopping by today and best of luck with the contest!
Melissa Bickford has more using her new sets today.
Lizzie Jones has another goodie using Rhythm & Soul.
Maile Belles is showcasing Gracious Vases again today.
Dawn McVey has some additional projects using her new products for this month.
LOVE IS EVERYTHING CARD
- STAMPS: Happy Trails, Daydreamer (available June 15th) YOF: Roses, YOF: Mums, Beautiful Blooms
- INK: True Black, Summer Sunrise, Lemon Tart, Smokey Shadow, Simply Chartreuse
- PAPER: Vintage Cream, Simply Chartreuse
- OTHER: Happy Trails die, pinking shears
- FINISHED SIZE: 4-1/4" x 5-1/2"
MAKE A WISH CARD
- STAMPS: Happy Trails, Daydreamer (available June 15th), Background Basics: Twinkle, Label Basics, Friendship Jar
- INK: Fresh Snow, Plum Pudding, Spring Rain, VersaMark, Smokey Shadow
- PAPER: Stamper's Select White, Spring Rain, Kraft, Pretty Pastels pad, Friends 'Til the End pad
- OTHER: Happy Trails die, Medium Scalloped Border die, Angled Labels die, Filigree White Embossing Powder, star punch (Fiskars), prisma glitter, embroidery floss (DMC), sewing machine, pinking shears
- FINISHED SIZE: 4-1/4" x 5-1/2"
THANK YOU, TEACHER CARD
- STAMPS: Happy Trails, Sweet Baby, Mehndi Medallion (available June 15th) Polka Dot Basics II
- INK: Smokey Shadow, Spring Moss, Summer Sunrise, VersaMark
- PAPER: Vintage Cream, Kraft, Melon Berry, Library Ledger pad
- OTHER: Happy Trails die, Sweet Baby die, Heart Prints die, sewing machine
- FINISHED SIZE: 4-1/4" x 5-1/2"
DREAMS TAKE FLIGHT CARD
- STAMPS: Happy Trails (available June 15th) Through the Trees, Grunge Me
- INK: True Black, Hawaiian Shores, Ocean Tides, VersaMark
- PAPER: Stamper's Select White, Aqua Mist
- OTHER: Filigree White Embossing Powder
- FINISHED SIZE: 4-1/4" x 5-1/2"
SENDING YOU AIRPLANE CARD
- STAMPS: Happy Trails (available June 15th), Big & Bold Wishes, Background Basics: Newsprint
- INK: True Black, Smokey Shadow, VersaMark
- PAPER: Stamper's Select White, Soft Stone, Silver Shimmer, Smokey Shadow, True Black
- OTHER: Happy Trails die, Heart Prints die, Pure Poppy Felt, Clear Filigree Embossing Powder
- FINISHED SIZE: 4-1/4" x 5-1/2"
