Wow!  I can't believe how long its been since I posted on my blog under The Stamp Nation tab.  I love this site (have I mentioned that 100 times already in my e-news?)!!  This month's Pen Pal swap theme is black & white with 1 or 2 color pops.  Since I just received the Stamp of Approval box, I couldn't resist working with some of the new items.

I wanted to create a background in black and white and simply stamped images all over.  Inside the SOA box was a new inkpad called All That Jazz and it's gorgeous!  All the color you see on my card is done with either blending the ink onto white card stock to create card base or taking a Tombow blender pen and dipping it into the inkpad and coloring in the little hearts!

This card started one way and ended up totally another way!  Wish I had taken photos.  Once I stamped the background, I actually diecut the sentiment out of All That Jazz that I colored onto white cardstock, but it just didn't pop!  Next I diecut the same word out of fun foam and mounted it right over the original die.  That didn't pop either.  FINALLY, I glittered the word in black glitter and that did the trick.  To break up all the background, I added the diecut frame.

Here's a list of supplies:
Stamps:  Catherine Pooler Designs Simply the Best, Beautiful You
Paper:  
​Dies:  Catherine Pooler Designs
Inks:  Catherine Pooler Designs All That Jazz, Midnight
Embellishments:  A Muse Studio-Gems, Stampendous-Glitter
Other:  Tombow Blender Pen, Tsukineko Quickie Glue Pen, 3M 1/4" tape roller, 3M Foam Tape


Thanks for stopping by!

xoxo

LYN

As a follow up to E-News #189 (Jan. 29th), I'm re-posting Catherine Pooler's tutorial here.  We've been at this card making for so long, we've forgotten what we know!  Her tutorial is a classic example of a useful technique.  As I said in the e-news, you can stamp and heat emboss the focal branch using whatever you have in your stash.  Give it a try!

I hope to create a card using this technique and will post it here.

Enjoy!

xoxo,

LYN

I just participated in a really fun activity over at The Stamp Nation this afternoon.  It's called Card Tag and, basically, a player types Tag, I'm in and must post a card.  The next person who types Tag, I'm in has to CASE the first person's card.  I was the fifth person to play so I was casing the 4th person's card.  

See?  This is what an online community is all about!  I'm in my house, doing laundry and playing Card Tag!  How fun is that?!?

Catherine Pooler has generously created a tutorial of 10 cards that just might give you a creative boost during the winter months!  Just use your own stamps and supplies.  I love 'free' don't you? 

​It's a 12 page PDF download so just click the link on the left to open.

Enjoy!

Send me your card designs and I'll post them in the E-News!!!

I'm pleased to say we are using this stamp set at our last Paper Arts Club meeting!  Just click on the image for the link to Catherine Pooler's store.  Here's the fun card we will be creating:
​

I also found a video by Catherine where she shows us TWO more card designs!  Click on my card for the link.

Enjoy!

LYN

As I'm getting to know my way around Stamp Nation and as the holidays are about to be in full swing, I wanted to share Catherine Pooler's tutorial with you to make 6 cards this weekend!  I've quoted some of her email below.

"You may be able to recreate these cards with the stamps in your stamp room, or you can find each of the products we used to design the original cards in my store. If look closely through the guide, you might even find a coupon to justify getting an early present for yourself! 
Please share your creations on social media, I love seeing how your own unique inspiration shines through!
Happy stamping! 
CP
Catherine Pooler 
Owner & Founder of TheStampNation.com"

I stumbled upon Stamp Nation through fellow A Muse consultants and decided to give the site it a try.  It reminds me of Paper Craft Planet, a site I was hugely involved in a few years ago.  It sure didn't take me long to find something to do since A Muse announced they were closing (Nov. 27th) and I announced my retirement from Paper Arts Club (Nov. 30th)!

Since I had a bunch of leaves already embossed on my desk, I decided to enter into the challenge!  For a change, I folded the front of the card base in half.  Here's a list of the products I used:  Paper:  A Muse, Strathmore, Stamps:  A Muse, Stampendous; Inks:  Distress Cubes, VersaMark, Stampendous Gold Embossing Powder, Sequins:  A Muse

xoxo,

LYN