Well, here we are at the final Happy Inkin’ Thursday Blog Hop of the year and the final days of 2023. How did that happen? I wish all of you a healthy, happy and prosperous new year.
Our theme today is “Celebrate” which were were free to interpret any way we wished. Since I did a Happy New Year card earlier this month, I though I’d focus on what I really need to make – a birthday card! I have to admit that I’m not great about getting birthday cards to their destination on time. This month was my birthday and I received so many lovely cards from team members and felt so loved and special all month long, that I decided to make a real effort this year to get the cards mailed on time. Knowing that I needed three birthday cards by January 2, it’s a good time to get a jump on them. This is not a quick card, but it’s a lovely one.
My card for today uses the Poetic Expressions Suite which contains the Thoughtful Expressions Stamp Set and Dies (there are 19 dies in the set, y’all, including a die to cut the hummingbird), the dreamy Poetic Expressions 12″ x 12″ designer series paper and the Champagne Iridescent Dots.
I decided that I prefer suites so I get all the coordinating products at one time. This suite I specifically bought for the hummingbird because my husband and I love to watch the hummingbirds that visit our feeder. When I received I the Poetic Expressions Suite, I found out it was soooo much more. The Thoughtful Expressions dies are incredible – there are six various sizes of decorative dies and four sentiment banners. Several dies cut out the images you can stamp and then there are leaf dies for enhancing your layering. The stamps are lovely and detailed – so beautiful.
To make this card I used Moody Mauve cardstock. Not a color I use often, but it was the color used in the sample that I CASEd (copy and share everything or copy and selectively edit – which is how I usually interpret CASE). I cut a Moody Mauve patterned Poetic Expressions designer series paper for the front and pulled 3 strands from the Silver-Threaded Twine. I wrapped the three strands around the Poetic Expressions DSP twice and adhered the ends on the back side of the Poetic Expressions DSP with Stampin’ Seal. I used three pieces of the Silver-Threaded Twine and a piece of Gold 1/8″ trim (from the Gold & Silver 1/8″ Trim Combo Pack) and tied a knot over the two sets of three twine strands. I added Stampin’ Dimensionals to the back of the Moody Mauve Poetic Expressions 12″ x 12″ Designer Series Paper and adhered the paper centered on the front of the card.
I stamped the hummingbird on Fluid 100 Watercolor paper in Lost Lagoon, stamped off once. I used the water painters to watercolor the bird by adding only water to the head, wings and tail sections. As I added water the color filled in the head, wings and tail. For the body and throat, I added ink to a block and drew the ink into the water. I specifically kept the color light so I could build it as needed. I used Wild Wheat ink on the chest and a section of the wing and Moody Mauve on the throat. Once dry, I dotted light Wild Wheat Stampin’ Blends following the Thoughtful Expressions stamp set shading. I did not color or blend because I wanted this to be dotted. I used the coordinating die from the Thoughtful Expressions die set and the Stampin’ Cut & Emboss machine to cut out the hummingbird.
I stamped the Thoughtful Expressions stamp set double flower swag on Fluid 100 Watercolor paper with Lost Lagoon, again stamped off once. I used the thinnest water painter to draw the color to the leaves and added Wild Wheat watercolor to the flowers. These flowers will be layered, so it’s not necessary to be perfect. I used the coordinating Thoughtful Expressions die and the Stampin’ Cut & Emboss machine to cut the flower swag.
I stamped another double flower swag stamp in Fluid 100 Watercolor paper with Moody Mauve stamped off once. I drew the ink lightly to the edges of the flowers. I used Wild Wheat watercolor ink in the center of the flower and added the darkest Moody Mauve close to the center of the flower. I used my heat tool to dry the flowers, then fussy cut them with my paper snips (oh boy, third card in a row with fussy cutting!!). Once I had the flowers cut out, I used my bone folder to curl the edges slightly.
I stamped the sentiment in Moody Mauve on a Basic White strip and cut the banner tails at the left side. I glued the hummingbird to the sentiment banner on the right side of the sentiment strip. I added Stampin’ Dimensionals behind the sentiment banner and the hummingbird wings and adhered the banner to the left side of the card over the Silver-Threaded Twine, making sure the knotted piece extended beyond the adhered pieces. I added Stampin’ Dimensionals to the the full size double flower swag and tucked them in behind the hummingbird. Using liquid glue, I added the two fussy cut Moody Mauve flowers over the two flowers in the previously placed swag. I added three very small amounts of liquid glue to adhere the Champagne Iridescent Dots to the banner.
For the inside layer, I used Moody Mauve and Bubble Bath inks and created watercolor blotches. Once they dried, I used the Thoughtful Expressions dies to cut the open flowers – one of each color. I adhered them together with liquid glue and then adhered them to the upper left corner of the inside layer with liquid glue. I stamped the flowers in the lower right corner of the panel and colored the the flowers with light Bubble Bath Stampin’ Blends and the leaves with light Moody Mauve. I adhered the inner panel to the card base with Stampin’ Seal.
I adhered the standard 2-1/4″ x 6″ piece of Poetic Expressions DSP to the envelope flap with liquid glue. I trimmed it with paper snips. I stamped a hummingbird on the right side of the card in full strength Moody Mauve.
Supply List:
Available 4 Jan 2024 in the Jan – Apr 2024 Mini Catalog:
- Poetic Expressions Suite Collection – 162826 – $76.25 **You’ll earn a FREE $50 level Sale-A-Bration item with the purchase of this suite**
Thank you for stopping by my blog today. I pray you celebrate the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024 safely. May 2024 bring you peace, love and lots of paper love. Happy New Year, y’all!!
Amy Koenders is up next on the blog hop. Click the next button or her name to check out her blog today. Or, if you missed anyone’s blog, click on their name below to see their project for today.
See y’all in 2024.
- Amy Koenders
- Mary Deatherage
- Karen Finkle
- Akiko Sudano
- Karen Ksenzakovic
- Tara Carpenter
- Terry Lynn Bright
- Nel Thames – This is me
Host Code
May 1 – May 31: Host Code: KGRFRDQK
If you do not already have a demonstrator, I’d be honored to be your Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator.
Use my host code when you order $50 (before tax and shipping) or greater and receive five (5) handmade cards and a variety of 6″ x 6″ double sided Designer Series Paper (a $20 value) FREE from me. You will also receive the monthly online tutorial. The May tutorial features the Adventurous Sky Bundle.
***Make sure that you can see my name, Nel Thames, on the final checkout page listed as your Demonstrator when you order so that you know that you’re ordering with me and you’ll get my rewards! If you forget to add the host code I am not able to add it for you due to privacy reasons. You can call Stampin’ Up! and requested that it be added. Thank you for understanding.
Don’t delay – it’s time to order your Paper Shares for the Jan – Apr 2024 Mini Catalog
Product Shares – Jan – Apr 2024 Mini Catalog
LAST CHANCE – Order by January 2, 2024
Woo Hoo! A new catalog is available starting 4 Jan 2024. New catalog time at Stampin’ Up!® is such exciting time with bunches of new product to play with. I think you’re going to love so much about the Jan – Apr 2024 catalog. If you’re anything like me, you want one of everything. Product shares are a way to get a sample of all the Designer Series Paper, Ribbon and Embellishments in the catalog without buying full size products.
I’m excited to be offering product shares for this catalog. Here are my offerings:
Designer Series Paper
6″ x 6″ paper (12 double sided sheets of each paper)
- Bee Mine
- Just Kiddin’
- Perennial Lavender
- Poetic Expressions
- Rock & Roll
- Lighter Than Air
6 x 6 Specialty Paper (12 double sided sheets of each paper)
- Forever Love Specialty DSP
- Nature’s Sweetness Specialty DSP
Designer Series Paper Shares are $33 + $9 shipping. You are invited to order more than one for a single shipping fee.
You’ll get 96 – 6″ x 6″ sheets of beautiful new Designer Series Papers and fun new Specialty Papers, too! To buy one of each of these packs of papers would cost you about $108 – plus shipping!
DSP will be packaged with the name, product number and coordinating colors to make using them a breeze.
PLUS! Get a FREE Gift From Me! – All share participants will get a sampling of some of the fun papers from the Jan – Feb 2024 Sale-A-Bration Catalog! Everyone who orders one of my shares will get a sampler of papers from the Softly Stippled DSP, Trusty Toolbox DSP, Flight & Airy DSP and Most Adored DSP! YEAH!
Accents & Embellishments
Ribbon and Twine (1/4 package):
- Bakers Twine Three Color Pack
- Gold 1/8″ Faux Letter Trim
- Pretty Peacock & Gold 3/8″ Metallic Ribbon
- Sweet Sorbet 1/4″ Bordered Ribbon
Embellishments:
- Adhesive-Backed Cork Rounds
- Adhesive-Backed Hearts & Flowers
- Adhesive-Backed Lightning & Stars
- Champagne Iridescent Dots
- Iridescent Foil Gems
- Paper Butterfly Accents
- Petal Pink & Pretty Peacock Foiled Gems
- Purple Fine Shimmer Gems
- Rainbow Adhesive Backed Dots
Shares of Accents and Embellishments are $25 each plus $5 shipping. Feel free to order more than one share for a single shipping fee.
Designer Series Paper AND Accents & Embellishments
Want everything (this is always what I pick!) – Get one share of everything – Designer Series Paper, Ribbon and Twine and Embellishments – for $60 + $9 shipping. Order two Want Everything shares and receive FREE shipping! There will be no limits on your creativity with this share.
Some important details:
- I’ll submit the order on 4 Jan 2024 when the Catalog goes Live. I’ll expedite the order so I can get them delivered, cut and packaged and back out the door to you just as quick as I can!!
- You’ll receive a PayPal Invoice around 28 Dec (or when I get your order if you place it after the 28th). I’ll need payment before I submit the shares.
- Anyone is welcome to join in my share (please note, I can only ship to addresses within the US or Military APOs) including demonstrators.
Deadline to sign up for the shares is TUESDAY, 2 JAN 2024 at 8pm CST
***NOTE REGARDING PRODUCT AVAILABILITY: Stampin’ Up! has advised us that there may be items that are unavailable when the catalog launches due to the continuing global shipping delays. If any items that I’m offering in my shares are not available when I place my order on 4 January 2024, I’ll refund you the amount for that item. I’m hopeful I’ll be able to order everything for you, but…wanted to have a plan in place if needed.
Retired Stampin’ Up! Products
My online Stampin’ Up! retired product store has been refreshed with additional products. I will be adding more retired products as I come across them. I have a variety of stamps, dies and embellishments. My stamps and dies are all gently used and most were purchased within the last two years (although some may be “vintage”). Dies might be on magnet cards as I did not start saving the original packaging until just recently. Designer Series Paper and embellishments are new in unopened packages unless otherwise stated.
Due to Stampin’ Up! policies, I can only ship to U. S. addresses.
Shop my online store here.
Last Chance Sale 21 Nov 2023 to 3 Jan 2024
A new catalog is exciting, but it also means we have to say goodbye to some products. Beginning 21 November 2023 through 3 Jan 2024, Last Chance Products will be on sale. Not every product on the retiring list will be leaving (bundles, for example, may be retiring, but the individual pieces might still be available) but what is retiring will go quickly. Make sure you get your favorites before they are gone forever.
Below are the Last Chance Sale carryover and retiring lists in Excel format. The retiring list is in landscape to allow for increased font size. These lists were last updated on 27 Dec 2023 at 8:00 pm.
Pretty card! I love the water coloring – it’s so soft and delicate. 😊
Lovely card, Nel! Perfect design!
So pretty Nel! Love the colors that you’ve used and that hummingbird image is stunning! 🙂
Such a pretty card Nel 🙂 I can’t wait to get my set!!
Thanks, Karen. Looking forward to seeing your cards with this suite.
This is lovely! Your coloring is spot on – and you’re inspiring me to pull this bundle out to play! 🙂
Thanks, Mary. Can’t wait to see what you do with it.
Stunning card! TFS
Thanks so much Tara.