Summer Sun and Inky Fingers

A BIG hello to all my stamping friends! Summer brings a new set of things to do...most of them outside while we continue to keep up with all the things that need to be done inside, too.  This was a great spring for all the flowers except it seemed to me everything bloomed at once. Wasn't the pollen something else?

So the new Summer Mini Catalog is out with so many new stamps and embellishments. I've had a ball playing with all of them and have a few samples to show you today. The next Play Day is Saturday, June 5th at 2 p.m.  in my studio. You are all warmly invited to come and play. I will be sending out e-vites for you to respond to. Be sure and let me know if you're coming so I can have a kit ready for you. I want to restate that there is no charge for your projects at Play Day. It's an opportunity for you to play with the new products and learn some new techniques. Of course, I do hope you'll be inspired by what you see and want to order your own supplies, but there is no pressure to purchase.

Ok, here is the first sample I thought would be nice for Father's Day which is coming up soon. I took some time to antique this card and I didn't think I would, but I love this little motorcycle stamp. It comes all by it's little self and I've seen so many different samples done with it. Who knew one stamp could be so versatile?

Now that we have good old Dad taken care of, let's look at some "girlie" stuff. These flowers are peonies I brought to my house from my mother's yard. I made this vintage tag and a bracelet for my daughter, Kelly, whose birthday is on Mother's Day. I just wanted you to see you can stamp so many things other than cards. The flowers from my mom's garden made the gift special for Kelly.

Like that? Here is a birthday card with a cute twist on the ribbon. You won't believe how fast that comes together. I sent this card to my three year old g'daughter and watched her open it while we were skyping one night. She seemed to really like it. She loves hoot owls so this was right up her alley.

Check out the Watercolor Trio stamp set in the Summer Mini. Did you notice that one? Here's a card using that stamp set and the new "Magic" impressions paper.  Same ribbon technique as the previous card. This was a fast and easy card that looks stunning in person. It would make the perfect all occasion card...birthday, wedding, anniversary, etc.

Here's another card made with the same stamp set. Change the colors, a different paper and you have a whole new look. The combinations are endless.

Remember I mentioned last Play Day that May is national scrapbooking month? I would like to start a monthly scrapbooking class where we could all work on our individual scrapbooks. Don't you have a pile of photos somewhere? I made this little heart scrapbook of our beach week with the little g'kids last month? Sometimes it's just fun to make a little scrapbook of a special event. This project took about four hours and half a pack of designer series paper.

Did you notice the beautiful butterfly single stamp? I know some of you did. I made up a couple of cards using this little stamp. Here I stamped on vellum card stock and colored the back side with watercolor pencils. When you turn it over...gorgeous! I'm sure we'll be making something Play Day with this stamp.

Last sample for today. This uses a stamp set not yet available. It will be in the 2010-2011 catalog. It's called Awash With Flowers and it is a two-step stamp set. They are so much fun to play with and you get a real artsy look with them.

That's all I have for you today. I hope you've enjoyed seeing some of these samples and you'll be inspired to come to Play Day and make your own creations.

Now go get your fingers inky..

B