The Stamp Review Crew - Bike Ride

Welcome to the fifth Monday of the month and a Stamp Review Crew bonus hop! The "Crew" is made up of a group of Stampin' Up! demonstrators from around the world who pick a stamp set or bundle to highlight on the first and third Mondays of each month, with a bonus hop if there is a fifth Monday. Today we are featuring Bike Ride, which is one of the sets that is retiring next month, so if you want it you better act fast!

I'm the first stop on the hop, but you may have come from Heidi's RunningwScissors Stamper blog. Either way, follow the links to take the tour - there are ten of us today!

It's always a challenge for me to get my creativity going when I'm not really in love with a stamp set, and this was one I just wasn't "feeling." It wasn't until I actually opened the coordinating Build a Bike Framelits that the ideas started flowing. I hadn't noticed the little pennant die before, but as soon as I saw it I knew I had to make a birthday card!

The torn background is Watercolor Paper (retiring!) with a Basic Gray, Smoky Slate, and Seaside Spray (new In Color!) wash. I used the cobblestone die to create a road...it's going to be a bumpy ride on those cobblestones!

I borrowed the greeting from Amazing Life, which is also a retiring stamp set, and used a Stitched Rectangles die to cut it out.

The next card is perfect for the bibliophile in your life! I stamped the stack of books twice and alternated full strength ink and stamped off ink for the filler colors. After die cutting them both, I trimmed the bottom of one stack flush with the bottom book, then glued it on top of the other stack to make a mega-stack of reading material!

This card uses three new items coming in the annual catalog June 4th. Pretty Peacock is one of the new In Colors and it's my fave so far! That pretty background is one of the patterns in the Garden Lane Designer Series paper.

The labels were made with the Stitched Nested Labels Dies, a nine piece die set that is part of the Free As A Bird bundle. I can see that it's going to get a lot of use in the coming months!

Up next is Dawn at Tiddbits From Dawn. I can't wait to see what she did!

Product List (New products not on list: Pretty Peacock Cardstock & Classic Ink Pad, Garden Lane DSP, and Stitched Nested Labels Dies)

Bike Ride Photopolymer Stamp Set

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

Melon Mambo 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

Smoky Slate 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

Watercolor Paper

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad

Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad

Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad

Pear Pizzazz Classic Stampin' Pad

Basic Adhesive-Backed Sequins

Big Shot

Subtle Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

Build A Bike Framelits Dies

Rectangle Stitched Framelits Dies

Good Morning Magnolia Sneak Peek

I finally had another chance to play with my pre-preorder, and this time I grabbed the Good Morning Magnolia bundle. I knew as soon as I saw it in the catalog, that it was going on my list because the magnolia was going to be SO. MUCH. FUN. to color! And I was right!!!

The blossom was first heat embossed in gold on watercolor paper, then painted using an Aqua Painter and Rococo Rose and Mossy Meadow ink pads. After it was fully dry, I used a Blender Pen to add some more detail to the flower.

The background was a Mint Macaron watercolor wash, which was cut out with Rectangle Stitched Framelits. Some of the Magnolia Lane Linen Ribbon was added, as well as Sahara Sand Basic Adhesive Sequins. The fancy end of the greeting banner was created with the Detailed Trio Punch. I cut the end in a square so it would fit into the punch properly.

My Inky Friends Design Challenge #17

My Inky Friends has a fun color challenge this month! You can see the inspiration card on page 49 of the Occasion catalog for a closer look. I love the tea pot in Tea Together and I'm happy that it's carrying over, but today I'm sharing a sneak peek at a new stamp set called To a Wild Rose.

It's a 13 piece photopolymer set, with coordinating Wild Rose dies (8 pieces). I used five of the dies on this card!

The Petal Pink flower filigree on the left is actually a longer die cut, but I shortened it so I could use it on the short side of the card. I cut it in half and overlapped it, lining up the flowers. After the glue had dried, it was embossed with the Subtle embossing folder to hide the cut line.

And how fun is that stitched label?! It's one of the Wild Rose Dies, too. I'm excited that we are going to have so many options for labels, many of them stitched, in the new catalog!

The flower was stamped with Calypso Coral for the outline, and Calypso Coral (stamped off) for step two. The final step was stamped in Petal Pink. The Mossy Meadow leaves were just step one and two....I didn't think they needed the third stamping.

If you'd like to play along with this color challenge, click the banner at the top of the page or follow the link below. The guidelines are simple!

1. For a sketch challenge, follow the general design of the sketch, although it can be flipped. For a color challenge, Stampin' Up! colors are listed. You can use compatible colors and add neutrals as needed.

2. Create something new that has not been posted before.
3. Post your creation on your blog or online gallery, and please provide a link back to our challenge. Provide a direct link to your project or post to the Linky on the challenge page. 
4. Feel free to combine up to three challenges, as long as you include a link to the Inky Friends post.
5. Most important of all - have fun!

Daisy Lane Sneak Peek!

I have a simple card today showing off some of the stamps included in the new Daisy Lane cling stamp set. This new set is going to coordinate beautifully with the current Daisy Delight set, which is carrying over. AND it has a new coordinating Medium Daisy Punch, too!

I started by stamping the fern leaf all over a 3-3/4" x 5" piece of Whisper White using Soft Sea Foam. It was adhered to a 3-7/8" x 5-1/8" piece of Mossy Meadow and then to the card base.

The daisy was stamped in Grapefruit Grove and colored with Daffodil Delight Stampin' Blends. Then the Mossy Meadow leafy stem was added and the whole thing was cut out with a Rectangle Stitched Framelit. The mat behind it measures 1-13/16" x 3-13/16".

The "Friend" was heat embossed in white on a 1" strip of Mossy Meadow and put through the back side of the Everyday Label punch to trim the ends. Makes it look completely different, doesn't it?

A Mossy Meadow Linen Thread bow completed the card. Simply charming, I think. Don't you think daisies are the friendliest flower? (Name that movie.)

Free As a Bird Sneak Peek!

Helloooo, stampers! Boy, have I got something FUN to share with you today....it's a sneak peek at my new favorite stamp set, called Free As A Bird, that's coming in the 2019-20 Stampin' Up! Annual Catalog. Yesterday I shared one of the images on a guy card, and today I'm sharing another.

This is one of the cards we are making in today's Second Saturday Stampers stamp club. Yeah, I know this is the third Saturday, but I was in Charlotte last Saturday for OnStage, so we rescheduled. Anyhow, these sweet birdies on a branch are just a delight to color, so quick and easy with the Stampin' Blends!

The Stitched Nested Labels die set that is part of the bundle didn't have any flower dies, so the flowers were fussy-cut. But that was simple to do....not too much detail, LOL.

I wanted to use something old and something new on this project, so the Gingham Gala DSP and Coastal Cabana/Granny Apple Green ribbon were just right with the color of the birds. Well, I have to cut this short today. I hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Control Freaks, for All the Men!

It's the men's turn! Fathers, sons, brothers, grandfathers, nephews, uncles, and brothers-in-law are getting some special attention this month. I am always in need of masculine cards, and am so frequently at a loss for ideas. It's hard for me when all I want to do is break out the flower stamps, and add ribbons and bows and doilies, LOL.

But I have a special treat for you! I have the Sailing Home bundle from the new annual catalog that starts June 4th, so you get a sneaky peek! And I know Wendy has it too, so the next stop on the tour will have more ideas for this fabulous set!

If you landed here from Debbie Henderson's blog, Debbie's Designs, weren't her projects awesome? I'm sure by now you know how to hop, so just follow all the links to take the short five-stop tour.

So, when I said I got the Sailing Home bundle, that wasn't entirely true.... I got the entire SUITE! Everything except the High Seas 3D embossing folder, which wasn't on the preorder list, darn it! Anyhoooo, since my daddy was career Navy, and my hubby is also a Navy veteran, I knew I just had to get it. Here is my first card, a birthday card manly enough for any man.

The blue seas were embossed with the Seaside folder (retiring!) on a 1-1/2" x 3-3/4" piece of Seaside Spray (New In Color!) cardstock. It was adhered to a 3-3/4" x 5" piece of Whisper White, and then on a 3-7/8" x 5-1/8" Night of Navy mat.

I tied the new Night of Navy/Sahara Sand baker's twine in a square knot and adhered the ends on back, then popped the panel up on dimensionals on the Sahara Sand card base. The sail boats were stamped in Night of Navy, and a Blender Pen was used to spread the color around. I think it's awesome that the boats, ship's wheel (cut AND emboss!), and banner are all dies included in the Smooth Sailing Dies!

My next card is a perfect thank you for any guy that has helped you in some way. No frilly flowers or bows on this card. Nuh uh. It uses what I think is my favorite (for now, anyway) set in the new catalog - Free As A Bird. It can be bought as a bundle with the Stitched Nested Labels Dies, which are uh-MAZE-ing! The bird was stamped in Soft Suede and the leafy branch in Mossy Meadow. After coloring the bird (Crumb Cake Dark & Light, Soft Suede Dark, Calypso Coral Light) and leaves (Mossy Meadow Light) the image was cut with one of the dies. A second piece was cut using the next smaller die from Wood Textures DSP, split and adhered to the back.

Notice that beautiful Mossy Meadow Linen Thread? That's part of the Magnolia Lane Suite - another superb suite! I am happy to see that the Woodland embossing folder is carrying over. Here's a close up of the Stitched Nested Label, which is really more like tiny dots, and I LOVE them!

Oh there is so much to love in the new catalog, starting with a whole new layout! I can't wait until everyone has their own catalog to pore over. Be sure you have lots of Post-It flags....you're gonna need them!

Up next is the wonderful Wendy Weixler, with her Wickedly Wonderful Creations!

Floral Essence Sneak Peek!

Quickie post with not much detail today, sorry! I just wanted to share this card because it's a NEW stamp set from the upcoming 2019-2020 Stampin' Up! annual catalog. It's a fourteen piece photopolymer set that has a coordinating punch and a bunch of other fun stuff in the suite.

These flowers reminded me of poppies, so I went with a bold red with black centers. Quick and easy!

Ohhhh, just wait until you see the wonderful new catalog! The layout is different and makes so much more sense. Plus the pics of the Designer Series Paper selections are larger, so you get a much better idea of what they look like.

Well, I guess I better think about what I'm going to make for the Control Freaks hop coming up. The theme is guy cards....should be fun!