Make Colorful Mix and Match Cacti Cards with Paper Smooches

Today brings the last of the projects I made for the Paper Smooches August release. I loved playing with the new stamps, dies, and stencils. The Cacti Dies is a really fun set to mix and match with, so for today's projects I cut the images out in a few different colors/prints of paper and then had fun playing and mixing them up. Let's take a look!

This post contains affiliate links. If you shop through my links, I'll receive a small compensation (and do a happy dance) at no cost to you. Thank you from the bottom of my crafty heart! :)

To begin today's project, I started with a print I made on the Gel Press. I used Electric Lime,  and Lemongrass Re-Inker (FSJ) and brayered them across the Gel Press and pulled a print on white cardstock. Then I added the new Hot Dot stencil on top of my cardstock and loosely added the stenciled dots here and there using a sponge dauber. Since this stencil has three sizes of dots, I played around and overlapped in some spots. I wanted to create something that would simply be a subtle printed background. Sort of a DIY patterned paper. 

I die cut all of the images from the green print, and then die cut additional images from pink, teal, and black cardstock. Then I mixed and matched the pieces to bring together some cute cacti for a set of cards. I did some simple inking and stenciling on the card bases for the background. 

 The first card also features the Geo Frame die set, which creates such a fun border around images and sentiments, especially these cool cacti! Next up, I just added a torn piece of corrugated stock or washi to give my cacti a landing spot.

 I'm always looking for simple and fun ways to make a stack of cards and this was a fun mix and match project using creative and easy-to-use products from Paper Smooches! I hope you'll check out the Paper Smooches blog and website because they are always sharing gorgeous inspiration and new crafty products! xoxo

Card Supplies:
Paper Smooches - Cacti Dies | Hot Dot Stencils | Sweet Succulent Stamp Set | Geo Frames Dies
FSJ - Journey Gel Press | Corrugated Stock | Silver Sparkle Tape |

Looking for more projects with the 

Paper Smooches August 2019 release?

Learn to Make a Dotted Background with the Hot Dot Stencil and Posh Plants Stamp Set

Check out two cards featuring the Hallow Hello Dies, 

plus learn to make this watercolor rainbow background

There's That Watercolor Background Again... {Paper Smooches}

Previously, we've discussed how I can't stop with aqua and yellow for fall cards. I've said my apologies and we're moving on (likely to go make more aqua and yellow cards for fall. Deal with it.) But today's projects feature my other current obsession - you've likely seen it if you've been hanging out here with me. It's this dang watercolor background. It's just so much fun, I can't help myself. 

This blog post contains affiliate links. If you shop through my links I may receive compensation at no cost to you. Thank you from the bottom of my crafty heart!

It felt so RIGHT, paired with the crisp black and white of this absolutely ADORABLE die from Paper Smooches. It's part of their August release, and I was thrilled to snag this stuff early to play and share with you. You really can't go wrong with black and white paired with rainbow.

So let's talk about what I did here. If you hop on over to this blog post, you'll see step by step instructions, plus a fun colorful Christmas card I made with this same technique. It's addicting because it never looks the same twice - so I'm always excited to see how the colors will interact and how it will turn out. For the first card (above) I didn't use quite as much water as I "should have." I thought I messed it up. But once it was dry, and I kept looking at it, I decided to go with it - and actually I ended up really liking it. But I did want it more flowy and watercolory so I repeated the process and spritzed more water on it. That's the second card! (below)

Let's look at this great die set for a minute. It comes with two main dies - the puffy outline and the more detailed thin outline. When I created these two cards, I diecut both dies from white and from black cardstock. This gave me one puffy background piece in each color, plus the thin line outline in each color. I just adhered the thin black outline on top of the puffy white background, and vice versa for the other. So on these cards you can see it each way. I really love them both! For the first card, you'll notice I added a layer of dimensional glaze (FSJ Journey Glaze) over it, which really makes it shine! 

If you stop over at the Paper Smooches website, you'll find all the details about this die set, plus more samples and an example of what each individual piece looks like. (Plus take note of the cute tiny little embellishment pieces you get too!) 

I'm so glad you stopped by today! Thanks for letting me share some Paper Smooches goodness with you all today! If you loved this rainbow technique be sure to check out a few other examples at the end of this post! xoxo

Card Supplies: 

Paper Smooches - Hallow Hello Die Set 

FSJ - Color Splash Watercolor Sheets | Liquid Color (Watermelon Fusion, Tangerine Fusion, Lemon Drop, Sweet Pear, Cool Pool)

For more watercolor rainbow inspiration: 

Season's Greetings card with a rainbow of blues and greens

See? Can't go wrong with black&white paired with rainbow! 

Meet the Gorgeous Posh Planters Stamps from Paper Smooches

Hello friends! I am thrilled to join the Paper Smooches designers this month for their August blog hop, celebrating the new release that hits the Paper Smooches online store tomorrow, August 7th. Paper Smooches has been a favorite stamp company of mine since the very first day they opened, so it is a treat to create with this new release of ADORABLE products.

Ready to take a look at the CUTENESS? 

This card features one of two new stamp sets - called Posh Planters. 

(It has a coordinating die set too!) 

I paired this image and sentiment with one of two new stencils, which I am TOTALLY in love with. I am SUCH a sucker for polkadots and this stencil features THREE sizes of dots on one stencil! (This post contains affiliate links - if you shop through my links I may receive compensation at no cost to you. Thank you from the bottom of my crafty heart!)

To make a background like this: 

• Begin with a panel of white cardstock. Attach a length of easily removable washi tape or a sticky note across where you want the patterns to meet. This creates a mask to block color from part of the panel. 
• Sponge aqua ink over the stencil to cover the top portion of cardstock.
• Lift up the washi or sticky note and move it up to cover the edge of the aqua dots. 
• Lightly sponge yellow ink across the bottom portion of cardstock. Then, line up the tiny dots on the stencil and ink over them using the same ink. 
• Remove the tape and finish your card!

I heat embossed the succulent image and then I used Jane Davenport's Colorsticks  to color it in. The Colorsticks are fun to play with because they have a thick creamy feel but because they are water-soluble you can use them like watercolor. Once the images were dry, I scribbled on top with the Colorsticks to add some details to the image.

How about some more details about tomorrow's release and today's blog hop!?

The new goodness (we're talking 2 stamp sets, 4 die sets, and 2 new stencils) will be available to purchase at 10:00 AM Central time on August 7th - and you are going to LOVE them. Once they go live,  find the new products here.

Today the team, plus a couple of guests are BLOG HOPPING and we hope you'll join us -  because you might just win a $30 gift code to use at the PS online store! 

Here are the details:

• Leave a comment on any of the blogs listed below (you do not need to comment on all blogs to qualify but it will increase your chances of winning) 
• FOUR winners will be chosen at RANDOM from any of the blogs below
• Deadline: You have until midnight Central time on August 8th to leave a comment. 
• Please check the Paper Smooches blog on August 9th to see if you are one of the FOUR lucky winners.  

While you're here - want to see one more card?
I used BOTH stencils on this one - a stencil on a stencil. How gorgeous is that succulent stencil?! 

READY TO GET HOPPING? Stop by and see everyone for awesome inspiration!

Paper Smooches blog

Guests:

Laura Williams (You're HERE my dear!)

Laurie Willison

Design Team:

Alice Huang

Jill Hawkins

Karin Akesdotter

Michele Boyer

Savannah O' Gwynn

Teri Anderson

Ways to increase your chances of winning:

• Tell us that you Facebooked about our blog hop.  If you don't already like the PS FB page, please do https://www.facebook.com/PaperSmooches
• Tell us that you Tweeted about our hop (follow PS on Twitter - https://twitter.com/papersmooches)
• Share our blog hop on Instagram @papersmooches
• Tell us that you posted on your blog about our blog hop

(which means that you have up to four extra chances to win on each blog) 

Card Supplies: 
Paper Smooches - Posh Planters Stamp Set | Hot Dot Stencil | Succulent Stencil | Sweet Succulent Stamp Set | 
FSJ/Spellbinders - Jane Davenport Colorsticks 

Did you know that Paper Smooches offers up a fun challenge each month?  Keep an eye on the Paper Smooches blog for details.

Let's connect again soon! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest where I'm sharing crafty goodness every day of the week! Don't want to miss a blog post? Click subscribe up in the sidebar!

Looking for MORE Paper Smooches goodness?
Check out this oldie-but-goodie post!

You Are Ridiculously Amazing {Paper Smooches}

Hello, hello! My sweet friend Kim Hughes, who owns Paper Smooches Stamps, asked me to make a little somethin' for the fabulous (and ridiculously amazing) September 2016 release at Paper Smooches. Kim invited a few extra friends, in addition to her talented design team, to help share the release this month.  ONE new stamp sets and FIVE new dies will be available to purchase at 8:00pm PT on August 31st.

So to celebrate the release, I made this little cutie, using new and old (but loved) products from PS. Brand new to the Paper Smooches family is the Super Stars dies. HOW cute is that tiny star border?! And the outline stars!? ACK. Cuteness to infinity. I love products like this, that will work in a million different ways, with a million different stamps!  I paired the dies with the Tag Zig Zag Die, and the Fun & Flirty Stamp Set (the sentiments are soo cute!)

I did a lot of layering goodness on this card, with tapes, paper and embellishments. I love to just throw a bunch of cuteness together and BAM, see what happens. And with pink, yellow, and aqua, how can one REALLY go wrong, right?

Please please head right over to the Paper Smooches blog to get the scoop on the whole NEW RELEASE, so much inspiration, and lots of fun. (Plus, I have another card over there today or tomorrow!) I've been a huge Paper Smooches fan since before there was even a Paper Smooches. (Figure that one out, why don't you!) Thank you soo much for stopping by today! Have a RIDICULOUSLY amazing day! xoxo

Graduation Card {2015 #senior}

Hello friends! I have had today's card for. . .umm, AGES. But it's finally the right time to share it. I dusted this baby off, from the stash of Would-Have-Been-Published cards for Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking magazine. This card would have been published around now, if we hadn't said goodbye to our sweet dear magazine.

Today, in the midst of graduation season is the perfect time to share it with you. I have long lost the supply list, but I can tell you it's a combination of dies and stamps from some of my favorite companies. Seriously, I used a ton of different stuff together on this card:

The stamps are LLD Happy Graduation and the number dies are LLD Bright Lights Numbers and Symbols, both from My Favorite Things. 

The banner die is from Paper Smooches Streamers dies. 

The Hello sentiment die is the Say It - Hello die from Technique Tuesday. (I love that die with all my heart!) 

And last but not least, the cloud dies are from Lawn Fawn, from Spring Showers. 

It's almost JUNE! I can't believe summer is pretty much upon us! My littlest just graduated from preschool, and he is ready to take on the world in Kindergarten next year. Want a sneak peek from his graduation?  Yes, that's my man, using his diploma as a spy glass. He's a classy guy!

I'm off to Phoenix this week, to be at the Fun Stamper's Journey annual convention. (Follow me on Instagram for updates along the way!) I'll be demoing some fun projects, and helping out with classes, (as well as perhaps sipping a fruity drink by the pool if i can escape for a little while!) But I'll be HERE just the same. . .new release from Lil' Inker Designs is coming up too, so be sure to join in the 3-day blog hopping, which starts June 1st! Hugs! xoxo

Favorite Posts of 2014: Nautical Baby Shower {featuring Paper Smooches, Sizzix, and Carta Bella}

Hello friends! Welcome to day 1 of my favorite posts of 2014. We'll be looking back at some of my favorite projects, tutorials, and posts of the year as we prepare for a new year of crafty goodness in 2015! Thanks for joining me! 

Originally posted on September 12, 2014: 

I am finally here to share all the details and tidbits of the nautical baby shower that I recently decorated for. WARNING: This post is photo heavy, link heavy, and info heavy! Hang in there!

My sweet friend Sara is having a baby boy in just a few short weeks, and some of her friends got together to host a shower. My job was to decorate and to bake cupcakes, and I had a blast doing both! I have a ton of pictures to share with you, and lots of great links and ideas that I collected along the way.

The Ahoy There collection from Carta Bella, is what jumpstarted this whole theme. I just love the colors, (you might know how I love a pop of AQUA) and I thought the theme would be perfect for a baby boy shower. I like that it all came together in a very non-baby way though - these decorations and theme could have been made for a birthday party, or any occasion really, so don't be scared away by the word BABY!)

The first project I started was the banner. I created a banner for my friend Sara's first child, and it hangs above her bedroom door. So now, the new little mister will have a banner to hang above his room too. Now that his name has been chosen, I'm going to add his name onto the banner and get it ready to welcome him home! Banners are one of the first party decorations I start, because the Sizzix Banner Framelits dies make it so easy and fun. I love to layer them and combine patterns and colors. I added pinwheels and anchors to the banner for fun details.

The next project I created was a framed piece of art to serve as the centerpiece. I created the text in a word processing document, printed it on cardstock and then added patterned paper matting, and stickers to embellish it. I put it in a simple IKEA frame. It reads "Mightier than the waves of the sea is His great love for you." Many people attribute this as a Bible verse, but it's a pretty (extremely) loose translation from what I can find, so I left off the verse number. 

Now, onward to the cupcakes. This recipe is my very favorite. It's absolutely delicious, and although it starts as a cake mix, you'd never know it! They're called Wedding Cake Cupcakes - and thats truly what they taste like! To decorate the cupcakes, I stamped and die cut fun little embellishments and adhered them to toothpicks.

I turned again and again to my Paper Smooches stamps and dies for all of the projects here. The stamp set Wicked Nauticool and the coordinating dies made these projects so fun to create! I also used a stamp or two from Lawn Fawn's Float My Boat set. 

For the party favors, I followed some great tutorials (you can find them on my Pinterest board) to create paper boats. They turned out really cute, although some of them didn't want to stay standing up! I created sails from the Sizzix Banner Framelits, and adhered them to skewers. After forming the boats from kraft paper, I poked the skewer and sail through each boat. Then we filled the boats with Lifesavers candies, for the guests. They also doubled as cute decorations scattered around. 

And finally, as a gift to the lovely mama, I created a coordinated 6x6 scrapbook with the leftover papers I had. I simply cut papers and cardstock into 6x6 blocks, added some simple layers and embellishments, punched holes and threaded twine through. Usually when I create these fun little books, I use metal book rings, but I didn't have any, and I love the way the twine looks. Sometimes they are a little tight to open and close at first, but they loosen up over time. 

Also as part of the gift I created, I made coordinating thank you cards - because hey, what's one MORE project??? I tried to keep it as simple. . . and I love the way they turned out! Paper Smooches anchor die, banner dies, and sentiment dies made it pretty fun to just mix and match. I ended up with a few different combinations. . .these were my two favorites! 

So I think those are the highlights. I always love decorating for parties, but I must admit, I'm always happy when they're over! Sometimes my brain just can't stop thinking about new ideas and projects, and I tend to overwhelm myself! The weekend after this shower, we hosted my five-year-olds Sharks and Fishies party. I'll be working on that blog post next!!!! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Products I used: (affiliate links)
Carta Bella Ahoy There 12x12 Collection Kit
Sizzix Banner Framelits dies and scalloped dies
The Cat's Pajamas pinwheel die
Paper Smooches anchor die
Paper Smooches Wicked Nauticool clear stamps and dies
Lawn Fawn Float My Boat clear stamps
Paper Smooches Banners Dies
Paper Smooches Thanks Die
Paper Smooches Quote Tag (with sentiments)

PS You can find all the things that inspired me on my Pinterest board, Party: Nautical Baby Shower. Many of the products I used are also linked there, as well as products that might be perfect for YOUR next party!

Farewell Blog Hop {Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking magazine}

Hello friends! Today is an example of the width and depth of community that us paper crafters share, much of which was established by Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking magazine. Within hours of the announcement that PC&S would be ceasing publication, people were already coming together, and making plans to celebrate and honor the magazine and the lovely people who work to make it happen. We've spent the past few weeks sharing memories, photos and projects. Today I thought I'd share some of my favorite published cards in Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking.

First up, I created this card using multi-ink stamping, with Sweet 'n Sassy stamps. It turned out just the way I had it in my head, and I loved it. Even sweeter, this card ended up on the cover of the September/October 2013 issue, one of my favorite covers of all time! (that chalkboard text, swoon!)

Next, this Great Job card, featuring adorable Paper Smooches stamps. The whole thing is paper-pieced, down to the tiny apple leaf. This card was featured in Paper Crafting Tips and Tricks, from November 2012.

And last for today, a Nifty 50 party ensemble. I created this ensemble as part of my Go-to Gal tryout, and it was later published in the Party Ensembles book. Fun facts? That 50 Nifty Crosswords book? Yeah, it's not even a crossword book. It's a word search book. It was the right size though, and I knew no one would see the inside! The crossword paper, was just a crossword puzzle I printed from the internet.

And now, hop along your crafty way through this gigantic blog hop! 

You should have come here from Gayatri Murali 

and next up, is Maria Fischer

(If you're just joining us. . .head to Jennifer McGuire to start at the beginning!)

PS - I'm sharing a fun project over on the Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking blog today, for the very last time. . .stop on by and see what I created! xoxo