Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Day 1 Inspiration Hop: Puppies Galore, For the Grad and More

Good morning! Welcome to our April release hop!  Today we are showcasing my Puppies Galore set, For the Grad from Beth Silaika, and other wonderful new goodies!  We hope you are inspired as you hop through our team's links today, we've worked super hard to share our ideas and creations with you! Please leave comments with your feedback for chances to win a $50 gift certificate to Gina K. designs!  It is not required to comment on every blog, but the more you do, the more chances you have to win!  Winner will be announced on Gina 's blog April 19th.


So I got requests from all over for a DOG stamp after Open Book came out, and honestly my first thought was, "Huh? I get it they like dogs but dogs don't really sleep on open books, it's kind of a cat thing..."*, but I looove a challenge, and honoring your requests as our schedule allows! Thanks all of you asked because I love the result so much! SO. MUCH.

This companion to Open Book is also an amazing stand alone set. One dog image just wouldn't do. While there are different breeds of cats, a single cat image can be pretty representative of *most* people's furry felines.  Not so much with dogs, they all look REALLY different!  I just had to come up with lots of different ears to change up not only their look, but their personality and mood. You'd be amazed how different the same ears can look when they are down, up, or both UP AND DOWN! That's a lot of exclamation points for one paragraph, but I AM EXCITED! ARE YOU?
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I love how expressive dogs' eyes are, and how they use them to reflect pure joy or adorable begging/guilt.  You can capture any emotion you need with these puppies.
Who wouldn't forgive your belated card with this face? Nobody!
 

 I don't color the images I illustrate until the stamps arrive, and I gotta say I am really enjoying how leaving a lot of white space on these dogs (nose, tummy, paws, etc) makes your coloring more realistic looking and gives the dog more personality and individuality. Less to color, woo hoo!

Here is my walk thru video last night with tips for stamping the elements, including a very *minimal* coloring sample you'll love and explanation of the interactive puppy book mark shown below. 


(I over/understamped a few things, because I was super hurried to get to the facebook live, I didn't do these screw ups any other time with this set than when I was filming. Of course! Mea culpa)

Peek...


 I love those shaggy spaniel ears!
 Here, I'll save your place for you...

 Don't you just want to go make about a hundred different dog bookmarks now to stick in all your books? Whether you're in the middle of one or not. Just for company.
 (The Princess Bride is a good book. William Goldman is so funny. More detail than in the movie (which is one of my favorite movies) Although Robin Wright's Buttercup is much improved, imho. Buttercup in the book is kind of a ninny from what I remember) 

Both heads work on the dog that is sitting up. Heads can be tilted at an angle. As I demonstrate in the video, best way is to first stamp body (so the feet are straight and grounded with the edge of your mat), then add head (choose your angle!), then add ears, THEN add accessories. Coordinating ears are near each other, but a few can be mixed to look like the same ears but one up and one down. Add accessories last. The accessories in here are TO DIE FOR.  On this masculine yappy birthday card, I paper pieced the bow and hat with a plaid patterned paper.  Doesn't he look smart and ready to PARTY? Base is GKD Honey Mustard.

The samples I've shared so far are to represent  different coloring options or breeds, but I'll end with a card I made to look like someone's *actual* puppy, my bestie Carolyn's toy poodle Brett! Furball dogs get their own head topper and ears. :)  He really is this big next to a book.
Cardstock is GKD White and Sea Glass.

The stippling coloring is easy to do and makes it oh so curly, and of course you'll be getting a video for that, too. Referencing her photo, I drew on his shirt from before coloring his body. You'll have endless fun recreating your friends' dogs (with no shortage of inspiration, because you know people post more pics of their dogs on social media than pretty food or their kids!)
BRETT, the Wonderpoodle
(has his own Instagram. Natch)

(This is more than I usually show on the first day, but how could I possibly choose?  Pick a favorite among puppies? As if...)

Next up, we have Beth's For the Grad set!  Really useful not just for the graduation elements (when really nothing else will do because you NEED a grad card! Accept no substitutes!) but also for the dates, banner and circle frame elements AND all the encouraging greetings you can use year-round! The sky is the limit!
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 Next year I will have a TON to make because JONATHAN and his friends will be graduating high school, ack! (He was in kindergarten when I illustrated my first set!) But here's one early, I'm ready! GKD Blue Denim and Soft Stone and Stormy Sky for our team's royal blue and gray, GO KNIGHTS!


I also had to throw the cap on a doggy's head from Puppies Galore because my younger son Will is promoting from 8th grade (high school next fall! ohemgee)  His school has a dog mascot, so this was perfect! (Their color is purple, too, hence the Wild Lilac collar and cardstock)

 You could also put the diploma in the puppy's mouth or under his paw! The numbers are easy to line up, and I really appreciated the "20" being a single image as I will be making NO cards in 2100 and beyond, that saves me *loads* of time! (especially with 2020 next year, see above!!) You can use these year numbers with my mini calendar in Stately Flowers 12 as well.

Here is one where I used her circle frame to highlight the greeting from the new Heart Mini Stamp set, along with the heart outlines in the set and a sprinkle of dots from For the Grad for confetti, using several bright Gina K. ink cubes.  Such a festive addition on any card!  I sponged in some GKD Red Velvet after masking the circle frame and added a little GKD Crystalline Drops on a heart in the middle. Cardstock is GKD White and Sea Glass.


Now let's go see the rest of the team creations! Thanks in advance for your comments today, tell me your favorites! (Or, tell me about your dog, you know you want to...)  
Shop new products here

Gina K.

Melanie Muenchinger - Puppies Galore-you are here!











Susie Moore

* Actual quote from Carolyn, while discussing my dilemma and agreeing with me: "No, dogs don't sleep on books, because they are smarter than cats. Dogs sleep in their beds" (Texts a photo of Brett in his bed)

93 comments:

  1. I absolutely love your cards. I need to get your Open Book Set and the new puppy set!

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  2. Oh my word! These puppies are just too cute- your cards are wonderful- so very talented!

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  3. O.m.g. That Poodle! I was just loving that bookmark the bestest and then saw the poodle! Too stinking cute! The whole set is Mel! LOVE it!

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  4. The Puppies are So ADORABLE!!! I just love the set. So many varieties of puppies can be made. Beautiful Cards!

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  5. it is a very wonderful dog set - love the versatility - great dog cards
    love the grad card - thanks for sharing your creativity
    Barb Housner

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  6. awesome video - so many possibilities - can't wait to play!!

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  7. These puppies are so cute. Really love the set.

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    1. I enjoy other people's dogs and go home to my cat. I'm like the crazy aunt, getting them riled up and leaving, no responsibility! :D

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  9. Oh My Goodness! I loved watching you bring that puppy to life in your video! This is a fabulous set! <3 Love the peeking over the book too! <3

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  10. Wow oh wow. LOVE the puppies.

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  11. I love the versatility of the dog stamps! Also the sentiments are great! Thanks! This dog owner has a mixed breed and finding a stamp that looks like him has been impossible!

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  12. I love the idea of being able to mix and match. Although you did a great job designing this, I would live to see a 2nd set with not so furry dogs and more doggy expressions. I am a Jack Russell owner who has a scrapbook just for my fur baby of 16 years (because my son wants his kids to know who his bestie was), but finding stamps to match him has been very difficult. Thank you so much.

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  13. Dear Melanie
    Love your cards created with different doggy expressions. The innocent mischevous fellow keeping one paw over the othe reminds me of our daschund. The four leggards give love without expecting anything in return. Love the grad cards too i have to make one for my daughter. love and hugs

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  14. Oh my gosh, Melanie! I can't believe how different your puppies look from each other. You are soooo clever! The bookmarks are genius!

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  15. Melanie - I love, love, love them all but especially the puppies and your open book! And, the grad cards will come in handy ... we have 7 graduations this year!!! Yikes! Thanks for all the inspiration!

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  16. Love how versatile the dog stamp set is!

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  17. I love the cards and bookmarks you created! Your new Puppies Galore set is so fun. Brett is just adorable. :)

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  18. I absolutely love your Puppies Galore stamp set. Anyone who loves dogs will find this stamp so versatile and loads of fun. Must send this to my sister-in-law as I'm sure she will love it!

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  19. What wonderful creations! I watched your video last night and loved it!

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  20. Great sets and I love how you did your doggy cards.

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  21. Your puppies are adorable! and I just love your cards

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  22. I just love the puppies! So cute!

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  23. I love your new set and all your cards are just fabulous. I like the way you combined the new set with previous sets, and Brett is just too cute for words!

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  24. Great job on the puppies set! They are so adorable, especially, love the sorry card and the peek-a-boo bookmarks.

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  25. Those puppies! And I gotta have the graduation set!

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  26. Great stamp set--the puppies are awesome! I've always been a "cat" person, but a couple of years ago our son and his girlfriend adopted a greyhound, so now I've grown to love the grand greyhound. The puppies are awesome!

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  27. Love the puppy with the graduation cap. Way to combine both sets!

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  28. So many wonderful pups and so many ideas. Thanks for sharing.

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  29. Wonderful cards. I love those adorable puppies and the sentiments are great.

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  30. Those are so cute! Very clever stamps!

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  31. Your puppy cards are super adorable! What a great stamp set for dog lovers.

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  32. Wow Melanie! You did an incredible job designing this set - so many possibilities! love all your cards.

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  33. Awesome sauce but I say that for every stamp set you design...this is no exception! Love the puppies and the fact you can mix and match...my head's whirling!!

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  34. The puppy stamp set is quite unique. I have a dog, but will have to stare at the set a long time to find the mastiff type ears. Great idea for the set!

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    1. Hi L8sa, I just looked at some mastiff photos, I would use the two below "appy" at top or the one just below and two the right of furever (wouldn't fit on the plate to have them side by side.) The angle and coloring will make the difference! I had more ears drawn but if I used them all there'd have been no room for any greetings and accessories! I have a strong feeling there will be another set... ;)

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  35. What a great stamp set! I don't have a dog, but I know people who do, and these puppies are adorable. I love how you can personalize the look of the puppies.

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  36. I ordered the pups and the state of PA (my STATE) the sayings on it are beautiful im going to go back to your older videos and see wwhat you did with them...I love all your stamps...u are my fav!!!

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  37. Initially, I didn’t have this set on my list, but after watching your video.....I have to have this AND the open book set! Love your work and I look forward to seeing more! Thank you!

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  38. So many cute puppy projects!!! What beautiful stamps! I love the sayings too!

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  39. Love the dogs galore Melanie and after watching the first video, ordered the stamps. You sure have a creative mind.

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  40. Such cute puppy cards. They are all lovely though.

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  41. These are all wonderful. Great ideas with these sets.

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  42. OMG - love the dogs Galore!!! Such cute inspriatioN!

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  43. OMG; this set is adorable; a must-have for dog lovers. Love how you made him to be stamped into the likeness of your own dog; awesome!

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  44. I just love your work, both the stamps that you create as well as the cards!! Thanks for sharing your talents with us!

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  45. Melanie, I love your puppy set so much! Thank you for the one that looks like a golden retriever too!!

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  46. Thanks, Melanie, for your work. These puppies are the cutest. Makes a great addition to your kitty and book set.

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  47. Melanie, thanks for creating this set for dog lover, what a great addition. As always your presentation was inspiring, with a good laugh as well as educational. Great job!

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  48. This puppy set is so cute! Who doesn't love puppies! Bought the set. Couldn't resist.

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  49. LOVE your new puppy set and all the options you include in it. My dog graduated TWO obedience classes - beginner and intermediate! This set would be perfect to scrap it! I also make framed creations for the local animal shelters to sell to raise funds, this set is at the top of my GKD wishlist for sure!

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  50. Oh Melanie what can I say. Your just incredible you bring these puppies to life they look so incredible. Your creative juices just flows like crazy. Your amazing! And I'm in awww with all your creations. I will have to buy the puppies after I recover from all that I did purchase lol. Could you teach us on a online video how to get such incredible results. Thank you for sharing!! I have so many of your stampsets.

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  51. Love your new dog set, but then I'm a dog person! LOL Can't afford it right now, but love seeing the different dogs you have come up with, the cards really are adorable!

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  52. Adorable cards, Melanie! Love your new set and how you brought each of the puppies personalities to life! ❤️🐶

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  53. Your cards are all so wonderfully made. Love the puppies!

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  54. These puppies are so cute. Thanks for your wonderful stamps and the inspiration.

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  55. I think I love the Sorry Puppy the best

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  56. Wonderful cards! Love the puppies!
    Thanks for sharing...

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  57. What great stamp sets! Cute cards!

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  58. Sweet puppy dogs with the open book and I like the cards.

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  59. I know so many people who would love cards made with these adorable puppy stamps.

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  60. I am a big dog fan, I so love these, and that cute puppy, kind of look like mine, I have a toy poodle too!

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  61. Loved all of your samples. I so have to get the puppy set. I have 2 Great Pyrenees. Bonus for me, they are all white and should be a breeze coloring.

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  62. Thank you for this awesome set. I have a pup laying here next to me begging to go out in the middle of a rainstorm we have going on.

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  63. I absolutely love this set and all of your samples! I can’t wait to get this set!

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  64. The puppies are adorable! I love that you captured Brett so well. Puppies and books...great combo!

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  65. The dogs are wonderful.
    Love the one with the mutilated
    paper. Fun idea. thanks for
    sharing. txmlhl(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  66. Adorable puppies! What a fun new set!

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  67. All the puppy creations are so wonderful and there is no way that I can pick just one of them. Great job.

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  68. I am definitely a dog person and your set is great for mixing it up. Thanks for going to the effort to do a dog set!

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  69. What an adorable pup set! Love the faces.

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  70. Wonderful cards! The puppy set is a definite gotta have.

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  71. Brett is so so cute! Had a poodle when I was a kid, now I have Poms. You did so many creative things with the puppies stamps set, I love the Sorry card, made me LOL because I know that face!

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  72. What darling cards. There are so many possibilities with this set. Who can resist those adorable puppy faces?

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  73. Oh Brett is adorable! What creative and beautiful cards! I love the sweet pup bookmark and how he peeks out of the card.

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  74. I love them all! The card with the doggo with the mortarboard on was super cute! I loved the graduation card too!

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  75. Beautiful cards, as always, Melanie. I always look forward to seeing your new ideas/projects. Thank you for sharing.

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  76. Dearest Melanie
    The Puppies are adorable and your creations are out of the world. Blessings

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Your generous feedback helps make my work and this blog better! Thanks for inspiring and motivating me! :)