Faux Lace with a Butterfly: Emboss Resist Video

Good morning!  Here is my newest video.  I am pairing up the Love chapter verse from Stately Flowers 8, showing how beautifully it works as a focal point on your cards, with the butterfly from Make a State-ment, a set I planned to work with every set in the Stately Flowers series.  (The greetings in this set can be used stand alone or paired with any of the state names or flowers.  The map and its pushpin and arrows are so fun!)  You'll see how easy it is to create the look of a lace border (which is also dimensional) with this emboss resist technique.


Supplies used: 
Stately Flowers 8 and Make a State-ment
Pure Luxury White Cardstock
Versamark, Gina K. Black Onyx and Cherry Red ink pads
red marker, glitter pen, sponge dauber, scissors, adhesive pearl
embossing powder and heat tool

Easter Inspired

Good morning!  Here is another sample I shared at the party.  In terms of how much stamping and time was involved, it pretty Clean and Simple, but the detail in the images gives it a much more elaborate feel. To color these flowers form Stately Flowers 8, watch my video and substitute a pink for the BV31 Pale Lavender. on the petals.  The pink touches make these orange blossoms a bit  more like stargazer lilies.  I love the shape these flowers make, and even more so the way the petals "nest" together when you flip the image and stamp it above the first. You can almost "draw" an oval around the two bunches with your eyes (Fabergé egg?) and I just think it makes such a pleasing layout on this Pure Luxury White and Bubblegum Pink card.  I stamped the greeting into the white space and accented with the sets two butterflies (stamped in black and colored with green  Finish with a pearl and this two layer card is complete.

A new video for you on Monday!  I've packed a lot of tips into this one, and think you are going to love it.  Have a terrific weekend!

Purple(ish) Iris

Well, I have decided to share this card today, the first I made with my set a few weeks ago and I was on the fence about it only because I knew from Monday's hop that Sharon would be sharing an iris sample with very similar colors in her own step by step tutorial for Copic  (just posted, have a look!) , and I wasn't sure, "Do people even need to see a video for this after seeing that?"  I think not!  Pretty similar, no?

We used slightly different colors, but here they are:
R83, RV19, RV55, Y35, Y11, YG11, G07, and G17

Okay, so it's a little pinker, I guess :)

Stately Flowers 8
Pure Luxury White, Black Onyx, Wild Lilac
Gina K. Black Onyx ink

I made the frame with a Stately Circles Spellbinders die* and Cuttlebugged the base with Victoria Folder.  backgroudnis sponged with Ocean Mist.

If I really *must* color this for you, let me know.  ;) Otherwise, I have another iris card planned with some tips I think will be very helpful in designing arrangements...

*Isn't that perfect?  "Stately" with a "Stately"?

Fun with Reinkers

Good morning!  Here is the Yellow Jessamine from Stately Flowers 8.  This image, with it's smaller flowers and tighter areas, is pretty straightforward to color, so I thought I'd change it up and share how to show off just the outline.  I do like how tall and elegant  it is, really nice for portrait style cards.

I don't do the Smackin' Acetate technique very often, but it's really fun, especially under florals.  I may as well, I have all the reinkers now, and I always love the interesting, one of a kind results! It's also a nice way to let go of your perfectionism (if you possess any) have to release control of the design. Just add a few drops of reinker to your 6x6 block or acetate sheet, spritz with water and press!  Pull the cardstock away, and  surprise!  Here I used some Sweet Mango, Sweet Corn and Fresh Asparagus.  The little bits of red you see were some Cherry Red that didn't get cleaned off my block when I made some other cards that day with this technique!  Hey, I like it!

Stamp your images after creating the background in Gina K. Black Onyx.  You may need to use your heat tool to dry it if you used a lot of  water or to flatten it if the edges are curling.  I used the little vertical "FOR YOU " greeting from this set so it can be an any occasion card in a pinch.  Cardstock is Pure Luxury Sweet Corn, Black Onyx and White.

If you would like to do some coloring on a card like this, go ahead.  Just color over the leaves in green and the flowers in warm color like red or orange (a cool color like blue or purple will turn muddy over the yellow tones)  Maybe I'll do that and come back with a stepped up version of this card, even add some ribbon and bling! 
 
Let me know if you would like a smackin' acetate video.  As always , please feel free to request specific techniques in the comment section.

Have a terrific Tuesday!  Thanks for visiting!

Day 1: Stately Flowers 8 and Lots of Washi

 Good morning!   The Cast and Crew for Gina K Designs welcomes you to another fabulous Inspiration Blog Hop! Gina and Cast &Crew will inspire you with many beautiful ideas for the newest stamp sets from Gina K. Designs.  As you hop through our blogs, make sure to leave a comment on each of them because we will choose a few random comments and those stampers will each win a grab bag of Gina K. Designs products. To see the full list of winners check the Big News Forum at StampTV a few days after the hops.

Are you as excited about the new Stately Flowers 8 set as I am?  Today I have a video for you on how to color the orange blossom on the card above.  White flowers are really enhanced when you add just a few shadows on them and a little color around them so they don't fade into an already white background.  It's simple, I promise.  Supply list for this card below.  Please enjoy!


I hope you will try this technique even if you don't have these exact markers.  Don't forget to download the free cut file if you have a Silhouette!

Supplies used:

Stately Flowers 8 stamp set and Stately Flowers 8 Studio cut file

Gina K. Moonlit Fog ink

Pure Luxury  White, Wild Dandelion, Turquoise Sea

Copics YG11, Y08, BV31, G21, YG11, YG67, BG10, B00

Black stitched ribbon, black baker twine, adhesive pearls

 Florida-Orange Blossom

South Carolina-Yellow Jessamine

Tennessee-Iris

The next set we are showcasing is Beth Silaika's Lots of Washi.  I decided to two-step stamp the two diamond borders to create this harlequin border using Charcoal Brown for the outline, Grass Green for the bold filler, and Dark Chocolate just to add a few diamonds in side.  I also used the Dark Chocolate for the greeting from Lots of Lines and added the single diamond to make an accent below "thanks".  Base is Warm Cocoa and I used the Color Companions Kraft button mix to pop up above the pattern.

Lots of Washi

 Now please check out more amazing designs and inspiration from our Cast and Crew.  Don't forget to leave comments for more chances to win a prize!  Have a great day!

• Gina K
• Melanie Muenchinger-Illustrator of Stately Flowers 8, you are here!
• Beth Silaika-Illustrator of Lots of Washi
• Cathy Tidwell
• Debbie Corbari
• Laurie Schmidlin
• Lee Murphy
• Michelle Woerner
• Sean Fetterman
• Sharon Harnist

Guest Designers

• Allie Gower
• Donna Phelan
• Leslie Turner

New Products Now Available

 

Good morning!  Thank you for coming to our release party last night!  If you were not able to make it, you can still look through the party chat thread to see our design crew and guests' samples with the new sets, as well as enter our release contests on  StampTV. 

Don't you love how Gina was able to share our new videos on the main page?

Stately Flowers 8 is now available for purchase in the Gina K. Designs store, as well as our other new sets in the What's New category.  Be sure to download your free copy of Stately Flowers 8 Studio File on the STV Freebies page, which includes all the cut outs you see here. 

  Even if you don't get this stamp set, the frames themselves are incredibly versatile and are great for framing any images in your collection to make a quick card.  Images not included, they are just stamped so you can see.  You will need the Silhouette software to run the file and a machine to cut the images. 

A new video for you on Monday with the Florida Orange Blossom when we hop!

Have a terrific weekend!  Happy Valentine's Day!

You're Invited to a Party Tonight! Illustrator Hop

Good morning!  Today, the Illustrators have put together a little invitation hop for you! This hop features stamps that will be released tonight! So come hop along with us and don't forget to add a comment on each blog.  We will pick a random winner to win an awesome grab bag of Gina K. Design Goodies!!

 Today I have a new video for you coloring the iris in my Stately Flowers 8 set, it has always been one of my favorite flowers!  I hope you love this simple Copic coloring technique and card made with very minimal supplies. :)

 

 Tip: To color with a different shade (blue, purple, yellow, etc)  follow these exact same steps using two shades of your desired color instead of the red and pink you see here.  :)

Supplies used: Gina K Designs Stately Flowers 8
Pure Luxury Heavyweight White  Cardstock
Gina K. Black Onyx Ink
Copics: R27, R22, G21, G07
ahdesive pearls, red ribbon, pop dots,  die and die cutting machine

On Monday, I will be sharing another video during our hop using one of the frames in my Stately Flowers 8 Studio cut file, which you got a peek of at the beginning of today's tutorial, free for all of you starting tonight on the StampTV Freebies page.

One thing, though, I forgot to flip it over and show you the inside, no bleed through when you use the heavyweight cardstock. This is very important to remember if you are going to color with Copics on single layer card, it is the only paper I have used that doesn't bleed through. (Plus, it's not flimsy like layering weight, which you *want* when yo are layering to prevent unnecessary weight and bulk, but which I would never really use for a card base, unless I was OUT of cardstock. ;)

I hope you will join us tonight at our release party in the  StampTV Release Party Forum from 7-9 PM Central for full set reveals, contests, new samples, chatting and more!  All new products will be available for purchase at Gina K. Designs at 7PM Central. 

Now please check out more peeks from our illustrators with their newest sets!  Start hopping and be sure to leave a comment!!
Becky Oehlers-Folk Filigree

Beth Silaika-Lots of Washi

Melanie Muenchinger-Stately Flowers 8 (you are here!)

Theresa Momber-Signs of Spring

See you tonight!

Sneak Peeks Have Started!

 

Surprise!  A peek for you this morning!  

Hope you love it!

Do you know this flower and what state it is from?  

What *other* flowers do you think might be included in the new newest Stately Flowers Set!  

What number are we on now? ;)

Coming this Thursday from Gina K. Designs!

If you have not already, please be sure to "Like" my new Facebook page Melanie Muenchinger Designs which I am dedicating to all my artwork: stamps, cards, books , videos.  

I am giving away a set when we reach 200 Likes (and surely something else at 300! ) :)

There isn't much on it, but soon there will soon will be!  

Just getting started, better late than never!

Hope you had a terrific weekend and your week is off to an excellent start!  

Make it so!  That's on agenda today....

Hugs, Melanie

Buds and Vases Video

Here is that video on coloring a vase with water that I've been promising and you've been waiting for, thanks for your patience!  I hope you see how easy this is to do.  You could take more time and use more colors for even more realism, but I think this works perfectly for the style of the illustration and the whimsy of the flowers.  If you don't yet have the Buds and Vases set and love florals, I know you will enjoy all the variety it gives you with the different container stamps. It is still one of my favorite sets.

I must say, I was very tempted to plop in one of the *new* flowers form my new set releasing next Thursday from Gina K. Designs instead of the Journey of the Heart flowers on this card, but that would have been a bit premature!  Soon, I promise!

A few things I wish I'd said in the video:

Don't worry if you have some gaps in your image where you marker didn't hit every place. Just makes it look more artsy and stylized.  :)

Don't worry if you have an open space behind your flowers on the vase.  (See above!)  If that really bothers you, place your floral image over the vase when inking  so you can see exactly how much of the back of the vase to leave open/uncolored.  Know what I mean?

Poor Sadie, she wanted to help so badly.  My craft room is where all her "stuff" is, after all. But, it just wasn't going to happen. Although the video is short, you'd think from that pitiful crying I shut her out all day!  Next time, instead of her shutting her out, I might need to shut her in my bedroom with her "stuff" on the other side of the house.  Poor Sadie.

CardMaker Spring 2014

It was my delight to receive a copy of the new CardMaker Spring 2014 issue last week.  I have one card using my Stately Flowers 7 set from Gina K. Designs on p. 85. Step by step instructions are included. This card also uses my Stately Flowers 7 Masks and Mats and Stately Flowers 7 Frames Studio cut files.

I hope you will check out this new issue!

 

 

Journey of the Heart StampTV Kit from Gina K. Designs

 Good morning!   The Cast and Crew for Gina K Designs welcomes you to another fabulous Inspiration Blog Hop! Gina and Cast and Crew will inspire you with many beautiful ideas for the newest StampTV kit Journey of the Heart !  As you hop through their blogs, make sure to leave a comment on each of them because we will choose a few random comments and those stampers will each win a grab bag of Gina K. Designs products. To see the full list of winners check the Big News Forum at StampTV a few days after the hops.

One of the mini stamp sets included in this kit has some bold lovely florals, perfect for the direct to stamp technique, so get out your markers!  Although the kit comes with an assortment of coordinating patterned papers, I thought it would be fun to make my own with the stamps for this card (colors listed below in the supplies section).  These florals also work perfectly with my little vase stamp from my set Buds and Vases, so I stamped the flowers first, inked up the vase with a blue marker, omitting the top back edge of the vase so it wouldn't cut through the stems in the image, and then stamped.  I added just a few shadows and some water with Copics.  Isn't that fun?  You can also add these to the jar in that set or use the larger flower and leaves I stamped for the background with my flower pot, I think I'll try one of those next!  Let me know in the comment section below if you would like me to do a video on coloring clear glass and  adding water, this one was very simple.

Supplies used: StampTV Kit Journey of the Heart , Buds and Vases

Pure Luxury Blue Raspberry, Blue Denim, Cherry Red, Grass Green, and White cardstock

Memento Rhubarb Stalk, Blue Danube, Bahama Blue, Cantaloupe, Olive Grove, and Bamboo Leaves markers, Copics- BG10, B1, Pure Luxury Ribbon, Pop Dots, Tombo Mono Multi, brads

 Now please check out more amazing designs and inspiration with this kit, Journey of the Heart.   Don't forget to leave comments for more chances to win a prize!  Have a great day!


 Gina K

• Beth Silaika
• Cathy Tidwell
• Debbie Corbari
• Laurie Schmidlin
• Lee Murphy
• Melanie Muenchinger
• Michelle Woerner
• Sean Fetterman
• Sharon Harnist  
• Theresa Momber

New StampTV Kit from Gina K. Designs

 

Journey of the Heart StampTV Kit now available for purchase!  

Go nuts with these fabulous images, patterned papers, cardstock and embellishments!

  

Treat yourself, you deserve it. ;)

Inspiration blog hop next week. Stay tuned! :)

Look, I'm Stamping!

It's been awhile!  I find it harder and harder to get stamping when all the boys (hubby included) are home.  But  the kids are really back in school*, I feel my mojo returning now that the house really feels like the holidays are completely put away and chores I let go a bit while we were enjoying being on vacation are done and back on track.  I have always loved the color, so for its silky smoky, mysterious elegance.  I have gray boots,  gray polish, and I love how it has been more on trend the past few years.  It never looks "sad" or "cold" to me, always feels soft and chic.  How did I never have a gray cat before now?  I just love Sadie's glossy, changing coat, that looks like liquid mercury as she zips down the hall, slate blue on our couch, or a silvery fur throw languishing in this spot for a catnap where I usually photograph my cards.  So, I decided to jump back in with a gray card!

Stamped the butterflies from Stamper's Favorites in Moonlit Fog first on White Pure Luxury.  Card base is Pure Luxury Silver Lining.  Pardon the green tint in my sponging I picked up a dauber that looked like it went with my Gina K. Moonlit Fog pad but alas, not quite (Grass Green and Black? Fresh Asparagus and Fog?  Anywho.  All my color labels on my daubers have worn off, time to touch those up!)  I layered over more Moonlit Fog ink and just a touch of Black Onyx at the corners, and stamped on just a bit of the sand image from my Gifts from the Sea set to add the speckles.  I added a flourish from Carolyn's Elegant Flourishes stamped in Black Onyx.  I intended for this to be  a monochromatic card but since the green snuck in there (again, oops)  I added come Crystal Stickles to the butterfly (colored just a bit with C-5 Copic), clear sparkling shimmer with a just touch of green glitter bits.  Last I added some white organdy.  That's it!  This card is for this week's STV Mix it Up Monday challenge by Cat, to use something shiny!  Lots of shiny here. :)

* We came close to missing the first day back.  The entire winter break I had it in my mind first day back was Wednesday, Jan 8th.  Yeah, I know that sounds random in the middle of the week, but they do that to us sometimes!  I only found out because William came back from a friend's late Monday afternoon in tears saying his friend's mom brought him home because they needed to wrap up their play date earlier than usual since it was a school night, but we thought we still had one more evening of fun and staying up late.  "No, that's not right, William, let me show you."  Well, I checked and sure enough, they were headed back Tuesday! Whoops!  Ugh!  He was devastated.  So, I had to run and get an emergency "last night of vacay" pizza and ice cream and family movie to take the edge off.  Worked.

Freebie for You!

Good morning!  Did you know that you can get the Studio cut file for my newest stamp set for Gina K. Designs Stamper's Favorites FREE?  Yep, that's right, free for you to download at your convenience, which will allow you to cut mats and masks for this new hummingbird, butterfly, leaves, feather and flower with ease!  Just go to the Freebies page (click that link) at StampTV and click the title of the set to download.  Cut away.  You will need the Silhouette software to use this file.

Although the above photo im blue says not all images displayed are included, that is the verbiage for all the Silhouette photos.  They *are* all included, and then some!  This file contains 10 large images, two for each image, one that is the exact size and one with a 1/4" border, plus all four greetings. yay!

Happy cutting, or rather, happy watching a machine cut it for you while your drink your coffee! I'll be looking forward to how having these multiple cuts will help you create gorgeous, layered cards for our StampTV gallery!  Just one more way we and StampTV or trying to make our stamp sets more versatile and useful for our customers, and save a buck to spend on your other crafting needs.  I appreciate all of you who have been patiently waiting for us to get the Stamper's Favorites Studio file posted.  Please enjoy!  We hope you are excited to get cut files now from Gina K. Designs for FREE!  More to come!  :)

Have a terrific weekend!

Season's Givings Candy WINNER

Hello!  The Season's Giving Hop is officially closed and I have chosen a winner. :)

The winner of my the prize package from the Seasons Givings Blog Hop is ...

....
Angie (who) said...
Gorgeous cards! So vibrant!!! What a HUGE giveaway you are offering!!! Thanks for the chance to win! HAPPY NEW YEAR! I am going to add you to my bloglovin, fb and Pinterest!

January 3, 2014 at 12:16 AM

Congrats, Angie!  Please ocntact me with 48 hours to claim your prize and send me your snail addy so I can put this in the mail to you!  

Thank you everyone for your comments, how amazed I was to see the post hit an even 300 comments last night!  It was a long hop, so I appreciate you making it all the way to the end and commenting!  Hope your new year is off to a great start!  I have worked out every day this year so far(doens't that sound awesome/more than 5 days??)  and seem to finally be shaking the cold I have had since Dec 19th!  The boys will be back in school on Wednesday, which means...it will be time to start stamping and blogging again!  I can see the tripod form my desk and my husband is getting me some new equipment to make my videos better, we are just still deciding on what will work best.  Coming to you soon..!

Hugs!