Autumn Cheer without ink

My second project with the September Betterpress Society set, 'Autumn Cheer' is featuring one of my favourite ways to use my Betterpress - without ink.

There are four leaves in the set, so I pressed them multiple times onto a Porcelain Cotton Card Panel - without ink, to just leave the impressions.

I pressed the oak leaf, with three colours of Distress Oxide ink blended on it, and cut it out with the coordinating die.  I adhered it onto a postage edge rectangle, and adhered it to the base with 3D foam adhesive.

I pressed one of the sentiments that is included in the set with Lisa Horton's Solid Gold Metallic Ink and added it with another strip of foam adhesive.

You can get a Betterpress Society subscription at The Papercrafter's Workshop!

Autumn Cheer

The September Betterpress Society plates, are a lovely set of fall leaves, that impress a wonderfully irregular design - so many possibilities!  I'm going to be using these a lot.  My first card, was a take on one made by the talented Carissa Wiley.

I call this a Z fold card, made by simply scoring and folding the front of the card to the left.  I die cut arches to go on both the outside (glued to the half fold), and a matching one to go underneath it on the inside.  I used a brick stencil and some Vintage Photo Distress Oxide ink to break up the plain background a little.

The leaves were all pressed onto a peachy/melon, a warm yellow and a mocha cardstock with Lisa Horton's Solid Gold metallic ink.  I arranged them on either side of the arch, and also had them peeking out underneath, but adhering a few to the inside arch.

The sentiment is one of the four that are included in the set, pressed in the same gold ink on watercolour paper, and adhered with 3D foam adhesive.  I added a few gold pearls to continue the glimmer.  You can get a Betterpress Society subscription from The Papercrafter's Workshop.

Folk Floral Stem Wedding Card

The Folk Floral Stem set from Pinkfresh Studio is my go-to for wedding cards.  This week I did it in their soft peach/pink tones, gold embossed the outline, and cut it out with the coordinating die.

I used Altenew's Dotted Tile background plate that was inked on the corners, and added the word dies from Spellbinders in metallic gold.

2025 Coffee Lover's Blog Hop

So glad that I stumbled upon the post about the 2025 Coffee Lover's Blog Hop!  I haven't missed one yet since Amy started them many years ago.  Since she stated that 'Hot Cider' was something that could be included, I wanted to use the new 'Cocoa Cozy Cider Additions' sentiment set from The Greetery:

I paired it up with the Warm & Wonderful stamps and dies from a few years ago, that creates the wonderful glass mug of cider, and the added greenery bits.  I used Distress Oxide inks, inking the Cider in ombre style with Speckled Egg/Antique Linen and Rusty Hinge.

Around the edges, I used Vintage Photo and the Frosty Flakes stencil (also The Greetery), just enough to add the suggestion of snowflakes, and add a little rustic feel to the card.  Most of the glass & foliage were popped up with 3D foam adhesive, and a few black jewels add a bit of sparkle.

Thanks as always to Amy for putting together a wonderful event!

Woodland Christmas

There is a new Art Impressions release today, with six new foundation style winter/holiday scenes.  This is 6088 - Woodland Bench Scene.

I have used Copic markers to colour up my image, then spattered some of the PH Martin's white paint to give the look of falling snow.  

I matted the image on some dark grey cardstock that I adhered to my base with 3D foam adhesive.  The two patterned paper pieces are from the 5853 - Christmas Magic paper pack.  Before adhering them, I wrapped the gingham piece with some fine silver thread.

The Merry die cut is from an old Echo Park word die set, that I stacked twice before attaching it.

Cozy Toes

This sweet set is the Cozy Toes stamp and die set from Concord & 9th.  I loved it from the moment I saw it, especially for this sentiment.

The set includes a bunch of options to cut two lengths of adult socks, and a cute pair of tiny ones, all of which you stamp first, then use the dies to cut them out.

The details are so amazing, there are two clotheslines, clothespegs, and even sock details like toes & heels, and frilly tops.

There are several other great sentiments, so you're sure to see more of these from me in the future, but this is my new go-to set for baby cards!

Fall Keepsake and an Ornament

I am on the Art Impressions blog today for their Watercolour Weekend post!

I have a couple of projects featuring some of the newly released sets today!  First is a card using the 6105 - Fall Keepsake Set:

I coloured the images with my N45 Tombow Dual Brush Marker, and stamped them on my Canson XL Watercolour Paper.  I started with the fox, then the toadstool, and added masks to both of them.  The pumpkin and pail followed, and finally the fall bouquet was added to the pail.  After pulling the colour out of the lines with a damp brush, I added a pale coat of #993 to the pumpkins and fox, followed by several layers of #947, and finally a mix of #947/977 to create the really dark areas.  Shades of #N55 were painted on his paws and to the bucket, layering to keep the sides of the bucket and bottom of his paws darker.

I wanted the leaves to be multicoloured, so did sections of #993/947/856/126/346/977, blending them together.  I added #346/126/977 to the stems of the pumpkins, and the stem of the toadstool, and painted shades of #856 on the top of it, touching the dots with a little 346.  I used the N55 to add shadows to the fox's white areas, and finally painted a wash of #126/346 for the grass, and stamped the small grass from 4051 - Foliage Set 1 in #126, and then I used the fine point of the 346 marker directly on the paper to add a few darker lines of grass.  A wash of #493 was painted in as the sky.  I used my Grey Twintone marker to colour in the eyes/features and redefine any areas that needed it.

My scene was die cut using the 5724 - Nested Rectangle Dies, and adhered to a brown mat with 3D foam adhesive.  The word 'hello' is from the 5718 - Mini Journal Template set, cut twice in brown and stacked to be a more stable die cut.  Both pieces of background paper are from the 5838 - Fall paper pack.

My second project is featuring the new 6117 - A Cozy Christmas Set, that creates a sweet little ornament!

I have a lot of photos for you today!  I tried to capture a few steps in the assembly process, but I highly recommend that you watch the Ai video by Kim to see how to assemble it.

In addition to the stamp set, you need to purchase the 6121 - Storybook Template die.  The die cuts out the box (at the top) and you cut three of the inner frame piece.  The images were stamped on Mixed Media paper with #N55, and painted in with #349/993/493/837/N55, and a few touches of gold ink.  Images were cut out using the coordinating dies that are included with the stamps.

I cut a piece of patterned paper from the 5838 - Fall Paper Pack at 3 1/8" x 2 5/8" to act as the background, and glued it to the back of the box.  I fussy cut the fireplace out, and glued it down so that it would appear behind all the other pieces.  Each of the stamped images is drawn along the curve of the oval opening, so each piece was die cut and glued under one of the frames (there is a tab where you can add the glue, see the photo below from the backside).

Each of the frames got pieces of 3D foam adhesive attached to the corners and in a few other spots, and then each of them is layered on top of each other starting with the tree.

After the tree comes the Mama bunny, and finally the baby bunny on the top layer.  *I used 2mm thick adhesive, but there is plenty of room to use a thicker adhesive if you prefer.  I'm happy with how this looks, though.  When you adhere the layers, you want to make sure that the openings are stacked directly over each other.

The Storybook die includes a tab piece which I cut out of some woodgrain paper from the 5812 - Christmas S2 Paper Pack.  I wanted the woodgrain on the outside of the box, so I used the inner frame piece to cut it out, then attached it to the front of the box.  I added pieces to cover the sides, top and bottom also.  The tab is adhered to the top back of the box after it's assembled.  Glue was added behind each of the tabs, the box was folded and attached to the other side, enclosing the scene.

Market Place Suite

I've put together some cards following Betsy Veldman's design using her new release from The Greetery.  These are the 3 Market Place die sets, that create the sweetest European Market style of buildings.  They work great on their own, but Betsy did a wonderful tri-fold card that I tried to recreate.

SOOO many little pieces!  I don't mind working with fussy die cut bits, and found it easiest if I kept to a fairly limited palette, which allowed me to cut multiple pieces at one time.

It definitely took a little planning, but I am really happy with the end result - and plan to make a bunch of coordinating tags in the near future.

In addition to the three different building designs, there is a set called Market Place Holiday Festoons - all the little wreaths, bows and a few garlands.  There is also a the Market Place Holiday Sentiments stamp set that gives all those wonderful little business signs - such an amazing detail.

After my houses were put together, I cut two hinge pieces that are scored down the middle, that were glued between them to create the tri-fold.  I also cut each house out of cream cardstock and adhered it to the back of each one, which not only gave a clean finish to the back, but provided the 'filler' for the windows from the front side.

I was able to put three of these together, to give to some special people in my life.  Not sure if they're quite done, I may add a little gold or white spatter, or possibly a little glitter.

Shaped Sweet Moments

I made a bonus card with the August Betterpress Society plate, 'Sweet Moments', using the Essential Arches dies from Spellbinders.

I pressed the plate in ombre fashion on some aqua cardstock using four of the teal inks from Pinkfresh Studio, using a blending brush to soften the colour transitions.

I cut out my panel with the Arches dies, then adhered it to a slightly larger arch shaped base in a deep teal.  I used the same die to cut a folded piece of white cardstock to serve as the card base.

You can get a Betterpress Society subscription from The Papercrafter's Workshop.

Giant Happy Birthday

I have a whole host of family birthdays over the next few months, and needed to build up my gender-neutral stash of cards.  I pulled out an old favourite - the Giant Happy Birthday die from Lawn Fawn to get started.

I love that literally any papers will work with this die!  I dug out some ancient Basic Grey papers in a couple of coordinating colours and got cutting.  I cut the large die also in black and offset it under the patterned paper.  I used die cut bits from Spellbinders Holiday Blooms stamp set for some extra decoration with a black jute bow.

I did my favourite thing - sewing on a card!  Just added a row of black stitching around the exterior.  I am happy to get four of them made (one was already in the mail when the photos were taken).