I Dare You To Try Something New! + Giveaway

*Compensated affiliate links used where possible at zero cost to you. No posts are ever sponsored or paid.*

I've been trying a lot of new things lately - as well as some old things I'd forgotten about. It's making this insane year a little more interesting. 

One of the things that I've been challenging myself to do is work in the slimline format. I'm weird because I will literally try any technique or medium with glee, but changes in SIZE are hard for me. I'm just set in my design ways I guess! So this new slimline craze is good for me!

I started with dies, because they make using a different format SO much easier. I've had the pleasure of working with Cindy - the genius behind Dare2BArtzy for a while and so I got to see her new slimline dies when they went live and I flipped out. Everything she does is very unique and different - for example, her stamps and dies all coordinate with her paper, as you'll see below. She also has a lot of zentangle style artwork in her stamps, which you know I love.

So I'm pushing my size limits today with a super fun card for you and I will also have a giveaway! This is part of a blog hop with the MISTI and Dare2BArtzy teams - I'm just a guest. I can't wait to see what everyone does. 

I started with this magical snowflake slimline die - OH MY GOSH. I love this so much and my card is so simple - I can see making stacks of holiday cards in minutes. 

All that gorgeous color you see is a reflection off this amazing holographic paper! There are several patterns in this package, but I chose the swirl pattern because I thought it looked like the wind blowing the snowflakes around. SO fun and easy. It's hard to not just stare at this paper all day.

The die is sort of a twofer, because the little snowflakes on the card are actually from the same die - see the empty spaces above? I just used those. I thought it would look most dramatic on black, since the paper is so colorful. So I stamped the sentiment from this stamp set in white ink and embossed with white detailed embossing powder. Such a fun and simple card!

So here is everything I used today. Stay tuned below for tons more inspiration and more chances to win the prizes they are giving away today! Each company is doing a fun combo - you  can win a $20 gift card to the Dare2BArtzy store and also enjoy a 10% discount through November 9th with code FALL10. And, you can win a $20 gift card at the MISTI store and the same 10% discount with code FALL10 through November 9th!

Slimline Snowflake Dies [ DR2 ] Paisley Peacock Stamp Set - Dare 2b... [ DR2 ] Paisley Peacock Die - Dare 2b Artzy [ DR2 ] Simon Says Stamp Card Stock ASSORTED... [ SSS ] Simon Says Stamp Card Stock ASSORTED... [ SSS ] Retail Shop [ MSP ] Dare 2B Artzy [ DR2 ]

Here's tons more inspiration for you. Good luck!

Kendra

Ceal

Melody

Karen 

Tonya

Susan 

Tasha

 Lydia

Carrie

Ilina 

Jennifer 

MISTI Blog 

Sandi MacIver 

Dare2BArtzy Blog

CURRENT COUPON CODES
15% off anything at Marker Universe or any of their other sites - Understandblue15.
10% off the whole store at A Colorful Life Designs - LydiaFan10
5% off at LBC here with code LYDIA5
Phone stand for filming link below in the banner - 20% off sitewide with code UNDERSTANDBLUE

Hybrid Ink Resist Technique + Giveaway

*Compensated affiliate links used where possible at zero cost to you. No posts are ever sponsored or paid.*

Happy Caturday! 

The weather is so perfect here right now - we've been doing a lot of outdoor cooking.

For a long time, we've been grinding our own hamburger meat from chuck roasts, and it's SO much better than buying ground beef! So yesterday, we prepped some for hamburgers for the upcoming week. We even have an old school Tupperware patty maker thingy that makes them all the same size for freezing. I use this for my favorite veggie burgers too - it makes it SO easy to make freezer meals with my FoodSaver.

We also have purged all non-stick and made in China pots and pans years ago, and have been looking for a two burner griddle for hamburgers for a long time that was made in the USA and not non-stick. We finally found this carbon steel one, and we love it! You treat it a lot like you do cast iron - gradually seasoning it until it becomes naturally non stick. It's fantastic. 

So are you hungry yet? I am! So I'm bringing you a beautiful cheeseburger stamp today and a SUPER fun technique that I discovered by accident - a resist technique with this Amalgam Ink and Karin Markers! IT IS AMAZING and takes all the work out of coloring a detailed image! So fun - you'll see the video below. Please remember that I have a coupon code for a discount on the markers at the end of each blog post! 

I cut apart this sentiment to have it stacked on this card, and after I was done coloring, I added a few white gel pen highlights. The card base is Key Lime. 

In case you don't see the video player below - HERE is a link to the fun technique video for this card. 

Dad's Day – Picket Fence Studios [ PFS ] Spotlight On You – Picket Fence Studios [ PFS ] NEW! Karin Brushmarker Pro Mega Box... [ MRK ] GKD Amalgam Ink Pad- Whisper - Gina K... [ GNK ] GKD Amalgam Ink Pad- Obsidian - Gina... [ GNK ] Heavy Base Weight Card Stock- Key... [ GNK ] Sakura CLASSIC WHITE Fine Line 05... [ SSS ] Art Anthology BIG CRAFT MAT 24x36 311473 [ SSS ] Canson XL Bristol - Pad, 9'' x 12'',... [ BLIC | SSS ] Heavy Base Weight Card Stock- White [ GNK ] MISTI Stamping Tool [ MSP | HA | SSS | ELH | MFT | UNT ] Rotatrim Professional Series Cutter -... [ BLIC ] LightView 2in1 LED Magnifier for... [ BRG ] Mudder 10 Pack White Buffer Sanding... [ AMZUS ] Xyron ADHESIVE ERASER 23675 [ SSS | ART | AMZUS ] Teflon Bone Folder - Ellen Hutson LLC [ ELH | SSS ] Crafter's Companion GEMINI... [ SSS ] Scor-Pal MINI SCOR-BUDDY Scoring... [ SSS ] Essentials by Ellen Storage... [ ELH ] Die Storage - Clear Storage Pockets... [ CHC ] XL Stamp Storage Pockets [ ELH ] Mermaid tidy towel case and glue... [ ETS ] Lawn Fawn STAMP SHAMMY Cleaner LF1045 [ SSS | CST ] Airtable: Organize your stamps & dies [ ART ]

This card & video are for a fun collaboration today between My Sweet Petunia and Picket Fence Studios! Each company is giving away a $50 gift card today to two lucky commenters, so be sure and leave me a comment telling me your favorite - hamburger, cheeseburger, veggie burger, turkey burger, etc.! Then stop by the blogs below and leave them comments for more entries!

Picket Fence Studios 

Judy Rozema 

Becky Roberts

Sara Sherlock 

Sandi MacIver 

Lisa Henke 

Angela Bode 

Michelle Lupton

Karen Reategui 

Erica A B 

Susie Moore 

Channin Pelletier

Ilina Crouse 

Ceal Pritchett 

Lydia Fiedler

My Sweet Petunia

Loveyameanitbye.

CURRENT COUPON CODES
15% off Karin or anything at Marker Universe or any of their other sites - Understandblue15
10% off the whole store at A Colorful Life Designs - LydiaFan10
Phone stand for filming link below in the banner - 20% off sitewide with code UNDERSTANDBLUE

Neon Cats

The other day, I had a long conversation with Maddie about her choices.

Do you do this? Have earnest chats with your pets? She talks back to me, so I'm sure this is 100% normal.

It's funny how different they are. Maddie is the only furniture scratching cat I've ever owned. Splotchy is a little angel who never scratches anything but their designated scratcher. Splotch loves to eat and is bone skinny, Maddie isn't much of an eater, but is a little chunky. Splotchy is a gymnast, and Maddie is clumsy as heck.

But they're both amazing little therapists. What's great about pets is they teach you the importance of the everyday experience. Cats don't care about politics, or news or bills. They are well equipped to make the most of every moment - soaking up the sun, purring when they get patted - Splotch purrs during play, which I've never seen before, and I've had a lot of cats.

Just seeing them lowers my blood pressure.

Since I have a black cat, some of my favorite stamp images are silhouettes, because to me, they all look like Maddie.

But I thought today I'd stamp them in something other than black, just for fun. I still had my Electro Pop Inks on my desk from Wednesday's post, so I thought some neon kitties might be in order. This artist exactly captured cat body language in these stamp images.  I stamped them in Hello Yellow, Poppin' Pink and Orange Glow, and stamped the sentiment in Nocturne, and added a few sequins.

But I couldn't sit down to stamp without watercoloring, so I had to paint this sweet image. You can find details on this card over at the My Sweet Petunia blog today. The sentiment is from this sentiment-only set. I just think this image is so sweet. Hop over here to see what I did.

Kitty Love Clear Stamp Set - Sweet 'n... [ SWT ] Creative Worship: The Shepherd's... [ SWT ] Sentimental Wordfetti Clear Stamp Set... [ SWT ] Electro Pop Ink Pads- Set of 8 - Gina... [ GNK ] Fadeout No Line coloring Detail Ink [ INK ] VersaFine Clair Ink Pad, Nocturne -... [ ELH | SSS ] Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolors [ BLIC ] Escoda Versatil Brushes, Travel Round... [ UTR | BLIC | INK ] Fabriano Extra White Cold Press... [ BLIC ] MISTI Stamping Tool [ MSP | HA | SSS | ELH | MFT | UNT ] Lawn Fawn STAMP SHAMMY Cleaner LF1045 [ SSS | ELH | CST | ART ] Rotatrim Professional Series Cutter -... [ BLIC ] Tombow MONO MULTI Liquid Glue Two... [ SSS | MFT ] LightView 2in1 LED Magnifier for... [ BRG ] Airtable: Organize your stamps & dies [ ART ] Mermaid tidy towel case and glue... [ ETS ] Sakura CLASSIC WHITE Fine Line 05... [ SSS ] Art Anthology BIG CRAFT MAT 24x36 311473 [ SSS ] Heavy Base Weight Card Stock- White [ GNK ] Teflon Bone Folder - Ellen Hutson LLC [ ELH | SSS ] Crafter's Companion GEMINI... [ SSS ] Essentials by Ellen Storage... [ ELH ] Die Storage - Clear Storage Pockets... [ CHC ] XL Stamp Storage Pockets [ ELH ] Scor-Pal MINI SCOR-BUDDY Scoring... [ SSS ]

I'm part of a collaboration blog hop today with my sweet friend Korin, the owner of Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps and My Sweet Petunia!

Here are all the designers participating in the hop - stop by and comment at each blog, and you'll be entered to win $50 gift certificates from each company. The winner will be announced on the My Sweet Petunia blog on August 27th. 

SNSS Blog
Colleen Gaddie
Diane Zechman
Gayle Bond
Jane Bosi
Jennifer Powell
Julee Tilman
Julie Cassell
Lyn Tomlin
Sheri Gilson
Kia Gibson-Clapper
Stephanie Severin
Ilina Crouse
Giovana Smith
Jeanne Streiff
Ceal Pritchett
My Sweet Petunia
Lydia Fiedler

Loveyameantibye.