Moonlit Sky

Good evening!

I took a little break from the blog over the weekend... so thanks for checking back in with me tonight! I have another Release card to share with you tonight that I made with Theresa's popular Autumn Beauty stamp set.

Using Glossy cardstock, some blue Ranger Alcohol inks & a blending felt, I made the polished stone background seen on the focal image. Then, I stamped the images with Black stazon.

Do you see the spiderweb background? I ran a piece of vellum through my BigShot with Cuttlebug's Spiderweb embossing folder. I adhered the de-bossed side to the cardfront applying the adhesive behind the focal image panel so that it wouldn't be seen (since vellum is see-through).

Have a great rest of your night!
Jessica

Elegant Grapes

Good evening!

Tonight's card is one I made to share during our Release Party last night. I made it with Asela's new Fruitful Harvest stamp set - I LOVE the fruit images and sentiments Asela has in her set!

I colored the image with Copic markers, cut out with a Nestability die and then used Vivid's Tuscan Tan ink to sponge around the die before removing it. Then, using the crackle background from GinaK's Bold Flowers, I stamped in the same Vivid ink - being sure to stamp off once before stamped over the entire main image. I love the 'old world' effect this had on the image.

The images in this set are so large that they cover the entire cardfront beautifully. I used some K&Co paper for the card - I've been working on trying to use up some older paper packs I've been hoarding for a while.

That's one of the reasons, I like to decorate the insides of my cards so much - I get to use up more of my pretty papers! We are really spoiled with all the amazing patterned paper packs out there, aren't we? It really makes coordinating papers a breeze!

It's the last weekend before school starts up next week here in Wisconsin. We're trying to take advantage of the last days of summer by doing some fun daytrips over the next few days. I know I sound 'old' but seriously, where did summer go? Why does time fly so much more as you get older?? lol!

Have a wonderful weekend!
Jessica

Day 3 Preview: 3 new stamp sets!!

Welcome to the Day 3 previews. Tonight is a busy night as we are showcasing three brand new GinaK Designs stamp sets. I have lots of cards to share tonight - so buckle up for a mega long post!

The first one I'm going to be sharing is Theresa Momber's Autumn Beauty - it is gorgeous!! Theresa is such an artist and the images she has included in the stamp set blow me away....

I stamped the images you see on this first card in Rich Cocoa Memento ink onto GinaK's Pure Luxury Ivory cardstock and colored them in with Copic markers. They are so delicate, yet each image is really easy to color.

I think some of my favorite images are these leaves she included in her set - see how they look like they are flying in the autumn breeze ...

My next card was a really quick and easy one. I used some of Ranger's Alcohol inks and used the polished stone technique onto some glossy cardstock. Then, I stamped the cornstalk images in Black Stazon ink and using a green and yellow Glitter pen (Sakura brand) I colored in the stalks. The glitter really sparkles against the glossy cardstock.

The harvest moon was made by sponging some orange inks into the punched out circle. After the ink dried I stamped the sentiment in Black Stazon ink.

I kept the inside nice and simple because Theresa's images are gorgeous even when they aren't colored in ...

Next up, is Nina Brackett's new stamp set called Elegant Verses - which is a perfect companion to her most recent new stamp set called Elegant Post. The sentiments are so lovely...

On this card, I used our new Moonlit Fog cardstock - it is so pretty! It's a perfect match to Memento's London Fog ink, which I used here to sponge around the Nestability die before removing it.

The lamp post was colored with Copic markers and once again I used the clear and yellow Glitter pens (Sakura brand) to add some shine to the light. I love those pens - as you have probably already guessed!

Last, but certainly not least is the new Free with Three stamp set designed by Gina called Tropical Blooms. On my first card, I paired it with Nina's Elegant Verses...

These colors are so pretty together, aren't they? I used Vivid inks to stamp the images in this set as well as the sentiment. They are such rich inks.

One last quick card for tonight - a quick and simple Christmas card that I made with Tropical Blooms...

I simply stamped the images onto GinaK's Pure Luxury white cardstock and added some Christmas red stickles to the centers....


To see more inspiration with the stamps previewed today, visit Gina's blog, the illustrator of Tropical Blooms as well as Theresa Momber, the illustrator of Autumn Beauty, and Nina Bracket , the illustrator of Elegant Verses.

For even more projects with tonight's two stamp sets, these Senior Design Team Members are participating in previews today: Asela, Carolyn, Cindy, Donna, Emily, Erika, Kurtis, Lee, Lynn, and Melanie as well as our CenterStage Spotlight Design Team members:Shelly Wilson and Charlene Merrick

Our Release Party starts Thursday night at 7 pm CST. Please join us for contests questions, challenges, lots of chatter as well as a ton more samples shared by the Senior Design team members and our CenterStage Spotlight team too.

See you tomorrow night - I still have lots of cards to share with everyone!
Jessica

Day 2 Previews: School Themes!

Welcome to day 2 of our GinaK Designs previews! Tonight we are showcasing two new stamp set that will be available Thursday night after the Release Party.

My first cards are made with another new stamp set designed this month by Melanie Muenchinger called Sports, School, Spirit! and it coordinates perfectly with her Just so Sporty & Sporty Accessories stamp sets! (of course it would, right? You know how Melanie likes to design her sets too work beautifully together!)

My first card shows several new images along with the locker image from her Sporty Accessories stamp set...


I stamped the locker on GinaK's Soft Sand and the duffel bag on GinaK's Green Apple cardstocks and highlighted the stamped lines with a few Warm Grey Copic Markers. The banner is from the Sporty Accessories too - but the sentiment is new! I love how much fun it is to piece these images together to make scenes! (I forgot to take a photo of the inside of this card - oops!)

Next, is this awesome letter jacket Melanie has included in her new set... (once again stamped on Green Apple & highlighted with some Warm Grey Copic Markers)

This is a gatefold card - so it was a little hard to get a good photo of the front of it. Here's the inside view with the new basketball hoop images paired with some images from Sporty Accessories...

This is such a fun set to add to your collection! It's going to be fun building scenes for all those sports fanatics out there!

The other new stamp set that we're showcasing tonight is from Rupa Shevde called Back to School. Seriously, I LOVE this stamp set!! This set of images are so realistic and just what I wanted when I asked her last Fall for a school stamp set. Rupa, you are the BEST!! It's a long time in the making - but so WORTH it!!

Just check out this microscope:


I hope you can see from the close up view that I colored the entire image with a variety of Toner Grey Copic markers along with the Glitter Pen & Glaze pens from Sakura. I wanted the focus to be on the image completely, so I kept the rest of the card super simple. The inside is very basic as well, so I didn't even take a photo of it to share with you.

Next, is this awesome stack of books:

I paper pieced the books and apples with some of the papers from this Die Cuts with a View school paper pack. Once again, some Copic Grey markers, Glitter Pen & Clear Glaze pen were used to shade the images.

Here's the inside view - I love the sentiments that Rupa and Gina included in this stamp set:

For more inspiration with the stamps previewed today, visit Gina's blog as well as Melanie Muenchinger, the illustrator of Sports, School, Spirit.

For even more projects with tonight's two stamp sets, these Senior Design Team Members are participating in previews today: Carolyn, Cindy, Donna, Emily, Erika, Lee, Lynn, and Theresa as well as our CenterStage Spotlight Design Team members: Tina Gilliland and Vicki Dutcher

Don't forget about our Release Party on SCS starting at 7pm CST on Thursday, August 27th. There will be contests, challenges, lots of chatter as well as a ton more samples shared by the Senior Design team members and our CenterStage Spotlight team too. We'd love to have you join us!

Check back in with me tomorrow night as we'll be wrapping up our Previews with projects from the last 3 new stamp sets!
Jessica

Day 1 Previews: Leaves and Fruit!

Good evening!

Welcome to my blog - we're showcasing two new GinaK Designs stamp sets tonight that will be available this Thursday, August 27th beginning at 10pm CST. First up, is Melanie Muenchinger's Year of Leaves stamp set.

I colored the leaves in both of my samples tonight with Koh-i-noor pencils and blended the colors together with Odorless Mineral Spirits and Blending stumps. I stamped the images in Rich Cocoa Memento ink onto GinaK's Ivory cardstock.

I used Vivid's Tuscan Tan ink along with the Memento Cocoa ink and some sponge daubers to edge the cardstocks for an aged look. The speckles on the focal image are from Memento's Desert Sand marker and my marker spritzer.

And, here's one more card with Melanie's Year of Leaves stamp set...

After embossing the Sizzix embossing folder onto GinaK's Chocolate Kiss cardstock, I used some gold Metallic Rub-on paste to highlight the embossing. Here's a close-up of two of the focal point squares so you can see the sponging and coloring a little better - check out that adorable caterpillar!

and the inside view...

I'm so excited to see this new stamp set collection from Melanie and can't wait to pair them with her Year of Flowers stamp images!

The next new stamp set we're previewing tonight is from Asela Hopkins and is called Fruitful Harvest. The set is filled with gorgeous large fruit images that are so much fun to color! I've made a card with each of the images she has included in the set and ended up using a different coloring medium on each one! I've decided to share two of those cards tonight and will be showing the other two cards at the Release Party on Thursday night!

I stamped this pear image onto watercolor paper with Black Versafine ink and clear embossed the image. Then, using a variety of Stampin Up dye inks and my waterbrush, I watercolored the pears. Then, taking a Nestability die, I cut out the focal image and sponged Vivid's Tuscan Tan ink around the die.

I made the bow with some retired Chocolate Chip Satin ribbon from Stampin up - and my card was finished! These images stand alone so well and are great for making quick cards!

Here's the inside view of this card - just more of the patterned papers from the K&Co. pack I used for the front of the card...

My last card tonight is also made from the Fruitful Harvest stamp set - it's a grouping of apples, so, of course I HAD to use it! (Remember, I used to be an elementary teacher and have my kitchen decorated in apples!)

I paper pieced the apple images with GinaK's Soft Sand & Green Apple cardstocks, using a red Copic marker for the skin and a warm grey Copic marker for some subtle shading on the apples. Tuscan Tan was used again to shade the Nestability die (can you tell how much I love that ink!!).

another quick and simple card! I decorated the inside of this card a little more since there really wasn't room on the outside of the card for this lovely sentiment...

For more inspiration with the stamps previewed today, visit Gina's blog as well as Melanie Muenchinger, the illustrator of Year of Leaves and Asela Hopkins, the illustrator of Fruitful Harvest.

For even more projects with tonight's two stamp sets, these Senior Design Team Members are participating in previews today: Carolyn, Cindy, Donna, Emily, Erika, Kurtis, Lee, Lynn, and Theresa as well as our CenterStage Spotlight Design Team members: Denise Kelemen and Geri Utterback

Our Release Party will be held once again over on SCS starting at 7pm CST on Thursday, August 27th. There will be contests, challenges, lots of chatter as well as a ton more samples shared by the Senior Design team members and our CenterStage Spotlight team too! You won't want to miss it!

See you tomorrow night with two more new stamp sets and several projects that I have planned to share with you!
Jessica

Eclectic Mix of stamps

Good afternoon!

Last weekend when my mom came for a visit, we sat down together and we colored several GinaK Designs images together with Copic markers. My mom had never used Copic markers before, so it was fun showing her step by step how to use them. She was amazed at how easy they were to use and how much you could play with the colors to get the results that you want.

So, I have a ton of images sitting in a basket, waiting to be put on cards now! I took some time last night to make up a few cards with the images and decided to share this one with you tonight.

My images were all stamped with Black Memento ink on GinaK's Pure Luxury layering weight cardstock. After I finished coloring them with a variety of Copic markers, I dabbed the entire image fronts onto my Versamark ink pad and embossed with Detail Clear embossing powder. The embossing really helps the brightness of the Copics pop!

Have you had a chance to check out the latest installment of our Stamping Lifestyle's magazine?


My good friend Lynn Mercurio and Gina have put together another amazing issue that you are not going to want to miss! Click HERE to download the PDF file for yourself!

Be sure to check back in with me tomorrow night when the Previews for August's new stamps sets begin! I have a ton of samples I'll be showing each day leading up to our Release party on Thursday, August 27th over on Splitcoast.

See you then -
Jessica

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Botanical Dreams, Signs of Autumn, Take FlightPaper: GinaK Pure Luxury White, Green Apple, and Chocolate Kiss; Basic Grey Lime RickeyInk: Versamark & Black memento
Other: Detail Clear Embossing Powder, Copics, SU brad, Lime Rickey Brads

Watercolored Bright Flowers

Good evening!
I have a quick post tonight with some bright summer flowers from Asela Hopkin’s Friendship Gardens stamp set. The flowers were stamped with black Versafine ink and clear embossed on Stampin Up’s Shimmery White cardstock and then colored with a variety of bright Stampin Up reinkers and a waterbrush.

Have a great rest of your weekend!

Jessica

StampTV Online Classes Available Now!

Happy Friday!

The online class tab has been updated to add the new Spirit of Christmas stamp-a-stack class as well as adding the PDF files for my two other online classes. If you click on the photos, it will take you directly to GinaK Design's online store where you can purchase it, if desired.

Our online classes are set up as a virtual stamp-a-stack. If you purchase the kit with the supplies included, you will have enough materials to make 4 of each of the 3 cards shown in the photo, for a total of 12 cards. Since this is a Christmas class, it's a great way to get a head start on your Christmas cards for this year!

We always offer our current online class in three forms - one with the stamp set along with the supplies, one with the supplies, and one with only the PDF project files as well as digital paper, etc. available through our special Online Classroom blog.

I'm really excited that we are now offering our two other classes as well, so that our new StampTV members and GinaK fans now have the opportunity to purchase the PDF files I've designed for each card in the set. Each project has detailed instructions and step by step photos.

If you have any specific classroom questions, please see my Classroom tab over on StampTV and ask me there - or email me.

Thanks for checking in on me today - I've been stamping up a storm with the new GinaK August release stamps that Gina has been showing snippets of over on her blog the past couple of days. It's a wonderful set of stamps - once again our illustrators have knocked this release out of the ballpark! I can't wait to show you what I've been working on...

Jessica