Stress-Free Stamping with Shana: 2015

Sunday, November 15, 2015

The Stamp Review Crew: Wonderland Edition

Welcome to another edition of the Stamp Review Crew blog hop! I am especially excited about this set, Wonderland, because this will be my first Christmas card that I have created this year! Even though we've had our Christmas tree and lights up since November 1st, I just haven't really been in the mood to make Christmas cards yet. I was still feeling the fall when it came to colors and stamp sets. :) I just recently purchased Wonderland when it was discounted, and I think it is going to be my new go-to tree stamp set!

We are really hoping to move to the mountains in Tennessee in the future, so I knew Brett would love for me to make a mountain card. This one took a lot of sponging and blending, but I love it! I found the sketch at Fusion Card Challenge. Maybe this time I will remember to actually link up to the challenge. :)

I also wanted to make sure to use the antlers in some way since Brett is an avid hunter. I thought a wreath would be a perfect way to showcase them and it ended up working out exactly as I had pictured in my head, which rarely happens!

I hope you enjoyed my cards! Make sure to click on the links below to continue on in the hop!

Blog Roll:

Rochelle Blok http://rochelleblok.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-stamp-review-crew-wonderland-edition.html
Debra Burgin http://heartfeltinkspiration.com/2015/11/15/stamp-review-crew-wonderland
Tanya Boser http://tinkerin-in-ink.blogspot.com/2015/11/stamp-review-crew-wonderland-edition.html
Nikki Spencer http://nikkispencer-mysandbox.blogspot.com/2015/11/stamp-review-crewwonderland-edition.html
Lisa Young http://addinkandstamp.blogspot.com/2015/11/stamp-review-crew-wonderland-edition.html
Sue Plote http://thispinkrooster.blogspot.com/2015/11/stamp-review-crewwonderland.html
Deb Currier http://artfeltimpressions.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-stamp-review-crew-wonderland.html
Mike Funke http://stampin-style.typepad.com/stampin-style/2015/11/stamp-review-crew-wonderland.html
Shana Gaff http://stressfreestamping.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-stamp-review-crew-wonderland-edition.html
Linda Callahan http://stampinseasons.blogspot.com/2015/11/stamp-review-crew-wonderland.html
Heidi Baks http://runningwscissorsstamper.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-stamp-review-crew-wonderland.html

Sunday, November 1, 2015

The Stamp Review Crew: Lighthearted Leaves Edition

It's the beginning of November and time for another round of the Stamp Review Crew. I didn't originally purchase this set at the beginning of the catalog period, but the more I saw it used, the more I loved it! I had a lot of fun coloring in these leaves with my Stampin' Write markers. I found my inspiration from TGIF Challenges and The Friday Mashup.

Aren't these some fantastic challenges for this time of the year? Here is my card.

I wanted to keep it fairly simple since I had all of the coloring going on, but I did add a little bit of Crystal Effects to some of the leaves. The gold cording was the perfect fall touch for my bow. I just couldn't stand the blank Pumpkin Pie at the bottom so I added two score lines to complete the card.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed my card! Click on the links below to continue on in the hop!

Sunday, October 18, 2015

The Stamp Review Crew: For All Things Edition

Thanks for joining us for another Stamp Review Crew blog hop! This week we are using one of my favorite fall sets of all time, For All Things. I used this set SOOO much when I first got it that I needed some help with ideas to use it this time around! :) I found inspiration for color and layout at Fusion Card Challenge.

I've never used traditional Halloween colors with this particular set, so this was the perfect choice! I used Tangelo Twist, Basic Black and Soft Suede. You can't really see it in the photo but the black circle is embossed with the Woodgrain Embossing Folder for some extra texture. My leaves are fussy cut and my final touch was some gold thread in a jumble in front of my top leaf. :)

I hope you enjoyed my card. Thanks for stopping by! Click on the links below to continue on thru the hop!

Blog Roll:

Mike Funke http://stampin-style.typepad.com/stampin-style/2015/10/stamp-review-crew-for-all-things.html
Nancy Smith https://iguanastamp.wordpress.com/2015/10/18/stamp-review-crew-for-all-things
Deb Currier http://artfeltimpressions.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-stamp-review-crew-for-all-things.html
Yapha Mason http://yaphamason.com/blog/2015/10/18/stamp-review-crew-for-all-things-edition/
Shana Gaff http://stressfreestamping.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-stamp-review-crew-for-all-things.html
Debra Burgin http://heartfeltinkspiration.com/2015/10/18/stamp-review-crew-for-all-things
Linda Callahan http://stampinseasons.blogspot.com/2015/10/stamp-review-crew-for-all-things.html
Tanya Boser http://tinkerin-in-ink.blogspot.com/2015/10/stamp-review-crew-for-all-things-edition.html
Heidi Baks http://runningwscissorsstamper.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-stamp-review-crew-for-all-things.html
Dawn Tidd http://tiddbitsfromdawn.typepad.com/tiddbits-from-dawn/2015/10/the-stamp-review-crew-for-all-things-edition.html
Jennifer Timko http://stampinonthefly.com/2015/10/src-for-all-things/
Sue Plote http://thispinkrooster.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-stamp-review-crewfor-all-things.html

Sunday, October 4, 2015

The Stamp Review Crew: Happy Scenes Edition

Welcome to our first Stamp Review Crew blog hop for October! It sure is starting to feel like fall here in Northeastern Indiana. Last week we wore shorts to the football game. This week we wore winter coats! I don't know if I'm quite ready for fall because it means that winter is right behind it and I loathe winter. lol

I'm really excited about the stamp set we are sharing with you today, Happy Scenes. I am using this stamp set along with my new Project Life kit, Seasonal Snapshot 2015, from the Holiday Catalog. I will be doing this as a Stamp Camp class and I can't wait to get started! I am using the Variety Pack 2 Page Protectors for this class, so some of the pages are not as wide and you can see the next pages in the book. I really love the look! The scrapbook will start with Back to School, head into fall, Halloween, and Thanksgiving, and finish off with Christmas and winter. Happy Scenes was a great set to start off my album, almost like a title page so you know what the scrapbook will be about. Here is what the first page will look like.

And a close-up shot of each of the 4x6 cards:

I had so much fun creating the little scenes behind the window panes with the Happy Scenes stamp set. I sponged on extra color over my scenes for the sky and ground, and on the bottom card I used our new Fine-Tip Glue Pen and Dazzling Diamonds to add some little snowflakes. LOVE that glue!

I hope you enjoyed my scrapbook page. Thanks for stopping by and make sure to click on the links below to continue your way through the hop!

Blog Roll:

Bronwyn Eastley http://addinktivedesigns.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-stamp-review-crew-happy-scenes.html
Yapha Mason http://yaphamason.com/blog/2015/10/04/stamp-review-crew-happy-scenes-edition/
Heidi Baks http://runningwscissorsstamper.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-stamp-review-crew-happy-scenes.html
Holly Krautkremer http://rubberredneck.typepad.com/rubber-redneck/2015/10/the-stamp-review-crew-happy-scenes.html
Lisa Young http://addinkandstamp.blogspot.com/2015/10/stamp-review-crew-happy-scenes-edition.html
Nancy Smith https://iguanastamp.wordpress.com/2015/10/04/stamp-review-crew-happy-scenes
Dawn Tidd http://tiddbitsfromdawn.typepad.com/tiddbits-from-dawn/2015/10/the-stamp-review-crew-happy-scenes-edition.html
Nikki Spencer http://nikkispencer-mysandbox.blogspot.com/2015/10/stamp-review-crewhappy-scenes-edition.html
Linda Callahan http://stampinseasons.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-stamp-review-crew-happy-scenes.html
Betty Traciak http://kittystamp.blogspot.com/2015/10/stamp-review-crew-happy-scenes-edition.html
Jessica Williams http://thepapercaper.com.au/2015/10/05/the-stamp-review-crew-features-happy-scenes
Shana Gaff http://stressfreestamping.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-stamp-review-crew-happy-scenes.html
Sue Plote http://thispinkrooster.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-stamp-review-crewhappy-scenes.html

Sunday, September 20, 2015

The Stamp Review Crew: No Bones About It Edition

I'm super excited about this round of The Stamp Review Crew! I don't work a lot with kid stamp sets (even though I have three! lol), so No Bones About It is kind of out of my comfort zone. I find that I NEED kid cards now that my kids are school-aged and going to more birthday parties, so I decided to make some with this set to have on hand. Unfortunately, time got the best of me and I only had time for one, but I guess it's a start! :)

I was really excited to try one of my Pinterest pins on making texture paste. I'm probably the last one to the ballgame on making this, but just in case you don't know, you can make your own by mixing 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1 tablespoon white all-purpose school glue, 1 tablespoon white acrylic craft paint and some water until it gets to the consistency you like. I used the paste with our dots stencil on Crumb Cake cardstock and then I sponged it with a variety of blues after it dried. I then was able to stamp over the top of it which was really cool too!

I was also ecstatic to see the Burst Through Tutorial over at Splitcoaststampers this week. What a perfect technique for a dinosaur card, don't you think?!

After I did these two really cool techniques, I felt like a sentiment would just take away from everything, so I added it on the inside. I'm really bad about designing on the inside of a card, so I was quite proud of myself for "finishing" a card. :)

I hope liked my card and maybe learned a new technique or two. :) Click on the links below to continue on in the hop or to go back if you like to work that way instead.

Blog Roll:

Heidi Baks http://runningwscissorsstamper.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-stamp-review-crew-no-bones-about-it.html
Shana Gaff http://stressfreestamping.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-stamp-review-crew-no-bones-about-it.html
Martha Inchley http://www.inchofcreativity.com/2015/09/stamp-review-crew-no-bones-about-it.html
Dawn Tidd http://tiddbitsfromdawn.typepad.com/tiddbits-from-dawn/2015/09/the-stamp-review-crew-no-bones-about-it-edition.html
Yapha Mason http://yaphamason.com/blog/2015/09/20/stamp-review-crew-no-bones-about-it-edition/
Jessica Williams http://thepapercaper.com.au/2015/09/21/the-stamp-review-crew-features-no-bones-about-it
Tanya Boser http://tinkerin-in-ink.blogspot.com/2015/09/stamp-review-crew-no-bones-about-it.html
Nancy Smith https://iguanastamp.wordpress.com/2015/09/20/stamp-review-crew-no-bones-about-it

Sunday, September 6, 2015

The Stamp Review Crew: Vintage Leaves Edition

Wow, can you believe it is September already? Fall is creeping in here in northeastern Indiana, and we have a great stamp set to share with you during our Stamp Review Crew blog hop this week, Vintage Leaves. I am in LOVE with this set, and made several cards with it this round. I love it when I find a set that I just CAN'T stop creating with!

This first card uses one of my favorite layouts of all time. You just stamp and sponge everything, then make two cuts, sponge around the outside edges and adhere to your card base. Easy peasy!

For my next card, I made my own ink pad using a wet folded up paper towel and ink refills. I accidentally adhered the wrong side of my brick to my card, so I had to sponge it again after it was already glued down, but I think it still ended up looking pretty cool.

I think this last card is probably my favorite. I initially wanted to just use water stamping for my background. I did this by wetting a paper towel and using that as my "ink" pad to stamp the leaves. However, they didn't all show up great, so I decided to add the glitter leaves over the top so you could see more of the stamp set. I love the result!

I hope you enjoyed my projects this week. Click on the links below to continue on to the rest of the hop!

Sunday, August 16, 2015

The Stamp Review Crew:Awesomely Artistic Edition

Welcome to another edition of The Stamp Review Crew Blog Hop! This week we are working with one of my FAVORITE new stamp sets from the 2015-2016 catalog, Awesomely Artistic. This is a set that works fabulous all by itself and each of the stamps layer so well with the others. I made two cards using most of the same supplies. I think this would be a fun set to use to create about five different cards using the same supplies and then wrap them up for a little gift for a teacher or friend.

Thanks for stopping by! Make sure to check out the other blogs on the hop using the links below!

Blog Roll:

Jennifer Timko http://stampinonthefly.com/2015/08/src-awesomely-artistic/
Bronwyn Eastley http://addinktivedesigns.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-stamp-review-crew-awesomely-artistic.html
Nikki Spencer http://nikkispencer-mysandbox.blogspot.com/2015/08/stamp-review-crew-awesomely-artistic.html
Jessica Williams http://thepapercaper.com.au/2015/08/17/the-stamp-review-crew-features-awesomely-artistic
Rochelle Blok http://rochelleblok.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-stamp-review-crew-awesomely.html
Shana Gaff http://stressfreestamping.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-stamp-review-crewawesomely-artistic.html
Deb Currier http://artfeltimpressions.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-stamp-review-crew-awesomely-artistic.html
Dawn Tidd http://tiddbitsfromdawn.typepad.com/tiddbits-from-dawn/2015/08/the-stamp-review-crew-awesomely-artistic-edition.html
Lisa Young http://addinkandstamp.blogspot.com/2015/08/stamp-review-crew-awesomely-artistic.html
Holly Krautkremer http://rubberredneck.typepad.com/rubber-redneck/2015/08/the-stamp-review-crew-awesomely-artistic.html
Mike Funke http://stampin-style.typepad.com/stampin-style/2015/08/stamp-review-crew-awesomely-artistic-1.html
Tanya Boser http://tinkerin-in-ink.blogspot.com/2015/08/stamp-review-crew-awesomely-artistic.html
Linda Callahan http://stampinseasons.blogspot.com/2015/08/stamp-review-crew-awesomely-artistic.html
Wendy Weixler http://wickedlywonderfulcreations.blogspot.com/2015/08/stamp-review-crew-awesomely-artistic-edition.html

Sunday, August 2, 2015

The Stamp Review Crew: Crazy About You Edition

It's time for another round of The Stamp Review Crew blog hop and we have a fun sentiment set for you this time, Crazy About You! I bought this set a while ago just because it coordinated with the Hello You thinlits. Unfortunately, it is one of those sets that just sits there on my shelf, rarely being touched. :( Not anymore! That is one of the reasons I LOVE this hop. It gives me a reason to get a stamp set inked up, and then after I see the hop it gives me TONS of reasons to use it again!

I made a few projects this time. The first two are for my darling husband. He is such a hard worker and I am so proud of him. I don't tell him enough how much he means to me!

My next project is a gift card holder. We had an amazing friend Patty help us plan our recent vacation to Disney World, and we wanted to thank her for everything she did for us. She is a Disney agent and AMAZING at what she does! Our trip would not have gone as smoothly as it did without her help and we are so grateful for her!