Sneak Peek Blog Hop!

Hello! Welcome to my first ever Blog Hop! I'm so excited to be participating with some other very talented ladies. Together, we're showcasing some new products that are coming out on June 1st! I decided to focus on one of the suites entitled Color Theory. At first glance, it didn't really inspire me, but once I took a deeper look, I realized how much potential there was!

I've been playing around a lot with this suite - there are thinlits, stamps, ribbon, paper, and embellishments! Not only is this suite focused on colour, but also the seasons! While I didn't end up using the stamp set for this card, you can create projects all year long with just this one suite... how awesome is that?!

For this card, I used a new 6x6 Paper Stack that has several Ombre patterns. I used one sheet and cut it using a scallop edge from the Thinlits. The branches and cherry blossoms are cut from the same set. Don't you just love them?!

I created lots of depth by curling the scallops and layering the blossoms and of course adding some jewels, coloured in various pinks (with Sharpie Markers) to match the ombre look.

Don't forget the inside of your card! Since I didn't use the stamp, I added some more die cuts to the inside too. I just can't get enough of them!!

Be sure to follow along as I continue showcasing this amazing suite of products in the weeks ahead. This is just the beginning! In the meantime though, catch some more sneak peeks as you hop on over to my friends...

1. You are here >> Hofkissed - Steph VanDorp
2. A La Cards - Leena Girsa
3. Lolly & Sand - Sandy McCullough

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

If you'd like more information on Stampin' Up!, the products I used and/or my class offerings, head on over to www.hofkissed.stampinup.net

January 2017 Paper Pumpkin Alternatives

Earlier today on Instagram, I shared a sneak peek of some alternative projects I came up with for the most recent Paper Pumpkin.

I love the cute little treat bags you are meant to make (24 of them), but there aren't enough to make for my daughters classmates and too many to make for any of my upcoming events. Plus, I much prefer cards. ;) Check out the video for a walk-through of the different designs and then scroll down to see the full view of all the projects. Enjoy!

Here are all the projects...

Until next time, stay crafty!

Steph

Give Paper Pumpkin a try!  Or, purchase a 3-month subscription... it's on sale until March 31st, 2017 AND purchasing on automatically qualifies you for a FREE Sale-A-Bration item. ;)

You can check out all this and more at www.hofkissed.stampinup.net

Timeless Textures

One of my favourite new stamp sets is Timeless Textures - love the endless possibilities you can create with it! Think it's too "grungy" looking? Check out this baby card I created:

I really LOVE how this turned out. The card came together quickly (the DSP layer, silver backing and bow were pieces left over from other card kits I had laying around). To create the collage background, I used the masking tape looking stamp to stamp around the entire edge, full strength. The graphic image was stamped off first.

It's hard to tell in the photo, but there is some glimmer throughout, thanks to the Wink of Stella clear glitter brush. :) Using the small splatter image from the same set, I "inked" it up by just brushing the glitter right on the stamp and then stamping it randomly around the card base and up the right side on the inner layer.

To finish things off, I added a little more sparkle with a few jewels (on the wheels of the carriage) and a bow.

Until next time, stay crafty!

Steph

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A Special Occasion

Today's card is inspired by the colour challenge over at Sunday Stamps this week.

 

I used one of the stamp sets you can earn for FREE during Sale-A-Bration called Botanicals for You. I love this set because it's so versatile having both sentiments and images. I stamped some of the floral images into a wreath and paired that with some panels from the new Love Blossoms DSP Paper Stack.

 

I added a couple of fussy-cut flowers to the popped up banner and several stamped ones on the inside.

 

Did you notice that shimmer on the card? That's the new clear Wink of Stella glimmer brush that was released in the Occasions Catty (there's gold too!). Isn't it fabulous? So easy to add some sparkle & shine to a project.

Until next time, stay crafty!

Steph

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Occasions & Paper Pumpkin Unite

If you follow me, you know how much I love Paper Pumpkin! Well, today I've mixed pieces of an old kit with some new Occasions Catalogue products!

I started with the basic grey card base that was included with the original kit and mounted one of the patterns found in the It's My Party Designer Series Paper Stack. Next, I added some star and sequin confetti and adhered my frame shaker over top (both also from the Paper Pumpkin Kit).

For some added interest, I used a couple pieces of It's My Party Washi Tape and some circles using punches and Framelits. The sentiment is from the Party Wishes stamp set.

 

On the inside, I stamped another sentiment from the same set and added a few more pieces of Washi. I love when products just work together so well, don't you?!

Until next time, stay crafty!

Steph

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Reuse & Repurpose

I wanted to create some thank you notes to include in the goody bags I made for my daughter's birthday party. The bags were ones that came with a banner kit last year, and ideally, I wanted something to match. I could've used some Kraft paper, but why not repurpose something from that kit that I wasn't going to use?

Using several banners I had left over, I cut each end off and then scored the middle piece for my card. I then flipped over one of the end pieces and stamped a banner from the Endless Thanks stamp set.

Doesn't the stamp set create the cutest little card? This stamp is really awesome actually. So many layering possibilities! Once I stamped all my leaves and flowers, I cut that banner out and then popped it up.

The inside is much the same, but leaving enough room for my daughter to write her friends name and hers. The smaller size of this card fits perfectly in the goody bag and I just love how it all coordinates!
Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

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A New Year

A brand new year means great things for Stampin' Up! - a new Occasions Catalogue and Sale-A-Bration begins! I'm so excited for the many new awesome products and now that I'm feeling better, I've had some time to play with them.

                                         

This card features many products from one of my favourite suites - It's My Party. I pulled colours from the Washi Tape (Crushed Curry and Black) for my card base and layers. I embossed the Whisper White layer with the Confetti TIEF and then added a few strips of washi in the center. Did you know that you can stamp on top of Washi Tape?? Well, you do now! I stamped a sentiment from Party Wishes stamp set.

                                

I love the Baker's Twine Combo Pack, but for this card, I pulled the colours apart (and then apart again) to get two separate (and thinner) colours. I really like how that turned out. On the inside, I added a few pieces of Washi again.

                                    

Until next time, stay crafty!

Steph

Make A Wish

I designed this card using the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches, and colour scheme from Sunday Stamps (although, I'm too late to enter the challenge there). My card uses many new products from the upcoming Occasion Catalogue (live January 5th). Check it out:

I embossed my white layer with the new Confetti TIEF before stamping with a new birthday set called Party Wishes. It coordinates with an entire suite of stuff, including punches, DSP, twine & more!

To finish off the card, I rounded the top corners with the Curvy Corner Trio Punch, a returning favourite from the Holiday Catalogue, and wrapped some baker's twine around the front (also new!). On the inside, I stamped a sentiment from the same birthday set.

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

Entering this card at Freshly Made Sketches, #217

Love Your Face

It's been a while! You know how busy this time of year gets... then throw in a bad cold for two weeks, a kid with the flu for another week, the other kid with a cold the next week (which then turned into strep) and then back to the first kid again who got some sort of virus. That pretty much ate up all of December... 

Anyway, I wanted to focus on something other than Christmas and spotted my unused Larger Than Life stamp set on the shelf and a sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches and I got to work.

To be honest, I felt REALLY rusty! It's been about a month since I've really created anything, but this card is growing on me. I stamped the letters in four different colours - Melon Mambo, Brushing Bride, Watermelon Wonder & Cherry Cobbler - and then I fussy cut them.

I couldn't really decide on what sentiment to put in the banner (I literally stared at all of the possibilities for over 10 minutes!) and then "your face" popped into my head and I had a chuckle. ;)

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph


Entering at Freshly Made Sketches, #217

Team Challenge

We were given a team challenge recently to use random pieces together on a card. I love challenges like that! What's better, is that it fits in over at The Friday Mashup too. :)

These were the pieces we were given:

    *1 Leaf
    *1 Doily
    *3 Banners

We were allowed to use other current papers, colours and stamps, just as long as we included all of the pieces we were given.




Here's the card I created:

I'm really happy with how the card turned out. I kept the colour pallet pretty neutral as I wanted the banners to be my pop of colour. I also didn't want to use a lot of other products or special techniques because I wanted to show that they're not always necessary.

Do you notice two leaves on my card? Well, did you know that if you distress Stampin' Up! card stock, it becomes very pliable and you can pull the layers apart? Cool, eh?! This technique is both simple and eye-catching. It gives some texture too!

To add a little interest, I used the Wetlands stamp set. Love it because it offers both images and sentiments.

Hope you love my card... and challenge yourself too with something similar (scraps on your desk, perhaps?!) or enter an online challenge. They're lots of fun!

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

I'm entering The Friday Mashup Challenge #232, I opted for a project with leaves.

Glow Stick Broom Sticks

Happy Halloween! Today I'm sharing the "treat" my daughter and I made for all her classmates. I got the idea from Alex over at Northstory. I opted for kraft packing paper (I had lots from previous packages, so it was both plentiful and FREE!).

Here's what you'll need:
Glow Sticks from your local dollar store
Kraft Packing Packing
Fringe Scissors
Glue Dots
Tags
Twine

I didn't really pay too much attention to the length of my strips of paper, but I did cut them all to roughly 2" and I'll guess 10" in length. I used two strips per broom and 3 glue dots - one to start, one to hold the two strips together and one to finish.

When those were done, I added the bracelet attachment to the top and tied a tag to it (there were some grooves in the attachment to keep the tag from slipping down). The tag was created using pieces from past Paper Pumpkin kits (don't you love that stamp set?!) and Black Baker's Twine. My daughter then signed her name on all of them and then went back later and drew little pictures. So cute!

Here are all of them completed (including the one on the end that was accidentally cracked). They were well liked and the teachers were raving about them!

This one was my favourite tag - my daughter drew a bunch of doors for "trick-or-treating". Love!

Until next time, stay crafty! (and Happy Haunting!)
Steph