Coffee Lover with Penguin Palace stamps

It’s Tuesday and that means I have a Penguin Palace project to sharewith you. Today’s card is a little different from my usual crazy layered style. I wanted to make something using a more clean and simple style. But of course my brain was like “needs more color”! So I decided to use some remnant pieces of my favorite My Minds Eye Patterned Paper because those blush and rose golds are my everything 😍

With fall around the corner I’m wanting to make all the Autumn and a Holiday themed cards. But I love using non conventional sets to create different moods. The Rabbit Cafe is an incredible summery set featuring the cutest characters, but it’s also perfect for customizing into different seasons. Now that I’ve turned it all pink, I know that it will soon be Orange and full of PSL and then Red and Aqua and full of Peppermint Mocha!! Gah, why didn’t I think of this two days ago haha. 

I began this card in the opposite way then I normally do. I usually prepare the background first. But today, I started with the images. I stamped my images using a light brown ink and my stamp platform. I knew I was going to use neutral colors and rose golds but at this time I hadn’t pulled out the navy and rose gold patterned papers yet. Once coloring up my cafe and and the tan bunny, I realized where I was heading and grabbed some navy copics. I used the coordinating Penguin Cuts to cut out my images and also to cut the characters again from fun foam. Then I cut my my paper layers with some stitched layer dies. I really loved this heart paper and felt that the “Coffee Lover” sentiment was perfect for it. I stamped it in navy ink across the bottom half then adhered my images. I love popping my images up on foam, creates so much depth and then images don’t bend or warp in the mail. 

I glued all the layers together with score tape, then mounted on a card base. I decided that the cream card base needed a little more, and lightly inked the edges in Tattered Rose and Antique Linen Distress Oxide Ink. I finished it all up with a sprinkling of rose gold sequins. 

Thank you for dropping by,

Davina 

September Mood Board Color Challenge #1

Hey there Inky friends. Hopefully you’ve headed over to my little blog to get ready to enter my very first Color Challenge featuring the beautiful Fall inspired September Mood Board offered by Butterfly Reflections Ink. Not only is it a great way to get inspiration for your fall projects but I am adding an InLinkz Link button so you can add your project onto my blog and be entered to win a $20 gift certificate for you to use online at Butterfly Reflections Ink.

Now you will notice that this is my personal blog. I don’t have all kinds of crazy marketing experience and I am by no means a professional website service. I’m just a girl from Las Vegas who likes to make things and I want to bring a little attention to beautiful Mood Board offered by Butterfly Reflections Ink. Each week for the past four months I have shared a card using products available on the website, and featuring the current color board on IG, and each week I get so many positive comments about my color choices. I’m always sharing the color board and want so badly to see more  people playing along. If this takes off, I will continue to offer the monthly challenge and choose a random winner from the eligible entrants

This challenge is not connected to Butterfly Reflections Ink, but I adore the store and the Mood Boards they offer, and I am grateful to provide DT contributions to them. This gift certificate is provided by me, so please keep all of this in mind as I learn a new social media skill haha. If you have suggestions or tips please let me know by email or DM, don’t bash me online. I want this to be fun but fair. Please only link your new and original projects to your Instagram or Blog. Don’t link any more than 4 entries. You must use brands offered by Butterfly Reflections Ink (which is most brands) and I’d really love it if you shared this with your crafty Friends and used the hashtag #BRImoodboard.  This link will be open for 3 weeks and close on Sept 30th at 11:59 pm. I will be sharing some of these entries on my IG stories, and announce the winner by October 2nd here on my blog, and on my Instagram @popsiclesticks

Here is a soft and fun card I made using the gorgeous colors of the September Mood Board. Soft Coral, Butterscoth, Seafoam Green, and Tropical Turquoise come together beautifully using a combination of Distress Oxides and Copic colors. I also used a combination of The Greeting Farm stamps, and Hello Bluebird stamps and dies. I hope you find a little inspiration and choose to play along with me. Thank you, Davina 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Happy Halloween with Penguin Palace Stamps

Hello spooky friends. Today I’m sharing and adorably sweet Halloween scene featuring the cutest spooky trio of trick or treaters from Penguin Palace Stamps. This stamp set is called Spooky Halloween and it’s from an earlier release, but it is still available along with the coordinating dies on the Penguin Palace website.

I started this project by cutting two pieces of cardstock with a stitched frame die. Once from a piece of Bristol Smooth cardstock, and another from a piece of lime green cardstock. I always like to get a matching stitched or crossed frame pattern on the panels I will use to layer over my base layer. Next I used a hilly grass die to cut a hill from the green panel, then I turned it around and cut another small hill side from the left over portion. I decided I would like a third smaller piece to tuck in and used the remaining fragment of green paper.

I used Crushed Olive Distress Oxide ink to to blend along the grassy edges to create depth and interest. I then blended Carved Pumpkin, Ripe Persimmon, and Picked Raspberry to create my vibrant sky. I splattered with clean water, then white opaque ink, followed by black ink. I put them aside to dry while I prepared my images.

Using my Stamp platform I stamped my images onto bright white Neenah Solar cardstock. I Copic colored my images in a variety of colors, making sure to give them each a fun and wild hair color. Next I used the coordinating Spooky Halloween Penguin Perfect Cuts to cut out out all of my images.
I heat embossed the sentiment into the center of the sky using gold embossing powder, before adhering my cemetery hillside.  I loved creating this lumpy bumpy hillside, and using a variety of glues I created my cemetery with gravestones and circling bats. My little cuties fit perfectly across the bottom of image.

I mounted the completed card panel onto bold striped paper, and that onto a bright orange cardbase creating a fun bold scene. I finished it all off with a few gold sequins and am so happy with my final project

Thank you for dropping in and I hope that you choose to create some cute and spooky cards soon too!
Davina

Let’s Party with Penguin Palace

Hello friends, today I’m sharing a colorful card using Penguin Palace products. I used a fall or boyish color palette that is so out of my ordinary, and I really adore it. I also used a few sheets of patterned paper that have long been in my stash the I loved and let inspire my color choices for the card.

I’ve been making an effort to use my hoarded collection of cover plate dies and really wanted to use my Home Sweet Home stand alone die. I cut it from a piece of Bristol Smooth Card stock. I then selected a cross stitched stackable die frame to cut card base from my patterned paper, and again from a lime green remnant of  cardstock. I used a grassy die to cut my little 1 inch hill from that same remnant, that way I could have a layered piece of “ground” that continued with the cross stitched pattern all the way around my card.

I used my Distress Oxides to ink my home in colors that matched my patterned papers. With my blending brushes I used Spiced Marmalade on the roof, making sure to saturate more deeply around the edges. I then used a Heffy Doodle brick stencil and some Pixie Spray to ink my house facade. I used Antique Linen first, then a very small amount of Brushed Corduroy around the edges for dimension. I folded the door behind the house while I was stenciling the bricks, so once I was complete I used several post it notes to isolate the door and inked it in Peacock Feathers. I finished up the house by trimming off the foldable flaps and backing the body of the house with banner paper. This way, the decor is visible through the windows. I adhered it to my card panel them mounted the roof with foam tape to the top.

Once the house was in place I used foam tape to mount the grassy hill to the bottom making sure that the bottom of the hill was flush with the bottom of the card panel. I got out my stamp platform and got to work with my images. Using the adorable stamps set  Birthday Unicorn and cocoa brown Momento ink I stamped my images onto Neenah Solar Bright White Cardstock, then I Copic colored my images with coordinating colors. I’ve finally realized that I should save the white highlights for after die cutting so that none of the gel pen rubs off during the cutting process. It’s hard to remember, it the effort paid off.

I glued down my images using a combination of Liquid Lawn Fawn Glue Tube and foam tape, making sure that the back of the images off of the grassy area had some foam support. Then I finished up with some luxurious cocoa sequins I’ve had in my stash. The brown ink combined with the browns in the patterned paper really give the whole project a fun and different look that I really enjoy.  I hope that you enjoyed this and thank you for dropping by,
Davina

Feel Better with Penguin Palace Stamps

Hello there, it’s Tuesday and that means I have a new Penguin Palace  Card to share with you today. I’m trying to get the most out of these last weeks of summer and wanted to use fun bright colors and mermaids. A few weeks ago I found an old 6 x 6 pad of patterned paper and I just really loved it so much that I decided to use it again for a little “pick me up” magic picture changer card. I used the images from Get Well Soon along with a few little accessories from Let’s Catch Up.

I’ve had the Lawn Fawn die set for the magic picture changer since it release, but I’ve only used it like two times. I recently made the personal decision to begin using all of the cover plates dies and interactive die sets that I have collected and hoarded, but not used. So be prepared for lots of die use from me.

I began by choosing 3 different sheets of patterned paper that I thought possessed a bright and cheery vibe. Then using the dies I cut the panels that would be needed from the patterned paper, then the slotted pieces from Neenah Solar Bright White. I found a small remnant piece of kraft paper for the little square frame and pull tab hoping that it would be a border, preventing any color difference from my scene and the aqua pattern floral, from being too obvious.

I stamped my images onto the die cut papers using my stamp platform, before realizing that I was supposed to stamp first then cut, doh! But I persevered and made it work. I stamped the images onto masking tape and fussy cut to make masks. Then used Cracked Pistachio and Peacock Feathers to ink blend the little scenes. Followed by simple tiny splatters with clean water then white opaque ink. Once dry, I used Copic markers to color in the little images, choosing colors found in the patterned paper.

I put my little slider together using 1/8 inch Scor Tape and lots of patience. Then I carefully mounted the floral paper on top, and using foam tape, I attached it all onto my paper stack. I stamped an cut my wavy banner and before adding my die cut bubbles (stamped in aqua), and my little pink sea horse.

It amazes me how many hours I saved by letting this fun patterend paper do all the work of backgrounds and negative space. This way I could let these darling images take the stage. I really love the inside message from the Get Well Soon set and hope that this card bring a smile and some happiness to my friend.

Thank you for dropping by and I hope to see you back soon,
Davina

Squeak Cheeks for Hello Sweetums

Hey there crafty friends! Davina here and I’m very excited to be guest posting for the incredible Hello Sweetums team. I felt so honored to be asked, that I knew I’d have to come up with something special. After sitting at my desk all morning experimenting with funny scraps of paper, I can say that I have earned my self-proclaimed degree in cardmaking engineering.

Using the squeaking cute stamp set Squeak Cheeks I created a double action slider card. I’m so pleased with how this turned out and although I don’t have exact directions or measurements,  I will give you a little peak into the crazy mechanics of this. Last week I made a homemade “teeter totter” action card that allowed two figures to jump up and down opposite of each other.  I wanted to alter that design to allow side to side sliding , and up and down motions at the same time. After much experimentation, I achieved my desired results.

First I die cut two stitched panels from Bristol Smooth cardstock, then I used some Dies from my craft stash to cut out the two sliding channels. Next I used a pair of  Hello Sweetums Water Waves dies to add a stitched wave to one panel, and to cut a wave from my second panel about 1/3 of the way from the top. I then used my blending brushes to inkblend my panels with Distress Oxide Inks. For the top portion I blended Tumbled Glass into white, then used Broken Chin very sparingly around the edges. For the main body portion that is representing my “straw”, I blended Scattered Staw (always heavier around the edges) and then just around the border Brushed Corduroy. I inked up my second shorter panel with the same color combo. I gently splattered with clean water followed by white opaque ink and put aside to dry.

I used my Stamp Platform to stamp the adorable images onto Neenah Solar Bright White Cardstock. I colored my images using Copic markers before cutting out with the coordinating Die set, followed up by white gel pen highlights. I stamped my sentiment across the bottom of the shorter panel then assembled my swinging arm slider. There was a lot of trial and error, and honestly, the most difficult part was finding the best location for the small mini brad that makes the swinging motion possible. Don’t tell anyone but there are a few extra holes in there behind the front panel. Once I was satisfied with the motion I layered my shorter panel over the top with foam tape (allowing enough room for my critter to pop up) then securing the sliding disc with glue and a circle of paper.

I adhered all of my images onto the scene, covering my disc with the hamster ball, and loved how well they all fit onto my card. I went back in with the brushed corduroy ink and the looped swirl stamp to put some motion behind the rolling ball, and really loved the results. To finish it up I needed to double up my foam tape all around the edges of the back of my card, making sure to leave open the areas that my motion arm would need to move freely. There were a few corners of the mechanism that I snipped away at to reduce the amount of space needed. Then I mounted in all onto some striped patterned paper, then onto my cardbase with Scor Tape.

I’m so happy with the results and hope that you enjoy seeing this guy in action. Please head over to my instagram @popsiclesticks to see a quick video of the motion.

Thank you so much for dropping by,
Davina

Thinking of you with Penguin Palace Stamps

Today I’m sharing a dusty pink and aqua interactive card featuring stamps from Penguin Palace Stamps. It is a double slider card, and I’ve only made two before, so this was quite an endeavor.

The idea was inspired by an interactive card I saw on Pinterest and I thought “That would be so cute with my penguin stamps” so I got to work. And I messed it up... so I had to start all over again. So this is doubly special cause it took a million hours haha.

I’ve been making an effort to use my collection of cover plate dies and I’ve used two different ones on this project. Some swirling wind on the pink background and some sparkles with dots on the blue panels. There are so many ways to make these sliding cards by hand, but since I have a die set, I used that and saved a lot of tedious measuring. I cut each panel multiple times since I knew I would be layering the ink blended pieces over solid white so it would look like it was snowing.

I used the clear plastic from some stamp packaging as my sliding material, but made sure to liberally apply powder from my embossing buddy to the center piece, so that it would slide easily. I also laid my pieces out before cutting the snow drifts to try and line them up a little so that when it was fully open it would match up. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but I wanted it close.

I used very simple ink blending to get a soft and solid look on the sky panels. Then glued all the layers together making sure to to put the pink pull tabs between the layers. I used 1/8 inch Scor Tape for the inner pieces of the sliding mechanism, but 1/2 inch score tape to attach the little panels to the mechanism. After having the slider built, I stamped and colored my cute Penguin Agenda  images with Copic markers in soft sherbet colors. Not wanting to make the same mistake I made last year, when I attached my images first, then realized my scenes were not completely visible due to the portion that says inside. That was a frustrating lesson that I will never repeat haha.

Once everyone was colored and cut out with the Coordinating Penguin Cuts I glued them down using Ranger Multi Medium Matte glue and layered on the little accessories. On both pull out scenes I wanted it to look like they were thinking of each other and communicating with either texts or mail and I made sure to really attach them well because I didn’t want any of the images to snag and get pulled off. Surprisingly it really does work well and is not fussy.

I attached the little word banner on top before mounting my little puffy pocket mechanism onto the pink stitched panel. Then using more Scor Tape I mounted the card face onto my card base. I’m really happy with how this turned out and hope that the recipient really enjoys it.

Thank you for dropping by,
Davina