Here are the Folk Art Heart Layering dies from Birch Press Design that I used to create this card:

​I hope you have enjoyed this card!  Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

Last week I sent out 40 cards to friends and family all over the US, Canada, Germany and Sweden, just to let them know I was thinking about them.  I am hoping to get a few more cards made and sent out this week.  Since we are all SAFE at home (not STUCK at home), snail mail has been a great way to spread joy and positivity to others.  Over the course of the next few weeks, I'll be sharing more of these happy snail mail cards (when I know people have received them in the mail), but, here are two cards that were sent using the new Cow Friends stamp set by Whimsy Stamps:

Are YOU on my card mailing list?  Would you like to receive a handmade card?  Please just send me an email at ckomara@comcast.net and I'll be sure to do my best to send you some happy snail mail too! 

Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day! 

I have been sharing a lot of this beautiful Sunflower background stamp by Whimsy Stamps lately, but I promise today's sympathy card is the last of my creations for a while.  I think I have even exhausted myself of it's beauty!  Today's card also incorporates the beautiful new Fabulous Florals paper pack which is quickly becoming a favorite of mine for all things floral this spring. 

*A full supply list is located at the end of this post. 

The base of this A2 sized card is made from Neenah Solar White smooth cardstock.  Using the Scalloped Stitched Nesting Rectangle dies, I cut the frame from Gorgeous Grape cardstock.  I cut a 5" x 3 3/4" piece of white cardstock and stamped the sentiment in Gorgeous Grape ink.  I put a 2" x 5" piece of purple floral paper from the Fabulous Florals paper pack just below the sentiment and tied a piece of thin purple ribbon before adhering it to the card.  On a separate sheet of white cardstock, I stamped the large Sunflower background stamp in Gorgeous Grape ink.  I fussy cut the sunflower out and adhere it to the card, trimming off a portion of the left side.  Lastly, I added a couple randomly placed purple rhinestones to the card for added sparkle.  

I hope you have enjoyed today's card.  Thank you for visiting and happy crafting!

Hello friends and happy Monday!  I hope you all had a nice weekend, most likely doing the same ol', same ol' now!  I am excited to be sharing my card for the Newton's Nook Inky Paws Challenge today.  I frequently hear from friends and fellow stampers that they aren't creative enough to design something on their own, or that they don't know what colors to use.  They feel frustrated before they even begin because they don't know where to begin.  I understand!  Yes, I've been there too!  That's the concept behind a card challenge.  It can help to inspire you and get the creative juices flowing by giving you a place to start.  Challenge #121 by Newton's Nook is a theme challenge.  Let the image below be your inspiration for creating a card (or scrapbook page) and see where this challenge takes you! 

I created a shaker birthday card for this challenge using the Newton's Nook Fabulous Frenchies stamp set and a colorful background of Distress Oxide inks.  I don't typically use Distress Oxide inks because they are, 1) messy and, 2) out of my comfort zone.  But, I'm pretty sure if there was ever a time to be out of your comfort zone, the months of March and April 2020 are it!  

*A full supply list is located at the end of this post.

The base of this A2 sized card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Classic Crest cardstock.  On a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of Bristol Smooth cardstock I created the distressed background.  I ink blended Distress Oxide inks in Twisted Citron, Wilted Violet and Ripened Raspberry.  Then I stamped little paws in Wilted Violet ink.  I cut a piece of grass using the Lawn Fawn Grassy Hillside die and splattered that with Twisted Citron ink.  I created the balloon shaker using the Newton's Nook Balloon Shaker die set.  I stamped the sentiment inside the balloon in purple ink and filled the balloon with iridescent sequins and a die cut green bow.

I stamped two of the French bulldogs (and two party hats) in Tuxedo Memento Black ink on Neenah Solar White smooth cardstock and colored them in with Copic markers.  I die cut the bulldogs and party hats using the coordinating Fabulous Frenchies die set.  I adhered the bulldogs to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension. 

Will this theme inspire YOU to create?  Are you ready to get your paws inky with us and play along for a chance to win?!  We will randomly select one linked entry to receive a $20 store credit to the Newton's Nook Designs online shop! 
We will also highlight our favorites from each challenge the following Monday, so that all entries have a chance to be featured on the Newton's Nook Designs blog.

Please make sure you review the challenge rules page before you link up your project!  
Deadline to enter is Friday, April 24th, at midnight CST.

Thanks for visiting and I hope to see your creations there!

Hello friends and happy Friday!  I hope you are looking forward to the weekend ahead.  Forward to what exactly, I'm not sure?!  Forward to being home?  Forward to yet another Netflix movie?  Forward to a change of pajamas!?  Today starts my next shift week "off" from work, so if you're not happy, I'm happy enough for all of us!  

Continuing on with the theme of sunflowers, today I have two more ways to use this beautiful large Sunflower Background stamp from Whimsy Stamps.  If you missed yesterday's post, please click here to see that rainbow card.  Or, last month's post when I created vibrant alcohol ink backgrounds and vellum sunflowers, pleaseclick here.  There are just so many ways you can use this beautiful stamp. 

*A full supply list is located at the end of this post. 

The base of this A2 sized card is made from Neenah Solar White cardstock. Using the Gina Marie Scalloped Stitched Nesting rectangle dies, I cut a piece of bluecardstock. On top of the scalloped frame, I mounted a pre-made piece of an alcohol ink background in blues and greens.  Using Versamark ink, I stamped the sentiment (from the "So Deeply Sorry" stamp set by Whimsy Stamps) in the lower left corner and heat embossed it with silver embossing powder.   I stamped the large sunflower on a piece of Neenah Solar White cardstock in blue ink and then fussy cut the sunflower out.  I adhered the sunflower to the card (cutting off a portion of the right side) using 3M foam adhesive.  Lastly, I die cut two leaves from a blue glitter cardstock and adhered them to the card for added sparkle. 

Here is the second card I created for today still using the Sunflower Background stamp:

The base of this A2 sized card is made from Neenah Solar Crest cardstock.  I used a pre-made alcohol ink background for the base of this card in yellows, oranges and golds.  I stamped the large sunflower in amber ink on a separate piece of white cardstock and fussy cut the entire sunflower out.  I adhered the sunflower to the center of the card using 3M foam adhesive.  I die cut two leaves from gold glitter paper and adhered those to each corner for added sparkle.  Lastly, on a thin strip of white cardstock, I stamped the sentiment in Versamark ink and heat embossed it with gold embossing powder.  I notched both ends before adhering it over the lower portion of the sunflower. 

Thank you for visiting and have a wonderful weekend!

Who says sunflowers have to be all yellow and gold?!  Well, until I saw two cards created by my fellow Creative Team Members at Whimsy Stamps, I did!   Knowing nothing about sunflowers, or any flowers really for that matter, I had it set in my mind that sunflowers must be traditional.  B-O-R-I-N-G!   
​Life is infinitely better in a rainbow of colors!

*A full list of supplies is located at the end of this post.

The base of this A2 sized card is made from Neenah Solar White Crest carsdtock.  Using the Altenew Watercolor Stripes Cover die, I cut the frame from white cardstock.  I lined the back of the frame with a piece of rainbow paper from the Whimsy Stamps Rainbow paper pack.  I stamped the large Sunflower background stamp on Bristol Smooth cardstock and heat embossed the sunflower with white embossing powder.  Then I sponged Distress Oxides inks in a rainbow of color over the embossing.  I fussy cut the sunflower out and adhere it to the card using 3M foam adhesive.  I added a couple die cut leaves in white cardstock and stamped the sentiment (from the Happy Sky stamp set by Whimsy Stamps) in Memento Tuxedo black ink. 
​​

Here are two cards created by Bev and Michelle that inspired ME to think outside of the box:

​I hope today's rainbow sunflower brings you a sunshine-y smile.  Thank you for visiting!

​Last fall I wrote a detailed blog post about digital stamping and today I'd like to include even more information, as well as two great introductory videos about digital stamping that were recently created by Lisa Mensing, a fellow Creative Team Member at Whimsy Stamps.  While digital stamps are not new to the market, they seem to be increasing in popularity.  Ever since I began designing cards for RG Avenue (who uses a LOT of digital images!) I have become a lot more adept at using this type of stamp and I have come to really like them.  While I still have a lot to learn, today we can talk about some of the basics of digital stamping.

What are digital stamps?
Digital stamps, also known as “digi stamps" are simply high-resolution digital images.  The most significant difference between a digital stamp and a traditional stamp is that there is NO physical stamp.  A digital stamp is just the image or images.  Think of it kind of like computer clip art.  These digital images can be color or black and white.  They are downloaded onto a computer where they can be manipulated - resized or altered before being printed.

What do I need?
One of the benefits of using digital stamps is that you don't need anything special!  As long as you have access to a computer and a printer you have the two most important pieces.  Any inkjet printer will work fine; you don’t need expensive, fancy equipment.  But, if you do own a laserjet printer, this will work too. 

Downloading digital stamps:
Typically after you purchase a digital stamp you will receive an email with the digital file.  Most digital stamps will come in .PNG, .JPG, .CSV  or .PDF files.  Some digital stamps might be provided in .ZIP files, so you will need to know how to unzip a file.  Save the digital stamp file to your computer’s hard drive with an easily identifiable name (trust me, this helps to find it later)!   Open up the saved file using either a word processing program such as Microsoft Word, or a photo editing program such as Photoshop Elements, LightRoom or a free website such as PicMonkey or GIMP.  You can either print the image(s) out directly, or manipulate the image(s) before you print them out.  You can add digital image to cards, scrapbooks, home decor and so much more!

Advantages of digital stamps:

• Cost effective - on average digital stamps are less expensive than traditional stamps
• More space -  digital stamps are stored right on a computer and do not take up physical space
• Immediate downloads - Unlike purchasing a physical stamp where it can take anywhere between 2 and 10 days to ship out in the mail, digital stamps are available for immediate download because the file is sent directly to your email upon purchasing
• The ability to change the size/shape - with some slight editing, you can alter the size/color of your stamps to better fit your needs
• E-Cutting machines - whether you have a Cricut or Scan & Cut, or any other electronic cutting machine, digital stamps don't need dies because most can be scanned through an e-cutting machine
• No deterioration - unlike rubber which can dry up, or photopolymer which can stain, digital stamps do not lose their quality over time
• Environmentally friendly -  for those concerned about waste, digital stamps use less resources

Disadvantages of digital stamps:

• 3D images - You cannot "stamp" the images on wood/plastic/clay or other 3D type materials.  Any product that cannot be run through a printer presents a challenge.  It will be difficult to use digital stamps on fabric, very thick or very thin paper and cardstock, large pieces of paper, pre-formed boxes and many other items.  With a little creativity ingenuity (and lots of time and patience) you might be able to find a way to work around this issue
• Masking - unless you alter the stamp digital before printing, you cannot mask a stamp after the fact
• Heat embossing - Because the ink is already printed on paper, you can't stamp with a Versamark pad to heat emboss the image.  The workaround is to trace the image with a Versamark pen, but this result isn't nearly so precise and well defined
• Computer knowledge - it does take a small amount of familiarity and learning to work with digital stamps
• Licensing - Licensing arrangements can be confusing, so you need to read the terms and conditions for each image you purchase as sellers have different terms you must follow to avoid copyright issues (for instance - sharing with your friends is frowned upon!)

What types of paper to use for digital stamps?
Technically you can print on any type of paper that will go through your printer, but you will want to use specific paper designed for your coloring medium.  If you are going to color your image with watercolor, you will want to be sure to run a sheet of watercolor paper (like Strathmore) through your printer to print the image on.  If you would like to color your image with alcohol ink markers (Copic/Spectrum Noir, etc) or colored pencils (Prismacolor, etc) you will want to use a good cardstock like Neenah Solar White or Strathmore Bristol smooth.

Where can I get digital stamps?
Many stamp companies are now offering digital alternatives to traditional/regular stamps.  Along with RG Avenue, I highly recommend you check out Di's Digi Stamps or Power Poppy.  Their images are simply stunning!  The style of digital stamps can vary greatly. There are simple, almost cartoon-like images that are the easiest to design and color in. That doesn’t mean, however, that digital stamps can’t have more quality. Details such as lines on an animal to indicate fur are brilliant – as a crafter, you will color over it like normal, but the design will have more depth and a designer quality.

FREE digital stamps:
A simple Google search will yield many results for "FREE digital stamps!"

*Right now there have been a lot of well known stamp companies offering FREE digital stamps that are themed around the healthcare industry as we are amid the Covid-19 pandemic.  Essentially all you need to do is 1) download, 2) print, and, 3) color! 
A few of the current free digital downloads can be seen below:

I strongly recommend watching these two introductory videos about digital stamping.  I think you will find it's a lot easier to do than you think, and it will allow you to have innumerable more stamps available to you!

Hello friends and happy Tuesday!  I'm very exited to share today's cards and video with you because these were completed at the special request of a dear reader, Monica.  I met Monica a couple years ago at a library class I taught in northern Connecticut.  Soon after our initial introduction, she moved to Florida, yet we have remained in contact and I'm delighted that she reads my blog regularly and even put in this special request!   
I hope you will all enjoy today's "quilted" cards and step-by-step YouTube
​video (located at the end of this post).   

These cards may seem very challenging, but I promise they are really not that difficult!  Yes, there is a lot of time and die cutting involved, as well as a lot of "putting the pieces of the puzzle together" but, the good news is you get to create four cards at one time!  And, if you like to create designs and patterns, you just might find this rather peaceful. 
*Be sure to follow the dryer sheet tip in the video below, because that will save you from undue headaches and hair pulling!

Here is a step-by-step tutorial video that I created showing you how to make "quilted" cards using some of the various quilt shape dies by Gina Marie Designs.  

It gives me great pleasure to be able to create something that a reader specifically requested, so if there is something YOU would like to see, please send me an email at ckomara@comcast.net and I will do my best to accommodate your request.  To view other videos I have created,  please click here, or subscribe to my YouTube Channel below:

Here is the Easter themed card I created inspired by the sketch and using the new "Hop into Spring" stamp set:

The base of this A2 sized card is made from lemon yellow cardstock.  I cut a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of Lawn Fawn Gotta Have Gingham paper in yellow to adhere directly to the card base.  I cut a 4 1/4" x 3 1/4" piece of pink floral paper from the Lawn Fawn Spring Fling paper pack.  I adhered a think 4" by 1/2" piece of pink cardstock to the lower third of the card (notching the right end).  I die cut a scalloped circle from lemon yellow cardstock using the Gina Marie Designs Scalloped Stitched circles.  I lined the scalloped circle with a white stitched circle.  I cut a piece of grass using the Lawn Fawn Grassy Hillside dies and adhere it to the bottom of the circle.  On a separate piece of Neenah Solar White smooth carsdtock, I stamped the bunny and basket image.  I colored the image and die cut it using the coordinating dies.  I adhered the image to the card using 3M foam adhesive.  I stamped the sentiment in the upper right corner of the circle in Memento Tuxedo black ink.  Lastly, I added some clear Wink of Stella to the bunny and basket for added sparkle.    

Will this sketch inspire YOU to create?  Are you ready to get your paws inky with us and play along for a chance to win?!  We will randomly select one linked entry to receive a $20 store credit to the Newton's Nook Designs online shop! 
We will also highlight our favorites from each challenge the following Monday, so that all entries have a chance to be featured on the Newton's Nook Designs blog.

Please make sure you review the challenge rules page before you link up your project!  
The deadline to enter is Friday, April 10th, at midnight CST.
​

Hello readers and happy Saturday!  Today I am happy to be sharing a beautiful floral card that I created using a new FREE digital stamp from RG Avenue called "Bloom Anyway."  Keep reading to learn how you can get this digital stamp set and begin creating cards with it too!  If you're new to digital stamps, I'd encourage you to read this post to learn more.  But, long story short, digital stamps are simply images that you color, cut and create with.

Simply click HERE (to go to the RG Avenue website).  Scroll to the bottom of the screen  and click "add to cart."  Go back to the top of the screen and open your cart.  You will see your free stamp located in your cart.  Simply follow the checkout instructions and fill in the prompts.  The digital stamp will be EMAILED to you immediately after checkout.  Once you receive the digital stamp in your email, you essentially print it out and begin coloring! 

*A full list of supplies is located at the end of this post.

The base of this A2 sized card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Crest cardstock.  Using the A2 Lattice die from Whimsy Stamps​, I die cut the background from white cardstock.  I printed out the digital "Bloom Anyway" stamp set on Neenah Solar White Crest cardstock and colored the images with Copic markers.  After I finished coloring the images, I added highlights using a Uniball white gel pen.  I ran the sheet of colored images through my Scan & Cut 2 electronic cutting machine to cut the images out, as opposed to fussy cutting them.  I adhered nearly all of the images to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.  I also adhered the sentiment in the upper right corner after notching the bottom.  Lastly, I added a coat of Dazzling Pat (similar to Wink of Stella) for added sparkle.  

I hope you have enjoyed this bold and vibrant floral card and that you will try downloading this free digital stamp!  I'd love to see what YOU create with it!

Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative weekend!