Ink to Paper :: Release Day One

Hey there!  It's Day One of the Ink to Paper July release and, as always, there are so many wonderful stamp sets and dies to introduce this month!

First up for today, let's have a look at the new stamp sets Watercolor Textures: Abstract and Simply Sentiments 1, as well as the die collection Banner Builders: Basics.  I made 3 different cards with these sets, and they're all from very different ideas!

Single stamp images you can use to create patterns are oftentimes my favorite kind of stamps because I love to fashion my own background patterns. That said, how fun is it when you can take one image and create flowers from simple circles and lines, or imagine two triangles coming together to form butterfly wings? The Watercolor Textures: Abstract stamp set offers you the freedom to let your imagination run wild, and I took full advantage of it! After pairing it up with a curved banner die, the resulting card might just be a bit unexpected!

I love looking upon a field of flowers, and these cute yellow abstract clustered circles made me think of that, especially after pairing them with green "stems."  I used a white gel pen to create the white centers for the blooms.

Hanging overhead are a couple of banners.  I used the medium and large curved dies, as well as the medium flag.  You can bend the sentiments from Simply Sentiments 1 to form to the banners, as well.

Supplies:
Stamps: Watercolor Textures: Abstract, Simply Sentiments 1
Ink: New Leaf, Bright Buttercup, WaterMark
Paper: Lemon Tart, Bright Buttercup, New Leaf, White, Harvest Gold Bitty Big Stripes
Dies: Banner Builders: Basics
Other: white embossing powder, 3-D adhesive foam dots

One of my most favorite type of stamping techniques is creating backgrounds and the Watercolor Texture stamp series is perfect for that! The new Abstract set is a little bit modern and graphic, which I adore, so I knew right away that pattern-play would be one of the first things I tried with it. With a bold color palette and a few extra bits, this card translates into a fun greeting for any celebratory occasion!

I love the fun color palette on this card--and I purposely chose hues that would complement each other, like orange and blue (Melon Berry and Aqua Mist) and red and green (Berry Sorbet--reddish-- and Tropical Teal--greenish).

This time, I chose 'celebrate' from SS1 as my message with the stitched banners for texture!

Supplies:
Stamps: Watercolor Textures: Abstract, Simply Sentiments 1
Ink: Berry Sorbet, Tropical Teal, Melon Berry, Aqua Mist
Dies: Banner Builders: Basics
Paper: Berry Sorbet, Aqua Mist, White
Other: aqua sequins, lace

The largest stitched banner from Banner Builders fits perfectly across my go-to card size, which is a 4" square. I love this diminutive size and once I discovered that 4 stitched banners lined up would fill the card space, I stamped a different abstract shape on each one. The result is a modern (although primitive-looking at the same time!) clean and simple finished piece, and the repetitive stitching lines add subtle texture.

I'm so happy with the way this card turned out!  Again, I love those colors together, but also, I think the abstract designs are really cool.  Something like this works so well for masculine card ideas, especially with high school or college-aged boys, who are some of the most difficult recipients to create for.  You can change the sentiment depending on the occasion, or even the colors to their school, team or favorite colors.

Supplies:
Stamps: Watercolor Textures: Abstract, Simply Sentiments 1
Ink: Honey Nut, Dark Indigo, Aqua Mist, Pinefeather, WaterMark
Dies: Banner Builders: Basics
Paper: Honey Nut, White
Other: white embossing powder

Speaking of fields of yellow flowers...let's make some Dandelion Wishes!  It's the other set we're talking about today--there's also a die collection, as well as a mini stamp set with extra sentiments.  (That's where 'I think you are just dandy' comes from--gah!  How sweet is that?!)

I stamped and cut out some medium and small blooms from watercolor paper, then embossed them in white.  I colored them in with an ink blending pen and Bright Buttercup ink, resulting in the soft yet bright, shiny flowers.

After grouping them together on a bed of lace and Sweet Blush cardstock, I added some Spring Moss stems and my sentiment.  The little tag is the medium stitched banner; it was slightly long, but I cut off the excess and punched a small hole through which I tied pink twine.

Supplies:
Stamps: Dandelion Wishes, Dandelion Wishes Sentiments
Ink: Bright Buttercup, True Black, Spring Moss, WaterMark
Paper: Sweet Blush, White, watercolor paper
Dies: Dandelion Wishes, Banner Builders: Basics
Other: white embossing powder, pink twine, blender pen, lace

I'm so happy you stopped by for a look today!  If you haven't been to the Ink to Paper blog yet, you'll want to head over for all the details on these sets, as well as much more inspiration from the entire Ink to Paper team!  All of these new products will be available in the I2P shop on July 15th at 10pm EST!  I hope you'll join me again tomorrow for MORE!