Fun Stampers Journey February Bloom Box

When I began my journey as a Fun Stampers Journey coach, I decided to sign up for the monthly Bloom Box kit. I felt this was a great way for me to experience a variety of FSJ products without having to spend a lot of money. Since I have been receiving my Bloom Boxes for the last five months, I have been pleasantly surprised how a unique technique is incorporated into the card designs of each kit. I and the other ladies really look forward to receiving our Bloom Box in the mail each month. We have enjoyed them so much, we are going to sign up for another six months. The kits are $24.95 plus shipping and tax. The kits include cardstock and embellishments to complete four cards along with an exclusive stamp set valued at $18.95. The kits also include detailed color step-by-step instructions on how to put each card together. As an added bonus, there is usually Sparkle Dust, sequins, etc. left over which can be used on another project. ***

February features a beautiful butterfly stamp set. It’s not too late to get yours! Click here (make sure to enter my FSJ Coach number 818561 so I will receive notification of your purchase).

*** You must supply inks, silks, and adhesive (Note: I provide these items if you join me and my Bloom Box stampers each month to work on our cards together).

Bloom Box | Fun Stampers Journey | Techniques

Bloom Box, butterflies, card kit, cards, february bloom box, fun stampers journey, kit, techniques

martyz

201702/07

Rain Frogs – Fusion Card Challenge

Here is the post featuring the last of the three cards we made this weekend. I used the card sketch from the Fusion Interlocking Hearts Card Challenge. This design features Pink and Main Rain Frogs stamp set. This set is just too cute. Here is the sketch and the image of the stamps in the Rain Frog set:

The frog and umbrella, rain boots, and sentiment were stamped on Spectrum Noir cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink. The images were colored with Spectrum Noir markers. I will admit I didn’t write down the colors I used but I think I can give a good guess as to which ones I used.

The frog – DG1, DG2, DG3, DG4. The umbrella – TN2, TN3, CT1, CT4, DR1, BP5. The raincoat and raindrops – TB1, TB2, TB3, IB1, IB2. The rainboots – CT1, CT4, DR1, BP5, TB1, TB3, TB8. The words – BP5, TB2. The frog and rainboots were cut out using a Brother Scan n Cut 2. The sentiment was fussy cut. All images were popped up using FSJ Foam Squares. The base printed cardstock and the yellow with white polka dot banner were from a Pink and Main paper pack. Love the designs. The circle mat was cut using a FSJ pierced die from FSJ Whip Cream cardstock. The embossed mat was cut from FSJ Huckleberry Fusion cardstock and embossed with a We R Memory Next Leveling embossing folder. Both mats were die cut with stitched rectangle dies (one from Simon Says and the other from My Favorite Things). The banner was matted on a piece of FSJ Watermelon Fusion cardstock. Last but not least FSJ Journey Glaze was added to the raindrops and puddle as well as the toes of the rainboots.

So cute!

Supplies:

You may purchase Fun Stamper Journey products through my FSJ website – click here.

To purchase the embossing folder click here or Pink and Main click here.

201702/06

Youth – CASology Week 234

This past weekend I attended Heirloom’s Lawrenceville Rubber Stamp & Paper Arts Festival. Friday night I attended the Design & Treasure Make-n-Take with some friends. Saturday we went shopping! I was in search of some stamped images for my Spectrum Noir coloring class held at the end of this month which will feature coloring fabric/clothes. I came across the Santoro stamp sets at the Creek Bank Creations vendor booth. The stamps they featured were large with open areas to color and practice blending techniques. Here is the Santoro Tweed – The Friendly Hedgehog stamp set:

Four of us got together Sunday and made several creations using some of our recent stamp haul. While the other ladies finished their Pink and Main cards, I decided to work on my sample of this stamped image for the Spectrum Noir class at the end of the month. I also like to kill two birds with one stone, so I looked at the online card challenges available this week and decided to enter my card creation for CASology Week 234 – Youth challenge.

I had already stamped the images using my MISTI the night before. I chose Spectrum Noir cardstock and inked the images with Memento Tuxedo black ink. The ladies around the table wanted a sepia/lavender colored card; therefore, I chose the following colors. I began with the frame and used Spectrum Noir TN1, TN3, TN9, and GB10. Next, was the hat and clothing on the adorable girl. I used IG1, LV1, LV2, and HB1. As usual, I colored the hair a reddish/auburn color. I didn’t want to go too brunette because I felt the hair would blend in too much with the other colors. I wanted a little pop of color against the muted shades. I chose TN2, TN3, TN4, TN9, and OR1. Last but not least was her face. I used FS6, HB3, TN3, and FS8. The colored images are simply stunning. Once everything was colored, I cut the images out using Cheyenne’s new Brother Scan and Cut 2. I did have to cut the inside of the frame by hand but I’m sure there’s a way to do this with the cutter.

The finished card ended up being a 5 x 7 card because the frame is almost that large. I took some SU! retired Grape cardstock for the base (I can’t remember the name other than Grape). The mat is SU! Rich Razzleberry which I embossed with one of my new We R Memory Keepers Next Leveling Embossing folder. I LOVE that folder design!!! Contact Creek Bank Creations to purchase one for yourself. The frame is popped up using two layers of foam tape and the girl is adhered using FSJ White Liner Tape.

Here is the finished card. It is just too cute.

Just for comparison, I’ve added Cheyenne’s photo taken with her iPhone before the card was assembled. It’s amazing how colored cardstock and lighting make a difference in the same completed image.

Thanks so much for dropping by!

201702/06

Freedom ATC (Artist Trading Card) Winner

This past weekend a few of my fellow stampers and I attended Heirloom’s Lawrenceville Rubber Stamp & Paper Arts Festival. It began with the Design & Treasure Make-n-Take Friday night. We made four cards, visited with a favorite vendor “Pink & Main”, used new products, experienced new techniques, and had a great time. When we were leaving, I noticed a notebook on display with ATC (Artist Trading Card) on display and announcing the ATC contest. I remembered reading about it and wanting to create an entry when I registered, but I had forgotten about it. I decided to make a couple of ATCs which were to reflect the theme of Freedom and enter them the next day.

Saturday morning came bright and early. I had set my alarm the night before, but it didn’t go off; so, I was in a little bit of a rush before my friend, Cheyenne, got here with some stamp sets that were Freedom themed. We were to head toward the weekend’s shopping event where we were to meet some other friends at the event by 10:00 a.m. Just a note to the alarm issue, I did set it, but for the weekday. LOL

I began the creation process half awake and a head full of cotton, but that could have been a plus since I couldn’t overthink the process. Really, I could barely think. I took the 3 1/2 x 2 1/2 pieces of cardstock and pulled out my Fun Stampers Journey Sweet Berry Splash, Blue Lagoon Splash, Cranberry Bliss silk, Sparkle Dust, Black Licorice Twine, Journey Medium paste along the FSJ spatula applicator along with some post-it note tape. I pulled out my SU! stripes and stars stencils; thus began the card base process.

In a container, I spritzed some Sweet Berry with a mist of water. I used a paint brush and applied a swipe of Sweet Berry across the cards. It wasn’t brillant enough; so, I thought why don’t I add some Cranberry Bliss silk and that did the trick. I reapplied the mixture to the card and it looked gorgeous. Then, I took the Blue Lagoon Splash and did the same process. I did try to add some Dark Roast to create a more navy blue color and it was a little too much which created a blackish blue. All I did was add more Blue Lagoon splash and pulled a small, small dot of the blackish blue color into it, mixed it a little, and Bob’s your uncle; it looked great. On the soldier ATC I added full blue color, but on the eagle ATC, I masked off some stripes and added the color to this area to provide a little interest.

Next, I applied the medium paste using the stencils to the card base and sprinkled Sparkle Dust onto the wet medium to create some sparkle and glitz. The final embellishment was several loops of Black Twine. I sat the emerging ATC pieces to the side to work on the stamped images.

By this time, Cheyenne arrived with the SU! stamps. I didn’t have any stamps that reflected the Freedom theme, but she had two SU! retired stamp sets (they are very, very retired). They were perfect. I took the soldier stamp and coordinating words from one stamp set and stamped them onto FSJ Whip Cream cardstock using Memento ink. I colored the soldier using Spectrum Noir markers. Each of the words I cut out individually and matted on FSJ Black Licorice cardstock. I took a very light gray Spectrum Noir marker and went over the words to tone down the brightness of the Whip Cream cardstock. I popped the soldier and words out using FSJ Foam squares; and, as a final touch, I sprinkled a little Silver silk onto the ATC. Here is Cheyenne’s iPhone pictures. She liked them better with a woodgrain background:

The cards were judged by the vendors at the show. Here is the winning ATC card:

I created the eagle card by stamping the eagle onto FSJ Whip Cream cardstock using FSJ Black Licorice ink. Cheyenne suggested stamping the coordinating words directly onto the eagle. I thought that was a GREAT idea, and as you can see, it looks gorgeous. I colored the eagle with Spectrum Noir markers. The eagle is popped up using FSJ Foam squares. I punched out three small stars from FSJ Denim Days cardstock. Even though they didn’t have a first, second, and third place winner, the eagle ATC card was the second most chosen card by the vendors.

I think they both turned out beautifully. I won $25 show bucks which meant I could go and purchase products from any of the vendors. Here I am receiving the Show Bucks:

I went back to Creek Bank Creations and purchased two more 3D embossing folders from We R Memory Keepers Next Leveling Embossing folders. These are awesome; they create a 3D embossed look to your cardstock, which adds wonderful dimension and interest to your card. I have three posts coming up featuring these folders. The rest of my winnings I spent at Pink and Main. I purchased a cute, cute frog stamp set (it’s one of the upcoming card creation posts) and a pirate set just for my little buddies to create some cute cards.

Thanks Cheyenne for your stamp sets and your critiques during the creating process.

201612/26

December Bloom Box Still Available

I can’t say this enough, but I really, really love Fun Stampers Journey Bloom Box monthly card kit. I have made a variety of beautiful cards with the December kit. Of course, my group of Bloom Box Girls take the step-by-step instructions and make our own version of the card designs provided in the kit. The official promotion picture of the assembled cards from the December kit is below:

Each kit provides a unique technique, which is a great way to expand your creativity and apply this knowledge to other amazing creations you make.

Here is our first card we made with our December kit:

We decided to add another two branches to the bough, and a small pinecone to the this card. We used the Just Because ATS to add a sentiment.

Card #2:

We used our FSJ Color Burst Pencils to color the stamped wreath image. The only change is the sentiment of “Hello” from the FSJ Be Amazing stamp set.

Card #3:

Using vellum over the stamped card images adds a touch of elegance to an already beautiful card. We changed the sentiment and used the “So Cute” from the ATS So Cute stamp.

Card #4:

This is such a cute card. We stamped our wreath onto the base and stamped another image onto some FSJ Whip Cream cardstock. We fussy cut it out (the center and the outside), added some Journey Glaze to the berries and made a double bow. Oh yes, by the way, I love the wow factor a double bow gives a card creation.

Here are two more cards I made using this set. The wreath on the Oatmeal Cookie and Cranberry Bliss background was a Top 3 pick at Paper Craft Crew website. The other card I made using a SU! woodgrain background stamp and the Christmas sentiment from the FSJ Holiday Script. I did have to use my MISTI to stamp the sentiment about 5 to 6 times to get a good enough impression on the busy background.

It is not too late to sign-up for the December Bloom Box and 5 more months of Bloom Box card making kits. You can go to my website and order the kit here.

201612/13

Welcome to The Holidays – PCC222

This week’s Paper Craft Crew Card Sketch #222 challenge inspired me to use Fun Stampers Journey December Bloom Box stamp set Welcome Wreaths. Here is their card sketch:

I think wreaths are a great way to welcome in the holidays and the FSJ December Bloom Box Welcome Wreaths stamp set is the perfect set to create a welcoming card featuring a wreath. I began this card with an base using FSJ Oatmeal cardstock. The bottom portion of the card has a FSJ Hazelnut Blend mat with a FSJ Cranberry Bliss mat. The Cranberry Bliss mat is stamped with the berry cluster from the stamp set in FSJ Cranberry Bliss ink. I cut a banner out of FSJ Hazelnut Blend cardstcok and cut out a “v” shape in both ends. The entire card was sprinkled with FSJ Dark Roast silk.

The wreath was a “work in progress while creating”. LOL You know what I mean. You start off with one idea of how to make something unique; and, well, . . it kinda doesn’t turn out like you expected . . . .so, you begin experimenting with different ways to create something beautiful out of a …. pig’s ear …. lol. I started off with the branch stamp and using FSJ Lemon Grass ink went about stamping the curved branch into a wreath shape (o.k. a circle). This took multiple turns around the circle because I wanted a full and bushy wreath. When I was finished stamping, I thought the wreath look flat and dull. Hmmm,….. what can I do to make it “pop”. I thought, why not fussy cut lots of branches and layer them onto the flat, dull base. Oh, yes I did! And, I think it created the look I was trying to get from the beginning. I must say, it really didn’t take that long to fussy cut the branches (it really didn’t and it was so worth it). I stamped the small pine cones in FSJ Hazelnut Blend and colored them with my FSJ Color Burst Pencils and fussy cut them out. I stamped the berry cluster with FSJ Cranberry Bliss (all of this was stamped onto FSJ Whip Cream cardstock). I fussy cut the berries out as well. No, booing and hissing from the peanut gallery – it’s those little extra steps that make a super cute card. I took some FSJ Cocoa Gingham Ribbon and made a double bow and adhered everything onto the wreath with glue dots. I then put the card together using craft glue and I popped out the wreath and banner using Journey Foam Squares (medium). For a little extra touch, I flicked Dark Roast silk onto the wreath. Last but not least, I added a little bling by placing some dark chocolate sequins onto the card.

Here is the finished card:

Supplies: All product used can be ordered from my FSJ website. Click here. Note: Everything is Fun Stampers Journey except as noted.

December Bloom Box – Welcome Wreaths
Cardstock: Cranberry Bliss, Whip Cream, Oatmeal Cookie, Hazelnut Blend
Ink: Hazelnut Blend, Cranberry Bliss, Lemon Grass
Coloring: Color Burst Pencils
Silk: Dark Roast
Ribbon: Cocoa Gingham Ribbon
Miscellaneous: Sequins (not FSJ)

201612/12

Frosty Christmas To You – FMS #266

It is another week with a wonderful card sketch challenge from Freshly Made Sketches #266. Here is their challenge sketch:

I wanted to take advantage of the Christmas season, yet again. I pulled out my Fun Stampers Journey (FSJ) Frosty Fun ATS and coordinating die to use on this challenge. As I was pulling this card together, I tried various colors of cardstock for the background, but every color I chose took away from the Frosty Snowman stamped image. I realized I had the perfect background die I received this past Friday from Fun Stampers Journey. It is the Persian Gardens die. I cut the base and the background die cut out of FSJ Whip Cream cardstock. I adhered the die cut onto the base using FSJ Craft glue which dries in a matte finish.

In place of the heart image, I took a large snowflake from the FSJ Snowflake Elements and applied Journey Glaze to the snowflake and then covered it with Sparkle Dust. I burnished the Sparkle Dust onto the snowflake with my finger. I cut the square piece out of FSJ Cool Pool cardstock with the FSJ Square pierced dies. I adhered both of these accents to the card with the FSJ craft glue. I stamped Frosty Fun onto FSJ Whip Cream with Black Licorice ink and colored him with FSJ Color Burst Pencils. For the circle element, I replaced it with some FSJ Tinsel Trim. I popped Frosty out with Journey Foam Squares (medium). I stamped the Christmas sentiment from FSJ Holiday Script with coordinating die in Cranberry Bliss ink and die cut it out. I adhered it with Journey Foam squares.

This is a cute card to give to a friend or family.

Supplies:

Fun Stampers Journey (all products used can be ordered through my FSJ website – click here).

Stamps: FSJ Frosty Fun (ATS – artist trading stamp) with coordinating die
Cardstock: FSJ Whip Cream, FSJ Coo Pool
Ink: FSJ Black Licorice, FSJ Cranberry Bliss
Dies: FSJ Square Pierced Dies, FSJ Persian Gard Die, FSJ Frosty Fun die
Coloring: FSJ Color Burst Pencils
Ribbon: FSJ Tinsel Trim
Miscellaneous: FSJ Foam Squares, FSJ Snowflake Elements, FSJ Craft Glue, FSJ Journey Glaze, FSJ Sparkle Dust

201612/02

Let’s Go To Granny’s House – PCC221 Color Challenge

I made this card Wednesday using the supplies from Fun Stampers Journey November Bloom Box. Their design is quite different from the one me and my Bloom Box Girls created. When I saw Paper Craft Crew #221 Color Challenge today, the light bulb kicked on and I knew this card creation was the perfect fit. Here is the challenge:

Using the supplies for the November Bloom Box card design listed as “As American As Apple Pie”, here is their design (to the left, we began making our woven mats. Of course, I did not read the directions, I just jumped right in and sponged the edges of my paper strips and began weaving right away – not really paying attention to the shape of my mat. After about five minutes of weaving, Debbie held up her mat and said, “My mat is more of a rectangle. I think I did something wrong.” The minute I looked up and saw her mat, I knew what we could make out of a more rectangular than square mat – a BASKET!!! When a great idea happens, I tend to act as though I am on an overdose of caffeine. I jumped up, found some Oatmeal Cookie cardstock, cut a handle using FSJ circle dies, I took my last strip of paper for the mat and placed it along the handle to give it a woven look and voila – the super cutest basket you could ever lay your eyes on with apples overflowing was sitting there for us to use on our cards.

On the extra piece of FSJ Butter Cream cardstock, we stamped three apples (we used only two), two apple slices, one pie, and the bunch of wrapped cinnamon sticks. We colored the stamped images using our FSJ Color Burst Pencils (yes, all of us have purchased them and they are awesome. Some of the penciled areas needed to be blended better, and we did this using the FSJ Fusion Blend and Blending stumps.

We stamped the sentiment with FSJ Black Licorice ink and began to adhere all of our pieces to the mat cut out of FSJ Cranberry Bliss cardstock. The card is so cute. Now, here’s how the FSJ Dark Roast Silk was added to the card. I took the card to show my husband, and when I went to put it back up, there was a spot of grease on the base mat. Hmmmmm…. all was not lost. I took the Dark Roast Silk and splashed some on the base making sure to cover the other areas of the card with a sheet of copy paper.

And……here is the finished card. I just love it. And, I love my Bloom Boxes I get every month.

If you are interested in ordering any Fun Stampers Journey products or subscribing to the Bloom Box kit (the kit is a six month commitment), please click here .

201611/28

Joyful Frosty Fun – FMS #264

Thanksgiving is over, and I’m on track this week to posting some card challenges. The first one of the week is Freshly Made Sketches #264.

I have the perfect stamp to make a super cute and simple card. It is Fun Stampers Journey (FSJ) ATS (Artist Trading Stamp) Frosty Fun and its coordinating die. I stamped Frosty in FSJ Black Licorice ink onto Whipped Cream cardstock. I colored him with FSJ Color Burst pencils. Once I finished coloring him, I cut him out with his coordinating die. The circle is cut out with the FSJ pierced Circle Dies using FSJ cardstocks Pool Play and Whipped Cream. Frosty is attached using FSJ Foam Squares (medium). I accented the background with FSJ Silver Splash and added a sentiment in FSJ Candy Apple ink using the word “Joy” from the Holiday Script stamp set. Here is the main attraction:

All supplies used are from Fun Stampers Journey. If you would like to create this card for yourself, please feel free to check-out my FSJ website to place an on-line order (click here).

201611/26

November Make-It Cards

Every year I host an opportunity for my stampers to make Christmas cards to give to friends and family. This year was no different. I chose three Fun Stampers Journey stamps to highlight for this Make-It opportunity. The first card was featured in a previous card challenge post. I chose the Frosty Fun ATS (Artist Trading Stamp) and coordinating die set for this card. I used a card layout I saw on YouTube by Christy Gets Crafty 2015 card tutorial. There is one difference between the previous post and this card. The blue mat to which Frosty is adhered. My FSJ Catalina Splash cardstock came in and I changed the blue mat to the Catalina Splash cardstock mat.

The second card features the Stay Wild ATS. The inspiration for this card came from another FSJ Coach, Sara Hoogendoorn. She took the Stay Wild ATS and stamped it multiple times across her neutral cardstock to create a stunning wooded landscape making sure the deer are not stamped with the second and third generation of the image. I used torn paper along with sponge daubers using FSJ inks – Cool Pool, Lavender Fusion, and Hazelnut Blend. The water and sky are lightly accented with the Silver Pan Pastel. Black Licorice twine and a silver bow are adhered in the top left corner of the card. The sentiment comes from the FSJ stamp set Holiday Script. Love This CARD!

The last card was created using the FSJ Angel Herald stamp set with the Sun Rays Die. This card is a mixture of FSJ cardstock and other cardstock I had on hand. Yes, I’m working on filling my FSJ paper gaps. The angel and words are embossed using silver embossing powder. The mat behind the die cut cardstock was created by blending Blue Lagoon and Sweet Berry Splashes with water onto an acetate sheet; then, Silver and Dark Roast silks were added to accent the mat. Love this technique!

My stampers created 15 cards with these designs (5 cards of each design). These are quick, simple cards to create. It took them on average about 3 1/2 hours to complete these projects. I hope this inspires you to Create and Share your own cards.

Cards | Fun Stampers Journey | Holiday | Techniques

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