Kitchen Sink Stamps -Winter Cardinals

Kitchen Sink Stamps -Winter Cardinals

Welcome back everyone! I have been taking a bit of a break for a few reasons, but slowly moving back into work mode.

Today, I am going to feature a great company out of California, called Kitchen Sink Stamps.  I came to know of them this past summer while attending a stamping convention, called Junkie 

Fest, which was hosted by the Stamp Junkies, an amazing online Facebook group. Kitchen Sink Stamps has hundreds of designs and specialize in multi step clear stamps, where the images look very real. If you haven't checked them out....get on it!

Anyways, I have created several of these cardinal cards to use as Thank You notes that I am sending out this week. I had surgery one week before Christmas, and many, many people did wonderful and kind things to help my family and I out this last while, and I certainly wanted to create cards to share my gratitude. 

I kept all the cards similar as I wanted to get about 25 done in a short time while I was able to sit up (on bed rest...flat) and created them over 3 times in just over an hour. So not bad!

I started with an A2 white card base, then matted with olive green cardstock and a wood grain, snowflake patterned paper, all from Recollections. Then using Neenah white cardstock, I cut a bunch of mats at 4" x 2 3/4" and matted them again on the green. 

Image from Kitchen Sink Stamp

Then it was time to load my MISTI and get stamping! I started with the branches. I stamped the first layer using Versafine 'New Sprout', second layer is 'Olympia Green', followed by 'Vintage Sepia' for the pine cone layer.

For the cardinal, I used Rangers 'Antique Linen' first, followed by Lawn Fawn 'Lobster', then Hero Arts 'Red Midtone'. Last layer for the beak and a touch of detail is Versafine 'black onyx'

The cards received  different sentiments on the outside, yet all read Thank you on the inside. 

This "Peace" stamp shown here, is by Hero Arts.

After the cardinal was done, I added a very slight shadow under his belly with a C3 Copic marker. 

For just a bit more depth and keeping it easy, I went around the edges with a foam piece and a bit more antique linen ink. 

Finishing touch was the random snow using Nuvo drops in 'white'

I hope you enjoyed today's quick card and please do head over to Maria's wonderful company Kitchen Sink Stamps. She has great designs, and a sale on many sets right now!

Remember...be creative, think of others and kindness always matters.

 Kim

(please note, this is an affiliated post)

Lotus Flowers

Cardmaking....... totally a travel inspired blog post today!

Recently, my husband and I traveled to South Korea. While there, I saw so many things that awed and inspired me. The stunning lush mountain ranges, the silence in so many spots that calmed my mind amidst the busy cities , the vibrant colours that called to me every where we went, the delicious food on every corner, the wicked coffee, the welcoming and loving folks I met all over the country, the juxtaposition of modern and ancient side by side, the heat.....oh the intense summer heat, not really sure what it did for me, other than exhaust me!  To say the least, the trip stirred many a thing in me, that will stay with me for a long time to come. My creative soul has had an incredible awakening since taking it all in.

So what is that I am blogging about....the lotus, of course and how it has inspired 2 dozen cards since I have been home!  I have always loved the lotus flower, and being Canadian, they are not a very common flower around here, so when I was in Korea, and saw them everywhere, I came home a little obsessed!!  The lotus flower was in its peak growing season while we were there, so they were easy to spy and some were as tall as 5 feet, so you could not miss them. Some of the temples had whole sections that were lotus, as far as your eyes could see, it could see a sea of blooms. Yes, as my husband said, I had my 'giddy on' taking it all in.

Me standing in a lotus patch and trying to take a selfie with a giant Nikon.....not easy! Honestly, I was happy, despite the scowl on my face!


So literally the night I got home and could not sleep due to time change, I set out to find a lotus stamp set. My first thought was Altenew, and of course they came through! Not only was it exactly what I was looking for, but as I read their description of the stamp set, it stated the design had been inspired by their recent travels to Seoul, South Korea. Well, well...this was meant to be! In my shopping cart it went, and I waited impatiently until the mail man delivered it.

I started creating right away while the bright colours were still so clear in my mind.

I used an assortment of mediums to add colour to each flower. I ended up making over 2 dozen cards, each different to the next. So here is a small assortment of some of them.

Copic coloured flowers and Distress Oxide inks in the background

Prisma pencils used for colouring on this one, and Zigs for the background

Zig brushes for the flowers and background

This set of darker cards was created as a masculine Thank You design, so I intentionally kept them simpler and not as detailed as the others. I simply stamped them, and then blurred the image slightly by spritzing with water and a few drops of bleach. It gives it a very ethereal effect I love to use. The paper in the background is handmade Korean paper called, hanji. I absolutely loved all the paper stores I visited there and brought a ridiculous amount home. It is such an art to watch them make it.

Hanji, Korean handmade paper. It is sold in giant sheets, nothing like you would see here

Anyways,  I was very excited to share some of these cards with you, and hope that something inspires you to create like the lotus did for me. No, it does not have to be half way around the world like this experience was for me, as it can be right outside your door. Just open your eyes, look around and take things in differently.

I have a great love for South Korea, for a few different reasons, and I look forward to returning for many reasons. I can honestly say, I look forward to the next lotus festival, as it has captured me and taken me in, and given me one more reason so love this country!

Beautiful new Gina K Desgins

Good Morning! The other day,  I finally had time to play around with some new Gina K. Design products I received a few weeks ago while I was at an incredible Stamp Junkies weekend held in her retail store. This floral stamp and die set it not for sale yet, but will be shortly.....make sure you grab one when they become available, as it is a wonderful and versatile set.

To create the 12 cards I kept them all relatively the same, and just assembled as I went, after I had mass produced the flowers, backgrounds and layered up the card bases. The flowers and butterflies were heat embossed, some in clear, others in white.

The card bases are white, layered with Innocent Pink paper, topped with another layer of white that I rounded the corners of. The background is a stunning die that can be used for so many occasions, I just love it when a stamp or die can be used for so many things.....stretches our crafting dollar!

After I die cut all the backgrounds, I did a simple sweep of colour over each one with a sponge and blended as I went. For this I used Innocent Pink, Ocean Mist, Jelly Bean Green and Lovely Lavender. After they were done I moved onto the flowers and butterflies, and did the same technique to add a pop of colour. Simple, yet effective for adding colour to many pieces in a short amount of time.

Once everything was coloured, the fun part of building up the card front began!  Like I said earlier, they were all slightly different, but certainly a common thread to each. Some had just flowers others had flowers and butterflies. Each were finished off with a coordinating embellishment and a touch of sparkle using a Wink of Stella pen.

Overall, the 12 cards took just over an hour and I was thrilled how they turned out!

Hope you enjoyed my take using these two wonderful sets by Gina K. Designs

Gina K. Designs, LLC
Remember...be creative, think of others and kindness always matters.
 Kim