Chana Harris - Guest Designer - Life is Art

Hi, Crafty Peeps!  Chana Malkah Harris  here as this month's Guest Designer for Great Impression Stamps!  I have created two cards I think would be perfect to send to crafting buddies or other Arts and Crafts enthusiasts.  I enjoyed working with the Great Impressions Stickable Stamps. They are precision cut and make a nice, clean impression.  I've worked with so many digitals, lately, it was fun to have a real stamp on my drafting table.

The first project incorporates both my image and my sentiment stamps.

 The Back Story

Great Impressions Stamp #8570 Flower Girl

The image was colored with Copics and Chalk; the flowers are by Prima.

The Embossing Folder:  Spellbinder's M-bossibilities ES-006; Die Cut Sizzix Framelits

The Sentiment is Great Impressions Stamp #8571 Life is Art

After cutting the frame for my card front, I had an additional frame and cut layer leftover.  In my quest to reduce my stash, I decided to use them to mount and frame the sentiment on the inside of the card.

I used chalk to color the frame and to shade the sentiment.

~~~~~~~

Stamp #8571 Life Is Art

This stamp is so versatile, I felt it would be interesting as the Focal of a CAS design.  I have been working a lot with frames, shadow boxes, and window cards, lately.  I constructed this one without my usual acetate window. 

 The designer paper is from Prima's Sun Kiss Collection.  Flowers by Prima and Leaves by Petaloo.  The edges were distressed using Ranger Distress Ink - Tea Dye

The Die Cut is Spellbinders' Label #17

Hint:  I am working on a project in which I stamped, and then cut out the elements of this stamp and used them on a tag.  Like I said...versatile.

Hugz,

Chana M. Harris

Card-d-ology

Golden Sunflowers

      I'm still in a mood for fall and decided to use the beautiful Sunflower Bough stamp today.  The sunflowers around here are in full bloom and I love adding a vase of them to my fall tables.  There is just nothing more striking than a huge bunch of sunflowers.

     Today's image is embossed in gold and then painted with iridescent water colors.  Finally it is edged in a mustard distress ink.  The image has been matted on some fancy die cuts alternating with fall gold and brown.

 

     Sunflower Boughs makes a lovely and different Thanksgiving card, something a little different and rather unique that can be colored in any number of beautiful colors.

Mary Anne

Pumpkins & Gratitude

Hello again, friends!  It's the last Thursday in August and I've got a fall themed card for you today using a darling sentiment from the Great Impressions store!  It's getting a bit chillier--at least I hope it is in your area--and it's time to start thinking about the autumn holidays we've got coming up!  My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving and so I've made a gratitude card to share with you today. :)

Here it is~

Stamps used: B193 So Thankful For You

Here’s the supply list for next  week’s technique tutorial~

• G379 Spider Web
• AA23 Itsy Bitsy Spider
• E730 Cobweb Phone
• Vellum
• White cardstock
• Simple shaped die cut
• Black ink
• Paper and embellishments to finish your project

In the spirit of gratitude, thank YOU so much for stopping by today and taking a quick peek at my card!  My next post of the Great Impressions blog will be for our monthly challenge that will begin this Sunday, September 1st!  Until next time, hugs and happy stamping friends! :)

Enjoy!

Hi everyone I am so happy to say that the weather in Florida is absolutely Amazing.  It is like 81 and no humid there is a slight breeze and I am just loving it.  I love it so much I created a nice fall card that  says Enjoy the little things because it is so true and today I am doing just that!

 I just love these adorable stamps from Great Impressions so super cute and a perfect size.  This cute girl is Pumpkin Patch Patty!

I added some ribbon and I used a few different sets from Spellbinders 

I hope everyone enjoyed my post and remember ENJOY!!

Simply Monica..

Too Cute Pumpkins

Good morning! 
Erin here with a cute little pumpkin stamp from Great Impressions Stamps. I love fall and I love creating cards and projects for fall/Halloween, but it's hard to get in the mood when it's 90 degrees outside! Hopefully cooler weather will be on our way soon.

That's it for me today! Have a great week!

You are One in a Million

Hello friends!! Giovana here today with a very pink-y card. For my card I used "One in a Million" sentiment and Large Stitched Flower image.
First I started stamping the large flower on a scrap piece of paper and cutting it out to use it for masking my images. I stamped one flower first, then covered it with my masking piece and repeated it 3 more times. Then I colored them with Spectrum Noir Pink Markers, then added a gray around the flowers. I covered only 1 flower with Crystal Lacquer, then added glitter and set to dry, for at least 1 hour (better if you let it dry for 2 or more hours)
Added stitches and twine, then added it to my white card base.
Finally, stamped the saying on White cardstock in Memento Luxe Love Letter, added clear embossing powder and heat set, cut it out and added to card with Dimensionals.

Hope you like it!
Have a great day!
Giovana

Autumn Flowers

     My kids have returned to school and so I'm feeling that summer is over and fall is beginning.  I know that we are still in August, but I'm longing for my comfy sweaters.  Today, I decided to create my first autumn card of the year.  

     I love autumn colors and went with a autumn gold theme.  I love white on white cards so I thought I would try a gold on gold and I believe it came out even better than I imagined .  What do you all think?

     I think the secret of monochromatic cards is to use lots of texture so for this card I began with textured Bazzil card stock and then added layers of different dry embossed patterns.  The secret to getting these cards to look classy is to mat each dry embossed layer with a very slim frame.  I also like to add dimensional tape behind layers.

     The culmination of my layers was the Flower Shelf image colored with more fall colors and grounded it with an  outline of a very pale gray Copic.  I think a nice gold brushed shadow would have worked as well.  By the way, I also popped the image after fussy cutting it out.  I used a pale cream paper for my image since white would be too stark for the gold paper.  As always, my image is colored with Prisma pencils and I used odorless mineral spirits to blend colors.

     Remember,for those of you on a limited budget, almost any image can be used for a holiday or themed card as long as you use the correct colors.  You don't have to purchase a seasonal stamp, just purchase a stamp that you love; unless like me, your a stampaholic and have to stamps for every occasion.

Today's Great Impressions Stamp is G489 Flowers on a Shelf a very versatile stamp that I think is super versatile.

Crayon Resist Technique

Hi, friends!  Welcome to another fun technique tutorial using the fabulous images by Great Impressions Rubber Stamps!  This week we’ll be learning how to do the CRAYON RESIST technique!  I’ll be making a fun gift tag that can go on any number of gifts!

Here’s a list of supplies you’ll need for this technique~

• E767 Bubble Over
• White crayon or colored pencil
• Water color pen, blender pen, or small paintbrush
• Cup of water*
• Desired Inks
• Paper and embellishments to finish your project

The gift tag I’ve made~

Details~

And here’s the tutorial~

I apologize for having the wrong title in the video--I caught it too late and I had already saved the movie.  Hopefully it didn't throw you off too much! :)

This stamp is SO versatile!  You can pair it as a sentiment with D715 Kitty in Tub, G478 Bubbly Pig, G46 Mouse with Bubble Hearts, B168 Fish Bowl, F372 Cat and Fishes, F397 RainbowFish, E649 A School of Fish, or G421 Bubble Fish.  You can use it alone as a sentiment on a card or use it as a gift tag as I’ve used it!  Some gift giving ideas using this sentiment for the tag include bubble bath, dish soap, bubbles, or even soda pop!  What a fabulous way to utilize your investment! 

I hope you grab that image along with some of the other stamps mentioned as quick as you can and don’t forget to grab the supplies for next time’s tutorial!  I’ll be focusing on Halloween projects next month so our tutorials will be hauntingly sweet!  The first one is called Ghost Masking!

Here are the supplies you’ll need for that technique~

• G379 Spider Web
• AA23 Itsy Bitsy Spider
• Vellum
• White cardstock
• Simple shaped die cut
• Inks
• Paper and embellishments to finish your project

See you next Thursday for another project using fabulous images by Great Impressions!  HUGS and happy stamping friends!

Bungee Granny

Another Wednesday and I have another cute card to share with everyone.  This is Great Impression Bungee Granny stamp.  She looks fabulous doesn't she?! lol  The card design I saw on a blog From My Craft Room but I changed it around to make the center piece popout versus being recessed. 

I loved all the nooks and crannies on this card,  The paper is from Prima gorgeous teals, browns and yellow in this collection. 

Thanks for stopping by everyone and don't forget about our challenge we have going on this month.  There is still time to enter so hurry-hurry!

Birthday Wishes

Good morning! Erin here with a a fun birthday card featuring Flying By. This stamp is great for coloring with Copics and paper piecing. Today I pulled out several green copics for the balloons, and a light blue copic for the birds:

(Supplies - Stamp: (Great Impressions) Flying By. Ink: (Memento) Black. Cardstock: (PTI) White, New Leaf. Patterned Paper: (PTI) New Leaf Patterns Pack. Dies: (PTI) Wonderful Words: Birthday. Letter stickers: Kelly Purkey. Other: Twine, gems.)

That's it for me today! Make sure to check back tomorrow for more inspiration using Great Impressions Stamps. :)

Happy Moments

Hello friends! Giovana here with a very sweet card for you today. I used this cute "Giraffes" image, I think this can be used for Mother's Day, Baby Announcements, etc.

I stamped the image in Memento Rich Cocoa and colored it with Copic Markers, then die-cut, embossed and stenciled the image with Circle Nestabilities, the ink I used for the sponging is Antique Linen Distress. I matted the image in a Scallop circle from Light Brown Cardstock.
I matted a piece of Brown Cardstock and patterned paper (Wanted from Cosmo Cricket), added stitches and added to the card front. Added the image and buttons.
Finally I die-cut a banner, stamped "Happy Moments" in Coffee Archival  from Sweet Happy Moments stamp and added to card with Dimensionals.

Super easy and cute!!

Hope you like it!
Have a great day!

Bucket of Beauty

     I have a bucket of long stemmed beauties for you today, the Great Impressions F555 Bucket of Flowers.   Since Roses are red and violets are blue how could I do anything except make my theme red roses.

 
     Since the roses were the theme for this card, I went with the red color scheme and added more roses to the frame to echo the roses in the Bucket of Flowers.  The background was just plain white card stock run through two different embossing folders one of them a rose floral.  Although the frames are rather elaborate,m I think that they really bring the focus to the image for this card.  I like the Bucket of flowers since it brings elegance to an everyday sort of object, the paint bucket.  I also like that this simple image has a lot of impact and is really easy peasy to color.

Mary Anne

Great Impressions Stamp F555 Bucket of Flowers

CAS Summer Scene

Hello again, friends!  It's Thursday again and I've got another project to share with you using some amazing stamps from the Great Impressions store!!!  I decided to create a summer scene--the season is winding down, but I thought this would show you how versatile these stamps are! :)

Here's the card~

Stamps used: G304 Sea Grasses, B193 So Thankful For You

Thank you for stopping in today to take a peek at my newest creation!  I hope that you grab these stamps up and the ones you’ll need for our next tutorial, too!  Join me next week for the Crayon Resist technique!

Here’s a list of supplies you’ll need for that technique~

• E767 Bubble Over
• White crayon or colored pencil
• Water color pen, blender pen, or small paintbrush
• Cup of water*
• Desired Inks
• Paper and embellishments to finish your project 

*Only if you use a small paintbrush

See you next Thursday for another project using the beautiful stamp images from Great Impressions!  HUGS and happy stamping friends!

Happy Wednesday

Hi everyone I am back to share another Great Impression card I made and this Wednesday its a bit Witchy lol.  Never was much of a comedian but anywoo to help me today I used Miss Witchy Poo G124 from the GI store.  She's ready to fly out on her broom just in time for Halloween.

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays to make projects for.  Not sure why but I love the colors for some reason.  The black and orange just seems so pretty together.  Well I hope everyone enjoyed my post for today and be sure to join in on this month's challenge!!

Thanks for stopping by...

Monica

Love Struck Owl

Hey there! Erin here. I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. I didn't get to spend as much time in my office as I would have liked, but I did have a chance to play with a fun little owl stamp this afternoon while Evan played Minecraft. He was a happy camper to have some free time on the computer. :)

Today's card features an adorable owl stamp from Great Impressions Stamps called Love Struck Owl. I have used him a couple of times before, but this time I wanted to create a background, using my grid block as a guide. And I must say, I'm delighted with the results. The little owl was stamped with Hero Arts' Bubblegum ink.

 (Supplies - Stamp: (Great Impressions) Love Struck Owl. Ink: (Hero Arts) Bubblegum. Cardstock: (PTI) Shimmer pink, Sweet Blush, Aqua Mist, White. Dies: (PTI) Limitless Layers Hearts, Headline Alpha. Other: Ribbon, enamel dots.)

I hope this cards inspires you to pull out your stamps and create a custom background for your projects. It's one of my favorite techniques!

Thanks so much for stopping by. Have a great week!

Harvest Wagon

Hello friends! After all the Christmas in July, I think now it would be fun to show some Fall cards and projects, Thanksgiving is going to be here in no time, so I closed my eyes and thought about the beautiful month of November (my birthday too, LOL).

I think this "Harvest Wagon" image is very pretty!! It can be used in lots of different ways :) My card is very simple. I stamped the image on White cardstock in Memento Tuxedo  black and colored it with Markers (Copics and Spectrum Noir)/ Then I die-cut, emboss and stencil it with Label 8 Nestabilities, sponged around with Distress inks. I created my card base with 2 pieces of Orange Cardstock die-cut and emboss with Decorative Labels 8 Nestabilities. Finally I added a piece of ribbon and a button.

Hope you like it!!
Have a fantastic day!!

Giovana

SALE! (Need we say more?!)

What's better than a lazy Sunday?

Answer:  Finding your favorite stamps and crafty goodness on sale!

Yep, you can find our newest releases and anything else you have been drooling over 15% off when you spend over $25!  

Just enter the coupon code:  Celebrate

in the Shopping Cart page at our on-line store.

www.greatimpressionsstamps.com

Happy Shopping!

Hugs,

Jenny

Guest Designer Megan Aaron

Hello, Megan Aaron here with a couple of fun summer cards for you. I am so excited to be guest designing for Great Impressions this month!

I made two cards with these adorable stamps! I definitely could have kept going because I had so much fun! For this first card, I used watercolor pencils to color the image. For the sand, I masked the penguin feet and then blended a couple colors of ink to create variation. Next I used a mask and a slightly darker ink to add the dots, which I then embossed with opalescent clear embossing powder to create a little bit of glimmer, which doesn't show up very well in this photo. Additionally, I added glossy accents to the inner tube, sunglasses and bow, which also doesn't show up well in this photo.

Supplies:

Great Impressions Beachy Penguins stamp

Faber Castell watercolor pencils

Clearsnap inks and embossing powders

Ranger Glossy accents

Crafter's Workshop stencil

SRM stickers sentiment

Studio G brad

For this card, I wanted to make the image stand out from the rest of the card, so I fussy cut it. I colored this one with watercolor pencils and alcohol ink markers. The double frame really sets off the image.

Supplies

Great Impressions Peek-A-Boo stamp

Bazzill Cardstock

SRM sticker sentiment

Faber Castell watercolor pencils

Prismacolor and Copic markers

Spellbinders dies

Glitz and Carta Bella papers

Clearsnap ink

Happy Birthday Balloons

Good morning! Erin here with a fun card using another new(ish) stamp: Hot Air Balloon. I wanted to create a scene with the stamp, and add my own vellum clouds, so I masked off the clouds from the stamp before inking, so only the balloon was stamped onto my cardstock. I used several aqua, green, and orange Copics to color in the image.

I die cut the clouds from vellum and use mini glue dots to adhere them to my cardstock. Because the glue dots show through the vellum, I used a small gem to cover up the adhesive. Functional and pretty! 

 (Supplies - Stamps: (Great Impressions) Hot Air Balloon, Happy Birthday. Cardstock: (PTI) White, Limeade Ice. Ink: (Memento) Black. Patterned Paper: (PTI) Aqua Mist, Orange Zest patterns packs. Markers: Copics. Dies: (PTI) Heart 2 Heart #6. Other: Buttons, twine, vellum, gems.)

That's it for me! I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Thanks for stopping by!

Creating Frames With Nesting Dies

Hello again, dear friends!  It’s the second Thursday of the month and you've had to wait two whole weeks for a new tutorial!  Hopefully that means you've had plenty of time to get your supplies together.  This week is a fun technique that helps you frame your stamps in a beautiful way!  Let’s learn how to CREATE A FRAME WITH NESTING DIES!

Here’s what you’ll need for this technique~

• F370 A Cute Dog Lives Here stamp
• D370 Dear Old Friend stamp
• Set of Nestabilities dies
• Coloring tools
• Dimensional foam pieces
• Papers and embellishments to finish your card

Here’s the card I’ve made with this technique~

Details~

 

And here’s the tutorial~

Thank you for stopping in today to take a peek at our newest tutorial!  I hope that you grab these stamps up and the ones you’ll need for our next tutorial, too!  Join me in two weeks for the Crayon Resist technique!

Here’s what supplies you’ll need for that technique~

• E767 Bubble Over
• White crayon or colored pencil
• Water color pen, blender pen, or small paintbrush
• Cup of water*
• Desired Inks
• Paper and embellishments to finish your project

*Only if you use a small paintbrush

See you next Thursday for another project using the beautiful stamp images from Great Impressions!  HUGS and happy stamping friends!

Snow Day

Hi everyone Happy Hump Day!  This is the week I have Friday off so I am extra happy woo hoo...  Today I am sharing a card perfect for Christmas. I used Great Impression Jolly Snowman H215 stamp.

 A view from a different angle

I added some flowers I found in the wedding section of Hobby Lobby (just love that store)

This was a fun card to make my first try at really coloring something white.  I think I did okay I am getting better I think... 

Thanks for stopping by everyone and don't forget about our challenge. 

Princess Castle

Hello friends!! Giovana here with a very cute and girl-y card. My daughter is 9 years old and for as long as I remember the only color she "loved" was PINK!! Recently, she has changed it for "turquoise" because is a "cool color" LOL.
Anyway, when we moved into our new house, she was only 3 and wanted her bedroom "PINK", we got the paint and goodness, the pink was so bright, it could bright the entire hall with no light on! She was in her own "Princess Castle" as she used to call it.

When I saw this image and sentiment I knew I had to get it, she loves it (still likes pink I think) and even made a couple of cards for her friends :) She is a real cardmaker too.
Anyway, I used Princess Castle and Princess Sentiment for my card.

Instructions:

• Make card base from Pink Cardstock.
• Stamp image and sentiment in Versamark Ink, add gold embossing powder and heat set. Mat image with a pink CS panel and Patterned Paper, add stitches and adhere it to card front.
• Stamp Castle image on White Cardstock (x3), color it with markers and cut out little pieces to create the 3D effect.
• Add pieces to main image.
• Add a small bow.
• Add little pearls to corner.

 

Hope you like it!!
Have a fantastic day!!

Giovana

August Challenge and our Winners!

Hi there Friends!

Today is the start of our August Challenge, but first let's see who made our Top Pix for the July challenge of "Anything Goes".  Wow, what a turn out we had with 250 entries!  The Design Team had their work cut out for them choosing their favorite cards!

I've got Giovana and Mynnette helping me today do the honors.

Mynnette choose #184 Merv

Mynnette said, "Such an awesome way to organize your embellishments Mervi!

It would make an amazing gift too!  Beautiful and well made - a stunning project!"

Giovana's pick is #231 An

Giovana said, "Sweet image and perfect coloring An!  Makes me go awwww and ahhhhh :)"

My choice for the month is #71 Erica

Erica, you had me with that sweet cupcake!  I love the colors you choose and

the tiny hearts decorating the doily add just the right touch - Yum!

Well done Ladies!

You have earned our badge to add to your sidebars!

Before we get on to the August challenge we have our Random Winner!

#82 Julie J.

Please e-mail me at:  jjstucky@sbcglobal.net to claim your $20 coupon code to use on anything in our store.  Woot!  Woot!

And we are not done yet!  We have one more winner to announce!

The lucky lady to win our Frosty Friends blog candy is...

Phi from Paper Parrot

Congratulations Phi!  Please e-mail me your address and I will get that right off to you!

Alright, I know you have been waiting to see what our August challenge is.

Can you guess it from seeing our amazing Design Team cards?

Mynnette

E527 Happy Birthday Paper Art

Mary Anne

D433 Sewing Machine

F494 Sewing Border

D431 Sew Wonderful

E724 Thread

Giovana

E756 Baby Boy Sneakers

Erin

F555 Bucket of Flowers

If you guessed a SQUARE CARD you are correct!  Easy Peasy, right?

Check out our side bar for the rules to our challenge.  Remember, if you use a Great Impressions Stamp on your card leave us a comment and we will enter you twice

 in our random drawing for $20 to go shopping!

Enjoy the day friends - hope you find time to get your crafty on!

Hugs,

Jenny

Retro Tropics

     Hi, Mary Anne here with a fun beach themed card.  I was feeling the summer and wishing I was out on the beach longing for my childhood on Oahu when I created today's card.  It has a retro feel to it, kinda a Gidget goes Surfin' sort of thing,

    It uses a fun stamp called Hanging Flip Flops and some old style Hawaiian papers that I have been saving for just the right card.  I added a bit of burlap, some of my fav polka dots and a bit of distressing and here you have it.

     I used  the "With the Right Flip Flops You Can Do Anything" sentiment on the inside and it's ready to hit the mailbox.  Don't forget if you are interested in any of the stamps I used today, you can just surf right over to the Great Impressions shop and pick them up for yourself.  Aloha!

E797 Hanging Flip Flops
E798 Can Do

Never Give Up!

Hi friends!  I know you've seen a lot of the little fellow I've used on my card today, but he's just SO CUTE!  I hope that you grab him from the store today--I'd love to see what you use him for!

My card is relatively CAS and I kept the color scheme minimal as well--using just two bright colors to accent the black, white, and gray I've used.  I hope that you'll agree that it really makes my little guy the star of the show!

Here's my card~

Stamps used: A145 Never Give Up, F548 Elephant With Kite

Thanks so much for stopping by to see my card!  I hope you’re inspired to grab these beautiful stamps if you haven’t already!  Join me next week for another fabulous technique—Creating a Frame with Nestabilities Dies!

Here’s what you’ll need for that technique~

F370 A Cute Dog Lives Here stamp

B233 For Friends stamp

Set of Nestabilities dies

Coloring tools

Dimensional foam pieces

Papers and embellishments to finish your card

See you again next Thursday for another creation using these amazing stamps!  HUGS and happy stamping friends!