Birdies on a Swing

Greetings!  It's Julie with you today. Do you like to swing?  Did you enjoy it as a child?  Sometimes I watch birds and squirrels sitting on branches, swinging in the breeze and it looks like FUN!  Great Impressions Stamps has a great rubber stamp, Two Birdies on a Swing (G486) that is so, so cute!  I just had to color it up!

I stamped G486 Two Birdies on a Swing onto watercolor paper, then used watercolor pencils and a paint brush to color the Two Birdies.  The Hello sentiment (A138) is also from Great Impressions Stamps.  It's one of my favorite sentiments as it's a great size, it can be used for many occasions, and it stamps so cleanly! 

Have you entered this month's challenge at Great Impressions Stamps yet?  It's nearly over for May, but a new one starts on Sunday, June 4.  Join us!

Thank You ...

Good morning! I created a Thank You card to share today in honor of the men/women who gave their lives in service to our country.

Today's card features the Cowboy Boots with Flowers (G528). The image was stamped on Kraft cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink. A variety of  Faber-Castel Art Grip Pencils, Pastell Pitt Pencils, Silver Pen and a White Gelly Roll Pen were used to color the image. I put lines of White Opal Liquid Pearls around the image, and layered it on red cardstock. Using Vintage Cream cardstock I applied distress ink around the edges and added it to my card. I only used a portion of the Being You Sentiment (D509) which I cut out with a stitched rectangle die, applied distress ink around the edges, and used 3D Foam Squares to add it to my card.

You have 1-more day to enter our Great Impressions May Challenge! Hop on over for all of the details, and join in the FUN! We can't wait to see what you create this month!

Until next week ... Enjoy!

Get Well Daisies

HAPPY FRIDAY!

I'm so glad for the weekend to be here.  This is Robin and I have a Get Well card for you today.

For this card I used "Get Well Daisy (E700) and "Daisy Border (G403)".  I stamped them with Versamark and then embossed with gold.  I thought it would look pretty and a nice change from black.  They were then colored with Copics.  I did a fussy cut on the sentiment and popped it up.  I used the the other stamp on the border and then distressed with blue.  

I'd also like to remind you of the May Challenge here at Great Impressions.  The challenge is "Feminine" and the prize is perfect for your upcoming Father's Day card.

You still have a few more days to enter.  I would love to see your projects this month!

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Hugs,

Robin

Laundry?

Know someone going through a rough patch?  

The Great Impressions Beary Wet Stamp (F608) paired with the Spin Cycle Sentiment Stamp (E867) makes an adorably encouraging card.

I made this card for one of my husband's golfing buddies...

.... and this locking joy fold card has a more feminine look.

Have you made a feminine card to enter in the 

Great Impressions May Challenge?

You still have a week to enter!

Thanks for stopping by!

Debi B.

You are in my thoughts ...

Good morning! I hope you had a marvelous weekend. Today's card is thoughtful and sweet.

I stamped the Little Girl in Springtime (F466) with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, and used Copic Markers to color her. A White Gelly Roll Pen was used in the center of the flowers, and for the band on the hat. Distress Ink was applied to create ground cover and sky. I chose the Thoughts Sentiment (B176) to go with this lovely girl. I then create the border around the image using a 0.35 Copic Multi-Liner.

Our Great Impressions May Challenge is live! Hop on over for all of the details, and join in the FUN! We can't wait to see what you create this month!

Until next week ... Enjoy!

Mid Month Challenge Reminder

Happy Friday All!

I hope you all have had a great week and are ready for the weekend.  I know I am.  Robin here.  I wanted to remind you of the Great Impressions May Challenge.  The challenge is "Feminine" and this is the card I made for the challenge.

For the background paper I stamped The Rose (J106) all the way down the paper and embossed it.  Then I used some distress inks.  The stamp I wanted to make the main focus is Birds and Roses (G111).  I also used embossing for this one then colored with my Copics.  I used some Glastique to give strength to the branches and some leaves then did a fussy cut after it dried.

I thought this stamp should be framed but I didn't have any frame dies so I used this die and cut out the center. Using a neutral color made the stamp just pop out plus I did pop it up.  I put it on the base and added a bow and some of what I like to call flower seeds.  I actually cut it off some silk floral arrangements I bought.

Thanks to all of you who have entered the challenge so far and I'm hoping to see so many more of you enter.  This is the prize you can win.

What a great stamp for Father's Day!

I'm so happy you stopped by and have a blessed day!

Hugs,

Robin

For a Special Mom

Today I thought I'd share a little bit
about how I made my card for the

Great Impressions May Challenge.

First I stamped both F121 Springy Molly and C346 A Special Mom Sentiment in black ink on white card stock.   I colored Miss Molly with markers before die cutting the image, which was then adhered to red card stock.  The corners of the red cs were decorated with a corner punch.
For a Special Mom was fussy cut and adhered to a die cut.

For the card base I used a piece of 4.25" x 8.25" white card stock, scored at 5.5"; plus an additional piece of 4.45" x 1.25" white card stock for the bottom strip.
The front pieces were first covered with red card stock and then patterned paper and the bottom corners of the top flap were rounded.  The inside of the card was also covered with patterned paper since it shows through when the card is folded.  

To assemble the card I first placed the front strip on top of the bottom of the inside of the card.  I placed a strip of adhesive across the bottom of the back of image piece and positioned it onto the bottom strip.  Then I folded the top section of the card down and glued the top of the image to it.  When I added the inside sentiments, I made sure the little heart would show and positioned the Happy Mother's Day high enough on the card so that it was completely covered when the card was closed. 

The inside sentiments and heart were cut on my cricut.

For embellishment I added the 3 little hearts and wrapped some bakers twine around the bottom strip.

 

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 Have you entered this month's 

Great Impressions Stamps Challenge, yet?

You have until the end of May to enter.

Thanks for stopping by today. 

Debi

Happy Birthday ...

Good morning! I have a birthday card for a little boy to share with you today.

I stamped the Dump Truck (E636) with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink. Using a 0.8 Copic Multi-Liner I drew in a road for the truck to drive on. Copic Markers were used to color in the truck, along with a Silber 1.5 PITT Faber Castell Artist Pen for the fender and grill. I then added the Happy Birthday Sentiment (C340) with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, and applied distress ink above and below the road to represent dirt. Glossy Accents was added to the windows of the truck to make them shiny, and White Opal Liquid Pearls was used for the headlights.

Our Great Impressions May Challenge is live! Hop on over for all of the details, and join in the FUN! We can't wait to see what you create this month!

Until next week ... Enjoy!

Watercolor Flowers

Happy Friday!

Robin here and I have a wonderfully quick card to share.

I started with "Watercolor Flowers" (H255) stamped with Versamark and then a fine black embossing powder.  Embossing helps keep the watercolors inside the flowers.  Next take some Distress Inks, stamp them on your work matt and spritz some water.  The painting goes rather quickly.  After drying I cut the flowers out.  I used some more DI on some plain white paper then glued the flowers into place.  Then I stamped with "Swirly Happy Birthday" (E367) and added some butterfly brads.  All that's left is to put it on the base card and you're done.

I want to add a reminder for you.  We have just begun our Great Impressions Monthly Challenge this past Sunday.  

And check out the adorable stamp you can win!

I do hope you will join us this month.  HAPPY CRAFTING!

Hugs,

Robin

Butterfly Frame Card Set

The Butterfly Frame(H226S) stamp by Great Impressions Stamps is perfect for making a CAS card.

 In fact, it is great for making an entire set of CAS cards.

 You will find a wonderful selection of sentiment stamps in the 

Great Impression Stamps Store, although for these cards I used computer generated sentiments.

Wouldn't a set of cards make a nice teacher appreciation gift?

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Did you check to see if you were a winner in the Great Impressions April Challenge?  You'll find the winners listed here, as well as, the theme for the Great Impressions May Challenge.

It was so nice of you to stop by today.

Have a good one!

Debi

Graduation Times Two ...

Good morning! I have two nieces that graduated from college yesterday and made these graduation cards with the Diploma (D309) and Congratulations Graduate Sentiment (E325).

I pulled the colors from their Graduation Notice and made each card a little different, because they are different ladies. No coloring was required for these cards. I paper-pieced the stars and sponged on some Seedless Preserves Distress Ink on the cards with a tissue.

I also made coordinating envelopes to go with the cards.

Our Great Impressions May Challenge is live! Hop on over for all of the details, and join in the FUN! We can't wait to see what you create this month!

Until next week ... Enjoy!

May 2017: Theme Challenge ...

Good morning! Welcome to another monthly Challenge here at Great Impressions! Before we get started, we have a couple of Announcements to make. 

We will no longer invite the Winners to join us as a Guest Designer.

Our March Winner never contacted us so we won't have a Guest Designer this month.
Using Random.org a NEW Winner was drawn!
#1 ~ Shell B.

Our Random Winner for the month of April is ...

#9 ~ Miranda T.

Congratulations Shell and Miranda. Please email Ruza

 at greatimpressionsstamps@gmail.com to claim your prize. 

Now for the "Top Picks"
#11 ~ MFB
#27 ~ Ciska
#8 ~ LovLinda

Congratulations! Please grab your badge and proudly display it on your blog!

All of you have made a GREAT IMPRESSION on us!

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It's time to move on to our New Challenge.
 This month we have a Theme Challenge
 ~ Feminine ~ 
There are many options to choose from ... Mother's Day, 
Birthday, Graduation, Friendship, etc.

Here is the Prize you can win ...

Now it's time for a little Inspiration from our Designers ... 

Ruza

featuring ... E702 Daisy Flourish
and D350 My Mother Sentiment

Robin

featuring ... G111 Birds and Roses
and J106 The Rose Sentiment

Debi

featuring ... F121 Springy Molly
and C346 A Special Mom Sentiment

Julie

featuring ... F523 Butterfly Shoe and
D441 Changed My Life Sentiment

Our Designer's would love to hear what you think of their projects.

Hop on over to their blogs to leave them a little love!

If you don't have a blog, you may post your entry in the gallery at Splitcoaststampers using the keyword GISMC in the Title, and then link it up below so we can find your project. This way we can also leave you a little love. If you don't have a Blog or Splitcoaststampers Gallery, please email Ruza at greatimpressionsstamps@gmail.com with the Subject line "GI Monthly Challenge Entry", and she will enter it for you.

As a bonus entry, if you use our stamps leave a comment on this post 

to let us know. You will have double the chance of winning 

this months Prize that is being offered.

You may link up a Maximum of 1-project per month.

An InLinkz Link-up

Special Guest Designer:; Patti J. ...

Hi everyone!  

Patti J. here, and I'm so happy to be back on the Great Impressions Blog for a guest designer day! Great Impressions was actually one of the very first stamps that I ever purchased when I began stamping, in the Fall of 2000.  It still makes me smile to use one of their products!  

The uber-talented Ruza asked me to create something 'For Her'.  I debated between Mabel and Vera or flowers for my card.  I decided to use this beautiful floral image - it's one of my favorites!  

Here's what I created, using these Great Impressions Stamps: Tall Tulips (H251) and My Day Sentiment (A127).

This will go to a special lady, who regularly brightens my day.

Thanks for dropping by today, and make sure you stop by this Sunday for our Great Impressions May Challenge!

Inked up Sympathy with Julie

Greetings, fellow stamp lovers!  It's Julie with you today.  I've been gone a few months while I fought cancer and chemo treatments, but I'm happy to say I'm in remission, feeling much stronger, and am back with the Great Impression Stamps design team again.  Yeah!  I love these stamps and this team!

I don't often heat emboss, but that's the joy of working with real stamps like Great Impressions Stamps instead of digital ones.  So, I got out the embossing inks and created a couple of cards that I needed using Great Impressions Stamps Wildflower Silhouette (H184) and With Sympathy (B206):

I created both cards by heat embossing the Wildflower Silhouette (H184) image with black embossing powder.  I then sponged on Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks in the background, using various shaped cutting dies to back them. I can never seem to have enough Sympathy cards, so I'm pleased to have these to add to the stash. 

If you haven't joined the challenge yet at Great Impressions stamps, there's still a few more days.  A new challenge will start on May 7. 

Long to Be ...

Good morning! Today's card features the adorable Forever (G451) and Long To Be Sentiment (E780) stamps.

I fell in love with this image, and it truly shows how I feel when my husband goes out of town on business. That being said, this card will be tucked into his luggage for his next trip.

I stamped the Forever stamp with Jet Black Ranger Archival Ink on watercolor paper. Marvy LePlumme II Markers were applied to my pallet, and I proceeded to color the image with a paintbrush and water.  Once my panel was dry I cut the image out with my Nestabilities Large Oval Die, and layered it on another oval I cut from Kraft cardstock.

I pulled out some Rustic Cream cardstock and applied Tim Holtz Antique Linen and Vintage Photo Distress Ink around the edges, and layered it on my Kraft card. The Long to Be Sentiment was stamped with the same Jet Black Archival Ink as the image, and I added the image with 3D Foam Tape centered above the sentiment. I added some enamel dots to the corners to finish off my card.

Until next week ... Enjoy!