Christmas Throughout the Year; 1 of 6: Elizabeth

It may be January, but we still have a few holiday stamps and dies setting out in the Studio.  Join us this month as we share a few ideas to help you get even more mileage from your holiday products as we feature...




I find it is always nice to have some wintry cards on hand as the snowy season in Michigan can last for quite a few months.


This card is adaptable for all kinds of greetings by personalizing the inside with a select sentiment: 
thank you, happy birthday, thinking of you

wintertime
Penny Black
80-012 Wintertime

A combination of patterned paper with a die cut snowflake makes creating this glittery greeting a snap. 
51-066
Penny Black
51-066 Crystal Trio
Complete instructions and supplies are available HERE.




Out & About with Jill on the Shimmerz Blog

I'm SO EXCITED to announce that today I am...
... on the Shimmerz Paints blog as a new member of their education team.  


This means I will be "out and about" on the Shimmerz blog once a month with a new video for you featuring their fun paints and sprays along with my favorite Penny Black stamps and dies.

 From the moment I tried Shimmerz Paints I was hooked.  My favorite thing?  While they add a beautiful shine and shimmer to my projects, the shimmer does not take away from the bold colors of the paints and sprays.  It's like the shimmer only enhances the color.  Love. Love. Love.

Here's a little peek at my card today...
You will find the full reveal AND VIDEO on the Shimmerz blog by clicking HERE.

If you're looking to add Shimmerz Paints to your crafty stash then be sure to mention my name in the "notes to merchant" section when placing an order.  The kind folks at Shimmerz will give you free paint just for doing so! (Shop HERE.)

I've had a few questions about the wide variety of products available from Shimmerz.  If you want detailed product information, I highly recommend watching the Shimmerz Shortz videos by the talented Missy Whidden.  You will find them on the Shimmerz YouTube channel.  And you can also keep up with all of the latest and greatest from Shimmerz on their Facebook page, too.

Here is just my own brief synopsis of the Shimmerz products I currently have and will be reaching for often.

Shimmerz Paints: These paints come in a small pot and are activated by simply stirring them up.  They have a gorgeous glittery finish.  I would describe the glitter in these to be thick and textural.

Creamez: These paints come in a small pot and are activated with water.  They have a gorgeous satin finish.

Inklings: These paints come in a small pot and are activated with water.  They have a DIVINE sparkle. Oh my gosh. It's GORGEOUS in real life.

Coloringz Sprays: These sprays are a flat spray, without shimmer, and the colors are very rich.  They are GREAT for layering and creating backgrounds and painting in stamped images and.... :)

Vibez Sprays: These sprays have a light shimmer and very VIBRANT color. 

Spritz Sprays: These sprays are super shimmery and super colorful.  

Dazzlers and Texturez: Both of these are texture pastes and I love using them with stencils and even alone to create mixed media backgrounds.

Blingz: Oh, these are fun!  They come in a little pot and are activated by simply stirring them up.  They are a super chunky glitter paint. I especially love the Pixie Dust color for embellishing stamped images.

Penny Black Pairings; 8 of 8: Jill

We are sharing our stamps again!  It's double the designing fun as we reveal our projects using the same Penny Black stamps. 


Wasn't Elizabeth's clean and simple card with Penny Black Berry Bevy such fun?  For my card I've featured the emboss resist technique to create snowy and frosty branches.


Penny Black Stamps and Dies: 40-412 Berry Bevy, 51-060 Exultations, 51-007 Tagged

I hope you have a wonderful "almost Christmas" Tuesday! Thanks for joining us over the past several weeks for our Penny Black Pairings. 

Penny Black Pairings; 7 of 8: Elizabeth

We are sharing our stamps again!  It's double the designing fun as we reveal our projects using the same Penny Black stamps. 


Time for a bevy of berries...


To begin, Berry Bevy was stamped in teal ink and then the branches were shadowed with light grey.  The berries were enhanced with a red PITT Pastel Pencil along with highlights added with a white Sakura gel pen.  Underneath, a small strip of Beau Jardins patterned paper was attached.

The sentiment panel is an elevated piece of white cardstock matted along the bottom edge with Summer Sun cardstock.  The greeting (Peace & Harmony) was stamped in Onyx Black VersaFine. 

Up next...Jill's "Berry Bevy" inspiration! 




Penny Black Pairings; 6 of 8: Jill

We are sharing our stamps again!  It's double the designing fun as we reveal our projects using the same Penny Black stamps. 


For my card with Penny Black La Fleur Rouge, I've used a similar stamping technique as Elizabeth. I first inked my stamp with Tombow markers, misted with water and then stamped onto watercolor paper.  For additional blending, I then colored directly onto the paper with the markers and blended the color with a wet paintbrush. I also added a touch of blue to the background. 


Penny Black Stamps and Dies: 40-413 La Fleur Rouge, 30-316 Season's Gifts

It's hard to believe Christmas is just a week away! We'll be back with one more "Penny Black Pairing" before Santa comes to town!


Penny Black Pairings; 5 of 8: Elizabeth

We are sharing our stamps again!  It's double the designing fun as we reveal our projects using the same Penny Black stamps. 


Welcome to a bouquet of holiday wishes.  
Our next pairing features Penny Black's La Fleur Rouge.


 The main panel of the card consists of a separate piece of white cardstock that is edged in Delicata Golden Glitz ink.  La Fleur Rouge was then inked with Tombow markers, misted with water and stamped on the panel.  The sentiment (Season's Gifts) was stamped in Onyx Black VersaFine.  The left edge of the panel was trimmed with a small strip of Sea Breeze cardstock.

To finish the card, the left edge of the card base was prepared with a small strip of Madison designer paper and then the completed panel from the previous step was attached with dimensional foam tape.  



Penny Black Supply Summary:


  • 40-413 La Fleur Rouge
  • 30-316 Season’s Gifts
  • 80-001 Madison
  • 08-003 Sea Breeze


  • More La Fleur Rouge to come from Jill...