Sneak Peek: Stampin’ Up! Spring-Summer

Christmas is past and I absolutely feel like spring.  We have been bombarded with snow this year.  Lovely to look at but it’s already getting old.  It’s going to be a long Wisconsin January, February and March for me!  When I saw the latest color challenge in the Splitcoast Stampers forum (CC146), Real Red, Glorious Green and Green Galore, I let out a massive groan.  Fearing I might never be able to think spring, I grabbed my Spring Solitude "rubba," a new hostess stamp set (level 2), from the Stampin’ Up! Spring-Summer Collection, available Jan. 2.  This stamp set has a bit of retro, a bit of nature and comes bundled with a rockin’ exclusive wheel. 

So I was up for the challenge of using the colors from the new color challenge and even decided to combine it with the latest Splitcoast Stampers Sketch Challenge (SC156), now that’s just plain pushing the thinking cap envelope!  As is typical for me, I was the creative storm before the calm and once I got started, I thoroughly loved the layout and colors.  Glorious Green has just enough blue to give a bit of a retro feel combined with Green Galore and a red bird . . . well, is there any other color for a bird? 

I began with a Whisper White card, and layered it with Glorious Green and some Green Galore that had taken a trip through my Cuttlebug Traffic Jam embossing folder.  I next cut the circles using Real Red (with a little added distressing to cover my not so perfect first effort) and Whisper White  1/8" smaller. I used my spanky new Curvy Cutter Circle Template for both (having learned to now use removable tape to secure my cardstock, the level of expletives during the process has reduced dramatically).

I stamped the flower grouping like mad in Glorious Green on the white circle card stock.  I then inked and stamped the branch using a chocolate chip marker and a blender pen dipped in glorious green.  The little birdie told me he wanted to be Real Red.  I next snipped them out and each did a little "heightening" (anyone watch Seinfeld?) with Stampin’ Dimensionals.  Ditto in Glorious Green with the solid flowers.  The flowers received a little extra attention with Real Red Buttons.  Last came the sentiment that, with the help of my heavenly punches (Scallop Circle, Designer Label, Large Oval), always looks harder to do than it was.  Thank you is divided in color using Chocolate Chip and Real Red markers.  The "o" in  "you" begged for some bling so I added a red Rhinestone Brad from the  Fire Collection.

Stamp Set:  Spring Solitude Bundle
Paper:  Whisper White, Green Galore, Glorious Green, Real Red
Ink:  Green Galore, Glorious Green, Real Red Inkpad and Marker, Chocolate Chip Marker
Cool Tools:  Cuttlebug with Traffic Jam Embossing Folder, Paper Snips, Punches:  Large Oval, Designer Label, Scalloped Circle, Curvy Cutter Circle Templates, Distressing Tool (on Red Circle)
Perfect Touches:  Rhinestone Brad (Fire/Red), Stampin’ Dimensionals

COMING UP:  MORE STAMPIN’ UP! SNEAK PEEKS.   YOWSA!