I love Monet's waterlilies and their invocation of a peaceful day quietly sitting by the pond. The Lily Impressions Designer Series Paper, available FREE with a $50 order, mimics these famous paintings and creates a beautiful backdrop for the cattails from the Friendly Silhouettes dies. 

Ink: Blackberry Bliss
Accessories:

• Friendly Silhouettes dies
• Stitched Rectangle dies
• Subtle 3D embossing folder
• Silver metallic thread
• Gingham Gala Adhesive-Backed Sequins
• Stampin' Dimensionals
• Check You Out stamp set
• Friend Like You stamp set

Notes:

• I cut the cattail silhouette from Basic Black cardstock using the Friendly Silhouettes dies first. Then, I adhered it to a piece of Lily Impressions DSP before cutting the rectangle using the Stitched Rectangle dies. I used Stampin' Dimensionals to attach this piece to the card front.
• I used the Subtle 3D embossing folder on the 5 1/4" x 4" piece of Blackberry Bliss cardstock.

Accessories:

• Friendly Silhouette dies
• Stitched Shapes dies
• Stitched Rectangle dies
• Stampin' Dimensionals
• Whisper White Baker's Twine
• Friend Like You stamp set

Notes:

• Again, I cut the cattails from Soft Suede cardstock first, adhered it to a piece of Lily Impressions DSP, and then cut it with a circle from the Stitched Shapes dies. The circle is attached to the card front with Stampin' Dimensionals.
• I cut the edges of the skinny strips of Pretty Peacock cardstock with the edge of one of the large rectangles from the Stitched Rectangle dies so that there is "stitching" along one edge.
• The dragonflies are stamped with Coastal Cabana ink while the greeting is stamped with Pretty Peacock ink.

Are you new to stamping? My next virtual class is the perfect opportunity for you to plunge into the world of stamps, ink, and paper! March 11, 2020, I will be demonstrating 3 cards and 1 mystery project featuring the Witty-Cisms stamp set. If you're a seasoned stamper, don't worry - these cards and project are perfect for you too! I'm sharing photos of the cards with you today, but because I'll be demonstrating everything on the 11th, there are no instructions in today's blog post. 

You can stamp along with me on March 11 - all you need to do is place an order of at least $40 (before S&H and tax) that includes the Witty-Cisms stamp set before Saturday, February 29, and I will send you a complete Make-N-Take kit. There are only a couple of other supplies you will need for this class including the watercolor pencils assortment #1, a Jet Black Stazon ink pad, adhesive, and a clear block or two. That's it! I will send you all the cardstock and accessories already pre-cut and ready to go. Click the button below to order all the supplies or just the ones you need. And don't forget, every $50 includes a FREE Sale-A-Bration item of your choice!

Aren't these little ladybugs adorable? You can get them FREE right now through Sale-A-Bration when you host a workshop - virtual or live - totally at least $300. 

Did you know that in the US, you can get stamp sets in French as well as English? While these are primarily for the Canadian market, they will ship to addresses in the US as well. I have a number of French friends, so I love having a few stamp sets in French.

For these samples, I used three different methods of coloring the ladybugs to show you their differences: Stampin' Blends, watercolor pencils, and Aqua Painters with ink from a stamp pad. Each method gives a little bit different look to the ladybug. 

I colored the ladybug with watercolor pencils. These colored pencils are fabulous because when they get wet, the color softens and looks more like watercolor paint than colored pencil. After coloring, you can use either an Aqua Painter or a Blender Pen to turn it into a watercolor. When doing any type of watercolor, it is important to use a permanent ink like the Jet Black Stazon. As you can see, I colored two different ladybugs. Then, I colored over the one on the left with an Aqua Painter and the one on the right with a Blender Pen. As you can see, they give similar results. 

With the Aqua Painter, you want to make sure that the tip isn't too wet. If it is very wet, the color may run too much. The Aqua Painter is also at a higher price point, but will last for a very long time as you can refill it with water.

The Blender Pen cost less and comes in a pack of three. However, they are not refillable and will eventually dry out. When the pen becomes a little too dry, the pencil lines will not fade away as much and the colors won't blend. 
​

Cardstock:

• Poppy Parade: 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" folded in half, 5 5/16" x 4 1/16"
• Granny Apple Green: scraps cut with a circle from the Stitched Shapes and Well Written dies
• Poppy Parade DSP: 3 3/4" x 3/4"
• Whisper White: scraps

Ink: ​​Jet Black Stazon
Accessories:

• Well Written dies
• Stitched Shape dies
• Basic Rhinestones
• Retired Polka Dot embossing folder
• Watercolor pencils assortment 1 & 2
• Blender Pens or Aqua Painter
• Stampin' Dimensionals

Cardstock:

• Poppy Parade: 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" folded in half, 5 3/16" x 3 15/16"
• Whisper White: 5" x 3 3/4", 1/2" x 3 1/2", scraps
• Daffodil Delight DSP: two strips 3" x 1/2"
• Poppy Parade DSP: 3/4" x 1 1/2"

Inks:

• Versamark
• Poppy Parade
• Daffodil Delight
• Granny Apple Green
• Balmy Blue
• Early Espresso
• Crumb Cake

Accessories:

• Black embossing powder
• Whisper White Baker's Twine
• Stampin' Dimensionals

Cardstock:

• Granny Apple Green: 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" folded in half
• Poppy Parade: 
• Poppy Parade DSP:
• Granny Apple Green DSP: 
• Whisper White:

​Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento
Stampin' Blends:

• Poppy Parade light and dark
• Crumb Cake light and dark
• Soft Suede light and dark
• Daffodil Delight light and dark
• Granny Apple Green light and dark
• Petal Pink dark
• Color lifter

Accessories:

• Red cotton ribbon
• White Polka Dot Tulle ribbon
• 2" Circle Punch