Thursday, July 11, 2019

Sneak Peek: Super Duper, Heroic Halftones & Comic Strip Speech Bubbles

Hello and welcome to our Fall Sneak Peek Week!  All this week I will be showcasing cards using our new collection for Autumn debuting tomorrow on Friday, July 12th

I have been sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for today to arrive. I didn't expect to fall as hard as I did for our new Super Duper Stamps and diesComic Strip Speech Bubbles dies and Heroic Halftones 6x6 Paper pack.  In fact I have 8 unique cards to share with you today and I would have had even more if I didn't run out of time.  There's so many fun ways to use these sets!

Card No. 1:  These new stamps match really well with our Cityscape Border (and fluffy cloud border) dies shared on Monday giving you even more ways to mix and match products!  Our Heroic Halftones Paper pack comes with lots of great prints that are reminiscent of comic book printing, although look awesome for everyday cards as well.  I used the sunburst pattern in blue for my background and one of the little superheros, lightening bolts and shooting stars from our Super Duper stamps.  For my sentiment I used one of the speech bubbles from our Comic Strip Speech Bubbles dies, popping it up with foam tape.
Sunny Studio Stamps: Super Duper Superhero Birthday Card (using Cityscape Border Die, Heroic Halftones 6x6 Paper & Speech Bubble from Comic Strip Dies)

Card No.2: For this spotlight style card, I started by inking up my white cardstock panel with Salty Ocean distress ink. I then used our Sunny Borders Dies To mask off 3 ovals and inked up around them using Mermaid Lagoon distress ink.  I then fussy cut three angled masks (creating one and then using it to trace two more), lining them up over the oval masks and applied an even layer of Blueprint Sketch over the entire card and and Black Soot distress ink a little more lightly in the corners giving the spotlights a glowing appearance. 

After removing the mask I added some "sparkle" with a Sharpie Extra Fine White Paint pen, flicking out a couple of the dots for extra sparkle. When I was sure my card was good and dry, I added a little anti-static powder where I wanted my sentiment to go and then stamped my greeting with Versamark ink and heat embossed it with opaque white embossing power.
Sunny Studio Stamps Super Duper Superheros in Spotlight Handmade Card by Mendi Yoshikawa

Card No.3: For this card I wanted to really showcase all that you can do with the new Comic Strip Speech Bubbles Die.  I was able to combine three of the speech bubbles with the new stitched comic strip frame for a very retro funny papers vibe, however this product is one I think I'm going to get a ton of mileage for with other styles of cards.  I often struggle with finding a good way to add greetings to my cards and these came to my rescue more than once.  ;)

For my background I started with a sun ray patterned paper from our Spring Sunburst Paper pack and then created scenes in each square using our Fluffy Cloud Border dies, Cityscape Border dies and the grass from our Comic Strip Everyday dies.  The clouds were looking a little bare and unbalanced with the weight of the other frames so I embellished them with a couple scattered stars from our Primary Star Confetti which solved that problem and added a little extra color to my scenes.
Sunny Studio Stamps: Super Duper Superhero Card for Mom's and Mother's Day (using Comic Strip Speech Bubbles dies, Cityscape Border die, & Fluffy Clouds Border dies)





Card No.4: For my next card I got away from primary colors and went with an analogous color scheme. When I was researching classic superhero themes, I realized clouds are not always the fluffy white variety so I decided to use our new Fluffy Clouds Border dies with one of the halftone prints from our Heroic Halftone Paper pack. I then cut a second one from black cardstock, offset them and popped them up with foam tape for an exploding effect. Love the shadows it creates!  I used another pattern from the pack for my background and then the fluffy cloud speech bubble for my greeting.

Card No.5:  I used that same exploding clouds idea on my next card, this time layering them along the perimeter of my card to create a border to hide my clear acetate shaker window behind.  I had the other half of the Cityscape Border die-cut leftover from card no. 3 that I put inside my window along the bottom of my scene and then created a visual triangle with the two superheros and speech bubble.  This style of thought bubble comes with two different options for the little "clouds" leading up to the bubble (which you can see on both this card and card no. 4). As my shaker filler, I used our Primary Star Confetti clay embellishments which are such a great compliment to these stamps.
Sunny Studio Stamps: Super Duper You're My Superhero Star Shaker Card (using Comic Strip Speech Bubbles Dies, Cityscape Border die, Fluffy Clouds Border dies & Heroic Halftones 6x6 Paper)

Card No.6: I've been itching to create another card with our Sliding Window dies and the Superheros are the perfect images to pop up with these fun interactive dies.
Sunny Studio Stamps Super Duper Flying Superhero Interactive Pop-up Birthday Card (using Sliding Window Dies)

I made them so that the fluffy cloud border along the top of my card front was placed just above the fold for the sliding window and then adhered the bottom two clouds and stamped superhero so that there wasn't any adhesive above that same fold.  That way the clouds blend together when the window is closed, but then pop up to have only clouds on the edge when opened, giving the appearance the superhero is flying through the air.
Sunny Studio Stamps Super Duper Flying Superhero Interactive Pop-up Birthday Card (using Sliding Window Dies)

I embellished my card front with red and blue die-cut stars from our Comic Strip Speech Bubbles dies and then added another superhero girl and heat embossed greeting in the hidden window below.
Sunny Studio Stamps Super Duper Flying Superhero Interactive Pop-up Birthday Card (using Sliding Window Dies)

Card No.7: For this card I used the new Comic strip dies in a more graphic way, rather than a literal comic strip style card.  Just call it my version of Piet Mondrian.  ;)  I filled the openings using a mix of our Heroic Halftones Papers and then embellished my card with Studio Katia Iridescent Star Crystals.
Sunny Studio Stamps Super Duper "You're Super" Superhero Card (featuring Comic Strip Speech Bubble Dies & Heroic Halftones 6x6 Paper)

Card No.8: My last card uses all the same elements as the previous card, but with a different arrangement.  For each release I mass produce cards for brick and mortar stores who carry our products to display and I was experimenting with different arrangements before settling on the first option.  ;)
Sunny Studio Stamps Super Duper "You're Super" Superhero Card (featuring Comic Strip Speech Bubble Dies & Heroic Halftones 6x6 Paper)

Here's a look at the four patterns in the Heroic Halftones 6x6 Paper Pack. Each pattern comes in 6 bright colors which are double-sided. They are printed on a nice 65 pound cover weight and come with two of each style.
Sunny Studio Stamps: Heroic Halftones Primary Colored Polka-dot 6x6 Patterned Paper Pack

That wraps up today's sneak peeks.  I'm so happy you've joined me!  I'd love to give a $25 gift code to one lucky winner using the rafflecopter below.  Make sure to keep checking back all this week for more peeks & prizes for up to five chances to win. The contests run through Saturday at Midnight PST with winners announced here on Sunday, July 14th. :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway Here's a closer look at the new Super Duper stamps & coordinating dies, as well as the new Comic Strip Speech Bubbles dies & Heroic Halftones 6x6 Paper pack used today (available for purchase on Friday, July 12th).


Sunny Studio Stamps: Super Duper Superhero 4x6 Clear Photopolymer Stamp Set   Sunny Studio Stamps: Super Duper Superhero Coordinating Low Profile Metal Cutting Dies

Sunny Studio Stamps: Heroic Halftones Primary Colored Polka-dot 6x6 Patterned Paper Pack  Sunny Studio Stamps: Comic Strip Speech Bubbles Low Profile Metal Cutting Dies

Other Supplies Used:

Sunny Borders Dies
Sunny Borders Dies
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Tsukineko Jumbo Dauber
Tsukineko Jumbo Dauber
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Sunny Studio
Versafine Onyx Black Ink
Versafine Onyx Black Ink
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Sunny Studio
Polka-dot Parade 6x6 Paper
Polka-dot Parade 6x6 Paper
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Sunny Studio
Comic Strip Everyday Dies
Comic Strip Everyday Dies
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Sunny Studio
Sliding Window Dies
Sliding Window Dies
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Sunny Studio
Dots & Stripes Pastels 6x6 Paper
Dots & Stripes Pastels 6x6 Paper
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Sunny Studio
Cityscape Border Dies
Cityscape Border Dies
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Sunny Studio
Fluffy Clouds Border Dies
Fluffy Clouds Border Dies
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Sunny Studio
Primary Star Confetti
Primary Star Confetti
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Sunny Studio
Iridescent Star Jewels
Iridescent Star Crystals
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Sunny Studio
VersaMark Watermark Ink
VersaMark Watermark Ink
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Sunny Studio

Wednesday, July 10, 2019

Sneek Peek: Sunflower Fields + Lots of Dots & Moroccan Circles Embossing

Hello and welcome to our Fall Sneak Peek Week!  All this week I will be showcasing cards using our new collection for Autumn debuting on Friday, July 12th.

Today I am sharing our newest layering set called Sunflower Fields, along with two brand new 6x6 embossing folders! 


Card No.1: For my first card I wanted to be true to the stamp set's name and create a field of flowers.  I started by inking up my background with Salty Ocean, Mermaid Lagoon and Blueprint sketch distress inks using my foam jumbo dauber. I then stamped a repeated polka-dot print onto my background using a border from our Background Basics stamps using Colorbox Blueberry Ink.   

I stamped the stem from the set onto some scratch white cardstock and then quickly fussy cut them, lengthening a couple of them by hiding the seam behind a leaf.  This set comes with two fun little layering honey bee stamps which I added to my card with foam tape.  For my sentiment, I stamped the words "many thanks" from the set using Versafine Onyx Black Ink onto a banner from our Little Angels dies that I had inked with Mustard Seed (and a touch of Spiced Marmalade) distress ink. These vivid colors make me so happy!
Sunny Studio Stamps: Sunflower Fields Layered Flower Many Thanks Polka-dot Card (using Background Basics Stamps & Little Angels Banner die)

Card No.2:  Continuing my yellow and blue love affair, my next card uses our new Frilly Frames Hexagon Dies (shared more on Friday) with our previously released Quilted Hexagons stamps.  I used the negative space leftover from the die to stamp the pieces with my stamp positioning tool and Colorbox Sky Ink. I then used the dies to cut the hexagon frame from printer paper which I used as a template to arrange my hexagons, popping them up with foam tape.  When I was done I was able to easily slip off the template and I was left with perfectly arranged hexagons!  I completed my card with a sentiment from our Happy Thoughts Stamps which I heat embossed onto a pennant from our Fancy Frames Rectangle Dies.
Sunny Studio: Sunflower Fields Layered Flower Patchwork Quilt Birthday Card (using Quilted Hexagon Stamps, Happy Thoughts Stamps & Frilly Frames Hexagon Dies)

Card No.3: For this project I created a trio of fall gift tags using our new Colorful Autumn Paper cut using our Build-A-Tag 2 dies. I am in love with all rich colors in this collection and the tone-on-tone prints are the perfect backdrop for our new Sunflower stamps.
Sunny Studio: Sunflower Fields Layered Flower & Bumble Bee Gift Tags (using Build-A-Tag dies & Colorful Autumn 6x6 Paper)

Card No.4: For this card I started by embossing my card panel with our new Lots of Dots Embossing Folder and then inked up a circle in the center using my jumbo dauber and Tumbled Glass distress ink.  To form my jute wreath I traced a circle onto my background and then wound my jute around the line, adhering it to the card with liquid glue, hiding the start near the bottom where my sunflowers would hide it.

I then added my sunflowers to the card, mounting them on two stacked pieces of foam tape to match the thickness of the jute.  A little strip of yellow gingham from our Classic Gingham Paper pack tied everything together. For my greeting I used our Hello Word die, cutting several from kraft cardstock and then one on top from white cardstock.  I just love the extra dimension the kraft color below gives the card in person!  
Sunny Studio Stamps: Sunflower Fields Layered Flower Wreath Style Card (using Hello Word Die, Lots of Dots Polka-dot 6x6 Embossing Folder & Classic Gingham Paper)

Card No.5:  Next up is a card using our new Moroccan Circles Embossing Folder.  I started by inking up white cardstock with salty ocean distress ink, then embossed it with the folder and inked it again with blueprint sketch to emphasize the raised pattern.

For my "vase" I used our Vintage Jar Stamps and dies, stamping the bottom layer on cardstock and the top layer with Stazon Pigment Ink onto acetate for extra dimension.  For my sentiment I cut the Hello Word from aqua cardstock and heat embossed the word "friend" onto black cardstock using our Foxy Christmas Stamps. As a last little touch I cut a white scalloped border using our Stitched Scallop Dies which I adhered to the bottom of my card.
Sunny Studio: Sunflower Fields Layered Flower Hello Friends Embossed Card (using Vintage Jar Stamps, Stitched Scalloped Border dies & Moroccan Circles 6x6 Embossing Folder)

Card No.6:  For my last card of the day (that I made very last minute, putting the finishing touches on at 2am this morning) I created a shaped card using this free Silhouette cut file (or this printable that you can cutout by hand). I messed up the centers of these particular flowers when lining up my stamps so rather than throw them out I turned to some unfinished wood buttons that I inked up with some vintage photo distress ink.  

I designed the cut file to perfectly line up with the Sunflower Field dies making it super easy to create cards like this one in no time at all. I love how it gives your card a nice smooth surface with nothing hanging off the edge from the backside. I cut two so I could score one along the top and adhere it to the other one above the fold to form my card base. I also cut an extra base from kraft cardstock and then embossed it with our new Lots of Dots Embossing Folder to form my flower pot. I then finished off my card with a sentiment from our Heartfelt Greetings Stamps which was stamped onto a tag from our Wrap Around Box Dies and topped with a jute bow.
Sunny Studio Stamps: Sunflower Fields Polka-dot Embossed Flower Pot Card (using Lots of Dots 6x6 Embossing Folder + Free Cut File Download)

To help you line up our Sunflower Fields stamps like a pro I've created a special layering guide (you can click on the photo below to view it larger).  The guide shows the stamps starting with the lightest ink color, working towards the darkest, but sometimes I find it easier to start backwards. They both work depending on what your preference is.  The black outline indicates where that layer touches the previously stamped layer.  :)
Sunny Studio Stamps: Sunflower Fields Layered Flower, Leaf & Honey Bee Layering Guide

I frequently am asked which ink colors I used for my layered images.  While I think there are so many great options out there, these are the colors I used today for my stamped images (in the ordered shared from lightest to darkest)...

Light Sunflower 
Colorbox Lemonade
Versafine Cheerful

Colorbox Banana
Colorbox Dandelion
Lawn Fawn Doe
Altenew Mocha


Dark Sunflower 
Versafine Cheerful
Colorbox Banana
Papertrey Ink Summer Sunrise
Lawn Fawn Carrot
Altenew Mocha
Versafine Acorn


Green Leaves (used on cards 2, 4 & 5)
Hero Arts Green Hills

Colorbox Grasshopper
Colorbox Green Apple
Colorbox Golf Course (or Versafine Green Oasis)

Olive Green Leaves (used on cards 1 & 3)
Colorbox Kiwi
Colorbox Luxuriant Green
Colorbox Artichoke
Versafine Shady Lane


2021 UPDATE: Many of the inks linked above have since been discontinued by Colorbox after going out of business, but I adore this PinkFresh Studio Rise & Shine Ink Cubes 4-pack set for all things yellow. I also share a variety of good green ink color combinations for leaves which you can find HERE. For my newest favorite brown ink color combinations I have listed them below. 

Updated Cool Browns Combo:
Gina K. Sandy Beach
Gina K. Kraft
C & 9 Wheat
Hero Arts Cup O'Joe

Updated Warm Browns Combo:
PinkFresh Studio Warm Buff
PinkFresh Studio Doe
Gina K Warm Cocoa
PinkFresh Gathered Twig

That wraps up today's sneak peeks.  That was a whole lot of information and I so appreciate you hanging out with me today. I'd love to give a $25 gift code to one lucky winner using the rafflecopter below.  Make sure to keep checking back all this week for more peeks & prizes for up to five chances to win. The contests run through Saturday at Midnight PST with winners announced here on Sunday, July 14th. :)


a Rafflecopter giveaway
Here's a closer look at the new Sunflower fields stamps & coordinating dies, as well as the new Lots of Dots 6x6 embossing folder & Moroccan Circles 6x6 embossing folder used today (available for purchase on Friday, July 12th).

Sunny Studio: Sunflower Fields Fall Layered Flower 4x6 Clear Photopolymer Stamp Set   Sunny Studio Stamps: Sunflower Fields Coordinating Low Profile Metal Cutting Dies
  

Sunny Studio Stamps: New Lots of Dots Polka-Dot and Moroccan Circles 6x6 Embossing Folders

Other Supplies Used:
Little Angels Dies
Little Angels Dies
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Sunny Studio
Stitched Scallop Dies
Stitched Scallop Dies
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Sunny Studio
Vintage Jar Dies
Vintage Jar Dies
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Sunny Studio
Vintage Jar Stamps
Vintage Jar Stamps
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Sunny Studio
Versafine Onyx Black Ink
Versafine Onyx Black Ink
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Sunny Studio
Quilted Hexagon Stamps
Quilted Hexagon Stamps
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Sunny Studio
Fancy Frames- Rectangles
Fancy Frames- Rectangles
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Sunny Studio
Background Basics Stamps
Background Basics Stamps
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Sunny Studio
Hello Word Die
Hello Word Die
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Sunny Studio
Classic Gingham 6x6 Paper
Classic Gingham 6x6 Paper
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Sunny Studio
Happy Thoughts Stamps
Happy Thoughts Stamps
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Sunny Studio
Foxy Christmas Stamps
Foxy Christmas Stamps
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Sunny Studio
Build-A-Tag #2 Dies
Build-A-Tag #2 Dies
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Sunny Studio
Colorful Autumn 6x6 Paper
Colorful Autumn 6x6 Paper
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Sunny Studio
Frilly Frames Hexagon Dies
Frilly Frames Hexagon Dies
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Sunny Studio
VersaMark Watermark Ink
VersaMark Watermark Ink
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Sunny Studio
Heartfelt Wishes Stamps
Heartfelt Wishes Stamps
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Sunny Studio
Tsukineko Jumbo Dauber
Tsukineko Jumbo Dauber
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Sunny Studio
Wrap Around Box Die
Wrap Around Box Die
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Sunny Studio
Stazon Pigment-Snowflake
Stazon Pigment-Snowflake
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Sunny Studio