Two Simon Says Stamp cards and SALE!!!

July 1, 2017September 13, 2017 Pam Sparks36 Comments

Happy Holiday weekend to you!

As many of you know, I’m an affiliate for Simon Says Stamp, Scrapbook.com, Blick Art, Bluemoon Scrapbooking and Hallmark Scrapbook and link up to the products I use when I can to these stores. (links in the sidebar too) Being an affiliate means I make a small percentage on your order, at no expense to you, when you click from a link on my blog.

I’m also a big fan of starlitstudio.net and love to support Cindy’s store! Great prices, fast service and top notch customer service. So I link to her store a lot!

Today I’m using Simon Says Stamp own line of stamps and dies on these two cards. They are on SALE right now 15% off! Yes that is exciting! It doesn’t happen very often. lol

OK – I need to make a couple decisions and wouldn’t you know because I feel like you’re my fellow cardmakers and friends I need help!

The linking system that I’ve used for the last few years is changing especially for me and the other gals that use wordpress.com. It isn’t going to work anymore because wordpress doesn’t allow ‘script’ which is the code the new LinkDeli uses. So, that means I need to move my blog to wordpress.org and become expressionswithheart.com to use it, which means a yearly domain fee and a monthly fee to have a blog…then they add on a fee of security…it really adds up fast. Then there is the new monthly fee to use LinkDeli. LinkDeli is amazing! Much faster then Inlinkz and I would love to be able to use it because it’s such a time saver. I was able to beta test it even though it didn’t work when I put it on my blog. ugh. sigh.

So, I need to make money here on this ‘ole blog to pay for all this.

I’m just wondering how you all feel about affiliates and shopping through links on blogs? I spend a lot of time linking up to stores when writing blog posts, after spending the time to make the cards and take the photos. It’s a big deal, but I know I appreciate seeing what other ppl use and I think you do too! I don’t want to be a martyr about it but until you’ve done it, you don’t realize what a time sucker it is.

I know there are a lot of us out there trying to make a little to pay for blogging. Kinda crazy. hehe

Any thoughts you can leave me here as a comment or email me, would be most helpful.

For this fun little bear card I used SSS Birch Tree Window die, Stitched Rectangles die, Sending die, Sending and Wishing stamp set and the bear from Abby’s Spring Showers stamp set.

I colored him with Copic Sketch markers. I love these Stitched Rectangles…SSS was the first to come out with the stitching on both sides of the cut! Clever…now several other companies are doing it too.

As part of SSS affiliate program, when they have a new release, they usually send me one thing to use from that release. This time they sent the new Heart Sprinkle Trail die… very fun… I have some ideas to use it for the holidays too. 😀

I embossed it in my white panel with the Big Shot and tan embossing mat. (I have videos about embossing under the video tab under my blog title) Then I die cut it in red card-stock and glued the red pieces onto the embossed panel… gives it a really nice dimension. It really didn’t take much time either… I just put little dots of glue on top of each place on the embossed panel and used the pick up tool to place the little pieces on the dots of glue. Nothing new, I’ve done it before.

I stamped the sentiment from the SSS Roses For You stamp set with the MISTI stamping tool. Someone is asking on a FB group if it is a worthwhile investment… YES!!! lol

I do love Washi tape…hehe…as you can tell! I used 3 different ones and then tied on some twine…love all that white space!

ok – here’s the SALE info! ALL Simon Brand products are 15% off!
Use the code SSSFLASH

I hope you have some time to shop, when you’re not outside enjoying this beautiful Summer weather! There are some awesome new dies and stamps under the SSS brand. Anyway, it’s been unusually nice here for a week! I hope it stays! haha

Holler at me if you have any questions and I do appreciate your friendship and that you follow my blog! I do!!! 😀

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Birthday · cards · CAS · Spring · Taylored Expressions

Window Scene for Inkspirational Challenges…

June 3, 2017June 3, 2017 Pam Sparks27 Comments

Hello weekend and friends! I’m delighted to be a guest for this week’s challenge over at Inspirational Challenges. The theme this time is ‘windows’.

A little ink smooshing and die cutting, oh and white heat embossing on black and this card could really be used for a lot of occasions. I went with belated birthday because that is something I need but rarely have made ahead.

I used Tumbled Glass and Mermaid Lagoon Distress Inks for my inky background, just on regular card-stock this time.

I die cut Taylored Expressions In the Garden die from black card-stock three times, layering/gluing them together to get that fun dimensional look we all love.

I layered/taped the smooshed panel to an A2 card-base, Then glued on the black silhouette scene. I die cut the Memory Box Modern Tile die from white card-stock, then added foam mounting strips on all four sides, on the back and adhered it on the top.

I white embossed the sentiment from Taylored Expressions Some Like it Hot stamp set on a black card-stock strip and glued it on last..

I made two enamel dots with Ranger Caribbean Coast Enamel Accents, let them dry and glued them on the sentiment strip.

Thank you so much to Marina and her team for inviting me to guest design for this post. I enjoy challenges and love participating with the Inkspirational challenges when I can. I hope you will take the window challenge! Can’t wait to see what everyone creates!

I’m linking my card to some challenges…

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge – Anything Goes

Just Us Girls Word Week Challenge – Die cuts

Happy Little Stampers June CAS Challenge – Smoosh

CAS Watercolor Card Challenge – Summer

Thank you for visiting my blog on a busy Saturday! I appreciate it so much! Happy window-making to you!

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Birthday · cards · CAS · Die Piecing · Distress Ink coloring · Masculine · Memory Box · Poppystamps · Spring

3 Memory Box/poppystamps cards to share today…

May 31, 2017June 18, 2017 Pam Sparks34 Comments

Hello and happy to welcome you back to my blog! I had fun using some Distress Oxide inks again… all the rage these days! Don’t you love new stuff?! I sure do! lol

Here I’ve die cut the Grassland Collage die in a white Memory Box notecard panel that I die cut with the largest Rectangle Basics die… I love using that die because I love the rounded over edges! I kept all the pieces and inked them up with Distress Oxide ink pads… yes you need them. I don’t have the browns yet but I think I’ll get Vintage Photo at least. I had to use Cracked Pistachio for the grass but I didn’t think it was grass enough looking so I blended on regular Peeled Paint Distress ink over the top and it worked great! yay

Then added water speckling to the pieces before I pieced them into the card…

I stamped the ‘thinking of you’ sentiment from the So Many Things to Love stamp set.

I die cut the Adelaide Stem die from white card-stock and adhered it just in the centers so the flower heads would bend up a little.

I really like this card… always love it when I’m happy with a card after pictures! lol

Linking my Grassland card up to challenges…

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge – Add a Circle shape

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge – Anything Goes

Die Cuttin’ Divas – Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps and More – Clean and Simple

Thank you so much for choosing my card as a TOP ADDICT! You made my day!

Next up…

There’s that pretty Cracked Pistachio and Broken China blend again… hehe That pop of white against those colors….scream Summer!

Here I die cut the Tall Fern Left and Tall Fern Right Corner dies in white and glued them on over the blended and Sprinkle Dots stenciled background. I did go in with the white Signo Gel pen and add white dots too.

I die cut the Powell Butterfly die in white card-stock and the Corden Butterfly in vellum. The butterfly body is from another butterfly set. I’m sure you have as many butterfly body dies as I do! lol Holler if you need me to look it up.

The sentiment is from the Friends and Flowers stamp set. I need to do some more with this set…really pretty flowers. That little stitched panel was just laying on my desk! eek! Holler if I need to look it up for you!

Next up… a super CAS birthday card.

Here I used the leftover ink from the stencil used on the Tall Fern/Butterfly card above. Who’d a thunk?! Weird… sprayed it with water and laid it down on the card-stock and this is what it looked like… I kept it and went with it for this clean and simple card. I like it even though it looks really imperfect.

I die cut the Celebration Balloon Collage die in a white panel that I die cut with the Cross Stitched Frame Borders die. (this die appears to be discontinued. I googled and found this site)

After you look at this card, notice the woven piece it’s laying on…our middle daughter is a weaver…she wove that!!! Her work is amazing. She is so talented. She used to help me make cards. I drove her crazy asking her what colors to use together and does this look alright etc. She left me to make cards on my own years ago (she got married). lol I’ve managed to survive and keep making cards. lol

OH, back to the card… I used heavy thread for the balloon strings and then that cute little String Ribbon Bow die at the bottom.

The celebrate sentiment is from the Holiday Bunnies stamp set.

I glued on 3 little Pretty Pink Posh 3 mm sequins just to sparkle it up!

Linking my Celebration Balloon card to challenges…

Addicted to Stamps and More – Clean and Simple

AAA Cards – Birthday card

Seize the Birthday – anything goes

Thank you ladies @ Seize the Birthday for their ‘I took the cake award’

That’s pretty much it…I’m sure I forgot something! Feel free to ask though.

Thanks so much for stopping by. I appreciate it so much!

Shopping links for the products I use and love!

InLinkz.com

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Birthday · cards · copics · Memory Box · Spring

A couple more Memory Box Aster cards…

May 26, 2017May 26, 2017 Pam Sparks20 Comments

Two cards today from the same dies but oriented differently…this one I used the Stitched Aster Panel more like a frame and went horizontal so the words would fit. I really like this word die. lol

I die cut in Memory Box White notecards, colored everything with Copic Sketch Markers and mounted them to a Memory Box Chipboard notecard.

Oh, I cut more of each of the Stitched Aster Blooms die from white, colored them the same and layered them on top of the panel.

I die cut Wishing You Manuscript die three times, glued them together and adhered it in the center.

On the inside I die cut the Happy Birthday Friendship Script and layered it on a stitched rectangle…

The heart was just laying on my desk leftover from Valentines Day I guess, so I stuck it on! hehe

Linking my card to the Seize the Birthday Challenge – Anything Goes

Die Cut Divas – May Flowers

This next card is back to the White Aster similar to what I posted on Tuesday.

I embossed a piece of kraft card-stock with Hobby Lobby’s woodgrain embossing folder, taped it to an A2 Memory Box white notecard then glued on two die cut and colored Stitched Aster Panels keeping the frame to the center on both. Kinda gives the impression of a gatefold card and it could easy be a gatefold, I just didn’t want to make it that because it’s too hard to get a picture of. Excuses, excuses, haha Die cut some Stitched Aster Blooms to add more petals to the flowers.

I cut the Dazzling Dragonfly die from vellum and white card-stock. I colored the vellum pieces on the back side with Copic Sketch Markers. For the body I taped the vellum over the white cut and glued it to the wings.

I added Nuvo drops to the little buds. I think that’s it for these two cards…holler if you have any questions.

Linking my card to Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday May 2017 – put a little sunshine on your card

Die Cut Divas – May Flowers

Thanks for stopping by today. Enjoy the long weekend! ttul!

Birthday · cards · Die Piecing · Memory Box · Simon Says Stamp

Simon Says Stamp May Release – Cherished…

May 25, 2017May 26, 2017 Pam Sparks16 Comments

Two cards to share with you today! Simon Says Stamp sent me their new Big Perfect Shapes stamp and die set to create with for this month’s release.

I die cut the hexagon shape in the die set several times and taped them to a piece of black 4.25 x 5.5 inch card-stock. Then I cut that piece using their Stitched Rectangles die.

I die cut the Painted Happy Birthday die from black and white card-stock and layered them up 3 deep.

The bee is one of Memory Box’s dies, Plush Baby Bumble die. I double cut the body and wings from white and yellow card-stock, the the other pieces are a single layer from black card-stock. The eyes are Nuvo Drops.

A bit of black/white twine, some white dots with a Sharpie and PPP clear sequins and it was done!

Linking up to challenges…

Seize the Birthday – Anything goes – optional something sweet (honey)

Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday May 2017 – put a little sunshine on it

My next card uses the square stamp and square die from the sets…

I stamped the squares with Altenew Coral Berry ink and overstamped the floral design from Roses for You stamp set with Altenew Ruby Red ink, then die cut the squares with the square die from the Big Perfect Shapes set .

Wishing is die cut and layered three times and the sentiment heat embossed in white powder on black card-stock and trimmed. Oh man, I forgot to try adding an enamel dot! lol

Linking my card to the Less is More Challenge – Geometric