Well, If Simon SAYS So…

Tuesday Revews-Day

At the risk of conspicuous consumption, I figured I’d close this week with a few highlights from the third crafty subscription box I’ve been geeting: the Simon Say Stamp monthly card kit.

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I posted back in December about the cards I made from the November kit. (8 Cards from 1 Kit) Not only did I fail to make a set of cards from the December kit, I also ordered their separate deluxe card kit and did absolutely nothing with it, either! (Oh, except for some minor squee-ing over the cuteness of everything in each box.)

December Card Kit

December Card Kit

It’s not like the items in the kits will go unused. If nothing else the Christmas kits will give me a head start on next year’s cards. Plus, look at that little reindeer–that could totally work for spring or fall cards, and anything can be put into the banner.

The additional deluxe card kit. Impulse buy much?

The additional deluxe card kit. Impulse buy much?

Same with the bells and presents from the second kit–could certainly work for birthdays, weddings, and other celebrations throughout the year.

January 2017 Kit

January 2017 Kit

February 2017 Kit

February 2017 Kit

The February kit was a return to the cute and useful no matter what style–those coffee and tea stamps are adorable and I had to have them, even though I’d told myself I really shouldn’t order it. Should, schmould. I adore it. And whether those stickers (“shape sprinkles”) end up on cards or in my planner remains to be seen.

In an effort towards fiscal responsibility (bah, adulthood!) I may have to skip the next few kits until I can a) use the ones I have and b) therefore justify the line in my budget better. Still, for the cost ($24.95) you get a lot of stuff–at least 8 cards worth–plus a set of stamps you can reuse as many times as you want and, frequently, other tools (ink pads, embellishments, and sometimes dies that live just as long–it’s a great way to build your stash if you’re just starting out.

Once again, this has not been a sponsored post at all. I’m just a happy camper who loves seeing Simon show up on my front porch each month 🙂

Have you subscribed to anything crafty lately?

This Blog Hop Didn’t Get Lost in the Shuffle!

In The Studio

But how awesome is “lost in the shuffle” as an apology for missing a card-worthy occasion? It’s just one of the many sentiments included in the “In The Cards” stamp set (and coordinating “Shuffle” Fri-Dies set) that I received as part of today’s Imagine Crafts/CAS-ual Fridays blog hop!

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While I love the stamp set, I ended up using more of the die set for this card since I wanted to try the inlay technique and I’m very happy with how it all turned out.

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Materials:

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Spray a sheet of cardstock with Walnut Ink and allow to dry.

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Cut numerous diamonds, hearts, clubs, and spades from the Shuffle Fri-Dies set from the sprayed papers. For variation, feel free to cut some from the more speckled edges as well as some from the solid-color areas.

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Cut those same shapes from the card front in a random pattern. Make sure to cut some off the edges of the card front to really “sell” the random pattern idea.

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Apply adhesive to the entire front panel of the card front and match the card front over the adhesive. The glue peeks through the holes, making it easy to slot in the colored die cuts.

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Trim 1/4″ strips from the sprayed card stock and make them into a frame just inside the perimeter of the card.

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Spritz the assembled card with irRESISTible texture spray and allow to dry.

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Stamp a sentiment onto a 1/2″ strip of white card stock. Trim the ends, add a crystal, and pop the strip up with ZapDots and it’s done!

So, the next step on the hop will bring you to Karen Griglione’s blog! And if you missed a stop on the hop, you can find the full list of participating blogs (with links!) over at the Imagine Crafts post.

Now, a little bird tells me that there’s a giveaway happening as part of this blog hop, and all you have to do is leave a comment to enter! And if you can’t think of anything else to say, tell me your favorite card game! I’ve always been a Gin Rummy fan, myself. Winners will be announced on the 27th!