HAPPY 7th ANNIVERSARY TO GRACIELLIE DESIGN and HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO GRACIE!!! Today we are celebrating these two special events with an Instagram Hop!

Join the hop for lots of inspiration from the design team, lots of chances to win the amazing prizes from the generous sponsors. Head over to Gracie’s Instagram and my Instagram @helengdesigns to start the hop!

And here’s my card for this celebration day that I created using the beautiful Magnolia Branch Mega Bundle digital stamp and Botanical Dream digital paper pack.

I love working with digital stamp. When I want to make a batch of cards, I can use the Print-and-Cut feature from Silhouette Studio and cutting it with my Silhouette Cameo machine. But today, I simply just printed the magnolia branch image on a white cardstock using inkjet printer and then I colored it with pencil colors and colorless blender pencil.

After I fussy cut it with scissors, I put it in my spraying box and sprayed it with metallic silver spray for extra shine on the magnolia branch. I dried it with craft heater.

For the background card, I printed one of the pattern from the Botanical Dream digital paper pack on white cardstock in 8.5 x 11 size. Yeah… I printed the full page. It might sound taking so much ink, but I can cut the whole page to make 2-3 cards. I cut it in the size of slimline card and added it on the card with permanent adhesive runner.

I cut the black frame using 2 dies from the D2BA Rectangles Slimline Framelit Dies and I added it on the card with permanent adhesive runner.

Next, I printed the sentiment from the same Magnolia Branch Mega Bundle digital stamp on a white cardstock and then I cut it with one of the D2BA Rectangle Fancy Framelit Dies.

I put both magnolia branch image and sentiment label on the card with 3D foam tape for extra dimensional. And then, I added some white acrylic paint splatters on the card.

I hope this card sparks a little fresh idea for you to create today… Thanks for stopping by!

Hello hello hello everyone! School is out and that means… Summer break is officially started! I hope this card today will perk you up and brings some sunshines in your day.

I share this card at Dare 2B Artzy Blog today. I made this coffee card today using the new Latte Love Stamp Set, new Frappe & Donut Die Set, new Slim Mini Wavy Layers Dies, and Sunburst Stencil.

All of these new coffee stamps and dies are also available in this Coffee bundle that you can grab them with sale price!

The Mini Slimline card base I used is 6″ X 3.25″ that fit perfectly with all the D2BA new Slim Mini dies.

I used gelli printing technique to create that background. I dabbed the dye inks directly on the gelli plate and spray lightly with water. Then, I added the stencil and I put the watercolor paper on top. I gently pressed the paper and then I removed the paper and stencil off the gelli plate. I grabbed another watercolor paper and pulled another print off the gelli plate.

I dried the printed paper with craft heater and then I cut it with the largest size of the Slim Mini Wavy Layers Dies. I added the front panel on too of the slim mini card base with permanent adhesive runner.

I stamped the coffee cup, sleeve, and lid on a watercolor paper with black pigment ink and dried them. I colored then with watercolor brush pens and water brush. I dried them again and then I cut them with the coordinating dies. I put the pieces together with dries-clear adhesive glue. I added the cup on the card with permanent adhesive

I stamped the sentiment on a white cardstock with black pigment ink and then I cut it with the label die from the Slim Mini Wavy Layers Dies. I added it on the card with 3D foam tape.

That’s my card today! Hope this brings some sunshine into your day. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Hello hello hello everyone… We are already in the middle of May. I love this quote that I used on my card today. Every day is a fresh start. We have another new change every day to start fresh for sure. I hope this will encourage you too.

I made this mixed media card using the Blossoming ARTplorations Stencil, Brick Wall ARTplorations Stencil, Inspirational #4 Clear Stickers. Have you played along with the Stencil Challenge this month? If not yet, you still have time to create a project using stencils and link it up at our May Stencil Challenge. Do you need more inspiration? Check out the projects from the design team at STAMPlorations blog.

I used stamping with stencil technique to start the first layer of the background using the Brick Wall stencil. I used pigment ink to stamp the stencil on a heavyweight cardstock.

Next, I taped the Blossoming stencil on the cardstock and using an oval blending brush, I added the black pigment on the cardstock. I only focused on one corner of the cardstock when I blending in the ink on the stencil. I removed the stencil and clean it with stamp cleaner spray towel.

I put the background panel in my spray box (just a little box I have for spraying and splatting inks so I won’t make a mess on my craft table!) and I added some paint splatters on the background panel using the Fireworks! Juicy Purples set from Imagine Crafts. After adding some splatters on it, I dried the whole background panel with craft heater.

I trimmed the background panel slightly smaller than the card base and I added it on the card with permanent adhesive runner.

I added the clear sticker sentiment on a white cardstock, trimmed it, and I added on the card with 3D foam tape for extra dimension.

That’s my mixed media card today. I hope this give you an idea to create with stencils. Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today. Have wonderful day!

I link up at:

Hey hey hey… It is May Day!!! New month… New season… New adventure. We all have another chance to start and try something new again. You can start with taking time for yourself if you have been neglecting yourself lately… Don’t forget you are important, too.

My crafty friends, today we have a new challenge for you at STAMPlorations. The design team ladies share their beautiful and fabulous projects to inspire you to create projects using any stencils. You can link up your project for a chance to be one of the challenge winners. Please make sure you read the rules to participate.

On my mixed media card today, I used the Make Marks 1 Stencil, Brave One and Powerful Women ATC. The process making this card was fun and I enjoy the time I spent. Here’s how I did it.

I started with creating the background. I spread some gold metallic acrylic paint on a heavyweight cardstock using old credit card, then I let it dried completely. Acrylic paint can be dried with craft heater but you need to be careful to not over heat it otherwise the paint with be over heated and it will be bubbly. I used very thin layer of paint on this panel so air-drying is enough and quick enough.

When the painted background dried well, I added the stencil on top of it and taped it down with the ThermoWeb Purple tape. I added some of the VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink on the panel with foam. After that, I removed the stencil and then I dried the background panel with craft heater.

I trimmed the background panel bit smaller than the card base. I added some Vintage Photo Distress Ink around the edges of the panel using foam dauber for extra texture and shadow. I added it on the card base with permanent adhesive runner.

I like the new pre-printed ATC cards from STAMPlorations. You can easily use them for any kind of projects. For this card, I simply added some Distress ink around the edges of the ATC card with foam dauber and then I added on the card with permanent adhesive runner.

I stamped couple of the flowers with VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink on a white cardstock, dried the ink, and then I colored them with Arteza Woodless Watercolor Pencils and using Wink of Stella Glitter brush to blend in the watercolor pigment. I dried the flowers using craft heater and then I used micro-tip scissors to fussy cut them. I added those flowers on the card with glue dot to give this mixed media card some dimension and layers look but not bulky for sending it out in regular mail.

I hope this sparks an idea for your to create with stencils. I cannot wait to see your projects, too. Thank you so much for stopping by my blog today. Have a wonderful day!

Welcome to our National Bubble Tea Day!!! I am super excited to participate at this collaboration blog hop to celebrate this fun bubble tea day with Coffee Loving Cardmakers team and Trinity Stamps.

The fun starts on Shanna Slater’s blog! They are giving away a prize, too. For a chance to win (or many chances) by leaving a comment a long the way you hop over each participant. Commenting is open until May 7th at 11:59 pacific. One random winner will be picked from across all participating blogs.  The winner will receive a Trinity Stamps $25 Gift Code!

Here’s the list of the participant:

And here is my card for this hop that I made this slimline bubble tea card using the fun Summertime Sips Stand-Alone Die Set for the vocal point bubble tea cup on the card. I use one of the sentiments from the A Latte Love Stamp Set.

I used some of the bubble white circles that I cut out using the circle dies come with the die set and the Crafty Roast Clay Coffee Bean Embellishments. I LOVE that coffee bean!

For the watercolor background, I used smooshing with stamping block technique and Catherine Pooler Ink Pads. It is a fun way of adding watercolor wash on the background card.

I hope you all enjoy this bubble tea slimline card today. Now… it is time to hop along over my friends’ blogs. Have fun and wonderful day!