Notable Nest

Monday, August 15, 2022

Pinkfresh Studio August 2022 Stamp, Die, Stencil, and Hot Foil Release

Hello!! Very excited to share some new goodies from Pinkfresh, as well as a super exciting new (to me anyway) discovery about hot foiling on velvet fabric!!

But first I have a few "normal" cards to share ...

Elongated Lattice Coverplate Die

I'm a big fan of unique backgrounds to really set off your cards in a special way, and the Elongated Lattice Coverplate Die is one of those background creators. I'm going to be using this workhorse in three of the cards, so wanted to make sure you knew what it looks like to start.

This card starts with the Elongated Lattice Coverplate Die and then has the frame and several sentiments from In My Heart layered on top.

The hotfoiled "bestie" running across the card is from Phrase Builder Hello Hot Foil and is designed to work with the previously released dies from Phrase Builder Hello!

Did you notice the butterfly on the top of the card? Recognize where it's from? It's from a section of the elongated lattice coverplate!! I just snipped off the surrounding lattice and got a fun butterfly shape! The body in the middle is also part of the lattice I snipped away, and was particularly happy with the naturally forming antenna on top.

Who knew there was a butterfly in there?!

This card also uses the frame from In My Heart but this time it's embossed in white on vellum. Doesn't it look a bit like lace here? It's a nice way to get a different look.

Here's a better view of the "lace". The flowers from another lovely new set, Beyond Measure, are in the middle peeking out.

Here they are together, same colors, same frame from In My Heart, but different looks.

This card came about from me "seeing things" in the lattice coverplate again ... does this ever happen to you?! We take my oldest six hours away to Ohio State on Friday, and all I've been seeing lately is "OHIO". So I cut out the letters and adhered them on the lattice for a good-bye card [sobs uncontrollably]. To the right is a photo from his grad party in front of the fun balloon arch my friend Brenda and I made.

Love how the letters jumped out of the shapes, and the fun details on the O's.

Here's the final card, and the one I was excited about discovering another use for the hot foil plates!! VELVET!!! One day it dawned on me that we used to lay velvet over solid rubber stamps, iron them, and then we were left with an indented image in the velvet. Strikingly similar in concept to heating hot foil plates and pressing them into fabric, only this is easier and eliminates the iron. But will it work?!

YES!!!

In the bottom right you can see the indentation from pressing the hot foil plate into velvet (actually more like a thick suede). And I was super happy with that, but then started wondering what if I add the hot foil? You can imagine how thrilled I was when I pulled the fabric off the foil plate and got the beautiful gold foiling adhered to the indented fabric!!

Wow-ee, look how beautiful and luxurious that foil is!! I really didn't have to do much with this card. Layered the elongated lattice coverplate in gold, a background in vellum, the FOILED VELVET, and then the secondary sentiment and an XO with alphas.

So much love for the Elongated Lattice Coverplate Die, and the frame from In My Heart. These were some really fun crafting days!!

GIVEAWAYS:

We will be giving away the full release on the Pinkfresh blog & YouTube channel!! We will also be giving away a total of TEN $25 gift cards, so comment along the hop for more chances to win. The winners will be posted on August 23, 2022 on the GIVEAWAY PAGE, so check back and claim any prize within 2 weeks. GOOD LUCK!!

I'd like to send you now to the blog of the super talented Kelly Taylor, who has some delightful projects to share with you!

Here's the complete list if you need it:

Thanks for stopping by!
-Kelly

Supplies Used (affiliate links, thanks for your support!)

Beyond Measure

In My Heart

Elongated Lattice Coverplate Die

Phrase Builder Hello Hot Foil

A Fun New Release from Colorado Craft Company - Adorable Fairies, Honey, Bees

Hello! Colorado Craft Company is launching a brand new collection, a mash up between their beloved big and bold line of large-scale images, and the artistry of Kris Lauren! The theme for this release is rather unique, with honey bee fairies. So you can make bee-themed cards, fairy cards, or use the plentiful secondary stamps and create floral scenes. Very versatile!

Needing another idea before pulling the trigger? Switch it up to jam canning fairies like this card!

You aren't limited to bees, honeycombs, yellows and blacks. This SWEET fairy is resting on a can of grape jelly, sporting a tutu of aqua and chartreuse. She's close enough to smell the fresh flowers and appreciate how beautiful they are.

There's not a stamp that says "JELLY" for the label, but it's nice that the word choices are separate from the label. I just handwrote JELLY in that space.

The wings!! I heat embossed white on vellum for two wings, cut them out, layered and bent them. It's such an easy way to add dimension that will lay flat in an envelope.

The sentiment was modified a bit to fit in this space. So instead of reading the sentiment across, I stamped a few individual words going down the card. And because this isn't a honey bee themed card, I only stamped BE instead of BEE.

I'll be back in a few days with some more ideas for these new sets. If you'd like to check out the products, here's the whole collection, and here's the Honey Jar stamp set.

Prizes!

There is one HUGE complete bundle giveaway of everything in this release!! To be entered, just use my, or anyone else's affiliate links to make your purchases. You will be emailed if you win.

We are also still doing a giveaway of one stamp set of your choice from comments left at each blog thru midnight August 18th. More comments, more chances to win!! Please check the Colorado Craft website, or sign up for their mailing list, for the list of winners.

I'm now happy to send you to the blog of Kelly Taylor who has something fun to share!

Here's a complete list of hoppers in case you need it:

Kelly Griglione <--- You are here!

Thanks for stopping by!
-Kelly

Supplies used (affiliate links, thanks for your support!)

Honey Jar

Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Christmas in July - Colorado Craft Company New Release!

Hello Friends! We've got a Christmas in July party going at Colorado Craft Company, and with good reason, as there are so many different sets available under different lines of stamps.

I've made two cards combining a few of these sets!

You can use the giant greetings in the Holiday Quick Cards set on the inside of your card for the sentiment, or why not feature it on the front of your card like this one? There are three different ink colors on the sentiment - I inked the entire stamp with the lighter ink color, stamped, and then with the medium color I only inked up the bottom sentiments, stamped, and finally with the darkest color I inked up the very last sentiments.

The adorable critters are from the Anita Jeram Christmas Hats set. Those little bugs with the santa hats are so different ... I don't think I've seen anything like them!

The scrolly stars are from the Big Bold Joy Ornaments stamp set and are a great way to fill empty space. I struggled with how to finish this card after stamping the sentiment and critters, and using these patterned stars was just perfect to fill that space.

The Kris Lauren Sweater Weather stamp set is a fun one, with six different sweaters to choose from, and a bunch of different sentiments, including this punny one.

To fill up the sweater, I made a mask and stamped the puppy, also from the Anita Jeram Christmas Hats set, on top of the mask.

The background is made with just the circle ornament from the Big Bold ornaments

Prizes!
Things are a little different for this release. There is one HUGE complete bundle giveaway of everything in this release!! To be entered, just use my, or anyone else's affiliate links to make your purchases.

We are also still doing a giveaway of one stamp set of your choice from comments left at each blog thru midnight July 15th. More comments, more chances to win!!

Here's a list of everyone participating:

Good Luck! And thanks for stopping by!

- Kelly

Friday, July 1, 2022

Poshta Design Gingerbread Village Kit - So Adorable, and So Many Different Ways to Embellish!

Yesterday we had our Poshta Design Pre-Christmas in July Celebration with the gingerbread Mr. and Mrs., and today we're featuring the house they live in!

This Gingerbread Village Kit comes in a cute little bag that contains every single thing you need to make these gingerbread house ornaments! I put this to the test, as we left for Ohio State's orientation earlier this week and I wanted to work on these in the 6 hour car ride. What a LUXURY grabbing this bag and not needing to think of what other supplies I'd need to gather (undoubtedly forgetting something). Aside from the die cut machine and a pair of scissors, it's a confirmed grab-n-go kit. Even the needles are provided!

Let's take a closer look!

The beauty of this kit is that it comes with so many different details you can add to customize your house. There is even a guide with different ideas/formulas laid out. I loved one of the ideas so much I copied it almost exactly.

The six-panel door is a cute way to add a lot of stitching details. You can totally dress up the door further by hanging a heart, a wreath, a candy. A seed bead is added for the door knob, also included in this kit.

Flanking the door are two candy canes. I think it's cute how the stripes are added to the main cane. I stitched them on with a coordinating white floss, and then stitched the two canes together with a coordinating red floss.

Over the door is a cute swirl of icing that I've used a stem stitch on to make it more thick and pronounced.

A tiny heart is cozy in the "attic" of the house.

And then the classic peppermint candy in the peak of the roof is a great way to balance out the top. I've added a few seed beads here to introduce a little sparkle. This candy also turned out to be a great way to add the looped hanger to the top, as I neglected to add that to the house before sewing the two pieces together.

Cut two icing sections for along the roof line. Another tip: you may want to use a blunt needle so it will easily glide into the established holes. The sharper the point of the needle, the more chance it goes thru the felt somewhere other than the intended die cut hole.

Now that the front is done it's time to think about the back of the house!

I used another example from the included guide and plotted space for two shuttered windows and a wreath.

Those shutters are so darn cute, and add a nice dimension when they are folded out! For a smoother look I made one large stitch down the middle and across each window, instead of stitching thru all the holes like the front door.

The wreath has uniform holes cut out for you to make a giant zig-zag stitch around the wreath. I probably could have stitched that in coordinating green floss, but I just have random red french knots for berries.

Now that you're finished with decorating the front and back of the house, it's time to connect them together. I used a stem stitch, so the back has a thick icing look.

Before connecting the house panels though, here are a few tips:
- Add a looped hanger to front or back of the house,
- Add the stuffed chimney to the front or back of the house,
- Make sure all the ends from the embellishments are secured,
- Look for places to add some sparkle with seed beads

This Gingerbread Village, along with the Gingerbread Friends, will be released at Poshta Design on Saturday 7/2 at noon EST.

Prizes!
There will be a $50 gift certificate giveaway for both introductory blog posts at Poshta Design. Winners will be chosen from comments on each post, and announced at 9am on Saturday 7/2.

Here's more information on the kit, from Lizzie herself:

Gingerbread Village Kit

Gingerbread houses are one of the most iconic holiday staples. They are a marvel of confectionery, sure to delight even the most obstinate Scrooge. The Homespun Holiday: Gingerbread Village kit celebrates these cheerful dwellings and all of their sugary sweet design possibilities. The die includes embroidered piping options, an array of architectural details, and charming seasonal accents. There is so much variety you’ll be able to put together a Christmas village filled with entirely unique creations - no royal icing required! From 100% wool felt to a carefully curated collection of beads and sequins, everything you need to make beautiful ornaments arrives right to your door in one convenient package. This kit even includes needles, cord for hanging, and a zippered project bag so you can keep your works-in-progress safe and tidy.
Retails for $100.
Homespun Holiday: Gingerbread Village Contents
27-piece die set
zippered project bag
2 all-purpose needles
handy needle storage tube
printed inspiration guide for easy reference
exclusive access to inspirational instruction videos
5 yards of white crochet thread
3 rolls of 5" x 36" felt in Walnut, Gingersnap, and Tundra
one 5" x 6" panel of Cardinal felt
one 5” x 6” panel of Arugula felt
5 skeins of embroidery floss
4 colors of seed beads
2 colors of sequins (in two sizes)
compartmented bead storage container

Thanks so much for stopping by!
-Kelly

Thursday, June 30, 2022

Christmas in July - Poshta Design Gingerbread Friends Felt Ornaments

Hello Friends! I'm very excited to take part in a special Christmas in July felt ornament release from Poshta Design! There are two kits available, the first one is the Gingerbread Friends kit which includes the dies to make stitching a gingerbread man and woman a breeze.

Here's where I started, using the dies to cut out the felt shapes for the front and back of the gingerbreads. I decided to give them some clothes. So I die cut a second shape from the dark brown felt, and cut them down to shorts and a sleeveless dress.

Now it's time to bring them to life!

For a more pronounced "icing" look, I used the thicker white cord included in the kit, instead of the floss.

Her buttons are cute little hearts, easily attached with a single stitch.

Here's a sneak for tomorrow's kit ... this little lady has a sweet tooth, as she's been caught with a peppermint in her hand!

What a cute little guy! The stitching holes for the icing really make it easy to stay on track and get these done. I've used mostly basic stitching, have doubled up for the mouth, and used french knots for the eyes.

For the buttons I stitched an asterisk and added a red seed bead to the center.

This guy is making off with a candy cane, also included in tomorrow's gingerbread village kit.

There's one more thing I'd like to share for these guys ...

Personalization with the Accessory Alphabet! You can use these dies for initials, or in this case ...

you can make a special gift for a new couple's Christmas! Maybe even stitch the date on one of their legs.

Aside from being a little surprise on the back when they flip it over, I like decorating the backs of ornaments so there's something to look at if they get turned around. My sons have been decorating our tree for years, and they're not always the best at making sure ornaments face forward. This way, even if the ornaments get turned around they're still super cute.

These guys will be released at Poshta Design on Saturday 7/2 at noon EST.

Stay tuned for a look at the second set being released, the cutest gingerbread house with many different possibilities!

Prizes!
There will be a $50 gift certificate giveaway for both introductory blog posts at Poshta Design. Winners will be chosen from comments on each post, and announced at 9am on Saturday 7/2.

Here's more information on the kit, from Lizzie herself:

Gingerbread Friends
When it comes to Christmas baking, gingerbread tops the list for seasonal delights! This gingerbread pair brings a touch of sweet whimsy to your holiday crafting. With both lady and gent shapes, you’ll be able to create an ornament or garland for everyone on your list. There are even two styles of buttons and a little heart accessory included in the die, so you can customize your projects even further. Our handy shaped base plates make adding the piping details to these characters a breeze. You’ll have a baker’s dozen whipped up before the first flurries fly!
Retails for $50.

Accessory Alphabet

This alphabet is perfect for the times you want to add personalization, but a bolder monogram just won’t quite fit the bill. These letters can be used to spell out names (4-5 characters fit on many of our past and present ornament shapes), add initials, or customize your projects with special messages. You can even pair the Accessory Alphabet with the Monogram Alphabet and Inline Monogram Alphabet for creations that are tailor-made for your friends and loved ones!

This alphabet includes all the letters of the alphabet with double vowels and “gameshow rules” for extra popular letters to make your creative time a breeze. You receive a total of 37 characters wired together.
Retails for $19.

Thanks so much for stopping by!
-Kelly