Hand Made Cards Archives - PageThe Maine Stamper

Sharing Sunshine Digital Stamp Set Part I

April 29, 2020

Making A Difference: COVID-19 Giveback

The World Of Digital Stamps

Have you ever heard of a digital stamp set? As a papercrafter who loves to stamp, the idea of printing off “stamped” images and using them instead of mounting a physical stamp onto a physical block and putting physical ink on it seems like an odd idea. I am a do-it-myself kind of girl.

Or, are digital stamps normal? After all, digital stamps are not new to Stampin’ Up!. As late as June 2, 2015, Stampin’ Up! offered My Digital Studio (MDS), digital designing software, artwork and print services. I never tried MDS, so I can not say whether or not it is similar to the Sharing Sunshine Digital Stamp Set. But I have purchased this new digital product, and have insight on it to share!

Making A Difference Stamp Set

On April 28, Stampin’ Up! announced its Making A Difference Stamp Set. Every year with the Annual Catalog Release, we wait to see what stamp set is ear-marked for fund raising toward a worthy cause. Stampin’ Up! takes a percentage of sales proceeds from a specific stamp set and donates the raised money to an honored named charity.

For many years (up until May 31, 2018) we supported Ronald McDonald House Charities. Then, with the past 2 annual catalogs, Stampin’ Up! simply encouraged customers to give back and make a difference by creating and sharing or donating cards to hospitals, churches, retirement communities or organizations.

With the 2019 Holiday Catalog, we saw the return of a fund raising stamp set, Nature’s Beauty. With this stamp set, $3 of every sale continues to go toward Mental Health Organizations.

Nature's Beauty Stamp Set — Nature’s Beauty Stamp Set, item #150528

With the Sharing Sunshine Digital Stamp Set, you get to choose between 2 charities. One is The World Health Organization’s COVID-Solidarity Response Fund. The other is United Way Worldwide’s COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Fund. For the first time as well, you can split the difference between both charities. And, most importantly, 100% of the proceeds are going to these specific organizations.

Sharing Sunshine Digital Stamp Set

Enter COVID-19 and the world-wide pandemic. Stampin’ Up! is encouraging card makers to “share sunshine” by sending paper hugs (cards) to others, in an attempt to brighten the days of social distancing.

Along with social distancing, is the disruption of the production of goods and their delivery, as the world stays safe and practices new measures. This means back-orders and delays, items out of stock or not available. How can we share sunshine without products to use to do so?

This is the beauty of the Sharing Sunshine Digital Stamp Set. After you purchase it, you have instant access to the “stamps” in the set. No back-orders, no shipping fees, no 10-14 day wait. Instant. Print and go.

Digital Stamps Print And Go

So, I jumped right on board first thing, and ordered the Sharing Sunshine Digital Stamp Set, which costs $12 plus tax. It is not available on any demonstrator website, as it does not count toward sales and is non-commissionable. To order yours, click here.

After purchase, you have the ability to immediately download the digital stamp set file. You will receive an email confirmation with your order details. You also get a separate email with your download link, which I recommend you keep as back-up. Please don’t share your file, as that would take away from charity support in a time of need.

Unlike traditional stamp sets, you do not get to “pre-view” everything you are getting in the Sharing Sunshine Digital Stamp Set file. I will tell you that there are 15 full pages to print (as many times as you like). Each “stamp” image or saying is offered in black, as well as color versions. You will be printing @2- 4 of each image, so this gives you a lot to work with!

And talk about fun! These stamp sayings are relevant to social distancing, and while many poke at sarcasm or light-hearted attempts to be cheerful in a world of crazy, there are also poignant and thoughtful phrases. I find that several are perfect for ordinary times (remember those?) and will continue to be valued when “normal” returns.

Let’s Just Roll With It

This was the first Sharing Sunshine Digital “stamp” that I was compelled to work with. I chose the color version instead of the black image, which per the included direction and indexing pages, has coordinating colors Bermuda Bay, Calypso Coral, and Granny Apple Green.

This is an expensive and valuable card, as there is real toilet paper involved! But just one square, to be fair. You might even consider this card for a survival kit. Maybe stuff more tp inside, in lieu of cash, and mail it off.

I used a Bermuda Bay card base and some Granny Apple Green checkered DSP from the 6×6″ Brights Collection. The Calypso Coral CS was embossed with the Coastal Weave 3D Embossing Folder. Embellishments include Glitter Enamel Dots and toilet paper. I die cut my digital stamp with the Stitched Rectangles Dies, coordinating product per the included index.

Night To Day Pajamas

Party Pandas Night To Day Pj's using Sharing Sunshine Digital Stamp Set

I really got a kick out of the play on “night and day pajamas”. So, I wanted some cute critters to be fashion models for me. I chose the retired stamp set, Party Pandas, and my stand-up panda came complete with card ready to mail!

Both the night and day pajamas were crafted in the same way. I stamped my panda image using Memento Black Ink on Sampler 6×6″ DSP (small DSP images will work better for this instance), and fussy cut the “tummy” pj’s out. I glued each pair of jammies on to two more stamped pandas, then colored the heart postage stamp with my Dark Poppy Parade Stampin’ Blend.

Again, I chose the color version of my Sharing Sunshine Digital stamp. This time, the card base is Balmy Blue, with Granny Apple Green stripes DSP. I embossed Pacific Point CS with the Scripty 3D Folder, with a play on “writing” to coordinate with my mailing-a-card theme. To add bright pops of color and blend the orange verbage on my sentiment, I also added Pumpkin Pie CS.

Additional retired products that would work well with this saying include Postcard Pals, with a playful platypus holding a card next to an open rural style post mailbox; or For The Birds, with an image of a small bird atop a classic rounded official mail collection unit, the blue metal variety, seen outside post offices. Consider either of them if you have these stamp sets on hand.

Quarantine And Chill

What is more chill than a bubble bath? Or to add on to luxury, a bubble bath with a bubbly beverage?? For this specific stamped quote from the Sharing Sunshine Digital Stamp Set, I pulled out the retired set, Bubbles and Bubbly.

To make this card as girly as possible, I chose Flirty Flamingo as my card base. Not to be outdone in pink, this water featured card needed some Pool Party. I embossed that in the Swirls and Curls Embossing Folder.

A bit of coloring from my Stampin’ Blends was completed in no time. And as an embellishment, Frosted Epoxy Droplets, give the illusion of bubbles popping out of the bath. This card implies chill in a great way!

Let’s (Digitally) Party!

Cheerful Critters Digital B-day Party using Sharing Sunshine Digital Stamp Set

Birthday celebrations (like all celebrations) are so difficult right now. A fun card can help lighten the mood. Laughing is better than crying, right?

This stamp from the Sharing Sunshine Digital Stamp Set screamed signage to me. For this card, I called on the retired Cheerful Critters Stamp Set, as any of the 3 images (bunny, bear and chick) are holding up ready to fill in signs.

As seems to be my nature with this set of cards on display today, I picked the color version of words, in Mango Melody. Because I wanted this card to be bright as well as cheery, I chose Poppy Parade to coordinate. I used this color as the card base, as well as some DSP from the 6×6″ Brights Collection. Bermuda Bay tones it down. It is used as a CS layer, in retired enamel dots, and a Stampin’ Blend color on Bear’s shirt.

After stamping Bear and his sign in Memento Black Ink, I die cut the Whisper White CS he was stamped on, using the Stitched So Sweetly Dies. Because the digital stamp saying was slightly bigger than my sign, I trimmed it as small as possible. Next, I added some black CS behind it, and adhered it to the sign’s stamped outline. Bear holds all of this up very nicely.

Digital Fun At It’s Finest

I hope you enjoy my versions of cards using the Sharing Sunshine Digital Stamp Set as much as I am enjoying trying out this new product from Stampin’ Up!.

While I have been using a lot of retired product, I find value in all my craft supplies. The hunt thru my on-hand stash is always fun in an effort to pick out the perfect go-togethers.

Don’t forget to pick up items that are on the current retiring list, by shopping my online store, https://juliemakson.stampinup.net. My blog post, Retirement List: You Will Be Missed, showcases my top picks in handy tools and products that will be gone before we know it!

And please, come back to see more cards made with the Sharing Sunshine Digital Stamp Set. I will continue to share additional tips and techniques on printing, using and storing this new style “stamp” collection in this 3 part blog series. Feel free to drop a comment and let me know which of these cards you like best!

Rooted In Nature In Early Espresso

April 20, 2020

Monday’s Are Hard, Stamping Shouldn’t Be

Rooted In Nature card using Early Espresso

Monday’s are hard, but in this cardmaking series, I will show you that stamping shouldn’t be. In fact, it’s quite easy. And with minimal supplies and minimal efforts, you can get fabulous results! To see last week’s Monday card, click here.

Today’s Monday Card features the stamp set, Rooted In Nature. This expansive tree themed stamp set from Stampin’ Up! replaced the very popular and long lived Lovely As A Tree Stamp Set.

Rooted In Nature Stamp Set, item #148217 — Rooted In Nature Stamp Set, item # 148217

You can purchase the coordinating dies, Nature’s Roots, item #146341. This duo is not available as a bundle with the usual 10% savings, as it was released in June of 2018. Bundles are only available during the release catalog period, which is a great reason to pay attention to bundles, purchasing to save while able to do so.

Nature's Roots Dies, item # 146341 — Nature’s Roots Dies, item # 146341

However, since we are using minimal supplies, this Monday Card only uses the stamp set. That’s right, one stamp set, Rooted In Nature, two ink pads, Early Espresso and Mossy Meadow, and two colors of cardstock, Early Espresso and Sahara Sand. Please follow along!

A Monday Card

The Card Recipe

Early Espresso CS: 5 1/2 x 8 1/2″, score at 4 1/4″ for card base.

Early Espresso CS: 1 1/2 x 5 1/2″ and 1/2 x 3″

Sahara Sand CS: 4 x 5 1/4″ for inside, scraps for sentiment and leaf

Sahara Sand CS: 2 x 5 1/2″, 1 1/4 x 5 1/2″, and 3 x 4″

Stamp And Assemble

This Monday’s Are Hard, Stamping Shouldn’t Be Card starts out with the typical “fold in half” and score with your bonefolder to get a great crisp card base. Let’s not break tradition.

However, my TIP to you is to score once, invert the fold and score again. Your inner crease is now as crisp as the outer one. This makes for a professional looking card base!

Create Your Own Designer Background

With the minimal supplies used in this card, we are not adding designer series paper to it. We are making our own background pattern! This method can be used with any stamp sets you own and makes your card unique.

I suggest stamping on scrap paper, as this technique has you stamping off the edge of your cardstock. Starting at the top, stamp your large tree stump from the Rooted In Nature Stamp Set in Early Espresso Ink on the outer edges of the card base. Overlap, stamping along the top, open (right facing) edge and bottom. I stamped my image a total of 6 times, 2 each per side.

Tree Stump Stamp from Rooted In Nature Stamp Set

Add A Tree

When I stamped the large, deciduous tree from the Rooted In Nature Stamp Set using Early Espresso Ink on the 3 x 4″ Sahara Sand Cardstock, I kept the image to the left, with the tree falling off the side of the paper, starting at a third of the way down from the top. I wanted to make sure I had enough room above and below my tree to add my sentiment and accent piece.

Large Decidious Tree Stamp from Rooted In Nature Stamp Set

Tear It Up

For the layering images on the side of my card, I did some “torn edging”. Starting from the top of both the 2 x 5 1/2″ Sahara Sand and the 1 1/2 x 5 1/2″ Early Espresso, I tore a small amount away form the right edge of each. Pulling downward in a slow easy manner is best, and there is no right or wrong way to make this creative effect.

I stamped the smallest layering Sahara Sand Cardstock, 1 1/4 x 5 1/2″ with Mossy Meadow Ink and the leafy branch stamp from the Rooted In Nature Stamp Set. Each image was stamped from the edges of the paper inward, in a random pattern. When I was done stamping, I also tore the edge of this piece in the same manner as before. As a last step, I used my ink pad to apply Mossy Meadow to the ripped edges of both Sahara Sand pieces.

Leafy Branch Stamp from Rooted In Nature Stamp Set

Some Assembly Required

With the bones of our card stamped and prepped, we can start adding layers to our card front. First, I placed the tree image onto the base, adding it to the far right. Next, I added the 1/2 x 3″ Early Espresso strip to the Sahara Sand Cardstock, beneath the tree with enough room to place part of the sentiment.

The three torn edge cardstock pieces were adhered together before I placed them on the card front. When I put them in order, with the largest piece on the bottom and working upward in size, I made sure to leave a straight edge showing, stair step style. This assembly goes to the left of the card, and overlays the tree stamped image.

Be Strong, Be Happy, Be You

The sentiment for this card is a single stamp, with three sayings stacked one on top of the other. When it is stamped, the words remain “un-inked”, and are the color of the paper you are stamping on. A rectangular “box” around each saying becomes the color of ink you use when stamping.

I stamped the sentiment in Early Espresso Ink on a scrap of Sahara Sand Cardstock. Because I wanted to use them individually on my card, I used my Paper Snips to fussy cut each one out. This was really easy for two reasons! First, they are rectangular in shape, no odd parts to trim around. Second, the color of the paper this was stamped on is the same color that it is adhered too, allowing perfect blending of un-perfect cutting.

Sentiment from Rooted In Nature Stamp Set

Once the sayings were fussy cut, I added them to my card front, placing two above the tree and one below it. I chose to keep the sentiment words in the same order that it is listed on the stamp, but you could choose to easily change this up if you wanted to!

Leaf Out

On the remainder of the scrap of my Sahara Sand Cardstock, I stamped the grouping-of-three leaves stamp from the Rooted In Nature Stamp Set using Mossy Meadow Ink. If you had the coordinating dies, you could die cut this image. Because we are working with minimal supplies, I fussy cut mine using Paper Snips.

Afterward, I tipped the outer edges of each leaf onto the Mossy Meadow Ink Pad to darken them. If you have a Stampin’ Sponge, you could create the same effect as well. The cut out leaves were then placed on the card front.

Leaf stamp from Rooted In Nature Stamp Set

The Insider Job

Your card is beautiful on the outside, now lets make it pretty inside too! I like to mimic some of the outer stamping into a corner of the inside card. This way the card has continuity and there is still lots of room to add your own sentiment or written thoughts.

Here, I used the same large tree stump stamp from the front and Early Espresso Ink to add that inside interest to my Sahara Sand Cardstock. Don’t forget to jazz up that envelope with some stamping too!

Step It Up!

When you have more, you can add more. Simple elements don’t make this Monday card any harder than it has to be!

This card has a little extra detail in the form of Linen Thread, item #104199, tied in a bow and attached to the leaves with a glue dot, as well as Designer Elements, item #149586, that are adhesive backed for instant application.

The next card also is accessorized, this time with Burlap Ribbon, item #141487, tied with a piece on Linen Thread and attached with Tear And Tape Adhesive, item #138995. It also has gold Metallic Pearls, item #146282, also adhesive backed to make life easier.

Notice I added another set of fussy cut leaves for a fuller look. In hindsight, I would have been happier with the burlap ribbon just a bit higher up. There is always next time…

Easy Monday Cards

I hope you enjoyed making this easy card on a hard Monday with me. My video tutorial can be found on my FaceBook page, as well as my YouTube channel. If you need any supplies for this card, please feel free to visit my online store, https://juliemakson.stampinup.net, at any time. See you next Monday for another installment of:

Monday’s Are Hard, Stamping Shouldn’t Be!

2018-2020 Retiring In Color, Blueberry Bushel

April 18, 2020

Retirement Time For Blueberry Bushel

Stampin’ Up! offers trendy In Color collections that are only available for two years. After two short years of use, the In Colors, like Blueberry Bushel, are retired to make way for new colors. This gives us a fresh palette of popular hues to work with.

In April, the retired list comes out. This list includes all the products that will not be available in the new Annual Catalog, which is released in June. “Get them before they’re gone” and “while supplies last” is often heard during April and May.

And every year, we have to say goodbye to five In Colors. Whether we are ready to, or not. Some of the colors are so fabulous, we hope to see them in Stampin’ Up!’s color line-up in the future, if we are so lucky, during an infrequent color refresh.

This year, we are bidding a fond farewell to the following 2018-2020 In Colors: Lovely Lipstick, Grapefruit Grove, Pineapple Punch, Call Me Clover and Blueberry Bushel.

Bushels Of Blueberries

Pacific Point (left), Blueberry Bushel (center), Night Of Navy (right)

Blueberry Bushel is another one of those bright, happy colors. Blueberry is a great blue, Americana in nature, or dark blue jeans that have faded just right. I think this color fills the void between too light and too dark. And due to its retirement status, soon Blueberry Bushel will be too missed.

Blue is a popular color for any gender, so it blends beautifully on any card or project. Blueberry Bushel compliments pastels, mimics fellow bright tones, and seamlessly coordinates with neutral colors. Perhaps all of these great features should make Blueberry Bushel #1 in its class!

Fanciful Fragrance

Blueberry Bushel abounds in this card, with Very Vanilla as the only other color along with it. Blueberry is perfect for the Delft China look. And the antique or Victorian selection of the stamps in the Fanciful Fragrance Stamp Set were an obvious choice for this card.

I put my Big Shot to use with two different embossing folders, Scripty 3D and Parisian Flourish 3D, both on Blueberry Bushel Cardstock. After stamping my images in Blueberry Bushel Ink onto Very Vanilla Cardstock, I die cut the perfume bottles and sentiment with the Stitched Nested Labels Dies.

You may notice that two of the die cuts on this card are custom made. The perfume bottles needed a wider stitched cut, but not necessarily longer. I lined up the bottom “point” exactly where I wanted it and ran it thru my machine. Next, I did the same, this time working from the top “point” down. Custom size! The sentiment was also worked in a backwards manner, and trimmed to perfection with my Paper Snips.

Pop Of Petals

And pop of color! This cheery card has happiness all over it, from the exuberant flowers to the polka-dot designer series paper. Blueberry Bushel is really great friends with this color selection.

I stamped the flower images with coordinating ink and cardstock in Daffodil Delight, Granny Apple Green and Melon Mambo. Punching each image out with the Four-Petal Flower Punch can be a little tricky though. It helps to stamp the flower on longer, narrower paper to discover the best orientation to line it up with the punch. Once you know which “way” is up, it becomes a breeze.

This card is all about layers, too. Each one plays a part in the overall appearance of the card. I chose not to add a sentiment to the front, but there is room for a very small one toward the bottom if needed. And because this card is not embellished with bumpy, lumpy things, it is easy to pop in the mail to brighten someone’s day!

Sea Of Textures

Blueberry Bushel is the perfect blue for nautical themed cards too. For this card, I chose the neutral colors of Early Espresso, Sahara Sand and Old Olive to create an organic look.

The High Seas 3D Embossing Folder was a natural choice for my ocean adventure card, and using it with Blueberry Bushel Cardstock followed suit. The jaunty DSP in blue and white stripes is from a retired 2018-2020 In Color paper collection.

I took advantage of the many stamps in this particular set. Besides the octopus and sentiment, I chose 3 different ‘background’ stamps to create unique patterns and designs on my cardstock. My embellishments include the free one, tearing corners and sponging, as well as Burlap Ribbon and Designer Elements.

Bye-Bye Blueberry Bushel

Blueberry Bushel is most certainly going to be missed, and of all the retiring In Colors in this class, it is the one I have the highest-of-hopes will return some day in a color refresh. It would be a perfect add in to the Brights Collection!

Stampin' Up! products in Blueberry Bushel

It is not too late to get some of the wonderful products still available in Blueberry Bushel, but time is running out fast. If you pick up an ink pad, please purchase the ink refill too. You will stamp far into the future without the ink pad going dry.

While you are in my online store, https://www.juliemakson.stampinup.net, make sure you consider the Noble Peacock Specialty Designer Series Paper, as well as cardstock and the 2018-2020 In Color Stampin’ Write Markers. Don’t get the “blues” and be disappointed by missing out on this fabulous color for your craft room cards and projects. Instead, stock up today!

2018-2020 Retiring In Color, Call Me Clover

April 17, 2020

Retirement Time For Call Me Clover

Stampin’ Up! offers trendy In Color collections that are only available for two years. After two short years of use, the In Colors, like Call Me Clover, are retired to make way for new colors. This gives us a fresh palette of popular hues to work with.

This year, we are bidding a fond farewell to the following 2018-2020 In Colors: Lovely Lipstick, Grapefruit Grove, Pineapple Punch, Call Me Clover and Blueberry Bushel.

Give Me A Call, Clover!

Garden Green (left), Call Me Clover (center), Shaded Spruce (right)

Green is my very favorite color. It really doesn’t matter the tone: light, dark, medium… I love green (see my blog post Ever Elegant Green Cards for more on green). So, of course I am sad to see any green color retiring!

Call Me Clover is the perfect green for clovers at St. Patrick’s Day, Easter grass in a basket, Christmas trees and more. It is a green green. Not yellow, not brown. Clover reminds me of summer, with the grass growing lush and thick and a cooling canopy of tree leaves overhead.

Garden Shed

With thoughts of summer fresh in mind, and Call Me Clover right at hand, this card came together quickly. I chose neutral accent colors, Gray Granite, Basic Black and Whisper White, to keep the focus on Clover.

I stamped the Garden Shed image using Gray Granite Ink on Whisper White Cardstock. Next, I used the Garden Green Watercolor Pencil to add some color. Afterward, I splashed on some water from my Aquapainter to blend the pencil lines. Lastly, I used the Artisan Textures stamps and Gray Granite ink to ‘faux’ color the garden shed.

From the Colorful Seasons Stamp Set, I stamped leaves in Call Me Clover on Whisper White and die cut them with the Seasonal Layers Dies. With the same dies, I cut the branch and chair in Gray Granite Cardstock. As a final step, I sponged Gray Granite Ink onto the chair with a heavy hand, and then lightly onto the white cardstock, using my Sponge Roller.

Floral Essence

Call Me Clover makes wonderful leaves and stems for any flower card. And this particular shade of green goes beautifully with purples. For this card, I called on Rich Razzleberry to lend a hand. This can be seen in the cardbase, and the stamped and punched flower, using the Perennial Flower Punch.

This elegant card gets its wow factor from the Perennial Essence Designer Series Paper, which is framed in Call Me Clover. The Purple Posy Vellum layer came from a free Sale-A-Bration offering from 2020. And with such delicate composition, I chose more vellum for my sentiment. In order to keep the ink from smearing, I stamped the words in Black Staz-On, then wrapped the entire piece around my DSP to avoid unsightly glue or tape lines.

Some may consider Call Me Clover to be a secondary player in this card, taking a backseat to Rich Razzleberry. I believe they share the stage here, as Clover is very present on this card, both in layering and in the leafy coverage, thanks in part to the Leaf Punch.

Dino Days

Bring out the dinosaurs, and give them some Clovers! This fun and simple card uses the stamp sets, Dino Days and Praiseworthy Prose, as well as the Dino Dies.

I stamped my friendly dinosaur using Call Me Clover Ink on Whisper White Cardstock, adding his spots in Blueberry Bushel. Then I gave him a die cut. The sentiment and dino tracks from Dino Days were stamped on Whisper White using Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, then layered on Pool Party Cardstock. Additionally, I stamped the friendship sentiment in a background pattern on Whisper White using Call Me Clover Ink.

Fun DSP from the Dinoroar Collection gives this card a lighthearted nature. I added some (retired) black cording and Call Me Clover Happiness Blooms Enamel Dots as embellishments. This card is ready to send to a special friend-a-saurus!

Used To Call Me Clover

As you can see from the diverse themes of the above cards, Call Me Clover is a great color to add to any type of project. When choosing color combinations for these cards, there were not many that clashed with Call Me Clover. This lends to its extreme value as a supporting color.

It is not too late to get some of the wonderful products still available in Call Me Clover, but time is running out fast. If you pick up an ink pad, please purchase the ink refill too. You will stamp far into the future without the ink pad going dry.

While you are in my online store, https://www.juliemakson.stampinup.net, make sure you consider the Stampin’ Blends in Call Me Clover, as well as cardstock and embellishments. You will find it hard to stop adding this amazing green color onto all of your upcoming projects!

2018-2020 Retiring In Color, Pineapple Punch

April 16, 2020

Retirement Time For Pineapple Punch

Stampin’ Up! offers trendy In Color collections that are only available for two years. After two short years of use, the In Colors, like Pineapple Punch, are retired to make way for new colors. This gives us a fresh palette of popular hues to work with.

This year, we are bidding a fond farewell to the following 2018-2020 In Colors: Lovely Lipstick, Grapefruit Grove, Pineapple Punch, Call Me Clover and Blueberry Bushel.

Punchy Pineapple

So Saffron (left), Pineapple Punch (center), Daffodil Delight (right)

Pineapple Punch is a bright, vibrant color. Like, really vibrant. We are talking neon, safety-vest yellow here. And, full disclosure, Pineapple is my least favorite of the retiring In Colors. Or…maybe it was...I may have just changed my mind.

This yellow is so outspoken it can be hard to figure out how or where to use it. After all, how much loud yellow is too much loud yellow? Yet, when I sat down to incorporate the retiring Pineapple Punch into some creations, I found its sweet spot.

Timeless Tropical

Timeless Tropcial card in Pineapple Punch

Pineapple Punch…the name of this color deems it necessary to create pineapples with it! I pulled out the new stamp set, Timeless Tropical, and coordinating dies, In The Tropics, both from the January-June 2020 Mini Catalog, for this card.

I used Pineapple Punch for the cardbase, then layered a piece of Lovely Lipstick and Coastal Weave 3D embossed Crumb Cake as well. Using my Banner Punch, I flagged a piece of designer series paper from the Tropical Oasis collection. Next, I flagged old olive cardstock as well. All of these elements help to tone down this card, while keeping it tropical.

The pineapple was die cut in Pineapple Punch, then adhered to another scrap of the same color. I then fussy cut around the image, keeping the cutout pineapple in front and the solid cardstock in back. I sponged my pineapple with Old Olive and Soft Suede. The greens were made by die-cutting Old Olive, and sponging the tips with Garden Green.

Winds Of Change

If you have been following my blog or FaceBook page, you may know that I love stamping with tulips! When the Winds of Change Stamp Set became available, and it featured tulips, I had to have it. Yellow tulips seem very natural, so here they are using my Pineapple Punch theme.

This time I limited the color selection to Pineapple Punch, Whisper White and Basic Black. Even though the windmill image could have been colored in, I purposefully left it, along with the sky and grass, in black and white. I wanted the focus to be only yellow.

After stamping the images using Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, I used my Stampin’ Blends in both Light and Dark Pineapple Punch to color the flowers. Simple, quick and effective. Additionally, I used some retired 2018-2020 In Color DSP for a striped background. The Rhinestone Basic Jewels do not add color, but enhance this card’s elegant simplicity.

Daisy Lane

When you think of daisies, you usually picture white and yellow flowers, right? Pineapple Punch is yellow, but I wanted something a little different for this card. So then, Balmy Blue and Granny Apple Green were invited to the party.

This card, like my Grapefruit Grove Fox Card, has two layers on it that are embossed. I used Brick and Mortar 3D on Pineapple Punch, and Scripty 3D on Granny Apple Green. I stamped the sentiment using Memento Tuxedo Black Ink directly onto the retired 2018-2020 DSP, then flagged and layered it onto Balmy Blue cardstock.

Daisy Delight and Daisy Lane are two different stamp sets that work with coordinating punches, Daisy and Medium Daisy. I stamped, and also stamped off, every other layer of the flower, using Balmy Blue on Whisper White Cardstock. The daisy center was stamped in Pineapple Punch Ink onto the same color cardstock, then punched out with my 1/2″ circle punch.

I stamped the flower stem and leaves using Granny Apple Green Ink on Whisper White Cardstock before die cutting with the Stictched So Sweetly rectangle. This way, I was able to slip some of the yellow brick cardstock beneath the raised rectangle when assembling. Pineapple Punch enamel dots from Happiness Blooms (aptly named) add embellishment.

Peace Out, Pineapple Punch

As I mentioned above, working with this color intimidated me. Until I sat down and put creative thought and color coordination together, I was not a huge fan of this extreme yellow. Now that we are getting along okay, I am sad to see it go!

It is not too late to get some of the wonderful products still available in Pineapple Punch, but time is running out fast. If you pick up an ink pad, please purchase the ink refill too. You will stamp far into the future without the ink pad going dry.

While you are in my online store, https://www.juliemakson.stampinup.net, make sure you consider the Stampin’ Blends in Pineapple Punch, as well as cardstock and embellishments. This wild yellow will put a smile on your face as you use it on your next project!