Love Is In the Air

It's Stampendous inspiration time for the ever popular love day! This week Stampendous is rounding up some great ideas to show the love with House-Mouse and other love themed stamps that can be used any time even on Valentine's day. 

Stop by Monday's post for oodles if inspiration and then check back the rest of the week for even more!

My card. Love. What I really love about it is the Laurel Burch color palette. It stretches me to blend in a very different way then I would if I were to pick up any other stamp and then I get lost in coloring and realize it's finished.

I'm not going to lie, it takes some time to complete. I practice on a scrap of paper. I'm not sure how exactly I'm going to transition from color to color, but when I'm done it's pure happiness! The colors just POP!

Check out the supplies and easy instructions for today's card. Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies: I provide some product links that are through my Amazon Affiliate, and that means when clicked and purchased in the same session a few pennies are sent my way at no cost to you. Non-affiliate links are provided when available (Scrapbook. com - SB, Frantic Stamper - FS, Scrapbookpal - SP, etc.).

Featured Product(s):

• Laurel Burch Heart Bouquet (AZ, STM)
• Laurel Burch Free Coloring Guide (STM)

Plus:

• BoBunny Double Dots Paper - Turquoise (SB, FS)
• Kraft Cardstock
• Mixed Media White Paper (AZ, STM)
• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink Pad by Tsukineko (AZ, STM)
• Sketch Markers by Copic® - B02, B04, B06, B69, BG13, E31, E33, E35, E47, G16, R22, R29, RV06, RV19, V04, V15,  Y17, Y32, YG06, YG17, YG67, YR04, YR09 (SP)
• Mono Adhesive Tape Runner by Tombow (AZ)
• Foam Tape by Tombow (AZ)
• Scissors

Instructions:

1. Stamp Heart Bouquet with Tuxedo Black ink onto Mixed Media White Paper and color.
2. Trim out with scissors and adhere to Turquoise cardstock.
3. Adhere to kraft card base with foam tape.

Here's another Laurel Burch Bouquet card I made back in October with a lovely theme as well!

Bunch of Love

I'm a maker who receives goodies chosen by myself for design team work. To see a list of these companies just scroll to the bottom of my blog under FTC Declaration.

A Purrfect Card with Technique Junkies

It's getting closer and closer to Valentines Day, and I'm pulling together a stack of lovely cards. Today features a sweet feline with a wishlist just for YOU!

Shop at Technique Junkies with code TJ10Janelle on all regular priced items including the stamps I used on this project!

I made the background with the Pantone Color of the Year in mind, Ultraviolet, using the Spattered Ombre technique varied with a spray bottle of rubbing alcohol! A double row of straight stitches around the outside for detail was done before gluing it onto the kraft paper mat already adhered to the white card base.

A plain old-fashioned piece of paper torn from a memo pad was used to stamp the sentiment in Memento Grape Jelly Ink. Vogue Kitty is stamped with a scotch tape mask over the hat to make the Memento Tuxedo black ink outline and then reversed the tape mask to ink the hat then remove the tape before stamping, trust me I know from experience. Some enamel dots to detail the hat were added after the cat was cut with a wide contour cut.

Technique: Spattered Ombre

Supplies: I provide some product links that are through my Amazon Affiliate, and that means when clicked and purchased in the same session a few pennies are sent my way at no cost to you.

Technique Junkies:

• Vogue Kitty
• Wishlist

Plus:

• Bright White Cardstock by Neenah (AZ)
• Kraft Cardstock by Recollections (AZ)
• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink Pad by Tsukineko (AZ)
• Gansai Tambi watercolors by Kuretake® (AZ)
Mini MISTI Stamping Tool (AZ, EH, SP) (magnets, too)
• Sewing Machine (AZ)** This is the sewing machine I use, and it has been perfect for stitching on paper, but my sister-in-law used it on vacation to make an entire quilt top! Please check reviews and the seller to make your own decision before buying.
• Thread

See more of Vogue Kitty over on the Technique Junkies blog!

I'm a maker who receives goodies chosen by myself for design team work. To see a list of these companies just scroll to the bottom of my blog under FTC Declaration.

Lost Without A Mixed Media Drizzle Challenge

Popping in today with another mixed media card for the MIX260: Just A Drizzle challenge on Splitcoaststampers. Join in for some fun! Tomorrow, every Friday for that matter, there will be a brand new challenge!

My card is made with a Love You More sentiment from Technique Junkies. Stop by and shop with my special 10% discount code, TJ10Janelle.

I started this card with sponging More Mustard Distress Ink onto white cardstock and then placed my homemade hot glue drizzle stencil on top to spray Abandoned Coral,  Cracked Pistachio and Mermaid Lagoon Distress Spray Stain randomly around the paper. I did rotate the stencil after the Abandoned Coral layer so I'd have more drizzle effect.

The sentiment is stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black using my MISTI so it would be straight and get a good even ink cover. The hearts are cut out with From the Heart Die Set and dotted with a cotton swab dipped in the Mermaid Lagoon spray. Just spray at close range onto an acrylic block or nonporous surface and dip the cotton swab. The hearts have scribbled outlines on them with an extra fine tip Sharpie.

The rest is pretty simple assembly. Trim drizzle background to fit onto an A2 folded card and then scribbled around the edges to complement the hearts and the sentiment is popped up with foam adhesive.

Supplies:

Technique Junkies:

• Love You More (TJ)

Plus:

• White Cardstock, Teal Cardstock
• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink (AZ)
• Mustard Seed Distress Ink (AZ)
• Distress Spray Stain (Amazon links) - Abandoned Coral,  Cracked Pistachio and Mermaid Lagoon
• Hot Glue Sticks and Glue Gun (AZ)
• A Fine Line Glue by Adhesive Tech (AZ)
• Black Sharpie Marker - Extra Fine
• Scissors
• From the Heart Die Set (VS)

Instructions:

1. Sponge Mustard Seed onto white cardstock about 4 x 5-1/4 inch.
2. Make a homemade hot glue stencil onto a nonporous surface, let cool and then pull off carefully to use as a stencil on prepared cardstock.
3. Spray Abandoned Coral in random short sprays and then rotate the stencil and repeat with Cracked Pistachio and Mermaid Lagoon. Let dry.
4. Adhere to A2 white card base (4-1/4 by 5-1/2 inches folded)
5. Stamp sentiment in black with the MISTI so you'll get a solid image onto white cardstock. 
6. Cut the bottom of the paper as a fishtail pennant.
7. Die cut three teal hearts and dab them with a cotton swab and Mermaid Lagoon. Glue to top of sentiment pennant.
8. Adhere to card base.

I'm a maker who receives goodies for design team work, but I wouldn't do it if I didn't already like the products I receive, so comments I make are what I mean and not just because I received them to make my project. To see a list of these companies just scroll to the bottom of my blog under FTC Declaration.

Valentine Containers Tutorial

Happy Saturday everyone! I'm over on the Technique Junkies Blog again this time with a tutorial for these easy and fun Valentine containers using the Love You More Stamp Set.

If you do some shopping at Technique Junkies get a 10% discount on all regular priced items with code TJ10Janelle at checkout!

Wondering why I said I'm posting again on the TJ blog? I forgot to mention here on my blog that I did another tutorial at the beginning of the year with this cute image called The Kiss. Stop by this post to see the tutorial on how I colored these furry friends!

Hope you have a lovely weekend!

If you Give A Mouse Conversation Hearts

If you give a mouse conversation hearts he'll make a balanced conversation out of them! "Be mine, love you! XO"

My card for today was made for the Stampendous October 2017 catalog release. I just love this mouse lounging in a pile of heart candy. I'm not sure that it would be comfortable to lay on those bumpy candies, but this mouse doesn't mind at all!

This mouse Balancing Hearts might seem like the main theme of my card, and well it certainly was planned that way but there's another major product I loved using too. Check out the heart vine border filled with colorful hearts! This die comes in the Spring Border Die Set also from the October 2017 release.

Here's how I made this sweet little card.

Supplies: I provide some product links that are through my Amazon Affiliate and that means when clicked and purchased in the same session a few pennies are sent my way at no cost to you.

Stampendous:

• House-Mouse® Balancing Hearts (AZ, STM) 
• Spring Border Die Set (AZ, STM)
• Mixed Media White Paper (AZ, STM)
• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink Pad by Tsukineko® (AZ, STM)

Plus:

• My Colors Cardstock by My Mind's Eye (Canvas - Wildflower, Sky, Tuscan Sky, Grasshopper; Mini Dots - Pink Carnation)
• Alcohol Markers by Copic® (B00, B52, E21, E23, E27, E30, E50, G12, G21, RV10, RV32, Y11, Y15, YR12, YR21, V12, V15, V91)
• ZipDry™ Paper Glue by Beacon Adhesives (AZ)
• Thin 3D Foam Adhesives Squares (AZ)
• Mono Liquid Adhesive by Tombow (AZ)
• Twine by Whisker Graphics (AZ)
• Mini Layering Tool by Perfect Papercraft Tools (AZ)

Instructions:

1. Fold 5-1/2 x 11 inch Wildflower cardstock in half for card base.
2. Adhere Pink Carnation cardstock onto the base.
3. Stamp Balancing Hearts onto Mixed Media White Paper and color.
4. Mat with Sky and Tuscan Sky cardstock using Mini Layering tool and adhere with foam squares to card base.
5. Die cut Spring Border die from 1 x 5-1/4 inch Sky cardstock and glue down onto the card base.
6. Die cut additional borders from scraps of Tuscan Sky, Grasshopper, and Wildflower to inlay different color heart shapes into Sky border on the card base.
7. Tie twine around card front.

It's what I do! I'm a maker who receives goodies for design team work, but I wouldn't do it if I didn't already like the products I receive so comments I make are what I mean and not just because I received them to make my project. To see a list of these companies just scroll to the bottom of my blog under FTC Declaration.

Love Ya Valentine!

It's Thursday already this week and I've been busy getting Christmas decor put away! I had a week with the flu but now that it's down to a pesky cough I'm back to all my crafting and cleaning shenanigans.

My card today was simple to make with just a little bit of patience mixed in. The background stamp Valentine Love from Technique Junkies is a January release stamp. Use code TJ10Janelle to get 10% discount on your order!

Do you have any glossy cardstock? I have a ton of it from years ago and I decided to use it with Valentine Love for a color-popping card. Here's how I made the card.

Supplies: I provide some product links that are through my Amazon Affiliate and that means when clicked and purchased in the same session a few pennies are sent my way at no cost to you.

Technique Junkies:

• Valentine Love

Plus:

• Glossy cardstock (AZ)
• White cardstock (AZ)
• Ecoline watercolor Brush Pen - Vermillion, Magenta and Red Violet (Blick) (get the whole kit and kaboodle set of 15 at Amazon)
Versafine™ Onyx Black Ink by Tsukineko® (AZ)
• Wedding Words Die Set by Echo Park (AZ)
• Pentel Arts Aquash Water Brush, Medium Fine (AZ)
• A Fine Line Glue by Adhesive Tech (AZ)
• 3M Scotch 2090 Blue Painters Tape: 1-inch (AZ, Blick)
• MISTI Stamping Tool (AZ, SP)
• Sizzix Die Brush Kit (AZ)
• Pick Me Up Tool (AZ)

Instructions:

1. Insert glossy cardstock into MISTI and place Valentine Love stamp centered on top of the paper, then close MISTI lid to cling stamp to the lid.
2. Ink stamp with waterproof black ink and stamp onto paper. Repeat for a solid design.
3. On a clean palette or nonporous surface apply Ecoline colors and watercolor onto paper using water brush filled with water.
4. Tape word dies with painter's tape onto dry Valentine Love background and run through die cutting machine according to directions.
5. Carefully remove die cut and save chads inside word. 
6. Glue down background onto white cardstock base and begin to add interior die cut "chads" of the letters with Pick Me Up Tool. TIP: I used the die cut words as guides by placing them back into their spots then glued the die chads into place. 

Remember to use code TJ10Janelle when shopping at Technique Junkies website! Thanks for stopping by.

This blog post contains goodies I received for free from some of my favorite crafting companies. I blog about things I love to make and the comments I use are honest and my opinion.

New Year New Adventures New Release!

A new year and a new adventure! I am so thrilled to say that I've joined a new team of stamp loving designers with Technique Junkies and look forward to sharing more with you real soon, so keep an eye out for blog posts here at Rain Puddles Designs labeled with Technique Junkies!

What better way to start than with a hop for the first release of 2018!  You have probably come from Stephanie Severin's blog, but if not head to the Technique Junkies Blog for the start of the hop.

Technique Junkies is releasing 15 new stamps in January! 

All of the January 2018 New Release stamps are 15% off through January 8th! No code needed, the discount will be applied at checkout.

Ready for some new designs? Here's my first card with Make A Wish stamp.

And here's another card using You Are So Loved with Valentine Love background stamp.

Get ready to shop and save even more! If you add regular items to your cart during the release, you can still get 10% savings by adding my discount code TJ10Janelle at checkout! This code works anytime you shop at Technique Junkies too.

Now hop on over to Ro Donner‘s blog! Remember if you are just jumping in at this point in the hop you can start over on the Technique Junkies Blog.

Bee-lieve Valentine's Day is Coming

Bee-lieve!!!! Today there is going to be two projects. One that I made for fun because the idea came to me while I was helping my son with the other!

Here's my sketching bee background style card.

{Click for larger image}

And the supply list with instructions.

Supplies for Sketchy Honeycomb Wishes:
Note: In this supply list affiliate links are used for Amazon (AZ) at no cost to you, though it means when you click the link and make a purchase I receive a few pennies as a commission. Stampendous (STM), Ellen Hutson (EH) and Blick Studio (Blick) links are also listed for non-affiliate shopping.

Stampendous:

• Honeycomb Wishes Perfectly Clear Stamp Set (AZ, STM)
• Fitted Frames A Die Set (AZ, STM)
• Mixed Media White Paper (AZ, STM)
• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink Pad by Tsukineko (AZ, STM)

Plus:

• Kraft Cardstock
• Rust Cardstock
• Zig Art & Graphic Twin Marker (AZ, Blick) - (#1 - Yellow, #16 - Light Brown, #49 - Beige, #71 - Mid Brown, #81 - Dawn Gray, #08 - Gray)
• White Prismacolor Pencil (AZ 12-set, Blick 1)
• White 2mm Acrylic Paint Marker by Liquitex (AZ, Blick)
• Memento Tuxedo Black Marker (AZ)
• Black 0.5mm STAEDTLER Liner Pen (AZ set, Blick 1)
• 3D Foam Adhesives Squares (AZ)

Instructions:

1. Stamp bee with black ink onto 4 x 6-1/4 inch kraft cardstock.
2. Color with markers. Highlight wings and body with White Prismacolor pencil.
3. Paint around edges with a white acrylic paint marker.
4. Line the inside edge of the white marker with a black pen.
5. Adhere to folded 4-1/2 x 6-1/4 inch card base.
6. Stamp sentiment with black ink onto Mixed Media White Paper and cut out with E size inner frame die.
7. Die cut outer E size from rust cardstock and glue sentiment onto it.
8. Pop up with foam adhesive squares onto the card base.

Are you ready for the un BEE-lievable valentine idea my son and I put together? Aren't these valentine boxes cool!

Supplies for Honeycomb Wishes Valentines
Note: In this supply list affiliate links are used for Amazon (AZ) at no cost to you, though it means when you click the link and make a purchase I receive a few pennies as a commission. Stampendous (STM), Ellen Hutson (EH) and Blick Studio (Blick) links are also listed for non-affiliate shopping.

Stampendous:

• Honeycomb Wishes Perfectly Clear Stamp Set (AZ, STM)
• Mixed Media White Paper (AZ, STM)
• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink Pad by Tsukineko (AZ, STM)

Plus:

• Kaleidocolor Ink Pad by Tsukineko® - Berry Blaze, Blue Breeze (Joann.com, company website)
• Picked Raspberry Distress Ink Pad by Ranger® (AZ)
• Danube Blue Ink Pad by Tsukineko (AZ)
• Zig Art & Graphic Twin Marker (AZ, Blick) (#6 Violet, #37 Persian Blue)
• Zip-Dry™ Paper Glue by Beacon Adhesives (AZ)
• We R Memory Keepers Hanging Box Die (AZ)
• Sponge or Mini Ink Blending Tool (AZ, EH, SP)
• Mini MISTI Stamping Tool (AZ, EH, SP) (magnets, too)
• Pentel Arts Aquash Water Brush, Medium Fine  (AZ, EH)
• Stardust Stickles (AZ)

Instructions:

1. Cut out a quantity of Lifestyle Hanging Box die and label. 
2. Stamp honeycomb onto label with Kaleidacolor ink. (We place the reverse die piece leftover from the label into the MISTI stamp tool as a guide for quick placement each time we stamped.
3. Sponge coordinating color around edges of the label.
4. Stamp sentiment with black ink onto a 1 x 2-5/8 inch Mixed Media White Paper. Stamp body of bee with a black marker on the other side of the sentiment, leave room for wings.
5. Layer onto colored cardstock that is 1-3/8 x 2-5/8 inches.
6. Stamp bee with black ink onto white paper and color (pink is picked up distress ink with a water brush, but use a marker that works with the color theme).
7. Add Stickles to wings.
8. Cut out body, head, and wings then glue over stamped legs on sentiment layer.
9. Glue label on the box while it is still flat, then glue sentiment layer on the label.
10. Fold all perforated edges, glue side flap, and close.

House-Mouse Sweet Note

This has got to be a surprise to most of you because it just did for me as I started to write this post, that Valentine's Day is just nine days away! So today I'm sharing a super cute House-Mouse® card I made for the Stampendous catalog.

I have supplies and instructions at the end of the post if you're interested! If you like my post today or want to find my projects again in the future, please follow me by using the links in my sidebar!! 

And guess what? The Stampendous blog is having a buzz of fun stamps and stencils this week that is ideal for friends and loved ones, so why not hop on over to check it all out! Here are some links to hop on over to and get your crafty mojo going!

Stampendous Blog

Alison Heikkila

Kristine Reynolds

Janelle Stollfus

Supplies:
Note: In this supply list affiliate links are used for Amazon (AZ) at no cost to you, though it means when you click the link and make a purchase I receive a few pennies as a commission. Stampendous (STM), Ellen Hutson (EH) and Blick Studio (Blick) links are also listed for non-affiliate shopping.
Stampendous:

• House-Mouse® Dearest One (AZ, STM)
• Lace Metal Stencil (AZ, STM)
• Mixed Media White Paper (AZ, STM)
• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink Pad by Tsukineko (AZ, STM)

Plus:

• My Colors™ Seafoam Cardstock by My Mind's Eye® (company website)
• Sketch™ Markers by Copic® - BG15, BG72, BV20, E31, E33, E35, E37, E50, E51, E53, E93, RV10, RV13, RV14, RV91, RV93, RV95, V91 (company website)
• Ribbon by Creative Impressions® 
• Zip-Dry™ Paper Glue by Beacon Adhesives (AZ)
• Masking Pen by Molotow (AZ)
Perfect Paper Crafting Color Spritzer Airbrush Tool (AZ, company website)
• Glue Remover Eraser

Instructions:

1. Fold 8-1/2 x 5-1/2 inch Seafoam cardstock in half for card base.
2. Stamp Dearest One with black ink onto Mixed Media White Paper and color.
3. Mask top half of image with pen and sticky notes or piece of paper on the bottom half.
4. Place Lace Metal Stencil over the top half of image and airbrush BG15 marker using the Color Spritzer. Start on the masked area and sweep out to the edges of the image.
5. Remove stencil and spray with BG72 to darken the background.
6. Rub mask off with glue remover eraser.
7. Tie ribbon in a knot around the colored image and glue onto card base.

Post Valentines

It's a lovely Sunday day and I'm at the computer looking through my project photos on my camera and realize I've left a few from you! Isn't that awesome! I've been on the shy side of posting since my surgery last summer so I just assumed that I had nothing left to post for the month. What a nice surprise for me, too!

I wanted my kids to give their teachers a little more sweetness in a card than in food, so I grabbed some of Verve's lovely Valentine sets. These were the easiest cards to through together. I was so excited to be able to finish both of them in just an hour. That's considered a miracle in my studio.

The January release has some awesome sentiments that work for more than just Valentine season. Here's a valentine style card though that I made for the release.

Teacher Valentine #1 Details: 
Stamps: Love Notes (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Balsa and Kraft (Neenah), Love Notes (My Minds Eye)
Ink: Real Red and Chocolate Chip (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories: Gold (Autumn Elements Ribbon Collection, Verve), Pennant Trim Die (Verve), adhesive-flat back pearls

Details: 
Stamps: Love Notes (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Balsa and Kraft (Neenah), blue (Stampin' Up!), Love Notes (My Minds Eye)
Ink: Real Red and Chocolate Chip (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories: Strawberry Cream (Truly Madly Deeply Ribbon Collection, Verve), Pennant Trim Die (Verve), adhesive-flat back pearls

Details:
Stamps: More than Love (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Yours Truly (Pebbles), White (Neenah), various lt. blue, pinks and reds
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), acrylic paint (Claudine Hellmuth), Real Red
Accessories: Wavy Hearts die set, From the Heart die set (A Cut Above, Verve), Crystal Clear EP (Stampin' Up), sewing machine and black thread

Diva Dare "Perk Up" Coffee Sleeve Redux

It's a new Diva Dare over on the Verve Stamps blog. Get your mojo rolling with something to "Perk Up" someone. Today I'm sharing how I took the dare with this little coffee cup treat and what might be a redux on the DIY coffee sleeve or is it the "Design your own mug" insert.

This cup is filled with K-cup® pods and long stir sticks and kept warm with a DIY pocket sleeve to keep the sentiments fresh every time you have a new cup. Hey, it's just another way to send those little sticky note reminders but using your crafting supplies.

Details:
Stamps: More than Love, Poppy Birthday, Small Phrases (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Kraft, White (Wausau), Real Red, Basic Black (Stampin' Up), green pattern paper stash, clear acetate (from my art store roll)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento, Tsukineko), Real Red (Stampin' Up)
Accessories: Pastel Polka Ribbon Collection (Verve Stamps), Heart Quartet Die, Flag It Die Set, Build a Poppy Die (Verve Stamps), Sewing machine, clean latte cup, K-cup® pods, drink stir sticks, circle punch, Crop-a dile, black brads (Prima Marketing or Maya Road)