So Long, Farewell...

Hello there Journey Friends, I'm here to share a creation I made today using the very first Fun Stampers Journey stamp set/die combo of my collection.  The Banner Party Stamp set and the coordinating Pennants Die Set are retiring at the end of the month.  WAAAHHH...It's an oldie but goodie and I'm sad to see it go.

I created this card to say farewell.  If you LOVE this set as much as I do, you can pick it up before it retires and/or while supplies last.

I paired the stripe square stamp with some fun colors and added a few circle stamped elements to play along.  The twine works perfectly, just as the silver scalloped washi!  

 I compiled a little bundle for you if you would like to recreate this card:

Banner Party Set $12.57

Pennants Die Set $13.97

Watermelon Fusion Ink 

Rock Candy Ink

Whip Cream Cardstock

Rock Candy Cardstock

Small Dauber Dowels

Black Journey Twine

Silver Scalloped Washi

Flat Pearls

1" Square Punch

Punch Handle

Shop now and SAVE!

Pretty Posies and Liquid Color

Hey there Journey Friends, I thought I'd pop in to share a little card I created after reading the Fun Stampers Journey Blog today.  Richard's Tuesday Tip included a fun technique and a beautiful card featuring my ISU Cyclone colors so I just HAD to give the techinque a play and create a card inspired by RG's creation.  Check out his original post HERE.  Make sure to subscribe too.  You'll be glad you did!  

I used pretty much the same materials to create my version of his card EXCEPT...I didn't have any Cling Wrap so I used a plastic bag crumpled up.  I think it worked just the same!  I also added a few pretty embellishments and held restraint with my images and contained them to the central portion of the card.  Splashing a bit of Cranberry Bliss and Sparkle Silk onto the card added another yummy layer to this gorgeous design.  Hope you can see the sparkle washi peeking through too...just a tad bit to highlight the splashes of sparkle silk.  

YUMMY right?  This set has got to be one of my favorites of the new catalog and I'm so glad convention brought it to me!  I'm using it like crazy and I can't get enough.  You'll want to pick yours up along with your Liquid Color Bundle when the new catalog goes live for purchases on July 1.

Cool Beans!

Hey there coffee loving cardmakers!  I'm back with another fun card for the coffee-lovers hop!  This time, I created a yummy card using the June Bloom Box for Fun Stampers Journey. Don't know what a Bloom Box is?  Well, it's a monthly kit that arrives at my door and includes a full size red rubber stamp set, four kitted card projects and a full color instruction booklet.  This month's kit includes a fun "punny" set with this cool beans sentiment box.

As a Creative Coach for Fun Stampers Journey, I have the opportunity to sell these kits and provide little perks to my Bloom Box Subscribers.  I create four additional (possibly more) card kits each month to send to my Bloom Box subscribers. They include tutorials too!  SO fun!  It's a great way to maximize the potential of each bloom box stamp set!

I think this set was made just for me!  hee hee.  I wonder if Richard planned the perfect timing for our hop too???

To create the card, I did a little masking of the images.  I stamped the "Cool Beans" block stamp with just an outline, then stamped the sentiments on the edges.  After that, I stamped the image in its actual design and cut it out.  Next, I distressed the edges using some deeeelish Dark Roast ink and a Dauber Dowel blending tool.  I added some Bronze and Dark Roast Silk as well as a few splashes of Journey Glaze then assembled the card.  SO FUN!

Whip Cream Cardstock, Pomegranate Splash Cardstock and Oatmeal Cookie Cardstock were a perfect combination!  Using the little freebie tags from the Spring into Summer mini just set the card off too.  Black Journey twine is also a must,  don't you think?!  Licorice Sparkle Washi and a piece of a coffee filter finish it off!

Thanks for stopping by!  Hope you enjoyed this little perk-you-up!  See you tomorrow for another yummy creation!

Sunday Sip...Aromatic Posies...

Hey there coffee loving friends.

Happy Sunday Coffee Loving Cardmakers.  It’s Kerry here and I’m excited to get back to some sort of normalcy and calm after a wild and hectic few months.  I hosted a Fun Stampers Journey Booth at the Scrapbook Expo in Chantilly, VA this weekend and met many of my fellow Coffee Loving papercraft friends!  If you’re reading this I’m waving HI and giving another hug!  It was a blast, and today I’m just catching up and cleaning.  Ughh…

I decided I would post a little aromatic card today.  Sometimes I like to send cards that contain a scent that brings back warm memories and this card does just that.  Waking up to a fresh Perkolator pot of coffee on a Sunday morning at my Grandma and Grandpas was always a fun treat when I lived with them during my college years and I loved sitting with them at their formica table sipping coffee and listening to the church service online…Oh memories…  So the aroma of this card…Memories!

I glued some coffee beans to the inside of my flower (created using the Summer Bouquet steel rule die and the leaves from Flower Swirls set that will be available July 1).   I created the background using our new Liquid Color which is an amazing concentrated watercolor.  I love that I can squirt a few drops in a mister and spritz some yummy color on my paper.  I stamped the little circle elements from Laura Williams’ doodled stamp set that is launching through FSJ on July 1 called Hello Love. 

I hope you’re enjoying the hop so far.  I’m off today to do the rounds and will start creating a few more cards for the hop too.  See you around!

If you LOVE this sketch, please consider playing along with the sketch.  I’d love to see how you incorporate your Coffee Love with it!

Hop along with us!  

Coffee....Coffee....all the days!

Hello there Coffee-Tea-Hot Cocoa loving creators!  Today is the day!

I'm excited to announce that I'm a Super Sponsor again! As an Independent Fun Stampers Journey Coach,  I'm fresh off the plane from Convention and I have the AMAZING new Inspiration Book and Catalog in my possession.  I also have the yummy Holiday Mini that will go live on Aug. 1!  So many new products, lots and lots of pages to drool over.  My wish list is massive! Take a look at this gorgeous cover!

You can order a catalog on my site by clicking on the image below or contact me to receive it FREE with a $100 order.  It is 335 pages of AWESOME!  The catalog is available for online viewing so make sure to check it out (click on the photo above to go to the link).

We are currently hosting a Clearance Sale! This sale will end July 1 and is "While Supplies Last" so make sure to check it out and pick up anything you really love.

To make room for new products in our 2017-18 catalog, several items are being retired.  These items are available at 30% off and will be available until July 1.  Check 'em out!

One lucky hopper (FSJ is currently available in USA and Puerto Rico) will receive a fun FSJ Coffee-Loving Gift Pack valued at $25.00.  Good Luck and happy hopping!

PS...If you're in the Northern VA, DC Metro Area, please stop by the Scrapbook Expo in Chantilly, VA this weekend.  I'm sharing FUN STAMPERS JOURNEY fun in my booth.

My free Make-and-Take features use of our newest products:  Gel Press, Liquid Color, Flower Swirls Stamp Set, Bubble Wrap Embossing Folder and much loved tool the Press Punch!  

Sunday Sip...Coffee and a Gel Press

Hello there coffee loving papercrafters!  It's Kerry here and I'm back from a brief hiatus from the blog.  I spent last week inkin' it up at the annual Fun Stampers Journey Convention in Chandler, AZ.  It was amazing and I'm excited to be back home to share new things with my crafty friends!  So much amazing packed into one week!    

I came home with the new 2017-18 Inspiration Book and Catalog, the 2017 Holiday Trends Mini, TONS of new product and endless fill of inspiration and memories...

I'm sharing this fun card set I created using the newest product partnership with Fun Stampers Journey.  On July 1, FSJ will host an exclusive 8 1/2 x 11 Gel Press and it's such a fun tool to create beautiful cards, backgrounds and embellishing elements.  SOOO EXCITED!

So, here you have it...These muted tone backgrounds were created using my new Gel Press. I incorporated a bit of FSJ Liquid Color (new to our color line-up July 1) and Acrylic Ink and the new Bubble Wrap embossing folder.  So fab!

This is quite CAS for me and my style but I love the cluster of embellishing elements that lay atop the Gel Pressed background panel strip.  

I had an old pair of jeans with a hole that couldn't be repaired so I just trimmed the hem off of one leg to create a fun strip of trim for my cards.  I love using jeans on my cards!  

The embellishments were a fun addition.  I have had the Word Bubbles for a while now and they made a fun appearance on the cards.  Of course I had to incorporate some yummy black Sparkle Washi and black twine!    A few flicks of Dark Roast Silk finished the card off... OHHH...I forgot, I also added a little coffee bean onto the card because it speaks my language.  You can understand them too, right?

Want to see my process to achieve the background?  Check it out!  

I added about six drops of each color into a mister filled with water.  I then spritzed some color onto the plate after dripping a few drops and brayering it onto the plate.  

 Brayering the two colors on helped me achieve the "coffee/tea" stain color I was after.

After that, I applied more drops of Lovely Blue, one drop of Catalina Splash and Orange Creamsicle Liquid Color onto my plate. I pressed the new Bubble Wrap Embossing Folder onto the plate to lift some of the ink.  

I pressed the card base onto the plate and rubbed it gently with my hand.  I lifted it up and this impression was left on my paper.  

I applied some clear pigment ink to the plate (so my brayer would glide over the plate) to help the ink spread like soft butter then added some Butter Cream Acrylic ink using my brayer.  After a few layers (and a few additional drops of Orange Creamsicle Liquid Color), I achieved the background I was looking for...Quite velvety, quite lovely, don't you think?  

Take a look at the sketch created from this card collection.  I hope you find some time to play along with it...Perhaps it will make an appearance in the hop coming up this week?!  If you choose to play along, please include a link to your creation by adding it to our linkup below.

An InLinkz Link-up

Dream BIG!

Hey there stamping friends,

The Fun Stampers Journey Convention is HERE!  WOOP!  I'm so excited to be able to gather with my stamping family for some fun, education and inspiration!  I'll be coming home with TONS of motivation and a few HEAVY suitcases!

While I'm headed off on a jet plane to Arizona, I'll leave you with a little share and a HOW I MADE IT!

I'm participating in a fun Mixed Media swap (there are SO many amazing swaps) and this is the card I created.  I love the way it turned out.  It's artsy, inspirational and oohh so yummy!  I grabbed the theme and the color palette from the Convention logo...(can you tell?)

To create this card, I started out by rubbing a bit of Pool Play Pan Pastel (from Confectionary Days Collection) over Canvas using my finger.  After that, I placed a tad bit of Pineapple Smoothie Acrylic Paint onto my finger and rubbed it across the canvas.  After it dried, I used my sewing machine to add a meandering stitch across the canvas.  

Next, I stamped the Create a Dot stamp onto the panel using clear ink then applied some silver embossing powder.  I wanted just a hint of this image so I used a light hand with the ink pad and rubbed unwanted embossing powder off the canvas with a dry brush before heating.  

After that, I scribbled a little Silver Pen onto my acrylic block then spritzed it with my Spritzer bottle. I applied that directly to the canvas then swiped it gently down the canvas.  This created a fun distress-like gray watercolor look that I love.  When that was done, I added a Scribble Stroke using the Silver Marker.  I stamped and embossed the sentiment (from Dream It set) using Clear Pigment Ink and Black Embossing Powder.  

Finishing the card up involved flicking a little Sparkle Silk onto the panel then stamping the floral image from Bird Melody.  I rubbed these Black Licorice stamped flowers with PanPastels and applied Journey Glaze with a tad bit of Sparkle Dust sprinkled over it.  I then Popped Out the flower over some loops of thread using a foam square.  

I can't wait to share another fun creation!  Stop back again for another fun share from Convention! PS...I'll be back to add the printable tutorial for this card when I return from convention so watch for it!

Fiesta!...A Thank You...

My "Get ready to PARTAY" card created especially for the amazing Journey Crew!

It started out with feeling a little grateful...then snowballed...into something amazingly fun!

I had a TON OF FUN organizing a TOP SECRET FIESTA for the Journey Crew a couple of weeks ago and with the help of a few other awesome Journey Coaches and the ever-so-sneaky Kim Kesti, the FIESTA went down last week.

I wanted to show the Journey Crew my thanks for the new and improved website launch so I pitched my idea to my downline and a few close-contact coaches (so as to keep it on the down-low and to ensure the super-secret nature of this idea).  They were ALL IN and that set the ball rolling...

The Journey Crew Rocks!  If you haven't already experienced visiting the new FSJ website/blog and shop (Check out my new site HERE), you wouldn't know the hours and hours and days and days and weeks and weeks and months and months of work that went into launching this site.  I'm sure you can appreciate completing a HUGE project after working on it for so long.  Well, that is an understatement for this crew for sure.  TEAMWORK, DEDICATION, SUPPORT, COMMITMENT, DETERMINATION...Yep, that's all there!

Their tireless efforts in this successful launch are so appreciated and we continue to celebrate them as they work through the kinks and subsequent updates.  We know how hard they have worked to produce a fabulous website and we are so grateful for their dedication!

I reached out to Kim Kesti with a little proposal a few weeks previous to this event and I asked if she would help us surprise the crew.  We knew it would not be a surprise if we had nine hundred packages arriving to the Journey Station, so we needed a Secret Agent...a burro of sorts. ;) We hoped she would accept the mission (even during this busy, busy time) and help us pull off this secret mission.  She said YES!   Kim received all the packages, checked and updated us on the arrival of the goodies, arranged a date for the fiesta and set up the party supplies.  She also chipped in and provided some salsa and drinks since our mixer hadn't arrived!  Most of all, she kept it all hush hush for us. We thank her so much for helping us deliver our thanks... FIESTA style!

THANK YOU CREW FOR GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND TO MAKE THE NEW WEBSITE LAUNCH A SUCCESS!  WE APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH!

Check it out!

Our Fiesta-in-a-Box included LOTS of fun:  

*A cactus pinata-with pinata treats

*Mariachi Band...Rubber Duckie Style!
*Sombrero Party Headbands

*Maracas

*Tortilla Chips

*Margarita Mixer (arrived after the party) from my favorite Margarita Texas!

*Festive Solo Cups, Plates, Napkins, Fiesta Tablecloth

*Handmade cards from the Coaches on this secret mission

*A gorgeous flower arrangement delivered to the station

Check out a few photos (Thanks to the JCrew and Kim Kesti for preserving these memories)

Thanks Rose for the photo!  We loved seeing what our "pick" ended up becoming on the other side!

The flowers arrived the day before...with a little hint about a fiesta or something to come...

Kim was our secret agent!  Thanks to her, the secret party went off without a hitch!

Journey Orange and Green was in order...but no proper fiesta can exclude the other festive colors of the rainbow!  

Thanks for the great photo Kim!

Of course a fiesta needs a pinata right?  Well, when in Arizona, a CACTUS pinata is in order!  Too fun to destroy so the treats are on the side!  

Thanks Kim for the photo!

I mean really, I think they're reserving themselves for Convention...We know they LOVE to partay!  

This is the best stuff ever! Check out their recipes too!

(Although the case of Margarita Mixer didn't arrive in time for the party (a few hours late), I hope they enjoy that another day (perhaps an After-Convention party is in order?)

You can just see the crew trying to contain their excitement...They're working, ya know.  Even the mariachi duckies couldn't convince them to jump up on the table and shake those maracas...OR DID THEY?)

Here are a few of the cards that arrived in time for the party...  They're still trickling in to Kim so they'll be loved and admired soon!

Cards:  Betty Giles "You Did It!", Jenn Gross "Hip Hip HOO RAY!", Kerry Urbatch "Margarita Mariachi-You Rock!"

Here are a few close-ups of my card:

 Yummy Glossy Cups are in order!

I forgot to color his belt buckle before taking the photo so I had to take another shot of his AWESOME BLINGED OUT FSJ Belt Buckle!  No Mariachi is complete without a fabulous HUGE HONKIN' rodeo style buckle, right?

I used the following supplies to create this fun and festive card:  

Felicidades AT-0156 (Stamp and Die Bundle HERE) 

Rock Notes (sentiment on inside) RETIRING SOON!  

Circle Film Die Set DI-0276 (Coming July 1)

Large Dauber Dowel

Electric Lime Ink

Outrageous Pink Ink

Cosmic Grape Ink

Turbo Teal Ink

Orange Rave Ink

Sour Lemon Ink

Whip Cream Cardstock

Cosmic Grape Cardstock

Electric Lime Cardstock

Journey Glaze

Sparkle Dust

Foam Squares

Non FSJ products:

White Tissue Paper (colored with FSJ Ink)

Black Micron Pen
Fine "0" tip Artist's Loft Paintbrush

Machine Stitching

Sunday Sip...Tea Time!

Hello there coffee loving friends!  It’s Kerry here and I’m back to share a TEA creation for you.  I'm sharing this from my Sunday Sip and Share feature over at the Coffee Loving Cardmakers Blog! 

I’ve been very busy creating swaps for my Fun Stampers Journey Convention this week and you know what?  I’ve set my electric teapot (I have one right near my craft station!) four times today and I FINALLY stopped working to pour myself a cup!  LOL… When I’m on a roll, I just roll right on! HA HA!

My creating time has not just been limited to Convention swaps.  I've got Expo Booth projects in the works as well as other card making projects.   It's definitely a busy time of year!   I took a break to make this pretty coffee card that is being mailed out to a coffee-loving friend this week. Take a peek, won’t you?!

I created this card using the Tea Time stamp set from Fun Stampers Journey.  I also stamped and silver embossed the background using the stamp set Create-a-Dot. It’s a fun set with a linked circle and some added “fill in the dot” stamps.  So fun! The simple layout was made more “fancy” by adding some paper ruffles and some Twinkle Trim!

For an added touch, I stitched the tag element using my sewing machine and attached a little wooden Forever Heart Chips to the Glazed-up and Sparkle Dusted cup. Since this cup image came unfilled, I decided to add a little tea to the cup by doodling a tea line and watercoloring some of that yummy liquid.

The sequins were added because I just can’t seem to make a card without some sort of ribbon/bling!  LOL  Isn’t that silver embossing luscious?!

You bet I created a sketch to go along with this card!  If you’re interested in playing along with it, the JUNE #clcsipandshare gallery is OPEN FOR ENTRIES!  Please share your creation with us by adding it to our inlinkz below.  We’d love to see how you incorporate this sketch into your yummy creations! 

An InLinkz Link-up