Birds, Blossoms, and Butterflies In Color!

Here are some more samples I've been creating with new stamp sets and the new In Colors from the upcoming Stampin' Up! Catalog (you can order from it starting June 1st!  Need a copy?  Please let me know either by leaving a comment or sending me an email using the link in the right sidebar).  

This first sample features birds and blossoms from the new Betsy's Blossoms stamp set.  I was inspired by a sample place card in Stampin' Success (a wonderful monthly magazine for demonstrators), and expanded on it to create this 3 x 4" note card:  

The base is Confetti White card stock (which is on the retiring list!)  I stamped the bird using Daffodil Delight, and used a strip of the new Daffodil Delight Stitched Ribbon along the bottom of the card to coordinate.  The three flowers were inked using a Primrose Petal Stampin' Write Marker for the petals and a Raspberry Ripple marker for the centers.  The "happy" sentiment is from the new Memorable Moments stamp set, and was stamped in Midnight Muse on a banner cut out using the new Bitty Banners Framelits.  I inked around the edges of the banner with Baja Breeze Classic Ink.  For a finishing touch, I added a strip of  Primrose Petal card stock, punched using the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch, along the bottom of the card.

For the next card, I used the Papaya Collage stamp set.  Again, I started with a Confetti White card stock base to create this card: 

I stamped the "frame" image using Summer Starfruit, and the leaf image using Gumball Green.  Those are two more of the fabulous new 2012-13 In Colors!  I cut another banner from the Bitty Banner Framelits, and stamped "gratitude" from Fabulous Phrases in Midnight Muse, and inked around the edges of the banner using Gumball Green.  The butterfly image is stamped onto a piece cut using one of the new Apothecary Accents framelits.  I used Primrose Petals and Raspberry Ripple markers to color the butterfly image before stamping it.  The flourish in the corner was stamped in Baja Breeze, and the entire accent piece was sponged around the edges with Baja Breeze.

Here's another variation on the card, using a Midnight Muse frame instead:

One tip I discovered while making these is that the new ink pads are much juicier than the old ink pads, so it is not necessary to push the rubber as much into the ink pad as with the old-style pads.  A light tap will suffice to ink the image!  You can see evidence in both frames of some over-enthusiastic inking, but I think it actually lends to the vintage look, so I've gone with it!

What do you think of the new In Colors and stamps?

Thanks so much for visiting!

- Michelle