Emily Leiphart: February 2021

Friday, February 26, 2021

Catherine Pooler | Moving Sale | Up to 60% off from Feb 24-28th

Hello, friends! There's nothing like a good sale and I've pulled all of my cards featuring some of my favourite sale items, some of which are 60% off. If any of these have been on your wish list for a while, now's the time to grab 'em! Click on any of the photos or links below to head to the original posts.

Love Note Background

This is definitely one of my favourite stamps of all time. You can't go wrong with text of any kind. It's so versatile and can be used in so many ways on pretty much any occasion.

View original post HERE | Shop Love Note Background

View original post HERE | View YouTube video HERE | Shop Love Note Background

Ornamental Background

This is still one of my favourite Christmas cards of all-time. I don't make Christmas cards year-round but I always feel that I should start. Looking at this card definitely makes me feel festive and in the mood for holiday cardmaking.

View original post HERE | Shop Ornamental Background

Stronger Wreath Background

The past year has been so hard for everyone and I doubt there's anyone out there who wouldn't love to receive words of encouragement in the form of a card. This big, beautiful stamp makes it easy to create uplifting happy mail.

View original post HERE | Shop Stronger Wreath

Star Stencil

Stencils can be your best friend! You can use them to blend ink, embossing paste and as dry embossing folders! How's that for versatility? This Star Stencil is definitely one of my favourite and most versatile Catherine Pooler stencils.

View original post HERE | Shop Star Stencil

A Tisket A Tasket Patterned Paper

This release theme was one of my favourites and I incorporated this paper collection into each of my cards. Whether you use a little or a lot, it's a great way to add visual interest and colour to your card designs!

View original post HERE | Shop A Tisket A Tasket Patterned Paper

Fall Pick-N-Mix Patterned Paper

Another fabulous fall collection? Count me in! And let me use as many pumpkins as possible. I remember how popular these pumpkins were and that there were many restocks. In fact, I thought about playing with them the other day, just because. ;)

View original post HERE | Shop Fall Pick-N-Mix Patterned Paper

Thanks so much for stopping by and have fun shopping! ;)

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Thursday, February 25, 2021

VIDEO | Taylored Expressions | Diamond Botanical Stamp Set, Dies & Masking Stencils

I hope this post finds you well, and perhaps enjoying warmer temperatures! The sun is out here for the first time this week so I'm grateful for that. This post features new products from the Taylored Expressions Spring/Easter Release, including the Diamond Botanical Stamp Set, Diamond Botanical Die and Diamond Masking Stencils, which all coordinate together.

You'll remember that the Diamond Masking Stencils were the December 2020 gift with purchase of over $100 and I featured them in a video HERE. They're now available for purchase individually, with or without the new Diamond Botanical Stamp Set and Diamond Botanical Die.

I prepared all three of the cards by stamping multiple copies of the Diamond Botanical image with Oreo ink, then colouring them with Copic markers. You can find all the colours listed in the supply links below. My first card is a shaker that I created by using both pieces of the Diamond Botanical Die.

I filled in the spaces behind the frame by flipping the image, turning it on an angle and stamping it in Sea Salt ink before creating walls with foam sticky strips to house the glitter contained in the shaker. I trimmed the panel before adhering it to a Pumpkin card base.

It's a toss-up as to whether the shaker or this uncoloured card is my favourite of the three but I think it's this one, mostly because I really loved using three different stencils, including the Diamond Masking Stencils, to create this look.

First, I secured the large Rectangle Masking Stencil to the uncoloured image and layered the Candy Cane Stripes stencil on top of that. I used Candy Corn and Pumpkin inks, and a coordinating blender brush, to ink blend two of the corners. I wiped down the stencils, flipped the Candy Cane Stripes stencil 180 degrees on its vertical axis so the stripes would be facing the other direction. Then I used Cookie Monster and Poblano Pepper inks on those corners.

I removed the stencils, then used the smaller of the two Diamond Masking Stencils to protect the previously stencilled areas. I reattached the Candy Cane Stripes stencil, making sure to line up the lines with the previous ink blending. Then I used Candy Corn and Cookie Monster inks to lightly blend inside the diamond.

To finish, I used the Diamond Botanical Die to partial die cut around the edges of the botanicals, popping up that portion with foam tape and adding clear drops. Be sure to watch my video to hear the funny story about this card!

My last card is very clean and simple with straightforward stamping and colouring of the Diamond Botanical image. I didn't use any dies or masking stencils on this card.

I simply trimmed the panel shorter at the top and bottom to expose the Poblano Pepper card base. This card is nice and flat, and will travel through the mail easily without extra postage. Which of these three cards is your favourite?

Don't forget, you have a few more days to get the Bursting Blooms Stamp Set free with every $100+ purchase and you can watch my video on this stamp set HERE.

Thanks so much for watching!

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Thursday, February 18, 2021

VIDEO | Taylored Expressions | Mini Slimline Card Ideas feat. Bursting Blooms February Freebie

Hello, crafty friends! I've had enough of winter and snow so I'm more than ready for spring! I'm looking forward to making Easter cards and not having to wear a huge coat and boots. Today's video features the stunning February 2021 gift with $100+ purchase from Taylored Expressions and it's a rubber cling stamp set called Bursting Blooms. This is a stamp set you'll reach for over and over again!

As I'll explain in my video, the blooms image is absolutely stunning and the size makes it so easy to colour and create clean and simple cards with. It takes centre stage and you don't really have to add anything other than a bit of colouring. Who wouldn't love to receive a card with these blooms?

I chose the mini slimline format for both my cards and I stamped the blooms diagonally across the first panel cut from Stitched Mini Slim Stacklets. I quickly coloured these blooms using V12, V15, V17, YG01, YG03 and YG25 Copic markers.

I added a sentiment from Bursting Blooms and layered the panel on Lavender Glaze cardstock cut from the Petite Scallop Mini Slim Stacklets and attached it to a side-fold card base in Granny Smith.

My second card features the masking technique. I stamped the top portion of the Bursting Blooms three times starting from the left. I tilted the stamp at different angles to make it look more natural. Then I coloured these ones with E40, E41, E43, YG01, YG03 and YG25 Copic markers.

This time, I wanted to feature an Easter sentiment so I combined On the Block - Happy with a heat embossed sentiment from Building Blocks - Happy Additions. I attached this panel on to a gold glitter panel cut with the Petite Scallop Mini Slim Stacklets and adhered them to a side-fold card base in Jelly Donut.

I rarely use purple on my cards but after making these cards, I may have to use this colour more often! I love both of these equally and can't choose a favourite, especially in the mini slimline format. Do you have a favourite?

Thanks so much for watching!

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Tuesday, February 16, 2021

Valentine's Day Cards from the boys

After every special occasion, I get messages asking to see the cards my son and husband made me so here are their Valentine's Day cards! If you didn't already know, we're a very weird and quirky trio. ;) We love cute and funny things and with all the new games we started playing during the pandemic, we've become completely obsessed and competitive about everything.

Just before the pandemic officially began in 2020 and right before our first lockdown in March 2020, I came across a new stuffie line called Squishmallows at our local pharmacy. A couple of months before, during a game of Scrabble, I laid down all seven of my tiles to spell the word widgeon, a small river duck. I didn't know this word at the time but it looked like a word and I gambled and won. Now we call mallard ducks (and all ducks, in general) widgeons. One of the Squishmallows turned out to be a widgeon so, of course, purchasing it was a must. My son wasn't even interested in it at first but he quickly grew to love it and is now obsessed with it. It's his favourite. Since then, we've collected quite a few more Squishmallows, including those of my (panda) and my husband's (beaver) personae.

Anyway, Damian's card cracked me up so much because he turned the Taylored Expressions' Hot Flash Grumplings into us. He transformed the hedgehog into a beaver by adding buck teeth and a tail. His transformation of the chick into a widgeon, especially the tiny tag on his head, is the ultimate. He also used Big Grumpy - Valentine, Mini Caps Alpha & #s, Building Blocks - Happy Additions, Petite Scallop Mini Slim Stacklets and Stitched Mini Slim Stacklets.

We have two games that we're completely obsessed with playing and those are Upwords and Unstable Unicorns. If you haven't heard of them, you need to check them out! Upwords is a word game like Scrabble but with a twist and Unstable Unicorns is hands-down the best card game ever. In fact, we've added two expansion packs to the game, making it more difficult and strategic.

My husband's card is clearly based on Unstable Unicorns and he also used Hot Flash Grumplings and Big Grumpy - Valentine. He coloured the zebra as a big unicorn, added the little unicorn and speech bubble from Lawn Fawn's Say What? Christmas Critters, as well as a masked partial sentiment from Technique Tuesday's Hanna the Horse (you can see one of my projects using this set HERE).

I hope you enjoyed seeing the boys' creativity!! I certainly love my cards and I made a hilarious Instagram Reel that you can watch HERE. Thanks so much for stopping by!

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Saturday, February 13, 2021

Catherine Pooler Designs | Lunar New Year Cards

Happy Lunar New Year to all those who are celebrating this weekend! We rung in the Year of the Ox yesterday and every year I make a few cards to share with close family and friends. A couple of the latest Catherine Pooler releases immediately popped into my head, along with a gazillion others, as being perfect for this type of card and I was so excited at how perfect these products worked together. While we couldn’t have a big feast and gathering to celebrate as we have in past years, I certainly hope we will all be blessed with luck, happiness, good health and prosperity!

The two primary sets featured are Cocktail Party and Hey There Dumpling. There are coordinating dies for both of these coveted sets so be sure to grab those using the supply links below! I stamped the outlines of the drinks in Midnight, then used Versamark watermark ink to heat emboss the decanter and wine glasses with gold tinsel and Rockin Red embossing powders.

Next, I stamped the dumplings using Shea Butter, Midnight and Pucker Up inks; chopsticks in Black Jack ink; and mint in Midnight and Sage inks. I die cut all of the images and created three different arrangements. I used border stamps from Good Times Bits and Borders, Geobuilders and a Club Sursee set from March 2020 called Springtime Elements.

The Midnight and Sage borders were stamped with the respective inks. The Rockin Red border was heat embossed and all were stamped directly on to the card base. The graphite glitter strip was something I picked up at Michaels and the Shea Butter and Rockin Red strips were created by using the direct-to-paper technique.

To finish, I used the tiniest six stars from the Sparkle and Pop stamp set to embellish two of the cards using Shea Butter and Sage inks. It was so hard to capture all the shimmer and shine in photos so be sure to watch my very first Instagram Reel to see all of the sparkle on these cards!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

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Friday, February 12, 2021

Spellbinders February 2021 Clubs Inspiration Blog Hop + Giveaways

I'm thrilled to be part of the Spellbinders February 2021 Clubs Inspiration Blog Hop! You should've arrived from Virginia Lu's blog and I have the full list of participants below. There are also details on the generous giveaway so be sure to read 'til the end. For this hop, I combined the Small Die of the Month - Trefoil Tile & Panel Card Creator with the Clear Stamp of the Month - Trefoil Florals & Sentiments in a super clean and simple design.

Even though this card looks super simple, it was quite complicated to design. I had a vision in my head but had some difficulty getting started. It wasn't until I picked cardstock colours for the retro rainbow that things started falling into place.

I started by die cutting the intricate pieces on an angle and I used a ruler to draw a pencil line for the bottom row. That helped me line up those three mosaics which include the die cut 'Hello'. I love the lacey look of these mosaic cut from white linencardstock!

I randomly trimmed different widths from five colours and attached them together with strong double-sided adhesive. I used the angle of the top panel to adhere the stripes to the card base and carefully trimmed off the excess. Then I stamped a second sentiment on the die cut panel before popping it up with foam tape.

When the card was done, I must've tried out 20 different types of embellishments but none seemed to look quite right so I left the card as is and I'm glad I did. I really love this card and need to figure out an easy way to replicate it! If you missed any of my posts for the February Club Kits, I've included them at the end of the supply links below.

HOP ALONG!

GIVEAWAY

To celebrate this release, we are giving away a $50 gift certificate to 3 lucky blog readers – selected from the comments on our blog. Giveaway closes on Sunday, February 14th, 11:59 pm MST. The winner will be announced in this blog hop post the following Tuesday. The winner is responsible for shipping cost, duties and taxes.

Please note, store credit (gift certificate) cannot be applied to Club Subscriptions. Store credit can be applied to shop past Club products, Club extras and regular releases.

I'm the last stop on today's hop so I will direct you back to the Spellbinders Blog to begin the hop. Thanks so much for hopping along with us!

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