March 2017 Release Week: 30 Day Color Challenge Blog Hop

Hello and welcome back to our March 2017 Release previews! All of the new products that we will be sharing with you over the next couple of days will be available for purchase beginning March 5, 2017 at wplus9.com as well as at many of your favorite retailers. If you are just joining us, be sure to start at Day 1.

Today, I'd like to introduce you to a floral set that you are going to fall in love with! The Kind Soul stamp set and Kind Soul Companion Die:

AVAILABLE March 5, 2017

Kind Soul
4x6" Clear Stamp Set
$15 USD

Kind Soul Companion Die
Steel Rule Die
$19 USD

I am also honored to be a part of the 30 Day Color Challenge hosted by Kathy Racoosin of The Daily Marker. Kathy wants to share her love of coloring with you. Today Kathy has assembled a blog hop to give your creativity a jump start with some of her favorite stamp companies & Online Card Class partners.

To start at the beginning of the hop go to The Daily Marker. If you are coming from the blog of Avery Elle, you are in the right place. Kathy has the full list if you encounter a broken link.

My project today features the gorgeous floral border from the upcoming Kind Soul stamp set. I am absolutely head over heels for this image!

It's generously sized at 6" long, making it perfect for add floral borders on both portrait and landscaped cards. But it is full enough in composition to use just portions of the stamp as well. The simple clean lines of the illustration make it versatile enough to use with just about any technique and it features one of my favorite flowers - anemones, along with petunias.

I decided to go with a very soft no-line coloring technique today. I really think it just makes these florals sing. And it really is not as difficult to do as it looks. The secret is not to overthink it, i.e. overwork it! You can see what I mean in the video below.

Watch above or watch in HD at YouTube

I've had many questions on painting "white" flowers, so I made sure to leave those portions in real time. As you saw, they aren't very impressive on their own. But once all of the color is added around them, they just magically work!

I opted not to use the companion die on this card, but I do already have the idea to heat emboss and die cut several, ink them in rainbow colors with Distress Inks, and them stack them progressively down a card front. How gorgeous would that be? Or possibly an ombre!

Instead, I opted to go very soft and ethereal today. I finished the card with a sentiment from the Prayers stamp set from Simon Says Stamp. It just felt right to me, but this would also look amazing with a wedding or congratulatory greeting.

I hope you've enjoyed today's look at the Kind Soul set. All of the products used today are linked below. But before you go, don't forget to enter the giveaway!

Giveaway Alert

During the hop you will find lots of giveaways along the way. The full list of ALL winners from the individual blogs will be announced on The Daily Marker Sunday March 12th.

Would you like to win a $25 store credit to wplus9.com? Just leave a comment below to enter by 11:00 a.m. EST on 03/03/17 to enter and we will select one random winner from all comments. Winner will be posted on our Winners page on 03/03/17.

Keep Hopping

The next stop on the hop is one of my favorite companies, Neat & Tangled.

We'll see you tomorrow for more fun, previews and giveaways!

Featured Supplies

For your convenience, here is a list of the Wplus9 supplies used on today's project(s), along with links to purchase. (Links to new products not yet released are inactive.) Please note: this list may contain some affiliate links.

Wplus9 Gift Card Layers Die Wplus9 Premium Oatmeal Cardstock Fabriano Artistico Watercolor Block 5x7" Da Vinci Kolinsky Sable Round #5 M. Graham Cerulean Blue Deep Watercolor Da Vinci Watercolor's Perylene Green M. Graham Artists' Watercolor Indian Yellow Da Vinci Artists' Watercolors Rose Red Deep Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad ANTIQUE LINEN Ranger TIM19497 RESERVE MINI MISTI PRECISION STAMPER Stamping Tool Kit mistimini RESERVE Hero Arts Exclusive PRAYERS Stamps and Dies Set SRHA15

InLinkz.com

Throwback Thursday #6 - So 80's

Do you remember the first WPlus9 stamp set that you purchased? I do! Mine was So 80's. It's the perfect stamp set for guys and we all struggle with cards for them. So, grab your throw back So 80's set and let's make some guy cards!

My cards this month use a fun color combo. It's not one that I usually reach for, but I find that it's perfect for masculine cards. I used Flamingo, Mojito, Silver Lining and Black. If you are looking for a new masculine color combo, I suggest that you try this one.

Wplus9 Supplies:

Stamps: So 80's // Ink:  Mojito, Flamingo, Silver Lining, Black // Cardstock:  White 

My first card was inspired by Get Sketchy with Joni - Challenge #2. Joni designed a fabulous sketch that I thought was perfect for kicking off my Throwback post! I trimmed a 4 1/4 x 4 1/4 inch piece of white card stock on a diagonal and then placed it on a white card base. I made light pencil marks for where the pieces would be placed, then removed them and stamped the background.  Once the area was covered, I erased the lines and added the diagonals with dimensionals.

Wplus9 Supplies:

Stamps: So 80's, Whole Lotta' Happy, Sweets & Treats // Ink:  Mojito, Flamingo, Silver Lining, Black // Cardstock:  White //Dies: Whole Lotta' Happy Dies

On this next card, I continued with the idea of stamping the card base, something I carried through all three designs. I stamped and die cut balloons and made a birthday card perfect for boys and tweens.  The black strips of paper help ground the design and add cohesion to the top and bottom portions of the card.

Wplus9 Supplies:

Stamps: So 80's, Ink Splats // Ink:  Mojito, Flamingo, Silver Lining, Black // Cardstock:  White 

I had a blast with this card.  I stamped the entire border of the card base, then stamped the top panel. I pulled in the Ink Splats stamp set on this one to add to the overall grunge feel. This card is perfect for boys, teens and adults!

Play Along

Now it's your turn! We'd love to have you participate in our Throwback Thursday posts. We know you've got some older product in your stash dying to see some ink! So let's pull em out.

Use any card above as inspiration, or even the stamp set if you've got it, and let's see those "oldies but goodies" get some love! Use at least one Wplus9 product and upload your project to your blog or online photo gallery such as Flickr. Then link it up using the InLinkz widget below to share it and keep the inspiration flowing! You'll have 3 weeks to play along.

If you'd like us to repost and share your creations on Instagram and Facebook, be sure post using the hashtag #wplus9tbt!

Prize

We will select one random random participant to receive a $20 store credit to wplus9.com. Winners will be announced on Thursdays when the new Throwback Thursday is posted.

TBT #5 Winner

• #4 Rose J

Contact us at customerservice@wplus9.com with your full name and email and we will set up your store credit! (If you don't already have an account set up with us, be sure to set one up to expedite collecting your prize)

Throwback Thursday #6 Entries

An InLinkz Link-up

CHALLENGE: Get Sketchy with Joni #2

Hello everyone! Joni here with the Get Sketchy Challenge for the month of July 2015. If this is your first time here, you can find all of the deets at the end of this post.

And to get you started, here is my take on the sketch.

To create this card, I started with two A2 watercolored panels. One in peachy red from the watercolor palette and and the second, in gold. I cut away a diagonal portion of the second panel across the middle.
For the pretty butterflies, I used my all time favorite Flora & Fauna 2 stamp set. I stamped the butterfly images onto watercolor paper using Versamark ink and heat embossed the images using the Ranger white embossing powder. Next, I watercolored each butterfly using my watercolor palette, I let the images dry and fussy cut - you could also use the Flora & Fauna companion die to save time. For variety, I also stamped some of the smaller butterflies onto vellum, heat embossing and fussy cutting them as well.

Wplus9 Supplies:

Stamps: Flora & Fauna 2, Love Mom // Dies: Flower Doodles // Cardstock: White

I assembled the two panels on top of one another using a little foam tape for dimension. Next, I adhered the butterflies one by one using clear foam tape. This helps conceal the tape since I used vellum for some of the butterflies.

For the sentiment, I die-cut the word "smile" using the Flower Doodles die several times and adhered each one on top of the other to give a nice dimension. To complete the sentiment, I used the "from all of us" sentiment from the Love Mom stamp set.
Finally, I added some Pretty Pink Posh sparkling clear sequins to finish off the card.

Just another look how pretty the gold watercolor paint when it hits the light :).

I hope you guys enjoyed :)

Play Along

Now it's your turn!
Use the sketch at the top of this post along with at least one Wplus9 product (more is always welcome!) and upload your project to your blog or online photo gallery such as Flickr. Then link it up using the InLinkz widget below by July 29th to participate and keep the inspiration flowing!
If you'd like us to repost and share your creations on Instagram, be sure to use the hashtag #wplus9GetSketchy!

Prize

We will select one random participant to receive a $20 store credit to wplus9.com. The winner will be posted here on the blog on July 30th.
Happy Crafting and Good Luck!

Get Sketchy #2 Entries

An InLinkz Link-up

Throwback Thursday #5 - Fresh Cut Wreaths

Thanks so much for all of the participation in the last Throwback Thursday challenge.  I just love seeing all of your beautiful creations.  June makes me think of weddings so naturally the throwback set I'm using is Fresh Cut Wreaths.

My designs this month will take you from the engagement to the wedding.

For my engagement card I used the flowers from Fresh Cut Wreathes without the actual wreath.  It made stamping the background quick and easy since I was laying down several flowers at once.  I borrowed some stamps from Valentine Wishes and Fresh Cut Florals to complete the design.

Wplus9 Supplies:

Stamps: Fresh Cut Wreaths, Fresh Cut Florals, Valentine Wishes // Ink:  Beanstalk, Mojito, Little Piggy, Sweet Nectar, Wild Mango  // Cardstock:  Oatmeal, Kraft //Dies: Love Mom Layers Die, Valentine Wishes  Die

For the Bridal Shower card I've literally showered the design with flowers.  I stamped the wreath first and then inked up and stamped flowers as if they are floating across the card.  I added a bit of twine to ground the sentiment and embellished the card with gold accents.  This card is perfect for any Summer or Spring Bridal Shower!

Wplus9 Supplies:

Stamps: Fresh Cut Wreaths, Fresh Cut Florals // Ink:  Beanstalk, Mojito, Little Piggy, Sweet Nectar, Wild Mango  // Cardstock:  Oatmeal, Kraft

The wedding card is the most traditional use of Fresh Cut Wreaths and also my favorite of the set.  The monogrammed wreath is absolutely perfect for a wedding card and would make a nice gift set for either the shower or the wedding!

Wplus9 Supplies:

Stamps: Fresh Cut Wreaths, Monogrammed // Ink:  Beanstalk, Mojito, Little Piggy, Sweet Nectar, Wild Mango  // Cardstock:  Oatmeal, Kraft

Play Along

Now it's your turn! We'd love to have you participate in our Throwback Thursday posts. We know you've got some older product in your stash dying to see some ink! So let's pull em out. Use any card above as inspiration, or even the stamp set if you've got it, and let's see those "oldies but goodies" get some love!

Use at least one Wplus9 product and upload your project to your blog or online photo gallery such as Flickr. Then link it up using the InLinkz widget below to share it and keep the inspiration flowing! You'll have 3 weeks to play along.

If you'd like us to repost and share your creations on Instagram and Facebook, be sure post using the hashtag #wplus9tbt!

Prize

We will select one random random participant to receive a $20 store credit to wplus9.com. Winners will be announced on Thursdays when the new Throwback Thursday is posted.

TBT #4 Winner

• #18 Lee Ann Barrett

Contact us at customerservice@wplus9.com with your full name and email and we will set up your store credit! (If you don't already have an account set up with us, be sure to set one up to expedite collecting your prize)

Throwback Thursday #5 Entries

An InLinkz Link-up

Throwback Thursday #4 - Fanciful Feathers

It's time for another Throwback Thursday Challenge.  This month we are heading back to 2013 and the Fanciful Feathers stamp set.  I have loved this set since the day it released.  The sentiments are among my favorites from the entire WPlus9 collection!

Wplus9 Supplies:

Stamps: Fanciful Feathers // Ink:  Lake House, Cockleshell, Nautical Navy,  //Cardstock:  Nautical Navy

My cards this month are the epitome of CAS design.  This first card uses Masking.  Masking is a great technique to use on CAS cards.  It allows you to add stamping and interest without adding layers.  I masked off the top part of my card and then stamped the feathers in Lake House, Cockleshell and Nautical Navy inks.  I then removed the mask and repeatedly stamped the sentiment.  I finished this card off with a strip of Nautical Navy cardstock and some embellishments, which I carried through all three designs.

Wplus9 Supplies:

Stamps: Fanciful Feathers // Ink:  Lake House, Cockleshell, Nautical Navy,  // 

Cardstock:  Nautical Navy

Like my first card, the stamping on this card is kept in one area. This time though I've used the larger feathers in the set and stamped them across the cardstock.  I grounded them with a strip of Nautical Navy cardstock and heat embossed the sentiment in white.  Heat embossing in white on dark cardstock is always a striking detail.

Wplus9 Supplies:

Stamps: Fanciful Feathers // Ink:  Lake House, Cockleshell, Nautical Navy,  // Dies: Landscape Borders Die, Fanciful Feathers Companion Dies// Cardstock:  Nautical Navy

For my last card I got a little trendy.  Have you noticed a lot of stamped card bases popping up, along with curvy card fronts?  I sure have. Here I used the Landscape Border Dies to cut the top panel for my card. I curved my sentiment on my acrylic block before inking and stamping so that it would follow the curve of the panel. Then I stamped the card base and added two more feathers, then completed the design with the same Nautical Navy strip and embellishments.

Play Along

Now it's your turn! We'd love to have you participate in our Throwback Thursday posts. We know you've got some older product in your stash dying to see some ink! So let's pull em out. Use any card above as inspiration, or even the stamp set if you've got it, and let's see those "oldies but goodies" get some love!

Use at least one Wplus9 product and upload your project to your blog or online photo gallery such as Flickr. Then link it up using the InLinkz widget below to share it and keep the inspiration flowing! You'll have 3 weeks to play along.

If you'd like us to repost and share your creations on Instagram and Facebook, be sure post using the hashtag #wplus9tbt!

Prize

We will select one random random participant to receive a $20 store credit to wplus9.com. Winners will be announced on Thursdays when the new Throwback Thursday is posted.

TBT #3 Winner

• Christy Sugiarto

Contact us at customerservice@wplus9.com with your full name and email and we will set up your store credits! (If you don't already have an account set up with us, be sure to set one up to expedite collecting your prize)

Throwback Thursday #5 Entries

An InLinkz Link-up

CHALLENGE: Get Sketchy with Joni #1

Hello Everyone, Joni here sharing this new Challenge here at Wplus9 blog all about sketch. The sketch will also compose of different colors on the shape images provided which can help as a guide for your color combos if you wish to use it :)

The sketch will run from May 8th thru May 29th and we will announce the winner of the Sketch Challenge the next day May 30th. We only ask that you use ONE Wplus9 products on your wonderful project to be eligible for the prize of $20 Store Credit at Wplus9 Store which you can use however you wish. But of course you may use more than one Wplus9 products if you wish.

Just to remind you that the Wplus9 June 2015 release is fast approaching and this is a perfect way spend your win, awesome right?

And here is my take on the sketch, to get you started. You know I am fond of making faces on my card like my past post "Fun Cards for Kids" HERE. But for this card I created a face on one of my favorite die set from Wplus9 Clear Cut Stackers: Pears. I used the larger pear die for this. Don't you think that pear on this card is adorable with that sweet little face?

Wplus9 Supplies:

Stamps: Little Bits, Hand Lettered Thanks  // Dies: Clear Cut Stackers: Pears, Love Shower Layers (tiny hearts, tag frame), Unforgettable (bow), Love Mom Layers  // Cardstock: White, Coal Mine

To begin, I created a card base using the Wplus9 White cardstock in an A2 size card and cut a striped patterned paper same as the card base and adhered. Next, I distressed only the bottom of some white card stock using Distress ink in Spun Sugar. I then die-cut a panel from it using the Love Mom Layers.

The tiny hearts were die-cut from the Love Shower Layers die set. The sentiment was from the Hand Lettered Thanks stamp set that was heat embossed in white on Coal Mine card stock.

To create the shaker, I used the tag from the Love Shower Layers die-set and added some sequins from Pretty Pink Posh. For more info on how to create a shaker here's a link from Dawn.

For the pear, I die-cut the shape from the Clear Cut Stackers: Pears, and used the circle/dot images from Little Bits to create the eyes. I also added some white dots on the eyes using a white Gelly Roll pen for character. The freckles, eye lashes, and lips were hand drawn using a regular black gel pen (pilot 0.5).

Next, I watercolored the pear using distress inks. Finally, I added the tiny bow from the Unforgettable die set that was also been watercolored and added tiny sequin on top then adhered on the pear.

I hope I have inspired you to create more happy faces using your die sets.

Now its your turn to post your creations using the link below. Remember you have until May 29th 11:55 p.m. to post your wonderful projects to win a $20 Store Credit from the Wplus9 Store.
Happy Crafting and Good Luck!

For more inspiration Kara also has a card for the Challenge.

An InLinkz Link-up

Throwback Thursday - Monogrammed

It's time for another Throwback Thursday Challenge.  I'm a huge fan of making gift sets, especially this time of year with Teacher Appreciation Day coming next month.  I don't always send a lot of gifts into the schools throughout the year, but I always like to make card sets and send handwritten notes thanking our teachers for all of their hard work during the school year on Teacher Appreciation Day.  So this month, we our TBT set is Monogrammed.

This month I've made three card sets featuring Monogrammed and three different techniques using the newly released PURE COLOR Spray Mists in Lake House, Sweet Gelato, Sweet Nectar and Bloomsberry.

Wplus9 Supplies:
Stamps: Monogrammed, Country Charm // Spray Mist: Sweet Gelato // Dies: Love Showers Layers Dies// Cardstock:  Black

This first set is fun and trendy with the clean lines of the monogram paired with the sprayed ink and sequins.  I die cut four white panels using the Love Showers Layers Die, then sprayed each one with Spray Ink, concentrating the color in the upper left corner.  Then I stamped the bottom using the stripes from Country Charm and the Monogrammed letters.  Each card was embellished with sequins that coordinated perfectly with the Spray Mists.

The next set is also right on trend.

Wplus9 Supplies:

Stamps: Monogrammed, Fanciful Feathers // Spray Mist: Lake House // Dies: Holiday Apertures Dies

I love the versatility of the PURE COLOR Spray Mists.  This time I poured just a bit of each of the spray mists into a paint palette.  With a large brush I covered a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inch piece of watercolor paper with clean water.  Then I came back with a smaller brush and dropped in some of the Spray Mist.  I let the water move the color around and then heat set it to create even more movement.  I created a frame for each card using the Holiday Apertures Dies and adhered everything to a white card base.

The last set uses a combination of colors.

Wplus9 Supplies:

Stamps: Monogrammed, Basic Banners// Spray Mist: Sweet Gelato, Sweet Nectar // Dies: Love Mom Layers Die

To make these last cards, I sprayed a large acrylic block with two spray mists (Sweet Gelato and Sweet Nectar on one and Lake House and Bloomsberry on the other), then sprayed them with just a bit of water.  I took a piece of white cardstock and pressed it into the ink to get a fun watercolored look.  To make the little splotches on the white panel I removed the top of the Spray Mists and flicked the spray from the bottom of the nozzle.

Play Along

Now it's your turn! We'd love to have you participate in our Throwback Thursday posts. We know you've got some older product in your stash dying to see some ink! So let's pull em out. Use any card above as inspiration, or even the stamp set if you've got it, and let's see those "oldies but goodies" get some love!
Use at least one Wplus9 product and upload your project to your blog or online photo gallery such as Flickr. Then link it up using the InLinkz widget below to share it and keep the inspiration flowing! You'll have 3 weeks to play along.
EXTRA ENTRIES: Post your creations on Instragram using the hashtag #wplus9tbt for an extra entry!

Prize

We will select one random random participant to receive a $20 store credit to wplus9.com. Winners will be announced on Thursdays when the new Throwback Thursday is posted.

TBT #2 Winner

• #21 (Jenny Newlin)

Contact us at customerservice@wplus9.com with your full name and email and we will set up your store credits! (If you don't already have an account set up with us, be sure to set one up to expedite collecting your prize)

An InLinkz Link-up