Fern & Flora Part 2!

Hello!  Today I am sharing two projects I worked on this week using the "coming soon" Stampin’ Up!® Fern & Flora dies (item 168991).  The Fern & Flora dies will be featured in the May-August 2026 Catalogue as part of the Moonlit Flora Suite Collection (item 167749).

To complete the two projects I also used the following Stampin’ Up!® Designer Series Papers and additional die sets:

• for the background panels I used one of the patterned papers from the recently retired Online Exclusives Woven Textures 12" x 12" Designer Series Paper (item 165560), and an Early Espresso grid patterned paper from the recently retired Autumn Toile 12" x 12" Designer Series Paper (item 165882 - featured in the September-December 2025 Mini Catalogue);

• I trimmed the "label" added to the frame on the first project from one of the patterned papers from the Beautiful Gallery 6" x 6" Designer Series Paper (item 165196);

• from the Sweet Bugs dies (item 167001) - which I think are just a perfect complement to the Fern & Flora dies! - I used the mushroom, flowers, flower center, and stem dies;

• from the retiring - and currently available as one of the discounted Last Chance Products - Gliding Garden Swing dies (item 167136) I used the tall upright foliage dies, and to cut the flowers used on the small Fern & Flora four-leafed stems, the tiny flower dies;

• from the retiring - and currently available as one of the discounted Last Chance Products - Gallery Blooms dies (item 165212) I used the Queen Anne's Lace die (trimmed); and

• froom the retiring - and also currently available as one of the discounted (substantially!) Last Chance Products - On Display dies (item 167020) I used the four-leafed plant die.

Several of the Fern & Flora die cuts were cut from watercolour paper panels that had first been coloured by "ink smooshing" with Old Olive ink refill (item 100531) and Mossy Meadow ink refill (item 133651).  For the "ink smooshing" I added several drops from both ink refills to a Silicone Craft Sheet (item 127853), misting the drops liberally with water using one of the Stampin' Spritzers (item 126185 - package of two), and then "smooshing" the watercolour paper panels into the ink refill/water mixture.  I repeated the "smooshing" a few times on each watercolour paper panel, using a heat tool (Heat Tool - item 129053) to dry the watercolour paper after each "smooshing".  To add a little more visual texture to the coloured watercolour paper panels I ligthly spritzed them with water using one of the Stampin' Spritzers, blotting dry with a paper towel.  I used one of the Small Blending Brushes (item 160518 - package of three) to add some Pecan Pie ink (item 161665) to the Fern & Flora die cuts.

I used Small Blending Brushes to apply Classic Stampin' inks to shade/colour cardstock die cuts.  To add a little additional visual texture to some of the shaded cardstock die cuts (i.e. mushroom caps, and some of the foliage) I lightly misted the shaded die cuts with water using one of the Stampin' Spritzers either allowing to air dry or blotting dry with paper towel.

For the cardstock foliage die cuts I used Soft Sea Foam cardstock (item 146988 - Queen Anne's Lace die cut), Lemon Lime Twist cardstock (item 144245), Old Olive cardstock (item 100702), and Mossy Meadow cardstock (item 133676), all shaded with Mossy Meadow ink (item 147111).

For the large Sweet Bugs flowers and the tiny Gliding Garden Swing flowers I used Basic White Thick cardstock (item 159229).  I used Daffodil Delight ink (item 147094) to shade the large Sweet Bugs flowers.  For the smaller Sweet Bugs flowers, which were layered on top of the large Basic White Thick cardstock flowers, I used Daffodil Delight cardstock (item 119683), also shaded with Daffodil Delight ink.  For the flower centers (die cut using the Sweet Bugs dies) I used Pecan Pie cardstock (item 161717), shaded with Early Espresso ink (item 147114).

For the mushroom stems (bases) and gills I used Very Vanilla cardstock (item 166784), shaded with Crumb Cake ink (item 147116), with a little Early Espresso ink sponged along the bottom edge of the trimmed die cut gills; for the mushroom caps for the small mushrooms I used Peach Pie cardstock (item 163799), shaded with Real Red ink (item 147084); and for the mushroom cap for the large mushroom (second project) I used Cajun Craze cardstock (item 119684), shaded with Cherry Cobbler ink (item 147083).   I used my Early Espresso watercolour pencil (Watercolour Pencils Assortment 1 - item 161700) to lightly draw a few shading lines on the mushroom stems.

For each project I arranged the die cuts onto a wood slice cut for me by my brother-in-law (thank you again Brian!), which was then glued to the DSP-covered background panel. 

Just a brief note regarding the additional basic tools and supplies I used to complete my projects this week:

• Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine (item 149653) - for all die cutting;
• Take Your Pick Tool (item 144107) - the spatula and tacky putty tips are definitely a great help for manipulating and placing small die cuts and embellishments; and
• for the main adhesive, Multipurpose Liquid Glue (item 110755). For both projects I had to glue DSP to a trimmed cardboard panel, and I first applied the glue to the cardboard panel, using an old paint brush to spread the glue over the panel surface.  After placing the DSP over the panel I used a brayer (Stampin' Brayer - item 162936) to roll over the DSP to ensure even coverage of the liquid glue and good even adhesion of the DSP to the cardboard panel.  After the glue was thoroughly dry I used my craft knife to carefully trim away any excess DSP from around the edges of the cardboard panel.  

On with the projects!

I started this project with a thrift store wood frame with inside back dimensions of 7" x 5".  After removing the glass I used a medium grit sandpaper to distress all front and side surfaces of the frame.  To complete the project I used the following additional supplies:

• after gluing the Woven Textures DSP to the trimmed cardboard panel I used one of the Blending Brushes (item 153611 - package of three) to apply Crumb Cake ink (item 147116) around the edges of the DSP panel; and
• after trimming the "label" from the Beautiful Gallery DSP and tearing both ends, I sponged all edges with Crumb Cake ink.

For the second project I used a dollar store wood frame, glass removed, inside back dimensions of 5" x 3 1/2".  I used a medium grit sandpaper to remove the shiny varnish finish on the frame.

And finally . . . 

For my Archie project this week, shared at the bottom of this blog post, I used the following supplies to complete a front cover panel for a 6" x 6 3/4" spiral bound scrapbook album:

• StāzOn Jet Black Ink (item 101406) to stamp on watercolour paper the images from the Online Exclusives Capturing Smiles stamp set (item 167130), the Online Exclusives Cutest Crew stamp set (item 167146), the retired Grace's Garden stamp set (item 151513 - featured in the January-June 2020 Mini Catalogue), the retired Peace Within stamp set (item 114312 - featured in the 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalogue), and the retired Cheerful Basket stamp set (item 158674 - featured in the May 2022-April 2023 Annual Catalogue);

• Basic Gray ink refill (item 149166), Pumpkin Pie ink (item 147086), Old Olive ink refill (item 100531), Mossy Meadow ink (item 147111), Azure Afternoon ink refill (item 161668), Highland Heather ink refill (item 147167), Crumb Cake ink refill (item 121029), and Pecan Pie ink refill (item 161669) to colour the stamped images (I did not colour those portions of the images that would be out of frame when the film strip die cuts were placed over them);
• retired Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker (item 162481) to add splatters to large camera image; 
• Capturing Smiles dies (item 167132) to die cut the stamped Capturing Smiles images, the stamped Cheerful Basket image, and, from Basic Black cardstock (item 121045) the base camera matting die cut, lens die cut, and the image framing film strip die cuts.  *The Capturing Smiles dies and the Capturing Smiles stamp set are also available together in the Capturing Smiles Bundle (item 167133)*;

• Old Olive cardstock (item 100702), shaded with Mossy Meadow ink, for the flower stems die cut using the Sweet Bugs dies (item 167001);
• Balmy Blue cardstock (item 146982), shaded with Misty Moonlight ink (item 153118), for the flowers die cut using the Help Me Grow dies (item 167166);

• a watercolour paper fern die cut left over from the Fern & Flora projects;
• a 5 1/4" x 5 1/2" piece of Cloud Cover patterned paper from the 2025-2027 In Colour 6" x 6" Designer Series Paper (item 165300);

• a 5 1/2" x 5 3/4" piece of Basic Black cardstock for the matting panel;
• a 5 5/8" x 5 7/8" piece of Basic White Thick cardstock (item 159229) for the matting panel;
• strips trimmed from Foam Adhesive Sheets (item 152815) to attach the main camera image, and the bottom smaller camera image; and
• four small and four large of the Cloud Cover dots from the retiring - and currently available as one of the discounted Last Chance Products - Muted Palette Dots (item 165155).

I used a single strand of black baker's twine (Baker's Twine Essentials Pack - item 155475), threaded through the die cut hole on the side of the large camera die cut image, to attach a fish skeleton charm from my stash.  The fish skeleton charm was glued directly to the camera image.

Thank you for visiting my blog!  I had a lot of fun working on a few more Fern & Flora projects this week - and of course I don't think I will ever get tired of the Sweet Bugs mushrooms!!🍄😺

Unfortunately Stampin' Up! advises that the Capturing Smiles dies (item 167132) - and consequently the Capturing Smiles Bundle (item 167133) - are not currently available but are expected to again be available for ordering the week of April 27, 2026.

If you are interested in purchasing any of the available Stampin’ Up!® products I have used in my projects - or maybe want to stock up on supplies before price increases (https://archiesatelier.blogspot.com/2026/03/easters-on-its-way-hello-today-i-am.html) or discontinuation of products - and you live in Canada and do not have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, please do not hesitate to visit my online store found on my website https://archiesatelier.stampinup.net/ at your convenience, or simply click under the "Shop With Me" tab on the right sidebar of my blog, which will take you directly to my website and online store.  I very much appreciate your business, and would be very pleased to be your demonstrator! If you need any assistance please do not hesitate to contact me (lmccoyarchie@gmail.com), and I will try my best to help!  In addition to the digital version of the January-April 2026 Mini Catalogue, the digital version of the May 2025-April 2026 Annual Catalogue is also available for you to access at your convenience on my website.   If visiting the online store don't forget to check out the full range of Online Exclusives Products - including all the new products released last month - as well as the updated Last Chance Products Listing!  A reminder that all Last Chance Products are available only while supplies last!

Have fun creating!

Laurel

*It has come to my attention that quite often email correspondence from me is delivered to the recipient's spam or junk mail folder - if you have corresponded with me I have replied so be sure to check your spam or junk mail folder!  Thank you!! 

"Cats never strike a pose that isn't photogenic."

- Lillian Jackson Braun -