Return To The Garden!

Hello!  Today I am sharing a "return to the garden" project I worked on this week using the following Stampin’ Up!® dies and Designer Series Papers:

• retiring - and currently available as one of the discounted Last Chance Products - Gliding Garden Swing dies (item 167136) - tree, foliage clumps (including tree "leaves"), and small flower pot die cuts;

• Online Exclusives Help Me Grow dies (item 167166) - large flower pot, soil, flowers/grass, small flower clusters, and large leafed stem die cuts;

• Online Exclusives Scalloped Wishes dies (item 167452) - dragonfly body and wings, and small leafed stem die cuts;

• Sweet Bugs dies (item 167001) - flower stem die cuts;

• retiring - and currently available as one of the discounted Last Chance Products - Gallery Blooms dies (item 165212) - broad-leafed grass, and two additional foliage die cuts;

• retiring - and currently available as one of the discounted Last Chance Products - Notes & Totes dies (item 165240) - fence die cuts;

• for the background sky panel an Azure Afternoon patterned paper from the retired January 7-February 28, 2025 Sale-A-Bration Bloom Impressions 12" x 12" Designer Series Paper (item 164944); and

• Old Olive/Mossy Meadow patterned paper from the Nature Walk 12" x 12" Designer Series Paper (item 166912) for the grass base.

I used Small Blending Brushes (item 160518 - package of three) to apply Classic Stampin' inks to shade/colour the cardstock die cuts.  To add a little additional visual texture to some of the shaded cardstock die cuts (i.e. foliage) I lightly misted the shaded die cuts with water using one of the Stampin' Spritzers (item 126185 - package of two), either allowing to air dry or blotting dry with paper towel.

For foliage die cuts I used Lemon Lime Twist cardstock (item 144245), Granny Apple Green cardstock (item 146990), Old Olive cardstock (item 100702), and Mossy Meadow cardstock (item 133676) all shaded with Mossy Meadow ink (item 147111).

For the Gliding Garden Swing tree I used Crumb Cake cardstock (item 120953), shaded with Crumb Cake ink (item 147116), Early Espresso ink (item 147114), and Basic Gray ink (item 149165).

For the Notes & Totes fence I used Gray Granite cardstock (item 146983), shaded with Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, and Basic Gray inks.  I tore the long narrow die cut in half, using one half for each of the two upright "posts" - I tore both ends of the upright die cuts for a more rustic look.  After securing the shaded upright die cuts to the three shaded wider horizontal die cuts I used my retired Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker (item 162481) to add some splatters over the fence by flicking the brush tip against the marker lid.  I used Craft Stampin' White Ink (item 147277), applied with one of the finger Sponge Daubers (item 133773 - package of five), for a little highlighting along the top edges of the horizontal fence die cuts.

For the flower pots, and the saucer of the large flower pot, I used Misty Moonlight cardstock (item 153081), shaded with Misty Moonlight ink (item 153118), and highlighted with Craft Stampin' White Ink.

For the Help Me Grow flowers I used Highland Heather cardstock (item 146986) and Gorgeous Grape cardstock (item 146987), shaded with Misty Moonlight ink.

For the body of the Scalloped Wishes dragonfly I used Pool Party cardstock (item 122924), shaded with Pool Party ink (item 147107) - I glued together two body die cuts.  For the wings I used Vellum 12" x 12" Specialty Paper (item 167099), and to add a little sparkle and glimmer to both the dragonfly body and wings I lightly brushed over both with my Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush (item 141897).  

For the Help Me Grow soil die cuts used in the large flower pot I used Early Espresso cardstock (item 119686) with no ink shading. 

I began the project with one of the house-shaped wood shadow boxes from Dollar Tree that I have used for previous projects.  The shadow box for this project measures 6 1/2" tall x 6 1/2" wide x 1 3/8" deep. 

I  assembled the scene on the back or flat surface of the shadow box, and began by gluing the Azure Afternoon DSP to the back-now-front of the box, adding the 1/2" wide strip of the Nature Walk DSP along the bottom edge, and then adding the 1 3/8" wide strips of the same pattern of the Nature Walk DSP along the sides and bottom of the box.  I sponged all edges of the strips of the Nature Walk DSP with Mossy Meadow ink (item 147111).  With respect to the positioning of the die cut pieces I began with the placement of the Gliding Garden Swing tree along the left side.

Just a brief summary of the additional basic tools and supplies I used to complete my project this week:

• Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine (item 149653) - for all die cutting;
• Paper Trimmer (item 152392) - for trimming DSP strips;
• 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
• for the main adhesive, Multipurpose Liquid Glue (item 110755). For applying the DSP background panel to the flat (back-now-front) surface of the shadow box I first applied the glue to the flat surface of the shadow box, using an old paint brush to spread the glue over the surface.  After placing the DSP over the surface 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 surface of the shadow box panel.  After the glue was thoroughly dry I used my craft knife to carefully trim away the excess DSP from around the edges of the shadow box panel.  

I did use several Stampin' Dimensionals (item 104430), Mini Stampin' Dimensionals (item 144108), and both sizes of Dimensionals from the Black Stampin' Dimensionals Combo Pack (item 150893), all trimmed as necessary, to secure various portions of the die cuts - including the tree branch, tree leaves, the little flower pot, and upright fence posts.

A few photos of the completed project (including an ugly back-of-project photo🙀 - the intention is to hang the shadow box on the wall😺):

Archie is in the garden too in this week's Archie project, included at the bottom of this blog post! I used StāzOn Jet Black Ink (item 101406) to stamp all the images from the retired Grace's Garden stamp set (item 151513 - featured in the January-June 2020 Mini Catalogue) on watercolour paper, and used Pumpkin Pie ink (item 147086), Crumb Cake ink refill (item 121029), Old Olive ink refill (item 100531), Mossy Meadow ink refill (item 133651), Azure Afternoon ink refill (item 161668), Early Espresso ink refill (item 119789), Basic Gray ink (item 149165), and Misty Moonlight ink (item 153118) to colour the image panel. The 3 1/4" x 4 1/2" trimmed watercolour paper panel was matted with a 3 3/8" x 4 5/8" piece of Basic Black cardstock (item 121045).  Over a cardboard panel trimmed to fit the 5" x 7" back dimensions of the dollar store light coloured wood frame (glass removed) I first glued an Old Olive patterned paper from the retired Floral Delight 12" x 12" Designer Series Paper (item 164700) to cover the entire cardboard panel, over which I then glued a 2 1/4" wide strip of an Old Olive/Mossy Meadow patterned paper from the retired Season Of Green & Gold 12" x 12" Specialty Designer Series Paper (item 164324).  Before gluing on the DSP strip I sponged both long edges of the strip with Mossy Meadow ink (item 147111).  After securing the DSP-covered cardboard panel into the frame I used strips trimmed from Foam Adhesive Sheets (item 152815) to attach the matted image panel to the DSP-covered cardboard panel.

Thank you for visiting my blog!  I certainly had a lot of fun returning to the garden with my project this week!

April Product Of The Month

The 4 3/8" x 6" Eyelet Blooms die (item 167984) is the April Product Of The Month.  This exclusive Product Of The Month is available, while supplies last, for purchase for $5.00 CDN with any purchase of $100.00 CDN or more (before applicable taxes, shipping, and after the redemption of any Stampin' Rewards or other discounts) of Stampin’ Up!® products made during the month of April.

Updated Last Chance Products Listing

The Last Chance Products Listing has been updated to include retiring Online Exclusives products as well as retiring products from the May 2025-April 2026 Annual Catalogue, and the January-April 2026 Mini Catalogue.  Many of these retiring products have been discounted, and all Last Chance Products are available only while supplies last.  Here are a few of my favourite of the now retiring products:

• Gliding Garden Swing dies (item 167136) - discounted from $49.00 to $44.10;

• Gallery Blooms dies (item 165212) - discounted from $55.00 to $49.50;

• Gallery Blooms stamp set (item 165211) - discounted from $26.00 to $20.80;

• Creative Haven dies (item 167208) - discounted from $40.00 to $32.00;

• Hobby Haven 12" x 12" Specialty Designer Series Paper (item 167201) - discounted from $23.00 to $20.70;

• Notes & Totes dies (item 165240) - discounted from $54.00 to $43.20;

• Trusty Tools dies (item 162722) - discounted from $51.00 to $25.50;

• Perennial Lavender 12" x 12" Designer Series Paper (item 162593) - discounted from $17.00 to $13.60;

• Rainbow Adhesive-Backed Dots (item 162758) - discounted from $12.25 to $9.80; and

• Muted Palette Dots (item 165155) - discounted from $11.00 to $8.80.

A reminder - in case your need to stock up on supplies in your favourite colours before they are gone - that since Pretty In Pink, Peach Pie, Shy Shamrock, Summer Splash, and Petunia Pop, the 2024-2026 In Colours, are retiring all products in these colours - ink pads, ink refills, ribbon, 8 1/2" x 11" cardstock, 12" x 12" two-tone cardstock, and Stampin' Blends Combo Packs - are also retiring!  These retiring products, many of which have also been discounted, are included in the Last Chance Products Listing, but will only be available while supplies last!

Unfortunately Stampin' Up! advises that the following products I used this week are not currently available but I have included below the dates by which Stampin' Up! expects the products to again be available for ordering:

• Sponge Daubers (item 133773) - week of April 6, 2026; and
• Sweet Bugs dies (item 167001) - week of April 13, 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 Last Chance Products Listing!  A reminder that all Last Chance Products are available only while supplies last!

Have fun creating and Happy Easter!

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!! 

"A cat's loyalty is shown in its quiet prescence, not in grand gestures."

- Unknown -