Paint Sample Cards, Buttons, Die Cuts, And A Few Stamps!

Hello!  Today I am sharing three projects I worked on this week inspired by paint sample cards I picked up on a recent visit to my local Home Depot - fortunately I had remembered to take my swatches of 

Stampin’ Up!® cardstock so was able to match some colours!  Before starting the projects I also spent several very enjoyable hours picking out some colour co-ordinating buttons from my stash!  To complete my projects this week I used the following Stampin’ Up!® dies and stamp sets:

• Gears & Textures dies (item 166853) - "chain" and hole punch strip dies, and several of the gear dies;

• Bordered In Beauty dies (item 167556) - the single bracket and bracket edge dies;

• from the Extraordinary Life dies (item 167718) the notebook paper edge, butterfly, tab, solid hexagon with heart cut out, and stitched heart "flower" dies;

• two fern, both moth, and the small four-leafed stem dies from the Fern & Flora dies (item 168991);

• leafy stem, flower clump, and garden implement dies from the Online Exclusives Help Me Grow dies (item 167166);

• from the Sweet Bugs dies (item 167001) the leafy stem (used with the Extraordinary Life stitched heart "flowers"), and tiny flower trio (used with the Fern & Flora stems) dies;

• from the Stylish Shapes dies (item 159183) the smallest circle, short narrow banner, and square dies.  I used the square dies to cut the window openings in watercolour paper framing mats (second and third projects);

• moth images from the Fern & Flora stamp set (item 167739) - die cut using the co-ordinating Fern & Flora dies.  The Fern & Flora stamp set and co-ordinating dies are also available together in the Fern & Flora Bundle (item 167745);

• the butterfly and striped flag images from the Extraordinary Life stamp set (item 167713).  The butterfly images were die cut using the co-ordinating Extraordinary Life dies - the flag images were fussy cut using scissors (although they can also be cut using the co-ordinating dies).  The Extraordinary Life stamp set and co-ordinating dies are also available together in the Extraordinary Life Bundle (item 167719); and

• tag and label images from the Bordered In Beauty stamp set (item 167555) - although I fussy cut these images using scissors they can also be cut using the co-ordinating Bordered In Beauty dies.  The Bordered In Beauty stamp set and co-ordinating dies are also available together in the Bordered In Beauty Bundle (item 167557).

I did very little shading of cardstock die cuts in these projects🙀 - only the garden implements in the third project, and to apply Classic Stampin' inks to those die cuts I used Small Blending Brushes (item 160518).  The handles of both the garden fork and the garden spade were die cut from Poppy Parade cardstock (item 119793) that had first been embossed using the retired Timber 3D Embossing Folder (item 156406), over one inside panel of which I had dragged my Early Espresso ink pad (item 147114).  After die cutting I shaded the handles with additional Early Espresso ink.  Both the tines of the fork and the blade of the spade were die cut from Basic Gray cardstock (item 121044), and shaded with Basic Gray ink (item 149165) and Early Espresso ink.

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

• Paper Trimmer (item 152392) for cutting cardstock and watercolour paper panels and strips;
• Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine (item 149653) for all die cutting and embossing;
• 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).

All stamped images were stamped using VersaFine Clair Nocturne Ink by Tsukineko, purchased at my local scrapbooking shop.

To each of the second and third projects I added a small scrap of coffee dyed invoice paper left over from a journal project - always comes in handy to have a few scrap bits on your crafting table!

On with the projects!

For the first project I combined four of the 2026-2028 In Colours - Hydrangea Hue, Peaceful Pine, Golden Glow, and Crisp Canteloupe.  I began with a thrift store black wood frame, glass removed, inside back dimensions of 10" x 8".  After scuffing all sides of the frame with a medium grit sandpaper I added white acrylic paint splatters.  For the framing mat I used watercolour paper with a 7" x 5" window opening, cut using my craft knife and ruler.  I used cello tape to hinge the watercolour paper framing mat to a cardboard panel also trimmed to fit the frame's inside back dimensions.  As with last week's projects the cello tape hinge helped a great deal in placing the paint sample cards and die cuts because I could easily flip the framing mat up and down without causing any misalignment of the framing mat and back panel. To complete the project I used the following additional supplies:

• Hydrangea Hue cardstock (item 167687), Peaceful Pine cardstock (item 167691), Golden Glow cardstock (item 167685), and Crisp Cantaloupe cardstock (item 167693) for die cuts and stamped images.  The 2026-2028 In Colours (which also include Barely Blush) are also available in an 8 1/2" x 11" cardstock assortment package - item 167683, and the twenty sheet pack includes four sheets of each of the five colours;
• to add a little colour shading to the Hydrangea Hue butterfly, and the Golden Glow and Crisp Canteloupe butterflies and moths I used, respectively, a Balmy Blue and a Crushed Curry watercolour pencil (Watercolour Pencils Assortment 2 - item 149014), and a Calypso Coral watercolour pencil (Watercolour Pencils Assortment 1 - item 161700).  I used each of the watercolour pencils like an ordinary coloured pencil - no water added!; and

• to the top of the Golden Glow Bordered In Beauty tag I added an "almost Golden Glow" brad from my stash.

For the second project I began with a dollar store black frame, glass removed, inside back dimensions of 8" square.  As with the frame for the first project I again used a medium grit sandpaper to scuff all sides of the frame before adding white acrylic paint splatters.  To complete the project I used the following additional supplies:

• watercolour paper for the 8" square base panel, and for the 5 3/4" square framing mat with 2 3/4" square window opening cut using the Stylish Shapes dies;
• Garden Green cardstock (item 102584) for the 6" square matting panel, the Sweet Bugs stems, the Extraordinary Life butterfly, the Fern & Flora moths, the Bordered In Beauty label, and the 1/16" x 2 5/8" strip;
• Poppy Parade cardstock (item 119793) for the Extraordinary Life stitched heart "flowers" and tab, and the Bordered In Beauty bracket edge die cut; and
• strips trimmed from Foam Adhesive Sheets (item 152815) to attach the framed and matted panel to the background panel.

For the third project I began with a black frame from Dollarama, glass removed, inside back dimensions of 7" square.  To complete the project I used the following additional supplies:

• Daffodil Delight cardstock (item 119683) for the background panel;
• Daffodil Delight cardstock, Crushed Curry cardstock (item 131199), and watercolour paper that had been coloured with a Daffodil Delight ink refill (item 119672) and water mixture (more water than ink so that the end result was a pale "almost Lemon Lolly" colour) for the Gears & Textures die cuts - the small circles used in the center of two of the small gear die cuts were the "waste" circle punch outs from a Gears & Textures hole punch strip die cut;
• watercolour paper for the 5 3/4" square framing mat with 2 3/8" square window cut using th Stylish Shapes dies; and
• Basic Black cardstock (item 121045) for the 5 7/8" square matting panel.

And finally . . .

For my Archie project this week, shared at the bottom of this blog post, I did another scrapbook layout for the album for which I completed the cover several weeks ago.  To complete the 5 7/8" x 5 15/16" layout featuring a photo of Archie sharing a quiet moment with a friend I used the following additional supplies:

• Crumb Cake cardstock (item 120953) for the base panel, the Bordered In Beauty label, the Fern & Flora butterfly (die cut using the co-ordinating Fern & Flora dies), the Gears & Textures hole punch strip die cut, and the Extraordinary Life notebook paper edge die cut;
• copy paper for the Extraordinary Life notebook page image;
• Crumb Cake ink (item 147116) to shade the die cuts and stamped images;
• wood grain and tweed patterned papers from the retired In Good Taste 12" x 12" Designer Series Paper (item 152494 - featured in the June 3 2020-May 3 2021 Annual Catalogue) for the 2" x 5 3/4", 1 7/8" x 5 3/4", and 2 1/4" x 5 3/4" strips (exposed edges of all of these strips sponged with Early Espresso ink - item 147114) - the tweed patterned strip was glued first to the base Crumb Cake cardstock panel, followed by the two wood grain patterned strips;

• Basic Black cardstock (item 121045) covered with silver foil tape (picked up at my local Home Depot) for the clipboard clip die cut using the recently retired Just A Note dies (item 166101) - after die cutting I used a medium grit sanding sponge to scruff up the surface before using my fingers to rub black acrylic paint over the die cut;

• Linen Thread (item 104199) for the loop on the clipboard clip - the knotted end secured to the base panel with a tiny dab of Multipurpose Liquid Glue; and

• strips trimmed from Foam Adhesive Sheets (item 152815) to attach the die cut clipboard clip to the photo, and the photo (with die cuts and stamped images glued to the back thereof) to the base panel.

The neutral toned buttons were from my stash!

Thank you for visiting my blog!  I had a lot of fun working on my paint sample card projects this week - and I never need an excuse to play with buttons1

If you are interested in purchasing any of the available Stampin’ Up!® products I have used in my projects, 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!  The digital version of the May-August 2026 Catalogue is 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 earlier this 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!

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 have it all - admiration, an endless sleep, and company only when they want it."

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