Hey everyone! Happy Tuesday!
When you get a present, say for Christmas or your birthday, do you like to know what it is before you open it? Or do you like the surprise? Me personally, I like the surprise. I *love* the surprise. It makes the tearing off the wrapping* and revealing the gift all the more exciting.
*okay, I don’t tear off the wrapping. My OCD wouldn’t allow it. But I carefully and neatly peel the tape away one piece at a time and carefully unwrap the package, and then fold the paper neatly away. What can I say. I party on the wild side.
Aaanyway.
The reason I’m prattling on about how you like your gifts is because the Stamp of Approval Collections from Catherine Pooler evoke that Christmas Morning/surprise gift feeling. Every. Single. Time.
If you’ve not heard of Catherine Pooler’s Stamp of Approval then you are in for a treat. It is a completely curated box of exclusive supplies delivered right to your doorstep! Amidst the gorgeous box and hidden in that pretty wrapping is an *awesome* collection of not-yet-on-the-market stamps, dies, and maybe even a couple of other surprise goodies too – all expertly designed and selected for each box to match, coordinate and amaze. The products in each box are only available as an entire collection and won’t be offered for individual sale until several months from the Collection’s release date, so they’ve got that whole exclusivity thing going on. AND just like that Christmas Morning/surprise gift, the first time you see the entire contents of the box is when you unwrap it for yourself! How fun is that?!
Oh, and one more thing. These babies sell like hot cakes. Fresh from the oven. That’s right. If you want to be the first to the cake aisle then I recommend subscribing to the Waiting List at Catherine Pooler’s Stamp of Approval site so that you’re notified when the collections go on sale, and so you won’t be left staring at empty cake shelves. No-one wants that.
And now I want cake.
Right. Before I digress into some kind of Christmas Morning Cake Fantasy, I better tell you the reason you’re here! The latest Stamp of Approval Collection is being released TOMORROW and it’s called The Perfect Reason. And man, is it one perfect collection. Catherine has been sneaking peeks of the contents of The Perfect Reason Collection on her blog last week, and the past couple of days have seen the amazing Design Team (and some special guests!) show off just what some of the items in the collection can do! I’m helping to bring up the rear for Day 3 of 3 Blog Hops (saving the best ’til last? Or am I an awkward embarrassment? Let’s go with ‘best ’til last’. I’m jesting either way, of course) to show off this *truly* amazing box of goodies with a couple of cards, and of course there’s a fantastic giveaway as well where you can win a box of your own too!
Let’s get to the cake. I mean, cards.
For this beauty I played around with the stamps from the Perfect Reason stamp set, stamping the blooms with Tutti Frutti and Midnight inks. I snuck in a couple of stamps from the Paisley Peacock set too!
I love the sense of movement in the card. It really feels like the blooms and leaves are blowing in the wind.
I added a sentiment from the You Did It stamp set, nestled nicely in amongst the foliage so it doesn’t break with the flow. Little design details like that make me happy.
For my second card, I could not have departed more from the clean and simple look:
I can’t lie. I am seriously, completely, totally and utterly, head over heels in love with this. LOVE!
This was a complete labour of love but so, so worth it. I used 34 individual stamps on this card, and they were all stamped multiple times! It took pretty much all day. But, just look at it!! Doesn’t it look just like a store-bought notecard that you might find at a high-end stationers?! Swoon!!
So, some details.
I laid out all my stamps (from the Perfect Reason and Paisley Peacock sets) roughly on my panel of cardstock to work out where they’d more or less go. I then disassembled it all and started with the peacock body, as that’s the focus of the card. I stamped the body using white pigment ink (about 3 times to get an even and opaque coverage. Thank you, MISTI!) then overstamped it with the Party Dress ink, a couple of times. I continued, patiently, building up my overall image in the same way, one stamp at a time.
Each stamp stamped around five times. Many, many stamped images. If you want to do the maths then you’ll be here a while.
Instead, how about some detail shots.
Perfection.
Apart from the white ink every single ink is one of the Catherine Pooler ones. Just look at how vibrantly they’ve stamped, even on white ink on dark cardstock!! I could not be more in love.
Giveaway!
So I bet you’d like to win one of these amazing collections for yourself, right? Read on!
All you need to do to be in with a chance of winning is leave me a comment – and then make sure you visit the other hop destinations too to check out the amazing inspiration and increase your chances of winning by commenting there too!
Here’s your Hop line-up for today!
Catherine Pooler
Lisa Harrolle
Lydia Evans
Chrissie Tobas
Ingrid Blackburn
Taheerah Atchia
As I mentioned, this is the third of three Blog Hops – and each day’s Hop has a box to give away! That’s three boxes up for grabs for three very lucky winners – and the more you comment the better your chances, so be sure to comment on every single stop of every single hop! You can head back to Catherine’s blog to get the list for the other two days!
You have until 9am EST on Thursday 9th February to enter. Good luck!
And don’t forget that The Perfect Reason Stamp of Approval Collection goes on sale tomorrow! In fact, I’ll be back with another post tomorrow to remind you!
Thanks for stopping by!
Supplies
You Can Do This Floral Card
Peacock Notecard
That peacock card is gorgeous, well worth all the stamping. I love the CAS one too!
thanks for sharing beautiful cards.
I love how you did the card with the Peacock on it
Such beautiful and colorful cards. You have brightened my day.
This is the best card box I’ve ever seen! I look very paisley and the tutti frutti color with the black ink is phenomenal. I love it.
Lovely cards, thanks for sharing.
Fantastic cards. Love the peacock card. Thank you for sharing your ideas.
Wow! Stunning cards. Really enjoyed the first card with the tutti-frutti and midnight color combo. The peacock is stunning on the black.
Love, Love, Love the peacock card!
As soon as I saw your gorgeous labor of love I was in love. I also am very much a fan of your black and orange color choice on your first card.
The peacock card is a stunner! The inks look metallic in the photo!
Wow! Both cards are outstanding. Love your work!
Seriously love your cards. Your designs are so unique and fresh. Thanks so much for sharing.
Like the technique.
Beautiful card.
Beautiful combination of the peacock stamps and others.
O my word. LOVE LOVE LOVE. That one with the peacock is adorable and it looks like it is chalked on that card. I am just so amazed with both of these cards. Thank you for spending the time on them.
I love the color combinations you have used. Plus I like the backdrop all that lace and pearls, yum. Beautiful cards.
OOH wow what GORGEOUS second card, i think alot of crafters are going to learn from that one. Thanks for the inspiration.
WOW!!! Fantastic cards, hilarious post and your photographs…..now who’s swooning – LOL
I think these are amazing! I love the colors and the words of encouragement.
gorgeous. beautiful color combo.
Beautiful cards!
Beautiful cards!Very unique and different!Interesting color combinations as well!Thank you for sharing 🙂
A lot of work but so worth it.
Wow, wow, wow. I agree, you can never have enough cake…lol. Your cards are amazing….fabulous…perfect. This collection is another winner by CP and when teamed with her inks, is absolutely perfect. I’m swooning. Happy day and thank you for sharing your amazing cards.
Beautiful. I live the colors you used with the 2 black cards.
Both cards are wonderful. I immediately liked the colors in the first one – so unusual. But the;n I took a look at the second – and I love the combination of the peacock with my favorite Funky Flower~
Great cards! That peacock card is so detailed and vibrant with color! Worth the effort.
Great cards! Love the simplicity of the first card and the colors stamped over white on the second card is awesome!
Can I just say WOW. That is the perfect technique for that peacock. I do like the colors on first card a lot & coordinating envelopes are a bonus.
You did it again! Your card with the peacock is down right awesome. Swoon is right. I Love your work. Thanks for sharing.
Oh my, I gasped when I saw the peacock. Beautiful!! This is the best box of goodness. Thank you for sharing
Wow both are beautiful!
Beautiful cards, looks like a fun box, gotta check it out! Thanks for sharing!
that black panel is a WOW I really thought you were going to say you used perfect pearls on that. So neat I am gonna try that for sure. Thanks
I love your black card!! The colors turned out so vibrant!
These cards are awesome! I am going to have to try your techniques! Beautiful!
Wow, what patience. Your cards are beautiful
I can’t wait to give it a try!
Wow! Your cards are stunning! Totally in love with them! You knocked it out if the park with your use of the SOA collection! Great job!
Taheerah ……. your peacock card looks like a labor of love. It should be framed as a piece of art. You are an inspiring artist with your layouts and color combinations. Thank you so much for sharing with all of us.
Taheerah, you are a nut, and I say that with the utmost fondness and respect. I love reading your digressions.
LOVE the two-colour card. Sometimes creativity takes flight when we limit ourselves.
Your black-background card truly is a work of art. At first glance, I thought you had perhaps used perfect pearls to get that shimmery look. I’m glad to know the CP inks looks so good stamped over white pigment. I would put that baby up on the wall. No-one is THAT card-worthy.
I am in awe of all the stamping done to create the peacock! What determination and dedication to complete such a work of art! Thanks for sharing
Gorgeous cards! That peacock one is stunning. LOVE ♥
Oh wow!!! These are amazing! I love the chalk look!!! Love it!
Oh. Em. Gee. Your peacock card is one of the most beautiful cards I think I’ve ever seen. Absolutely brilliant, Taheerah!!! Like Ingrid, I don’t think I would have ever thought to put that color combination from the first card together, but it works beautifully! Amazing job!!!
I love, love, love the one done on the black card stock! Both are gorgeous!
Isn’t that peacock just gorgeous.
Oh, my goodness, Taheerah!!!! I do love creating CAS cards since you can mass-produce them, and yours is lovely. But that Paisley Peacock card? Swoon, swoon, swoon!! It is absolutely stunning and if you ever part with it (I wouldn’t!!), the lucky person to receive it will likely put it in a frame to treasure forever. Your card shows the versatility of both sets of stamps and CP’s inks gave amazing coverage over the HA white. Thanks for sharing your gorgeous creation and for continuing to inspire all of us. ~HUGS~
#kindnessmatters
Wow! Gorgeous black card!!! Just beautiful, it really does look store bought!