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
Love the colors you chose for your cards – thanks for sharing! Looking forward to using the stamps and dies in this new collection. 🙂
Taheerah,
Wow!! I do your first card has the sentiment in the design and just goes with the flow. Then, there is your peacock! What a fabulous work of art! I have spent a lot of time on one card before, but more because I was trying a new technique or a fold that was complicated. That card is truly a work of love!!
The colors, what can I say, just love them!
Love these high contrast cards
I just love it!
Very classy indeed and I would buy it if it was at a store near me! Love what you have done. Thank you for sharing!!
very nice cards. They are bright, cheery – and love the word stamps.
I love your designs and the unique ways you have used the stamps. Fabulous work!!!
I do love your cards!! The first one would be great to make in different colors and give as a gift to someone!! The second card I think is my favorite out of all of them. I am so loving the black with all the bright colors!! I hope I can try to do this card!! If you do videos ever would love to see one of this card!! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
Beautiful cards. Love the color combo of Tutti Fruiti and Midnight Ink.
The best things take time and I can tell you put a lot of time into these beautiful cards. Thank you for sharing your inspiration.
Gorgeous cards!!! Love!
Well, your labor of love definitely payed off. Your peacock card does indeed look like expensive store-bought stationary. Thanks for the inspiration.
Your cards are so beautiful! I love the colors you used on them!
Wow!! K, the first card is lovely and all but your second card is beyond stunningly gorgeous!! I think it’s the black background that just makes those colours pop. Whatever it is, it’s gorgeous!!! I can’t imagine how long it took to make this. Best planning it out and figuring what image you’re putting where you had to stamp most of them several times. I think by the end I might not have cared, lol. Maybe not. Anyway, thank for your time and effort to create this beauty and. It may be a keeper! (A keeper is what I call ones that I don’t give away. I usually do finally end up parting with it but it takes some time!)
Both cards are beautiful, but that peacock card is absolutely amazing. I was thinking that you had used perfect pearls to create that muted, awesome shimmer. Just lovely!
Beautiful cards. I love have you dressed up the photo with the pearls! Nice touch!
STUNNING cards! Time consuming perhaps!! but very professional!
Those color combos are gorgeous!
Oh my love the flowers. The card done in orange is my fave.
Love what you created!!!
OMG that paisley peacock card was a labour of love – but it was totally worth it. It is absolutely stunning. They definitely did save the best to last.
After seeing all the peacock cards for the past 3 days, I must admit that yours is a winner. Beautiful!!!
Amazing cards! Loved the color combination on your first card! The second card is so awesome. Love that technique and I seriously don’t think you can go wrong with the peacock and paisleys! Thanks for sharing your creativity!
Wonderful cards.
Peacock card is a work of art! Frame it! Just beautiful.
Love both of your designs, but the peacock background is stunning! Your efforts paid off and is a work of art worthy of framing. Thanks for the explanation of how you created it and for the inspiration.
Beautiful cards! Love the color combinations.
Amazing work.
Your color choices are exceptional! I love your layouts. Really inspirational.
What a different style of cards. I love them! Thank you for giving us some ideas.
The peacock card is simply perfection. Your choice of colors on black – stunning.
I LOVE your color choices in the you can do this card. Beautiful. This has been my first completed hop. I’m so excited. I never realized how much fun it really is. To see all the different ways different people creat and use the same tools and come out with very different cards.
Love the shimmery card!
WOW!! That last card is breathtaking!! SO pretty!! Love the technique. I thought it used the chalk technique. It is stunning.
Beautiful cards! Really fun and so creative!
Taheerah…your cards are incredibly gorgeous!! WOW!!! So very beautiful!! TFS!
Wow! So many stamps! If love to win a box of goodies!
The peacock almost looks shimmery. It’s beautiful!!! And you have so much patience!
Your cards are beautiful.
Love, love,love the peacock card. It is just beautiful.
Gorgeous cards! LOVE the peacock card… amazing colors!
Beautiful cards! I love the Tutti Frutti and black color combination on the flower card!
Love your cards! I hope to be inspired to create something as beautiful as yours! I think the combinations will be endless!
Your cards are amazing. So unique and elegant!
Really love your choice of colors; different but lovely, especially the peacock.
Your first card is sweet but your second is so stunningly done!! 34 stamps is crazy but stamping it 5 times! Wow!! GORGEOUS!! It’s amazing!!
oh my goodness! What an amazing peacock card!
Awesome job on both your cards they are adorable!
Your cards are very elegant (the pearl background is a perfect touch)!