<p>It’s almost here! The launch of Stampin’ Up!’s 2014–15 annual catalog is just days away. Can you feel the excitement?? I can hardly contain how much I love the latest products!</p> <p>I’m also facing the end of the school year for my boys. How the year has flown by! So—before the final days of school sneak up on me—I thought it would be fun to make a teacher gift to share with you. </p> <p><img src="http://stampinup.com/home/images/default-source/corporate-blog-posts/may-blog-canvas-floral.gif?sfvrsn=4" title="May-Blog-Canvas-Floral"></p> <p>My fifth grader’s teacher happens to be a gardener, so what better to feature than the new <strong>Forever Florals Stamp Set</strong>? This set has such versatility!</p> <p>For my thank you card, I cut a piece of <strong>Canvas Creations</strong>, then tattered the edges. I stamped the flower using <strong>Tuxedo Black Memento </strong>ink. Then, starting with the lightest of the <strong>Rich Razzleberry Assortment Stampin’ Blendabilities</strong> I colored the flower.</p> <p>Now, given the fabric-like texture of the canvas, understand that the markers will bleed a little. That is part of the effect. Just don’t go all the way to the edges of the image. The ink will travel to the edges as you go along. </p> <p>After I was done with the flower, I colored some <strong><a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=119247&utm_source=stampin-up-blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=beginnings-and-endings" src="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=119247&utm_source=stampin-up-blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=beginnings-and-endings">Pearl Basic Jewels</a></strong> using the lightest of the <strong>Daffodil Delight Assortment Stampin’ Blendabilities Markers</strong> and added them to the flower’s center.</p> <p>Next, I created a base using the new <strong><a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=124274&utm_source=stampin-up-blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=beginnings-and-endings" src="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=124274&utm_source=stampin-up-blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=beginnings-and-endings">Kraft Cardstock</a></strong>. (This is such a fabulous addition to our paper line!) I cut an additional layer, then stamped it with Tuxedo Black ink using the <strong></strong><strong></strong><a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=130351&utm_source=stampin-up-blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=beginnings-and-endings" src="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=130351&utm_source=stampin-up-blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=beginnings-and-endings"><strong>Dictionary</strong> <strong>Background Stamp</strong></a><strong></strong><strong></strong>.</p> <p>The Blackberry Bliss banner layer comes from the new <strong>Moonlight Designer Series Paper Stack</strong>. All of the layers were distressed using the <strong><a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=127562&utm_source=stampin-up-blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=beginnings-and-endings" src="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=127562&utm_source=stampin-up-blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=beginnings-and-endings">Stampin’ Distress Tool</a></strong>. I finished it off by sponging the layers with <strong><a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=126975&utm_source=stampin-up-blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=beginnings-and-endings" src="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=126975&utm_source=stampin-up-blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=beginnings-and-endings">Crumb Cake ink</a></strong>.</p> <p><img src="http://stampinup.com/home/images/default-source/corporate-blog-posts/may-blog-florals-set.gif?sfvrsn=2" title="May-Blog-Florals-Set"></p> <p>For the actual gift, I made a quick set of note cards for the teacher to use. Again, I stamped using Tuxedo Black Memento ink<strong>, </strong>but this time I colored using my <strong><a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=102845&utm_source=stampin-up-blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=beginnings-and-endings" src="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=102845&utm_source=stampin-up-blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=beginnings-and-endings">Blender Pen</a></strong>. I stamped the images from the Forever Florals Stamp Set onto <strong><a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=101849&utm_source=stampin-up-blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=beginnings-and-endings" src="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=101849&utm_source=stampin-up-blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=beginnings-and-endings">Naturals Ivory Cardstock</a></strong>. (The fun speckles give great texture to even a simple card!) And I love the “For you” sentiment in the set. It is fantastic for a gift set because it covers so many occasions.</p> <p><img src="http://stampinup.com/home/images/default-source/corporate-blog-posts/may-blog-florals-box.gif?sfvrsn=2" title="May-Blog-Florals-Box"></p> <p>I couldn’t give her the note cards without some cute packaging, of course! So I created this easy little envelope box with the <strong><a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=133774&utm_source=stampin-up-blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=beginnings-and-endings" src="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=133774&utm_source=stampin-up-blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=beginnings-and-endings">Envelope Punch Board</a></strong> (using the 4-1/2" x 6" card size). The box was made using <strong><a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=101650&utm_source=stampin-up-blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=beginnings-and-endings" src="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=101650&utm_source=stampin-up-blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=beginnings-and-endings">Very Vanilla Cardstock</a></strong>, the Dictionary Background Stamp, and the pretty flower--this time colored with the <strong>Coastal Cabana Assortment Stampin’ Blendabilities</strong>. The ink spatters were made with my <strong><a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=121029&utm_source=stampin-up-blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=beginnings-and-endings" src="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=121029&utm_source=stampin-up-blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=beginnings-and-endings">Crumb Cake Classic Stampin’ Ink Refill</a></strong> mixed with a little water. Some Linen Thread ties it all up into a pretty package!</p> <p>I hope you enjoyed this little peek into some of the new annual catalog’s products— and that you find inspiration to play with all of the coloring tools available!!<span style="line-height: 1.5;"> </span></p> <p>Jennifer Timko<br> <span style="line-height: 1.5;">2013–2014 Artisan Design Team</span></p>