Essentials by Ellen Winter 2015 Release Blog Hop

The giveaway is now closed – thanks for all of the wonderful comments. The winner is announced on this post.

Welcome to the Essentials by Ellen Winter Release 2015 Blog Hop! I’m showcasing the Wish Big and Fancy Thanks stamp sets along with the Mini Windows and Folk Hearts die sets on my post today!

I get to give the Wish Big stamp set to a lucky someone!  Just leave a comment to enter my giveaway!

There is also a Grand Giveaway in the CLASSroom!  To enter, leave a comment there and at every stop along the hop by March 2nd; winners will be announced March 4th! The full list of hoppers is included at the end of this post.

Let’s get started! For my first project, I used the Wish Big stamp set and the Mini Windows die set for a birthday card.

To begin, I cut a window in the lower-right side of a watercolor paper panel with a die from the Mini Windows die set. (The die cuts three sides of the square, creating a window for the card’s recipient to open.) Next, I stamped and heat embossed the bird, the balloon string, the balloon and the “Wish Big” sentiment and watercolored using pencils. (The sentiment was stamped on a separate piece of watercolor paper from the other images.) The black-and-white strip was stamped with a background stamp. To finish, I taped the “Wish Big” sentiment behind the window and adhered the watercolor panel and black-and-white strip to a white card base.

With the same stamp set, I created a buckle card, a card design I learned to make from Julie Ebersole. I used the square die from the Mini Windows set to create a flap on the card front that works as a buckle.

WishBig1

When you open the flap, the hippo is revealed! The bird is adhered to a square, which is the same size as the flap and slides into the flap to secure the card.

For this card, I stamped and heat-embossed the hippo, bird, balloon and party hat onto colored cardstock. I then fussy-cut the items and adhered them over the image stamped directly onto the card base and square. The black-and-white striped strip was created in the same manner as the previous card; you can get several strips out of a single stamped background. I drew the balloon string by hand. When folded, this card is 4 1/4″ square.

Now let’s look at some cards created with the Fancy Thanks stamp set and Folk Hearts dies.

BigHeartBlogHop

To create the nested hearts, I began by placing the largest heart in the Folk Hearts set inside the rectangle die in the MFT Blueprints 1 set to cut the gray panel in my Big Shot. I then took a panel of the pink cardstock and put the next size smaller heart die on it, using the previously cut panel as a guide for placement so that the hearts would line up. I removed the gray panel before running the pink panel through my Big Shot. I cut the red cardstock panel in the same manner. To finish, I stamped the sentiment onto white cardstock and adhered the nesting heart panels one layer at a time to a white cardstock base.

For my final projects, I created two square cards featuring the large “Thanks” sentiment from the Fancy Thanks set. I had the upcoming “bridal season” in mind for these designs.

I heat-embossed the sentiment from Fancy Thanks onto both white and Robin’s Egg cardstock. With a heart die from the Folk Hearts set I cut the heart. For the first card, the heart is a negative die cut and on the second one, it’s a positive die cut.

Supplies:

Here’s the full list of designers hopping today.

377 thoughts on “Essentials by Ellen Winter 2015 Release Blog Hop”

  1. I absolutely love the sentiment on the balloon string. Adorable cards. The windows and diagonal window is just brilliant. Awesome release! So very nicely done on all. TFS

  2. I love how the little bird says to wish big on the front and the hippo inside. Great idea I will have to copy once I get this stamp set that I love!

  3. I love the interactive closure; those window dies are so versatile. But I really love those simple heart-thanks cards. Sometimes the simplest thing is the best, and those would be so easy to mass produce yet they are complete and elegant.

  4. These are all great cards! Really like the colors and the way you used the celebrate stamp for the balloon on your first card is such a fun idea. Thanks for sharing 🙂

  5. Great release! Great cards!! Thanks for sharing and all the inspiration. Have a great day everyone. Ciao 🙂

  6. I like every one of your very interesting EH samples. I like the pairing of the Wish Big and the Mini-Windows. The balloon with the script string, and the bird image fitting through the window opening…… creative talent.

  7. Each of your cards are fabulous, Jean! I particularly love your buckle card! This release from Ellen is so awesome!!

  8. Beautiful cards! Love how you showcased this release! The birdie/hippo duo from the Wish Big stamp set are one of me favorites from this release! ~ Carol W.

  9. I love the simplicity of the “thanks” cards. As someone just starting out, it’s nice to get inspiration for things that I think I could actually do.

  10. Wonderful cards! Very creative window card. While the stamps are absolutely fantastic the dies in this release are out of this world!

  11. hello Jean,

    I really like these bloghops that allow me to discover some so talented stampers – I love your clean un-fussy style. Straight into my Feedly feed yo go!
    An Julie did such a great job designing all the lovlies 🙂

  12. I love how you showed so many uses for the same project! Thanks for sharing your ideas and creativity with us!

  13. I love your cards. That hippo and bird are so cute and you showed more than one way to use them. Great idea. The designs are clean and simple enough for anyone to recreate. Great job and thanks for sharing.

  14. What great cards all, Jean! I must say, though, I especially love that buckle card. Just the mechanism is so cool, and I like how you combined the bird & hippo images with the card elements. Thanks for the giveaway, and the inspiration. I’ll have to find out how to make that buckle card now!

  15. I liked the simple card with folk heart dies most… Thanks for creating beautiful cards and sharing them for inspiring us…

  16. The hippo and bird cards with the windows were super cute and fun. I really like the simple heart card the best though. The pink against the gray is just so sharp. Thanks for sharing your talent with us.

  17. I have never heard of a buckle card, but love it. Love the clean and simple ‘Thanks’ cards. Thanks for the inspiration (and the new card type I’ll have to try!).

  18. Awesome cards! I love the blue and white Thanks cards. The simplicity with the gold embossing is so pretty! The buckle card is such a novel way to use the window die. So different. The heart card is so elegant with all the layers. And I love the little bird holding the celebrate string. Thank you for sharing all your creative work! 🙂

  19. Your window cards with birdie and hippo are ADORABLE and those layered hearts cards are stunning, loving those color combos!

  20. Fantastic cards ! I love them all but especially the Hippo, looks a little bit like me 🙂
    ps. I love you gorgeous dog!

  21. Boy, but you went all out for us on these gems. All super-amazing cards – and all so different! Hard to pick a fav, but I love the graceful elegance of the last one. Thanks for sharing.

  22. Love your cards Jean! Love that you got double duty on those last two and your second card is the most creative use of those window dies on this hop! Great work!

  23. The gold thanks from the Fancy Thanks stamp set looks awesome against the robin eggs cardstock. The birthday card with the sentiment as the balloon string is genius. So cute!

  24. Jean, I like your buckle card. Clever use of the window die. I also love using the word “celebrate” as part of the string for the balloon. Thanks for sharing.

  25. Like the way you used the window on the bird and hippo card…also the bright colors.
    All of the heart cards are charming.

  26. Yet again, I’m dazzled by your abundant creativity, expressed in the most fresh, delightful ways! You’ve showcased these new releases marvelously and with such variety! So much fabulous-ness all in one spot…
    ~c

  27. Love everything! Hope I will be able to create something half as good as you have with some of these products. Just beautiful.

  28. Ohhh… so much to love… love the squiggle string on the balloon! Love the tri-fold card! Especially love the positive and negative of the thanks cards!!

  29. Beautiful cards!! I love how you used the sentiment for the balloon string! And I love the little window on the bottom of the card. Very creative!

  30. I love Julie’s whimsical quirky style – you give the stamps and dies another dimension that’s quite elegant. In fact a comment above mine echoes my thoughts that your cards using this collection are simply elegant!

  31. What truly wonderful cards….love them all…Just my style. Thanks so much for allowing us the chance to win. You are too generous.

  32. Love the bright color choices but especially the orange window one! The window with the birdie and the surprise hippo is so adorable!! Love how well the bright blue hippo pops off the orange page! Great job all!!

  33. Hi Jean – Ellen’s new Wish Big stamp set looks like a whole lot of FUN. I love the way you have used one of the long sentiments as a string for the balloon. I have also seen them used as flower stems. I like your fun fold card and how the little flap holds the card together. Great cards!

  34. Jean – love your clean & simple style – and I hadn’t seen a buckle card in a long time! Great way to use that in a new way!
    Thanks for the inspiration and the chance to win one of these great new stamp sets!

  35. You are amazing!! Love your birdie card – so cleverly done and put a huge smile on my face!!! The colors are smashing and bursting with fun!! Your other cards are so chic in their simplicity and perfect coloring!!! WHOA – I am so impressed!!!!

  36. I love your cards…the last two are so beautiful. Thank you for showcasing the folk heart dies…I wasn’t quite sure about them but after seeing how you used them, I am sold!

  37. Amazing Cards, Jean! Love this release. Your buckle card is so cool and how fitting that Julie taught it to you. She is so much fun. And that gorgeous mulitlayered heart window card is Stunning!

  38. The Hippo Birdie stamp set (so cute) and the windows dies are must haves, I think. I love the two cards you made from these and also the heart cards using the folk heart. Great job and great new release from Ellen and Julie

  39. OMGosh, great job Jean! LOVE the birdie holding the word string balloon 🙂 And the simplicity of the last two really makes the GORGEOUS soft blue and gold stand out!!!

  40. Jean your cards are so fun and charming; know my granddaughters will love the hippo card for a birthday. Thanks for sharing your talent.

  41. So many cute cards. I love the little birdie standing alone with his balloons. Not frilly cards but so pretty.
    thanks for sharing so many great projects.

  42. Wonderful cards! Love everything about them. The buckle card is so fun and all the heart cards are perfect! Great inspiration!

  43. Thanks for the chance to win something. I love my new hobby – card making. And I am loving all of these talented women who are participating in the hop. Your cards are beautiful and inspiring!

  44. There is something I just love about that hippo. I also love the script of those thanks stamps. Cute cards.

  45. I am really loving Julie’s new release! The Wish Big set is my favorite, that Hippo and Bird so versatile. Your buckle card is fabulous. I’ve not seen this technique used; hoping I can find a Julie video for this design.

  46. I really love that little hippo, he’s so darned cute. Your cards with the heart die are so lovely. Thanks for sharing with us.

  47. Jean, Thank you for sharing the details of your card. I love the cute images and font phrases in Wish Big stamp set.

  48. Lovely cards, sure put a smile on my face!!! The Hippo from the Wish Big set is ready to celebrate. Thank you for sharing.

  49. Wish Big is adorable! Love all your cards! Fabulous release with so many stamps and dies already on my ‘gotta have it’ list!

  50. hi there! that is one cool card. I love the windows dies. I cant wait to get my hands on them. I cant keep up with all of the new stuff. lol you all make so many wonderful cards, I end up wanting them all! thanks for sharing what you do with all of us. it means the world to me.

  51. Great cards, with such great products. I love the hear die set more each time I see it being used. Thanks for the inspiration and the opportunity to win.

  52. Wonderful cards. That hippo and birdie are just adorable. I like the buckle card with the window die – clever design. I like the shape of these new hearts too.

  53. Love these cards. They really showcase the new release and the buckle card is soooo clever. Thanks for the wonderful inspiration!

  54. You have made gorgeous cards!! I enjoy making fancy fold and differently folded cards, but have never heard of or even seen a buckle card before. Thank you for sharing how it’s made!! I love this blog hop; it definitely has my creative juices flowing!!!

  55. I love your choice of colors for your cards. And the buckle card is so cool! That stamp set is so versatile, and who couldn’t love that hippo? Thank you for sharing with us.

  56. Absolutely gorgeous cards!!!! and its so creative to use the window as a way to hole the flap shut. I love this set so much with the hippo and bird.

  57. Such nice cards. Love how you can keep the hippo card closed using a die cut. Love that card. The colors on your cards are great. TFS

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