July Stray Duckling Blog Waddle - Summer Projects and Fun!

 Hi all!  Welcome to the July Stampin'Stray Ducklings Blog Waddle for your monthly inspiration!

This month the theme is summer projects or scrapebook pages.  I don't scrapebook, so I took the summer project challenge!  Every summer in July, my husband and I and our son and his family go up to the far Northern Woods in Wisconsin and stay at a cluster of cabins called Camp Mishike.  We have been going there for well over 20 years.  Every year, I  make a batch of peanut butter cookies and a batch of Toll House cookies to take on the trip.  This was a tradition started by my grandmother and it makes the trip and staying together so special.  I made them with my kids and now I'm making cookies with my grandchildren.  

When Stampin'Up came out with a stamp set that had chocolate chip cookies and builder punch for a jar, I just had to get it.  What also makes this card extra special is the split circle embellishment.  It may look familiar - this card was the bonus card for my June class.  So here is the card using the Sweet Jar Bundle: 

and the inside....

I used Pecan Pie, Basic Black and Basic Beige for my card base.  I used the Swirly embossing folder for the front.  I stamped the jar in Early espresso, Crumb Cake, and Pecan Pie.  The hearts were stamped in real red.  I also used my Stampin'Blend, light Pool Party to outline the jar so it looked more like glass.  Then I used packing tape over the jar to make it look shiny and like a real jar.  I punched it out and the lid with the Jar Builder punch.  

To make the split circle embellishment, I punched out a 2-1/2" circle in pecan pie, 2" circle in Early Espresso, and a 1-1/2" circle in crumb cake.  I put splotches on using the dots from the Sweet Jar stamp set and also the splotches from Elements of Text.  I then cut the two smaller circles in half and repositioned them, one half to the left and one half to the right.   The birthday greeting is heat embossed with white embossing powder and cut out using one of the Stylish Shapes dies.  Whew!  I know, a lot of stuff!  But really worth it in the end.  

Thanks for stopping by..make sure you visit all the other ducklings participating in todays waddle.

Blessings,  Sheryl

Go on to more inspiration:  

Product List

Sweet Jar Bundle (English) [165507] $41.25	Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad [147116] $9.00	Crumb Cake 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [120953] $14.00	Pecan Pie Classic Stampin' Pad [161665] $9.00	Pecan Pie 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [161717] $14.00
Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad [147114] $9.00	Early Espresso 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [119686] $14.00	Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad [147084] $9.00	Versamark Pad [102283] $9.50	Pool Party Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [154894] $11.00
Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [121045] $14.00	2 3/8" (6 Cm) Circle Punch [161354] $25.00	2" (5.1 Cm) Circle Punch [133782] $23.00	1-1/2" (3.8 Cm) Circle Punch [138299] $16.00	White Stampin' Emboss Powder [109132] $6.00
Heat Tool (Us And Canada) [129053] $32.00	So Swirly Embossing Folder [163791] $10.50	Stylish Shapes Dies [159183] $30.00	Iridescent Foil Gems [162842] $8.00

June 2025 Card Class is now in Session!

 Hi all!

This month we will be featuring some of the wonderful and fun new product from Stampin'Up - both the Annual Catalog and the Online Exclusives!  Plus 3 new fun folds that I think you will find amazing!

Here are the cards:  

Dates and Times of class:

Friday, June 27th - 10am - 2pm - Morton Christian Church

Sunday, June 29th - 1:30 pm - 5:00 pm - my house.

Please contact me for more details and to RSVP.  

Blessings,  Sheryl

June 2025 Blog Wadd;e - Masculine Cards

 Hi All!

This month we are featuring cards that you can send or give to your favorite guy - just in time for Father's Day!

Lets just get to it...Here is my card.  It's a Fathers Day card for my husband!

This is one fancy fun fold card.  I cased this idea from Susan Campfield, Stamin' Up demonstrator.  Here is the link to her video on how to make this card...https://www.youtube.com/live/HtiXkfY7Rt4?si=VyD8lvumzd-qiZBE.  I love the red, white and blue nautical colors.  I also used Trusty Tools stamp set for the sentiments.  

I love this stamp set...Sunrise Sailing Bundle.  I attracted to  the clean, graphic lines. Plus it has some nice, versatile dies AND a hybrid embossing folder for all kinds of possibilities in designing cards.  

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you enjoyed my card.

Blessings - Sheryl

Continue on to the rest of my fellow ducklings participating in this months waddle here:

Product List

Sunrise Sailing Bundle (English) [165497] $50.25	Sunrise Sailing Photopolymer Stamp Set (English) [165491] $20.00	Sunrise Sailing Hybrid Embossing Folder [165496] $36.00	Trusty Tools Photopolymer Stamp Set (English) [163274] $24.00	Secret Sea Classic Stampin' Pad [165285] $9.00
Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad [147084] $9.00	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock [140272] $8.25	Real Red 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [102482] $14.00	Secret Sea 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [165624] $14.00	Soft Waves 3 D Embossing Folder [164695] $11.00
Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine [149653] $140.00	Paper Trimmer [152392] $28.00

April Stray Duckling Blog Waddle - Favorite Retiring Products

 Hello my Stamping Friends and welcome to another Stray Duckling Blog Waddle!  This month we are showcasing our favorite retiring products.  

I've got to confess...I love tree leafs.  I find them fascinating.  I'm always photographing them:

So naturally  I'm drawn to leaf stamps.  There are 3 stamp sets that I have loved and used many times. 

They are now on the Last Chance List and I'm kind of sad about that...  Caring Leaves:  A very simple image but very pretty.

Changing Leaves is the other Stamp set and embossing folder (hybrid) and die cuts that are going away.... This set made a gorgeous card.. I used Blackberry Bliss, Wild Wheat (retiring in-color), and the Gold Mercury Vellum (also on the last chance list).

And lastly the Autumn Leaves stamp set and dies:  The veining on the leaf is so pretty!

I can't finish with out mentioning one of my favorite retiring Designer Series papers:  Countryside Inn. I love the blues and the subtle designs in the paper... Really going to miss this one.  I used the Eyelet 3-D Embossing folder and this one is sticking around !  Yeah! 

The paper made a beautiful quilt card:

So there you have it...My sad list of favorite retiring products.  However, I'm really looking forward to the exciting new products in the 25-26 Annual Catalog and all the beautiful fall stuff in the 2025 Holiday Mini.  

I hope you enjoyed my cards.  Blessings,   Sheryl

Please visit my other fellow ducklings blogs listed below:

Product List

Caring Leaves Photopolymer Stamp Set (English) [164273] $17.00

Changing Leaves Bundle (English) [164139] $54.00

Changing Leaves Hybrid Embossing Folder [164138] $40.00

Autumn Leaves Bundle (English) [162186] $55.75

Countryside Inn 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper [161467] $12.50

March 2025 Class is now in Session - Easter Cards!

 Hi All!

This months card class is all about Easter and Spring.  Here are the cards we will be making:

There are several fun folds and some surprises as well.  These cards are a bit more challenging than what I normally have, but we have to do something special for Easter, don't we?  I'll take you step by step in how to make these unique cards.  Please join me:

Date and Time

Friday, March 28th - Morton Public Library - 10am - 2pm

Please RSVP as soon as possible.  As always, you will be making a total of 7 cards;  2 each of 3 designs and a bonus card - card recipe and envelopes are included.  All for $25 and a whole lot of fun.

Blessings....Sheryl

March 2025 Stray Duckling Blog Waddle - Fun Techniques

 Hi All!

Welcome to the March 2025 Blog Waddle of the Stampin Stray Ducklings!  This month's inspiration is all about card making techniques.  I choose a very simple yet effective technique - water color backgrounds.

Here is what you need to create some easy watercolor background cards:

• Two to 3 ink colors:  I used Pretty Peacock and Daffodil Delight
• A sheet of water color paper - I used a 3 x 4-1/4 sheet
• Spray bottle filled with water
• Plastic tray and paper towels

Touch colors on the acrylic block in various locations.  I always start with the lightest color and then the darker color.  Lay the water color paper on a paper towel in the plastic tray - Spray the acrylic block a couple of time and then place directly on the water color paper, color side down.  Let it sit there a few seconds, you can wiggle it around a bit if you like.  Lift up.  Pick the watercolor paper up and let the drips run.  If some area's look dry - spritz a little more water on the paper.  Set aside to dry.

Now you can use this as anything you would like.  I used the Beautiful Butterflies bundle.  I cut the smaller wings out of the now colored water color paper.  I added a few more blings and there you have it.

Here is the finished card:

My inspiration for this beautiful card came from Cindy Brumbaugh - Here is a link to her video: 

And here is the link to the video on how to create the multicolor water color background:  

I hope you enjoyed today's technique and inspiration.  Please waddle on to the next Ducklings post for more beautiful cards and ideas!- Sheryl

Product List

Pretty Peacock Classic Stampin’ Pad [150083] $9.00	Daffodil Delight Classic Stampin' Pad [147094] $9.00	Beautiful Bokeh 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [164607] $12.50	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [159276] $13.00	Fluid 100 Watercolor Paper [149612] $9.00
Clear Block E [118484] $13.00	Stampin' Spritzer [126185] $6.00	Beautiful Butterflies Bundle (English) [164615] $59.25	2024–2026 In Color™ Glimmer 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Paper [163771] $11.00	Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine [149653] $130.00