A soft, romantic look

Clare here today with a card using one of my new stamp sets Cottage Garden. I decided to go for a soft, romantic look by stamping the garden scene using a green ink (I used Memento Pistachio ink) and colored it using coloring pencils. The stamped lines blend nicely with the colored pencils resulting in a much softer effect.

It's a fun technique to try, just build up the layers of color and add some shading with the colored pencils. I used StazOn Jet Black ink to stamp the sentiment because sometimes the colored pencils can result in a slightly shiny surface.

I love the artistic feel to this technique, it works really well with floral stamps. Here's the stamp set I used today - Cottage Garden.

Cottage Garden

Thanks for dropping by today! : )

August New Release and Blog Hop!

Hello, friends! We are so very pleased to present to you SIX new stamp sets for your paper crafting pleasure! All are waiting for you to play with, so let's get started!

Potted Garden

by Clare Buswell

4 x 6

$15

Cottage Garden

by Clare Buswell

6 x 8

$24

Choose Hope

by Angelica Suarez

4 x 6

$15

Folk Art Blooms

by Nina B Designs

4 x 6

$15

Jar of Sunshine

by Nina B Designs

4 x 6

$15

Dream Catcher

by Clare Buswell

4 x 6

Free Gift With $60 Purchase!

or purchase separately for $15

To celebrate the release, we're having a blog hop for more inspiration! The hop begins on Amy's blog and links from there. We've provided the entire list here in case there's a break along the way. 

Amy Crockett

Angelica Suarez

Clare Buswell

Gayatri Murali

Jennie Harper

Jessica Fick

Jinny Newlin

Karen Baker

Lin Brandyberry

Nina Brackett

Sharri Seffens

One lucky person will win all six stamp sets by making the rounds on the blog hop and leaving comments along the way. We'll pick on of the blogs (which one is a secret!) and then randomly draw a name from all comments left on that blog by 8:00 pm Pacific on Friday, August 23rd. The winner will be announced here on Saturday. Good luck!

The winner of Dream Catcher from all comments left on yesterday's post is...

brooks1986!!!

Congratulations! Please email me your mailing address at thecraftsmeow@gmail.com and I'll get your prize mailed right out to you. Enjoy!

Thank you all for joining us these past few days as we've presented our August release to you. We know you have lots of choices about where to spend your crafting dollars, and we're so thankful and humbled that you choose us! Have a great day!

Introducing Potted Garden & Cottage Garden!

Hello, stampers! Welcome to the first day of our August release extravaganza! We're releasing SIX new stamp sets for your paper crafting pleasure on Wednesday, August 21st, and the previews start today! If you're a flower lover, you're going to love today's two sets: Potted Garden and Cottage Garden... both are amazingly versatile! Take a look at what our talented designers have created with them...

Edited to add: These are the first two of the three stamp sets designed by Clare Buswell, to debut here at The Craft's Meow! We had a bit of a mix-up last night when the posts went live. Due to crossed wires, there were two versions of today's post prepared, one with that information and one without. Unfortunately, the one without went live. We are VERY excited about Clare's illustrations... just wait until you see the entire sets. Swoon! 

Amy Crockett

Clare Buswell

Deborah Nolan

Gayatri Murali

Jennie Harper

Jessica Fick

Jinny Newlin

Karen Baker

Lin Brandyberry

Nina Brackett

Sharri Seffens

Aren't they lovely? :)

I have a set of each Potted Garden and Cottage Garden to give away as prizes. All you have to do for a chance to win one of these sets is leave a comment on this post by 8:00 pm Pacific tonight. I'll draw the winners and announce them in tomorrow's post. Good luck!

I hope you'll join us tomorrow when we preview our next newest stamp set: Choose Hope. (I think you're going to love it!) See you then!