Happy New Year! We made it – welcome to 2016! 
As I was out with the hubby last night, I got to thinking about 2015 and the impending new year and just got so excited about the fresh start and all the possibilities in the new year. I wasn’t sure how much that motivation would last when I had to drag my head off the pillow this morning (ha ha) but I’m happy to report that I’m still excited and opptimistic for 2016! I have so many new things I want to try and to share and I look forward to sharing this journey with you.
In the meantime though – because really, I wasn’t prepared BEFORE the new year hit! – I wanted to share a few more of my favorite projects from 2015 that I hadn’t had a chance to share with you yet. I love the look and techniques with these cards and hope you enjoy some new ideas with the Peaceful Pines stamp set.
Stained Glass Window Technique
I LOVE this technique… because it turns out something beautiful every time.
Stained Glass Window Technique:
- Start by stamping your image onto a piece of Window Sheet (acetate) using Stazon Ink
- Flip the window sheet over so that you can color on the OTHER side
- Using a piece of wax paper, squeeze out some Crystal Effects and then add a drop or two of your preferred color reinker – seriously, you only need a drop or two!
- Sprinkle on some Dazzling Diamonds glitter and then stir up using a small paint brush
- Paint the Crystal Effects onto the Window sheet to cover the area that you stamped. Start out light, you can always add more.
- If you need to switch colors, rinse off your paintbrush and create a new blob of Crystal Effects using the new color reinker.
- Let sit for a few minutes to dry
- Adhere any other elements, like the star sequin with Crystal Effects to the window sheet as it is drying.
- Flip over and adhere to your project and you have a super pretty stamped element for your card!
For this card, I added some torn Dazzling Diamonds glimmer paper for a snowy base and then covered where I glued down my window sheet with some of the Merry Moments designer paper (on sale though Jan 4th – fyi!) and some Mossy Meadow cardstock.
Add a sentiment from the Peaceful Pines stamp set on a banner and some Baker’s Twine and your card is all put together.
Inked Embossed Dots Technique
If you are more of a rustic fan, then this technique may be for you! I love how cool the embossed dots look with technique – more vintage than if you had just sponged ink onto the embossed areas after the fact.
Inked Embossed Dots technique
- Take your Large Dots Embossing folder and open it up to work on the INDENTED side of the folder (where the dots are sunk in)
- Use a sponge dauber, ink it up using the Ink Pad color of your choice – in this case Mossy Meadow – and then dab the sponge dauber repeatedly into the holes.
- You will want to keep daubing each hole until it looks pretty dark with color. Really, you can’t over-ink this.
- After you’ve inked all the dots you want to use, place your cardstock into the embossing folder and close up.
- Run the embossing folder through the Big Shot
- You are done! You have cool looking vintage dots!
I finished out the card with some Burlap ribbon (gotta stick with the rustic theme) and then layered one of the Peaceful Pines trees (cut out using the matching Perfect Pines dies) onto a 2 1/2” circle punch with a few Home for Christmas Epoxy dots.
I loved how these techniques went so well with the Peaceful Pines stamp set, but you can use them for any card for lots of great design ideas! Let me know what you think!
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Want to make your own? Here are the dimensions for the paper for this card:
Crazy, right? So when I pulled out this card that I had the chance to make at Convention this summer, I immediately thought “Christmas Card”. But who wouldn’t be happy about getting a present and getting a little joy at their birthday any time in the year?
![NWstamper signature_thumb[9]](https://i0.wp.com/www.nwstamper.com/wp-content/uploads/ad87b4046c1e_C9F6/NWstamper-signature_thumb9.png "NWstamper signature_thumb[9]")
That is because it is embossed paper that is inked! You can either stamp an image with versamark ink and then heat emboss with clear embossing powder…. or do it the easy way and get pre-embossed paper! 
I had wanted to do something different with the stamp and so I actually colored it with 3 different markers to get the look on my sentiment:
