New stuff...

i hope everyone is enjoying their summer so far! My garden has kept me away from my craft room for the most part lately, but i have managed to make a few new cards. Here's three:

i've been doing some simple and easy cards recently. i also finally got some OMS and have been using it to blend my prismacolor pencils. i'm still learning, but i like the results so far.

Ingredients: CS - Paperbilities, Papertrey Ink; stamps - Inkadinkado's Flowers by Amy Smyth, PI's Mixed Messages; ink - Versafine; prismacolor pencils and OMS; ribbon - Offray; brads - MM.

Ingredients here are the same as the card above, excepting the ribbon - not sure who makes this.

...and something not so simple, but still quick and easy.

Ingredients: CS - PI, stash; PP - Rob and Bob Studio; stamps - Inkadinkado's Flowers by Amy Smyth, Hero Arts' Friendship Messages; ink - Versafine, Pallette Hybrid; prismacolors and OMS; ribbon - Offray; brads - MM; dimensional glaze; pop-dots.

Now for another frugal tip. In the past couple of years, i have bought mostly acrylic stamps as opposed to rubber. They are very economical and clean up is a breeze. One of my favorite companies is Inkadinkado (as if you couldn't tell by how much i use them...). You can find their sets online for as little as $9.99, which is what you'd often pay for one large rubber wood-mounted stamp. Also, buying acrylic eliminates the need for stamp cleaner because they clean up with soap and water. i don't own a stamp scrubber - instead i keep a small bowl of soapy water on my desk and use cheap sponges to scrub away any ink.

ETA: You can find Inka.'s stamps even cheaper, actually. i forgot i had seen some on a couple sites selling for as little as $6.99, for an entire set of stamps! And i once picked up a couple sets at A.C. Moore for $5.99!

Hope everyone is well! Have a wonderful day!