It’s probably a good thing my husband doesn’t read this blog. I would like to admit that I am so easily enabled by a good sale. I see any number followed by “…% OFF” and I am opening a new browser window. And forget if I see “FREE SHIPPING.” Then it’s time to text my friends. As well as “FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS OF $50 OR MORE,” because then I need my friends to get in on the order so I can buy more stuff and not feel guilty. You know who you are.

So, recently I got to play with some new sets that came in the mail from aforementioned situations. Many of these new purchases…uh, I mean products, were strongly influenced by DPP’s new May release Sparkle Blends. These monkeys came from MFT’s BB Picture Perfect. This is definitely one of those sets that make you feel like you got a bang for your buck. Which I definitely did since I shopped a good sale. The set is 6″ X 8,” so these stamps are all a good size to color, not to mention so adorable. When I saw this set, I know it was a perfect pair for DPP’s Monkey Business Sparkle Blends.

I set a goal for all the recent purchases. Most likely to lessen the guilt of spending money. I wanted to make fresh, new card designs. I’ve been trying to push my design limits lately. This is a form of therapy for me. I like to challenge myself to break out of my own style and push my limits. This is like prep work for my professional design and will hopefully give me the confidence to push myself further when designing professionally.

As dramatic as that sounds, I started with something small. Simply put, size. I rarely, if ever stray from the standard 4.25″ X 5.5″ standard A6 card size. The reason being envelopes, sort of. All my cards are made with the intent of being given away. Sometimes I have a specific person or occasion in mind and sometimes I don’t. Sometimes I feel like a nut, and most times I am. How will I mail a card that doesn’t fit in one of those 250 A6 envelopes I have sitting in my closet? I need it to fit in one of those envelopes so I can mail it to someone.

I went a little ape…well, you know. (Gotta love monkey puns.) I made it square. However, I did not make that decision before I made sure there was a variety of square sizes on my envelope punch board. This card is 5″ X 5″. Next time I think I’d like to go bigger (again, size). Cardstock, banana paper and alcohol markers I colored with are all from Stampin’ Up. The brown ink I used to stamp is Catherine Pooler’s Icing on the Cake. If you ask anyone at My Little Scrapbook Store, they will attest to this. Even if you don’t ask them, you should check them out for their live scrapbook and paper crafting sales (Yup, you can watch and shop in bed!) and Bingo nights. Yes, that’s right – live, online Bingo every Friday. Prizes are your choice of amazon or My Little Scrapbook Store gift cards, so the whole family can play. Tell them Gina C. sent you. You’re welcome.

Back to our regularly programmed craftiness. I blocked the center of this shaker so the Blends traveled around the center monkey image instead of falling behind it. The Monkey Business Blends are too cute to hide. I mean c’mon, it has banana slices. Take a look.