Gina K Preview Day #1

Welcome to the Gina K Blog Hop! Today I am previewing the newest set by Rupa Shevde for Gina K Designs called My Cuppa Joe!

I created a little SWEET box (tutorial HERE) and filled it with coffee candies and chocolate. This would be the perfect presentation for a Starbucks Gift Card for a teacher or a friend.

I created the box and then stamped the sentiment along the top and bottom. Then I crimped some caramel cardstock. The images were stamped (masked) and colored and then cut using the labels Nestability dies (Spellbinders). I crimped the handle to match the other accents on the box. This is an adorable set!

Materials used: Stamps-My Cuppa Joe (Gina K Designs); Memento tuxedo black; cardstock- very vanilla, black, caramel, kraft (SU!), Copic Markers; Spellbinders Labels Dies; Cuttlebug (Provocraft); Crimper (Fiskars); dimensionals (SU!); ribbon (Offray).

**There is one more thing I want to show you before you hop along. Aside from all the awesome new sets being released on Thursday, I am sooo excited for this release for another reason---Gina is releasing her very own PURE LUXURY cardstock. This was a long time in coming and I am so excited to be part of this. Because it is so hard to describe how wonderful this cardstock is...I thought I would show you a little demonstration.

I use Stampin' Up! Whisper White cardstock a lot. I love how the Prismacolor pencils move across this paper and I also love using Copics on it. The one thing I do not like is that when I do use it, I am limited to layering my cards because the Copics will bleed through.

Gina is releasing two weights of Pure Luxury cardstock--80 lb. and 120 lb. I used both of them and SU! Whisper White cardstock to show you a comparison of them.

I stamped two separate images on each 3" by 3" square. To color the leaf (from Whimsical Autumn), I used Copics...three shades and I liberally layered the colors always going back to the Sand color to blend the darker colors. To color the acorn (from So Grateful) I used Prismacolor pencils and odorless mineral spirits.

NOTE: I photographed all images together so I could not in any way alter the results (well, not with my limited computer knowledge anyway! )

The results:

As far as the stamped image--I noticed no difference. I used Memento ink and experienced no bleeding.

When coloring with Copics, I noticed that the colors were more vivid on the Pure Luxury. I followed all the same steps to color each image and you can see the finished product below.

When coloring with Prismacolor pencils, I experienced similar results with SU and the 80 lb Pure Luxury. The colors blended well. However, I did experience more dramatic color (again) on the Pure Luxury cs, esp the 120 lb weight. This cardstock seems to have a bit more texture to it (but is still soooo smooth) so that may be the reason why color sticks to it so well.

SU! Whisper White, Pure Luxury 80 lb., Pure Luxury 120 lb.

Then, I flipped the cardstock over.

You can see the results below. The Copics bleed through the SU cardstock quite a bit. There was just a bit of bleeding through with the 80 lb Pure Luxury (top right corner), and not a trace of bleeding with the 120 lb. Pure Luxury cardstock.

SU! Whisper White, Pure Luxury 80 lb., Pure Luxury 120 lb.

I am so impressed with this cardstock and am thrilled that I can create simple one layer cards with the heavy weight and not have to compromise the smooth feel and texture I love. On Thursday morning, I will be posting a one layer card I created with the 120 lb. Pure Luxury cardstock. You will be amazed at how much I could color and still not have any show on back. (JOY!)

Ok...now you can go check out all the amazing creations by the other design team members:

Jessica Fick

Joanne Basile

Donna Baker

Asela Hopkins

Erika Martin

Kurtis Admundson

Melanie Muenchinger

Courtney Fowler *In the Spotlight Designer

and, of course, Gina K!

See you tomorrow for another peek!

Thanks for stopping by!