This post originally appeared on the Stampin' Up! Corporate Blog on January 19, 2017.
Hello friends! As I was browsing through the fabulous 2017 Occasions Catalogue, one of the stamp sets that called out to me was the Beetles & Bugs. These fabulous images were bold and graphic, and they’d be great to throw in a TON of colour - my favourite!
Having a five-year-old son, bugs (and mud, and trucks...) are a big part of my life. James always goes through the new Stampin’ Up! catalogues with me and is excited to be involved in the ordering process... especially opening my orders when they arrive! This set was one of his favourites too. My little boy is my right-hand man, and he was so happy to join me to help with me with blog post.
I used him as my inspiration for my first few projects; we have recently been changing his room to be a little bit more of a “big guy” bedroom. He’s been adding posters, and we added a little reading nook for him. I recently took out the shadow box I made when he was born (sob!) and I thought a handmade bug diorama would be a great addition to his grown-up decor.
Combined with the Hardwood background stamp, making this display of (faux!) mounted bugs was so easy! Stamping the beetles was a blast; each piece lined up so perfectly and it was so quick and easy to do. The Simply Scored Scoring Tool makes mitered corners on the frame a snap, and I also used it to add a stand to the back of this framed piece so it will stand on its own. It’s a great addition to his bookcase.
Lunchbox notes are such a fun and easy way to add a bit of cheer to your child’s day. The ants in Beetles & Bugs just screamed “picnic” to me, and I wanted to make a little lunch-inspired tag with them! Paired with the Brights Designer Series Paper Stack and some food from Tasty Trucks (free during Sale-A-Bration!), these tags would be great for lunches, or you could repurpose the design for invitations to a picnic, take-home favours from a party, or a bug-themed birthday. So easy!
Speaking of birthdays - we’re going to need a card, aren’t we? This bright collage of beetles makes a great card for someone of any age.
While this stamp set immediately appealed to me because of my little dude, I know lots of girls who love bugs too. My friend (and one of my favourite in-laws!) Carolyn will be on the receiving end of this card... what’s more perfect for an entomologist?!
The beauty of an all-images stamp set is that it pairs beautifully with virtually any sentiment. I wanted something big and bold, so I used Badges & Banners and Scenic Sayings for these cards, with little touches of sentiments from Thoughtful Banners. Perfect!
While I was whipping up all of these fun projects, there was a recurring theme - my son kept sneaking into my office, crawling up into my lap, and asking if he could make some bugs too. Because I was working on a deadline, I kept having to say no - a shame, since we love to stamp together! That night, after I was finished and as I was lying in bed, I had a great idea - why not have James collaborate on a scrapbook page with me?!
Using a 12x12 Cardstock in Whisper White, I stamped a bevy of bugs in Archival Ink in Basic Black and then let him go wild with my Stampin’ Write Markers. I took a picture of him working on this page, and then used that for my layout.
Using the Good Vibes Project Life Kit, I was easy to slot in a few pre-cut cards to create this fun layout. I love the combination of his art with my journalling and photo - and involving kids in the process is such a fun way to preserve family memories.
Thank you so much for stopping by today; I really hope this post helps get the gears turning with this fabulous stamp set!
Cheers,
Shannon
