Thursday, August 5, 2010

August 2010 Sneak Peek Day 1: Guiding Light

Welcome to the August 2010 Release here at Wplus9 Design Studio. This month Wplus9 is 6 months old, and here at The Studio, we are celebrating with 4 new stamp sets! Not only will I be previewing our newest additions before they are released for sale on Aug. 8th...the entire Wplus9 Design Team will be joining me each day as well! And let me tell you, these ladies know how to work a stamp. It's definitely good stuff.

So let's get this party started shall we. Today, I'm excited to finally share with you "Guiding Light" and "Guiding Light Sentiments". First, I must confess, I have a secret love affair with lighthouses. There is something so serene and just a bit haunting about them. I used the infamous St. Augustine lighthouse as my inspiration when illustrating this set. I absolutely love that city and everything surrounding it, so rich with history (and hauntings).

Guiding Light is packed with images for building the perfect sophisticated, gender neutral, sympathy card. But we didn't stop there, pair the images with the "Guiding Light Sentiments" set for even more options.

Guiding Light

  • is a 6x8 clear photopolymer stamp set
  • contains 17 stamps; 2 sentiments, and 15 images
  • will be available for purchase August 8th for just $19

Guiding Light Sentiments

  • is a 4x6 clear photopolymer stamp set
  • contains 9 sentiments
  • will be available for purchase August 8th for just $10

For my first card, I thought the woodgrain background from Woodgrain Silhouettes would compliment this set perfectly.

I started by stamping the woodgrain background onto Kraft cardstock in Versamark and embossing with clear powder. Using the Spellbinders Labels 1 die, I cut a window in the center. To create my scene, I started by stamping two of the cattail images onto the bottom of a white panel. I stamped off once for some to create an illusion of depth. All around the edges I softly sponged some blue, just enough to create the hint of a sky.

This made the perfect backdrop for me to nestle in the heron image standing tall and graceful on the stump. If you've seen these birds, you know just how majestic and proud they look, so graceful and tall. All that was left was to add the sentiment from "Guiding Light Sentiments".

Lastly, I attached the white panel directly to the back of the Kraft panel and attached that to the front of my card using some foam tape.

Next up is the image that started the whole set. The beautiful lighthouse. The large lighthouse is two separate stamps; the lighthouse itself, and the stripes.

I started by stamping the lighthouse first onto cream cardstock in black ink. Then I added the stripes in deep red. To bring even more life and dimension to the image, I broke out the Copics. I love how that tower just seems to pop right off of the card.

I die cut a panel from cork using another Spellbinders label die and added some of the birds from Practicing Creativity's "Look Up" and one of the sentiments from "Guiding Light Sentiments". When stamping directly onto cork like this, if you are impatient like me, just hit it with the heat gun to speed up drying time.

For my last sample, I used just one simple starfish image from "Guiding Light" and a sentiment from "Guiding Light Sentiments".

Ah, that Thrift Shop paper from October Afternoon looks just perfect with this card. Don't you think?

Want to see more? Check out what the rest of the girls have done with these sets. But don't forget to come back and leave a comment to win!

Want to win both sets? So what do you think? How do you feel about lighthouses? Hate em, love em, don't care either way? Leave a comment by 11:59 pm EST August 5th for a chance to win both "Guiding Light" and "Guiding Light Sentiments". Winners will be posted here. Thanks so much for joining us today!

58 comments:

  1. What a fun set, I'm definitely in the "don't care either way" department with light houses, but I'm in the I love stamp department, so you never know when you might "need" one.

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  2. Lighthouses-tall majestic beautiful
    But never seen one up close, wish I could
    Love these sets, sigh, gorgeous!

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  3. I love them! I love the symbolism they are and the acutal functionality they serve, a true guiding light when things maybe very dangerous. Gorgeous samples!

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  4. Wow, Dawn - I love these!! That first card with all the rustic elements is perfect and that second card with the cork and that beautiful lighthouse is gorgeous! And the third card using this great colorcombo - fabulous! Love this set, it reminds me of our vacation on the Isle of Skye!

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  5. Clasping my hands and swirling in my chair - OH, goodness, gracious! These are WONDERFUL! Not one, nor two but THREE over-the-top-with all things craftilicious and magnificent - these are freakin' fabulous, darling Dawn! - I mean, you had me at the buttons, wood grain and silhouetted Egret... but then - CORK!?! And an O/A inspired color palette - be still my crafty heart : goodness is afoot! Bravo!

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  6. Oh, does this set make me homesick! Love it! can't wait to check out the rest of the teams creations!

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  7. Gorgeous samples! I love lighthouses, and might have a light house or 2 in my collection. I love the stripes as a separate stamp! and the sentiments look terrific!

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  8. Wow! These are so pretty! I love the heron card...it reminds me of the heron that frequents the pond at our cabin! And I love lighthouses! Very pretty set!

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  9. OH MY GOODNESS! First, I must say, your cards are just amazing, Dawn. They are all so unique, but they truly capture the versatility of these sets. (Can't wait to get my hands on them!)

    Lighthouses are so neat! I never would have thought I NEEDED a lighthouse stamp- you totally proved me wrong! I love how Courtney's stamps work perfectly with yours- two extremely talented girls, with two amazing stamp lines! :)

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  10. These are beautiful, Dawn! I do not own any lighthouse images...yet. Your card and the DT's are breath taking.

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  11. Dawn these cards are to DIE FOR! I love the way you colored that lighthouse :) You are amazing at coloring!!! Lighthouses are so awesome, I saw an awesome one in Long Beach and I would love to see one in these colors! Cant wait to see the full sets girlie!

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  12. Lovely work!!!
    Cynthia Schelzig,,,a.k.a. Cynnie

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  13. Love the lighthouses...my mother-in-law is a huge light house fan too...see cards sets in her future!!!

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  14. I love this stamp set. Its great to have a set that works for more masculine cards!

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  15. Gorgeous card samples! I really like your new stamps and can't wait to see more.

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  16. Wow. I loooove the lighthouse image and the bird and...well all of it. And your cards are beautiful. I also love the lighthouse in St. Augustine!

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  17. I LOVE lighthouses!! And I love all of your cards. This set looks gorgeous and I love the fonts you used!

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  18. Your cards are absolutely beautiful, you are so talented. I have never really had a love affair with lighthouses in particular, but the times I have seen them, they have a very soothing effect.

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  19. OMG Dawn these are INCREDIBLE!!! You ROCK GIRL!!! Love them all!!! You are getting so freaking fabulous with the copics! I need more practice for sure!!! <3 them all!!!

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  20. What a great idea---a sophisticated sympathy set. I love it! I can already tell those sentiments are going to be yummy! {Love, love, LOVE your cards!}

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  21. Wow, Dawn, you have really outdone yourself with this set, and your cards! The illustrations are really beautiful. I love lighthouses, and so do the men in my life, so this will be a perfect go-to set when making cards for them (and you can't have enough of those!).

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  22. Wow. Very pretty! You captured the beach nicely with the Guiding Light Sets. And I love that lighthouse. Looks just like the big one out in St. Augustine. And I love how you used your nestabilities to create a window in you card. I must try that sometime. Thanks for the chance to win and for your wonderful cards!!!! Love that such a talent lives in my town!!!!

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  23. Wow what a wonderful stamp set! I love lighthouses. I have never seen one in person but always thought it would be neat!

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  24. I've never been a lighthouse person, but to see what you've done with these stamps, I might just become one :). Gorgeous!

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  25. These sets look amazing and your samples are stunning!!

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  26. fabulous and beautiful!
    Love them both already! perfect for me.. wow!

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  27. Such well designed images and sentiments. I only have a few lighthouse images in my studio, but with so many family members that adore them, these sets are sure to join them.

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  28. All of these cards are just gorgeous Dawn!!!

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  29. I've never thought much about lighthouses but I'm thinking about them now...this set looks wonderful! Something different to add to the collection! Both your cards are gorgeous!

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  30. Lighthouse are very versatile depending on what other elements you use. I love the cork label. I especially like having them to use for a masculine card.

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  31. Oooh.....I love lighthouse stamps to make cards for my dad, and yours is a stunner, Dawn! Plus the sentiments you've shown are beautiful.

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  32. amazing cards and the use of the cork on the second is perfect as is the scene on the first one.

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  33. as always your cards are perfection! i love the sentiments that you have chosen for the additions set and can't wait to both sets! i guess i would have to say that i do like lighthouses because when my husband and i were on our honeymoon i fell in love with a painting of a lighthouse at an art gallery. he secretly bought it for me and had it shipped home as a surprise!

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  34. LOVE the lighthouse, love your card samples. How could anyone hate a lighthouse ;-) Thanks so much for the chance to win.

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  35. I love what I see so far, Dawn! I love the natured inspired images and your cards showcase them beautifully.

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  36. Lighthouses, nautical themes, and cattails - Love 'em all !!! Brings back childhood seashore and camp memories. Would give both sets a good home if I win ! Thanks to you and team for great sets and card ideas. Keep it up! - Norma

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  37. Wonderful images and sentiments! I love lighthouses. They remind me of Tybee and the wonderful time I had living on the island. It is such a great community. I also have a weird affinity for cattails. Great job!

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  38. I just LOVE lighthouses--and from what I can see, these look like they will be just awesome. I can picture an awful lot of awesome cards that could be made with these sets :)

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  39. Wowza, these cards rock, Dawn! I love all the subtle details on that first card.

    I like lighthouses...good for guy cards!

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  40. This set is so fabulous! I'd love to have it on hand. Looks like a good set for both genders. Calming images. Would love to add it to my small stamp collection. (I'm very new to stamping, but I am hooked!)

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  41. Awesome design! Can't wait to see the stamps!

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  42. These cards are AMAZING! You really did a great job with the color and details of your cards. I can't wait to see more.

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  43. I have a feeling I am going to LOVE this set! Its so hard to make nice masculine cards. We make cards for Operation Write Home and I think this set would be perfect for that.

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  44. I love lighthouses...always have been a favorite of mine...This is my first time here and you are wonderfully creative...I've been browsing to get my mojo going...YOU did it! thanks bunches!

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  45. Sooo awesome! I just love these!! Reminds me of where im going this weekend!! :) :) :) :) :) Such great cards!!!

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  46. Dawn, these stamps are AWESOME!!! So crispy clean and versatile. I see plenty of cards and pages with this!!!

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  47. Love the cards. Such a great job on creating gender neutral cards.
    I LOVE lighthouses as well. I so look forward to the day I can walk around and explore one.

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  48. gorgeous cards! your shading on the lighthouse is amazing!

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  49. Oh how beautiful these cards are! :)

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  50. Seriously, Dawn? I promised to take it easy with spending money on stamps, but you are making it WAAAY more difficult than I would want it to be. So you have to help me keep my promise and pick me as a winner he he. Absolutely beautiful set! I keep staring at the cards...

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  51. I love what I'm seeing so far, I can't wait to see more!

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  52. Dawn this is really pretty. I love anything sea related.

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  53. I love the way your design mind works! These are so amazingly ceative and your coloring is unbelievable!

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  54. I am so in love with that first card.....that is truly stunning!! Love the woodgrain and how you created a little "window"!

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  55. *THUD* Can you hear it? I just fell off my chair!! Lol! Ohh...I absolutely adore these cards!! Amazing! Oh btw, I got the stamps last week! I can't wait to play with them :)

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