June/July 2012 Release Day 1

It's Release Week! For those of you that are new to Wplus9, we will spend the next couple of days getting up close and personal with the products that we will be releasing this month. All previewed items will be available for purchase on June 5th at www.wplus9.com.

This month we will be introducing 3 new stamp sets and 5 new dies! And, the cherry on top? We have the insanely talented Cherry Nelson joining us as a Guest Designer. You are definitely in for a treat!

With Summer knocking at our doors here in the US, I hope that you will find this release to be a wonderful way to welcome it. Today we are starting with a HOT trend, berries. We have a super sweet set packed with not just strawberries, but raspberries/blackberries and blueberries too! We don't discriminate. And, we have 2 coordinating dies to accompany it. Ready? Let's get started with the introductions then!

Fresh Picked

• is a 6x8 clear photopolymer stamp set
• 22 high quality photo-polymer stamps; 1 frame image, 12 berry building images in two sizes, and 9 sentiments
• will be available for purchase June 5th for $21

Fresh Picked Companion Dies

• coordinates with the Fresh Picked stamp set
• four separate dies wired together that can be easily snipped and separated
• will be available for purchase June 5th for $8

Label Layers 5 Die

• coordinates with the Fresh Picked stamp set
• will be available for purchase June 5th for $9

For my first card I wanted to showcase the large raspberries in the set. I just LOVE these little gems. The base and stem are separate, and super easy to line up. I find that the best way is to stamp the berry first and then add the stem.

The Fresh Picked Companion Dies make layering the leaves and berries so easy! I used the frame from Fresh Picked along with the Label Layers 5 Die as a base for my little berry cluster. Label Layers 5 may just be my new favorite frame ever! It's gorgeous when paired with the matching stamp, as well as on it's own.

For my sentiments, I added the "Sweet of you" and "Thanks so berry much" sentiments, both included in Fresh Picked. A little extra embellishment using the Folk Art Florals Die adds the finishing touches.

For my next card, I wanted to go with a bit more vibrant and rich color scheme. I started with our Oatmeal cardstock and used both sizes of the berries and both the single and cluster of leaves to create a background pattern

This time I chose to create a blackberry. The raspberry and blackberry are similar enough in shape to use one image for both. Here, I inked it first in Not Quite Navy ink (Stampin' Up!), and then rolled the edges in black. I just love the depth this added.

My sentiment "Sweet birthday wishes", was stamped onto our 1.75" circle and matted with the doily circle, both from our Circle Stackers 1 Die. I added another die cut strawberry with leaves as an accent to complete this card.

Next, I wanted to show you how well the large sentiments in Fresh Picked fit into some of our other Label Layers dies.

I die cut and stamped a label using Label Layers 4 Die and Label Layers 4 stamp set, and added the "Berry Best Wishes" sentiment included in Fresh Picked. Add some October Afternoon patterned paper, stitching, and more die cut strawberry embellishments to a card base in White, and I call this one done.

My final card today, showcases the sentiment with the set's namesake. "Fresh picked birthday wishes just for you!" I love this sentiment. It's punny, but not overly punny. Just my kind of punny. (pun intended)

I used a similar color scheme as my earlier card, except I swapped the blackberries out for raspberries, and incorporated the blue by way of blueberries. I love how versatile this set is. You don't get stuck in one genre. The illustrations are classic enough that the set can be used in clean and simple styles as well as taken super shabby-chic.

That sums it up for me today. But don't forget to stop by the Design Team's blogs. They all have a little something to share with you, and I've had the pleasure of sneaking a peek at some of them. Let me just say, WOW!

• Elise Durenberger
• Cristina Kowalczyk
• Jinny Newlin
• Kerrianne Gwin
• Lea Lawson
• Savitri Wilder
• Jean Martin
• And our Guest Designer Cherry Nelson

So, do you have room in your stash for these sweet little berries? Would you like to win Fresh Picked, the Fresh Picked Companion Die, and the Label Layers 5 Die? Just leave me a comment by 9:00 AM EST June 2nd to enter. I will select one random winner from all comments. Winners will be posted here.