CZ Design

Sunny Days Ahead with Simon Says Stamp (a blog hop!)

Sunny Days Ahead with Simon Says Stamp (a blog hop!)

It’s blog hop day for the brand new Sunny Days Ahead release at Simon Says Stamp. I’m so happy to join in the creative fun today!

I have two card project to share featuring a fun technique—dry embossing using a stencil!

I love the subtle texture it adds to any piece of cardstock or patterned paper. Here is my video showing you how I created these simple cards:

And now onto the blog hop details!

BLOG HOP SPECIAL: If you shop between now and April 26 you’ll receive a Simon Says Stamp Intense Black ink pad for free while supplies last. Don’t forget to include the code seen in the graphic above at check out.

WIN A $25 GIFT CARD TO THE SIMON SHOP! We are choosing one winner from each blog along the stop! The more blogs you leave comments on, the more chances you have to win. Winners will be chose ver the weekend and posted on the Simon Says Stamp blog on Wednesday, the 29th of April. Winners must contact Simon to claim their gift card.

HOP DETAILS: This is a 2-day hop and here are the Day 1 participants!

Simon Says Stamp Blog   

Jennifer McGuire

Kristina Werner

Cathy Zielske—You are here!

Nina-Marie Trapani

Nichol Spohr

Lisa Addesa

Heather Ruwe

Suzy Plantamura

Kathy Racoosin

Barb Engler

Cheiron Brandon

Lea Lawson

Betty Wright

Bobbi Lemanski

Lin Brandyberry

Thanks so much for stopping by!

SUPPLIES:

Affiliate links are used in this post and below at no additional cost to you. I receive a small percent of compensation when you click through and shop using the provided links. This helps me to continue building my YouTube channel and my small business. Thank you!


Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. ava gavloski says

    Thanks for a great video. You have inspired me to try the stencil embossing ….

  3. Michelle Erickson says

    What a great idea to use a stencil to create an embossed background ❤️ I have graduation on the brain as well! My heart goes out to them!!

  5. Joanne M Hoffmann says

    What a sweet card and can be designed as feminine or masculine by switching out card stock colors or using school colors!! Love it!

  7. Wanda S Radler says

    These are beautiful cards and a nice release. It is too bad that because of the pandemic a lot of our seniors will not get to have their special celebrations.

  11. Nina Houghton says

    Oh gosh, I love this card! And I was so happy to have a video. Thank you so much.

  14. Miesje says

    I love these – I always forget about using the dry embossing technique! I really love the graduation sets, especially since I have 2 granddaughters graduating this year. Hey Cathy, I have 6 sons and 6 daughters-in-law – next time you design sentiment strips or stamps could you include some with -in-law or daughter in my heart mothers day or birthday or love. You know what I mean.

    • Elle Bee says

      I love the way you used that cool new congrats die with rainbow paper as the shadow!!!!!! Brilliant!!! Also that cap die is super cute!

  16. Rita DeCook says

    Love this technique of using stencils to emboss. Will be giving it a try, as I have oodles of stencils.

  17. Denise Mlady says

    Love this large Congrats die! Both cards are fun, love the patterned backgrounds. Great way to use some patterned paper.

  21. Teri S. says

    Great Release! I really like your cards, especially the one with the grad hats stencil used to dry emboss. I have a grandson graduating in June & then 8 more to follow. This is a well timed release for me at least. Thanks for the good video Cathy.

  22. Shraddha says

    So fun! Love your clean and simple style – you’ve quickly become one of my favorite designers!

  25. barbara lassiter says

    These are all really cute and probably what you had in mind when you created this set. Love your clean and simple style!

  30. DEBBIE McDaniel says

    Love, love your cards and these grad cards along with some from another of your posts are just beautiful and seem so easy to make!
    Thanks.

  34. Cathy B says

    I don’t have any grads to make cards for this year, but I learned some new tricks and techniques to try on all the encouragement cards I am making. God bless!

  37. Susan Carlson says

    Really enjoy these cards – rainbow at an angle, Dey embossing stencils, clean designs (borders!) – appreciate you sharing your creativity! Thanks!

  41. Barbara Matthews says

    These cards are beautiful, thanks for the inspiration. I have used the dry emboss technique before but not for a while. It’s nice to revisit older techniques.

  42. Susan says

    Great Cards! My son graduates this year with his Masters and these would be great cards for him.

  43. Susan N says

    I never thought I could use my “flimsy” stencil for embossing. I’ll have to see what I can do with my Big Shot. Thanks for the video!

  44. Jennifer Dahlgren says

    Ok, so I just learned 3 new techniques I want to try from this video! Both cards are awesome! Thank you for your ideas and inspiration!

  48. Mel H says

    Great card CZ. Perfect for the poor seniors who are struggling with no big graduation events.

  49. Jennifer Langer says

    So very pretty and cheerful (quite necessary right now…). Thank you for the inspiration!

    • Elle Bee says

      I love the way you used that cool new congrats die with rainbow paper as the shadow!!!!!! Brilliant!!! Also that cap die is super cute!

  51. Sheri Kempke says

    Great cards and great designs as always Cathy! Hats off to SSS for another great release!

  52. La Rae Prentice says

    It’s always great to find additional ways to use our existing tools. Thank you for the dry embossing suggestion.

  53. Carol Wortman says

    Cheers to the grads!! I dont have a family person this year but they are in my prayers who will have a different memory of theirs! Great cards! Please stay healthy and safe!

  59. Susan Babcock says

    So fun! I love the subtle background interest. Your cards are always so cheerful, thanks for sharing them.

  60. Karen M says

    That rainbow “congrats” is nice and colorful! And the dry embossing is a great extra touch.

  61. Rita says

    Awesome tip! I’m loving stencils nowadays and now I have one more way to use them! Thanks!

  63. Barbara Martin says

    Your cards and designs are so classic and wonderful! I enjoy your YouTube videos as well!

  65. Tamala Priebe says

    Great video. I sometimes forget you can emboss with stencils, thanks for the reminder!! Love your cards, anxiously awaiting my orders from SSS.

  66. Lindar C says

    I feel for the graduates this year, but it’s better to stay safe. Wonderful cards, love all your new designs and this release.

  71. Cynthia Baldwin says

    I love these cards and the products to make them with! I have a high school senior, my youngest. She and her friends have been going through a lot of uncertainty. We’re not yet sure if they’ll have a grad ceremony at the end of May or the alternate date in July. So I’ll be making lots of cards to celebrate these awesome kids.

  73. Hanh says

    THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Thank you for coming out with more of your word dies! Your stamp sets are amazing too but your word dies have my ♥️!!! I honestly think my heart skips a beat each time that I see them! Please continue to make more … LOTS more! I LOVE your clean and simple style and the beautiful typewriter font! Love these two cards that you’ve created … just beautiful! ?

  75. Cathy Thomas says

    So fun to see all this great inspiration. Love your technique you brought to us today!

  77. Cyndi Morris says

    Love these fun cards. I don’t have any graduations coming up this year, but I almost wish I did — these are wonderful. I always love your designs, especially your beautiful sentiments!

  80. Sue Smith says

    Very cheerful congrats card. I love learning new techniques so thanks for the super video.

  81. Sue Smith says

    Love the bright background strips on your card. Thanks for some new ideas I learned from your video.

  87. PHYLLIS FREESE says

    I’m anxious to use my stencils to emboss after seeing this video. Your graduation cards are great. I love the striped pattern paper behind the large letters to make a statement.

  88. Tami B says

    Great cards! I love the idea of using the stencil for embossing, and I LOVE your designs.

  90. Karen Hale says

    Great card for those grads out there. Also inspired me to try dry embossing with my stencils. What a clever background technique.

  92. Janet Durbin says

    Thanks for this great video, and this wonderful technique! I’ll have to try this soon!

    • Denise Ward says

      It is really hard to decide which design I like better: they are both simply fantastic! Graduation cards can be tough to make. However, the things in this release just made it a whole lot easier to find the right images and sentiments for anyone on your list!! CZ Designs and SSS are a great partnership!!

  97. Lina Pena says

    I like the dry embossing using the stencil. What a fun idea. Your cards are pretty too

  102. Marta G says

    How pretty this stencil looks with the dry embossing technique. Your clean and simple style in these cards is absolutely beautiful!

  106. Robin Burgeson says

    I love that you used a variety of techniques. Even though official graduations have been cancelled, those young people are still going to graduate and will love a card

  110. Claudia K Anderson says

    Love these cards! I just learned about stencil embossing last week and am looking forward to trying it!

  111. Teri Terrific says

    Great idea dry embossing the Grad Caps stencil on the background, especially on the patterned paper! I forget how subtle yet impactful that can be. I’m so delighted with your designs, thank you.

  113. Hillary Wendell says

    I’ve seen the dry embossing technique several times and always forget about it when I take my stencils out. Time to try it myself! Love the colorful shadow!

  115. Vivienne says

    Love the embossed grad hats. The grads do need special congrats as it’s a tough way to finish missing so much of their last year.

  119. Denise Bryant says

    Awesome cards! The congrats card is so pretty with the rainbow colors! Enjoying the hop and all the inspiration!

  120. Debby Green says

    Great grad cards! My son is/was graduating this year. Still not sure if there will be a ceremony. Kind of sad since he is my “baby”.

  121. Helen F says

    Great cards, Cathy! I love the super effects from dry embossing the backgrounds! Thanks so much for the inspiration! Stay safe! 🙂

  122. Bev (Beverley) Page says

    Hi there Cathy. Love your cards but am totally in love with all your beautifully simple clean line word dies. So beautiful – so easy to read – would have them all if I had the money. Also, for those of us who don’t say mOm, thank you so much for making a MUM die, also a MAMA die! Wonderful! Love your work – love your designs. Hope you and yours keep safe and well in these difficult times. Regards, Bev from Sydney Australia.

  126. Judy Inukai says

    Great cards. Thanks for showing how to emboss using stencils. I’d forgotten I could do that and it’s definitely something I want to try now that I’m expanding my stencil collection. Your dies are awesome.

  132. Shawn Bartolacci says

    These cards are absolutely beautiful and look very easy to do. I am always looking for new ideas for grad cards and these are wonderful. Thanks Cathy!

  135. Mary Holshouser says

    Wonderful cards. So sorry the
    graduates may not get to go through
    the ceremony – still need the cards
    to congratulate them. thanks for
    sharing. txmlhl(at)yahoo(dot)com

  137. Ana Korban says

    Your cards are always so clean but colorful. I love your style and these cards are beautiful!

  140. Sam Burnett says

    Great cards – super idea to use the stencil to emboss and it really does look so good! TFS!

  141. Kimee Moore says

    I LOVE the dry embossing! So simple, yet it relly makes a “normal” card great!! Thanks for the ideas!!

  145. Sherry Sellers says

    Cathy these are great! I loved how you used the stencil! Your cards are both cute as well as having a simplistic and modern feel!

  147. Vicki Rogers says

    Love the graduation cards. The poor 2020 seniors. A card might make them feel better.

  150. DebbieC says

    Great cards today. I have not tried using my stencils for embossing as I thought they would be to light and flimsy but I will be giving it a try now that you have showed us how well it works.

  152. karenajo says

    Really love the dry embossing on the background – it adds so much and a great way to get more use out of your stencils! Great cards – thanks for sharing!

  155. Cate says

    Love the embossing with your stencil idea, it makes for a wonderful background on your second card. I also like the rainbow paper on the diagonal behind the sentiment on the first card.

  157. Colleen H. says

    Love the idea of using patterned paper for the shadow layer! Why do I never think to do this and always default to solid back or white? Thanks for helping me break a creative rut I didn’t know I was in. 😉

  158. Kathy R says

    Great graduation cards! I hope those that are graduating this year actually are able to attend a ceremony and all stay safe.

  159. Hildy says

    I tend to go over the top and add too much, I love to see clean and simple cards. CAS cards are the hardest for me to make. These are great! Who doesn’t love a rainbow???

  163. Dhruvika says

    Beautiful cards and great to have a video tutorial.. The embossing on the second cards looks great.

  170. Sheila Bacon says

    I really appreciate the incorporation of stencils as I have a large collection of them. I also enjoyed your video and being inspired by your creativity.

  174. Kay Furnish says

    I love your cards! I usually do a 1/8″ border of the card base, but I really liked that 1/4″ size. That “Congrats” card is my fave, but they both turned out great! Thanks, too, for the tips on using our stencils for embossing! What a great way to stretch our supplies.

  175. Dorothy A says

    Thanks for the inspiration! These cards are great for the graduate, and a change of color for male or female, would be so easy!

  183. Annette Reed says

    Fantastic cards! I love the rainbow behind the congrats. Your purple card
    Looks fabulous with the stenciled background and I like the sentiments

  184. Donna Kalinowsky says

    Lovely cards! Don’t have anyone graduating this year but the card you made would be perfect for any graduate.