Scalloped Wishes Card

Hello my friends.  I just got word that a dear friend who has cancer was just sent home from the hospital with hospice care.  It's just breaking my heart that I'm so far away and can't just pop over and sit with her a while.  I just sent out a thinking of you card, and now it's time to start making another sympathy card.  Argh.  My very least favorite type of card to make.  I thought I had enough, but you know how it is.  Somehow, I never seem to have one that's just right when needed.  But it is necessary, so let's get on with it.

It's funny that I had planned on using the new Crisp Cantaloupe 2026-2028 In Color for my next post.  And this is a color she would love, so it's what I'm using for her sympathy card when the time comes.  I told her what I was doing, and she said it would be perfect because her daughter would love it too.  Plus her funeral will be a celebration of her life, so no somber colors she said. 

I started with a card base of Basic White Thick cut at 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It's scored at 4 1/4" and folded in half.  Then a layer of Crisp Cantaloupe was cut at 5 1/4" x 4".

A layer of the Bloom Boutique Designer Series Paper (available May 5th) was cut at 5" x 3 3/4".  This paper pack is so pretty with all the touches of gold foil throughout.  So special.  This was attached to the Crisp Cantaloupe layer with "green glue" and then both were attached to the folded white card base.

First, the large scalloped oval stamp was stamped with Crisp Cantaloupe onto matching cardstock.  Then I moved to die-cutting the scalloped layers for the focal point.  The larger oval from the Scalloped Wishes die set cut the stamped piece of Crisp Cantaloupe cardstock.  Then the larger detailed scalloped oval from the set cut the lacy scallops that are shown layered onto it.  It was attached with touches of "green glue" around the inner edge.  You can see the stamped image just a bit behind the lacy layer.

Then this same die was used to cut a Basic White layer.  The inner part was used and the lacy part kept for future reference.  While die-cutting, two different leafy dies from the set were used to cut Peaceful Pine cardstock for an accent on the oval.

The sentiments in the Prayers & Promises set have been getting a real work-out around here lately.  So often they are just what I want to say.  This time it was stamped with Peaceful Pine ink on the white oval.  Then this was inserted into the lacy oval.

The two leafy stems are attached to the bottom of the oval with touches of "green glue" to hold in place.  Then the labels were attached to the center of the card front with Dimensionals.

For an accent, two lengths of Gold Twisted Thread (retired) were tied into a small bow.  The ends were slightly untwisted to give them a softer look.  Then the bow was attached over the ends of the leaves with a Mini Glue Dot to hold it.

These new 2026-2028 In Color Butterflies seemed like the perfect final touch for this card.  I might have them all used up before the catalog even starts!  Yup, I think they're great!

The inside of the card has another sentiment from the Prayers & Promises stamp set.  This is also stamped with Peaceful Pine ink.  I just love the wording of this sentiment!

Just a 1/8" strip of DSP that I had trimmed off my layer ended up gracing the inside of the card.  And that's it.  Now I can put this card aside until it's needed.

This isn't quite what I had in mind for sharing this warm and lovely new In Color, but I guess it worked out.  I think this would be a very pretty birthday card after changing the sentiment.  Give it a try if you're in the mood for a little taste of Crisp Cantaloupe.

Thanks for sharing some of your precious time with me today.  Hope you can come back for more of the new 2026-2028 In Colors in action.  Remember the new catalog with be starting May 5th so start thinking about what you want on your wish list.  Make sure you add these gorgeous new In Colors.  They are beautiful!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

One New In Color at a Time

Hello friends!  I'm so excited about the five new In Colors that are coming soon.  I couldn't have come up with anything better if they'd asked me personally to choose new colors.  Which they certainly did not!  As far as I'm concerned, they all are just yummy and will be so much fun to use.  Today's cards were made focusing on the new Hydrangea Hue color.  It's a pretty blue that leans a little towards periwinkle blue.  Plus, I used a new Online Exclusive bundle and a new May-August 2026 Catalog bundle that you might not have seen yet.  Oh my, so many goodies to choose from and it was so hard to decide what I wanted to use first.  So, you're getting a mish-mash of new, some old, embossed backgrounds, and much more with this post.  Let's get started, shall we?

Isn't this Hydrangea Hue color just gorgeous?  It's used here in ink, cardstock, ribbon, and even the tiny butterflies.  I'm almost on Hydrangea Hue overload here!  But I love it.  Let me give you a quick rundown on making this card.

Start with a Basic White cardstock base that is cut at 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored at 4 1/4" and folded in half.  Next is a layer of Hydrangea Hue that measures 5 1/4" x 4".  Then a layer of Basic White is cut at 5" x 3 3/4".  This is embossed with the Lovely Stripes Embossing Folder.  This gives such a pretty and tactile design that is very versatile.  There's only one problem I have with this embossing folder.  I have a hard time deciding which side of the embossed cardstock that I want to use!  Such a tough problem!

Did you notice the interesting die-cut labels?  They are from the Forever Florals Bundle that is a new Online Exclusive item, and it's going to be one of my favorites for all the cards I send out.  Love the sentiments (which I did not use on this card).  Anyway, the larger label was cut from the center of the Hydrangea Hue layer before the layers were added to the card base.  After die-cutting the label, the layers were attached to the card base using 'green glue'.

The smaller label was cut from Basic White.  For this card, a sentiment from the Notes of Spring set that was a Product of the Month in March was used.  As of today, it's still available.  If you haven't gotten this yet, just place a $75 order before tax and shipping and you can get this for $5 in the US.  The sentiments alone make it worth getting and the animals in the set are just adorable.

Moving on, the flower stem stamped on the label is from a new set called Forever Florals.  The leaves are stamped with the new Peaceful Pine In Color ink pad.  Gorgeous color!  The flowers were stamped on a Basic White piece with Hydrangea Hue ink then die-cut.  

The flowers were attached to the stem with touches of "green glue".  Then the labels were attached to the card front with several Dimensionals.

The design needed a few more touches.  The Hydrangea Hue ribbon was tied into a bow and added at the bottom corner of the labels.  It's attached with two Mini Glue Dots to hold it securely.  There are three of the new 2026-2028 In Color Butterflies.  These are such an adorable added touch to the design.  They come in all five In Colors plus white and two different sizes.  You can bet these will be showing up on many of my cards in the future!

While making this first card, I was cutting two of everything so I could make another card.  But I started making changes as soon as I had this one done.  Keep on reading for the next version using even more new goodies.

Here we go.  Similar with lots of changes.

First change was the embossing folder.  This time it's the Eyelet 3D embossing folder.  Love this design on the card.

Next change was turning the Forever Florals labels on its  side to be wider instead of taller.

Then check out the beautiful Lily of the Valley sentiment and image from the new bundle coming in the next catalog starting in May.  There are six sentiments in the set which will fit many needs.  And then the lovely lily of the valley images in the set.  Oh my, one of my favorite flowers ever!

The sentiment was stamped with Hydrangea Hue ink onto the label.  The flower was stamped with the new Basic Black Hybrid stamp pad onto a Basic White scrap piece.  This left a nice clear image.  I used the new Stampin' Blends in Hydrangea Hue to add a shadow on the little bells and Peaceful Pine both Light and Dark on the leaves.  Love these colors together.

Before putting the pieces together, the white label was spattered with Wink of Stella for a slight shine.  Then more Wink of Stella was brushed on each of the bells and set aside to dry thoroughly.

Thought it would be interesting to add both a strip of ribbon and a smaller strip of cardstock to the side of the card as an accent.  The ribbon is just under 4 1/2" in length and the Peaceful Pine is 3 3/4" long.  They are each attached with adhesive.

Then the labels were attached over them using Dimensionals.

The lily of the valley was die-cut with the matching die.  Then it's attached to the right edge with Mini Dimensionals.  I wish the shimmer on the card would show up better in the pics.  Guess you'll have to take my word for it that it's lovely.

The final touch to the design was adding three of the 2026-2028 In Color Dots.  I was so pleased when I saw these in person.  I can never tell how thick these embellishments are in the pictures.  These have a nice low profile, so it won't require extra postage for mailing.  That is a big plus in my book with all the cards I mail for the shut-ins at church.

Here's one last look at these cards that focused on the new favorite 2026-2028 In Color - Hydrangea Hue.  I hope you love it as much as I do.  And both of the bundles I used here - Forever Florals and Lily of the Valley - are fabulous and easy to use.  So happy with my new items for creating!  (Doing a little happy dance here!)  Next, I need to move on to another one of the new In Colors.  Did I mention that I just love them all?  I really do!

If you're one of my customers, you should be receiving a copy of the new May-August 2026 Catalog in the mail soon.  If you don't have it by the end of the month, please get in touch so I can send one out to you.  It will be interesting to see how the new catalog timeline works out.  There will be three new catalogs each year.  No big annual catalog and no mini catalogs.  Just these three mid-size catalogs - one every four months.  And don't forget the Online Exclusives.  Did you know that new items are added every couple of months?  There will be more new items coming in May.  Make sure you check it often to see if there's anything new.

Thanks for stopping in today.  Hope you're as excited by these new In Colors and stamp sets.  There will be more ideas coming soon.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Help Me Grow Card

Oh, my goodness.  I had so much fun playing with the new Help Me Grow bundle yesterday!  I hope y'all love this card as much as I do.  You know the feelings of how sometimes things just don't gel right and you can't figure out what is wrong versus when it all comes together easily and you're surprised by the outcome.  I've had both before, but I've been leaning towards the frustrating feeling a lot lately.  Things just haven't look as good as I pictured it in my mind.  But the last couple of days, I feel like I've been on a creative high.  I had no card idea in mind when I sat down to create.  Just wanted to get a feel for the new Help Me Grow set.  You know, do a little coloring on cardstock and playing around with the dies.  I didn't even get around to doing any stamping!  But let me share what I did.

This is it!  I wish you could see this in person.  The photo just doesn't do it justice but let me walk you through the process.

I started with a half piece of Basic White cardstock, a couple of Blending Brushes, and several ink colors.  I wanted some pastel leaves, so I started with blending Soft Seafoam ink over the cardstock.  There were some lighter areas and some I tried to darken as much as possible with this pale color.  Then some swirls of Pool Party were blended in.  Lastly were areas of Old Olive which were kept a little light.  Then I took the leaf cluster die from the Help Me Grow set and started cutting leaves until I had a half dozen of the multicolored leaves to use.  After cutting them, some ink was added to a few of the leaves for a little more color.

Then I moved on to the flowerpot die cut.  It's cut from Crumb Cake cardstock to start.  Using Blending Brushes and Cajun Craze ink, color was blended on with the darkest area in the left bottom corner and working out from there.  It really changes the Crumb Cake color.  It's darkened a little with Pecan Pie ink on the left side and bottom corner.

I love old clay pots with the water marks and dirt to give it character.  So, this was speckled with an Early Espresso marker.  Then with a Water Painter and Craft White Ink, splatters of white were added.  Then with the Water Painter wet with white ink & water, some was dabbed in the corner.

Next was playing around with the leaves and clay pot together.  It needed a darker contrast in among the leaves, so two of the same leaves were die-cut from Old Olive cardstock.  I also cut the trio of separate leaves from Old Olive too.  A touch of Old Olive ink was blended onto some of these leaves to darken and define them more.

Next, I moved to the flower dies.  I cut yellows, pinks, reds, lavenders, and Calypso Coral.  I ended up with a whole pile of different colors to play with.

Now it was time to figure out what the card was going to look like.  I found a 2" strip of a peach/coral print in the Painterly Pears DSP.  It made me think of creating a shabby chic look for the card.  This weathered wood piece is from the Country Woods DSP and paired up nicely with the peachy print.

A Calypso Coral piece of cardstock that measures 11" x 4 1/4" was used for the card base to contrast with the wood piece.  It's scored and folded at 5 1/2".  The wood piece is attached to the card base with adhesive.  Then the peachy print was attached down the center of the card front.

To make the blooming flower pot, adhesive was added to the backside of the pot under the slit.  This way I could place the stems inside the pot and get them placed properly.  I started with the two Old Olive stems in the back.  Then added the blended stems in the front.  A couple of the leaves were taken off the bottom of the stems and were later tucked into the design where needed.

Six of the Calypso Coral flowers were used for the design.  The centers were colored in with a Cajun Craze marker.  They were tucked into the leaves and attached with a Mini Glue Dot behind each one.  I loved the brightness of the flowers peeking out from the leaves.

At this point, the whole flower cluster and pot were attached to the card front using Dimensionals.  In a few areas, I tucked the extra leaves in with a Mini Glue Dot.  Also added a couple Mini Glue Dots behind a few leaves to hold it more securely because most of the leaves were only held by their stems in the back.

The sentiment comes from the Storybook Friends stamp set.  It just seemed to fit perfectly.  It's stamped with Early Espresso ink onto a 1/2" Basic White strip.  It's trimmed to fit and attached with Mini Dimensionals.

Final look at the Help Me Grow creation.  There's no bling at all.  Is that awful?  There is usually some sort of bling on every card I make.  But this time, I just liked it as it was.  

If you're looking for the Help Me Grow bundle, you can find it in the Online Exclusives store.  And if you're looking for a demonstrator, I'd be happy to help you.

Now I need to go back and try using the rest of the set that I didn't even try yet.  Those garden tools especially are calling to me.  This is just the perfect time of year to play with this set.  Bring a little bit of springtime inside to your cardmaking.

Hope you enjoyed hearing how I created this card and will give it a try with your own twist added.  I'm sure you'll have fun making it.  I'd love to hear what you create.  I think the possibilities are pretty endless.

Thanks for sharing your time with me today.  Hope you are inspired to get out your stamps and assorted stamping "toys" and have a good therapy session.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Charming Day in Pastels

Hey friends!  Hope your day has been filled with sunshine and warm breezes.  Talk about a perfect spring day!  You really have to get out and enjoy it a little when it's this lovely outside.  It's been so busy around here with getting cards ready for Easter for family, friends, and all the cards for the shut-ins also.  I think the last batch is now finished and ready to go in the mail tomorrow.  Whew!  That was done, but I was still in a pastel mood for my card making.  This time I wanted to work with the Lovely & Beautiful 12" x 12" Specialty Designer Series Paper.  It's so-o-o-o pretty!  Instead of choosing one of the prints to use, this time I used two of them - doubly pretty!  Are you ready to see it and maybe make a card or two for your stash?

See, isn't it just lovely?  The larger print makes a very nice background, and the Petal Pink and white print creates an interesting layer when it's embossed.  Are you ready to give this a try?

Start with a Petal Pink card base that is cut to measure 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It's scored at 4 1/4" and folded in half.  The bolder print layer measures 5 1/4" x 4".  This is attached to the Petal Pink base using adhesive.

Next the Petal Pink and white print from the pack is cut at 4" x 2 3/4".  It's embossed with the Eyelet 3D Embossing Folder to give it texture.  I did use a sanding block very lightly over the pattern so more of the white core shows through and enhances the look of the embossed pattern.

To define that layer, I added a small mat of Calypso Coral cardstock behind it.  This measures 4 1/8" x 2 7/8" and the embossed layer is adhered to it with "green glue"

A piece of Gold/White 3/8" Ribbon about 5 1/2" long was wrapped at the left side of this layer.  The ends are attached in the back.  Then the layer is attached to the center of the card base using Dimensionals.

Now it's time to create this lovely floral focal point.  The small flower and the small leaf cluster from the Charming Day set were stamped on Basic White cardstock with Old Olive ink.  

The flower was colored with Stampin' Blends.  Petal Pink Light & Dark, Calypso Coral Light, Daffodil Delight Dark, and touches of Crumb Cake in the flower center.

The leaves are a combination of Granny Apple Green Light & Dark with a few light touches of Old Olive Light added.  Then the pieces were die-cut with the matching dies.

The sentiment is from the Textured Notes stamp set.  This was stamped with Old Olive ink onto a Basic White piece.  Then the coordinating die from the set was used to die-cut the sentiment.

At this point, the sentiment was attached to the focal layer with adhesive.  The flower piece was attached with Dimensionals.  The small leaf cluster was tucked in under the flower.

For the final touch, a trio of peachy gems from the 2024-2026 In Color Shimmer Gems were added to the design.  There you have it, a simple card with lots of interest and texture that kicks it up a notch or two.  I just love the finished look of the card and think I'll make another couple cards but change the sentiments to work for birthdays and anniversaries.  They would be a great addition to my stash of finished cards.  I seem to always think I have enough cards on hand, but I never do!  I can never have too many.  Well, at least so far, I've never had too many.  You never know.  😏

Thanks for sharing some time with me today.  Did you enjoy this card?  I hope so.  It's one of my favorites lately.  I'm having fun mixing the Charming Day set with the Lovely & Beautiful DSP.  What a great combo together!  Leave a comment and let me know what you think of this idea.  Is it too pastel for you, or just right?  Maybe I should try this same layout and stamp set but use darker, richer colors and see what I get.  Just thinking...

If you're one of my customers, make sure you've opted in to receive info from Stampin'Up! so I can send you one of the new catalogs.  Yes, it's that time of year and there will be lots of changes.  There will be three catalogs during the year instead of the larger Annual Catalog and the smaller mini catalogs.  I can hardly wait to see what all the new products will be!  Like new In Colors that will be fabulous!!  And lots more fun items that will help you reach your creative potential.  Stay tuned.  But don't stop stamping while you're waiting!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Springtime Scenes Ladybug

Hello, my stamping friends!  I've taken a small break from making piles of Easter cards to play with a new bundle I recently received - Springtime Scenes.  Yes, that's what I'm playing with again.  It is really wonderful!  The stamps are pretty useful with grasses, assorted leaves, a flower, and a darling ladybug along with five interesting sentiments.  And let's not forget the awesome dies that coordinate with the images and expand the possibilities.  Like I said, it's pretty wonderful.  Today's card was designed with my great-niece in mind.  She's going through major medical issues from the aftermath of a brain tumor.  I needed something to make her smile as she faces the beginning of her chemo treatment.  So, what's not to like about sweet little ladybugs?  Don't they bring a smile to your face?  Let me tell you how I made this card.

Actually, I figured if I was making one, I might as well make two, so I'd have an extra on hand.  I didn't want it to be too in your face red, so I started with Strawberry Slush Two-Tone Cardstock for a softer reddish tone.  The piece measures 5" x 3 3/4".  It was embossed with the coordinating Ladybug Picnic 3D Embossing Folder with the darker side up.  After embossing, it was lightly sanded to enhance the ladybugs all over the design.

I haven't used the Two-Tone Cardstock too often yet.  I've just been 'getting my feet wet' so to speak just buying what colors I really love and getting a feel for possibilities to use this cardstock.  I will tell you that so far, I'm impressed with the quality of the cardstock and the fun of having more color coordination when creating a design.  I'm loving the light and dark versions of the same color.  Very helpful!

A 1" strip of the Two-Tone Strawberry Slush cardstock was cut.  Then it was cut into 5" lengths to fit across the card.  It's attached with the light side showing to give the design an anchor across the card to build the scene.

Let's get all the design pieces ready next.  The ladybugs were stamped on the leftover part of that 1" strip.  It's stamped on the dark side with Memento Tuxedo Black ink to get the outlines.  Then a Basic Black Blends was used to color in the dots and head section.  Then die-cut with the matching dies.

Next, the large leaves were stamped with Garden Green ink onto Garden Green cardstock.  Then die-cut with matching dies.  The leafy branches were die-cut from Two-Tone Old Olive cardstock.  The light side of the cardstock is what I used for contrast.

There are tiny flower dies in this set, but they seemed a little small for what I was envisioning.  Instead, several flowers were die-cut from Daffodil Delight cardstock using the flower cluster die in the Fragrant Layers Die set.  They have a lot of detail on them and are a great size to tuck in around a design for a little pop of color.

Lastly, we needed the sentiment label. This is another little bonus from the Springtime Scenes Die set.  So useful and a great size.  A label was cut from Basic White cardstock.  Then a sentiment from this same set was stamped with Secret Sea ink.

I decided to go with a Basic White Thick cardstock base for the card.  This measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and is scored in half at 4 1/4" and folded.  To frame the Strawberry Slush layer, a layer of Secret Sea cardstock was added.  This measures 5 1/8" x 3 7/8" to give it a nice thin frame.  These layers were all attached with Tombow Liquid Glue to give me a little 'wiggle time' to get the layers lined up just right.

When arranging all the elements of the design, the sentiment label, one dark green leaf, and the ladybug were all attached with Dimensionals.  The other large leaf and two leafy branches were attached with adhesive.  Each of the flowers were added with a Mini Glue Dot to hold in place.  

For a bit of sparkle, Rhinestone Basic Jewels were tucked in around the design.  These are just a nice basic embellishment to have on hand.  I was surprised how much they drew my eye around the design.

Here's a last look at this darling design.  I just love this new Springtime Scenes stamp set.  If you compare this card to my previous post, you get a good idea of how versatile this bundle can be.  And this is just the beginning.  I'm sure I'll be grabbing this set often to create something fun and beautiful.  Hope you're inspired to give this set a try soon.

Thanks for stopping by and spending a bit of your time with me.  I hope you leave a comment and let me know what you think of the card and overall design.  I love to hear your feedback!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

A Little Springtime Scenes

Happy Saturday to you.  Disclaimer first - if you're only looking for current items, visit with an open mind today.  I've used retired cardstock, ribbon, gems.  Just look at the overall picture and you can see it in lots of other colors instead.  Now on to the cards and the design.

Hope you're enjoying your weekend and maybe catching up on a few things.  I've been immersed in making sympathy cards to create a little stash because I've been going through them too fast lately.  I always find this task hard to do, especially when it's needed right then.  Since that's out of the way for a little while I hope, it was time to move on to something fun and new.  I love playing with new stamps for the first time when there are many possibilities out there, but I'm just not sure where to start.  Sometimes for my first attempt with a new set, I'll grab some cardstock from my retired stash in case I make something that is really ugly.  This time I liked the cards so much I'm sharing them with you anyway using an old favorite - Pear Pizzazz cardstock.  Remember that color?  Using it again reminded me of how much I miss it.  Anyway, these ideas will have to hold you until I get around to creating with current colors.

Since I was cutting the cardstock to measure 11" x 4 1/4", I decided to make two.  The cardstock was scored at 5 1/2" and folded in half.  I had planned on making the cards with the fold on the top but changed my mind as I went along.  

Another piece of cardstock was cut to 5 1/4" x 4" for a layer on top.  This was embossed with the Beautiful Pattern 3D Embossing Folder.  This gives the layer a very subtle texture to enhance the design.

Using the die set, I started with the circle with three leaves inside.  This cut a layer of Old Olive cardstock.  Behind this layer there is a layer of Pear Pizzazz that is cut with the circle with many leafy branches.  This totally got lost on the card base, so an open circle was cut from Basic Beige cardstock.  This tends to have a greenish tint to it when I look at it, so it seemed to be the perfect backing piece.

Before attaching these three layers together, I used a Sponge Dauber and a little bit of Old Olive ink to darken the leaves of the top layer.  Now they stood out better from the other leafy layer.  The three layers were attached together with touches of Tombow MultiPurpose Liquid Glue.  To keep the inner Basic Beige layer connected with the others, I added a few Dimensionals around the edges to catch both layers together.  

While I was doing the die-cutting, I also cut several each of the two different sizes of flower dies from Two-Tone Petal Pink and Two-Tone Pretty in Pink cardstocks.  I also cut several of the two different open-work leaf dies from Old Olive cardstock.  Now I had lots of pieces to work with to create these cards.

When putting the designs together, I started by mixing up the larger flowers with the different color centers, then spreading the pieces across the design area until I liked the look.  The circle layers are attached to the front with Dimensionals.  Then the extra leaves are tucked in underneath to peek out.  The large flower is added with a Dimensional and smaller flowers are tucked in flat around it.

The sentiments for both of these cards are from the More Messages stamp and die set that is retired.  I was just looking for skinny sentiments that wouldn't cover too much of the design, and these worked fine.

The first card made was the upper one shown with no ribbon.  I used pink gems on this because the pink seemed more dominant on the card.

The second card has a Petal Pink ribbon with copper edging added to it.  I think this made it look so much fancier and more girlie.  This time the peach gems were used to pick up the Petal Pink color more than the Pretty in Pink.

Either way, I love how these cards turned out and I'll definitely be playing with the Springtime Scenes stamp and die bundle again soon.  I love the layered look of the leaves in the circle.  Maybe next time I'll have to try each layer by itself instead of together.  We'll see.

Have you spent time perusing the new Online Exclusive items?  The Springtime Scenes bundle is one of the new items and so much fun.  If this one isn't your cup of tea, I'm sure you'll find something else that calls out to you.  Happy shopping!

Thanks for stopping in here to see what I've been creating.  Hope you were inspired to get stamping too.  Be sure to let me know what you've been creating lately.  I find it so relaxing and fulfilling to start with a stamp set and paper and end up with a card (or more!) when I'm done.  So very satisfying!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Last Chance Impressions Abloom

Hello friends!  Hope you're doing well today.  Have you got a favorite stamp set that you grab for all the time?  I do, and unfortunately, it's now on the Last Chance List.  It seemed important to me to make another card or two with this and share them with you one more time.  Do you own the Impressions Abloom set?  These florals are an easy two-step stamp and look so pretty when made.  I can't even begin to tell you how many color combos I've used for this set.  And I think they all turned out great!  So, let's take one last look at one of my favorite sets.

For this design, the Impressions Abloom set was paired up with the Lovely & Beautiful 12" x 12" Designer Series Paper.  Don't they fit together nicely?  Start the card with a Calypso Coral card base that measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  This is scored at 4 1/4" and folded in half.

There is a 2" x 5 1/2" strip of this gorgeous gold-accented DSP that is attached to the Calypso Coral card base.  To enhance the gold on the DSP, a 1/4" strip of Brushed Gold Foil was cut and added to the left of the DSP strip.  This really made the gold accents pop.

There is a gold foil circle cut with the Stylish Shapes Dies.  This is the largest of the circle dies.

The next smaller circle is used to cut a Petal Pink cardstock circle.  This is layered onto the gold foil circle and attached with adhesive.  Set aside while we make the flowers.

On a 2" strip of Basic White cardstock, stamp the larger flower detail stamp with Calypso Coral ink a couple times.  Then stamp the solid flower stamp with Petal Pink ink directly over these.  I lined the stamps up with the larger petal.

Next, stamp the 'daisy' flower detail stamp using Petal Pink ink several times.  I didn't stamp any extra color on these to keep them very light.

The flower centers were stamped with the correct size centers using Daffodil Delight ink.  The leaves are the detail stamp which I used to stamp some leaves in Old Olive, Garden Green, and Granny Apple Green.  I wasn't sure which color I'd use until putting the cards together.  I ended up using the Granny Apple Green and Garden Green leaves.  The other will be kept as extras to be used later.

Both sizes of flowers and all the leaves were die-cut with the matching dies.  This gave me a pile of flowers and leaves to play with when creating.  For one card, the largest flower was attached with a bit of adhesive just in the center, and in the other card I switched the flowers around.  The 2nd flower was attached with a Dimensional in the center.  Then an assortment of leaves were tucked in under and around the flowers.

I found a twiggy branch from another set that I die-cut some pieces in the gold foil to carry those lovely gold tones throughout the card.  Some of the branches were used whole, but some of them were cut into smaller pieces to tuck in. 

When the circles were fully decorated, they were attached to the card fronts using Dimensionals.

The sentiment is also from the Impressions Abloom stamp set.  It's stamped onto a strip of Basic White cardstock that measures 3/4" x 1 3/4".  Calypso Coral ink was used for this.  The label was attached using two of the Dimensionals.

The inside of the card has a Basic White layer of cardstock that measures 5 1/4" x 4".  There is a 3/4" by 5 1/4" strip of the same DSP print along the right edge for an accent.

With all the gold foil accents on the card, I decided to do away with any extra bling for these cards.  It just felt like it was detracting from the design instead of enhancing it.

Well, I am very sorry to see this great stamp set show up in the last chance list.  It has been used often in my stamping.  If you don't have it yet, it might be something you'd consider adding to your stash.  

Thanks for sharing some of your precious time with me.  I hope you're inspired to get in your stamp area and do a little creating today.  Remember that there are new stamps, dies, kits, and much more that will be available on March 3rd.  You'll find lots of new treasures that will coordinate and work well with some of the favorites that you already own.  Stay tuned...

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon