More Framed Violets Ideas

 Hello friends!  I'm so happy that July is almost here.  That means all the wonderful new items that are in the Online Exclusive store will be available to everyone!  This new grouping of online only products includes some of my very favorite new stamp and dies sets.  One especially favorite of mine is the Framed Violets bundle.  I've shared an idea or two already and today I've got two more cards to share with you.  For these two cards, I used the same stamps and dies, the same Violet Dreams Designer Series Paper, and the same layout.  The changes are all in the colors and DSP prints that I've used for the cards, so they are similar but still different enough to enjoy the looks.  Tell me which one is your favorite, and we'll see if I agree.  We'll start with the first one I made.

This card started with the pretty Violet Dreams DSP in the pale Hydrangea Hue diagonal stripe.  I thought this would make up into a sweet "girlie" card.  I cut a piece 3 7/8" x 5 1/8" to get me started.  

It needed a skinny frame of Hydrangea Hue cardstock to make it pop.  This measures 5 1/4" x 4".  From this piece, I die-cut a fancy layer from the center using the 2nd largest die in the Sweet Words & Labels Dies set.  I had already used the scalloped stamp and dies that came with the Framed Violets set, but again I wanted something just a bit fancier for this card.  After die-cutting, this layer was set aside for use later.

The striped DSP needed a little something added.  So a Stampin' Blends in Hydrangea Hue was used to spatter it a little near the top and bottom of this piece.  The DSP was then attached to the Hydrangea Hue layer with adhesive and then to the folded Basic White cardstock card base.  

I raided my stash of retired border punches to make the pretty lacy looking band across the card.  I wanted to add something quite feminine looking to the design.  This was attached with adhesive also.

Moving on to the focal point on the card, I stamped the little violet bouquet with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto a piece of Basic White cardstock.  The images were colored in with Stampin' Blends:

Flower petals - Hydrangea Hue Light & Dark

Leaves & stems - Peaceful Pine Light & Dark with touches of Color Lifter used as highlights

After coloring, the violets were die-cut using the matching dies.

Two different fern dies from the Fern & Flora bundle were used to die-cut ferns from Peaceful Pine cardstock for accent pieces.  I like how the darker color really highlights the lighter violets.

A Basic White layer to ground the pieces was cut using the 3rd largest die in the Sweet Words & Labels Dies.  This added a pretty layer with stitching details to the design.  This was attached to the Hydrangea Hue layer with adhesive.

First the two ferns were attached to the white layer using adhesive.  Then the violets were attached on top of these.  The stems have adhesive, but each of the flowers have a Mini Glue Dot behind it to give it more depth.

The focal layers were attached to the card front using Dimensionals.  Did you notice there is no sentiment?  I haven't decided how this card will be used yet, so for now there is no sentiment and the inside is bare.

To finish the design, I added a fairly large bow using two strands of white Baker's Twine.  It's still fairly subtle and doesn't demand too much attention.  This was added to the violet stems with a rolled up Mini Glue Dot to hold in place.

I debated about adding some sort of bling and I tried several that I had on hand.  I didn't think any of them really enhanced this design to any degree.  Hence, there is no added embellishment to this card.  Was that the right decision?  What would you have added?

I challenged myself to make another card with these parameters - same set, same DSP pack, same dies.  This next card really came together fast since most of my choices were already made.

The first thing I did for this card design was pick the DSP print again.  Using the darker print changed the whole feel of the card and I needed darker colors to coordinate with it.  

To match the print, the card base is Highland Heather this time.  The DSP print is attached to this using adhesive.

The same dies from the Sweet Words & Labels set were used.  The 2nd largest cut the Highland Heather cardstock and the 3rd largest cut the Basic White cardstock.  

A texture background stamp in the Framed Violets set was used to stamp Bubble Bath ink onto the center of the white layer.  You can barely see it, but I think it made a big difference.

The two layers were attached together with adhesive.  Then they were attached to the card front with Dimensionals.

Again, the violet bouquet was stamped on Basic White cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  For coloring this time, I went with Stampin' Blends again:

Flower petals - Highland Heather Light & Dark

Leaves and stems - Peaceful Pine Light & Dark

For this design, I tried to match the coloring on the DSP for the leaves.  They are quite a bit darker than in my first design even though the same color was used.  It just depends on how much of the Dark was used.

The sentiment comes from the Phrases & Frames stamp set.  The words are stamped with Gorgeous Grape ink onto a 3/4" strip of Basic White.  The ends were trimmed into flags.  The stems of the violets were attached to the back of the sentiment.  Then all of this was attached to the white layer using Dimensionals.

A retired sheer Highland Heather ribbon was selected as an accent here.  It's tied into a small bow and attached with Mini Glue Dots.

Several white Shimmering Dots were scattered onto the card for a bit of bling.  This card seemed to need just an extra bit of brightness to the design.

I totally forgot to take a photo of the inside.  Oops!  The matching anniversary sentiment from the Phrases & Frames set was stamped with Gorgeous Grape ink.  The single violet in the Framed Violets set was stamped in the bottom corner using Highland Heather ink as an accent.  

And there you have it.  I think I accomplished my goal of using pretty much all the same products and layout but still changing the look of the finished cards.  Do you like them?  And which look do you prefer - pastel or brighter?  Surprisingly, I would have to say I love the boldness of the second card which really doesn't sound like me at all.  I love them both, but for some reason the boldness of the second one just appeals to me today.  What do you think?

Either way, you can get this awesome suite of products starting July 1st.  Yay!  I think these are all really gorgeous items that you'll love using.  And with the beginning of a new month, that means a new Product of the Month will be available too.  I can't wait to see what it is and see what I can do with it.  

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you love these violets as much as I do.  They are just so simple and sweet and make me think more Victorian thoughts here.  Of course, we had a lovely crop of violets to enjoy this spring in our backyard.  (My hubby wasn't happy, but...)  I don't remember these in the yard back in Michigan, so I really enjoyed them before it got so incredibly hot.  

Oh, before I forget - I think this will be my last update on our blueberry crop.  From starting with two plus pints each picking, we're down to maybe 3/4 cup the last time I picked.  Looks like it's not worth the effort to pick anymore this season and the birds and squirrels can dine on the rest.  But we've got plenty for cobblers, muffins, and much more tucked away in the freezer that we'll enjoy all winter long.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Wild Bunch Ideas

Hello friends!  Have you gotten the Product of the Month for June yet?  I hope so, because it's just so cute.  And I'm having lots of fun creating with these darling creatures.  I haven't used all of them yet, but I've got cards showcasing three of the four to share with you today.  They are all simple cards that were fun and easy to create.  Try them out some day when you want to add a little joy to your life.  They are bound to make you smile.

Number one up is this darling Highland cow.  Or should that be a steer or bull?  Not sure, but it's so dog-gone cute.  My daughter just loves these and would be happy to raise one in her backyard.  (I think she'd have problems with zoning laws though.)  So, when I spotted this little guy, the first card made just had to be for her.

The colors for the card all revolve around the Timeless Plaid DSP that I have on hand.  My daughter loves the country look and that includes lots of plaids.  So, this was a perfect start.

The card base is Crisp Cantaloupe which blended with this plaid print very nicely.  It measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and is folded in half.

I decided to add a skinny layer of Misty Moonlight to be a sort of "denim" layer for this card.  It's sandwiched in between the card base and the plaid print.

Next, I turned to the Branching Out dies to cut layers of Basic White and Misty Moonlight for the focal piece.  The white layer has a bit of Crisp Cantaloupe ink blended on the lower half with a Blending Brush where this little creature would reside.

One of the sentiments from the set was stamped near the top with Misty Moonlight ink to match the layers.  The layers were attached together with adhesive then added to the card front with Dimensionals.  Now, on to the star of this card.

The little guy was stamped with Pecan Pie ink on a Basic White piece.  He was colored in with Stampin' Blends:

Main sections - Cinnamon Cider Light & Dark, extra shading with Pecan Pie Light & Dark

Hooves - Pecan Pie Dark

Horns and muzzle? - Ivory

A little Color Lifter was streaked through that fluffy/bushy mop of hair he has to give it more texture

Isn't he just adorable???  He's been fussy cut then added to the die-cut layers using Dimensionals.

A retired black & white checked ribbon was colored with a Crisp Cantaloupe Blends to match the card better.  It was tied into a small bow and attached to the card front with a Mini Glue Dot.  

Some peachy-colored gems were added to make this little guy sparkle just a little.  I didn't want to make him feel too girlie, you know?  Doesn't he just want to make you smile?

Up next is little cuddly Katy Koala.  Isn't she sweet?  This card is going to my sweet little great-niece who is going through chemo treatments.  Since I can't give her a hug, I'm sending Katy Koala to do it for me.

For this card, I started with a pretty layer of the Everyday Essentials Mix & Match DSP in a colorful print of pink and yellow flowers on a Misty Moonlight background.  I thought this matched up nicely with the Bubble Bath cardstock that I used as a card base.

The same Branching Out dies were used for this card too.  They just have the perfect shape for this.  The smaller piece is Basic White cardstock with the layering piece being from a retired DSP from awhile back.  The pearlized print in this plummy shade seemed to work well here.

The koala was stamped in Basic Gray ink for a good outline.  Then she was colored with Stampin' Blends:

Fur - Smoky Slate Light & Dark 

Nose - Basic Black Light

After coloring in, I went back with the Color Lifter to add highlights under the chin and inside the ears.

One of the sentiments in this set was used for the card.  It's stamped with Misty Moonlight ink right under the koala.  

Then a heart from the set was stamped under the sentiment.  It was stamped with Bubble Bath ink.  Then colored in with a Bubble Bath Blends.  An Iridescent Pearl was added to each side of the heart.  I still thought it needed just a little definition, so the edges of the white die-cut were touched with just a tiny bit of Misty Moonlight marker.  Then the layers are attached to the card base with Dimensionals.

That's it for Miss Katy Koala.  Quick and sweet.  She's already off in the mail to cheer up this sweet little girl.  And we're on to the last little wild thing!

This little penguin's name is Penny.  She loves it best when it's cold and snowy, so I dug out a retired embossing folder to give her a snowy background made with a layer of vellum.

The card base is Secret Sea cardstock measuring 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It's folded in half.  The DPS layer for this is from the Paper Medley.  I used the lighter area which reminded me of a dark wintery day.  The embossed vellum was attached over this with adhesive only in the center area which would be covered to hold in place.

The penguin was stamped onto a Basic White piece measuring 3 1/4" x 2 1/4".  It was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on the lower half of the piece.  The penquin was colored with Stampin' Blends:

Basic Black Light & Dark, Smoky Slate Light, Pumpkin Pie Dark for the beak and feet.  The ice was colored with a Water Brush and a light wash of Secret Sea ink.

Penny Penguin wanted to send lots of love, so the sentiment from this set was used.   It's stamped in Secret Sea ink.  She wanted hearts too, but the red ones just wouldn't do.  So, I talked her into some orange ones that would match her instead.  Two hearts from this set were stamped on scrap white cardstock.  I used Pumpkin Pie ink to stamp them.  They were colored in with Pumpkin Pie Light Stampin' Blends.  Then to make them shimmer, two coats of Wink of Stella were added to the hearts.  They were fussy cut then added to the card front with Mini Glue Dots.

There is a skinny layer of Secret Sea cardstock to frame up and define the layer.  This was attached to the card front with Dimensionals to finish it.

That's it for stamping with the fun Wild Bunch stamp set.  Each of these little characters were fun to create cards for and I think I'll be using them again soon.  They just make up some adorably whimsical cards that are sure to put a smile on someone's face.  Don't you need to send some of these cards out too?

These Product of the Month items are turning into some of the coolest things to get.  I love the Berry Vellum and the Eyelet Lace die.  I can't wait to see what will be coming up in July.  If you haven't gotten this month's Wild Bunch, you have a small window of time to pick this up for only $5 when your order totals $75 or more before any Reward Dollars are subtracted.  I'm betting you'll fall in love with the cute images and five sentiments in this set. Now that's a real bargain! 

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Flower Fair with Blends

Hello again.  Just got back in from picking more blueberries.  At least it's only 72 degrees and semi cloudy today so it wasn't a problem.  There were 2 1/2 pints the other day with at least another 2 1/2 pints today.  And there's many more berries still on the bushes in the process of ripening.  For our two smallish bushes I'm thrilled with the yield.  There's lots of cobbler, coffee cake and muffins in our future in the coming months.  YUM!  Okay, now that you know all about the blueberries it's time to talk about stamping.  Right?

 I've decided to put aside the Framed Violets bundle for a tiny bit and share some other things I've been playing with lately.  Today's card features the single Flowers Fair stamp that nicely covers a card front.  I'm not using the full stamp but just cut off a section about 3 1/2" tall instead to fit my card.  I love the warm look of this card with the different elements that come together to make the whole.  I wish the camera captured the colors better.  Here the card looks much darker than it looks in person.

The whole design started with the Flowers Fair stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black onto a Basic White cardstock piece approximately 5" x 5".  This was colored with Stampin' Blends:

Large flowers - Crisp Cantaloupe Light & Dark, adding touches of Cajun Craze for shading

Small flowers - Hydrangea Hue Light & Dark with Daffodil Delight Dark in the centers

Leaves and stems - Peaceful Pine Light & Dark

After coloring, this was die-cut with the second largest Perennial Postage die.  Then a layer of Cajun Craze was cut to give an accent frame around it.  The Cajun Craze cardstock measures 4 7/8" x 3 5/8".  The two layers are attached with adhesive.  A retired black and white checked ribbon was tied around the layers with a knot to the side.  I thought the checked ribbon gave it more of a relaxed country vibe.

 

The card base used this time is Crisp Cantaloupe. It measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and is folded in half.  The two layers that were just finished were added to the base using Dimensionals.

The sentiment comes from the ready-made sentiments in the Greetings For All Mix & Match Ephemera Pack.  These sentiments come either black-on-white or white-on-black which is what I used here.  The sentiment was attached over the ribbon using Dimensionals.

I really debated whether any embellishments should be added or not.  After much thought and trying just about everything I owned, absolutely nothing was added after all that fussing.  I'm happy with it just as it is.  What do you think?  Does it need something else?  If it does, what would you add to it?

I hope you're playing around with coloring some of your floral stamps with Stampin' Blends.  They work so nicely and can give you such beautiful colors when adding a little extra color for either shading or highlighting with another color.  The flowers looked a little flat before the Cajun Craze was added.  What a difference a little extra shading color can make.

Thanks for stopping in today.  Hope you're inspired to get out those stamps that need a bit of coloring and have yourself a color date.  Doesn't that sound like fun?  Wish I could join you for that!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon 

Another Framed Violets Idea

Welcome back!  I spent some time after lunch picking blueberries.  The heat is well over 90 degrees and pretty unbearable today.   Unfortunately, the blueberry bushes are out in full sunlight with not a scrap of shade in sight.  Whew it was hot and I was sweating so much my curly bangs were dripping!  Can you just imagine?  Yuck!!  So that means I gave up on picking the blueberries before they were all the ripe ones were picked.  I sure didn't want to pass out in the heat!  Guess I'll be out picking some more after dinner when the heat might drop a few degrees.  That's the plan for now.

Enough of that. Let's get back to stamping, shall we?  Yesterday I posted a pretty Highland Heather card using the very new Framed Violets bundle.  Today there is another card with this bundle that's fairly different.  One of these days I need to do a little playing with the lovely DSP that goes along with this.  Can't believe I haven't even touched it yet.  But I will soon.

This card is so striking in person with the pretty Bubble Bath cardstock matched up with black and white.  The card base is Bubble Bath cardstock that measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It's scored at 4 1/4" and folded in half.  

There is another piece of Bubble Bath that measures 5 1/4" x 4".  This is embossed with the Eyelet 3D Embossing Folder.  After embossing, a white craft ink pad was dragged across the top to highlight the pretty eyelet lace design.  The white ink really makes the design stand out nicely.

The embossed layer was attached to the card front with "green glue" to hold in place.  A strip of the black and white polka dot print from the Artisan Sketched DSP was added across the card front and attached with "green glue" also.

Next, the violet bunch was stamped on Basic White cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  Then it was colored in with Stampin'Blends:

Petals - Bubble Bath Light & Dark, Fresh Freesia Light & Dark

Centers - Daffodil Delight Dark

Leaves and Stems - retired Call Me Clover Light & Dark

After coloring, they were die-cut with the matching die.

I still love the shape of the Branching Out dies even though it is now gone.  The smaller one cut a Basic White layer, and the next size larger cut Basic Black.  The layers were attached together with adhesive, then added to the card front with Dimensionals. 

A birthday sentiment from the Banner Sayings set was stamped onto a 1/2" white strip of cardstock.  It's stamped with the Tuxedo Black ink.  Then the ends were trimmed. 

A 3/4" strip of Bubble Bath cardstock is layered behind this and the edges were trimmed.  It was attached flat near the bottom of the black and white layers.  Then the violets were attached to the die-cut layers using Dimensionals.  The Dimensionals really make the violets stand out from the card.

A few Rhinestone Basic Jewels were tucked in around the flowers to add a little sparkle.

I just wanted to show you a close-up of the pretty Adhesive-backed Blooms accents.  Aren't they darling?  They come in a pack of 30 with 10 white, 10 pink, and 10 lavender.  I love the teeny tiny rhinestone added in the center of each flower.  So pretty!  For this card, I used the soft pink ones.  There's one on each side of the card.

I've been trying to finish the inside of all my cards as I make them.  That just didn't happen with this one, so I have no finished inside to share with you.

That's it for this card.  It's sweet and simple.  I hope you love this idea and want to try it or make something similar.  I just might have mentioned how much I love the pale pink with the bold black accents.   😉

There's just a few more hours left to take advantage of the free shipping.  Don't miss out if possible.  And thank you to all who have ordered from me already.  It is so appreciated!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Framed Violets Sneak Peek

Hello fellow stampers!  Hope you're doing great and are ready to take a peek at a new stamp set and matching dies that will be available in July in the Online Exclusives section on the Stampin' Up! website.  When I saw the new Framed Violets suite, I couldn't wait to get my hands on all of it.  I started this card yesterday but didn't finish it until this afternoon.  Then I had to make another card right away of course, but that one will have to wait until tomorrow.  So, let's get creating this gorgeous card, ok?

This is it.  I've got so many family members and friends that love their purple stuff so much that I'm thrilled to have another set that begs to be drenched in purple.  The violets that grow wild in our grass here are this pretty shade of purple and were my inspiration for this card.

I started with a card base of Highland Heather cardstock that measured 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and is folded in half.

Next the oval frame was stamped onto a piece of Basic White cardstock using Highland Heather ink.  Then it was die-cut with the matching die.

On another piece of white cardstock, the sweet violet bouquet was stamped using Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  Coloring was done with Stampin'Blends:

Petals - Fresh Freesia Dark, Highland Heather Light & Dark

Flower centers - Daffodil Delight Dark

Leaves & stems - Peaceful Pine Light & Dark

Then this was also die-cut with the matching die.

The center of the stamped oval has a light blush of color added with a Blending Brush and Fresh Freesia ink.  I liked the slightly pinker color instead of just purple.  The color was kept mostly in the center of the oval leaving the edges clear.

Two Basic White cardstock layer were cut, one for the front of the card and another for the inside.  The recent "product of the month" the Eyelet Blooms die was used to die-cut one of the white layers.  I thought this would be a pretty and feminine addition to the design.

Time to put all the pieces together.  The oval die-cut was attached to the center of the card with Dimensionals.  Then the violets bunch was added to the center of the oval with Dimensionals also.  Doesn't the pinkish background showing through the stems and flowers add a nice touch?

A pretty but retired Highland Heather sheer ribbon from a while back was tied into a small bow.  Then it was added to the violet stems with a Mini Glue Dot.

Several of the new Sunset Sparkle Sequins in a white-ish iridescent color were tucked in around the design for a delicate accent.

Do you have trouble finding just the right words for the inside of your cards?  That is a huge problem for me all the time.  I was digging around in my stamp stash for inside words, and I found the perfect sentiment for this card.  Psst, don't tell anyone that it's not from Stampin'Up!  Ok?

The smaller single violet from the set was stamped in the bottom corner with Highland Heather ink as a lovely accent.  A little extra color was added to this flower with a Blender Pen and Highland Heather ink.  This same flower was stamped onto the envelope to give a hint of what is to come.

I hope you love this new stamp and die bundle as much as I do.  I know I'll be reaching for this set often.  Please come back tomorrow to see the next card I created.  It's another simple card using a few extra elements to make it special.

I want to throw in a plug here for Paper Pumpkin subscriptions.  This is just a hint of what will be coming in July.  I thought you might be interested in this one.  You can get them one month at a time, or a 3-month, 6-month, or 12-month prepaid subscriptions.  If you haven't gotten any before, they are a complete kit with card bases, all layering pieces, envelopes, adhesive and embellishments.  Totally complete and ready to sit and create.  Plus, these look really adorable!  There's even an add-on die set that coordinates with the next 3 months!  Email me at sharoncarr50@gmail.com if you have any questions about Paper Pumpkin.

Reminder!  Hope you take advantage of the free shipping on orders of over $75.  This offer is only good through the 13th, so don't delay.

Thanks for stopping by to see what's been happening here.  Since our visiting friends left yesterday, we're just getting back to normal again.  Man, it sure seems quiet without a creative friend here to bounce ideas around with.  Our styles are different, but Sue encourages me with my creating and I do the same for her.  It's surprising that we both got quite a bit done while we spent time chatting about everything under the sun!  Thanks so much for making the trip to visit us, Sue and Fio.  We loved having you here!  And we still owe you a couple of dinners!!  Anyone else ready to make a trip here for a stamping marathon??  Just let us know you're coming by so we can be ready for you.  It's always fun to create and make cards with my stamping friends!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Relaxing Waterside Fun Fold Card

Hey friends!  I hope I do justice to this post as the card went in the mail over a week ago and I'm just now getting around to posting it.  Thank goodness for pictures.  I'm hoping they will help me remember how I made this card.  I was so happy with how it turned out, and I hope my brother will like it too.  The card features the new Relaxing Waterside bundle and coordinating Waterside Retreat Designer Series Paper which is just perfect for this time of year.  Wouldn't be great to be sitting beachside enjoying the summer breezes?  Oh, yeah.

This fun fold card is a wonderful way to show off your favorite DSP prints too.  I love a card that really showcases the DSP in a fun way.  For this card, my starting point would be using the print with the two-wheeler bikes which is a fun activity for an evening at the beach.  So, let's make the card.

Start with Lost Lagoon for the card base.  This measures 5 1/2" x 7 3/4".  It's scored at 2 1/2" and 6 3/4".  Both of these score lines fold into the center of the card.

Next a piece of the DSP with the bicycles was cut at 4" x 5 1/4".  This was attached to the inner section of the 1" flap on the right side with the bicycles showing when the flap is closed.

Another piece of this same DSP was cut at 3/4" x 5 1/4".  The backside of this print has all the sea birds on it.  This was attached to the outside of the 1" flap for an accent.

Next a piece of Basic White was cut at 2 1/4" x 5 1/4".  This was embossed with the Exposed Brick Embossing Folder to give it some interest.  Then it was attached to the left side flap.

The main focal point is on a Basic White layer that measured 3" tall by 2 3/4" wide.  I used a Blending Brush and Crumb Cake ink on the bottom third of the piece and Balmy Blue blended on the upper two-thirds to mimic sand and water/sky.  This was attached to a Lost Lagoon layer that measures 3 1/4" x 3".

The Adirondak chair was stamped with Cajun Craze ink to look like a redwood chair onto a Basic White cardstock piece.  A Blender Pen was used to add a little extra ink unevenly to give it a weathered look.  The book was stamped with Lost Lagoon, and the Cup was stamped with Crumb Cake.  A Blender Pen was used here also to add color to the items.  Then all three pieces were die-cut with the matching dies.  These items were attached to the main piece using adhesive and Mini Glue Dots.

Then it was attached to the left side of the closed card.  Make sure you only get adhesive on the left part of this layer, so it doesn't keep the card closed permanently.    

The two sentiments on the card front are from the same set and were stamped with Cajun Craze ink onto Basic White.  The relax was fussy cut and attached with Mini Dimensionals.  The other was trimmed to fit and attached flat.

The inside of the card is a piece of Basic White measuring 4" x 5 1/4".  There is a strip of the same bicycle print DSP about 1/2" wide attached at the left side.  The sentiments were stamped with both Cajun Craze and Lost Lagoon inks to match the card front colors. 

You can see a little of the backside of the DSP with all the sea birds on it.  I just love this print!  Actually, all of the prints in this pack are wonderful as far as I'm concerned.

To help you visualize the finished card, here is a shot from the top of the card showing the fun fold and the DSP.  This turned out to be a great masculine card for a man that has a beach house on the ocean, didn't it?  Happy birthday baby brother!!  Can he still be called a baby brother when he's over 70?  Hmmm, I've got to think on that.

Hope you like this idea for featuring this outdoorsy DSP and the coordinating stamp set.  It gives off such a relaxing, serene feeling.  I'd like to jump right into that picture, snuggle up into the chair, pick up the book and just relax.  Wouldn't you?

Thanks for stopping in again to see what's new here.  I enjoyed this fun fold so much I've got a start on a few more cards using it.  I hope you enjoy it too.

BTW, since we are now into June, there is a new Product of the Month over at Stampin' Up!   Aren't these little critters just the cutest?  I can hardly wait for my order to get here.  Remember, when you place an order of $75 US or more, you can order these lil' guys for only $5!

If you're looking for a demonstrator, I'd be happy to work with you and answer any questions you might have.  Just contact me at sharoncarr50@gmail.com and I'll get back with you usually within 24 hours.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

CASE and Change It Card Idea

Hello friends!  Sorry I haven't been posting as often as I usually do.  Is it possible to have a sort of brain fog from anesthesia that doesn't want to go away?  That's what's been happening around here and it's frustrating to say the least.  I feel like I'm losing control here!  Okay, that's enough whining for today.  I saw a card idea that Patty Bennett shared on her blog, Patty Stamps, that was posted a month or two ago.  It was very pretty all done up in beige and the very soft Cloud Cover.  I love pastels and light neutrals, so this was something I really needed to try.  Of course, I also needed to make a few changes along the way to make it more mine.

Isn't this pretty?  Very soft and soothing in my opinion.  I started with this interesting floral print from the Beautiful Gallery 6" x 6" DSP pack.  First a strip of DSP was cut from the bottom that measured 1 3/4" x 6".  This was set aside to use another time.  The resulting piece was cut in half lengthwise to make two pieces that each measured 3" x 4 1/4".

The next step was to layer the DSP onto a Basic Beige cardstock piece that measured 3 1/4" x 4 1/2".  After attaching these together with adhesive, a 1" x 3 1/4" strip of Cloud Cover was attached about 2/3 of the way down from the top.

Next a piece of Cloud Cover Ribbon about 11" long was cut.  This was tied into a knot around the layers and centered over the Cloud Cover strip.  The sheen of the ribbon looked so pretty on the card.

The next step was to cut a card base from Cloud Cover cardstock.  This measured 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It was scored at 4 1/4" and folded in half.  The layers that were already finished were then attached to the center of the card base using Dimensionals.

I thought the Boutique Blossoms flowers would look pretty with the DSP print.  I stamped the smaller outline flower with Cloud Cover ink onto a Basic White cardstock piece.  Then the two-step part of the flower stamp was also inked with Cloud Cover ink and stamped inside the outline.  I love how softly this 2nd one stamps, because it is not a truly solid stamp.  I also did the same with the stamp with two flower buds.  The little leaf on this was stamped with Mossy Meadow ink that was lightly off-stamped.  Both the flower and buds were die-cut with matching dies.  Then some larger leaves were just die-cut from Mossy Meadow Cardstock - no stamping involved.

The flower was flipped over and the leaves were attached with adhesive to stay where I wanted them.  Then this was attached to the card front with Dimensionals.  The flower buds were tucked in under the flower and attached with Mini Dimensionals under the two buds.  Space was left for the sentiment to tuck in.

The sentiment is from the Banner Sayings stamp set.  First the Triple Banner Punch was used to punch three Basic White banners.  I chose to use the one with a single pointed end.  The sentiment was stamped onto this with Mossy Meadow ink.  Then the pointed end was tucked in under the flower and partially under the ribbon and held in place with Mini Dimensionals.

There were 3 of the Moody Palette Glossy Dots in the Cloud Cover color tucked around the design for a subtle accent.

For the inside, a piece of Basic White was cut to measure 5 1/4" x 4".  On this one of the sentiments from Forever Florals was stamped inside the card using Mossy Meadow ink.

I had made some extra of the flower buds and added one at the bottom of the insert.  Then it was attached inside the card with adhesive.

The Banner Sayings and Boutique Blossoms stamp sets are in the new catalog.  

The Forever Florals stamp set, the Beautiful Gallery DSP, and the Moody Palette Glossy Dots are all found in the Online Exclusives.

Amazing!  I actually made something with all the products still current and not on back-order either!  Hooray.

Well, I hope I gave you all the information needed to make this card and that it all makes sense.  Thanks for stopping in to see what's new.  Thanks to Patty Bennett for her lovely design that I could play around with and make changes here and there to make it more mine.  It's so much fun to find an idea that is inspiring and then adding your own tweaks.  That's what I hope to provide for you.  An idea that you can see yourself starting with and changing colors, stamps, cardstock, or whatever.   Then use what you already own to create your own design.  Oh, I just love this creative process!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon