All About Shapes and Textures

Yesterday I sat down to create with the goal in mind of focusing on different shapes and textures.  That was my plan, and I'm happy to say I think this card fits the plan.  I still had the Earthen Elegance DSP sitting out and in the package was a left-over die-cut circle from one of the prints.  That piece looked like a great place to start building this card.  Let me show you the finished card.  Then let's see if you agree with me.

You can see the circle with the masculine, geometric style print from the Earthen Elegance DSP.  This was cut with the largest circle from the Stylish Shapes die set.  It was the beginning idea that everything else grew from.  

I liked another print from the Earthen Elegance DSP that looks like "stitching" and dots on wet clay.  This piece measured 5 1/4" x 4".  I ripped it about in half so the rest could be used on some other project.  I like that the ripped edge is uneven and shows the white inside core of the DSP.  This piece gave me both visual and actual texture.  

The DSP is layered onto a piece of Pretty Peacock cardstock that measures 5 1/4" x 4".  It's attached with adhesive.  Then this is all layered onto a piece of Gray Granite cardstock measuring 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" that is scored with a side fold.

There was a 5/8" wide strip that is cut from the white textured DSP that was ripped.  The backside is a mottled mix of Lost Lagoon and Pretty Peacock.  This was attached to the card front about 1 1/4" from the bottom edge.  The die-cut circle we started with was also attached flat about 1" from the bottom.  So now we have two different rectangle shapes that are attached both vertically and horizontally and a circle to add to our shapes category.

I love the fan leaf die in the Earthen Textures die set.  First, I cut one in Pretty Peacock and one in Gray Granite.  For the third one, I tried Basic White, Very Vanilla, Smoky Slate, and Lost Lagoon cardstocks and really didn't care for any of them, but it still needed another one of "something" in there.  Then I thought of Vellum!  Perfect, it added volume and balance, but didn't really add another color that didn't quite fit.  

The vase or jug was stamped in Lost Lagoon ink and stamped onto the same color cardstock.  The top part was just cut from Gray Granite.  After die-cutting both pieces, I used a little Gray Granite ink with a Blending Brush to add color and shape to the side edges.  Just a smidgeon of Gray Granite was also added to the center and outer edges of the Gray Granite fan leaf.

Next, each of the leaves were arranged on the circle and attached - two with touches of "green glue" and the Gray Granite one with a Dimensional just under the center part to give it more distinction.  The vase was attached over the stems using Dimensionals.

The sentiment is from the Lasting Joy set.  It's stamped on Basic White with Pretty Peacock ink.  The left edge is angled cut for another shape.  It's attached flat to the vase but with a Dimensional along the right edge.

I was trying to figure out if (or what) extra bling should be added.  Nothing too glitzy, and something that would subtly match.  The Flat Adhesive-backed Pearls just made me happy when I tried them.  There is an iridescent sheen in greens and blues that compliments the card nicely.

The last, but not least, bit on the card is the inside.  The sentiment comes from the Textured Floral set and I just love these words.  They're stamped in Pretty Peacock ink to match the rest.

And of course, there's always a skinny strip of cardstock to match and bring the color inside the card.  This is a 1/4" strip of Pretty Peacock to finish it all nicely.  I'm a big fan of using up all your little bits and pieces of leftover treasures.  Sometimes those little bits are the perfect accent.

So, did I accomplish what I set out to do?  Use lots of different texture and shapes to make the card?  I hope you like the idea and try your own card focusing on shapes and textures.  Thanks for sharing some of your precious time with me today.  I think of all of you as I make my cards and try to share ideas that you might be interested in trying out yourself.

Happy stamping and creating!

Sharon

Fun to Make Easel Cards

Hello there!  Hope you're having a fabulous day.  It's way too hot to spend the day outside, so of course there is some stamping going on around here.  It's nice and cool in the stamp room so it's a good place to hide out when it's so hot.  I made an easel card for Heather's birthday this month and enjoyed making it so much I went ahead and made a couple more.  I'll show you my latest creation and then share the other two with you to give you lots of ideas.  Come along and stamp with me!

Here is this morning's version.  I just love all the different prints in the Earthen Elegance DSP and this one hasn't been used yet, so it's a good place to start.  The main colors that stand out to me on this piece are Pretty Peacock and Moody Mauve, so that's the beginning.  A card base of Moody Mauve was chosen.  It measures 11" x 4 1/4" and is scored at 2 3/4" x 5 1/2".  This extra score line gives us the fun fold.  

A layer of Pretty Peacock was cut at 5 1/4" x 4".  Then a layer of the Earthen Elegance DSP was cut to measure 5" x 3 3/4".  The DSP is attached to the peacock cardstock with adhesive.  This will be attached to the bottom half of the card base only.  The easiest way to do this is to add 'green glue' to the bottom half of the card base making sure the glue is about 1/2" from the edges, then attach the layers to this lining them up nicely.

An 8 1/2" piece of the Moody Mauve Textured Ribbon was attached around this just under the score line so it doesn't impede the fold.  Make sure the two open ends of the ribbon are attached to the front center of the card, so they remain hidden after the focal images are added.

The Textured Floral Bundle (page 65) was used to make the floral images.  The large rose was stamped on an old, retired cardstock we used to carry called Naturals.  This is probably at least 10 years ago, but I still have some left and I loved the background color of the DSP with this.  So sorry!  If I didn't have this, I would have used Basic White.  Anyway, the Rose and medium flowers were stamped with Moody Mauve ink.  The extra stamens were stamped with Early Espresso ink.  The set of leaves were stamped with Pretty Peacock ink.  Then all stamped pieces were die-cut with the matching die set.  The small stems with either tiny leaves or berries was cut from Early Espresso cardstock.  The stem was cut into smaller pieces that were tucked in around the flowers.

Crumb Cake cardstock was die-cut with an oval die.  I'm sorry I can't remember which die it was because the piece has been sitting in my scrap extras cardstock pile for a while.  Just use a size and shape that you're comfortable with here.  The sentiment is from the Textured Florals set and is stamped with Early Espresso ink.  The oval and some of the flowers were attached flat to the card front.  The rose and leaves were attached with Dimensionals.  

The inside of the card has a layer of Basic White that measures 5 1/4" x 4".  It's attached with adhesive.  Another sentiment from the set is stamped at the bottom of the piece using Pretty Peacock ink.

The piece that holds the card in place to display is a 4" x 1 1/4" piece of Pretty Peacock cardstock.  A 4" x 1" layer of the same DSP that was used on the card front was attached to this using adhesive.  They were next attached inside the card with Dimensionals.  It's up about 1 1/4" from the bottom of the white layer to hold the front upright when opened.

Three of the Tinsel Gems Four-Pack were used on the card front as an accent.  Two more were added inside the card on either side of the sentiment.  The color listed for these gems is Berry Burst, but I liked how they matched nicely with the Moody Mauve on this card.  

Now I have another two cards to share using the same fun fold measurements.  It's so easy and fun to make, but it's a slightly different card to share with family and friends.

Same idea using Basic White and Pretty Peacock cardstock.  The Layering Leaves set and die bundle was used with this card.  A small bit of the Masterfully Made DSP was used here on the front and inside the card too.  The same gems were used on this card also.  The ribbon is the Lost Lagoon 1/4" ribbon that seemed to go well with the card.

On this card, a Berry Burst marker was used to add a speckled background on the white.  This little touch added so much to the look of the finished card.

Both sentiments on this card are from the Layering Leaves set.  They're both stamped in Pretty Peacock ink.

There's plenty of room on the inside of the card to write your own sentiments too.  And it's all covered unless you fully open the card.

The Trucking Along set was used here.  This is an Online Exclusive item and as I write this the stamp set is available, but the punch is on backorder.  It's so easy to fussy cut the truck it shouldn't hold you back. The Parakeet Party DSP is from the previous catalog.  The sentiment is die-cut using the Wanted to Say die set.  The bow was also from that die set.  The gems used are Real Red Rhinestones.

I know this is a weird card for my daughter, but she's always wanted her grandpa's old red Ford truck so this was as close as I could get.  She did get a "girlie" card from me also, so don't worry about that!

Ok, are you all stamped out?  That's all the pictures I've got to share with you today.  Give this fun fold a try.  It's so simple, but it really is fun and gives the recipient something special.

Bonus Days are still going on for a few more days.  It ends on July 31st.  But you can redeem those Bonus Days coupons all during August.  Don't forget to redeem them!  I've had people forget all about them and then it was too late.  Don't let that be you!!!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Layering Leaves in Blues

Hello friend!  It's been a while since my last post, and I apologize for that.  Seems like I've been running into the problem of supply issues.  I really hate to post a card when I know the major items are on backorder and will be for a while.  There's almost nothing more frustrating than wanting to order a stamp set and you can't get it for another couple of weeks or longer.  I know because there are some items I'm waiting for myself.  So today, I sat down to make a card and decided to use the Layering Leaves set (page 96).  As far as I know they are available.  It's one of those few sets that do not have a coordinating die set, but there is a punch (page 148) that works.  So that's where we're going today.

Like I mentioned, I was thinking of going for a blue card to match the weather - kind of blue-gray and sprinkling.  You know what kind of day I mean.  The base of the card starts with Night of Navy.  Always a good choice when working with blues.  It is cut at 11" x 4 1/4", scored at 5 1/2" and folded in half.  The first layer on this is Boho Blue to get those grayish tones in from the weather.  It measures 5 1/8" x 3 7/8".  If you hate to do the eighth inch cuts, you can make it 5 1/4" x 4".  This will give you a smaller navy border, but a larger Boho Blue border.  Your choice.  The next layer is one of the Countryside Inn Designer Series Paper prints.  I love this floral with the solid and open-work flowers and leaves throughout the pattern.  This is cut at 5" x 3 3/4".  It's attached to the Boho Blue layer with adhesive.  Then attached flat to the card base with adhesive.

The focal point is all attached to a Basic White cardstock piece that measures, 4 1/8" x 2 3/4".  It's backed with a piece of Night of Navy that is 4 1/4" x 2 7/8".  Before attaching together, let's do a little stamping.

The Layering Leaves are used here.  The more open leaf set is stamped twice on Boho Blue cardstock with Night of Navy ink.  Check how the coordinating punch will work before stamping the leaves on the cardstock so as not to waste lots of cardstock.

On the Basic White layer, stamp the veined leaf set with Night of Navy ink.  I stamped it close to center about 1/2" down from the top.  Then stamped the fill-in stamp with Night of Navy ink that had been off-stamped.  This makes it a little darker than the Boho Blue leaves.  

There are also two of the little buds punched from the More Dazzle Specialty Paper (page 127).  These will add a pop of interest because of their sequin-like sparkle.   

Lastly the sentiment was stamped on Basic White with the Night of Navy ink to match.  I chose 'hello' from the Layering Leaves set.  Good number of general sentiments that can be used every day.  The sentiment was die-cut with the Stylish Shapes die set.

Now it's time to put it all together. I added adhesive behind the sentiment, then started attaching the stems to it.  When I had them positioned the way I liked, I ran two strips of Adhesive Strips to the top and bottom of the label.  These hold all the stems in place and give it height when it's attached to the card.  

A double bow of 2022-2024 In Color Baker's Twine was added to the card.  There was about 14" used to make the double bow.  The Starry Sky color was used because it blended nicely with the Night of Navy used here.  The bow was attached with Mini Glue Dots.

The inside of the card has a layer of Basic White that measures 5 1/4" x 4.  The sentiment from the Layering Leaves set was stamped in Night of Navy ink.  The same leaves that I used on the front were added to the left of the sentiment.  The same Night of Navy ink was used but was off-stamped before stamping onto the card.  A 3/4" strip of the same print was added to the bottom of the white layer to finish.

Looking at the finished card, I decided maybe it wasn't quite finished yet.  Three gems from the Tinsel Gems Three-Pack were added for more interest.  These are the Misty Moonlight color, but I liked how they accentuated the different blues on the card already.

Well, that's it for now.  I think everything used here is actually available.  And nothing is retired either!  Hallelujah!  I seem to have a hard time staying away from my retired stash!!  I really like how the card turned out with the mixture of blues.  And I'm really liking the Layering Leaves used with the Countryside Inn DSP.  What a lovely mix together!

Don't forget that Bonus Days are still going on until the end of July.   For every $50 you spend, Stampin'Up! will give you a $5 coupon to use next month.  What a nice bonus!  Make sure you hang on to your Bonus Coupons!  The code number from each will be needed next month to redeem them.

Thanks for stopping by.  Hope you're enjoying your summer - heat and all!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Textured Florals for Birthday

Hello Friends,  July is taking off with a bang.  It's the month that is jam-packed with birthdays for my family and friends too.  So that means lots of birthday cards need to be made.  I've got another one to share with you today.  I just realized it's another Fresh Freesia card.  Guess that's one of my favorite colors for feminine birthday cards right now.  If you like either pinks or purples, this is the perfect color choice to make as far as I'm concerned.  My sister loves purples in any shade, so each year her card always features purple of some kind.  This year it will be Fresh Freesia.  So, let's get stamping!

Hmmm, maybe I should just send her this picture because it looks more purple than the actual card.  LOL  The card starts with a base of Fresh Freesia that measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" that's scored and folded in half.  Can you see the faint design on the background?  It's made by using the Foursquare Decorative Masks (page 136), Fresh Freesia ink, and a Blending Brush.  The ink was added very lightly and faded out at the outer edges.  I love the look you get with the random color design instead of a solid coverage.  Remember to keep a light touch!

Next up are all the die-cut pieces.  There are three pieces of greenery die-cut using the coordinating Textured Floral die.  Two of the open, airy leaves were cut and one of the eucalyptus were cut, all from Lost Lagoon cardstock.  

The flowers and stem clusters are from the Textured Floral set (page 65).  The itty-bitty stems were stamped first on Basic White cardstock using Lost Lagoon ink.  The flowers are stamped in either Fresh Freesia, or Orchid Oasis that was off-stamped to keep it a lighter tone.  These were die-cut with the coordinating dies.  

The silver foil branches were cut using a retired set.  I liked how they added a bit of shine to the bouquet.

These pieces were all arranged on the card in a pleasing fashion.  The greenery was added first and was attached with adhesive.  Next the silver foil branches were attached with adhesive over the greenery.   The Orchid Oasis flower cluster was added flat, but the Fresh Freesia flowers were attached using Dimensionals for a little more depth.

The sentiment used here is also part of the Textured Floral set.  I thought this was perfect for my sister.  Smoky Slate ink was used for this.  It's stamped on Basic White and punched with a retired punch that fit the sentiment nicely.  The label was attached with Dimensionals over all the stems to cover where they all come together.  

The gems on this card are Fresh Freesia ones from the Tinsel Gems Three Pack.  These are clear colored gems with a tiny sprinkle of tinsel inside for a little extra sparkle.  A bow was added to the label.  It's attached with a Mini Glue Dot.  The ribbon is from last year's catalog and is one of the 2022-2024 In Color Ribbon.  It was the perfect touch here. 

I added a spatter of Fresh Freesia ink from the matching marker.  I love the added ink dots randomly going across the card.

The final touch came by finishing the inside of the card to match.  Small touches of the Blending Brushes and Foursquare Decorative Masks were added to two diagonal corners. This sentiment is from the Lasting Joy stamp set.  It's stamped with Smoky Slate ink to match.

I hope my sister likes her card.  A lot of thought went into what she might like.  Shhh... don't tell anyone, but this is her 75th birthday.  I thought about adding a big 75 to the card somehow, but I think she'd disown me for that.  😂😁😂

Just a quick reminder about Bonus Days!  For every $50 you spend, Stampin'Up! will give you a $5 off coupon that you can redeem with your order in August.  That sweetens the shopping experience nicely.  And don't forget to check out the Online Exclusives that are available and the Clearance Rack for some incredible bargains.  Any of these that you purchase will be added to the $50 needed to get your Bonus Days Coupon.  Have fun shopping!

Thank you for stopping by today.  Hope this gives you ideas for the cards that you need to make right now. Have yourself a wonderful summer spent with friends and family.  Stay cool and keep stamping.

Happy stamping and creating, 

Sharon

Beautiful Birthday Balloons

Hi!  What a beautiful day it is today!  There's not a single cloud in the sky so it's as blue as can be.  Yes, it is a little warm, but in the air-conditioning it's not a bother.  I do have some errands to run later and that will be a different story being outside in the sun.  Did I mention I got some sun poisoning the last day we were in North Myrtle Beach?  Oh yeah, not so fun times.  That means I really have to be extra careful when I'm outside.  Oh, speaking of our vacation, Heather and I spent a couple of rainy hours shopping.  The Amish Country Store was a big hit because they had these homemade cookies there.  Cookies like Molasses, Pumpkin Spice, Snickerdoodles, Chocolate Chip, and a couple extra flavors that I don't remember.  And they even let you taste-test them all!!  Woo hoo!  If we hadn't tasted them, I don't think we would have bought so many flavors to take back to the house with us.  Oh, they were sooooo good!  But on to other things, while we were shopping, Heather found me the cutest towel.  I didn't even see it in the store, and I don't know how she bought it without my knowledge.  But she did, and I've been meaning to share it with all of you. 

What do you think?  Perfect, right?  Hope you can read it around all the crinkles and wrinkles.  I just love it and it makes me smile every time I see it.  Remember when we had Dazzling Diamonds glitter?  I was forever wearing it no matter how careful I was.  Ah, the memories!

Ok, time to get this show on the road and get to the card ideas.  I need a birthday card soon, so it was off to the drawing board, or make that my stamping table for me.  I decided to use the Beautiful Balloons set and dies to make this card.  Because the recipient prefers pastels and pinks, I went with a palette of pinks and lavenders.

Here it is.  Hope she likes it.  I've got a tip or two to share with you about making this card, so hope you stay with me here.

To make the card I started with a 4 1/4" x 11" piece of Fresh Freesia cardstock.  It's scored at 5 1/2" and folded in half. 

Tip:  for making this card technique, it's easier to make it a top fold instead of a side fold.  Trust me on this, because I've done it both ways and this works better.

Next, the two layering pieces for the front were cut.  For that I used a piece of the Bright & Beautiful 6" x 6" Designer Series Paper (page 129).  This measured 3" x 4".  I also needed a 2nd piece for the bottom of the card and chose to use another piece of Fresh Freesia cardstock.  This measured 2" x 4".  There is also a 1" strip of a coordinating print of the DSP that was cut at 1" x 6".

The Fresh Freesia layer was embossed with one of the Basic 3D Embossing Folders set that is an Online Exclusive item right now.  I thought the bold dots were a good match for the DSP print that I chose.  You can see I used Fresh Freesia ink and a Blending Brush to add a small amount of color to the raised dots.  I used a very light touch to keep the ink only on the tops of the dots.

After embossing and coloring the dots, the two pieces were added to the card front with adhesive.  You can see there is a small gap between the two when they're attached, but this will be covered with the 1" strip.  When adding the strip, you can put it straight across the card if you prefer, but sometimes it's fun to change things up and put it on a diagonal.  It's attached with 'green glue' making sure that all parts of the gap were covered.  Trim off the excess overlapping the side edges with Paper Snips.  Tip:  it's much easier to trim on an open edge than try to trim on a fold!

Multiple balloons were stamped and these were chosen:  a large balloon with Bubble Bath, medium balloons with Fresh Freesia and Highland Heather (off stamped), small balloons with Berry Burst. Both of the Berry Burst were off stamped - either once or twice otherwise the color was way too dark for the rest of them.  All of them were die-cut with the matching dies.

The large balloon was stamped with a sentiment from the Beautiful Balloons set.  It's stamped with Gray Granite ink.  The balloons were arranged on the card front.  Some were attached with adhesive, and some were popped up with a Dimensional.  

Some white Baker's Twine Essentials was used to add some strings for the balloons.  For one of them I used about 1 1/2" and tied a knot at the top.  This was tucked under the single balloon.  The others were done the same way, but all knotted together and tucked under the large balloon.  Before tucking the strings under the balloons, I added a couple of glue dots to the knot area so it would stay where it was put.

The inside of the card was finished using the same colors to coordinate.  The Basic White piece was cut at 5" x 3 3/4".  The sentiment was stamped about 1 1/2" down from the top so there was plenty of room for the added balloons.  Gray Granite was used for both the sentiment and later to add strings to the balloons.

Two of the small balloons were stamped with Bubble Bath ink and two with Fresh Freesia ink.  To add a little contrast, the little confetti pieces were stamped with Highland Heather ink.  That looked like a party to me.

Last look at the front of the card.  After checking the finished card, I decided to add two extra things.  It doesn't show up well in the pictures, but a crescent highlight was added to each balloon using some Crystal Effects.  It has been retired for a while, but I still drag it out for a little added 'something' every now and then.  The other addition is a sprinkling of Rhinestone Basic Jewels.  I think they showed up the best of all the embellishments I tried.

Hope you like this card idea.  Remember to follow the tips to make it easier on yourself.  I can imagine this card in a multitude of different color combos.  Use whatever your recipient might like the best!  Now I've got to hustle to get this card in the mail before the mailman comes.

Don't forget that Bonus Days are here again!!  For every $50 you spend, Stampin'Up! will give you a $5 coupon in your email that you can redeem on your order in August.  (Don't lose these coupons, because there's no way to track down the correct code for you later!) Make sure you also check out the Online Exclusives too.  There are some awesome products there.  What a fun way to spend summer - shopping!  LOL  Take care and stay healthy and safe.  Love you guys!!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

One Horse Open Sleigh

Hello my friends!  Hope you've had a chance to check out the new Online Exclusives that are available on the Stampin'Up! website starting July 6th.  There are so many new things it's like Christmas in July!  I was able to order the One Horse Open Sleigh Suite early as a demonstrator.  It just came a few days ago, and I've been obsessed with it!  Especially the 6" x 6" DSP called One Horse Open Sleigh.  On my goodness!  Every once in a while, Stampin'Up! creates a designer paper that just blows me away.  This is truly one of those very special designer papers that I'm getting hooked on.  I love the watercolor-style winter scenery on each of them.  I can't believe I've worked with this for three days and haven't even gone beyond the DSP to really explore the stamps.  But it's been incredibly fun!  So, today's post will not be focusing on one card that I created, but a collage of Christmas cards using the One Horse Open Sleigh DSP.  Hope you get a little bit inspired and start seeing the possibilities.  Before I start sharing them, I must admit that a couple of them aren't quite finished.  Some might need a sentiment added, but I'm waiting for the Brightest Glow set (page 42).  I could have sworn I owned it, but I really can't find it.  Botheration!!  So, it is ordered and on its way.  Then I can finish these cards up.  Just use your imagination when looking at some of the cards.  😉😂

Stamps - Perched in a Tree (sentiment)

Cardstock - Misty Moonlight, Gray Granite and Basic White

Ink - Misty Moonlight

Extras - Adhesive-back Snowflake Assortment in white (new) and Dimensionals

This used 1/2 sheet of DSP (3" wide)

Stamps - Horse and Sleigh (new)

Cardstock - Misty Moonlight, Basic White

Ink - Misty Moonlight

Dies - Radiating Stitches Dies (Online Exclusives)

Extras - White Glitter Ribbon (Online Exclusives), Dimensionals, not sure what kind of bling to add to this one

Stamps - Horse and Sleigh (Online Exclusives)

Cardstock - Crumb Cake, Copper Clay, and Basic White

Ink - Copper Clay

Extras - Adhesive-back Snowflake Assortment in copper, gold/linen ribbon (retired), Dimensionals

Stamps - Horse and Sleigh

Cardstock - Pool Party, Basic White

Ink - Pebbled Path

Extras - Adhesive-backed Snowflake Assortment in White, Dimensionals

Stamps - Horse and Sleigh

Cardstock - Lost Lagoon, Pebbled Path, Basic White

Ink - Pebbled Path

Extras - Banner Pick a Punch, Sparkle Gems in silver, Dimensionals

Stamps - Perched in a Tree

Cardstock - Gray Granite, Basic White

Ink - Gray Granite

Extras - Sequins Trio in white, Dimensionals

This uses the other half of the DSP piece used in the first card shown.

Stamps - none yet 

Cardstock - Pool Party, Basic Black, Basic White

Ink - none yet

Extras - Pool Party Grosgrain Ribbon, Adhesive-back Snowflake Assortment in white

Each of these cards is finished inside.  The white layer is embellished with some of the trimmed off DSP to match the card.  I didn't think you wanted to see the inside of each of these cards.  You get the idea of adding a strip of DSP to either the side or bottom of the white layer because I do it all the time.

I love each and every one of these cards.  And I looove the One Horse Open Sleigh Designer Series Paper.  Even with all these designs, there are still DSP prints that I haven't used yet!  Did I mention I love this paper??  The 6" x 6" paper comes in a pack of 48 sheets so there's four of every design.  Now if you use one piece per card, that'll give you 48 cards.  If some are using only half a sheet, that just increases the number.  I think this is an awesome bargain for anyone who wants to make lots of cards quickly, because there is only minimal stamping and die-cutting.  Easy Peasy Christmas coming your way!

Remember to check out the Online Exclusives that Stampin'Up! is offering.  You'll find lots of treasures.

Don't forget that Bonus Days are here right now.  You'll receive a $5 Bonus Coupon for every $50 you spend during the rest of July.  Then you can redeem them all in August.  Have fun shopping!

Keep on stamping and creating,

Sharon

Happy 4th of July!

 I certainly hope all of you are spending time with family and friends celebrating the birth of our country.  And while you're celebrating, say a prayer for our country to return to the faith of our founding fathers and their ideals and morals.  We're at a crossroads, and I don't like seeing the direction we're headed as a country.  Take care.

Now on to some fun information!!

BONUS DAYS ARE BACK!!!

You might have heard that Bonus Days are back, which means you can earn coupons and be rewarded for shopping. Here’s a quick refresher on how this promotion works:

* Earn Coupon Codes from July 6–31

When you shop and spend $50 you will earn a $5 coupon, which you can redeem in August. There’s no limit to how many coupons can be earned!  

* Make sure you have a current email address on your Stampin'Up! profile as the bonus coupons will be sent directly to you.  Don't lose them!

* Redeem your Coupon codes August 1–31

During the month of August, you can redeem your Bonus Days coupons (codes will expire on August 31, 2023).

* And please use the current Host Code shown on this blog if your order is under $150.  Thank you.

!! Don't forget that there will be several new Online Exclusives added on July 6th also.  If you're interested in them, order quickly.  I've already heard comments that the new bundle with the stamp set and coordinating truck punch will probably sell out early.  I don't have a name or number of the new bundle to share with you, so it's up to you to check it out on the SU! website.  I have to wait until July 6th to order too!!

Happy celebrating!

Sharon

Something New for You

Hello Friends!  Hope you're all doing well today on the 3rd of July.  Probably in the middle of celebrating the birth of our country or getting ready to do that tomorrow.  I had planned on sticking with the Inked & Tiled set for a while, until I was wandering around YouTube yesterday morning.  I found a new video by Tina Zinck that just put me in a creative mood.  She makes some of the most gorgeous backgrounds on her cards and truly inspires me.  It's so funny - after watching the video, I went downstairs and did my version of recreating her cards.  I came back upstairs after I was done and had to laugh at myself.  I stopped when I liked the look of the cards, but totally forgot to make about half of the stamped layering that Ms. Zinck added to make her cards so fabulous.  So, I guess you're getting my very pared down version of her cards.  I thought my cards were fine until I checked back on the video.  Whew, what a huge difference! If you want to see what truly inspired me, here's the link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYe3u6rlR4o  You'll see what I mean about pared down if you check her video out.  😁

What really attracted me to her cards was her technique of using ink and Blending Brushes to color a full sheet of Basic White cardstock.  So that was the part I focused on.  These are the four cards that I made out of that one piece of cardstock.  If you want to make this, start with these colors: Lemon Lime Twist, Coastal Cabana, Flirty Flamingo, and Azure Afternoon.  These are in the Brights color category.  Blend on the colors in that order so you're going pretty much light to dark.  You want all of the white to be covered with color.  Make sure you tap or brush off before going to the paper so there aren't large dark splotches.  Even with doing that, I still had some rather dark areas of Azure Afternoon on my cards.  

The layering cardstock on these cards are the same as the background ink colors.  My favorite of all the cards is the one with the Flirty Flamingo layer.  Not sure why I like it the best, but I do so that's the one I have extra pictures of here.  Please remember that all of the cards are basically the same.  They are just layered on different colors of cardstock, so they seem to look quite a bit different. 

 

After adding on the colors with Blending Brushes, the full piece of Basic White cardstock was cut down to four pieces that measure 5" x 3 3/4".  At this time, all the stamping was done on the individual pieces.  I didn't have the foliage set that she used, so I improvised with what I do have.  I used Lighting the Way (page 24) for the taller greenery stems.  These were stamped on with Shaded Spruce ink.  The bushier branch is from the Botanical Layers (page 107).  It's stamped with Old Olive ink.  This one looked way too heavy, so I off-stamped before adding to the card.  As you can see, 2nd and 3rd generation stamping were added to fill in a little.

I thought it would be fun to add the little lightening bug to the cards.  They were stamped with Basic Gray to be not quite as dark as black.  The little 'light' was stamped with Lemon Lolly ink.  I remembered I had some watercolor Pearl Ex from ages ago.  This was added over the 'light' to make it shine brighter.

I couldn't find the exact sentiment I wanted to use, so I stamped the 'hello' from the Wonderful Thoughts set (page 41), and the 'friend' from a sentiment in the Inked & Tiled set (page 95).  Basic Gray ink was used to stamp these, then they were snipped out close to the sentiment to add to the cards.  Since the 'hello' was on such an angle, I just followed that when cutting.

When adding the sentiments to the cards, some pieces were attached flat with adhesive, and some were attached with Dimensionals to give the card some additional interest.  Each card was handled differently in this aspect and also the placement of the sentiments.

For the last bit of finish on my cards, the pretty Iridescent Rhinestones were added.  I love these for the sparkle effect they give, and also the fact they seem to match just about anything!  

Now that my cards are finished and I checked back to see what Tina did, I wish I had paid more attention to her cards.  For a collage look, all the added stamping and embossing on her cards are perfection.  I just might need to go back and make another set of cards following her directions better.  😁

Thank you for spending some of your time with me today.  I hope you like this technique of making your own backgrounds.  And also my pared down version of Tina Zinck's cards.  They were so fun to create.  Can you just imagine this technique used with some colors for fall?  Oh yes, this is something I don't want to forget about!

Happy 4th of July!!

Happy stamping and creating!

Sharon

Inked & Tiled in Pink

Greetings!  I'm finally back again.  Seems like these posts have been a little hit-or-miss lately and I apologize for that.  After coming back from North Myrtle Beach, the six of us have taken turns being a little under the weather.  I guess it was my turn and it wasn't fun!  It was an interesting way to drop a few pounds because I didn't eat much of anything for three days.  I think I'm done with that, thank God!

Today I'm sharing a super-quick card with you.  This would definitely be classified as a Clean and Simple, or a SIP card.  (Stamps, Ink, Paper)  It goes together so easily, but still looks bright and pretty.  Let's get stamping...

For the card, I used the Inked & Tiled set again as you can see.  It starts with a base of Bubble Bath that's such a pretty color.  It's cut at 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored and folded in half.  After folding the cardstock, it was opened and the Exposed Brick Embossing Folder was used to give the front panel some interest.  The embossing was done right on the card base instead of a quarter piece layer of cardstock to keep it really simple.

Next two pieces of Basic White cardstock were cut for this card.  The front piece measured 4" x 5 1/2" and was used for the stamped images.  The inner piece measured 5 1/4" x 4 1/4".

For the card, the double daisy stems were chosen.  The cardstock piece was positioned in my Stamparatus to make sure I'd get it where I wanted it.  The Stamparatus is no longer available in our catalog, so I hope you have one already.  I tend to use mine all the time.  The stamp was inked with Markers to get the multi-toned look.  First the flowers were inked with the Bubble Bath Marker (not Blends!)  Then the Berry Burst Marker was drawn on from the base of the flower out.  Next the stems were drawn in with the Pretty Peacock Marker.  After all the colors were on the stamp, I huffed on it to keep the ink damp, then stamped.  Any area that didn't have enough ink on it could then easily have ink added.

The next step was stamping the sentiment with Berry Burst ink.  The sentiment is from the Inked & Tiled set and one I've used a lot already.

Next the edges of the piece were ripped to give the edge some extra texture and interest.  Each side was ripped toward me so all the frayed edges would show.  Make sure you check how it fits on the card before attaching in case you need to rip off anymore on the edges.  The piece was then attached to the card front using "green glue" making sure the top and bottom lined up nicely.

The inner layer on the card has only one edge ripped off.  The double bud image was stamped in the bottom corner just like you did the front daisies.

To give the card a final finish, three of the Adhesive-backed Sequin Trio in Berry Burst were used to fancy it up.  Actually, any of the three sequin colors matched this card, so you could choose different colors or use all three on this card.

There you have it, a very simple SIP card that still looks like you spent some time on it.  Have fun making this same card or take the idea and a different set of stamps or colors and make a whole set of these cards for a gift.  I think the recipient would be happy with this gift.

I want to remind you of the Online Exclusive items and there are new kits out for you too.  I haven't had a chance to play with the One-Horse Open Sleigh Bundle yet, but I'm excited to get my hands on it.  The images of the stamp set are very nice, and the 6" x 6" DSP is truly gorgeous!!  You'll love it!  I think it'll be incredibly easy to make some of my cards this year.  And you can get a head start on all those Christmas cards you'll be wanting to have in the mail in just 4 1/2 months!!  Yikes!  Where has the time gone?

Thanks for stopping over to see what's new.  Keep up the stamping and creating through the summer.  When it gets too hot outside, then it's time to get inside and create!  Enjoy your summer.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon