Wishing a Happy Birthday

Hello, my stamping friends!  I've taken a step back from the Thankful Garden Bundle for a few minutes.  I needed a birthday card for a teen girl.  I don't know her personally, but I've been told she likes butterflies and bright colors.  So that's the beginning point for the card today.  I hope she likes her card and has a fabulous birthday.

For the bright colors, I thought the multi-color print from the Bloom Impressions DSP would work.  This was a Sale-a-bration free item that I'm sure most of you were able to pick up on.  That meant it was not a current item, but it fit the project.  The multi-color print on its own is a bit bright for me.  That meant for my happiness I needed to tone it down a little.  

I thought of the Spring Corners Bundle that has several die-cut corner designs.  One of these might have enough open area to reveal the print but wouldn't be over-powering.  I had a piece of Basic White cardstock left over from another project that measured 4 1/2" x 3 1/4" that would be a good size to do a die-cut corner.  I used the coneflower corner die that fit nicely with lots of space left over for my design.  The piece of DSP was attached behind the design area with adhesive.  Don't those slivers of color peeking through dance like sunlight through a stained-glass window?

While I had the DSP out, I die-cut a trio of butterflies from the same DSP print.  This die is from the Sketched Butterflies Bundle that is in the 2024-2025 Annual Catalog.  This is a lovely set with five different sentiments that match an array of butterflies just perfectly.  The butterflies are all hooked together into one piece, but I easily cut them apart.

Next was deciding on what color cardstock to use for the base and a layer.  Azure Afternoon seemed the best pick to enhance the DSP colors.  A piece was cut that measures 5 1/4" x 4".  I was planning on using Basic White for the card base, but at the last minute changed my mind and added Pretty in Pink cardstock instead.  

The die-cut sentiment from Delightful Wishes would be nice going across the card front.  Decided on Azure Afternoon for the sentiment layer on the "wishing" word.  It could be cut from the center of the card layer and then the layer could be used without it showing at all.  After cutting the sentiment, the Azure Afternoon layer was attached to the center of the pink card base.  It's attached flat with adhesive.

The more detailed "wishing" was cut from a piece of Basic White cardstock that had a strip of the Adhesive Sheets added to the back before die-cutting.  This made it easy to peel the backing and have a "sticker" to place over the blue layer.  (Oops!  I just noticed in the picture that one of the dots for the i fell off.  I'll have to replace that!)

The rest of the sentiment was stamped with Azure Afternoon ink onto a 3/8" strip of Basic White.  The words were snipped to separate them.  "Wishing" was placed slightly angled onto the card.  Then the rest of the words were cascaded down under it.  The first piece was attached flat, the second two were attached with Mini Dimensionals.  

The largest butterfly of the three was added to the top right corner to balance the colors.  It's attached with a sliver of a Dimensionals under the body.

Lastly three gems from the Tinsel Gems Four-Pack in the rosy color were added to the design.  They picked up and complimented the many pink colors in the cut-out design. 

I forgot to take a picture of the inside, but I'll tell you about it anyway.  There is another layer of Azure Afternoon with a layer of Basic White attached inside the card.  The sentiment inside the card is from the Translucent Florals and is stamped with Azure Afternoon ink.  The two extra butterflies were attached for a cute accent.

Hope you like this special card.  It's not often I can make a card to order for someone else to use.  The bright color was a little daunting, but I love the finished design.

Thanks for hanging out with me today.  Try making something different today than what you normally gravitate towards.  It's time to stretch your creativity!  And don't forget the Mini Catalog and the Annual Catalog will both expire the end of April.  That's basically just another month. If there's anything in the current catalogs that you've got your eye on, consider ordering it now before it's too late.  And then the new Annual Catalog will start is May - exciting!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

You Are Remarkable Card

Hello, hello!  What a lovely day today.  I've been spending so much time creating in my craft room that I was forgetting to get some fresh air and sunshine.  Since today is one of those perfect days, I spent a little time out there walking and enjoying the beauty.  It really calms my spirit and lets me breathe fuller.  Things have been a little crazy around here for the past 2 weeks and that walk was just what I needed to clear my brain.

Now, back to stamping.  I was on a roll yesterday with way too many stamps and inks strewn across my desk.  My thoughts kept going back to the yellows.  And then that cute yellow and white checked print from the Floral Delight DSP kept calling to me.  So, here I am with another cheerful card for your perusal.  It's very clean, simple and straightforward and will be used to hopefully cheer up one of my friends.

I think I mentioned yesterday that I'd been on a pastel kick lately, and it shows with this card too.  I started with the You Are Remarkable stamp set and this cute daisy image as the basis for the card.  On a piece of Basic White cardstock that measures 3 1/8" x 2 1/4", the floral stem was stamped using Gray Granite ink.  The bottom of the stem doesn't fit on the cardstock piece, so don't worry.

This flower is a two-step stamp.   It has a stamp that fills in the flower petals and another fills the leaves, so the coloring is done in minutes.  Well, more like seconds not minutes.  The petals are stamped with Daffodil Delight ink.  The stamp produces all this great detail on its own.

The leaves are stamped with Gray Granite ink.  The flower center is stamped with Gray Granite also, but this time it was off-stamped to give a lighter color.  That's it for the coloring.  Told you it was quick!

Time to get that card put together.  The base is Daffodil Delight cardstock that measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  This is scored at 4 1/4" and folded in half.  

There is a layer of the yellow and white checked DSP that measures 4 7/8" x 3 5/8".  I used Gray Granite for layering on the card.  The largest piece measures 5 1/8" x 3 7/8".  For a little texture on the areas that show, I used the Exposed Brick 3D Embossing Folder.  I like that little bit of texture peeking out on the edges.  The DSP layer was attached to the Gray Granite with "green glue".  Then these two layers were added to the card base with "green glue" also.

There is a layer of the Gray Granite cut to frame the flower layer.  It measures 3 1/4" x 2 3/8". This gives me a skinny frame that is just enough for this layer.

The sentiment used is from the Storybook Friends stamp.  The strip of Basic White that it's stamped on is 3/8" wide.  The sentiment is stamped with Gray Granite ink.  The ends are angle cut to give it a slightly different look.  It's layered onto a 1/2" strip of Gray Granite cardstock.  After attaching together, I trimmed the Gray Granite to match the angles on the white layer.

Both the flower layers and the sentiment layers are attached with Dimensionals to the card front.  The flower is attached more to the left side and the sentiment to the right side.  Try to follow the checked grid of the paper to keep it all straight.

For bling, I added three of the Pebbled Path gems from the 2023-2025 In Color Dots.  I don't have any Pebbled Path on the card, but they blended nicely with the Gray Granite color, so why not use them before they are retired.

That's it for my clean and simple card for today.   I've always liked yellow and gray together.  Using the Gray Granite for the gray gives it a really different look compared to what I was expecting.  It's always good to try new color combos.  You might find another new favorite to use.  Or it could be a bust.  You never know.  Either way, it's just paper.  You can always turn it over and try again or just pitch it!  The fun is in the creative process and trying new things.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

More Thankful Garden Bouquets

 Hello friends.  I've been so busy playing with colors and these Thankful Garden Masks that I haven't gotten around to posting anything.  So today I have two cards to share.  Each of them uses the "other flowers", not the hydrangea.  I'm not sure what kind of flowers they are, but they do come out lovely when using the masks and mixing the colors.  Do you like pastels?  I tend to gravitate towards pastels when I'm creating for myself, so this is what you get today.  Two pastel versions of these pretty flowers.  If you prefer brighter and more intense colors, just blend the color on heavier or use darker ink colors.  You can make these beautiful flowers in any combination that you'd like to find in your garden.

Of course, my first try with this flower needed to be pink.  Very soft and pretty, isn't it?  First the flowers are stamped on a piece of Basic White cardstock.  I used Memento Tuxedo Black for this. 

Next come the masks.  I used a bit of Washi Tape to hold the cardstock in place.  After placing Mask #1 in place, I drew in the registration marks and used a piece of Washi Tape to hold in place.  I started with Pretty in Pink ink and a Blending Brush.  Using very little ink, I started blending at the bottom of the flowers and swirled the brush up.  I had to check if there was pink on the flowers because it was so light.

With Mask #2, I added a little more of the Pretty in Pink.  Then very lightly added a bit of Fresh Freesia ink to change the tone a little bit.

Mask #3 was adding more of the Fresh Freesia ink but still keeping it on the light side.

Mask #4 moves on to the leaves.  My first blended layer was Pool Party ink.  I thought this kept with the pale flowers.  It needed a little green added to the leaves.  

The last mask #5 is the details on the leaves.  For this I tried the Summer Splash In Color.  I really liked how that worked out on the Pool Party base.

Now that all the color has been added, the flowers are die-cut with the matching die.  Set aside until we're ready to put together.

The card base is Basic White cardstock.  It measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and is scored and folded in half.  There is a layer of Pretty in Pink cardstock next.  This measures 5 1/4" x 4".  It is attached to the folded card base with "green glue".

There is a Basic White layer next.  This measures 4 1/2" x 3 1/4".  The new Mini Corrugated 3D Embossing Folder is used on this to give it texture.  (We used to have a corrugating tool that I used often.  I'm sure I'll like this one just as much.)

A length of sheer white and silver-edged ribbon is wrapped around the white layer and tied into a knot on the side.  I used "green glue" to attach this layer to the front of the card.  I also added a Mini Glue Dot under the knot to hold in place.

The pretty flowers are attached with Dimensionals to the upper part of the white layer.  A sentiment from the new Spring Corners stamp set is stamped onto a 1/2" strip of Basic White cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  The left edge was angled to fit snuggly under the stem.  The right end was cut to fit the edge of the card and flagged to finish.  This is attached to the card front below the ribbon with Mini Dimensionals.

Three of the clear Rhinestone Basic Jewels were added to the design.  This compliments the silver edge on the ribbon nicely.

Thee second card is another pastel, but this time a cheerful, sunny yellow color.  The flowers were stamped the same with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on Basic White cardstock.

Mask #1 was lightly colored in with a Blending Brush and Lemon Lolly ink.  

Mask #2 was another layer of Lemon Lolly ink.

Mask #3 is a layer of Daffodil Delight ink.  To change the color a little, I lightly blended on just a touch of Peach Pie ink.

Mask #4 is first a light layer of Lemon Lime Twist with just a smidgeon of Granny Apple Green added at the bottom of each leaf.

Mask #5 is a light layer of Granny Apple Green with just a few touches of Garden Green added.

This was die-cut and set aside.

The card base is Basic White cardstock that measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It's scored and folded in half.  

A layer of yellow and white checked paper from the Floral Delight DSP pack was added.  It is 5 1/4" x 4" and attached to the base with "green glue".  

There is a layer of Basic White cut that measures 4" x 2 3/4".

This sentiment fit from edge to edge on the Basic White piece.  The stamp was inked with Garden Green ink then stamped once, moved down and stamped again.  Then it was ink, stamp, stamp again, and repeat all the way down the cardstock piece.

This was stamped once more on a 3/8" piece of white to match.

The white layer was attached to the card front with "green glue".  The single strip was attached under this with Mini Dimensionals.  

The flowers were added to the white layer with Dimensionals.

A double bow was made with the Daffodil Delight 1/8" Ribbon.  It's added to the stem and attached with Mini Glue Dots.  This is a great addition with all these other yellows.

Up to this point, I haven't decided on which type of bling I want to add.  Or maybe it doesn't need anything extra as all.  You decide.  Hope you like both of these options for these lovely flowers.  Now that I've started in with these masks, I don't know how I'll tear myself away.

Have you gotten your fix for the Thankful Garden and it's coordinating set of masks?  If not, hang around a bit.  Chances are I'll be playing with them again soon.

The new catalogs should be mailed out shortly.  How exciting!   I always love getting the new catalog in my hands so I can dream and maybe "drool" over it!  If you're one of my customers, you should be getting yours in the mail soon.  If you don't have a demonstrator yet, I would like to be that person in your life - your stamping coach and friend.  Let me know if you have any questions about these projects and the products to make them.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

 

More Hydrangeas

Hello my friends!  I'm back with another Thankful Garden card using those fabulous hydrangeas.  I've been doing the prep work for when we get together to make the cards for the shut-ins at church.  My mind has been totally focused on Easter themed cards at this time.  I needed a break, and I've wanted to do another card with the hydrangeas.  Funny thing, my ideas kind of went sideways and I ended up with something totally different.  I really was going to play with pinks, blues, and purples this time around.  Then I got thinking of a very neutral idea instead.  As you can see, no pinks etc.  But I really love the pretty card that evolved from the mess on my table.

I wish you could see the soft, delicate colors in person.  Quite lovely.  I started the card by stamping the hydrangea onto a Basic White cardstock piece about 4 1/4" x 3 1/2".  This was just enough to have a good frame around it while I was doing the coloring on it.  I used Basic Gray ink for a slightly softer look.

Next, I lined up the stamped image with the 1st mask.  Using a Blending Brush and Basic Beige ink, I added a light base for the flowers.  I had to check under the mask to make sure that I actually added color!

Moving on to the 2nd mask, another light layer of Basic Beige ink was added.  Before removing this mask, I added in just a hint of Pool Party to the flowers.

For the 3rd mask, another layer of Pool Party was lightly added.  Check under the mask to make sure you can see it but keep it light.

Ready for the 4th mask.  This one is the base for the leaves.  This was colored with a Blending Brush and Soft Seafoam ink.  When I got to the leaves, it seems I got a little heavier handed with my coloring.  For some reason, they seem to show up even darker in the pictures.  You could definitely do it softer if you prefer.

The 5th mask is the detail on the leaves.  This is also done with Soft Seafoam ink.  After the coloring was complete, the image was die-cut with the coordinating die.

The card base is Soft Seafoam cardstock that measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It's scored and folded in half.

The DSP layer is one of the Country Lace DSP prints that are so pretty.  BTW, I noticed this DSP pack will not be in the coming catalog.  Boo Hoo.  I think I need to get another pack before it's gone.  This piece measures 3 7/8" x 5 1/8".

The DSP layer is backed with a Basic White cardstock layer.  This measures 4" x 5 1/4".  The layers are attached together with adhesive.  Then they are attached to the card base with adhesive too.

The sentiment is from the Faith Collection and is my favorite.  I wanted to add it to a die-cut label, and it took a while to find just the right one.  This one is from the Something Fancy Bundle.  It's just the right size.  It's die-cut from Basic White with the sentiment stamped on with Basic Gray ink.

The last part of the design is the grid piece going down the side of the card.  I'd noticed it in the Mixed Labels Bundle when looking for a label.  I thought this design element would be interesting.  It's die-cut from Soft Seafoam cardstock.  We've got all of our design pieces ready, so let's put it together!

After moving all the pieces around to fit properly, the grid was attached first on the right edge of the card.  I used a 'dotted adhesive' on the back and attached it.

The hydrangea was attached with five Dimensionals to pop it up nicely.  Lastly, the label was added near the bottom.  It's also attached with Dimensionals.

For a bit of subtle bling, three of the lightest Purple Adhesive-backed Sequins that were a popular Sale-a-bration item.  (Wish I had gotten more!)  These white iridescent sequins seem to pick up the greens on the card perfectly.

I loved how the design came together so much, that I prepped enough to make another five cards.  I was surprised how quickly I could color all the layers on the hydrangeas for all the cards.  Not sure if I'll use these myself for Easter or use them for the shut-ins.  Either way, these cards will definitely be sent out this Easter.

Thanks for stopping by today.  Hope you enjoyed a walk through another hydrangea card design.  Can you tell this is my favorite set at the moment?  Oops, I'm pretty sure I forgot to mention that the Thankful Garden and the Mixed Labels Bundles are both Online Exclusive items in case you're looking for them.  These are both 'must have' items for me.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Beautiful Hydrangeas

Hello fellow stampers!  Have you seen the new Thankful Garden Bundle with all the coordinating pieces that go with it?  If you haven't seen it yet, make sure you check out the Online Exclusives section.  It's there along with the gorgeous DSP that goes with it.  The two floral images in the set are lovely and will be a treat to color.  But one of the cool things about this bundle is the set of masks for coloring the images.  Oh boy, they are wonderful.  That's what I had to try out first.

Here's the first card of what will be many in the future.  We had a gorgeous Pool Party/Coastal Cabana colored hydrangea before my husband went on a "cutting all the unnecessary shrubbery" rant.  Unfortunately, the hydrangea was in that unnecessary category because it wasn't in bloom at the time.  Boo hoo!  Anyway, this card was colored in honor of that fallen bush.

 I started by stamping the hydrangea with Memento Tuxedo Black on a Basic White piece of cardstock.  I then lightly attached the cardstock to my work area with a little washi tape in the corners.  The first mask was laid over the design and the registration mark on the edge was made for lining up the other four masks.  The first color used was Balmy Blue ink blended on with the Blending Brush.  This is all the color between the petals and the first bit of color on the petals.  

Mask #2 was put in place and Pool Party ink and a Blending Brush added the next layer.  I felt that I added quite a bit of Pool Party to get some color on the flowers.  (Maybe I need to re-ink my pad.)

Mask #3 was put in place and another layer of Pool Party was added.  There wasn't enough definition and detail showing.  So I switched to Coastal Cabana and added a light layer of this.  That really helped the petals to stand out.

Masks #4 and #5 were to color the leaves.  The #4 mask was used to add a layer of Garden Green ink with a Blending Brush.  #5 was also Garden Green ink, but it was added more heavily.  That was it for the coloring.  Seems almost too easy!

The finished flower was die-cut with the matching dies. 

With the flower in hand to choose colors, I chose Pool Party for the card base.  This measures 11" x 4 1/4".  It's scored at 5 1/2" and folded in half.

The green print layer is from the Lovely Garden DSP which coordinates with the set.  A piece was cut from the two-toned green print that measured 5 1/2" x 4".  This piece was die-cut with largest die in the new Textured Notes dies set.  You can't see the edge details in my pictures, but the detail adds so much to the look in person.  This is attached to the folded card base with adhesive.

The next layer is a piece of Basic White that was cut with the 3rd largest die.  This time the detail shows up very nicely.  Doesn't it really add to the elegance of the design?  The die-cut hydrangeas were attached to the white layer with adhesive.  Then this was attached to the card front with Dimensionals.

The sentiment is one of the preprinted sayings in the Greetings For All Mix & Match Ephemera Pack.  This can be found on page 13 of the Jan-April Mini Catalog.  I usually don't buy these preprint words, but thought I'd give it a try.  It's full of basic sentiments you'll find helpful and use often.   I really like this Easter sentiment, and it was easy to release from the perforated sheet.  Maybe I'll have to try more of these ephemera packs.  

The sentiment was added to the card front with Dimensionals.  

After going through my stash of bling, I settled on the Rhinestone Basic Jewels.  One of those tiny gems was put in the center of most of the detailed flowers.  I used 9 of them.  Any more seemed like too many to me.  

I just love how this card sparkles in the sunlight!  So pretty and a fitting homage to my deceased hydrangea bush.  I can't wait to try the other pinks, blues, and purples to make these fabulously easy, but gorgeous flowers!  I'm always amazed how nice the masks work coloring the designs and then being able to finish a card so quickly.

Hope you enjoyed today's card idea.  You really need to try out these masks and easily create your own masterpiece.  It's always fun to see what a few color changes can do to change the total look of a card.  For me, these are my colors, but what would you choose to use?

Thanks for stopping by today.  It's always fun to hear from you.  Just a heads up, the cost of cardstock will be going up in the new catalog.  If you're in need of any soon, now would be a great time to stock up.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Quick Sketched Butterflies Cards

Hello friends!  The sun is shining today, and life is plenty good.  I have to get out and enjoy these lovely days.  Do a little walking maybe.  I'd say walking to stay in shape, but that shape part has turned into a lost cause, I think.  But it is nice being out in the sunshine.  That leads me to the cards I'm sharing today.  They look like spring with the color choices and butterflies.  Let's just hurry spring along a bit by stamping it!

I made two of these cards because I needed them.  I had all the components cut and ready to assemble.  Only when I was putting them together, I couldn't decide where to attach the sentiment, so I did one each way.  Maybe you can tell me which way you like better.

I started with a Basic White card base that measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and is folded in half.  

I had a long 12" x 2" strip of the green-ish printed DSP from the Bloom Impressions DSP that was one of the Sale-a-bration items.  Yes, I know Sale-a-bration is over and done, but I'll bet most of you have some of this still in your stash.  Why not use and enjoy it?  

The strip was cut to 5 1/4" x 1 3/4" for each card.  I used a 5 1/2" x 2" Coastal Cabana cardstock piece to back the DSP and then attached them to the card base with adhesive.  This is about 1/2" from the left edge.

Next, that same piece of DSP was turned over and the multi-color print was used.  Isn't this pretty?  These pieces measure 4" x 2 3/4".  Another piece of the Coastal Cabana cardstock is cut to frame this print.  It measures 4 1/4" x 3".  This is also attached to the card front with adhesive overlapping the first color and lying flat.

The sentiment is from the Sketched Butterflies Bundle.  It's stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto a Basic White cardstock piece.  For added interest, it was die-cut with the Perennial Postage Dies.  Then a Coastal Cabana piece was cut with the next size larger die to frame it.  These are attached together with adhesive.  Set aside until you have the butterflies for the design ready to go.

Melon Mambo cardstock was used for the butterflies on these cards.  There are several butterfly die cutting choices in the Sketched Butterflies Bundle. I used the die with three open-work butterflies attached together.  I thought they looked great on the design.  At this time, the sentiment was placed near the bottom right of the design area and attached with Dimensionals.  For this card, the butterflies are attached with Mini Dimensionals under the two larger bodies.  They look like they are floating over the design.

A group of three Adhesive-backed Sequins Trio in the blue/green tone are added to the design.  I'd planned on using the pink-ish toned sequins, but they just got lost in the print.  It needed something a little bolder to stand out.  Just enough bling.

As you can see, this card is almost identical.  The sentiment layers are attached close to the middle of the multi-colored print layer.  It is attached with Dimensionals also.

The Melon Mambo butterflies are attached slightly differently.  The two outer ones are still attached with Mini Dimensionals.  But the middle butterfly has a Mini Glue Dot holding it down to the sentiment layers.

What do you think?  Do you prefer the sentiment and butterflies to exist on their own?  Or do you prefer them attached?

Be sure to let me know if you think it makes a difference or not.

This card also uses the same sequins.  I think they really make a great accent for the colors on this design.  Love them here!

Thanks for visiting today.  This is one of my favorite templates for making quick cards.  If you've got two prints that coordinate, you're all set to make this.  Hope this bright and spring-y card gets you in the mood for all the spring flowers that should start popping out soon.

This will be my last Host Code used.  There will be no need for them anymore, and everyone that places an order over $20 will receive their own rewards.  You will not have to use them on your next order but can accumulate them for up to a year.  Yay!  Rewards for everyone!  This is coming in mid- April, so I'm sure there will be more updates while we're waiting.  And while you're waiting, check out the new products shown in the Online Exclusives.  Wow, lots of new winners you'll love.  Happy shopping!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Start on Easter Cards

Hello, stamping friends, today I want to share with you my start on making Easter cards.  We have the new bundle called Faith Collection that I've been focusing on.  This can be found in the Online Exclusives section.  These are two very different styles of cards, but I'm going to lump them in together because of the stamp set.  

The first card shown here is the first one I made.  It's got a lot going on and I'm hoping it's not too busy.  The first component I decided on is the diamond shaped die from the Linked Together Bundle that is in the 2025 January - April Mini Catalog.  It's die-cut from Soft Sea Foam cardstock to get me started.

The palm branch "frame" from the Faith Collection fit inside the diamond perfectly.  It's stamped with Garden Green ink. 

Next is the card base which is Basic White Thick.  On this is an added layer of Soft Sea Foam that measures 5 1/4" x 4".  Before attaching, I used one of the masks from the Linked Together Decorative Masks with Soft Sea Foam ink and a Blending Brush to add this soft background to the light green.  The two pieces are adhered together with adhesive.

The stamped diamond was attached to the center of the card front using a Dimensional in each corner and one in the center.

I thought a gold cross would look good on the design.  There are two cross dies in the Faith Collection set.  One is solid and one die-cuts a wood-grained design into the image.  I actually used both of the dies.  First, I cut the solid cross from Brushed Gold Paper.  Then I just pressed the detail die onto this without running it through the Big Shot.  This gives it wood-grained look without actually cutting it.  Just what I wanted.  

The cross was attached over the "frame" of palm branches with Mini Dimensionals.

The sentiment is from this same set.  It's stamped with Garden Green ink onto a 1/2" strip of Basic White cardstock.  It's trimmed to tuck under the cross and flagged on the other end.  It's attached with adhesive.

I had stamped three individual palm branches on Soft Sea Foam cardstock using Garden Green ink.  They are die-cut, curved a little, then tucked under the diamond shape.  

A small vanilla and gold bow was attached to the side of the diamond using Mini Glue Dots.

The last bit is one of the Adhesive-backed Gold Heart Sequins.  This polished gold heart shows up very nicely on the embossed cross.  What a statement it makes about God's love!

As you can see, the second card is a total change from the first.  I wanted to try one of the small square cards with the focal point added on to make it a full-sized card.

I started with the card base this time.  I used one of the prints from the Floral Delight DSP found in the 2025 January - April Mini Catalog.  This has a soft and spring-like feel to it.  I matched it up with Peach Pie cardstock.  The cardstock measures 8 1/2" x 4 1/4" and is scored at 4 1/4".  The DSP print measures 4" x 4" and is attached to the base with adhesive.

The design element was a die from the Everyday Details Die set.  This is the cute rectangle that cut the Basic White cardstock.  The palm branch "frame" was stamped on this with Old Olive ink this time to match the DSP.  

On a separate piece of Basic White, the cross was stamped using Pecan Pie ink.  After stamping, I used a Blending Pen to soften the lines and even out the color just a little.  This was die-cut using the solid cross die.  It's attached over the palm "frame" with adhesive.

A frame of Peach Pie was cut to back the design images.  It measures 4 1/4" x 2 3/4".  This is attached to the card front making sure the height of the card measures under 5 1/2" so it fits into an envelope.

The white layer is attached to this with Dimensionals.    For the added bling, three of the gold-tone Low-Profile Dots were used.

Lastly, three forsythia blooms were die-cut from the Floral & Gingham Vellum DSP.  They're attached diagonally over the cross with Mini Glue Dots.

The inside of the card is a piece of 4" x 4" Basic White cardstock.  The same cross "frame" was stamped in the center.  I inked the stamp with Old Olive ink then off-stamped before stamping on the white layer.  A very old SU! stamp was used to over-stamp the palms.  It's stamped with Pecan Pie ink.  I know you can't get this particular stamp, but this idea would work with other sentiments as long as they were fairly bold.

That's it.  My first two Easter cards are now done and set aside.  Time to get cracking on a few more.  Hope you enjoyed two different looks at one stamp set.  I'll have to see what else I can create with this faith-based set.

Thanks for sharing a bit of your time with me today.  Be sure to come back for more inspiration soon.  It's always good to hear from you whether it's a comment or a query.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

 

All New Black and White Beauty

Hello friends!  Life has been going along at quite a fast clip, but unfortunately, I've been moving much slower.  Here it is March 6th already and this is only my first post of the month.  So sorry for the tardiness.  I keep trying to post on a regular basis.  Obviously, sometimes I do better than others.  Today's card features black and white in a gorgeous card that I used as a thank you card.  Just changing the sentiments would open the possibilities tremendously.  In case you can't tell once you read the post, I just received an order from Stampin'Up!  All of these new products can be found in the Online Exclusives section of the SU! store.  Seems like I used a bit of each of the new products that arrived.  Let's get to creating this card with all my new toys.

I wish you could hold this card in your hands and see the touches of sparkle that really contrast with the black and white.  Just lovely!

I started with the new Botanical Textures Designer Series Paper.  Choose a print that both sides coordinate well together.  This print piece measures 5 1/2" x 4".  About 1/4" was ripped from the bottom edge to give it a more organic feel.  

The next step uses another new product called Everday Arches dies.  These are so much fun to use.  For this project, I used the 3rd smallest die to cut a piece of Basic White cardstock.  Then I used the 5th smallest die to cut an opening in the piece of DSP we have ready.  This was placed as close to the middle as possible.  The die-cut piece is turned over and this is the darker layer behind the white on the card.  

I was thinking that the card would need some greenery stems of some kind to frame the arched layers.  Since I was already die-cutting, I figured I'd cut the two leafy branches I needed now.  The leafy branch die is from the Mixed Florals Dies.  One branch is cut from Basic Black cardstock.  The other one is cut from Black Glitter Paper that was from last Halloween.  This was a lovely addition for the design as it added another dimension to the blacks already part of the design.

The card base of Basic Black was cut.  It measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" that is scored at 4 1/4" and folded in half.  The large piece of DSP was attached to the black card base using adhesive.

The sentiment stamped on the smaller arched piece is another new one called You Are Remarkable.  Love the sentiment and the mixed fonts used here.  It's stamped using Memento Tuxedo Black ink to the center of the arch.

Before layering this onto the darker arch, a piece of Black Glittered Ribbon was wrapped around and tied into a knot on the right side.  Even though you can see only a small bit of the ribbon, it added to the overall look of the card.  

The white layer is attached to the darker layer with Dimensionals.  The Basic Black leafy die-cut is attached to the card base with adhesive.  The bottom part of the stem curves under where the arches will fit.

Next the glitter leafy stem is partially attached to the back of the arches with the upper part curving over the arches.  This is all attached to the card base using Dimensionals.  The arch nicely fits over the opening from where it was cut.  It's attached with multiple Dimensionals to keep it even.

The inside carries on the black and white theme.  The Basic White layer measures 5 1/4" x 4".  The sentiment is from the new Textured Notes stamp set.  I like how this font coordinates with the front.  It's stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.

The greenery on the bottom corner is also from this same set.  Don't the leaves coordinate nicely with the look of the DSP print?  The stamp was inked then off-stamped before stamping onto the cardstock.  This gives it a softer look.

Last step is figuring out what type of bling to add to the design.  I love the simplicity and sparkle of the Basic Rhinestone Jewels for this design.  It blends in nicely with the Black Glitter Paper and the glittered ribbon.

That's it.  The design is done, and I love the elegant card sitting in front of me.

Thanks so much for joining me today.  Hope you give this idea a try.  I probably went a little overboard with all my new goodies showing up on one card, but they all just blended together so nicely!  I just couldn't help trying them all out as soon as possible!!  Don't forget that you can find them in the Online Exclusives section of the store.

Thank you for all the orders that came through during Sale-a-bration.  I appreciate each and every one of them.  You guys are the very best!

Stay tuned for all the new changes coming to Stampin'Up!  Host orders and using host codes will be totally stopped in mid-April and the new rewards program will be going into effect.  I think you'll love getting a reward every time you place at least a $20 order.  These rewards can be redeemed with your following order, or you can accumulate them to be used on a future order.  Your choice.  I think this will work out well for all of us.  Please remember to choose me as your demonstrator.  😃 Thank You!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon