Thankful for You Card

Hello Friends!   Today's card idea is a real mishmash of a whole stack of stamp sets and dies.  It consists of a touch of this and a little smidgeon of that with a sprinkle of something else.  This is what happens when you've got lots of bits of leftover pieces from the last several cards just lying there staring at you.  I decided to find a way to put them all together and this is what I've come up with.  Let me know what you think.  Try to be kind, please! 

I wish the colors were a little truer on this photo compared to real life.  The background layer looks so washed out in the picture when in reality the pumpkin is stamped on the same color cardstock with the same color ink.  It really shouldn't look so different!

The base layer for the card is Peach Pie that measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It's scored at 4 1/4" and then embossed with the Bark 3D Embossing Folder to give it some interest.

The first layer is one of the prints in the Elegant Pines Snowflakes Designer Series Paper pack.  It is a lovely Old Olive watercolor print that I have enjoyed using with the Delicate Pines stamp and die bundle.  I'll get back to that on another day.  This is cut with the 2nd largest die in the Branching Out set.  I love this shape to make the layers really stand out.  This layer is attached to the folded card base with "green glue".

The next layer is where all the action is going on.  It's the 2nd smallest die from the same set - Branching Out.  This time it cuts a layer of Basic Beige cardstock.  I thought this matched nicely with the design of the Elegant Pines Snowflakes DSP.  Before attaching it to the card front, a sentiment was stamped on it.  The sentiment is from the Gathering Moments stamp set and Memento Tuxedo Black ink was used.

There is a die that is a lovely spray of leaves in the Delicate Pines Die set.  This was used to cut a pile of leaves from the Splendid Autumn 6" x 6" DSP pack.  I have so many partial pieces of paper left from cards previously made using this paper that it's great to use some of these "scraps" up!

The oak leaf at the bottom of the design was also cut from this DSP.  The leaf die is part of the Amber Autumn die set.  And the leaves surrounding the pumpkin were also cut from the same DSP pack.  Like I said, love the paper and lots of scraps put to good use!

The pumpkin used is from the Beautiful Pumpkins bundle.  It's stamped onto Peach Pie cardstock with Peach Pie ink for the base color.  The detail stamp over this is stamped with Pumpkin Pie ink.  Then it's die-cut with the matching die.  The stem is cut from the same DSP print as some of the different leaves.

The pumpkin and leaves were attached to the design first using Dimensionals.  Then all the other leaves were clustered around the design.  Some needed to be trimmed before being used if they didn't fit quite right.

After trying several different kinds of embellishments for this design, I liked how the Cajun Craze & Gold Dots blended in with all the colors on the card.  They seemed to enhance the nice fall colors of the leaves.

Just need one more look at this autumn design.  If you were counting along, how many stamp and die sets did you count?  How many different DSP packs?

Hope you like this idea using multiple sets of stamps and dies to pull a card idea together.  You just never know what will work together until you start playing around with different elements of a design.  Get creative and play some mix & match with your stamps and dies.  It's fun!

Thanks for stopping by to see what's going on around here.  Hopefully I'll be back soon with another installment.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

It's Pumpkin Time Again

 Here we go, soon another month is starting, and time is marching on so quickly.  September is almost here, and summer is over for those of us with family members back in the classroom.  But it still feels like summer!  It's 82 degrees, the sun is shining, and the grandsons are at a pool party.  Doesn't that sound like summer to you?  Alright, I'll get off my soapbox about the march of time and get back to the fun of creating no matter the season.  I had lots of fun playing with the new Beautiful Pumpkins bundle that will be available in a few days.  I do love all things pumpkin and add just a little spice and I'm in heaven.  Well, close to it anyway.  Today there's no spices involved, but there are pumpkins.  So, let's get creating!

Today's project evolved into two because I couldn't decide on which sentiment I really wanted to use.  And then there was this little problem about the choice of bling too.  What to do?  Just make two!

So, let's start by breaking down the basics on the two cards that are the same and then we'll go on from there.  First choice was to decide what color to stamp these two sizes of pumpkins.  Since I was planning on making a few cards with pumpkins anyway, I stamped several of each size.  The detailed stamps were used first to stamp Timid Tiger ink onto Peach Pie cardstock.  Then the more solid stamps were used to add Pumpkin Pie ink.  There wasn't a major difference in the colors, but I think it was plenty to show up.  The stems were stamped with Pecan Pie ink.  Then these pieces were die-cut with the coordinating dies.  The leaves were all die-cut from Old Olive cardstock.  (Shoot, I'm getting hungry for a piece of pie!  Did you catch all those colors?  Peach Pie, Pecan Pie, and Pumpkin Pie - yum!!  OK, enough about eating pie and back to stamping.  

Using the pumpkins as a guide, Pumpkin Pie was chosen for the card base color.  The cardstock was cut at 4 1/4" x 11" and scored at 5 1/2" and folded in half.

One of the new stamp bundles in the Sept. - Dec. Mini Catalog is called Branching Out.  There is a set of six nesting dies with this stitched shape in the bundle.  I used the 2nd largest size to cut two layers from the Peach Pie cardstock.  Then the 3rd largest size was used to cut two of the brown-checked print from the Sweet Days of Autumn DSP.  I thought this would be a good backdrop for the pumpkins.

These two layers were adhered together with adhesive.  Then they were attached to the card fronts using Dimensionals to pop them up a little.

The large pumpkin was attached flat with adhesive to the right side of the layers.  The stem and some of the leaves are attached with adhesive to it.  The smaller pumpkin is attached with Dimensionals partially over the other pumpkin.  The stem and one leaf are attached with adhesive.  Another leaf set was tucked under the pumpkin and attached with adhesive.

The sentiment for this card is from the Beautiful Pumpkins bundle.  I thought it worked well here.  It's stamped with Pecan Pie ink onto a 7/8" x 2 3/8" piece of Peach Pie cardstock.  It's popped up at an angle across the corner using Dimensionals.  

The embellishments for this design are Low Profile Sparkle Dots in the green tone for a subtle bit of bling.

For the 2nd card, the pumpkins were added in mostly the same way.  I think I added an extra leaf or two to this design.

The sentiment for the card is from the new Gathering Moments bundle that will be an Online Exclusive available to you.  It says, "Thankful for you" and is stamped with Pecan Pie ink onto a 5/8" x 1 7/8" strip of Peach Pie cardstock.

The embellishments this time are retired Glitter Enamel Dots in a light peachy color.  I thought they blended quite nicely with the Peach Pie cardstock color.

Both of the cards also have similar treatments on the inside.  I used a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock that measures 5 1/4" x 4".  The sentiment is another from the Gathering Moments stamp set.  It's stamped with Pecan Pie ink.  

The leafy vine is from the Beautiful Pumpkins set and is stamped with Old Olive ink.  A skinny 1/4" strip of Peach Pie cardstock was added along the side edge to tie in the colors inside and out.

So, what do you think?  Are you ready for lots of pumpkins and all kinds of yummy autumn goodness?  Or what about jumping ahead to Christmas?  Or maybe I should go back for another round or two of Sunflowers?  I really am torn about what to do.  So much fun either way!!  Hope you'll come back for another visit soon.  Thanks for stopping by and let me know in the comment section what you think.  And also, what you'd like to see in the future.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

email - sharoncarr50@gmail.com

New Beautiful Pumpkins

Hello, hello!  What do you think?  Are you ready for fall?  The children have been back at school for two weeks already in our area. It's gotten a little cooler lately (only in the 70's and 80's instead of the high 90's).  So, I'm declaring that fall is here and it's time for pumpkins!  Yay!!  I love this time of year and I'm always ready to jump into new autumn ideas.  Are you ready to join me?  Just a few more days and you'll be able to see the new batch of Online Exclusive items that will span autumn/Halloween through Christmas/winter and everything in between.  How exciting!  As a demonstrator I was able to see and purchase these offerings early and I've been having fun with the new Beautiful Pumpkins set.  Let's jump right in to see what I made first.

When I was creating with the Prairie Grass stamp set recently, I stamped an extra couple of Basic White cardstock pieces with the tall grasses.  I just love the look of them, so I figured it would be interesting to see what I could use with them.  Enter the new Beautiful Pumpkins set.  Don't them work nicely together?  Just a reminder - if you're looking for either the Prairie Grass or the Beautiful Pumpkins sets in the catalog; you won't find them there.  Only in the Online Exclusive section!!

The Basic White cardstock is 5" x 3 3/4" with the grasses stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink to the left side.  Old Olive ink was added with a Blending Brush to the bottom third of the cardstock.  Pool Party was added with the Blending Brush to the upper 2/3 section with blending in the middle.  I chose Pool Party for the sky area because Pumpkin Pie is opposite the color wheel and a great contrast.

This layer was attached to a Basic Black layer that measures 5 1/8" x 3 7/8".  This gives just a tiny black outline to define the design layer.  Then this was attached to the folded Pumpkin Pie card base using adhesive to keep the card thinner for mailing.

Now we start in on those pumpkins.  This is a two-step stamp.  That means the stamps will add all the detail for you with the successive layers of stamping.  For myself, I think the pumpkins were easier to stamp with the darker detail layer first and then stamp the more solid lighter area last.  For the two darker pumpkins, I stamped the detail with Cajun Craze ink and then the Pumpkin Pie solid stamp over this.  For the lighter pumpkin, Timid Tiger ink was stamped with the detail first and Pumpkin Pie solid over this.  Because I stamped these onto Basic White cardstock, the highlight detail seemed too white, so I used a Water Brush and lightly moved the ink into the white areas leaving a soft peach tone instead.

The stems were stamped with Pecan Pie ink.  Then both the stems and pumpkins were die-cut with the matching dies in the bundle.

There are several die options for leaves available in the bundle.  I used the three smaller leaves for this card.  They are all cut from Old Olive cardstock.  Then the pumpkins, stems, and leaves were all arranged at the bottom of the design layer.  One pumpkin was attached flat, with the other two popped up on Dimensionals and the leaves tucked in around them.

The next step is finding a sentiment that worked for the card.  The Wonderful Thoughts stamp set has a nice small sentiment that worked nicely here.  It's stamped onto a Basic White strip that's just a touch wider than 1/2".  I used Memento Tuxedo Back ink to stamp it.  The ends were angle cut to give it some extra interest.  There was a 1/4" strip of Basic Black on my desk and I liked the look of just a small amount showing at the bottom edge.  I taped them together then trimmed the ends to match the label.  This was attached to the card front with Dimensionals.

The last step was finding the perfect bit of bling for the card.  I've been watching a good number of butterflies in our yard this year, so that's what I tried for this card.  I think the butterflies added a nice, understated look here.  

And that's it for the first 'test-drive' of the new Beautiful Pumpkins bundle that will be available in September in the Online Exclusive section of the Stampin'Up! store.  Make sure you take the time to check this out and all the other fabulous new items available there.  I think some of their very finest products are to be found in the Online Exclusive section!

Thank you for dropping in today.  Hope you like this look at one of the newest offerings by Stampin'Up!.  It was fun creating and should put a smile on someone's face.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon