Piles of Thank You Cards

Hello stamping friends!  What a beautiful day we have today!  (that's a little sarcasm there)  Chilly, damp and cloudy.  Sounds like the perfect day to get downstairs and do a little creating, doesn't it?  Well, I do feel a little better today.  My heart isn't quite as rambunctious as it has been lately.  So, I thought I should take advantage of this energy and do something.  Let's see, housework, laundry, or stamping?  Hmmm.  Boy, that was a real hard choice, right?  Are you laughing out loud yet? 

I felt the need to send out some thank you cards for a few gifts I received for my birthday.  Looking at my stash of DSP, and knowing I'll be getting more very soon, I thought I should use some of my retired stash to make more room.  You remember that cute True Blue Florals DSP that was a Product of the Month a couple months back?  I had a bunch of odds & ends pieces that needed to be used up, so that was a really good place to start.

This is a look at most of what I made today.  There are a few others that didn't fit with this grouping of cards.  Maybe I'll share them at a later date.  As you can see, there were several strips of DSP in different prints.  I'm always surprised by how many of those strips are always left over when the paper pack is almost gone.  This was a great way to use some of them up.

On the majority of cards made today, the focal image used was either the larger roses stamp or the single small flower from the Charming Day stamp and die bundle.  Sorry, this is a favorite set of mine and it is retired.  Then I couldn't resist trying out a few images from the Artisan Sketched Garden DSP.   That's in the new catalog and will be available to purchase on May 5th.  Those images are awesome!  You need to fussy cut the images if you want to use an individual design, but that only takes a minute or two.  Not a big problem.

Let's start with two cards that are very similar.  The card base on these cards is Balmy Blue that measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  They are scored and folded in half.

The strips of True Blue Florals DSP on each card is about 1 7/8" x 5 1/2".  Both strips are backed with a layer of Night of Navy.  The top card is 2 1/4" x 5 1/2".  The bottom card has a wider layer of Night of Navy - 2 1/2" x 5 1/2".

The sentiment on each of these is from the Wonderful Thoughts stamp set.  (It was on the Last Chance List, but it just sold out.  Bummer!)  It's stamped on a 1/2" strip of Basic White.  Then the ends are trimmed with paper snips.

The roses are stamped with memento Tuxedo Black ink on Basic White cardstock.  They are colored with Stampin' Blends:

roses:  Balmy Blue Light & Dark, and Azure Blue Light

leaves:  Granny Apple Green Light & Dark

I've never colored these roses in blues before, but I love how they turned out!

The card base for this one is Basic White Thick.  It measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  The DSP strip measures 1 3/4" x 5 1/2".  It's backed by a Night of Navy strip that measures 2 1/2" x 5 1/2".

This time the sentiment strip is also layered onto a Night of Navy strip measuring 3/4" wide.  This makes the horizontal strip so much bolder to define it.

This flower is also from the Charming Day set.  When coloring, I also added just a small touch of Blueberry Bushel Light Stampin' Blends to the flower.

The tiny flowers are from the Forever Florals stamp and die set.  They are die-cut from Balmy Blue cardstock to mimic the main flower and also to give more heft to the focal image.  It didn't look substantial enough without the added mini flowers and extra leaves.  A sprinkle of three Rhinestone Basic Jewels was added to finish the design.

This is where things got a little different.  I'd wanted to try the new Artisan Sketched Garden DSP since I saw it.  It finally came in the mail, so why not use it here?  I cut a strip off the bottom of this sheet of designs and picked one to color.  I had a little problem finding a punch or die that could get the whole image but manage to not cut into the surrounding images.  I used my very old Layering Ovals Dies to cut both the DSP and the Night of Navy layer behind it.

The image is colored with the same colors as used on the other images.

The card base is Balmy Blue with a layer of Night of Navy on top of it.  The DSP piece measures 2 3/4" x 4".  It's attached in the upper left corner with adhesive.  The ovals were attached to the center of the DSP layer using Dimensionals.

A small Basic White circle was cut using one of the Spotlight on Nature dies.  The sentiment is stamped with Night of Navy ink.  Three of the new Sunset Sparkle Sequins in a bluish tone were added under the sentiment.

This last card is my very favorite of the whole batch of cards.  This time I have a Basic White Thick base.  It's layered with a full layer of one of the Balmy Blue designs from the True Blue DSP pack.   This time a 1/4" strip of Basic White cardstock was added near the bottom to anchor the vase when it was added.

The vase of greenery is from the same Artisan Sketched Garden DSP.  This time it was fussy cut after coloring.  I used Stampin' Blends again.

water:  Balmy Blue Light

leaves:  Granny Apple Green Light

The Basic White sentiment piece measures 7/8" x 2 1/8".  It's stamped with the new Basic Black Hybrid ink pad.  There is a 1" x 2 1/4" layer of Basic Black attached behind to frame it.  Both the vase and the sentiment are attached with Dimensionals.  Three soft blue pearls are added to the white strip as an accent.  These are Tahitian Tide pearls from several years ago, but I liked the look here. 

Whew!  That's it for my card making marathon today.  Maybe I'll get around to the last several cards if I find the time.  I hope you've gotten some ideas about using those leftover strips of DSP from other projects that you have laying around.  Just check if there is a directional print, then orient your design in the proper direction.

Remember May 5th is the date you can order from the new catalog!  Are you counting down the hours?  I hope you're as excited by the new catalog as I am.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon 

Charming Day in Pastels

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

New Card Template to Try

 Hello friends!  I've been going through my stash of DSP trying to figure out what I can use up without having just bits and pieces left taking up space.  I landed on the Floral Impressions Designer Series Paper as the DSP for the cards I'm sharing today, and I played around with even more ideas which we'll get to at a later date.  Now just because I chose this paper which happens to be retired, it doesn't mean you can't use this idea on a multitude of other prints that are in your stash.  Use what you have!!!

First you need to have the dimensions used for this card making template.  It's very basic and so easy to work with once you have everything cut and ready to go.

Card base - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2"      score at 4 1/4"

Inside layer - 4" x 5 1/4"

DSP layer - 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"  (note the length on this and the next two layers!)

Cardstock layer - 2 3/4" x 5 1/2"

DSP layer - 2 1/2" x 5 1/2"

Cardstock for sentiment layer - 2 3/4" x 2 1/4"   or 3" x 2 1/4"

White for sentiment layer - 2 3/4" x 2                 or 3" x 2"

This is your template that you'll be working with today.  For all my cards, I used the same color cardstock for each of the cardstock layers to keep a cohesive design look.  If you'd like to change them and use two different colors, that is totally up to you.  Now let's look at the cards and I'll give you the stamp sets used for the floral accent and the colors used on each design.

This is the first card made using this new template.  The first thing to notice is that the layers are the full length of the card, so the card has a tall sleek look to it.  The sentiment layer also extends to mimic the other layers.  It's just a slightly different look that I found appealing. 

The card base and the cardstock layering pieces for this first card is Strawberry Slush.  I like how it contrasts with the more geometric print layer that comes next.  Make sure your sides line up nicely to enhance the long look of the card.

The next layers on the card showcase the other side of the geometric print.  These flowers make a nice contrast.  Again, be careful lining up the layers to keep a symmetrical look.

The sentiment layers are 2 3/4" wide to match the Strawberry Slush layer under it.  The flower is from the Charming Day set and is stamped with Pecan Pie ink.  It's colored with Stampin' Blends:

Strawberry Slush light and dark, Pretty in Pink light and dark, Daffodil Delight dark, Pecan Pie dark, Call Me Clover light and dark, and the Color Lifter.

After coloring it's die-cut with the matching dies.  The leafy stem is from Charming Day also and die-cut from Garden Green scraps.

The sentiment was stamped with Pecan Pie ink.  Then the leaves were added to the design with adhesive.  And the flower was added with Dimensionals.

Dimensionals were also used to attach the sentiment layers onto the card front.

A final touch was adding several of the darker Strawberry Slush and Pretty in Pink Gems to the design.  

The next card needed two different pieces of the Floral Impressions DSP.  The center floral print was chosen first, then the Old Olive striped print was chosen as the accent piece.  After trying the different green an yellow cardstock colors to use for the card base, I decided that I liked the Lemon Lolly cardstock for the card base the best.  Again, all the layers are the full 5 1/2" long to keep the sleek look going.

When I got to the sentiment layer, I liked the wider overlapping look for this card.  This time the layers are 3" wide.  I'm sorry I didn't write down all the sentiment sets I used for these cards.  Just look for something that fits.  This time it was stamped with Garden Green ink.

The flowers are from the Gallery Blooms set. They were stamped with Pecan Pie ink on Basic White.  Coloring was done with Stampin' Blends:

Lemon Lolly light and dark, Daffodil Delight light and dark, Pecan Pie light and dark, Granny Apple Green dark, Old Olive light and dark, and a small touch of Call Me Clover dark

After coloring, the flowers were die-cut with the matching die in the Gallery Blooms set.  There were also three of the smaller leafy stems cut from Garden Green cardstock with another die from this set.

The flowers were attached to the sentiment layer with Dimensionals.  The extra leafy stems with tucked in around the flowers to fill it out.

The sentiment layers were attached to the card front flat this time using adhesive.  There were three Holographic Gems added to finish the design.  I loved how these gems pick up all the yellows and greens in the design.

For the last card design, I chose Daffodil Delight for the card base and cardstock layers.  The daisy-looking DSP print has the green print on the backside so that was an easy choice.

As you can see, the sentiment layers were cut at 3" wide again.  I really prefer that little bit of overlap.

I really struggled to find a floral accent to match the DSP print.  Surprisingly, the Lifetime of Love set had a darling little daisy spray that worked well.  And wonder of wonders, it is still a current set.  Yay.  You really have no idea how hard it is to only use current sets when finding card ideas to share with you.  I rarely get rid of my retired goodies that I really, really like, so I also tend to grab them when in a pinch.  Anyway...

Flowers were colored with Stampin' Blends:

Daffodil Delight light and dark, Lemon Lolly dark, Pecan Pie light and dark, Call Me Clover dark, and Old Olive light  

After coloring the flowers were die-cut with the matching die from the set.  The sentiments are also from the Lifetime of Love set.  The words were stamped with Garden Green ink.  The sentiment layers were attached flat to the card front using adhesive.  The flowers were attached with Dimensionals.  And some of the Holographic Gems were added to finish the design.

Okay, one last look at all three of the cards made with this easy template.  I hope you're inspired to use some of the gorgeous prints you've got sitting around collecting dust.  Oops, I didn't say that out loud, did I?  This one is too new to have collected very much dust yet.  But I know I've got lots of other DSP packs that are just patiently waiting for me to get around to designing with them.

Oh, I forgot to mention, each of the cards has a layer of Basic White inside for either a sentiment or a newsy note that is long overdue.  At the bottom of each one is a 3/4" strip of DSP that matches the front design.  That just makes such a lovely accent.

Don't forget that there's another week to go to earn Bonus Rewards for your purchases that reach $50.  And that's on top of your regular rewards!!  It's always a win when you can get a coupon for $5 that you use for a purchase next month.  Win win!

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you cut some cardstock and DSP in the beginning of the post and stamped (played) along with me.  Let me know what you used for your creations!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon 

Product of the Month Plus Extras

Hello friends!  Coming to you from a very damp and chilly South Carolina today.  A gray and rainy 48 degrees feels way colder than it really is.  A good day to stay inside and get another post done.  Right?  Maybe that's why I've been making cards lately that have a lot of blue and gray going on.  Must be something to do with the weather!  I've been trying to figure out how I wanted to present these card ideas in a coherent fashion and here goes.  Instead of breaking this down into several different posts, I've got a main card idea plus 2 extras.  Hope this all makes sense to you as it unfolds.  The main focus on today's post is using the Product of the Month from last December.  I just checked and it's still available at this time.  You need to purchase $75 worth of merchandise to be eligible to buy the True Blue Designer Series Paper Product of the Month which is available only while supplies last.  That means it's not too late to get one of these DSP packs for $5!  Since it is still available, I thought I'd share a couple of card designs I made using this lovely paper.

This is the first card I made with the True Blue DSP.  I love the prints on this piece, so I was looking for a layout that features both sides of the DSP.  This card does it so well.  Since the DSP has a combo of Night of Navy, Balmy Blue, and Basic White, I chose Night of Navy for the card base.  It measures 5 1/2" x 5 1/4" and it's scored at 4 1/4" which gives you a front flap that's only 1" wide.

Next, a piece of the True Blue DSP was cut that measures 5 1/2" x a scant 4 1/4" so it fits inside the folded flap.  Put adhesive inside the flap but not quite to the score line then attach the DSP to this.  Make sure you line up the outer edge with the back of the card so they're even.

I wrapped a Frayed Edge White Ribbon around this and tied into a loose-ish knot.  I really like how the white ribbon stands out against the navy and enhances the design.

The Basic White label on the front of the card was die-cut with the smaller label in the Peace on Earth die set.  I thought the shape and size worked well here.

The sentiment comes from the Hope You Know stamp set.  It's stamped with Night of Navy ink right near the top.  

Both the larger and smaller greenery dies used here are from the Charming Day dies.  They blend in with the print on the DSP but aren't quite the same.  They are cut from Night of Navy cardstock and Balmy Blue cardstock to match the card.  After cutting, they are attached to the label.  The navy one is flat with just adhesive.  The Balmy Blue one has adhesive on the bottom of the stem area and has Mini Dimensionals under the 3 top leaves to hold in place.

The label was then attached to the card front using Dimensionals.

For a little added bling, three Iridescent Pearls were added to the design.

With this fun fold design, I mentioned you can see both sides of the paper.  This is the inside of the card.  Yes, the ribbon goes right around the layers and ties in front.  This way you can enjoy it both inside and out.

The inside layer is Basic White that is cut at 5 1/4" x 4".  The sentiment is from the Comforting Thoughts set and is stamped in Night of Navy ink.

The little branch in the bottom corner is from the Charming Day set and is stamped in Balmy Blue ink.  Isn't it a nice touch?

Ok, this is the first card I'm sharing.  Next is a card using the same layout but using different colors and DSP.

Here you can see them together.  The upper card uses Cloud Cover for a card base and a print from the Peaceful Garden DSP.

I don't remember what cut the white label.  It was just in my stash of left-over die-cut pieces.  It fit the card, so I used it.  The sentiment on this one is from the Friendly Foliage stamp set.  It's stamped with Secret Sea ink.  

I'm not sure where the die for the Cloud Cover branch is from, but the Secret Sea leaf is from the Charming Day dies.

The ribbon is a sheer Secret Sea ribbon that is currently available.  The touch of bling on the card is from the Iridescent Pearls just like the other card.  The inside is the same except for the ink colors used.

This last card reverts back to the True Blue DSP.  The card base is Balmy Blue that measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" scored and folded in half.

The Night of Navy layer measures 4 3/4" x 3 1/2".  The three DSP prints measure as follows:

2 1/4" x 3",  7/8" x 3",  and 1 3/8" x 3 1/4"

These three prints were attached to the navy layer with adhesive.  As you can see, it was a little off and I should have used "green glue" to have that extra wiggle time to get it where I wanted it.

After glueing these pieces on the navy layer, I wrapped a Balmy Blue/white ribbon around this and tied it into a knot in the center.  

A Basic White circle die-cut and stamps from the Unbounded Love set was used to stamp the sentiment with Night of Navy ink.  This was attached right at the knot in the ribbon with Dimensionals.

For bling on this card, I used the white dots from the Moody Palette Glossy Dots that will be a new Online Exclusive item on January 6th.

I hope you liked these ideas I've shared.  There is a template for cutting DSP for a card front along with a fun fold that's so easy to use but really makes the pretty DSP prints take center stage.  Give these ideas a try with other Designer Series Papers that you have in that pile you're hiding 😏 and see what lovely cards you can make.

Thanks for taking the time to stop in today.  Let me know what you think of these ideas.  I love to hear from you.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Using a Basic Template

Hello friends.  Today I've got a whole pile of cards to share with you.  It all started with a Basic Template using a piece of 6" x 6" DSP to cut all the main pieces.  My template I used is very basic and can be cut either way, depending on the direction of the print and what you want to do with it.  First, I want to show you a picture of the 5 cards that are made from one 6" x 6" piece.  Then we'll get into the cutting and details to make these cards.

The DSP that was used for these cards is maybe my favorite print in the Floral Charm DSP pack that is part of the Charming Day collection.  The roses are a pretty soft color with Night of Navy and Pretty Peacock leaves.  It's just yummy.   Of course, when I create with the other prints in the set, I fall in love with the other designs too.  Guess this DSP pack is definitely my favorite at this point!

Anyway, can you see how just a small amount of this print can go a long way?  It's so pretty even when you've only got a 1 1/2" x 3 1/2" piece!

Let's get to the Basic Template that I used.

Sorry, this isn't all fancy like other people can make it.  When I'm working out a design, I just make a sketch and add dimensions for it.  That's it.  But you can see exactly what you need and how to cut.  Want to give it a try?

The first card up is using the top left piece of the Basic Template.  This measures 3" x 3 1/2".  I decided to use Fresh Freesia for the card base even though that's not one of the colors that are recommended for this.  I just liked how it looked, so that was my choice.  

The DSP is framed with a piece of Night of Navy cardstock that measures 3 1/4" x 3 3/4".  It's attached to the base with Dimensionals.

The sentiment is from the Charming Day set and is stamped onto a Basic White circle using Night of Navy ink.  It is die-cut with the Stylish Shapes Dies.  It's backed with the next largest circle cut from Night of Navy cardstock.  The circles are attached together with adhesive.  Then they are added to the card with adhesive where they overlap the DSP and Dimensionals on the right side to keep it flat.

A sheer white ribbon with silver edges was cut in half and then both pieces were tied into a pretty bow.  A trio of Purple Fine Shimmer Gems in the plummy color were added to finish the design.

Next up is one of the two left side pieces of the Template that measure 1 1/2" x 3 1/2".  This time the card base is Bubble Bath.

A 2 1/4" x 4 1/4" piece of Berry Burst was cut for an accent.  About 1/2" was ripped from the right edge.  Then it was embossed with the Distressed Tile Embossing Folder to give it extra interest.  This was attached about 1/2" up from the bottom of the card using Tombow Liquid Glue (green glue).

Next a piece of Night of Navy was cut to frame the DSP.  This measures 1 3/4" x 3 3/4".  They are attached together with adhesive.  Then they're attached flat to the card base right over the Berry Burst layer.  I used "green glue" again for this layer.

The sentiment for this card is from the Unbounded Love set.  It's stamped with Night of Navy ink onto a circle cut from the smallest circle die in the Stylish Shapes Dies.  It's backed with the next largest circle from the same die set.  This is attached over the corner of the DSP using both adhesive and Dimensionals so it lays flat on the card.  

I happened to have a small open leaf die-cut leftover from a precious project that was in Shaded Spruce.  This was tucked in slightly under the Berry Burst layer for some added interest.

There are three gems from the 2021-2023 In Color Dots that are added to the card.  They were originally supposed to match with Moody Mauve, but I loved the look on this card.

This card uses the 2nd small piece of DSP from the left side of the template.  I'll confess, I had quite a time making this card and I'm not sure I got it right.  If anyone has any suggestions, I'm open to hearing them!

This card started with a lovely die-cut from the Charming Day set.  It's cut in Berry Burst so I thought it would go with this idea.  

The card has a base of Pretty Peacock cardstock.  The DSP has a layer of Night of Navy framing it that measures 3 3/3" x 1 3/4".  It's attached near the bottom of the card front using Dimensionals.

The berry die-cut has some Mini Dimensionals under some of the wider areas to give it lift.  Then part of one of the flowers is tucked under the DSP and some leaves are brought forward on the design.

The sentiment used here is from the Perfectly Pears stamp set.  The die used to cut the label is from the same set.  It's stamped with Night of Navy ink.  There are Mini Dimensionals behind this to elevate it to match the rest.

Three of the Pecan Pie & Clear Ribboned Adhesive-backed Dots are added to the design to finish it.

The fourth design features the piece of DSP from the top right of the Basic Template.  This piece measures 2 1/2" x 4".  The layering piece is Night of Navy cardstock that measures 2 5/8" x 4 1/8".  The pieces are attached with adhesive. 

The card base for this design is Bubble Bath cardstock.  The two layers are attached to this with Dimensionals.

There is a die-cut of Pretty Peacock leaves added to the bottom left corner.  It's attached with dots of "green glue" on some of the leaves to hold in place.   

There is an open rose die in the same set that was used to cut this Berry Burst rose.  It's attached over the leaves with several Mini Dimensionals.

The sentiment is from the Perfectly Pears stamp set.  It's stamped onto a small label that's cut from the same set.  After stamping, it's attached flat to the card front with adhesive.

There are three of the Pecan Pie & Clear Ribboned Adhesive-backed Dots added as a pretty accent.

This one might be my favorite card of the batch.  At least for now!

This is the last card of the batch.  It uses the DSP piece from the bottom right-hand corner.

The card base is Bubble Bath again.  There is a layer of Berry Burst that measures 5 1/4" x 4".    To add some interest to the layer, I used the Glass & Garden Embossing Folder for texture.  I like how subtle this is, but it does make a difference.

The sentiment is from the Sweet Blooms stamp set.  It's stamped with Night of Navy ink onto a 1 1/4" x 3" strip of Basic White cardstock.  It's framed with a layer of Night of Navy cardstock.

The DSP piece is layered with Night of Navy cardstock.  This piece and the sentiment label are positioned on the card front.  Both pieces are attached with Dimensionals.

There is another leafy sprig from the Charming Day set added here.  It's die-cut from Pretty Peacock cardstock.  It bridges the two pieces and is attached with adhesive under just a few leaves.

The last bits on the card are the Rhinestone Basic Jewels in clear.  I thought they were all that was needed.

Ok, you've now seen all five cards that were made from one 6" x 6" piece of the Floral Charm DSP.  It was challenging to stick with those five pieces and come up with cards I liked.  I found it quite fun to do, so I made another batch of cards using a different DSP.  I'm going to share the cards, but I won't be giving you the rundown of all the materials because I didn't write them down.  It would probably take me another couple of hours to figure that out, so you'll need to just use the cards as ideas to get your ideas flowing.  Let me know what you think of the Basic Template I made and the cards that came out of it.  I'd love to hear what you think.

All five cards from one piece.

top left of template

bottom left of template

top right of tamplate

bottom right of template

Hope these ideas all inspired you to try out this template.  Or even make a template of your own to use.  I keep reminding myself that it's only paper and if I really, really hate it, it can go in the circular file and get recycled!

Have fun with these ideas.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Floral Charm Simplicity

Good day all you lovely people.  It's been an interesting bunch of days lately.  Hope you all enjoyed the 4th of July festivities with picnics, fireworks, etc.  Now that that's all over, it must be time to get back down to business making cards.  What do you think?  Today's card features the new Floral Charm Designer Series Paper that coordinates with the Charming Day stamp and die bundle.   The whole suite of items is new in the Online Exclusive section of the SU! store. This Designer Paper has such pretty prints and they're all in colors that are right up my alley.  Yes, they're all lovely pastels.  Yum!  I just want to continue to look at them and wrap them all around my house so I can enjoy them all the time.  But that's impossible, so I guess we'll just have to cut into them and see what we can create!

This is the first card using this paper.  I wanted the print to be the focal point so there is a good size piece front and center.  Looking at this print, the first color that jumped out at me was the Petal Pink.  So that will be used for the card base which measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It's scored in half at 4 1/4" and folded.

The DSP print is cut at 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" square to be the focal point.  I liked the look of Pretty Peacock cardstock as a great accent for the colors in the print.   The dark color really highlights the pretty print. This was cut to 3 5/8" x 3 5/8" square.  This gave me just a skinny bit of Pretty Peacock showing all around the DSP to frame the look.   

The DSP print was attached to the Pretty Peacock cardstock using adhesive.  For a pretty accent, a 4 1/2"- 5" strip of Petal Pink Metallic Edged Ribbon was wrapped around the layers and attached in the back with adhesive.  Another length of ribbon was used to make a bow that was attached over the strip of ribbon using Mini Glue Dots.  Yes, I know the ribbon is retired.  Unfortunately, I don't get through the spools of ribbon in the allotted time while they're still current.  They are way too beautiful to get rid of, so there you go.  I'm still using those retired bits of ribbon and will most likely continue to do so.

Another cardstock color that looked great with the print was the new 2025-2027 InColor Cloud Cover.  Doesn't this soft blueish/gray fit nicely?  I just love this color!  Okay, back to creating.   I wanted a good bit of the Petal Pink showing on the card, so the Cloud Cover was cut a bit smaller than a regular layer.  It measures 5" x 3 3/4".  

I debated with myself about using an embossing folder on this layer, but decided I wanted a plainer look that wouldn't detract from the print.  So, no embossing on this.  

It was attached to the folded card base with adhesive.  Then the print layers were attached to the card front making sure the top and two side edges were spaced evenly on the Cloud Cover layer.  These were attached with adhesive also so all the card at this time is pretty flat.

I've been enjoying using the More Messages stamp and die set for my card sentiments lately.  The single large stamp was inked with Pretty Peacock ink and stamped onto a piece of Basic White cardstock.  Then the matching die cuts them all out at the same time.  It's wonderful having 19 different die-cut sentiments ready to use that quickly.  I just keep the rest in a little container then pick through and find just what I need when I need it.  Now that's quite handy dandy.

The sentiment is attached in the open area in the bottom half of the card.  For this, I used Dimensionals as I wanted it to stand out from the rest of the card.

For the touch of bling on this card, I chose a retired batch of gems - the Earth Tones Shimmer Gems.  They just matched the Petal Pink portions of the card perfectly.  If you don't have any of those in your treasure chest of gems, you might want to use either the pale pink or clear gems in the Strawberry Slush & Pretty in Pink Gems.  They should work nicely.  Or if you'd like to give the design a more vintage look, the Antique Pearls would look lovely here.

Just wanted to give you a small peek at all the lovely prints in the Floral Charm Designer Series Paper.  Aren't they all lovely?   I don't know which one to work with next!  Decisions, decisions!

The whole Floral Charm Suite is just filled with wonderful items from the Charming Day stamp set and dies to the DSP, ribbon, and gems.  I'm just loving this whole suite and can't get enough of it.  If you like pastels and soft brights along with pretty florals, you're going to fall in love with this suite too.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon