Window-Style Card Collection

Hello my stamping friends!  Hope you're enjoying your spring and getting a few things done outside.  I guess the outdoor vistas inspired me to make this series of cards.  My sister, Connie, also shared a couple of window-style cards with me a couple weeks ago when I saw her.  That was my starting place, but you'd never know it from the looks of my cards compared to hers.  Anyway, I have five cards to share with you today.  They all have the same premise of looking through a window to the great outdoors. 

This is the collection that I ended up making.  As you can see, there are lots of different colors used and several sets of dies used too.  Four of the cards use the Meandering Meadow DSP but one uses the new Thoughtful Journey DSP that is coming in the new Annual Catalog.  Both of these paper sets have the most gorgeous water-color style of designs you can imagine.  I love them!  And they are so easy to use to create interesting cards for any occasion.

The first card I'm sharing is the last card I made.  It uses the new Thoughtful Journey DSP along with the Everyday Details Dies.  To make the card, start with a card base of Mossy Meadow cardstock that measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It's scored at 4 1/4" and folded in half.

Next comes a layer of Basic Beige cardstock.  What?  Yes, this is the newest color that's now part of the neutral basics line-up.  Love this color!  (You can order this May 1st).  This layer measures 5 1/4" x 4".  The largest Everyday Details die is used to cut a window on the left side of this layer.  Don't you love the dotted frame around the window?  Of course, keep the cutout piece for use another time.

The DSP is a piece of 6" x 6" that is cut in half.  The top and bottom of this piece is trimmed a little to hide behind the Basic Beige layer.  It's attached behind the window area with adhesive.  

I left a little extra room on the right side of the beige layer to add a ribbon accent.  After trying several different ribbons, I came across an Old Olive twine that seemed to be the perfect accent.  It's wrapped around twice and tied into a bow.  After this is added, the layers are attached to the center of the card front using Dimensionals.

The sentiment is from the Perennial Postage set.  It's stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black onto a 5/8" strip of Basic Beige cardstock.  After trimming the ends to fit, a little bit of Mossy Meadow ink is added to the edges of this using a Blending Brush.  The sentiment is attached to the card front using Dimensionals.  

Ok, that's the last card of the batch that I made and it's also the most involved.  Let's move on to the rest of the collection of cards to see what catches your fancy.

I was looking to make several get well type of cards.  Seems like there are a lot of surgeries going on among my friends, so I was looking for something bright and cheerful.  This is a cheerful and super quick card to make.  

Start with a card base of Daffodil Delight.  A layer of Garden Green cardstock is cut to 4 3/4" x 3 1/2". Next a layer is cut with the Deckled Rectangle dies from the Meandering Meadows DSP.  This piece measures just under 3" wide, so you can get two of these from one piece of DSP.  The print is attached to the green layer with adhesive.  Then this is attached to the folded card base using Dimensionals.

The sentiment is from the new Unbounded Love stamp set.  It was a perfect sentiment for the card.  It's stamped with Garden Green ink onto a 1/2" strip of Basic White cardstock.  The end is trimmed with the Banners Pick a Punch.  Then it's attached with Mini Dimenisonals.  To finish, three dragonflies from the Birds and Dragonflies accents that are an Online Exclusive item were added.  Thought they looked nice with the scenery.

This next card uses the other half on the DSP sheet from the last card.  The card base for this one is Crushed Curry.  There is a layer of Basic White next that measures 5 1/8" x 3 7/8".  The largest square die from the Stylish Shapes die set is used to cut a window this time.  The DSP is trimmed to fit top and bottom of the card, then attached behind the window with adhesive.

The sentiment for this card uses one from Perennial Postage stamp set.  It's stamped with Garden Green ink onto the bottom area.   

The accents on the card are Brushed Brass Butterflies that will still be available in the new Annual Catalog.  There is also a double piece of twine tied into a bow added to the corner of the design.  The color is Cherry Cobbler and was retired several years ago.  I liked how it picked up the color of the reddish flowers.

This card uses another of the Meandering Meadows prints.  It's cut with one of the Everyday Details Dies that shows all the dots around the print as an accent.  

The card base is Starry Sky cardstock that is retiring soon.  This is the only card that has a landscape fold.  The layer used on it is Bubble Bath.  The sentiment from Unbounded Love is used again on the card.  It's stamped with Starry Sky ink.

The DSP layer is attached with Dimensionals.  This makes the die-cut edge show up nicely.  The bow is made from Bubble Bath ribbon from the Sheer Ribbon Combo Pack.  It's attached with two Mini Glue Dots.

The last card uses the back-side of the previous card's print.  The card base is Blueberry Bushel this time.  There is a layer of Basic White that I used the new Eyelet 3D Embossing Folder.  I think this is a pretty background texture that will be very versatile.  The rectangle window is cut with one of the Everday Details dies.  The DSP is attached behind this using adhesive.  I have to admit, once I got the DSP trimmed to fit, I wasn't sure which side was up anymore.  So, if it doesn't look right to you, it's all my fault!

Before attaching the layer to the card base, the same Bubble Bath ribbon was used to wrap around the side of the layer and tied into a knot.  Then the layer was attached with Dimensionals. 

The sentiment is from the Perennial Postage set again.  It's stamped with Blueberry Bushel ink onto a Basic White piece.  It's die-cut with the smallest rectangle die from the Everyday Details dies.  It's attached with Dimensionals.

And that's it.  Five cards using the same window style layout with a scenery print DSP with it.  I needed a number of get-well cards, and I think these cards will fit nicely.  As I made each card, I was thinking about the person it's going to and trying to fit their style with the cards I made.  I hope the cards will underscore that I care about each person and hope things improve for them.  It's a perk to be able to make similar cards but tailor them to fit each person.  That's one of the things I love about stamping and card making!

Are you watching the calendar?  It's just about time for the new Annual Catalog to be available.  I still have a few things (lol) I'd like to get.  I've been working on my wish list.  Have you?

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon 

A Garden of Zinnias

Hi Friends!  I've just spent a good number of hours playing around with zinnias.  It's been raining here again so that means everything is gray and dreary.  So, what could cheer me up?  Some bright and happy zinnias that I can 'plant' on cards, not outside in the dirt.   I started out with a basic layout and made five cards with that layout but using different color combos.  I'm so happy with my latest 'garden' I want to share it with you.  Each card is slightly different, so I'll share each one individually.  Hope you enjoy them.

Card Base - Melon Mambo

Layers - Basic White and Flowering Zinnias DSP

Stamps - Simply Zinnias and Go to Greetings

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black and Melon Mambo

Dies - Scalloped Contours for white layer

Colors for flower layers - Calypso Coral, Berry Burst, Melon Mambo, and Calypso Coral that has Melon Mambo ink sponged on the outer petals, Pumpkin Pie, and Daffodil Delight.  Garden Green and Old Olive for stem and leaves

Embellishment - Adhesive-backed Shiny Sequins

Punch - Banners Pick a Punch

Card Base - Daffodil Delight

Layers - Basic White and Flowering Zinnias DSP

Stamps - Simply Zinnias and Go to Greetings

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

Dies - Deckled Rectangle Dies

Embossing Folder - Basics 3 D

Colors for flower layers - Pumpkin Pie, Copper Clay, Pumpkin Pie, Daffodil Delight, Copper Clay, and Pumpkin Pie.  Garden Green and Old Olive for stem and leaves.

Embellishment - Adhesive-backed Shiny Sequins

Punch - Banners Pick a Punch

Card Base - Melon Mambo

Layers - Basic White and Flowering Zinnias DSP

Stamps - Simply Zinnias and Go to Greetings

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

Dies - Deckled Rectangles Dies

Embossing Folder - Zinnia 3D

Colors for flower layers - Melon Mambo, Melon Mambo with ink sponged on petal tips, Berry Burst, Calypso Coral, and Pumpkin Pie.  Garden green for stem and leaves.

Embellishment - 2022-2024 In Color Pearls

Punch - Banners Pick a Punch

Card Base - Daffodil Delight

Layers - Basic White and Flowering Zinnias DSP

Stamps - Simply Zinnias and Go to Greetings

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

Dies - Deckled Rectangles Dies

Embossing Folder - Basic 3D

Colors for flower layers - Crushed Curry, Crushed Curry, Lemon Lolly, Daffodil Delight, Calypso Coral, Lemon Lolly.  Garden Green for stem and Old Olive for leaves.

Embellishment - Adhesive-backed Shiny Sequins

Punch - Banners Pick a Punch

Card Base - Lemon Lime Twist

Layers - Basic White and Flowering Zinnias DSP

Stamps - Simply Zinnias and Go to Greetings

Ink - Melon Mambo

Dies - Deckled Rectangle and Stitched Whimsy

Embossing Folder - Softly Sophisticated (SAB)

Colors for flower layers - Pumpkin Pie, Flirty Flamingo with a touch of Melon Mambo ink sponged on petal tips, Pumpkin Pie, Flirty Flamingo, Copper Clay, Pumpkin Pie, and Lemon Lolly.  Lemon Lime Twist for stem and leaves.

Embellishment - 2022-2024 In Color Pearls

Close up on the first card.  You can see where some sponging was added to the petals on some flowers, but not all of them.  

A bone folder was used to curl the petals before the layers were put together.  This gives the flowers so much depth.

Dimensionals were added to each card, but not on the same layers of all the cards.  But each of the sentiment banners were attached with Dimensionals.  I also found I like the flower centers popped up with a Dimensional.

I used the zinnia stamp and a coordinating color of ink to stamp in the bottom corner on the Basic White layer on the inside of each card to finish them off.

One last picture of all the cards together.  Even though they are all made in the same fashion, because of the different colors used for the petals each one is unique.  This was really fun.  You should have seen the piles of different color flowers all die-cut and ready to create my garden.  If you want to spend some happy time, just grab a handful of different color cardstock and start die-cutting layers.  Then keep layering them together until you get flowers that make you happy. 

Hope you've gotten the items you've been wanting from the retiring list.  Items are going fast, and some are sold out already.  They will no longer be available after the end of April.  And then May 1st the new annual catalog goes live!!  Yah!  If you haven't gotten your catalog from me yet, please get in touch and I'll send one out to you.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

When Is Enough, Enough?

Hey there.  That is my conundrum today.  Well, the question really started yesterday.  I made a card that I'd been thinking about since I ordered the Painted Lavender stamp set.  I was really happy with the outcome of the idea.  But the more I looked at it, I felt it needed just a tiny touch of Berry Burst added to really make it stand out.  And that's where enough turned into I did too much.  Let me show you what I mean.

I should have taken pictures before the tweaking, so you could see it really needed just a bit more color.  Instead, I only have the frustrating 'after' pictures. 

To make the card, I started by cutting the focal image layers first.  These pieces are Basic White cardstock cut with the Deckled Rectangles for the frame.  The 3rd largest and 5th largest dies were used.  A small bit of washi tape held the dies in place to cut the frame evenly.  Another piece of Basic White was cut that measures 4 1/4" x 3".  This goes behind the frame and is where the garden scene was stamped.

I love adding a soft color in the background using the Blending Brushes.  My plan was to add Balmy Blue and Garden Green for the sky and ground.  The colors are darker in the top and bottom and very pale in the center.  

The 'grassy looking' stamp was stamped with Garden Green ink across the bottom of the piece.  Each time the stamp was inked, I stamped twice to get variations of green.

The tiny stamp with 3 stems of flowers was stamped the same way with Highland Heather then some Gorgeous Grape on top of that.  The edges of this piece were trimmed slightly to easily fit behind the frame.  The edges were glued to hold in place.

The base of the card is Soft Sea Foam cut at 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored and folded in half to make a landscape card.

The sentiment is from the new Simply Zinnia set that is an Online Exclusive item.  I think the sentiment fit nicely with the images here.  It was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink near the bottom of the card front making sure there's plenty of room to add the stamped lavender and frame.  Then the layers were added to the card front using Dimensionals.

The Painted Lavender dies have a leaf spray that was the perfect size.  It's cut from Garden Green cardstock.  I had three little flowers from the set left over already stamped and die-cut from a previous project.  They are a mix of Berry Burst and Gorgeous Grape.  These were added to the card front with Mini Glue Dots.  

The butterflies are from the Painted Lavender set.  They were stamped with Daffodil Delight ink with a bit of Basic Black marker added to the bodies.  Then they were die-cut with the matching dies.  The tiny one was attached with a Mini Glue Dot, but the full butterfly has a Mini Dimensional in the center.  

After looking at the finished card, I knew it needed just a few of the flower stems stamped in Berry Burst to match the flowers on the accent stem.  This is where I really messed up.  Have you noticed my mistakes all along?  I should have masked off the frame, but I didn't.  It never crossed my mind that I'd mess up the pristine white, but I truly did in grand fashion.  I love the added color, but what a mess.  I didn't even realize I did it until I was looking at the pictures and adding the copyright tags on the computer.  So, I tried to take it all apart to make a new frame and it sort of ripped a little.   Oops.  So now I have to either sit down and remake most of the card or pitch it. 

So, when is enough, enough?  Before I added the Berry Burst flowers without masking?  Or when I decided to take it apart and fix it?  My advice is to NOT do what I did!!  😂😏

Other than my mistakes, I hope you liked this idea.  Yes, I will make another card like this sometime because I like the overall idea.  But not today.  I've got other cards I need to make and get into the mail.  Thanks for taking time out of your day to share my tale of woes.  Thank goodness I don't always mess up this badly.  Hopefully the next card creation will come together without all these problems.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Fond of Autumn Card

Hello there!  I'd planned on sharing another card idea using the Aspen Trees Dies but thought you might be getting bored and needed to see something else instead.  But don't worry.  I'll get back to more of those ideas soon.  For a change, I went back to my fall ideas to see what I could come up with.  The Fond of Autumn set found on page 52 of the July-December Mini Catalog is a perfect one to use if you're in the mood for coloring like I was.  Don't you love coloring with the Stampin' Blends?  It's so easy to put one color on top of another and keep blending until you get the color and shading you want.  It's awesome and pretty much easy as can be.  I'm always amazed at how awesome the coloring is!  😄

So let's start off with the main image.  It's from the Fond of Autumn set and is the large image in the set.  The large die from the Autumn Bouquet Dies that coordinates with the set actually cuts the large image into four sections at one time.  For today's card, I only used the middle image with the oak leaves and acorns.  It's stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto Basic White cardstock.  I colored just this section and die-cut it to use.  I also stamped a couple of the extra acorns in the set to have on hand.  

For coloring the images, I used these Blends:  Granny Apple Green Light & Dark, Pumpkin Pie Dark, Cajun Craze Dark, Old Olive Light & Dark, and Crumb Cake Light & Dark.  When I color with the Blends, I tend to color in a section with the lighter color, shade with the darker color, then go back and blend with the lighter color again.  After the pieces were all colored to my satisfaction, they were die-cut and set aside.  The extra sections were saved for another card later.

Next was the sentiment to choose.  This one is from the Beauty of Friendship set found of page 104 of the Annual Catalog.  Hmmm...  I'd forgotten all about this awesome set but ran across it when I was looking for sentiments.  Need to give it some love and attention soon.  Anyway, back to our card.  It was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto a Basic White cardstock piece.  It's die-cut using the 2nd smallest Deckled Rectangles Die.  

Starting with a piece of Pumpkin Pie cardstock that measures 11" x 4 1/4", it's then scored at 5 1/2" and folded in half for a side-fold card.  Just a little different.  I thought the Pumpkin Pie small check pattern in the Gingham Cottage DSP would be a great backdrop for these autumn images.  I already had a piece cut that measured 5" x 4" in my stash, so why not make use of that?  I attached it to the folded Pumpkin Pie card base with adhesive.  I also had a scrap of Pale Papaya cardstock that could be used.  The Deckled Rectangles Dies was used to cut an edge on this piece for interest, and the deckled edge tied it back to the sentiment layer.  

When laying everything on the card for placement, the sentiment looked too small.  After fussing with it for a while, inspiration hit - vellum!   I cut a piece using the 3rd smallest die from the set.  This filled in the area better, but it didn't detract from the overall design.

The vellum layer was attached behind the sentiment layer using adhesive.  Then it was attached to the card front with adhesive.  A portion of Parakeet Party Metallic Ribbon was tied into a big loopy bow and attached behind the oak leaves and acorns.  Then it was all attached on the top corner of the sentiment layer with Dimensionals.  One of the acorns was attached to the opposite corner of the sentiment with a Dimensional.

The inside of the card needed to be lighter for writing a note inside.  A piece of Pale Papaya cardstock that measures 5 1/4" x 4" was attached with adhesive.  I also had a skinny 1/2" piece of the same checked DSP that I added to the edge to mimic the front of the card.  An extra acorn was attached inside the card too.

NOTE:  As you can see, I thought the card was finished and I hadn't planned on adding any bling.  After thinking about this overnight, I went back and added three of the 2021-2023 In Color Opal Rounds in the Pale Papaya color to the sentiment layer.  This adds so much to the card and was the perfect finish.  So please, use your imagination to add them to the picture!

Thanks for stopping in today.  It's a rainy day here, so that means it's a good day to go down to my craft room and create something.  I was planning a trip to the Post Office to mail out some goodies to friends, but that might get put off til tomorrow.  You know I just might melt if I go out in this rain!!  LOL

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon