Violets Fun Fold Idea

Hello friends.  I've been flitting around making cards for so many people having shoulder, knee, hip replacements lately.  Are we becoming a country of bionic people??  There is definitely a rash of them going on.  Why is everyone scheduling them now?  Something going on that I don't know about?  I have no idea, but it's been keeping me busy making and sending out cards.  I've been trying to send a card that reflects that person as much as possible, so they've all been one-of-a-kind.  One of the cards used the Framed Violets set and turned out really pretty so I thought I'd share it with you.

Because I wanted to use the Violets Dreams Designer Series Paper, the first order of business was to find an image the I could die-cut from the pretty prints.  The 5th largest die from the Everyday Arches die set was used to cut the image.  From this, the colors on the card were chosen.

The card base is Fresh Freesia that measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It's scored at 2 1/8" and 4 1/4" to make the z-fold.

I chose the back side of the print which is a lovely soft stripe as the inner layer.  This measures 5 1/4" x 4".  It's attached with adhesive on the inside of the card.

Couldn't really find a print I wanted for the front fold-back section.  I ended up using this checked vellum print from the Berry Botanical Vellum that was a previous Product of the Month from a couple of months back.  I'm so glad I had some of this left, because it's the perfect contrast for the rest of the card.  It measures 1 7/8" x 5 1/4" and is attached with adhesive.

Two pieces of Basic White cardstock were die-cut with the 4th largest die from the Everyday Arches set.  One of them was used to back the DSP print that was already cut and one was saved for the inside of the card.

One of the white pieces and the DSP print piece were adhered together with adhesive.  Then they were positioned on the card front.  Dimensionals were used to attach this.  Make sure they are added only to the left side of the arch so there is no problem opening the card.

The sentiment chosen for the card is from the Prayers & Promises stamp set.  This simple sentiment was stamped on a 1/2" strip of Basic White cardstock.  Petunia Pop ink was used for this because it's a little darker than the Fresh Freesia, but it still blends nicely with the colors.  Then the edges were trimmed with paper snips to finish.  The final length is 2 1/2" long and it's attached with Dimensionals.

A Fresh Freesia 1/4" Satin Ribbon was tied into a bow and attached near the top of the front layers with Mini Glue Dots.

So far, I don't think this design needs any bling added.  I may change my mind when I write a note inside and I'm ready to mail it.  What do you think?  Any suggestions?

Back to the inside of the card.  Using the 2nd white arched piece I cut, another of the sentiments in the Prayers & Promises was stamped on this.  Petunia Pop ink was used again for this sentiment.

In the bottom corner of this white layer, a single violet was stamped as an accent.  This time I did use Fresh Freesia because it is a little lighter.

After the stamping, the layer was attached inside the card, making sure it won't show.   

TIP - Put adhesive on the back of this layer.  Open the card with the top flap folded back.  This way you can easily see the edge.  Lay the sentiment layer over this face down and line up the edges.  Then close the card.  The inside layer will be attached in just the right place.

One last look.  I just love the soft colors and the fun fold on this card.  Because the main image was die-cut from a DSP print, this card was made in no time at all.  Still pretty, but so easy to make up several of these for when needed.

FYI - Have you heard that Stampin'Up! is having a sale on selected Designer Series Papers and Cardstock?  This is going on August 4th - 31st.  You can click here to see what's available.  There are even some Two-Tone Cardstocks in the sale!  Stock up on some of your favorites or use this opportunity to try something new!

Another piece of information for you - there is a new Product of the Month also.  Check here to see how pretty this is!  It's going to be perfect for some of my fall-themed cards.  I'm sure you'll love it too!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Time for Another Layout

Hello friends.  While meandering through all the interesting Pinterest card ideas, I kept seeing cards that had a similar layout.  This is something that I've used through the years and thought it was time to get it out and try it with current ideas.  I love having layouts that work well through the years and always look fresh and current because of the colors and papers used.  I think this is definitely one of them!  This layout also works well with either a landscape or portrait style card.  Let me show you what I mean.

We'll start with the portrait style card.  This card features the Valley in Bloom Designer Series Paper.  The print is cut to measure 4" x 3 1/2".  Then this piece is cut into 4 pieces with each piece measuring 1" x 3 1/2".  You want to keep these strips in the correct order for constructing your card later.

Next is a layer that measures 4 1/2" x 3 1/4".  This lets the under-layer show on each side when finished.   I used Basic White cardstock for this layer, but you can use whatever works best for your design. Position each of the DSP strips on the layer until it looks right.  Then each strip is attached to the base layer as shown.  Can you see how the DSP ends overlap the white layer on the sides, and the ends of the white layer show at the top and bottom?  That's the basic look you want from this layout.

For the card, Cloud Cover cardstock was chosen as the card base because it blended nicely with the DSP print, and it keeps the whole design sort of 'misty' looking.  It measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and is folded in half.  The white layer is attached to the card base with Dimensionals to enhance the design look.

A sentiment from the Simply Leaves stamp set was used.  I just love this sentiment not only because of what it says, but the two fonts used on each of the sentiments in this set make them really stand out.  It's stamped on a long 1/2" strip of Basic White cardstock using Pretty Peacock ink.  After stamping, the ends were trimmed closer to the words and given a fishtail cut with paper snips to finish it.

The design just needed something more to make it special.  Then I remembered the geometric die that's part of the Lily of the Valley die set.  I die-cut it from Basic White Thick cardstock so it would be a little sturdier.  It's added to the card front with touches of adhesive.  Then the sentiment is attached over this with Dimesionals.

Of course, the design needed just a bit of subtle bling.  The 2026 - 2028 In Color Dots in the Peaceful Pine color were used here.  They're very subtle, but the bit of iridescent shine on them gives the card a soft glisten.  Just what I wanted for this card.

The inside of the card has a white cardstock layer.  There is a 1/2" strip of a different Valley in Bloom print was added to the bottom of this layer before attaching inside.

Now you've seen how this layout works in portrait style cards, let's see how the same layout works for a landscape style card.

This time, my DSP layer comes from the Waterside Retreat Designer Series Paper.  The design pictured is bigger than the 4" x 3 1/2" that is needed for this layout.  It needed a little creative cutting - some off the top, the bottom, and the left side to get the correct dimensions. Then the piece was cut into 1" strips for the design.

Again, I used Basic White for the backing layer which measures 4 1/2" x 3 1/4".  The strips were arranged on this and attached with adhesive.  This was attached to the Pool Party card base with Dimensionals.

The sentiment used here is from Fragrant Layer stamp set.  It's stamped with Misty Moonlight ink onto a 5/8" wide strip of Basic White cardstock.  It's trimmed close then fishtailed with Paper Snips.   It's added to the bottom of the design with Dimensionals.

The inside of the card is a layer of Basic White cardstock.  It has a 1/4" strip of the same DSP (but the striped back side) added to either side of the white layer.  They're attached with adhesive.  These strips came from the area on the left side of the front design that was too wide.  Never throw away those scraps.  You never know when they'll be the perfect accent to the card!

I made another card with this same layout.  At least it was the same until I cut the white layer wrong.  After thinking about it, I decided to share my boo-boos too.  This is how learning happens.  If everything came out perfect the first time, I guess it means I'm not stretching myself enough and trying different things.  Besides it's only paper and I can try again!

So the mistake was only cutting it 4 1/4" long so the DSP comes right to the edges instead of the white showing at the edges.  I thought I'd still put it together as I'd planned and see how I liked it.  

For this one, I used Hydrangea Hue cardstock and the beautiful Delicate Dreams DSP which is currently unavailable.  This paper is just beautiful.  I guess lots of people agree on that.  It will be coming back in stock, so watch for it.

This sentiment comes from the Lily of the Valley set.  I don't remember the name of punch I used - sorry.    The ink color is Hydrangea Hue.  The label has just a hint of the blue around it.  I used a marker tip to run around the edges.  The label also has a spattering of the same marker for added color.  

Did you notice the small strip of ribbon that's tucked under the label?  For the bling this time, I added some of the retired Brass Butterflies to flit in the design.  Thought they were a good size and the new ones got lost in all the busyness of the print.  

I still think the first version of this layout is great.  Not so crazy about the mistake version.  I should have just set the wrong-sized cardstock aside and recut to the correct measurements.  But I had to try.  You never know whether an idea will work if you don't try it.  This mistake is ok, but not as eye-catching as the first version as far as I'm concerned.  It's something I don't want to do the wrong way again.

I'm so glad you stopped by today.  Let me know what you think about this layout.  I think I should use it more often.  What do you think?

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

More Framed Violets Ideas

 Hello friends!  I'm so happy that July is almost here.  That means all the wonderful new items that are in the Online Exclusive store will be available to everyone!  This new grouping of online only products includes some of my very favorite new stamp and dies sets.  One especially favorite of mine is the Framed Violets bundle.  I've shared an idea or two already and today I've got two more cards to share with you.  For these two cards, I used the same stamps and dies, the same Violet Dreams Designer Series Paper, and the same layout.  The changes are all in the colors and DSP prints that I've used for the cards, so they are similar but still different enough to enjoy the looks.  Tell me which one is your favorite, and we'll see if I agree.  We'll start with the first one I made.

This card started with the pretty Violet Dreams DSP in the pale Hydrangea Hue diagonal stripe.  I thought this would make up into a sweet "girlie" card.  I cut a piece 3 7/8" x 5 1/8" to get me started.  

It needed a skinny frame of Hydrangea Hue cardstock to make it pop.  This measures 5 1/4" x 4".  From this piece, I die-cut a fancy layer from the center using the 2nd largest die in the Sweet Words & Labels Dies set.  I had already used the scalloped stamp and dies that came with the Framed Violets set, but again I wanted something just a bit fancier for this card.  After die-cutting, this layer was set aside for use later.

The striped DSP needed a little something added.  So a Stampin' Blends in Hydrangea Hue was used to spatter it a little near the top and bottom of this piece.  The DSP was then attached to the Hydrangea Hue layer with adhesive and then to the folded Basic White cardstock card base.  

I raided my stash of retired border punches to make the pretty lacy looking band across the card.  I wanted to add something quite feminine looking to the design.  This was attached with adhesive also.

Moving on to the focal point on the card, I stamped the little violet bouquet with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto a piece of Basic White cardstock.  The images were colored in with Stampin' Blends:

Flower petals - Hydrangea Hue Light & Dark

Leaves & stems - Peaceful Pine Light & Dark with touches of Color Lifter used as highlights

After coloring, the violets were die-cut using the matching dies.

Two different fern dies from the Fern & Flora bundle were used to die-cut ferns from Peaceful Pine cardstock for accent pieces.  I like how the darker color really highlights the lighter violets.

A Basic White layer to ground the pieces was cut using the 3rd largest die in the Sweet Words & Labels Dies.  This added a pretty layer with stitching details to the design.  This was attached to the Hydrangea Hue layer with adhesive.

First the two ferns were attached to the white layer using adhesive.  Then the violets were attached on top of these.  The stems have adhesive, but each of the flowers have a Mini Glue Dot behind it to give it more depth.

The focal layers were attached to the card front using Dimensionals.  Did you notice there is no sentiment?  I haven't decided how this card will be used yet, so for now there is no sentiment and the inside is bare.

To finish the design, I added a fairly large bow using two strands of white Baker's Twine.  It's still fairly subtle and doesn't demand too much attention.  This was added to the violet stems with a rolled up Mini Glue Dot to hold in place.

I debated about adding some sort of bling and I tried several that I had on hand.  I didn't think any of them really enhanced this design to any degree.  Hence, there is no added embellishment to this card.  Was that the right decision?  What would you have added?

I challenged myself to make another card with these parameters - same set, same DSP pack, same dies.  This next card really came together fast since most of my choices were already made.

The first thing I did for this card design was pick the DSP print again.  Using the darker print changed the whole feel of the card and I needed darker colors to coordinate with it.  

To match the print, the card base is Highland Heather this time.  The DSP print is attached to this using adhesive.

The same dies from the Sweet Words & Labels set were used.  The 2nd largest cut the Highland Heather cardstock and the 3rd largest cut the Basic White cardstock.  

A texture background stamp in the Framed Violets set was used to stamp Bubble Bath ink onto the center of the white layer.  You can barely see it, but I think it made a big difference.

The two layers were attached together with adhesive.  Then they were attached to the card front with Dimensionals.

Again, the violet bouquet was stamped on Basic White cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  For coloring this time, I went with Stampin' Blends again:

Flower petals - Highland Heather Light & Dark

Leaves and stems - Peaceful Pine Light & Dark

For this design, I tried to match the coloring on the DSP for the leaves.  They are quite a bit darker than in my first design even though the same color was used.  It just depends on how much of the Dark was used.

The sentiment comes from the Phrases & Frames stamp set.  The words are stamped with Gorgeous Grape ink onto a 3/4" strip of Basic White.  The ends were trimmed into flags.  The stems of the violets were attached to the back of the sentiment.  Then all of this was attached to the white layer using Dimensionals.

A retired sheer Highland Heather ribbon was selected as an accent here.  It's tied into a small bow and attached with Mini Glue Dots.

Several white Shimmering Dots were scattered onto the card for a bit of bling.  This card seemed to need just an extra bit of brightness to the design.

I totally forgot to take a photo of the inside.  Oops!  The matching anniversary sentiment from the Phrases & Frames set was stamped with Gorgeous Grape ink.  The single violet in the Framed Violets set was stamped in the bottom corner using Highland Heather ink as an accent.  

And there you have it.  I think I accomplished my goal of using pretty much all the same products and layout but still changing the look of the finished cards.  Do you like them?  And which look do you prefer - pastel or brighter?  Surprisingly, I would have to say I love the boldness of the second card which really doesn't sound like me at all.  I love them both, but for some reason the boldness of the second one just appeals to me today.  What do you think?

Either way, you can get this awesome suite of products starting July 1st.  Yay!  I think these are all really gorgeous items that you'll love using.  And with the beginning of a new month, that means a new Product of the Month will be available too.  I can't wait to see what it is and see what I can do with it.  

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you love these violets as much as I do.  They are just so simple and sweet and make me think more Victorian thoughts here.  Of course, we had a lovely crop of violets to enjoy this spring in our backyard.  (My hubby wasn't happy, but...)  I don't remember these in the yard back in Michigan, so I really enjoyed them before it got so incredibly hot.  

Oh, before I forget - I think this will be my last update on our blueberry crop.  From starting with two plus pints each picking, we're down to maybe 3/4 cup the last time I picked.  Looks like it's not worth the effort to pick anymore this season and the birds and squirrels can dine on the rest.  But we've got plenty for cobblers, muffins, and much more tucked away in the freezer that we'll enjoy all winter long.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Lily of the Valley Quick Cards

Hello, my dear friends!   I'm still struggling with my health each day.  Several of you got in touch with me and let me know you're praying for my crazy heart to settle down and behave itself.  It surprises me how worn out this makes me when it's not beating in rhythm.  But life goes on, doesn't it?  Just very much slower! 

Lately I've spent some time weeding through card layouts that I've saved over the last many, many years.  It's been fun trying out a few to decide if I like them enough to save the idea.   Several days ago, I made two cards with a similar layout that is another easy idea to have on hand.  Thought today I'd share this with you.  I'm having so much fun playing around with one layout and making small adjustments for a different look.  It's amazing what a change in cardstock color will do to a card.  Let me show you what I mean.

This card follows the original layout that I'd saved.  Plus, it uses one of the new DSP designs - Valley in Bloom. (Yes, this will be one of the last sneak peaks as May 5th is almost here.  Woo hoo!) Isn't it beautiful?  I love lily of the valley flowering plants, and the DSP is absolutely gorgeous in my opinion.  With this card layout, I only stamped the sentiment.  Everything else about the card focuses on the DSP.

The measurements for this layout are as follows:

card base - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2"  folded in half

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

cardstock layer - 3 5/8" x 3 5/8"

DSP layer - 3 1/2" x 3 1/2"

sentiment - your choice size and shape

The card base for this one is Garden Green to pick up the darker greens in the DSP.  The strip of DSP going across the card is actually the backside of the focal piece.  I really liked these together.  The watercolor style print against the mini geometric print was an interesting contrast.

For my framing layer, Basic White really made the little bell flowers stand out nicely.  The focal DSP print was attached to the white cardstock with adhesive.  Then these were attached to the card base with Dimensionals.

The sentiment is from the Lily of the Valley stamp set.  It's stamped with Garden Green ink onto a 3/4" strip of Basic White cardstock.  The right end was finished by flagging it.  This is attached flat to the card on the left side with a Dimensional under the right end to level it out.

The pretty sparkly new bling was added for an accent.  These are from the new Shimmering Dots pack.  Pretty, aren't they?

I haven't finished the inside yet as I'm not sure what sentiment I want to use.  It always depends on the person the card is being sent to, right?

The next card is very similar with a good number of changes though.

The first big change you notice right away is the cardstock base is different.  This time I went with Granny Apple Green which was one of the colors listed as coordinating with this DSP.  Just that change alone brightened the look of the card immensely.

The strip of DSP across the card base was slimmed down just 1/8".  It was attached to the card base with adhesive.

The focal piece of DSP is from the same piece of DSP as the first card.  The DSP page I used is one of the two border prints in the pack.  This time it's trimmed a little smaller - 3" x 3 1/2".  This meant that the layering piece was also smaller at 3 1/8" x 3 5/8".  This card has Garden Green cardstock for this layer to give it a bit of dark to balance the bright.  By making these changes, a good deal more of the background cardstock is visible which makes the entire card have a lighter feel.

This time the sentiment comes from the Friendly Foliage stamp set.  I love the font used here and this is one of my basic sentiments used for cards.  It's just versatile and seems to cover so many applications.  It's stamped on a Basic White strip that is 1/2" tall with Garden Green ink.  After stamping, the ends were flagged to finish the look.

The same pretty bling was used on this card as the last.  I just love the colors in the Shimmering Dots pack.  They are this Granny Apple Green that I used, Coastal Cabana, and White.  All lovely colors that I'll be using a lot!

Looking at this card with the slightly smaller dimensions, I was thinking it would work well for a portrait style card also.  That will be something I need to try soon!

Here's one more look at the two cards.  This time they're together so you can easily the differences.  Let me know if you try out this layout and add it to your rotation of layouts.  I find there are some layouts I gravitate towards more often.  My old standbys.  But then again, it's fun to pull out another idea you haven't played with in a while for a change of pace.

I can't wait until May 5th when you too can order these fun new stamps and dies and get your hands on these gorgeous new designer papers.  You're gonna love them!!

Thanks for stopping by today.  I really appreciate that you spend some of your precious time with me.  Give these template ideas a try.  It's always a good idea to have some basic layout templates to work with when you get some creative stagnation going on.  They really are a great starting point to get you stamping again!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Last Chance Impressions Abloom

Hello friends!  Hope you're doing well today.  Have you got a favorite stamp set that you grab for all the time?  I do, and unfortunately, it's now on the Last Chance List.  It seemed important to me to make another card or two with this and share them with you one more time.  Do you own the Impressions Abloom set?  These florals are an easy two-step stamp and look so pretty when made.  I can't even begin to tell you how many color combos I've used for this set.  And I think they all turned out great!  So, let's take one last look at one of my favorite sets.

For this design, the Impressions Abloom set was paired up with the Lovely & Beautiful 12" x 12" Designer Series Paper.  Don't they fit together nicely?  Start the card with a Calypso Coral card base that measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  This is scored at 4 1/4" and folded in half.

There is a 2" x 5 1/2" strip of this gorgeous gold-accented DSP that is attached to the Calypso Coral card base.  To enhance the gold on the DSP, a 1/4" strip of Brushed Gold Foil was cut and added to the left of the DSP strip.  This really made the gold accents pop.

There is a gold foil circle cut with the Stylish Shapes Dies.  This is the largest of the circle dies.

The next smaller circle is used to cut a Petal Pink cardstock circle.  This is layered onto the gold foil circle and attached with adhesive.  Set aside while we make the flowers.

On a 2" strip of Basic White cardstock, stamp the larger flower detail stamp with Calypso Coral ink a couple times.  Then stamp the solid flower stamp with Petal Pink ink directly over these.  I lined the stamps up with the larger petal.

Next, stamp the 'daisy' flower detail stamp using Petal Pink ink several times.  I didn't stamp any extra color on these to keep them very light.

The flower centers were stamped with the correct size centers using Daffodil Delight ink.  The leaves are the detail stamp which I used to stamp some leaves in Old Olive, Garden Green, and Granny Apple Green.  I wasn't sure which color I'd use until putting the cards together.  I ended up using the Granny Apple Green and Garden Green leaves.  The other will be kept as extras to be used later.

Both sizes of flowers and all the leaves were die-cut with the matching dies.  This gave me a pile of flowers and leaves to play with when creating.  For one card, the largest flower was attached with a bit of adhesive just in the center, and in the other card I switched the flowers around.  The 2nd flower was attached with a Dimensional in the center.  Then an assortment of leaves were tucked in under and around the flowers.

I found a twiggy branch from another set that I die-cut some pieces in the gold foil to carry those lovely gold tones throughout the card.  Some of the branches were used whole, but some of them were cut into smaller pieces to tuck in. 

When the circles were fully decorated, they were attached to the card fronts using Dimensionals.

The sentiment is also from the Impressions Abloom stamp set.  It's stamped onto a strip of Basic White cardstock that measures 3/4" x 1 3/4".  Calypso Coral ink was used for this.  The label was attached using two of the Dimensionals.

The inside of the card has a Basic White layer of cardstock that measures 5 1/4" x 4".  There is a 3/4" by 5 1/4" strip of the same DSP print along the right edge for an accent.

With all the gold foil accents on the card, I decided to do away with any extra bling for these cards.  It just felt like it was detracting from the design instead of enhancing it.

Well, I am very sorry to see this great stamp set show up in the last chance list.  It has been used often in my stamping.  If you don't have it yet, it might be something you'd consider adding to your stash.  

Thanks for sharing some of your precious time with me.  I hope you're inspired to get in your stamp area and do a little creating today.  Remember that there are new stamps, dies, kits, and much more that will be available on March 3rd.  You'll find lots of new treasures that will coordinate and work well with some of the favorites that you already own.  Stay tuned...

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

More Lovely Arrangements

Hello, my stamping friends!   Hope today finds you all doing well and feeling creative.  I seem to be having trouble leaving the Lovely Arrangements bundle alone.  First of all, that Lovely Blossoms Designer Series Paper is just so gorgeous.  I love the colors and patterns and pretty much everything about it.  So, that means I'm using it again today for a series of five fun fold cards.  If you don't like this DSP, just think of doing these fun fold cards with your favorite DSP.  I'm sure they would turn out lovely.  

First let me share with you the entire batch of cards.  The fun fold is the same for each of them.  There are two different prints in this paper pack that I focused on using with accents from the reverse side to enhance the designs.  They also use different wording and embellishments to make each of them a little different.

Let's focus on the cutting dimensions first.

lg card base - 7 1/2" x 4 1/4" 

score @ 2"

sm card - 8" x 2 1/2"   

score @ 4"

For all my card bases, I used either Cloud Cover or Secret Sea cardstock.

DSP measurements - 

inner piece 5 1/4" x 4"

left front flap - 4" x 1 3/4"

right front flap - 3 3/4" x 2 1/4"  I used the reverse side or a different print for an accent

Basic White inner piece - 3 3/4" x 2 1/4"

This is the first design we'll look at and create.  The Cloud Cover cardstock base is scored and folded on the left side.  The largest piece of DSP is attached inside this card using adhesive.  The 1 3/4" x 4" DSP piece is attached to the left front flap.

The smaller card is folded in half with the fold on the right side.  This is attached to the inside center of the card base.

An accent print piece of DSP is attached to the right front flap with adhesive.

The inner white piece is stamped before attaching.  I also had an extra flower that I attached inside for interest.  On the other cards, I used a partial stamp for the accent.

All the flowers are stamped with Secret Sea ink on Basic White cardstock and die-cut with the matching dies.  For this stack of cards, I used 6 full flowers and 5 half flowers.  The flowers were each attached with one Dimensional in the center so the leaves could be tucked in around and under the flowers.  I also die-cut a pile of leaves to pick and choose from while constructing the cards.  I used Old Olive, Secret Sea, Cloud Cover, and several from a print from the Beautiful Gallery 6" x 6" DSP.  Those made a lovely accent on one of the cards.

Now that you have a basic knowledge of how these cards all go together, let's take a closer look at each of the other cards.

This card has a Secret Sea base with the same print used on both the inside and left flap.  The print on the right flap is the reverse of the print on the last card.  The soft pink color was a perfect accent.  

The sentiment is from the same set and is stamped on a 1/2" strip tucked under the leaves.  The leaves used on this card are both Secret Sea and Cloud Cover.

The bling used on most of these cards is from the Moody Palette Glossy Dots pack.  I'm loving these low-profile pretty dots as accents! 

The left flap on this card uses the reverse side of the print above.

Instead of a DSP layer in the center of the right flap, I used a small Everyday Arches piece for the sentiment.

The flowers here have a bit of Cloud Cover ink blended in the centers to give the flowers more depth.

This time the Moody Palette Dots were added in a line to accent the sentiment.

This card is very similar to two cards back.  The sentiment is different.

The flowers have Petal Pink ink blended in the center for more color.  

The bling is little Petal Pink hearts from a Paper Pumpkin kit 2-3 years ago.  Only had a few left and thought they looked nice here.

Last card of the five and it has the most changes.  The Old Olive print is from the same pack of paper.

The left flap has the circles from a die in the set.  I thought that was an interesting addition.  

The flowers have Cloud Cover blended on them a little heavier than a previous card.  The leaves are a mix of Old Olive, and both Cloud Cover & several from a print from Beautiful Gallery DSP using a different die so they are skeleton leaves.  Just a different look.  

This sentiment if from a different company.  I'm having trouble finding get well sentiments for the cards I've been needing.

 There you have it - a lovely series of cards that use the same fun fold idea and the same DSP and stamps.  But don't they all have their own identity?  I hope you can see how easy they are to put together.  It would be fun getting one of these in the mail instead of a regular card.  I usually do more basic cards, but these were fun for a change of pace.

Don't forget to redeem any of your Bonus Days coupons.  You can only do that through the end of this month.  Don't lose out on them!!

Thanks for stopping by today.  I appreciate the time you take to visit my blog and hope you were inspired to get creative soon.  Feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think of my cards or even what else you'd like to see.  I'm open for suggestions.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon 

5 cards with 1 Sheet DSP

Hey there.  Do you have problems trying to figure out what to do with those sheets of DSP that are broken up into segments of different pictures?  Like this one?

This is a sheet of the Lovely Blossoms Designer Series Paper.  I love the colors and prints in this pack of paper, and I've used some of it already.  But it comes with 3 sheets of this design, and it's been a struggle figuring out what to create with it.  All the images are lovely, but I'm more used to stamping or die-cutting the focal pieces on my cards and not just using something ready-made.  So, I chopped this one up and got ready to create with these pieces.  The 2" x 12" section along the bottom didn't get cut into 2" squares but left long.  I turned it over and used the flip side of the design.  Let's see what I came up with, and you can decide if it all worked out well.

Let's start with the design in the top left corner and continue from there.  This piece of the design measured 6" x 4".  It's trimmed down to 5 1/8" x 3 3/4" to fit a card front.  There is a layer of Cloud Cover behind it that measures 5 1/4" x 3 7/8".  This is just enough to give it a skinny frame of color.  The card base is Old Olive cardstock that measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It's scored and folded in half.

After attaching the print to the Cloud Cover layer, a piece of Secret Sea Bordered Open Weave Ribbon was wrapped around and tied into a bow.  Then the layers were attached with Dimensionals to the card base.

The sentiment is from the Banner Sayings stamp set.  I intended to use the full sentiment but ended up trimming between the words to get a smaller banner.  This is curled at the left edge a little and attached at the right edge only.

There are three of the green Moody Palette Glossy Dots used as an accent to the design. 

This is the 2nd design across the DSP.  Again, it measures 6" x 4".  The Textured Notes die was used to cut out the design.  Then the DSP was turned over and trimmed to have the DSP measure 5 1/2" x 4" with the die-cut area centered on the paper.  This was attached to a Secret Sea cardstock piece that measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and is folded in half.  

The die cut piece was attached in the center to cover the hole using Dimensionals.  Looking at the card at an angle you can see a slight edge of the Secret Sea peeking through.

The sentiment is stamped onto a Basic White die-cut using the Textured Notes dies.  It's stamped with Secret Sea ink.  A double bow of Linen Thread was added to the corner.

Three of the Secret Sea dots from the Moody Palette Glossy Dots were added for contrast.

The next card is the 6" x 4" design in the right top corner of the DSP sheet.  This was trimmed to 5" x 3 3/4".  It's layered onto a Secret Sea cardstock piece measuring 5 1/4" x 4".  A length of Secret Sea Bordered Open Weave Ribbon was wrapped around this and tied into a knot.

A card base was made from an 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" Petal Pink cardstock that was folded in half.  The layers were attached to this with adhesive.

The sentiment is from Banner Sayings and punched with the Three Banner Punch.  This was tucked under the knot in the ribbon and attached with adhesive.

Three of the white Moody Palette Glossy Dots were added to the design for interest.

Now we move down to the next row in the DSP design. This piece measured 3" x 4".  There is a layer of Secret Sea cardstock that's cut at 3 1/4" x 4 1/4".

A card base was made from Crumb Cake cardstock and measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  The bottom 2" strip of DSP was trimmed to 5 1/2" and attached along the left side of the card base using adhesive.

The layers were attached to the card base with Dimensionals.  The sentiment is from Banner Sayings and is stamped with Secret Sea ink onto a 1/2" white strip.  The ends were angle cut with scissors.  Then it was attached with Dimensionals.  Three Secret Sea Moody Palette Glossy Dots were added to the design.

This last card I made has a design piece that was trimmed to 3" x 3 3/4".  It's layered onto a Secret Sea piece that measures 3 1/4" x 4".

The card base is Cloud Cover that measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  Another piece of the 2" wide strip of DSP was trimmed at 5 1/2".  This was attached on the left side of the card base using adhesive.  The focal image layers were attached to this with adhesive also.

The sentiment is from Banner Sayings again.  It's also trimmed at an angle with scissors.  Then it's attached to the card front with Dimensionals.  Three Secret Sea color gems from the Moody Palette Glossy Gems were added to the design.

Here's another quick look at the five cards I made from this one piece of the Lovely Blossoms DSP.  Seeing them all together, I think they'd make a really nice gift tucked inside a card holder that matched.  Hmmm, I'll have to consider that.  

There are still two pieces of the sheet of paper left that I have no plans for yet.  That will take a bit more thought also.  Hope you liked these card ideas.  They were a pretty easy way to get a card assortment done quickly.  If you don't need thank you cards, just change the sentiments to what you need.  They are all simple but pretty and I think they would definitely brighten the day of anyone receiving them.  

Have you heard about the free shipping Stampin'Up! is giving us?

There is Free Shipping for 3 days!  From February 18 to 20, you can shop and save on all qualifying orders of $75 or more.  You won’t want to miss this chance to stock up on all your favorite products from the catalog, Online Exclusives, kits, and more!

Plus, when your order total reaches $75 (after subtracting any rewards) you are eligible to purchase the Product of the Month for only $5 which is an awesome pack of the Painted Illusions Designer Series Paper!  This is a doubly - great bargain for you.

Thanks for sharing some time with me today.  If I can help you in any way, just get in touch.  I'd be happy to be your demonstrator if you're looking for one!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Lovely Arrangements Fun Fold

Hello my friends!  Are you having a good day?  I feel like I'm on a roll with getting this card finished and still have time to share it on a blog post today.  Don't you love it when things actually come together like you think they will?  It doesn't happen often so you need to enjoy it while you can!  Since I haven't made any fun folds in a while, it seemed like today would be a good day to do that.  I've shared before that fun folds are not what I'm good at - not at all!  But I have found some fairly simple ones over the years that I enjoy making, and the card today is one of those simple fun folds.  Today's card features the Brushed with Beauty Designer Series Paper.  This is such a pretty pack of paper.  I love the color mix, and the prints are great for designing.  Let's dive right into this card.

Here's the card all folded up and ready to go into the envelope.  You can see that the DSP really makes up the basis of the card with the folds giving the card its stability.  Let me give you all the information on cutting the pieces first and then we'll cut and score the DSP and put it together.

Using the Branching Out dies:

3rd largest - Mossy Meadow

4th largest - Very Vanilla

5th largest - Very Vanilla

Cut Very Vanilla cardstock at 2 1/2" x 5" and

1/2" x 2 1/2" (sentiment)

Also cut a 2" strip of Very Vanilla for die-cutting flowers

Cut Mossy Meadow cardstock at 2 5/8" x 5 1/8"  and 5/8" x 2 5/8" (sentiment layer)

Also cut a 2" strip of Mossy Meadow for cutting leaves

In the center area of both Very Vanilla Branching Out die-cuts, use a Blending Brush and Crumb Cake ink to lightly add a blush of color.  This will help the flowers stand out from the vanilla background.

Stamp two larger flowers and one smaller flower with the Lovely Arrangements stamps.  Use Crumb Cake ink and add Early Expresso marker onto the stamens before stamping onto the Very Vanilla strip.  Die-cut these 3 flowers with the matching dies.

Also stamp 3 clusters of three leaves using Mossy Meadow ink on Mossy Meadow cardstock.  Die-cut these with matching dies.  Die-cut the 2 single leaves from Mossy Meadow cardstock.

Stamp the birthday sentiment from the Lovely Arrangements set onto the 1/2" piece of Very Vanilla cardstock.  Use Mossy Meadow ink for this.

On the smaller vanilla Branching Out die-cut, stamp the first part of the sentiment (from Perennial Postage set) at the top with Mossy Meadow ink.  Clean and dry the stamp well, then ink up the 2nd part of the sentiment and stamp it at the bottom of the die-cut.

Stamp another sentiment from the Perennial Postage set onto the larger Very Vanilla piece for the inside of the card.  Use Mossy Meadow for this again.

Ok, I think we've got everything stamped, die-cut and ready to go.

Cut the Brushed with Beauty DSP print to measure 11 1/4" x 5 1/2".  Then score at 1", 4", and 7".  Fold this to make a W fold with the short flap on the left side.

Since this picture is right here, we'll start from the back.  Attached the vanilla to the mossy cardstock with adhesive.  Cut apart one set of stamped leaves and attach as shown.  Then attach layers inside the card making sure they don't show beyond the flap when it's closed.

The center flap has the smaller vanilla layer attached with the smaller flower and the two single leaves attached to the center of the layer.

Now for the front layer.  Attach the two layers of die-cuts together.  Attach the sentiment strip to the Mossy Meadow layer.  Position flower, leaves and sentiment on this layer.  Attach one flower flat tucking one set of leaves under this.  Attach 2nd flower with a Dimensional in the center.  Cut apart remaining leaves and tuck in under this flower.  Attach the sentiment with Mini Dimensionals making sure to keep them only on this layer.  None on the overhanging edge.

To attach this layer to the card front, I used Tear & Tape.  There is a strip along the left edge of the layer from top to bottom.  This holds the layer firmly on the small edge of the DSP.

This card uses some antique brass looking dots that blend nicely with the more neutral colors used here.  These are retired, but there are similar current ones.  

I hope these directions make sense to you as you create along with me.  If you have any questions, get in touch and I'll try to clarify any problems you have.  I totally love how this card evolved and the finished look.  Give it a try.  There are so many lovely DSP prints that it's a shame you can only see one side of them.  I like to find ways to get the full effect of the pretty prints.  If you make this with other prints, I'd love to hear what you've created!  Please share.

Since it's February now, that means it's also time to redeem any of those Bonus Days rewards you earned.  Don't forget, redemption is only in February.  That's it, so don't miss out!!

Thanks for stopping by again to see what's been going on here.  I've been having fun holed up in my stamp room trying to ignore all the cold, snowy-icy-rainy weather we've been having.  I think I need to come up for air pretty soon!  Where's that sunshine?

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

New Fragrant Layers Set

Hello, my stamping friends!  Hope you're all safe and sound on this snowy day.  I can't believe all the wintry weather we've had so far this year and there's even more on the way.  It's still snowing and we've already gotten 4"+ since early this morning.  Who said moving south we'd miss all the snowy weather?  Boy, were they ever wrong!  At least staying inside and looking out on this winter wonderland is great.  I sure don't miss having to be out and driving in it!  I'm so glad my latest order arrived last week so I had new goodies to play with.  Today's card is all about the new Fragrant Layers stamp and die bundle which is an Online Exclusive.  This was the first attempt at creating with the set and I kept it all pretty simple - mostly dies and very little stamping.

Like I said, very simple with mostly dies.  But this design really shows off the lovely detail on this large die.  Though I'll admit I was a little surprised by the size of the die.  I was thinking it would be more of the size to cover a card front, which it definitely is not.

The first thing I did was cut a Basic White cardstock piece to 3 1/4" x 4 3/4" for cutting the large die.  This gave me a great border around the image that filled a card front nicely and gave me room to add either words or flowers at the bottom.  When die-cutting the image, I left a larger border at the bottom for this.

A piece of Basic White cardstock was cut to measure 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It was scored at 4 1/4" and folded in half to make the card base.

Next, a piece of Bokeh 6" x 6" DSP was cut to measure 5 1/4" x 4" to layer onto the card front.  I wanted a very subtle texture to add to this.  So, I dug out my retired Subtle 3D Embossing Folder from the back of the drawer and used it here.  This just gives the print a nice texture almost like fabric.  

After embossing, it was attached to the card base with Tombow Liquid Glue.  The die-cut frame was layered onto this with Foam Adhesive Strips.  If you're looking for them, you'll find them on page 113 in the Annual Catalog.  The strips make it easy to keep the sides of the die-cut suspended evenly.

The Fragrant Layers dies have three different leaves to choose from, and I cut one of each from Shy Shamrock cardstock.  This die set also has a die that cuts 7 small flowers at once.  I used this to cut the flowers from a scrap of the DSP I trimmed off to make the layer for the card.  If you notice, both the flowers and the leaves have lots of detail from the die-cutting process.

The leaves and flowers were positioned in a pleasing pattern.  Then each of the individual pieces were attached using a Mini Glue Dot, except the flower in the center.  This has a Mini Dimensional holding it up just a little higher than the other flowers.

The sentiment is one of the four from the Fragrant Layers set.  The label die is also from the die set so the sentiment fits it perfectly.  The sentiment is stamped with Calypso Coral ink.  Then the label is attached to the frame with some adhesive.

After trying multiple different gems for the touch of bling on this card, I settled on a retired set - Pecan Pie & Clear Ribboned Adhesive-Backed dots.  I liked the softer look of the Pecan Pie Dots for these flowers.  They still have enough sparkle, and the color is soft and subtle.  Just right for this design.

If all goes well, I'll be back tomorrow with another card using the new Fragrant Layers bundle which I am sure enjoying using.  It's such a pretty set with lots of possibilities when it comes to designing.  We'll have to see how many different ways we can use it.

Thanks for stopping in today.  And if you're getting snow, stay warm and dry.  If you're young enough, hope you can get some skiing in - either downhill or cross country.  Wish I was younger!!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon