Quick Retirement Card

Hello friends!  Hope you're doing well this week and getting a lot accomplished.  I've been holed up in my stamp room and getting a lot done, but I'm doing an awful job of posting what I've been working on.  Today is a quick card that lets the DSP do most of the work.  Sometimes when I'm really crunched for time, that's the best way to go.

The Waterside Retreat Designer Series Paper seemed like the perfect feel for this retirement card.  The card focuses on one of the multi-image sheets of DSP that need to be cut apart for use on cards.  This print was actually bigger than a full card size, so it was trimmed down to fit.  It measures 5 1/8" x 3 7/8" in size.

There is a very skinny layer of Pecan Pie added behind it.  This measures 5 1/4" x 4".  They are glued together with adhesive. 

Then they're attached to a folded Lost Lagoon cardstock base.  The base measures 11" x 4 1/4" and is scored and folded at 5 1/2".  Dimensionals were used here.

The sentiment used here is from the Sunset Coast stamp set.  It's stamped with Pretty Peacock ink onto a 1/2" strip of Basic White cardstock.  The ends are angle cut to finish.  The sentiment is attached to a 5/8" layer of Lost Lagoon cardstock.  They are attached with adhesive.  Then the Lost Lagoon layer is angle cut to match the sentiment.  

This was added to the card front using several Dimensionals near the top of the card.

A length of Linen Thread is wrapped around the card front twice, then it's ties into a bow.

For this design, I dug out my retired golden birds and dragonflies embellishments.  The birds added a little glitz to the design without being over-the-top and too girlie.

The inside of the card has a layer of Basic White that measures 5 1/4" x 4".

There is a 1/2" strip of the same DSP along the bottom.    Then I couldn't resist fussy cutting one of the life preservers from another print from the same DSP.  I thought it was a good addition.

The sentiments inside are from the Relaxing Waterside stamp set.  The 'relax' is stamped with Lost Lagoon ink on a Basic White cardstock scrap and then fussy cut.  The rest of the sentiment is stamped onto the white layer with Lost Lagoon ink.

After stamping and attaching the bottom strip, the white layer was attached inside the card.  Then the 'relax' was added with Dimenisonals so it really stands out.

That's it for making this quick retirement card.  Like I said, the DSP really did make the card.

Thanks for stopping by today.  Only another couple of days until September 1st.  And you know what that means - the new catalog goes live, and you can shop to your heart's content!  I've been having so much fun creating with some of the new stamps and dies.  I really have to get a move on and finish all these posts for the cards I have sitting by my computer!  I still have six more to go in the lineup right now!!  Yikes.  Yes, I'm working on it!!!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Sweet Lily of the Valley Card

Hello friends!  Have we all recovered from the 250th Anniversary celebrations?  I guess it's time to get back to work here.  I had some cards lined up to share with you, and then things got a little busy with holiday celebrations and I never did sit down to write the posts.  That means I need to play catch up and start sharing these ideas that are piling up here.  Today's card features the Lily of the Valley stamps and dies and a lovely pastel plaid from the Valley in Bloom DSP.  I wish I could buy a whole pack of DSP in just this Peacock/Lost Lagoon plaid.  I just love it!  In fact, there's so much about this card that I'm happy to be sharing all this goodness with you.

Here it is - a study in darker pastels.  The whole card started with a piece of the plaid Valley in Bloom DSP that was left from a different project.  It measures 5 1/2" x 2 3/4".  It is the perfect shape to make a panel down the center of the card.  I decided the card base would be Lost Lagoon which measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".

It needed something to layer in between.  I remembered the new Luxe White Specialty DSP.  I hadn't really inspected it when it came, but I thought there might be something in there that would work.  Oh my, I didn't know what I was missing by ignoring this paper.  It's simply gorgeous!  The sheets all have a pearl-white print on white background.  Beautiful.  I chose the lily of the valley print and added a layer behind the plaid.  I like the difference between the elegance of the white-on-white print and the relaxed comfort of the plaid.

Next was choosing the focal images.  There are both single and double leaves in the die set.  I used the double leaf with the matching stamp to make leaves of Lost Lagoon cardstock.  The single leaf die has detail lines that give lots of interest.  I used this one to die-cut one Peaceful Pine leaf.

There's a single stem die of Lily of the Valley that I used to cut 2 stems from Basic White Thick cardstock.  The Peaceful Pine Light Stampin' Blends was used to color both of the stems, but not the flowers.

The stems and leaves were arranged on the plaid print leaving a little room at the bottom for a sentiment.  They all are attached only near the bottom of the pieces so there is some movement on the card.

Not sure if you can see how the pieces stand away from the card somewhat.

Also, this is a good picture to get an idea of how pretty the Luxe White Specialty DSP really is.  It's subtle until the light hits it and then it really shines.

The sentiment is from the Lily of the Valley set.  It's stamped with Lost Lagoon ink onto a left-over piece of the Valley in Bloom DSP that's about 1" wide.  The soft background on the DSP doesn't detract from the little flowers.  (I tried white for the sentiment first, but it pulled your eye away from the flowers)

Not sure where the sentiment is from.  I always hang on to all my sentiments and go through bunches of stamps every time I'm finishing a card.  If I don't write it down, you know what happens.  It's one of those many things that are just floating around in my brain that I'll probably never find again!  So just go through your stash and find a sentiment that fits your needs.

The flower at the bottom is also from the Lily of the Valley set.  Both of the sentiments and the flower are stamped with Lost Lagoon ink.  I also added this same flower on the bottom corner of the envelope it's being sent out in.  Love coordinating it all!

Just one little last look at this pretty card.  As I look at it now, I realize there were no embellishments added to the design.  It doesn't look like it's missing anything, so this is how it's staying.  Seems like there have been several cards lately with no extra bling.  Am I going to lose my status as one of the bling brigade?  I'll have to make sure I sprinkle some extra bling on the next card I make.  😄

Have you had a chance to look through all the new goodies that are available in the new Online Exclusives area of the SU! store?  I'm sure you'll fall in love with a few of those items just like I have.

Thanks for stopping by for another dose of creative juice.  I have so much fun sharing these ideas with you.  My fervent hope is that you find a little inspiration in my posts and they help keep you inspired to create something special yourself.  And don't forget to send those ideas on to brighten someone else's day.  We're here to encourage one another and do good. Have a blessed day.

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

Flower Fair with Blends

Hello again.  Just got back in from picking more blueberries.  At least it's only 72 degrees and semi cloudy today so it wasn't a problem.  There were 2 1/2 pints the other day with at least another 2 1/2 pints today.  And there's many more berries still on the bushes in the process of ripening.  For our two smallish bushes I'm thrilled with the yield.  There's lots of cobbler, coffee cake and muffins in our future in the coming months.  YUM!  Okay, now that you know all about the blueberries it's time to talk about stamping.  Right?

 I've decided to put aside the Framed Violets bundle for a tiny bit and share some other things I've been playing with lately.  Today's card features the single Flowers Fair stamp that nicely covers a card front.  I'm not using the full stamp but just cut off a section about 3 1/2" tall instead to fit my card.  I love the warm look of this card with the different elements that come together to make the whole.  I wish the camera captured the colors better.  Here the card looks much darker than it looks in person.

The whole design started with the Flowers Fair stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black onto a Basic White cardstock piece approximately 5" x 5".  This was colored with Stampin' Blends:

Large flowers - Crisp Cantaloupe Light & Dark, adding touches of Cajun Craze for shading

Small flowers - Hydrangea Hue Light & Dark with Daffodil Delight Dark in the centers

Leaves and stems - Peaceful Pine Light & Dark

After coloring, this was die-cut with the second largest Perennial Postage die.  Then a layer of Cajun Craze was cut to give an accent frame around it.  The Cajun Craze cardstock measures 4 7/8" x 3 5/8".  The two layers are attached with adhesive.  A retired black and white checked ribbon was tied around the layers with a knot to the side.  I thought the checked ribbon gave it more of a relaxed country vibe.

 

The card base used this time is Crisp Cantaloupe. It measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and is folded in half.  The two layers that were just finished were added to the base using Dimensionals.

The sentiment comes from the ready-made sentiments in the Greetings For All Mix & Match Ephemera Pack.  These sentiments come either black-on-white or white-on-black which is what I used here.  The sentiment was attached over the ribbon using Dimensionals.

I really debated whether any embellishments should be added or not.  After much thought and trying just about everything I owned, absolutely nothing was added after all that fussing.  I'm happy with it just as it is.  What do you think?  Does it need something else?  If it does, what would you add to it?

I hope you're playing around with coloring some of your floral stamps with Stampin' Blends.  They work so nicely and can give you such beautiful colors when adding a little extra color for either shading or highlighting with another color.  The flowers looked a little flat before the Cajun Craze was added.  What a difference a little extra shading color can make.

Thanks for stopping in today.  Hope you're inspired to get out those stamps that need a bit of coloring and have yourself a color date.  Doesn't that sound like fun?  Wish I could join you for that!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon 

Another Framed Violets Idea

Welcome back!  I spent some time after lunch picking blueberries.  The heat is well over 90 degrees and pretty unbearable today.   Unfortunately, the blueberry bushes are out in full sunlight with not a scrap of shade in sight.  Whew it was hot and I was sweating so much my curly bangs were dripping!  Can you just imagine?  Yuck!!  So that means I gave up on picking the blueberries before they were all the ripe ones were picked.  I sure didn't want to pass out in the heat!  Guess I'll be out picking some more after dinner when the heat might drop a few degrees.  That's the plan for now.

Enough of that. Let's get back to stamping, shall we?  Yesterday I posted a pretty Highland Heather card using the very new Framed Violets bundle.  Today there is another card with this bundle that's fairly different.  One of these days I need to do a little playing with the lovely DSP that goes along with this.  Can't believe I haven't even touched it yet.  But I will soon.

This card is so striking in person with the pretty Bubble Bath cardstock matched up with black and white.  The card base is Bubble Bath cardstock that measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It's scored at 4 1/4" and folded in half.  

There is another piece of Bubble Bath that measures 5 1/4" x 4".  This is embossed with the Eyelet 3D Embossing Folder.  After embossing, a white craft ink pad was dragged across the top to highlight the pretty eyelet lace design.  The white ink really makes the design stand out nicely.

The embossed layer was attached to the card front with "green glue" to hold in place.  A strip of the black and white polka dot print from the Artisan Sketched DSP was added across the card front and attached with "green glue" also.

Next, the violet bunch was stamped on Basic White cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  Then it was colored in with Stampin'Blends:

Petals - Bubble Bath Light & Dark, Fresh Freesia Light & Dark

Centers - Daffodil Delight Dark

Leaves and Stems - retired Call Me Clover Light & Dark

After coloring, they were die-cut with the matching die.

I still love the shape of the Branching Out dies even though it is now gone.  The smaller one cut a Basic White layer, and the next size larger cut Basic Black.  The layers were attached together with adhesive, then added to the card front with Dimensionals. 

A birthday sentiment from the Banner Sayings set was stamped onto a 1/2" white strip of cardstock.  It's stamped with the Tuxedo Black ink.  Then the ends were trimmed. 

A 3/4" strip of Bubble Bath cardstock is layered behind this and the edges were trimmed.  It was attached flat near the bottom of the black and white layers.  Then the violets were attached to the die-cut layers using Dimensionals.  The Dimensionals really make the violets stand out from the card.

A few Rhinestone Basic Jewels were tucked in around the flowers to add a little sparkle.

I just wanted to show you a close-up of the pretty Adhesive-backed Blooms accents.  Aren't they darling?  They come in a pack of 30 with 10 white, 10 pink, and 10 lavender.  I love the teeny tiny rhinestone added in the center of each flower.  So pretty!  For this card, I used the soft pink ones.  There's one on each side of the card.

I've been trying to finish the inside of all my cards as I make them.  That just didn't happen with this one, so I have no finished inside to share with you.

That's it for this card.  It's sweet and simple.  I hope you love this idea and want to try it or make something similar.  I just might have mentioned how much I love the pale pink with the bold black accents.   😉

There's just a few more hours left to take advantage of the free shipping.  Don't miss out if possible.  And thank you to all who have ordered from me already.  It is so appreciated!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Framed Violets Sneak Peek

Hello fellow stampers!  Hope you're doing great and are ready to take a peek at a new stamp set and matching dies that will be available in July in the Online Exclusives section on the Stampin' Up! website.  When I saw the new Framed Violets suite, I couldn't wait to get my hands on all of it.  I started this card yesterday but didn't finish it until this afternoon.  Then I had to make another card right away of course, but that one will have to wait until tomorrow.  So, let's get creating this gorgeous card, ok?

This is it.  I've got so many family members and friends that love their purple stuff so much that I'm thrilled to have another set that begs to be drenched in purple.  The violets that grow wild in our grass here are this pretty shade of purple and were my inspiration for this card.

I started with a card base of Highland Heather cardstock that measured 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and is folded in half.

Next the oval frame was stamped onto a piece of Basic White cardstock using Highland Heather ink.  Then it was die-cut with the matching die.

On another piece of white cardstock, the sweet violet bouquet was stamped using Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  Coloring was done with Stampin'Blends:

Petals - Fresh Freesia Dark, Highland Heather Light & Dark

Flower centers - Daffodil Delight Dark

Leaves & stems - Peaceful Pine Light & Dark

Then this was also die-cut with the matching die.

The center of the stamped oval has a light blush of color added with a Blending Brush and Fresh Freesia ink.  I liked the slightly pinker color instead of just purple.  The color was kept mostly in the center of the oval leaving the edges clear.

Two Basic White cardstock layer were cut, one for the front of the card and another for the inside.  The recent "product of the month" the Eyelet Blooms die was used to die-cut one of the white layers.  I thought this would be a pretty and feminine addition to the design.

Time to put all the pieces together.  The oval die-cut was attached to the center of the card with Dimensionals.  Then the violets bunch was added to the center of the oval with Dimensionals also.  Doesn't the pinkish background showing through the stems and flowers add a nice touch?

A pretty but retired Highland Heather sheer ribbon from a while back was tied into a small bow.  Then it was added to the violet stems with a Mini Glue Dot.

Several of the new Sunset Sparkle Sequins in a white-ish iridescent color were tucked in around the design for a delicate accent.

Do you have trouble finding just the right words for the inside of your cards?  That is a huge problem for me all the time.  I was digging around in my stamp stash for inside words, and I found the perfect sentiment for this card.  Psst, don't tell anyone that it's not from Stampin'Up!  Ok?

The smaller single violet from the set was stamped in the bottom corner with Highland Heather ink as a lovely accent.  A little extra color was added to this flower with a Blender Pen and Highland Heather ink.  This same flower was stamped onto the envelope to give a hint of what is to come.

I hope you love this new stamp and die bundle as much as I do.  I know I'll be reaching for this set often.  Please come back tomorrow to see the next card I created.  It's another simple card using a few extra elements to make it special.

I want to throw in a plug here for Paper Pumpkin subscriptions.  This is just a hint of what will be coming in July.  I thought you might be interested in this one.  You can get them one month at a time, or a 3-month, 6-month, or 12-month prepaid subscriptions.  If you haven't gotten any before, they are a complete kit with card bases, all layering pieces, envelopes, adhesive and embellishments.  Totally complete and ready to sit and create.  Plus, these look really adorable!  There's even an add-on die set that coordinates with the next 3 months!  Email me at sharoncarr50@gmail.com if you have any questions about Paper Pumpkin.

Reminder!  Hope you take advantage of the free shipping on orders of over $75.  This offer is only good through the 13th, so don't delay.

Thanks for stopping by to see what's been happening here.  Since our visiting friends left yesterday, we're just getting back to normal again.  Man, it sure seems quiet without a creative friend here to bounce ideas around with.  Our styles are different, but Sue encourages me with my creating and I do the same for her.  It's surprising that we both got quite a bit done while we spent time chatting about everything under the sun!  Thanks so much for making the trip to visit us, Sue and Fio.  We loved having you here!  And we still owe you a couple of dinners!!  Anyone else ready to make a trip here for a stamping marathon??  Just let us know you're coming by so we can be ready for you.  It's always fun to create and make cards with my stamping friends!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Relaxing Waterside Fun Fold Card

Hey friends!  I hope I do justice to this post as the card went in the mail over a week ago and I'm just now getting around to posting it.  Thank goodness for pictures.  I'm hoping they will help me remember how I made this card.  I was so happy with how it turned out, and I hope my brother will like it too.  The card features the new Relaxing Waterside bundle and coordinating Waterside Retreat Designer Series Paper which is just perfect for this time of year.  Wouldn't be great to be sitting beachside enjoying the summer breezes?  Oh, yeah.

This fun fold card is a wonderful way to show off your favorite DSP prints too.  I love a card that really showcases the DSP in a fun way.  For this card, my starting point would be using the print with the two-wheeler bikes which is a fun activity for an evening at the beach.  So, let's make the card.

Start with Lost Lagoon for the card base.  This measures 5 1/2" x 7 3/4".  It's scored at 2 1/2" and 6 3/4".  Both of these score lines fold into the center of the card.

Next a piece of the DSP with the bicycles was cut at 4" x 5 1/4".  This was attached to the inner section of the 1" flap on the right side with the bicycles showing when the flap is closed.

Another piece of this same DSP was cut at 3/4" x 5 1/4".  The backside of this print has all the sea birds on it.  This was attached to the outside of the 1" flap for an accent.

Next a piece of Basic White was cut at 2 1/4" x 5 1/4".  This was embossed with the Exposed Brick Embossing Folder to give it some interest.  Then it was attached to the left side flap.

The main focal point is on a Basic White layer that measured 3" tall by 2 3/4" wide.  I used a Blending Brush and Crumb Cake ink on the bottom third of the piece and Balmy Blue blended on the upper two-thirds to mimic sand and water/sky.  This was attached to a Lost Lagoon layer that measures 3 1/4" x 3".

The Adirondak chair was stamped with Cajun Craze ink to look like a redwood chair onto a Basic White cardstock piece.  A Blender Pen was used to add a little extra ink unevenly to give it a weathered look.  The book was stamped with Lost Lagoon, and the Cup was stamped with Crumb Cake.  A Blender Pen was used here also to add color to the items.  Then all three pieces were die-cut with the matching dies.  These items were attached to the main piece using adhesive and Mini Glue Dots.

Then it was attached to the left side of the closed card.  Make sure you only get adhesive on the left part of this layer, so it doesn't keep the card closed permanently.    

The two sentiments on the card front are from the same set and were stamped with Cajun Craze ink onto Basic White.  The relax was fussy cut and attached with Mini Dimensionals.  The other was trimmed to fit and attached flat.

The inside of the card is a piece of Basic White measuring 4" x 5 1/4".  There is a strip of the same bicycle print DSP about 1/2" wide attached at the left side.  The sentiments were stamped with both Cajun Craze and Lost Lagoon inks to match the card front colors. 

You can see a little of the backside of the DSP with all the sea birds on it.  I just love this print!  Actually, all of the prints in this pack are wonderful as far as I'm concerned.

To help you visualize the finished card, here is a shot from the top of the card showing the fun fold and the DSP.  This turned out to be a great masculine card for a man that has a beach house on the ocean, didn't it?  Happy birthday baby brother!!  Can he still be called a baby brother when he's over 70?  Hmmm, I've got to think on that.

Hope you like this idea for featuring this outdoorsy DSP and the coordinating stamp set.  It gives off such a relaxing, serene feeling.  I'd like to jump right into that picture, snuggle up into the chair, pick up the book and just relax.  Wouldn't you?

Thanks for stopping in again to see what's new here.  I enjoyed this fun fold so much I've got a start on a few more cards using it.  I hope you enjoy it too.

BTW, since we are now into June, there is a new Product of the Month over at Stampin' Up!   Aren't these little critters just the cutest?  I can hardly wait for my order to get here.  Remember, when you place an order of $75 US or more, you can order these lil' guys for only $5!

If you're looking for a demonstrator, I'd be happy to work with you and answer any questions you might have.  Just contact me at sharoncarr50@gmail.com and I'll get back with you usually within 24 hours.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Another Card Template for You

Hey everyone.  Hope you're all doing well and having a great day.  Things have been a little crazy the last few days with my heart again.  I'm learning so much about how my heart works or doesn't work sometimes!  I'd much rather be ignorant and have no heart problems though.  It's really cutting into my stamping time!  I did spend time stamping on Monday when I had a little more energy for a change.  Looking through my card layout ideas, I came across another quick and easy idea that I hadn't used in a while.  Looking at the layout, this idea just popped in my head, and I had to give it a try.  It was so much fun, I made two more.  So, I guess it's time to share and get creating here.

This is what I envisioned and it's as pretty as I thought it would be.  My first thought was to use one of the vases in the Artisan Sketched Garden DSP pack.  I first cut a strip from the bottom of this sheet and cut them into separate sections to use.  

Before there was any coloring done, the colors needed to match another print of DSP.  This time I found a pretty Fresh Freesia and Peach Pie print that would work.  The print is from the Lovely and Beautiful DSP.   I'd used the gorgeous gold-touched prints but really hadn't used the back of the prints.  This print was die-cut with the largest square die in the Stylish Shapes die set.  I cut two right away to make two cards at a time.

TIP:  It's best to use a non-directional print for this layout because you're putting it at an angle.

A Basic White cardstock layer was cut to frame the die-cut piece.  The white measured 3" x 3".  The two pieces were attached with adhesive.

A Basic White cardstock piece was cut at 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" for the card base.  A Fresh Freesia cardstock piece was cut at 5 1/4" x 4" for the layer.  This was embossed with the Beautiful Pattern Embossing Folder to give the layer a subtle pattern to go with the delicate floral DSP print.  This was attached to the white card base with adhesive.  Then the diamond layers were attached a little above center using Dimensionals.  

The coloring on the vase of tulips was with Stampin' Blends:

vase - Fresh Freesia Light and Dark

tulips - Peach Pie Light and Dark

greenery - Granny Apple Green Light & Dark

Then the image was fussy cut which only takes a few minutes.  It was attached to the diamond shape with Dimensionals.

The sentiment is from the Banner Sayings set.   This was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto a 3/8" wide strip.  The ends were trimmed to finish it.  Then it was attached to the bottom of the card with Dimensionals.

Three Iridescent Pearls were tucked in around the design for a subtle accent.

Next card uses the same white base with the same embossed Fresh Freesia layer.  The diamond-shaped layers in the middle are the same.  

This time I used some images from the Simply Beautiful set.  They were stamped onto Basic White with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  Then they were colored with Stampin' Blends:

flowers - Fresh Freesia Light and Dark

leaves - Granny Apple Green Light and Dark

flower center - Peach Pie Light and Dark

After coloring, the images were die-cut with their matching dies and added to the diamond layers using Dimensionals. 

I thought the sentiment needed to be a little larger to go with these images.  It's stamped on a 5/8" wide strip of Basic White with Fresh Freesia ink.  When trimmed, the ends are a little longer than normal so the pretty gems could be added at each end.

At this point, I wanted to do a little more coloring on those Artisan Sketched Garden DSP, so I reverted back to that paper but kept the same Fresh Freesia color and DSP print.  

I just love these images from the Artisan Sketched Garden DSP.  They are so loose and 'artsy' looking.  They just beckon me to come play with them!  This is another image from that bottom row of the print.  The coloring is Stampin' Blends again.

flowers - Peach Pie Light and Dark

buds - Fresh Freesia Light

greenery - Granny Apple Green Light and Dark

water - Sea Spray Light and Dark  (this is from several years back and I just love this color, so it gets used often)

The image is fussy cut then layered onto the diamond shape with Dimensionals.

For this card, I changed the embossed layer to the Eyelet 3D Embossing Folder.  I love the bolder look of the embossing with the delicate look of the floral print DSP.  It's a nice contrast.

The same sentiment was used as the first card.  It's attached with Dimensionals.  Then three of the Iridescent Pearls were tucked in around the design.

I hope you like this simple card layout.  The diamond shape could be made smaller to fit your take on this layout.  That's part of the process of using layouts to get you started.  Since you are the designer, you can change the layout to fit your needs!

One thing I want to stress here, I absolutely am having so much fun coloring these images from the Artisan Sketched Garden Designer Series Paper!  I need to try colored pencils and water-color pencils too with this.  I was surprised that I could color and fussy cut an image out in about 10 minutes.  Amazing!  And I totally love the look of them.  You might even say I'm getting addicted to coloring them!  I always did enjoy coloring books, and I guess I haven't grown out of that yet.  I hope you enjoy coloring these too.  Let me know when you've tried using this DSP.  I'd love to hear if you like it too.

Thanks for sharing some time with me today.  Hope to see you back soon.

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

Another Great Layout

Hello stamping friends!  Felt a little rough this morning but still went about my daily routine.  One of the regular things I do is wander around Pinterest for a while during breakfast time.  Sometimes a color will catch my eye, sometimes it's a layout.  You never know what will appeal to you that you might have overlooked on a different day.  Well, I saw a similar layout used a good number of times with different colors, stamps, and even dimensions.  But they were all similar and that got me thinking.  Which turned into stamping, you know?  I had to make it my way and see how I liked it.  It turned out to be a great layout and I'm happy to share my dimensions with you for the cards I made.  Ready to give it a try?

This is what I came up with first.  I had lots of smallish strips cut off from other projects I've made previously using the Brushed with Beauty Designer Series Paper.  It seemed to be a great project to use some of these.  The strips were all about 1" wide, so I picked two prints that I liked together and cut them down to 5 1/4" long.  I had enough strips to make two cards, so I had fun making them similar but just a bit different.

The card base is Very Vanilla to coordinate with the DSP.  It measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It was scored at 4 1/4".  Then 1" was cut from the front flap to make an off-set opening.  The striped piece of DSP was layered inside the card on the back flap leaving a small border on 3 sides.

The floral print was layered onto the front flap lining it up with the back strip of DSP.

Next, a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock was cut at 2" x 5 1/4".  This was embossed with the Lovely Stripes Embossing Folder so that the stripes would mimic the stripes in the Designer Paper.  After embossing, this was attached to the card front with "green glue".

The sentiment and die-cut label are both from the Unbounded Love stamp and die bundle.  After cutting the label from Very Vanilla cardstock, the sentiment was stamped with Calypso Coral ink.

A piece of Crumb Cake cardstock was cut to 2 1/2" x 1 3/4".  The square corners bothered me, so my trusty, very old Corner Rounder punch was used.  I'm so glad I've hung on to this for a good number of years.  Every once in a while, it is just the perfect tool to have.  The two layers are attached with adhesive.  Then it is layered onto the card front using Dimensionals just where it's attached to the front flap of the card only.

The inside sentiment is from the new Framed All Around stamp set.  This is an Online Exclusive set, so you won't find it in any catalog.  Calypso Coral ink was used for stamping this.  The set has the 2-line corner stamp that I thought I'd try out in the corner.  It's stamped with Crumb Cake ink.  It doesn't really add anything to the design.  Thought I'd like it better. I'll have to work on using that stamp later.

Going back to the front of the card, a bow made with the new Crisp Cantaloupe Bordered Ribbon was made.  Then it was attached to the corner of the label with Mini Glue Dots.  For the added bling on this card, I used three of the Opal Rounds that were in my embellishment stash.  I thought they looked nice on this card.

Keep reading for the 2nd card made with most of the same ingredients.

As you can see, the basic card was put together the same as the first up to the point of orientation.  

The label and sentiments are also from the Unbounded Love set, just different stamps used this time.  The sentiment was stamped in both Calypso Coral and Crumb Cake inks.  The Crumb Cake layer behind this was made the same as previously.  

When it was attached to the card front, I used adhesive and kept it flat to the card.

The sentiment inside the card is from the new Framed All Around set again.  It's stamped with Calypso Coral ink to match.

The Crisp Cantaloupe Ribbon was used again to add a bow to the design.

This time several of the Opaque Faceted Gems in the coral color were added to the front for a little bling.

Need one more look at these two cards?  Sometimes layouts seem to just work better in either landscape or portrait style.  This layout seems to work nicely either way.  Do you have a favorite?

Ok peoples, that's my two-for-one card layout for you to try.  I'm very happy with the outcome and will certainly use this layout again.  I'm just not sure what DSP I'll be using next.  I've probably got at least a dozen print combos that would make up into beautiful cards.  I'll have to start going through my stash with this layout in mind.

Hope you enjoyed this layout.  Is it new to you?  Or is this one of your old standbys?  No matter which, I hope you got just a little inspired to give this a try soon.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon