A Garden of Zinnias

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

Card Base - Melon Mambo

Layers - Basic White and Flowering Zinnias DSP

Stamps - Simply Zinnias and Go to Greetings

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black and Melon Mambo

Dies - Scalloped Contours for white layer

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

Embellishment - Adhesive-backed Shiny Sequins

Punch - Banners Pick a Punch

Card Base - Daffodil Delight

Layers - Basic White and Flowering Zinnias DSP

Stamps - Simply Zinnias and Go to Greetings

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

Dies - Deckled Rectangle Dies

Embossing Folder - Basics 3 D

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

Embellishment - Adhesive-backed Shiny Sequins

Punch - Banners Pick a Punch

Card Base - Melon Mambo

Layers - Basic White and Flowering Zinnias DSP

Stamps - Simply Zinnias and Go to Greetings

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

Dies - Deckled Rectangles Dies

Embossing Folder - Zinnia 3D

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

Embellishment - 2022-2024 In Color Pearls

Punch - Banners Pick a Punch

Card Base - Daffodil Delight

Layers - Basic White and Flowering Zinnias DSP

Stamps - Simply Zinnias and Go to Greetings

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

Dies - Deckled Rectangles Dies

Embossing Folder - Basic 3D

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

Embellishment - Adhesive-backed Shiny Sequins

Punch - Banners Pick a Punch

Card Base - Lemon Lime Twist

Layers - Basic White and Flowering Zinnias DSP

Stamps - Simply Zinnias and Go to Greetings

Ink - Melon Mambo

Dies - Deckled Rectangle and Stitched Whimsy

Embossing Folder - Softly Sophisticated (SAB)

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

Embellishment - 2022-2024 In Color Pearls

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Translucent Floral

Hello everyone.  Hope you're staying warm and dry today.  My grandsons have their season home opener baseball game for the school team today.  At this time, the weather is only 38 degrees and raining heavily.  Hmm, maybe March 1st isn't the perfect day for a baseball game.  We try to support the boys by going to games, but that's not happening today.  Of course, if we did drive to the game which is 45 minutes away, they'd probably cancel the game and we'd have made the trip for nothing.  Argh!  So, we'll stay snug and dry at home this afternoon.  Instead of worrying about the rain, let's talk about the Translucent Florals stamp set and dies that are carry-overs from the 2023 Sept - Dec Mini Catalog.  I really hadn't taken the time before Christmas to play with these, so I was happy they are a carry-over item.  Plus, the coordinating Delightful Florals Designer Series Paper is available as an Online Exclusive item.  It's so pretty that I decided to focus today's post on the DSP. 

Looking through the DSP prints, I noticed one that was covered with larger single flowers or clusters of flowers that could easily be fussy cut.  So, that was the start of this batch of cards.  There also were the tiny cluster of leaves in a darker green and a couple partial leaves from the cut edge that I also used.  After I had my pile of flowers and leaves cut out, it was time to design my card.

For this first card, I chose Fresh Freesia for the card base.  It measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and is folded in half to make a landscape style card.

When going through the DSP pack, I found this tiny floral print that is so cute.  I cut a strip of this 4" wide, then cut it at 5 1/4".  I cut two of these so I could use the other piece for another card.  

I love the embossing folder that was a free item during Sale-a-bration.  It has a lovely delicate design that I thought would enhance the design.  After embossing the DSP, it was attached to the folded card base with "green glue" (Tombow Multi Purpose Liquid Glue).

A focal point was created using the third largest die from the Scalloped Contours die set to cut a Basic White label.  This wasn't attached to the card until the flowers were all attached, and it was ready to go.

The sentiment is from the Sale-a-bration Softly Sophisticated set.  I certainly hope you were able to get this stamp set and embossing folder bundle while it was available.  The font used on this set is pretty and feminine.  This time it was stamped with Blackberry Bliss ink to the right side.  The purple flower was attached with Dimensional and additional leaves were tucked under with a bit of adhesive on the bottom ends.  The daisy-type flower is die-cut with one of the Translucent Flowers dies from the backside of the scraps left over from cutting out all the flowers from the DSP.  The daisy is attached to the card with Mini Glue Dots.  It was also used between the two layers.  

The label was attached to the center of the card front using Dimensionals.   There are three gems attached to the card front that are from the Tinsel Gems Three Pack.  This is the Fresh Freesia color.  I wanted a little bow added to the card but couldn't find anything current that I owned that matched the card.  So...  I have a retired Soft Sea Foam sheer ribbon that worked okay.  It's attached with Mini Glue Dots.  Sorry, there are so many retired items here, but you get the idea for the card.  I know many of you have different embellishments and DSP going back a good number of years, just like I do.  Save those items because you never know when you're going to need them.

On to the second version of this card.  For this one, I chose a different color from the DSP for the card base - Berry Burst.  Right away this gives the card more brightness and spunk.  

This time I did not use the embossing folder on the DSP.  It's just directly attached to the folded card base. 

For this card, I used the second largest die from the Scalloped Contours die set. So, the label is a little bigger and leaves a smaller edge of the DSP showing.  The label was cut from the Basic White cardstock.  The same sentiment is stamped in the top right corner using Berry Burst ink to coordinate with the card base.

This time a flower cluster from the DSP was fussy cut for the card.  I love how these colors all blend together and pick up the mini flowers on the print layer.  The flower cluster is attached to the bottom of the white label using Dimensionals.

At this time, I used a water brush with a little Pretty Peacock ink and spattered lightly over the white background and the flowers.  I liked how this gave a subtle addition of color to all the white space.

The label is attached to the center of the card front using Dimensionals.  

The new Purple Fine Shimmer Gems were used on this card as accents.  These are the berry-colored gems from the pack.  So pretty with the card.

The card needed just a pop of something contrasting to pull it all together.  After trying several ribbon and twine options, I settled on the Black & White Gingham Ribbon to make a small bow.  It's attached with Mini Glue Dots.

Looking at these cards side-by-side, it surprises me how much a few color changes will make on a card.  I like them both, but maybe I like the berry card just a little more.  That pop of ribbon really sets it off.  Maybe I need to rethink the ribbon on the Fresh Freesia card.  Any suggestions?

Thanks for hanging out together with me on this cold and rainy day.  It's so much better spending time with friends.  Check back in a few days so I can show you the new Online Exclusives that will be available.  There are some truly awesome items that I can't wait to get my hands on.  Seems like the deliveries are getting slower each time I order!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Lifetime of Love Birthday Card

Hello friends!  Seems like I'm having a hard time keeping up with all the cards I need to send out.  Since I have a bunch of birthdays coming up soon, this is a good time to add another one to my dwindling stash.  I was waiting for my order to come in to make this card, then decided to use papers I already have to get started on my birthday card marathon.  So, today's card uses an Online Exclusive DSP called Naturally Gilded.  I almost forgot I had this.  If you want to recreate this card, check your stash to see what you have that would work for this design.  If you're like me, you've got an abundance of designer paper.  Does that mean I quit buying more beautiful papers?  Ummm, that would be a resounding no!  Sometimes new DSP is just too pretty to pass up, so I don't.  But I do need to break out some of my stash and create with it on a regular basis.  Otherwise, I might end up buried under all the pretty prints and colors that I seem to need to be happy.  So on with today's card.  Hope you'll be inspired to create with what you have.  And if you don't have something comparable, there are always new prints and designs available for purchase!  😄

I couldn't resist the Lifetime of Love Bundle (pg 15 Mini Catalog) when I saw it.  I didn't think I'd need the DSP or the Cards & Envelopes that coordinate with the set.  I think I was definitely wrong about that decision, and I've since ordered those items.  But without them for this card, I went with what I had.

Let's stamp!

Start with a Cherry Cobbler cardstock piece that measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  This is scored and folded in half.  Next a piece of Naturally Gilded gold-patterned DSP was die-cut with the largest die in the Scalloped Contours Die set.  This gives it a pretty edge to work with right away.  This gorgeous DSP is one the Online Exclusives you'll want to get your hands on.  So pretty!

Using a Blending Brush and Cherry Cobbler ink, color was added to the background.  The bottom right corner has the darkest color concentration and fades up.  After adding the color, it's important to rub over the paper with a tissue or soft cloth to remove any ink residue from the gold foil areas.  It's then attached to the center of the Cherry Cobbler card base with adhesive.

My idea was to use the flowers in the Lifetime of Love to frame a sentiment for a birthday card.  The larger and smaller flowers were stamped onto Very Vanilla cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  A Blending Brush was used with Cherry Cobbler ink to loosely color in the flowers.  The leaves were lightly colored using Shaded Spruce ink and a Blender Pen.  After coloring the flowers, I thought they looked a little 'flat', so the Blending Pen was used to darken around the edges of the flower centers just a tiny bit.  The pieces were all die-cut using the Lifetime of Love dies.

The sentiment layers were cut using the new Thoughtful Expressions Bundle (pg 61-62 in the Mini Catalog).  Oh my, these are really lovely! There are two different label shapes and multiple sizes of each shape to give you lots of options for labels.  The largest 'rectangle' shape was used to die-cut a Cherry Cobbler layer.  The 2nd smallest size cut a Very Vanilla layer.  The sentiment used is from the Heartfelt Hexagon set (pg 12 Mini Catalog).  It's stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink in the center.  The two labels are attached with adhesive, then centered on the card front using Dimensionals.  The flowers were tucked around the sentiment and attached with adhesive just in the centers so that the edges were not flat to the label.

I wanted the inside to coordinate with the outside, so I used another of the Scalloped Contours dies to cut the Very Vanilla layer for the inside of the card.  After cutting, I stamped words from one of my favorite sentiment sets - Charming Sentiments.  It was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  The little flower from the front of the card is stamped in the bottom corner using Cherry Cobbler ink.  

Upon looking at this card a lot while typing out this post, I think I'll go back and touch up the flower using the Blender Pen to give it just a little more color and definition.

I debated about which style of bling to add to the card.  I thought about the new gold-toned Birds and Dragonflies that are an Online Exclusive, but they kind of got lost.  Next, I tried the Petal Pink & Pretty Peacock Foiled Gems thinking they might blend nicely with my colors.  Nope, neither of those colors were quite what I was looking for.  Next, I tried the Iridescent Foil Gems.  Even though they look more purple-y in the catalog picture and the package, they were the perfect accent when I tried them on the card.  You never know what will work until you give it a try. 

So there you have another birthday card creation that could easily be used for a Valentine or even a wedding card.    If you've got lots of lovely DSP stored, this card would be a good time to get it out and use it!!

Thanks for sharing some time with me today.  I love your feedback and I'm always here to help in any way I can.  Thank you for all the lovely cards that have been coming my way.  I'm so impressed with how creative you are.  Especially when you're thinking outside the box on some of these cards.  You bless me so much with your cards and your kindness.  Love you my friends and miss you so much!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Blue Tree Card

Hello!  It's been so cold here the last few days.  The temps have been in the low 30's and quite breezy, but at least there is sunshine today.  The wind is doing a good job of knocking down the leaves.  We have so many trees that my hubby is out there blowing them every day.  We started getting all the outdoor decorations placed.  They are all coming along nicely, so we're taking a break.  At least I get to stay inside for a while where it's toasty warm and cozy.  All the cold was making me think about cards in blues and silvers.  You know I like my blue cards, so let's share another one today.

It was so funny trying to take the pictures of this card.  The silver layer is so shiny that all the pics were showing a reflection of my arm.  Didn't think you wanted to see my blue arm in the photo.  At least my sweater matched the card!

The card base is Blueberry Bushel.  It measures 11" x 4 1/4", scored at 5 1/2" and folded in half. The first layer is the shiny Silver Foil.  It's cut to 5 1/4" x 4".  Before attaching this to the card base, cut a rectangle from the center with the Scalloped Contours Dies.  No one will see the hole in the layer because it will be hidden.  Attach with adhesive to keep it flat so far.

The next layer is from the Winter Meadow DSP, and it measures 5" x 3 3/4".  This is the third time I've used this lovely print on the cards I've shared.  There is just something about it that draws me to it, and I keep reaching for this print all the time.  Looks like it needs to go on my shopping list because I've just about used it all except for some scraps.  Anyway, this layer is attached over the silver layer using adhesive.

A tree was cut from Blueberry Bushel cardstock using the Forever Forest Dies.  This is mounted onto the die-cut silver rectangle that was already cut.  It's attached with adhesive along the left edge of the silver with part of the branches hanging over the edge.  A piece of the Silver and White 1/2" Sheer Ribbon was wrapped around near the bottom and tied into a knot.  Trim the ends with snips.  I like the added ribbon here, because it looks so shivery cold.  This layer is added to the card front using Dimensionals.

The sentiment is from the Stars At Night Bundle.  I love the font on this Merry Christmas greeting.  It is stamped with Blueberry Bushel ink onto a Basic White piece.   A favorite retired punch from Stampin'Up! was used because it fit nicely.  It's attached to the card front using Dimensionals.

The inside of the card starts with a layer of Basic White cardstock cut to measure 5 1/4" x 4".  It features another of the die-cut Blueberry Bushel trees from the Forever Forest set.  There is also a 1" strip of the same DSP print that I had leftover.  I made use of it attached near the bottom of the Basic White layer.

The sentiment is from the Wishes All Around stamp set.  It's stamped in Blueberry Bushel ink.  The layer is attached inside the card, as usual, with adhesive.

There are a few other embellishments to finish the card.  One of the stars in the Stars At Night Bundle was die-cut from the More Dazzle Specialty Paper.  I liked the glittery-ness of the star because it contrasted nicely with the shiny silver.  It's attached with a Mini Glue Dot. It's also partially off the silver layer to help it stand out.

There are also some Blueberry Bushel gems added to the card.  They're from the Tinsel Gems Four-Pack.  Instead of snowflakes or clear gems, I thought the blue ones were the perfect accent.

That's it for today's card share.  If you've got the items used, this card goes together so quickly!  If you're wanting to make multiples of these cards, just do everything in stages and put together when all the pieces are ready.  Easy peasy.  

PS, did you notice the blue sleeve reflection at the bottom of this photo?  You should have seen the contortions I went through to get these pictures without a reflection.  You would have been laughing at me like crazy.  

Thanks for stopping by to see what's new.  Hope this card inspires you to get going on your Christmas card making.  It's always a pleasure to send your own hand-made cards to let family and friends know you care about them, and they are very special to you.  Come by again for another card idea.  I love sharing them with you.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Shining Brightly Truly Shines

 Hello my friend!  Hope you're having a blessed and productive day.  A couple days ago, I finally got around to creating with the Shining Brightly Specialty Designer Paper that is in the Mini Catalog.  This paper is so gorgeous that I didn't want to cut into it until I had a good idea of what I wanted to make with it.  Do you get that way?  Almost frozen with indecision?  I finally decided to cut a 3" wide section from the 12" x 12" paper and just work with that.  That turned out to be a perfect solution for the first cut into that paper.  I've only used just one the navy and gold designs, but I'm so happy with the two cards that I'll be using it again soon!  Hope you like these ideas too.  They're similar but still different enough that I'll share them both.

Here's the first card I made.  The card base is Night of Navy measuring 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It's scored and folded in half.  The 3" wide strip of DSP was trimmed up to 5 1/2" to fit top to bottom.  Next a strip of Gold Foil (found in the Annual Catalog) was cut to 3 1/4" x 5 1/2".  This gives a pretty frame to the DSP without being too overpowering.  The layering pieces were all attached with adhesive. 

Next, I decided on the sentiment to use.  This one is from the Night Divine Bundle on page 16 of the Mini Catalog.  I love both the words and the font of these sentiment stamps.  For this card, the Nested Essentials Die set was used.  I thought the rounded edges and stitching line made it a little more elegant than a plain square piece.  The sentiment is stamped on Very Vanilla cardstock a little higher and to the left of center.  Night of Navy ink was used for this.

To add some interest to the side, two of the dies from the Magical Meadow Bundle were used.  I love all the different bits of greenery that can be added wherever it's needed.  The leaf and berry stem is cut from the same Gold Foil, and the evergreen stem is cut from Night of Navy cardstock.  First the gold foil and then the navy pieces were attached to the sentiment label to the bottom right.  They were attached with a little 'green glue' down the center of the stems. 

A double strand of the gold Simply Elegant Trim was used to make the small bow.  This is attached over the stems with a Mini Glue Dot that's rolled to fit under the bow.  Even though the bow is small, it adds a touch of elegance.

The sentiment label was then attached to the card front using Dimensionals to raise it up and give it some definition.

After debating with myself, I didn't add any extra bling to the card.  With the gold accents on the framing layer, the DSP and the leafy stem, I thought any extra bling would either get lost on the card or would detract from the elegance of the card.  So, no extra bling on this one.

This is the 2nd version with several changes.  The first change is the Gold Foil layer was cut wider so more would show on each side.  It's cut to 3 1/2" x 5 1/2".  They're attached together with adhesive and then added to the card front with adhesive too.

The sentiment label is Very Vanilla cardstock cut with the Scalloped Contours Dies.  I used another one of the lovely sentiments from the Night Divine Bundle and it's stamped with Night of Navy ink.  It's attached to the card front using Dimensionals.

Because this label was bigger than the last card, I felt there was room for a bow.  The ribbon used is the retired Shimmery Gold Ribbon.  After the bow was made, it was attached to the label with a Mini Glue Dot.  

I liked the idea of adding just a little more gold bling on this card.  There was that whole open corner that was just calling for something pretty.  The gold Neutrals Adhesive-backed Sequins were the perfect touch.  I usually add embellishments in groups of three or five, but it seemed like only two were needed for that corner, so that's what I used.

Hopefully you enjoyed these two versions of card using many of the same products.  With a few changes, each of them has their own distinct look.  Can you come up with more ideas using just these same products?  I'd love to see what you make!  Thanks for stopping by and sharing your time with me.  Come back again soon to see what I get into next.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Poinsettia Standing Fun Fold Card

Hello friends!  I can hardly believe it's Friday already and another week is almost finished.  And what a week it's been with the elections happening on Tuesday.  A lot of craziness for sure.  But that just means it's time to regroup and hunker down.  There's still work to be done around here.  Of course, there's always stamping to do too with Thanksgiving right around the corner and Christmas coming quickly afterwards.  Have you got all your cards ready to go in the mail?  Hmmm, I sure don't.  If you're like me and still looking for that card you want to make and send to all your family and friends, I might have just the card for you today.  It's simple even though it looks complicated.  Definitely a wow card in my opinion.

The card is sort of an optical illusion in this picture.  When it folds flat, it fits nicely into a regular A2 envelope that we usually use.  It's standing up here, so the front section is folded forward.  I've done cards like this before, and I think they always have that wow factor when standing on a shelf or table.

To make the card, start with a half sheet of Garden Green cardstock that measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  Now comes the hardest part - the scoring.  This piece gets scored at 2", 3 1/8", 5 3/8" and 6 1/2".  The two center score lines get folded to the back and the two outer score lines get folded forward.  This will give you a card that stands upright quite easily.  

This picture gives you a good shot from the top so you can easily see the folds.

I used two of the prints from the gorgeous Boughs of Holly Designer Series Paper shown on page 25 of the July-December Mini Catalog.  This covers three of the panels.  The DSP is cut at 1 3/4" x 5 1/4" for the two side panels, and 2" x 5 1/4" for the center panel.  All three of these were attached to the correct panel of the card base using adhesive.

A quarter sheet piece of Basic White was die-cut for the focal point.  I used the 2nd largest of the Scalloped Contours Dies to cut this.  I thought the scalloped edge and stitched lines made this a nice backdrop for the poinsettias.  The poinsettia actually was cut from one of the DSP prints in the Boughs of Holly paper.  Yes, it was fussy cut out of the paper to use here.  It didn't take too long and was worth the time it took to cut out. 

The sentiment is from last year's For Unto Us stamp set.  Yes, it is retired, but I still like it.  If you're making this card and don't have that exact set, substitute a different sentiment here from your stash.  You'll still love the card!  It's stamped with Garden Green ink to match the card base.  The poinsettias are attached to the white die-cut using Dimensionals to hold it up nicely.  A 4" length of Gold Shimmer Ribbon is folded in half and tucked in under the flowers as an accent.  It's attached with a Mini Glue Dot.  There are also three Adhesive-backed Seasonal Sequins added to the card front for bling.  The whole white layer is attached to the front panel of the card with Dimensionals.

The back of the card has a 2" Basic White panel attached in the center.  The sentiment is stamped with Garden Green ink to match the front.  I had a long 1/4" strip of DSP that was the matching print to the center panel of the card front.  I trimmed two short pieces to add to the top and bottom of the sentiment layer to add more color to the back of the card.

Thanks for sharing some time with me today.  Hope you enjoyed this easy card you can make for Christmas that's sure to wow your friends and family.  Let me know how your card turns out!

If you'll be placing an order soon, please consider using the Host Code shown at the top of this blog post.  It's so appreciated.  And all orders over $25 earn rewards points from me.  So that's a fun way to earn free merchandise of your choice.

Lastly, I just want to give a great big hi to my friends at Guardian Lutheran Church who are having an all-day crop tomorrow.  Have a blast stamping and sharing ideas!  I wish I could be there with you all and share in the creative fellowship going on.  I'm so jealous!  You ladies are the very best!!  Big hugs all around!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Soft Seedlings Card

 Hello again!  I'm back with another two-fer card idea.  I saw a card made by Mary Hanson that just drew me right in.  I loved everything about it - the colors and layout, and especially the stamp set she used.  I knew I just had to sit down and make one like hers.  Well, between then and now, things changed.  When following her directions, I couldn't get my card to look nice like hers at all.  So it was time to figure out how I could get the same look my way.  I guess I'll show you the autumn-colored version first and explain how I did it and then end up with my version of Mary Hanson's card.

I love the rich colors of autumn.  They just make me happy, so this was my Thanksgiving card idea.  I started with a piece of Basic White that was die-cut with the Rectangle Stitched dies.  I made sure the stamp fit on it with little room to spare.  

To stamp this multiple times, I attached it to the Stamparatus and used the magnets to hold the die-cut rectangle in place.  Lightly ink up the stamp with Old Olive ink, then use a sponge dauber to add Crushed Curry and Pumpkin Pie to different areas of the stamp.  After stamping, I added more of the Crushed Curry and Pumpkin Pie inks and stamped again.  Since these were all mid-tone colors, stamping twice gave me enough coverage and color to the image.

At this point, I also spattered with an Old Olive Marker.  Then spattered over that with Wink of Stella and put it aside to dry.

In the meantime, I cut a piece of Crushed Curry cardstock that measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  This is scored at 4 1/4" and folded in half for the card base.  A piece of Old Olive measuring 4 1/4" x 3" was embossed with the new Leaf Fall 3D Embosing Folder.  Love the detailed leaf images this leaves behind!  It's attached to the card front with MultiPurpose Liquid Glue a little lower than the middle.

To continue with the fall colors, I wanted to have a layer of Pumpkin Pie to frame the stamped image.  The 2nd largest die in the Scalloped Contours Die set fits perfectly around the Rectangle Stitched die-cut piece we already stamped on.  This was cut from the Pumpkin Pie cardstock and then attached behind with adhesive.  It was then attached to the card front with Dimensionals.

The sentiment is one of four in the Soft Seedlings set.  I love the font that's used on these, very loose and looks hand-written.  It was stamped on Crushed Curry cardstock using Early Espresso ink.   It was die-cut with the Stitched Rectangles dies.  Then it's attached to the card front using one Dimensional on the left side to hold it up and adhesive on the right side to stay flat. 

After looking around at all the bling I own both current and retired, I decided to use some very old sparkle dots in a yellow tone.  I'm not even sure which color they were supposed to be, but they brought out the yellow and orange tones in the card.

Here's my version of Mary Hanson's gorgeous card.  I have so many changes from her card, it's hard to know where to start explaining.  First of all, she used Soft Sea Foam and Pool Party - I changed it to Balmy Blue with the Soft Sea Foam.

She said she inked once and dabbed on Pool Party with a Sponge Dauber and stamped.  With mine on the Stamparatus, I believe the Balmy Blue was added 3-4 times before I got a look I liked.  

I also changed the sentiment layer and the retired sequins that are used.

I think that might be all the changes.  I still love the overall softness of the colors used for both the stamping and the cardstock.  I would strongly suggest that you use the Stamparatus when stamping this set.  I totally love the softer looks and it's worth the bit of extra effort that goes into it.

Just a reminder that Stampin'Up! is having special weekly sales throughout the month of September.  There are different items listed for sale each week.  Check the Stampin'Up! website each week to see what's new.  You don't want to miss out on them!

And the Perfect Partners sale is going on through the entire month of September.  I sent flyers showing these six new dies that match six stamp sets in the Annual Catalog.  These coordinating dies will be available all month long, but only while supplies last.  If you don't have the stamps yet, you can get the stamps and dies at the bundle price which is 10% off.  Don't forget to check out these bargains!

Thanks again for shopping and stamping with me.  You are so appreciated!!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

More Happiness Abounds

 Hi there!  I mentioned that I'd be back again with another card using the Happiness Abounds stamp and die bundle, and here I am.  Did you get the feeling that this was something I kind of liked?  Well, that's a bit of an understatement.  I thoroughly enjoyed playing with this bundle the other day.  In fact, I'm having trouble pulling myself away from that and try out something else new.  I really need to give all my new stamps some love and attention, right?  But first, let's do just one more with this set.

At first glance, this card looks very similar to what I shared with you yesterday.  There are a few differences that I'll be happy to point out.  Let's start with the card base.  It is Gorgeous Grape to match some of the flowers in the DSP.  It is cut at 11" x 4 1/4", scored at 2 3/4" and 5 1/2".  It's folded in half, then the front is folded back on itself for your fun fold.  Easy peasy.

This card used the same Scalloped Contours Dies as the first two cards I shared but uses the largest die to cut out the Basic White cardstock piece.  Don't you like the pretty scalloped edges?  It sort of reminds me of Battenburg lace. 

The 3" x 4" piece of Hues of Happiness DSP is attached to the center of the white die-cut using adhesive.  For this card, I didn't need to trim it at all like I had to with the first two cards.  

It was time to go through that assortment of die-cut flowers from the DSP.  It's so much fun to just sift through this whole pile of colorful roses to find just the right pieces I needed.  I chose to use a mid-shade of Melon Mambo and a darker shade of Daffodil Delight for the roses.  I also went with the smaller rose sizes too.  Along with those, I chose two leaf clusters to fill in around them.  The yellow rose was attached with adhesive along with one leaf cluster.  The Melon Mambo rose and the other leaf cluster were attached with Dimensionals.

The sentiment is from the Happiness Abounds stamp set.  It's stamped on a skinny Basic White strip about 3/4" in width.  Friends was stamped with Gorgeous Grape ink to match the cardstock.  The right end was flagged then the left end was tucked under the roses.  A Fresh Freesia 3/8" Open Weave Ribbon was tied into a pretty bow, then attached with Mini Glue Dots.  Three of the 2021-2023 In Color Jewels (retiring) in Polished Pink were attached to the card front for some sparkly bling.

The inside of the card has another of the Scalloped Contours die-cuts for the sentiment.  I really liked how this dressed up the card and made it very feminine to match the front.  The ink is Gorgeous Grape to match the cardstock, and the sentiment and small flower are both from the Happiness Abounds set.

From this picture, you can see how the folded-back front layer is only attached to half of the Basic White layer.  I used three strips of Tear & Tape Adhesive just on the left half of the white layer to attach it.  It might have been a little overkill to use three strips, but I always worry that with handling the layer might come loose and I wouldn't want that to happen.

No matter which way you look at this card, it's just so dog-gone pretty.  Now, who should I send this off to?  Which one of my friends just needs to get this card in the mail?  I'll have to think on that for a bit.

Thanks for stopping by again to see what's new over here.  I appreciate your comments, so feel free to make one at the end of this post.  There's still time to purchase the retiring items that are on your list.  Some things are already sold out.  Hopefully what you want is still available.  Don't wait too long to place your order though.  If you need any help, just give me a call.  And please use the Host Code at the top of the post page.  I'd really appreciate it.  Now go get to some creating of your own!  And have FUN!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Sneak Peak Happiness Abounds

Hello friends!  Hope y'all had a very blessed Easter spent with family and friends.  We enjoyed a great day spent with some family, despite the ups and downs we've had lately with my hubby's health.  The doctor tried another procedure today, but it didn't work.  So it's back to deciding the next step for him to take.  We really take our health for granted until there's a problem.  Thanks to all of you that have been keeping him in your prayers.  You are a true blessing to us!  

Now on to the projects I'm sharing with you today.  I think most of you have your new catalogs in your hot little hands already.  These cards are a sneak peek of a new stamp bundle called Happiness Abounds, and a new DSP called Hues of Happiness.  Oh  My  Goodness  This is such a gorgeous new set!  And one of the awesome points of this is that the dies will cut out some of the flowers in the DSP.  Can I just say awesome?!

Here's the Happiness Abounds stamp set and coordinating Blossoming Happiness die set.  And you see all of those lovely flowers and leaves down there?  That's most of just 2 sheets of the Hues of Happiness DSP - one sheet in pinks and yellows, and one in purples and blues.  This is what's left after making 3 cards already!  It's just a gorgeous garden of roses.  The colors are so rich and beautiful.  I'm ready to go out and buy a big bouquet of roses in a glorious rainbow of colors like this!

To maximize the Designer Paper, I cut it into three 4" wide strips.  Then one of the strips was cut at 3" intervals to give me a nice amount to work with.  Looking at the two cards, it's hard to imagine they are made from the same strip of DSP.  A third card that sort of "marries" the two pieces together will be shared with you tomorrow.  

Both of these cards started out with the same idea of using the Scalloped Contours Dies to cut a piece of Basic White cardstock to frame up the DSP.  I used the 2nd largest die for this.  To get the DSP to fit just right, I needed to trim it down to 2 5/8".  This way the tiny stitching lines show all around the edges of the DSP.

The first card started out with a base of Melon Mambo which is one of the colors listed on the DSP.  It's cut to normal A2 size of 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored and folded in half.  

 

The piece of DSP is attached to the die-cut frame using adhesive.  A strip of the White Glittered Ribbon is wrapped around this and attached in the back.  (I'm so happy this ribbon is carrying over to the next catalog!)  This is all attached to the center of the card front using Dimensionals.  

At this point I had fun going through all the die-cut roses to see which ones I'd like on the front of the card.  I chose he largest rose in the Melon Mambo shades, one of the smaller Daffodil Delight flowers, and three of the leaf clusters.  The large rose was attached to the card front with Dimensionals.  Then the leaves and yellow flower were all tucked in underneath the rose.  

A sentiment from the new Sending Smiles stamp set was stamped on a skinny strip of Basic White cardstock using Mellow Moss ink.  This was flagged on the right end, then tucked under the rose also.

A bow made from the White Glitter Ribbon was added to the card with Mini Glue Dots.  I actually added five 2021-2023 In Color Jewels to give it some extra sparkle.  Unfortunately, the jewels are retiring soon, but last I looked, they were still available if you needed a few more of these awesome jewels.

This next card started with a base of Coastal Cabana cardstock cut 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored and folded in half.  I added a 1" x 4 1/4" strip of another print from the Hues of Happiness DSP to give a darker anchor to the side of the card.  I think it added a nice touch.  The 3"x 4" DSP piece was trimmed down again to fit the Scalloped Contours die-cut piece and attached with adhesive.  This was layered onto the card front using Dimensionals.

Now for the flowers, I chose one of the Fresh Freesia ones and two leaf clusters.  I also stamped one of the flowers from the Wildflower Path stamp set using Fresh Freesia ink, because I wanted a tinier flower to add.  This was cut out with Paper Snips. 

The sentiment is from the Wildflower Path stamp set also.  It's stamped with Night of Navy ink, then trimmed up close with the Paper Snips.  This was added to the left of the layer with the leaf clusters tucked underneath.  Both of the Fresh Freesia flowers were attached with Dimensionals.

Lastly three of the jewels from the 2021-2023 In Color Jewels were added.  For this card I chose to use the Soft Succulent jewels which blended nicely.

Whew!  What fun that was getting all those flowers die-cut and then playing with them.  I'll have another card tomorrow that starts out somewhat similarly, but has a fun fold added to the mix.  Did I happen to mention just how much I'm enjoying this new Happiness Abounds Bundle and coordinating DSP?  Oh yeah.  It's definitely going to be one of my very favorite things to use in the upcoming catalog.  Whether you use each part of the bundle by itself or put them all together on one card, I think it's all fabulous!  Just saying...

Hope you're as excited as I am about getting your favorite items from the new May 2022-April 2023 Annual Catalog.  There are some really wonderful new ideas, colors, and layouts to get your creative juices flowing and put you in a stamping mood.  I'm looking forward to hearing what's your favorite new item in the catalog!  I'm sure there's going to be something that is just perfect for you. 

If you need to pick up any retiring items from the catalog, please use the Host Code shown in the upper right corner.  Try to get your order in as quickly as possible.  There are a good number of items that are already sold out, but still many more that are available.  Good luck shopping and get them while you still can!!

Happy stamping and creating!

Sharon

Sideways Easel Fold Ladybug Card

Oh boy!  I'm so excited today.  I had seen how to make a portrait-style easel card a couple days ago.  It was such a cool idea.  I got out some retired products to try making one.  You have to understand that I tend to be somewhat challenged when making special folds cards.  But it worked out well and was so dog-gone cute, that I made another one right away.  Then I thought I'd try a landscape-style version for my ladybug idea that was floating around in my brain.  Well... guess I didn't figure too well.  It didn't work at all, and I was frustrated to say the least.  Tried it this way and that, but it just didn't work.  I've played with it the last two days and was about to give up.  When, Eureka!  It finally dawned on me what I had been doing wrong.  And it's such a simple change, duh!   Let me show you my cool ladybug card that I finally finished.  It makes me so happy just looking at it!

For this card, I started with a base of Granny Apple Green cardstock that is cut at 4 1/4" x 11" and scored at 5 1/2".  To determine where the next score line goes in, hold the folded card with the fold to the left side.  Score from the left bottom at the fold up to the top right corner to make a diagonal score line.  This will get folded in toward the inside of the card to display.  I think you can see where the diagonal score line is in this picture quite easily.

The next step is deciding which Designer Paper you want to use.  If it has a definite one-way design, be careful when cutting to get it correct.  I found it easier to use an all-over design with no distinct direction.  The one I chose for this card is from Pattern Party Designer Series Paper which is a Hostess Reward choice in the Annual Catalog.  The colors are bright and cheerful on one side, and the flip side is all black and white prints.  Awesome prints for so many different occasions, from elegant to cutesy and everything in between.

The green print I chose was cut at 5 1/4" x 4".  Then it is cut at a diagonal as shown from bottom left corner to top right corner, so it matches the score line you just made in your card front.  This is attached to the card front using adhesive.  If you want to use the other half of the DSP print on the other half of the front, go ahead.  I just wanted there to be a definite difference between the two sides of the front, so I didn't add it there.

The focal point starts with the 3rd largest rectangle die from the Scalloped Contours die set.  The sentiment is from the Hello Ladybug stamp set and was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.

The ladybug's body was punched from Basic Black cardstock using the Ladybug Builder Punch.  The Stamparatus was used to stamp the black dots onto the Poppy Parade cardstock for the wings.  To get a real dense black for the dots, it was stamped 2-3 times.  When I was happy with the color, the wings were also punched out with the Ladybug Builder Punch.  I used just a thin line of Multi-Purpose Liquid Glue right by the neck to attach the wings to the body.  This allowed the wing tips to hover above the body and not lay so flat.

The large leaf was stamped with Granny Apple Green ink on Basic White.  The set of 3 flowers were stamped twice with So Saffron ink onto white also.  Then all these pieces were fussy cut.

The leaf was attached flat to the label using adhesive.  The ladybug was popped up onto the leaf using Dimensionals.  The flowers were tucked under and around the leaf with only one popped up with a Dimensional.

For the inside of the card, I used a layer of Basic White with another layer of Poppy Parade underneath to bring the red inside the card.  A small piece of Basic White was used to stamp the sentiment in Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  It was trimmed down to 7/8" x 3/4".  It was layered onto a small scrap of Granny Apple Green that was then trimmed down to fit.  Two Dimensionals were used behind the sentiment layer to attach it inside the card at an angle.  I had two extra flowers left over, so they were tucked in near the sentiment.

Lastly the bling was added.  After trying a few different options, the 2021-2023 In Color Jewels were chosen.  One of the yellowish-toned jewels was added to the center of each flower on the front.  Then I decided the flowers on the inside needed jewels too since the card is displayed open.

That's it for this card-making adventure.  Thank goodness it doesn't usually take 3 or 4 days to complete one card!  I'd never get anything done that way.  But I think it was worth it to figure out how to make this card fold the way I wanted it to be!

Disclaimer - not sure why, but the colors on the pictures are really not correct looking.  Tried to take the pics twice and kept coming up with the same color tones.  Go by the colors in the directions to get the correct colors.

Here's the original card I made with some of my retired products.  I think it just adorable.  The penguin is fussy cut from the DSP.  I made a 2nd one the same except for cutting out a snowman from the DSP.

Cardstock - Misty Moonlight, Basic White

Ink - Just Jade 

DSP - Penguin Playmates - retired

Dies - Scalloped Contours dies 

Bling - Iridescent Snowflakes -retired

 

As you can see, I added extra DSP and Basic White cardstock on the inside to change the look.  

Any which way you make these cards, they are just stinkin' cute!  Have fun giving this fun fold a try.  If you run into problems just ask.  I'd be happy to help you figure it out.  Hopefully it won't take you as long to figure it out as it took me!  ha ha  

Thanks for stopping in today.  Hope you're inspired to get out there and create.  It always makes me feel awesome when I've accomplished something new.  It may be a small thing to someone else, but to me it was a small triumph!

Stay warm with all this cold weather blowing in!

Sharon 

Paradise Palms Fun Fold

Hey everybody.  Glad to have you stop by today.  I haven't made a fun fold card in a while, so I figured today was the day.  I actually started out with a different fold, and I made a test card using all retired products.  It turned out so cute!  So then, I figured I'd make another one using all current products.  That's when things sort of went sideways in the planning.   I scored the fold in the wrong direction.  Oops!  Could it still work out somehow?  Ummm, not so much.  Needless to say, there are parts of the card stashed on a corner of my desk, and I moved on to another type of fun fold that could use a part of my other disaster.

The focal image on this card was made first.  The 2nd largest rectangle die from the Scalloped Contours Die set was used to cut a Basic White cardstock piece.  The trio of palms from the Paradise Palms stamp set was inked with markers to get the two colors on one stamped image.  Soft Suede and Old Olive were used for this.  They were stamped onto a scrap of Basic White cardstock, then were die-cut using the Palms Die set.

Checking the placement of the palms on the label, the sandy ground was stamped first using Crumb Cake ink.  The sentiment was stamped to the left and above the sand with Old Olive ink.

It needed a nice, warm sun to stay with the tropical theme.  It was stamped lightly with So Saffron ink on the top left corner.

The birds are the only stamp that isn't from the Paradise Palms set, but I think they fit in nicely.  They come from the new On The Horizon stamp set.  To keep them lighter to go with everything else, they were stamped using Gray Granite ink.

One of the fun new embellishments in the Mini Catalog are the Pebbles Enamel Shapes.  They come in 3 different shapes and 3 different colors and are just adorable.  Can I say that rocks are adorable?  Well, I think these are.  As you can see, I've used a few here to anchor the palm trees to the beach.

Now we need to make the card base for everything to go on.  I started with a half sheet of Old Olive cardstock cut down to 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  This was scored at both 2 1/4" and 4 1/4".  This gives it the extra crease in the middle of the card front needed for this fun fold.

There is a piece of the Sunshine & Rainbows Designer Series Paper (available free during Sale-a-bration for a $50 order) that is used on the bottom half of the card front.  It's supposed to be a cloud look on Pool Party background, but I thought it could just as easily be waves on the water.  It was cut to 4" x 2" and is attached with adhesive.

The focal image was attached to the cardfront by using Dimensionals only on the bottom half of the image, so it stands free when the card is tucked in.  The happy birthday was stamped on a piece of Basic White cardstock that measures 3/4" x 1 1/2".  Old Olive ink was used for stamping this.  There is a 7/8" x 1 5/8" piece of Pool Party cardstock layered behind this using adhesive.  Lastly, 2 Dimensionals were placed behind the sentiment layers and added to the inside of the card.  This gives you just enough of a 'bump' to tuck the front of the card under to stand it up for display.  

This is called an easel card.  So now you know how easy it is to make an easel card.  If you haven't made one before, give it a try.  It's fun and makes an interesting change from your normal cards.  Let me know how you do!  If you have any questions about making this type of card, just get in touch with me.  Now I've got to get back to my other fun fold card that I messed up and learn how to do it right.  Sometimes practice truly does make perfect (or at least correct!).  Leave a comment to let me know what you think.  Thanks for stopping by again.  I really appreciate any and all feedback from you.

Keep having fun creating your masterpieces!

Sharon