Wishing a Happy Birthday

Hello, my stamping friends!  I've taken a step back from the Thankful Garden Bundle for a few minutes.  I needed a birthday card for a teen girl.  I don't know her personally, but I've been told she likes butterflies and bright colors.  So that's the beginning point for the card today.  I hope she likes her card and has a fabulous birthday.

For the bright colors, I thought the multi-color print from the Bloom Impressions DSP would work.  This was a Sale-a-bration free item that I'm sure most of you were able to pick up on.  That meant it was not a current item, but it fit the project.  The multi-color print on its own is a bit bright for me.  That meant for my happiness I needed to tone it down a little.  

I thought of the Spring Corners Bundle that has several die-cut corner designs.  One of these might have enough open area to reveal the print but wouldn't be over-powering.  I had a piece of Basic White cardstock left over from another project that measured 4 1/2" x 3 1/4" that would be a good size to do a die-cut corner.  I used the coneflower corner die that fit nicely with lots of space left over for my design.  The piece of DSP was attached behind the design area with adhesive.  Don't those slivers of color peeking through dance like sunlight through a stained-glass window?

While I had the DSP out, I die-cut a trio of butterflies from the same DSP print.  This die is from the Sketched Butterflies Bundle that is in the 2024-2025 Annual Catalog.  This is a lovely set with five different sentiments that match an array of butterflies just perfectly.  The butterflies are all hooked together into one piece, but I easily cut them apart.

Next was deciding on what color cardstock to use for the base and a layer.  Azure Afternoon seemed the best pick to enhance the DSP colors.  A piece was cut that measures 5 1/4" x 4".  I was planning on using Basic White for the card base, but at the last minute changed my mind and added Pretty in Pink cardstock instead.  

The die-cut sentiment from Delightful Wishes would be nice going across the card front.  Decided on Azure Afternoon for the sentiment layer on the "wishing" word.  It could be cut from the center of the card layer and then the layer could be used without it showing at all.  After cutting the sentiment, the Azure Afternoon layer was attached to the center of the pink card base.  It's attached flat with adhesive.

The more detailed "wishing" was cut from a piece of Basic White cardstock that had a strip of the Adhesive Sheets added to the back before die-cutting.  This made it easy to peel the backing and have a "sticker" to place over the blue layer.  (Oops!  I just noticed in the picture that one of the dots for the i fell off.  I'll have to replace that!)

The rest of the sentiment was stamped with Azure Afternoon ink onto a 3/8" strip of Basic White.  The words were snipped to separate them.  "Wishing" was placed slightly angled onto the card.  Then the rest of the words were cascaded down under it.  The first piece was attached flat, the second two were attached with Mini Dimensionals.  

The largest butterfly of the three was added to the top right corner to balance the colors.  It's attached with a sliver of a Dimensionals under the body.

Lastly three gems from the Tinsel Gems Four-Pack in the rosy color were added to the design.  They picked up and complimented the many pink colors in the cut-out design. 

I forgot to take a picture of the inside, but I'll tell you about it anyway.  There is another layer of Azure Afternoon with a layer of Basic White attached inside the card.  The sentiment inside the card is from the Translucent Florals and is stamped with Azure Afternoon ink.  The two extra butterflies were attached for a cute accent.

Hope you like this special card.  It's not often I can make a card to order for someone else to use.  The bright color was a little daunting, but I love the finished design.

Thanks for hanging out with me today.  Try making something different today than what you normally gravitate towards.  It's time to stretch your creativity!  And don't forget the Mini Catalog and the Annual Catalog will both expire the end of April.  That's basically just another month. If there's anything in the current catalogs that you've got your eye on, consider ordering it now before it's too late.  And then the new Annual Catalog will start is May - exciting!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Quick Sketched Butterflies Cards

Hello friends!  The sun is shining today, and life is plenty good.  I have to get out and enjoy these lovely days.  Do a little walking maybe.  I'd say walking to stay in shape, but that shape part has turned into a lost cause, I think.  But it is nice being out in the sunshine.  That leads me to the cards I'm sharing today.  They look like spring with the color choices and butterflies.  Let's just hurry spring along a bit by stamping it!

I made two of these cards because I needed them.  I had all the components cut and ready to assemble.  Only when I was putting them together, I couldn't decide where to attach the sentiment, so I did one each way.  Maybe you can tell me which way you like better.

I started with a Basic White card base that measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and is folded in half.  

I had a long 12" x 2" strip of the green-ish printed DSP from the Bloom Impressions DSP that was one of the Sale-a-bration items.  Yes, I know Sale-a-bration is over and done, but I'll bet most of you have some of this still in your stash.  Why not use and enjoy it?  

The strip was cut to 5 1/4" x 1 3/4" for each card.  I used a 5 1/2" x 2" Coastal Cabana cardstock piece to back the DSP and then attached them to the card base with adhesive.  This is about 1/2" from the left edge.

Next, that same piece of DSP was turned over and the multi-color print was used.  Isn't this pretty?  These pieces measure 4" x 2 3/4".  Another piece of the Coastal Cabana cardstock is cut to frame this print.  It measures 4 1/4" x 3".  This is also attached to the card front with adhesive overlapping the first color and lying flat.

The sentiment is from the Sketched Butterflies Bundle.  It's stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto a Basic White cardstock piece.  For added interest, it was die-cut with the Perennial Postage Dies.  Then a Coastal Cabana piece was cut with the next size larger die to frame it.  These are attached together with adhesive.  Set aside until you have the butterflies for the design ready to go.

Melon Mambo cardstock was used for the butterflies on these cards.  There are several butterfly die cutting choices in the Sketched Butterflies Bundle. I used the die with three open-work butterflies attached together.  I thought they looked great on the design.  At this time, the sentiment was placed near the bottom right of the design area and attached with Dimensionals.  For this card, the butterflies are attached with Mini Dimensionals under the two larger bodies.  They look like they are floating over the design.

A group of three Adhesive-backed Sequins Trio in the blue/green tone are added to the design.  I'd planned on using the pink-ish toned sequins, but they just got lost in the print.  It needed something a little bolder to stand out.  Just enough bling.

As you can see, this card is almost identical.  The sentiment layers are attached close to the middle of the multi-colored print layer.  It is attached with Dimensionals also.

The Melon Mambo butterflies are attached slightly differently.  The two outer ones are still attached with Mini Dimensionals.  But the middle butterfly has a Mini Glue Dot holding it down to the sentiment layers.

What do you think?  Do you prefer the sentiment and butterflies to exist on their own?  Or do you prefer them attached?

Be sure to let me know if you think it makes a difference or not.

This card also uses the same sequins.  I think they really make a great accent for the colors on this design.  Love them here!

Thanks for visiting today.  This is one of my favorite templates for making quick cards.  If you've got two prints that coordinate, you're all set to make this.  Hope this bright and spring-y card gets you in the mood for all the spring flowers that should start popping out soon.

This will be my last Host Code used.  There will be no need for them anymore, and everyone that places an order over $20 will receive their own rewards.  You will not have to use them on your next order but can accumulate them for up to a year.  Yay!  Rewards for everyone!  This is coming in mid- April, so I'm sure there will be more updates while we're waiting.  And while you're waiting, check out the new products shown in the Online Exclusives.  Wow, lots of new winners you'll love.  Happy shopping!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon