Ready for Barely Blush?

Hey there stamping friends!  Here we go with another one of the 2026-2028 In Color cards.  This card will focus on the Barely Blush color which is the last one of the five colors.   It's so soft and pretty, just right for those girlie cards you love making.  If you want to see the other four In Colors featured in cards, check out the previous four posts to see them all.  If you're ready for Barely Blush, then let's get going.

Oh, I almost forgot that yesterday I promised you another easy card layout too.  This card handles both the featured color and a new layout plus there's extra samples of this layout at the end of the post too.  Hope these will really get your creative juices bubbling and get you creating!

Today's card starts with a card base of the Barely Blush.  It's a pretty soft pink color that's very light.  To give the card base a little more interest, the small flower in the Simply Beautiful stamp set was used with Barely Blush ink to stamp an overall design on the front of the card.  It's barely there but just adds a little color and interest to the background.

Here's where the new layout comes in.  I used the 2nd largest rectangle die from the Textured Notes dies to cut a Basic White piece of cardstock.  The inside measurements of this piece are approximately 4 3/8" x 2 7/8".

 

You need two pieces to fill the space in.  The left side measures 1" x 4 3/8".  The right side measures 1 7/8" x 4 3/8".  You can use two different DSP prints, or one print and one piece of cardstock.  It's up to you.

For my card, the left side is Crisp Cantaloupe that picks up some of the color of the flowers. It measures 1" x 4 3/8".  It is embossed with the Eyelet 3D Embossing Folder.  This is attached to the white layer with "green glue" lining it up to the left side.

The right side is a pretty print from the Bloom Boutique DSP.  Yes, it's my new favorite DSP that I've been using all over the place!  This print has gold foil flowers all through the print.  So pretty!  It measures 1 7/8" x 4 3/8" and is attached with "green glue".  

After attaching the two pieces to the white die-cut, the layer is attached to the pink card front using Dimensionals.

Next, the 2nd smallest circle die in the Stylish Shapes Die set was used to cut a Basic White label.  The 3rd smallest die was used to cut a Barely Blush circle to layer behind the white.

The sentiment is from the Cutest Crew stamp set.  The little happy birthday fits inside that circle perfectly.  It's stamped with Peaceful Pine ink.  Then they are attached together with adhesive.

A 6" length of Gold Striped Mesh Ribbon was folded in half and attached to the back of the circles.  Then this was all added to the card front by attaching with Dimensionals.

Lastly a few Flat Pearls were tucked in around the design.

Now that you've seen this layout with some pretty new products, let's take a look at the same layout using retired DSP to get a different look.

The same die-cut from Textured Notes was used here.  The dimensions for the DSP pieces are the same as the previous card.  The DSP used for these two pieces is the Floral Impressions DSP from a year or so ago.  

Instead of stamping on the card base for interest, I added a piece or embossed vellum that is probably 5+ years old at least.  But it still added a nice touch.

The punch is retired and I don't remember the name of it.  The sentiment which is from the Textured Notes set was stamped with Misty Moonlight ink.  Then it was attached to the card front with Dimensionals.

A retired Rainbow Dots in Fresh Freesia was added to the label.

The ribbon is the recently retired Petunia Pop.  I thought it was a better addition than a Fresh Freesia ribbon.

This card is very similar to the one above.  The DSP is also from Floral Impressions pack.

There is no stamping or vellum added to the card base.  I thought there was enough contrast to leave it as is.

The label and sentiment are the same.  The ink is Garden Green.

The ribbon is Pretty in Pink.

Rainbow Dots in the darker pink color were added.

There are a few changes on this card.  First of all, the largest rectangle die in the Textured Notes set was used to cut the Basic White label.  That changed the dimensions of the DSP to:

left side - 1" x 4 7/8"

right side - 2 1/2" x 4 7/8"

The DSP used for this card is from the Lovely Garden pack.

After attaching the two DSP strips to the white layer, a length of Fresh Freesia Seam Binding was wrapped around and tied into a bow.

The 3rd smallest circle in the Stylish Shapes dies was used to cut a piece of Basic White cardstock.  The same sentiment was used with Basic Gray ink.  

This sentiment label is attached flat and tucked in under the ribbon a little.  One of the Fresh Freesia dots from the Rainbow Dots was added for an accent.

As you can see, there are so many wonderful DSP prints that can be used for this layout.  I'm sure you've got a whole pile of possibilities just waiting for you to give it a try.  Let me know if you tried this layout and love it too!

Thanks for stopping by today.  Since all of the new 2026-2028 In Colors have been addressed in the previous posts, it's time to start focusing on some other new goodies in the May - August 2026 Catalog.  Believe me, there's plenty of fabulous goodies to create with next.  Hmmm, what will it be next time?  I can't wait until you can stamp along with all the new goodies too!  If you don't have a demonstrator to order from yet, I'd be happy to fill the spot.  Let me know if I can be of help at sharoncarr50@gmail.com.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Last Chance Impressions Abloom

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

New Cutest Crew Birds

Hello again!  Glad you're back for the latest installment.  Have I got a cute little card for you today.  I'm usually not into cutesy all that much.  But when I saw the Cutest Crew stamp and die bundle that is coming March 3rd to the Online Exclusives lineup, I was totally hooked!  I don't know what it is about the darling dogs and cats and those adorable little birds especially, but I just had to have them.  They finally arrived yesterday and I couldn't wait to put some of my ideas together.  Today I'm sharing the first of what I hope will be many cards using the Cutest Crew bundle.

Here's a cute and simple card that's sure to bring a smile.  There's texture, color, and lots of fun going on here.  Don't you just love these little feathered friends?  Yeah, I know.  They're not at all realistic, but definitely fun.  Wouldn't they be perfect for a child's birthday card?  But why save all the fun for the kids?  I want to send this to a friend just to make her smile!

To make this card, I started with the birds.  They are stamped on a 1" x 2 1/2" scrap of Basic White cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  Then they're colored with Stampin' Blends in primary colors.

Left bird - Real Red Light & Dark

Middle bird - Azure Afternoon Light & Dark

Right bird - Daffodil Delight Light & Dark

Beaks - Darling Duckling - Light

Grass - Granny Apple Green Light

After coloring they were die-cut with the matching die from the set.

Then two Stylish Shapes circles were die-cut.  The 2nd largest from Basic White and the largest circle cut from Azure Afternoon to frame it.

The white circle looked too plain to just add the birds.  So, color was added with Blending Brushes and Balmy Blue and Granny Apple Green inks keeping it quite light.  This added the grass and sky to the circle.  

This circle was attached to the Azure Afternoon circle using adhesive.  The birds were attached across the center of the circles using some Mini Dimensionals.

The sentiment is from the same set.  It's stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  Then it's die-cut with the smaller label die in the Stylish Shapes die set.  I love all the stitching dots this set adds to the die cut pieces.  The sentiment was attached to the circles with Dimensionals.

Since I used Azure Afternoon for the circular frame, it was also used for the card base.  It measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It's scored at 4 1/4" and folded in half.

There are two pieces of Basic White cut for the card that measure 5 1/4" x 4".  One was embossed with the Dashing Designs 3D Embossing Folder.  This is a retired embossing folder that came and went so quickly I didn't realize it wasn't current anymore.  So, if you don't own this one, pick one you like to match the design.

The embossed layer was attached to the card base using Tombow MultiPurpose Liquid Glue to ensure a good seal.  Attach the circular focal images to the card front using Dimensionals.

With that 2nd piece of Basic White you cut, a series of bird "foot" prints were stamped randomly across the bottom edge.  Smoky Slate ink was used for this so it wouldn't be too dark.

Since there are also three small dies in the set for single birds, I die-cut one each from Azure Afternoon, Daffodil Delight, and Real Red.  These are attached along the bottom edge to bring the design inside the card.

Now I have a question for you.  I did not add any bling to this design.  Do you think it needs it?  And if so, what would you recommend?  I kind of like letting the design stand on its own.  But I've also thought of primary color dots to coordinate.  Maybe even adding speckles or spattering on the white layer before embossing it next time.  Hmmm.. What do you think?  Any way I go, I know I love these cutesy birds and I'm going to be creating with them again real soon!

Just two very quick reminders for you.  Don't forget to redeem your Bonus Days coupons.  Final day to do this is February 28th.     Keep your eyes peeled for the many new Online Exclusive items and new Kits that will be available starting March 3rd.  There's everything from richly elegant to just plain fun.  You won't want to miss any of these.

Thanks for stopping by for a look at what's new.  This is a clean and simple card that is also very quick to put together.  I found myself smiling while creating it, so I hope it will bring a smile to my friend also.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Petals of Beauty Today

Hello all my snowy and icy friends!  I hope everyone has survived the crazy winter storm that came through over the weekend.  My hubby just called it a 'cuddle alert' and said not to worry about it.  Thank goodness he was right in this instance.  But it looks gorgeous outside with the sunshine on the tree limbs.  Against the vivid blue sky, it almost looks like sparkly lace. Wish I was young enough to get on a saucer and go sailing down the hill in our backyard like the neighborhood kids are doing.  But that is so NOT going to happen again in this lifetime.  Anyway, let's talk about cards instead.  At the beginning of the month, I ordered the Petals of Beauty stamp and die bundle, and I finally got around to play with it.  What a nice and easy two-step stamp to use!  I had to stop and make a card right away with these pretty flowers.

This pretty pink card just brightened my spirits right up.  I started out just stamping the two sizes of flowers and the leaves in several color combos.  This first card is made with Pretty in Pink and Strawberry Slush inked flowers with the centers stamped with Secret Sea ink.  The tiny flowers are Strawberry Slush and Secret Sea.  The other flower combos I made are still waiting for me.  I'll probably go downstairs and do a little creating with them later today.  But for now, let me tell you about this one.  

The card base is Strawberry Slush cardstock and measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It's scored and folded in half.

There is a layer of Pretty in Pink that measures 5 1/4" x 4".  This is embossed with the Forever Plaid 3D Embossing Folder.  Don't you love the look of this?  It's attached to the card base with Tombow Liquid Glue for a good seal.

The Basic White square was die-cut with the largest square die in the Stylish Shapes die set.  Using the triple leaf stamp, it was inked with Granny Apple Green ink, then off-stamped, and stamped onto the white square.  This was done twice in opposite corners.  Then the detail for the leaves was stamped full strength.

Along with die-cutting the flowers I had stamped, two of the open leaf stems were die-cut from Lemon Lime Twist cardstock.  I liked that little bit of contrast in the greens.

A 3" x 3" layer of Granny Apple Green cardstock was cut.  This was attached behind the Basic White die-cut layer.  This leaves a nice frame around it to accent the color of the stamped leaves.  It was attached with adhesive.

All of these pieces were positioned onto the white square until I was happy with it.  The open leaves were attached flat to the design.  The largest flower was attached with a Dimensional in the center.  The trio of smaller flowers were tucked in under the large flower.  

Then a 5 1/2" length of Sheer Soft Sea Foam ribbon was folded in half, ends trimmed and then tucked under the flower too.  I thought the softness of the ribbon contrasted nicely with this design.  I didn't add this all to the card front until I had the sentiment ready.

This sweet sentiment is from the Extraordinary Flora stamp set.  It was stamped on a 1/2" wide strip of Basic White cardstock.  I used Secret Sea to stamp it to coordinate with the flower centers.  This was stamped onto one of the Three Banner Punch labels.  

It was attached to the side of the card right out to the edge.  Then the focal piece was attached slightly over this using Dimensionals to give it lift.

The design needed a little bling to make it pop.  Three of the Iridescent Faceted Gems.  Unfortunately, I forgot they are retired and I should have used something else.  But I still like them a lot!

One last thing, I wanted to share the inside of the card too.  There is a layer of Pretty in Pink cardstock that's 5 1/4" x 4".  Then a layer of Basic White that's 5" x 3 3/4".  

The smaller two-step flower from the set was added to the corner along with one of the triple leaf stamps that was die-cut also.  I thought this made a pretty accent inside the card.

Hope you enjoyed this first look at the Petals of Beauty stamp and die set.  You can be sure there will be more inspired stamping coming up with this set.  I really like the looks of the two-step style of stamping and of course, I'm a sucker for flowers of just about any kind!

Thanks for stopping in today to see what I've been creating.  If you have any questions about anything, please ask.  I'm here to help you enjoy the stamping experience.  And to make sure you've got ideas to use once you've purchased your stamps.  There's almost nothing worse than spending your hard-earned cash and then not using those stamps, papers, and other goodies you've purchased.  So, let's get out those items and start creating with them!  And if you're looking for a Stampin'Up! demonstrator, I'd be happy to be your demonstrator.  Just let me know how I can help you.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Blended Background Prairie Grass

Hello Friends!  Today I'm going to step away from that fabulous Sunflowers 3D Embossing Folder and do a little creating with the new Prairie Grass stamp set I just received.  This is a little stand-alone stamp set that is a real treasure as far as I'm concerned.  There are three silhouette images and five sentiments to use.  You'll only find it in the Online Exclusives section in the online store.

The first time I saw this stamp set, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it.  I love doing blended backgrounds and this would be the perfect setting for this large stamp.  The large stamp in the set almost covers a whole card front.  But it's still so delicate looking and the background shines through very nicely.  Let me walk you through the steps to make this lovely card.

The first decision was the color of the cardstock for the design layer.  I chose Basic White because I wanted the sun to be a bright white area instead of a vanilla shade.  The Basic White cardstock was cut to measure 3 3/4" x 5".  Then the large grass stamp was stamped onto this using Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  The image was positioned near the left side and the top of the grass was about 1/4" from the top of the cardstock.  This leaves a small bit of the stamp that is off the bottom of the cardstock.

The next step was die-cutting a 'mask' for the sun area.  I used one of the Stylish Shapes Dies to cut a circle from Masking Paper.  This is something I don't use often, but it really comes in handy to mask off an area when needed.  It can be re-used more than once if you're careful putting it on and off, so it's great when making multiples of the same card.

The mask is positioned tucked into the stamped design to make it look like the grasses were partially in front of the sun.

The first color that is blended onto the design is Daffodil Delight ink.  The ink is added heavier near the edge of the sun and blended out at least an inch.  Next some Coastal Cabana ink was very lightly added.  Then Balmy Blue ink was added to the edges in the sky area.

Next up is working in the ground portion of the picture.   First, I tried adding Granny Apple Green, but it didn't have enough depth to ground the card.  Then Old Olive ink was blended onto the design.  Perfect.

Carefully peel off the mask to use again if desired.  

The sentiment used here and inside the card is from the Hope You Know stamp set.  Lots of lovely sentiments in this set.  The hello was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink inside the sun area.

I wanted some birds flying in the background.  The bird stamp in the Sunrise Sailing stamp set was stamped 3 times to fill the design a little.  Memento Tuxedo Black ink was used for these too.

It was time to get the card put together.  This layer was attached to a Basic Black layer that measures 4" x 5 1/4".  They are attached with adhesive.  After adhering together, Linen Thread was wrapped around the bottom of this three times then tied into a knot.  The ends of the thread were frayed.

This was all attached to a folded Old Olive cardstock base.  Dimensionals were used for this.

The inside of the card has a Basic White layer for the sentiment that measures 4" x 5 1/4".  This sentiment coordinates with the sentiment on the front and is stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.

To coordinate with the front, I stamped part of the large image along the left bottom corner of this layer.

The edges all around this layer also have a small amount of Balmy Blue (top 2/3) and Old Olive (bottom 1/3) blended on.  I liked just a little bit of the extra color added here.  I also added a 1/4" strip of Basic Black cardstock to the bottom edge with adhesive.

This layer was added to the inside of the card with adhesive.

One last look at the final design.  Oops, I forgot to mention that two of the Adhesive-backed Dragonflies & Birds were added to the design.  I thought they coordinated well with the stamped birds and added just a small touch of bling.

Just a reminder that the 2025-2027 In Color Sale is going on through the end of the month of August.  There are actually three pages of products that are on sale for 15% off.  You don't want to miss this sale.

Thank you for stopping by today to see what I've been working on lately.  Hope you give this idea a try and then come back for another idea boost.  Should I add another card idea or two using the Sunflower 3D Embossing Folder?  I still have more ideas, but I don't want to totally bore you with them all.  Just because I'm nuts about this embossing folder doesn't mean everybody else is.  So, what do you think??  Whatever you prefer, make sure you keep creating and then sharing your "art with heart" with your family and friends.  It's sure to put a smile on someone's face!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

sharoncarr50@gmail.com

Using a Basic Template

Hello friends.  Today I've got a whole pile of cards to share with you.  It all started with a Basic Template using a piece of 6" x 6" DSP to cut all the main pieces.  My template I used is very basic and can be cut either way, depending on the direction of the print and what you want to do with it.  First, I want to show you a picture of the 5 cards that are made from one 6" x 6" piece.  Then we'll get into the cutting and details to make these cards.

The DSP that was used for these cards is maybe my favorite print in the Floral Charm DSP pack that is part of the Charming Day collection.  The roses are a pretty soft color with Night of Navy and Pretty Peacock leaves.  It's just yummy.   Of course, when I create with the other prints in the set, I fall in love with the other designs too.  Guess this DSP pack is definitely my favorite at this point!

Anyway, can you see how just a small amount of this print can go a long way?  It's so pretty even when you've only got a 1 1/2" x 3 1/2" piece!

Let's get to the Basic Template that I used.

Sorry, this isn't all fancy like other people can make it.  When I'm working out a design, I just make a sketch and add dimensions for it.  That's it.  But you can see exactly what you need and how to cut.  Want to give it a try?

The first card up is using the top left piece of the Basic Template.  This measures 3" x 3 1/2".  I decided to use Fresh Freesia for the card base even though that's not one of the colors that are recommended for this.  I just liked how it looked, so that was my choice.  

The DSP is framed with a piece of Night of Navy cardstock that measures 3 1/4" x 3 3/4".  It's attached to the base with Dimensionals.

The sentiment is from the Charming Day set and is stamped onto a Basic White circle using Night of Navy ink.  It is die-cut with the Stylish Shapes Dies.  It's backed with the next largest circle cut from Night of Navy cardstock.  The circles are attached together with adhesive.  Then they are added to the card with adhesive where they overlap the DSP and Dimensionals on the right side to keep it flat.

A sheer white ribbon with silver edges was cut in half and then both pieces were tied into a pretty bow.  A trio of Purple Fine Shimmer Gems in the plummy color were added to finish the design.

Next up is one of the two left side pieces of the Template that measure 1 1/2" x 3 1/2".  This time the card base is Bubble Bath.

A 2 1/4" x 4 1/4" piece of Berry Burst was cut for an accent.  About 1/2" was ripped from the right edge.  Then it was embossed with the Distressed Tile Embossing Folder to give it extra interest.  This was attached about 1/2" up from the bottom of the card using Tombow Liquid Glue (green glue).

Next a piece of Night of Navy was cut to frame the DSP.  This measures 1 3/4" x 3 3/4".  They are attached together with adhesive.  Then they're attached flat to the card base right over the Berry Burst layer.  I used "green glue" again for this layer.

The sentiment for this card is from the Unbounded Love set.  It's stamped with Night of Navy ink onto a circle cut from the smallest circle die in the Stylish Shapes Dies.  It's backed with the next largest circle from the same die set.  This is attached over the corner of the DSP using both adhesive and Dimensionals so it lays flat on the card.  

I happened to have a small open leaf die-cut leftover from a precious project that was in Shaded Spruce.  This was tucked in slightly under the Berry Burst layer for some added interest.

There are three gems from the 2021-2023 In Color Dots that are added to the card.  They were originally supposed to match with Moody Mauve, but I loved the look on this card.

This card uses the 2nd small piece of DSP from the left side of the template.  I'll confess, I had quite a time making this card and I'm not sure I got it right.  If anyone has any suggestions, I'm open to hearing them!

This card started with a lovely die-cut from the Charming Day set.  It's cut in Berry Burst so I thought it would go with this idea.  

The card has a base of Pretty Peacock cardstock.  The DSP has a layer of Night of Navy framing it that measures 3 3/3" x 1 3/4".  It's attached near the bottom of the card front using Dimensionals.

The berry die-cut has some Mini Dimensionals under some of the wider areas to give it lift.  Then part of one of the flowers is tucked under the DSP and some leaves are brought forward on the design.

The sentiment used here is from the Perfectly Pears stamp set.  The die used to cut the label is from the same set.  It's stamped with Night of Navy ink.  There are Mini Dimensionals behind this to elevate it to match the rest.

Three of the Pecan Pie & Clear Ribboned Adhesive-backed Dots are added to the design to finish it.

The fourth design features the piece of DSP from the top right of the Basic Template.  This piece measures 2 1/2" x 4".  The layering piece is Night of Navy cardstock that measures 2 5/8" x 4 1/8".  The pieces are attached with adhesive. 

The card base for this design is Bubble Bath cardstock.  The two layers are attached to this with Dimensionals.

There is a die-cut of Pretty Peacock leaves added to the bottom left corner.  It's attached with dots of "green glue" on some of the leaves to hold in place.   

There is an open rose die in the same set that was used to cut this Berry Burst rose.  It's attached over the leaves with several Mini Dimensionals.

The sentiment is from the Perfectly Pears stamp set.  It's stamped onto a small label that's cut from the same set.  After stamping, it's attached flat to the card front with adhesive.

There are three of the Pecan Pie & Clear Ribboned Adhesive-backed Dots added as a pretty accent.

This one might be my favorite card of the batch.  At least for now!

This is the last card of the batch.  It uses the DSP piece from the bottom right-hand corner.

The card base is Bubble Bath again.  There is a layer of Berry Burst that measures 5 1/4" x 4".    To add some interest to the layer, I used the Glass & Garden Embossing Folder for texture.  I like how subtle this is, but it does make a difference.

The sentiment is from the Sweet Blooms stamp set.  It's stamped with Night of Navy ink onto a 1 1/4" x 3" strip of Basic White cardstock.  It's framed with a layer of Night of Navy cardstock.

The DSP piece is layered with Night of Navy cardstock.  This piece and the sentiment label are positioned on the card front.  Both pieces are attached with Dimensionals.

There is another leafy sprig from the Charming Day set added here.  It's die-cut from Pretty Peacock cardstock.  It bridges the two pieces and is attached with adhesive under just a few leaves.

The last bits on the card are the Rhinestone Basic Jewels in clear.  I thought they were all that was needed.

Ok, you've now seen all five cards that were made from one 6" x 6" piece of the Floral Charm DSP.  It was challenging to stick with those five pieces and come up with cards I liked.  I found it quite fun to do, so I made another batch of cards using a different DSP.  I'm going to share the cards, but I won't be giving you the rundown of all the materials because I didn't write them down.  It would probably take me another couple of hours to figure that out, so you'll need to just use the cards as ideas to get your ideas flowing.  Let me know what you think of the Basic Template I made and the cards that came out of it.  I'd love to hear what you think.

All five cards from one piece.

top left of template

bottom left of template

top right of tamplate

bottom right of template

Hope these ideas all inspired you to try out this template.  Or even make a template of your own to use.  I keep reminding myself that it's only paper and if I really, really hate it, it can go in the circular file and get recycled!

Have fun with these ideas.

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

Sneak Peek and Last Chance Together

Hello stamping friends!  This catalog change-over time is always challenging deciding what stamps to use for blog posts.  Today is a bit of a mash-up with a favorite Thoughtful Wishes stamp set paired with the very new Sweet Blooms set and the new Pretty Florals stamp sets.  Oh, throw in some of the new Florals in Bloom Designer Series Paper just to keep things interesting.  In fact, both of the cards today are really focusing on the Florals in Bloom DSP just because I like it!  Oh my, it looks like I got my hands on some new goodies, and I just had to use it all!!  So, let's see what I've been stamping.

Here's my two lovely cards made with Florals in Bloom DSP for the main part of the card.  Don't you love these prints?  It's one of the very first items I needed to pre-order from the new Annual Catalog that you should be getting in the mail right about now.  These prints just scream spring as far as I'm concerned, so why not use them right away?  Let's get creating.  We'll make the pink one on the left first.

Love this print!  It looks like a flower garden just bursting with blooms!  I wanted to go and pick some.  Pretty in Pink is one of the coordinating colors, so this was my choice for the card base.  It measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and is scored and folded in half.

The next layer is Basic White cardstock.  It measures 5 1/4" x 4".  The DSP layer measures 5 1/4" x 4" also.  This is scored on the right side 3/4" from the edge.  It's folded back to reveal these dabs of color that blend with the floral print, then it's glued down to stay put.  This is attached to the Basic White layer keeping the edges even.  I used "green glue" for this.  

A length of about 12"-13" of the Pretty in Pink 3/8" Bordered Ribbon was cut.  Then it's wrapped around the white and print layers and tied into a knot in the front of the card.  Make sure to trim the ends because they tend to fray when tying them.  I also tucked a Mini Glue Dot under the knot to hold it in place.

After adding the ribbon, attach these layers to the folded Pretty in Pink card base.  I used Dimensionals for this.

Next is the sentiment.  This is a nice one from the new Sweet Blooms set.  It's a nice font and I love the sentiment it conveys.  This is stamped on a Basic White label that's die-cut using the Countryside Corners Die set.  This is on the Last Chance List right now.  If you don't own this set of dies, you really should consider getting them while you still can.  I think they're very versatile and use them often.  While cutting the white label, cut a Daffodil Delight label as well.

Stamp the sentiment with Garden Green ink onto the white label.  Using the new Pretty Florals stamp set, stamp three partial stems of the tiny flower spires in Pretty in Pink ink.  I also used Pretty in Pink ink with Wink of Stella to color in some of the petals.  A few of them got two coats to make them a little darker with just a hint of shine.

Layer the Daffodil Delight label off-set behind the sentiment label and attach together with adhesive.  Then use Dimensionals to attach to the card front.  

For a little added bling, add three of the Lemon Lolly Rainbow Dots to the card front.

Ready for the next card?

This is another print from the Florals in Bloom DSP that I'm having fun with today.  This print is matched up with the Peach Pie 2024-2026 In Color and a new 2025-2027 In Color called Secret Sea.  This is a lovely dark navy/black color that will be a great neutral to have on hand.

The Peach Pie card base measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".  It's scored at 4 1/4" and folded in half.

The Secret Sea layer measures 5 1/4" x 4".  Then the DSP layer measures 5" x 3 3/4".  The two layers are attached together with adhesive.  Then the Peach Pie 3/8" Bordered Ribbon is wrapped around the layers and tied in a knot near the bottom.  

These layers are then attached to the folded base using Dimensionals for a little lift.

For this card, the Stylish Shapes dies were used to die-cut the circles.  The 2nd largest circle die was used to cut the Secret Sea layer.  The 3rd largest die was used to cut the Basic White circle.  The sentiment from Thoughtful Wishes (Last Chance List!) was stamped with Secret Sea in the center of the circle.  The patch of small flowers from the same set were stamped over the sentiment using Peach Pie ink.  I like how these flowers fill in the circle but don't detract from the sentiment.  

The two circles are attached with adhesive.  Then they're attached to the card front with Dimensionals.

It took a few tries to find just the right touch of bling for this card.  The Tinsel Gems Three-Pack have a Misty Moonlight gem that really picked up the blues in the leaves.  The lightly tinted gems are a perfect match here.  Unfortunately, they are on the Last Chance List also.  I think I might have to purchase another pack while I still can. 

Well, there you have the mash-up of old and new.  It's always fun to do a lot of mix and match projects when the old favorites are leaving, and the new goodies are just starting to show up.  Did you have fun with these simple ideas?  Hope you're inspired to get out your stamps, ink, and paper and get creative.

When your catalog arrives, I hope you have fun perusing it and marking all your favorites and must-haves.  Maybe you'll be choosing this gorgeous new Florals in Bloom DSP just like I did!

If I can be of assistance to you or you have some questions, feel free to email me.  I'll get back with you as soon as possible.  Thanks!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon

sharoncarr50@gmail.com

Delightful Hugs Card

Well, here we are.  It's Sunday again and good heavens, it's already February.  January was rough with all the respiratory infections and the forever cough.  But I'm believing that we are beyond that now.  All that freezing weather we had should have killed off all those nasty germs, and now we can get on with life again.  Sounds like a good plan to me!

Today's card is a bright and cheerful everyday kind of card that use several items from the Delightful Wishes Bundle and the coordinating Designer Series Paper called Floral Delight DSP.  I love the bright yellows for spring.  It just makes me happy!  

See?  Isn't it a happy little card?  Just what someone needs to brighten these long dreary days of winter.

I started with a card base of Old Olive to pick up the greens in the DSP print.  This is cut to measure 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" then scored and folded in half.  I wanted some texture added, so a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of Old Ollive was cut.  Then it's embossed with the Dashing Designs 3D Embossing Folder which is found in the Annual Catalog.  This gives such an interesting and random background design with dashes and dots.  The two layers were attached with "green glue".  

Choosing which designs of the Floral Delight DSP was next.  I chose one floral and another design with dots and dashes to mimic the embossing.  These two pieces happen to be back-to-back.  The floral piece measures 3" x 2 1/4", and the other is 3 1/2" x 2".  Both pieces are backed with Daffodil Delight cardstock.  These measurements are - 3 1/4" x 2 1/2" and 3 3/4" x 2 1/4".  The DSP pieces are attached to the layers with adhesive.  These sections were both attached to the card front to form a sort of 'L' shape and were attached with "green glue".

The sentiment came next.  This one is from the Hugs for Love Bundle in the current Mini Catalog.  I love this sentiment so much and have used it multiple times already.  This time it is stamped with Pecan Pie ink onto Basic White cardstock.  It is cut with a die from the Stylish Shapes Dies.  This one is the 4th largest in size.

I didn't have my Daffodil Delight ribbon yet, so I grabbed a retired ribbon for the accent.  I cut about 6" and folded in half to form this loop.  I attached it to the back of the circle with adhesive.  Then Dimensionals were placed on the back to pop it up on the card design.  When the card was totally finished, I wish I had placed it about 1/2" lower on the card.  I tried to take it off and reposition after the card was finished, but it started ripping.  That was the sign I needed to tell me to leave it alone and just deal with it as is!

The 2-step flower in the set was stamped several times to add to the design and then die-cut.  The colors used for this were Daffodil Delight and Crushed Curry.  There were also a few leaves stamped with Old Olive ink and die-cut for the design.  

After playing with the flowers and leaves, I decided to die-cut a few flowers from Daffodil Delight cardstock using the single flower from the Heart Shaped set.  These were a perfect size and accent to the pieces I had already stamped.

Most of the flowers and leaves were attached flat using Mini Glue Dots.  The one larger flower was attached with one Dimensional in the center.  

For an embellishment, I used the golden tone gems from the Low Profile Dots.  These were placed in the center of the die-cut Daffodil Delight flowers with an extra one popped near the bottom of the design.

I forgot to take a picture of the inside.  Oops.  I used a sentiment from the Hope You Know set.  It's stamped on Basic White cardstock using Pecan Pie ink.  A couple of flowers and leaves were stamped on the inside of the card for an accent.  And a 1/2" strip of the same dotted DSP was attached to the bottom of the white layer.  This really bring the design into the inside of the card to match.

I hope you are ordering your favorite Sale-a-bration items when you place your orders.  It's so much fun opening that box and seeing your new treasures to create with and some of them even free!  Woo hoo!  There are only a few more weeks to take advantage of Sale-a-bration so don't put it off too long.  Thanks for hanging out with me for a while today.  Hope you liked the idea and are inspired to get out those stamps and dies and create!

Happy stamping and creating,

Sharon 

sharoncarr50@gmail.com