Monday, June 16, 2025

A PAPER HUG WITH PRETTY FLORALS

How many "flower" stamp sets do you have?  How many "flower" stamp sets does one person need?  I certainly don't know how many I have, but I always seem to find another one that I absolutely "need".  


The Pretty Florals bundle that I'm featuring this week is part of the Florals in Bloom Suite Collection.  The thing that first caught my eye in this suite was the Florals In Bloom 12" x 12" Designer Series Paper (DSP).  The colors were so pretty and included all the new 2025-2027 In-Colors.  Who could resist?  Not me!  And if I was going to purchase the DSP, well, then I "need" the stamps and dies that coordinate!

So this week we are going to enjoy some Pretty Florals flowers and the beautiful Florals in Bloom DSP.


I don't know what kind of flowers these are but they sort of look like Snapdragons to me.  Anyway, they are my favorites in the stamp set, so I decided to use them for my first card.

This card was also featured on Learning with Friends a few weeks ago where I used it in one of my Embossing with Masks video.  The mask I used to emboss the white background for this card was from a retired set called Artistic Mix Masks.

Since the Pretty Florals stamp set does not include greetings, I used the Paper Tags stamp set for my sentiments on the front and inside.  Don't you love the idea of sending  "paper hugs".  Every card maker needs a stamp that says this!

If you missed this video where I demonstrated how to use masks for embossing, you can still watch the replay.


This technique is a great way to get more value from your masks (or stencils).

Today's card also shows off 3 patterns from the beautiful Florals in Bloom DSP, and I used the colors in the DSP to stamp my flowers.  Designer Series Paper is a great source for color combination inspiration.

For the inside of the card, I added color with some more of the pretty Snapdragons.

You can use this link to download a tutorial with all the details for today's card.

And if you aren't convinced yet that you "NEED" another flower bundle, come back this week and see some more inspiration.  You may just change your mind.  

Below is a list of all the products used on this card.


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Location: Commerce Township, MI, USA

Friday, June 13, 2025

ELEMENTS OF TEXT & BEAUTIFUL MOTIFS

For my last card this week, I am combining the Elements of Text stamp set (my featured product of the week) with the Beautiful Motifs Bundle.

I believe that for the first time, I used EVERY stamp in the Elements of Text stamp set on today's card.

Because the Elements of Text stamp set does not include sentiment, I reached to the new Beautiful Motifs stamp set to provide my greeting.  The Beautiful Motifs stamp set includes several greetings, but it also includes of couple of stamps that can be used to add texture to backgrounds. So I decided to use those on today's card also.


The layout of this card is based on my Fairless Stampin' Flair Sketch #2 which I used in yesterday's Learning with Friends video.  You can watch that video to learn more.


Here is an image of Sketch #2.


For this card I created my own "designer series paper" for two of the panels.  For the largest panel I used DSP from the Beautiful Gallery DSP Collection.

All stamping was done with Gray Granite and Blueberry Bushel ink, but remember, you can create multiple shade of each color by either stamping full strength or stamping off one or more times before stamping on your cardstock.


The Granny Apple Green Fern die cut was made with a Beautiful Motif die.

The design theme was carried to the inside of the card as well.


It creates a nice set of stationary when the inside and the envelope continue the theme from the card front.

Use this link to download a detailed tutorial with step-by-step directions.

A list of products is shown below.  Click on any image to learn more about that product.

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Wednesday, June 11, 2025

ELEMENTS OF TEXT & MIXED FLORALS

Today, I'm taking another try with the Elements of Text Stamp Set.  Once again, I do not think I met the intent of my self-imposed challenge -- to make the Elements of Text Stamp set a focal point or major part of a card.


Today's card is probably a more expected and traditional use of stamp sets like this.  I used it to create texture on my background.  I used both the large circular text stamp as well and both of the speckles stamps.

 

I wanted to experiment a bit with color today. I pictured Crumb Cake as my "grungy" background (I know it's not very grungy, but its "grungy" for me). But then my color "expertise" (or lack thereof) hit a wall.  So, when that happens I get my trusty Color Coach and start looking for combinations that look "interesting".  This time it led me to Secret Sea and Calypso Coral with Crumb Cake.  Who would have figured that one out? Certainly not me, but I was already not complying with my own challenge, so I thought what the heck!  Let's try it!

So, I made my card base from Secret Sea, "grunged" up my Crumb Cake Background with tone-on-tone stamping and colored my coneflower from Mixed Florals with Calypso Coral.  Surprise!  I liked it!  In fact, I liked it a lot!  But then I had those tiny little flowers around the coneflower and didn't know what to do with them?  Yellow?  Seemed a little bright.  My color coach was guiding me to Timid Tiger, but I don't have the Timid Tiger Stampin' Blends -- yet.  So, I grabbed Peach Pie and experimented.  I had a winner (at least in my color-challenged mind)!

Does anyone else stress over color selections?  My analytical, engineering brain certainly does.

But what is that saying?  Even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then.  I think I may have stumbled on a "nut".

I decided to keep the color going on the inside of the card and the envelope.  So I stamped a couple more flowers and started coloring.

Use this link to download a tutorial with all the details.

The products that were used on today's card are listed below.

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