YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL

The stamp set that I am featuring this week is called You are Beautiful!  I purchased this stamp set for the wonderful sentiments.  It does include a couple of "nature" images, but I fell in love with the sentiments.

Today's card uses my favorite sentiment of set as it's focal point.

This card was made with the  "watercolor" embossed vellum technique.  I'm not sure why the technique includes the word watercolor.  When talking about this technique I tend to put "watercolor" in quotes because there is absolutely no water involved in this technique.

But it is a technique that makes beautiful backgrounds that kind of mimic watercoloring, so maybe that is where it got its name.

The technique actually uses Isopropyl Alcohol and Stampin' Blends.  There are various versions of similar techniques that use Isopropyl Alcohol with Alcohol Markers.  This is another of those variants.  The difference is that you dry emboss the vellum first before you color it with Stampin' Blends (alcohol markers).  Then you add the Isopropyl Alcohol.

I demonstrated this technique a few weeks ago on Learning with Friends, so if you are unfamiliar with the technique you can watch the video replay below.

The embossing folder that I used to emboss the vellum was the Layered Florals 3D Embossing folder.  The Stampin' Blend colors I used for the Technique were Lemon Lolly, Pretty in Pink, Highland Heather, and Granny Apple Green.  These relatively bright colors soften when the Isopropyl Alcohol is added, so I learned that the technique tends to work best with brighter and darker colors.  Colors that a pale or light tend to get "washed out" when they are diluted by the alcohol.

Once the Vellum was dry I adhered it to Basic White cardstock which helps make the colors pop.  Watch the video for tips on how to adhere vellum to cardstock without the adhesive showing through.  The Vellum assembly was then matted to Pretty in Pink cardstock.  

The Iridescent Striped Ribbon pairs beautifully with this background and I love that the ribbon is sheer so you can see the pretty background through it.  Three Iridescent Rhinestones complete the simple card.

Since the You are Beautiful stamp set does not include any stamps that coordinate well with the Layered Florals Embossing folder I had used, I went on a search through my other stamp sets.  I found this flower in the Textured Florals stamp set and thought it coordinated pretty well with the card front.  I used the masking technique so the leaves appear behind the flower.  It was stamped in Pretty in Pink and Granny Apple Green with a Daffodil Delight flower center.

Use this link to download a detailed tutorial for today's card.

A list of the products used is listed on the tutorial, but they are also shown below for easy access to the Stampin' Up! store where you can get more information.  

Product List

You Are Beautiful Cling Stamp Set (English) [163704]	Textured Floral Photopolymer Stamp Set (English) [161229]	Thoughtful Expressions Dies [162821]	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock [159229]
Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [159276]	Pretty In Pink 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [163793]	Vellum 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [101856]	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708]
Pretty In Pink Classic Stampin Pad [163807]	Granny Apple Green Stampin' Pad [147095]	Daffodil Delight Classic Stampin' Pad [147094]	Lemon Lolly Stampin’ Blends Combo Pack [161673]
Pretty In Pink Stampin’ Blends Combo Pack [163824]	Highland Heather Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [154887]	Granny Apple Green Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [154885]	Layered Florals 3 D Embossing Folder [162935]
Iridescent 1/2" (1.3 Cm) Striped Trim [163299]	Iridescent Rhinestones Basic Jewels [158130]	Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine [149653]

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HEART SHAPED INSPIRATON

Today's card is meant to give you some inspiration for a quick & simple card using the Heart Shaped Sale-A-Bration Bundle.

This card provides a feeling of calm and is meant to send caring thoughts to someone who could use some encouragement.

This could be used for a get well card, a sympathy card or just to let someone know they are in your thoughts.

I used a blending brush to add a little Fresh Freesia color to the card front before stamping the heart from Heart Shaped with Soft Sea Foam ink.  After stamping I added a few subtle speckles by flicking the cap of my Soft Sea Foam Stampin' Write Marker on the brush end of the marker.

To make the sentiment-heart, I die cut both Fresh Freesia cardstock and Basic White cardstock with the heart die and then used the inside from the Basic White and the frame section from Fresh Freesia.   I added a little adhesive tape on the back to hold the two pieces together so that I could pop them up on dimensionals.  The Silver Foil stems were also die cut with a die from the Heart Shaped Bundle and then tucked behind the heart.

The inside was a lot of fun to decorate with this bundle.  I stamped the heart with Fresh Freesia ink and then the sentiment inside of the heart with Soft Sea Foam ink.

Another little flower was die cut from Fresh Freesia and a couple of the tiny little leaves from Silver Foil.  A few Festive Pearls were added to the front and one to the inside flower to add just a tiny bit of bling and finish the card.

If you would like to duplicate this card and send some smiles to someone special, you can use this link to download a tutorial that will provide you everything you need to know to make the card.

Below is a list of Products used on this card.  

Remember the Heart Shaped bundle can be yours for free during Sale-A-Bration (SAB).  Sale-A-Bration lasts through the end of February, but if a SAB item is very popular, it can become unavailable before Sale-A-Bration ends.  So, if there is a SAB choice that you really want, don't wait too long and miss out.  They are available while supplies last.

Product List

Heart Shaped Bundle (English) [164953]	Soft Sea Foam 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [146988]	Fresh Freesia 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [155613]	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [159276]
Silver Foil Sheets [132178]	Soft Sea Foam Classic Stampin' Pad [147102]	Fresh Freesia Classic Stampin' Pad [155611]	Subtles Stampin' Write Markers [161698]
Festive Pearls [159963]	Blending Brushes [153611]	Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine [149653]

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SEASON OF ELEGANCE MOSAIC

I have another card today made with the Love & Strength Stamp Set.

The background for this card was made with the Mosaic Embossing Technique using the Pretty Peacock version of the Season of Elegance Specialty Paper.

Since the paper had gold foiling, I used Gold Embossing Powder for the technique.

The Mosaic Embossing Technique is a technique that I learned recently.  It is so much fun and very easy to do, but the result is always impressive.

I demonstrated this technique a couple of weeks ago on Learning with Friends.  If you missed the video premier you can still always watch the replay.

The flower from Love & Strength was Heat Embossed with Gold Embossing powder and then colored with Lost Lagoon and Old Olive Stampin' Blends.

The tag was die cut with a die from Something Fancy Dies.  The sentiment from Love & Strength was also heat embossed in gold and then die cut with a Stylish Shapes Die.  A faux bow made with gold cord and three Neutrals Gold Sequins finish the card front.

The inside of the card uses another of the wonderful and encouraging sentiments from Love & Strength.  A strip of Season of Elegance Specialty Paper and Brushed Gold Specialty Paper provide a little "bling" to the inside.

For all the details on how to recreate today's card, or to make your own version, you can download a PDF Tutorial at this link.

A list of the products I used is shown below.

Product List

Love & Strength Cling Stamp Set (English) [164252]	Something Fancy Dies [160424]	Stylish Shapes Dies [159183]	Pretty Peacock 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [150880]
Brushed Silver And Gold Foil 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Paper [164861]	Season Of Elegance 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Designer Series Paper [164144]	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [159276]	Versamark Pad [102283]
Pretty Peacock Classic Stampin’ Pad [150083]	Lost Lagoon Stampin’ Blends Combo Pack [161680]	Old Olive Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [154892]	Adhesive Sheets [152334]
Metallics Wow! Embossing Powder [165678]	Heat Tool (Us And Canada) [129053]	Neutrals Adhesive Backed Sequins [161627]	Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine [149653]

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