SUNFLOWERS AND PLASTIC WRAP

This card uses a simple and fun technique that uses Plastic Wrap to create the unique background behind the Sunflowers.

Just scrunch up a piece of plastic wrap, tap it on your ink pad and then tap it on your paper.  Voila!  You have an interesting background.

Here's a video that shows you just how quick and easy the technique is!

In the video I created an alternate version of today's card.  Rather than creating the technique background on the arched die cut, it was created on the front card layer.  

Which do you like best?

The only stamping on these cards is the sentiment!  The rest of the design is made using the Radiant Sunflower Dies and the Everyday Arches dies.

The sunflowers were made with two die cuts in different colors.  Twist the top sunflower layer a bit and you see the accent color behind the yellow sunflowers.

The sentiment from Radiant Sunflowers stamp set was die cut with the smallest Everyday Arches die.  This small die is the perfect size for the "Thinking of You" sentiment, and it keeps the "arches" theme going!

I kept the inside of the card clean & simple.  I pulled the two main colors from the card front, Cajun Craze and Misty Moonlight, to create double mats for the Very Vanilla message layer.

Since I'm not sure yet how I will use the card, I left it sentiment free.  If desired, I can easily add a sentiment when I'm ready to use the card, or I can just write a personal note.

Use this link to download a PDF tutorial.

A list of the products used is shown below.

Product List

Radiant Sunflowers Bundle (English) [168359]	Everyday Arches Dies [164629]	Very Vanilla 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [166784]	Crushed Curry 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [131199]
Old Olive 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [100702]	Cajun Craze 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [119684]	Misty Moonlight 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [153081]	Early Espresso 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [119686]
Sunflower Fields 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper [168351]	Misty Moonlight Classic Stampin' Pad [153118]	Night Of Navy Classic Stampin' Pad [147110]	Brushed Brass Butterflies [158136]
Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine [149653]

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HAPPY SPANNER FUN FOLD

My last card this week is a Spanner Fun Fold and surprise, surprise it is not another Christmas Card.

This card was made with Sharon Armstrong's Million Dollar stamp set called Happy Place.  Even though the "HAPPY" is designed as a tropical beach scene, I decided to combine it with the gorgeous Splendid Autumn Designer Series Paper.  

It's Autumn (going on winter) here in Michigan and our summer boats and toys have been put away for a couple of months but it is always a good season to be HAPPY!

I inked my "HAPPY" stamp with sponge daubers working from top to bottom with Balmy Blue, Crushed Curry, Cajun Craze and Mossy Meadow -- some good Autumn colors.

My biggest challenge with this card was that I wanted as much of the Autumn path on the arch to show as possible.  I played a bit and finally a lightbulb went off when I remembered there is such a thing as Acetate Sheets.  So I decided to cut apart each letter from the "HAPPY" and mount them to a strip of Acetate with dimensionals.  

This way I could at least see through between the letters, and then when you lift up the spanner portion of the card you can see the full path.  (Yes, you can see the dimensionals on the backside of the letters when you open the spanner, so just place with neatly!)

What do you think?

Isn't this Splendid Autumn DSP beautiful?  I honestly thought it was retired, but when I looked it up on the Stampin' Up! Online Store I was pleasantly surprised to see that it is still available!  YAY!

Flip up the middle flap and you see the inside of the card.  The "BIRTHDAY" was also inked with sponge daubers to create a bit of ombre effect with Crushed Curry and Cajun Craze ink.

I think this card would work well for men or women.  What do you think?

For all the details use this link to download a tutorial.

A list of the products used is shown below.

Product List

Happy Place Cling Stamp Set (English) [165966]	Everyday Arches Dies [164629]	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock [159229]	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [166780]
Balmy Blue 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [146982]	Splendid Autumn 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [164173]	Balmy Blue Classic Stampin' Pad [147105]	Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pad [147087]
Cajun Craze Classic Stampin' Pad [147085]	Mossy Meadow Classic Stampin' Pad [147111]	Sponge Daubers [133773]	Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine [149653]
Adhesive Backed Dragonflies & Birds [162743]

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BALLOONS & ARCHES

Today's card is an accordion Fun Fold made with the Everyday Arches Dies and the Arched Wishes Stamp Set.

I love, love, love the balloon stamp in this stamp set!  I've had stamp sets before that had balloon stamps, but I feel like Goldilocks.  Some are too small.  Some are too big.  But these balloons are the perfect size!  They are large enough to use them singly, but small enough to create  balloon bouquets!

The balloons on this card were made with the 24 - 26 In-Color Glimmer Paper and were created using the Embossing on Glimmer Paper Technique.  Yes, you can emboss images on Glimmer Paper, and it is so beautiful.  Watch this short Learning with Friends Video if you want to learn some tips for embossing on glimmer paper.

This card is an accordion Fun Fold.  I used the Everyday Skies Designer Series Paper (DSP) to decorate two of the arches and then used some more of the fun Arched Wishes stamps to decorate the third arch.

 I'm hoping this card will make someone smile for their birthday.  

There are probably several different ways to make an accordion card with these arches.  I took the easy way and just made a longer "shorter" card base and then adhered the bottom portion of the arched panel assemblies to it.  If you would like to try my method, use this link to download a tutorial with all my cutting and scoring dimensions.

If I were to make it again I would probably make some small tweaks to the width between each of the folds on the base card.  The width of my panels on the base card are a smidgen wider than the largest die in the Everyday Arches dies.  Making the distance between each of the scorelines a little narrower may be better, but this works just fine.

Here is a little closer view of the glimmer balloons.  They are so sparkly!  

For the message layer, I stamped the streamers and some confetti in the same colors as the balloons.

Does anyone remember the colored strips of crepe paper that we used in the "olden days" to decorate with for parties or sometimes in our classrooms at school?  It was stretchy and we would twist it and then drape it around the room.  These decorative stamps remind me of those streamers.  We definitely used those streamers more than we ever used confetti!  I suspect the janitor didn't want to clean up confetti!

Below is a list of the products that I used to create today's card.

Product List

Arched Wishes Cling Stamp Set (English) [165428]	Everyday Arches Dies [164629]	Balmy Blue 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [146982]	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [166780]
Everyday Skies 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [164622]	2024–2026 In Color™ Glimmer 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Paper [163771]	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708]	Peach Pie Classic Stampin Pad [163810]
Summer Splash Classic Stampin Pad [163809]	Pretty In Pink Classic Stampin Pad [163807]	Versamark Pad [102283]	Basics Wow! Embossing Powder [165679]
Heat Tool (Us And Canada) [129053]	Embossing Additions Tool Kit [159971]	Balmy Blue/White 1/2" (1.3 Cm) Variegated Ribbon [160448]	Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine [149653]

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