ADDRESS STAMPS, INK & PAPER

This week I decided to use the unique Addressed to You stamp set.  I'm always looking for interesting ways to decorate my envelopes and the inside of my cards, and this stamp set seemed like the perfect solution.  I suspect it was actually designed for that purpose.

But can it also be used to make the total card?  Let's try!

I'll admit, at first, I was a bit stymied.  So, I went to my typical places for inspiration (Pinterest & Google) but didn't find a lot.  It is a new stamp set in the Spring Mini, so there weren't a lot of ideas out there, yet.  Many times, when I have a creative block, I grab my Designer Series Paper (DSP) and see if I can find inspiration there.  My search led me to the Beautiful Bokeh DSP.  

I decided to use the rectangle border from the stamp set and the pretty Bokeh DSP seemed like it needed some flowers to go with it.  This Addressed to You stamp set includes various designs to decorate the corners of the borders, but flowers seemed appropriate to coordinate with the DSP.

I used the colors in the DSP, Fresh Freesia and Balmy Blue, to create my double mat for the focal point.  Then as I was digging through my ribbon stash, I came across this gorgeous Iridescent Petunia Pop Ribbon.  Can you believe I TOTALLY forgot that I had it?

When I found that ribbon and realized that it coordinates beautifully with Fresh Freesia, I decided to color the flowers with Fresh Freesia and Petunia Pop Stampin' Blends.  A few Basic Rhinestones on the flower centers add some additional sparkle. (There is a lot of sparkle in that ribbon!)

I used the same rectangle border and flower stamps to decorate the inside of my card and the front of the envelope.  

It makes a really nice coordinated stationary set, don't you think?

The sentiments on the card front are from the Addressed to You stamp set and the inside sentiment is from The Right Words stamp set.

Use this link to download a FREE TUTORIAL.  It provides all the dimensions, step-by-step directions and a list of the products used.

Product List

Addressed To You Photopolymer Stamp Set (English) [167010]	Banner Sayings Photopolymer Stamp Set (English) [167044]	Fresh Freesia 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [155613]	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [166780]
Balmy Blue 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [146982]	Beautiful Bokeh 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [164607]	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708]	Fresh Freesia Classic Stampin' Pad [155611]
Petunia Pop Classic Stampin Pad [163811]	Balmy Blue Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [154830]	Fresh Freesia Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [155518]	Petunia Pop Stampin’ Blends Combo Pack [163828]
Granny Apple Green Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [154885]	Petunia Pop 1/4" (6.4 Mm) Iridescent Ribbon [166203]	Rhinestone Basic Jewels [144220]

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SIMPLY GEOMETRIC ART IN BLOOM

 Are you ready for another Simply Stamping card made with the Art in Bloom Stamp set?  This card is probably not what you would expect from a stamp set that has "Bloom" in its name.

But this stamp set also includes a couple of graphical stamps for making borders, so I decided to only use those today and see what I could come up with.

The designer series paper background is a pattern from the Friendly Hello collection.  This is one of the Sale-a-Bration items, and TODAY is the last day to get it.  It's hard to believe, but today is already the last day of Sale-a-Bration!  If you have not yet taken advantage of the FREEBIES, you need to act quickly!

If you want to make a focal point similar to this one, I have a hint for you on how to make the pattern centered.  Start stamping in the center and then work up and down from there.  In this example, I wanted the Soft Succulent square stripe to be in the center.  I'll be honest, I don't normally start stamping in the center.  I'm used to either starting on the bottom and working up, or at the top and working down.  I tried it several times working from the bottom up and could not get it to come out right.  I either had a little tiny partial green stripe on the top or I had a big space that needed some dots.  It was driving me a "little" crazy trying to figure out the spacing, when all of a sudden, a light bulb went off, and I thought, why don't you try starting in the center.  I then stamped a row of dots above and below the center green stripe, another row of dots above and below -- and so on until the cardstock was covered.  So that's my hint for today. I don't know why it took me so long to figure that out!

After I finished stamping the focal point, I wanted to add a sentiment, of course.  I first made a square sentiment, and it just looked a little boring -- too much "square" going on.  I then tried a circle and that shape looked OK, but I wanted to mimic the colors of the mat layers, and the circles dies I have required the layers to have larger borders and the sentiment was getting way too big.  I didn't want to cover up that much of my focal point.  I wanted the sentiment to compliment that focal point and not become the focal point.  Besides, I had worked way too hard figuring out that spacing, and I didn't want to cover up my hard work.  LOL So, I turned my square sentiment at an angle and thought "that works"!  Obviously, I had to restamp the sentiment at an angle, but that also allowed me to make it a little smaller.

What do you think?  Do you like the "diamond" shape?

For the inside of the card, I used the same rectangular stripe and dots stamps to create a border on the left side of the basic white.  

I often leave the inside of my cards sentiment-free so that I can add an appropriate sentiment later when I know what the card will be used for.  Do you do that, too?

If you would like a tutorial for today's card, you can download one using this link.

The products I used are listed below:

Product List

Art In Bloom Photopolymer Stamp Set [155085]	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock [159229]	Soft Succulent 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [155776]	Fresh Freesia 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [155613]	Polished Pink 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [155710]
Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [159276]	Friendly Hello Bundle (English) [159990]	Soft Succulent Classic Stampin' Pad [155778]	Fresh Freesia Classic Stampin' Pad [155611]	Polished Pink Classic Stampin' Pad [155712]
Simply Elegant Trim [155766]	Rhinestone Basic Jewels [144220]

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SIMPLE ART IN BLOOM

Happy Sunday stamping friends!

I'm stopping by a day early this week because I have so many cards to share with you this week.  My featured bundle this week is Art in Bloom.  This is a very unique bundle as it includes a Hybrid Embossing Folder in addition to the stamp set and coordinating dies!  Are you wondering what is special about a Hybrid Embossing Folder?  Well, it not only embosses, but you can place a coordinating die inside the folder and die cut at the same time you emboss!  

But I've gotten ahead of myself.  The first couple of cards this week are what I considered "simple stamping" cards.  Technically, "simple stamping" cards are only supposed to use stamps, ink, and paper, but I added a couple of simple embellishments, so I guess I broke the rules.  But honestly, these flowers needed pearls in their centers!  Don't you agree?  

The color of today's card is Fresh Freesia, and the pretty designer series paper (DSP) is called Friendly Hello.  It is one of the Sale-a-Bration selections that you can choose when you place a $100 order.  You are probably wondering why this DSP requires a $100 order.  It is because you also get a coordinating stamp set if you choose this Sale-a-Bration item.  I featured a card last week with the Friendly Hello Stamp Set.   If you missed it, you can check it out at this link.

However, if you want it, there is no time to waste.  Tomorrow is the last day of Sale-a-Bration.

The centers of the flowers were colored with Fresh Freesia ink using sponge daubers -- a quick and simple way to give them a bit of pop.

As you know, I can never leave the inside of a card naked, so to keep it simple, I just added another strip of the Friendly Hello designer series paper.  The DSP and the Basic White are both mounted to Black mats to make them pop.  If you look closely, you will also see that I used this paper design to cover the flap of my envelope.  Covering the envelope with DSP is a favorite quick and simple solution to making a coordinating envelope for my card.

A tutorial with dimensional information is available for download at this link.

A list of the products I used is shown below.

Product List

Art In Bloom Photopolymer Stamp Set [155085]	Fresh Freesia 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [155613]	Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [121045]	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [159276]	Friendly Hello Bundle (English) [159990]
Fresh Freesia Classic Stampin' Pad [155611]	Jet Black Stāzon Ink Pad [101406]	Sponge Daubers [133773]	Pearl Basic Jewels [144219]

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