Fresh Thinking of You - Stampin' Up! Ringed With Nature

  One of my goals for designing for my Quick & Easy card classes is to use minimal supplies and use some easy techniques that sometimes get lost in the fancy die cut and messy ink techniques world.  I want my customers to be able to go home and create a card of their own using the color combo or layout or easy technique even if they don't own the exact stamp set.  Keeping supplies to a manageable level not only helps me for packing for class but can also help beginners feel able to jump right in with more experienced stampers.

  I love this fresh color combination for an all purpose thinking of you card.  I used a set that seems like it's really for fall and winter; do you recognize the poinsettia flower?  With Orchid Oasis and Pale Papaya Ringed With Nature doesn't seem so seasonal now does it?

  The easy technique on this card is just the torn edge of the stamped layer letting a bit more of the Orchid Oasis card base peek through.  A bit of shimmer is brought in with the ribbon and the sentiment tag punched with the retired Tailored Tag punch adds some modern angles.  A few Matte Decorative Dots are sprinkled among the flowers and leaves for a bit of texture.

  Card base, stamped layer and punched sentiment that's all and that's really easy to translate into a card with supplies you have at home.  It's also fantastic if you are stamping multiples.  Add in a few embellishments (rhinestones and pearls are perfect all purpose embellishments if you don't want to commit to colors!).

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Ringed With Nature

Ink: Pale Papaya, Orchid Oasis

Paper: Orchid Oasis, Basic White, Pale Papaya

Accessories: Metallic Woven ribbon, Matte Decorative Dots, Tailored Tag punch (retired), dimensionals

Autumn Season Birthday - Stampin' Up! Christmas Season

   Don't relegate seasonal stamp sets to the closet after that season is over!  I've used a Christmas set to make today's card which clearly has a fall feel to it!  I focused on rich fall colors and the leaf and berry stamps from the Christmas Season set work perfectly.

  We made this card at my last Quick & Easy card class.  A little ink blending in the corners with a blending brush, then stamp the images overlapping a bit and some stamping off for various tones is really all there is to this card.  Change up the colors for a seasonal look no matter if you're months away from Christmas!

  If you're local to the Richmond, VA area and would like to join my next Quick & Easy card class check out my events calendar.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Christmas Season, Go To Greetings

Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Night of Navy, Cajun Craze

Paper: Night of Navy, Basic White

Accessories: adhesive rhinestones, baker's twine

Bright Floral Birthday - Stampin' Up! Cup of Tea

   I was inspired for today's card by the inspiration at Just Add Ink.  They have a gorgeous floral photograph from which I pulled all my colors.  I definitely didn't do the real flowers justice but I thought it ended up a fun birthday card especially for a flower lover.  A quick switch of sentiments could turn this one into a great hello or thinking of you card.

  No crazy techniques or anything here.  I just used the small flower and leaf stamps from the Cup of Tea stamp set and randomly stamped all over a Basic White panel.  Don't overlook those smaller supporting stamps in a set.  In the right layout they can definitely stand on their own!  I popped it up over a Polished Pink card base embossed with the Gingham embossing folder.

  The sentiment is from Party Puffins and I stamped that in Blackberry Bliss onto Daffodil Delight cardstock and cut it out with the retired Tasteful Labels die set.  I layered a piece of DSP underneath cut into a flag.

  A bit of scrap white ribbon and a die cut flower help accent the sentiment layers and then a few adhesive sequins are sprinkled in among the flowers for a little shine.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Cup of Tea, Party Puffins

Ink: Poppy Parade, Polished Pink, Daffodil Delight, Mango Melody, Rich Razzleberry, Blackberry Bliss, Garden Green

Paper: Polished Pink, Basic White, Daffodil Delight, Peaceful Poppies DSP (retired)

Accessories: Gingham embossing folder, Tea Cup dies, dimensionals, white ribbon, adhesive sequins, Tasteful Labels dies (retired)

Splendid Pumpkin Give Thanks - Stampin' Up! Rustic Pumpkin Dies

  Still working on my Thanksgiving cards.  There is so much inspiration for autumn themed cards out there right now!  From designer series papers, card challenges and then the colors right outside our doors that it's so fun to see what can be made next!  I used the Fusion Card Challenge for the inspiration for today's card.  I used both the inspiration photo elements as well as the sketch.

  I loved the softer colors of the pumpkins in the the photo as well as the leafy garland around the window.  I pulled both of those elements along with a lot of white like the kitchen photo to put this card together. I started with a Basic White thick card base, then embossed another layer of Basic White with the Brick Wall embossing folder for some nice subtle texture in the background.

  Next I used the Splendid Stems dies to cut leaf sprigs in Evening Evergreen and Soft Succulent.  I layered them across the card front like the narrow horizontal element of the sketch.  I cut a Basic White banner and using the edge of the brush end of the Evening Evergreen Stampin' Write marker I lightly inked the edges of the banner to define it a bit against the white background.  

 To make the pumpkin I cut 3 skinny pumpkins with the Rustic Pumpkins dies out of retired 2021-2023 In Color Designer Series Paper in a nice light plaid pattern in Pale Papaya.  I layered them and then popped them up with dimensionals on the banner along with an Evening Evergreen stem.

  The sentiment is from another long retired set and I stamped it in Soft Succulent and fussy it cut to fit on the pumpkin.  The final touches are some retired In Color gems sprinkled on the garland and a Soft Succulent ribbon knot on the pumpkin.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Good Greetings (retired)

Ink: Soft Succulent

Marker: Evening Evergreen

Paper: Basic White thick, Basic White, Soft Succulent, Evening Evergreen, 2021-2023 In Color DSP

Accessories: Brick Wall embossing folder, Splendid Stems dies, Rustic Pumpkin dies, Soft Succulent ribbon, dimensionals, In Color gems (retired)

Thanksgiving Tree Rings - Stampin' Up! Ringed With Nature

   I wanted to have a few Thanksgiving cards on hand and the colors over at Color Throwdown are perfect for an autumn inspired card.  I also used the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches since it gives just the perfect little spot for the main card elements.

  The challenge colors are listed as navy, mustard, and brown.  I translated that to Night of Navy, Crushed Curry, Soft Suede and Crumb Cake.

  I started with a Night of Navy base and then following the sketch I added a panel of Rings of Love DSP from the last Sale-a-Bration.  I hardly used this paper at all when it was a freebie but find myself pulling it out more now that the weather seems more in line with the designs!  Seasonal stamper I am for sure!

  I cut and embossed the tree ring with the Tree Rings hybrid embossing folder/die and it makes a nice little anchor for the rest of the elements.

  The house is stamped in Night of Navy and Crushed Curry and some stamped off Crushed Curry berries and Night of Navy branches are accents behind the house. the whole grouping is popped on dimensionals.

  I had to go to the retired sentiment vault to find something just the right size and saying for Thanksgiving.  I used the long retired And Many More set here and stamped it in Soft Suede and then trimmed it down to size.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Ringed With Nature, And Many More (retired)

Ink: Night of Navy, Crushed Curry, Soft Suede

Paper: Night of Navy, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, Basic White, Rings of Love DSP (SAB retired)

Accessories: Tree Rings Hybrid embossing folder/die, dimensionals

Spooky Pumpkin - Stampin' Up! Hello Harvest

   I wanted to play along with the fun colors over at As You See It Challenge.  It's a set of colors that screamed Halloween to me and the inspiration photo was my inspiration for my blended alcohol inked background to go with the pumpkin.

  I started this with a bright Parakeet Party base.  I made the background square using Blends markers, vellum and rubbing alcohol.  I've described this technique in this post and it's really easy and makes for a unique background each time.  I mounted the finished vellum piece onto a Basic White square to make the colors really pop and then backed it with a Starry Sky panel.

  The 'boo!' is cut out of black glimmer paper and foam sheets for a nice big sentiment.  Some black baker's twine is wrapped around the panel a few times then tied in a bow.

  The pumpkin from Hello Harvest is stamped in Memento and colored in with Parakeet Party and Mango Melody blends.  I hand cut the jack 'o lantern fave pieces from Black Glimmer.  The pumpkin is adhered with dimensionals and a few black Classic Matte dots are added for more detail.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Hello Harvest

Ink: Memento Black

Blends: Starry Sky dark, Parakeet Party light & dark, Mando Melody light & dark (retired)

Paper: Parakeet Party, Starry Sky, Basic White, vellum, Black Glimmer paper

Accessories: Rustic Pumpkin dies, Playful Alphabet dies (retired), foam dimensional sheets, black baker's twine, Classic Matte Dots 

Rainbow Flurry - Stampin' Up! Joyful Flurry

   Rainbow flurry sounds like a fantastic frosty ice cream treat doesn't it?  Anyone at Dairy Queen need a great idea for a new Flurry flavor??

  I used the Global Design Project challenge of CASE the designer which has a lovely rainbow project to inspire us and I combined that idea with the sketch at CAS Colours & Sketches as I thought the diagonal lines would be prefect for the snowflakes.

  I feel like this card is missing something but I can't quite figure out what to add/change and still keep it CAS (clean and simple).  I might have to do another version and pull out all the 'over the top' stops! 

  I stamped the snowflakes on the diagonal in the rainbow colors (listed below) then used my Blends markers (colors listed below) to highlight parts of the images to give them a bit more weight.  They are very delicate, thin lines so I think adding a bit more color helps them stand out.

  I added a few Adhesive Backed Seasonal Sequins and then the greeting from Brightest Glow is stamped in Bermuda Bay and accented with flagged ends then popped with dimensionals.  I can't tell if I mounted the sentiment crooked or if I took the photo crooked....maybe a bit of both lol!

  Thanks to both challenges for the wonderful inspiration!

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Joyful Flurry, Brightest Glow

Ink: Bermuda Bay, Granny Apple Green, Mango Melody, Flirty Flamingo, Polished Pink

Blends: Pool Party dark, Granny Apple Green light, Flirty Flamingo light, Polished Pink light

Paper: Basic White, Polished Pink, Bermuda Bay

Accessories: dimensionals, Adhesive Backed Seasonal Sequins

Gold Pumpkin Hello - Stampin' Up! Hello Harvest

   For my customer thank you cards for orders placed in September I wanted to send a nice autumn card but maybe not in traditional colors so I got to work with black, white and gold.  What do you think?

  I started with a Basic White thick card base, then a layer of the black and white plaid pattern from the Rustic Harvest DSP.  Next is a layer of Basic White embossed with the Leaf Fall embossing folder for some subtle texture.

  I embossed the pumpkin from Hello Harvest in gold and then cut it out along with a few vines out of the Distressed Gold Specialty paper.  I mounted the pumpkin with dimensionals over a length of retired Fine Art (which has pretty gold threads woven through it) onto a Basic Black circle cut with the Stylish Shapes dies.

  Lastly, I embossed the 'hello' from the Inspired Thoughts stamp set in gold onto Basic Black and then added it to the side of the pumpkin.  

  I love how this card came out; I think it's really elegant and understated.

  If you'd like to get a hand stamped card from me go ahead and place your order in my Stampin' Up! store.  Click here or there is a link in the sidebar ------->

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Autumn Harvest, Inspired Thoughts

Ink: Versamark

Paper: Basic White thick, Basic White, Basic Black, Rustic Harvest DSP, Distressed Gold Specialty paper

Accessories: Leaf Fall embossing folder, gold embossing powder, Rustic Pumpkin dies, Stylish Shapes dies, dimensionals, Fine Art ribbon (retired)