Inspiration

This week I am inspired by commercially made cards received from family and friends for Easter.  I usually put cards that we receive on the mantle or dresser top for a week or so. Then I look them over one last time and recycle them. As I was looking at the cards from Easter I decided that I would challenge myself to use them as inspiration for my card making.
So, here is today's first challenge. I received two cards that were really pretty similar in their layout. For the first one I wanted to mock that fade out of the background behind the sentiment block. So, I used a piece of vellum and stamped it with White Staz On Ink for the frame and then used Black Staz On for the sentiment. Rather than stamp a large background I decided this would be a good time to use some DSP with large design.

 The second card with this similar layout really made me think of the retired Four Frames stamp set. So I used it here with the "hello" from A Dozen Thoughts. Again I opted to use some large print DSP for the background.

More to Celebrate!

I'm celebrating this layout my niece led me to! It's a great way to use up scraps of Designer Series Paper as in the top photo. Then I thought, "What about using Washi Tape?" (second photo) and lastly I combined the two, DSP scraps and Washi Tape.

Do you notice the oval with the image in the bottom photo? Here's the story on it: I had all the DSP and Washi Tape adhered and noticed a faint black line running vertically in the bare white space right where I wanted to stamp the sentiment. Does this ever happen to you? I used to just scream and start over. But now I think, "How can I cover it up?"  Many times you can distress card in some way like sponge it or use a stamp set like Gorgeous Grunge. I really didn't think these patterns looked like distress images so I punched an oval, stamped it and then added the flower to cover up the last little bit of streak. The recipient will never know. (Unless, they read this blog!)

Let the Cute Begin for Baby Girl

This card front had me looking through my stamp sets for the words "sweet" and "girl". Sweet comes from You Are Loved stamp set and girl from A Dozen Thoughts stamp set. Once I found the stamps I wanted to use I just used my black marker and stamped them on the front and then adhered the b-a-b-y that I cut using my Big Shot. 

CASE:  Deanna Jean

Friends just had a little girl and the photo they sent out for the birth announcement is beyond cute! I used the image that was in the Best of Brides and Babies 25th Anniversary stamp set. Can you see that I stamped a second time on Designer Series Paper and then fussy cut the little onesie out and glued it down over the stamped image on the card interior. 

Happy Together!

Okay, it's been a long time since I've posted on this blog. But one of my nieces has challenged me to post some of the cards I've been making.
So, here's today's card:

When Stampin' Up!'s new annual catalog came out earlier this summer I told myself I could not order any more Designer Series Paper until I had used up some of the packs I had. A pack of DSP paper goes a long way when making cards. So, I started to use some of the retired paper I had because I just had to have some of the new patterns in the new catalog. So, many pretty papers and colors.
This was some paper that was pretty but really plain so I pulled out the Chalk Talk framelit and some stamp sets and punches and got busy. (This is a CASE of a card I saw online but I can't find my source.) I will probably add some pearls (119247) to the center of the stamped scallops and the center of the three punched flowers before sending.
Since some of the supplies I used are retired I'll just suggest some current products that could be used to make a similar card.
Linen thread (104199)  to make the loops just like in the photo.
Designer Series Paper:  Park Lane (133694) could be used; pictured is a retired pattern
Card Stock: Night of Navy for card base, Whisper White for base and stamped pieces, Daffodil Delight and Cherry Cobbler
Ink:  Night of Navy for sentiment, Daffodil Delight, Pacific Point and Cherry Cobbler for stamped images
Stamp Sets:  I used A Round Array (129090 c or 129087 w) for the Daffodil center on the large blue shape, A Dozen Thoughts (131059 c or 131056 w) for the sentiment, Other sets I used are retired (Vintage Labels and Mixed Medley for the blue and cherry scallops and Perfect Plaid for the design above the sentiment) Current sets that could be used: Polka-Dot Pieces (129708 c, 129705 w),  Daydream Medallions (126467 c, 131976 w) and coordinating Floral Frames framelits (127012) or switch the scallops to stars and use Be the Star stamp set (135734 c, 135731 w) and coordinating Stars framelits (133723) and for the design above the sentiment Work of Art (134114 c, 134111 w) or Draw the Line (133659 photopolymer)
Punches: 7/8" scallop circle (129404), 1-1/4" scallop circle (127811), 1-3/4" scallop circle (119854), Boho Blossoms (119858)
Big Shot (113439), Magnetic Platform (130658) and Chalk Talk Framelits (129983)