Stepping It Up!

Here are three cards that use the same layout. I've just taken each one a step further.
I started with the top card, nice and simple.
On the second card I added a layer of embossed card stock to give it a little more depth.
The third card I added a larger embossed piece of card stock and added some black gems to the flower centers.
Which is your favorite?
And that uses up that pack of Designer Series Paper. Now I can get the new design in this year's Holiday catalog. Ordering for it starts on September 1.

Linen Thread Bird Nest

This is a CASE from Stamping School. I had to change the direction of my layout a bit as I was using a retired bird image from the Nature Walk stamp set. And I used some retired Dusty Durango Designer Series Paper. You know when that color came out I didn't care for it; now I wish it was still available. Oh well! I've combined it with Pool Party and Crumb Cake. That color trio just made me think of robin's and spring time. We've had a bit of cold weather again. Blah!
The bird's nest is essentially made by wrapping linen thread around two fingers several times and then adhering to the card. Then after you've fussy cut the bird adhere it on top with a dimensional. I used the discontinued Blendabilites to color my bird but think if I did it again I'd get better robin look by using markers. Live and learn!

Hearts, hearts, hearts

About this time of year we begin to see lots of Valentines on the Pinterest boards. I've found that many of those layouts make great wedding anniversary cards. The DSP is Flowerpot. The hearts were cut using the Hearts framelits and my Big Shot and I also used the Big Shot and Large Polka Dots embossing folder on the banner and the Zig Zag and Lucky Stars embossing folders on two of the hearts. CASE:  Jan del Muro

Zig Zag!

Finally I started to use the larger two inch scraps of Designer Series paper. I wanted to make some simpler, more masculine cards for my husband's 'stash'. So, I just tried to keep it simple. I still feel like I should have made at least a knot in the ribbon but sometimes you just have to walk away from a card and call it done!

As promised both of today's cards use the zig zag from the Finishing Touches edgelits (127010). I will admit when I use this edgelit I have a tendency to put it on the paper with the zig zag along the card stock edge. I've found it works better for me the opposite way; putting the "straight" edge along the edge of the paper. That way you don't get a groove in your card stock along with the zig zag cut and it seem to line it up straighter for some reason.

The ribbon in both cards is retired Summer Starfruit 3/8" Stitched Satin. The expression in the card above is from the Lots of Thanks stamp set (129690 c, 129687w). The Midnight Muse card stock was embossed with the Zig Zag embossing folder (133738).

In the card above I cut the Cajun Craze card stock about 1/2" wider than the DSP so that I could cut both edges with the zig zag edgelit. The stamped image is from Starburst Sayings set (133185 c, 133182 w) and was cut using the Starburst framelits (132967).

Still more cards from that packet of scraps to come in tomorrow's post!

One Card Leads to Another!

This card was made using the last of the thin strips that were in my scraps of this Designer Series Paper (Comfort Cafe, retired). I just lined them up on a piece of Cajun Craze card stock that was sitting on my work space and glued them down. Then I designed the card around that piece of card stock. I made the flower using the Floral Frames framelits (127012) and snipped the petals using my scissors. The center is one of the retired Dahlia Adornments, a button would work, too. The "Thank You" comes from the Lots of Thanks stamp set (129690 c, 129687 w). The ribbon is retired Midnight Muse 3/8" Stitched Satin. I chose Crushed Curry card stock for my base. When I put all the elements together I decided I needed to add a layer of Midnight Muse card stock (retired). So, I had to cut off some of the Cajun Craze card stock. 

This created a scrap of card stock that I couldn't just throw in the trash and presented my next card design.

I layered my scrap on a piece of Crushed Curry Card stock, stamped the same expression on it and then punched the edge using the retired Scallop Trim Border punch. Some more retired Midnight Muse 3/8" stitched satin ribbon was used. Then I embossed a piece of Midnight Muse card stock using the Zig Zag embossing folder (133738).

If I had it to do over I would have used my Big Shot and the zig zag edgelit in the Finishing Touches Edgelits (127010) instead of the Scallop Trim Border punch. But I didn't think of that edgelit until later in the day. Check back tomorrow!

Focus on Blendabilities

This week my focus is on Stampin' Up!'s new Blendibilites markers. If you like to color; these are for you! If you like rich; vibrant images these are for you. If you want a watercolor look; these are for you! There are lots of ways to use these markers. In today's two cards I pretty much just used them to color the images.

The cards today were stamped using the For the Birds stamp set (126047 c, 132001 w). I used some Designer Series Paper scraps from a retired pack. Any of the new packs would work. The top card uses a piece of Old Olive Baker's Twine (134579) to add dimension. I used the new Zig Zag embossoing folder (133738) on the Bermuda Bay card stock in the Miss You card. And don't forget you need to stamp your image with the black Memento Pad (132708) when using Blendabilities markers. 

 (The top card CASE of Dawn Olchefske.)