Is There Such a Thing As a Simple Thank You?

I don't know that there is such a thing as a simple thank you. Even if the card has a clean and simple design the feelings of appreciation mean so much. I designed this card with two challenges in mind. The first was a sketch challenge by Freshly Made Sketches that you can see here and then a thank you theme challange by The Paper Players that you can see here.

I kept trying to use a rectangular piece of DSP in the center and it just wasn't working for my card. I ended up pulling out my Labels Collection Framelits and cropping my Sycamore Street DSP that I got during last year's Sale-A-Bration. I used Pool Party as my card base. I colored one of the flowers from Posy Punch using my Summer Starfruit Stampin' Write Marker and then the petals with my Rich Razzleberry one. I punched it out using the Fancy Flower Punch. I did pop it up on dimensionals. My thank you sentiment comes from the set Wishes Your Way.

You're the Icing on the Cake

My sister has a birthday this week so this card is on its way to New York, the place I called home for many years. I used this week's sketch over at Pals Paper Arts to help me design the basic layout of the card. Then, I sent a random text to my sister telling her to give me a color. She texted back purple but surprisingly didn't ask why I was asking. So, I turned to Rich Razzleberry in my Color Coach and it had it paired with Old Olive and Pumkpin Pie. I had my colors! Using a sketch and the Color Coach really does half the work for you. I used Rich Razzleberry as my card base and then layered some Pumpkin Pie DSP onto the card front. I used Old Olive for the vertical strip. I stamped 2 of the gift bixes and the cake slice in black StazOn onto Whisper White card stock. Both of these stamps are from the Best of Birthday set. I punched the cake out with a 1.25 inch circle punch and then the presents with a 1 inch circle punch. I colored them using my blender pens and Classic ink pads. I then stamped my sentiment, wish big, onto Whisper White card stock using Rich Razzleberry ink. This is from the stamp set Word Play. I punched it out using the Decorative Label punch. I punched another label out in Rich Razzleberry, cut it across the center and added a little edge to each side of my stamped image. I have had the Candy Dots for a while in the Brights family but never used them. I thought this was a perfect time since I wanted to add a little more color into the Decorative Label. I added three along the edge. I didn't get them even but what are you going to do. I adhered this to the front and I was done. I added a message to the inside and I was ready for the post office. I hope she likes it!

Lots and Lots of Candles

My husband's aunt has a birthday coming up in a few weeks so I thought it was a perfect time to make a birthday card as I played along with Mojo Monday's Tall and Skinny sketch that you cna see here. Tall and skinny cards or anything outside of the A2 framework is hard for me. I am just completely out of my element so a sketch is a great way to try something. I couldn't make my card completely skinny so I did leave the back a little wider than the card front... but not much so my scalloped circles still hang over the edge of the card when closed. I used Bermuda Bay as my card base and then added some 1 inch strips of DSP from the Kaleidoscope DSP available in the Occasions Catalog. I then used a larger piece from the same collection as the larger front panel that was Crushed Curry. I cut a large scalloped circle in black and then a smaller one in Strawberry Slush. I stamped my birthday cake from the Best of Birthdays stamp set in Black Staz-on and colored it in using a blender pen and ink pads. I punched it out with a circle punch and popped it all up. I pulled my ink and cardstock colors from the DSP.

Hello...

Using a large stamp or two can make even the simplest card to create a very beautiful card. I started with a sketch from Jaydee over at Paper Players that you can see here. I used the flowers from My Friend and stamped them in Island Indigo. I then added the Hello from the same stamp set in Tangerine Tango. The banners were cut free hand using some paper that I had never opened from LAST YEAR's Sale-A-Bration called Sycamore Street DSP. I am a bit of a paper hoarder... it is so pretty that I can't bring myself to use it so I am trying to pull it out and use it. We will see how good I do at this! Back to the card. I inked my banner edges in Island Indigo and added them to my Whisper White layer. I layered this on Tangerine Tango and then Island Indigo. The hardest part was lining up my sentiment so it was straight. I think I did it three times and finally had to get out my Stamp-a-ma-jig. I don't know why I don't just get out my tools the first try around. Clearly, I have no trouble going through Whisper White as I messed up one after another. What are you going to do... except Stamp On?

Laughter is the Shortest Distance

Hello and Happy Monday! Today, I am sharing a card I made for the Pals Paper Arts Sketch that you can see here. They are always fun to play along with and have great sketch and color challenges.

I used the colors Elegant Eggplant, Wisteria Wonder, and Wild Wasabi. My card base is Elegant Eggplant and then I layered Wild Wasabi over that for my card front. My center banner is Wisteria Wonder DSP and I added a scalloped edge with the border punch. I stamped my Mixed Bunch flower in Elegant Eggplant and then used a retired In Color Brad in Wisteria Wonder for the center. I wanted it to stand out a little more against the white so I layered a Wild Wasibu circle underneath... I think it was 2.5 inches. I pooped all that up with Stampin' Dimensionals. My sentiment comes from the very popular set Feel Goods. It really is a great set for those just because cards that you want to send to let someone know you are thinking about them. I did use a sponge dauber to go around the DSP and Wild Wasabu circle with Elegant Eggplant ink to add a little extra to the card and help set apart the layers a little more.

Pleasant Poppies

Freshly Made Sketches put out another great sketch for all of us papercrafters to play along with. You can see it here.

I like using one large image and then cutting it into panels. I stamped Pleasant Poppies in Early Espresso and then colored the poppies with Blushing Bride and the stems with Pear Pizazz... a color combination I got from the Color Coach. After I had it all colored I cut the image and layered each section onto Pear Pizazz cardstock. I then layered those onto a large layer of Blushing Bride. Add a strip of Pear Pizazz ribbon and a Early Expresso button and you are almost done. I didn't want to leave my button bare so I trimmed a very thin strip of Pear Pizazz cardstock and threaded it though my botton holes.

I have an early day tomorrow so I am off to bed!

It's a Wonderful Life

Pardon the fabulous shadows... I only say fabulous because when you haven't seen the sun in three months you appreciate the shadows even when they mess up the pictures a bit for your blog. I will take any sunshine I can get.

I really love how this card turned out. I dug out a old In Color, Concord Crush, and used it as my card base. Yes, it is okay to dig out those retired colors and use them. I was actually quite surprised it did not make it into the color renovation and return. But, I hung onto mine so I am using it. I used the Papillon Potpourri butterflies and stamped 2 of each of the larger butterflies. I used Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, Wild Wasibi, Pacific Point, Concord Crush, and Daffodil Delight. I stamped them useing VersaMark and then punched them out with the coordinating punch. I was going for a happy kind of rainbow theme. For the Daffodil Delight butterfly you might notice some sparkle. I stamped it with VersaMark, then added Heat and Stick Powder, heated it again, and then added the Dazzling Diamonds glitter. It is so pretty!!

For my sentiment I used the Perfect Pennants set. I used my Stampin' Write markers becasue I wanted the sentiment to be in three different colors. I stamped it onto Whisper White card stock and punched it out with my Decorative Label punch. I punched a second Decorative Label punch out in Pumpkin Pie, cut it lengthwise and added it to either side. I popped it up along with my butterfly. To give your butterfly some added dimension, fold up his wings a little.

This card will be off to a friend of mine!

Ask my how you can get a free Sale-A-Bration item for every $50 that you spend before tax and shipping!!