Garden Thank You

I found out just recently that one of my neighbors is battling breast cancer. She’d mentioned something about wanting to make some thank you cards to send to those folks who have been helping her out with meals and other things. Since I’m not a "meal person," I just don’t feel right making someone else food when I don’t know what they like, I offered to make the cards for her. She told me to start with 6 so I wanted them to be nice but not be too much work or use a lot of embellishments because I may be making more and I didn’t want to run out of supplies. I took this idea from the Spring/Summer Idea Book from Stampin’ Up! The flower stamp was actually a background stamp that was a Level 1 hostess set. I think they turned out pretty good.

I started out by stamping the flower in Ruby Red ink on Whisper White. I took a strip of the Ginger Blossom designer paper and adhered it to the bottom of the card and covered the edge with the Groovy Guava ribbon. I was going to leave it at that, but the empty space in the upper left corner looked too, well, EMPTY. So, I got the bright idea that since this was supposed to be a Thank You card, that the word "Grateful" from the Small Script set was perfect. I had debated about adding some clear microbeads to the center of the flower and I’m still debating. Or, I’ll leave it like it is here, pure and simple.

Recipe:
Stamp Set: From The Garden, Small Script
Paper: Ginger Blossom Designer Series Paper, Whisper White
Ink: Ruby Red
Accessories: Groovy Guava Double Stitched Ribbon

Dream In Red

While laying in bed last Saturday morning, I came up with the idea of this card. It too is similar to a card that I posted earlier, and I had a idea for using some single color double sided designer paper. I just didn’t know if I had any in red. I remembered that I’d gotten the Prints Pack Designer Series Paper as a hostess "set" and when I check it out I found that I did inDEED have red paper. This is the result of my early morning brainstorm. This layout and stamp set would work with just about ANY color designer paper and could be used for any occasion.

The flower was stamped with the Real Red and Green Galore markers on Whisper White cardstock. It was then matted on to Real Red and then Basic Black for a bit of contrast. Two glitter brads were added as the flower centers. My brads came already glittered but I’ve heard that you can make your own using regular brads, Diamond Glaze dimensional adhesive and glitter.

Two sides of the designer paper were used and a satin ribbon attached over the seam. It’s a bit hard to see in this picture but the bottom is the light background with the medium sized dark polka dot and the top paper is the reverse. There’s another design that’s a dark background with small white polka dot but the reverse design was, I thought, too busy. Another narrower length of ribbon was tied around the main element which was then attached with dimensionals.

Recipe:
Stamp Set: Live Your Dream
Paper: Real Red designer series paper (hostess set from the Spring/Summer catalog), Whisper White, Real Red, Basic Black
Ink: Real Red, Green Galore markers
Accessories: Red Satin Ribbon (two widths), glitter brads, dimensionals

Fresh Cuts in Red and Black

My boss had asked me to make her a wedding card for a friend whose wedding is in October. Never one to sit around and wait if an idea is there in my head, I got to work. This card is the same as one I posted earlier, only with different colors.

I stamped the background image over the die cut flower on the Fresh Cuts notes. Using the 5 petal flower punch, I punched out a flower in black card stock and adhered it to the back of the flower cutout. I then punched a small flower out of red cardstock using the Spring Flower Bouquet punch and adhered that to the front of the flower cutout center. A half back pearl was added to the center, the panel was matted on to red cardstock and set aside.

Cherish was stamped onto Whisper White cardstock and punched out with the small oval punch. It was matted to red cardstock punched with the large oval punch and attached to the bottom of the card. You can’t see it on this picture, but to the right of the oval element, I stamped the sprig with Versamark and then embossed with clear EP. It adds just the right about of interest to balance out the three brads that I added to the top. The main element was then added to the card with dimensionals and the card was finished.

This wasn’t exactly the card I’d had in mind for the personality of the person receiving it and I struggled with the idea of not having the right color/pattern of designer paper. At the time, I didn’t feel that I had anything else to work with. But the next morning, I checked a forgotten "stash" of paper and found exactly what I was looking for! Personally, I like this card better, but the other one that I wound up making reflects the young lady’s personality much better I think. I’ll post that one next.

Stamp Set: Fresh Cuts, Warm Words
Paper: Basic Black, Real Red, Whisper White, Fresh Cuts notes
Ink: Basic Black, Versamark
Accessories: 5 Petal Flower Punch, Large and Small Oval Punch, Spring Flower Bouquet Punch, Half Back Pearl, Red Metallic Brads, clear embossing powder, dimensionals

Live Your Dream Wedding

I found this card on Splitcoast but for the life of me I can’t find it again to get the name of the poster. It was fairly early in the Sale-a-bration promotion so it’s not readily accessible. If someone finds it, let me know where it is so that I can give proper credit. This is a beautiful card but was a lot of work. I’m pleased with how it turned out but am not sure if I’ll do another one.

The Live Your Dream set didn’t make it in to the new SU! Fall/Winter catalog, but I have hopes that it will come back in the Spring/Summer ‘09 one along with the Afternoon Tea designer paper. Since I’m not an SU! demonstrator, I can use this set even if it’s not a current one. YAY!!

I punched out circles using the ½" circle punch and the Chocolate Chip paper. I then glued those under the edge of the top designed paper and painted the "holes" with my white gel pen. For the Note of Love tag, I stamped just the top part and then using my Stampamajig, used marker on the bottom line of the stamp and stamped the bottom of the tag.

Stamp Set: Live Your Dream, Lots of Thoughts
Paper: Afternoon Tea Designer Paper, Whisper White, Soft Sky, Chocolate Chip
Ink: Soft Sky, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Key Tag Punch, 1/2" circle punch, 1/4" Chocolate Chip poly twill ribbon, white gel pen, rhinestones, brown eyelet for tag

The New Catalog Is Almost Live!

I read the term "live" on another blog and thought, yup, that's what it is.....a live catalog! It's alive with so many new stamps and accessories!! I think SU! outdid themselves this time, such an awesome catalog!! I just got mine last night after a visit with my SU! demonstrator friend. I can't wait to order stuff out of it. What to get........the In Color supplies (but of COURSE!).......the designer papers (yes, but WHICH ONES, I WANT THEM ALL!!)......which stamps, there are SO MANY neat new ones!! It will take me a few days to look through the book many times, mark my pages and work up my first order. It's always so hard to pace myself but I can't spend all my money at once (why NOT?). I'm going to set up another card sample to post soon, so stay tuned.