Tulip Frames Thinking of You Card

A couple of weeks ago, I had the chance to make some cards with a lovely group of girls.  This is one of the cards we made, and while it uses pretty much all retired products, those are easily substituted with any item in your stash. 

Tips & Tricks

• Unfortunately, the Tulip Frames embossing folder is retired, but if you are lucky enough to own it, it makes a great frame for this card.  I added a little bit of distressing to it by lightly sponging some soft suede ink over the embossed parts.  

• When I want a mat behind the decorative label punch piece, I simply use the same punch with another color card stock, then cut it down the middle (the long way) and adhere to the top and bottom of the piece.  It's not a full mat, but it's something, and it does add interest.  You may want to snip off the pointy parts on either end, in case they looks weird to you.  It's all in the eye of the beholder...those little points drive some people nuts, and others don't mind it at all.  Isn't it great that we're all different? :)

Supplies

Stamps:  Four Frames, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink:  Soft Suede, Old Olive
Paper:  Naturals White and Riding Hood Red (retired) card stock, Everyday Enchantment DSP (retired)
Accessories:   Big Shot, Tulip Frame embossing folder, Decorative Label punch, Old Olive taffeta ribbon, sponge
 

Four Frames Thank You Card

Happy Monday, everyone!  I've been waiting for this week for a long time.  I've mentioned before that I homeschool my kids, and on Friday, we'll be done with our year!  Actually, we never really "finish", because I do make my kids do math all through the summer.  That may seem cruel, but I've just found that life is a lot easier in the fall if they haven't forgotten everything over the summer.  Anyway, we're all excited to wrap things up on Friday, so let's get the week started!

This card is one that we made on Friday night.  And yes, that's the long-retired Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper (although if you click here, you can find it in my online store!)  I've used this layout before, but it's such a classic that I had to use it again on this card.

Tips & Tricks

• This card would be perfectly fine had I just embossed it and put the paper on.  But sponging along the raised part of the embossing makes the image pop.  I used Crumb Cake ink to give it a soft, distressed look.

• It would be great if there was a slightly larger Decorative Label punch to allow for layering.  Unfortunately, there's not, but I have a great trick to get around that problem.  Punch a second label from a different color, then just cut it in half the long way.  I snipped the little tips off the sides of that piece, and then just adhered the two pieces to the top and bottom.  It doesn't perfectly mat the label, but it sure comes close!

Supplies

Stamps:  Just Believe, Four Frames
Ink:  Crumb Cake, Old Olive
Paper:  Old Olive, Soft Sky, and Naturals White card stock, Everyday Enchantment DSP
Accessories:  Big Shot, Tulip Frame Embossing Folder, Paper Snips, Sponge, Decorative Label Punch

Banner Birthday Card

I have another birthday card today...I always think that January is a great time for birthday cards.  I've made a couple versions of this card in the past, which you can see here and here.  I've explained how to make this super-simple card in both those posts.  Obviously, I like this card layout, so I'm sure I'll have more versions in the future!

Beautiful Wings

This weekend I held a class and ended up with lots of scraps.  Most of these were from the retired Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper (which is still in the Clearance Rack, if you need to get some!)  I also had lots of Pool Party and Calypso Coral scraps, and when I saw the two colors sitting together with the Very Vanilla, I LOVED the color combination.  I have to admit that I'm really late to the Pool Party party.  I'm just now realizing how much I love this color, along with the other 2011-2013 In Colors.  I'm going to be so sad to see them go when the new Annual Catalog comes out in June.  Hopefully there will be five gorgeous new colors that will make me forget all about the ones we're losing.

Anyway, back to the card...with the exception of the card base, everything else was a scrap of some sort.  I'm pretty thrifty, so I love it when I can pull together a card like that!  I stamped and clear embossed the large piece of Calypso Coral using that same old stamp that looks like En Francais.  A strip of Everyday Enchantment DSP and some of last year's SAB ribbon along the bottom, with a few butterflies at the top make this a beautiful, yet simple card.  I've actually already mailed it to someone...I hope it makes her day a little bit happier when she gets it today. :)

Stamps:  En Francias (109521)
Ink:  VersaMark (102283)
Paper:  Naturals Ivory (101849), Calypso Coral (122925), Pool Party (122924), and Very Vanilla (101650) card stock, Everyday Enchantment DSP (126154)
Accessories:  Big Shot (113439), Beautiful Wings Embosslit (118138), Heat Tool (129053), Clear Embossing Powder (109130)