Daydream Medallions

I didn't intend to go so long between posts.  It's already been a busy fall that's prevented me from getting cards posted, and then last week, my brother-in-law passed away suddenly.  Family has been our focus, not card making.  And even now, my husband is still my first priority, so I'm not promising lots of projects in the next week or so.  I'm not going to lie...this is difficult, and has shaken us deeply.  We're trying to adjust and get back to a normal routine, which isn't easy when we're not getting a lot of sleep.

Fortunately, I did find one card sitting in my draft folder, and today is a good day to share this one. I love interactive cards, and this is a really fun and unique one.  It's definitely an unconventional way to use the Daydream Medallions stamp set and the coordinating Floral Frames Framelits. 

Tips & Tricks

• To make this fun closure on your card, it's important to score your card so that it has two flaps in the front.  I scored a strip of 4 1/4" x 11" at the 3" and 8 1/2" marks, then folded the flaps in.

• For the flower part, stamp three different sizes from Daydream Medallions, then cut the outside shape of each layer.  

• It helps to distress the edges of the flower layers, so be sure to do this step next, whether using the distressing tool, scissors, or just your fingernail.  Don't decide to wait until later to do this part...it is much easier to do it now!

• After distressing, go ahead and cut out the center of the largest flower, using the same Framelit used to cut the outside of the middle flower.  This allows the two layers to fit together perfectly.

• To finish, adhere the two smallest layers together, then attach to the right side of the card.  Center over the seam, and only adhere the right half of the flowers to the right flap of the card.  Adhere the left half of the largest flower to the left flap.  Be very careful not to let your adhesive go outside of these areas, or the card will end up being glued shut.

• Embellish with a button and ribbon.  I also added leaves using Flower Patch and the Flower Fair Framelits.  I did have to snip off the ends, so don't be afraid to do that if necessary.  I also recommend playing with the placement of the leaves to be sure it looks good behind two layers and three layers.  Depending on whether the card is open or closed, you'll be looking at it with both combinations.  

Supplies

Stamps:  Daydream Medallions, Flower Patch
Ink:  Elegant Eggplant, Crumb Cake, Versamark
Paper:  Crumb Cake, Cajun Craze, Always Artichoke, and Elegant Eggplant
Accessories:  Big Shot, Lacy Brocade embossing folder, Floral Frames and Flower Fair Framelits, Stamp-a-ma-jig

Simple Flower Patch

This simple card uses my new favorite, Flower Patch.  I know it's practically all I use lately, but it's just a fun and pretty set.  And I've always been partial to two-step stamping.

To make this card, I ran a piece of 4" x 5 1/4" Crumb Cake through my Big Shot with the Decorative Dots embossing folder, then sponged the edge with Crumb Cake ink.  I tied a piece of Old Olive Baker's Twine around it, then adhered it to the front of my card.  I stamped the flower using Crisp Cantaloupe, then Calypso Coral, and finally Cajun Craze.  The leaves were stamped using Pear Pizzazz and Old Olive.  I cut everything out using the Flower Fair Framelits, then adhered then with Stampin' Dimensionals.  I made a little "thank you" banner using the Itty Bitty Banners stamp set and the Bitty Banners Framelits.

That's it!  So simple, but pretty darn cute!

Supplies
Stamps:  Flower Patch, Itty Bitty Banners
Ink:  Crisp Cantaloupe, Calypso Coral, Cajun Craze, Pear Pizzazz, and Old Olive
Paper:  Crumb Cake and Whisper White
Accessories:  Big Shot, Decorative Dot embossing folder, Flower Fair Framelits, Bitty Banners Framelits, Old Olive Baker's Twine, Stampin' Dimensionals

Flower Patch Card in a Box

If you follow my blog, then you've probably realized that I really, really like the Flower Patch stamp set from the annual catalog.  I tend to use it a LOT.  It's just a fun set, and the possibilities are endless.  It's also the perfect set to use for a card in a box. 

I wanted to make a special card for a friend of mine.  She does so much for our homeschool community in general, as well as some other things specific to my family.  I don't really know how she has time for it all...we joke that she has 36 hours in her days!  But a card in a box definitely qualifies as special, and I modified it a bit to allow for two people to write a message on the back.  Typically when making a card in a box, the back panel is where the message would go.  I added a flap over that so that it actually opens like a card, and then both I and another friend were each able to have a panel's worth of space for writing our message of thanks.

I used the retired Gingham Garden Designer Series Paper for the flaps of the box.  You know a card is special when I give up any of my gingham or plaid DSP!  But it suits this card so well, and really was perfect for it.  I used my Flower Fair Framelits to cut out the various flowers, then whipped out my Fringe Scissors to cut some grass for the flowers to peek out of.  I love how it turned out! 

Oh, and since I went a little crazy with the flowers, they ended up sticking out of the sides when the card was folded up.  Did I worry about it fitting in to an envelope?  Of course not!  I got out my envelope punch board and made a custom envelope to fit this card.

Supplies
Stamps:  Flower Patch
Ink:  Pool Party, Island Indigo, Cantaloupe Crisp, Calypso Coral, Daffodil Delight, Pear Pizzazz, Wisteria Wonder, Rich Razzleberry
Paper:  Island Indigo, Crumb Cake, Pear Pizzazz, and Whisper White card stock, (retired) Gingham Garden DSP
Accessories:  Big Shot, Flower Fair Framelits, Paper Snips, Fringe Scissors, Sticky Strip, Simply Scored Scoring Tool, Stampin' Dimensionals, hot glue gun, hot glue, and Blendabilities markers

Be You Flower Patch Card

Oh, Flower Patch, how I love you!  This set is fabulous!  If you don't have it, you need it.  I'm just loving all the different flowers you can create with it.   I'm having such trouble getting good pictures of my cards lately, and I'm not entirely sure how to fix that problem.  So because of that, I feel like once again, the picture doesn't do the card justice.  I realize this doesn't sound very humble, but in real life, this is a great card!  The color combination is great (I love these In Colors!) and it's just a pretty, fun card.

I love this sentiment, as I explained before, and if you look closely, you'll see that this card emphasizes that idea in more than one way.  See the centers of the flowers?  One of these things is not like the others...did you spot it?  The blue flower has a white center, and all the others have blue centers.  I love that!  Wondering how I got those blue pearls?  I made them using my new Blendabilities markers.  I just took the darkest Coastal Cabana marker and colored them.  Cool, isn't it?  You can do that with rhinestones, buttons...all kind of embellishments.  If you want to try out the Blendabilities, just let me know.  I'd be happy to demonstrate their many uses for you and help you place an order.  Trust me, they are totally worth getting!

Supplies
Stamps:  Flower Patch, Chalk Lines
Ink:  Crisp Cantaloupe, Coastal Cabana (Classic Ink and Blendabilities), Strawberry Slush, Pistachio Pudding
Paper:  Crisp Cantaloupe, Whisper White
Accessories:  Pearls Basic Jewels, Stretch Ruffle Trim, Distressing Tool

Fun Frames Flower Patch Card

Happy Friday!  Today I have a simple card to show you that uses the Flower Patch stamp set.  I love the layering possibilities with this set, and the coordinating Framelits that make it so easy.  I'm also loving the new Fun Frames Embossing Folders.  The birthday sentiment from Flower Patch fits so nicely in the center of this frame.  I've gotten rather used to cutting things out with Framelits, so when I have to cut something by hand, I tend to avoid it.  But it really wasn't that hard to cut out this frame, because the outside edge is embossed, giving the perfect guideline for cutting.  And I love the look of the cut out frame.

Supplies
Stamps:  Flower Patch
Ink:  Calypso Coral, Cantaloupe Crisp, Bermuda Bay, Coastal Cabana, So Saffron
Paper:  Whisper White and Crumb Cake card stock
Accessories:  Big Shot, Flower Fair Framelits, Fun Frames Embossing Folders, So Saffron ribbon (retired)

Flower Patch

I'm back!  And my little stamping break was just what I needed.  I've had a lot of stressful stuff going on, and it just sucked all the joy out of stamping.  Craziness, I know.  But over the last few days I've been able to sit down and stamp just for the fun of it.  The creativity block disappeared, and it's just fun again.  Exactly like it should be. :)

I am loving the new Flower Patch photopolymer stamp set and the coordinating Flower Fair Framelits.  There are so many options for putting together endless different flowers...it's a really fun set to play with.  And I'm loving the photopolymer stamps.  I never thought I'd be a convert, but I really do like them.  It's so easy to line up the two step stamps when you can see through them!  And I really like the sentiments that come with this set.  Usually there will be a sentiment (or two) in a set that I really don't care for, but all three of the ones that come in this set are keepers.


I'm linking this card up to the Fab Friday challenge.  This week is a color challenge, using two of my favorite In Colors, Strawberry Slush and Coastal Cabana, which looks a little like pool party in my picture, but I promise it's not!

Supplies

Stamps:  Flower Patch, Chalk Lines
Ink:  Daffodil Delight, Strawberry Slush, Coastal Cabana, and VersaMark
Paper:  Sahara Sand, Strawberry Slush, and Whisper White card stock, Gingham Garden DSP (retired)
Accessories:  Big Shot, Flower Fair Framelits, Stampin' Dimensionals, Paper Snips

Flower Patch

Today I have another simple card that uses brand new stamp sets.  And who doesn't love new stamps?  This one uses two new photopolymer sets.  Wood mount stamps will always be my first love, but I've come around and have really grown to like photopolymer.  It's so easy to line things up, because you can see right through the stamps.  It just makes stamping so easy.

I used the dots from the new Dotty Angles set.  I love this one...it looks like confetti.  It adds a fun touch to this card.  The flower and sentiment come from the Flower Patch set.  There are tons of options in this set, and I'll be showing off some of the other flowers included in it in the next few weeks.  The best part is that there is also a coordinating set of Framelits.  I have to give Stampin' Up! credit...it's a brilliant marketing plan.  I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who is quick to grab those bundles. :)

Supplies

Stamps:  Dotty Angles, Flower Patch
Ink:  Crushed Curry, Rich Razzleberry, Garden Green, Always Artichoke, Island Indigo
Paper:  Island Indigo, Whisper White
Accessories:  Big Shot, Flower Fair Framelits, Rich Razzleberry Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon (retired), Stampin' Dimensionals