Paper Conversation

Good Morning Magnolia -- Enjoy Today

04/09/2021

Hello!

It's been a busy week and rather stressful. We had three massive Florida Live Oak trees removed from our front yard this week and it was such a sad event. When we built this house 30 years ago we had the house set back and slightly off center on the lot to preserve these three trees and another on the opposite side of the driveway. We've been very careful with them over the years; making sure that they were pruned on a regular basis to minimize damage during tropical wind storms and to protect them against mistletoe and other invasive issues. We lost the tree on the opposite side of the driveway about 10 years ago but were consoled that we still had the three in the front yard. Over the years, our grandchildren, nieces, and nephews used the swing that hung from one of its branches and it was a wonderful place to sit in the shade on a sunny afternoon after finishing the yard work or when we had family over for an event. Unfortunately, a fungus had attacked them and they were dying. With the Summer storm season coming, we couldn't take a chance that they would come crashing into the house.

So we are left with a mound of sawdust from the stump grinder and a whole lot more sun shining into our house in the afternoon. Sigh... It will be a couple of years before we can do anything with the area where the trees used to be as we will need to allow the ground to absorb the remaining roots and settle. Then we'll need to decide what to do about replacing the trees.

Well, enough about that...

Today's post is a continuation on the theme of highlighting some of the retiring product from the 2020 -2021 Annual Catalog and January - June Mini Catalog.

REMINDER!! The Retiring Lists for the 2020-2021 Annual Catalog and the January - June Mini Catalog have been released. To see the list of retiring items from the 2020 -2021 Annual Catalog, click here. Note that some of the items on this list have been discounted and all are available while supplies last. To see the list of retiring items from the January - June Mini Catalog, click here. Since this Mini Catalog goes until the end of June, Stampin' Up! hasn't determined whether to apply discounts to these items...yet. But looking at this list will give you a good idea of what will be carrying over to the new Annual Catalog.

This project showcases the RETIRING ITEMS of: Good Morning Magnolia stamp set and Magnolia Memory dies, Forever Greenery Trim Combo Pack, Fine Art Floral Designer Series Paper, Mango Melody Stampin' Blends Markers, and Stampin' Sponges.

When I first started stamping, one of my go-to tools was a Stampin' Sponge. It was the easiest way to add depth and drama to a project. I sponged everything. And I mean everything!! I loved creating grunge looks, vintage looks, creating dimension, adjusting perspective, or layering color to create a fun background. I had (and still have) a sponge for every Stampin' Up! color. I don't use the sponges as often now as my style has changed a bit over the years, but every now and then a project just calls out for me to get my fingers inky with a sponge. I was so tickled to get out my Soft Suede-labeled sponge and get sponging on this card!

This card begins with a card base of Flirty Flamingo. The edges of the card front were sponged with Soft Suede ink. The edges of a panel of Soft Suede cardstock was sponged with Soft Suede ink and adhered at a jaunty angle to the card front. The edges of a Flirty Flamingo background panel from the Fine Art Floral Designer Series Paper were sponged with Soft Suede ink and adhered to the card front at the opposite jaunty angle from the Soft Suede panel.

The large magnolia flower, from the Good Morning Magnolia stamp set, was stamped on Basic White cardstock using Soft Suede ink and colored with Stampin' Blends Markers: Light Petal Pink for the shaded areas of the flower petals, Light & Dark Mossy Meadow for the leaves, Light Mango Melody for the flower center, and Light & Dark Soft Suede for the flower stem. The flower was die cut with the corresponding die from the Magnolia Memory dies and the edges of the die cut sponged with Soft Suede ink.

Three pieces of Gold Cord from the Forever Greenery Trim Combo Pack were tied together with a knot at the center and the strands pulled apart on each side of the knot. The knot was adhered to the Designer Series Paper using a Mini Glue Dot 2-1/4" from the bottom edge and 1-3/4" from the right side of the Flirty Flamingo card base. The die cut magnolia flower was adhered to the card front using Stampin' Dimensionals so that the flower stem points toward the lower right corner of the card base and the stem of the flower is over the knot of Gold Cord. A bow was created from the open weave ribbon included with the Forever Greenery Trim Combo Pack and adhered to the stem of the magnolia using Mini Glue Dots.

The "Enjoy Today" greeting was stamped on a strip of Flirty Flamingo cardstock using Soft Suede ink. The right and left ends were punched with the flat end slot of the Lovely Labels Pick A Punch and the edges of the punched greeting sponged with Soft Suede ink. The greeting was adhered to the card front using Stampin' Dimensionals with the bottom edge of the label 11/16" above the bottom edge and 1/8" from the right edge of the card base.

A piece of Flirty Flamingo background paper from the Fine Art Floral Designer Series Paper and a piece of Soft Suede cardstock were die cut with the scallop edge die from the Magnolia Memory dies. The edges of the Designer Series Paper and Soft Suede cardstock were sponged with Soft Suede ink. The Designer Series Paper was adhered over the Soft Suede cardstock so that the bottom edge of the Designer Series Paper lined up with the embossed scalloped edge of the Soft Suede cardstock. The Designer Series Paper/Soft Suede cardstock were adhered along the top edge of a panel of Basic White cardstock with the edges sponged with Soft Suede ink. (The top, right, and left edges of the Designer Series Paper/Soft Suede cardstock are flush with the top, right, and left edges of the Basic White panel.)

The small magnolia flower was stamped two times on Basic White cardstock using Soft Suede ink and colored with Stampin' Blends Markers: Light Petal Pink for the shading on the flower petals, Light & Dark Mossy Meadow for the leaves, and Light Soft Suede for the flower stems. The flowers were die cut using the corresponding die and the edges sponged with Soft Suede ink. One flower was adhered to the Basic White panel with the stem pointing toward the upper left corner and the other flower was adhered above the first flower with Stampin' Seal for the part that resides on the Designer Series Paper and a stack of two Mini Glue Dots for the part that overlaps the first flower on the Basic White panel.

The edges of the inside sentiment area of the card base were sponged with Soft Suede ink and the Basic White panel adhered at the center of this area.

The flourish border image was stamped near the bottom edge of the envelope flap of the Medium Basic White Envelope using Soft Suede ink. The small magnolia flower was stamped above the left side of the flourish and the "Enjoy Today" greeting was stamped above the right side of the flourish using Soft Suede ink. A scrap piece of cardstock was placed between the envelope flap and body of envelope under the small magnolia image. Stampin' Blends Markers were used to color the small magnolia flower: Light Petal Pink for the shading on the flower petals, Light & Dark Mossy Meadow for the leaves, and Light Soft Suede for the flower stem.

Sometimes a large image, like the magnolia flower in the Good Morning Magnolia stamp set, can be off-putting. The great thing about these types of images is that they lend themselves to a great deal of uses: as a background stamp, as a vivid focal point, or as a springboard for a home decor piece. I'll be back next week with another project featuring the die cut magnolia flower created using the Magnolia Memory dies. Have a great weekend!

Card Measurements

Basic White: 4-1/4" x 4-1/4", 2" x 4-1/4", 4" x 5-1/4"; Flirty Flamingo: 1/2" x 2-1/2", 4-1/4" x 11" scored at 5-1/2" along the 11" length; Soft Suede: 4" x 5-1/4", 1-1/2" x 4"; Fine Art Floral Designer Series Paper: 3-7/8" x 5-1/8", 1-1/2" x 4"; Forever Greenery Trim Combo Pack (Gold Cord): 3 @ 4-1/2"; Forever Greenery Trim Combo Pack (Open Weave ribbon): 10"

Supplies I used to make this card

Stamps: Good Morning Magnolia; Inks: Soft Suede; Stampin' Blends Markers: Mango Melody; Mossy Meadow, Petal Pink, Soft Suede; Cardstock: Basic White, Flirty Flamingo, Soft Suede; Designer Series Paper: Fine Art Floral; Embellishments: Forever Greenery Trim Combo Pack; Tools: Lovely Labels Pick A Punch, Magnolia Memory dies, Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine; Adhesives: Stampin' Seal, Stampin' Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots; Other: Medium Basic White Envelope

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Rooted In Nature -- Thinking of You

04/07/2021

Hi There!

When things go sideways in someone's life, my first inclination is to reach out, give them a hug, and ask if I can help. Sometimes, though, folks just aren't ready for that much attention. They need a little time to take in the situation and process it before they can accept in person support. In this type of situation, I think sending a card is a good way to reach out, offer encouragement, and let them know that you are there when they are ready. I have lots of pretty cards that will do the trick; but what about a guy in this situation? For the guys in my life, a floral bouquet with lace and ribbons might be a little much. I think this card is better suited for the situation. As with my recents posts, I utilized a number of RETIRING ITEMS to create this card.

REMINDER!! The Retiring Lists for the 2020-2021 Annual Catalog and the January - June Mini Catalog have been released. To see the list of retiring items from the 2020 -2021 Annual Catalog, click here. Note that some of the items on this list have been discounted and all are available while supplies last. To see the list of retiring items from the January - June Mini Catalog, click here. Since this Mini Catalog goes until the end of June, Stampin' Up! hasn't determined whether to apply discounts to these items...yet. But looking at this list will give you a good idea of what will be carrying over to the new Annual Catalog.

This project showcases the RETIRING ITEMS of: Rooted In Nature stamp set and Nature's Roots dies, Braided Linen Trim, Pretty Peacock Scalloped Linen Ribbon, Woven Threads Sequins Assortment, and Pretty Peacock (cardstock and ink).

This project begins with a Pretty Peacock panel embossed with the three embossing leaves included with the Nature's Roots dies. I placed the three embossing leaves on the panel, ran it through the Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine, and then repeated the process until the entire panel was embossed.

A strip of In Good Taste Designer Series Paper was adhered across the embossed panel with the right and left edges of the Designer Series Paper flush with the right and left edges of the embossed panel and the bottom edge of the Designer Series Paper 1-1/8" above the bottom edge of the embossed panel. A piece of Pretty Peacock Scalloped Linen Ribbon was placed across the center of the Designer Series Paper strip and the edges folded back and adhered to the back of the embossed panel. The panel was adhered at the center of a slightly larger mat of Early Espresso cardstock and then adhered at the center of the Crumb Cake card front.

The round wood slice image was inked with Sahara Sand ink, the edges of the stamp image rolled across the Early Espresso ink pad, and the image stamped on Crumb Cake cardstock. The "thinking of you" greeting was stamped at the center of the wood slice using Pretty Peacock ink. The wood slice was cut out with Paper Snips and adhered along the left edge of the card front using Stampin' Dimensionals with the bottom edge of the wood slice 1/8" above the bottom edge of the Designer Series Paper and the left edge extending slightly beyond the left edge of the Early Espresso mat.

A double bow was created with Braided Linen Trim and adhered to the Pretty Peacock Scalloped Linen Ribbon immediately to the right of the wood slice using Mini Glue Dots. Three Pretty Peacock sequins, from the Woven Threads Sequins Assortment, were adhered to the card front with the Fine Tip Glue Pen to create a visual triangle.

The "Words Are Never Enough" sentiment was stamped near the upper center of a panel of Very Vanilla cardstock using Early Espresso ink. The skeleton leaf images were randomly stamped along the left edge and across the top of the Very Vanilla panel (above the stamped sentiment) using Pretty Peacock ink for the 3-leaf image, Crumb Cake ink for the small skeleton leaf, and Soft Suede ink for the large skeleton leaf. The large skeleton leaf was inked with Soft Suede ink, stamped off on a piece of scrap paper, and then stamped with the top part of the leaf over and slightly below the "Enough" of the sentiment and extending beyond the right edge of the panel.

The "Be Strong Be Happy Be You" image was stamped on Crumb Cake cardstock using Pretty Peacock ink. The "Be Strong" part of the image was cut out with Paper Snips and adhered below the "Never Enough" part of the sentiment using Mini Glue Dots.

The panel was adhered at the center of the inside sentiment area of the card base.

The skeleton leaf images were randomly stamped over the envelope flap of a Medium Very Vanilla Envelope using Pretty Peacock ink for the 3-leaf image, Crumb Cake ink for the small skeleton leaf, and Soft Suede ink for the large skeleton leaf. Tip: Place a piece of scrap paper between the envelope flap and the body of the envelope to keep the stamping confined to the envelope flap.

I'm really going to miss the In Color of Pretty Peacock. Any color in the Teal family speaks to me and I'll miss this deep, rich color. I know that I'm stocking up on the cardstock and will be adding the ink, Stampin' Blends Markers, and Stampin' Write Marker to my personal stash.

Card Measurements

Crumb Cake: 4-1/4" x 11", 3" x 3", 1" x 1-1/2"; Early Espresso: 4" x 5-1/4"; Pretty Peacock: 3-7/8" x 5-1/8"; Very Vanilla: 4" x 5-1/4"; In Good Taste Designer Series Paper: 1" x 3-7/8"; Braided Linen Trim: 16"; Pretty Peacock Scalloped Linen Ribbon: 6"

Supplies I used to make this card

Stamps: Rooted In Nature; Inks: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Pretty Peacock, Sahara Sand, Soft Suede; Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Pretty Peacock, Very Vanilla; Designer Series Paper: In Good Taste; Embellishments: Braided Linen Trim, Pretty Peacock Scalloped Linen Ribbon, Woven Threads Sequins Assortment; Tools: Nature's Roots dies, Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine; Adhesives: Stampin' Seal, Stampin' Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots, Fine Tip Glue Pen; Other: Medium Very Vanilla Envelope

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Parcels & Petals -- Thank You Gift

04/05/2021

Hello!

When was the last time you sent a Thank You card? It's such a little thing -- and it only takes a few moments to write a sincere message of thanks and send it to someone who has gifted you with their time and talent. I've received so much feedback from folks who have received Thank You cards from me. They are tickled to receive a handmade card and very happy to know that their efforts are appreciated. I just wish I remembered to do it more often. I think that if my goal is to live a life of positivity and gratitude, I need to acknowledge the people who lift me up in big and small ways because these are the people who help to remind me that there is a tremendous amount of good all around me.

Today's post features a card and gift box to say Thank You featuring a number of retiring items from the 2020 - 2021 Annual Catalog.

REMINDER!! The Retiring Lists for the 2020-2021 Annual Catalog and the January - June Mini Catalog have been released. To see the list of retiring items from the 2020 -2021 Annual Catalog, click here. Note that some of the items on this list have been discounted and all are available while supplies last. To see the list of retiring items from the January - June Mini Catalog, click here. Since this Mini Catalog goes until the end of June, Stampin' Up! hasn't determined whether to apply discounts to these items...yet. But looking at this list will give you a good idea of what will be carrying over to the new Annual Catalog.

This project showcases the RETIRING ITEMS of: Parcels & Petals stamp set and Perfect Parcel dies, Banner Triple and Timeless Label punches, Subtle 3D Embossing Folder, Silver Metallic Edge ribbon, and Purple Posy cardstock.

We'll start with the gift box. The assembled size of this box is 3-1/2" x 2-1/8" x 1-3/8" -- a perfect size for a small trinket or piece of jewelry, a gift card, or some wrapped pieces of chocolate. Two pieces of Purple Posy cardstock were die cut with the box die from the Perfect parcel dies. The long sides of the box were stamped with the border of flowers image from the Parcels & Petals stamp set using Highland Heather ink. The box was assembled using Tear & Tape adhesive. Note: The box is really easy to assemble, but I would recommend watching this video by Julie DiMatteo prior to assembly as it explains the process much better than I could ever explain in writing.

A piece of Silver Foil Sheets was die cut with the filagree die and matted with a piece of Highland Heather cardstock die cut with the corresponding mat die for the filagree. Slits were punched at the right and left ends of the mat die (I used a Rectangle handheld punch) and Silver Metallic Edge Ribbon threaded through the slots. The silver filagree was adhered at the center of the mat using teeny tiny dots of Multipurpose Adhesive. The filagree was positioned on the top of the box, the left end of the ribbon wrapped around the box to the right end, and the ribbon tied in a bow at the top right of the box.

A tag for the box was created by stamping the three flower image on Basic White cardstock using Highland Heather ink stamped off on a piece of scrap paper before stamping on the Basic White cardstock. The "A Little Something" greeting was stamped at the center of the flowers using Gorgeous Grape ink. A second tag was created by repeating the stamping process for the three flower image on another piece of Basic White cardstock. For this piece, the "To From" image was stamped over the flowers using Gorgeous Grape ink. The two pieces were die cut with the rounded end label from the Perfect Parcel dies. The "A Little Something" piece has the greeting centered within the die and the "To From" was justified to the left of the die. A piece of Highland Heather cardstock was punched with the Timeless Label punch. The "A Little Something" label was adhered at the center of one side of the punched label and the "To From" was adhered at the center of the opposite side of the punched label. The 1/8" circle handheld punch was used to punch a hole at the left end of the tag (to the left of "A Little Something"). Linen Thread was looped through the hole in the tag and tied around the knot in the ribbon.

The Thank You card is a simple design that lends itself to creating multiples very quickly. The card begins with a panel of Purple Posy cardstock randomly stamped with the three flower image using Highland Heather ink stamped off on a scrap piece of paper prior to stamping on the cardstock. The panel was then embossed with the Subtle 3D Embossing Folder and matted with slightly larger piece of Gorgeous Grape cardstock. The panels were adhered at the center of Highland Heather card front.

A piece of Basic White cardstock was stamped with the border of flowers image using Highland Heather ink. The left end of the cardstock was punched with the Banner Triple punch and matted with a slightly larger piece of Gorgeous Grape cardstock with the left end of the cardstock punched with the Banner Triple punch and the right ends of the two pieces flush. A piece of white ribbon from the Flowers for Every Season Ribbon Combo Pack was folded and adhered across the Purple Posy panel with the loop of the fold extending 1/8" beyond the edge of the Gorgeous Grape cardstock and the bottom edge of the ribbon 1-1/8" above the bottom edge of the Purple Posy cardtock. The banner pieces were adhered centered over the ribbon with the right end of the banners flush with the right edge of the Purple Posy cardstock and the bottom edge of the Gorgeous Grape mat of the banners 5/8" above the bottom edge of the Purple Posy cardstock.

The "Thank You" greeting was stamped on a strip of Purple Posy cardstock using Gorgeous Grape ink. The Purple Posy cardstock was matted with a slightly larger piece of Gorgeous Grape cardstock and adhered to the banners using Stampin' Dimensionals with the right edge of the greeting 1/4" from the right edge of the banners and the bottom edge of the greeting 1/4" above the bottom edge of the Basic White banner.

The three flower image was randomly stamped angled from left to right across the top of a panel of Basic White cardstock using Highland Heather ink. Note that the image was stamped twice before reinking to create dimension. The panel was then adhered at the center of the inside sentiment area of the card base.

The "You're The Best" sentiment was stamped on a piece of Purple Posy cardstock using Gorgeous Grape ink. The cardstock was die cute with the sentiment centered across the scalloped end label from the Perfect Parcel dies. The label was adhered at the upper center of the Basic White panel.

The three flower image was randomly stamped over the Medium Basic White Envelope flap, stamping the image twice before re-inking to create dimension. Tip: Place a scrap piece of paper between the envelope flap and the body of the envelope to keep the stamping confined to the envelope flap.

You may note that one of the second generation stamped images at the lower right corner of the envelope flap is part first generation ink and part second generation ink. This happened when the first generation stamping (full strength ink) was stamped with some of the image off the envelope flap. Then when the second generation (stamped off) was stamped, the ink that wasn't used (that wasn't on the envelope flap) shows up as first generation. To avoid this problem, do the first generation stamping, stamp off to clear the ink from the stamp, then re-ink the stamp, stamp off and then do the second generation stamping.

I hope that this simple card design will inspire you to create a stack of Thank You cards to have on hand. You may want to put a few in a protective envelope in your tote bag, in your desk at work, and, of course, in your stash box at home. Then all you have to do is remember to send them!!

Gift Box Measurements

Basic White: 2 @ 2" x 3"; Highland Heather: 1-3/4" x 3-1/2", 2" x 3"; Purple Posy: 2 @ 4" x 6"; Silver Foil Sheets: 2" x 3-3/4"; Metallic Edge Ribbon (Silver): 18"; Linen Thread: 8"

Card Measurements

Basic White: 1-1/4" x 3-1/8", 4" x 5-1/4"; Gorgeous Grape: 4" x 5-1/4", 1-3/8" x 3-1/4", 3/4" x 1-11/16"; Highland Heather: 4-1/4" x 11" scored at 5-1/2" along the 11" length; Purple Posy: 3-7/8" x 5-1/8", 1-1/2" x 2-1/2", 5/8" x 1-9/16"; Flowers for Every Season Ribbon Combo Pack (White): 8"

Supplies I used to make these projects

Stamps: Parcels & Petals; Inks: Gorgeous Grape, Highland Heather; Cardstock: Basic White, Gorgeous Grape, Highland Heather, Purple Posy, Silver Foil Sheets; Embellishments: Flowers for Every Season Ribbon Combo Pack, Silver Metallic Edge Ribbon, Linen Thread; Tools: Perfect Parcel dies, Timeless Label punch, Banner Triple punch, Subtle 3D Embossing Folder, Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine; Adhesives: Stampin' Seal, Stampin' Dimensionals, Multipurpose Liquid, Tear & Tape; Other: Medium Basic White Envelope; Non-Stampin' Up!: Rectangle handheld punch, 1/8" circle handheld punch

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Well Said -- Get Well Wishes

04/02/2021

Hi!

When Stampin' Up! releases new catalogs, I find that I focus on the new stuff with some forays into existing product for accents. Since I made the decision to give my retiring items some love before they are gone, I'm reminded why I chose those stamp sets, dies, embossing folders, and embellishments. Today's post is a good example of reaching for existing product for accents while focusing on the "new stuff." Unfortunately, the "new stuff" will be retiring in a few months, too.

REMINDER!! The Retiring Lists for the 2020-2021 Annual Catalog and the January - June Mini Catalog have been released. To see the list of retiring items from the 2020 -2021 Annual Catalog, click here. Note that some of the items on this list have been discounted and all are available while supplies last. To see the list of retiring items from the January - June Mini Catalog, click here. Since this Mini Catalog goes until the end of June, Stampin' Up! hasn't determined whether to apply discounts to these items...yet. But looking at this list will give you a good idea of what will be carrying over to the new Annual Catalog.

This project showcases the RETIRING ITEMS of: Well Said stamp set and Well Written dies, Stitched Nested Labels, and True Love Designer Series Paper.

This card begins with a piece of striped True Love Designer Series Paper matted with a slightly larger piece of Calypso Coral cardstock and then adhered at the center of the Old Olive card front. The "Get Well" greeting, from the Well Said stamp set, was stamped on Basic White cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black ink. The Basic White cardstock was die cut using the 1-1/2" x 2-13/16" die from the Stitched Nested Labels dies with the "Get Well" image justified to the upper right of the die cut. The label was adhered to the striped Designer Series Paper with the right point of the label 1/16" from the right edge of the Designer Series Paper and the bottom edge of the label 3/4" above the bottom edge of the striped paper. The "wishes" die, from the Well Written dies, was used to die cut 4 pieces of Calypso Coral cardstock with Adhesive Sheets adhered to the back of each piece of cardstock. The "wishes" were stacked one on top of the other to create a dimensional word and adhered across the Basic White label below the "Get Well". A medium sized Pearl Basic Jewel was colored with the Dark Calypso Coral Stampin' Blends Marker and adhered to the label to dot the "i" in "wishes".

Stampin' Blends Markers were used to color groups of flowers on the True Love Designer Series Paper: a group of three flowers, a single flower, and a group of two flowers.

The flowers in the group of three flowers were colored with: Light & Dark So Saffron, Light & Dark Highland Heather, and Light & Dark Calypso Coral
The flowers in the group of two flowers were colored with: Light & Dark Highland Heather, and Light & Dark Flirty Flamingo
The single flower was colored with Light & Dark Flirty Flamingo
All of the leaves were colored with Light & Dark Old Olive

The flower groups were fussy cut with Paper Snips. The group of 3 flowers and the single flower were used for the card front and the group of two flowers were set aside for the inside sentiment area of the card. The single flower was adhered at the upper left corner of the card front. The group of 3 flowers was adhered at the upper center of the card front using Stampin' Dimensionals.

A narrow strip of Calypso Coral cardstock was adhered behind the right edge of a strip of striped Designer Series Paper and the cardstock/Designer Series Paper adhered along the left edge of a Basic White panel. The left edge of the paper strip was flush with the left edge of the Basic White panel and the top and bottom edges of the paper flush with the top and bottom edges of the panel.

The "Sending Healing Thoughts Your Way." sentiment, from the Well Said stamp set, was stamped on Basic White cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black ink. The sentiment was centered inside the 1-13/16" x 2-1/4" Stitched Nested Labels die and die cut. The label was adhered just above center of the Basic White panel with the right side of the label 1/2" from the right side of the panel and the bottom edge of the label 2-1/4" above the bottom edge of the panel. A heart was die cut (also included in the Well Written dies) from one of the pieces of Calypso Coral cardstock used to die cut the "wishes" and adhered to the label adjacent to the "Way" in the sentiment. The panel was adhered at the center of the inside sentiment area of the card base.

The group of 2 flowers was adhered at the top left corner of the panel using 2 Mini Glue dots stacked on top of each other for the parts of the paper that are on the panel and Stampin' Seal for the parts of the paper over the strip of striped paper along the left side of the panel.

A piece of Designer Series Paper was cut for the envelope flap. For the sample above, a group of 2 flowers was colored with Stampin' Blends Markers -- if you decide to do this for your envelope, choose a flower or flowers on the cut strip of paper that you would like to highlight by coloring. The group of two flowers was colored with Light & Dark So Saffron and Light & Dark Calypso Coral for the flowers, and Light & Dark Old Olive for the leaves. The paper was then adhered to the envelope flap and Paper Snips used to trim away the excess paper using the edge of the envelope flap as a guide.

The Well Said stamp set and coordinating dies are going into my personal stash. I just love that this stamp set has a wonderful variety of greetings with coordinating sentiments. And the Well Written dies are just the right size for a greeting that stands out but is not overwhelming. I know that this combo of stamp set and dies is a bit pricey, but I think it has been (and will continue to be) well worth the investment.

Card Measurements

Basic White: 2 @ 2" x 3", 4" x 5-1/4"; Calypso Coral: 4 @ 1" x 2-3/4", 4" x 5-1/4", 3/8" x 5-1/4"; Old Olive: 4-1/4" x 11" scored at 5-1/2" along the 11" length; True Love Designer Series Paper: 3-7/8" x 5-1/8", 6" x 6", 7/8" x 5-1/4", 2-1/4" x 6"

Supplies I used to make this card

Stamps: Well Said; Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black; Stampin' Blends Markers: Calypso Coral (Light & Dark), Flirty Flamingo (Light & Dark), Highland Heather (Light & Dark), Old Olive (Light & Dark), So Saffron (Light & Dark); Cardstock: Basic White, Calypso Coral, Old Olive; Designer Series Paper: True Love; Embellishments: Pearl Basic Jewels; Tools: Well Written dies, Stitched Nested Labels dies, Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine; Adhesives: Stampin' Seal, Stampin' Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots, Adhesive Sheets; Other: Medium Basic White Envelope

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Happy Thoughts -- Thinking of You

03/31/2021

Hi There!

Before I present today's project, I want to remind you that the Retiring Lists for the 2020-2021 Annual Catalog and the January - June Mini Catalog have been released. To see the list of retiring items from the 2020 -2021 Annual Catalog, click here. Note that some of the items on this list have been discounted and all are available while supplies last. To see the list of retiring items from the January - June Mini Catalog, click here. Since this Mini Catalog goes until the end of June, Stampin' Up! hasn't determined whether to apply discounts to these items...yet. But looking at this list will give you a good idea of what will be carrying over to the new Annual Catalog.

This project showcases the RETIRING ITEMS of: Rococco Rose (ink, Stampin' Blends Markers, and cardstock), True Love Designer Series Paper, and Happy Thoughts stamp set.

This card begins with a panel of Basic Black cardstock. Embossing paste was applied to the cardstock using the leaf pattern from the Basic Pattern Decorative Masks and a Palette Knife. Here are some things to remember when using embossing paste:

Use repositionable tape or Washi tape to anchor the masking template over the cardstock
Apply the embossing paste with the palette knife quickly and evenly. For this card, I wanted to make sure that the cardstock was completely covered and all the openings on the mask were filled. You may find that you can achieve a very cool look when you let the embossing paste miss some areas and have different height levels. Also, you don't have to use the embossing paste as-is. You can put some on a silicone sheet and mix in a drop or two of re-inker or glitter
Close the jar on the embossing paste immediately so that it doesn't begin drying in the jar
As soon as you are finished spreading the embossing paste, carefully peel the mask off the cardstock and IMMEDIATELY rinse off the mask and the palette knife. If you don't, then they will not be able to be used again as the embossing paste will dry and won't come off
Embossing paste takes about 30 minutes to dry completely with a thin layer and a bit longer for thicker applications

Once the embossing paste dried, the panel was matted with a slightly larger panel of Old Olive cardstock and then adhered at the center of the Rococco Rose card front.

While I was waiting for the embossing paste to dry, I did some coloring. Whenever Stampin' Up! releases Designer Series Paper in black and white, I jump all over it. I just love the potential of this type of paper. You can use the paper as-is or color the images using a variety of techniques. For me, coloring is my go to plan. For this card, I used Stampin' Blends Markers and selected a grouping of 3 flowers, 2 flowers, and 1 flower to color. I used Light and Dark Rococco Rose for the flowers and Light and Dark Old Olive for the leaves. Then I fussy cut the flower groupings using Paper Snips. The grouping of 3 flowers and 1 flower were used for the card front and the grouping of 2 flowers was set aside for inside the card.

Memento Tuxedo Black ink was used to stamp "Thinking of You", from the Happy Thoughts stamp set, on Basic White cardstock. The greeting was die cut using the 1-1/4" x 2-1/2" rectangular die from the Painted Labels dies with the greeting justified to the left of the label. The label was adhered to the embossed panel using Multipurpose Liquid adhesive with the left side of the label 1/8" from the left side of the Basic Black panel and the bottom edge of the label 1-1/8" above the bottom edge of the panel. The grouping of 3 flowers was adhered at the upper center of the card front using Stampin' Dimensionals. The single flower was adhered to the right of the label using Multipurpose Liquid adhesive.

Three medium sized Rhinestone Basic Jewels were adhered to the card front to create a visual triangle.

The leaf pattern from the Basic Pattern Decorative Masks was used with a Blending Brush and Old Olive ink to add interest to the top, left, and bottom edges of a Basic White panel. Leaving the white space in the center and along the right side provides a space for the "Just Wanted to Send Some Happy Thoughts Your Way" sentiment, from the Happy Thoughts stamp set, at the upper center of the panel using Rococco Rose ink. The 2 flower grouping was adhered at the lower left corner of the panel. The panel was then adhered at the center of the inside sentiment area of the card base.

The leaf pattern from the Basic Pattern Decorative Masks was used with a Blending Brush and Old Olive ink to cover the envelope flap of the Medium Basic White Envelope. Tip: Place a scrap piece of paper between the envelope flap and the body of the envelope to keep the ink confined to the envelope flap.

I love using masks to add interest to a project. I just wish I remembered to use them more often! Don't forget that you can create your own mask using the negative space from die cuts, intricate design die cuts, laser cut paper designs, the negative space left after punching, and so much more. If you are using the masks with ink, you can use sponges, a soft toothbrush, stipple brush, a wadded up piece of paper or plastic wrap, or other item that tickles your imagination. Now that you are looking at your scraps differently, set them aside and play!

On a final note, I'm really bummed that the Happy Thoughts stamp set is being retired when the January - June 2021 Mini Catalog ends. I just love the sentiments and the font used is just beautiful. I'm thinking that this may be one of those stamp sets that I'll hold onto for my personal stash.

Card Measurements

Basic Black: 3-7/8" x 5-1/8"; Basic White: 2" x 3", 4" x 5-1/4"; Old Olive: 4" x 5-1/4"; Rococco Rose: 4-1/4" x 11" scored at 5-1/2" along the 11" length; True Love Designer Series Paper: 6" x 6"

Supplies I used to make this card

Stamps: Happy Thoughts; Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, Old Olive, Rococco Rose; Stampin' Blends Markers: Daffodil Delight (Dark), Old Olive (Light & Dark), Rococco Rose (Light and Dark); Cardstock: Basic Black, Basic White, Old Olive, Rococco Rose; Designer Series Paper: True Love; Embellishments: Rhinestone Basic Jewels; Tools: Basic Pattern Decorative Masks, Embossing Paste, Palette Knives, Blending Brushes, Painted Labels dies, Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine; Adhesives: Stampin' Seal, Stampin' Dimensionals, Multipurpose Liquid; Other: Medium Basic White Envelope