Usually, the first thing I do when I see patterned paper with lots of flowers on it is flip it over and see what’s on the other side. (I love flowers, but I’m not drawn to them in my paper crafts.) So, I don’t know what it is about the new Dainty Flowers DSP (Designer Series Paper) that’s featured in the current Stampin’ Up! promotion, Sale-A-Bration, but I can’t stop playing with it. I’ve made 15 cards in the past 5 days and even now as I type this, I’m itching to get back into my craft room because I have another idea. Oh, and bonus… when you flip it over, the other side of the paper is magnificent too!
Maybe I’m drawn to how easy it is to make gorgeous cards with it.
For example, look at this first card I made. I cut one of the ovals with flowers from the 12×12 paper. (There are 6 of them on the sheet.) Then I stamped the sentiment, matted it twice, attached it to a card, and put a few Brushed Brass Butterflies on it. That’s it. Seriously.
Isn’t it beautiful? And my work was minimal.
Or how about this next card? I stamped the sentiment on a die cut oval, die cut a backing for it, and attached it to the center. A few gems, a mat, and voila! Stunning, right? (I did nothing. Truly.)
I whipped up this next set of note cards in no time. By the way, this is a fun exercise when you have a simple design. Use four different sentiments, then take one (or two) elements and change them slightly for each card, like I did here with the twine. Tie a ribbon around them with a tag, and you have a wonderful, quick little gift for someone.
The other difference is I used the Deckled Rectangles dies for the first two cards and the Stitched Rectangles dies for the second set. Which do you like more? (I’m a deckled kind of guy myself.)
These next cards took mere minutes to make. They are based on a design by Amy Koenders (stampwithamyk.com) that I fell in love with for its elegant simplicity.
The lavender and blue papers are part of this paper pack too. I told you, the reverse sides of this paper are just as splendid. The blue is actually my favorite; and I used it a few times on cards like these…
I love how the butterflies, cut with the Brilliant Wings dies, work so well with this paper. On the next card, I stamped a few butterflies with the Butterfly Brilliance stamp set, die cut them, and then watercolored them using the Water Painters brushes and inks that match the paper. (Crushed Curry, Starry Sky, and Blushing Bride) Lovely!
This last card is one of my favorites. I used the Artistic Mix Decorative Masks for the background, blending Fresh Freesia and Blushing Bride inks with my Blending Brushes. I even included an additional strip of the blending on the inside of the card.
The Artistic Masks are awesome. They’re so much fun to play with and the possibilities are endless. I have an upcoming blog post on them so now’s a good time to sign up for my email list so you’ll be notified when it posts.
Do you like the paper? If you’re a fan of flowers, you really must see this. Pictures just don’t do it justice. It’s only available through Sale-A-Bration (free with any $50 purchase!) and only until February 28th or while supplies last. (I don’t think this one will last that long.) If you’re interested in this or any Stampin’ Up! products, I’d love to take care of you. Just drop me a message and let’s connect.
Otherwise, thank you all for reading this post. I hope you enjoyed it and were inspired in some way. Feel free to leave a comment below letting me know what you think, or if you’ve tried one of these techniques, or just to say “hi”.
Until we meet again, my friends, I hope you have a beautiful and blessed week. Take some time to craft, or whatever makes your heart happy. Peace and love to all of you.
-Steve
