This is based on a sketch from May’s Issue of Stampin Success. Although I use Sweet Pea Stitched Felt on many of my projects, I still seem to have a lot left! Instead of holding on to it, I decided I will keep using it and when it’s gone, it’s gone.

I designed this birthday card for a family member. The patterned paper is from Thoroughly Modern DSP, and I know the patterns are a little bold, but because one is so neutral (Sahara Sand) I think it works. Separating the paper is Old Olive 5/8″ Grosgrain Ribbon.

The sentiment is from On Your Birthday colored direct to stamp with both Chocolate Chip and Rose Red Markers. I stamped it onto a square of Whisper White and paper pierced around the edges. That was then layered with a slightly larger square of Chocolate Chip card stock and attached to the base with Stampin Dimensionals.

The Sweet Pea Stitched Felt flowers, leaves, and circles were placed around the sentiment, adhered with Glue dots. Although it doesn’t have many layers, the use of the pattern, texture, and colors make the card pop.

Since I’m a mom, and my favorite flower is the Gerbera Daisy, this card is perfect for me–too bad I can’t give it to myself!  A few weeks ago, I received samples of soon to be released colors from Stampin Up’s Color Renovation–Daffodil Delight, Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler, Marina Mist, and Cajun Craze. This card uses the first three, along with other current colors and returning favorites like Old Olive, Riding Hood Red, and Tangerine Tango.

The card base is Daffodil Delight, layered with Vellum Card Stock that I embossed using the Swiss Dots Embossing Folder in the Big Shot. I adhered it to the base with Mini Glue Dots to tone down the yellow. I’m not a big yellow person, so adding the Vellum really softened the color and makes it more palatable for my taste.

I matted Whisper White card stock with Early Espresso, a dark blackish brown and stamped the mother’s day sentiment from Well Scripted in Riding Hood Red ink.

The daisies were made using the Scallop Circle Punch, in Cherry Cobbler and Tangerine Tango card stock. I cut between each scallop using my paper snips to create the petals. In the center of each flower, I used the 3/4″ Circle Punch to punch out Daffodil Delight and cut a 1/4″ wide strip of card stock (Cherry Cobbler and Tangerine Tango) that I quilled into a spiral shape. I attached the quilled paper to the flowers’ centers using Mini Glue Dots. The leaves are from Sweet Pea Stitched Felt, also attached with Mini Glue Dots.

As a final touch, around the base of the Early Espresso/Whisper White layer, I tied some Old Olive 5/8″ Grosgrain Ribbon into a knot.

Here are several cards made with Elements of Style. It’s a popular stamp but it’s not the style I normally gravitate toward. My upline (hi Cindy!) asked me to help her come up with some ideas for swaps using this set and these are the results:

Version 1

Stamps: Elements of Style; Card stock: Regal Rose, Shades of Spring DSP, Old Olive, Whisper White, Apricot Appeal; Ink: Old Olive Marker, Regal Rose Marker, Old Olive Classic Ink, Pretty in Pink Classic Ink; Accessories: Modern Label Punch, Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Big Shot, Sponge Dauber, Circle Rhinestone Brad, Dimensionals, Cropadile, Glue Dots.

Version 2:

Stamps: Elements of Style, Tiny Tags; Card stock: Rose Red, Cottage Wall DSP, Very Vanilla, Watercolor Paper;  Ink: Old Olive Marker, Rose Red Marker, Old Olive Classic Ink, Rich Razzleberry Classic Ink; Accessories: Scallop Trim Border Punch, Tiny Tag Punch, Linen Thread, Certainly Celery Satin Ribbon, Aquapainter, Champagne Shimmer Paint Spray (70% Rubbing Alcohol mixed with a few drops of Champagne Shimmer Paint).

Version 3

Stamps: Elements of Style; Card stock: Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Real Red Prints Pack, Vellum Card Stock; Ink: Soft Suede Marker, Close to Cocoa Reinker, Champagne Shimmer Paint; Accessories: Sponge Dauber, 3/4″ Circle Punch, 1″ Circle Punch, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Very Vanilla 5/8″ Grosgrain, Circle Rhinestone brads, Mini Glue Dots, Cropadile, Dimensionals.

It’s hard to see in the picture, but I sponged a mixture of Close to Cocoa Reinker and Champagne Shimmer Paint directly on the image, then stamped it onto the vellum.

Version 4

Stamps: Elements of Style; Card stock: Close to Cocoa, Rich Razzleberry, Very Vanilla; Ink: Old Olive Classic Ink, Rich Razzleberry Classic Ink, Close to Cocoa Reinker, Champagne Shimmer Paint; Accessories: Scallop Trim Border, Paper Piercer, Rich Razzleberry Polka Dot Ribbon, Scallop Oval Punch, Large Oval Punch, Sponge Dauber,  Dimensionals, Cropadile, Glue Dots, Champagne Shimmer Paint Spray (70% Rubbing Alcohol mixed with a few drops of Champagne Shimmer Paint) (Shown here on the bird and the close to cocoa base).

Version 5: I think I hate the green butterfly. I may try a different color, maybe white with sponging, or black, or razzleberry?

Stamps: Elements of Style; Card stock: Rich Razzleberry Textured Card stock, Cottage Wall DSP, Whisper White, Basic Black, Certainly Celery; Ink: Rich Razzleberry Classic Ink; Accessories: Big Shot, Oval Scallop Frame Bigz Die, Scallop Edge Punch, Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds, Beautiful Wings Embosslit, 1/2 Pearl (Pretties Bulk Kit), Dimensionals, Glue Dots.

I made this card a few weeks ago, using what I consider to be “boy” colors and the Build A Bear stamp set Beary Best Friends. The funny thing is, since then, Stampin Up has announced its Color Renovation and all of these colors will remain! The colors I used here are: Pacific Point, Soft Sky, Real Red, So Saffron, and Whisper White.

The card base is Pacific Point, cut to 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ folded in half. I took a wide strip of Whisper White and layered it with Bashful Blue DSP from the Prints Pack. Underneath that, to the right, I added a strip of So Saffron card stock, stamped with “happy birthday” from Eat Cake in Real Red ink. To add more interest, I pierced holes below the sentiment with the Paper Piercer and adhered it to the base with Stampin Dimensionals.

For the bear, I stamped the image onto Whisper White card stock with Basic Gray ink. I colored in the image with Stampin Up Markers and added Brown Flocking Powder to the bear’s body. Then, I punched out the image with a Mega Circle Punch, layered onto a Real Red Giga Scallop Circle punch.

The hat and balloon images are from the accessories set Beary Best Times. I stamped the hat onto a separate sheet of Whisper White, colored it, and cut it out with scissors. The balloon was also stamped on another piece of whisper white, colored with Real Red Marker, and then highlighted with Crystal Effects. I cut out the pieces of the balloon and attached them to the card with SNAIL and Stampin Dimensionals.

I copied this card from the May issue of Stampin Success, by Jolene Slack, on page 23. Unfortunately, I am not allowed to post the original picture, but it was featured in the new Color Renovation section. Jolene’s sample used new Marina Mist, here, I substituted Baja Breeze, a returning In Color.

The card base is made from a 5 1/4″ x 10 1/2″ piece of Baja Breeze, folded in half. Next, I took a 5″ square of Shades of Spring DSP in the Certainly Celery pattern and layered it on the card base.

I used the Scallop Square Bigz Die and the Big Shot to cut a scallop square from Parisian Breeze DSP (retired). I sponged Baja Breeze ink along the edges using a Sponge Dauber, then adhered it to the base with Stampin Dimensionals.

Using more paper from Shades of Spring DSP, I layered a 3 1/4″ square of Certainly Celery on a 3″ square of DSP, attaching it to the base with SNAIL adhesive.

The square window was made by embossing Certainly Celery card stock with the Swiss Dots embossing folder and the Big Shot. Then, I cut the embossed piece down to 2″ square. I punched a window in the center with the 1 1/4″ Square Punch and sponged the frame with Certainly Celery ink. I stamped “Blessed” from So Very (a retired SAB set) in Baja Breeze on Whisper White, layering it behind the window. I also stamped an image from Tiny Tags in Certainly Celery ink, stamped off, randomly over the whisper white.

At the top, I added a loop of Baja Breeze Satin Ribbon from Valet Ribbon Originals and a half back sticky pearl. Finally, I adhered the window piece to the base with Stampin Dimensionals.