It seems to me that just lately my projects aren’t quite going according to plan. Not that it’s a bad thing, but simply that while I may start out with an idea for a project somehow it seems to take on a life of its own. For instance, for today’s thank you card I had every intention of using an embossing folder to add texture to the patterned paper. However before I knew it I’d stamped on the paper using the Decorative Borders Stamp Set and coloured it in instead!
QUARTER SHEET
My card started out simply enough. I chose a background design from the Delicate Desert 12″ x 12″ Designer Series Paper (DSP) pack. After cutting a 6″ x 6″ piece, I cut a 2-1/4″ strip off the top and attached it to the flap of a Basic White Medium Envelope using Multipurpose Liquid Glue (Tombow). Then I trimmed off the excess paper with Paper Snips, using the edge of the flap as a guide.
Next I trimmed off a 3/4″ x 5-1/4″ strip of paper and glued that along the bottom of a 4″ x 5-1/4″ layer of Basic White Card. This would be used to line my card base so I set it aside for the moment.
All I had left of my quarter sheet of DSP was a 3″ high piece and I trimmed it down to 5-1/2″ wide. Then I cut a 3-1/4″ x 5-1/2″ piece of Soft Succulent Card ready to mount the DSP onto it.
Now I needed a card base and for that I chose Thick Basic White Card. Using my Paper Trimmer I cut and scored the card, then folded it along the scored line and sharpened the crease with a Bone Folder. My Basic White liner piece was already done, so I used liquid glue to fix it to the inside. All I had left to work on was the design for the card front.
It was at this point I thought that I should choose my sentiment and for that I reached for the sentiment-only Go To Greetings Stamp Set. I noticed that despite using this set a lot, I hadn’t used the middle-sized “Thank you” so that’s what I picked up. Then using Evening Evergreen ink I stamped it in the centre, towards the bottom of the card front. And that’s when things veered off course…
DECORATIVE FOCAL POINT
Looking at the 3″ high strip of DSP I’d cut for the front I decided it needed some additional decoration. Without even thinking I found myself reaching for the gorgeous image-only Decorative Borders Stamp Set. While there are a number of ‘border’ images in this set I was particularly drawn to one that seemed perfect as a focal point. So I inked it up with Evening Evergreen ink and stamped it right across the middle of the DSP!
This image is simply lovely, but I wondered how it would look if the flowers and leaves were filled in. That said, I didn’t want to add a lot of colour, so I decided to use only the Soft Succulent Stampin’ Blends alcohol markers. Of course the colouring was really quick using the dark marker on the leaves and the light one on the flowers.
Before I knew it I’d glued the coloured DSP onto the Soft Succulent Card leaving a 1/4″ border at the bottom. Then to really draw the eye into the design I added a single Soft Succulent pearl from the Festive Pearls pack. So pretty!
With that done I used Stampin’ Dimensionals to add the assembled layers onto the card front, 1/8″ from the crease. In no time at all my simple thank you card was complete.
Of course it was only then that I remembered my plan had been to emboss the DSP! Oh well, maybe next time…
For a birthday card using the same Go To Greetings and Decorative Borders Stamp Sets see my blog post Decorative simplicity.
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