Nova Scotia is under a heat warning and it’s not going to cool down for a couple of days yet. Yesterday at 4.30pm it was 29C, feeling like 39C with the humidity. At 7.30 this morning it’s already 20C, but feeling like 23C, and it’s set to heat up considerably throughout the day. Thankfully I don’t have to go out today. So I’m setting my weather thoughts aside and feeling positive about the day ahead. I’ll spend my time in my craft studio with the fan on. A little organising, a little crafting, coffee, snack, repeat.
This project came about as I was looking through my dies and re-familiarising myself with ones that were suitable for sentiment layers. Like many sets that coordinate with stamp sets, the Nature’s Thoughts Dies includes an one that could be used for a sentiment. But what I noticed when I opened up the set was a small flower and a couple of small leaf dies. These don’t coordinate with any of the stamps in the Positive Thoughts Stamp Set which is probably why I don’t remember ever using them. I immediately decided to put that right.
NATURE’S THOUGHTS DIES
Having decided I had to try out the flower and leaf dies I started there with my Mini Cut & Emboss Machine. First I cut four of the small flowers from Bumblebee Card. Then from Pear Pizzazz Card I cut five of the small 6-leaf die, and four of the small 3-leaf die.
While I liked the colour combination I thought the card colour was a bit ‘flat’. So to introduce some definition I used Blending Brushes to add coordinating ink over the edges of the die-cut pieces. I could also have poked up the ‘petals’ inside the flower but to be honest I wasn’t in the mood for such a fiddly task.
Now with the decorative elements of my project done I turned my attention to the card itself.
I began by using my Paper Trimmer to cut and score some Pear Pizzazz Card. I folded it along the scored lines and sharpened the crease with a Bone Folder to create a card base.
Next I cut a 4″ x 5-1/4″ piece of Basic White Card to line the inside, fixed into place with Multipurpose Liquid Glue (Tombow). Then in the top right corner I glued two of the 6-leaf pieces and one of the flowers.
OFFSET LAYERS
Now I wanted something simple but interesting for the background of my card. So I chose a tiled pattern in Crumb Cake from the Neutrals 6″ x 6″ Designer Series Paper (DSP) Assortment. I began by cutting a 2-1/4″ x 6″ piece and glued that to the flap of a Basic White Medium Envelope. Then I trimmed off the excess with Paper Snips, using the edge of the flap as a guide.
From the remaining piece of DSP I then cut a 3-1/2″ x 4-3/4″ layer.
My original plan was to put a layer of Bumblebee Card underneath the DSP with a narrow border on all sides. However when I looked in my scraps I found a piece 3-3/8″ x 3-5/8″. It wasn’t what I originally had in mind but I decided I quite liked the asymmetric look. So using liquid glue I attached the DSP to the Bumblebee layer and then fixed them onto the card base.
POSITIVE THOUGHTS
Next came the rest of the die-cut leaves and flowers arranged on the top left and bottom right corners of the DSP. Once I was happy with the layout I glued one 3-leaf piece to the back of one flower and set it aside with a second flower. Then I attached all the other leaves and the last flower to the DSP with liquid glue.
For the sentiment I turned to the Positive Thoughts Stamp Set. Keeping it simple I used Pear Pizzazz ink to stamp “Sending positive thoughts and feel-good wishes” onto a 1″ x 3-1/2″ strip of Basic White Card. Then I added the sentiment to the card front with more liquid glue.
Finally I added the two remaining flowers with Stampin’ Dimensionals and my project was complete.
I have to say that I love the little flower and leaf pieces on this card. I’ll definitely be using them on more projects in the future.
Do you find yourself being distracted by your craft supplies when you’re supposed to be tidying up or organising? I wonder if, like me, you can’t resist ‘taking a break’ so you can create something. Leave a comment below and let me know.
For more projects using the Nature’s Thoughts Dies see these earlier blog posts:
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