FALL PORCH POP-UP EASEL CARD

 

As a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, the majority of my stamping-related purchases come from Stampin' Up!  I have loved (and still love) their products since 2003--been a demonstrator since 2004.  But . . . I am a lover of card-making and paper crafts and, every once in a while, I find products that are simply irresistible and feel that I must have them.  That happened recently with the Winter Porch Pop-Up Easel Card dies from Poppystamps.  I tried REALLY hard to resist buying them.  Several times I would look at them online, trying to find a reason why I might not use them enough to justify the expense, telling myself that I don't have to have things just because I like them, etc.  I knew how to make a pop-up easel card and didn't "need" a die for that, but everything else about this die set seemed so neat.  Unlike my usual impulse to make an immediate purchase when I think I have fallen in love with a product, I decided to take a day or so to entertain second thoughts.  Ha!  That was amusing because all I did was pine for the moment that I would give in.  Somehow I knew that I would give in, and I began to think of the waiting as ridiculous since I was simply prolonging the wait for my order to arrive.  See how I flipped the script on myself?  Do you do that, too?

So my order arrived on a day that I was going to visit my parents, but at least it arrived in time for me to remove it from the mailbox and take with me.  I excitedly showed my mother the dies I had purchased (I couldn't buy just one set), and I think she enjoyed getting to see what a "die" looks like.  It seemed only fair that my parents would receive my first card, which I am sharing today.  Making this Fall porch card took some time, but it was quite fun to see it go from pieces to completion!

Those textured die-cut leaves?  They were one of my purchases, as was the die to cut that cute chair.  The die that cuts the house layer actually has a faint "siding" texture, but I really liked the look of Stampin' Up!'s Brick & Mortar embossing folder for the texture.  The die that cuts the front door and  its frame actually cuts in a way that the door can open, but I opted to glue it shut since there wasn't anything to see behind it.  For the stamped leaf and sentiment on the door mat, I used the retired Lighthearted Leaves stamp set.

Funny thing.  When I got home from my parents' house--all ready to play with my new dies--I was disappointed to discover that the largest die in the set required an extended platform.  Ack!  I had never purchased an extended platform because the XL dies that I had used with my Big Shot machine were thick, steel rule dies that didn't require anything other than cutting pads.  I did NOT want to spend more money just to be able to use that one die, but, after some time and thinking about what to do, I remembered that I have an Evolution Advanced machine (have hardly ever used it) that came with an extended platform.  Woohoo!!!  I dusted it off and gave myself a refresher course on how to use it, and it worked beautifully!  The only thing that was kind of bothersome was that the motor for the machine is quite loud, which I think is why I put the machine away to be forgotten.  Yes, I can use it without the motor, but I don't like having to crank, crank, crank, crank, crank to get that long extended platform through the machine for every cut.  So, as a joke, my son concocted a buffer for the sound.  It fits over the motorized doohickey that attaches at one end of the machine.  It looks quite strange, but it really did help buffer the noise.

As for the Winter Porch Pop-Up Easel Card dies, I have already cut more shapes and started the assembly process for some Christmas cards.  I'm so glad that I didn't talk myself out of this purchase because it does create a WOW card, but there is an undeniable truth . . . making a card such as the one shown in this post or my Christmas cards is quite a lengthy process.  I've spent a LOT of time already just cutting the parts and then working to assemble five Christmas cards, and I still (after one and a half days) need to cut and stamp additional pieces to complete them.  I wouldn't dream of making just one of these cards.  If you're going to take the time to choose colors, sentiments, decorations, etc., you might as well plan to make several cards at one sitting.  Lastly, another view of the Fall porch card.  I love that it folds nearly flat for mailing!

Wouldn't this be a fun card to receive?  It's definitely the kind you send to someone who likes to keep the cards you make.  Being able to send it with one postage stamp is fantastic!

"ARRANGE A (FALL) WREATH"

 

Will I tire of Stampin' Up!'s Arrange a Wreath bundle?  

I don't think so.

I mean . . . just look at the pretty layers and colors on this card.

And that bow!  

I've already been using those layered bows on Christmas cards.

I kept this card fairly simple with a Brick & Mortar embossed background because I wanted all of those gorgeous wreath layers to shine.  My cardstock colors are Very Vanilla, Pear Pizzazz, Mossy Meadow, Soft Suede, Cajun Craze, and a wee bit of Gold Glimmer.  I pleated a torn strip of Plaid Tidings designer paper for a backdrop for the sentiment, which is from the Country Home stamp set.

Pretty cool, huh?

ANOTHER "THERE WAS JESUS" TRI-FOLD

I made another "There was Jesus" tri-fold card featuring Stampin' Up!'s Healing Hugs and (retired) Still Life Stems stamp sets.  I tried to make this one less bulky by not using brads, but it still had bulk.  All sealed up in the envelope, it looked like I was mailing a book.  I'm okay with that because when someone's going through a rough time, maybe it will brighten their day to remove from the mailbox a fat little envelope (with postage stamps all across the front).

The sentiment on the slip-off band (sending you healing vibes) is from Healing Hugs.  Just as before, I printed a portion of the lyrics from Zach Williams & Dolly Parton's "There was Jesus" song onto Vellum cardstock, which I stapled to Whisper White cardstock so the lyrics showed up better.  The floral images throughout the card that I stamped with Mint Melody ink are from the retired Still Life Stems stamp set.  I'm so glad I kept that one! 

Stampin' Up! cardstock used on this card are Mint Melody, Basic Black, Whisper White, and Vellum.  Ink colors featured on this card are Mint Melody and Memento Tuxedo Black.

Once again, I used one of the retired Crosses of Hope dies to cut that gorgeous cross.  On the back of the card, I included information about where the lyrics came from, who wrote the song, performed it, etc.

COLORFUL VASE . . . BORN FROM A DOODLE

 

I'm a doodler.  If I'm on the phone, I'm doodling.  Sometimes I practice lettering by writing words from the conversation, and other times (although rarely) I will play with lines.  Last night, while talking with my mother, I drew and colored the "hello" piece (in the above photo--about the size of a postage stamp) that reminded me of a vase, which totally inspired the watercolored vase for today's slim card.

This card is 3" x 6.5".  Aren't the colors nice???  I began by using a permanent pen to draw the "vase" and then the crosshatch lines.  A watercolor brush was used to color the drawing with Mango Melody, Poppy Parade, Granny Apple Green, Gorgeous Grape, and Coastal Cabana ink.  I used the Wink of Stella Clear Glitter Brush on top of the Gorgeous Grape sections and also on two of the die-cut sprigs.  Once colored, I fussy cut the vase and began to arrange the punched and die-cut shapes.  A retired punch was used to cut the Poppy Parade flowers, and I used three dies from the Forever Flourishing dies to cut the Whisper White, Pool Party, Mango Melody, and Gorgeous Grape shapes.  The "hello" sentiment is from the Forever Fern stamp set, and it was cut with one of the Tasteful Labels dies.  The finishing touch was the placement of rhinestones in the flower centers.  The photo below most accurately shows the pretty colors.

You never know where a doodle will take you!

"THERE WAS JESUS" TRI-FOLD CARD

 

I think the lyrics to Zach Williams' and Dolly Parton's song, There was Jesus, are just beautiful, and I used some of them as the focal point for this tri-fold sympathy card.  

While there's nothing noteworthy about the colors or design of this card, that is exactly what gives centerstage to the lyrics--the message.  

The designer paper that I used is from the In Good Taste collection, and the die-cut cross is from the retired Crosses of Hope dies.  I never bought the coordinating stamp set but, when I saw the dies a while back in Stampin' Up!'s Clearance Rack, I knew that I needed them.  Other Stampin' Up! products featured on this card are Watercolor paper and the retired Just Because stamp set and Vellum, Basic Black, and Gray Granite cardstock.

Interestingly, as I have worked on this post, the beautiful There was Jesus song came up on my playlist.  🥰

LAYERED FALL WREATH

 

As always, I am looking forward to the end of Summer and the ushering in of all the goodness of Fall--mainly, cooler temperatures.  Although I love the color that Spring and Summer flowers bring to the world, I think the colors of Fall are just as pretty.  And so I wanted to use the gorgeous Arrange a Wreath bundle to create a Fall wreath.  My wreaths were die-cut from Very Vanilla cardstock, and then I used Sponge Daubers to color them with Old Olive, Crushed Curry, Cajun Craze, and Blackberry Bliss ink.  I even colored the Linen Thread with Blackberry Bliss ink!

See the three shiny sprigs?  They were cut from Stampin' Up!'s brand new Brushed Metallic cardstock, and they brought the right amount of shimmer to my wreath.

I sandwiched the die-cut sprig wreath between the two leafy wreaths, and I am so pleased with this card!  I absolutely love how all of the colors work together to welcome Fall.  I think the Brick & Mortar embossed background was a great choice for my wreath, don't you?

Below is a list of all Stampin' Up! products featured on this card:

Stamp Set:  Arrange a Wreath

Cardstock:  Very Vanilla, Blackberry Bliss, Crumb Cake, Brushed Metallic

Ink:  Old Olive, Crushed Curry, Crumb Cake, Blackberry Bliss, Cajun Craze

Dies:  Wreath Builder

Embossing Folder:  Brick & Mortar

Accessories:  Linen Thread, Sponge Daubers, Stampin' Dimensionals, Multipurpose Liquid Glue

WREATH BUILDER DIES + ASSORTED EMBOSSED BACKGROUNDS

 

A couple of nights ago, I used Stampin' Up!'s Wreath Builder dies to create a few cards that I wanted to send to some of the "elders".  These are ladies who don't get out much and/or aren't having many visitors due to COVID-19.  Not to toot my own horn, but the elders look forward to receiving (displaying and keeping) my cards.  As someone who enjoys making cards, it is my absolute pleasure to mail to them at least one card per month.  

I love the idea of a wreath card but, if you're like me, you don't always want to have to carefully place leafy cuts in a circle formation.  What instantly sold me on the Arrange a Wreath Bundle was that the dies included TWO wreaths made up of two different styles . . . leaves or sprigs (both featured on my cards) . . . which gives a designer/card-maker so many choices of how to layer and decorate a wreath.  Of course, there are stamps and dies for several occasions included in the bundle, but I just used the small flower dies for my Highland Heather flowers.  It's so convenient that there are three of the flower dies so you can cut three flowers with one pass through the die-cutting machine!  I used a different embossing folder on the background of each of my cards, and this one features the brand new Evergreen Forest.  

The card above features the Seabed embossing folder, which I think is so gorgeous!  This one might just be my favorite.

Another new embossing folder, Absolutely Argyle, is featured on the above card.  I really like the solid spaces in the embossed design, don't you?

On the last card, I used the Pinewood Planks embossing folder, which has been a favorite of mine.  It just seems like a good choice when you have trouble deciding and lends a nice subtle texture.

While I didn't use any of the Arrange a Wreath stamps on my cards, I did use them to decorate the envelopes and wish that I had kept a photo of at least one of them.  Sorry about that!  The "hello" sentiment is from the Life is Beautiful stamp set.  

Now that you've seen all four cards, which embossed background is your favorite?

QUICK CARD W/WHALE DSP + SEABED EMBOSSING FOLDER

 

Want to make a really quick card with just a few supplies?  The hardest part of making this card was cutting out those cute sea turtles, and that wasn't hard at all.

For a quick-to-make card, you wouldn't really expect a lot of texture and dimension, would you?  Can you believe those sea turtles were cut directly from a piece of the Whale of a Time DSP?  I really 💗 the DSP because it has such colorful designs!  That skinny strip that's adhered to the Bumblebee cardstock is one of the DSP designs, and I just adhered the two sea turtles to it.  After embossing the card front with the Seabed embossing folder, I used a sponge dauber to lightly apply Whisper White ink to the raised texture.  My finishing touch was adding the three sequins.  FYI . . . Stampin' Up! has Whale of a Time Sequins for the whale bundle of products, but I don't have them (yet) and had to use sequins from my stash. 

Ready to make a set of cards like this?  The only products I used were as follows:

SHOP WITH ME

CREATE A WREATH WITH "FOREVER FERN" + ENVELOPE

How I feel about Stampin' Up!'s Forever Fern stamp set and coordinating dies is no secret.  I love them!  If you don't love these gorgeous products already, then surely this pretty wreath will win you over.  I used Blackberry Bliss, Shaded Spruce, Pear Pizzazz, and Balmy Blue to stamp the images, which were then die-cut and placed in wreath formation with a few Pear Pizzazz curved leafy die-cuts.

I'm sorry the photos are so dark, but I hope you can see the pretty variety of stitches that are embossed on the Blackberry Bliss cardstock layer.  That was achieved with one of the Little Details embossing folders.  The sentiment (from the Butterfly Gala stamp set) was stamped with VersaMark ink onto Blackberry Bliss cardstock and then heat-embossed with Stampin' Gold embossing powder.  I then used one of the Tasteful Labels dies to cut the sentiment, which was adhered to the card with Stampin' Dimensionals.

And when time permits, I like to dress up the envelopes that I mail.  I think the Pear Pizzazz and Blackberry Bliss images look so pretty on this one, don't you?

"BIRDS & BRANCHES" ANNIVERSARY CARD

My parents have an anniversary on August 2.  

61 years together!!!  

22,265 days together!!!

2 daughters

2 granddaughters

2 grandsons

5 great-granddaughters

2 great-grandsons

How awesome is that?!?!

I used Stampin' Up!'s Birds & Branches stamp set and coordinating dies to create this sweet card for them.  Looking at the picture, I swear the placement of the nest wasn't as crooked as it appears!  It was a little crooked; however, I think it looks more pronounced in the photo because you can't see the curve of the nest (on the left) behind the sentiment strip and also because the bird on the right is placed a little higher.  Maybe I created somewhat of an illusion.  Or maybe the weight of papa bird is a bit much for the fragile nest.  Perfection is a lofty goal.

After die-cutting the birds, which were stamped onto Whisper White cardstock, I colored them with Stamping Sponges and ink (Balmy Blue, Soft Suede, Daffodil Delight).  Although my parents only have two children, I placed three eggs in the nest since we treat my sweet niece as one of the sisters.  Actually, my sister and I always joke that if my niece, Haley, was actually a sibling, she would be my parents' favorite child.  Come to think of it, they've never denied that.

Imperfections aside, I really like this card!  It has tacticality with its layers, dimension, and textures!

PURCHASE THE "BIRDS & BRANCHES" BUNDLE