My sister has been asking for a couple of weeks for a set of thinking of you cards. I was honored that she came to me with this request and especially wanted to oblige, but I couldn't think of what I wanted to make. If I'm real honest, I kind of dreaded thinking about all the stamp sets and products to use, color combos, card layouts/designs, etc. Imagining the time it was going to take to get so many products out (and then put them back) wasn't pleasant to consider. That's a funny statement coming from a messy stamper who rarely has a clean stamp room. Ha! Yes, I could have come up with one design and made multiples, but I put the pressure on myself by thinking that a really useful set of cards for my sister wouldn't be a true (matching) set, particularly because she will probably mail cards to some of the same people over time. After delaying the task (because that's what I do when I dread something), I had an "ah ha" moment the other night when I opened the drawer where I store my designer paper. I kind of grunted upon realizing that I still needed to pull out all of the recently retired DSP. That's when the idea smacked me across the forehead . . . cut some of the papers from each collection into strips and make quilt cards! I could have cut all the strips at one time and pulled from a mixed pile to make the quilt layers but, in this case, I worked with one collection of DSP at a time to create at least two cards using the strips that were between 1/2" and 3/4" wide. I think these cards are gorgeous, and it's a better use of the retired papers than taking up space on a shelf across the room where they may never be called to work. On with the cards now, right?
First up . . . Garden Lane DSP. These may have been my favorite cards from the bunch. Ironically, this was not my favorite DSP collection.
MAGNOLIA LANE DSP |
MOSAIC MOOD DSP |
DINOROAR DSP |
SEE A SILHOUETTE DSP |
COME SAIL AWAY DSP |
PERENNIAL ESSENCE DSP |
And because all of these cards plus the envelopes needed a box, I made it look like a fun gift to receive:
As I said, I just cut selected papers into strips and adhered them (however I pleased) on 4" x 5-1/4" pieces of cardstock. When the cardstock was covered, I used assorted embossing folders to give them a gorgeous texture. The embossed layers were adhered to a slightly larger piece of cardstock and then adhered to a coordinating card base.
I made all of these cards while watching "No One Saw a Thing" and, honestly, it was such a relaxing and creatively fun time! To me, this is the best way to put DSP to work . . . whether or not it's retired paper!
What do you think? Would this set of cards make your day?
2 comments:
Beautiful set of cards and great gift! I especially love the mosaic paper.
Very nice cards!!
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