THIS CARD SET . . . THE BEST WAY TO PUT DSP TO WORK

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?