Simply Said--#tgifc352

Sometimes, a very simple card can make a big impact on its recipient.  My inspiration for this card is my husband Herb, who will be its recipient on our 47th wedding anniversary February 1.  When he looks at my cards, he says, "and there are those little 'dot thingies' you have to put on your cards."  So for him, I made a simple card that says all that needs to be said: 

Products Used:

Basic White note card

Soft Succulent ink

Poppy Parade card stock

Forever Blossoms stamp set (#151457

Floral Heart dies (#154306)

This card will be submitted for this week's TGIF Challenges inspiration challenge.  See more love cards over at the TGIF Challenges Blog here.

Have a great week!

--Sara Nell

Mother's Day Blossoms--#tgifc307

Lately, I've been pulling out the stamp sets that I love but haven't used in a while.  I had a plan for my TGIF Challenges sketch challenge this week, but it went out the window when I saw the beautiful Forever Blossoms stamp set (#151457) sitting lonely and unused on my shelf.  The cherry blossoms are just so pretty:

The blossoms image was stamped in Basic Gray on Whisper White card stock, then colored with Rococo Rose (#154900) and Soft Sea Foam (#154902) Stampin' Blends.  It was die cut using the coordinating Cherry Blossoms dies (#151456).  The blossoms were layered over two Vellum circles die cut using the Stitched Shapes dies (#152323) and a layer of Balmy Blue card stock embossed with the Parisian Flourish 3D embossing folder (#151474).

The greeting is from the Strong & Beautiful stamp set (#148732).  It was stamped in Basic Gray on a 1/2" strip of Whisper White card stock.  The ends were punched with the Banners Pick a Punch (#153608) to create the banner.

A layer of Rococo Rose card stock, a Rococo Rose card base and some Pearl Basic Jewels (#144219) complete the card.

Find more wonderful projects using this sketch over at the TGIF Challenges Blog here.

Have a wonderful weekend!

--Sara Nell

  

Happy Graduation--#tgifc261

It's a fun product challenge this week at TGIF Challenges:  Use Your Words.  This challenge highlights word dies. I pulled out my retiring Well Written dies (#148534) to create a Happy Graduation card.  It is sad that traditional graduation ceremonies are not taking place this year--especially for our high school seniors who didn't experience proms, awards nights and all the fun end of the year events that mark this important time of passage into adulthood.  Without the ceremonies and parties, graduates still need a recognition of their achievement and I've had many customers ask for graduation cards.  It has been fun creating these cards in Upson-Lee High School colors:  purple, silver and black.  

Here is the one I created for this challenge and also for a friend who wants a card for her son's girlfriend:

When Blackberry Bliss was first introduced as an In Color, I promoted it as the perfect Upson-Lee purple!  So it is the card base and the 4-layer die cut "happy".  

The focal point is the large floral stem from Forever Blossoms stamp set (#151457).  It was stamped in VersaMark, heat embossed in Silver and colored with the Purple Posy Combo (149566) and Soft Sea Foam combo (#148059) Stampin' Blends. The stamped piece was layered on Basic Black card stock and then on Silver Glimmer paper (#146960).  

"Graduation" is from the retiring Well Said stamp set (148796) it was stamped in VersaMark and heat embossed in Silver on Basic Black card stock.  Three Rhinestones (#144220) complete the card.

Check out the fun uses for word dies over at the TGIF Challenges blog here.

Here's to all the graduates this year!

--Sara Nell

Always Thinking of You--#tgifc255

Today I have used the Forever Blossoms stamp set (#151457) paired with a greeting from Very Versailles stamp set (#149275) to create a card with a floral background.  I've been wanting to make a background with a simple blossom and leaf design for a while and  this week's TGIF Challenges sketch was the right inspiration to get me started.  Thanks, gals!

The blossom and leaf were stamped in Jet Black StazOn ink, then watercolored with an Aqua Painter (#103954) and Old Olive and Petal Pink ink.  Once the inks were dry, the background was watercolored with Pool Party.  The left-hand border was created with a piece of Petal Pink metallic-edge ribbon (#151594) and a scalloped border punched out of Old Olive card stock with the Decorative Ribbon Border punch (#143721).   These were adhered to the stamped piece with Tear & Tape adhesive and the finished piece was adhered to the Basic Black card base with Multipurpose Liquid glue. 

The greeting was stamped in Versamark and embossed with White Stampin' Emboss Powder.  It was adhered to the card with Stampin' Dimensionals. 

Check out other projects created using this sketch over at the TGIF Challenges Blog here.

Hope you are staying safe!

--Sara Nell