Fabulous Paper Florist Dies

Hi there

Have you checked out all of the standalone dies in the new 2023-24 Annual Catalogue? They are sets of dies that are not associated with a stamp set, so they can be hard to spot in the body of the catalogue. You find them in the Detailed Die Cuts section of the catalogue that starts on page 161.

Today, I want to focus on the Paper Florist Dies on page 165. There are 18 dies in the set and they allow you to construct some lovely dimensional flowers that are perfect for embellishing cards or scrapbook pages. You can see them in the photo below.  Click on the image to go to my Online Store for more details.

I was inspired by lovely cards made by Yvonne Spikmans (The Creative Teacup from the Netherlands) to get them out and have a play and create my version.

I started with a piece of Basic White a little smaller than the card front and used one of the masks from the Foursquare pack (on page 136 of the Annual Catalogue) and a blending brush to create a background for the flowers. I really like this particular mask as it adds a small amount of colour and isn't overwhelming. I always use a separate panel in case I don't like the result and I can turn it over and try again! Plus,  you add another layer of interest to the card, when you adhere it to the base.

Of the round petal flowers, there is one large in Gorgeous Grape and two smaller ones in Highland Heather and Daffodil Delight. These flowers use the die in the bottom left corner (marked in green). You get two large and two smaller flower sets with each die cut. You can layer all 4 pieces or as I have done, use 2 of the same size and offset them for a nice full flower. There are lots of options for the centres and I used the large stamens and popped up the pierced circle over the top for the Gorgeous Grape flower. For the Daffodil Delight flower, I offset 2 of the star shape centres that are shown lower right on the photo of the dies (marked in purple).

The daisy is created with the die at the top left in the photo (marked in blue). Again, you get 2 larger and 2 smaller sets of petals. I used 3 sets of petals for the larger flower and 2 sets for the smaller daisy. I like to use my bone folder to slightly curl the petals on all the flowers before adhering the layers together as it adds a lovely dimension to them.

The last flower is the sweet trio of buds. The stems are in the centre at the top of the dies photo and the bud tips are a single die that cuts the 3 of them shown in the centre (both marked in orange). I added a little colour with the blending brush on each set of tips. My suggestion for constructing these is to put a little dot of glue on the reverse of the bud bases and then pick up each of the tips, holding each one for a few seconds to adhere.

Once your flowers are constructed it is time to layer it all up with the foliage. I used Granny Apple Green and Garden Green for the leaves to contrast with the Mossy Meadow of the bud stems. The stitched detail in the leaves is lovely. The fussy cut greeting in Gorgeous Grape is from the Go To Greetings stamp set. I finished with 3 yellow Loose Frosted Dots for some pop.

For the inside, I have a Highland Heather mat for the writing panel and I added some detail with the mask and blending brush in the corner. The smaller leftover Gorgeous Grape flower was adhered over the top.

The Paper Florist Dies are fun to work with and I'm sure you will love them, too. You will never be lost for a lovely floral embellishment, with these dies!

 

Project Details
Stamps	Go To Greetings
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Gorgeous Grape, Highland Heather, Daffodil Delight, Granny Apple Green, Garden Green, Mossy Meadow
Ink	Gorgeous Grape
Accessories	Loose Frosted Dots, Glossy Dots Assortment
Tools	Paper Florist Dies, Stampin' Cut & Emboss, Tombo Glue, Dimensionals

 

Thanks for visiting today!

• Shop my Online Store 24/7
• See the latest Stampin' Up! Promotions
• Request a FREE Catalogue
• Check out my Tutorial Store

CASE-ing the Catty - Pretty Flowers Embossing Folder

Hi there

Welcome to CASE-ing the Catty for this week!  

I'm visiting family in Western Australia this week, but I managed to make a card for this week's challenge before I left, so thanks for stopping by.

You can continue your journey to see the other inspiring creations from the CTC Crew by clicking on the buttons at the bottom of the post. 

This week we are CASE-ing an Embossing Folder project from either of the current catalogues. 

I chose the card above from page 14 because it uses the technique of inking inside the embossing folder. I haven't used it for ages, so a great opportunity to revisit it. The Pretty Flowers Embossing Folder is perfect as it has random flat areas between the floral design.

This technique works best with darker colours, so I have used Orchid Oasis card stock, the same as the sample project. The tone on tone effect that you achieve with this technique reminds me of brocade fabric with the shades of light and dark colour. Open the embossing folder and swipe the Craft White ink pad over the entire surface (the side with the Stampin' Up! logo on it). You only want the ink on the raised areas, so don't push too hard. Place the card stock carefully in the folder and run it through your machine. My ink pad probably could have done with reinking, but I really like the softer look that has resulted. The embossed panel was adhered to the Thick Basic White card base. Make sure you rinse off the embossing folder immediately you have finished.

I've kept my embellishment simple as I wanted the embossed background to be the hero. The sentiment from Framed Florets was stamped in Orchid Oasis ink and cropped with a circle from Stylish Shapes Dies and then matted onto a Pool Party circle cropped with the Layering Circles Dies. The flower from Two-Tone Flora was stamped in shades of  Flirty Flamingo ink and I added it to a die cut stem in Garden Green cropped with the Sentimental Park Dies. The greeting is adhered flat, to make it easier to balance the edges of the stem and the flower was popped up. I finished with 3 tiny flowers in the same colours using the Sending Dies and a Dragonfly Trinket.

For the inside, I've stamped the small flower cluster from Two-Tone Flora along the bottom of the writing panel in Flirty Flamingo ink. To soften the colour I swiped the edges of the panel of Orchid Oasis with the Craft White ink pad before adhering the writing panel.

 

Project Details
Stamps	Two-Tone Flora, Framed Florets
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Orchid Oasis, Pool Party, Garden Green
Ink	Orchid Oasis, Flirty Flamingo, Craft White
Accessories	Dragon Fly Trinkdets, Iridescent Pearls
Tools	Two-Tone Flora Dies, Sentimental Park Dies, Stylish Shapes Dies, Layering Circles Dies, Pretty Flowers EF Stampin' Cut & Emboss, Dimensionals,

 

We would love to see your CASE of an embossing folder project from either of the current catalogues, this week. Click on this link or the image below to go there. The first time you will need to click on the 'Join Group' button at the top. Once you have been added to the group, you can go ahead and post your creation and you do not need to have a blog. 

You can head over to the lovely Julia to see her fab project and follow the hop to see the inspiration from the rest of the CTC Crew.

Don't forget that the new Online Exclusives release is LIVE in my Online Store. These are brand new products that you will only see in the online store; they will never appear in a catalogue. There is no end date on them as such and some will be restocked and others may not, so if you love something it's best to grab it while you can. It is a little tricky to find them, so you can click on the links above or to navigate yourself,  click on Menu> Shop Products> Online Exclusives.

Thanks for visiting today!

• Shop my Online Store 24/7
• See the latest Stampin' Up! Promotions
• Request a FREE Catalogue
• Check out my Tutorial Store

IDEAS Blog Hop - Stunning Scraps

Hi there

I'm back with the IDEAS (International Demos Exciting Artistic Stampin') team this month to share more fabulous projects. We are a group of international demonstrators who create a Tutorial Bundle each month to give you, our customers and readers a heap of inspiration for your crafting.

If you've come from looking at Yolanda's beautiful projects, then welcome!  If you're visiting me, I appreciate you stopping by today!  You can continue your journey to see the other inspiring creations from the IDEAS Team by clicking on the NEXT button at the bottom of the post. 

This month we are showcasing lots of ideas and techniques for using up scraps. If you’ve been crafting for a while, you know how quickly your off-cuts or ‘scraps’ build up. We are showing you ways to use your scraps to create delightful projects and make your craft supplies go further.

We have a great 73-page bundle this month with 14 tutorials that include layouts with strips of card stock, patterned paper and die cut shapes, plus the twisted ribbon, mosaic, floating element and patchwork with faux stitching techniques to name a few.

In my tutorial I have 6 projects, with three card layouts using card stock scraps and one using scraps of patterned paper.   I have feminine and masculine colour ways and different options for embellishment to inspire you to get your scrap bag out and get creating! 

To make it super easy, I've also included specific cutting instructions for people who use Imperial (Letter) size card stock, so you can get a great result.

There are 3 ways you can get the March 2023 Tutorial Bundle.

1.  Place an order with me for $50 or more using the current month's Host Code (shown in the side bar on the right) and you will receive the tutorial bundle for FREE. I will email you the PDF file within 24 hours of your order being confirmed.  

2. You can purchase the tutorial with Instant Download through my Etsy store by clicking here. You can pay with a credit card or PayPal and you DO NOT need to sign up to Etsy to make a purchase. Check out as a guest if you are not a member.

3.  Join my team and you will get this bundle of tutorials FREE every month to use for your personal crafting or for classes. You can see all the details over on the Join My Team page. It might be the right time for you consider the opportunity to run your own home-based craft business or to get a great discount on your craft supplies. There is a fabulous joining offer during Sale-a-bration where you can choose from 3 options, including a fabulous Boho Blue (yes that's a new In Color coming in May!) Mini Stampin' Cut & Emboss machine.

Once you have received the tutorials, please remember not to share or distribute the printed or electronic copies of these bundles. We have worked hard to provide these exclusive projects for your use. If you know someone that would like to purchase the bundle, please direct them to me to obtain their copy. Thanks for your support.

Now it's time to hop over to Debbi to see her clever ways to use scraps. 

Thanks for visiting today!

• Shop my Online Store 24/7
• See the latest Stampin' Up! Promotions
• Request a FREE Catalogue
• Check out my Tutorial Store

CASE-ing the Catty - 2023 Sale-a-bration

Hi there

Welcome to CASE-ing the Catty for this week!  

If you've come from visiting  Tina, then welcome!  If you're visiting me, I appreciate you stopping by today!  You can continue your journey to see the other inspiring creations from the CTC Crew by clicking on the buttons at the bottom of the post. 

The challenge this week is to CASE a project of our own choice from the 2023 Sale-a-bration Brochure. Can you believe it is less than 10 days to the end of February and that means the end of Sale-a-bration! If you still have some free goodies on your wishlist, then order soon as it is likely that they will run out as the end of the promotion nears.

I chose the card above from page 15 of the Sale-a-bration Brochure. I think it was the angled patterned paper at the bottom of the card that drew my eye and the balloon going out of the stamped circle. 

I started with a Fresh Freesia card base and then added the embossed panel with a narrow border of white. I used the Quatrefoil Tile embossing folder which is a beautifully detailed design. For the angled piece, I chose the spotted design from the Butterfly Kisses 6" x 6" DSP and topped it with the Blackberry Bliss and Fresh Freesia geometric design from the Sale-a-bration Favored Flowers DSP. Before adding the angled panel to the card base I wrapped 2 strands of white Baker's Twine around the join and finished with a bow.

I stamped the large floral image from the Sale-a-bration Beautifully Happy stamp set in Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto Basic White. I positioned the second largest of the circle dies from the Stylish Shapes Dies over the image and traced around the outside to identify where the image would go over the circle. I then cut around those sections and positioned them over the top of the die so they wouldn't get cut.  It is a little fiddly, but it is an interesting effect. The image was then coloured with Fresh Freesia and Granny Apple Green Stampin' Blends alcohol markers. I stamped the middle part of the image again and fussy cut the centre flower and the one coming out from the left. They were coloured and then popped up over the image to add dimension. I used a glue dot on the small flower, under the green part so that stayed flat and the flower lifts up. Use your bone folder to slightly curl the flower first. The greeting from the same stamp set was stamped in Blackberry Bliss and cropped with the banner from the Stylish Shapes Dies. I popped it under the flower and added a Dimensional to support it at the other end. To finish I added the Dragonfly Trinket with a glue dot and a trio of 2021-23 In Color Opal Rounds. 

For the inside I have partially stamped the flower image in the corner and coloured it the same as the front.  I stamped  the complementary birthday greeting in Blackberry Bliss ink. 

 

Project Details
Stamps	Beautifully Happy
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Fresh Freesia, Butterfly Kisses DSP, Favored Flowers DSP
Ink	Memento Tuxedo Black, Blackberry Bliss
Accessories	2021-23 In Color Opal Rounds, Baker's Twine Essentials Pack, Dragonfly Trinkets
Tools	Stylish Shapes Dies, Stampin' Cut & Emboss, Dimensionals, Glue Dots, Stampin' Blends (Fresh Freesia, Granny Apple Green)

 

We would love to see your CASE of a project from the 2023 Sale-a-bration Brochure, this week. Click on this link or the image below to go there. The first time you will need to cte bundlick on the 'Join Group' button at the top. Once you have been added to the group, you can go ahead and post your creation and you do not need to have a blog. 

You can head over to the lovely Kathryn to see her fab card and follow the hop to see the inspiration from the rest of the CTC Crew.

Don't forget, that Sale-a-bration finishes on 28 February 2023, so you only have 3 weeks left to earn your favourite FREE products when you place a qualifying order of $90AUD or more. Plus, there are now a lot more choices available for Level 1 ($90AUD) rewards. Head over to my Online Store to check them out.

Thanks for visiting today!

• Shop my Online Store 24/7
• See the latest Stampin' Up! Promotions
• Request a FREE Catalogue
• Check out my Tutorial Store

CASE-ing the Catty - Love with Hues of Happiness

Hi there

Welcome to CASE-ing the Catty for this week!  

If you've come from visiting  Monique, then welcome!  If you're visiting me, I appreciate you stopping by today!  You can continue your journey to see the other inspiring creations from the CTC Crew by clicking on the buttons at the bottom of the post. 

With Valentine's Day almost upon us, our challenge this week is to case A 'love' project. I have interpreted this to mean a project that is expressing affection.

I chose the card above from page 14 of the 2023 January- April Mini Catalogue for my inspiration. I had the large background die cut from the Two-Tone Flora Dies on my desk waiting to be used. I had cropped it with Adhesive Sheet on the reverse for another project and oops, I put the die upside down on my pre-scored card stock, so couldn't use it. However, it was perfect for making a card.

I removed the backing from the Adhesive Sheet and placed a piece of card stock to cover the die cut design and then trimmed it down to the exact size. This way, you have the firm base for cutting the delicate edges of the die cut. I then created a card base to fit, which is slightly larger than normal, to get an even border on all sides. I used the Foam Adhesive Strips to pop up the panel on the card base. It gives a lovely firm result and looks super neat from all sides.

I've used the Framed Florets Dies to crop the ovals and my favourite flowers and foliage from the Hues of Happiness DSP layered around the edge of the Gold Foil oval. I masked the greeting from the Flowers of Friendship stamp set to stamp the 'WITH' in Night of Navy ink and cropped it with the smallest of the Stitched Rectangles Dies.  The 'love' was cropped with the Love For You Dies and I added Foam Adhesive Sheet to the reverse before cutting. It is a tad fiddly to get it out of the frame, but you can see in the photo above the extra depth and texture it gives to the card. I positioned it so some letters touched the 'WITH', to connect them. I finished with a trio from the Glossy Dots Assortment and the faux bow under the large flower in white Baker's Twine.

For the inside I have a narrow boreder of Fresh Freesia around the writing panel and a fussy cut rose and foliage in the bottom corner. The greeting was done with my computer and printed in Night of Navy colour.

Project Details
Stamps	Flowers of Friendship
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Fresh Freesia, Night of Navy, Gold Foil, Hues of Happiness DSP
Ink	Night of Navy
Accessories	Glossy Dots Assortment, Baker's Twine Essentials Pack
Tools	Two-Tone Flora Dies, Fitting Florets Dies, Love For You Dies, Stitched Rectangle Dies, Stampin' Cut & Emboss, Dimensionals, Foam Adhesive Sheet, Foam Adhesive Strips

 

We would love to see your CASE of a 'love' project from either catalogue, this week. Click on this link or the image below to go there. The first time you will need to cte bundlick on the 'Join Group' button at the top. Once you have been added to the group, you can go ahead and post your creation and you do not need to have a blog. 

You can head over to the lovely Rebecca to see her fab card and follow the hop to see the inspiration from the rest of the CTC Crew.

Don't forget, that Sale-a-bration finishes on 28 February 2023, so you only have 3 weeks left to earn your favourite FREE products when you place a qualifying order of $90AUD or more. Plus, there are now a lot more choices available for Level 1 ($90AUD) rewards. Head over to my Online Store to check them out.

Thanks for visiting today!

• Shop my Online Store 24/7
• See the latest Stampin' Up! Promotions
• Request a FREE Catalogue
• Check out my Tutorial Store