It Starts with Art Floating Frame Cards

Happy Thursday!  Today's cards are made using the Floating Frame technique.  I created the pieces using stamps from the It Starts with Art stamp set and the coordinating Arts and Crafts Dies (available in a bundle, or if you want it all, as part of the Follow Your Art Suite Bundle).  I colored the pieces I created with Stampin' Blends.   I arranged my pieces, then cut with one of the Stitched Nested Labels Dies.  After cutting, I used dimensionals to adhere the pieces to Basic Black card stock (for the interior piece, I cut a piece of Basic Black with the same Stitched Nested Label die, then carefully pieced those together).

Here's the card I created with the interior cut out:

I used a strip of the Follow Your Art Washi Tape along the bottom of the Melon Mambo layer, which I stamped with button images.

For a coordinating envelope, I stamped and colored more images from the It Starts with Art set on the front:

I also stamped the same image on the back flap of the envelope, and here's how I decorated the inside of the card:

Here's how the card with the exterior piece of the floating frame turned out:

I added some extra buttons and faceted dots for even more sparkle and interest.   Again, I dressed up the envelope and inside of the card with some stamped images:

Hope you like these!   Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

- Michelle

P.S.  Stampin' Up! recently added some new items, including stamp sets, on the Clearance Rack!!!  You can see what's currently available in this section of my online store by clicking here.

Merry Monday: Octagon Lantern and Marlene's Watercolor Joy Card

It's Merry Monday once again!  Today I have two projects to share with you.  First is an octagon lantern I created for a swap with my friend Marlene about a year and a half ago!  I used the now-retired Eastern Palace dies and Vinyl Stickers to decorate.  I found inspiration for my lantern in this blog post, which also directed me to the pattern here.

I love this pattern and think it could be fun to adapt to create a summer lantern, too!  

The second project today is a watercolor card my friend Marlene created for the same swap.  She did the eclipse technique using watercolor paper and large letter framelits which are now retired.  She spritzed the paper and then stamped, which created a very soft and lovely effect:

I think it could be fun to try this technique with some of the word dies Stampin' Up! has and maybe create a summery version of the watercolor background.  What do you think?

Hope you enjoyed these! 

Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

- Michelle

Clean and Simple Magnolia Card

Hi!  Wow!  Have been a little quiet on the blog -- the end of school year hit fast and furious, and I'm finally feeling like I'm catching up on everything and settling into summer mode!  How about you?

Today I wanted to pop in and share a card that was quick and easy to put together, thanks in large part to the Magnolia Lane Memories and More Card Pack and Magnolia Lane Specialty Cards and Envelopes (love the silver foil and coordinating envelope liners on these!), which are new products from the new 2019-2020 Annual Catalog.  I added one of the Memories and More cards to the card front, plus one of the sticker embellishments from the pack:

I used another, larger card for the inside, along with a greeting and flower sticker from the Memories and More Pack:

For the outside of the envelope, I stamped an image from the Good Morning Magnolia Cling Stamp Set:

Then, I decided it would be much prettier if I colored the image with Watercolor Pencils:

Hope you like this idea!  If you like the products from the Magnolia Lane Suite and would like them all, be sure to click here to see the full suite bundle in my online store.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

- Michelle

Paper Pumpkin Sentimental Rose Cards

Hi!  I must confess I liked the previews for the April Paper Pumpkin kit, Sentimental Rose so much that I bought more than one kit!  I'm really glad I did, although so far I've only had time to put one of my kits together.  Definitely planning to make more cards soon, but wanted to share with you what I have created so far.

For the first kit, I pretty much assembled according to the kit instructions.  Here are all the cards in the cute packaging that's also one of the projects:

And, here's just the packaging:

The kit makes three cards each of three different designs, and comes with coordinating envelopes for each design:

I did make one alternate card using the stamps that came in the kit, with ink, cardstock and ribbon in some of the new 2019-2021 In Colors, and a flower embellishment from the Bird Ballad Trinkets:

Hope you like these!   If you'd like more information about Paper Pumpkin kits, please click here to visit my website, leave me a comment below, or send me a message.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

- Michelle

Free as a Bird Cards

Hi!  Stampin' Up!'s 2019-2020 Annual Catalog is now live, so I thought it would be fun to share a couple of cards I made with one of my favorite new sets, Free as a Bird, and the coordinating Stitched Nested Labels Dies (available together as a bundle, or even better yet, as part of the Bird Ballad Suite):

This card has a Coastal Cabana background, topped with a bit of the laser cut paper from the Occasions Catalog, now retired, but similar paper is in the new catalog here.  The lace-like die cut around the greeting is cut with one of the new Arts and Crafts Dies.   I colored the image with Watercolor Pencils and Watercolor Pencils Assortment 2.

I used another image colored the same way on my second card, again with a laser cut paper on top of the card base, this time of Crumb Cake Card Stock:

I added some fussy cut flowers and leaves to this card, which I had also colored with Watercolor Pencils.  I added Artisan Pearls in the flower centers and a bit of Old Olive Linen Thread (now discontinued, but there is Mossy Meadow Linen Thread available here) behind the colored image.

You can follow links above to see the products I used on these projects in my online store.  If you'd like to see the new catalog online, please click here. 

Here's a cute stop motion video Stampin Up! shared highlighting some of the great new products now available:

Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

- Michelle

Merry Monday: Blizzard of Wishes Card

Merry Monday!  Today's card is one that was inspired by this set of cards I saw on Pinterest, which were created by Sarah Lloyd (see her original post with these here).  I sponged a combination of Rich Razzleberry and Blackberry Bliss inks to create my card and matching envelope:

I also decided to turn my card into an easel card:

Here's how I finished the inside:

 Love the artistic look of this sponge and splash background technique!  How about you?

Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

- Michelle