A little something different

I mentioned yesterday that my downline, Sue Colby, taught a very cool card at our unit meeting the other day. I want to share her card with you today plus my own version. First up, Sue's card, isn't it adorable? That's a card with it's own envelope (with topper)!

I followed the basic steps we used for making Sue's card except I wanted to make one utilizing random stamping. You'll need an envelope, crimper, stamp blocks, white or off white cardstock, stamp sets (Aspiration and Buttoned Together), adhesive, a trimmer, sponge for distressing, scissors, Cocoa, Tulip, Twilight and Sorbet inks.

You can use an envelope of any size, that's the beauty of this particular card. Choose an envelope, seal it and decorate it. I used the Aspiration stamp set, inked up the flower stamp in twilight, rolled the edges in cocoa then stamped. Aspiration is currently my favorite stamp set although I am going to buy the one used on Sue's card, Endless Friendship, on the deal of the day this month. Stamp on both sides of the envelope using the random stamping technique of thinking in triangles, each three flowers are the three "points" of the triangles.

Next stamp the outline for the flower in cocoa. Because you can see through our stamps, it's a lot easier to line it up.

For something different, I used the Buttoned Together set for the next stamp. Use one of the button stamps in between the flowers in sorbet.

Use a smaller button stamp in tulip and then one of the remaining small flowers from the Aspiration set in twilight for the final small spaces.

Now, this is important. Cut off an inch strip from the right hand side of the envelope. Do this before you use a crimper. DO NOT CRIMP THE TOP CUT-OFF PIECE.

Take your crimper and crimp the envelope with the lines of the crimpers going vertical towards the top of the card which is the side that's opened.

Stamp the top of the envelope (remember the piece you cut off the side?) with the "dream" stamp from the Aspiration set. Add two sparkles.

Add little dots with a tulip pen to the flowers on the stamped images. If I were to do it again I would have chosen the cocoa pen instead.

Make the card to fit inside of the envelope by measuring your envelope and make a card that's 1/4" to 1/2" smaller. Stamp the Friendship saying from the Buttoned Together set and then added a rectangle of color as a background for my flower. Use the corner rounder to make a nice smooth finish. Distress if you like. Your background paper will be measured to fit your card so I won't give measurements on this particular one.

On a separate piece of cardstock, stamp two flowers. One of the flowers you can decorate more than the other because the second one will be under the first.

Attach the flowers to the card, the top slightly tilted so the bottom shows from behind it, then added sparkles.

You can see that the card now fits easily into the envelope and the envelope top can slide down over the bottom.


Here's the final product, I hope you take some time to try out this card for yourself.