Paper Seedlings: HAPPINESS BLOOMS

At my April Stamp-In Workshop, this is one of the cards the girls who attended made.

The Suite, Happiness Blooms, from which the components to make the card came from, can be found on pages 24 and 25 of the Occasions Catalog. I am so so so sad that this stamp set, Bloom By Bloom, will not be in the upcoming Annual Catalog. Seriously. Just check out page 25 and look at all the wonderful stamps that are in this set. Of course, we always know that Designer Series Paper retires (for the most part anyway) at the end of a catalog. But, the stamps. And, used in conjunction with the DSP. An unbeatable team.

This Suite is so exquisite that I couldn't resist trying my hand at a cool combination for a card. The fronts and backs of the DSP sheets complement each other so well, it is almost impossible to come up with a combo that just doesn't work.

The combo I used in this card happens to be the front and back side of the same sheet. I loved the strong strong colors without any white in it. To soften the look of its strength, I added white in a few places elsewhere on the card.

I feel that I chose a sort of nontraditional way of using the Petal Burst Embossing Folder in that I had the leaves sunken in rather that bowing outwards. Upside down, in other words. I liked the definition and feel the contrast works well with the strong images.

Maybe even a little better photo of the reverse embossing.

The use of a few Stampin' Dimensionals gives the card a modest amount of

dimension, perfect for mailing. I always appreciate that!

Keep on reading for a list of supplies and a tutorial on how you can make a card like this.

SUPPLIES:

Happiness Blooms Designer Series Paper (Retiring, page 25, Occasions Catalog)

Whisper White cardstock

Bloom By Bloom stamp set (Retiring, page 25, Occasions Catalog)

Humming Along stamp set (Retiring, page 36, Occasions Catalog)

Lovely Lipstick ink

Call Me Clover ink

Pineapple Punch ink

Big Shot (Retiring!!!!!)

Circles Dies

Petal Burst Embossing Folder (Retiring, Page 223, Annual Catalog)

Banner Dies (Long retired)

Stampin' Dimensionals

INSTRUCTIONS:

Fold a 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" piece of Whisper White cardstock in half, creasing it well with a bone folder.

Leaving even margins at the top, bottom and left side, adhere a 2" x 5 1/4" piece of the red/blue/yellow DSP to the card base. Snugged right up against this piece, add a 7/8" x 5 1/4" piece of the blue/green DSP.

Insert a 1 1/8" x 5 1/4" strip of Whisper White cardstock inside the Petal Burst Embossing Folder. Run through the Big Shot to emboss. Add this to the card front, but flip it so the embossing is "upside down".

Create your focal point on a 2 3/4" circle cut from Whisper White cardstock, adding flowers, dots, leaves and the sentiment as you wish. If you change colors, be sure to clean the stamp before and after!

Cut a banner from a scrap of the DSP. Snip the banner in half so the two pieces are of unequal length. Overlap them and adhere them to the back side of the stamped circle at an angle.

Using a few Stampin' Dimensionals, add the finished circle to the card, about 1" from the top and 1/2" from the right edge.