Very Simply Susan

Who doesn’t like roses on their birthday?  I know I love them!  This paper from the Birthday Bouquet DSP has a vintage look to it I really like. I was trying to make it work with Watermelon Wonder as the accent paper, but it looked the best with Blushing Bride. The softer pink with Mossy Meadow set off the paper better and let the deep coral looking color in the roses pop a little.  I also love the paper in this set with the watercolor graphic look, so I used it in the middle as a backdrop to the sentiment.

Pink and green is about as traditional as you can get, so I felt using the Birthday Wishes from Rose Wonder and the a tiny rose cutout from the Rose Garden Thinlets topped with a pearl was in keeping with a very traditional look.  The look is pretty enough your “Aunt Madge” would be delighted to get this card, but the paper also has that hip, vintage look that your college age niece “Amber Tiffany”would be excited about as well!

Recipe

Papers: Mossy Meadow, Blushing Bride, Birthday Bouquet DSP
Stamps: Rose Wonder
Inks: Mossy Meadow
Tools: Rose Garden Thinlets Dies, Big Shot
Embelishments: Basic Pearls

This very quick and very easy card uses my favorite paper from the Botanical Gardens DSP.  I think the Bird of Paradise design on the black background is rich looking and elegant.  So much so, you only need to show off the paper and not clutter up the card too much, which is exactly what I did!

The sentiment and frame are from the Rose Wonder set.  I got the Rose Wonder set as much for the sentiments as for anything else. The lettering font is beautiful and the set is chock full of sentiments for every occasion.  And with a paper this special, I really needed a simple but elegant sentiment.  This one with the lovely font and the framed die cut is a perfect compliment to this paper.  A little gold thread frames it just so.  The Cajun Craze paper mat finishes it off!

Recipe

Papers: Botanical Gardens DSP, Black, Cajun Craze
Stamps: Rose Wonder
Inks: Black
Tools: Rose Garden Thinlets Dies, Big Shot
Embellishments: Metallic Gold Thread

This is another  “untraditional” Valentine’s Day card.  You don’t have to have red in a card to make it appropriate for Valentine’s Day.  Sometimes the sentiment is enough.  And this one,  “Dream without fear, love without limits” is a sentiment stamp I have fallen in love with myself!  It can be used for a Valentine’s Day card, an encouragement card or even a home decor piece.  The sentiment is from the Picture Perfect set and this set lends itself to so many possibilities.  This photopolymer set features some “photo real” images from nature along with some untraditional sentiments.  The set is definitely for the stamper who likes to push the boundaries or be a little more artistic. With this card, I kept it simple.  I just wanted to show off the paper, Perfectly Artistic DSP from the “Limited-Time” Sale-A-Bration offer.  The paper is just lovely with 6 shades of subtle water color looking designs.  I hope we see more of this type paper from Stampin Up!  The paper is a great background paper and lends itself to so many looks from artsy to traditional.

The starfish stamp is a 2-step stamp.  Using 2 stamps gives the starfish a very realistic, almost dimensional look.  It is hard to see from the photo here, but these stamps almost make the starfish look like a photograph.  I also tried to “sparkle up” the image a little by coloring the image with the new Wink of Stella Glitter Brush.  It looks great in real life, but the photograph does not do it justice. At any rate, if you like a little glitter but don’t like the mess, try the Wink of Stella Glitter Brush!  It is fabulous!

Recipe

Papers: Perfectly Artistic DSP, Soft Sky, Soft Suede
Stamps: Picture Perfect
Inks: Soft Suede, Chocolate Chip
Embellishments: Linen Thread, Basic Pearls