Very Simply Susan

I have green, green and more green for you today! Looking for a background I could use the new gold hoops on, I spied this wonderful paper in the Forever Greenery DSP. I love the color combination! I thought it looked more Granny Apple Green than Pear Pizzaz, so that is where I took this bold, graphic design. And I love how it turned out.

This card is my entry for theGlobal Design Project  #GDP244 Case The Designer challenge this week. To see more fabulous designs for this challenge, click on the image below.

For this challenge, I really wanted to use a Gold Hoop as the circle shape focal point. These new embellishments are simply elegant in their simplicity. And while I used them pretty typically for the Forever Greenery Suite, I think they have lots of design possibilities and I hope to try more soon!

Because the DSP pattern is so bold, I decided to stay simple and play off the dark Pretty Peacock color as contrast. I did that by using a narrow frame around the DSP and using it to frame the sentiment and the “greenery” created with die cuts from Forever Flourishing dies.

To play up the gold in the hoop, I die cut Gold Foil Paper using the Sunflower dies. They have 2 long sprigs in this die set that work perfect with Forever Greenery.  The “greenery” was bundled together using Gold Metallic-Edge ribbon re-colored with a Granny Apple Green Stampin’ Blend. And finally,  a sprinkle of Gilded Gems finished the card.

Stampin’ Tip: The Mini Glue Dots (Item 103863) are perfect for adhering the Gold Hoops. The Mini Glue Dots secure the hoop well and you can hide them behind the greenery. I used 2 mini glue dots and the hoop is very secure.

Another favorite Stampin’ Tip is to use Stampin’ Blends to re-color ribbon. Use a Stampin’ Blend on any neutral or light color ribbon. I start with the light color and add another coat if needed. That usually provides the perfect color match. I used a Granny Apple Green Stampin’ Blend(Item 14724) in the light blend for this card.

What I Used To Make This Card

Today, June 10, 2020 is the last day to subscribe to get the June kit!

Are these colors fabulous! They are some of the New In Colors for 2020-2022. I think they are some of the happiest new colors I’ve seen! So, it was a  natural to use the Timeless Tropical set and use these brand new colors.

Using a carryover set with some new In Color Designer Series paper is a great way to transition into the new catalog, which is live now! If you are on my mailing list, you should have your copy any day. Until then, you can see a digital version of the catalog by clicking on the catalog on the right.

This card features an all new Designer Series Paper stack with all new patterns. I was a little sad the old patterns retired, but after using the new patterns in this card, I love them! So, new is good! Here’s a little peek at what you new patterns in the new 2020-2022 In Colors!

One of the many things I love about the Timess Tropical suite, is the matching die cut set. The sizes are just perfect for card making with a tropical flair. I die cut using the DSP to give the leaves a textured look. And using a subtle pattern DSP for die cuts softens the look quite a bit. I added more texture by fraying some Braided Linen trim and added a few Bumble Bee enamel dots. I love these colors together and I thought they looked perfect for a tropical themed card. But they also look great for a floral card. My design earlier this week featured the same colors with the Sunflower Celebrations set. You can see that card HERE!

What I Used To Make This Card

Today’s post is all about Sunflowers. Sunflowers are one of my all time favorite flowers. How can you not be cheered up by the site of a sunflower. They are big, bright and beautiful. My card today is for the Floral Theme challenge at Global Design Project #GDP243. See more gorgeous florals by clicking on the image below.

I have been having so much fun with the Flowers For Every Season suite. The vintage prints in the papers are just beautiful. And the papers show off the new In Colors beautifully. For this card I wanted a fairly simple design as I am also using this card for a Demo swap and had to make lots! And because my Demo preorder supplies were limited, I came up with 2 designs. I love both equally! And I plan to try more combinations of papers and patterns with this card design. Here is my second look.

This design uses the floral under the pattern. And again, I can’t tell you which one I like better! The card design is simple and the big, bold sunflower die is easy to cut with the pieces separating very easily. I wish the image showed all the texture in the sunflower center the dies create. I did not add any backing to the die cut as I like the light airy feel that allowed the background to show through.

If you love Sunflowers, Celebrate Sunflowers is a must have for you! From summer celebrations to harvest occasions, this set will be a go to for many months to come.

What I used to make this card: