Hello there!  Thanks so much for stopping by to visit!

Here are a couple of bright and cheerful cards to make for a special friend (or two or three).

(click on each card to see larger image)

You can't help but smile when you see them; they're just so upbeat and happy.  I designed these cards for the May meeting of the SASS Stamp Club and the ladies were pretty tickled to make them.  AND they were also excited to make the Stationery Folder to hold these cards.

(click on folder to see larger image)

(click on inside and back folder views to see larger images)

Since there's already a post describing how to make the stationery folder, I'll just point you there for the instructions (including cardstock measurements and a scoring diagram).  The major difference between this folder and the previous folder is the focal point for the front of the folder.  Since the process for creating the focal point is nearly the same as will be discussed for the card fronts, I'll just encourage you to read on and point out any specifics for the folder along the way.

We begin with the card bases of Bashful Blue and Real Red.  A piece of Crumb Cake cardstock is punched along one long edge with the Scallop Trim Border punch and adhered approximately 1/4" from the left, top, and bottom edges of the card front with the Scallop Trim Border facing toward the right side of the card front.  (Note that the Scallop Trim Border punch is not used for the Crumb Cake mat on the focal point for the Stationery Folder.)  For the Bashful Blue card, the next mat layer is Real Red which is adhered, centered, in the un-punched area of the Crumb Cake cardstock.  For the Real Red card, the next may layer is Bashful Blue cardstock.  (Note that the layers for the Stationery Folder focal point are, from bottom to top:  Crumb Cake, Real Red, and Bashful Blue.)

Swipe the Embossing Buddy over the Whisper White pieces of cardstock and, using Versamark, stamp the stem with leaves image from the Bold Blossom stamp set.  Cover the ink with Wild Wasabi Embossing Powder and tap the excess back into the container.  Melt the embossing powder with the Heat Tool.  Tear a piece of Wild Wasabi cardstock to create the "grass" and adhere to the bottom of the Whisper White cardstock aligning the left, right, and bottom edges of the Wild Wasabi cardstock with the left, right, and bottom edges of the Whisper White cardstock.  Then adhere the Whisper White cardstock, centered, on top of the Real Red (or Bashful Blue) cardstock on the card front.

Now it's time to use the Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer punch.  Woohoo!  These new punches are so fun!  But they do work a little differently than a regular punch.  There's a slide lever to select one of the three punch styles incorporated into this punch.  So depending upon which punch style you select, the punch will only close so far.  With the Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer punch, the first layer (the solid background setting) closes the punch one-third of the way, the second layer closes the punch two-thirds of the way, and the third setting (the open petal flower) closes the punch all the way down.  I know the first couple of times I used this punch, it felt a little weird; but it didn't take long to get used to the punch action.  Here are a few more useful tips for these style punches:  be sure to leave the punch sitting flat on the work surface; place the heel of your hand over the punch label on the top of the punch when you press down on the punch; and, most importantly, be sure the cardstock you insert into the paper slot of the punch is completely inserted (all the way to the back of the paper slot).

For the Bashful Blue card, use the punch to create a Real Red solid background and a Bashful Blue open petal flower.  For the Real Red card, use the punch to create a Bashful Blue solid background and a Real Red open petal flower.  (For the Stationery Folder focal point, use the punch to create a Bashful Blue solid background and a Real Red open petal flower.  The flower pieces are adhered together with SNAIL and then adhered at the top of the Wild Wasabi-embossed stem, again, using SNAIL.  A 1/2" circle of Crumb Cake cardstock is adhered to the center of the open petal flower.  A small dot of Crystal Effects is placed at the center of the 1/2" Crumb Cake circle.  To complete the flowers, pieces of Linen Thread are inserted into the button holes of two Bitty Buttons (scallop circle for the Real Red card, 4-petal flower for the Bashful Blue card, and heart for the Stationery Folder focal point).  Then the Bitty Button is placed on the dot of Crystal Effects.

To add a touch of bling to the card, the butterfly image was stamped on Whisper White cardstock (Real Red in for the Real Red card and Bashful Blue ink for the Bashful Blue card).  The butterfly was cut out with Paper Snips and the polka-dot area of the wings dotted with adhesive from the 2-Way Glue Pen.  Chunky Essentials Glitter (White) was dusted over the wings and the butterfly was attached to the card front with a Mini Glue Dot placed on the center back of the butterfly.  Then the wings were carefully lifted up.  (Note that the Stationery Folder does not include the butterfly on the focal point.)

(click on each card to see larger image)

The inside sentiment area of the cards were lined with Whisper White cardstock.  The sentiment was stamped near the upper center with Wild Wasabi ink.  At the lower left corner, the small flower was stamped randomly (Real Red for the Bashful Blue card and Bashful Blue for the Real Red card).  For a fun finishing touch, the butterfly image was stamped just above the flowers (Bashful Blue for the Bashful Blue card and Real Red for the Real Red card).

(click on each envelope to see larger image)

The flower and butterfly stamping was repeated at the lower left front corner of the Medium Whisper White envelopes.

Need to do something cheerful on a dreary day?  Make a few of these cards and you'll be smiling from ear to ear!

Have fun!

Stamps:  Bold Blossom; Inks:  Bashful Blue, Real Red, Wild Wasabi, Versamark; Cardstock:  Bashful Blue, Crumb Cake, Real Red, Whisper White, Wild Wasabi; Designer Series Paper Pack:  Brights; Embellishments:  Whisper White 5/8" Grosgrain ribbon, Linen Thread, Bitty Buttons, Chunky Essentials Glitter (White); Adhesives:  SNAIL, 2-Way Glue Pen, Sticky Strip, Mini Glue Dots, Crystal Effects; Tools:  Paper Cutter/Scorer, Paper Snips, Bone Folder, Scallop Trim Border punch, 1/2" circle punch (Retired), Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer punch, Wild Wasabi Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Embossing Buddy, Ruler, Pencil; Other:  Medium Whisper White Envelopes