Sneak Peek - Pretty Florals

 When I attended Stampin' UP!'s OnStage convention two weeks ago I won a Prize Patrol (where we win a prize depending on a number preprinted on our name badge).  And I received a new, upcoming stamp set called Pretty Florals.  I had just watched a demonstration of someone making cards using the set, and I was thrilled to get my hands on one.

So when I needed a thank you card for a customer, I thought I would take Pretty Florals for a spin:

I started by cutting a piece of Basic White cardstock and stamping the flower image directly on it.  I used Shy Shamrock for the stem/leaves and the new Strawberry Slush for the flowers.  It's a two-step process; I first stamped the "filler" after stamping off the inked stamp, and then I inked up the detailed flower image and stamped it using full-strength ink.  

The simplicity of this card doesn't take away from how pretty it is!  All I needed to do was to mount my stamped image over a piece of the coordinating Florals in Bloom designer series paper and add a greeting.

Pretty Florals has coordinating dies, but I didn't even use them for this lovely card.  I'll save that for another day.

Pretty Florals will be released May 6th with the upcoming 2025-26 Annual Catalog.  Mark your calendar and get ready to get your hands on this lovely floral stamp set!

Product List

My Small Business Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)

[163720]

$19.00

Shy Shamrock Classic Stampin Pad

[163808]

$9.00

Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[159276]

$13.00

Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock

[159229]

$11.25

Brushed Brass Butterflies

[158136]

$10.00

A Floating Image Card

I saw a card on Lisa Curcio's page of a Floating Image Card, and since I had a special friend having a birthday I decided to try to create one.  It really was not difficult, just lots of pieces.  But I love the outcome:

 It's an interesting fold; the sides can fold behind or over the little card in the middle, but it's really just one piece (with a card added to the middle).

I chose to use one of my favorite stamp/die bundles, Layers of Beauty.  Stamping the main image, I then used the masks to isolate just one single rose with some leaves, and colored it with Blending Brushes and inks.  I then used the coordinating dies to cut it out, along with a few extra leaves.

I adhered some of the Floral Delight designer series paper to the side panels, and stamped a few of the single flower stamps from the set, coloring them with Blends.

The card can be folded to fit into a regular envelope:

The panels can also be folded to the back, but I wanted a little protection for my popped up rose.

I still think the Layers of Beauty bundle is one of the most beautiful floral images I have ever worked with; I marvel each time I remove the mask at how gorgeous the flowers are!  

Layers of Beauty will be carried over to the upcoming 2025-26 Annual Catalog; however the stamps, dies and masks will no longer be sold as a bundle with 10% savings.  So you may want to pick it up now while you can still save!  

Product List

Layers Of Beauty Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)

[163514]

$20.00

Layers Of Beauty Bundle (English)

[163519]

$56.50

Lemon Lolly Classic Stampin' Pad

[161666]

$9.00

Daffodil Delight Classic Stampin' Pad

[147094]

$9.00

Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pad

[147087]

$9.00

Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad

[147090]

$9.00

Old Olive Stampin' Blends Combo Pack

[154892]

$11.00

Daffodil Delight Stampin' Blends Combo Pack

[154883]

$11.00

Floral Delight 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper

[164700]

$12.50

Old Olive 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[100702]

$11.50

Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[159276]

$13.00

Layers Of Beauty Decorative Masks

[163517]

$13.00

Blending Brushes

[153611]

$15.00

Layers Of Beauty Dies

[163518]

$30.00

Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine

[149653]

$130.00

Linen Thread

[104199]

$5.00

Stampin' Dimensionals

[104430]

$4.25

More Cheers & Sips

Yesterday I showed you my goofy anniversary card for my husband, but it doesn't really show what you can do with the Cheers & Sips bundle of stamps and dies.  So today I have another card that is a bit more "serious"?  At least it was created with good intentions to celebrate a friend's birthday:

For this card, I actually stamped the glass (unlike yesterday when I cut it directly from the patterned paper).  I stamped it on the Celebratory Sips DSP, a piece that has several "blobs" of "wine"--I stamped the glass over it, then cut it out and voila - a filled glass!  

I also stamped and colored some blackberries and a strawberry (because who doesn't love a little sangria?), and cut an extra blackberry for an embellishment.  

My glass was layered onto a Basic White circle cut with the Spotlight on Nature dies, then mounted to a card base of Blackberry Bliss and a strip of the DSP.  

This is going to be a fun set for celebrations!  It will be available through the OnLine Exclusives starting May 4th when the new 2025-26 Annual Catalog goes live.  

Product List

Blackberry Bliss Classic Stampin' Pad

[147092]

$9.00

Blackberry Bliss 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[133675]

$11.50

Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[159276]

$13.00

Spotlight On Nature Dies

[163580]

$35.00

Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine

[149653]

$130.00

Stampin' Dimensionals

[104430]

$4.25

Purple Adhesive Backed Sequins

[164970]

$8.00

Cheers & Sips

Here's a story for you:

When my brother brought Jim home to New York from USC for Christmas 1974, I felt "something" at our first meeting at the airport. Within a week I knew he would be my guy forever. He didn't know it yet. But when he left on NY Day, we vowed to keep in touch, and with MANY long-distance phone calls (remember them?) and near-daily letters, we did. On June 9, 1975 I moved to California, and we moved in together on June 20th! We were engaged by July 4th, and got married the following March. Our wedding was a bittersweet affair - Jim's dad was terminally ill, so we moved our June NY wedding to his parents' living room in March. Two days before our wedding the family-friend judge who was supposed to marry us had a stroke. After a full day of phone calls, a justice of the CA Supreme Court agreed to do the job. My parents flew out, my brother played guitar, and the 13 guests were solemn, but it was one of the 4 happiest days of my life. And here we are, 49 years later, with 3 fabulous kids (the other 3 happiest days of my life), 10 incredible grandkids, and wonderful memories of our life together. Could I be any more blessed?

Happy Anniversary, Jim! You're still my guy!

And I made a cheesy card. But I used some new products and I'll show you the new Cheers & Sips stamps and dies:

I mean, what kind of card do you make for a guy with whom you've spent a lifetime? I just wanted to celebrate our years together...

The drink glasses were cut with the Cheers & Sips dies directly from the Celebratory Sips designer series paper. The die does not cut out the sprig of (what is that?) basil (?) in the glass, but there is a stamp for it. After stamping and coloring it, I used another die to cut it out, matching up the stem to it looks like what was in the patterned paper.

Then the letters...I wanted to use the Mini Alphabet dies, but they don't include numbers. Fortunately I have held onto my "vintage" Playful Alphabet dies, so I cut those out of the designer paper (there is a full page of images that look like what you put in wine glasses, so I just took three of them and cut out the letters).

The background DSP is also from the same package.

And inside:

Yeah, cheesy and silly, but just perfect for my guy!

Happy Anniversary to us!

Product List

Layers Of Beauty Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)

[163514]

$20.00

Happy Labels Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)

[160856]

$24.00

Mossy Meadow Classic Stampin' Pad

[147111]

$9.00

Strawberry Slush Classic Stampin' Pad

[131178]

$5.95

Old Olive Stampin' Blends Combo Pack

[154892]

$11.00

Mossy Meadow 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[133676]

$11.50

Playful Alphabet Dies

[152706]

$34.00

Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine

[149653]

$130.00

Adhesive Sheets

[152334]

$11.50

Stampin' Dimensionals

[104430]

$4.25