Accented Blooms Birthday Card

Hello, Crafters.

Yesterday, I finished off sorting out all my retiring stamp sets, dies, punches, embossing folders and ribbons. Now, as long as I’ve done the job properly, I don’t have to keep checking the catalogue to make sure something hasn’t retired. It has taken me the best part of three days to re-organise everything. I’m now ready for the 4th June, which is when the new catalogue goes live. Definitely time well spent!Ooops! I’ve used Highland Heather again! I think this is such an awesome colour! The stamp set I chose is Accented Blooms, but the sentiment is from Beautiful You. Both stamp sets are carrying forward into the new catalogue. On the main stamped image, there appears to be five different types of flowers. I used just one colour, light and dark Highland Heather, to try and make them look as different as possible. Starting from the top and working left to right, these are the ways I’ve varied the flowers: a). solid colour, b). white centre and dark highlight around outside edge, c). solid colour getting darker towards the outside, d). white on the outside, Highland Heather centre wth dark highlights, e). solid colour with dark highlights coming towards outside. The more I use the Stampin’ Blends the more I like them, and I’ll be really pleased when all the colours are available. We currently have Blends for twenty-seven of our colours. There are six more colours in the new catalogue, which leaves seventeen colours without Blends!  I’m so looking forward to the day when we have Blends for all our colours. For today’s card, as wellas Highland Heather, I also used Daffodil Delight and Granny Appy Green.One day last week I decorated an envelope to match the card I’d made, and I did say no promises, but today I’ve decorated a matching envelope for my card. I should have used Stazon Ink so I could have coloured with my Stampin’ Write Marker Pens. Unfortunately, I didn’t think about it until it was too late! Rather than waste the envelope, I took a piece of thin card and inserted it inside the envelope. This was to make sure the colour didn’t transfer onto the back of the envelope! My idea worked well!I was planning to put a banner under the image, but I changed my mind and used a panel I die cut using one of the dies from the Rectangle Stitched Framelit Dies. I adhered a smaller strip of Needlepoint Nook Designer Series Paper (DSP)  on the die cut strip. If you’re thinking the strip looks longer than any of the dies in that set, you’re right! I cut the strip into two pieces, sothe cut was hidden under the image. I made the bow with some of the Sale-a-bration Ribbon I still have. Next I painted over all the flowers, including those on the envelope, using my Wink of Stella Clear Glitter Pen.To decorate the  inside of the card I added a layer of Highland Heather CS and a layer of Whisper White CS. I stamped and painted some flowers that match the envelope. The final touch was to add three Rhinestones in a straight vertical line on the top right-hand side. This is a great stamp set that I have used a few times and enjoyed it each time!

Before I go! A quick reminder for you! There are just three days left for you to order the Hugs From Shelli Paper Pumpkin Kit (152032 English; 152872 French; 152873 German – €26.00/£20.00). There are also just three days left to order the Everything is Rosy Product Medley (150059 English; 149665 French; 149666 German – €97.00/£74.00). That’s it from me today. I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday, and I look forward to be with you again tomorrow. In the meantime, happy crafting.

JanB. xx

Products used: please click on any link to be taken to my 24/7 online Stampin’Up! shop.