It is time for another Fancy Friday Blog Hop. This month we are creating stepped up cards. What does that mean exactly? Basically, we made two cards...one that would be easy for a new stamper/card maker and one for the more avid stamper/card maker. If you are viewing our blog hop, then you should have just arrived here from visiting my talented Canadian friend, Shannon Lane. Let's get started with my "simple" card...OK, well not exactly simple, but not difficult either.
Jennifer Timko created this great basic sketch for our Fancy Friday Step-it Up Challenge. Truth be told, I started working part-time at my church this week and didn't realize there was a sketch that we were supposed to use. I was relieved to find out that my cards were a fairly close interpretation of the sketch so I decided to go for it!
In a way, this blog post is a continuation of my last blog post. I told you how I used white craft ink refill mixed with Classic Ink Refills to ink the flower images. The colors don't always stay true, but the results are still amazing. Like I said the other day, you definitely want to stamp several flowers at one time with this technique so you don't waste ink. On these cards I used Melon Mambo, Elegant Eggplant, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, and Cucumber Crush.
I also used some of the leftover pink ink to color a scrap of cardstock and then I die cut the word "hope". The most challenging thing about this card is arranging the flowers. I picked up this trick from the amazing Jennifer McGuire. She lays out her die cut images on her work surface and then uses a piece of Press'n Seal to to pick up the die cuts as a unit, apply some glue in just the right places, add dimensional adhesive, and then apply the entire bouquet to the front of the card. Brilliant!
To keep this card simple, yet beautiful, I used a piece of Irresistibly Floral Specialty DSP for the card front mounted on a top-folding card base made with Thick Whisper White cardstock. This beautiful paper gives you the look of embossing without the hassle. Now let's move on to my stepped-up card...
This card is inspired by the amazing designer, Kate Spade, New York. You will find her beautiful products in just about every specialty boutique in the country. I adore her designs, although I find them a bit too pricey for my somewhat limited budget. So how did I get the Kate Spade look on this card? Simple! I substituted some bold black & white striped paper for the card base and added gold glitter accents. The colorful flowers are right in line with her style as well.
I also popped up some of the flowers on dimensionals and added a few additional flower layers. I added some clear sequins for some additional bling. I tried to keep the card layout almost the same so you could see what a difference a few changes can make.
Just because this card is stepped-up, doesn't necessarily mean it is better. I have to tell you that both of these cards are beautiful in real life. It really comes down to the personal style of the person you are sending them to. Also, the first card may be a little easier to send through the mail because it has less bulk.
I am excited to see what the other Fancy Friday team members have created. We have some new friends and some returning friends this month on our hop. Be sure to hop on over to visit my super talented friend, Becky Crowley. You may remember that Becky was on the Artisan Design Team with me a few years ago and she currently works as a concept artist at Stampin' Up!
I WOULD LOVE TO BE YOUR DEMONSTRATOR!
If you are in the United States and need a demonstrator, then you can order your supplies in my online store here.
Have a blessed day!
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