Happy Tuesday and I hope that everyone had a wonderful weekend!

Before we get to this post I need your help with some feedback if you have been experiencing issues with my blog. I was having some computer issues and I have received emails that there are issues with the comment section and also delivery. If you have experienced this, please email me so I can properly try to see what is up!

WHEW…you know me and computers…not a happy marriage – let’s get to the fun!

Can you believe that this is the last week of the Month….and that is NO April Fools! We are blessed with a glorious sunny day and the card that I have for you today is perfect to go with this perfect day of sunshine! You know we have been talking about using up the DSP we have stashed….so here you go, more inspiration!

Today I am going to the Annual Catalog with the Bunch of Blossoms Photopolymer Stamp Set. I do not know about you….but there are many times that I feel the Annual Catalog gets a bit “back-burnered” …and we are always so excited to see the newbies from the Holiday and Occasions Catalogs that we forget about many of the “keepers” that are on the Annual Catalog!

This stamp set has been around a while and you can see below that there is a punch that coordinates with it. Do you remember last week we were talking about the ease and speed of the punches? Well today….is a perfect example of that !To me, ease and speed are 2 key ingredients that speak to me when I am card making!

You might be wondering why it is not a bundle? Well….it WAS a bundle eons ago when it was first introduced to the Stampin’ Up! line but always remember, they will not always stay as a bundle – that is why it is a great idea to snatch them up before a new catalog comes out.

No worries…as you can still get them separately and YES  – I would definitely get the Blossom Builder Punch as it does save a bunch of time. Another thing that I want to point out to you today is……when you are short of ideas and inspiration…..just google the name of our Stamp sets and I am sure that you will find a ton of inspiration

Do you also remember last Monday that I share with you that it is time to use up paper? We….I am doing that today as well because the reality of it is that we are going to be tantalized with many different new offerings really soon when the New Annual Catalog comes out on June 1st. Now THIS IS a very exciting time when we see the new kids on the block but darn, please do not forget to give that big & beautiful Annual Catalog love throughout the year!

The paper is the Petal Garden Paper and it was used a BUNCH when it first made its entrance last June but then…..I think it was pushed away. With the sunshine and Spring here…let’s pull it back out and use it! I was so happy to see how easy it was to coordinate 2 different prints with ease on the focal part of the card.

I can remember my initial thought about this paper…it was “I think it’s pretty but is it too fussy for my style” – Yep, I pre-judged how the end result would be if I could make it work for my style and I think that todays card will prove it to you that I was wrong. It IS a Susan type card and actually I was so pleased with the end result that I am going to make it in the Calypso Coral as well!

This stamp set it super fun to work with because it is a photopolymer  stamp which makes it super easy to look through and line up. The stamp allows you to build up layers of colors but building on top of each other. The ink colors that I used today were Sweet Sugarplum and Rich Razzelberry.

It appears that I have 3 colors but there is only 2. I stamped the 1st layer in Sweet Sugarplum and then for the 2nd layer, I stamped it “off once” in Rich Razzelberry before stamping it over top and lastly the 3rd layer was Rich Razzelberry in full strength. That “stamping off” a color really works super and it is something that I think we all forget about.

Did you notice that the pattern of the DSP also matched the Trellis Garden Embossing Folder? Yep, it does and that added texture on both the rectangle on the card front as well as the envelope flap is the icing on the card. (I wish that you were holding it in your hand as it is just stunning)

I am trying to remember to use the embossing folders more often as they are a super quick and easy way to add pizzazz to a card with little expense and little effort Here is a tip….I always keep a spray mister bottle of water by Mr. Big and mist my paper before I run it through with an embossing folder. It help the paper fibers get a nice and deep emboss.

The other tip that we all know to do….it add layers of paper with different dimensions. We can do that easily with dimensionals but we can also do that by simply adding movement to the edges of the paper with the bone folder. WHAT? Yep, look below and you can that I curled the petals of the flowers.

The 2 base ones are adhered on with green glue at the base but I left the free edges tipped up a bit and just the middle petal is lifted with a dimensional. Please do not be afraid to work your paper with the bone folder – by going back and forth with it will break down the fibers and allow it to be supple.

That’s it for today….one beautiful card that used 2 different prints from the same DSP Collection….one big and bold covering the entire panel of the card….the other just a quick accent to add interest to the stamped image. I hope that you stretch yourself and try using more than one print to a card, the effect is super and when you also throw in an embossed piece….I say…

“bases load and the envelope fun is the homerun!”

The hour glass has DEFINITELY turn for the end of Sale-A-Bration……remember, you only have until Saturday to swoop up the FREEBIES with purchases but to me the best deal, the 2 Free Stamp Sets that you could have with being a hobby demo…..I know that this seems to scare the heck out of you….but it is as easy as saying, I get a minimum of a 20% discount each and everyday! Email me, I would love to be able to answer any questions you might have!

Have a great day and I will do my best to be back on track tomorrow, I need to take my Dad to Baltimore today so we all know how that might be….enjoy the day and thanks for sharing some of your precious time with me, I deeply appreciate it and I hope that this card showed you that “Today is the perfect day to be happy” …….xoxoxox