Good Monday to you!
As you have noticed…I have been “unplugged” but I am here with you today! As we all know, life is life (one of my favorite sayings) and I have been needed in many directions over the past week with family, friends and Easter! I have skimmed through emails and many thanks for the emails of concern and….my Dad is fine.
Last week was a week of Doctors appointments but he is doing great….I think that I get my “keep going” attitude from him! We have all heard the saying, “one day at a time”….well – I take that one to heart and truly I have had to look at each day what I could get done and also what I needed to just say…..“not today”.
The great news is…..I have a SUPER card for you today filled with lots of pictures and YEP.…dimensions for you as this is one great layout and it is also a super-de-duper way to USE UP THAT DSP that we have stashed as you know…….right around the corner – the NEW Catalog will come out and you know what that means…..NEW DSP for us to once again purchase to feed our paper addiction!
The star stamp set of this card is Vertical Greetings…a super stamp set from the Annual Catalog! This one is a stamp that many of you have as I think when it made its debut is was so darn different for Stampin’ Up! that we all had to snatch it up! I love the uniqueness of the sentiments being vertical but the other thing I love…the price – super affordable at just $19.00
The magic of this card uses just 3 colors…..the classic Black and White combo that we all adore and then the POP is Pear Pizzazz! Truth be told I was going to use Lemon Lime Twist but I thought that Chris R. would not think of that being a fitting way to add love to this clean and classic card….and so it was the Pear Pizzazz….the color that Sonny P loves! You see….I do listen to your likes and also dislikes!
The DSP Collection is from the Petal Passion….another HUGE HIT from the Occasions Catalog. I admit….I know that there will be many more new paper collections coming out that I am going to adore…but I think that I will purchase some extras of this beauty…..I ask you – how can you go wrong with a FAB-O Classic like Black and White!?!?!
Now to the part that you REALLY WANT….the dimensions for you to CASE AWAY…..and guess what ??? I HOPE THAT YOU DO as this really is a great layout. If you have any questions, please leave me a comment or email me….I would love to hear how you like this super simple card.
I know that I have been blogging about being selective as what to purchase and what I need to pass on….I can remember when this stamp set 1st came out I looked at it and thought…...LOVE the vertical Sentiments…..LOVE the topiaries as to me, they are super clean and classic….LOVE the fact that there are many practical sentiments that I could use for many different occasions…..so YEP….it had to come to live on Randall Lane!
What makes this card unique and a bit different that what you are used to seeing me create is the fact that the front of the card has been partially cut off and also that I am using a “color of cardstock” for my base as I usually tend to go with the thick Whisper White or Very Vanilla!
This really is sooooooo darn EASY!!!!!
- The card base is an A-2 size ( 4 1/4″ X 5 1/2″ ) in Pear Pizzazz with the fold to the left and then cut off 1″ from the front Pear Pizzazz panel
- The inside is Thick Whisper White at 4″ X 5 1/4″ and then I stamped the Thank You greeting so it was centered as the card was closed.
- The DSP on the front is 3″ X 5 1/4″
- The White piece that the topiary is stamped on is 1 1/2″ X 4 1/4″ and then matted in Pear Pizzazz at 1 3/4″ X 4 1/2″
- Using Fun Foam I popped up the topiary and then also added more height with stampin’ dimensions under the pot.
- The bow was attached with a simple glue dot.
- The envelope – my good old staple – 1/4″ X 6″ and then the DSP 2″ X 6″…adhere and cut excess away!
You can see that the color combinations are endless depending on the DSP you choose. I chose the black for the pot and at first I thought that it was too stark but after it was all together…it was perfect. Here is a tip for you – when I stamped it….I just stamped the whole image in Pear Pizza….(not worrying about the color of the pot).
Next, I stamp the pot twice in black on scrap paper. WHY TWICE? Easy – you know that I am type A with details…..so after a quick snip of the pot I adhered one over the green one that I stamped and then popped up the other one over top. The way that I look at it is that this just takes seconds to make a much better visual difference in case any one see the green pot from the side.
I know that I will be seeing the new catalog this weekend when I go to Hartford, CT for OnStage but IF this White Organza Ribbon is being retired, I will purchase MANY, MANY rolls of this gem. It ties a perfect bow each and every time and they “behave” so well as you can fuss with them exactly the way that you want them to be….and they STAY PUT!
Because I adore this ribbon so much and it is just a classic staple for any cards that we make (how can you go wrong with white) – this White Organza Ribbon will be my gift with purchase this month for orders of $75+ using the current hostess code of WJQG4MWE (Please remember, you can always find the current hostess code to the right of my blog.)
I would be SHOCKED if it is walking the plank but you never know! I just stock up on things that “work for me” to make the process of creating that much more fun and rewarding! I hope that you know where I am coming from on this one! We DO this thing of crafting for FUN so I look at it like this – find what you like and just keep on using it! (the same way I feel of Fast Fuse)
One last picture for you before we go….a great picture for you to see the impact and difference it does make to give your envelopes some love. It’s kinda like the thing that I did with the pot…..it is the “little things that make the difference”
Once you get in the habit, you will never have your envelope be NAKED!!!
There YOU go….a card that you can easily be proud of to send and also a card that you can make in the masses and also use up a variety of papers that you have. This IS my kinda card and one that always leaves me feeling rewarded when I create it. I featured this stamp one month for my kits and using it again today for you just reiterated my love for this stamp set. As I say, it’s a keeper!
In closing I wanted to share a little something…..I do adore my blog and I do enjoy creating, sharing and hearing from you….but at the same time I need to remember that I need to actively embrace that “balance of life”! Remember me????, the person that got the kit to get the discount and run….well – I decided a different route…the route of blogging and sharing.
Doing blog posts takes a bunch of time and true I could just put up something to get the post “in” etc….but I am trying to give you not only fun, detailed and practical projects, but also a way for me to express “who I am and the whys” I do things with my crafting addiction that I have!
I do hope that you all had a wonderful holiday weekend and we certainly did on Randall Lane! It was not my plan to be unplugged but it was the right decision for me….I really do miss my cyber buddies when I am gone.
Have a fabulous day and for once….. I am SUPER excited for the calendar to roll this week…..as I am leaving on Thursday to be with 6 of my downline for the Hartford, CT OnStage…..we are doing a girls crafty time together and making it a bit of Creative Vacation for us as we have rented a house…..doesn’t get better than this……
Stampin’ hugs to you all!
Fantastic card! I love the bold DSP with the topiary. This is a fantastic set for the sentiments alone, perfect when you need a vertical something to balance out a card design.
Love what you did with the greeting ! Glad your dad is doing well (bless his heart ) and so happy to get a shout out about my PEAR PIZZAZ !
Really excited about hearing all the details from ON STAGE and what`s coming that we are gonna love !!!
Love this card, Susan, with the vertical design. That DSP really makes the green topiary pop. Bloggers are amazing to me in that I realize how much time and effort it takes to make a card, compose the write-up and post every day. I would imagine burnout rather quickly…although you are an energizer bunny and A-type personality that gives your all at 110% all the time. We appreciate your effort, but fully understand you have a life with many balls in the air at once. We miss you when we don’t see your blog, but understand you need balance and time off. Enjoy the rest of your week and your time in Hartford with your crafty friends.
Awesome card and love the layout! Pear Piz is a “go to” and it looks great with the black. Glad to hear your dad is better and you realized you need balance in life. Even though I miss when you don’t blog, it is that much more excitement and happy dancing when I see that you did. Have fun at ON STAGE.❤️
Boy, if you could see the desk right now….besides the check for over a $1,000 that my insurance company says is mine but not sure why it is. Anyway, I have lemon lime twist cardstock, ink, and also a bunch of sticky notes that are that color surrounding me as I try to work on a card while I am put on hold by the insurance company. I am sort of warming up to it but it just needs to be balanced like our lives or the teeter totter of life! Do they still have teeter-totters or are they deemed unsafe for kids these days?
Now, if anybody would have commented that they could see the green pot that you decided you had to stamp two of and fussy cut both – you could just tell them it is moss! I thought I taught you better on telling the truth about these things – planned or not planned. The card was facing N/S so it would be moss! Actually, I might and I say just might have stamped two black ones too.
I had a set of vertical greetings including holidays but darn if I can find the set. I thought when I cleaned out one of the junk rooms I would have found it but nope. Yes, you read that right – rooms as in plural. I have my hobby stuff all over the house but maybe not the bathrooms unless you want to use the alcohol wipes on my blocks etc. Anyway, vertical greetings are just darn handy so maybe I need to get this stamp just in case it goes away. I could have used it yesterday on a birthday card. I was playing with pieces and ended up adding some bling instead but Happy Birthday would have been better.
So glad your dad is ok but you know I am still going to worry about what else is going on. Meanwhile I can keep you all entertained with my stories. While I was writing this and on the phone with my insurance co. Teddy decided to put his 2 cents in. The woman I was talking to was laughing so hard at his vocals. She reminded me that it was recorded and she asked if she could play it for everyone to hear as it totally made her day. I can just see her supervisor rolling her eyes!
Whatever color you decided to pear, I mean pair, up with the black and white would have been a winner in my book as this is a win-win card! Love it!
Such a great card! And I love this stamp set, but have not used it enough. Now I have a perfect card to CASE. Thank you, Susan.
Today’s card is a definite classic and my eyes lit up as there aren’t many eye catching ideas out there for this set.
I truly get the need to “unplug” because life happens to all of us. The last several months of my life keep me looking forward to my beach vacation lol. Easter was the first holiday without grandparents and the last couple of months have been a whirlwind of memories.
Everyone blogs differently and I can only imagine the work that you put into your posts. I admire your blog for what it is and for the fact you take the time to share the whys and hows (and stories and fur-kid photos!) There is absolutely nothing wrong with not posting every day and unplugging when needed. I am happy the news of your dad is good news!! Have fun this weekend 🙂
Awesome card Susan!!! I think a case is in order for the thanks I need to send to my dad!
This card is a winner-winner chicken dinner success. I do have the vertical stamp and have used the sentiments often. Have wished that SU would make a vertical sentiment for Christmas too. Glad to hear the news about your Dad. I completely understand about unplugging, and prioritizing. Living our best life is always the best choice. Your upcoming trip sounds fantastic. I love to rent houses and spend time with my girlfriends. Have a great time. I will CASE this card!
Wonderful, wonderful card! Just finished casing it tonight and am DEE-lighted with the results! Used the same colors you did and it is stunning! Only thing I did different was heat embossed the side sentiment in black for a little extra. I needed a quick card and this was perfect. Thanks so much for sharing the details. Makes it so much easier for us ‘challenged’ card makers! Love your blog. Happy to hear your dad is doing okay. Kate
I love this card. So clean and classic. The layout is great. I know I will be CASEing it.
I’m so glad to hear your dad is doing well!!! I’m also glad you are keeping your “balance”. You have to take good care of yourself too!
Susan,
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this card. I am glad you are getting in balance. I too have been spending more time creating and less time worrying about my blog. It is freeing!
The weekend ahead sounds amazing. I think I can name 4 of you and I so wish I was one of the six.
Please send my best to everyone.
Wonderful post today! Yes, I bought that stamp set when it first came out and it has been sadly neglected (until now). Thank you for your inspiration. I will be in Hartford also and would love to say “hi” to you. Thanks again!
Kudos to you for keeping yourself balanced, this said from your unbalanced friend! Love this card and I will be casing it for sure (with a different B&W paper) as I need to make a few cards to pop in the mail ASAP. This set caught my eye and was on my “must buy” list as soon as I saw it. I love topiary and the vertical greetings were a must have. I know several who poo-poohed this set when it came out. Well, they can’t all be as brilliant as you or I, now can they!???? 😉
Love the card. Glad your father is doing well. Hope to see you in Hartford.