The Country Bouquet Bundle from Stampin’ Up! will help you to focus on love. This new stamp set, Country Bouquet, will be available starting January 5. And when you bundle the Country Bouquet Punch, you will automatically save 10%.
I used the Country Bouquet Bundle for my first Card Class From ME in 2023. In fact, the card pictured above was the very first card (of many to share with you!) that I created.
Sale-A-Brate With Favored Flowers
Did you catch that gorgeous designer series paper on my Country Bouquet With Love card? It is just one of several gorgeous floral designs in this FREE paper pack. Yes, I did say FREE…but there is a catch. It is FREE during Sale-A-Bration, while supplies last, with a $50 minimum order (before tax and shipping).
I chose the Calypso Coral flower pattern to use with my Evening Evergreen cardstock. The light colors in these flowers flow beautifully against the dark green backdrop. Sale-A-Bration also starts on January 5! Plan to add this fantastic flower filled paper to your qualifying order.
My Favorite Country Bouquet Stamp
It may not be fair to play “favorites”, but I definitely have one when it comes to the Country Bouquet Stamp Set. You can see it in the image above, in gold embossing. It is actually pictured twice, because I heat embossed 2 heart outline images before punching them out with the coordinating punch.
This sweet outline heart image is elegant and classy. It brings to mind weddings to me: fancy invitations or open wedding bands stacked together. This stamp is great for all kinds of love occasions, from weddings to anniversaries, and all those loving days in between.
Get Your Country Bouquet Card Class From ME
This is just one card in my featured class this week. If you would like to see the video from my online class, click this link. For more details on what is in this week’s class from Maine and how to get yours, click here.
I will be sharing more cards from the Country Bouquet Bundle as this week goes on, so be sure to check back here or follow me, The Maine Stamper, on FaceBook. I would love to know what you think of this beautiful card, made with love…
Happy New Year! As we begin January 2023, I am turning to the Country Bouquet Bundle by Stampin’ Up!.
This new bundle is available for a limited time in the January-Arpril 2023 Mini Catalog. Shopping starts on January 5, along with the much anticipated Sale-A-Bration time.
Hearts and Love
By the time January arrives, I am ready to start spreading the hearts and love in a Valentine’s style theme. The Country Floral Lane Suite Collection, home to the Country Bouquet Bundle, provides lots of heart. You supply the love as you make your cards to share with others.
Here is a look at the Country Bouquet Bundle that I am using for my class cards.
Live Card Making Class on Monday
Every Monday at 8pm EST, I am live with your weekly card making class on my FaceBook page, The Maine Stamper. I create 3 beautiful cards and share tips and techniques along the way. This class serves as your tutorial when you receive your card kits in the mail and need to put them together.
Get Your Card Kits For FREE
Yes, FREE. You will receive 2 each of 3 card designs (for a total of 6 card kits!) when you place an order of $35+ (before tax and shipping) in my online stamping store using Host Code NAQEENPK thru January 6, 2023. The card kits will be mailed on the Monday following the live class.
When you bump your order to $50 (before tax and shipping), I will send you the card kits AND a FREE pack of the embellishments I used on my cards. For the Country Bouquet Card Class, I used the Solid Faceted Gems. These adhesive backed embellishments come in 6 colors: Balmy Blue, Melon Mambo, Mossy Meadow, Night of Navy, Petal Pink and Pool Party. They will be beautiful on many of your upcoming projects!
Your Card Class From ME Awaits
The Country Bouquet Card Class will be featured during my FaceBook Live on Monday, January 2 at 8pm EST. I hope you join me to see how easy it is to put your card kits together. If you miss the live, catch the replay on FaceBook or my YouTube Channel, The Maine Stamper.
I look forward to getting your weekly card kits from Maine in the mail to you. And I know you will be looking forward to receiving them and creating gorgeous works of paper crafted art!
As promised, I am sharing the card recipe today along with a list of items I used to create my Grace’s Garden Double Easel Fold Card. There are also pictures of assembly and great tips, so read on for more.
Double Easel Fold Card Recipe
Thick Whisper White CS Base: 4 1/4 x 11″, score at 5 1/2″
Sahara Sand Easel CS: 4 x 10 1/4″, score at 2 /1/2″ and 5″
Balmy Blue CS: 3 7/8 x 5 1/8″, 2 3/8 x 3 7/8″
Whisper White CS: 3 3/4 x 5″, 2 1/4 x 3 3/4″
Whisper White CS: 2 3/4 x 4 1/4″ for gate die, 1 1/4 x 2″ for sentiment
Smoky Slate Scrap: for cat die
Whisper White Scraps: for flower sprays (2) and punch
Balmy Blue DSP (Subtles): 3 7/8 x 2 3/8″
Additional Supplies Needed
Grace’s Garden Stamp Set (and clear blocks for stamping)
The card base is important for this card, as it holds a great amount of weight. I used the Thick Whisper White Card Stock, as it has the ability to hold up under pressure. This is a tent fold, so be sure to cut your sheet of cardstock in half portrait style instead of landscape style.
When I use the thick cardstock, I like to fold it in half after I score it using my Paper Trimmer. This helps break up the strong fibers that are holding the paper together. I am always careful to use the scoring blade (lighter gray) rather than the cutting blade (darker gray, blending in at the top). This score is done at 5 1/2″. I follow up with my bone folder to get a crisp crease.
Another great tool to score your cardstock with is the Simply Scored Scoring Tool. I like that the peg markers are movable, and you can easily position them on the exact spacing you need to score. This is the Sahara Sand CS, scored at 2 1/2″ and 5″, landscape mode. My picture also indicates the folds needed here: peaked up first, followed by valley second.
A word of caution when using the score tool, the stylus included has 2 tips, one smaller and one larger. Use the small tip on thicker paper and the large tip on thinner paper (like DSP). Just think in terms of opposites attract to remember this.
It is also best to go slow and steady along the grooves! If your stylus jumps the track and leaves dents in the wrong places, flip your paper over and use the stylus head to smooth out the wrinkle from the back.
Double Easel To Card Base
After the scoring and folding was completed, I put the double easel cardstock onto my card base. This is done easiest by folding the easel up and adhering glue or tape (the strongest you have!) to the 5 1/4″ area. Next, center it on your card base.
When attached to the front of the card base, and in the closed position, your card will look like this (minus the clear acrylic block to hold it in place for a quick photo!).When your double easel fold card is adhered together and in the open position, it will look like this.
Flowers From Grace’s Garden
Now that the major assembly is done, it is time to decorate the card. I began with the front tented section, as this is what is noticed first on the card, and requires the most work.
I used Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and stamped flowers from the Grace’s Garden Stamp Set on the 2 1/4 x 3 3/4″ white cs.
Next, I colored them in using my Stampin’ Blends in a variety of light spring flower colors.
After that, I used Soft Sea Foam Ink and Balmy Blue Ink with my Sponge Roller to fill in the green grass and blue sky. This was done lightly, right over my stamped and colored flowers, no masking required.
When using the Sponge Roller, I start off my cardstock and work my way in. The first bit of ink off the roller may be dark. It is easy to add more color, impossible to take it away.
The Elements of Grace’s Garden
The coordinating dies for Grace’s Garden Stamp Set, Garden Gateway, offer a variety of fences, flowers and critters. This adds up to scenic fun for assembling the Grace’s Garden Double Easel Fold Card.
For the 2 flower sprigs that climb the arched garden gate, I stamped on scrap white cs using Memento Ink. Following a die cut in my Big Shot, I used the Stampin’ Blends to color my flowers, then rolled some Balmy Blue ink over the remaining white outlines.
My garden is home to a small gray cat. I stamped the cat image in Basic Gray Ink on a scrap of Smoky Gray CS.
Next, I die cut my kitty and sponged the edges to soften them, using Smoky Gray Ink. By using the same ink color as the cardstock, I eliminate the harsh transition to the darker gray outline.
The arched garden gate is easily the sweetest die in the set. It looks divine in white. I wanted my sentiment to imitate a hanging sign from the top of the trellis, so I used the Classic Label Punch and white cs to make a faux “board” topper. After stamping the sentiment on the 1 1/4 x 2″ white cs, I sponged it with Balmy Blue Ink for consistency.
The Many Layers Of Grace’s Garden
I adhered the floral stamped and sponged white cs to the 2 3/8 x 3 7/8″ Balmy Blue CS. When I attached the gate, I added it toward the left side, centering it between my stamped flowers.
Next, I glued on my 2 flower sprays to artfully climb along the sides of the gate. This was followed by the little cat, peering into the garden. Lastly, I placed small amounts of glue to the upper trellis and placed my punched “board” in position. I adhered the sentiment and admired my work.
This assembly is now ready to go on the card. I centered it on the bottom layer of the double easel fold partition.
The really hard work has been done! When I stamped the 3 3/4 x 5″ white cs with additional flowers, I repeated my steps of coloring and sponging.
This beautifully stamped, colored and sponged piece gets layered with the 3 7/8 x 5 1/8″ Balmy Blue CS, then adhered to the card.
Putting it all together is easy. I adhered each layer in position. For the fold that is barely noticeable, I added a piece of Balmy Blue DSP from the Subtles Collection. I chose the checkered pattern for its sweetness. This paper in coordinating color blends beautifully into the card as a needed continuity.
Flowers and Friendship Are Sweet
Grace’s Garden Double Easel Fold Card is so wonderful, it doesn’t even need additional embellishments. I left the inside blank, so the recipient of this card in the April Showers Bring May Flower Cards Exchange can do whatever she wants with it. Lucky her for participating!
This card was not difficult to make, but it gives the appearance of great time and effort. If you haven’t tried this fun fold card yet, please do so. You will be amazed with your end results. If you need any stamping supplies, like the Grace’s Garden Stamp Set or coordinating dies, Garden Gateway, stop by my online store, https://juliemakson@stampinup.net.
Be sure to follow me, and be in the know for my next card exchange, Fall For Cards, coming in September. More details will follow.
Tulips symbolize perfect love. Stampin’ Up! has the perfect stamp set and coordinating punch to make beautiful tulips that you will love! I have been busy creating Timeless Tulips colorful combinations, and I will admit, it is hard to stop experimenting.
The Timeless Tulips Stamp Set and Tulip Builder Punch are available individually or as a bundle in the January-June 2020 Mini Catalog. When purchased together, the everyday savings of 10% applies. Even beginner crafters will find it easy to conjure up Timeless Tulips colorful combinations masterpieces.
Orange Timeless Tulips Card
Creating paper tulips (and this card) is simple. Just follow the basic guidelines and the fantastic tips I am sharing. You, too, will soon be on your way to making gorgeous blooms like the ones pictured!
Tulips: Stamp, Punch, Sponge
Tulip Builder Punch, item #151295
Start by making a punch template for your stamps. Use any scrap of cardstock on hand, and punch.
BonusTip: Use a marker to write “Punch Template” on your cardstock, then tuck it into your stamp set for future use. A bold label will help you avoid tossing the template as ‘accidental garbage’.
Next, line up the coordinating stamps in your punch template. Place the stamps with the image (raised edges) down and the back (flat side) facing up.
Super Important: Match the cardstock punch template to the image of the bottom of the punch. As seen above, the template and the punch bottom show the petal to the left of the large tulip. If you flip your paper over in error, the stamped images will no longer align with the punch.
After your stamps are lined up properly, place a clear block over them to position the stamps on it for proper punch alignment. Here, I used Clear Block D.
To make the orange tulips, I started by stamping the large tulip and petal in Pumpkin Pie Ink onto So Saffron Cardstock.
Helpful Advice: Depending on the amount of ink in your ink pad, you may need to stamp off first to create the desired image tone. Trial and error makes alluring deviations.
The correct positioning of the stamps from the punch template makes it easy to stamp and punch once, without having to line up both images and punch individually. Time saver!
For depth and additional color, I used Poppy Parade Ink and a section of a Stamping Sponge for application. Apply the ink, by sponging, to all outer edges of both the tulip and the petal.
I find sponging helpful in blending the stamped image into the punched outline rim. If your punched image is a little off-center, the sponging hides imperfections. Finally, be sure to sweep the inked sponge from the bottom of the tulip to the center.
Warning: Prepare for inky fingers and have a wipe handy!
Additional Card Assembly Tips
Embossing
Basket Weave 3D Embossing Folder, item # 151797
I chose the Basket Weave 3D Embossing Folder as a backdrop for my orange tulips. This folder provides extreme texture to the paper, which also makes the paper hard to attach without rippling or buckling.
After some experimenting, I found it helpful to run my bone folder along all outer edges of the embossed cardstock from the back. By pressing out, or flattening, a thin surrounding strip (@ 1/4 -1/2″), I was better able to get this piece glued down securely. No need to worry, it doesn’t ruin the embossed look!
Die Cutting
Delicate Lace Dies, item #147053
The look of lace, like the name of this particular stamp set, is timeless. Therefore I chose the Delicate Lace Dies to add to the beauty of this card. When attaching something that has a tiny working surface, I prefer Tombow Glue.
As you can see in the picture, I applied a thin line on the bottom edge of my “lace”, and some small dots of glue where paper allowed in the middle. I lined up the lace to the designer series paper, tucking some lace behind. The glue gives you a moment of wiggle room to slide your paper to perfection.
You will need to trim your lace after adhering it to the designer series paper. The above picture shows an example of one that is trimmed, and one that needs to be.
Designer Secret: The lace trim doesn’t need to be aligned perfectly symmetrical in this instance. The Very Vanilla lace rests on top of a piece of Very Vanilla embossed cardstock, and since the two are the exact same color, imperfections hide well. The contrast of shape and texture work in this regard also.
Lace Ribbon
My “hello” greeting assembly is purposely lined up with the brown edge of the designer series paper. In order to have the ribbon in alignment with the tulip stems, I positioned the assembly on the card and used a pencil to mark the desired location.
After wrapping the ribbon securely to the back, I adhered this piece to the card front, and added a nicely tied bow. The bow helps hide the pencil mark, so no need to erase it.
Show some love to the inside of your cards too! I used the smaller tulip stamps from this set to add a peak of flowers in the bottom corner. There is plenty of room for a sentiment and your warm regards.
Start Your Tulip Garden Today
This spring is a great time to get these products and start your own paper tulip garden. Be sure to stop by my online store, https://juliemakson.stampinup.net, and add the Timeless Tulips Bundle, item #153793, to your order.
And to inspire you further, I have compiled a chart with a baker’s dozen of my favorite Timeless Tulips Colorful Combinations. Print or pin it to assist in your creation of colorful tulip making. Just like real tulips, paper tulips have no scent, but are guaranteed to bring a smile to someone’s face.
