Sweet Citrus Stamp Set - The Maine Stamper

Sweet Citrus Big Squeeze

February 9, 2023

Sweet Citrus Card Class, Card 3

Sweet Citrus Big Squeeze

It’s time to talk about the last card in my Weekly Card Class From ME, featuring the Sweet Citrus Bundle. Just like most citrus fruits, working with the Sweet Citrus Stamp Set and Sweet Citrus Hybrid Embossing Folder has been a mix of sweet and sour.

For another Sweet Citrus card, click here. To see my sour attempt at citrus, click here.

Sweet Citrus

Since the focus this week has been citrus, let’s talk about the gorgeous looking fruit on my Sweet Citrus Big Squeeze Card. During the course of the week, I shared great ways to use the Sweet Citrus Hybrid Embossing Folder. Looking for my best tips on the Hybrid? Click here to see them.

My citrus fruit started out as White Cardstock. I did some two-step stamping with the Sweet Citrus Stamp Set. During my video demonstration (see that here), I explained why I like to start with the outline stamp first, which I inked up in Mango Melody Ink. Next, I stamped the citrus middle with Daffodil Delight Ink.

Sweet Citrus die cut and embossed lemons.

Sweet Citrus Hybrid Embossing Folder

After my two-step stamping was completed, I ran the images thru my Stampin’ Emboss & Die Cut Machine to do just that…emboss and die cut. The cool thing is that with the Hybrid Embossing Folder, you can do both at the same time.

Those dies that create the 4 lemon images you see above work right inside the embossing folder. While it does take a bit of effort to line everything up properly, it also saves a step by embossing and die cutting simultaneously. Lastly, I added a little more ink (Pumpkin Pie and Crumb Cake) to the edges of my die cut fruit.

Sweet Citrus Embossing Folder

Sometimes, it’s nice to use an embossing folder just as it was intended to be…an embossing folder. While this Hybrid Embossing Folder works with the dies inside, it also functions without them.

For my Sweet Citrus Big Squeeze Card, I chose to emboss my Evening Evergreen Cardstock to provide the backdrop for my card. During my demonstration, I used my Paper Snips to rough up the edges for a shabby-chic finished look.

Sweet Citrus Supporting Elements

This Sweet Citrus Big Squeeze Card has a lot going on! Besides the flower and leaves stamps from the Sweet Citrus Bundle, I added in multiple cardstock colors of Bough punched leaves and sprigs. The Bough Punch is my go to item for quick and easy element add-ons for all my cards.

The additional cardstock colors are Bermuda Bay, Pear Pizzazz, Soft Succulent, Pool Party and Soft Seafoam. I love all these blue-greens together, and they help to build a bridge between the very dark Evening Evergreen cardbase and bright orange toned citrus.

You may have noticed the tag on my card, from the Tailor Made Tags Dies, where all my citrus and leaves balance. I kept the color Evening Evergreen for my tag die cut to keep the background simple. This way, the focal elements were the star grouping on my card. My tag also provided the perfect place to add my Garden Green twine bow.

Get Your Sweet Citrus Card Class From ME

This Sweet Citrus Big Squeeze Card 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 some bonus cards from the Sweet Citrus Card Class, as I continue to play with this amazing bundle. Be sure to check back here or follow me, The Maine Stamper, on FaceBook, for more cardmaking inspiration and ideas.

Sweet Citrus Sweeter Things

February 8, 2023

Sweet Citrus Card Class, Card 2

Sweet Citrus, Sweeter Things In Life

We are on to the next card from my Weekly Card Class From ME, featuring the Sweet Citrus Bundle by Stampin’ Up!. With the word “sweeter” in the sentiment phrase, I just knew this card had to have some pink in it. After all, what could be sweeter?

And not just any pink color would do. I chose a bright and bold pink, Melon Mambo. To coordinate with the citrus side of things, I pulled out Pumpkin Pie. Looking for a card more on the masculine side of things? Check out the first card from this card class here.

Move Over Lemons

While we did some two-step stamping in card #1 from my Weekly Card Class From ME, these citrus fruits did not require any stamping at all. You may be wondering how we got so much color (perhaps too much, but more on that later) without doing any stamping to apply ink.

I shared a lot of ways to use the Sweet Citrus Hybrid Embossing Folder, which is made up of an actual embossing folder and dies that work together at the same time. For this Sweet Citrus Sweeter Things Card, we used the hybrid to do most of the work first.

You can find my post with additional tips on using the Sweet Citrus Hybrid Embossing Folder here.

Making Citrus Choices

Okay, I am not going to lie. My Sweet Citrus fruits (which I thought would be grapefruit) turned out more like blood oranges, but not on purpose. Melon Mambo and Pumpkin Pie make some mighty dark citrus edibles. I even tried to “lighten up” on the ink during my live demonstration as seen in the card above.

After some thought and a few brutally honest opinions from other crafters, I went back to the drawing board long after my live demo card class. Looking for the video replay? Click here to see it.

Sweet Citrus Fruits, 2.0

The secret to the Sweet Citrus fruits for this card lies in ink pads and sponge daubers. Like I said earlier, no stamping at all.

First, I ran some White Cardstock thru my Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine using the Sweet Citrus Hybrid Embossing Folder with the coordinating dies inside. Afterwards, I had completely plain white die cuts with great embossing details, just waiting for ink.

I used Sponge Daubers and selected ink pads to color in my citrus fruits. Beginning in the middle, I swirled on some ink (Melon Mambo for the dark version and Flirty Flamingo for the light version). Next, I added ink to the citrus fruit rinds (Pumpkin Pie for the dark version and Pale Papaya with a little Pumpkin Pie for the light version).

Layers of Sweet Citrus Goodness

This Sweet Citrus Sweeter Things card is not only heavy on sweet citrus, but also great layers. As you can see, I like to add a lot of variety in designer series paper that coordinate colors, but vary in patterns to create interest.

For this card, I chose paper selections from Enjoy the Journey and Flowers & More Host Designer Series Paper. Stampin’ Up! makes it really easy to coordinate designs using different product lines.

Get Your Sweet Citrus Card Class From ME

This Sweet Citrus Sweeter Things Card is just one 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 Sweet Citrus Card Class, as well as my bonus cards, as this week goes on. Be sure to check back here or follow me, The Maine Stamper, on FaceBook, for more cardmaking inspiration and ideas.

Sweet Citrus Zesty Birthday

February 7, 2023

Sweet Citrus Card Class, Card 1

Sweet Citrus Zesty Birthday Card

With a new week, comes a new Card Class From ME! This time I chose the fruity Sweet Citrus Bundle to work with. This bundle is made up of the Sweet Citrus Stamp Set and the Sweet Citrus Hybrid Embossing Folder.

The Sweet Citrus Stamp Set covers all varieties of citrus: lemons, oranges, grapefruit, limes and the like. If you change the colors you use, you can change your fruit choice too.

Not to be missed, however, is the Sweet Citrus Hybrid Embossing Folder. In fact, I talked about the amazing Hybrid Embossing Folder and shared some tips on using it in another blog post. Click here to see it.

Sweet Citrus: Lemons

For my first card, Sweet Citrus Zesty Birthday, I chose to focus on lemons. And because I like to start with simple cards first, I just stamped and die cut the lemons for my card. How easy is that?

I like to start with the outline stamp for my two-step stamping process. In this case, the outline stamp of the lemons is pretty large. I had to place the photopolymer stamp on my biggest Clear Block (F). Next, I inked it up with Daffodil Delight Ink.

After I stamped the outline image, I applied the second stamp, the filler, with So Saffron Ink. While the ink differences are very subtle, both of my color choices are also very yellow. And now we have lemons!

Cane Weave 3D Embossing Folder

Nothing adds quicker interest and dimension to a card than an embossing folder. And I love how inexpensive embossing folders are! Another bonus, they don’t take up a lot of valuable storage space in your craft room.

So whenever I get my hands on a new Stampin’ Up! Catalog, one of my first purchases is the embossing folders. In the January-April 2023 Mini Catalog, we have the Cane Weave 3D Embossing Folder. I thought that this particular pattern would work really well with my Sweet Citrus Zesty Birthday Card. And after I embossed it with Night of Navy Cardstock, I was happy with the result.

Sweet Citrus Color, Design & Embellishments

Colors used in the Sweet Citrus Zesty Birthday Card.

Do you love the color combo I used for this Sweet Citrus Zesty Birthday Card? I began with a Night of Navy card base. I also used this same color for my Cane Weave 3D embossed piece. But the rest of the design (after my very yellow lemons) comes from the Dandy Designs DSP.

The Dandy Designs DSP is actually a freebie during the January-February 2023 Sale-A-Bration Event, with a qualifying order. At first glance, you may notice purples and pinks. But, there are some bolder greens and solid blues mixed in, and that is what I chose to stand up to my very dark Night of Navy hue.

The finishing touches on this Sweet Citrus Zesty Birthday Card are the embellishments. For each card in my Weekly Card Class From ME, I will be using a different color of twine from the Three Twine Combo Pack. In this card, I used the Bermuda Bay color. Lastly, I added Basic Rhinestones for a little bling.

Get Your Sweet Citrus Card Class From ME

This Sweet Citrus Zesty Birthday Card 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 .