Positive Thoughts

Do you ever see a card design that you love, but don’t have all of the pieces to recreate it? My card #5 for “A Card a Day in May” is based on a design in the Occasions catalogue. However, I didn’t have all of the elements so I swapped out the color pallet. You have seen me showcase these Color Coach cards before on a scrapbook page, now I am applying the concept to a card. When you are limited in card stock or struggling to pair colors together, I love using these cards to help you mix and match colors together to help get your creative juices going.

I ran the base of the card through the Absolutely Argyle Folder and used two of the circle dies to cut the layered circle panel in the middle. The stamp set featured on this card is Positive Thoughts which debuted in the Occasions Catty and is carrying over into the annual catalogue. I added in some linen thread and two ribbons and a feather behind the sentiment. The feather is die cut with the Nature’s Thoughts dies that will be available in the new Idea Book & Catalogue.

This is an inside view of the card so you can see how the layered circle panel works. The leaf image is stamped direct to the inside base and embossed in gold

I love the subtle details of this card! It is easy to recreate in any color palette or with any ribbon scraps or bits that you have on hand.

Magnificent Magnolia in May!

A Card a Day in May—Day #4! This card features the amazing magnolia bloom from the Good Morning Magnolia stamp set, which I am so happy is carrying over into the new catalogue!

I did sort of a fun thing with this stamped image, I inked it up using my Calypso Coral, Mossy Meadow and Soft Suede Stampin’ Write markers. I then lightly spritzed it with my spritzer and some water. The image is stamped on Whisper White card stock so you can’t go too heavy on the water. Just a light mist right on the stamp itself and then you stamp the image to your card stock. The water just helps the edges soften a bit, and I found it actually made the Calypso Coral a little more pink which is why I based the rest of the card on Rocco Rose. I used some Designer Series Paper from Woven Threads and layered behind it a piece of Rocco Rose card stock that I ran through the Parisian Flourish 3C Embossing Folder.

Hello is stamped in Early Espresso and die cut with the Stitched So Sweetly Dies. To bring in that orange tone found in the DSP, I die cut one of the flowers from the Magnolia Memory Dies. And my secret weapon—marker flicking! It works every time as that extra touch. I used it to help take away the ‘whiteness’ of the magnolia bloom and add interest to the sentiment.

A little linen thread and some In Colour faceted dots, and voila!

This close up shot shows how the list misting of water direct to the stamp, softens the edges and gives the stamp a watercolor feel

You're So Awesome!

I really tried to capture a grungy masculine feel on this card!

Last month I set a goal to send out a card to all of my amazing lululemon coworkers. We have some really fantastic guys on our team so I knew I needed to make a special card for just them.

I used the Geared Up Garage for the background texture on the Night of Navy base. I stamped it in Versamark and then embossed it with Clear Embossing powder. I used the nut image in Smokey Slate ink on the Smokey Slate card stock strip. I decided to add a metallic touch with the Copper Foil sheets and metallic thread (oh, how I will miss you!). Happily, the Denim Ribbon is being carried over into the new catalogue!

The sentiment You’re So Awesome is from the Flowering Desert stamp set which is a retired favourite of mine. Sometime I just can’t resist old favourites! And probably my preferred technique of all time is markers flicking. Just a few flicks of my Mossing Meadow marker on the sentiment was perfect!

I hope you enjoyed this masculine card for Day 3 of “A Card a Day in May”!

Capture the Good--Create With Connie and Mary!

Hello my friends! I am so so excited to be a part of the Create with Connie and Mary Blog Hop! These two ladies have been pioneers in blogging and I can’t even express how honoured I am to be joining their weekly Saturday blog hop! It will keep me on my toes for sure! This is also my second card for “A Card a Day in May”.

You should have just been at Melissa Davies blog, I cannot say enough amazing things about her talent!

For my first venture into this challenge, we are using our favourite retiring stamp set. I finally settled on Capture the Good which is a million dollar achiever set designed by Tami White. I am so sad to see it retiring but I also know it will remain in my stamp collection as I absolutely love the camera image. I decided to make the camera image the focus of my card while stamping and embossing it with Whisper White on vellum. Smile is also embossed but in gold and I used my favourite color combo: Petal Pink, Daffodil Delight, and Call Me Clover with gold accents.

This card also features my favourite retiring DSP, Bird Ballad, and my favourite retiring In Colour, Call Me Clover. I figured I might as well get as many retiring things onto one card as I possibly could!

I also love the Perennial Essence Flower Centres too! I used them on so many projects!

When I create a card I really love I find it also inspires me to make a scrapbook page, as really a scrapbook page is just a larger canvas! So I repeated some of the imagery from this card onto a 12x12 page.

The larger canvass did allow me to add in a few more flowers, ribbon and a heart all while keeping the same elements as the card. I am pretty happy with how it turned out!

Next on this Saturday morning blog hop you will be visiting Connie Babert, the creative mastermind along with Mary of this hop! I can’t wait to see how she inspires us this week!

Click here to return to Melissa Davies

Click here to visit the amazing Connie Babbert

Every Little Kindness

This sentiment found in the Waterfront stamp set is really resonating with me right now, especially during this unique time in our lives. I chose this card specifically to start off my “A Card a Day in May” creative challenge! I am going to create and share a new card on my blog each day this month for a total of 31 inspiriting, I hope, cards for everyone! This challenge will help give me purpose and intention and I am hoping to use some of those ‘rarely’ touched stamp sets I have and of course you will see some new stamp sets, embellishments, designer paper and more as the month goes on!

So I hope you will check back every day for a new idea and I would love your feedback too! So leave a comment and have a fabulous MAY!

This card is inspired by one in the Idea Book & Catalogue featuring the Waterfront stamp set. I used Soft Seafoam (my favourite of all our greens) for the base layers of this card. The DSP strip is from Woven Threads and the sequins are from the Basic Sequins collection. I also added a touch of Wink of Stella to the water, its just tricky to capture in a photo!

I won’t lie, I will be sad to see White Bakers Twine retire at the end of this catalogue. It has been an embellishment that has served me well over the years!

What little kindness have your been spreading during this time? I have sent cards to all of my co-workers, seniors homes, parents of friends and as many of my stamping friends as I can to try and brighten their day. I want them to know that they matter to me, and I miss seeing them, and they are loved.