Sunday, April 27, 2025

Thoughtful Journey

There are so many great designer series papers available, and I always fall in love with the landscape types. This post features the Thoughtful Journey papers from Stampin' Up! One of the greatest things about paper crafting is sharing cards with others that they can send to their family and friends. This set makes a wonderful gift. Mother's Day is coming up soon, and most mothers would enjoy receiving this.


So many other people shared ideas for cards using this designer series paper, and I had to choose only 4 cards to create my boxed set. I came up with some dimensions for those that I couldn't find measurements.

Card 1 idea came from Mary Fish.

  • 4 ¼” X 11” Very Vanilla Cardstock; score in landscape at 5 ½”
  • 4” X 5 ¼” Mossy Meadow Cardstock
  • 3 ¾” X 5” Petunia Pop Cardstock
  • 3 ½” X 4 ¾” Thoughtful Journey DSP
  • 2 ½” X 1 ¾” Mossy Meadow Cardstock, die cut label (Unbounded Love dies) layer
  • 2 ½” X 1 ½” Vanilla Cardstock, die cut label (Unbounded Love dies), stamp sentiment in Mossy Meadow
  • Linen Thread (wrap twice around the DSP/Petunia Pop layers & tie bow)
  • Petunia Pop Color Dots

Card 2 idea came from Alejandra Gomez.

  • 5 ½” X 8 ½” Mossy Meadow Cardstock; score in landscape at 4 ¼”
  • 5 ¼” X 4” Misty Moonlight Cardstock
  • 5 ¼” X 4” Basic White Cardstock (inside)
  • 5” X 3 ¾” Retired Irresistibly Yours Specialty DSP
  • 3 ¾” X 2” Misty Moonlight Cardstock
  • 3 ½” X 1 ¾” Thoughtful Journey DSP
  • 3” X 1 ½” Thoughtful Journey DSP (blue sky), cut the 1 ½” side into ½” strips (x3)
  • 5” X 2 ½” Mossy Meadow Cardstock, die cut flower vine
  • 5” X 2 ½” Petunia Pop Cardstock, die cut flower vine (cut the flowers out to glue onto the green one)
  • 3” X 1 ¼” Basic White Cardstock, die cut label (Unbounded Love dies), stamp sentiment in Mossy Meadow
  •  Linen Thread (wrap 3 times around the smaller DSP/Misty Moonlight layers and tie bow)
  • Gems

Card 3 idea came from Julie Davison.

  • 5 ½” X 4 ¼” Mossy Meadow Cardstock
  • 4” X 1 1/8” Thoughtful Designs Specialty DSP (X 2)
  • 3” X 8 ½” Mossy Meadow Cardstock; score in landscape at 4 ¼”
  • 2 ¾” X 4” Very Vanilla Cardstock (X 2, one for front and one for inside)
  • 2 ½” X 3 ¾” Thoughtful Journey DSP
  • 1 ¾” Very Vanilla Cardstock Circle, stamp with flower (color with Stampin’ Write Markers)
  • 4 ¾” X 3” Lost Lagoon Cardstock, die cut a vine (example used Retired Flourish Thinlits)
  • 2 ¼” X 1 ¼” Petunia Pop Cardstock, stamp sentiment in Blackberry Bliss (if desired, stamp background image in Petunia Pop)
  • Pearl Gem

Card 4 idea came from Carol Buckalew.

  • 4 ¼” X 11” Very Vanilla Cardstock; score in landscape at 5 ½”
  • 5 ¼” X 4” Thoughtful Designs Specialty DSP
  • 3 ¼” X 3 ¼” Pretty Peacock Cardstock
  • 3” X 2 5/8” Thoughtful Journey DSP, cut 3 strips at 7/8” on the 2 5/8” side
  • 3 ½” X 2” Pretty Peacock Cardstock, die cut label layer
  • 3” X 1 ¾” Very Vanilla Cardstock, die cut label, stamp sentiment in Pretty Peacock
  • Mossy Meadow Twine
  • 3 ¼” X 2 ½” Very Vanilla Cardstock, die cut vine (example used Retired Forever Flourishing vine)
  • Pretty Peacock Gems

The box to hold the set of cards was created from the idea shared by Darby from the Rejoice and Create YouTube channel.

  • 10 3/8” X 6 ½” Calypso Coral Cardstock; score in landscape at 4 ¾” from each end
  • 8” X 7 ½” Calypso Coral Cardstock; score in landscape at ¾”, 5 ¼” & 6”, turn counterclockwise and score at ¾” from each end
  • 4 ¼” X 6” Thoughtful Journey DSP (cover)
  • 1 ¾” X 5 ¾” Thoughtful Journey DSP (inside box)
  • 10 ½” X 5 ½” coordinating DSP (pocket); score in landscape at 6 ¼” & 9 ¾”, turn to portrait, score at ½” from each end
  • Either Ribbon or Magnet for keeping the box closed
  • Misty Moonlight Ribbon for the front
  • 2 ¾” X 2” Mossy Meadow Cardstock, die cut label layer (Unbounded Love dies)
  • 2 ¼” X 1 ½” Very Vanilla Cardstock, punch oval 2” X 1 3/8” label, stamp sentiment in Calypso Coral
Diagrams: These show the folding, cutting & punching (corner rounder) to create the box using the score lines from the above recipe.
Cover
Inside Box
Inside Pocket

You can view the assemble for the cards and the gift box on my YouTube video. Thank you for visiting my blog. Sharing my channel and blog posts help grow my presence, and I appreciate those who do. You can purchase the DSP at Stampin' Up!

I shared a thank you gift at my class using an idea I got from Jennifer Blaschak. It was a nail file sleeve. It uses a 6" X 6" DSP that you score at 1 1/2", 3", 4 1/2" and then cut from the top of the 3" scoreline to the bottom of the 6" corner. Fold the card at each scoreline, adding glue to the long side first, and then gluing the small "tail" that is folded to the back. Punch a hole at the top and add a ribbon. Put a nail file into the sleeve, add a label and other embellishments as desired. You can view her instructions and diagram on her website

Tuesday, April 1, 2025

Funky Faux Patina

I was asked to share the faux patina technique that I had demonstrated several years ago. There are so many variations that can be used, so I wanted to focus on the tips and technique more than one set of instructions. I used several items from the current catalogs and some retired dies and embossing folders. Really, just use what you like to create these beautiful cards. 
These use Thoughtful Expressions stamp set, Parisian dies (retired, swirl), Wild Rose dies (retired, detailed strip), Timeworn Type embossing folder (retired), and Spotlight on Nature dies. 
Colors: Summer Splash ink and cardstock, Azure Afternoon ink, Crumb Cake ink, Pebbled Path ink, Night of Navy watercolor, Bermuda Bay watercolor, Crushed Curry or Early Espresso watercolor, Blender Pen, Versa Mark ink and Copper embossing powder.
Dimensions:
5 1/2" X 8 1/2" Summer Splash cardstock, scored in landscape at 4 1/4"
5 1/4" X 4" (X 2) Basic White cardstock (1 for inside & 1 for the front)
4" X 4" Basic White cardstock
3" X 3" Basic White cardstock 
3/4" X 3" Basic White cardstock 
5 1/4" X 1 1/2" Copper foil
3" X 2" Copper foil
6" White ribbon
5" Copper ribbon
These use Spotlight on Nature stamps and dies, Parisian dies (retired, swirl), and Softly Sophisticated embossing folder (retired).
Colors: Melon Mambo ink and cardstock, Peach Pie ink, Pebbled Path ink, Granny Apple Green ink, Lemon Lime Twist ink, Daffodil Delight ink, Versa Mark ink and Gold embossing powder.
Dimensions:
5 1/2" X 8 1/2" Melon Mambo cardstock, scored in landscape at 4 1/4"
5 1/4" X 4" (X 2) Basic White cardstock (1 for inside & 1 for the front)
4" X 4" Basic White cardstock
2" X 1 1/4" Basic White cardstock 
2" X 2" Basic White cardstock 
3 X 2" Copper foil
8" White & Gold ribbon

Please watch the video for instructions,  helpful tips, and to learn the faux patina technique. 

Other products used: Wink of Stella glitter pen, Stampin' Write Markers, Watercolor Pencils, Blender Pen, Blender Brushes, Stampin' Sponges, Stampin' Dimensionals, Glue Dots, and various gems.