merci {september card night}.

this card evolved as i worked on it.  i went shopping intending on light colors, muted patterns, and came back with a loud set of safari patterned paper.  it doesn't happen very often, but sometimes the exact right components of a card just fall in front of me.  the more amazing part is that i bought each supply separately at different times, all for this card, but not thinking about the other, then watched them come together kind of on their own.

the front panel is ink-distressed after i rounded two corners.  that lovely flourish stamp is one of my favorites right now {i used that set last month, too}.  the ribbon i found was perfect too - not very frilly, but perfect for a safari print.  i don't know why i like a french word paired with giraffe or snake or zebra print, but i really do.  a little flourish on the inside and this one is done!

birthdays are the best {august card night}.

this is an adaptation of a card i saw {again} in a papercrafts magazine.  i love papertrey ink stamps, and i managed to use three different sets on this card.  the background is is a text stamp that i repeated three times.  the flourish is inked in a beautiful topiary green from close to my heart.  the sentiment is from the blooming buttons set - i love the combination of fonts!  i underlined 'best' with pearl stickers to make it pop.

this design would look perfect for a wedding card!  you could stamp the flourish to match the wedding colors, and choose an appropriate wedding sentiment.

this card is also great for mass-producing - i only had to cut the card base, and then the panel for the front.  a few stamps and a matching ribbon, and voila!  one {or 100!} beautiful cards!

*note: i get lots of my ideas from card magazines.  i find i have an easier time tweaking things i see and making them my own, rather than trying to start from scratch.*

embrace change.

one of my closest friends is moving out of state this weekend.  i needed a card that could tell her i knew the change coming her way is right and to trust her heart.

this is a stamp set from close to my heart (ctmh).  it's called treasures (you can't buy it right now - it was a stamp of the month from the last idea book).  i used a hero arts background stamp for the clouds.  after a couple experiment stamps, i discovered the best way to get a nice look for the sky was to just rub the inkpad all over the stamp; i liked that it gave the sky a subtle swirly effect.

i used the flower image from the ctmh stamp set and stamped it on vellum before fussy-cutting it out.  i used vellum to give it the effect that it is just blowing in a gentle breeze.

on the inside of the card is a stamp that says 'trust your heart'.  if i designed my own stamp set for this exact card i couldn't have made it any more perfect.  :)

i miss you already ashlie!

embrace change supplies:

stampin' up ink in bashful blue, basic black, kiwi kiss, groovy guava
close to my heart ink in chocolate
distressing ink from papertrey ink - vintage touch tea dye due
stamp sets from close to my heart: treasures and true happiness
background stamp from hero arts: clouds
brown and white cardstock - from xpedx retail store
stardust stickles