So.  I have both my clubs meeting this weekend.  And, it’s Wednesday night.  And, I still have NO idea what they are going to make.  And, I’m trying to put stuff together and nothing is coming and I’m frantically combing pinterest, stampin’ connection, and all my favorite stampin’ bloggers.  Nothing.  Nothing at all.

And, I’m so INVOLVED in scouring these interwebular spectacular inspiration-starters that I don’t notice that my arm has been resting on my staz-on ink pad.  BLACK STAZ-ON INK PAD.  For several minutes.

That’s my arm.  With a big, black, permanent rectangle.  And an outline of a rectangle.  I’ve tried to get it off.  But, it didn’t come off.

Tomorrow is gonna be a long-sleeve day.

sigh.

And, if you wanna see if I actually survive my hobby until the weekend, check back THIS SUNDAY for the Next Installment of the BEST OF stamp tour.  This month we will feature ‘Best of Flowers’.

Well…  Up until SU posted the color refresh, I knew what stamp I had to use for this month’s Stamp of the Month Blog Tour, but had NO IDEA what color pallet to use.

Then, SU SAVES THE DAY.  (They seem to do that a lot for me)

The color refresh got me to thinking that I should use some the colors I loved, but have kinda ‘strayed away’ from in light of the new in-colors and what have you.  Kinda feel sorry for the ‘main-stay colors’  Though moving from an IN-Color to a  color collection definitely must be a promotion….  I would think the color collection colors must feel, hum, how shall we say, over-looked in the newness of things?  The ‘red-headed step child’???  NEVER.  I could not imagine… but alas, I was at fault for LOVING our in colors and not always remembering to use the main-stays.  Forgive Me.  I hope there are no hard feelings.

ANYWAY…

Secret Garden.  IT’s LOVELY.  Page 17 in the Spring Occasions Catalog.  It has Framelits Dies to match…. and therefore comes as a bundle (dies and stamps–15% off if you buy them together–and if you buy today, you won’t pay shipping).  woo-hoo.  ANYWAY.  I love this flower set.  Extremely versatile.  Has both solid and outline flowers.  Leaves on a stem, and those leaves can be easily trimmed off to be separate leaves.  And, some of the flowers can really be made to look tropical (an PLUS if you are living in Hawaii and you need some tropical themed cards).  SO.  Here it is…

I made 3 cards:

The color scheme is the now retiring More Mustard and Riding Hood Red.  And, I also used Soft Suede (not retiring).  I did the bottom and right card in the ‘one-sheet-wonder’ technique.  This is an AWESOME technique. if you have never tried it.  You stamp a sheet of whisper white or very vanilla ALL over with your images.  Then you cut it and use it like a dsp.  And the two cards are basically the same… just the exact opposite in composition… The bottom one has a dark background and light strip, and the right one has a light background and dark strip.  Then, flipped from  horizontal to vertical… SO, you can see how different you can make a card look just by altering something VERY simple.  This one-sheet-wonder technique would let you make SETS of cards (think gifts, favors, etc… Mother’s Day, Teacher Appreciation, and END OF SCHOOL is COMING!!–and as a teacher, I can say, a set of beautiful, hand-made cards would be an awesome teacher appreciation gift!!).  ANYWAY, I digress… here are some closer pictures.

I added some subtle texture with the honeycomb embossing folder.  (LOVE IT) and used the soft suede taffeta ribbon for the knot.  The Labels are dimmensionaled to make it stand up a bit…

Here is the companion card.  I trimmed the label tags to just peak out under the ribbon….

I also have to show you the 3rd card I made…My inspiration for this one was a invitation I made for my mother-in-law’s 50th birthday party using the Fifth Avenue Floral Stamp set from a couple years ago.  I enjoyed that set.  And, I was happy to see this one, cause it pays homage to a wonderful stamp set (this one is NICER cause it has both outline and solid stamps…AND FRAMELITS).

Anyway, here is the card:

Simple.  Delicate.  LOVE IT>  Sometimes simple is good.  This would make a good sympathy card now that I think of it.  (I need to make some sympathy cards…. it’s on the brain…)

Here is a picture of all the cards, including the invitation from a few years ago…just so you can see.

More Mustard, Riding Hood Red… though you may be gone, you will not be forgotten…

But, we must not tarry… on to the next blog tour!!  (AND WOW.  I cannot believe I did all that without using the framelits.  They are fabulous… even though they weren’t displayed….)

Click on the image here to take you to the next blog.  If it doesn’t work, there is a list of the people on the tour… you can move along ‘old school’.