Tuesday, 11 November 2025

Clean, Simple, and Stunning: Featuring the Simon Says Stamp Whirl Leaves Die

Hello there,
Welcome to my blog and follow my work on social media.

Today, I’m showcasing a card that proves you don't need dozens of layers to make a huge impact. This design is all about embracing a Clean and Simple (CAS) aesthetic, letting one stunning element truly shine: the Whirl Leaves die from Simon Says Stamp.



Focus on the Focal Point
The Whirl Leaves die is an absolute dream for adding texture and movement to your projects. The intricate, swirling lines cut into the leaves give the piece a beautiful, almost quilled look without the tedious rolling!

The Coloring Technique
To make the die-cut pop, I used a fun and easy technique: color blending.
 * I started with a piece of white cardstock
 * Using bright green and yellow inks, I blended the color directly onto the paper. This creates a gorgeous, variegated look, mimicking a leaf catching sunlight.
 * The darkest green is concentrated at the edges, fading into that vibrant yellow at the center and along the spine. This simple coloring step adds incredible depth and realism to the die-cut.

Crafting the CAS Look
A CAS card is defined by its use of white space and minimal embellishments.
 * The Layers: I chose a calming color palette: a soft peach/salmon card base, layered with a thin black mat, and finally, the bright white panel where the leaf resides. The black mat provides just the right amount of contrast to frame the central image and make the colors pop.
 * The Sentiment: The "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" sentiment is simple, crisp, and mounted on a strip with foam adhesive. Placing it right below the main image keeps the eye flowing naturally down the card.
 * The Bling: A CAS card often benefits from a touch of shine. I added just a few gem stones around the leaf. This adds sparkle without cluttering the beautiful white space.

I highly recommend adding the Simon Says Stamp Whirl Leaves Die to your collection—it's versatile for any occasion!


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Friday, 17 October 2025

Embracing Romance: A Shabby Chic Card Creation

Hello there,
Welcome to my blog and follow my work on social media.

Today, I’m thrilled to share a recent card creation that truly captures the spirit of romantic vintage—a beautiful shabby chic design. This style is all about soft colors, delicate textures, and a dreamy, nostalgic feel, and this project is full of all three!

The Elements of Romance
The foundation of this card is a beautiful floral patterned paper in soft pinks and greens, instantly setting a whimsical mood. Layering is key to the shabby chic look.



The Focal Point: The Lady and Her Flowers
The central image is a cutout of a young lady in a soft lavender-colored dress, holding a basket of flowers. This die-cut or fussy-cut element grounds the scene, making it feel like a romantic stroll through a blossoming garden. Notice the delicate flowers woven into her hair—it’s all about those tiny, perfect details!

Texture and Lace
One of the most essential elements of a shabby chic card is texture. On the upper left, I've incorporated:
 * A piece of beautiful crocheted lace in a warm cream color, giving that immediate heirloom feel.
 * A doily or lace-inspired die-cut element, adding another layer of intricate detail.
 * A few pearl embellishments scattered among the lace, adding a subtle touch of elegance and shine.

The Floral Bouquet
What's a garden scene without abundant flowers? I've used a mix of handmade paper flowers and other floral embellishments to create a stunning, three-dimensional bouquet at the bottom:
 * The large pink roses are beautiful examples of intricate paper flower crafting, with their layered petals giving them incredible depth.
 * A striking coral/red paper flower provides a wonderful pop of color, preventing the design from feeling too monochromatic and drawing the eye.
 * Smaller purple pansies and other tiny blooms are tucked in among the larger flowers, adding depth and that lush, "overgrown garden" feel that is so characteristic of this style.

Crafting the Look
The key to achieving this shabby chic aesthetic is balance. You want many layers and textures, but you also want a cohesive, soft color palette. Here are a few quick tips inspired by this card:
 * Muted Palette: Stick to soft pastels—pinks, creams, lavenders, and light greens.
 * Mix Textures: Combine smooth paper, rough fabric/lace, and dimensional flowers.
 * Use Dimension: Pop up your main focal image and larger flowers with foam adhesive to make the scene truly jump off the card.
I hope this beautiful, romantic card inspires you to create your own dreamy shabby chic projects!





Products used from IAR


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Thank you for stopping by and hope you all enjoyed the card.
Stay happy and keep crafting.
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Tuesday, 30 September 2025

Monochrome Mint Magic

Hello there, 
Welcome to my blog and follow my work on social media. 

I'm excited to share a project I created for the latest Pinkfresh Studio Challenge it's all about Teal, which is focused on monochrome designs! This challenge really pushed me to get creative with tone, texture, and dimension, all while sticking to a single color family. For my card, I chose a beautiful, calming mint/teal color palette, which gives the finished piece a clean and contemporary feel.

Focusing on Texture and Dimension
Since a monochrome card can easily fall flat without contrast, I focused heavily on incorporating texture and dimension using my favorite Pinkfresh Studio dies - Foliage shaker die

 * The Background: I started with a light teal cardstock that has a subtle, where I cut out strips of same cardstock and added it diagonally. This texture provides a great foundation and visual interest without competing with the main elements.

 * The Die Cuts is the focal point: The star of the post is the leaf die cut. I did some die cut inlay technique using two more shades of teal. Placing the leaves in the four corners helps frame the central sentiment beautifully. The remaining die cut pieces I stacked them together and added to the center and finished with a sentiment. 

To finish the look, I added a few subtle gold embellishments—tiny metallic dots placed strategically on the leaves and around the sentiment. They catch the light and add a tiny bit of sparkle without breaking the monochrome rule. 

This project was a fantastic exercise in using different shades and materials within one color family to create depth. I love how the cool tones make this a perfect card for anyone, year-round!

 

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