Crisp Cantaloupe

Here is a card that I made for a friend's birthday.

I tend to be a "neutral color" kinda gal.  

With a card base cut from cardstock the color of cardboard and speckled with Stampin' Up!'s Crisp Cantaloupe ink your choice of stamps from the Gorgeous Grunge stamp set I created an interesting background for this card.

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Now it's time to add some color to your patterned base!

Cut a piece of Crisp Cantaloupe card stock 5" x 2.75" and notch out the bottom as shown.  Using a the Bigshot and a textured impression folder run the this piece of cardstock through giving it texture.  I used the Beautifully Baroque textured impressions folder.  

Next, using a 1.75" scalloped circle punch...punch out a cirlce from a coordinating piece of pattern paper.  

The third layer (Whisper White) is cut to 3.5" x 2.25" and using either a flower or grass stamp and Crisp Cantaloupe ink stamp the front of the Whisper White cardstock.  I used the "grass" stamp from the Wetlands stamp set.

Choose a patterned border stamp of your choice and again using the Crisp Cantaloupe ink 

stamp an image of the border about 1/4" from the bottom of the Whisper White cardstock.

Using a scrap of Crisp Cantaloupe cardstock cut a piece 2.5" x 1" and again notch out the end.

Stamp your sentiment and Crisp Cantaloupe ink on this banner toward the right side.

Now you are ready to assemble all the pieces that will give your card dimension!

To finish the card off find a color coordinating doo-dad and some natural twine.  The doo-dad I used is made like a button so I threaded the twine through the button and tied a cute little bow.  I attached this embellishment with a Stampin' Dimensional because of how well it sticks to the embellishment.

So even though this card started off with a very neutral piece of cardstock the finished product gives me a very "springy" feel!  It's been a very long winter here and we really need a touch of spring;)

Most things you need to make this card can be purchased through my on-line store by clicking
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Simplicity

My idea of a great handcrafted card is that of simplicity.  

• Find a stamp you like along with a few colors of coordinating card stock and let your creative juices flow!  Coordinating card stock and ink is made simple by Stampin' Up!

• The stamp set I chose is "Wetlands" by Stampin' Up!

•  Try experimenting with a new technique.  A quick and easy technique is to use drywall mesh, an acrylic block and ink to stamp a background for your card!  I cut three 5" strips of the drywall mesh and layer them together to give the mesh some dimension.  Ink it up and randomly stamp the mesh "stamp" on your card stock to give the background some interest. 

Here is what I put together.  Let me know what you think:)

Wetlands stamp from Stampin' Up!