Bloomin’ Beautiful Card – Occasions Mini Catalog

Bloomin’ Beautiful is a gorgeous stamp set available from Stampin’ Up!®‘s brand new Occasions Mini  Collection.  Besides the fact that it is so versatile, I also love the fact that ALL SU!®‘s stamp sets featured in the mini catalogs are now die cut which means that you can have them out of the cases, mounted, and ready to use in just minutes (which is great for me because cutting out stamps is not one of my favorite activities!). 

I must say that this mini is one of my favorites-you really MUST check it out (see the left side bar for a direct link)-besides the wonderful stamp sets there are some absolutely beautiful Designer Series Papers, a brand new set of chunky glitter in delicious colors, new Rub-Ons (have I told you that their new Rub-Ons are the best!?), NEW Hodgepodge Hardware in a silver finish, Carousel Notes (die-cut scalloped circles in Groovy Guava, Soft Sky, and Wild Wasabi (you get 12 cards AND 12 Chocolate Chip envelopes)-seriously, you MUST check it out.  PLUS don’t forget we still have a little less than two weeks left of our Sale-A-Bration promotion, so you can get a free stamp set with every $50 purchase!

Stamp Set:

Bloomin’ Beautiful

Card Stock:

River Rock

Pretty in Pink

Close to Cocoa

Pretty in Pink Prints DSP (Level 1 Hostess Gift)

Ink:

Close to Cocoa

River Rock

Accessories:

Stampin’ Pastels®

Sponge

Sponge Dauber

Pretty in Pink Taffeta Ribbon

Blender Pen

Adhesive

Directions:

1.  Cut Pretty in Pink card stock 8 1/2 x 5 1/2", score and fold in half.  Distress front and edges with River Rock in and a touch of Close to Cocoa.

2.  Stamp image on River Rock card stock with Close to Cocoa ink, color with Stampin’ Pastels® and blender pen.  I used Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, and Mellow Moss chalks.  I highlighted the edges of the stamped image with a bit of Close to Cocoa to make the image pop.

3.  Cut polka dot print DSP 4 1/4" x 2".  Lightly sponge with Close to Cocoa ink.  Adhere to card front. 

4.  Tear of edges of stamped image, and with sponge dauber distress the edges with Close to Cocoa ink.  I briskly brush both the topside and underside edges to give it a "burnt" and scrolled look.  Repeat with Close to Cocoa layer, and a scrap of the Pretty in Pink DSP (I used the floral print to mount on top of polka dot print.

5.  Adhere the stamped image to the Close to Cocoa card stock, and then wrap with a piece of distressed Pretty in Pink Taffeta ribbon.  I used a sponge dauber and Close to Cocoa ink to lightly distress the ribbon.  I tied the ribbon on the left hand side just to do it differently this time, and once the knot was tied, stained the knot with the ink as well. 

6.  Layer the torn and distressed piece of Pretty in Pink DSP to the back of the Close to Cocoa, and then adhere those three layers to the card front.

Technique Tip:  When sponging, I used a "pouncing" motion to lightly distress and stain the card stock.  When I ink card stock edges I like to use a sponge dauber because it’s firm and gives me more control.  I ink just the edge of the card stock, and when I’m working with torn edges, I do the topside first, then the backside…when I’m doing the backside I’m not only inking the edges, but kind of "pushing" the edges forward…that’s how I achieve the scroll-like look.