Two card designs ideal for using up your designer series paper (DSP), even the scraps!
This week for the Art With Heart Colour Creations we’re celebrating Real Red ❤️ and I’ve set myself a little challenge… use up some Designer Series Paper instead of saving it “for something special”!
I only had a small share of the Beautiful Love Notes DSP, so I wanted to create cards that:
used smaller pieces;
showcased multiple designs;
and made the most of every scrap.
Double Point Fun Fold Card
I wanted to showcase my favourite DSP designs from of the Love Notes DSP and this fancy fold was just perfect with all its different layers.
This graphic below shows the different layers that are revealed as you open up the card.
For the sentiment, I stamped the happy birthday stamp from the “Simply Said” stamp set onto the front layer of the card, stamping both above and below the central floral image.
This inside section is a “card within a card” and the card front features this gorgeous floral pattern from the Love Notes DSP.
The inside of the card features more of the designs from the Love Notes DSP, trimmed to fit the card base.
This is one of those fancy fold cards that looks impressive, but is incredibly easy to make.
Heartfelt Hexagon Window Card
For my second project, I created a hexagon window card, using the Heartfelt Hexagon punch and his one is all about using up the smaller scraps.
After punching out a hexagon on the bottom right of the card front, I then punched lots of small pieces of DSP to create a patchwork-style front, featuring multiple patterns from the same pack.
I used the “Extraordinary Flora” bundle to created floral ephemera pieces that match the floral design and the main colours (Real Red and Garden Green) in the Love Notes DSP.
The hexagon window draws your eye straight to the sentiment, which is stamped on the inside of the card using the thank you stamp from the “With You in Mind” Stamp Set.
This is what the card looks like when opened up.
To decorate the inside of the card, I also added some extra Extraordinary Flora pieces around the sentiment.
Tips for Using Up Your Designer Series Paper
If your Designer Series Paper stash is growing (and growing 😅), here are a few easy ways to start using it:
Cut your paper into smaller panels instead of saving full sheets
Choose fun folds that naturally require multiple pieces
Stick to one colour family (like Real Red here) to keep everything cohesive
Try patchwork or mosaic layouts
Mix bold and subtle prints to create balance
These cards were such a good reminder that DSP is meant to be used, mixed, layered and enjoyed… not hidden away in a drawer!
Take a look at some more Real Red inspiration on our Insta Hop!
Our blog hop is now an Instagram hop but the good news is that you don’t need to have an Instagram account to view all of the other projects!
Simply copy any of the Insta handles below into a new search engine window to follow the Instagram hop at any point.
Next in our Hop is Kate @craftwithkate. Be sure to check out her gorgeous project/s.
The full list of this week’s InstaHop is listed below:
Kate @craftwithkate
Kirsty @crafty.littlemiss
Rosa @hum.and.stamp
Helen @apaperparadise
Cathy @whatcathymade – you are here!
Thank you for joining me for Week 45 of Colour Creations. We’ll be back next Wednesday when we are showcasing Shaded Spruce. I hope you can join us then.
This week for the Art With Heart Colour Creations we’re celebrating Pumpkin Pie, a colour I rarely use but really love.
And as I was slightly time poor I’ve created a card that lets the beautiful Nests of Winter 12″ x 12″ Designer Series Paper do most of the work.
The Nests of Winter 12″ x 12″ Designer Series Paper really has to be one of the prettiest DSP’s, ever!
For my background layer of DSP I’ve used the sheet with mirroring sides and I simply added a couple of fussy cut sweet orange-breasted birds from another sheet of DSP in the pack.
I’ve layered them over the background to bring the design to life and add a lovely sense of movement, like they’re fluttering through the scene.
For the sentiment, I used one from the new March Online Exclusives “A Rainbow of Thanks” Stamp Set, heat embossed in white onto black card stock for a crisp, high-contrast finish.
I then punched it out using the retired Double Oval Punch and layered it onto a Pumpkin Pie scalloped oval for a bit of extra detail.
To finish the card, I added a few rhinestone basic jewels that I coloured with my Pumpkin Pie Blend to tie everything together perfectly and add a subtle pop of sparkle.
This is one of those cards that comes together quite easily thanks to the gorgeous DSP and a little bit of relaxing fussy cutting.
Take a look at some more Pumpkin Pie inspiration on our Insta Hop!
Our blog hop is now an Instagram hop but the good news is that you don’t need to have an Instagram account to view all of the other projects!
Simply copy any of the Insta handles below into a new search engine window to follow the Instagram hop at any point.
Next in our Hop is Kate @craftwithkate. Be sure to check out her gorgeous project/s.
The full list of this week’s InstaHop is listed below:
Kate @craftwithkate
Helen @apaperparadise
Kirsty @crafty.littlemiss
Cathy @whatcathymade – you are here!
Thank you for joining me for Week 44 of Colour Creations. We’ll be back next Wednesday when we are showcasing Real Red. I hope you can join us then.
This week I wanted to show two different ways you can use Stampin’ Up! kits. Firstly, by making them up exactly as intended as a relaxing and creative way to quickly build up your stash of cards. And secondly, by using elements from the kits as components in your own card designs.
A beach birthday card for my husband
Pretty Peacock is one of those colours that instantly makes me think of the ocean, which made it the perfect colour to use for my surfing husband.
For my main project this week I used elements from the Adventure Awaits Kit to create my husband’s birthday card on a Pretty Peacock slimline card base. His birthday was last Tuesday and he loved the card!
The Adventure Awaits Kit includes some fantastic travel and coastal themed die cuts. The surfboards in the back of the ute were perfect for creating a relaxed beach scene as his car is a ute!
To build the card, I layered two circular seaside scenes from the kit to create the horizon and boardwalk. Then I added the turquoise ute loaded with surfboards, a palm tree for that instant tropical feel, and a few balloons to give the card a celebratory touch.
The bold HAPPY birthday sentiment comes from the Happy Place Stamp Set, coloured in with my Pool Party and Granny Apple Green Stampin’ Blends.
The finished card feels like a little snapshot of the perfect day for Pete: ute packed, boards ready and ocean in view!
The Lots to Love Kit
I also wanted to share three cards I made using the Lots to Love Kit because the designs are so beautiful and are even prettier in real life than they appear in the online photos.
Sometimes it’s nice to just enjoy a kit exactly as it was designed (although I did cut one of the sentiments to make it shorter), and this one is a great reminder that quick cards can still feel really special.
The colour combinations in this kit are not ones I would normally use but they are really gorgeous too, with bright florals paired with soft backgrounds that make the flowers really pop.
Take a look at some more Pretty Peacock inspiration on our Insta Hop!
Our blog hop is now an Instagram hop but the good news is that you don’t need to have an Instagram account to view all of the other projects!
Simply copy any of the Insta handles below into a new search engine window to follow the Instagram hop at any point.
Next in our Hop is Kate @craftwithkate. Be sure to check out her gorgeous project/s.
The full list of this week’s InstaHop is listed below:
Kate @craftwithkate
Helen @apaperparadise
Rachel @rachelpalmieristampin
Kirsty @crafty.littlemiss
Cathy @whatcathymade – you are here!
Thank you for joining me for Week 43 of Colour Creations. We’ll be back next Wednesday when we are showcasing Pumpkin Pie. I hope you can join us then.
This week for Colour Creations we’re celebrating Pretty in Pink and I’ve created a soft floral hello card using hand made masks to create shading for the background layer.
This gorgeous pink 2024-26 InColour is retiring at the end of April so stock up now if you love Pretty In Pink.
The Extraordinary Flora Bundle and the coordinating Extraordinary Flora Washi Tape makes it incredibly easy to create beautifully detailed floral clusters without lots of individual stamping and colouring.
All you need to do is adhere the tape to cardstock, die cut the images using the coordinating dies, and you suddenly have a whole pile of ready-to-use flowers and foliage.
To create the soft background detail, I die cut a few circles from scrap paper using the Stylish Shapes Dies and used them as masks. With a blending brush and Pretty in Pink ink, I gently blended ink through the circular openings to create those soft, dreamy pink circles behind the floral arrangement.
The only stamping on my card is the simple “Hello” sentiment from the Help Me Grow stamp set, sitting in a hand stamped border that I created using the parallel lines stamp in the Extraordinary Flora stamp set.
Take a look at some more Pretty In Pink inspiration on our Insta Hop!
Our blog hop is now an Instagram hop but the good news is that you don’t need to have an Instagram account to view all of the other projects!
Simply copy any of the Insta handles below into a new search engine window to follow the Instagram hop at any point.
Next in our Hop is Helen @apaperparadise. Be sure to check out her gorgeous project/s.
The full list of this week’s InstaHop is listed below:
Helen @apaperparadise
Kirsty @crafty.littlemiss
Kate @craftwithkate
Cathy @whatcathymade – you are here!
Thank you for joining me for Week 42 of Colour Creations. We’ll be back next Wednesday when we are showcasing Pretty Peacock. I hope you can join us then.
This week for Colour Creations we’re celebrating Poppy Parade, and I’ve created a layered garden scene using three brand new Online Exclusives that will be available to order from Tuesday 3 March:
Help Me Grow Bundle
Garden Poetry 12″ x 12″ Designer Series Paper
Wood Grain Wonders 12″ x 12″ Designer Series Paper
This all-purpose “hello” card was the perfect excuse to play with these exciting new goodies, as well as a fabulous embossing folder which is currently in the last chance section of the website.
My colour combination of Poppy Parade, Shaded Spruce, Basic White, Early Espresso and Pecan Pie was inspired by the colours in the two Designer Series Papers I used for the card.
The Garden Poetry 12″ x 12″ Designer Series Paper gives the plant flowers and leaves a soft watercolour effect, so it looks hand coloured without any actual colouring.
I simply used the Help Me Grow dies to die cut the leaves and flowers from the Poppy Parade and Shaded Spruce patterns in the DSP.
The three plant pots from the Help Me Grow dies are cut from the timber patterns in the Wood Grain Wonders DSP, giving them beautiful warmth and realism.
Behind the garden scene, I added a panel embossed with the Pressed Flowers Embossing Folder. It gives the softest, delicate background texture without competing with the focal point. And at $7.70 on the Last Chance list, it’s an absolute steal.
The only stamping on the card is the simple “Hello” sentiment from the Help Me Grow stamp set.
I embellished the garden scene with three Ladybirds from the Ladybug Garden Epoxy Shapes and a few Poppy Parade Dear Dots in the centre of the flowers.
Take a look at some more Poppy Parade inspiration on our Insta Hop!
Our blog hop is now an Instagram hop but the good news is that you don’t need to have an Instagram account to view all of the other projects!
Simply copy any of the Insta handles below into a new search engine window to follow the Instagram hop at any point.
Next in our Hop is Kate @craftwithkate. Be sure to check out her gorgeous project/s.
The full list of this week’s InstaHop is listed below:
Kate @craftwithkate
Helen @apaperparadise
Kirsty @crafty.littlemiss
Rachel @rachelpalmieristampin
Cathy @whatcathymade – you are here!
Thank you for joining me for Week 41 of Colour Creations. We’ll be back next Wednesday when we are showcasing Pretty In Pink. I hope you can join us then.
