Confession time… this week didn’t quite go to plan 😅
I finished my first card and thought “love it!”… then realised I hadn’t actually used Smoky Slate at all. Oops. That one ended up using a DSP that featured Gray Granite and Basic Beige!
So… take two!
Card two brings it back to the colour we are showcasing this week: Smoky Slate. The DSP design combines Smoky Slate with Basic Gray.
I used the Beautiful Gallery papers on both cards to create simple strip layouts, layered on a simple card stock layer and Basic Black card bases for that rich, moody contrast.
Just trim, space and layer. Sometimes the easiest techniques create the most striking results.
Both cards feature the “Thinking of you” sentiment from the Friendly Foliage Stamp Set on the front of the card, with a matching sentiment and image inside (also from the Friendly Foliage Stamp Set) to tie everything together.
These artistic, slightly moody landscapes felt perfect for sympathy cards. They feel calm, reflective and perfect for sympathy or thinking of you cards.
And sometimes a happy mistake just means you get to make two cards instead of one!
Take a look at some more Smoky Slate 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 48 of Colour Creations. We’ll be back next Wednesday when we are showcasing Soft Seafoam I hope you can join us then.
For week 47 of the Art With Heart Colour Creations we’re celebrating Shy Shamrock, a soon to be retired 2024-26 InColour.
I’ve paired “something old” (the soon to be retired Shy Shamrock cardstock, Shy Shamrock ink and the Beautiful Patterns 3D Embossing Folder) with something new (the Capturing Smiles Bundle and the Help Me Grow Bundle), both March Online Exclusives products.
The background layer is embossed with the Beautiful Patterns 3D Embossing Folder and to enhance the texture, I used a blending brush to gently add Shy Shamrock ink over the raised design.
This simple technique really brings the pattern to life, highlighting all those gorgeous details without needing extra layers.
For the focal point, I stamped, heat embossed in silver and die cut several layers of black cardstock to create the cutest vintage camera, using the Capturing Smiles Bundle, heat embossing it on Basic Black cardstock.
The delicate flowers from the Help Me Grow Bundle are die cut in Pretty in Pink cardstock and I’ve added some Pretty in Pink ink with a blending brush.
This fresh green of the Shy Shamrock background layer and die cut leaves contrasts well with the softness of the Pretty in Pink flowers and the Basic Black camera with Silver embossing , all layered against an embossed layer of Basic White.
As the sentiments in the Capturing Smiles bundle are more suited to scrapbooking, I finished the card with a simple “hello” sentiment from the Help Me Grow bundle.
I also added a few Pretty in Pink embellishments from the soon to be retired Strawberry Slush & Pretty in Pink Gems.
Take a look at some more Shy Shamrock 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 47 of Colour Creations. We’ll be back next Wednesday when we are showcasing Smoky Slate. I hope you can join us then.
Week 46 of the Art With Heart Colour Creations features Shaded Spruce, and I couldn’t resist using the brand new Online Exclusive A Wonderful Match Suite Collection from Stampin’ Up!
The A Wonderful Match Suite Collection was the perfect excuse to create something bold, fun and full of movement… so I designed a double pop-up step card with a soccer theme.
From the front, this card looks fairly simple with bold striped layers, a large soccer ball focal point and the word GOAL across the top.
But when you open it up, the magic happens.
The card folds out into a dimensional scene with:
A layered grassy step
A raised goal with net detail
A “Match Day” banner
And a full soccer field across the base
To keep the card fully closed I made a simple belly band from some of the Match Day DSP. This is what the card looks like from the front once the belly band has been removed.
I love how the A Wonderful Match Suite Collection pairs Shaded Spruce with Granny Apple Green and Garden Green. It’s a rich, bold colour combination, ideal for sporty or outdoor themes.
This card can easily be customised by using different sentiments to create cards for:
Birthdays
Team celebrations
Kids cards
Soccer lovers of any age
I hope this inspires you to try a fun fold and have a play with this fantastic new suite.
Take a look at some more Shaded Spruce 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
Andrea @andreaksargent
Helen @apaperparadise
Kirsty @crafty.littlemiss
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 Shy Shamrock. I hope you can join us then.
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.
