Cards by A Cook

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Thank You Cards

Simple Thank You Card Sneak Peak

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Create this simple thank you card with any patterned paper you have. I chose Stampin' Up! Dandy Designs 12x12 Designer Series Paper that you can earn free during Sale-a-bration. During the months of January and February 2023 only, you can choose this paper free with a $120 order. I love the bright colours and simple graphics in the paper. The Something Fancy bundle and the Sweet Citrus bundle used are from Stampin' Up! and are in the January - April 2023 Mini Catalogue.

Thank you card featuring patterned paper
Simple Thank You Card featuring patterned paper

Choosing the colours was easy as I simply matched to the paper. Calypso Coral is paired with Mango Melody - two colours that I would not normally pair together - but they work when you coordinate to the paper.

The flowers and leaves are from the Sweet Citrus Bundle by Stampin' Up! I stamped them in Mango Melody and then coloured them with Calypso Coral Stampin' Blends Combo pack and the Mango Melody Stampin' Blends Combo.

The sentiment is layered on the Something Fancy dies. I like being able to mix and match different die cuts to highlight the saying. Scroll down for the full tutorial.

Do you live in Canada?

If you need any stamping supplies from Stampin' Up! Canada, please click on any of the links to be directed to my store or please contact me. I am always happy to answer questions and help stampers. I would love to be your Stampin' Up! demonstrator!

Enter this month's host code to your order to receive my free set of monthly tutorials, complete with instructions, supplies and measurements. For help ordering, see my SHOP page or email me.

February 2023 Host code:  2NUQSU62

Thank you card featuring patterned paper

Something Fancy Thank You card

Amy Cook

www.cardsbyacook.com

Choose your favourite Stampin' Up! Designer Series paper to create this simple and fun design.
Print Instructions Pin Recipe
Level of Difficulty Beginner
Total Time 30 mins

Tools

Supplies
  

Stamp Sets

Paper

Classic Ink Pads

Misc.

Instructions
 

Cut paper to the following sizes:

  • Calypso Coral (Base): 8 ½” x 5 ½”, scored at 4 ¼”
  • Dandy Designs 12x12 DSP: 3” x 4” thencut into 3- 1”x4” strips.
  • Basic White (die cut): ~4” x 2 ½”; scraps for flowers and leaves
  • Mango Melody (die cut): ~ 4 x 2 ½”

Stamping and Assembly:

  • Fold the Calypso Coral cardstock in half to form the card base.
  • On the 4” x 2 ½ ” piece of Basic White cardstock, stamp the sentiment in Basic Grey on the right hand side. Die cut the saying out with the rectangular die using the Stampin’ Cut and Emboss Machine.
  • On the Stampin’ Cut and Emboss Machine, cut out another of the rectangle die cuts using Mango Melody cardstock.
  • Cut the Mango Melody die cut in half on a horizontal, diagonal from corner to corner. Layer underneath the Basic White die cut and adhere.
  • Stamp some flowers with both Mango Melody and Calypso Coral ink. Add Basic Grey centres.
  • Use the Blends markers to colour in the flowers.
  • On the Stampin’ Cut and Emboss Machine, die cut out the coloured flowers with the matching die.
  • Stamp the leaves with Granny Apple Green ink on the Basic White cardstock.
  • Die cut out the leaves with the matching die using the Stampin’ Cut and Emboss Machine.
  • Adhere the strips of the Dandy Designs patterned paper to the left side of the card base -leaving small gaps between the 3 strips as shown.
  • Attach the stamped and die cut sentiment to the left of the card front using Dimensionals.
  • Using a combination of dimensionals and mini glue dots, adhere the leaves and flowers to the sides of the sentiment.
  • Add three of the Iridescent Pastel Gems to the front of the card as shown.
Keyword January - April 2023 Mini Catalogue
Create this card yourself!Buy stamping supplies here
Click HERE to contact me with any questions.

Forever Friendship Stampin' Up card

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This design was cased from my good friend, Wendy Fee. I've used the cute and sassy Forever Friendship set from Stampin' Up! 2022-2023 annual catalogue. I even created a Christmas card with this design that you can see HERE. I love using card designs in new ways and then I don't need to worry about measurements as all that work is already done!

Peach coloured greeting card featuring a set of house plants.
Forever Friendship Stampin' Up! card

The Forever Friendship stamp set from Stampin' Up! features three images with funny sayings. I will be showcasing cards created with this set this week - check back for 2 more cards soon.

I'm looking forward to sending this card to my good friend - it suits me very well - I considered including pictures of my failed house plants but didn't want to make anyone sad. Here is the inside:

Our friendship will live forever.....unlike most of the plants I've owned

Make it yourself

I've used Pale Papaya cardstock for the card base as it pairs so well with any greens. Soft Succulent and Old Olive were used to colour the plants. The Stampin' Blends are very fun and easy to colour with. The Forever Friendship stamp set is good for beginners to start using alcohol markers as the images are small and easy to add touches of colour to.

Scroll down for a full supply list and tutorial.

Do you live in Canada?

If you need any stamping supplies from Stampin' Up! Canada, please click on any of the links to be directed to my store or please contact me. I am always happy to answer questions and help stampers. I would love to be your Stampin' Up! demonstrator!

Enter this month's host code to your order to receive my free set of monthly tutorials, complete with instructions, supplies and measurements. For help ordering, see my SHOP page or email me.

February 2023 Host code:  2NUQSU62

Peach coloured greeting card featuring a set of house plants.

Forever Friendship card

Amy Cook

www.cardsbyacook.com

Have fun colouring some house plants to give a friend. Stampin' Blends are easy to use and this image is perfect to learn with.
Print Instructions Pin Recipe
Level of Difficulty Beginner
Total Time 40 mins

Tools

Supplies
  

Stampin' Blends alcohol markers

Instructions
 

Cut paper to the following sizes:

  • Pale Papaya (card base): 5 ½” x 8 ½”, score at 4 ¼”; 3 ¾“x 5”
  • Basic White (stamped): 4” x 3”

Stamping and Assembly:

  • Fold Pale Papaya card base in half.
  • Stamp the sentiment “Unlike most of the plants I’ve owned” on the inside of the card.
  • Rip the bottom edge of the Basic White piece.
  • Stamp Forever Friendship plant stamp onto Basic White piece using Memento Tuxedo black ink.
  • Stamp the sentiment onto the bottom of the Basic White piece as shown.
  • Colour using your choice of Stampin’ Blends. I used the Pool Party to edge the outside and give dimension. To keep it light, I used the Color Lifter to soften the edges. Similarly, add “ground” with the light Crumb Cake Stampin’ Blends and Color Lifter.
  • Wrap the Linen thread several times around the Basic White piece and adhere on the back with Stampin’ Seal.
  • Emboss the Pale Papaya rectangle piece with the Fern 3D embossing folder by running it through the Stampin’ Cut and Emboss machine. Adhere to the card front with Stampin’ Dimensionals.
  • Adhere the stamped and coloured Basic White piece to the embossed layer with Stampin’ Dimensionals as shown.
  • Colour 2 of the Classic Matte Dots with the Crumb Cake Stampin’ Blends. Adhere to the bottom right of the Basic White piece as shown.
  • Enjoy!
    Peach coloured greeting card featuring a set of house plants.
Create this card yourself!Buy stamping supplies here
Click HERE to contact me with any questions.

Stampin' Up! Honeybee Home Thank you card!

3 · · 6 Comments

This thank you card is so pretty! The Honeybee Home bundle from Stampin' Up! contains realistic flower and bee stamps for gorgeous cards. I like the sentiment "You're the nicest" rather than a more obvious thank you card. I can think of so many small, nice things that people do that are sometimes taken for granted. Sending them them this card would return the favour and send a smile their way.

I entered this card in Kylie Bertucci's International Highlights blog hop contest. Scroll down or click on the link to vote and see all the other great cards entered this month. I created THIS card with the coordinating 12 x12 Heart and Home designer series paper for last month's contest. The paper is so pretty and coordinates with both the Honeybee Home bundle and the Blessings of Home bundle from Stampin' Up! The Honeybee blooms dies even cut out the bees from the paper! How awesome is that?

Thank you card image made with Stampin' Up! Honeybee Home bundle
Honeybee Home bundle by Stampin' Up!

Colour Combination Used:

This soft colour pallet makes a pretty card with little effort. I love using the coordinating Petal Pink ribbon and Basic White ribbon to draw attention to the sentiment. I would love to see what cards you have made with this colour combination!

Thank you card image made with Stampin' Up! Honeybee Home bundle
Click HERE to vote for me!

The top 10 winners in Kylie Bertucci's International Highlights blog hop contest will share a blog hop later this month. I would greatly appreciate you voting for me! Thank you in advance! This week I will be featuring 3 additional cards using the same technique of popping up a layer with the main image below. Check back to see them soon.

Create it Yourself!

The Honeybee Home bundle is from the new Stampin' Up! January - June mini catalogue that begins January 4th.

To make this thank you card, start by stamping the Soft Sea Foam layer with the bees and a floral design. I used Soft Sea foam ink but you could also use a Versamark ink pad. This creates a subtle, pretty background. I then stamped the flower in Sahara Sand for no line colouring. I used Petal Pink Stampin' blends along with Soft Succulent Stampin' Blends markers to colour it. This image is well suited to beginners as there is minimal colouring.

Cut out the same flower outline using the Honeybee Blooms dies. To make sure this lines up properly, I put adhesive on the back of the coloured image, line it up under the Soft Seafoam layer and then press down onto the card base. I then use Stampin' Dimensionals to pop up the Soft Sea Foam layer. Add some ribbon and the saying and voila! The card is easier to create than it appears.

Do you live in Canada?

If you need any stamping supplies from Stampin' Up! Canada, please click on any of the links to be directed to my store or please contact me. I am always happy to answer questions and help stampers. I would love to be your Stampin' Up! demonstrator!

Enter this month's host code to your order to receive my free set of monthly tutorials, complete with instructions, supplies and measurements. For help ordering, see my SHOP page or email me.

February 2023 Host code:  2NUQSU62

Enjoy creating this card yourself and feel free to use different colours. What colours do you like paired with Soft Sea Foam? If is a colour you use often or does it get forgotten about? Let me know in the comments.

Happy Stamping!

Amy

Stampin' Up! Sweets & Treats Thank you card

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Why am I posting a thank you card so close to Christmas? This card featuring the Sweet &Treats stamp set would be perfect to give as a thank you card at Christmas as so many of us show our love and thankfulness through yummy treats. Personally though, there have been more cancelations and restrictions due to Covid so I'm feeling a bit grumpy. So I'm trying to be thankful. Right now I'm thankful I get to look forward to apple pie!

Thank you card made with Stampin' Up! Sweets & Treats stamp set
Stampin' Up! Sweets & Treats stamp set

I love how the black gingham makes this card pop! The Thanks & Hello embossing folder gives great texture to the background. I must admit I may be addicted to embossing folders, they're make fantastic backgrounds with a quick pass through the Stampin' Cut and Emboss machine. This Thank You folder is from the Thanks & Hello embossing set which fits in the Mini Stampin' Cut & Emboss machine. This smaller machine is so cute, but more importantly fits on your desktop easily and is more affordable. All the sets in the catalogue are marked with the mini symbol so you know which die sets will fit in it.

If you live in Canada, you can purchase all supplies to make this card from me in my online store. The Sweet & Treats stamp set is only available until Jan. 4, 2022, so don't delay. Here is a complete "card recipe" for you to follow, complete with measurements.

Happy Stamping,

Amy

Thank you card using Stampin' Up! Sweets & Treats stamp set

Sweet & Treats Thank You card

Amy Cook

www.cardsbyacook.com

Send this thank you card to anyone that needs your appreciation - even if they didn't bake you an apple pie!
Print Instructions Pin Recipe
Level of Difficulty Intermediate
Total Time 30 mins

Tools

Supplies
  

Instructions
 

Cut paper to the following measurements:

  • Blushing Bride: 8 ½” x 5 ½”; scored at 4 ¼”
  • Basic White: 4” x 3”; 2 ½” x 1 ½”
  • Designer Series Paper: 2 pieces – 3 ½” x 2 ½”

Stamping and Assembly

  • Fold the Blushing Bride cardstock on score line to form card base.
  • Emboss the front of the Blushing Bride card with the Thanks folder using the Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine.
  • Glue the 2 pieces of DSP to the left side of the card offsetting the pieces.
  • Cut out the 3 ⅛” x 2 ⅛” rectangle from the Basic White using the die and Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine.
  • Stamp the pie at the top of the rectangle in Memento Ink.
  • Colour the pie plate with Flirty Flamingo Stampin’ Blends.
  • Stamp the pie again on scrap piece of Basic White.
  • Colour the pie crust using Crumb Cake blends and cut out with Paper Snips.
  • Pop up the pie crust on top of the pie plate with Stampin ‘Dimensionals.
  • Stamp the sentiment below the pie in Blushing Bride ink.
  • Pop up the rectangle on the DSP using Stampin’ Dimensionals.
Keyword papercrafting, Stampin' Up!, thank you
Create this card yourself!Buy stamping supplies here
Click HERE to contact me with any questions.

Stampin' Up! Blessings of Home Thank you Card

1 · · 14 Comments

The Blessings of Home stamp set is a beautiful sneak peek of Stampin’ Up!’s new January -June mini catalogue. The gorgeous flowers are shown in the Heart & Home 12x12 designer series paper. It is so easy to make a card when the paper coordinates so well together. I also love the sentiment as it is very suitable for thanking people for help when they have lifted you up. Inspiration doesn't need to be huge, it can be the small things that add positivity to our life and make it more enjoyable.

Would you like more sneak peeks of the new catalogue? See the new Rainbow of Happiness bundle HERE. See the new Garden Greenhouse bundle HERE

Blessings of Home stamp set

I would love for you to share in the comments about someone who has inspired you. No need to think of a huge milestone in your life, keep it simple. The past couple of years have been difficult for most of us. Try to think of someone who makes you smile and helps you keep putting one foot in the front of the other every day. For me, the group of stampers I work with has become more than crafting friends. They definitely inspire me with ideas for my stamping business but they also listen and give support for all of life's challenges. I'm thinking I better make more of these to mail to them all!

Welcome to everyone that is joining us from Kylie Bertucci's International highlights - I am aiming to be one of the top 10 for December! If you love my Blessing of Home thank you card as much as I do - please vote for me HERE. The link will take you to this month's gallery where you can vote for your 5 top favourites.

Make it yourself!

The Pale Papaya flowers are so pretty. I die cut some greenery bits from the matching Blessings of Home dies to add some pretty accents. The small, Pale Papaya flowers added to the sentiment are from the Honeybee Home bundle. I used a blender pen to add a bit of the Pale Papaya colour from the lid of the ink pad and a Wink of Stella pen to add some sparkle to just the center of the flowers. Scroll down for complete instructions.

My favourite new product from the January – June mini catalogue sneak peek is actually the brass butterflies! They are so sweet, little and have adhesive on the back so are easy to use. I think the butterflies add just the perfect final touch to this card.

This thank you card also uses my least favourite item. Garden Green is a colour I am not fond of, but it highlights the flowers in the Heart and Home 12x12 paper very well. Do you ever use a colour you dislike on its own but that works well with a particular set of patterned paper? Let me know your favourite and least favourite colour in the comments.

picture of thank you card using Stampin' Up! set called Blessings of Home
Blessings of Home card to send a thank you to someone special

Blessings of Home Thank You Card

Amy Cook

www.cardsbyacook.com

Send to a friend that has supported you and cheered you on! Inspiration can come in small packages.
Print Instructions Pin Recipe
Level of Difficulty Intermediate
Total Time 20 mins

Tools

Supplies
  

Instructions
 

Cut paper to the following sizes:

  • Garden Green Cardstock: 5 ½” x 8 ½” scored at 4¼”; small scraps for green bits
  • Basic White Cardstock:  5 ¼“ x 4”, piece ~ 2x3 for die cut; scrap for little flowers
  • Designer Series Paper: 3 pieces: 5” x 1¾"; 2⅞ x 1⅞; 2" x 1⅞"; 1 piece ~ 3"x4" for die cut

Die Cut:

  • Stamp the "Thank you" sentiment on the small white piece. Die cut as shown.
  • Die cut the larger Stitched So Sweetly shape on the 3"x4" piece of patterned paper as shown.
  • Die cut a few greenery bits out of the Garden Green scraps.
  • Stamp the flowers from the Honeybee Home bundle in Gray Granite ink and cut out using the coordinating die cut. Colour lightly using Pale Papaya ink and a blender pen. Optional: add a bit of Wink of Stella shimmer to the center of the flowers.

Assembly:

  • Score the Garden Green cardstock in half and fold to create the card base.
  • Adhere the Basic White piece to the card front.
  • Adhere the die cut patterned paper to the Basic White cardstock layer as shown. Try your best to leave even borders but do realize that nobody will notice if they are not perfect.
  • Adhere the Stitched So Sweetly shape to the center of the trio of patterned paper rectangles.
  • Use Stampin’ Dimensionals to adhere the die cut sentiment to the Stitched So Sweetly background shape.
  • Use Stampin’ Dimensionals to adhere the cute, coloured flowers.
  • Add a few Brass Butterflies to the front to add some extra bling. I use the Multitool or the tip of my scissors to help.
  • Use the fine tip glue pen to adhere a few green sprigs to the sentiment as shown. Try to tuck the ends under the Basic White sentiment piece.
Supply links will post in January when the new mini catalogue becomes available to everyone.
Keyword blessings of home, honeybee home, january - june mini catalogue, sneak peek
Create this card yourself!Buy stamping supplies here
Click HERE to contact me with any questions.

I almost forgot to show you the inside! I stamped one of the beautiful flowers from the Honeybee Home bundle on the inside. It matches the Heart and Home paper so well that I wanted to repeat it to make the inside pretty too. Garden green can be difficult to write on so adding the white inside piece really adds to the card.

If you live in Canada and can’t wait until January to order all the pretty new stamp set bundles, then consider joining my team of stampers. Email me with any questions or join HERE. Our group is a positive, supportive group of stampers that enjoy helping each other out with stamping and often life’s challenges as well. 

Happy Stamping,

Amy

Sunshine and Rainbows Thank you card

11 · · 2 Comments

Rainbow cards are perfect for giving a friend. The Sunshine and Rainbows paper used here make choosing colours very easy. Misty Moonlight pairs well with the pink to create a cheerful thank you card. This card sketch highlights the Sunshine and Rainbows paper or any other patterned paper you care to use. See this Z fold card that uses a different design from the same pack of paper. A touch of matching ribbon adds a needed pop of colour to finish the card.

Rainbow of Happiness card in Misty Moonlight

The Brilliant Rainbow dies create this cute rectangle with a rainbow on top! It is the perfect size for the sentiment. I cut out several in different colours so I could fill in the rainbow arcs with coordinating colours from the Sunshine and Rainbow paper. I'm still busy exploring the versatility of the dies, but so far I really love the little clouds included in the set.

The Rainbow of Happiness bundle and the matching Sale-a-bration paper won't be available until January. If you can't wait to buy it, and live in Canada, sign up to be a demonstrator and you will be able to order it as early as December 1st. I am happy to answer your questions! You would be joining a community of positive and supportive group of stampers that love to create, become a discount shopper with a minimum 20% off of your orders, attend events and most importantly, have fun!

Do you live in Canada?

If you need any stamping supplies from Stampin' Up! Canada, please click on any of the links to be directed to my store or please contact me. I am always happy to answer questions and help stampers. I would love to be your Stampin' Up! demonstrator!

Enter this month's host code to your order to receive my free set of monthly tutorials, complete with instructions, supplies and measurements. For help ordering, see my SHOP page or email me.

February 2023 Host code:  2NUQSU62

Do you spot the other sneak peak in this card? There are a total of 3 new products highlighted including the Sunshine and Rainbows 6x6 designer series paper. Comment with your guess of new product. I will draw from all the correct guesses and mail you the card.

Happy Stamping,

Amy

A little something to brighten your day!

Stitched Leaves dies Fall card

0 · · Leave a Comment

I just love the detail the Stitched leaves dies add to a fall card. The Stitched leaves dies by Stampin' Up! contain more than 5 leaves to stamp and cut out. I can't resist stamping the watercolour look of the Love of Leaves stamp set first and then die cutting with the leaves, but you could also use the stitched leaves die cuts without the coordinating stamp set.

Once again, I have used the gorgeous fall Cajun Craze colour. I can't resist leaves in that beautiful burnt orange shade. Today's card features touches of gold to add some sparkle.

Cajun Craze make a beautiful fall card featuring Stitched Leaves dies by Stampin' Up!

When adding metallic accents, I always try to repeat the sparkle in a few places on the card. Repeated colours, including gold in this case, make your cards look more professional. I used the brushed metallic adhesive backed dots to add some sparkle to the front. This ties in well with the gold metallic paper in the background and the gold hidden in the fine art ribbon.

To finish the card, I added a small bow made with linen thread. The rustic look pairs well with the cork specialty paper. I love this paper and have used it in several cards. See a few more examples with this fall wreath card featuring sparkle of the season stamp set, a thank you card and this fun floral squares card.

Do you live in Canada?

If you need any stamping supplies from Stampin' Up! Canada, please click on any of the links to be directed to my store or please contact me. I am always happy to answer questions and help stampers. I would love to be your Stampin' Up! demonstrator!

Enter this month's host code to your order to receive my free set of monthly tutorials, complete with instructions, supplies and measurements. For help ordering, see my SHOP page or email me.

February 2023 Host code:  2NUQSU62

See the list of the main items used HERE.

What are your favourite fall colours? Should I try this card in Cherry Cobbler?

Happy Stamping,

Amy

Kylie Bertucci's International Highlights Winners

2 · · 12 Comments

I'm so excited to be posting for Kylie Bertucci's International Blog Highlights Winners Hop for those you voted to be in the top ten! Thank you to everyone that voted for me, it is much appreciated. I featured the "Sparkle of the Season" bundle from Stampin' Up! for my winning card that you can see HERE. The cork paper is so amazing that I wanted to use it again today for this winners hop. You will notice other similarities as I continued to use the amazing wreath dies found in the Seasonal Swirls dies by Stampin' Up!

Thank you card featuring Sparkle of the Season

Make it yourself:

Using your favourite patterned designer series paper is the easiest way to choose colours for cards. This pattern is from the Blackberry Beauty 12x12 designer series paper by Stampin' Up! It is the most gorgeous paper ever! It coordinates perfectly with the Cork 12x12 specialty paper and the Brushed Metallic 12x12 cardstock.

The gold shine adds additional beauty to the wonderful patterns found in the Blackberry Beauty designer series paper. To coordinate, I chose to die cut the wreath with Cinnamon Cider cardstock and used Blackberry Bliss cardstock for the main card. Adding gold and copper leaves from the Brushed Metallic 12x12 cardstock creates a beautiful wreath. The gold shimmer ribbon adds some additional sparkle and pulls it all together. I love the texture the cork adds to the cord and the contrast with the gold elements. In fact, I love it so much I created a completely different card featuring gold and cork HERE.

Very Vanilla paper adds a soft touch to the background and is embossed to give additional texture. If you live in Canada, I am happy to help you order all the supplies you need to create this card yourself. Contact me HERE for help with ordering and to ask questions.

Ensure you scroll down to download the complete instructions in my card recipe.

Follow the rest of the hop below:

Thank you very much for joining our hop!

Happy Stamping,

Amy

Order the supplies HERE
Thank you card featuring Sparkle of the Season

Blackberry Beauty Thank You card.

Amy Cook

www.cardsbyacook.com

Create a gorgeous thank you card using the Blackberry Beauty patterned paper. The colours and texture combine for a pretty card to thank the special people in your life.
5 from 1 vote
Print Instructions Pin Recipe
Level of Difficulty Intermediate
Total Time 20 mins

Tools

Supplies
  

Instructions
 

Cut paper to the following sizes:

  • Blackberry Bliss: 5½” x 8 ½”, scored at 4¼”
  • Very Vanilla: 4" x 5¼"
  • Blackberry Beauty designer series paper: strip 1" x 4¾"
  • Cork 12x12 specialty paper: strip ¾" x 4 ½"
  • Cinnamon Cider: approx. 3"x3" for die cut

Die cutting and Embossing:

  • Emboss the top three quarter's of the very vanilla paper with the Thanks embossing folder.
  • Die cut the fall wreath from the Cinnamon Cider cardstock
  • Die cut a variety of leaves from the gold and copper cardstock

Stamp and Assemble:

  • Stamp the sentiment using Blackberry Bliss ink at the bottom of the Very Vanilla layer as shown.
  • Cut a notch out of one end of the Blackberry Beauty strip. Repeat with the cork strip.
  • Adhere the gold shimmer ribbon to the bottom of the Blackberry Beauty strip as shown. Wrap the end around the back and adhere. (It may be easier to wrap the end around the very vanilla piece after adhering the strips to the card layer)
  • Thread both paper strips through the wreath as shown. Adhere to the Very Vanilla card layer
  • Adhere the Very Vanilla layer to the Blackberry Bliss card front.
  • Use glue dots or mini dimensionals to adhere the gold and copper leaves to the wreath.
Keyword autumn card, fall, Stampin' Up!, thank you
Create this card yourself!Buy stamping supplies here
Click HERE to contact me with any questions.

Sparkle of the Season Fall Thank You Card

0 · · 6 Comments

Welcome to Kylie Bertucci's International highlights - I am aiming to be one of the top 10 for August! If you love my Sparkle of the Season card as much as I do - please vote for me HERE. The link will take you to this month's gallery where you can vote for your 5 top favourites. Be sure to read to the bottom and download the free card "recipe".

photo of fall card using Sparkle of the season from Stampin' Up!
Sparkle of the Season Fall Thank You Card

My card features Stampin' Up!'s new Sparkle of the Season bundle. It is perfect for creating thank you cards for the upcoming fall season. The matching Seasonal Swirls dies create three different wreath templates along with coordinating bits and pieces to create beautiful cards for Christmas and Thanksgiving. The sentiments included may be used for Thank-you cards, Halloween along with Christmas. Today's card uses the saying "thankful for you". This sentiment fits nicely into the tag. I enjoy using tags for sentiments as then you never need to worry about stamping crooked!

Colour hints:

The fall colours I chose for the card are based on the jolly felt pack in the new July - December mini catalogue from Stampin' Up! I think the felt was meant for Christmas cards but I feel the colours are perfect for Fall leaves. The card base is Basic white with Old Olive as the first layer. The felt leaves are in Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler and Bumblebee. I also used the bumblebee colour for the gingham ribbon. Anytime you can repeat colours it helps to pull the card together creating a more professional look.

I used Cinnamon Cider for the wreath as it paired well with the new Cork 12x12 Specialty paper. The Cork paper is amazing! It is soft and has an almost velvet texture. It cut very cleanly and easily. I was also pleasantly surprised by how easily the Seasonal Swirls dies cut through the felt. I recommend trying both these new products.

Jolly Felt, Cork 12x12 Specialty paper and Sparkle of the Season bundle from Stampin' Up!

The "Sparkle of the Season" stamp set coordinates wonderfully with the Seasonal Swirls dies. I recommend purchasing it as a bundle to save 10% of the purchase price. This was the first bundle in the new catalogue I knew I wanted to play with! I created another card featuring the cork and fall wreath that shows you a different look by altering the colours. See it HERE. I appreciate how versatile it is and am looking forward to creating Christmas cards with it as well.

The card below is the same as above but I focussed on the Bumblebee and Old Olive and omitted the Cherry Cobbler. Which one do you prefer? What are your favourite fall colours? Leave me a comment below and I will randomly pick a comment to mail this card to.

Make it yourself!

Do you live in Canada? If so, you can help support my business by purchasing the products needed to create this card from me HERE.

Sparkle of the Season

Sparkle of the Season Fall Thank You Card

Amy Cook

www.cardsbyacook.com

Seasonal Swirls dies create this Thank you card that is perfect for fall. Adding some felt leaves and cork specialty paper adds gorgeous texture.
Print Instructions Pin Recipe
Level of Difficulty Intermediate

Tools

Supplies
  

Instructions
 

Cut paper to the following sizes:

  • Thick Basic White: 5½” x 8 ½”, scored at 4¼”
  • Old Olive: 4" x 5¼"
  • Cork: 3" x 4"
  • Basic White: roughly 3"x4" then die cut scalloped rectangle die, scrap for tag
  • Cinnamon Cider: roughly 3 ½ x 3½" then die cut wreath and small circle for tag

Stamp:

  • Stamp the "thankful for you" saying in Old Olive onto the tag as shown.

Assembly:

  • Emboss the Old Olive cardstock with the Tasteful Texture embossing folder and adhere to the folded Thick basic white cardbase
  • Adhere the Cork layer
  • Use Stampin' Dimensionals to adhere the scalloped rectangle
  • Use the Fine tip glue pen to adhere the Cinnamon Cider wreath. Use glue dots or mini dimensionals to adhere the felt leaves.
  • Glue the Cinnamon Cider circle onto the tag. Pull the Bumblebee gingham ribbon through. Adhere with dimensionals.
Keyword autumn card, fall, papercrafting, Stampin' Up!, thank you
Create this card yourself!Buy stamping supplies here
Click HERE to contact me with any questions.

Measure of Love Encouragement card

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Our friendship tips the scale! "You more than measure up" These are two of my favourite sayings in the new Measure of Love stamp set by Stampin' Up! The retro scale is so cute along with the bowl of cherries or cupcakes. I can remember my Oma using her scale in baking to make a simple but tasty pound cake. She didn't bake much, but could whip up that cake quickly and easily. Does anyone still use scales in baking? Let me know if you do.

Create it yourself!

The Bumblebee gingham ribbon really suits the colours used in this Measure of Love card. It sets off the Real Red of the scale and draws your eye up to the bowl of cherries. This is a good stamp set to try colouring with Stampin' Blends. The alcohol markers blend beautifully and easily. The images are small enough that it is a good stamp set for beginners to start with. You don't even need to colour the cherries or the bowl unless you choose to.

After stamping the cherries, I added some shimmery crystal effects to them to make them shine like real cherries. The Measure of Love stamp set is photopolymer so lining up little hearts with the bowl is easy to do. Similarly, the background "you more than measure up" is easy to keep straight with the clear, photopolymer stamps. You could use the stamperatus to help as well.

I've included the full instructions to make this card yourself. If you live in Canada, I can help you purchase all the supplies you need. Click HERE for my online store and to purchase the Measure of Love stamp set. I am always happy to answer questions and help you out.

Happy Stamping,

Amy

greeting card image

Measure of Love Card

Amy Cook

www.cardsbyacook.com

Send this card to encourage your family and friends. We all could use a little "pick me up" and this card suits perfectly - and its so cute!
Print Instructions Pin Recipe
Level of Difficulty Intermediate
Total Time 30 mins

Tools

Supplies
  

Instructions
 

Cut paper to the following sizes:

  • Basic White: 4 ¼” x 11”, scored at 5 ½”
  • Basic White: 5” x 3 ¾”

Stamp:

  • Stamp sentiment repeatedly with Black Memento ink onto 5” x 3 ¾” (I stamped it 7 times).
  • Use Black Memento ink pad to stamp the scale onto scrap piece of Basic White card stock. Colour the scale with Real Red Blends Markers & cut out with scissors.
  • Stamp the scale a second time onto scrap Basic White card stock. Use Real Red ink pad to stamp the hand. Cut the scale face using smallest circle in the Layering Circle dies or use scissors. Place a rhinestone on centre.
  • Stamp the outline bowl image with Bumblebee ink pad onto scrap Basic White card stock. Stamp the inside bowl image with Bumblebee ink, stamping off first to get a softer look.
  • Ink the row of hearts image with Bermuda Bay and stamp onto the bowl.
  • Line up the cherries stamp on top of bowl and stamp with Merry Merlot ink pad. Add the leaves and stem image, stamping with Just Jade ink. Cut out the bowl of cherries.

Assembly:

  • Fold Basic White card stock in half to create card base.
  • Wrap Bumblebee gingham ribbon across the front of the stamped piece, securing in back. Adhere to card front with Stampin' Dimensionals to pop it up.
  • Add a ribbon bow, securing in place with Mini Glue Dots.
  • Adhere the completed scale to card front with Multipurpose Liquid Glue (or Stampin' Seal). Be sure to leave room for the bowl of cherries on top.
  • Adhere the bowl of cherries on top of the scale.
  • Add Shimmery Crystal Effects to the cherries for shine and texture. Set aside to dry
Keyword just because card, Measure of Love, papercrafting, Stampin' Up!
Create this card yourself!Buy stamping supplies here
Click HERE to contact me with any questions.

The Picture This dies make cards easy to create.

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This card is perfect for the plant lover in your life. Regardless of whether they have a green thumb or not, anyone who enjoys plants will love this card. Stampin' Up!'s Plentiful Plants bundle and the Picture This dies make this plant lover card easier to create than it appears. I had fun cutting out a variety of plants and pots and then arranging them on the shelves. The 3 shelves are created quickly and easily with the Picture This dies. Scroll to the bottom for complete instructions in my "card recipe"

I love how the Plentiful Plants bundle can be used for a variety of occasions. The sentiment I chose today, To a Dear Friend, begs for a handwritten note inside. What would you write? A note of encouragement, a birthday greeting, your condolences or a much needed thank you?

Plentiful Plants bundle with Picture This dies

The Picture This dies make this card super easy to create. The dies come with both a rectangular and circular dies that cut the openings with only one pass through the Stampin' Cut and Emboss machine. You can then use the cut out rectangles or circles on another card. I used the brick patterned paper from the Bloom Where You're Planted designer series paper to create the look of shelves on a wall. The brick pattern makes it difficult to see the stitched detail on the cut outs from the Picture This dies. Love the stitching - see it more clearly on my next card.

Picture This dies by Stampin' Up!

Create it yourself!

To create this card I used the same colour pots throughout to avoid the card looking too busy. I used a similar strategy on this card shown HERE where I used Evening Evergreen for all the pots. I recommend always repeating the same few colours in your card design. Repeating colours gives your design unity and prevents it from looking too childish. Of course, with any design rules, I am sure there are some great designs that use an electric mix of colour and break the rules.

I've chosen to stick to warm earth tones in this card. The Cajun Craze colour is a warm, earthy tone that suits the pots. This combines well with the Cinnamon Cider tone of the brick to give a look that stands out without competing with the brick for attention. I've used a mixed of greens to give the illusion of depth to the plants.

I used the Perfect Plants dies to cut out all the pots and plants which is super easy! No fussy cutting for me - Yay! The stamp set, Plentiful Plants and the die set, Perfect Plants dies is available as a bundle with 10% saving. If you live in Canada, you can order this HERE and help support my passion for creating cards. I am always happy to help answer your questions.

Happy Stamping,

Amy

greeting card featuring plants

Picture This Dies make card easy to make

Amy Cook

www.cardsbyacook.com

The Picture This dies make creating these shelves easy to make. Fill with your favourite plants and you will have an amazing card created quickly and easily.
Print Instructions Pin Recipe
Level of Difficulty Intermediate
Total Time 30 mins

Tools

Supplies
  

Stamps and Dies

Paper and Ink

Other

  • Stampin' Dimensionals

Instructions
 

Cut paper to the following sizes:

  • Basic White: Cut in half for card base - 5½ x 8½; score at 4¼"
  • Brick Patterned Paper: 4" x 5¼"

Stamp:

  • Stamp your choice of leaves in both Garden Green and Old Olive onto the basic white cardstock. Cut out with the coordinating dies and your Stampin' Up Cut and Emboss machine
  • Stamp the plant pots on Basic White with Cajun Craze ink. Cut out with the coordinating Perfect Plant dies.

More cutting:

  • Cut out 2 different plant pots using the Perfect Plant dies and Cajun Craze cardstock
  • Cut out different plant leaves as shown with both Garden Green and Evening Evergreen cardstock using the Perfect Plant dies.
  • Align the Picture This rectangular die on the brick patterned paper and cut out using the Stampin' Cut and Emboss machine.

Assemble:

  • Fold the Basic White card front in half along scoring.
  • Adhere the Bloom Where you are Planted Patterned brick paper layer to the card front using your favourite adhesive.
  • Carefully stamp your chosen sentiment to the left of the middle rectangular cut out with Cajun Craze ink. You may wish to practice on scrap paper first.
  • Have fun arranging the plants on the shelves. Play with the arrangement until you are happy with it. You may follow my example or play with your own placement. Adhere with a mix of adhesive and Stampin' Dimensionals to give a variety of heights and depth to the card.
Keyword greeting card, just because card, papercrafting, plant, Stampin' Up!
Create this card yourself!Buy stamping supplies here
Click HERE to contact me with any questions.

Quiet Meadow Cards

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The new Quiet Meadow dies from Stampin' Up! are simply beautiful. The set of flower silhouettes is stunning and even comes with a couple butterflies. There is also a scalloped label die to cut out all your sentiments. Don't miss the cutest little tag they threw in for good measure. Make sure you read to the bottom for class information and a FREE tutorial complete with measurements for the mini set of 3x3 cards.

Meadow Dies available alone or with the Quiet Meadow stamp set

Stampin' Up! also has released the 2021 -2023 new In Colors! I love them all! Sometimes I like most of the colours but this year all of the colours are a must have item. I created this set of 5 mini 3x3 cards to showcase the new colours and the Quiet Meadow bundle. You could easily pick one of the designs and replicate it using each of the different flowers above. I wanted to make each a little bit different. Which is your favourite?

Soft Succulent, Fresh Freesia, Pale Papaya, Evening Evergreen, Polished Pink

In addition to making the 3x3 mini cards, I packaged them in this cute mini pizza box. A simple tag on top with coordinating ribbon in the new Fresh Freesia in-color finishes the gift box nicely. There is room in the mini pizza boxes for a cookie or chocolates but I decided to add a couple sachets of tea. They make a beautiful, little gift.

Fresh Freesia open weave ribbon gives a pretty touch to the little box of mini cards.

I had so much fun making these cards. To help you make these Quiet Meadow mini cards yourself, I've included a full tutorial with instructions for you to print. Full measurements and instructions for each card are included in the Quiet Meadow mini Cards Tutorial.

Download Tutorial HERE

See the full list of supplies HERE and scroll down for an opportunity for more ideas using the Quiet Meadow stamp set and dies from Stampin' Up!

Interested in more ideas for using the Quiet Meadow bundle by Stampin' Up!?

Wendy and I are hosting a set of 2 EXCLUSIVE Facebook Classes in June. These will take place in a private Facebook group for those that purchase the Quiet Meadow Class Bundle. All posts/videos/tutorials will be available on the following dates - it is not necessary to be present online for the entire day.

  • June 7th (cards) - 2 video presentations, project samples and tutorials. 
  • June 21 (sampler) - Full video and downloadable instructions on how to assemble the Shadowbox Sampler

Class fee is $110, which includes the Quiet Meadow Bundle, both EXCLUSIVE classes, and all of the class supplies needed to create the Shadowbox Sampler.  All you need is the ink & the frame!  Bundles will be ordered & shipped direct to you. Supply packs will be mailed separately.

Registration for this exclusive class, along with EFT with payment, is available for Canadians. Please indicate if you are outside of Canada and we can make arrangements for payment for instructions only.

Register for class HERE

Happy Stamping,

Amy

Butterfly Bouquet is Simply Gorgeous!

4 · · 12 Comments

Thank you for joining us for our Stampin’ Up!® Demonstrator Training Program Butterfly Bouquet Blog Hop! We are all so happy that you could join us today for this blog hop for ideas and creative inspiration. We are a group of Stampin’ Up!® Demonstrators from around the world that are taking part in training that is helping us to build a successful Stampin’ Up!® business and reach some goals we have set. We really appreciate your support.

You may be starting here or have come from another blog – either way you can find the link list at the bottom of this post so that you can see every blog post and idea today.

For today’s project, I am highlighting the Butterfly Brilliance Collection that is available between March 2nd and June 31st. This is my first blog hop and I'm excited to be a part of it! I am also excited that it is March and am very much looking forward to the start of spring. Today we had some flurries so I am hoping that means March came in like a lion and will go out like a lamb. Regardless, I will be wishing for sunshine with beautiful cards made with this bundle and limited edition paper.

pretty pink card featuring butterflies
Beautiful colours in this gorgeous, spring butterfly card.

The butterflies in this set come in a variety of sizes and are gorgeous! The bundle includes both a stamp set and dies. The dies not only cut out the butterflies but also include outlines and accessory dies. The Butterfly Brilliance collection makes putting this card together quick and easy. Embossing the white "Thank You" takes more time than simply stamping but the black banner with the crisp, clear saying really pops and is worth taking the time to do. I've included a full tutorial for you so keep scrolling.

I'm looking forward to using all the dies that are included - including the little bricks!

For a limited time, there is also coordinating designer series paper. This two sided paper includes butterfly patterns on one side and matching prints on the other side. What I love most about this set is that all the butterflies can be cut out with one run through the Stampin' Up! Cut and Emboss machine. All five of the butterflies can be lined up easily with one large die.

I'm also excited to be part of my first ever blog hop with Kylie Bertucci and a group of wonderful and talented demonstrators. To thank you for visiting, I also created a full tutorial so you can make this card quickly and easily yourself. If you are in Canada, and would like to purchase supplies I would be happy to help you out. Please email me with your questions or shop at my online store.

Download the full tutorial HERE. It is easy to make and looks gorgeous! I am sending this one to a couple members of my family just to brighten their day while we wait for spring. I want to thank them for their support and for being such good listeners. What saying will you include on your card?

Thanks so much for stopping by today! As mentioned at the top, this is a blog hop so make sure you ‘hop’ around to all the amazing projects on this hop! Click on the links below to visit them. This post is #43.

Have a great day!

Amy

If you're in Canada and would like to start creating with the Butterfly Brilliance Collection you can shop Here

A Cup of Thanks at Christmas

0 · · 3 Comments

The Press On stamp set by Stampin' Up! is perfect to create gift card holders to say thank you at Christmas. Slip in your local coffee shop's, Starbuck's or Tim Horton's gift card to show your appreciation to the many people who deserve it! I am making these for my colleagues this year but I have also made gift card holders for my childrens' teachers, my hairdresser and even the UPS delivery person. Who else can you think of that deserves a cup of thanks for Christmas?

Make it yourself

You can make this card quickly and easily using the Press On stamp set from Stampin' Up!. The cute set of coffee cups line up perfectly as they are all one stamp. After stamping in black, colour the coffee cups in a traditional Christmas palette of Old Olive and Real Red. The alcohol markers blend beautifully. I recommend adding some light Crumb Cake ink to the background of the cups to prevent them from appearing to float in midair.

a cup of thanks greeting card
A cup of thanks

The front of this card was folded into three sections. The middle section contains the saying " A cup of thanks" and allows you to write a short message. I am fortunate to have people in my life that help my family and I on a regular basis. Christmas is the perfect time of year to let them know that they are appreciated.

A gift card can be inserted into the pocket created with the Heartwarming Hugs patterned paper. Be sure to use the fine tip glue pen to adhere the pocket to the card with a thin layer of glue. Do not use too thick of a line of adhesive or the gift card may have a tight fit.

Product List
Press On Cling Stamp Set
[153392]
$30.00
Heartwarming Hugs Designer Series Paper
[153492]
$15.75
Stitched Rectangle Dies
[148551]
$48.00
Real Red ⅜" (1 Cm) Double-Stitched Satin Ribbon
[151155]
$10.25
Mossy Meadow 8-½" X 11" Cardstock
[133676]
$12.00
Real Red 8-½" X 11" Cardstock
[102482]
$12.00
Pear Pizzazz 8-½" X 11" Cardstock
[131201]
$12.00
Whisper White 8-½" X 11" Cardstock
[100730]
$13.25
Dainty Diamonds 3D Embossing Folder
[152702]
$12.25
Mossy Meadow Stampin' Blends Combo Pack
[154890]
$12.00
Real Red Stampin' Blends Combo Pack
[154899]
$12.00
Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad
[132708]
$8.25
Add All to Cart

I enjoyed making this card and will enjoy giving small tokens of my appreciation to others just as much - maybe more!

I've added this card to Kylie's International Blog Highlights. You can vote for me and your favourite 5 designs by clicking on the little hearts. Click below to go to the gallery to vote.

link to Kylie Bertucci international highlights

Love of Leaves Thank you Card

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The fall colours are almost finished in Southern Ontario where I live. I love the leaves all decked out in oranges and reds. Yellow has never been my favourite but rather I view it as a backdrop to make the reds more vivid. I created this card to showcase the new Love of Leaves stamp set bundle from Stampin' Up! The stitching is what sold me - I couldn't resist the detail the Stitched Leaves dies provide.

This stamp set is perfect for masculine cards. The Love of Leaves bundle not only makes beautiful fall theme cards but is fantastic for the men in your life. This post is titled "thank you card" but could easily be used for a birthday card for your Dad, brother or of course, your husband.

Do you send more thank you cards at Thanksgiving? I missed sending by the holiday this year, but that won't stop me from sending a card as a random act of kindness.

Love of Leaves card
Love of Leaves Bundle
Create this card yourself

This card is simpler to make then it looks thanks to the Love of Leaves bundle by Stampin' Up! Three leaves are stamped in Early Espresso ink, Mint Macaron ink and Cajun Craze ink colours. The stamped image is then run through the Stampin die cut and embossing machine with the coordinating die to make the stitched detail on each. A small strip of Gilded Autumn Specialty Designer Series Paper is added to the bottom - with matching colours. Some linen thread adds some nice texture to the card and draws attention to the saying "I'm so glad you're in my life."

Download the instructions here:
Project Sheet Available Here
Product List
Love Of Leaves Bundle (English)
[155195]
$64.75
Gilded Autumn Specialty Designer Series Paper
[153520]
$20.00
Lovely Labels Pick A Punch
[152883]
$31.00
Linen Thread
[104199]
$6.75
Cajun Craze 8-½" X 11" Cardstock
[119684]
$12.00
Cajun Craze Classic Stampin' Pad
[147085]
$10.25
Crumb Cake 8-½" X 11" Cardstock
[120953]
$12.00
Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad
[147116]
$10.25
Very Vanilla 8-½" X 11" Cardstock
[101650]
$13.25
Mint Macaron Classic Stampin' Pad
[147106]
$10.25
Add All to Cart
Purchase the card instead:

Cards are shipped via regular mail in a "stay flat" mailer to arrive in perfect condition. A regular envelope is included for you to use to give to someone you care about.