A Thank You Needed for a Wonderful Gesture!

In late August, my daughter and I wanted to go on a mini-vacation for my birthday.  A long-time friend offered her Long Beach, oceanside condo for our use, insisting we take it for the cost of the cleaning fees only.  I really tried to get her to let us contribute some or part of the rental fees she would ordinarily receive, but she firmly refused.  Right then and there, I decided I would make her a thank you card and enclosed a dining gift card to one of her favorite restaurants in the Long Beach area.

Though I purchased the gift certificate while in Long Beach, I was not able to get to that thank you card immediately, because I was still recuperating from my right hand surgery.  I attended a Stampin' Up card class in late September when I was able to start a little cardmaking, and with the help of a friend, I was able to get whatever embossing and die-cutting I needed done.  I planned to finish at home if my hand got too tired.  I was delighted that one of the card designs was a thank you card, which I very much needed to fulfill my plan to thank my good friend.

The thank you card sample had a basic good design and a pretty color palette, but my creative mojo came up with changes I wanted to make, which I completed at home later.  I also wanted to check out some Splitcoaststamper challenges, to see what I needed to meet some requirements, and I was delighted to see if I completed the card using the same basic design and colors, that it would work well with several.  Now, it was time I got to work.

To start, I enlarged the card to my favorite size 4-3/4 in. x 6 in. by adding a new white cardbase and Early Espresso mat layer beneath the top embossed layer.  Then, I applied my thoughts to make the card reflect my creative mojo.  I shifted the sentiment rectangle layers more to the center both to the top and left, as the original was placed very far to the right and to the bottom.  I added three more mini leaves in Pretty Peacock, Old Olive, and Early Espresso to fill in my desired leaf layers.  I added sparkle with Wink of Stella to the added espresso little leaf and the thanks die-cut.  I also added the sequins to add a bit more pizzazz.  I am pretty happy with my modifications and thank Dar Peterson for letting me elaborate upon her original design.

I hope my friend will love her card and thank you gift card.  I know she will enjoy the dinner for two and dessert upon her next visit to the coast. 

I designed an inside layout and composed a little verse to send along in my friend's thank you card.  Take a peek below.

Ingredients List:

Stampin' Up products... Cardstock:  Whisper White, Early Espresso, Pool Party, Pretty Peacock, Old Olive.  Patterned paper:  Come to Gather dsp (Holiday 2019).  Stamps: Colorful Seasons (leaf vein stamp).  Dies:  Seasonal Layers (leaves); Well Written (thanks).  Embossing Folder: Subtle 3D (background).  5/8" white flax ribbon (sponged w/ Pool Party ink).  Size: 4-3/4" x 6".

A Daughter's Birthday!

My oldest daughter had a birthday at the end of June.  I have been absent from my craft room for most of the last five months, except for a card here or there, and I have missed making many cards for the special people in my life.  So, I said to myself, "You really must get your creative mojo going and get a card made for your lovely daughter."  And, so I did.  Here is the card that I found a bit of creativity to create for daughter, Michele!  She was very pleased to get a handmade birthday card from Mom.  I think she was surprised and figured I was still avoiding my craft room!

And, here is the inside design and verse.  I am desperately in need of a new printer...it just won't print a clear font; therefore, it is a bit blurry on several lines.

I decided to use my daughter's favorite colors on her card...teals and blues.  I wanted to use a hydrangea bouquet and remembered Stampin' Up's Bouquet Bunch framelits.  I sponged them with similar colors, but added a touch of lilac in the flowers, plus sparkly glitter to the flowers and sentiment die-cut.  I did trim my flower stems and branches just a touch to fit the die-cut framing size that I used.  I offset the die-cut framing to the left side to add a criss-cross ribbon lacing that I learned from fellow cardmaking, Liz Thayer, several years ago.  I used Lots of Labels to die-cut a Shimmer White mat to host my bouquet and stamped it with splatters using the Gorgeous Grunge stamp set and Highland Heather ink.  

Next, I die-cut eight of the four-petal flower bunch to overlay and overlap each other onto my flower stems to give the bouquet depth.  I sponged them with Pool Party, Tempting Turquoise, and Highland Heather inks.  After overlapping them to form the bouquet, I applied Wink of Stella-Clear for shimmer, but it didn't seem enough, so before it dried, I added Dazzling Diamonds glitter, which is really sparkly, but unfortunately, it does not show up in the photo.  I sponged white cardstock in the same inks to make the sentiment die-cut and inside petite scalloped corners.  I used glue stick to apply the sparkly glitter to these pieces as well after I had die-cut the sentiment and punched the corners. 

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--Pacific Point, Bermuda Bay, Shimmery White, Whisper White.  Inks--Pool Party, Tempting Turquoise, Highland Heather.  Stamps--Beautiful Bouquet.  Dies--Bouquet Bunch framelits, Lots of Labels.  Dazzling Diamonds Glitter.  Other:  Recollections Purple Passion.  BoBunny Kiwi Double Dot.  Cottage Cutz Expressions: Happy Birthday.  EK Punch: Medium Scallop Corner.  Offray double-stitch pale aqua ribbon.  Queen & Co. Iridescent Purple Goosebumps. Chatterbox verse.  Size: 4-3/4 x 6 in.