Happy October! 3 Variations of 1 Aperture Card

Happy October! I just sent out my October newsletter to my mailing list. This month I shared how to make an aperture card with dies and punches. 

You can create an aperture with most dies and punches. I even shared how to make an aperture with a builder punch.

 

I also shared some tips to make card assembly easier. 

My October newsletter is available all month to new subscribers. If you sign up for my email list during October, you will also receive a copy of my October newsletter with the instructions, supply list, and measurements for all 3 cards. 

Sign up for my mailing list today HERE or in the bright blue box to the right. I can't wait to welcome you as a subscriber!

Beth

Painted Poppies Z-Fold Card

My demonstrator team Purrfect Stampers and I are continuing our weekly virtual stamping sessions on Zoom. Meeting virtually twice a week has truly been a blessing to me, especially during these difficult times! It has meant the world to me to be able to connect with loved ones virtually! I know that this has been hard for us all to adjust and adapt our routines to this new normal. I am praying and hoping that you and your loved ones are safe and healthy and for those helping and caring for us, including doctors, nurses, janitors, health-care professionals, first responders, grocery store employees, post office workers, power plant employees, sanitation workers, and all those that support our community! I am so grateful to you and to your service to us! I cannot express how much I appreciate you!

Last week my demonstrator team and I created Z-Fold cards using Designer Series Paper that created a scene like a skyline or a field of poppies or had a large scale pattern such as the lily pads from the Sale-A-Bration Designer Series Paper or the larger flowers in the Perennial Essence Designer Series Paper as one of our challenges.

This fun fold is called the Z-fold because when it is folded, it looks like the shape of the letter z. There is also only 1 additional score line needed than a traditional side-fold card, making this a great fun fold to start off with!

I chose the Painted Poppies stamp set (#151599), the Peaceful Moments stamp set (#151595) and the coordinating Peaceful Poppies Designer Series Paper (#151324). Peaceful Poppies Designer Series Paper is bright, cheerful, and has a variety of small-scale, medium-scale, and large-scale patterns to choose from.

Choosing a particular Designer Series Paper for this fun fold was important because when the card is layed out or flattened, the Designer Series Paper looks like one continuous pattern or background.

The sheet with the two rows of poppy flowers with one row across the top and one row across the bottom is perfect for this z-fold card! The scale or size of the flowers is large enough that it fills almost the entire card's height and is long enough to fit in each of the z-fold card panels.

How fun and beautiful is that Designer Series Paper!?

To make the z-fold card base, start with a 5-1/2" by 8-1/2" Blackberry Bliss card base. Then with the 8-1/2" side along the top of the Simply Scored, score at 1-1/2" and at 4-1/4".

Then cut a piece of 6" by 6" Designer Series Paper. I used the row of poppies patterned paper from the Peaceful Poppies Designer Series Paper. I, first, cut it in half horizontally to separate the two rows of poppies. Then I cut one of the halves in half to make two 6" by 6" squares. Choose one of the 6" by 6" squares for this project.

Next, cut 3/4" off of the top of the Designer Series Paper. For my patterned paper, this was the white area with the splatter dots.

Then cut it into strips. Make sure the Designer Series Paper is upright and horizontal, as in the photograph above. Cut the Designer Series Paper at 2-3/4", at 1-1/8", and at 2-1/8" (the last piece should already come out to be 2-1/8"). Tie a piece of Whisper White crinkled seam binding in a bow around the 2-3/4" wide strip, if you would like. I think this card is beautiful on its own too.

Fold and burnish your card base as follows. Fold the card base in half at the 4-1/4" score line like you are closing a book. Burnish the score line.

Stamp the large poppy image using Versamark Watermark ink randomly all over the closed card. This gives more interest to the front of the card when it is on display.

Next fold the 1-1/2" score line back like you are revealing what is inside of the card. Burnish the score line. Keep the card base closed like this.

Adhere the Designer Series Panels to the card as follows. Adhere the left side of the 2-3/4" wide strip to the left edge of the 1-1/2" panel on the card base, leaving about an 1/8" border on the left, top, and bottom of the card base. Add adhesive only where the Designer Series Paper overlaps the Blackberry Bliss cardstock.

Open the card base. Adhere the 1-1/8" wide strip to the left of the 4-1/4" score line, leaving a 1/8" border to the right, top, and bottom of the card base. Adhere the 2-1/8" wide strip to the right of the 4-1/4" score line, leaving a 1/8" border to the left, top, and bottom of the card base.

Cut a 1-3/4" by 5-1/4" piece of Whisper White cardstock. Stamp the "Life is better with a friend like you" greeting with Blackberry Bliss ink in the center of the cardstock.

Stamp the single poppy with a stem image to the left and to the right of the greeting with Blackberry Bliss ink, so that only the poppy is showing. Color the poppies with Dark Poppy Parade Stampin' Blend. Adhere the Whisper White cardstock to the right of the 2-1/8" wide strip, leaving about a 1/8" border on all sides of the Whisper White cardstock.

This z-fold card was a fun experiment in creating a mural-like card! I would love for you to join in on the fun too and make your own z-fold card! What stamps and designer series papers would you choose to create your own z-fold card? I would love to see what you create! Post a project photo on my Facebook page today!
 
If you would like to purchase the supplies I used to create this card, please use the supply list below to shop in my online store. I would love to be your Stampin' Up! demonstrator!

Thanks for stopping by!
Beth

Peaceful Poppies Designer Series Paper Z-Fold Card Supply List
Stamps	#151599 Painted Poppies (Cling-Mount) #151595 Peaceful Moments (Cling-Mount)
Paper	#100730 Whisper White Cardstock #133675 Blackberry Bliss Cardstock #151324 Peaceful Poppies Designer Series Paper
Ink	#147092 Blackberry Bliss Ink Pad #102283 Versamark Watermark Ink Pad #146879 Dark Poppy Parade Stampin’ Blend
Embellishments	#151326 Whisper White 1/4" Crinkled Seam Binding
Tools	#152392 Stampin’ Trimmer #102300 Bone Folder #103579 Paper Snips Corresponding Clear Acrylic Blocks #122334 Simply Scored Scoring Tool

My Top Ten January-June Mini Catalog Stamp Sets and Bundles

The 2020 January-June Mini Catalog is overflowing with gorgeous new products! It was very difficult to narrow down my wish list! I was able to get my list down to the 10 stamp sets and bundles that are my absolute favorites! The order of my Top Ten List is in the order that the stamp sets and bundles appear in the catalog and not in any ranking order because I love them all! Let's get started!

1. Heartfelt Bundle (Item #153775)

Valentine's Day is a great day to deliver treats and cards to everyone you know! The Heartfelt Bundle makes it easy to find the right stamp and greeting for all of the people on your list, whether they are family, friends, coworkers, or community members. The Heartfelt Bundle includes two heart punches - one smaller heart and one larger, scalloped heart. The two heart punches can be layered together to create even more design possibilities.

My favorite stamp in the Heartfelt Bundle is the "So lucky to have a friend like you" greeting stamp. To me, Valentine's Day, can be about all of the people in your life that you love.

2. Grace's Garden Bundle (Item #153789)

There are beautiful flower stamps and vine dies included in Grace's Garden Bundle to create your own secret garden! Cut the gate die cut in half vertically to make your card interactive. The cat stamp is too cute to pass up! I imagine my own two cats basking in the sunlight by the flower beds.

Try stamping the flowers in a light ink such as Sahara Sand or Petal Pink and paint the stamped images with an aquapainter for a no-line watercolor technique.

3. Positive Thoughts Stamp Set (Item #151490)

The Positive Thoughts stamp set is a sweet stamp set with images and greetings of encouragement and support for friends and family. It is nice to remind our loved ones that we are there for them in the good times and in the not so good times. The leaf image and the buttery shape reminds me of the retired Butterfly Basics stamp set. I loved Butterfly Basics!

Positive Thoughts is also reminiscent of a Nature notebook of treasures found on walks in the woods or in the open fields. I can see finding the leaves or feathers and pressing them between glass to preserve them. Plus, there is no need to fussy cut these stamped images! There is also a coordinating die set coming out in February! Yes, please!

4. My Meadow Stamp Set (Item #151650)

My Meadow is another of the faux watercolor stamp sets similar to Waterfront and Snow Front but with a spring and summer feel. The faux watercolor stamps make me feel like a true painter! My Meadow is also an excuse to use all of your ink pads to create vibrant fields of flowers and to experiment with the stamping off technique.

The tree stamps could become a row of cherry trees in bloom! My Meadow completes the seasonal cycle started with Waterfront - Waterfront is summery and autumnal, Snow Front is autumnal and winter-y, and My Meadow is spring-like, summery, autumnal, and winter-y (with the bare trees and the little circles stamps as snow falling). I am looking forward to sharing the projects that I have created with My Meadow at my Stamp of the Month Class.

5. Painted Poppies Bundle (Item #153827)

The Painted Poppies Bundle is one part of a mega product suite, so technically #5 and #6 Peaceful Moments could be combined together in one, but they are both stellar bundles in their own right. So, I have listed them separately.

The Painted Poppies Bundle is suited for any occasion but especially for remembrance of servicemen and servicewomen whom have passed in the service of our country. I am thankful to see a stamp set that can also honor those that have served our country.

The dies for the Painted Poppies Bundle cut out the single poppy flower and leaf images as well as two label shapes, two swirly circle shapes, and a decorative border edge.

6. Peaceful Moments Bundle (Item #153824)

The Peaceful Moments Bundle is the second half of the mega Painted Poppies Product Suite. The Peaceful Moments Bundle includes an all-greeting stamp set and dies to create the layered of the poppy flowers and leaves. The greetings also tie into the remembrance theme as well as additional occasions, such as birthdays, friendship, and congratulations.

The Peaceful Moments Bundle dies can be used to create more dimensional poppies and embellish the stamped images in the Painted Poppies stamp set. I think that the poppy flower in the upper right corner in the photo above would make a nice poppy remembrance pin for Memorial Day.

7. Honey Bee Bundle (Item #153792)

The bee is a symbol of hard work, industry, and community, to me. When I saw the Honey Bee Bundle I knew I had to have it! Honey Bee is absolutely my style. I love the botanical, natural, textural, etc themed stamps.

The card on the left side of the photo above illustrates a sponging technique of adding more color to the outer edges of a stamp with a sponge dauber, giving the image a highlight or a glowing edge. First, stamp the image in the main ink color. Then sponge around the edge of the stamp with a darker ink color and stamp onto your paper.

The stamps are so striking! It also builds on the Nature's notebook theme of the Positive Thoughts stamp set, to me. LOVE IT!

8. Witty-Cisms Stamp Set (Item #151686)

The Witty-cisms stamp set was inspired by Million Sales Achiever Lisa Fast. Once a demonstrator reaches one million in sales, Stampin' Up! works with the demonstrator and a stamp concept artist to design a stamp set. How amazing is that!? I love Lisa's word pun and image stamps! They are happy, fun, and bring a smile to my face. My favorite is the "Taco 'bout awesome!" stamp.

9. Timeless Tropical Bundle (Item #153811)

I picked the Timeless Tropical Bundle as one of my top ten must haves from the 2020 January-June Mini Catalog because it reminds me of the vacations that I have been taking over the last several years with my friends and because it reminds me of Elvis in Hawaii.

The stamp set and dies are gorgeous! I love the vintage tropical feel to them. The stamped images has some shading already on the stamped images, making Timeless Tropical a perfect stamp set to practice shading with your Stampin' Blends. I am looking forward to creating many projects with the Timeless Tropical Bundle! I have some great ideas in store for you!

10. Outdoor Barbecue Stamp Set (Item #151553)

The Outdoor Barbecue stamp set made it to my ten top must have list because my husband loves steak, hamburgers, and grilling! He grew up in Texas, so you know he is all about beef! I thought this would be a fun stamp set to create some birthday cards and decorations for my husband's birthday. I love the idea of making stamped steak tissue paper like in the gift bag sample in the photo above!

The greeting stamps are fun and silly, which is also my husband and my styles. If you have the Manly Moments Paper Pumpkin Kit stamp set, you could also use the masculine title stamps with Outdoor Barbecue. Mask the "a dad" part of "a dad like you is rare" with a sticky note and substitute husband, brother, etc.

Which stamp sets and bundles are your favorites? Please leave a comment below (click on the pencil icon at the end of the post)! I would love to hear from you!

I hope you enjoyed this Top Ten 2020 January-June Mini Catalog Stamp Sets and Bundles Post! You can find all of these products and more in the 2020 January-June Mini Catalog section of my online store. Check out all of the new Mini Catalog stamps and bundles plus embellishments and tools today!

Thanks for stopping by!
Beth

++++++++++++++++++
Shop Online 24/7 in my Online Store
Check out the Clearance Rack
Sign up for Classes, Events, and Retreat Days
Sign up for my newsletter and mailing list or request a catalog
Sign up for Paper Pumpkin
Join my Stampin' Team - the Purrfect Stampers!
Visit my YouTube Channel
Follow me Social Media! I post on Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook
Follow me on Instagram

Host Codes & Current Promotions:
January Host Code - GKCKC3MP
When placing an order, please use host code GKCKC3MP for orders under $150 USD. Please don't use the host code if your order is more than $150. Use Host Code GKCKC3MP if you are attending the Stamp of the Month Class long distance to have your Stamp of the Month Bundle mailed directly to you.

The January-June Mini Catalog is now the new name for the Occasions Catalog. The January-June Mini Catalog will run from January 3rd, 2020 through June 2nd, 2020. It is filled to the brim with a multitude of stamping goodies for all kinds of spring and early summer holidays and occasions, including weddings, Easter, Valentine's Day, anniversaries, Mother's Day, Father's Day, and more! Visit my online store to see all of the January-June Mini Catalog products!

Sale-A-Bration is a three month long special promotion that for each qualifying purchase you can earn FREE products from the Sale-A-Bration Catalog! From January 3rd, 2020 through March 31st, 2020 for every $50 you spend before tax and shipping, you can earn a Level 1 product from the Sale-A-Bration Catalog. For every $100 you spend before tax and shipping, you earn a Level 2 product from the Sale-A-Bration Catalog. For more details and information, check out my blog post HERE. View the Sale-a-Bration products in my online store HERE.

 When you host a workshop or place a single order of $300 USD or more during Sale-A-Bration 2020, you earn a FREE Little Lady Bug Stamp Set (Item #152384). This is an adorable lady bug stamp set that is sure to bring cheer to every project! The Little Lady Bug stamp set is not for purchase and can only be earned on qualifying orders during Sale-A-Bration 2020. For more details and information, check out my blog post HERE.

During Sale-A-Bration 2020 (January 3rd, 2020 through March 31st, 2020), when you join Stampin' Up! as a new demonstrator you also receive a Mini Paper Cutter, a sampler pack of 6" x 6" Designer Series Paper, and the stamp set of your choice (excluding host sets and Sale-A-Bration sets) in addition to the $125 USD in product for $99 USD, free shipping, a free Paper Pumpkin Kit, and free business supplies! This is one of the best joining specials that I have seen since I became a demonstrator!  For more information, check out my blog post here or contact me today. I would love for you to join my team the Purrfect Stampers!

Get a sneak peek of January's Paper Pumpkin Kit! January's kit theme is I'll Bee Yours. Paper Pumpkin’s first kit of 2020 is all about L-O-V-E. Whether you want handmade favors for Valentine’s Day, a bridal shower, or a remarkably romantic wedding, this month’s kit has everything you need to help you celebrate your favorite friendships and love stories. It will make 20 Mini Treat Bags and 10 mini cards with coordinating envelopes. January's kit will make it easy to create and package gifts for your loved ones! January's kit also coordinates with the Heart Punch Pack (item 151292) in the January-June Mini Catalog, providing even more versatility! The coordinating colors are Crushed Curry, Highland Heather, Mint Macaron, and Rococo Rose. Sign up for Paper Pumpkin by January 10th to receive January's Kit! Click here for more information about January's Paper Pumpkin kit!

June 4th, 2019 - June 2nd, 2020 - Shop from the 2019-2020 Annual Catalog for all of your stamping needs! This catalog is bursting with must have stamp sets, dies, embossing folders, ribbons, rhinestones, and more! I love the entire catalog! I think you will too! Check out all of the new products today!

Are you new to stamping? The Beginner Brochure may be the right place to start! The Beginner Brochure features a collection of stamp sets, kits, and bundles that are specifically designed to help you build your stamping skills! Check out our Beginner Brochure today! View the Beginner Brochure products in my online store. Download the Beginner Brochure here.

P.S. If you are a Magnolia Lane Product Suite Fan, there is a companion stamp set Magnolia Blooms (Item #152729) in the Beginner Brochure!