Another thank you card using Just Believe

One of my great pleasures in life is tucking myself away with a stamp set and spending time seeing what it can do. If it weren't for the fact that I get hungry, I don't suppose I would have stopped with Just Believe! Today's card is a thank you card but I think it would make a great Easter card or spring birthday card or, without the bling, a sympathy card.

I have been wanting a grass image for ages so when I got this set, I wondered whether the large plant in this set might do the trick. And I think it does! See what you think:

I just used a Certainly Celery marker on the bits I wanted. No need to be too careful, just sweep the brush end of the marker upwards and use a stamp-a-majig to position it. I love the way the Old Olive stems on the irises contrast with the grass and I added a sprinkling of self-adhesive rhinestones to represent dewdrops.

The sky was quickly sponged over with Bashful Blue ink - one of my favourite techniques and so easy. Look out for a video tutorial coming soon! Have you spotted the gorgeous little butterfly? Doesn't he look realistic?! I stamped him in So Saffron ink, coloured him with Daffodil Delight and added a little So Saffron shading before cutting him out. This is the butterfly from Sweet Summer, one of the four Sale-a-bration stamp sets you can choose free with an order of £45. This offer is only on until the end of the month, so hurry! And there are other ways to earn free sets too - click here for all the information. If you'd like to place an order with me, it's very easy and I'm very helpful! Just click here to email me or phone me on 01280 820593.

Here's how to make this card:

• Cut a piece of A4 Whisper White card stock in half vertically. Score and fold in half to make a card base.
• Use the scoring blade on your trimmer to score inside the card front at 2.5cm and 3cm. This will make two decorative embossed lines at the bottom of your card. Use a paper piercer and the template in the mat pack to add a line of holes between the embossed lines to create a decorative border.
• Use a certainly Celery marker on the large plant stamp for the grass. Use a stamp-a-majig to position this above the embossed border, stamping slightly off the card front. Repeat this until you have grass going across your card front.
• Use post-it notes to mask off the white space below the grass. Colour the iris stamp using Old Olive and Perfect Plum markers and stamp the flowers randomly over the grass. Use the thin end of the Old Olive marker to extend the stems to the bottom of the grass where required.
• Add self-adhesive rhinestones to the grass.
• Sponge in a sky with Bashful Blue ink.
• Stamp the butterfly on a scrap of Whisper White card stock using So Saffron ink. Colour it with a Daffodil Delight marker and add shading with a So Saffron marker. Cut the butterfly out with sharp paper snips and colour the back of it. Attach it to the card front with a thin line of Sticky Strip and draw its little antennae with the thin end of a So Saffron marker if you like. Pull its wings up for a realistic look!
• Add the sentiment in Perfect Plum ink using a stamp-a-majig to make sure it's straight.

Supplies
Stamps: Just Believe, Sweet Summer (Free Sale-a-bration set)
Ink: Bashful Blue
Card stock: Whisper White
Other: Adhesive rhinestones, markers in Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Perfect Plum, So Saffron, Daffodil Delight

Yesterday, my blogging friend Jacqueline asked if I use Stampin' Up paper snips and the answer is a resounding YES! When I first saw them I admit to being very sceptical as they seemed rather big and clunky to do detailed cutting. But I got some in my starter kit and so I tried them and I'm a huge fan now. They are really sharp which makes them perfect for intricate work but they also have a longish blade so they're great for straight lines too. I adore my paper snips and have another pair which I keep only for cutting ribbon - this keeps them ultra sharp and means my ribbon doesn't fray. By the way, do pop over and visit Jacqueline's blog and take a look at her lovely creations.

Shall I stop now? I've just realised that I've been rambling on for hours again... Thank you so much for visiting today. Do join me again tomorrow for Three Minute Thursday, where I can promise to be quick!
Hope to see you then,