This card follows up on my previous post about drawing inspiration from new samples to use older supplies. The card I'm sharing was based on page 13 of the Stampin' Up! 2019 Holidays catalogue. I remember thinking on my very first viewing of the catalogue that this was very similar to the Holiday Collection dies and some of the Holiday plaid papers from years ago. Sure enough, if it, because look at how close my card is to the sample! The Holiday Collection dies did have a star die in it, but it would have been too big to make a row in the tree, so I went back to my die collection and found a more appropriately-sized star in the Quilt Builder dies from last year. Instead of using gold foil paper, I stuck with the same DSP pack and used one of the yellow papers.
For the background, I wanted to keep the idea of tone on tone, but instead of using cardstock, I picked another sheet of DSP with a Crumb Cake background and a very subtle argyke design. I used a sttiched rectangle die to cut it out. Here's the tea: Stampin' Up! now has sttiched rectangle dies, but they kind of joined the parade on the late side, so I already had a variety of stitched rectangle from other companies, which is why I never purchased theirs when they came out. For this card, I therefore used my Outside In Stitched Rectangles dies from Lawn Fawn, but I still would consider this card a SUO (Stampin' Up! only) card in the sense that you could totally reproduce this with Stampin' Up! products if you did use their Stitched Rectangles.
As for the jingle bell, I know for a fact I have their mini jingle bells somewhere. They came out with silver ones many moons ago and then again with an assorted pack of red and silver ones a few years later. I've purchased both (I was low on the silver ones so I stocked up when the second set came out) but for some reason, they are not stored with my other SU! embellishments and I couldn't find them tonight, so I simply went to a jar of larger fold jingle bells purchased from a craft store 20 years ago when I had just started crafting. Based on the picture of the sample in the catalogue, I would say the size is really similar (3/8") so again, not by Stampin' Up!, but kinda!
Next came the hunt for an appropriately-sized Christmas sentiment. I narrowed my options down to three but when I placed the stamps next to the project to make a choice, it was immediately clear that the one from Snowflake Sentiments had the perfect font and size to fit the feel of the card. I stamped it on Thick White cardstock with Garden Green ink (initially because I was expecting to add a red jingle bell to the tag!) and I notched the right side with my scissors. Now that I look back at the sample, I notice that on theirs, both sides are notched and mine aren't. That was not a conscious choice, just a detail I hadn't noticed, but had I noticed, I think I still would have gone with the straight edge. I pulled out my twines and couldn't find any linen thread (I'm sure I still have some, not sure where it went - looks like half of my stash grew legs tonight!) so I went with the now-retired heavier natural twine the company used to carry. I like it, I think it's stiffer and give the bow more weight.
I repeated a die-cut tree inside the card and on the matching Crumb Cake envelope. This is definitely a simpler look than the cards I usually design, but I really like how it turned out. And what a great way to use scraps - I didn't use a single full sheet, managed to get everything I needed out of scraps. (Which is why those patterned paper stacks last forever!)
Again, I extend the challenge to you to pick a sample you like, whether in a catalogue, magazine or online, and to shop your stash to reproduce it with what you have on hand. It's a great way to rediscover older, neglected supplies but also to craft on those days where the inspiration might be running on low.
Stampin' Up! Supplies (unless otherwise noted)
Stamps: Souhaits en rafales (Snowflake Sentiments)
Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Thick Whisper White
Designer Series Paper Stack: Warmth & Cheer
Ink: Garden Green
Accessories: Quilt Builder Dies, Holiday Collection Dies, Natural Twine,
Stampin' Dimensionals, Crumb Cake Medium Envelope, Clear Wink of Stella Brush,
Outside In Stitched Rectangles Dies (Lawn Fawn)
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