Be Mine, Valentine

Valentine's is the day for hearts, hearts and more hearts.  You can't go into a store without seeing a heart somewhere.  Naturally that has been a favourite theme for cards and projects lately, too.

I fell in love with some of the wonderful 3-D Hearts that have been posted by stampers and crafters lately.  I'm one of those people who figures, "if they can do it, so can I!"  Without a pattern or looking at any tutorials, I began working on my own version, using those terrific framelits dies: Hearts Collection.  Believe me, these dies make the whole process a lot easier.  This is what I came up with.

I've shown the box from three different angles.  I love the roses, too, and figured out how to make those when someone mentioned that you can make them by using a scalloped circle, cutting a spiral, and then rolling it into a rosebud.  The leaves are done with a crimper and then snipped.  I had a lot of positive feedback on this project.

Making It My Way

Inspiration comes in many ways.  I've made a card, gone to bed, and just as I was drifting off to sleep, thought of a better way to finish it up.  Sometimes I'm lucky and I remember...sometimes, well, you know how it is.  This time I was lucky and remembered my inspiration after I woke up this morning.  And wouldn't you know it, the card is better as a result.

I had finished this card last night using some of the Sale-a-bration Everyday Enchantment designer paper with the Pool Party cardstock but I had stamped the little crown and key on Very Vanilla in Crumb Cake.  Then I cut them out closely and adhered them to the card with skinny bits of Dimensionals.  It looked okay but not inspiring.  Then as I drifted off I thought about stamping them with VersaMark, embossing them in gold, and then cutting them out with that new little Embosslits folder, Fashionable Hearts.  Well, it looks so much better and now I'm happy with the card.

I've seen cards made in shapes, rather than the usual square or rectangle and have admired them.  When I saw a couple posted using the largest of the new framelits Hearts Collection, I was inspired to try my hand at it and give it my own twist.

The only real pop of colour in this card is the Calypso Coral.  Otherwise I've just used Basic Black cardstock, Very Vanilla cardstock, and, of  course, the silver Glimmer paper.  I decided that I didn't like the flat corner where the front and back of the card joined, so I added some flowers made using the Boho Blossoms punch, centred with a Basic Black Glimmer brad.  The smaller hearts were punched out with the Fashionable Hearts embosslits folder.

I don't know about you, but I require caffeine in the morning.  It's my 'kick-start" to the day...the reason my eyes stay open.  When I saw the Morning Cup stamp set, I was inspired: I knew it had been made for me.  Of course I had to buy the Stampin Around Wheel, Take a Sip too.  Today I finally used the set using Basic Black cardstock, Whisper White cardstock and some of that lovely Twitterpated Designer Paper from the new Occasions Mini-Catalogue.  The only "pops" of colour in the entire card are the hearts, two coloured with the Real Red Stampin Write marker and one cut out of the Real Red cardstock.

I also added some of the Basic Black Scallop Dots Ribbon.  I love the simplicity.  Just looking at the card reminds me that I need another cup of coffee. ;)

Wherever you get your inspiration, go with the flow.  There's nothing more satisfying than enjoying your final creation.