For this month’s blog hop, we decided to make double the cards! Spring is here and the new catalogue approaches, so we have lots of excitement for stamping. We made two cards: one simpler, and one “stepped up”. The idea is showing how different products can be used to enhance a design, while also showing how cards using a few products can still be elegant.

I decided to use the Seasonal Branches stamp set for these cards. I figured it would be a good way to make a card that looked complicated while being simple, and I knew all of the coordinating dies would make it a great stepped up card.

I’m so happy with how my simple/casual crafter card came out. I made it using only stamps, ink, and paper! (Also, a trimmer and adhesive, but that goes without saying, right?)

Stamping the flowers onto the branch was nervewracking, but it came out splendidly! I actually stamped it a whole bunch of times while trying to decide what color I wanted to use, and it came out well every time. I lined it up using the small bud on the bottom row of flowers, and it always turned out better than I expected.

I also decided to put a sentiment on the inside of the card. I don’t normally do this, but I think it’s often difficult to come up with words to say in a sympathy or get well card, and I really liked the sentiment on this one. The sentiments are from the Comforting Thoughts stamp set.

For my stepped up card, I knew I would be using dies to make a design with more depth. I also knew I wanted to color the bird in, and Stampin’ Blends are always a joy to use. This was also a great chance to use this ribbon! It matches the Very Vanilla so well.

I’m always impressed by cards that have a lot of layered pieces, and I tried to make that look by using some of the Stylish Shapes dies. I realized the banner one matched one of the Happy Little Things dies, which fit the seniment perfectly. That helped me decide what colors to use and how to align the pieces. I decided to use the Very Vanilla piece under the bird and flowers so the border around the stamped images would be a little less noticable.

One of the fun aspects was arranging the branch and flowers pieces. I experimented with putting the branches in front of more of the flowers, but I ended up liking it with only one small piece in front of one of the flowers.

One of the tricky parts of this card was picking the ink colors. I ended up using three different purple inks! The flowers are Highland Heather, the sentiment is Gorgeous Grape, and the bird is Blackberry Bliss. I was worried that when I colored the bird in it wouldn’t look right, but I think it turned out really well. It must be in part because of the gorgeous Perennial Lavender DSP.

And I stepped up the inside as well! I added a small strip of DSP as well as a Crumb Cake piece 1/8 larger than the Very Vanila piece. I always feel like the 1/8 border looks fancy, and I think it came out well here.

I’m really happy with how these came out. Which one do you like better?

Next, please check out a card made by Mary Lou Green! She always has such cool designs and I’m excited to see what she came up with and how she went from a simple card to a stepped up card.

Happy crafting!