Pop-Up Posies card, bookmarks

When I first saw the new Pop-Up Posies Designer Kit in the Stampin' Up!^® spring catalog, I was intrigued by it. I liked the elements in the kit -- the dimensional flowers, tags and stamp -- but I don't typically make many gift tags, so I didn't know how I would use it. I decided to buy the kit and see what other projects I could make with the supplies.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up!):
Stamps: Feeling Sentimental
Card stock: Naturals Ivory, Basic Black
Ink: Jet Black StazOn, Crumb Cake
Accessories: Pop-Up Posies Designer Kit, sponge, Dimensionals

I started by using one of the die-cut, embossed tags and pieces of twine from the kit to make this clean and simple birthday card. I stamped the Ferris wheel image from the Feeling Sentimental set on the tag and tied the twine around the bottom of the tag. Using Dimensionals, I mounted the tag on a 2-3/8" x 3-3/8" piece of Basic Black card stock and then adhered the piece in the middle of the card. (Note: When cutting this card base, I managed to measure it incorrectly, so it is 4-1/4" x 5-1/4" instead of 5-1/2". But it actually worked to my advantage because that created an even border around the Basic Black card stock.) I stamped the greeting in the bottom right corner of the card and then used a sponge to lightly apply Crumb Cake ink around the edges of the card to create an aged look.

Deciding what to make with the flowers took a little more effort. My first thought, of course, was to use them as an embellishment on a card. I wouldn't be able to mail said card because the flowers aren't flat, but I could always hand deliver it or tuck it in a gift bag. But I wasn't feeling too inspired with that idea, so I decided to try making bookmarks instead.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up!, unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Summer Silhouettes, Pursuit of Happiness
Card stock: Early Espresso, Very Vanilla
Ink: Early Espresso, Pool Party, Summer Starfruit
Accessories: Pop-Up Posies Designer Kit, corner rounder, extra-large oval punch
Other (unknown): Craft knife, magnet strips

Aren't they cute? I'm really happy with how they turned out. To make the bookmark bases, I started with a standard 4-1/4" x 5-1/2" card base folded on the short side. (So unfolded the card stock measured 4-1/4" x 11".) I cut the card base in half along the short side (2-1/8") to create two bookmarks, which will slip over a page in a book with the fold resting along the top of the page.

I cut two 2" x 5-3/8" pieces of Very Vanilla card stock for the decorative panels on the bookmarks. I rounded the corners of the panels, stamped them with a sentiment and floral or border images, and adhered them to the bookmarks.

In order for a book to close while one of the bookmarks is in it, I needed a way to add the flowers above the fold in the card stock. I placed the bookmark, still folded, face down on the table. Then I punched an extra-large oval from a scrap piece of card stock and set it across the fold of the card stock so approximately half the oval was on the bookmark. I traced around the half oval on the back of the bookmark, opened the bookmark, and used a craft knife to cut along the traced line. I refolded the bookmark, leaving the half oval unfolded, and added the flower to this tab.

The bookmarks could be done at this point, but I decided to add magnet strips inside the bookmarks. Now if your book falls open when you pick it up, your bookmark stays in place.

The Pop-Up Posies Kit comes with enough supplies to make nine flowers, three Very Vanilla, three Pool Party, and three Calypso Coral (in the same style as the Pool Party flowers). These flowers would also make adorable toppers for small gift boxes or embellishments on a piece of framed art. You could use them on napkin rings or place cards for a spring table setting. They might even work as decorative hair barrettes for older children (but not in the rain since they are just paper). What other uses can you think of for these fun flowers?

The one item from the Pop-Up Posies Designer Kit that I haven't used yet is the "just for you" stamp. But that's a versatile all-occasion greeting, so I'm sure I'll be putting that to good use soon.



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