Hydrangea card set

Last weekend I needed a couple of card sets to give as birthday gifts. (One was belated and one was early, so it all evens out, right?) The stash of card sets I used to have all made and ready to give has been depleted, so I started from scratch. I'll share the first card set today and the second one later this week.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up!^®):
Stamps: Because I Care
Card stock: Very Vanilla, Almost Amethyst, Perfect Plum, Bashful Blue, Marina Mist
Ink: Almost Amethyst, Perfect Plum, Bashful Blue, Marina Mist, Old Olive markers
Accessories: Pop 'N Cuts card base die, Labels Collection Framelits dies, Festive Paper-Piercing Pack, paper-piercing tool and mat, Frost White Shimmer Paint, Very Vanilla seam binding ribbon, Color Spritzer tool, sponge daubers, Dimensionals

I love this hydrangea image, and since I always associate blue with hydrangeas, I chose a color palette of two shades of blue (Bashful Blue and Marina Mist) and added two purples (Almost Amethyst and Perfect Plum) for a little variety. To create the focal image, I colored directly on the rubber stamp with markers (one of the four main colors for the hydrangea blossom and Old Olive for the stem and leaves). Then I used a sponge dauber to apply Frost White Shimmer Paint to the blossom part of the rubber stamp (on top of the ink). I didn't worry about even coverage; I just dabbed on the shimmer paint here and there. Then I stamped the image on Very Vanilla card stock. It's a subtle shimmer, but it looks so pretty when it catches the light.

After stamping all of the hydrangeas (two of each color for the eight-card set), I cut them out using the Labels Collection Framelits dies. The focal pieces needed a little something, but when I give card sets as gifts, I try to keep the cards fairly flat so someone else doesn't have to worry about extra postage. So instead of adding pearls, rhinestones or buttons, I decided to paper pierce around the edge of the die cut. I think it turned out to be the perfect detail for these cards.

To make the card bases, I used the new Pop 'N Cuts card base die from Stampin' Up!. I love the little tabs on the corners to keep the card closed, and the rounded bottom edge looks great with the Labels Collection die-cuts.

Before adding the focal images on the cards, I used the Color Spritzer tool to "splatter" ink from the coordinating marker on each of the card bases. I wrapped a piece of Very Vanilla seam binding ribbon around the middle of the card front and used Dimensionals to adhere the focal image.

I am really pleased with how this card set turned out, and I think I may need to make another one if I ever have a chance to work on replenishing my stash. Check back later this week to see the second card set I made last weekend. Thanks for stopping by!