Clean and Simple (CAS) cards are always great.  They’re quick, easy and striking!  The Regarding Dahlias stamp set has several greetings and one very powerful floral image.  Perfect for clean and simple cards. 

Do you ever have an image remind you of someone?  That happens to me, and today I’m using flowers because I’m thinking of Yvonne. 

I teach card and scrapbooking classes locally here in my home and in various communities.  I’ll never forget the day I met Yvonne.  It was at a vendor event when she made her way to my table with her walker and oxygen tank.  Yvonne could not stop looking at my scrapbooks and cards – I could tell she was definitely an avid paper crafter!  She quickly arranged for me to teach scrapbooking in her community with a few of her friends religiously every month.  Each one became stampers in addition to scrapbookers, and I’ve loved every class that I taught there.  The friendships these ladies have with each other, in addition to just really loving every crafting moment together has always been special to be a part of for me. 

Yvonne has been one of my die hard stampers who never let anything get in the way of her trying all the paper crafting techniques she could – not even a broken shoulder or arm.  I have truly admired her zest for life and not letting the little things get to her (As if those are little things!). 

Yvonne was unable to make the trip up the stairs to my stamping studio for my stamping classes in my home, so one day I decided to bring class to her.  It was an awesome fun afternoon, stamping with a friend.  We made several projects using various techniques and to this day is one of my fondest memories of a private one on one class.  Yvonne never missed a class, and over time, I noticed that she gravitated toward the floral images.  So, today this card is for you Yvonne.  You will be greatly missed and I know that wherever you are, you are most definitely living life to the fullest and certainly stamping and scrapbooking!

Creative Tips –

• To create the floral design, you will want to make a mask out of printer paper.  Card stock will be too thick, and you will find that you have a white gap at the edge of your masked images, which I know will frustrate you!
• Turn your stamp as you stamp the other images.  This way you have variety and not a repetitive look.
• This image above has two stamped identically and then one not – can you see the difference?  My other sample has the flower at a slightly different angle.  It’s a bit easier on the eye.
• You can see that I chose to matte the strip two ways, white strip on white and white strip on matching Night of Navy card stock.  Both are lovely, and have very different looks.
• You might want to try stamping a long strip that you can cut to the size you need – that way you will have it for multiple cards.
• Remember the law of 1/3rds when you are placing your images.  In CAS cards, you want to have a lot of white space, so placing your strip and greeting in the top or bottom third will be visually appealing to the reader.
• For a finishing touch, add some paper piercing to the the opposite side of your strip. 

Have you taken a peek at the new Holiday Catalog yet?  The projects are awesome, the new products, well many are quite addictive!  My personal favorite is the new Expressions Thinlits Dies.  How about you?  View all our Catalogs here

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Stamp Sets – Regarding Dahlias (130327c, 130324w), Sweet Essentials (126457c, 132085w) Paper – Whisper White, Night of Navy Ink – Night of Navy  Cool Tools – Paper Piercing Tool, Essentials Mat Pack, Stampin’ Pierce Mat