diecutting - Right as Rain

Circle Frame | Penny Black Petals

Hello! After enjoying my first card with Penny Black’s new Petals stamp set from the A Lovely Smile release, I wanted to play with another image from the collection. I experimented with a different frame design, this time creating a circle window to highlight the image. A sweet tag sentiment and a few thoughtful details completed the card while keeping the focus on the watercoloring.

You can see my first card with the Petals set HERE.

- To begin, stamp the Petals image onto watercolor paper and color it with the medium of your choice. Once dry, cut with the coordinating die.
- Stamp the Happy Snippets sentiment and cut with a tag die (I used one from My Favorite Things).
- Cut white cardstock (Bazzill Marshmallow) with the square die measuring 4-1/2″ square in the Penny Black 51-422 Stitched Square & Circles die set.
- Use a circle die in the 51-551 Stitched Circles set to cut a circle from the square.
- Stamp Script (similar cling stamp) onto blue cardstock (Spellbinders Malibu) with blue ink for a tone-on-tone background. Trim to fit behind the frame. Cut a sheet of vellum to put in front of the script background.
- Use a circle in the 51-422 Stitched Square & Circles die set to cut an inner mat from the same blue cardstock for the assembly.
- Assemble the frame and background pieces and attach to a card base.
- Add the focal image and sentiment with foam adhesive.

Early in my cardmaking journey, I would often devour an entire stamp set, inking up every image and finding a way to use each one. It’s fun to return to that feeling again with Penny Black’s Petals stamp set and let each image inspire a different card design.

Affiliate links are used when available at no extra cost to you.

Watercolored Penny Black Petals Card

Hello! As I ease back into watercoloring, I treated myself to Penny Black’s new Petals clear stamp set from the A Lovely Smile release. The charming girl image was just the inspiration I needed, and it gave me the perfect excuse to revisit a framed card design, something I haven’t created in quite a while. I love using frames because they create a window that showcases the focal image. Without the frame, the sweet image might get lost, while the framed design naturally draws the eye and provides an elegant place for the sentiment. An ink-blended, dry-embossed background shows through the oval opening, while die-cut butterflies complete the scene. It felt good to combine some favorite techniques with one of Penny Black’s newest releases.

- To begin, stamp the Petals image onto watercolor paper and color it with the medium of your choice. Once dry, cut with the coordinating die.
- Stamp the now-retired Friendship Flowers sentiment [#30-223] in black ink onto white cardstock. Cut to A2-size with a stitched rectangle die. Cut an oval from the center (I used a now-retired one from Spellbinders).
- Ink a panel with Tumbled Glass and Mowed Lawn Oxide inks. Dry-emboss with the Penny Black Encircle folder. Attach to the back of the frame. Add assembly to a card base.
- Cut butterflies (now-retired Flight of Fancy set) from watercolor paper that has been colored with the same pink as the shirt on the Petals image.
- Add the girl and butterflies to the card with foam adhesive.

Affiliate links are used when available at no extra cost to you.

Playing with Penny Black Products

Hello! Lately, I’ve been easing my way back into the craft room. For the past several years, much of my creative time was shaped by design commitments, and now that those have come to an end, I have the opportunity to slow down and play.

As I’ve been watching Jill Foster’s Penny Black videos, one idea has especially stayed with me: limit your choices so you can enjoy the creative process instead of feeling overwhelmed by all the possibilities. That simple shift in mindset has been exactly what I needed. Rather than trying to use every technique or create the “perfect” card, I’m choosing a handful of products and seeing where they lead.

This card combines a Penny Black cling stamp, an embossing folder, stamped images with coordinating dies, and a frame die. The watering can and hydrangea images also gave me another opportunity to practice watercoloring. I wouldn’t say I’ve completely found my creative rhythm again, but I can feel it returning.

- Dry-emboss a tan A2-size card panel with the Penny Black Texture folder. Add to a card base.
- Stamp Hydrangeas image onto watercolor paper and color it with your favorite medium. Stamp the watering can image onto watercolor paper and color it with your favorite medium. Once dry, cut the items with the coordinating dies Hydrangeas cut out and watering can cut out.
- Stamp the Happy Snippets sentiment and cut with a tag die (I used one from My Favorite Things). Add a small jewel/gem to the tag.
- Use the largest Classy Frames die to cut a frame.
- Stamp Script (similar cling stamp) onto purple paper with purple ink for a tone-on-tone background. Trim to fit inside the frame.
- Attach the purple panel to the back of the frame and add the assembly to the card base. Add the watering can and floral to the card with foam adhesive. Add the tag to the can.

Affiliate links are used when available at no extra cost to you.

Spellbinders | Americana Quilt Card

Hello! Making this Americana quilt card was an absorbing process, almost like assembling a small paper quilt. I used an older 3″ quilt square die (Flower Mini Quilt by Becca Feeken) from Spellbinders and inlaid red, white, and blue patterned papers to create a classic Americana patchwork. I repeated the process to make a second square. The finished card is 3 1/4″ x 6 1/4″ and is kept simple with a BetterPress sentiment. The result feels nostalgic. This card idea occurred to me after I posted about Red, White, and Blue cards.

This card came together easily and became a relaxing project while I was brushing up on my watercolor skills for a different card. I’ve been enjoying revisiting older products, such as the Flower Mini Quilt die set, and discovering new ways to use them. You can see a guest blog post from several years ago that uses this die set and others in the Home Sweet Quilt Collection HERE.

Affiliate links are used when available at no extra cost to you.

Elizabeth Craft | Rustic Barrel and Roses

Hello! Today I am sharing a card with a rustic garden feel, which combines several Elizabeth Craft Designs die sets. The design features a weathered wooden barrel containing roses and lush greenery, a birdhouse, set on a patterned paper background for added texture. A simple tag tucked into the arrangement finishes the scene. I originally set out to make a Fourth of July scene, but the design morphed along the way!

- Create a 5″ x 7″ card base from textured white cardstock and add a patterned paper panel (49 and Market from a season or so ago).
- Cut the barrel, birdhouse, and birds with dies in the Floral Foliage 1 set from soft-finish cardstock. Color and assemble as required.
- Cut the roses and leaves with dies in the Roses set from soft-finish cardstock. Color the leaves and shape. Shape the roses. This video from Elizabeth Craft is a big help in shaping the elements.
- Cut additional greenery with dies in the Greenery Fillers 01 set (now retired) from soft-finish cardstock. Color and shape.
- Stamp the sentiment and cut with a tag die. I used a now-retired Stampin’ Up Timeless Tropical stamp and a Taylored Expressions tag die.
- Arrange and adhere the elements to the prepared card base.

Affiliate links are used when available at no extra cost to you.