Today's WOW Wednesday! uses the Bargello technique which is based on a traditional embroidery style. You can read a little more about it over on Wikipedia. Instead of using stitches to create a pattern, this card uses Stampin' Up! Designer Series Paper. 

This card uses the Bird Ballad DSP and the Friend Like You stamp set with Petal Pink and Calypso Coral cardstock and ink.

Start by cutting 3/4" x 5-6" strips of 3-4 different patterns. You can have some contrasting patterns or you can use a more monochromatic color scheme. 

Then, lay the strips out in a repeating pattern. Next, adhere the strips to a piece of thin scrap paper or cardstock making sure that the strips are tight side-by-side without overlapping and getting the adhesive all the way to the ends. Since I was using scraps, the strips weren't all the same length. Once they were adhered to my piece of Whisper White cardstock, I trimmed it so that none of the cardstock was showing around the paper. 

Once they were adhered to my piece of Whisper White cardstock, I trimmed it so that none of the cardstock was showing around the paper. It looked something like this. See how you only see the patterned paper and no cardstock? 

Cut a piece of Whisper White cardstock to the size you want for the front of your card. I used a piece that was 5 x 3.75". Adhere the strips to this piece in whichever pattern you choose. Then, flip the card over and trim the edges. 

I finished the card up by adhering this Bargello piece to a piece of Calypso Coral cardstock (5 3/16 x 3 15/16") and then to a card base in Petal Pink (5 1/2 x 8 1/2" folded in half). I then tied it together with some Linen Thread and added a greeting from the Friend Like You stamp set cut using the Stitched Shapes dies. 

And an alternate card in Petal Pink and Old Olive. 

The Friend Like You stamp set is made for two-step stamping with 14 photopolymer stamps. Included in the set is a palm trunk and palm leaves, cattail stems and cattail tops, and a clump of leaves and stems and their tops. There are also some cute dragonflies, some squiggly lines that look like water, and 6 greetings, three of which are more what I like to call "outside greetings" and three which are "inside greetings" that match. All in all, it's a pretty awesome set and very versatile! 

There is also a coordinating die set, Friendly Silhouettes, that makes matching silhouettes of palm trees, cattails, and wildflower clumps. 

For the first Simple Stamping card, I used one of Stampin' Up!'s pre-cut note cards. At the smaller 3.5 x 5 inch size, these are perfect to go along with gifts. 

The first card is very simple and has no layering, just stamps, paper, and ink. (Ok, and a little bit of ribbon - I just couldn't resist!) You don't even need a paper cutter for this card. 

I used the same colors and inking techniques on each of the three cards. The colors used are Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry, Mango Melody, and Poppy Parade.

The second card maximizes the ability of layers to add interest and create a really pulled together card. 

I used Rich Razzleberry and Poppy Parade cardstock as well as the See a Silhouette Designer Series Paper. This patterned paper is so vibrant! It is absolutely gorgeous with a beautiful watercolored look to it. 

The final card uses the stitched shaped dies, the Subtle embossing folder, some metallic silver thread, a piece of vellum, and some clear epoxy droplets. 

I used Old Olive cardstock as the base. Like the previous card, it is 8.5 x 5 inches and then folded in half. It is hard to see, but I then added a 4 13/16 inch x 3 15/16 inch piece of Old Olive cardstock that I had embossed using the Subtle embossing folder. This just adds some nice texture to the background.

You may have noticed this card in my blog detailing a hack to create your own enamel dots. What you might not have realized is the really cool gate fold the card uses to stay closed.

​Today, I have all the instructions for making this fun card. 

I cut my Granny Apple Green cardstock in half to create a 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" piece. Then I scored it at 2 1/8" and 6 3/8". (Sorry, this step did not photograph well!)

Next, I folded in the two sides and stamped the vine/flourish stamp with Granny Apple Green around the outsides.

Next, I cut my circles. I cut a circle of Whisper White Cardstock using the second to largest circle in the Layering Circles dies. 

The white circle I had previously cut fits perfectly in this frame. I stamped a sentiment from a very old, very retired All-Year Cheer stamp set on the right side of the Whisper White circle. 

 Sometimes you want to make cards that are a little extra - extra intricate, extra flashy, extra special. Today's Wow Wednesday card delivers all of that! 

A glitzy gold circle frames a window to the inside of the card. The frosted window, created by adding a piece of vellum, adds a hint of elegance. Vellum is a very thin paper that softens the appearance of the image under it. 

I began this card by stamping the rose image from Stampin' Up!'s To a Wild Rose stamp set in Tuxedo Black Memento ink on Whisper White card stock. I then masked the rose and stamped the leaves in Tuxedo Black as well. Coloring the rose was so quick and easy with Stampin' Up!'s blends. These are alcohol markers that come in packs of two with a light and dark marker for each color. This allows you to easily blend the colors to give dimension to the image by adding shading and highlights. I used Mango Melody blends for the rose and Old Olive blends for the leaves. 

I then cut a circle in the Mango Melody card stock using the layering circles. To give the circle a frame of bling, I used two dies to cut a thin circle outline from glitter paper and adhered it to the card. 

I finished the card with a die cut thank you sentiment from Stampin' Up!'s Well Written dies. After cutting the words, I embossed them three times using a Versamark pad and black embossing powder. This gives the sentiment an enameled look. 

This card gives a high class look, but is still pretty quick and easy.