So often our card bases tend to be light colors. This makes sense - light colors are easier to stamp on. However, darker cards can be dramatic. For today's Wow Wednesday, I used the To a Wild Rose stamp set and dies. For the greeting, I used the Well Said set. 

This card uses the 2019-2021 In-Colors Terracotta Tile and Pretty Peacock as well as Basic Black. I used Staz-on jet black ink to stamp the outlines of the rose and leaves. Then, I stamped the shading with Versamark to give it a slightly darker color. I cut the images out with the dies. I stamped a second flower and fussy cut the center. I mounted this center on the middle of the flower with dimensionals to give a 3D effect. 

To create a background at the top of the card, I stamped the flower center image in Versamark ink on Pretty Peacock cardstock. To add some texture, I embossed the strip of Basic Black cardstock with the Subtle embossing folder. Finally, I tied it all together with some Polka Dot Tulle. 

All of the supplies, including the To a Wild Rose stamp set are available from Stampin' Up!

Next time you want to create a truly dramatic card, consider using darker colors. They can really pop!

Now, you're going to cut this piece into strips going the other direction. Each strip can be the same width, I used 1/2" strips for one card, or they can be varying widths. Lay the strips side-by-side shifting the patterns up or down each strip. You can go back and forth between up and down, or make a wave-type pattern, or a variation of the two. 

I recently received the beautiful Friend Like You stamp set from a fellow stamper. I was so excited when it arrived in the mail, but I was knee deep in some other projects at the time and had to set it at the back of the stamp table. But today I pulled it out and made three awesome cards that go from simple to Wow!

All stamps and supplies used for these cards are available from Stampin' Up! If you are not already working with a demonstrator, I would love to help you purchase these supplies for your own craft room. Just send me a note.

First, I stamped the clump of leaves and stems using Old Olive ink. I stamped once and then stamped a second time further up and to the right to create a more faded image. Then I re-inked the stamp and stamped a third time, again, further to the right, but this time at a height between the first two. ​

To ink the flowers, I very carefully used the corner of my ink pad to ink the flowers in the desired color. This seems tricky, but with this set, it was pretty easy and I didn't experience trouble with ink on the wrong flowers. However, I don't think you could use this technique to get the flowers that are the same color in the samples in two different colors. They are just too close together.

I carefully lined up the images over the leaves I had already stamped. Since these are clear photopolymer stamps, it's easy to see through them to get perfect - or nearly perfect - placement. This stamp set is very forgiving, and if the flowers and the stems don't line up exactly, you won't really notice. Like the leaves, I stamped the flowers a second time to get the more pastel version you see in the back. Then I re-inked and stamped a third time.

Finally, I added the greeting in Rich Razzleberry and tied on a little ribbon. The polka dot tulle adds a great touch and is very easy to tie. I absolutely love it and find it works on so many projects. 

The DSP and the greeting strip are trimmed to match the edge of this embossed cardstock on the left. As you can see, on the right, they are staggered in length. 

On the piece of vellum, I very carefully scored a line 1/4 inch from each side. Then I flattened the vellum back out because it tended to curl up. This left a very subtle line framing the outside of the layer. 

Whether you're short on time or supplies or you want to go all out and make a Wow! card, the Friend Like You stamp set is a perfect vehicle for you creative juices!