Pocket Silhouette Step Up

Here are two cards I made in one stamping session. The first was to get the idea floating in my head into a concrete form, and the second was a step-up version with more details.

The stamp set used is Pocket Silhouettes, a very cute little set, found on page 72 of the IBC. It includes 4 stamps with stems and flowers in a silhouette style (obviously!) and two sentiments (not used here) "friend to friend" and "thanks so much" I have seen lots of different ideas using this set, the images lend themselves to punched shapes and tags as well as being layered as borders or backgrounds.

The cards also feature cut and embossed shapes made with Spellbinders Nestabilities, of which I have somewhat of a collection. I don't show them all that much here on my Stampin' Up! blog, but of late I have decided to show you how well SU products can work with things you already own. Versatility is key these days! The particular design used here is "Labels 4", all the other "labels" designs are just as nice!

Both card bases are Perfect Plum, and I have cut them in a Gate Fold. A minor twist is to use them in a landscape orientation, and the Label shape acts like a seal across the opening, and draws the eye to the centre of the card where the sentiment is stamped. The simple version has a single layer of Pale Plum cut with the Eyelet Border punch, and the top section of the card is left undecorated. The step-up version has a double layer of Eyelet border punching, and I have stamped the top flap with Perfect plum ink using the Polka Dot background.

For the simple version, I repeat stamped one of the stem images in Perfect Plum ink, overlapping them and altering the height slightly to create a border along the base. The step-up uses two different stem images alternately for extra visual interest, balancing the top section of the card.

The label is stamped with a fabulous sentiment from the "On your Birthday" set, page 113 of the IBC. I inked up the wording in Pale Plum, Perfect Plum and Mellow Moss. Both versions have inked edges, I think the Mellow Moss looks better, in the step-up version. Some Mellow Moss ribbon finishes the step-up card, and also acts as a seal.

I love this colour combination, you'll see another card using it soon....