Hello and happy Friday! I’m getting ready to head out camping with my son and family and then on Sunday I’m attending an all day demonstrator event, WooHoo! so I’m excited for a fun filled weekend.

Today I’ve got some cheerful cards created with the Mediterranean Blooms Suite from the Annual Catalog.

I really wish I could capture the sparkle on this card, the photo just doesn’t do it justice! Laurie Healy has done an awesome job of coloring the image and then brushing parts of the fruit with Wink of Stella to give it a shimmer which makes me think of sunshine hitting fruit on a dewy morning.

Take note of the layering that Laurie has used. A Night of Navy card base, then a Boho Blue layer topped with a Basic White Die cut from the Citrus Blooms Dies, followed by a narrow strip of the Mediterranean Blooms DSP and larger strip of Basic White embossed with the Distressed Tile Embossing Folder. The detail and care put into this card are extraordinary.

Our next card was created by Michelle Baranick and is another beauty. Michelle has used the stamps from the Citrus Blooms to create a background on the card base and then used a strip of the Mediterranean Blooms DSP for the focal image. Matted with Cajun Craze it really stands out. I love how she has added a hand cut later to the greeting die cuts from the Stylish Shapes Dies. The Peach Pie hand cut matte really takes the card up to the next level. As I was writing this, I realized that I had lost one of the embellishments, so I stopped and added another Iridescent Pearl colored with a Cajun Craze Stampin’ Blend Marker but mine seemed to have less luster than Michelle’s, so I brushed it with Wink of Stella and it’s a match. Again, it’s these little touches that make a handmade card so special.

Most swap cards don’t have a finished inside (I don’t blame anyone after making dozens, lol) but Michelle has completed the inside with matting and a stamped image.

Be sure to add a pack of the Mediterranean Blooms Designer Series Paper to your order on August 6 and get 15% off! The sale is on 14 different paper packs and goes through the end of August but order right away in case they get sold out.

Products used to create these cards:

Mediterranean Blooms 12″ X 12″ (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper [163284] $12.50	Citrus Blooms Bundle (English) [163295] $62.00	Clear Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush [141897] $9.00
Distressed Tile 3 D Embossing Folder [162189] $10.00	Peach Pie 3/8″ (1 Cm) Bordered Ribbon [163783] $7.50	Rhinestone Basic Jewels [144220] $6.00
Peach Pie Stampin’ Blends Combo Pack [163827] $11.00	Old Olive Stampin’ Blends Combo Pack [154892] $11.00	Lemon Lolly Stampin’ Blends Combo Pack [161673] $11.00
Pecan Pie Stampin’ Blends Combo Pack [161674] $11.00	Cajun Craze Stampin’ Blends Combo Pack [154879] $11.00	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708] $8.00
Iridescent Pearl Basic Jewels [158987] $7.50	Stylish Shapes Dies [159183] $30.00	Peach Pie 8 1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock [163799] $11.50
Cajun Craze 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock [119684] $11.50	Basic White 8 1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock [159276] $13.00	Night Of Navy 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock [100867] $11.50
Boho Blue 8 1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock [161724] $11.50	Stampin’ Dimensionals [104430] $4.25	Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine [149653] $130.00

Wow! How cool is this, we get a free numbers stamp set, great for birthday or anniversary cards! Subscribe Now