NC Demos Blog Hop – Darling Donkeys Valentine Card

Welcome to the January NC Demos Blog Hop!  This month, we are celebrating and featuring the wonderful, FREE Sale-A-Bration products!  I hope you have just come from Tina Lesson’s post.  Didn’t you just love her project?!  She is an amazing artist and always has an inspiring project to share.  Thank you so much for stopping by to see the card that I have made for this month’s blog hop.

If you’re not familiar with Sale-A-Bration, let me give you just a quick overview.  It is a two month event (ending Feb 28) when Stampin’ Up! offers FREE products with every $50 or $100 that you spend (before shipping/handling and tax).  Please be sure to take a look at the Sale-A-Bration (SAB) brochure to see all the amazing products that are available.  Just click on the picture below –

When I saw the adorable Darling Donkeys stamp set on page 4 of the SAB brochure, I knew that it would be the first FREE project that I would choose.  And, I am so glad that I did.  The donkey images are so cute and can be used for many occasions.  The sentiments are also a lot of fun.  Then, I flipped over to page 7 and got hooked on the Oh So Ombre Designer Series Paper (DSP) and had to add that to my stash as well.  After I learned about the theme for this month’s blog hop, I decided to combine these two FREE SAB products and create a Valentine’s Day card.  Take a look at the card below.

This card comes together pretty quickly and is a faux floating frame card.  Here are the basic steps that I used to create the card.

  • Start with a piece of Thick Basic White card stock cut to 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″, scored at 4 1/4″ on the 8 1/2″ side.  This will be your card base.
  • Cut a piece of Petal Pink card stock cut to 4 1/8″ x 5 3/8″.  This is going to be the base for your Oh So Ombre DSP pieces.
  • Cut a piece of the Rococo Rose Oh So Ombre DSP to 4 1/4″ x 5″.  Then, cut the same piece into five equal strips that measure 4 1/4″ x 1″.  Make sure you keep the pieces in the correct order to show the change in the color as you go from the top of the card to the bottom.  First, adhere the end DSP pieces (the first and last pieces) to the edges of the Petal Pink piece.  Make sure they are lined up against the edge of the paper.  Next, adhere the middle strip.  A ruler can be very helpful to get the placement where you want it to be.  Last, add the two remaining strips.  You’ll be able to tell where they should go since they will be centered between strips that are already attached to the Petal Pink piece.  Turn the piece over, and trim off the excess.

  • Use the largest die from the Stitched Be Mine die collection to die cut a scalloped heart shape in the middle of the piece that you just made.  You will end up with several pieces – A die cut focal point for your card, a thin heart frame die cut piece, and a heart die cut that you can use on another project!!
  • While you have your heart die out, grab a piece of Basic Black card stock, and run it through your die cut machine.  You will use the thin black heart frame piece on the card you are making.
  • Get some washi tape or Post-It notes to use to hold the die cut panel centered on top of your card base.  You want to center this pieces as best as you can.  While you have this piece tacked down, adhere the thin black heart frame directly to your card base.

  • Add dimensionals (regular and mini) to the back of the die cut panel.  Be sure to add dimensionals to all the areas that will touch your card.  You don’t want any areas to sag.  Add your die cut panel to the front of your card.  You’ll have a visual guide for where the opening should be aligned since you have adhered the thin black heart frame to the card base.

  • Get a piece of scrap Basic White card stock and your Memento Tuxedo Black ink to stamp the donkey image from the Darling Donkeys SAB stamp set I love this donkey image!  Seriously – who could not like a donkey with a rose in his mouth?!?
  • I LOVE to color with Watercolor Pencils.  To me, coloring is very relaxing and helps me unwind.  Pictured below are the before and after snaps of the donkey getting colored.  Also pictured are the colors that I used.
  • Use the same heart die that you used in prior steps to die cut the donkey.  Add the sentiment of your choice.  I used one of the stamps from the most recent Paper Pumpkin kit.  And, I used Rococo Rose ink to stamp the sentiment.  Adhere your finished donkey piece directly inside the thin black frame die that is already on the card base.
  • For the final bling – I tied a double bow with the black ribbon that also came in the most recent Paper Pumpkin kit.  Before I actually tied the bow, I attached one of the fun new Heart Charms.

I hope this design will help brighten Valentine’s Day for someone special in your life!  You could always change the sentiment and make a birthday card, get well card, thinking of you card, congratulations card, thank you card…. okay, you get my point!

Please be sure to head on over to Toni Campana’s post.  As always, I’m sure she has an absolutely wonderful project to share with all of us.  And, take a look below at the list of this month’s blog hoppers to be sure that you haven’t missed any of our posts.

Also below are the main product that I used to make my card.  If you click on any picture, you’ll go directly to my online store.

Happy stamping!
Laurie

 

This Month’s NC Blog Hoppers

Amy Kinler
Jo Anne Hewins
Tracie Evans Langley
Tina Lesson
Laurie Meier <—- YOU ARE HERE
Toni Campana
Dawn Colby

 



 

13 thoughts on “NC Demos Blog Hop – Darling Donkeys Valentine Card

  1. Amy says:

    Oh, Laurie! This is too adorable. I am also in love with these two sets. I can not wait to make one of these for my best friend in TX.

    • Laurie Meier says:

      Thanks, Amy! I just love the donkey images in the SAB set. They are too much fun for so many kinds of cards!

  2. Toni M Campana says:

    Wow, there is just so much to love about this card, Laurie! I love the floating frame technique, the colors you used (especially the black framing for the heart!) and you just can’t go wrong with that little donkey! Your coloring is right on point too. Thanks for sharing!!

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