Thoughtful Branches with Layering Squares

In my email today I found a delightful card technique that used both the Thoughtful Branches stamp set and the Layering Squares Framelits. Kelly Acheson provided an informative video tutorial for this technique in her blog post.

In choosing my color scheme for my card, I consulted my 2016-17 Stampin' Up! Color Coordinator. You can download and print your own Color Coordinator and Nicole Watt has a wonderful video tutorial that details the ways in which you can use the Color Coordinator to select colors.

I began with a Very Vanilla matte and stamped the flowers/tree canopy stamp from Thoughtful Branches using Blushing Bride full strength. I then stamped it several times around the image to produce a lighter halo effect. I cleaned my stamp and stamped again, positioning the stamp a little off centre, using Sweet Sugarplum. Lastly, I used Watermelon Wonder.

I stamped the stems with Wild Wasabi and then stamped the sentiment using my MISTI, which allowed me to double-stamp. I then finished by stamping two leaves.

Two of the Layering Squares Framelits were used to cut out a "frame" and a smaller square from the stamped flower section. The stamped matte was then adhered to a Watermelon Wonder matte, using my Marsupial Tool, leaving a hole where the card stock showed through.

I replaced the "frame" and then inset the smaller square piece, being sure that both stamped die cuts were lined up the way they had been originally. I then removed the square, applied Fast Fuse and replaced it after once again checking that I had the correct alignment. (Am I anal? Yes! However, when applying adhesive, I have a habit of turning the piece around so I needed to verify that it was positioned correctly!) I then removed the "frame" die cut.

I cut a standard card base from Very Vanilla and then used the Marsupial again to adhere the mattes.

I used the Foam Adhesive Strips to apply to the "frame" die cut and then inserted it carefully back into the space from which it came. I added a small bow, made by folding the now retired Wild Wasabi Seam Binding in half, adhered with Glue Dots. Inside the card, I simply stamped two leaves in the bottom right corner to complete the card.

What a fun little technique! This could be used in a number of ways and gives a nice little "pop" to a relatively flat card.

I selected the following colors for my color scheme. Feel free to save them for your own projects!