What’s Up, Paper Players?

While I’ve made many multi-layered and complicated cards, my super-simple and uber-clean cards seem to strike a chord with my customers and blog readers.  As I sat down to create my project for this week’s Paper Players’ color challenge, I knew I would keep things clean and to-the-point.  That doesn’t mean this card was quick to design, and it definitely doesn’t mean I created it without a table full of scrap pieces.  🙂  I loved making this card, and I’m happy with the end result.  Here’s my card:

What's Up?, Say Something, Stampin' Up!, Brian King, PP195And here’s the banner for Sandy Mathis’ color challenge (click on the banner to see the other entries and design team projects):

I love this time of year – when I can share my spin on some new products from the upcoming catalog and mix them in with some of the retiring/retired products that are on their way out.  With the exception of the I Am Me Designer Series Paper (which is currently still in-stock), everything on this card will be available for purchase in the new catalog.

This card is all about the punching and cropping, right?  Stamp, crop.  Stamp, stamp, punch.  Stamp, punch.  Assemble.  Done.

Here are some tips and some information about the items that are punched and cropped on this card.

Tips, Tricks and Reminders

  • The Arrow.  From the makers of “Hip Notes” – that trendy, fun sentiment set from the Occasions Catalog – it’s “What’s Up?.”  You’ll love this variety of sentiments and arrows – and the coordinating hand-held punch (I don’t have the punch yet, so I hand-snipped this arrow).  The punch, also called “What’s Up” has two shapes – this large arrow and a smaller arrow (like the one that would be shot into your heart at Valentine’s Day).  Now, about that heart…
  • The Sweetheart.  The Full Heart and Small Heart punches were retired this year.  I had my fair share of holding my fist to the sky and yelling, “Why?!?” – until I saw the new punches in the new catalog.  The new hearts are “sweetheart” shaped – with more of a dramatic point at the bottom.  More dramatic point = more dainty heart.  I quite like the new shape.  This little heart is stamped from Something to Say, another sentiment-driven set with some great Itty Bitty shapes – including a flower, a heart and a star – that happen to coordinate with a new punch pack called Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack.
  • The Word Bubble.  This word bubble framelit has been around since January (or since December if you are a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator).  I just love the versatility of these zany, little guys.  If I were to stamp this word bubble on Whisper White card stock and then pop it up with dimensionals, the bubble would likely be warped and wrinkled by the time your card reaches its destination (the card stock is really pretty thin).  BUT!!! If you stamp the image on a portion of a Whisper White notecard (much sturdier than the card stock), you’ll totally enhance the pop-up-ability of your cropped image.  You’re welcome.

Stamp Sets:  What’s Up? (sneak peek), Something to Say (sneak peek)  Papers:  Pear Pizzazz, Calypso Coral, I Am Me Designer Series Paper, Whisper White  Inks:  Calypso Coral, Pear Pizzazz  Accessories:  Word Bubbles Framelits, Itty Bitty Accents Punch (sneak peek), Stampin’ Dimensionals

Thanks for stopping by today!

Brian

Shop Now

Stampin' Up! Catalog, Brian KingDon’t You Want a New Catalog?  I offer free catalogs to all of my customers.  If you are my customer or want to be my customer, please email me your name and mailing address.  I’ll be more than happy to send you the gorgeous book.  You can email me at [email protected].

25 Comments

  1. Design is fun! Love the colors. Great card! Thanks for sharing.

  2. I love it Brian. Awesome job.

  3. Increased pop-up-ability is essential. Thanks for the tip! I keep forgetting that the new note cards are sturdier.

  4. Cute card ! But the best thing is the info on the hearts because I am a big “Punch ” fan and couldn`t understand the differences and change in regard to the hearts . Thank you ! Happy Friday !

  5. Love the card – thanks for the tip!

  6. This clean and simple card is great, but I love your multi-layered cards, especially the Gumball Green, Daffodil Yellow and Melon Mambo Flower Shop card you made last year…it’s my all-time favorite card! : )

  7. Maria Rodriguez

    This card is indeed CAS. I would be afraid of leaving all of that empty space but then again, I’m no expert. I’m the happy owner of that little heart punch that’s retiring, I would have to see the new one to compare shapes.
    I love the Word Bubble bundle, I hope I can get it soon, it’s not retiring, right??!!!

    • Maria, While both the stamp set and framelits are making their way into the upcoming Annual Catalog, the bundle is not. You can buy both separately, but you miss the 15% savings of the bundle by waiting. 🙂

      • YIKES!!!!! I better get to it, sheeesh!! It’s never, ever ok to assume anything. I’m on it, thanks Brian!!!!!

  8. I have no idea why Brian but when I saw this card the word “joyful” jumped into my head. I like sending cards for no particular reason and this What’s Up is perfect for that. I love finding something in my mailbox other than bills and the days of the hand written newsy letter have disappeared now that everyone can email, tweet, Facebook, etc………all those things other than email that us older folks refrain from dealing with. So, when I send a card for absolutely no reason except to let friends know I am thinking of them I get some wonderfully positives replies. Thanks for this one Brian, I love it.

  9. Cindie McDuffee

    Clean and cute! ( And I’m so happy to hear I’m not the only one who ends up with a area full of scraps. ) Thanks for doing the design work, all we need is the stamps!

  10. Cute, cute, cute! I always love the clean simplicity of your cards, Brian, and this one is no exception. That arrow, in the direction you have it pointed, almost looks like a little house, I think! I’ll have to keep that in mind next time I have to make a “congrats in your new home” card. Thanks for sharing with us at The Paper Players!

  11. Adorable card Brian. I like the new heart too 🙂

  12. Brian, I can see why you are pleased with this card 🙂 I love the up arrow with the heart….. I love the background DSP, and I love how you matched the stamped sentiment on both the word bubble and the arrow. Great job! So glad you joined us at the Paper Players again this week
    Jaydee

  13. Great card! I love the Just Sayin’ Bundle. I need to try other ways of using the word bubbles.

  14. i like today’s card, but you know what the first thing was that i thought when i saw that arrow? that looks like a house. hmmmmm…i challenge you to use that arrow and turn it into a card featuring it as a house!

    btw, could you bring me a catalog to RMH Monday? looking forward to seeing you there!

  15. Love this fun, trendy new set! Uber cute! Thanks for sharing this with us at the Paper Players this week!

  16. I would love to see designs for the inside of your cards. Everyone showcases creativity on the outside, but I need suggestions for unique sentiments and decorations on the inside. Thanks!

    • Carole, I may be in the minority here, but I tend to create the insides of my cards with just a piece of white or vanilla card stock (and that’s it). I enjoy writing out a personalized sentiment inside my cards, so I don’t take up a lot of space with stamped images or additional accessories. I try to make my words just as special as the design on the front of the card.

  17. I am sitting here laughing my head off…not at your beautiful card, but at my “DUH” moment. When I saw the “What’s up” punch in the new catty the preschool teacher in me saw a house…Who knew it was an arrow with a matching stamp? LOL This is why we (I) need you Brian!! Thanks for your explanations! Now will you please make me a house with that punch. 🙂

  18. Very Cute!!!

  19. Pingback: So Sweet for Freshly Made Sketches – Sneak Peeks | STAMP WITH BRIAN

  20. Thank you Brian for your simple (but valuable) tip of the Whisper White card stock vs. WW notecard. I was puzzeled when I tried the WW from the variety pack and thought it must old paper and it had been reformulated. Does the thicker notecard have the same “slick” properties as the thinner card stock version, for Blendabilities?

Leave a Reply