It’s time for another Be Inspired Design Team Blog Hop – what fun! The Be Inspired Design Team is a group of Stampin’ Up! demonstrators from all over the world who are excited to share our themed projects with you. I’m so honored to be a part of this group of talented stampers!
The theme for today’s Be Inspired Hop is “Stampin’ Up!’s Designer Series Paper.” The timing couldn’t be more perfect – my World Card Making Day presentation was all about ways to be inspired by Designer Series Paper – color inspiration, pairing patterns, coloring on the paper and manipulating the patterns. If you missed my recap of this awesome event, you can read more here and here. What fun! If you aren’t starting the hop here, then you probably just popped over from a visit with my adorable and oh-so-talented friend Louise Sharp at louisesharp.com.
Today’s project showcases one project in two ways – I love both, but they both use the same page of Designer Series Paper Here are my cards for today’s hop:
Tips, Tricks and Reminders
- Be Merry Designer Series Paper. Stampin’ Up!’s Be Merry Designer Series Paper (from the 2017 Annual Catalog) is filled with great images and patterns for almost any Christmas card you want to make. While there are patterns that mix Cherry Cobbler and Garden Green, my favorite pages are the ones that feature only one of those two colors – and my absolute favorite page is this one with bold, diagonal stripes. What a fun stack of papers. Here’s a look a the pages in this stack:
If you’d like to see my suggestion for color combinations that work well with Be Merry Designer Series Paper, click here. - Creating a Zig-Zag from Diagonal Stripes. When I see a pattern of bold, diagonal stripes, I instinctively want to cut it up to create a zig-zag pattern. It’s simple! Here are both of these cards, side-by-side:
I first shared how to make your own zig-zag pattern in a post from September 2012 – that’s more than five years ago! I went back to the post, and the description is still A-OK. If you would like to learn how to create your own pattern, please check it out. - Supporting Players. While the star of this card is the Be Merry Designer Series Paper, the card features a cast of supporting players that are just as exciting and fun. For starters, don’t you love this fun Christmas tree from the Santa’s Sleigh Thinlits Dies?
Santa’s Sleigh Thinlits, Stampin’ Up!
It looks so modern against these stripes. And the sentiment is a combination of words from Merry Cafe.
Merry Cafe, Stampin’ Up!, 144965
I love both of these stamp sets – and they look great together!
Stamp Sets: Merry Cafe Papers: Be Merry Designer Series Paper, Crumb Cake, Basic Black, Emerald Envy, Whisper White Inks: Cherry Cobbler, Archival Basic Black Accessories: Santa’s Sleigh Thinlits Dies, 1-3/4″ Circle punch, Layering Circles Framelits Dies, Stampin’ Dimensionals
I’m so glad you stopped by and hope you like my project. I also hope you’ll continue the Be Inspired Design Team Blog Hop to see more projects that I’m sure you’ll love. The next stop is my super-fun and oh-so-talented friend, Allison Okamitsu at Nice People Stamp. Click on the banner below to continue through the hop:
Thanks for stopping by today!
Brian
In case you get off-track at any point during the hop, here’s a listing of all the participants in this hop:
- Louise Sharp
- Brian King
- Allison Okamitsu
- Janneke de Jong
- Tanja Kolar
- Monica Gale
- Carolynn Sander
- Maike Beimler
- Sarah Berry
Here are links to the products I used to create this card:
This card has such a whimsical feel to it! Love it! I’m sure you know this, but there’s only 74 days until Christmas!
Thanks, Carrie! It was a quick-and-easy card to showcase this fun technique with the paper. So glad you like it. Let the countdown begin! 🙂
Brian, I love this CAS yet bold and beautiful card. Great idea!
Thanks so much, Sano! It was a fun one to make – so fun that I made two. 🙂 I appreciate your comment.
Brian, that zig zag trick is pretty cool! 🙂
I do love mixing up my patterns – this was fun to make. Thanks, Dawn!
STOP! I can’t handle how adorable the striped paper is flipped into chevron! Genius – that’s all I can say!
Thanks so much, Mary! It’s the first think I always think of when I see a diagonally-striped paper. 🙂 So glad you like it!
Stripes to chevrons! Will your surprises never end! Love both cards. Great hop!
🙂 Thanks, Dianne! I’m so glad you like them. It’s a super-fun hop. <3
Love the chevron look! Thanks for the link on how to make it. Great card with a wonderful artsy look! Enjoy your day!
Thanks so much, HJ! I always have a lot of fun with this. So glad you like it!
Beautiful cards Brian. I love how you created the chevron dsp. I grow creatively by just sitting back, watching and learning from you. Great job
Awwww…that’s so good to hear, Robbye! I love that you are growing. That’s what this is all about! <3
Well, will I never mr King !!! That trickery you employed with that gorgeous striped paper is nothing short of miraculous. What a brilliant idea and how blooming easy (when you know how of course). Thank you for welcoming me to the team. You are sweet <3
Thanks so much, Monica! I’m so glad you like this little trick – it can really add something special to a card. I’m so happy you joined in on our little hop this time! Welcome! <3
O.K. Brian – I admit it – I’m jealous of your innate ability to see beyond what you are looking at and then bringing what you see to life. Also, I thank you for the link to your 2012 post on how to make the Chevron with striped paper. I often make Chevron shapes in my quilts but was clueless (at least until today) as to how to do it with paper. I’ve followed you for years and you still manage to amaze me every day. Thank you.
Thanks so much, Grace! I’m always happy to hear from you and so glad you like this project. I have to pop this technique out every once in a while to remind people how fun it can be. <3
I love getting an up close view of this amazing technique you demonstrated at WCMD. Absolutely fantastic design!
Thanks, Candy! It was fun to showcase at the event, and I’m glad you were there to witness history (or at least to see this thing showcased). 🙂
Brian isn’t it enough that you know how to mix and match the sentiments to perfection. . . You have the DSP mastered as well! ?
Love your skills!
Thanks, Katrina! I’d have to say DSP is my true love. You can do anything with a sentiment or image if you have a pretty DSP. 🙂 Thanks!
Mr King, you are just too clever for your own good! Love them both 🙂
Thanks, Paula! Every project has to have a little bit of a wow. I had fun with these. Thanks for your comments!
These cards are so awesome Brian! I love the chevron idea! I might have to CASE this one day soon! Thanks for inspiring! ?
Thanks, Carolynn! If you give it a try, I guarantee you’ll like it! <3
Hallo Brian, eine sehr schöne Karte! Danke auch für den Tipp, dass man das Designerpapier ganz einfach in ein Zickzack-Muster verwandeln kann! Sehr schön. Liebe Grüße Maike
Vielen Dank für die nette Ergänzung, Maike. Ich schätze es wirklich. Ich bin glücklich dich zu kennen.
WOW!! You have an eye for design like no other Brian, these cards are amazing and beautiful, what you are able to do with DSP is beyond fabulous.
Thank you for sharing how you managed to create the Chevron card.
XO
Maria.
Thanks so much, Maria! I am better when I’m having fun. I’m so glad you like this. <3
I love your Christmas card Brian, also the zigzag dsp is so much fun!
Thanks so much, Janneke! It was fun to make. I’m so glad I could hop with you.