Your Best Year Yet!

Well, here we are. It’s a new year, and I couldn’t be happier to start anew. 2020 was rough for everyone (and 2021 is going to be tough, too), but good times are ahead of us. Speaking of good times ahead, Stampin’ Up!’s January – June 2021 Mini Catalog goes live on Tuesday (not that’s something to look forward to). To celebrate this special day and to whet your appetite for the new catalog, I’ve create a New Year’s Day card with an incredible, new bundle in this new catalog. Here’s my card:

Best Year, Flowering Vine Dies, Stampin Up!, Brian King

Tips, Tricks and Reminders

  • Vine Design Sneak Peek. The gorgeous oval cutout behind my sentiment is from the Vine Design Bundle in Stampin’ Up!’s January – June 2021 Mini Catalog. I SO LOVE the sentiments in the Vine Design cling stamp set, but it’s the coordinating Flowering Vine Dies that make me so very happy. Here’s a look at this new bundle, which is found on page 62 of the new book:  Vine Design Bundle, Stampin Up! 156266How incredible are these dies?! Each is perfect for the front of your next project. While the dies don’t need to be colored, I couldn’t help but to add a touch of ink. More on that later. The sentiment in the center of my card is from the Best Year cling stamp set in Stampin’ Up!’s 2020 Annual Catalog. Here’s a look at the incredible sentiments in this stamp set: Best Year, Stampin Up! 152568
  • Coloring the Cutout. I knew I wanted to color the flowers and leaves in this die, so I cropped it from Thick Whisper White and grabbed my Stampin’ Write Markers. I placed my cutout on a piece of black cardstock and started coloring, working around the oval to find the balance of colors I wanted. The black cardstock helped me to best see the intricate designs and allowed me to see where some white space was left. Here’s a closer look at the oval the peeks out from behind the sentiment: Best Year, Flowering Vine Dies, Stampin Up!, Brian KingWhat an easy way to add a little pizzazz to a lovely design. The coloring isn’t perfect, but that’s part of what makes it so fun! I pulled from the Brights markers and Subtles markers for my project. Here are the markers I used:
    • Brights – Daffodil Delight
    • Brights – Flirty Flamingo
    • Brights – Melon Mambo
    • Subtles – Blushing Bride
    • Subtles – Calypso Coral
    • Subtles – Highland Heather
    • Subtles – Pear Pizzazz
    • Subtles – Soft Sea Foam
  • Color Combination. The Flirty Flamingo flowers and Soft Sea Foam leaves on my oval set the tone for this card. The cutout really pops against the Basic Black backdrop, and the Soft Sea Foam behind that really sets the tone the focal panel. If you like this mix of Soft Sea Foam, Flirty Flamingo and Basic Black, please save this for future reference: Stampin Up! Color Inspiration - Soft Sea Foam, Flirty Flamingo, Basic Black

Bundles: Vine Design  Stamp Sets: Vine Design, Best Year  Papers: Soft Sea Foam, Basic Black, Thick Whisper White  Inks: Brights Stampin’ Write Markers (Daffodil Delight, Flirty Flamingo, Melon Mambo), Subtles Stampin’ Write Markers (Blushing Bride, Calypso Coral, Highland Heather, Pear Pizzazz, Soft Sea Foam), Memento Tuxedo Black  Accessories: Flowering Vine Dies, Stitched Shapes Dies (oval), Stampin’ Dimensionals

I hope your first 24 hours of 2021 are wonderful, but I really hope the entire year is amazing! Happy New Year’s Day, my friends!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Brian

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I’ve launched my Product Shares and Designer Series Paper Swatch Books from Stampin’ Up!’s January – June 2021 Mini Catalog. If you missed out or want to learn more, please click on the photo below:

Jan-Jun 2021 Designer Series Paper Swatchbooks, Stampin Up!, Brian KingI would love to include you in the shares – sign up today!


Year-End Closeout

Stampin’ Up! kicked off the year-end last week – all of the retiring products are being sold until January 4 or until they sell out. AND many of them are discounted. YAY! For a recap of this sale, CLICK HERE. To shop this sale, CLICK HERE.


Shop with Brian Host CodePlacing an order today?  Of course you are! If you are placing an order for $150 or more, I want you to enjoy all of the Host Rewards you have earned.  If your order is less than $150, I’d love for you please add this Host Code – CG7UZWF9 when prompted. Thank you!

34 Comments

  1. Very pretty card. Love the colors.

    • Thanks so much, Shila! I just played around with the colors and ended up with something I liked. Glad you like it. Happy New Year!

    • Such a fun and happy card to start the year! Isn’t it amazing how black really grounds things and sets off the colorful flowers. Very clever!
      Happy New Year 🎆

      • Thanks so much, Sharon! I can’t imagine this soft oval of flowers on anything but a dark backdrop. That said, you’ve got me thinking about trying new things. Hope your 2021 is awesome!

  2. Love the colorful details and crisp black background!

  3. Great card! Love the tip about using some black card stock to help with the coloring. That’s a keeper.
    Happy new year!

  4. WOW……I’m loving how you colored all of the flowers in this frame. BEAUTIFUL. Happy New Year my friend.

    • Thanks so much, Kadie! I colored way more than are shown here (so many are behind the sentiment oval), but I had fun with it, so…yay! Hope your new year is awesome!

  5. I love the brightly colored flowers. I had completely overlooked both of these sets. Yes, you are an enabler…one of your many great traits! Beautiful card with a sweet sentiment. Happy New Year!

  6. LOVE LOVE LOVE your coloring technique of this set !! Silly me …I kept looking at and wondering how long it must have taken to piece all those different colors of cardstock ! flowers together ! GIGGLE !!
    Then I read your description ! How creative and what fun !!!
    Gotta try it !
    Did I say I loved it ????

  7. Way to kick off the year! Brilliant ! I second Hilda’s comments—I was pretty sure I could skip this bundle. Yeah,…..not so much! Happy, happy New Year, dear Sir, filled with more of whatever really matters to you.

    • Thanks so much, Linda! I bought the bundle as a “I might like this” item, but once I opened these dies, my attitude changed to a “I am going to use this all the time” item! You’ll love it! Happy New Year!

  8. I love all this color on the black back drop! Thanks for making me smile today! Hugs! Happy New Year!

  9. I have been on the lookout for vine design in use. It just looks like it would be fun to work with and your card looks fun to me. You nailed it!

  10. O.K. – Here we go. I started the new year thinking that I’m going to be more frugal this year and here we are almost 11 hours into the new year and already my list just grew a bundle! LOL These dies are just amazing and I can’t imagine how long it took for you to color the die cut so beautifully. Great tip about putting it on a piece of black cardstock. I’m making a note of that so I don’t forget. Happy New Year Brian to you and your entire family. May 2021 bring you all good health and happiness.

    • Oh, Grace! You should already know that “being frugal” is always a moving target. I’m so glad you like it and know you’ll love this bundle. I am so glad we all made it to 2021, and I hope this year is 10-fold (or more) better than the last. ♥

  11. This is gorgeous! Love how perfectly that die is colored. Happy New Year!!!

    • Thanks so much, Pam! I just starting coloring, thinking I’d have to redo it. Turns out, it was just what I needed. So glad you like it. Hope your new year is amazing!

  12. Bam! Beautiful way to start the new year! Love the colorful frame!

  13. Brian what an eye-catching card, so very pretty!

  14. Wow! It just pops. The die cut flowers just pop against the Basic Black. Striking and a beautiful way to start the new year. And… Happy and Healthy New Year to you!

  15. Me and the girls are at my house crafting. We’re drooling over this. Kathy says “DUDE”!!! (She expresses things quickly because she’s an accountant too). Dina and I are gasping. So glad to read you colored instead of paper pieced! Outstanding!
    Happy New Year!

    • 🙂 Thanks so much, Bobbi! I’m so glad you all like it – always nice to hear. Glad you are able to spend time crafting with with the girls. ♥ Happy New Year!

  16. Beautiful card Brian. I’ll try to case this one. Thank you for the great idea!

  17. Great card, Brian. This is a beautiful card.

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