• Make a 5-1/2″ square card base from Old Olive card stock and score at the top. Using the Corner Rounder, round the lower right hand corner for interest.
• Layer the card base with “Elephant” paper from the Tall Tales Designer Series Paper. Turn up the lower right hand corner to highlight the flip side. (Tip: To draw attention to the corner, I added an Old Olive Brad and snipped out two of the tiny saffron elephants, positioning them so they are parading out from behind the paper.)
• Ink the elephant stamp from Animal Stories with Soft Suede, a new In-Color, and stamp onto Very Vanilla card stock. Ink the “Thinking of You” sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes with Soft Suede and stamp below the elephant. (Tip: For perfect positioning, I used the Stamp-a-ma-jig.)
• Mat the Very Vanilla image block onto Soft Suede, Old Olive, and Crushed Curry (another new In-Color). The Crushed Curry mat is asymmetrical, having been cut slightly wider on the right hand side, which was then rounded using the Corner Rounder.
• Soft Suede grosgrain ribbon was layered on top of the Crushed Curry on the right hand side, as seen in the photo. The image block was then positioned and adhered to the card base.
• Add an Old Olive Brad in the upper and lower right hand corners of the image block.
• Finally, cut a snippet of Crushed Curry grosgrain ribbon. Fold as shown in the photo and attach to the card using Mini-Glue Dots. Thread a sliver of Old Olive card stock through a button and place on top of the ribbon with glue dots. (I still had a Kiwi Kiss button left from the retiring Button Bouquet collection. Unfortunately these buttons are out of stock. But don’t despair…Stampin‘ Up! is releasing a new button collection which contains Old Olive. This collection will be available for ordering on July 1st.)

• Prepare a standard card base from Night of Navy card stock and score at the top. (Tip: I selected a “Rich and Regal” color to underscore the opulent feel I was trying to achieve.)
• I then layered this with a copper colored paper that I happened to have in my stash. If you are saying, “Alas, I have no paper with which to make this card”, I will tell you that Stampin‘ Up! has designed some of the most beautiful Designer Series Papers that I have ever seen for their new catalog. Trust me, these are “fantabulous” and I am a connoisseur of Designer Papers! These will be available July 1st.
• Cut a strip of Night of Navy. Using the Stamp-a-ma-jig for perfect positioning, ink the elephant stamp from Animal Stories with VersaMark ink, stamp, and then sprinkle with embossing powder. Tap to remove the excess, and heat set using a Heat Tool until the powder raises and becomes shiny. Repeat the technique for the second elephant. The little medallion in the center is also from another “Sneak Peek” set, Circle Circus. It is stamped and embossed using the same technique. (Tip: If you are afraid to try heat embossing, don’t be! It is quicker and easier than you might believe. Like magic, the powder is transformed! One of the keys is to not overheat and scorch the paper. It is an easy way to rock the “WOW” factor!”)
• I then matted the strip onto one of my “new In-Color friends”, Dusty Durango card stock.
• Because elephants never forget, I selected the sentiment “Thinking of You” from the Sincere Salutations stamp set, and heat embossed it onto Night of Navy and matted it onto Dusty Durango.

If you are a Boxer lover like me, and would like to create your own Boxer-licious card, here is the recipe:

• Using a Glass Mat and the Circle Scissors Plus, cut a 2-1/2″ circle from Close to Cocoa to serve as the head.
• Use the Wide Oval Punch to create the characteristic Boxer mask from Basic Black.

• The Full Heart Punch was used to create the jowls from Basic Black. (Tip: Since black jowls does not stand out on a black mask, a second heart was punched from Kraft and layered under the black heart.)
• Rose Red and the Small Oval Punch were used to create the tongue.
• In a perfect world, the eyes would have been created using 1/2″ and 3/4″ Circle Punches from Close to Cocoa and Basic Black. I used a lip stick case and eye shadow stick. Whatever works!
• The ears were punched with the Full Heart Punch, folded down the middle and cropped. The edges of the ears were then inked in Basic Black for a slight amount of contrast.
• The collar was fashioned from Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Series Paper using the Small Oval Punch.
• The head was then mounted on Crushed Curry, and a Ticket Corner Punch was used to add interest. This was then layered onto Bermuda Bay.
• Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Series Paper was matted onto Bermuda Bay and layered onto a 5-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ Dusty Durango card base.
• Snippets of Dusty Durango, Bermuda Bay, and Crushed Curry ribbon were adhered to the card base. The image mat was then positioned and adhered in place.
• The “Friends” sentiment from the Garden Greetings stamp set was inked with Bermuda Breeze and stamped onto Whisper White. The new Modern Label Punch was used to punch to it out.
• To add a touch of bling, Pumpkin Circle Fire Brads were added to the ends of the sentiment.

This cheerful card did help Missy feel a little better after her accident Wednesday morning. My poor baby received a very bad sprain jumping out of bed. Luckily she did not break her leg or dislocate her hip, but she certainly scared her mom and brother…who carried her to the car for the emergency trip to the vet’s. She is on the equivalent of “doggie bed rest” for the next few weeks, and is basking in all of the extra attention!

Click here to access the Occasions Mini Catalog!

Order Your Stampin’ Up! Supplies Now!

Stamp Set: Garden Greetings (113716)
Ink: Bermuda Bay (115655—Available July 1st)
Designer Series Paper: Razzleberry Lemonade (115675—Available July 1st )
Card Stock: Dusty Durango (115321—Available July 1st), Bermuda Breeze (115317—Available July 1st), Crushed Curry (115319—Available July 1st), Close to Cocoa (101341), Basic Black (102851), Chocolate Chip (102128), Rose Red (102544), Kraft (102125)
Tools: Full Heart (113693), Wide Oval (112082), Small Oval (107304), Modern Label (116630—Available July 1st), ¾” Circle Punch (107217), ½” Circle Punch (104390), Glass Mat (112531), Circle Scissors Plus (112530)
Embellishments: Dusty Durango ½” Grosgrain Ribbon (115609—Available July 1st), Crushed Curry ½” Grosgrain Ribbon (115614—Available July 1st), Bermuda Bay ½” Grosgrain Ribbon (115610—Available July 1st), Pumpkin Circle Fire Brads (109110)

Please feel free to leave me a comment. I would love to hear from you! Until next time…