Simon Says Stamp has a new release! Sunny Vibes is now available here. They sent me a couple of new items from the release to create some sample cards for ideas. I’ll be adding those to this post over the next few days.

This card was inspired by one of the stamps, the air mail style border stamp, though that stamp itself doesn't play a major role on this card. I did use it to stamp a border on the background panel, and used it as a guide for placing cardstock strips to create a variation that pattern.

Overall, this is a pretty straightforward card to produce.

Techniques:

• Creating the background panel [white one) with a pattern that’s a mix of stamped and solid die cut graphics. (The hot air balloons and the clouds.)

• I applied the cardstock stripes to the border of the background panel before adding the white cardstock layer. That allowed them to overhang the visible area, which resulted in a cleaner look once I trimmed off the outer edges with some scissors.

• I used foam tape behind the white panel, as well as behind the banner greeting, to add dimension and visual interest.

Colors:

• cardstock: Concord & 9th Poppy, Sorbet, Grapefruit, Blueberry, Powder.

• ink colors: Distress Oxide, Tumbled Glass (Not much ink used on this one, mostly die cutting.)

This card features some pattern play in these soft yet still bright blues, with the added dimension to highlight both the real and perceived depth.

Techniques:

• There is a balance of patterns between the bold stamped pattern with the new Modern Medallion stamp (with SSS Marine on white cardstock) and the more subtle white embossed cloud stamp pattern on the C9 Harbor cardstock behind it.

• Though the patterns are different, they both relate well because they share the similarity of the nice rounded shapes. Since one is bold and one is fine detail they do not compete for attention.

• With so much of the card in similar blues and white, the Midnight arch and the warm Buttercup yellow greeting provide a strong focal point anchor to the center area of the card.

Colors:

• cardstock: Concord & 9th Buttercup, Midnight, and Harbor

• ink colors: Simon Says Stamp Marine, Concord & 9th Harbor

This card features some pattern play in these soft yet still bright blues, with the added dimension to highlight both the real and perceived depth.

Techniques:

• I used the Nested Domed Arches Die set on 4 different shades of blue cardstocks, and pieced them together. The repetition of the shape combined with the deepening shade as you move “in” toward the center of the shape creates a perception of depth

• The planes change color (and scale) in the opposite direction, getting lighter closer to the center. This adds to the depth, and provides a good level of contrast.

• The clean and open geometry of that “hello” coordinates well with that of the arches.

Colors:

• cardstock: Concord & 9th Watermelon, Midnight, Blueberry, Harbor, and Powder

I’ll have more cards from this release to share over the next few days, so keep an eye out either here or on Instagram.

Thank you for visiting! I hope you get some time to create something soon.

Links are below if you’re interested in any of the products I used.

Supply list*:

(Listed by company, with links to Simon Says Stamp and others. Simon Says Stamp links are affiliate links*.)

*Affiliate links do not cost you any more when you shop, but it is beneficial to creators when you use them, so thanks in advance!