Beauty Abounds in Black & White

For the past eight months or so, I’ve been in a swap group with some local stampers (and one local who is currently living in Japan).  Each month, we send everyone in the group a card (typically, it’s the same card to everyone), and in return, we receive nine cards back. It’s fun, and I’ve received some awesome cards for the other members of the group.

Every three months, there’s a theme for the swap. This month the theme is “black & white, or vanilla & black.” That’s it. No other colors.

Susan posted a cute fun fold card last week for our Stamp-Off Friday Challenge. I thought it would be fun for the swap. (It was fun to make, but a little more work than I wanted to put in. At Christmas. For 10 cards. So any swappers out there, you probably won’t be getting this exact card this month!)

I chose Basic Black and Whisper White for my card. I used the Beauty Abounds Bundle (Beauty Abounds Stamp Set and Butterfly Beauty Thinlits Dies) from the upcoming Stampin’ Up!® Occasions Catalog with Whisper White and Basic Black Cardstock, and the Botanical Butterfly Designer Series Paper (DSP) from Sale-a-bration (beginning January 3). I love the DSP, because it has beautiful colored patterns on one side and black and white patterns on the other. Gorgeous! And it’s FREE!

A Short Word from our Sponsor about Sale-a-bration

If you’re not familiar with Stampin’ Up!® Sale-a-bration, here’s how it works. For every $50 you spend, you earn a free product from the Sale-a-bration brochure. If you spend $100, you earn two products (or one of the $100 offerings). Spend $150 and select three $50 products or one $100 and one $50. And there’s no limit. Spend $1000 and…well, you can do the math (20- $50 products at least, plus a bunch of Stampin’ Rewards, and a gift from me. But if you spend this much by yourself, you should sign up to be a demonstrator, because, obviously, you’re as addicted as the rest of us and would enjoy the discount and other benefits. Just sayin’.) If you host a party during Sale-a-bration (January 3 – March 31, 2019), you earn an additional $25 in Stampin’ Rewards with $250 in party sales. And if you join my team during Sale-a-bration, you have two options this year. You can select $175 worth of products for only $99. (That’s $50 more in free products than the usual starter kit.) OR – you can get $175 in free Stampin’ Up!® products plus the exclusive Craft & Carry Tote (valued at $50) for only $129. Look at this beautiful and roomy tote.

Isn’t that gorgeous? I love the colors! (Demonstrators were able to preorder the tote, but once Sale-a-bration starts, it’s only for demonstrators who join during Sale-a-bration. And once Sale-a-bration is over, it will be gone forever. And, wait? Can I say “Sale-a-bration” one more time? Yes, I can! – read on!)

If you’d like an Occasions Catalog or Sale-a-bration brochure, please comment below and I’ll send you one! Be sure I have your email address so I can send you a message asking for your mailing address, because you probably won’t want to post it in an open forum like this.

Back to the Card

So back to my Black & White card. I die-cut a set of butterflies from Basic Black Cardstock using the Butterfly Beauty Thinlits Dies. These are part of the Beauty Abounds Bundle. You can purchase the dies and stamp set separately, or you can bundle them and save 10%. And – the good news – the bundled price is $55.75US, so you’ll qualify for the gorgeous Botanical Butterfly DSP. (I heard a few of you gasp at the price of the bundle, but the dies are HUGE, and there are two sheets of dies and lots of stamps. Bokeh. Splatter. Butterflies. Sentiments. It’s worth every. single. penny! Plus you get a free gift. Even better – earn it free by hosting a workshop!)

The dies cut five connected butterflies. I cut mine apart and spread them over the front of the card. I still have two to use on other projects. Or I can send this card to Susan as a thank you for the idea and let the two extras (and maybe more) fly out when she opens the card. What fun!

Remember I said this was a fun-fold card? Here’s what it looks like when you open the front flap (the skinny one with the butterfly).

Ok, not that thrilling, except I love that sentiment. You see more of the Botanical Butterfly DSP, though.

Then, you lift up the flap with the DSP and Basic Black Cardstock for this.

A few more stamped butterflies and the rest of the sentiment. Cute, right? The Whisper White card base also opens like a regular card, but I didn’t photograph it, because, well, you know what the inside of a card looks like. I did stamp the big flower along the side, but I wanted to leave lots of room for a note to that friend who chose you out of a whole world of people.

Here are my card measurements (almost exactly like Susan’s, except my colors are different and my banner/top flap is a little shorter):

• 5-1/2″ x 8-1/2″ Whisper White Cardstock (for the card base; score the 8-1/2″ side at 4-1/4″ and fold for a 4-1/4″ x 5-1/2″ card)
• 3″ x 11″ Whisper White Cardstock, scored at 5-1/2″ (for the flap that opens from the bottom)
• 3″ x 11″ Whisper White Cardstock scored at 5.5″
• 3″ x 5-5/2″ piece of Botanical Butterfly DSP (adhere over the front of the bottom opening flap)
• 3-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ Basic Black Cardstock (adhere under the bottom opening Whisper White piece)
• 1″ x 5-1/2″ Basic Black Cardstock (for the banner/top flap) scored at 2-1/2″
• (2) 3/4″ x 5-1/2″ Whisper White Cardstock, scored at 2-1/2″ (layer over the Basic Black banner/top flap on both sides. Adhere under the Basic Black layer under the 3″ x 11″ bottom opening layer)

Give this card a go, because it’s so much fun to make and even more fun to receive. It’s like a gift that keeps giving.

Thanks for stopping by Stamping with Buffy. I hope you have a lovely day!

Product List (remember, you can only purchase the ink, cardstock and Stampin’ Dimensionals until January 3 unless you’re a Stampin’ Up!® Demonstrator)