I ordered this Botanical Expressions Die a while back and hadn’t tried it yet! It is only one die, and you can use it many ways for your cardmaking or scrapbooking. This Botanical Expressions Florals In Bloom Card is my first try with the die. The die cuts a window in your paper; it doesn’t cut out a separate piece. However, you can cut it away from the rest of the paper, and you can even cut the leaves on the inside away from the top and bottom borders and use them separately.
To make this card, I used a Basic White card base, but with a layer of Granny Apple Green that is the full size of the card front, 5 1/2″ x 4 1/4″. Before adhering the Granny Apple Green, I used it with the Botanical Expressions Die. As I said, it doesn’t cut out the leafy piece, so the 5 1/2″ x 4 1/4″ piece stays intact. Originally, I was going to cut the leafy diecut away from the rest of the cardstock, but instead I left it and added a piece of designer series paper to the empty space on the left. This paper is the Florals In Bloom Designer Series Paper and is on the Stampin’ Up! Paper Sale for a few more days only! (If you want the same paper PLUS the Sticker Sheet, you will find it on the Last Chance category, but is not on sale.). I cut a 5 1/2″ x 2″ piece of the designer paper, trying to cut a specific area where I could get the larger pink flowers showing.
The greeting I found was already stamped, in some little pile, so I tried it and liked it on this card. It is in the Lovely Arrangements Stamp Set. I also found an already diecut piece of Gold Foil that I cut in half horizontally so I could adhere it under the top and bottom of the greeting to help it stand out. This is popped up on Dimensionals. The greeting and gold layer are both cut out with one of the Sweet Words & Labels Dies. That’s as easy a way to make this card as there can be with the fancy element of the diecut Botanical Expressions part.
Since I was so happy with my first card with the Botanical Expressions Die, I kept going and made this Botanical Expressions Leafy Card. This card base is Garden Green Cardstock with a layer of Soft Sea Foam Cardstock. This piece is 5 1/12″ x 4,” so you can see a little bit of the darker green at the top and bottom. I used the Botanical Expressions Die the same as I did on the first card, but instead of covering the extra space on the cardstock, I decided to stamp a few flowers and leaves with Soft Sea Foam ink, some stamped off to be very light. I also did it along the very bottom edge. I used the Paradise Garden Stamp Set for this. You will find the French version of this stamp set in the Last Chance Products, but you can still use the images even if the French sentiments won’t be useful to you.
The greeting is stamped in Soft Sea Foam ink with the same Paradise Garden Stamp Set on Basic White. The die is in the Sweet Words & Labels Dies. These are so pretty with their stitched border and little fancy cutouts. I cut another piece from Garden Green cardstock with the same die and cut it in half horizontally, as I did with the first card, to layer underneath the top and bottom of the Basic White greeting. I also added two Granny Apple Green Shimmering Dots on the sides.
Here is the inside of the Botanical Expressions Leafy Card. I added a Basic White layer since the Garden Green is a little dark for a greeting or message. Then I used the Botanical Expressions Die again just so I cut a few leaves out of the diecut. You may need to shape the tips of some of the leaves a little bit after detaching from the diecut, but no big deal. Then I adhered them inside the card for a little surprise decoration inside!
There are more ways to use this fun die so be sure to check it out! It’s something a little different!