Good morning folks, today I wanted to share some card inspiration with you that I got from a surprising source! It was my birthday last month and I was totally surprised to receive a beautiful gift from two of my customers, they’re good friends and have been crafting with me for nearly 2 years, they are keen card makers and love my classes and retreats – but I certainly didn’t expect a birthday gift, especially one so beautiful.

Isn’t it gorgeous? It also immediately made me think of the new Thoughtful Branches bundle that I’d seen but they hadn’t! (being a demonstrator means we see things early!) Buy your bundle now by clicking this link.

I immediately decided to make a card to celebrate this pendant, and using a black & white combination I’d seen by Mary Fish (stampinpretty.com) I added a touch of melon mambo (as it’s one of the ladies’ favourite combinations!)

So that is how this month’s thank you cards were born! I hope you like it as much as I do – I’m really chuffed with how they turned out. Thanks Mel & Sue for my fabulous present and great card inspiration!

Card Inspiration Step by Step:

1. Thick Whisper White cardstock (European A4 size) cut in half at 14.9 cm (long edge to the top of your trimmer).
2. Basic Black cardstock cut to 14.4 cm x 10 cm
3. Whisper White cardstock cut to 13.9 cm x 9.5 cm – run through the Big Shot with the Petal Burst Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (I used the debossed side)
4. Stamp the sentiment from the Thoughtful Branches stamp set in Basic Black on Whisper White and cut out with Layering Ovals Framelits
5. Mat onto a Basic Black scalloped oval cut with Layering Ovals Framelits
6. Die cut the Tree (Basic Black) and Bird (Melon Mambo) using the Beautiful Branches Thinlits Dies
7. Wrap the Melon Mambo 1/8th” stitched ribbon around the Whisper White layer, mat onto the Basic Black layer and stick to the card – add the sentiments and die cuts to the front. Quick Tip: I used the Fine-Tip Glue pen to make gluing the tree down so much easier!

Not a complicated card, but with all the textures and layering, I think it makes it really tactile and pretty. A winning combination!

If you’d like to be able to make cards like this one, please click on the product images below to go straight to that item in my Shop, or click the Shop button below. Don’t forget to use this month’s Giveaway Code to for an extra thank you gift from me.

Happy crafting, hugs, Pip x