Merry Everything and Octo Stencil

*This post contains affiliate links to Simon Says Stamp.

I've got a couple of cards to share today using the Merry Everything stamp and Octo stencil from Simon Says Stamp's Sweet Wishes release.

I used two colors of ink for each of these backgrounds.  This lighter color was blended over the entire stencil, and the darker colors was added using a smaller blending brush just in the center of those Octo designs.  For the red, I used Terracotta and Brick, and Sprout and Fairway for the green.

These backgrounds were then trimmed down, coordinating cardstock mat was added, and then adhered to the card base.

The Merry Everything sentiment was stamped with Versa Clair black ink and then die cut.  I added a bit of inking with the darker ink color around the outsides of the sentiment (be sure to use a heat gun to help dry the ink as Versa Clair stays wet a bit longer than most inks).  The sentiment was then adhered with foam tape.

A added a few snowflakes from the Merry and Bright die set with Glossy White cardstock which were arranged around the sentiment.

These were a very quick make and would be great for mass producing.

SSS, Same Card, DIfferent Occasions

*This post contains affiliate links to Simon Says Stamp.

One of my Instagram friends mentioned last week that some of the Holiday Messages sentiments could double as sympathy sentiments.  I thought I would put that to the test, and ended up creating the same card twice, once for a holiday card, and one a sympathy card.

These were super simple and easy to create.  I started with two white cardstock panels cut to 4" x 5 1/4".  The Octo stencil was turned 45 degrees and I spread a bit of Silver Lunar Paste through the center.

Once the paste was dry, I used some liquid adhesive to adhere a white Winsom Branch die cut.  The adhesive was placed along the stems, but the leaves were not fully adhered.  I really love the dimensions all those little leaves give you.

The sentiments were embossed in gold andd ie cut, and then popped up with foam tape.  To add to the dimensional look, I popped one of the little leaves up on each card so that it lies over top one of the sentiment pieces.

To give the front panel just a bit of differentiation from the card base, I used a Natural White cardstock, and popped the panels up with foam tape.

I love that this sentiment set works for so multiple needs!