Skip to content
Home » Variations on a Theme

Variations on a Theme

  • by

Maile Belles designed a series of stamps this past year called Splits for Papertrey Ink. They’re very small, inexpensive sets but so versatile. I’ve purchased three or four of them, but my favorite is “Best Wishes.” What’s particularly great about them is that all the sentiments from the different sets are interchangeable, but many sentiments from other sets also work. I’ve posted several cards using Splits before here, here, and here. I needed several cards recently, and “Best Wishes” worked for all three of them, and I didn’t use the sentiment that came with the set for any of them.

HBTerry

The sentiment wasn’t from the Splits set, but I don’t have my notes with me in Chicago, and can’t find the set online. The cardstock is a shimmer aqua from Papertrey adhered to a silver card.

You can see the color as well as the silver embossing and gems more clearly here.

HBTerryClose

Next up is the anniversary card I made for Matt and Betsy in December. For this card I used gold embossing on white shimmer cardstock.

AnniversaryMB

This time I added some black gems as an accent.

AnniversaryMBClose

Finally, a thank you card I made for the professor of my Old Testament course this fall. The design was white embossed on gray cardstock with some white pearls for accent.

ThankYouAnne

ThankYouAnneClose

It was great to pull out just a couple of stamp sets and get all three cards made in one sitting. Now that I have a stamp collection built up over 20 years, versatility is the #1 criterion for a new purchase. (Well, to be honest, I recently purchased several new sets with grandchildren in mind! But now there are five of them, so I guess that’s justified, too.)

6 thoughts on “Variations on a Theme”

  1. You know what I’m going to say, but I’ll say it anyway: lovely cards.
    No idea how such intricate embossing is done using a stamp but they are all so well realised. The bottom one has a particularly elegant simplicity and your tutor should be thrilled.
    The flexibilty of being able to do multiple variations of something is very appealing to me too. It multiplies both the fun of playing around, and the satisfaction of the results. I too have been creating a little of late – picked up the crochet hook again and made a couple of things which were variations on a theme. Unfortunately I can’t share yet as recipients may see…

  2. The delicate tracery of the embossing is just stunning, especially in these paler shades. I have embossing powder and tools that I haven’t touched for years – you are really making me want to have a good look at my stamps too … Hope all is going well with you and Tracey and the family.

  3. Every time I see your cards, I sigh deeply and tell myself: someday, one day…I’ll try my hand at card-making….so glad to have yours as inspiration…not that I expect to begin to approach your skill and vision…Keep them coming; they are so unique and well done.
    Cheers~

Comments are closed.