Ink to Paper Project: Reach Out {Count your Blessings}

Happy May Day, friends! Thanks for joining me today! It's time for another installment of the Ink to Paper Project: Reach Out! I hope you've all been having fun creating cards and projects to send out during this time! I know it is so easy to start feeling down and discouraged as we face the unknown. I've been trying to make a conscious effort to count my blessings during this time to keep my head in a good place. While I've been sending out a lot of "hope" and "cheer" type cards, I also took some time to send some thank you cards as well! There is so much good in the world and if you stop to think, there is always someone or something to be thankful for. I'm challenging each of you to "count your blessings" today and create some thank you cards for anyone that you feel deserves one!

I made 2 thank you cards, and there's a bonus card at the end of this post as well, so make sure to scroll to the bottom to see the third design! For today's cards, I chose to use the Bold Blooms stamp set because of the amazing flowers and foliage, but also because I LOVE the sentiments! They are perfect for today's projects!

To begin, I die cut the flowers and leaves using the Bold Blooms die collection and then stamped everything assembly line style. I really like stamping a bunch of images so I can have fun creating the floral arrangements.

The Shape Shifters: Circle 4 die is the perfect backdrop to add the flowers and leaves to create a wreath type look. It is so easy to follow the curve of the circle to create a visually pleasing piece. Before you begin arranging the flowers, though, be thoughtful about the sentiments you will be using for placement. In this case, I stamped the "thank you" portion of the sentiment to begin with before adding all of the stamped i mages. 

The larger scripted sentiments work perfectly with the Banner Builder Basics die collection and have been one of my recent "go-to" element. I did some ink blending and ink splatter for some added detail and interest.

The background for this card is a 4 by 5 1/4 inch piece ofBitty Big: Hawaiian Shores paper that is die cut using the Nesting Basics: Pierced Rectangles. I just love the hint of added detail that it adds to my cards!

I layered everything onto a top folding A2 cardbase using a tape runner. I also added some sparkling clear sequins here and there for some sparkle and shine. Each of the two cards has a stamped sentiment on the inside from the Inside Greetings: Gratitude Mini Stamp Set. I forgot to photograph the inside, but it really is just the sentiment to reinforce my feelings of gratitude. 

My second card is identical to the first in almost every way. I did arrange the flowers slightly different because I'm just crazy like that! LOL! I used the Bitty Big: Lilac Grace for the background on this one.

I took into consideration the sentiment again on this one and stamped the "so thankful for our friendship" before I arranged the flowers and leaves.

I've shared this tip before, but I'll share it again; when I am using straight sentiments with the curved banner pieces, I lay the die directly underneath an acrylic block and then look through while holding the stamp to place it so it will curve nicely. These sentiments were just "slightly" larger, but I think they work just fine!

My bonus card uses the leftover bits and pieces of greenery so they are a little more sparse than the previous two, but with the sentiment strip you can hardly tell!  This is the last sentiment included in the set so I wanted to use it as well. I chose to add the "always" sentiment to keep it consistent with the look and feel of the first two designs. This little sentiment is from the Just Sentiments: Belated Birthday stamp set.

I hope you get a chance to count your blessings and make a few thank you/gratitude cards for those that you are thinking of! Thanks for fluttering by!