Happy Birthday and Other Celebrations

So I did some research lately….read that as “googled it”….about greeting cards. What’s the most popular card? For what occasion do we buy the most cards? How many cards are being sent? Do people even still mail cards and who is buying the cards? Well the answers are all here in a few fun facts:

• 7 BILLION greeting cards are purchased on average every year! (Yikes!)
• An average household buys between 30-50 cards a year.
• Women account for 80″ of greeting card sales.
• The most popular everyday card purchased is a Birthday card!
• The most popular seasonal cards purchased are Christmas cards.

It should come as no surprise that a birthday card is a number one seller…I mean everyone has a birthday, but not everyone celebrates all the other life happenings like weddings, new babies, graduations, etc. So last week, I had a get together with some friends and they made this card:

After they went home, I started playing looking for more possibilities. I love the combination of the purple and green….and I know someone else who would love it too….my sister! Purple is her color! We moved a lot when we were growing up and our parents always let us pick the color that we wanted to paint our bedrooms. I picked Orange Sherbert and Sunshine Yellow. She picked shades of purple every time….light lavender was her favorite. So I made this card for her birthday…..and no, I don’t have to worry about her seeing it, because I’m pretty sure she doesn’t read my blog. Social media is not her thing.

I didn’t want to leave the flowers white, so I thought why not color it with the new Stampin’ Blends colors – Highland Heather and Granny Apple Green. I think she’ll like it! Her birthday isn’t until December….so I’ve got plenty of time to put it in the mail.

Now follow my thinking here…..Her birthday is in December. December is Christmas time. I just made the most popular everyday card. Why not make the most popular “seasonal card”? What would this card look like with Christmas colors?

Lucky you….I have managed to fit in both the most popular card occasions in one blog post

So if it’s too early for Christmas for you….TURN AWAY NOW!

Close your eyes and scroll farther down.

I’ve even leave a little extra space so you’ll have time to avert your eyes!

Here is the same card design….but now it’s in Christmas colors! I switched out the springtime colors of Highland Heather and Granny Apple Green for the Christmas colors of Shaded Spruce and Cherry Cobbler. Throw on some matching ribbon and you’re done!

The flower die cut is from the Springtime Impressions Thinlits. But this just goes to show you that with a little imagination you aren’t limited to using it in the same way every time. By just changing the colors of my Stampin’ Blends and the base cardstock color, I’ve got a whole new look!

If you’d like to make these cards, this is what you’ll need:

For All Cards

• Springtime Impressions Framelit Dies
• Whisper White Thick Cardstock (for flower die cut)
• Snail Adhesive, Multipurpose Glue, Small sponge to dab glue on flower die cut

Purple Card

• Springtime Impressions Framelit Dies
• Picture Perfect Birthday Stamp Set (sentiment)

• Base Card: Granny Apple Green Cardstock – Cut 4 1/4″ x 11″; Scored at 5 1/2″
• Gorgeous Grape Cardstock – Cut 4″ x 5 1/4″, plus scrap for 3 flowers
• Whisper White Cardstock – Cut 4″ x 5 1/4″ (inside of card), plus scrap for large oval
• Granny Apple GreenWoven Ribbon
• Adhesive Pearls

Springtime Purple Card

• Base card: Highland Heather Cardstock – Cut 4 1/4″ x 11″; Score at 5 1/2″,
• Whisper White Cardstock – Cut 4″ x 5 1/4″
• Stampin’ Blends – Light & Dark of Highland Heather and Granny Apple Green
• Picture Perfect Birthday Stamp set
• Ink: Gorgeous Grape (sentiment)

Christmas Cards

• Base Cardstock (Cherry Cobbler or Shaded Spruce) – Cut 4 1/4″ x 11; Scored at 5 1/2″
• Ink: Cherry Cobbler or Shaded Spruce
• Stampin’ Blends – Cherry Cobbler (Dark) and Shaded Spruce (Dark)
• Matching Ribbon or your choice
• Merry Christmas Sentiment – (I bought this one from Michael’s for 25 cents after Christmas last year in my pre-Stampin’ Up! days)

I read an article the other day that decorating for Christmas early is a real mood booster! I hope making and seeing Christmas cards early has the same effect!

Happy Stamping!
Patricia

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Don’t forget if you need supplies, I can help! Click on the link below and you’ll go right to my online shopping page. (Don’t forget to use the August Host code when you are checking out!). Can’t find what you need? Contact me and I’ll help you find it!

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August is a special month! It’s Bonus Days! For every $50 purchase, you’ll receive a $5 gift code good for redemption during the month of September! So if you’ve been putting off ordering, don’t wait too long or you’ll miss out! This offer ends August 31st!

If you want to do a little early Christmas shopping stayed tuned because the new Holiday catalog is coming! September 5th is the reveal date! Just in time for you to redeem your $5 bonus reward (see above). I’ve seen the new catalog and it’s chock full of fun stamp sets for Halloween, Thanksgiving and of course, CHRISTMAS!