Introducing Garden Variety II, YOF Titles & BB: Postmarks

There's just something so beautiful about vintage treasures and we've got several gorgeous vintage-inspired products to introduce to you today!

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Garden Variety II is a little set that has a few more "extras" to add on to the original & popular Garden Variety.  It includes an all new seed packet frame (complete with coordinating die, sold separately). There's a small stamp to note whether the packet contains bulbs or seeds, as well as a terra cotta pot complete with a new leaf topper with hydrangeas, sunflowers & roses to fill in the blanks. This topper will coordinate with the watering can in the original set, just as the toppers from the original will coordinate with this new pot. Many fun new options for creating garden themed projects.

The Details: 

• Garden Variety II will be available for purchase on April 15th.
• It will retail for $15.
• Garden Variety II contains a total of 12 images.  The seed packet frame measures 2" x 3".  The "Don't judge each day…" sentiment measures 2-3/4" x 1".  The pot measures 7/8" x 7/8".  The leaf topper measures 2-1/8" x 1-1/4".  The small hydrangea, sunflower & rose add-ins for the leaf topper each measure 1/4" in diameter.  The seeds/bulbs for spring labels measure 1/2" in diameter.
• A coordinating die will be available for sale separately, retailing for $6.  

 

By popular demand, I've also designed Year of Flowers Titles……an entire collection of titles sized to fit onto the seed packets from both the original Garden Variety and the new Garden Variety II.  It also has one to coordinate with each of the Year of Flowers series as well as the Year of Flowers Collection.

The Details: 

• Year of Flowers Titles will be available for purchase on April 15th.
• It will retail for $5.
• Year of Flowers Titles contains a total of 12 images.  All titles  measure 1-1/2" long.  "Chrysanthemums" measures 1/8" tall, "Poinsettias" measures 3/16" tall and "Roses" measures 1/4" tall.

Heather Nichols has taken some of the popular designs from her Postmarks patterned paper collection and turned them into amazingly detailed background stamps.  The images in this set were taken from a postcard collection she has that belonged to her Great Grandmother. She loves the designs that were included onto the postcards, the postage & postmarks, and the beautiful handwritten, loving notes that were sent to friends and family. Now you can include these images on your projects to add that nostalgic and vintage look. You know a loved on would love to receive a handmade card or postcard in the mail from you!

The Details.

• Background Basics: Postmarks will be available for sale on April 15th.
• It will retail for $18.
• Background Basics: Postmarks contains a total of 4 images (2 background strips & 2 small background blocks).  The background image strips measure about 1 1/2” tall and about 5 3/4” wide. The smaller blocks measure about 1” tall and about 1 1/2” wide.

Now that I've made all of the formal introductions, let's get onto the projects!

For my first project today I decided to put together a little gift ensemble that would be perfect for a gardener or anyone that has a love of flowers.

For the card, I started with a Rustic Cream card base.  The card cover uses Ripe Avocado cardstock, which I stamped with the new Background Basics: Postmarks stamp set using Ripe Avocado ink.

For the focal point, I started by trimming out a block of Rustic Cream cardstock and rounding the corners, swiping the edge with Tea Dye Duo.  I then die-cut the Seed Packet Frame II from Melon Berry cardstock and stamped the coordinating frame from Garden Variety II in Berry Sorbet ink.  I added a few additional details to the frame using black ink.

I added the sweet peas image from Year of Flowers Collection to the rustic cream layer and colored it in with Copic Markers.  After adhering the frame in place with a bit of foam tape, I wrapped the focal point with twine and finished it with a bow.

The sentiment was added to a strip of Classic Kraft cardstock.  It is a combination of images from Strawberry Patch & Strawberry Patch Sentiments.  The end of the strip was finished with a little pinking shears detail at the end.

I adhered the seed packet focal point at a slight angle to help give the card more visual interest.

For the basket, I die-cut four sides for the Berry Basket from Classic Kraft cardstock and assembled it.  I trimmed a square of polka dot fabric with pinking shears and inserted it into the basket.  I then filled it with some special Burt's Bees products for gardeners, seeds and handmade seed packet sachets, filled with dried lavender & stuffing.

The seed packet sachets are actually really easy to make.    I started by trimming out rectangles of muslin measuring about 3" x 4".  I stamped each of them with the new seed packet frame using Simply Chartreuse ink.  I then added the various images from Year of Flowers Collection using Moir Palette ink.  I colored the flowers with Copic Markers, allowing a little bit of extra space near the edges for slight bleeding & spreading of the color.

Each seed packet is backed with some pretty vintage polka dot fabric.  

I stitched the two rectangles together, right sides facing, leaving a small opening to turn it right side out and stuff it.

I stuffed them with a mixture of stuffing and dried lavender.  The perfect thing to tuck into a drawer to keep everything smelling wonderful.

I carefully stitched the bottom edge of the sachets closed after the stuffing was complete.

The finished ensemble is a really elegant presentation that any recipient would be so pleased with.

For my next project I thought I would showcase the pretty new pot & topper included in Garden Variety II.  I already touched upon this above in the intro, but it bears repeating.  The flower pot in the new set was created with the same exact design as the top edge of the watering can in the original Garden Variety set.  This means this new leaf topper & flower fillers will coordinate with the watering can as well, just as the fillers from the original set will coordinate with this new flower pot.

I started by die-cutting the Spiral Notebook Page die from Vintage Cream cardstock.  I stamped the flower pot in Classic Kraft, the leaf topper in Spring Moss and the hydrangea blooms in layers of Winter Wisteria & Spring Rain.  I added a bit of Background Basics: Postmarks using Fine Linen ink.  The edges were swiped with Tea Dye Duo.

I created a small "award-style" medallion with the Buttoned Up #2 die and a 5/8" circle punch.  I love the small little "bulbs for spring" label; it is added with Charcoal Palette ink.  Small bits of Winter Wisteria Bitty Dot Ribbon peek out underneath it.  I also added strips of Winter Wisteria cardstock to either side of the focal pint, stamped with A Little Argyle in Winter Wisteria ink.

I love this sentiment that is included in the new set.  I stamped it with Charcoal Palette ink as well, directly onto the Spring Rain card base.

Now that you have seen a few of my creations, here are some of the amazing things that the team has created!

CLICK HERE to see more from Ashley Cannon Newell.

CLICK HERE to see more from Betsy Veldman.

CLICK HERE to see more from Danielle Flanders.

CLICK HERE to see more from Dawn McVey.

CLICK HERE to see more from Erin Lincoln.

CLICK HERE to see more from Heather Nichols.

CLICK HERE to see more from Jessica Witty.

CLICK HERE to see more from Lisa Johnson.

CLICK HERE to see more from Maile Belles.

CLICK HERE to see more from Melissa Phillips.

I hope you have enjoyed all these amazing creations that both the team and I have shared with you today!  I don't know about you, but I'm ready to get out into the sunshine and spend some time out in the garden as well!  I hope we've left you feeling inspired yourself!  We would love to hear your initial thoughts on everything we introduced!  Please leave a comment on this post to tell us what you think of the new products and you will be eligible to win big!

$75 Papertrey Ink Gift Certificate 

to spend however you choose!  

You have until 7am EST, April 15 to leave your comment and be eligible to win.  Only one comment per person please.  One randomly selected winner will be announced on our April Release Winners Page before noon EST the same day.  Thank you for stopping by today and best of luck with the contest!

CLICK HERE to see more from Melissa Bickford.

CLICK HERE to see more from Lexi Daly.

SEED PACKET SACHET ENSEMBLE

• STAMPS: Garden Variety II, Year of Flowers Titles, Background Basics: Postmarks, Strawberry Patch, Strawberry Patch Sentiments (available April 15th) Year of Flowers Collection
• INK: Simply Chartreuse, Ripe Avocado, Berry Sorbet, Noir Palette, Tea Dye Duo
• PAPER: Classic Kraft, Rustic Cream, Ripe Avocado, Melon Berry
• OTHER: Seed Packet Frame 2 die, Berry Basket die, Rustic Jute Button Twine, Copic Markers (Berry Sorbet Trio, YG95, Y26, T1), 1/2" circle punch (EK Success), pinking shears (Fiskars), fabric
• FINISHED SIZE: 4-1/4" x 5-1/2" (card), 5" square x 3" high (basket)

HYDRANGEAS CARD

• STAMPS: Garden Variety II, Background Basics: Postmarks, (available April 15th) A Little Argyle
• INK: Classic Kraft, Fine Linen, Spring Moss, Winter Wisteria, Spring Rain, Charcoal Palette, Tea Dye Duo
• PAPER: Vintage Cream, Spring Rain, Winter Wisteria
• OTHER: Spiral Notebook Page die, Buttoned Up #2 die, 5/8" circle punch (EK Success), Winter Wisteria Bitty Dot Ribbon
• FINISHED SIZE: 4-1/4" x 5-1/2"