Cher-ing Love of Paper: Focus on Focals

Today I have three quick cards demonstrating different ways of creating a focal.

Here are video instructions:

Or you can find it on my channel: https://www.youtube.com/@CheringLOP.

Card #1:

The first, above, was created using the paper itself for a focal. This card was made using the discontinued Mediterranean Blooms designer series paper. I love this paper and kept thinking I'd get some citrus stamps and/or dies to create my focals, but never did. SO, I figured I'd better start using it anyway. And these lemon clusters I fussy cut from the paper itself look SO pretty as focals! Though these papers aren't available any more, there are other papers you could use in a similar way. Try the fun Beach Boardwalk set! (see picture of it at the end of this post)

This first card started with a card base cut from Lemon Lolly cardstock. The background paper was matted with Mossy Meadow cardstock - which also forms the frame for the focal Basic White oval. The oval and oval frame that mat the focal were die cut using dies from Floral Impressions dies, which are also not available anymore, but the Scalloped Wishes dies would give a similar effect. The sentiment was stamped using a stamp from a discontinued Stampin' Up! card kit called Sentimental Rose. I use stamps from the two card kits I got so often! I would encourage anyone who likes to make cards from kits to look at Stampin' Up! kits that contain sentiment stamps. Not all of them do. However, there are four I'd like to particularly mention that have some nice sentiments if you're interested. If so, check the end of this post.

Anyway, back to my card! I die cut the sentiment using the long thin rectangle die from the Textured Notes die set. I use this set all the time because it creates rectangles of many sizes with decorative edges - perfect for many projects - and it IS still available (if you hurry!). When I adhered my pieces to the card, I glued most, but used Mini Stampin' Dimensionals for the lemons & the sides of the sentiment (with glue in the center of it). And I used a mini glue dot to add the Mossy Meadow & Gold ribbon bow.

Card #2:

This time, I stamped the focal. The patterned paper came from the Florals in Bloom DSP (designer series paper). There are many beautiful florals in this set, but today I decided to use the back of one of them to create this floral card that I thought would be okay for males or females because of the colors. This time I started with a card blank created from Smoky Slate cardstock, and a Secret Sea cardstock mat for the focal. The flower is stamped using stamps from the Pretty Florals stamp set (one of two created to go with the Florals in Bloom DSP). I stamped the flower on Basic White cardstock using Secret Sea and Smoky Slate inks. I ended up stamping my stem too far from the flowers, so joined it up using a Smoky Slate Stampin' Write marker. The sentiment was stamped with a stamp from So Sincere (discontinued - though again, there are LOTS of current sentiment stamps to choose from at Stampin' Up!). Both the focal and the mat were die cut - again using dies from the Textured Notes die set. I found a silver edged ribbon in my stash and colored it with a Secret Sea Stampin' Blend marker so it would coordinate well. I used the same marker to color some clear embellishments I found in my stash (Opal Rounds - discontinued, but you could use any clear or white embellishment and color it this way).

Card #3:

This third card uses a sentiment for a focal - this one created using a Hybrid Embossing folder called Thoughtful Moments. If you are not familiar with hybrid folders, they cut and emboss in one pass! I LOVE this one! It can create several beautiful sentiments at once! I inked the folder with Night of Navy before running it through my machine with the cutting die and some Basic White cardstock in it. I again used paper from the Mediterranean Blooms DSP - this time the non-citrus side of the paper. I simply cut my 4" x 5 1/4" paper panel diagonally from one corner to another - held them back together and did the same from the other two corners to make four triangles - two of which I used here, and two of which will be saved for another card. Oh yeah, my card blank. As you can probably tell, I used Basic White cardstock for it, but then I used my Soft Waves 3D embossing folder to emboss just the front of the card before gluing my patterned paper in place. I matted my sentiment on a Night of Navy circle die cut with another favorite die set - Spotlight on Nature cuts circles in different sizes - all with pretty borders around the edges. I added it with Mini Stampin' Dimensionals. To complete my card, I added some Night of Navy embellishments to a couple of corners (again from the discontinued Opal Rounds - but you could use any white or clear and color it with a Night of Navy Stampin' Blends marker).

There you have 3 cards with focals made in 3 different ways. What is YOUR favorite way to create a focal?

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Here's a look at some of those possible substitutes I mentioned. I hope you enjoyed these projects today. I am an independent Stampin’ Up! demonstrator, and I would love to have you choose me (Cheryl Manley) as YOUR demonstrator when purchasing from Stampin' Up! I will receive a small commission on such a purchase, but it will not affect the price you pay. As a thank you for your purchase, your first purchase each month will qualify you to receive a pdf of that month’s class – e-mailed to the e-mail address you list when ordering from Stampin’ Up! (unless you’ve marked that you don’t want to be contacted).

Have a great day everyone!

A pretty paper with images you could die cut for focals is the Beach Boardwalk pack:

BEACH BOARDWALK 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER