Crafty Cornerstones

I was so excited to see that the Gina K Ruffled Blooms Embossing Folder Bundle was finally back in stock! I fell in love with this set the moment I tried it and honestly can’t stop creating cards and tags from it. It’s perfect for so many occasions—especially birthdays, thank yous, and thinking-of-you cards.

For today’s project, I decided to make a quick and elegant birthday card in shades of blue. It did take me a bit of practice to get the steps just right, so let me share a little tip from experience. The stencil is designed to fit around the embossed image, so be sure to emboss first, then stencil. (Ask me how I know—yes, I tried it the other way around and nothing lined up!) Thankfully, Gina K’s 3-D Embossing Folder Tips & Tricks video came to my rescue, and once I followed that order, everything came together beautifully.

Since I always find it tricky to cut my embossed panels evenly afterward, I decided to cut my cardstock panel before embossing to 5 1/8″ x 3 7/8″. Before embossing, I lightly misted the back of the cardstock to help the paper press cleanly into the folder without cracking. Misting the back also keeps the front dry—important when you plan to blend ink over your design afterward.

After embossing, I lined up the coordinating stencil that covers the main floral design and blended in my lightest blue. You could skip this step, but I found it really helpful to cover any small white spaces if the stencils shift a bit. From there, the rest of the stencils can be done in any order you like. I used three blue/teal tones for the floral layers (listed below) and finished the flower centers with Sweet Mango, a vibrant orange that adds the perfect pop of color.

For the leaves and stems, I used two shades of green. The stems were blended entirely in Fresh Asparagus, while the leaves were first covered in Key Lime and then highlighted again with Fresh Asparagus to give them a touch of depth and realism.

To complete the design, I added a Happy Birthday sentiment from the Gina K Sending Flowers Stamp and Dies Set, popped it up slightly with foam tape, then matted the finished panel with coordinating cardstock to match the blue floral tones.

This card turned out so beautiful—any recipient would be thrilled to receive it! If you’d like to make matching gift tags, you can download my free project sheet for those here.

Color Palette Used

• Floral: Blue Lagoon, Sea Glass, and Tranquil Teal
• Centers: Sweet Mango
• Leaves & Stems: Key Lime, Fresh Asparagus

Supply List

• Gina K Ruffled Blooms Embossing Folder Bundle
• Gina K Sending Flowers Stamp and Die Set
• Gina K Inks in Blue Lagoon, Sea Glass, Tranquil Teal, Sweet Mango, Key Lime, Fresh Asparagus, Black Onyx
• Cardstock in coordinating blue and white shades
• Blending brushes
• Water mister bottle
• Die cutting or embossing machine
• Foam tape
• Teflon Bone Folder
• Not used but coordinate with Ruffled Blooms Bundle – Stamp Set, Die Set and Poly-Glaze

I’d Love To Know….

what color combinations would you try for your own Ruffled Blooms card? Tell me below or tag me on social media @CraftyCornerstones so I can see your creations!