Yellow and Black Theme Seems Like Late August

Today after terrible rains and winds and a microburst on Saturday, the weather settled down but was still hot and humid.  I opened the window and listened to the birds and watched the butterflies in the garden from my desk. I was inspired to make these cards with a yellow and black theme.

I used the new stamp set (a $5.00 special offer) from Stampin' Up:  Reason to Smile to create these cards. I did see a card by Rita Wright that inspired me. I used black, gray, yellow and white cardstock from my stash.  I had some black and white and yellow items leftover from creating my daughter's wedding scrapbook that came in handy also.  One of the items was the Silver Swirl design paper (brand unknown).  I used the Stampin' Up eyelet punch on the Making Memories Yellow Gingham paper and 3/8 inch yellow grosgrain ribbon to tie that layer together.  I stacked yellow and gray cardstock to frame the white centerpiece.  I inked the flower three times: first in yellow, then green for stem and calyx, and finally black for the outline.  I used a dauber to add some more color and to make the yellow fill shape more indefinite like a watercolor.

The companion card was the same color scheme with some different patterns.  I used Making Memories Small Dot in black for the background and gray for the eyelet trim.  I layered the yellow gingham, gray eyelet and mini polka dot background and tied it with yellow grosgrain ribbon.  I stacked black and yellow for the centerpiece frame and stamped it with the sunflower set. This set is three pieces:  the color smudge, the outline and the center.  I have already misplaced the center stamp so I used the dauber to make the center more colorful and also less distinct than the outline stamp. I popped one sunflower and the whole frame.

Spoiler alert!  Don't view the next card if you have an anniversary August 20th!

This card uses the Silver Swirl paper and some Wild Saffron adhesive paper ribbon on yellow gingham for the background layer on a gray card.  It's wrapped with 3/8 inch yellow gingham ribbon and 3/16 inch black satin looped ribbon tied up in a bow just like the tablecloths at my daughter's wedding six years ago.  The framed layer is yellow, gray and black cardstock. The centerpiece is stamped with the Reason to Smile sunflower.  I use a marker and a dauber to brighten and smudge the color.  One sunflower and the whole fram layer are popped for added dimension.

I had fun listening to an old, favorite Andrea Bocelli CD and using the leftovers from the wedding decor (great memories) to make some new cards on a yellow and black theme.