The other day I shared this card and talked about the GORGEOUS paper I used – I wanted to share another sheet, the absolutely STUNNING bokeh background paper, with you today. The pattern I used today is another bokeh background but the larger circles in this one allowed some more color variations and leads me to a story. There's always a story!
First let's look at the card:
I am not a big bragger but, seriously, isn't that gorgeous? Here's another look head on:
This insanely beautiful Falling In Love paper is on page 51 of the Occasions catalog which doesn't end until May 31st. But here's the thing. I am SO sure you are going to love this paper – and it is selling like MAD – that I want you to get a pack now because you WILL want more. It's not often I stockpile stuff that retires but THIS paper has earned a place on my “Keepin' It!” shelf. And, when you order your first pack of paper (because there will be more) PLEASE order it before March 31 so you can get the matching Metallic Ribbon from the Sale-A-Bration freebies!
So here's the story I promised you – go grab a cuppa coffee and let's chat for a second. In the catalog the coordinating colors for this paper pack are listed as Blushing Bride, Sahara Sand, Soft Sky, Sweet Sugarplum & Very Vanilla – and all of that is true – they aren't trying to pull a fast one on ya.
But once I had this paper in my hands, I realized that some of the patterns will reach beyond that palette – just like this card here. The bokeh background gave me lots of leeway with soft neutrals due to its blurred effect. I paired it with Smoky Slate and Whisper White rather than Sahara and Vanilla – and it totally works! Take a look:
And here's a closer look at the detailed element:
Why is that interesting? By being able to match Very Vanilla AND Whisper White using different complementary colors, I can totally use both ribbon patterns – the white AND the vanilla – in that ribbon combo pack and it's FREE ribbon! I like free ribbon. Do you like free ribbon? WAIT – before you answer that…
I like free QUALITY ribbon. I hate cheap ribbon. Like h.a.t.e. it. I don't use the “h” word often or freely – so when I say it, I am serious. Like coffee first thing in the morning serious. I am not messing around 
🙂 Cheap ribbon, frays, wrinkles, fades and if you take a good look at the spool you will see that you get WAY less than it looks like you are (so it's not really that inexpensive but is still CHEAP!).
I even mixed it with Smoky Slate patterned paper from the neutrals paper stack. And I LOVE these two mixed together. It's kinda like a chocolate and peanut combination – it just works. (Anyone else in the mood for peanut M&M's right now, or is that just me?)
The moral to this story is to always experiment with your patterned paper to see what other colors you can mix with them. Sometimes you have to swap out TWO of the suggested colors to make the new combination work but playing around can get you some gorgeous results!
Here's what I used to make this card:
Be sure to take a good look at the patterns in the Falling In Love Designer Series Paper pack because it's truly one of the more gorgeous, useful papers Stampin' Up! has created. The bokeh background imagery is very hot right now and your having patterns like these at your fingertips will help you make gorgeous cards with tons of impact in less time.
