How to Make a Greeting Card Without Stamps

Can it be done?  Sure it can – I find it to be a challenge, but I thrive on challenges.  So today's challenge was making a card that looks like I stamped it, but didn't really.

I have had the Fan Fair patterned paper from Stampin' Up! for a while now, but I guess that I forgot that one of the patterns is all labels/tags, etc – some are designed to be punched out, others cut out.  And as I was looking for the perfect color blue patterned paper, I found these tags.

Obviously, this card is not using the blue that I was looking for – but that is a lot of the creative process fun.  I wish I had a penny for every project that I finished that looked nothing like how I envisioned it to be before I started.

And another thing that I have fallen in love with is really making my own envelopes.  I love using parts of the patterned paper for envelope flaps, but this is even better!  So then I get asked about the cost.  So a sheet of patterned paper is about $1.  Out of that, I can make several card fronts and an entire envelope.  To make your envelope, you start with a 7-3/4″ x 7-3/4″ square.   That leaves me with enough to make two card fronts and have extra pieces for punching/die cutting layers for other cards.

Here is the card:

Supplies I used to make this greeting card without stamps:

Stampin' Up! Card Stock: River Rock, Very Vanilla

Stampin' Up! Patterned Paper:  Fan Fair

Stampin' Up! Accessories:  Very Vanilla Seam Binding