I have a gift set to share with you inspired by the delightful Pinkfresh designs in the Indigo Hills collection and many Essentials by Ellen sets created by Julie Ebersole for the latest Mix It Up Challenge over at Ellen Hutson!

As I selected the papers and positioning for my backdrops, I just couldn’t get over how many possibilites the designs provide for unique foundations; and as I die cut the main panels, it was fun to turn them over and see what ended up on the other side of these double-sided papers– I almost couldn’t decide which side to use for a few!

All cards are layered on the same base paper, #100 Linen Cardstock from Ellen Hutson. They are all 4.25 x 5.5 size.

First up, Wonderful:

I have left the exterior sentiment simple for an all purpose greeting, but the exterior could be finished with the “you” from this set You Rock, or the inside could be finished with “birthday” from the Totally Awesome set.

Wild Garden dies provide the dimensional flower cut from #110 Woodgrain paper and the sentiment is from the Totally Awesome set stamped on vellum and embossed.

Next up, Many Thanks

Every set should include a thank you card, and I love this scripty die from Julie Ebersole cut from cherry wood paper.  It has been layered upon some Wild Garden and Gourd-jus florals, cut from Essentials by Ellen #110 woodgrain paper.

The inside is finished with some ombre washi!  In the close-up below, you can see the texture of the #100 Linen cardstock– one of my favorites to use as a base.

From the bright and cheery we move to the muted and moody
An encouragement card mixing gorgeous pale greys and yellows with a splash of silver on the heat embossed and fussy cut butterfly from the set Up the Happy.

I used a grey pigment ink which just sunk perfectly into the paper for the sentiment also from Up the Happy, and it looks almost like it is part of the original pattern.

The inside washi echos the pattern and color of the Wild Garden flowers, cut from a yellow pattern of the Indigo Hills collection.

Finally, the zen master, Happy:Absolutely.

I love these stacked semi-circle grey stones, that reminded me of a stupa. This paper felt so meditative. The dies are from Merry & Bright and have been cut twice and stacked for some dimension.  The stamped sentiment is from Totally Awesome.

I originally placed a flower where the two circles are, but much prefered the nested circles, that are meant to symbolize the moon in a reflective pool.  I also thought of some organic jewelry I had seen where the silver half-orbs arise from a flat base. The smaller circle was manipulated with a tool to shape the sides.

Again I used the same grey pigment ink so the sentiment looks like it is part of the pattern.

Here’s the whole set!

I have another Pinkfresh/Ellen Hutson/The Heart Desires combo if you are interested and would like to play along with us over at THD.  Check it out here!