Useful to Have

I think it is always handy to have a few cards available to be sent to people just to let them know someone is thinking of them and I'm sure the gesture is appreciated.  For this card I've used a piece of script background paper and stamped  some pale blue card using the Hardwood stamp by Stampin' Up - I can see all sorts of potential for using this large stamp and despite being so big it does stamp very nicely.  Deco Labels dies were used to cut out the shaped pieces and one was embossed using a wood-grain embossing folder. There has been a free stamp set available recently which matches the shape of the Deco Labels and one of them was used on this with the addition of some stamped and punched Petite Petals with pearl centres.  The sentiment is from a set of tiny clear sentiment stamps of unknown origin.  Corner die is Victorian Romance from Cheery Lynn.

A Quandary

What is my quandary you might ask?  Well I was tempted to get this Birdhouse embossing folder by Crafter's Companion which I love but the thing is that such a nice design deserves to be seen and I tried various ideas before I came up with this simple one which I'm not entirely happy about.  I used a bird stamp from Stampin' Up Touch of Nature set (now discontinued) and a trellis die from Tim Holtz Frameworks range.  The bird image was cut out using SU Deco Labels dies and the stamped sentiment is a punched label shape (also SU).  I will have to keep the brain working on ways of using this embossing folder and maybe try to curb my tendency to 'buy now - think later'!!  In fact I have to much 'stuff' that I really should avoid the 'Buy Now' buttons altogether.