Just Dreamin' Stamps

Wednesday, May 27, 2026

Valley in Bloom: A Lily of the Valley Birthday Card

Spring arrived early in my craft room this week, and I couldn't be happier about it. This Lily of the Valley birthday card has been one of my favorite makes in a long time — there's something about those dainty little bell-shaped flowers that feels both timeless and fresh. The Valley in Bloom Designer Series Paper does all the heavy lifting as a background, and the dimensional die-cut flowers bring the whole scene to life.

The card base is Basic White, matted with a layer of Pretty Peacock — that deep teal-green gives the whole design such a grounded, elegant feel and echoes beautifully in the sentiment banner and inside stamping. Over that sits the Valley in Bloom DSP, which is honestly stunning all on its own with its soft watercolor lily of the valley illustration.

The real star of this card is the layering of the dimensional flowers. I cut the leaves from Granny Apple Green cardstock using the Lily of the Valley dies — that chartreuse green is so vivid and lush against the more muted tones of the DSP. For the flowers themselves, I used Basic White cardstock through the same die set, then picked up a small blending brush and Blackberry Bliss ink to add that soft wash of lavender-purple to each tiny bell. Working blossom by blossom feels almost meditative!

Crafter's tip

When blending Blackberry Bliss onto the white die-cut flowers, work from the lower edge upward and leave the very top of each bell white. This creates a natural gradient that mimics how light falls on real lily of the valley blooms — and makes the Wink of Stella shimmer even more magical.

Once the flowers were colored and dry, I added just a touch of Wink of Stella — clear glitter brush — across the petals on the card front. In certain light, they catch and sparkle like dewdrops. The flowers were adhered to the card using Multipurpose Liquid Glue, with a few Shimmering Dots scattered across the design for extra dimension and sparkle.
The "Happy Birthday" sentiment is from the Lily of the Valley stamp set and was clear heat embossed onto a strip of Pretty Peacock cardstock — that raised, glossy embossing against the deep teal is so satisfying. I used Stampin' Dimensionals to pop the banner up off the card front, giving it a lovely shadow and making it feel like it's floating over the flowers.

For the inside, I reached for the Sending Salutations stamp set for the main greeting — "To a marvelous person on their birthday!" — and paired it with another Lily of the Valley stamp in the lower corner. Both are stamped in Pretty Peacock ink, keeping the whole card cohesive inside and out.

If you're looking for a card that feels both elegant and joyful — one that really makes someone feel special on their birthday — I can't recommend this combination enough. The Valley in Bloom DSP is such a versatile background, and the Lily of the Valley die set gives you so many options for dimension and layering.

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Stampin' Up!

From now until May 31, 2026 when you join as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, you’ll get our new 2026–2028 In Color Stampin’ Pads FREE along with your Starter Kit!

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tams# 98656

Product List

Lily Of The Valley Bundle (English)

[167943]

Sending Salutations Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)

[167857]

Valley In Bloom 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper

[167935]

Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[166780]

Granny Apple Green 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[146990]

Pretty Peacock 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[150880]

Pretty Peacock Classic Stampin’ Pad

[150083]

Blackberry Bliss Classic Stampin' Pad

[147092]

Versamark Pad

[102283]

Clear Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush

[141897]

Shimmering Dots

[167949]

Basics Wow! Embossing Powder

[165679]

Heat Tool (Us And Canada)

[129053]

Small Blending Brushes

[160518]

Multipurpose Liquid Glue

[110755]

Stampin' Seal

[152813]

Stampin' Dimensionals

[104430]

Bone Folder

[102300]

Paper Snips

[103579]

Paper Trimmer

[152392]

Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine

[149653]

Add All to Cart

Monday, May 25, 2026

Waterside Retreat: A Nautical Birthday Card for the Ocean Lover

Some cards are made for a specific person — and this one is for the friend who feels most at home near the water. Rowboats bobbing in a quiet cove, towering evergreens reflected in the stillness, mountains rising beyond the tree line… the Waterside Retreat Designer Series Paper does all the heavy lifting, and it is stunning.

I started with a Misty Moonlight card base, then added mats of Peaceful Pine and Gray Granite to build that beautiful layered depth before a single element was placed. The cool blue-grey of Misty Moonlight plays perfectly against the earthy greens of Peaceful Pine, grounding the whole design without competing with the DSP.

The star of this card is the Waterside Retreat DSP — I used it for both the woodgrain background mat and the focal watercolor panel. That front panel is backed with Pool Party and Peaceful Pine cardstock for extra dimension. The watercolor scene itself — those rowboats, the calm cove, the treeline — is so painterly and serene that it felt like framing a little piece of the Pacific Northwest.

The mats are wrapped with Baker's Twine, which adds that perfect rustic, dock-rope texture. A silver anchor charm is knotted right into the twine at the lower left — a small but impactful detail that ties the nautical theme together beautifully. From the DSP, I fussy cut a life vest, a fishing buoy, and a life preserver and tucked them along the bottom edge of the waterside panel, giving the card wonderful dimension without a single piece of foam adhesive.

The "Happy Birthday" sentiment comes from the retired Beautiful Butterflies stamp set — a versatile workhorse that deserves a spot in any collection, even if butterflies are nowhere to be seen on this card! It's stamped in Peaceful Pine ink on a white banner backed with Peaceful Pine cardstock, then adhered at a jaunty angle in the upper right. That little tilt gives the card movement and energy, keeping it from feeling too formal for a birthday celebration.

Check out the links below, to see all of the exciting things happening with Stampin' Up!

From now until May 31, 2026 when you join as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, you’ll get our new 2026–2028 In Color Stampin’ Pads FREE along with your Starter Kit!