Be Inspired - July 2026 - Creating Backgrounds

Be Inspired Design Team Blog Hop

CREATING BACKGROUNDS

Welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea and the July Be Inspired Blog Hop where we are focusing on projects that show wonderful backgrounds. However you have arrived here, whether from Melanie Hocking or directly here, I am so delighted that you are here.

As I was thinking about the type of background I would use my minds flittered around thinking “oo, I could do that; and then - well how about that … or that …. There are many types of backgrounds to try and many old favourites. In the end I decided to share one of my favourite backgrounds, that is Dry Embossed backgrounds. I love the subtle tone on tone texture that allows the focal point to shine while providing interest to the project.

You may recognise the gorgeous Floral Spray 3D Embossing Folder that was used to emboss the Basic White background. This is a wonderful embossing folder. I love that some parts of the background are left in-embossed to contrast with the embossed sections.

To provide a simple focal point a Party Banner die was used to cut the end of the Basic White banner that was mounted on Hydrangea Hue In Color Shimmer Speciality Paper. Violets were both stamped and die cut using the Pressed Violets bundle. I love working with this bundle as it brings warm childhood memories of picking violets for my Mum. The violets were coloured in Hydrangea Hue and the leaves in Soft Sea Foam with a touch of Peaceful Pine to add a little shading & depth.

Iridescent Pearls Basic Jewels add a little shimmer to the flower centres and around the sentiment. White ribbon was cut in half lengthwise and tied into a double bow then ticked in between the violets and sentiment.

The card inner was simply stamped with it of the violet stamps in Secret Sea Classic ink. I often use this ink instead of black. If you have time, the violets could be coloured with Stampin’ Blends, but my time was running away with speed so it is simply stamped.

A Stampin’ Basic White C6 envelope was also stamped with the violets in Secret Sea ink.

Thank you so much for dropping in on your way around the July Be Inspired Blog Hop. I so appreciate you.

I am really looking forward to seeing what everyone else has created for the Creating Backgrounds Blog Hop.  Next in line is the amazing Angela Meiritz-Reid. Just click on the "Next" graphic below to head over to Angela’s blog.

The full list of those participating in this Blog hop is:

Andrea Sargent <you are here

Angela Meiritz-Reid

Annette Ball

Annette Elias

Brian King

Emma Goddard

Lynn Cheesmur

Maheswari Rajaguru  

Melanie Hockin

 

CASEing the Catty #578 - Case July On-line Exclusives

CASE Stampin’ Up!s July On-line Exclusives meets Butterfly Flight

Hello, welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea & #578 Challenge with CASEing the Catty.

I am so glad you have dropped by. You may have come from Peta Stephen, as you take this week’s Blog Hop or perhaps arrived directly here; either way I am delighted you are here. At the end of my blog, I have linked to Judy May so you can continue with the Blog Hop.

At CASEing the Catty we love to use the samples from the Stampin' Up! Catalogues and On-line Exclusives as inspiration and each week we have a different theme to guide our CASEing. To CASE is to "Copy And Selectively Edit" or some say "Copy And Share Everything". This week we are CASE-ing the samples created to show the newly released On-line Exclusives. So many wonderful products.

As you can see, I more closely CASED the layout as well as the butterfly concept of a sample to showcase the Gilded Wings Accents. I had opened my new Stampin' Hot Foil System yesterday and was wanting to play with the Butterfly Flight bundle. It is a delightful layout. I also love how the DSP covers the whole card front.

The gorgeous Valley in Bloom Designer Series Paper was used as the background of the card as well as for the background for the butterfly panel.

My butterflies were hot foiled on to Basic White card-stock using Gold Foil and the stunning Butterfly Flight Hot Foil Dies. This bundle comes with a set of Decorative Masks. They are amazing. I used Fresh Freesia, Cloud Cover and Blackberry Bliss (the latter being one of the colours named in the DSP). The sentiments from the Sweetly Sentimental bundle incorporate a range of different sentiments. It is brilliant, you make a handful of sentiments in one process. The dies align so well.

Extra butterflies were die cut from Pearlised 2026-2028 In Colour Speciality Paper. Extra wings were added beneath the large butterflies and 2 small butterflies are flying around. Some foliage was also cut from the Peaceful Pine Pearlised Speciality Paper.

A Gold Striped Mesh Ribbon was tied into a bow and tucked to the side under butterfly wings. A few Pearlised Faceted Circles were scattered around.

Very simple decoration was added inside the card, including a left over foiled butterfly and another of the foiled sentiments.

Some of the DSP was also added to the envelope flap. I do appreciate the quality of the Stampin' Up! C6 envelopes and love to ensure they coordinate in some way to the card they carry. I remember Shelly saying - you must never have a naked envelope!

Thank you so much for dropping by on your way around the CASEing the Catty Blog Hop to launch Challenge #578. There are so many gorgeous products in the July On-Line Exclusives and as always so much inspiration created by Stampin' Up!

Don’t miss any of the inspiration from this creative CASEing The Catty Crew. The next blog in the hop is by the wonderful Judy May. Just click on the "next" graphic below to be taken to her blog. I wonder which project she has CASEd - I am sure her project will be something special.

Join In The Challenge: We would love you to share a project that you create for this Challenge which has been inspired by the July Online Exclusives release. To share, all you need to do is go to the CASEing The Catty Challenge Group on Facebook. If you aren't a member, it’s easy to request to join and once anpproved all you need to do is upload a photo of your project to the main section. You can click on the graphic below to be taken to the group on Facebook. We would so love to see your creation.

 

#ctc578 #stampinup #stampinupaustralia #stampinupsouthpacific #stampinupdemo  #handmadecards #makeacardsendacard #stampinupdemonstrator #papercrafting #papercrafter  #valleyinspirations  #butterflyflight  #sweetlysentimental #gildedwings  #caseingthecatty #artisandesignteam2026  #artisandesignteam #hotfoilsystem