Hi friends! Please join me in welcoming back the oh-so-talented and amazing Yana Smakula! (Please note: our dear friend Yana is Ukrainian. To show support to our brothers and sisters in Ukraine, please see Yana’s post HERE.)

Hello, friends! Yana Smakula here, and I’m excited to share a new project for the Yippee For Yana series — an elegant “Thank You” card created with the beautiful Graceful Swans stamp set from Simon Says Stamp.

This design combines timeless elegance with soft, classic tones for a card that’s simple in color yet rich in detail — perfect for expressing heartfelt gratitude in style.

Creating the Scene

I started with Sage cardstock and placed it in my MISTI stamping tool. Using Versafine Clair Ink in Nocturne, I first stamped the sentiment in the center and masked it. Next, I stamped the graceful swans, a charming arched bridge, and soft floral details to build a serene lakeside scene.

To add soft highlights and dimension, I used a white Polychromos pencil from Faber-Castell. This simple touch of white pencil over the black ink brings the scene to life — especially the swans, water, and floral accents.

I recommend stamping your images twice: once for placement and coloring, and a second time afterward to restore crisp detail. It’s an easy trick that ensures those delicate black lines stay sharp after layering pencil work

Framing the Sentiment

The sentiment, “Thank you for all that you do,” is at the heart of the design. I framed it using the A7 Frames Wafer Dies, cutting several layers — three from kraft cardstock and one from mirror gold. Layering them adds a sturdy dimension and that perfect, luxe finishing touch.

To ground the scene, I softly ink-blended the edges with Pawsitively Saturated Ink in Sage and a large blending brush. This step gives the card depth.

Once the inking was complete, I adhered my finished panel to a top-folding A2 card base. The result is a refined, timeless “thank you” card — minimal in design yet full of elegance and intention.

You could easily adapt this layout for other occasions by swapping out the sentiment — the Graceful Swans set includes lovely messages for birthdays and peaceful greetings, too.

I hope this project inspires you to create something elegant and heartfelt — whether it’s a thank you card, a peaceful scene, or just a moment to enjoy creative calm.

WATCH THE VIDEO:

SUPPLIES:

Simon Says Stamps and Dies Graceful… [ SSS ] Simon Says Clear Stamps Graceful… [ SSS ] Simon Says Stamp Graceful Swans Wafer… [ SSS ] Simon Says Stamp A7 Frames Wafer Dies… [ SSS ] Simon Says Stamp Nocturne Black… [ SSS ] Simon Says Stamp Pawsitively… [ SSS ] Simon Says Stamp Cardstock 100lb Sage… [ SSS ] Spellbinders Gold Assortment… [ SSS ] Neenah Classic Crest 80 LB SMOOTH… [ SSS ] Simon Says Stamp WHITE A2 SIDE FOLD… [ SSS ] Faber-Castell POLYCHROMOS COLORED… [ SSS ] Prismacolor Colored Pencil White PC938 [ SSS ] MISTI PRECISION STAMPER VERSION 2.0… [ SSS ] Simon Says Stamp Pawsitively… [ SSS ] Simon Says Stamp Blending Brush LARGE… [ SSS ] Bearly Art THE MINI Precision Craft… [ SSS ] Scrapbook Adhesives WHITE 3D Foam… [ SSS ] Simon Says Stamp DOT RUNNER Tape… [ SSS ] Spellbinders BEST EVER CRAFT TAPE… [ SSS ]

Ways to support Ukraine:

If you are looking for ways to support Ukraine, we encourage you to visit this page on Yana’s blog:

A big thank you to YOU, our reader — and to Yana for being our guest!