Ways to add oomph to a card using different items

Card using Coastal Cabana and the Biggest Wish Stamp Set with Artistry Bloom Sequins

In my last few videos I have shown how to make a set of 4x4 thanks cards and a box to hold them and some envelopes. I explained in my original video that I though that this simple card would work for 3x3 cards and maybe notecards but there may be a little too much white space on a normal card (14.8cm x 10.5 or 4.1" x 5.8".) Having made a ‘normal card’ I like it, but there is a bit too much white space and needs a bit of oomph to make it stand out and take away the white space. As this is a sentiment set, you could take another stamp set with mainly images, but I wanted to show that you don’t need another stamp set and that there a number of relatively simple ways to oomph up your cards.

A card using the Biggest Wish Stamp set and Bermuda Bay, Coastal Cabana and Night of Navy ink, with Basic White paper

A card using the Biggest Wish Stamp set from Stampin Up and Bermuda Bay, Coastal Cabana and Night of Navy ink, with Basic White paper

1. Using the reverse of one of the stamps, stamp a random pattern for the background..

2. Using the smallest stamp in the stamp set to create patterns.

3. Smooshing - using ink and water on plastic to create a watercolour background (please leave to dry before stamping the sentiment otherwise it may not stamp properly)

4. Ink Blending with a Blending brush

5. Ink Blending with a Blending brush and stencil

6. Splattering with Wink of Stella

7. Block stamping with ink and Wink of Stella

A card using the Biggest Wish Stamp set, Calypso Coral ink, with Basic White paper

A close up of a card using the Biggest Wish Stamp and Calypso Coral ink, with Basic White paper

Measurements

Metric

10.5 cm x 14.8 cm (10.5 by full length scored at 14.8cm)

Panel – 10cm x 14.3cm 

Imperial

4 1/8" x  5 7/8" (4 1/8” by full length scored at 5 7/8)

Panel – 3 7/8” x 5 5/8”

A card using the Biggest Wish Stamp set and Mango Melody ink, with Basic White paper

A card using the Biggest Wish Stamp set and the smooshing technique with Melon Mambo and Night of Navy ink

A card using the Biggest Wish Stamp set blending brushes and mask with Melon Mambo and Magenta Madness

A card using the Biggest Wish Stamp set and blending brushes with Melon Mambo and Magenta Madness

A card by using the Biggest Wish Stamp set Wink of Stella and Calypso Coral

A card using the Biggest Wish Stamp set Wink of Stella and Calypso Coral

My favourite is definitely the Wink of Stella and coloured splatters. Which is yours?

Delicate Baubles Splatter Card

I have been trying to tidy up my craft room as my stash is overwhelming and I keep having avalanches as my piles of items fall. Whilst tidying I found my Cosmic Shimmer Metallic Gilding Polish, which I bought a few months ago to use like gilding wax to use on my Christmas Cards. I had forgotten that I had these. I recently watched a fabulous Facebook live by the fabulous Stacey Marsh which used the Delicate Bauble dies which I have CASEd (copied and selectively edited). I knew I wanted to use the dies but was wandering if I could use the gilding polish to make splatters (and you can you just need to add water and flick with a brush!) I also wanted to add some sparkle without adding foil or mirri card. So I added the gilding polish on to the bauble die cuts as well.

The dies were originally part of a bundle with the Bright Baubles stamps, the stamps have now sold out and have been discontinued. I think that the dies work gorgeously on their own, whilst it is a bonus to be able to colour in the baubles, I don’t think that the stamp set is essential to be able to utilise the dies.

Measurements

My Metric

10.5 cm x 14.5cm (10.5 by full length scored at 14.5cm)

Inside Panel – 10cm x 14cm

Metric

10.5 cm x 14.8 cm (10.5 by full length scored at 14.8cm)

Inside Panel – 10cm x 14.3cm

Imperial

4 1/8" x  5 7/8" (4 1/8” by full length scored at 5 7/8)

Inside Panel – 3 7/8” x 5 5/8”

Tips and tricks

• Use adhesive sheets to make sticking down easier

• The sheet lifts well with a take your pick tool

• The bits will come out, but may need help with the take your pick tool or die brush

• I used the end of a paintbrush to move the gilding polish on to block, which I used as a paint palette

• Use the spritzer to add water to the gilding polish and stir well so will splatter without lumps

• Use different scrap papers for ink blending and splatters (Once finished move the card to prevent the back being covered in splatter)

• Tap off the excess ink from the ink blending brush before using them

• Evening Evergreen darkens Night of Navy

• If cutting a mask ensure the ‘sticky’ side is at top (otherwise the wording is upside down

The video below shows how to create the card.

I am not sure if the splatter technique will work with all gilding polish but it works very well with the Cosmic Shimmer Metallic Gilding Polish. I love the Shaded Spruce and Highland Heather examples, which is your favourite?

Simple Stencilled Snowflake Card

Change of plan again today to share this gorgeously simple stencil card. My original plan was to share a card I had created using the Pine Embossing folder however, it is currently on backorder. I have changed the card as Stampin’ Up! are changing their back ordered items policy.

Due to extreme difficulties caused by, the global supply chain crisis starting on 1 December 2021, Stampin’ Up! will no longer take orders for products that are not in stock. This means that Stampin’ Up! will no longer accept backorders. This change will help to reduce frustrations from unpredictable product availability and allow you to order products that will be delivered right away, rather than products that may not be delivered for months. If you’d ever like to know if a product is available, please check my online store, the product will show currently unavailable if it is not orderable .My online store is a great resource to browse products, determine availability, and place orders for in-stock items and also to find inspiration for cards.

You may have noticed that I love stencils and ink blending, I think that they are quick easy cards which can be duplicated easily but that create individual cards as no two are the same. Once you have added tape to the stencil and remembered to cover up the parts of the snowflakes which are not needed (I forgot to do that on my first card and have shadow snowflakes, where I do not want them.)

Lately I have been subscribing to the Chloe school of bling (love her cards) and therefore have added more diamantes/rhinestones than I normally would. I think it makes a plain card look better.

Measurements

My Metric

10.5 cm x 14.5cm (10.5 by full length scored at 14.5cm)

Inside Panel – 10cm x 14cm

Metric

10.5 cm x 14.8 cm (10.5 by full length scored at 14.8cm)

Inside Panel – 10cm x 14.3cm

Imperial

4 1/8" x  5 7/8" (4 1/8” by full length scored at 5 7/8)

Inside Panel – 3 7/8” x 5 5/8”

Again this is a simple card which could be created with any stencils and corresponding stamps. My favourite part is that you can choose what bling to add and also how much or little is added to your card.

Christmas items for Birthdays with #GDP302

Over the last weeks weeks I have been looking for some inspiration. One of my favourite places to see gorgeous cards is the Global Design Project. Every week there is a new challenge on a rotating schedule which includes colour challenges, sketches, themes and a CASE challenge. I have been admiring the challenges for a while and today have decided to share a card that I have made using #GDP302 sketch challenge.

I love the stripes and I also love the inspiration from the design team. I am super excited that I have finally decided on what I wanted from the July to December Mini Catalogue and the delivery arrived this week. So I had some new goodies to play with. I have used the Happy from the Christmas Cheer dies and the striped mask from the Adorning Designs decorative masks.

Instructions

1. Create a card base

2. Create a frame from a piece of scrap paper -line up card at the 1/2 inch line and used the cutting blade from 1/2 inch point on all four sides creating a frame

3. Add Low Tack Stencil Tape to ensure card base doesn’t move

4. Line up the stripes on the mask to make them vertical using grid paper can help ( see image below)

5. Add more stencil tape, to keep the stencil in place.

6. Add the frame to the stencil

7. Use a blending brush to add Polished Pink ink to the whole of the area

8. Use a sponge dauber to add Fresh Freesia to the larger stripes.

9. Allow time for ink to dry

10. Add card to Stamperatus and line up the birthday stamp

11. Mask off the Happy and add Momento ink to the Birthday, add to card

12. Mask off the Happy and add Momento ink to the Birthday, add to card (repeat until as dark as required)

13. Cut Happy 3 times from Scrap White card

14. Cut Happy from Basic Black

15. Layer the happy die cuts together using detailed glue.

16. Add the Happy die cut to the card

17. Add embellishments (I have used the Subtle Shimmer Sequins)

18. Add sentiment to inside Basic White Layer using Momento ink

19. Add inside layer to card

Card Stock Measurements

My Metric

Card Base -10.5 cm x 14.5 cm (14.5cm by 21cm scored at 10.5cm)

Scrap card -10.5 cm x 14.5 cm

Inside Basic White Layer - 10cm x 14cm

Metric

Card Base -10.5 cm x 14.8 cm (14.8cm by 21cm scored at 10.5cm)

Scrap card -10.5 cm x 14. 8 cm 

Inside Basic White Layer - 10cm x 14.3cm

Imperial

Card Base -4 1/8 " x 5 ¾" (5 3/4” x 8 ¼” scored at 4 1/8” )

Scrap card -4 1/8 " x 5 ¾"

Inside Basic White Layer - 3 7/8” x 5 1/2”

Thank you to the Global Design Project for the inspiration. I love the Happy from the Christmas Cheer dies, these dies are for all year round and not just for Christmas!

Twilight Free as a Bird Card

Sometimes I love going into my craft room with an idea, but no fixed formulation about what I am actually going to make. I have seen some gorgeous cards on Stamp Junkies on Facebook (it is an amazing group, if you have not seen it before, I highly recommend joining the group, the cards are fabulous.) The cards were twilight scenes using some tree stamps, I decided to create my own card using the free as a bird stamp set. I have used a mask and blending brushes using misty moonlight and balmy blue. If you wanted a darker background you could use night of navy,

My Metric

10.5 cm x 14.5 cm (14.5cm by 21cm scored at 10.5cm)

Silver Foil - 10cm x 14cm

White layers – 9.5cm x 13.5cm

Metric

10.5 cm x 14.8 cm (14.8cm by 21cm scored at 10.5cm)

Silver Foil - 10cm x 14.3cm

White layers – 9.5cm x 13.8cm

Imperial

4 1/8 " x 5 ¾" (5.75” x 8 ¼ scored at 4 1/8)

Silver Foil – 3 3/4” x 5 1/2”

White layers – 3 1/2” x5 ¼”

The darkness of the birds depends on the darkness of the blends I used light basic black blend, but it also works with the dark basic black blend or the Basic Black Stampin’ write marker..

For the moon I added texture using the blending brush, but it was too dark so I used a finger dauber with Craft white ink to add texture to the moon and cover my boo boos.

I am planning on trying the technique on the Peaceful; Deer Stamp Set in the new July to December catalogue. Do you prefer the lighter of darker birds.