You're the Sweetest & Celebrate (Strawberries & Dots)

I made plans to get together with a couple of friends and assemble some cards. We each came up with two designs and prepped six of each card. The plan was for everyone to go home with two copies of each card. I wanted to challenge myself with a total different style than I'm used to. It still incorporated coloring (which I love), but it had tons of fluff/jewels/layers to it, too!

I had a bunch of doilies from the baking isle/dollar store and found one that was about the right size for a card. With my Stampin Up ovals I die cut the girl and the background with the scallop style. I used my Lawn Fawn Gingham Backdrop stamp for the green background pattern. Add some ribbon, velum butterfly, and some jewels to finish it off. I think it turned out great for stepping outside my usual style!

The other design was inspired by a card I had created in a Stamp Camp with some local Stampin Up demonstrators (below). 

I wanted to see if I could recreate the card with some stamps I already had... I bought cellophane bags on Amazon and have had them for a LONG time and finally decided I was going to do it.

The original card was peach and yellow with matching sequins (like everything Stampin Up - super matchy matchy!). Looking at my ink and sequins inventory I settled on a green and purple color scheme. I had a pack of purple and green sequins I had planned to use for a mermaid themed card. (It appears I may have a shopping problem...) I used my Paper Smoochies Mirror Blocks circle stamps and another small circle stamp I had to achieve the dots.

I added a little bit of clear beads to the sequins for a little extra height/dimension. I just so happened to have some baking twine that was close enough in color. Little secret - the dollar store had three different sets of three colors! That is, what? $0.33 each? WIN!!! :) 

Since I didn't have the Stampin Up "Celebrate" embossing folder, I decided to heat emboss my sentiment instead and I think it worked well. Just a tip - be sure to let your circles dry! The embossing powder will try to cling to any wet spots if you do it all in one sitting.

I hope you enjoyed and have the urge to try doing one of these on your own!

Tatooine Card Scene

What's new? I've finally branched into alcohol markers. I picked up some cheap ones (Ohuhu Brand - 80 ct.) off Amazon to see how much I like them before I make the leap to Copic. I've also came across Kindred Stamps from searching Etsy for Star Wars stamps and found 3 sets of Galactic Heros (I'm in love!) I've had a lot of fun experimenting with coloring the characters. There are a bunch of pop culture stamps I really want but will have to pace myself...

Tatooine scene - I tried to make it as accurate as possible with the double setting suns. I just sponged some yellow ink onto some light yellow paper for the small sun. I used some yellow and pink ink on cream paper for the large sun. I quickly used some varying sized circle punches. 

For the card base I used some cream paper and for the desert dunes I sponged some "Hello Honey" Stampin Up ink. I created a rolling hill template out of a clear plastic sheet I have for shaker cards (.007 thickness). This was the first time I did this and I made 6 cards bases at once. I should have paid close attention to the template and made sure there was no ink seeping under the the back side. I have some smudges that I could have prevented. 

I used the same template to mark and cut the curve for the bottom of the building. I used a speech bubble from a Lawn Fawn "A Birdie Told Me" set with the die and a Lawn Fawn "Lift the Flap Stitched Door" for the droids to hide behind.

I'm happy with the finished product. I plan on putting a birthday sentiment on the inside (that is mostly what I give out). I'll probably use the Lawn Fawn "Out of this World" set - Hope your birthday is out of this world, for the inside.

I hope you love it as much as I do :)

Birthday Cards - Pheasant, Quail, and Moose

I'm apart of a card exchange and I received this cute, simple card that I thought was very striking. I decided to try making my own with stamps I have and I think it turned out just as nice as the original.

Here's the original made by Christie Ruda:

I have the Stampin Up! Walk in the Wild set  and tested this style out on all of the animals.

The moose ended up being my husband's favorite.

To achieve the circle affect I cut a hole with my Big Shot in a stickie note. Then i used a sponge, loaded it with ink and starting in the center, I swirled it around to the edges. I think the circles turned out best when it fades lighter towards the edge. The stickie note is great because the paper stay in place and you only need one finger to hold down the bottom.

I have a bass stamp that I want to try this on too. I'll have to post that one up here too when I get it done!

I hope you try doin' it yourself with any animal stamps you have. 

Thanks for doin' it with me!

~Jamie