CARDS FOR ANGLERS, SPELUNKERS, AND CHIROPTEROLOGISTS USING LAYERING DIORAMA DIES

 Hi Stampers!

Today’s cards feature the new Layering Diorama Dies from the Stampin’ Up!®️ 2021-2022 Annual Catalog. Catalog sample  cards can be found on pages 12, 51, & 82. The dies are found on page 163. Here is a look at the dies:

LAYERING DIORAMA DIES

Each die will give you two images to work with; a frame and an abstract shape. For today’s cards I worked with the frames.

Here are the cards I made using these dies:

As you can see, one card would be perfect for the anglers (people who enjoy fishing) or fish lovers in your life. The explore card would be a great card to send any spelunkers (those strange people who enjoy exploring caves) or those with a liking for adventure. The Halloween card is just a fun card I made inspired by my trips to Carlsbad Caverns. The greeting could easily be changed to Happy Birthday or Hello. I know this card will put a smile on the face of all the chiropterologists (biologists who study bats) out there, and maybe even a few spelunkers! 

The first thing I learned while making these cards is the importance of working backwards - sort of. Usually I start with the focal point of my card, which in most instances is a piece or panel that will be mounted on a card base. For these cards it was necessary to reverse that process, and accomplish the stamping, embossing, blending, etc, on the card base before assembling the other pieces of the card. The second thing I learned is for the two top layers it works better (for me) to use two pieces of cardstock equal in size. For me it was easiest to cut the two top layers at 4 1/4” x 5 1/4”. Attempting to use scraps to “save” cardstock is not a good plan when using the frame shapes created with these dies. These cards take a little extra time, but they are not difficult to make.

GONE FISHIN’ CARD

I CASED this card from the card on page 12 of the catalog. I used the Playful Alphabet Dies to create the greeting. The images are from the new SEASCAPE stamp set. CASEing is a good strategy to use when you are not quite certain where to start or how to use a particular stamp set or dies collection. 

SEASCAPE

To make the card I started start with a Balmy Blue card base and two pieces of Balmy Blue cardstock cut at 5 1/2” x 4 1/4”. I selected two of the Layering Diorama Dies I felt looked best for the particular scene on he card. I chose the 3rd largest die for the outer layer, and one two sizes smaller (die #5 going from largest to smallest) for the second layer.

Next I die cut the two 5 1/2” x 4 1/4” pieces of cardstock with the Diorama Dies. I placed the middle layer (the frame with the smallest opening) on top of the card base and used a pencil to lightly trace the shape of the opening. This gave me a guide for my blending and stamping.

I darkened the area of the card base inside the area I had traced with a pencil (and just a bit beyond the pencil line) using Misty Moonlight ink and a blending brush. If you’d prefer to skip this step use a Misty Moonlight card base.  Next I used Versa Mark to stamp the water plant image in the lower right area of the inked cardstock making certain a good portion of the image was inside my pencil line. (This stamp is large so I only inked the top 1/3 or so with the Versa Mark. I embossed the image with white embossing powder. Next I stamped the “three fish” image a few times toward the top to the middle of the inked area.

For the middle area I lightly added some Misty Moonlight with a blending brush around the inner edge of the frame

For the top layer I stamped the “three fish” stamp several times across the piece, more toward the top, using Balmy Blue ink. 

I adhered the top and middle layers together with Stampin’ Seal, but only around the outside edges. I placed dimensionals on the back of this piece and adhered it to the card base.

I stamped the two larger fish on Basic White cardstock using Calypso Coral and Flirty Flaming inks. These fish were fussy cut.

I die cut the sea weed / coral (Granny Apple Green) image and the two smaller fish (Crushed Curry) using the Sea Life Dies. The letters got the greeting were cut out using the Playful Alphabet dies.

I placed the sea weed die cut between the top and second layers of the card, and used glue dots to keep it in place. The fish are on dimensionals. I used multipurpose glue to attach the lettering.

EXPLORE CAVE CARD

The card base and layers of this card are Gray Granite. I used the same process creating this card as for the previous one, except my top two layers are cut at 5 1/4” x 4”.

The texture image on the card was stamped with a stamp from the SEASCAPE stamp set.

The lantern is from the CAMPOLOGY  stamp set. It was stamped on Basic White cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink, colored with Stampin’ Blends, and fussy cut.

CAMPOLOGY

I used the SAILING HOME stamp set and Coordinating Smooth Sailing Dies plus the Tasteful Labels Dies to create the compass. The needle on the compass was die cut from Basic White cardstock. I used a Real Red (dark) Stampin’ Blend to color half of the needle. It is attached to the compass image (this image was die cut with the Layering Circles Dies) with a black brad. I attached this to the Basic Black die cut with 3-4 glue dots on the outer edges of the circle. This allows the compass needle to turn freely. The compass is attached to the card with dimensionals. 

SAILING HOME

I finished the card with a greeting cut from the Playful Alphabet Dies, and some black Baker’s twine.

BATS EXITING A CAVE CARD

For this card I used a Basic  Black card base, and layers of Basic Gray and Gray Granite. I did nothing to the Basic Black card base except add the fussy cut bats with glue dots. The two top layers are stamped with the texture stamp from the SEASCAPE stamp set using Basic Gray ink.

The bat images are from the  BANNER YEAR stamp set. They were stamped on Basic Gray cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink, then fussy cut. They are adhered with glue dots.

BANNER YEAR

The Happy Halloween is die cut from Pumpkin Pie cardstock using the Word Wishes Dies.

There you go - three cards made using the Layering Diorama Dies! So... if you find yourself needing cards for anglers, spelunkers, chiropterologists, or anyone at all, why not give these fun dies a try?

That is all for today. Until next time...

Stamp Happy!

Kim

All stamps and stamped images ©️1990-2021 Stampin’ Up!®️