Tuesday, August 9, 2022

BLENDING BRUSH BACKGROUNDS & SOFT SEEDLINGS - A STAMP HAPPY HOLIDAY POST

 Hi Stampers!

Today’ cards feature a background created by layering color on cardstock using blending brushes, then stamping the image over the background. I used the Soft Seedlings stamp set to make the cards. I chose the “so grateful” greeting for the cards making them appropriate for Thanksgiving greetings or thank you cards. The cards would be great for an autumn birthday too - simply change the greeting. Let’s take a look:



SOFT SEEDLINGS STAMP SET



SUPPLIES FOR THE CARDS


* Card base - Merry Merlot - 8 1/2” x 5 1/2” scored and folded at 4 1/4”
* Layer - Brushed Metallic Cardstock - Bronze cut at 5 3/8” x 4 1/8”
* Cardstock for background layer and for inside card - 2 Very Vanilla cut at 3 3/5” x 5”
* Inks - Crushed Curry, Pumpkin Pie, Merry Merlot, and Soft Suede
* Blending Brushes for the 4 ink colors
* Beautiful Shapes Dies - Circle that fits around greeting and larger, embossed circle
* Adhesive and dimensionals
* I used different embellishments for the sample cards - Rustic Metallic Dots and the Champagne Rhinestones - 3 per card


MAKING THE CARDS


* Use a blending brush and the Crushed Curry ink to apply a bit of color to one piece of the Very Vanilla cardstock. The color should be light. You can add more later if you like.


* Now, use a blending brush and the Pumpkin Pie ink to add more color to the cardstock. There is no need to cover all the cardstock with the Pumpkin Pie ink.


* Finally add a bit of Merry Merlot the cardstock. Note the weird lines on my sample, believe it or not, that was all due to a tiny piece e of lint! I decided to just go with it and see what happened.

* Once the initial layers of color are blended it is time to decide if more color needs to be added to the panel.


When blending colors with blending brushes I find it works better for me to use a piece of cardstock large enough to accommodate all the pieces for the card that will require the blending brush background. This means there is no issues trying to replicate the blending. These cards are an exception. For this card design I knew about where I wanted my greeting and that I would be matting the greeting. I did not add additional length to the cardstock. I simple stamped my greeting with Soft Suede ink, then die cut the greeting. This hole will be covered up by the matted greeting.


* I die cut the mats for the greeting from the Brushed Metallic cardstock. I die cut two mats from one piece as I had die cut a rectangle for another project from the other piece of Brushed Metallic card stock. This is is a great way to get more from your specialty papers, cardstock, DSP, etc.

SIDE NOTE - During these final weeks of Sale-A-Bration (from now through 31 August) you can get the Metallic Cardstock free with a $50 Stampin’ Up! ®️ product purchase! You must use the item number listed in the Sale-A-Bration flyer. See it HERE


* Once you are satisfied with the amount of color on the panel stamp the leaf pattern on the prepared cardstock. I stamped the entire image in the center, then stamped partial images to fill in blank areas. Make sure to have scrap paper under your panel to keep ink off your work surface.


* Use a blending brush and Soft Suede ink along the edges of the card panel and the greeting piece. This softens the edges a bit.


* Stamp that Inside panel.

Assemble the card. This card layout work well for portrait and landscape orientations. I used dimensionals to put the greetings on the cards. Add any embellishments you like. As you can see from my samples I added less ink to one background than to the other.


That’s all for today. Until next time…
Stamp happy!

Kim

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