Today I have a fun and easy technique to share with you! It is called Faux Torn Paper. It is a masking technique; it is an easy way to step up your cards for a bit of wow! Today’s card is actually a CASE from the upcoming STAMPIN’UP! 2021-22 ANNUAL CATALOG. The card is found on page 26 of the upcoming annual catalog, and features the ENJOY THE MOMENT stamp set. (This set will carry over from the current mini catalog to the new annual catalog.) My version of the card uses different ink colors, different sentiment, no embossing, and no twine.
Let’s take a look at the card.
INSIDE THE CARD
The sentiment inside the card is from the HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS stamp set found in the current annual catalog. This stamp set is also carrying over to the new annual catalog.
ENJOY THE MOMENT
HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS
To make this card you will need:
* ENJOY THE MOMENT stamp set & HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS stamp set & acrylic blocks.
* Misty Moonlight card base 8 1/2” x 5 1/2” scored and folded at 4 1/4”.
* 2020-2022 In Color 6x6 DSP - Misty Moonlight - design of your choice.
* Basic White cardstock - 5 1/2” x 3 1/4”, a scrap to stamp and cut out the sentiment and a stamped image, and a piece that is 5” x 3 3/4” for the inside of the card.
* Inks: Classic Stampin’ Pads - Misty Moonlight, Crumb Cake, and Just Jade.
* Banner die from Tasteful Labels Dies, blending brushes, scissors, dimensionals, adhesive, grid paper (or printer paper) washi tape or painter’s tape.
FAUX TORN PAPER MASKING TECHNIQUE VIDEO
OTHER CARDS MADE USING THE FAUX TORN PAPER MASKING TECHNIQUE
For this card I used a Bermuda Bay card base. The mat for the focal piece is Just Jade cut at 3 1/2” x 4 3/4”; the focal panel is Basic White cut at 3 1/4” x 4 1/2”. The greeting is from the HAPPY THOUGHTS stamp set and is stamped with Bermuda Bay ink. The butterflies are from the BUTTERFLY BRILLIANCE stamp set, were colored with Just Jade and Bermuda Bay Stampin’ Blends, and die cut using the BRILLIANT WINGS dies. For the Faux Torn Paper Technique Just Jade and Bermuda Bay inks were applied with blending brushes.
BUTTERFLY BRILLIANCE
HAPPY THOUGHTS
For this card I used a Mint Macaron card base. The mat for the focal panel is Pool Party and cut at 5 1/4” x 4”. The Basic White focal panel is cut at 3 3/4” x 5”. The images are from the WHALE DONE stamp set, and stamped using Mint Macaron, Cinnamon Cider, and Highland Heather inks. The Faux Torn Paper Technique was achieved using Pool Party and Balmy Blue inks on blending brushes. The greeting is from the BUTTERFLY GALA stamp set.
WHALE DONE
BUTTERFLY GALA (Retiring Item)
Here is another look at all three cards:
I hope you give the Faux Torn Paper Masking Technique a try! It is so easy and adds a special something to any card!
Until next time...
Stamp Happy!
Kim
COMING 4 MAY 2021- THE STAMPIN’ UP!®️ 2021-2022 ANNUAL CATALOG
I hope everyone is doing well and carving out a bit of time for card making. A lot of people I know, who are not card makers or into paper crafting of any kind, believe card making to be a safe, non- life threatening, low key hobby. One time a friend joked, “What is the worse than can happen? You might get a paper cut!” I literally laughed out loud!
Cardmaking is a dangerous undertaking! I have jabbed myself with a paper piercer more than once, have been almost overcome by fumes of spray adhesives (in a very well ventilated area), sliced my finger with paper snips while trimming ribbon, and yes...I have had my fair share of paper cuts!
When I was preparing cards for this post I experienced something that was almost too much excitement for one day! I was busily working on some backgrounds and using an old heat tool (not Stampin’ Up!®️) I have had for 15 years or longer. I tend to use it when I am working in my area reserved for messy techniques, because it has quite a long cord and the outlet is not all that close. I was happily drying my project when sparks began flying out of the heat tool, then a small flame shot out, and finally there was black smoke coming from the area where the cord attaches to the heat tool! The end of the heat tool around the cord was coated in a black soot like substance! I was so calm, eerily so for me! I unplugged the heat tool and took it outside. There was still dark smoke rolling out of it, and the barrel was quite warm.
I showed it to my husband. He assured me something inside the tool had failed, but asked if the circuit had tripped and shut off the electricity in the craft room. It had not, but he still checked the outlet for me with some meter he has amongst his tools. He is a retired Air Force Aircraft Maintenance Chief Master Sergeant, and now a retired building contractor, so trouble shooting and testing systems is right up his alley! Him checking things out made me feel better!
Once I knew all was well, I suddenly felt a little shaky, but that passed quickly. I made certain the tool was no longer smoking and was cool to the touch, before I sadly tossed it into the barn trash bin. I will miss that heat tool.
I returned to my craft room to find tiny dots of black soot spattered across the project I had been working on! The dots were not coming off, so I just stamped over them. To my amazement the ink hid the spots! So this story is proof card making can not only be a bit dangerous, it can also be quite exciting and surprising!
I would love to hear about your harrowing adventures in card making. Tell me about them in the comments section below!
So... now that I have recovered from my heat tool blowing up, let’s talk background techniques! Today I have a fun background technique to share. The technique is simple and moves along quickly if you have a heat tool (hopefully one that will not decide to blow up). If you do not have a heat tool, simply allow the background panels to air dry. Today’s technique uses plain white glue, Basic White Cardstock, ink, and a blending brush to create a background with some texture, a bit of color gradient, and a little sheen. I have included step by step written instructions for a sample card using this technique, plus an instructional video.
Here is one of the cards I made using the “glue” technique, the SEASIDE NOTIONS stamp set, and the HAPPY THOUGHTS stamp set.
SEASIDE NOTIONS
(annual catalog retiring item)
HAPPY THOUGHTS
(mini catalog - item retires 30 June 2021)
Here is another card I made using the same technique and the same stamp sets. The card base is Pool Party, the mat is Pretty Peacock. The inks used for the background piece are Pool Party and Bermuda Bay. The images were stamped with Pretty Peacock ink. The sentiment is stamped on Pool Party cardstock using Pretty Peacock ink. The sentiment piece was punched out using the Tailored Tag Punch. The sentiment piece is matted on a piece of Pretty Peacock cardstock that was punched out with the Tailored Tag Punch. The punch out was cut in half and adhered to the back of sentiment piece. The sentiment was adhered to the card front with dimensionals. I used a few of the Holiday Rhinestones (Coastal Cabana) to add a bit of sparkle.
This next background is quite different. It is not at all what I was expecting!? I used Pretty Peacock, Bermuda Bay, and just a bit of Calypso Coral. The Bermuda Bay over the Pretty Peacock created a gray to bluish- gray color in some areas of the card. The checked image is from the GAME ON stamp set, another retiring item from the annual catalog. The images were stamped using Basic Gray ink. The background panel was mounted on Pretty Peacock cardstock, and placed on a Basic Gray card base. The sentiment (from HAPPY THOUGHTS) is stamped in Pretty Peacock on Smokey Slate cardstock, die cut with the Stitched Rectangles Dies and mounted on a piece of Basic Gray cardstock that has also been die cut with the Stitched Rectangles Dies.
GAME ON
(annual catalog retiring item)
This is the version of the card we will make today.
SUPPLIES NEEDED:
* Card base: Flirty Flamingo 8 1/2” x 5 1/2” scored and folded at 4 1/4”.
* A piece of Cinnamon Cider cardstock cut at 5 1/4” x 4” (mat for focal piece)
* A piece of Petal Pink cardstock cut at 5 1/4” x 4” (for the inside of the card)
* A piece of Basic White cardstock cut at 5” x 3 3/4”
* A piece of scrap Flirty Flaming for the sentiment
* White glue, such as Elmer’s®️ School Glue
* Silicone craft sheet or wax paper to place the cardstock on while you spread the glue.
* Something to spread the glue with, tongue depressors, craft sticks, plates spoon or knife, et.
* Blending Brush - you can also use sponge daubers, or sponges, or sponge brayers
* The Stitched Shapes Dies - Oval, second to smallest
*Apply the glue to the Basic White cardstock. It just takes a light coat. Move the glue around to different areas of the cardstock, but do not covering every bit of the cardstock.
* Use your heat tool to dry the cardstock. If you do not have a heat tool allow the piece to air dry for about 30 minutes.
* Begin adding ink to the cardstock with the blending brush. I used Rococo Rose first, the moved on to Calypso Coral, the added a bit more Rococo Rose, cleaning off my blending brush between colors. To clean the blending brush just lightly rub it on scrap paper or paper towel in a circular motion. I use the same blending brush for several colors that are similar.
* Once you are satisfied with the color of the background piece, set the ink with the heat gun, or allow the ink to dry for 20-30 minutes.
* Next begin stamping the shell images. I used Flirty Flamingo for the largest shell, Calypso Coral for the medium sized shell. And Cinnamon Cider for the smallest shell. Stamp the shell images with a tiny bit of caution, because they can smear in areas where the glue is present. After the images are stamped, set the ink with your heat tool, or allow the piece to air dry.
ASSEMBLING THE CARD
* On the Petal Pink cardstock stamp the inside sentiment in Cinnamon Cider. Then stamp the largest shell image in the lower right corner with Flirty Flamingo ink. Adhere this panel to the inside of the card.
* On the scrap piece of Flirty Flamingo cardstock stamp the sentiment for the front of the card using the Cinnamon Cider ink. Use the Stitched Shapes oval die cut to cut out the sentiment. Put dimensionals on the back of this piece.
* Adhere the background piece to the Cinnamon Cider mat, then adhere this to the cardbase.
* Place the sentiment on the front of the card, and the card is complete.
The STAMPIN’ UP! 2021-22 ANNUAL CATALOG sales period begins Tuesday 4 May 2021. For my customers (those who purchased from me between June 2020 - February 2021), your catalogs will arrive in your mailbox toward the end of April or before. If you do not have a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator, and would like a catalog, please contact me. There is a contact form at the bottom of this blog. On 4 May I will post a link to the online version of the catalog. In a little over a week my blog post will feature a preview of new catalog items accompanied by a video of those products.
THE STAMPIN’ UP! 2021-23 IN COLORS
The IN COLORS for 2021-23 are SOFT SUCCULENT, EVENING EVERGREEN, PALE PAPAYA, POLISHED PINK, and FRESH FREESIA.
Below are charts featuring each of the brand new IN COLORS and suggested color combinations.
(Click on the chart to enlarge.)
All of the new IN COLOR products (Classic Stampin’ Pads, Ink refills, Stampin’ Write Markers, Stampin’ Blends, Designer Series Paper, Cardstock, and Ribbon) will be available when the new annual catalog sales period begins on Tuesday 4 May 2021.
Today I am continuing a series of posts about color, and some color combinations for cards. The first color combination discussed was primary colors - red, yellow, and blue (12 March post). Next we moved on to secondary colors - orange, green, and purple (16 March post). I shared cards I made using these color combinations and variations on the themes. For this post let’s explore finding inspiration for our card making in complementary colors. The basic complementary color pairs are; red and green, blue and orange, and yellow and purple.
Here is the first set of cards I made using complementary colors as my inspiration.
I used the PAINTED POPPIES stamp set (annual catalog), and the HAPPY THOUGHTS stamp set (mini catalog).
PAINTED POPPIES
HAPPY THOUGHTS
All three cards were made using the two stamp sets listed above. The cutting measurements for all the cards are the same.
SUPPLIES:
Card base - an A-2 card base - either 8 1/2” x 5 1/2” scored and folded at 4 1/4” or 4 1/4” x 11” scored and folded at 5 1/2”. Another piece of matching cardstock that is 3 1/2” x 2 1/4”.
Basic White cardstock : one piece that is 5” x 3 3/4” and one piece that is 3 1/4” x 2”
Inks: the complementary colors for each card and Memento Tuxedo Black.
Stamp the poppy image on the small piece of Basic White cardstock. Using the two spatter images add color to he poppies. Stamp the “Thank You” centered toward the bottom with the ink that coordinates with the card base.
Emboss the “Thank You” panel with the embossing folder.
Adhere the “Thank You” panel to the card base. Adhere the poppy image to the small piece of cardstock. Use dimensionals to adhere the poppy panel to the card front; centered over the “Thank You.”
REAL RED & GRANNY APPLE GREEN
PUMPKIN PIE & PACIFIC POINT
DAFFODIL DELIGHT & GORGEOUS GRAPE
The next set of cards use different shades of the complementary colors.
CHERRY COBBLER & GARDEN GREEN
MISTY MOONLIGHT & TERRA-COTTA TILE
CRUSHED CURRY & RICH RAZZLEBERRY
The final set uses lighter versions of the complementary colors.
POPPY PARADE & PEAR PIZZAZZ
CALYPSO CORAL & BALMY BLUE
SO SAFFRON & HIGHLAND HEATHER
Here is a look at all the cards I created using the complementary colors of red & green, blue & orange, and yellow & purple.
When you find yourself at a loss for a color combination, give these complementary colors a try!
In just over a month and a half the Stampin’ Up!®️ 2021-22 Annual Catalog will make its debut! (4 May 2021). I am looking forward to seeing all the new catalog has to offer, but the past week or so I have been rediscovering some stamp sets from the current catalog. I enjoyed these stamps set a few months back, but soon moved on to other sets. Well, time to dust them off and enjoy them again!
In the same spirit - using items I’ve not used in a bit - I thought it high time I used my blending pens! It has been a long (very long) time since I used them last! Why? I really don’t know.
The images on the two cards below are from the FLORAL ESSENCE stamp set (annual catalog). I stamped the outline images, and used the blender pen to move a bit of color around.
FLORAL ESSENCE
The “Happy Birthday” sentiment and the sentiments on the inside of the cards were stamped using the HAPPY THOUGHTS stamp set (mini catalog).
HAPPY THOUGHTS
Here is another look at the “blissful future” card.
The inside of the card.
SUPPLIES NEEDED TO MAKE THIS CARD
Card base: Gorgeous Grape 8 1/2” x 5 1/2” scored and folded at 4 1/4”.
Two pieces of Basic White cardstock 5 1/4” x 4” - one for the front of the card and one for inside.
Scraps of Basic White and Gorgeous Grape for the sentiment.
Inks - Gorgeous Grape, Granny Apple Green, and Mango Melody; Blender Pen
Stamp & Seal, Dimensionals, and Stitched Rectangles Dies (measures about 1 1/8” x 2 3/8”. )
TO ASSEMBLE THE CARD:
*Using Mango Melody stamp “ Congratulations” centered and near the top of one of the 5 1/4” x 4” pieces of Basic White cardstock. This piece will be the inside insert. Now stamp the “Wishing you a blissful future on the scrap of Basic White.
*Use the Gorgeous Grape ink and stamp the flower in the lower right corner of the insert. Use the blender pen to move the stamped ink out from the stamped lines of the flower. Use a light touch and a circular motion as you work from the middle of the flower toward the outside. (Clean the blender pen by moving them around on a piece of scratch paper. )
* Now stamp the leaf image next to the flower twice using the Granny Apple Green ink. Use the blender pen just as you did for the flowers.
* Now stamp the center of the flower with he Mango Melody ink.
* For the front panel randomly stamp the flower image - use the blender pen to add a bit of color to the flowers. Then stamp the leaves and fill in color with the blender pen. Now stamp the flower centers. Use this stamp to put a few flower centers in blank spaces. Now use the small leaf image to fill in areas near flowers. Use the blender pens to add color to these leaves.
* Die cut the greeting using the Stitched Rectangles Dies; mat it on the scrap piece of Gorgeous Grape cut at 1 1/4” x 2 1/2”.
* Adhere the insert to the inside of the card using Stamp & Seal and then adhere the front panel of the card. Put dimensionals on the back of greeting and attach it to the front of the card. The card is finished.
I also used the Floral Essence stamp set to make this card. For each flower I stamped two of the petal images, punch them out, used the blender pen to add color to the petals, and attached them together with glue dots or Stamp & Seal. The flower centers were stamped on a scrap of Basic White with Mango Melody, and fussy cut.
The Gorgeous Grape card base is 5 1/2” x 4 1/4” (5 1/2” x 8 1/2” - scored at 4 1/4.) The background panel is DSP from Hydrangea Hill and is cut at 3 3/4” x 5” then embossed with the Ornate Floral 3-D embossing folder.The Granny Apple Green leaves were cut using the small leaf image from the Magnolia Memory Dies. For the sentiment: the Gorgeous Grape piece is 4 1/2 x 1” and the Highland Heather piece is 2 3/4” x 3/4” and stamped with Gorgeous Grape ink. The Gorgeous Grape Sheer Ribbon is cut about 5-5 1/2” long and each end is taped to the back of the Gorgeous Grape cardstock. Another piece of the ribbon(3-4” long) is tied around the longer piece to form a faux bow.
I used the same card layouts as above and a blender pen to create cards using the CAMPOLOGY and the NOTHING’S BETTER THAN stamp sets. (Both are found in the annual catalog.)
CAMPOLOGY
NOTHING’S BETTER THAN
I used the blender pen on the coffee pot and the cups. Cardstock used is Misty Moonlight and Basic White. The the greeting of the landscape version is stamped on Seaside Spray. The ink used is Misty Moonlight.
The Basic White background on this card is 4” x 5 1/4”. The twine used is from the Flowers for Every Season Ribbon Combo Pack. I cut a strand of the twine, pulled the silver strand out and used a size G crochet hook to crochet the chain. It is attached to the back of the cardstock piece with tape. If you do not crochet alternatives are - braid together three strands of the twine or wrap twine around the cardstock 2 or 3 times.
USING BLENDER PENS WITH STAMPED IMAGES - THE VIDEO
