ThePowerOfACard

Tuesday, February 3, 2026

6 Techniques to use with Gears & Textures

When I first saw this bundle, I thought it would be a good one to have in my collection for making masculine cards. I knew it would be great for making a steam punk styled card too and while that isn't my normal style, I thought it would be fun. Little did I realize just how much fun I would have with this bundle!!

I realized that cards made with the obvious gears and bits and pieces would be plentiful, but that the techniques I'm about to show you might not be as obvious. I categorized them into six areas and I have samples for all of them. I'm not going to make a card in the video, but I will talk about each technique and show you how to do some of them. For others, I'm hoping my samples will be all the inspiration you need to try some on your own. Note there are no sentiments in this bundle, so I used a variety of sets for my words. I've linked what I used below (with the exception of a not yet released set and the stamp set from Virtual Card Retreat), but I'm sure you have plenty to choose from in your collection.

Technique 1: Texturizing Designer Series Paper (DSP)

When I participated in Stampin' Up!'s Virtual Card Making Retreat last month, we stamped on DSP for several of the cards. It is a subtle change to the paper, but can be the extra touch that gives a card the WOW factor! I recommend you use a color from the paper and keep your stamping light, by either stamping off first, or just by choosing a light color. I have to admit that the first card I show in the video is a surprise favorite! As you can see, I used the line and speckles (both are larger images, which makes covering the DSP easier). With the lines, I did all one direction, then rotated it 90º to make it look like cross hatching.

Technique 2: Kissing

This is another thing we did at the Virtual Retreat, although I've done it many times in my stamping past and it wasn't new to me. There are two ways to kiss a stamp. For my hearts, I inked the stamp with the lines, then carefully placed my heart on top to lift off the ink before stamping it on my circle. It is very slippery when you set the heart on the stripes, so just be careful to avoid sliding. Be sure to ink up the stripes again and clean your heart before stamping a second one.

The second way is to ink your stamp (for me, it was a small flower), then press the stamp on top of the speckles to remove some ink before stamping on your label. Again, it's easy to slide so try to just press straight down and lift straight up. You will need to clean (and dry) both stamps before doing another kiss. The result is subtle, but really cool. You do need to have a solid stamp combined with a textured stamp for the kissing to work.

Technique 3: Adding Interest to Botanicals and Animals

This is a really fun and easy way to add "fur" or texture to stamped or die cut pieces. For my leaves, I stamped with the stripes, but you could have also stamped with the small cross hatch stamp since the leaves are pretty small. And just as a side note, I also stamped on the DSP label and kissed the flowers so there are three techniques in this card! For my sheep, I stamped with the speckles (either stamped off Gray Granite or Smoky Slate). Once you start looking at your stamps for texture, you just might be surprised at what you can use to make the images more life-like.

Technique 4: Collage

This is the technique that I gravitated to when I first started playing with my stamps. I picked a color scheme that was analogous (colors next to each other on the color wheel) so they would look good if I had overlapping images. I started by stamping on white paper and just kept adding stamped images - some full strength, some stamped off without giving too much thought about where they landed. I would recommend doing this on a piece larger than what you need so you'll have extra to cut off and use inside or on the envelope. If you don't want to make such a large piece, start off small by stamping on a label. I chose colors that complemented my DSP in the background.

Then I was inspired by a very talented demonstrator from Australia named Laura Beacham. The next two cards are a direct result of seeing one of her gorgeous samples. For these two, I used blending brushes to add my colors onto a white panel (again, I chose three colors that blended well). Then I stamped in the same colors, mostly matching the color below the stamp to fill up the paper. What I particularly loved about Laura's card was the pairing of the collage piece with an embossed panel (I used the Stone & Vine 3D embossing folder) in white to give a stark contrast. Adding die cut pieces that were also cut from white and ink blended, along with a label really makes these two cards extra gorgeous. And the thing I especially love is that these are not just for guys! My girlfriends at work adored them too!

Technique 5: Graphic Elements

Many of the stamps or dies in this bundle are perfect to use on their own to make some great graphic cards. When I saw the swirls, it reminded me of paint rings, so I made a background of rings and used a paintbrush to accent my label - easy, right? For the next one, I made a herringbone design on a strip of paper, then trimmed it down to add to the right side of the card. The circles were one of the dies and I thought they made perfect frames for my botanicals. I stamped the long metal images onto scraps of white, cut them in the middle so they could stretch across the card, and made a fun backdrop for my St. Patrick's Day card. Lastly, I used the chevrons to make graphic birthday card. It wasn't hard at all to stamp the chevron multiple times to get a longer line of them.

Technique 5: Jazz up Labels

Sometime I use ribbon or strips of paper behind labels to jazz them up. Why not use some of the dies or stamps from this set to do the same? I love how the ink blended look of the Happy Birthday looks, so I did the same on the mesh die cut piece by using sponge daubers. The color combo looks so stunning on the black card base! For my little bug card, I stamped the little three stripe stamp on a strip of white, using the edge to help me keep it lined up. Then I trimmed it at an angle and added it behind the label - so cute!

I know I have lots of cards for you today, but honestly, it was so much fun to make the samples to teach you these techniques! Please share my video with your stamping friends so our card making community can really fall in love with this bundle as much as I have!

Karen

ThePowerOfACard@gmail.com

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Product List

Gears & Textures Bundle (English)

[166854]

$45.00

Woolly Friends Bundle (English)

[166888]

$40.50

Fabulous Sayings Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)

[167972]

$5.00

Exposed Brick 3 D Embossing Folder

[161600]

$11.00

Trusty Tools Bundle (English)

[162723]

$54.75

Sweet Jar Bundle (English)

[165507]

$41.25

Reason To Celebrate Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)

[166905]

$20.00

Stone & Vine 3 D Embossing Folder

[166990]

$10.00

Textured Notes Dies

[165555]

$31.00

Beautiful Motifs Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)

[165198]

$18.00

Greenery Lane Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)

[166870]

$24.00

Layered Thoughts Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)

[169093]

$20.00

The Right Words Cling Stamp Set (English)

[165316]

$26.00

Bee My Valentine Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)

[162547]

$21.00

Hearts Of Love 3 D Embossing Folder

[167071]

$11.00

Prayers & Promises Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)

[167014]

$20.00

Impressions Abloom Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)

[165605]

$20.00

Floral Charm 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper

[166125]

$12.50

Florals In Bloom 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper

[165175]

$12.50

Made With Love 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper

[167054]

$12.50

Brights 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper

[165301]

$12.50

Tuesday, January 20, 2026

I'm in Love with Love Notes!

It's hard to imagine doing a card video where I don't do any stamping, but there is no stamping in today's video! The Love Notes pack of DSP (Designer Series Paper) was just released in the January - April Mini Catalog. It has six different sheets of two-sided paper (6" x 6"), eight of each sheet. There are many blocks measuring 3" x 3" or 1-1/2" x 3" that can be used for sentiments and design elements. What I love about some of the blocks is that they are Valentine's on one side and generic on the reverse, leaving you with plenty of card-making options. This pack is perfect for making cards with friends or your kids - plenty to go around!

Gather your supplies:

Cardstock: Real Red 8-1/2" x 5-1/2 scored at 4-1/4"; Love Notes 6" x 6" DSP; White Willow 4" x 5-1/4" and a scrap
Adhesive and Tools

You are not going to believe how quickly this card comes together! After folding the card base in half, you need to trim the panel with the heart from 4-1/4" x 6" down to 4" x 5-1/4". To do this, I cut 1/8" off each side and 3/8" off top and bottom, then adhered this to the card front.

For the sentiment, I didn't like "Love" being as big as it is, so I trimmed it down. I didn't measure, just trimmed until it was the size I wanted. Then I matted it with White Willow (this is a 12" pack of paper found in our Two-Tone section and is often used for Scrapbooking). Again, I didn't measure but just "eye balled" it. I added it the card front with Dimensionals.

For the inside, I used a 4" x 5-1/4" piece of White Willow and added the Hugs rectangle near the upper left corner. That leaves me plenty of space to write my message. I think this card would be perfect for someone recovering from surgery, needing a little encouragement, or just under the weather.

I have eight other cards to show - with the exception of the first one, there is no stamping at all! I made one a gift card holder and you could easily do that for many others too. I added a little ribbon or embellishments here or there, but really, they are came together very quickly. If you need any more details, leave me a comment in the video and I'll answer your question.

https://ThePowerOfACard.blogspot.com Karen Sliwinski ©Stampin’ Up!

I hope you've enjoyed these samples and I wish you lots of love as you make cards with this pack!

Karen

ThePowerOfACard@gmail.com

Etsy Shop: The Power of a Card

Shop my Store!

https://ThePowerOfACard.blogspot.com

Images Copyright Stampin’ Up!®

Find me on Facebook - The Power of a Card or

Join my Facebook Group (The Power of a Cardmaker): https://www.facebook.com/groups/1042676296088278/?ref=share

Product List

166985

$12.50

102482

$14.00

166703

$10.00

152392

$28.00

110755

$6.00

104430

$4.25

Tuesday, January 6, 2026

Check out Fragrant Layers!

Fragrant Layers was just released as an On-line Exclusive and I love it! The bundle has 15 stamps and 13 dies. The dies worked a little differently than I expected, so I made a chart to help you understand them better. My biggest surprise is that there is no outline die to cut out the large cluster of flowers.

The card I'm making in the video was one I first designed for my daughter's birthday in December. I loved it so much I decided to make it for you. In addition, I have several useful techniques to show you in my other samples, and I have a few other new products scattered among my samples. (The January - April Mini Catalog was also newly released, so there is a lot of exciting new products for you to explore!)

Sample using Melon Mambo and Bubblebath

Gather your supplies:

Cardstock: Pumpkin Pie 8-1/2" x 5-1/2 scored at 4-1/4"; Brights 6" x 6" DSP in Pumpkin Pie 4" x 5-1/4"; Basic White 3-5/8" x 2-5/8"', 3-3/4" x 3-3/4", 4" x 5-1/4"; Peach Pie 3-9/16" x 2-9/16"; Lemon Lime Twist scrap
Stamp Bundle: Fragrant Layers
Stamp: Simply Said
Inks: Pumpkin Pie, Lemon Lime Twist
Stampin' Blends: Peach Pie, Pumpkin Pie
Adhesive and Tools

Start by folding the card base in half and creasing with a bone folder. From the two smaller pieces of white, cut out the frame of flowers and the flowers and leaves as I show in the video. We will be coloring the flowers and leaves to layer behind the white frame.

I colored the flowers using Stampin' Blends in Peach Pie and Pumpkin Pie, blending the colors on the buds. After the leaves were colored in Lemon Lime Twist, it is time to layer the pieces behind the frame. It would have been helpful to use an adhesive sheet for the floral frame, but since I didn't, I am using my fine tip applicator for the glue. (This is a bonus gift when customers buy my adhesive kit. Fill it the Mono Adhesive and it works great for applying tiny amounts of glue!) After the flowers and leaves are adhered, add the layer of Peach Pie to the back.

On the card base, add the layer of DSP with glue. Set the floral frame on top to help guide you in stamping the sentiment below it. I like to have the same spacing on the sides and top of the floral frame. I stamped my sentiment in Pumpkin Pie, but it didn't show up as much as the Melon Mambo did in my first sample. An alternative would be to stamp the sentiment in black, or use white embossing powder. If I were to make this color combo again, I think I'd emboss the saying in white. Add Dimensionals to the floral frame and adhere above the sentiment.

For the inside, I stamped "Birthday Wishes" in Pumpkin Pie on the large white rectangle. Since I knew I was adding a flower, I stamped it on the left side. Add the single flower and leaf before adhering this panel to the inside of the card. For the envelope, stamp the single flower in Pumpkin Pie and the leaves in Lemon Lime Twist. This gives a softer look than my pink sample, which was stamped in black and filled in with pink and green.

For my first sample, I made a panel of Poppy Parade flowers and tied some Linen Thread around it. I popped it up on a layer of a DSP from Mixed Up Patterns, a new pack of paper that does not coordinate with a specific stamp set and is meant to be all purpose. For the label, I cut out four labels and glued the outer layers together - this makes it look like chipboard and adds dimension without trying to add tiny pieces of Dimensionals behind the thin frame. I also used the new Sparkle Dot Essentials from the Mini Catalog. The die for the little white flowers makes seven in one pass, so I used the remaining three to decorate the inside.

I adore my next card! It uses the parts you might discard when cutting the label used in the previous card. I used a blending brush and made ombré birthday candles using Balmy Blue, Azure Afternoon and Blueberry Bushel. I popped them up on the card front, then used my markers to draw on the flames. The sentiment was stamped on a 1/2" strip of Basic White and placed across the candles - so simple, but so very effective!

This card features a technique where you add die cut pieces to a panel of cardstock, then emboss the panel, which presses the die cut pieces into the paper, making it seem like it was just one piece of paper. I used Cherry Cobbler and Old Olive for my color scheme. A tip for the label is to use transparent tape to tape the inner label to the frame part before popping it up on the card front.

Next is a beautiful monochromatic card using Lost Lagoon and Pretty Peacock. I stamped the outline of the flowers in black, then filled in the flowers and leaves with the solid stamps. I used the Nature Walk DSP (another great pack of paper that I am in love with!) for my background piece and tied a bit of white ribbon around it before popping up the flower panel.

On a piece of Petal Pink that is 4-1/2" x 5-1/4" (a bit wider than normal), I stamped the solid flower stamp randomly all over using Petal Pink ink. Then I added a few leaves, the center flower circles and the little dots to fill in the panel. Before adding this to the front of the card, cut off 1/2" and save this for the inside. This stamped piece makes a lovely subtle landing space for the thick flower cluster die. I used the small flagged die for my sentiment to finish off this beauty.

My last card is a real Wow card! We made this at my December team Christmas party (thanks Penny for this project!) and I just had to show it to you. It's called an explosion card and you can see how it got the name when you see me open it in the video! The ribbon was retired a few years ago, but you could use any ribbon that coordinates. The paper is Beautiful Bokeh, both for the outside and the exploding panel. Since there isn't a die for this stamped flower cluster, you either have to fussy cut it out, or do what I do and make a die cut pattern for your Silhouette or Cricut machine. The flowers were colored with Blends and glammed up with Wink of Stella. If this explosion card is something you'd like to learn, let me know and I can make a video on it.

So wasn't that a great start for the new year? With so many new products available, I had a hard time deciding which one to showcase as my first video of the year. If you have requests for any of the new products to feature in future videos, just let me know!

Karen

ThePowerOfACard@gmail.com

Etsy Shop: The Power of a Card

Shop my Store!

https://ThePowerOfACard.blogspot.com

Images Copyright Stampin’ Up!®

Find me on Facebook - The Power of a Card or

Join my Facebook Group (The Power of a Cardmaker): https://www.facebook.com/groups/1042676296088278/?ref=share

The new rewards program is here! For any purchase above $20, you will earn 10% in rewards to spend on a future purchase. And you don’t have to use them all at once as you can save up rewards to get something big for free! If you don’t have an on-line account with me as your demonstrator, please go to my store and get one.

Product List