ThePowerOfACard: May 2021

Monday, May 31, 2021

Color Blocking Using Textured Stamps

The layout in this card is simple and quite versatile. Just three rectangles added to another rectangle as a mat can give you a surprisingly amount of variety! Today, I focus on adding texture to those rectangles, or color blocks, by using stamps. As you can see in the video, you don't always have to have a "texture" stamp to achieve a cool look. Let's look closer at how I made my card:

ThePowerOfACard.blogspot.com Karen Sliwinski ©Stampin’ Up!

Gather your supplies:

Cardstock: Polished Pink 8-1/2" x 5-1/2"; Basic White 4 x 5-1/4", 1" x 5", 2-5/8" x 3-1/4", 2-5/8" x 1-5/8", 6" x 3" (for label and flower)
Stamp sets: Artistically Inked and Hand Penned Petals (bundle)
Ink: Basic Gray, Polished Pink, Fresh Freesia, Daffodil Delight, Soft Succulent
Tasteful Labels dies
Stampin' Blends: Polished Pink, Fresh Freesia, Daffodil Delight, Soft Sea Foam, Soft Succulent
Adhesive and Tools

Fold your card base, crease well and set aside. Using the large "blotch" from Artistically Inked, add color to each of the three color block pieces. I used Fresh Freesia on the one inch strip, Polished Pink on the small rectangle and Daffodil Delight on the large rectangle. Cover the entire piece with texture - it's ok to overlap the stamped image. Now add them to the white mat (you should have 1/8" border around all of the pieces). Add this to the card base.

Cut out a label from the large piece of white and stamp your sentiment on the right side in Soft Succulent Ink. Stamp your floral image on the remaining scrap of white in Basic Gray. Color with Blends, then use the die to cut it out. Place dimensionals on the back of the label and adhere to your card front. Add the floral image, adding a dimensional to the portion of the flower that hangs off the label.

As I mentioned, this layout is quite versatile. Here is the same card, just in a different color palette. I used Daffodil Delight, Poppy Parade, Balmy Blue and Granny Apple Green. If you wanted this one to pop a little more, replace the gray with black.

The color blocks don't have to be different colors, or in the same orientation. In this card, I stamped three textures from Tasteful Touches in Basic Gray and matted them in Smoky Slate. My label is a Stitched Rectangle and I wrapped some black Baker's Twine around the end. What a fabulous masculine card!

Look closely at my next card. How did I make that texture? I bet you don't recognize it - it's an evergreen tree from the new Beauty of Friendship stamp set! I used Pale Papaya, Pear Pizzazz and Night of Navy and stamped the tree in the same color ink. For a softer texture, you could stamp in Versamark, but I liked the look when I stamped in the same color ink.

My final example is just using paper for the color blocks. Our 6" DSP packs in all of our color families work very well for this card because the patterns have a smaller scale and are mono chromatic. You get the texture without any stamping at all! But don't limit yourself to these packs - you can use this layout with any combination of DSP patterns.

My final challenge to you is to look at your stamp sets with a different eye. Look beyond the original purpose of the stamp and see if you can turn something into a "texturizer". Flowers and greenery often work quite well. Of course, there are large background stamps too. You might not think of them because you are covering such a small area. And one last thought - even though I didn't show it in my video, you can use embossing folders to add real texture to your color blocks.

Karen

ThePowerOfACard@gmail.com

Etsy Shop: The Power of a Card

https://karensliwinski.stampinup.net

Images Copyright Stampin’ Up!®

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

Wednesday, May 19, 2021

Peach Fuzz? Faux Suede

This technique is simple and an effective way to add dimension and texture to your cards without adding bulk. In my video, I show you how to distress cardstock to separate it into layers which look and feel like suede! It was the perfect addition to my cards featuring the Sweet As A Peach stamp set.

Gather your supplies:

Cardstock: Thick Basic White 8-1/2" x 5-1/2"; Pear Pizzazz 1-5/8" x 5"; You're a Peach DSP " 4-1/4" x 2"; Basic white 2-1/2" square
Stamp set: Sweet as a Peach
Ink: Calypso Coral, Pear Pizzazz, Old Olive
Label Me Lovely Punch
Basic White Envelope
Adhesive and Tools (including a bone folder)

To create the faux suede, take your Pear Pizzazz paper and run it between your thumb and the bone folder - over and over and over, and in every direction until the paper becomes very supple and starts to separate. When you can see separation at the edges, gently pull the layers apart. Most of the time, you can use both sides of the piece, which now looks and feels like suede. Flag one end of this piece and you are ready to start assembling your card.

Score the card base and burnish with the bone folder. Add the sueded piece with glue - tape runner type adhesives aren't the best choice for this delicate piece because they often lift off fibers rather than stick to the piece. Add the DSP to the top of this piece.

On the small piece of white, we will be stamping the peach. But because we want this image stamped off, why not stamp the envelope first? Stamp the peach in Calypso Coral on the envelope, then on the small piece of white. Repeat with the stem and leaf using Pear Pizzazz. Add the sentiment with Old Olive. Punch using the Label Me Lovely punch and add to the card front with dimensionals.

If desired, stamp the branch with leaves on the inside of the card and add the peaches and a sentiment. It's quite easy to line up the peaches with the branches - I show you how to look for the indents in the peaches and connect them to the stems. For the flowers, turn the branch and leaves upside down and the flowers will fit perfectly where the peaches were! Very clever design indeed.

My other cards use a circle and scalloped rectangle as the sueded element. This suite of products is simply lovely and I hope it inspires you to make some peachy cards of your own!

Karen

ThePowerOfACard@gmail.com

Etsy Shop: The Power of a Card

https://karensliwinski.stampinup.net

Images Copyright Stampin’ Up!®

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

Product List

Sweet As A Peach Photopolymer Stamp Set

[155050]

$18.00

Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock

[159229]

$8.25

Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[159276]

$9.75

Pear Pizzazz 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[131201]

$8.75

You're A Peach 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper

[155686]

$11.50

Basic White Medium Envelopes

[159236]

$7.50

Calypso Coral Classic Stampin' Pad

[147101]

$7.50

Pear Pizzazz Classic Stampin' Pad

[147104]

$7.50

Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad

[147090]

$7.50

Label Me Lovely Punch

[151296]

$18.00

Paper Snips

[103579]

$10.00

Bone Folder

[102300]

$7.00

Multipurpose Liquid Glue

[110755]

$4.00

Stampin' Dimensionals

[104430]

$4.00

Paper Trimmer

[152392]

$25.00

Wednesday, May 5, 2021

Kintsugi Inspiration - Using Gilded Leafing

The Japanese art form of Kintsugi is incredibly beautiful. By using lacquer mixed with gold powder (or silver or copper), pottery is repaired and the end result is often more lovely than the original piece! What is moving is the thought that even though something can be broken, it doesn't have to be thrown away and often, is more beautiful than before the break.

The card I made today was inspired by Kintsugi and these two cards. The first card was one I made at my April card class. We tore the edge of paper, added some glue, and then added Gilded Leafing to the mostly dry edge of paper. Then, Penny Miller (my bestie and downline) took inspiration from this card and my technique about using Stampin' Blends, vellum and alcohol to make a card for me. When my daughter Kristin saw it (she was visiting me to help with our move), she said it looked like Kintsugi. That is how I came up with the design for the card in my latest video.

Gather your supplies:

Cardstock: Thick Basic White 8-1/2" x 5-1/2"; Mossy Meadow 3-3/4" x 5"; Beauty of the Earth DSP " 3-1/2" x 4-3/4" (if desired, 1/2" x 4-1/4" for the inside); Gold Foil 1-3/4" x 5"; Basic white 1/2" strip for sentiment
Stamp Bundle: Quiet Meadow
Ink: Mossy Meadow
Banners Pick a Punch
Gilded Leafing
Adhesive (including Multipurpose Glue) and Tools

I must warn you that this technique can be a little messy. The Gilded Leafing has the lightest flakes of gold you can imagine. The slightest breath or air movement will cause the flakes to go all over. I like to keep a small portion of the flakes from the jar (which has enough to last a lifetime!) in a large container with a flat bottom. This allows me to place my card panel into the flakes rather than try to apply the flakes to the card.

Start by putting scrap paper onto your work surface. Add thin lines of glue, making sure you go all the way to the edges of your DSP. This is where you decide how many "breaks" you will have in your design. I kept this one fairly simple, but you could add more lines. Now, you need to allow the glue to almost dry completely, but not quite. It needs to be tacky so the Gilded flakes will adhere. Add your flakes to the glue lines and press them into the glue. When this is good and stuck down, brush off the extra pieces of gilding with either a brush (I like a toothbrush) or your fingers or a wedge of a sponge.

The messy part is done! Add the DSP layer to the Mossy Meadow layer. Cut out a flower silhouette from Gold Foil using one of the dies and the Stampin' Cut and Emboss machine. I like to cut tiny strips of adhesive from the edge of the dimensionals to pop up this flower. Trim the bottom even with the Mossy Meadow layer. Pop this up on your card base of thick basic white.

Stamp your sentiment on the basic white strip with Mossy Meadow ink. Trim the end with the Banner Triple Punch. Pop this up by using Mini Dimensionals.

Since I loved how Penny combined techniques to make a gorgeous card for me and Greg (our first card congratulating us on buying a new home), I wanted to make a similar one using some of our new In-Colors. I chose Polished Pink, Pale Papaya and Fresh Freesia to color on vellum. I dotted alcohol to get more of a mottled look. Then I used glue to go around the borders of the colors. I mounted it onto a larger white panel and popped it up on a card base of Polished Pink. I used Hand Penned Petals bundle to add a floral sentiment and to decorate the inside.

I hope you enjoy this technique and try it for yourself. We do have Heat and Stick powder that allows you to stamp a design, heat it so that it gets sticky, and add your Gilded Leafing to that. You can also place a strip of adhesive (Seal or Tear and Tape) and apply Leafing for a strip of gold. So much fun!

Karen

ThePowerOfACard@gmail.com

Etsy Shop: The Power of a Card

https://karensliwinski.stampinup.net

Images Copyright Stampin’ Up!®

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

My current host code is: FEUZGJPR Please use this for orders less than $150

and you’ll get a special treat from me. For order over $150, you will

qualify for host rewards from Stampin’ Up! (plus a treat from me!).

Product List