creating water splattered colored backgrounds

creating water splattered colored backgrounds

I love creating fun backgrounds and papers to die cut from and today’s post is all about creating interest with color and water!

Measurements:
BASE: Pool Party: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
Basic White layer: 4′ x 5 1/4″

Using blending brushes and Coastal Cabana ink color the Basic White layer in various random spots.

Using a new blending brush color new spots with Lost Lagoon ink.
Fill in the remaining white space with Old Olive ink with a blending brush.
Take a medium water painter and squeeze the barrell until water is dropping from the paint brush. Drop and flick water droplets onto the colored Basic White layer until the desired amount is covered in water droplets.
The water will lift the color from the paper creating lighter and white spots of visual interest.
Place in the hybrid Changing Leaves folder with the die and cut and emboss at the same time!
Run a Pool Party card front through the embossing folder only.
Take the die cuts from the hybrid folder and start to adhere them onto the card base.
I fussy cut some of the embossed images from the water splattered paper and popped up some of the embossed images around the card base edges for some depth and dimension.
I cut the larger sentiment strip from the die set and making sure the paper was completely dry – stamped a sentiment in Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I popped up the sentiment die piece with Stampin’ Dimensionals and placed in the lower quadrant of the card front.
I added a few more cut leaves to add balance to the card.
I finished the card with the Ombre Matte Decorative Dots and the card is complete.

The water splattered background adds visual interest and color variation to the card!

Try this technique and see what art work you can come up with! Now go and create some art of your own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

using blending brushes to create the background

using blending brushes to create the background

I try to show a wide variety of techniques and card ideas for beginners to advanced stampers and today’s card is one that is simple enough for the beginner and has so many possibilities for the advanced stamper!

Creating your own backgrounds on cards can be so much fun and they are never the same!

This card features Changing Leaves – one of the new Online Exclusive bundles and this one is amazing with a hybrid embossing folder and beautifully intricate leaves and sentiments!

Measurements:
BASE: Basic White 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
scrap Basic White for the die cut leaves

Pick out a number of green inks – I am using Garden Green, Granny Apple Green, Lemon Lime Twist, Old Olive and Shaded Spruce.

Using Blending Brushes, pull the head of the Blending brush through the ink pad and in a circular motion run the blending brush down the left side of the card base creating a column of color. I used the inks in the order I listed them. This first column is Garden Green.

Next I inked a different Blending brush with Granny Apple Green ink and created the next column just to the right of the first column.
Continue adding color columns the entire way across the card base.
To make this card more advanced you could also take a flick speckles of color over the columns to add some depth and dimension – I chose to leave mine plain.
Die cut five leaf die images from the Changing Leaves die set and one sentiment piece.

Adhere the leaves over each color column.

Stamp the sentiment in Old Olive ink and use the blending brush to add color around the outside edge by holding the sentiment die and running the brush in an up and down motion over the edge.
Pop up the sentiment piece with Stampin’ Dimensionals and add over the die cut leaves.
I added iridescent Pearls to finish off my Changing Leaves card and I love how it turned out and how easy and fun it was to make!

Try this technique with any of the stamp pads you have and see what color combinations you can come up with!

Now go and create some art work of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

full of life flip flop fun fold

full of life flip flop fun fold

This is such a fun and interactive card! It’s called the FLipFLop FUn Fold and I made mine with the Full of Life suite – which I love because of all the fun bright colors!

The most difficult part about this card is the cutting and scoring and it isn’t really that difficult it just looks complex!

Measurements:
BASE: Lost Lagoon 5 1/2″ x 6 1/4″
DSP: 3″ x 3 1/4″
4″ x 3 1/4″

Position your base card into the Stampin’ Trimmer with the 6 1/4″ side along the top edge. Make a cut 1″ from each edge starting at 1″ from the top and go to 1″ from the bottom – so on your clear ruler cut from 1″ to 4 1/2″. Flip the paper over and do the same cut on the other edge.
At 2 5/8″ from the edge make a score line from the top edge to 1″ down only and from the bottom edge up to 4 1/2″ on the clear ruler which will be 1″ from the bottom.
Turn the paper so that you are able to make those same score lines on the opposite edge.
Now put the 5 1/2″ side at the top of the paper cutter and cut from the top of the horizontal cut line to 2 5/8″ and the pick up the cutting blade and cut from 3 5/8″ to 5 1/4″.
Turn the paper 180 degrees and do the same cuts on the opposite side of the paper. See the card template photo below.

Cut your desired pieces of Designer Series paper at 3″ x 3 1/4″ for the front piece and 4″ x 3 1/4″ for the back piece.
I knew that I wanted to use the heart die from the Full of Life die set but not sure which pieces I wanted so I die cut both hearts from the Pool Party, Lost Lagoon and Coastal Cabana scraps as well as the word Friend.
I stamped the double heart image on the outside frame of the card in Lost Lagoon ink.
Score at the 2 5/8″ mark and the 3 5/8″ mark and bring the edges of the card base in so that the swing piece moves towrds the right side of the card – this will show the smaller piece of the swing mechanism in the front of the card.
Adhere the 3″ x 3 /14″ piece of DSP to that swing piece as shown.
Adhere the larger 4″ x 3 1/4″ piece of DSP to the back side of the swing piece.
I decided that the DSP was so bright and colorful that I wanted the DSP to show through as much as possible so I used the large heart outline on the backside DSP.
I adhered the die cut word Friend towards the bottom of the heart die and stamped miss you in Lost Lagoon ink on a scrap of 1/2″ Basic White strip and angle cut the edges.
I adhered the cut out heart die to the DSP on the card front and added Iridescent pearls to the card front frame so that they could be seen from both the flip and the flop side of the card!
So much fun I know just who I am going to send this too!
Now it’s your turn try this interactive fun fold and caret some art work of your very own and send it off to a special someone – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

Here is a short video of the flip flop mechanism in action!
more color mondays – lost lagoon, summer splash and coastal cabana

more color mondays – lost lagoon, summer splash and coastal cabana

Today’s More Color Monday is all about cardstock colors no need for fancy Designer Series Paper, our colors are awesome and steal the show all by themselves! Lost Lagoon, Summer Splash and Coastal Cabana are a beautiful study in blues reminding me of Coastal waters and swaying palm trees!

Measurements:
BASE: Basic White 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
scraps for wave die cuts
Lost Lagoon scraps for palms/shell die cuts
Summer Splash scraps for palms/shell die cuts
Coastal Cabana scraps for palms/shell die cuts
Pecan Pie scraps for palm trunk/grass die cuts

Score the Basic White cardstock base at 4 1/4″ and fold in half.
Die cut the Basic White scrap strips with the waves dies x 2.
Adhere the waves to the center of the card front.
Die cut both palm fronds and one shell in each of the “blues” – Lost Lagoon, Summer Splash and Coastal Cabana.
Die cut three palm trunks and 3 grass dies from Pecan Pie cardstock scraps – one for each palm tree.
Adhere the Palm fronds for each color together and add the trunk and grass. Adhere to the card over the waves dies and pop up the shell at the grassy base with a mini Stampin’ Dimensional.
Repeat the assembly of the palm trees with the other two colors and adhere to the card front.
Stamp the sentiment from Beach Day in Coastal Cabana ink at the top of the card base.
I added the Adhesive-Backed Iridescent Discs in the blue hues for the final step to add just the right touch of sparkle!
This is an easy card with a fun summer vibe. Now it’s your turn – go and create some artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

more color mondays – wild wheat, lost lagoon and mossy meadow

more color mondays – wild wheat, lost lagoon and mossy meadow

This Designer Series Paper Thoughtful Journey DSP was love at first sight! These water-colored works of art are stunning and make putting a beautiful card together so super easy!
Do you love making cards with Designer Series Paper go you want a sampling of all of the papers in the new catalog? I am doing a paper share and you can get a 6″ x 6″ piece of every double sided design in the new catalog. This card uses a 2″ x 5 1/2″ piece of DSP so you could make 3 of these cards from one sheet of 6″ x 6″ piece of paper!

Interested in a paper share – contact me for all the details!

Measurements:
Base: Mossy Meadow 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
Wild Wheat strips (2) 1/4″ x 5 1/2″
Lost Lagoon strips 1/4″ x 5 1/2″
DSP: 2″ x 5 1/2″
Basic White scraps for 2 sentiment circles
4″ x 5 1/4″ layer for the inside

I punched a circle from scrap Basic White cardstock from the 2 3/8″ circle punch then picked one of the circle dies from the Spotlight on Nature dies that fits inside that punched circle and die cut a slightly smaller circle for the sentiment.
I stamped the sentiment thinking of you from the Thoughtful Wishes stamp set in Lost Lagoon ink and adhered the two circles together.
I cut the 6″ x 6″ dsp to 5 1/2″ at the bottom of the scene and saved that strip for the inside of this card. I cut the 6″ x 5 1/2″ ppiece into three equal parts at 2″, 4″ and 6″ that way I can make three of these cards from one sheet of 6″ x 6″ DSP!
I adhered the Wild Wheat CS strips to each long edge making the width even on both sides and from top to bottom.
I then adhered the Lost Lagoon strips to the outside edges of the Wild Wheat strips making sure they are evenly spaced as well.
Adhere the DSP and strip piece to the left edge of the card base I left a equal amount of Mossy Meadow showing on the left-hand edge.
I popped up the sentiment circle on Stampin’ Dimensionals and placed in the lower right-hand corner.
Adhere a Basic White 4″ x 5 1/4″ layer to the inside of the card and add that 1/2″ strip to the bottom to tie in with the DSP on the card front!
I added three Adhesive-backed Neutral sequins to finish off this simple card that allows this beautiful DSP to shine through!

Grab some of our gorgeous DSP and make an easy card and send it out to someone you love! Now go and create some art work of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie