season of chic recessed panel card

season of chic recessed panel card

This card is a fun way to showcase Designer Series paper peeking through the cardfront!

This technique is called the Recessed Panel card and today I am using the Seasons of Chic Bundle (#158816) and the Texture Chic Specialty Designer Series Paper (#158808)

Measurements:
Base: Basic White 4 1/4″ x 11″ scored at 5 1/2″
Layers:
DSP 4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″
Basic White 4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″
Pool Party 4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″
Scrap: Pool Party for the snowflakes

Mark the Pool Party layer as this will be underneath and marking it up will not be seen as the much as it would with the Basic White layer. On the left side of the layer mark in pencil 3/4″ and 1 1/8″ down from the top of the page, then on the right side make a mark in pencil at the 3″ mark (the second mark will be the right hand corner.
Place the top left pencil mark in the cutting groove and swing the paper around so that the mark at 3″ on the right side of the paper is in the cutting track groove as well. Cut through both the Pool Party layer and the Basic White layer.
Place the 1 1/8″ mark in the upper cutting groove and swing the card so that the lower right hand corner is in the cutting track as well.
Make the cut starting at the top and cutting towards the corner, so as not to scrunch the point of the corner. Remove the piece in the middle and use the two top sections and the two bottom sections.
Place Stampin’ Seal onto the Pool Party layer but leave a 1/4″ margin on the diagonal side and do not put it directly on that edge. Adhere the two layers together.
Adhere the two bottom layers together and then match up the outer edges and adhere to the card front.
I stamped the large snowflake stamp in Pool Party ink on the white outer layer and die cut one small and one large snowflake from the Chic Die set and adhered to the bottom section.
I stamped the sentiment from the Season of Chic stamp set in Bermuda Bay ink for a little darker contrast.
I added some Basic Rhinestone Jewels to the cardfront for the finishing touch of bling and voila you have a recessed Panel card!

I hope you enjoyed this technique try it out with some of your own stamps and DSP. Go out and create some art of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

adding color to die cuts

adding color to die cuts

Sometimes a white on white card can be simple and stunning – but sometimes adding a pop of gradient color to the white card can make all the difference!

Here is a fun way to blend color onto die cuts to make your cards pop with an unexpected WOW factor!

Measurements:
BASE: Basic White 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ (2)
1 scored at 4 1/4″
1 left whole for coloring/die cutting
Basic White layer 4″ x 5 1/4″ embossed

Emboss the Basic White layer with the Fern 3D embossing folder.
Lightly blend Granny Apple Green ink with a blending brush over a half sheet of Basic White cardstock
Die cut holly leaves out of the ink blended paper.
Using a darker color ink (I used Old Olive) highlight the die cuts
Stamp and die cut the holly berries and the sentiment piece.
Layer the Fern 3D embossed piece on Stampin’ Dimensionals onto the base card.
Adhere the sentiment piece onto Dimensionals as well and adhere to the holly leaf die cut.
Add two holly die cuts and the holly berry die cut to the top of the sentiment piece.
Add three Rhinestone Basic Jewels below the sentiment piece to finish with a flair!

The holly leaves pop on the card – try this color blending technique on die cuts today and go out and make some art of your own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

adding depth and dimension to designer series paper

adding depth and dimension to designer series paper

Designer Series paper makes a card easy and fast but there is also a fun way to add depth and dimension with various embossing folders.

When you emboss paper there are two sides – the embossed side and the de-bossed side creating two separate looks.

Measurement:
BASE: Cherry Cobbler 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
Layer: Basic White CS 4″ x 5 1/4″
DSP: 3″ x 6″
Distressed Gold Specialty paper: 1/4″ x 12″
Scrap of Basic White CS – for the sentiment

Cut the 6″ x 6″ DSP in half.

Run the 3″ pieces through the Wintry 3D embossing folder. The piece on the left is de-bossed and the piece on the right is embossed.
Each gives a slightly different look.
Stamp the inside sentiment in Cherry Cobbler ink on the middle upper space of the inside layer. Adhere the Distressed Gold Specialty paper to the lower edge of the inside paper. Adhere the inside layer to the base card.
Adhere the 3″ piece to the center of the card front. Tuck the 1/4″ gold piece to the right side of the 3″ piece. I adhered the left-over piece to the left side of the 3″ piece but I changed my mind and adhered it over the sentiment piece at the end.
Die cut the largest Stylish Shapes banner and stamp the Merry Christmas sentiment from the Brightest Glow stamp set.
Adhere the Brushed Metallic Dots to the DSP.
Try embossing a sample of your own designer series paper – go out and create some art of your own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

easy lights aglow dsp card

easy lights aglow dsp card

One of the best things about our Designer Series papers is how gorgeous they are! The second best thing about them…how easy they make creating a card that is both beautiful and fast!

Measurements:
Base: Cheery Cobbler 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
Distressed Gold Specialty paper 3 1/2″ square
Lights Aglow Specialty DSP 3″ square
Inside Layer 4″ x 5 1/4″

In the Lights Aglow paper stack there are several sheets of 4 – 3″x3″ designs on one 6″ x 6″ piece – the piece of DSP I choose is the Cheery Cobbler piece with the four gold foiled designs and cut them into 3″ squares.
Gather and cut all cardstock and DSP.

Stamp the inside layer with a sentiment from the Brightest Glow stamp set in coordinating Cherry Cobbler Ink and adhere to the inside back of the card base.
Adhere the Distressed Gold Specialty paper to the upper center of the Cherry Cobbler card front. Stamp the center of the gold foiled section with the smaller sentiment from the Brightest Glow stamp set, pop it up on Stampin’ Dimensionals and adhere to the 3 1/2″ square of distressed Gold Specialty paper.
Tie a bow from the Gold Shimmer ribbon and adhere to the center bottom of the card front with Mini Glue Dots.
Want to step it up emboss the sentiment to make it pop! I tried it in White and Gold Embossing Powder for to spectacular and unique looks!

Try this paper and see how easy creating quick, easy and lovely art of your own can be – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

the art of shading – watercolor pencils – part three plus a bonus night scene background idea

the art of shading – watercolor pencils – part three plus a bonus night scene background idea

Watercolor Pencils are a fabulous way to shade and add color to your line art stamp sets.

The Perched in a Tree Bundle was used for this technique in the Art of Shading series and used with a paint brush or our Water Painters or Blender Pens it is an easy way to shade your stamps and look like a watercolor artist!

There is also a bonus segment for the background night scene behind the Aspen Dies on the card!

Measurements:
Base: Night of Navy 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
Layers: 4 pieces of Basic White 4″ x 5 1/4″
One for the background technique
One for the bird and branch stamps
One for the Aspen tree die
One for the inside layer
Stamp the bird and branch from the Perched in a Tree stamp set onto one of the Basic White layers, and with the desired colors of watercolor pencils start to color light in some areas and darker where there would be shadow or need for shading. There is no need to color the entire surface if you plan to use liquid from a brush or pen as the liquid will push the colors and act as the blending tool.

Continue to color the bird from lightest colors to the darker colors last, clean the blender pen or Water Painter in between colors.
If there are shading lines included on the stamp use those as an easy benchmark of where to shade color darker as you see on the branch.
BONUS Night scene background:

Using two colors of blue (I used Night of Navy and Pacific Point inks) and Blending brushes, burnish color over an entire section of 4″ x 5 1/4″ piece of Basic White CS layer. Blend the two different colors together in the middle.

Using a Water Painter flick droplets of water onto the inked background.
Do the same with the Wink of Stella pen, this will create depth and dimension on the background as well as star like splatters on the paper.
Using White craft ink and the smaller circle from the Watercolor Shapes stamp set, stamp a moon image onto the upper right hand side of the background paper.
Adhere to the base Night of Navy cardstock.

Pop up the Aspen die onto Stampin’ Dimensionals and adhere to the night scene background paper.

Adhere the bird and branch images to the front and stamp the sentiment in Night of Navy ink onto the last 4″ x 5 1/4″ Basic White layer and adhere to the inside of the card.

Try out this background technique or your watercolor pencils and go create some artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie