Today's card was created for a team swap. Normally when a new catalogue comes out, our team of demonstrators would get together and do a card swap. It is kind of like a cookie swap where we create a card using a stamp set from the new catalogue and then you make enough for everyone taking part in the swap. The others in the swap would do the same using a different stamp set. At the end of the swap you should have a variety of cards made from different stamps in the new catalogue. Since we can't get together in person, this year we did a mail in swap.
The stamp set I chose was Life is Beautiful. I love tree images so this set called to me right away. There were certain rules we had to follow to create our card. We had to have at least three layers, must have at least one embellishment, full cards only and must be current product. Of course it goes without saying but it also must be your best work - no smudges, jagged edges, etc.
I started with a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock. I sponged Soft Suede and Mossy Meadow inks along the bottom edge to be the ground. I then sponged Seaside Spray from the top down (darker at the top) to be the sky. Then I stamped the large tree on the center of the card using Early Espresso ink. I wanted the leaves to have an Autumn look to them so I used the Baby Wipe technique to stamp them. If you haven't tried this technique, it is super easy and gives a really nice look. You just use a Baby Wipe folded into quarters so you end up with a wipe that is approximately the size of an ink pad. Then you add drops of ink refills to create a colour palette that you want. I used Old Olive, Bumblebee and Cinnamon Cider. Just use the baby wipe as your ink pad and ink up your stamp and stamp it on your cardstock.
I thought the tree needed the bird house but I didn't want the birds to be the same colour as the bird house. Since they are all on one stamp I needed to use the marker to stamp technique. I used my Basic Black marker to colour the bird house and Cinnamon Cider marker to colour the birds. You then just breathe onto the stamp to refresh the inks and stamp onto your cardstock. I am pleased with how this turned out.
I matted this stamped piece of cardstock onto a piece of Early Espresso cardstock and then added it all onto a Very Vanilla Thick card base using dimensionals. I stamped my sentiment onto a scrap of Very Vanilla cardstock using Early Espresso ink. I cut it out around the words using my scissors. I didn't want the sentiment to be too large and take away from the picture. I added this to the card front using dimensionals.
In order to meet the rest of the criteria for the swap, I needed to add an embellishment. Normally I would use ribbon but this card was too busy for ribbon. I didn't have anything that matched my colour scheme so I decided to colour some basic pearls using a stampin' blend. I chose Soft Suede Dark Stampin' Blend and coloured three pearls. I added them randomly onto the card front and met all of the criteria.
I hope the other girls in the swap like what I have done. I definitely did my best work! Including colouring the pearls I did 4 different techniques to create this card: spongeing, baby wipe, marker to stamp and colouring the pearls. It was a lot of fun creating this card.
What I used for today's card:
Life is Beautiful Photopolymer stamp
Soft Suede Classic Stampin' Pad
Mossy Meadow Classic Stampin' Pad
Seaside Spray Classic Stampin' Pad
Old Olive Classic Stampin' Ink Refill
Bumblebee Classic Stampin' Ink Refill
Cinnamon Cider Classic Stampin' Ink Refill
Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker
Cinnamon Cider Stampin' Write Marker
I can't wait to see what the other girls have done. I will share them once I receive them all.
Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you enjoyed today's card.
Stay healthy and keep creating!
Terry