Day 4-Three Ways

Day 4

This was an exciting day in the Clean and Simple class.  I have a lot of stamps and finding different ways to use them - or even just thinking of different ways to use them makes me feel justified in purchasing them!  I wanted to use a background stamp like our teachers used, but didn't want to completely copy them by using the text style background.  So, I pulled out a set that I love, but hardly use - Gingham.

One example used the stamp as a background, and it was heat embossed.  I tried that technique here:

I stamped the background on white cardstock and heat embossed it with clear embossing.  Then, I used a blending tool to go over the embossing and give the background its color. 

The second card uses the same gingham stamp, but I used it to give pattern to the die-cut flower. 

The grass die and sun die are two dies from My Favorite Things.  I've had them for awhile, but this is the first I have used them.  I ran the center of the sun through the Xyron and pressed it in prisma glitter to give it some sparkle. 

My third card uses the same gingham stamp, but I used it as a background stamp on a smaller die-cut, similar to the way Julie used the stamp on the back of embossed flowers.

I stamped the gingham on Kraft in Fresh Snow ink and let it dry.  I heat embossed the frame with white embossing powder and added the stems, flower and sentiment.  I used the same white ink to color in the flower. I doubled up some green and rustic twine to tie and bow, and  I was lucky to find that heart shaped button in my stash that it would be the perfect finish for this card!

Jennifer has a challenging lesson for Day 5.  I'm thinking about skipping class, but I may end up giving it a shot!  We'll see.

Thanks for visiting My Happy Place!

No One Like You

Once again, I'm hooked on the color combination from Play Date Cafe this week.  It's a great combo, and one I never really would have put together.  Here's their inspiration photo:

I wanted to use some Paper Smooches stamps that I haven't had a chance to ink up yet.  I chose the pepper for this card:

I stamped the pepper on Pure Poppy and Orange Zest cardstock.  After stamping the large Gingham strip, I added the piece of Pure Poppy rik-rak.  I wanted it to look kind of like a happy picnic.  The sentiment is from a Hero Arts set and is stamped on one of the Double Ended Banner dies. 

Here's a close-up of the orange pepper - popped up a bit for emphasis:

We have several teachers & staff leaving our campus this year due to budget cuts and life-changing events, so I'm trying to get some cards made to send them off with smiles. This one goes in that stack. I better get busy; we only have 12.5 days left in this school year - but who's counting?

Thanks for visiting My Happy Place!