10.13.2005

Using Sponges

So simple, yet so beautiful! Here's how I made the following card:



Copyright Stampin' Up!® 1990-2005

View and comment here, at my gallery: Yellow Sponged.

Let's just ignore the ultra simple greeting stuck right on the face of this card and talk about the background, shall we? It's a very simple concept but it looks so pretty when you are finished. The only tool you need is a stamping sponge, one of the natural looking kind that you can easily find at a craft store.

First, stamp the images you want to color in black ink all over your white cardstock. Don't forget to go off the page; the pattern will look more natural when you do. Once you have your stamped images where you want them, pick a few of your favorite colors. For this card I picked a bright yellow, a mustard and a rusty orange. I also chose a mossy green and a darker olive color. I started by dabbing my sponge into the bright yellow ink. I tapped the background area lightly and applied more pressure to the flower petals. Then I added some mustard colored ink to the flowers to make them a little more variegated and added a little rusty ink to the center of each. After I was done with the flowers I added the green inks to the leaves in two layers, first the lighter, then the darker.

Now, many times when stampers use this technique, they use glossy paper. I didn't have any on hand when I made this card, so I used regular cardstock. I like using glossy paper, but since it's to slippery, I'd rather save it for doing a crayon resist. What's that you ask?! Well, I'll just have to write about it, won't I? ;)

One last thing to note on this card: a funny story. I had uploaded a picture of this card to my favorite stamping website, Splitcoast Stampers. Lots of people go there to get new ideas for cards and such and I wanted to also post some of my cards in case they would inspire someone. It's just "sharing the love" because I certainly borrow everyone else's ideas! Well, the funniest thing happened a few months ago. I was given a pack of swapped cards made by other Stampin' Up! demonstrators from around the country. And what did I see in the pile of cards? One that looked so close to my own design that I just knew I had inspired someone else! That was exciting. But what made me laugh even more was when my friend who sent me the cards also sent me copies of some digital pictures she had received from Stampin' Up!'s annual convention. One of the large boards that they set up, full of projects and inspiration from other demonstrators, had another card that looked like it was also inspired from this card! Boy, I felt awful famous that day. I think this is the little card that went around the world. Too funny!

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