No matter how experienced you are in paper crafting, you can create gorgeous projects. How complex you want to make them is up to you. Sometimes, simple is best. And other times, you want to put more elements into your projects.
This card is a good example of three differently levels of complexity. Whether you are a beginning crafter or an old pro, you can take any project and upgrade or downgrade it to fit your needs.
Difficulty: Beginner
Supply List:
All the supplies used here are from Stampin' Up! To order any of these materials, visit www.stampinup.com. If you need a demonstrator, choose H. Jane Harrington in Pinson, AL when you check out.
Watercolor paper
Whisper White cardstock
Coastal Cabana cardstock
Let It Ride stamp set
Memento ink pad
Coastal Cabana ink pad
Highland Heather ink pad
D block
E block
Stampin' Spritzer (filled with water)
Mono Adhesive tape runner
Optional supplies for upgraded card:
Linen thread
Light and Dark Smokey Slate Blender Pens
Brusho Crystal Color
Paper distressing tool or sandpaper
Stampin' Dimensionals
Cut your watercolor paper to 5" x 3-1/2".
Cut a standard sized card in Whisper White (dimensions of 5-1/2" x 8-1/2", scored at 4-1/4")
Cut a piece of Coastal Cabana cardstock to layer behind the watercolor paper.
Take your E acrylic block and ink an entire side with your Coastal Cabana ink pad.
Spritz the block with your Stampin' Spritzer. Don't overdo the water or it will run too much. Just two light mists should do it.
Press the block down at a slight angle onto the watercolor paper. It's ok to shift it just slightly to get some of the ink to adhere to the paper.
When you lift off the block, you will have a wet inky pattern.
You can leave it that way, or dab some of the excess ink away.
If you leave it, make sure to give it time to dry, or use your heat tool on a low setting. Keep in mind, a heat tool may shift some of the ink around.
Note: This block of color will look a little different every time you do it. Play around with it, reink and stamp, spritz, dab, and see what outcome you like best. You might want more texture or less.
Repeat the process with Highland Heather ink pad and your D block.
Feel free to angle the block to give it an offset look.
Affix the running horse stamp from the Let It Ride stamp set to your clean D block. Ink it with your black Memento pad. Stamp the horse over the Highland Heather block of ink on the watercolor paper.
Note: If you stamp while the Highland Heather ink is still a bit damp, you will get a slightly watery effect with the horse. If you don't want the effect, wait until the Highland Heather ink is dry, or use a heat tool to expedite drying.
This is an optional upgrade step:
Using a distressing tool or sandpaper block, distress the edges of the coastal cabana cardstock.
Adhere the Coastal Cabana frame to the Whisper White card front. Adhere the watercolor paper to the Coastal Cabana piece.
Stamp the sentiment directly onto the card wherever you like it.
Optionally:
Stamp the sentiment you like onto a scrap piece of watercolor paper or Whisper White cardstock. Cut to to the appropriate size and use a small scrap of Coastal Cabana behind to accent it.
This is the simplest, quickest version of the card.
This one has a sentiment stamped on a scrap piece of paper, with a Coastal Cabana scrap behind to accent it.
This version has a scrap of linen thread tied behind the sentiment to offset it. Dimensionals pop the sentiment off the paper. Additionally, the cardstock is adhered at different angles.
In the final, and most advanced version of the card, Brusho Crystal Color was sprinkled over the background and misted with the Stampin' Spritzer. I dabbed it to keep the color from running too much.
The horse was stamped on Whisper White cardstock and colored with Light and Dark Smokey Slate Stampin' Blends markers. I fussy cut it and adhered the head and front of the horse with Dimensionals, and the tail/rump with Mono Adhesive, to make it look like the horse is running toward the viewer.
I also wrapped linen thread around the entire backdrop for added texture.
Almost any project can be upgraded or downgraded depending on the crafter's skill level, materials, or time. Play around and see what you can come up with!