How-to birthday card with dot coloring using Nature's Harvest stamp set

 Have you tried dot coloring around your stamped images?

I love coloring. That's no secret around here. One of my favorite flower stamps we currently have at Stampin' Up! is in the Nature's Harvest stamp set. It's a trio of flowers and can be used for many occasions. I love images that go the extra mile and have loads of uses.  For this card, I used a coloring technique known in the cardmaking world as dot coloring. However, in the art world it has another name- stippling. Regardless of what you call it, I love doing it. This type of coloring adds layers of texture on your card and can take simple layered cards to the next level. 

I love using this technique around my images and to create what I call a pixelated background. You can make it a tiny, thin border around your stamped image or you can make it a thick, wide border to create a unique background. This technique can be used around colored images, solid stamped images or around images left uncolored to add a pop of color.

Below you'll find a video showing how I made this card and the dotting technique. It's very simple but takes a little practice to get a feel for what you like.

Measurements:

• Very Vanilla card base 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" folded in half or scored at 4 1/4"
• Cajun Craze layer 5" x 3 3/4"
• Very Vanilla layer 4 3/4" x 3 1/2"
• (optional) Cajun Craze and Very Vanilla layers for the inside of the card with same measurements as front layers.

Supplies:

• Very Vanilla and Cajun Craze cardstocks
• Nature's Harvest stamp set
• Framed Florets stamp set (available to customers in November 2022)
• Soft Suede classic ink
• Stampin' Blends markers: Bermuda Bay, Cajun Craze, Pumpkin Pie, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede and Natural Tones 500 & 600 and the color lifter on hand for highlights and touchups
• Stamparatus
• Multipurpose liquid glue

Get Supplies in my online store.

Here's some up-close pics of the dotting detail:

This technique works well with the Stampin' Blends markers because the alcohol markers blend as they dry and leaves a smooth finish. Have you tried the blends markers? You can do this technique with the Stampin' Write markers, however, the texture and finish will be quite different from blends as the Stampin' Write markers are waterbased and dry very quickly and do not blend. I encourage you to try out what you have and see how you like it. 

Check out this video to see how I made this birthday card and how I did my dot coloring background: 

Thank you all for stopping by my blog today. If you're inspired, please leave me a comment and let me know if you tried this technique. 

If you need any Stampin' Up! supplies, please visit my online store. If you need recommendations or help ordering, email me at stampandcreatewithbeth@gmail.com.

Happy stampin' 

~ Beth

P.S. Please subscribe to my YouTube Channel and see more videos on cardmaking! Subscribe here.

How-to stamp your own full sheet of cardstock to make multiple cards

 Have you heard of a one sheet wonder? What is that anyway?

So many cardmakers talk of doing one sheet wonders. What does that mean anyway? It's simply using a full sheet of cardstock that you stamp yourself or a sheet of patterned paper to make a set of cards. You cut up the sheet in various ways to create multiple card fronts. 

I love making my own stamped patterns on an 8 1/2" x 11" piece of cardstock and then cutting it up to make multiple cards. There's many patterns you can follow. In today's samples, I'm stamping along the middle each direction on my cardstock to create a cross shape. Then I'll cut it at 4 1/4" and then at 5 1/2" to get four card fronts. You can then trim them down to either 5 1/4" x 4", 5" x 3 3/4" if you want to mat it or leave it the 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" to fit the entire front of the card base. 

These two were created during my Facebook live video. On Saturday mornings, I do a live video with participants playing along and helping with the creative process. It's a great time to experiment and see what others would choose. I give some basics and provide choices and we chat while I make a card or two. I love doing these stamped sheets. You can do some many themes and make tons of cards. 

For these stamped sheets, I used Very Vanilla and Soft Succulent cardstocks. Then I used Christmas Season stamp set to stamp the images in a cross shape. Some call this the four corners technique because when you cut it apart it's stamped on the corners of two sides.  I used Soft Succulent, Evening Evergreen, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede and Starry Sky classic inks. 

You can check out how this was created on my YouTube video: 

Here's the completed cards. I make one card in the video. I "stepped up" a few by adding in a layer and popping up the greeting and adding ribbon behind it. You can keep these cards are simple as you like or step it up. 

I cut my layers to 5 1/4" x 4". The card with the extra layer is cut to 5"  x 3 3/4" with a mat measuring 5 1/4" x 4". 

I used Evening Evergreen, Soft Succulent, Starry Sky and Very Vanilla Cardstocks for my card bases. On the Starry Sky base there's a Very Vanilla layer.

I used Evening Evergreen, Soft Succulent, Starry Sky and Very Vanilla Cardstocks for my card bases.

I hope you've enjoyed these stamped sheets of cardstock and give it a try. There's many ways to stamp your sheet and cut it up.  Please leave a comment and let me know if you try it. Use whatever stamps and inks you have on hand.

Thanks for stopping by! Visit my online store to get the supplies I used for these cards. 

~ Beth
 

P.S. You can use any light colored cardstock to stamp on and inks and stamps you already have on hand for this technique. It's a great way to make a set of quick cards. Enjoy and have fun with it!