Winter Scene Birthday Card with Layered Die Cuts

 The serenity of a winter landscape just draws me in.  The banks of snow, the evergreen trees, and wildlife stirring seems so peaceful. For my card today, I used a few die sets by Stampin' Up!® to create a winter scene. I had planned to make a holiday card. However, when I finished it just seemed like a birthday card. It's funny how our cards evolve and come together in the end. 

I started out die cutting a bunch of the different trees and mountains from various colors of two tone cardstock. I love that the two tone cardstock has a dark side and a light side. This helps expand my color scheme. I used Secret Sea, Old Olive, Mossy Meadow, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake and Willow White. To add a little color to my sky area, I used Cloud Cover ink spot and a blending brush. I used trees and mountains from Scenic Adventure and Light & Wonder dies. The deer are from Autumn Trees dies. The greeting is from Simply Said stamp set by Stampin' Up!® and stamped in Smoky Slate.

By offsetting the die cuts a little and layering them, it makes my line of trees fuller. I just love the Momma deer and little baby from Autumn Trees dies. They're peeking out to see if it's safe to go looking for food. 

I used some scraps to create my die cut layers. Some I used a 4" wide piece because I knew I wanted to make a portrait card, The background Willow White layer I built the scene on is 5 1/4" x 4". So my mountains are 4" wide too. The little white mountain cap is cut from a scrap and tucked in. The Light & Wonder dies by Stampin' Up!® are quite large. They're 6" long. I love that because it makes them great for cardmaking and scrapbooking. I cut the layers 6" wide and then trimmed them down to fit into my scene. Have fun creating your own scene and use a variety of colors. 

I used a couple of extra tree pieces to layer and decorate the inside of my card. The Willow White layer is 5 1/4" x 4". 

What colors would you use for a winter scene? I'd love to hear your ideas in the comments. 

I decided this had a birthday card feeling instead of holiday. The greeting is stamped in Smoky Slate ink so it's subtle and doesn't take away from the scene. 

You can add items I used to your shopping cart here.

I made this card live on Facebook. You can watch the replay of my YouTube Channel (Stamp and Create with Beth)

Thank you for stopping by and checking out my card. I hope you like the ideas on how to use these dies. You can find everything I used for this card in my online store. Please note: The dies I used do come as bundles with stamp sets. When you buy the stamp set and dies bundled, it is discounted 10%. 

Happy Creating!

~ Beth 

Week 2 of 12 Weeks of Christmas Inspiration

 

I started doing Christmas card inspiration posts the week of September 29th. I had a bit of a slow start but now I think it will be easier to do a post here each week with all my cards and projects. My goal is to inspire you to use different stamp sets, color combos and layouts and help you create your holiday cards and gifts. 

Week 2 features Cherry Cobbler or Real Red and you can add any colors you like with one of those to create a color scheme for your holiday cards. Cherry Cobbler is one of my favorite reds- it's a deep rich red. I love it with bright teals and dark blues and greens. It goes well with many colors. Let's see what you come up with!

I created a Christmas card with Woodland Scenery and Scenic Adventure stamps sets. I love how these two sets work well together. I used Cherry Cobbler, Secret Sea. Old Olive and Pool Party. The greeting is retired.  I realized when I started making cards I didn't have any holiday greetings. So I quickly ordered some new items and now I have to patiently wait for them to arrive. 

Here are some color combos I came up with using Cherry Cobbler. Some are very similar and I'm sure I'll come up with even more as the 12 weeks goes along. 

You might have noticed I love Cherry Cobbler with Secret Sea and Cloud Cover. These new blues with a gray tone really give me winter vibes. I think they'll work well for all seasons, but I'll definitely be using them for my winter themed cards. 

My new greeting set arrived and I just love it. Traditional Labels by Stampin' Up!® has many great options for the holidays as well as coordinating dies. 

For this card, I used a retired set (coming home) for my houses and trees. The stamped images  are colored in with Stampin' Blends makers. I used Smoky Slate, Cherry Cobbler, Secret Sea and Old Olive. 

I created my layer with the Perennial Postage dies by Stampin' Up!®. I modified it with some lines drawn in with a Stampin' write marker to create a border. 

My greeting is stamped in Cherry Cobbler classic ink. 

I'd love to know what colors you like with Cherry Cobbler or Real Red. Please comment below. 

Here are more cards for inspiration. Some stamp sets are retired. 

This card using the bundles from the new Traditions of Christmas suite collection- Christmas Greenery Bundle and Traditional Labels Bundle. I used Cherry Cobbler with Secret Sea, Cloud Cover and Old Olive. I feel like the new colors Secret Sea and Cloud Cover work really well with the core colors from Stampin' Up!. 

My snowman card was made with some retired products as well as a greeting from Traditional Labels stamp set. I used Spirited Snowmen and trees from Coming Home stamp set. I colored my images in with Stampin' Blends markers. I used Cherry Cobbler with Secret Sea, Old Olive and Smoky Slate. 

This card is one of my favorites. I loved the Peaceful Cabin stamp set (it's long retired). I used it with Peaceful Evergreens (retired) and an older Paper Pumpkin greeting. This card features Cherry Cobbler with Cloud Cover and Pecan Pie. I used two tone cardstock and sanded it after I embossed it. I love the rustic texture it gives.  I used a little bit of Gray Granite for my snow and shadows. I love creating a postage stamp look with the Perennial Postage dies. 

I hope you've enjoyed these color combos and give them a try. You can find the ink pads and new stamp sets in my online store.

Thank you for stopping by! 

Happy creating!

~ Beth 

Fall card with Peaceful View stamp set by Stampin' Up!®

 I love fall (or autumn as some call it) and all the colors that come alive on the trees. The colors seem to melt together and create a sea of oranges, yellows, and reds. I like to make fall themed cards for most occasions. The Peaceful View stamp set by Stampin' Up!® is a beautiful scene. I couldn't wait to add some fall colors to it. 

To give Peaceful View a fall twist I used Stampin' write markers to ink up my red rubber stamps. Then I spritzed the stamp with water before stamping it onto my blended Pool Party background. This scene stamp is perfect for this technique and allows you to add whatever colors you want to your tree, fence, leaves, flowers and bird. Stampin' write markers are in the Last Chance section though and are only available while supplies last as they are retiring. Stampin' write markers come in color families. Click here to see what's available. 

Since this type of marker is retiring, I used another technique that allows you to ink up the images with a water painter and ink pads. Squeeze a bit of ink from the foam pad into the lid (or press a clear block onto the foam to pick up some ink). Use a small water painter brush to pick up the ink and apply it to the areas of the red rubber stamp. 

I apply all the ink colors I want to the stamp. The ink will dry a bit depending on the size of stamp. To re-wet the ink, I use a spritzer bottle with water to mist the inked areas. Then I stamp onto my cardstock. I prefer to use a stamp positioner for stamping so I can reply any ink I need to. 

Instructions/Measurements:

• Cut card base: 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" scored at 4 1/4". I used Cajun Craze and Pecan Pie cardstocks.
• Cut a layer to stamp: 5 1/4" x 4". I used regular Basic White cardstock. You could also use watercolor paper and thick Basic White. 
• Cut a layer for the inside of your card: 5" x 3 3/4". I used regular Basic White cardstock.
• For inking technique 1 with Stampin' Write markers, gather your colors you want to use. I used Darling Duckling, Crushed Curry, Pumpkin Pie, Cajun Craze, Pecan Pie, Early Espresso and Mossy Meadow. 
• For inking technique 2 with ink pads and water painter brush, gather your ink pad colors you want to use. I used the same colors as I did with the markers. 
• Create a blended background with sky color of your choice and a blending brush. I used Pool Party and a small blending brush. Apply the ink from the top down and make it as dark as you like. I like to blend lighter toward the bottom of the layer. 
• Place your stamp on your stamp positioner. Ink up the scene with the technique you choose. I apply all the colors. It's ok if areas dry before you're done. 
• Spritz the inked stamp with water only. 
• Put a piece of removable tape on the back of your layer with blended background. Place it in the stamp positioner where you want to stamp it. 
• Close plate and apply pressure all over the stamp. Take some time of this part. You want all the ink to soak in and transfer to your cardstock. You can re-ink and stamp again. Just be careful with the water because it can smear or oversaturate your stamped layer. 
• Allow your layer to dry for a few minutes. 
• Stamp a greeting on a scrap strip of Basic White cardstock. To tone down the brightness, I used my blending brush with Pool Party on it to add some color to my greeting strip.
• Adhere dried layer to card base. Use strong adhesive. The layer may be warped a little from the water. I used liquid glue. You could also use tear and tape or Seal +. Note: I like to put a clean block on top to help it adhere flat. You can leave it like this for a few minutes.
• Adhere inside layer. I like to leave mine blank. You can stamp additional phrases, add a stamped image or a strip of patterned paper to dress it up. 
• Adhere greeting strip to front with dimensionals.

Here's my layer after I inked up my stamp and spritzed it with water. I love the watercolor look and how the oranges and yellows run together.  The texture is amazing and it looks like a watercolor picture. Who wouldn't love to receive a card like this? It's also something that could be framed as a decor piece. Each layer came out different, when I made several cards. The colors on the layers I used markers to ink my stamp seem more saturated and really vibrant.  The layer I inked with ink pads and a water painter turned out beautifully too. I noticed that when I inked my stamp this way, I had to apply more ink so it was full of color. You can see my first two attempts (the cards below), the color seems weaker. The layer I inked in my tutorial video has more ink than my first cards. So you can see on that layer the the colors are vibrant and that fall color really comes through. I also was able to re-apply ink with my water painter and stamp again. This helps build up the colors. I did not spritz it after re-inking. 

Which inking technique is your favorite? I'd love to hear in the comments.

Here are the cards I made with Stampin' write markers

This technique works well with red rubber stamps and allows you to add multiple colors to one image. I hope you enjoyed my cards today. Watch the tutorial on my YouTube Channel. 

You can find Stampin' Up! products in my online store. If you'd like to explore the starter kit special check it out here. 

Thanks for stopping by. Happy creating!

~ Beth 

Quick Card with Woodland Scenery stamp set by Stampin' Up!®

 Creating stamped scenes is my thing. I love when we get new stamps that include images that can build up a scene. Woodland Scenery stamp set by Stampin' Up!® has some great images in it. I love the cabin, bear and dear. The bare trees are great for winter or end of fall themes. 

One of my favorite sets that Stampin' Up! sold years ago was Snow Front. It had a few different sized trees, a cabin and other images. I used this set a ton. I love all the images. Here's a card I made for my 12 weeks of Christmas inspiration using retired sets. I used Peaceful Garden designer series paper and some low profile sparkle dots with the Snow Front set. My color scheme was Secret Sea, Cloud Cover and Basic Gray. The new blue-gray colors are great for wintery cards. 

I used the same layout and stamped a winter scene with the Woodland Scenery stamp set. This card is great for a holiday card or any occasion with a winter theme (birthday, thank you, etc). I used a greeting from Simply Said stamp set. 

Measurements:

• card base: 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" scored at 4 1/4"
• peaceful garden dsp 5" x 3"
• basic white 3 3/4" x 3"
• basic white (inside layer) 5" x 3 3/4"

I used a Cloud Cover plaid patterned paper from Peaceful Garden designer series paper for my layer. This paper has such beautiful patterns and many work well with any occasion. I grounded the images by using the back of a photopolymer stamp set to stamp color along the bottom of the cabin, trees and sled. You can see this tip in the tutorial video below.

I hope you enjoyed the card I shared today and are inspired to create a wintery scene. You can find the current available products in my online store. 

I'm doing 12 weeks of Christmas inspiration if you'd like to visit each week to see what I've been up to. 

Here are some other creations with some of my favorite stamp sets.

Thank you for stopping by. Happy creating!

~ Beth 

Traditions of Christmas designer series paper stack, cut & shuffle cards

 

The Traditions of Christmas specialty designer series paper by Stampin' Up!® is absolutely gorgeous. One side has images of poinsettias and flowers with gold foiling and the other are simple geometric patterns. The color scheme of this paper is a classic- Cherry Cobbler, Real Red, Old Olive, Pool Party and Secret Sea. The poinsettias are great for the winter holidays and the geometric patterns mix well with the poinsettias as well as all occasion cards. 

For the cards I'm sharing today, I used two sheets of different patterns. I cut four pieces 3 3/4" x 5" and two pieces 3 3/4" x 2". I used one side with the poinsettia pattern and one side with the geometric pattern. I stacked the four 3 3/4" x 5" pieces and cut them all at once at 2" on the 3 3/4" side. Then I took the 2" stack and cut 2" up from the bottom. The 1 3/4" stack I cut at 1 3/4" from the top. (*see video). 

This is called the stack, cut and shuffle technique. I keep all the pieces in the same order and stacked as I cut them. Next, I laid them out on four 4" x 5 1/4" layers. You take one stack and lay a piece on each mat. Then the next stack is placed on each mat starting with the second mat. This shuffling technique mixes up the four patterns between the four layers. When they're all shuffled between the four mat layers, each layer will have all four patterns. 

Here are my stack, cut and shuffle cards. 

The pattern can be used in landscape or portrait depending on your pattern. The poinsettia and floral patterns can go any direction as well as the geometric patterns. I had a few pieces (2" x 3 3/4") left over after cutting my 5 1/4" x 4" pieces. I used them to make two more cards. I made a Christmas card with an older poinsettia set (Poinsettia Petals, retired) and a birthday card with Charming Day stamp set and coordinating dies. I love the Secret Sea patterns on this paper. 

I'm doing this video as part of my kick off to 12 weeks of Christmas inspiration. I paired this new designer series paper with some older Christmas sets I own (Poinsettia Petals and Itty Bitty Christmas, both retired). I love using older products I've collected and love. I am planning to get the new bundles that are part of the Traditions of Christmas Suite but haven't bought them yet. 

You can find the 12 weeks of Christmas inspiration on my blog each week and additional ideas over on my Facebook page Stamp and Create with Beth. If you're playing along, please share in the comments. 

Watch my Facebook live replay and tutorial on the Stack, Cut & Shuffle technique with Traditions of Christmas specialty designer series paper. 

Thank you for stopping by! You can grab the paper pack and Charming Day stamp set in my online store or browse around for some other items on your list. Enjoy the stack, cut & shuffle technique!

Happy creating!

~ Beth