Do you prefer simple or stepped up cards? I find I don't make many simple cards - I like lots of layers and embellishments! At 35 weeks pregnant with 3 other little ones - one would think that I would choose the simple route - but I just love all of the embellishment options that SU! offers. But sometimes time or budget is a factor, so I have an easy simple card to show you too.
Today I have 3 different cloud backgrounds - from simple to stepped up - to give you some options the next time you stamp. Today I'm focusing on one my favorite stamp sets from the Annual Catalog - Weather Together (141543). The images, font and die cuts make this a great bundle to own.
For the simple card, it really just involves stamping. There's no need for a Big Shot - a quick and easy card. For the background I stamped the larger cloud stamp with the white Craft Stampin' Ink & Refill. On a 4" x 2.75" piece of Whisper White Cardstock, I stamped the umbrella in Lemon Lime Twist and Smoky Slate ink pads and colored the handle with the Peekaboo Peach Stampin' Write Marker. A little bit of Whisper White Solid Baker's Twine and Pool Party washi from the Basic Pack 3 Washi Tape finishes off the card.
For the next card I wanted to step it a little and use the coordinating Umbrella Weather Framelits. I took a layer of Pool Party Cardstock and used the 2 cloud framelits to cut out the background. I then used Pool Party ink and stamped the clouds onto the white cardstock. You can either adhere the layers first or hold them together with a little bit of washi tape.
I really like the detail the diecut clouds give to this background. I also stamped and cut out the umbrella for this card, added a little Pool Party splatter with my Aqua Painter and added a few of the Pool Party embellishments from the Subtles Enamel Shapes pack.
For the final card of the three, I wanted to show the new (and amazing) Embossing Paste with the cloud decorate mask from the Pattern Party Decorative Masks pack.
This card is my favorite of the three - so many fun details on one card! Definitely "stepped up". (May I say though, the paste was way quicker and much easier than the diecut clouds!)
After the paste dried, I added the pretty peach bow with Peekaboo Peach 5/8" Crinkled Seam Binding Ribbon. I really love how this ribbon looks on a card! The umbrella is stamped and diecut again and adhered to a piece of Shimmer White Cardstock. You can see that I added a watercolor wash and splatter to the background as well using an Aqua Painter.
I hope that you enjoyed these three similar yet different cards. I'd love to hear which background technique is your favorite!
I'd love to help you with your next Stampin' Up! purchase too! You can purchase the stamp set and matching framelits for $46 (USD) before tax and shipping. If you purchase $50 before the end of the month, you will earn a $5 coupon to use next month!
Shop here and use hostess code
VCEN44XB
Wishing you brighter days!
-Holly
