I have discovered that I really enjoy listening to podcasts in the evening. There are SO many out there now that are entertaining, interesting, and educational. But I don't like to just sit and listen; I prefer to also be doing something else. The perfect something else to do is something with my favorite hobby, papercrafting. I can sit for hours in the evening, coloring. I have also learned that listening to podcasts is the perfect activity when I have a boring organizational task to do; or when I am making multiples of cards and am putting all of the parts together.
When making these cards, I chose Prismacolor coloring. I started by die-cutting 5 panels from different colors of cardstock, and arranged this beautiful floral stamp from Gina K Designs across the top of one of the panels. This technique works best if you use a stamp platform. In this case, I used the MISTI.
I stamped the top of each panel using a light color of ink. I don't think it matters what color you used, but I chose Distress inks in colors that coordinated with the Prismacolor palette I would use.
I flipped the panel around 180 degrees and stamped it again, so that I had it stamped on both the top and bottom. I chose Prismacolor pencils in 5 different color palettes, plus greens for the leaves and started coloring. Oh, and be sure to LEAVE THE STAMP IN YOUR STAMP PLATFORM. Do not move your stamp. This is crucial for the last step.
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| Work in Progress |
I kind of like how the coloring looks at this point - almost like no-line coloring, but I'm not stopping here. Once all the coloring is finished, I put each panel back into the MISTI, where the stamp is still in place, and stamped the images (top and bottom) again with Versamark ink. I then embossed each one with different embossing powders.
By the way, this one was done on Strathmore Mixed Media paper in Gray Tone. I love this cardstock, it's very heavy (146#) and I love the gray. I'll be using it quite a bit in the future.
I love, love, love how these turn out, and how easy they are to make. I enjoy coloring anyway, and listening to podcasts makes the time fly and before I know it, I've finished another one.
If colored pencil coloring is not your thing, you can make these cards with markers, watercolors, pan pastels, or your medium of choice.
To complete the cards, I either stamped and embossed a sentiment, or used a die-cut sentiment in the center. Looking at my stash of cards, I was low on Birthday and get well cards, so now I have quite a few! Each panel was mounted on a coordinating mat and then on a base card, and done!
By the way, this stamp (Magenta 07.806.K Sending You) is one of my favorite get well sentiments (I don't like to command people to get well - they are doing their best to on their own; also, not everyone who isn't well is sick - sometimes they are recovering from an injury or surgery). This stamp however is very long and only fits on a card in the horizontal position. I often split it apart as I have done here. In fact, I have now actually cut it apart to make it easier to position just the way I want.
I hope you'll try this technique. Using a stamp platform and being able to flip the card around and stamp it twice made this very easy to do. I am going to look through all of my stamps to find more that will lend themselves to this style. I'm sure I have quite a few! Even if your stamp is large, you only need to use part of it and stamp off the panel. I'll be using this same technique to make some Christmas cards that I will be showing soon.
Products used:
Card #1 Happy Birthday Blues
Gina K Designs 4365 You Make Me Smile (Floral)
Papertrey Ink Think Big Favorites 13 (Happy Birthday)
Die-Namics MFT-463 Blueprints 13 die set (stitched rectangle)
Prismacolors: PC992 Light Aqua, PC905 Aquamarine,
PC1027 Peacock Blue, PC1004 Yellow Chartreuse, PC1005 Limepeel,
PC911 Olive Green, PC908 Dark Green
Versamark Ink
JudiKins Silver embossing powder
Stardream Silver cardstock
Neenah Solar White 110# cardstock
Card #2 Happy Birthday Oranges on White
Gina K Designs 4365 You Make Me Smile (Floral)
Savvy 10221 Happy Birthday die
Die-Namics MFT-463 Blueprints 13 die set (stitched rectangle)
Prismacolors: PC921 Pale Vermillion, PC1002 Yellowed Orange,
PC1003 Spanish Orange, PC1004 Yellow Chartreuse, PC1005 Limepeel,
PC911 Olive Green, PC908 Dark Green
Versamark Ink
JudiKins Gold embossing powder
Stardream Fairway cardstock
Gold Polish cardstock
Neenah Solar White cardstock 80# & 110#
Card #3 Birthday Kraft and Red
Gina K Designs 4365 You Make Me Smile (Floral)
Papertrey Ink Think Big Favorites 13 (Happy Birthday)
Die-Namics MFT-463 Blueprints 13 die set (stitched rectangle)
Prismacolors: PC928 Blush Pink, PC926 Carmine Red,
PC924 Crimson Red, PC925 Crimson Lake, PC1004 Yellow Chartreuse,
PC1005 Limepeel, PC911 Olive Green, PC908 Dark Green
Versamark Ink
JudiKins Gold embossing powder
Paper Accent Natural Kraft cardstock
Stardream Jupiter cardstock
Neenah Solar White cardstock 110#
Card #4 Speedy Recovery Blues
Gina K Designs 4365 You Make Me Smile (Floral)
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| Magenta 07.806.K Sending Warm Thoughts |
Die-Namics MFT-463 Blueprints 13 die set (stitched rectangle)
Prismacolors: PC919 Non-Photo Blue, PC903 True Blue,
PC906 Copenhagen Blue, PC901 Indigo Blue, PC1004 Yellow Chartreuse,
PC1005 Limepeel, PC911 Olive Green, PC908 Dark Green
Versamark Ink
Distress Oxide Salty Ocean ink
JudiKins Clear Detail embossing powder
Blue Malmero Pearl carstock
Neenah Solar White 110# cardstock
Strathmore Mixed Media paper in Toned Gray
Card #5 Speedy Recovery Purples and Black
Gina K Designs 4365 You Make Me Smile (Floral)
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| Magenta 07.806.K Sending Warm Thoughts |
Prismacolors: PC996 Black Grape, Pc1008 Parma Violet, PC956 Lilac,
PC934 Lavender, PC938 White, PC1004 Yellow Chartreuse,
PC1005 Limepeel, PC911 Olive Green, PC908 Dark Green
Versamark Ink
JudiKins Opaque White embossing powder
Papertrey Ink True Black cardstock
So Silk Passion Purple cardstock
Neenah Solar White cardstock
What a beautiful collection of cards! I love your coloring. I've got to try this method of coloring, and then embossing afterwards.
ReplyDeleteThank you! If you try this, just be sure to use a powder bag before embossing. Embossing powder likes to stick to Prismacolored images!
DeleteAbsolutely stunning cards. Thank you for sharing your talent and expertise. Can't wait to try this.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Judy! That means a lot to me. After coloring some of these, I though they looked like a hot mess, but then stamping and embossing the lines on top of the coloring brought it all together.
DeleteI am impressed with your technique here. I plan to try it out in the very near future for birthday cards. Thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteThanks very much Jan!
DeleteThank you for sharing this technique with us all. I have several birthdays coming up and need a break from Christmas cards.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this idea. I agree that the cards initially looked a bit of a mess, but how wonderfully they turned out! I must try them soon to give myself a break from Christmas cards.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! I agree, I need a break from Christmas cards too, but I still have many to make!
DeleteOn your card with the black background-did you put something down before coloring with the purple? Or dies the purple really show up in the black with prisms colored pencils?
ReplyDeletevmilyard@gmail.com
The prismacolor pencils really do well on dark colors-it just seems to make the color pop. You can also color with white first, but I like to just put the color down without anything else.
DeleteOh by the way these are absolutely amazing!! Gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! This is one of my favorite techniques. :-)
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