Today I have a "one stamp, five ways" post to share with you using a really cool stamp set from the Born to Sparkle release called Organic Fruits. Here is an image of the stamp and die sold together as a bundle:
I was very happy I had the dies for this one as I really liked them die-cut out and I like this stamp set enough to use it again and again even after this post! As always, I try to make my "one stamp, five ways" posts use different coloring mediums and/or different techniques on each card so you can see the stamp set used in many different ways. So here we go!
CARD 1:
My first card is a watercolor card using Arches watercolor paper and Karin Brushmarkers. I will admit, I had trouble with this one. I don't know why as I usually LOVE using my Karin Markers. I was going for a "no-line" stamping look, so I stamped with MFT Natural Ink. But then the markers slightly seeped into each other and I didn't like how it looked. So I added black outlines with a very fine tip black marker using double lines to cover some of the mistakes. I don't think the Karin markers work well for no-line coloring as it is hard to keep them in their place. They are reactive meaning the minute they get wet, they move even way after they have dried. It means you can't touch one color to another color or they will mix together. I prefer to use them with embossing powder to keep them in their little places! The watercolor paper brand you use with them makes all the difference in how they behave though. I added some color to the background as well with the markers. I also flicked several colors over the design to give it a messy look.
Even though this was my second one I painted and I wasn't that happy with how it looked, once I got the lines drawn around the images, I liked it. I especially liked it once I flicked all that color all over it as it made it feel like it didn't need to be perfect. I'm very bad with imperfections which makes watercoloring hard for me. I stamped a sentiment from the stamp set in the middle of the card with black ink. It wasn't standing out enough, so I stamped it about 4 times and then used clear embossing powder over the black letters to make them shine and stand out more. I resisted the temptation to add any Nuvo drops or sequins or even gems and called it done! I need to practice this type of card so I can improve!
CARD 2:
This card shows how the stamps look/work with the flat base stamps that come with them and Distress Oxide Inks. I tend to resist using flat stamps as I love to color, but I loved how this one turned out. I started by stamping the pear on masking paper and cutting it out. Then I cut a piece of cardstock to fit on the front of a mini-slimline card (3" x 6" since I matted it twice). I stamped the pear once on the left side, then covered that one with masking paper and stamped it again in the center overlapping the first one. Then I moved the masking paper and stamped it again on the right. I stamped the leaves and the stem on the top of each one with black ink as well. I also added the dots to each pear with black ink.
Next, I used the inside of the pear flat stamp and I first stamped it inside each pear with Twisted Citron Distress Oxide Ink. Then I added some Mowed Lawn on the bottom of the center one. I added some Fossilized Amber to the outside edges of each pear and a little on the inside of the center one. You can press the ink pad on just a portion of the flat stamp and add layers which works especially well with Oxide Inks since they are semi opaque. And if you make them darker than you want, you just go back to stamping the lightest color, Twisted Citron, back over them to soften the other colors. I used Rustic Wilderness and Mowed Lawn for the leaves. I used a pre-printed sentiment strip for the greeting from the reverse Encouraging Words set. I finished with some Black Board Nuvo Drops and Mustard Gold Nuvo drops. And then I really finished with a piece of twine tied around the top of the card. I like this one - it's outside of my norm and I like it.
CARD 3:
I'll start by saying this card took the most time and this card is my least favorite. In fact, I don't like it much at all and I almost ripped it apart and restarted it, but I couldn't get myself to do it after all the time it took to make it. so instead of focusing on the card, I'll focus on the techniques I used as they were really cool. I pulled out the Gel Press again. For the background I used Distress Oxide Inks on the Gel Press and used my brayer to mix the colors and remove some of them by wiping it off on scratch paper. I then played my paper on the Gel Press and used it for my card background. Next, I rubbed some Mustard Seed, Carved Pumpkin, and Picked Raspberry on the Gel Press. I then layed a floral stencil that was in a recent kit over the gel press. I pressed the flat stamp onto the gel press so it picked up some of the color from inside the stencil. I pressed the stamp onto white cardstock. I tried the same colors, but this time used a large background stamp over the gel press ink to give it a pattern. I then stamped the flat stamp over the gel press and stamped it onto paper. I was just playing and trying to figure out new ways to use the new to me gel press. I like the concept, but wasn't sure I loved the execution! I stamped the fruit stamps over these background stamps with black ink and die-cut them out. I also made a background with some greens and teals on my last attempt with the gel press. I pulled it out and stamped the leaves on it with black ink. I die-cut them out as well. Everything on this card was made with the gel press.
I glued the background to a white card base. I arranged the four fruits over the background. I added the black dots to them wanted them to look better. I then added the leaves to the tops of them and hand drew some black dots. I used Chalk Board Nuvo Drops over all of the black stamped dots to make them darker and have texture. I embossed the word Thank You using the CZ XL Greetings 2 stamp set and matching dies. I embossed it by using two colors of embossing powder and pouring the darker on the top and the lighter on the bottom to get a bit of a different hue throughout. I used some sparkling clear sequins around the sentiment which was propped up with foam tape.
CARD 4:
I think this was my favorite card. I stamped all of the fruits with black ink on white cardstock. I then colored them all in with Copic markers - this was fun since I don't use them often. I added the black dots to each and then used a white gel pen to make the dots white right above the black dots. I also used the white gel pen on the leaves. I attached them all to a white card front for a slim-line sized card. I used some Warm Grey Copics under the die-cut fruits so they were grounded. I also added shadows behind each fruit and leaves with the same color.
I embossed a sentiment from the stamp set over the apple with white embossing powder. I added some red and green Nuvo drops around the fruits to finish it.
CARD 5:
This is my "random stamping" card that I always do. I stamped the fruits (minus the lemon as I forgot to use that one!) on a piece of white cardstock with MFT Natural Ink. I then colored them all in with colored pencils. Once I was all done with this piece, I didn't want to trim it down so I could mat it with a colored card base, so I decided to use the Lawn Fawn Just Stitching die around the edges. It framed it nicely without cutting it - perfect!
I used a white gel pen over the dots on the fruits to make them stand out more. I embossed the sentiment on a white banner using the SSS Sentiment Label Dies. I then tied a piece of twine around the card into a bow on the left side. I added two pieces of foam tape behind the sentiment so there was an opening in the middle. That way I was able to place it over the twine with it in-between the two pieces of foam tape so it would lay flat. I added 3 Pretty Pink Posh 4mm clear droplets around the sentiment. I liked how this one turned out too.
As you can probably see from at least three of these cards, the fruit in the Organic Fruits stamp set are so pretty all colored in. I also love how they look with the flat stamps inked below them on the pear card - simple and graphic. the 3 sentiments in the set are great for everyday cards we all need. Although I tend to use bright colors, they would also look great in organic natural colors. I hope you enjoyed this "one stamp, five ways" post. I'll actually be back with another one in 2 days when the SSS monthly card kit releases! Thanks for visiting! Suzy
Fabulous set of cards, Suzy! Love this series!!
Posted by: Maureen and Michele | May 12, 2021 at 02:29 AM