Simple Cards

I love colouring stamped images with copics but often when I'm done I'm at a loss for how to put it into a card. I convinced myself that not all cards have to be busy or complicated so I tried a few simple cards.

I started with plain white cards and embossed each with a cuttlebug folder. I found a stamp and coloured it seperately then added it to the card with foam squares so it pops up a bit.

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For this card I added milled lavender distress ink to the embossed card. I used the same colour ink on the edges of the cut out stamp image to make it stand out a bit more. The stamped image was also heat embossed with black powder.

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On the second card I lightly went over the embossed dots with broken china distress ink, then went back with two copic markers to darken random dots. The distress ink was also used around the stamped image.

Friendship should be celebrated!

On the first card I tried using two different papers to make it look like the floor and wall behind the girl. I really like the way this one worked out.

This second card I started with the flower and trying to add dimention with the shading and shadows. I was really excited when it was done. I wanted to keep the flower the focus so I just added a frame around the front of the card and coloured the sentiment to match the flower. I almost dont want to give it away hehe.

Photoshop Brushes to Enhance Cards

So you know I've already endorsed using digi-stamps for cards and now I have a similar idea!

I love photoshop and I've found there are free brushes to download all over the internet. If you're familiar with photoshop then you'll know you can take a basic black and white image and colour it however you choose. I thought I could stamp one of my decorative brushes in a new file, colour it, then print it and use it the same as a digi-stamp but it would already be coloured.

 

It turned out beautiful! I matted it on a dark blue paper then covered the front of the card with a patterned paper. I found another phrase I liked and added that as well... then went around the rectangle with the sparkle gel pen.

Websites with free photoshop brush downloads

Pixels & Ice Cream - lots of free brushes, patterns, layouts etc.

Obsidian Dawn - you can choose to download the photoshop brushes or the jpg version

Brusheezy

brushesdownload

Positive & Negative Cricut Cuts

I'm trying to use as much of my paper scraps as I can. When I cut something on the cricut, if the negative image can't be used, I save the scraps for future projects. I have a box I throw all my scraps into, so if I need a small piece of paper for a project I check out the box first.

When I cut out this branch I thought the negative part of the paper could be used as is. I jusr trimmed it to fir the card.

As for the phrases I used on the cards, I googled "friend quotes." I dont have any stamps with phrases so I found a bunch I liked and printed them out myself. Similar to the digital stamps, I like doing the phrases on the computer so I can choose the size and font to better fit with my project.

If a card is more serious, like a sympathy card, you could use a fancier font. For a friendship card (like this one) I like using a font that looks more like it was printed by hand.

First card trial

I notice a lot of regular bloggers have a good concept of card layouts. I've just started with card making so I'm still learning and trying things out. I've noticed that with all the craft supplies I have, I dont have much to accessorize with. I also noticed that I like to focus on the main image and once thats done I dont really know what to do with the rest of the space. So over the next few days I'll post my trials!

I coloured this ladybug girl around the time I got the prismacolor markers.
I used my x-acto knife to cut the image out as the markers bled with the cardstock I used. I then went around the edges with a thin black pen.




Here is an example of having lotsa empty space; but I think it looks cute. The dots on either side of the "thank you" are stick on rhinestones.

I thought the saying was too cute..

thought it would be perfect to give to a

girlfriend as a "just because" card.

I dont have a particular brand of paper that I use. Its mostly from paper pads I've gotten on sale or from the paper I had put away from when I used to scrapbook a few years ago (Creative Memories). You may notice a theme throughout my crafting.. I like to spend as little money as possible lol.

The images I use are mostly digi stamps. I do have and enjoy using regular stamps but I see the digital ones as having more benefits:

- They dont take up any space

- Cost less

- Dont use as much ink (saving $ and space)

- Ability to make them whatever size needed

Tomorrow I will post a few links to online stores with great digi stamps