The first card you see here is likely the simplest card I’ve ever made with the easiest card layout ever! It was also the inspiration for the three additional cards in this post.
For those of you that love a simple black and white card, you are going to LOVE my original card design and simple card layout! I hope you’ll also enjoy seeing my 3 additional, more complex cards, where I experimented with alternative ways to add color with Blends Alcohol Markers, rubbing alcohol, and vellum cardstock.
All of my cards today are made with the Calming Camellia Host Stamp Set that features some gorgeous natural images and great sentiments too!
Here are all the images in this lovely set:
The other essential products used include the amazing Mother of Pearl Specialty Paper and the Shimmery White cardstock for the card base. I just adore the main image on this card and it’s especially lovely paired with this incredible paper. Don’t you think?
Tip: You should know that the surface of this paper is smooth and a bit non-porous so when you stamp on it you’ll want to use Jet Black StazOn Ink which is a solvent-based ink. If you use water-based ink it will likely sit on the surface and never dry. I’ll be taking advantage of this exact feature in my next card. Also, since it’s a somewhat slick surface when you stamp, be sure to press straight down and don’t press so hard that it slides and you get a blurry image.
Truth be told the Mother of Pearl Specialty Paper was the inspiration for my three additional cards today!
In the tip above I mentioned the fact that this paper has a somewhat non-porous surface. I love working with these kinds of surfaces (eg. foil papers, vellum cardstock) because it opens up some different creative possibilities and challenges.
Here’s a closeup of this paper:
The essential question I was asking myself was how could I add color to this non-porous surface?
I was just dying to see the gorgeous sparkle and texture of this paper in other colors! I knew that water-based ink wouldn’t work so I immediately jumped to the idea of using rubbing alcohol and ink.
However, a strange thing happened when I did this. It was like a bit of the surface was reacting with the alcohol producing a gunky material on the surface. Strangely, the sparkle in the paper didn’t change but it just looked really odd. So, I realized I needed to take another approach to add color to the paper which was more involved than I had hoped but I just had to persevere!
In my video, at the end of this post, I showed the process but here are the basic steps:
- Stamp the image in Jet Black StazOn and allow to dry or gently heat on the low setting with a heat tool.
- Press a Versamark Pad over the entire surface to cover completely and heat emboss with clear embossing powder.
- Scribble swatches of color with Blends Alcohol Markers onto the surface in Dark Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, and Magenta Madness. Avoid applying color to the center as you’ll be coloring the image later.
- Use a Water Painter with some rubbing alcohol to wet each color, one at a time to allow the colors to move and blend. Allow the surface to dry.
- Color in the image using Dark Blends Alcohol Markers in Magenta Madness and Shaded Spruce.
- When the surface is dry, apply another layer of Versamark and heat emboss again with clear embossing powder. Applying the alcohol markers to the heat embossed surface can cause the surface to lose it’s shine. So, this second layer of heat embossing was done to bring back the glossy finish of the surface.
I played around with a couple of options for the space under my floral image. The version below was made using a scrap of Vellum Cardstock that had been colored in the method described above. I put a white piece of cardstock in behind the vellum before attaching it to its black base.
After trying several options for the sentiment in various colors I decided to go with a subtle little bow instead. Which do you like? The sentiment or the bow?
As you can see the card layout is exactly the same but with the color added you get a completely different looks.
Here’s another look at this pairing with my bow instead of the sentiment.
My remaining two cards use the same technique for applying the color but on these I used Vellum Cardstock instead.
On this one, I changed up the colors a bit. The colors used here are Magenta Madness, Night of Navy, and Shaded Spruce.
I did not do any heat embossing on this card so this was actually the simplest of the colored versions I made.
Important Tip: The Jet Black Stazon will react with the alcohol so you’ll need to stamp the image on one side of the vellum, and apply the color to the backside.
For this last one, the card layout is the same but the sizing of the pieces is slightly different.
My floral image here was stamped in White Craft Ink and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.
All the colors were applied to the backside of the Vellum Cardstock. For the background edges, I used Dark Blends Alcohol Markers in Magenta Madness and Night of Navy. I intentionally mixed the colors a bunch to get some purple tones. I adjusted the card layout so I could add in my extra layer of Gorgeous Grape cardstock, allowing me to have two shades of purple instead of just one.
The image was colored in on the backside using Magenta Madness and Shaded Spruce Blends Alcohol Markers. Coloring on the backside produces more muted colors that show through on the front but I did it this way so I wouldn’t remove the glossy finish of the heat embossed surface. I did add a few accents of color on the front being careful not to touch the heat embossed image. The color shows up darker when applied on the front side.
To finish off my card I added a small bow made with the Polished Pink Open Weave ribbon.
Here are my two card versions made with the Vellum Cardstock:
I hope you’ve enjoyed going on my little creative journey with the Calming Camellia Stamp Set and my simple card layout!
Here’s how you can get the Calming Camellia Stamp Set for FREE:
Get this stamp set as a FREE gift when you host a party or place an order of $300 in merchandise during the Sale-A-Bration promotion. It’s a great time to host a party too because during Sale-A-Bration customers get a FREE item for every $50 they spend on merchandise. So consider gathering orders from friends before this promotion is over!
Simply click HERE to contact me to get a unique host code so you can give it to your friends! They can get free gifts and you can too! This promotion ends on 2/28/22 so don’t delay!
At the end of this post, you’ll find project dimensions, and a complete supply list with links to my online store, so you can purchase the products needed to make these projects. I hope you’re inspired to create!
Happy Crafting!
Melissa 🙂
More Going On Now
- Winter Maker’s Mojo Creative Escape “After the Live” Option – Click HERE to Buy it NOW!
- Join my Online Technique Club and Get FREE Classes plus Free Products! Learn more HERE. RSVP by 2/20/22!
- Buy a Technique Class Subscription and Get 3 Amazing Classes at a Reduced Price! Learn more HERE. RSVP by 2/20/22!
- Become a Newsletter Subscriber and get Special Perks plus FREE Downloads too! Click HERE to subscribe!
- Become a Stamp Club Member and Receive FREE Project Kits Plus FREE Products! Click HERE for more details.
- Earn Loyalty Leaves with your purchases in my Online Store! Cash them in for FREE Stampin’ Up! products! Click HERE to learn more.
- Join me for my next Facebook Live Event on Thursday 2/24/22 at 7 pm EST. Find me on Facebook by clicking here: Melissa’s Crafting Treehouse Facebook Page
- Spring Maker’s Mojo Creative Escape 04/23/22 – Register by 04/21/22!
Current Hostess Code:
SCUYSZXR
Become a Stamp Club Member and get a Free Class-To-Go and Free Products!
If your order is $150 or more Do NOT use the host code! You’ll get host rewards AND an additional gift from me!
Not sure how to apply the Host Code? Click HERE to learn more.
Click below to see the January to June 2022 Mini Catalog!
Sale-A-Bration Brochure PDF!
See the 2021 – 2022 Annual Catalog PDF by clicking on the photo below!
Click HERE to request a catalog if you intend to purchase Stampin’ Up! products through my online store.
Learn how to make these four projects using the one card layout here:
The project demonstration begins at around 18 minutes in case you’d like to jump ahead.
If you watched this video here on my blog and enjoyed it, please go on over to my YouTube channel and give it a Thumbs Up, Share it with friends and Subscribe to my YouTube Channel. I’d be so grateful! Plus, once you subscribe, you’ll have the option to click on the bell, to be notified whenever I publish a new video.
Project Dimensions:
Card #1, #2, & #3
- Shimmery White or Magenta Madness Card Body: 4-1/4″ x 11″
- Basic Black or Basic White Layer: 3-11/16″ x 4-15/16″
- Mother or Pearl Speciality Paper or Vellum Cardstock: 3-½” x 4-¾”
- Shimmery White Sentiment Piece: ½″ x 2-3/8″ (Happy Birthday)
- Basic Black Sentiment Backing: ⅝” x 2-½” (Happy Birthday)
- Basic White Sentiment Piece: ½″ x 2-⅝″ (You Make Me Smile)
- Shaded Spruce Sentiment Backing: ⅝” x 2-¾” (You Make Me Smile)
- White Inside: 4″ x 5-¼”
Card #4
- Highland Heather Card Body: 4-1/4″ x 11″
- Gorgeous Grape Layer: 3-¾” x 5″
- Basic White Layer: 3-⅜″ x 4-⅝″
- Vellum Cardstock: 3-¼” x 4-½”
- White Inside: 4″ x 5-¼”
