Today’s projects feature my single favorite stamp set from the current mini-catalog plus the dies that go with it. I’m talking about the Positive Thoughts Stamp Set and coordinating Natures Thoughts dies.
I was working on a design for my Team Gathering this past week and in the process found what I like to call my “creative bliss”. I knew I wanted to make something with the Positive Thoughts Stamp Set and Natures Thoughts dies. I’d been playing with it and had some die-cut fern pieces that needed to be used. When this card finally came together I was so excited I wanted to just share it with the world. It was so fun to share this project with my team this past Tuesday and in my weekly Facebook Live on Thursday. Now, I get to share it with you!
The truth is that the creative process is not linear and so I took some twists and turns to get to my final project. The main technique I used was stamping with Pigment Sprinkles. It all started with this first card here:
I used a process where you wet your stamp, apply pigment sprinkles and then stamp. It’s really quite simple but it can produce some remarkable and interesting results. Be forewarned, if you try it prepare to get messy! For the card above, I just stamped multiple times with the same image without reinking but rewetting as needed.
The whole process is shown in my Facebook Live video. In fact, the background used on the card below is the one I made during the live video. You’ll find the video later in this post if you want to see how I did it.
As you can see, these two backgrounds turned out very different from one another, even though I used the same process with the same image from the Positive Thoughts Stamp Set!
I used the Perennial Birthday stamp set for the big Happy Birthday sentiment.
As I was creating the first card shown above, I also stamped some extra fern images onto scraps of watercolor paper and they simply needed to be used!
These leftover die-cut fern pieces were what lead to the creation of my “creative bliss” card you see here:
Here’s a close up so you can really appreciate the details on this focal piece and background:
I attached my pair of ferns with glue dots on the bottom and dimensionals at the top, as shown in the photo below. For all the detailed for assembling this fern element check out the video ahead.
The background piece for this card was also created with pigment sprinkles.
During the video, I made the background piece shown below and on the left. I created the one on the right off camera. It’s amazing to me how different these each turn out!
All three finished cards below were made with pigment sprinkles for the background and for stamping the fern images.
They’re each so different even though the exact same process was used!
Here’s a close up of the one in the middle:
Here’s a close up of the one on the right:
Here are the cards made by three people at the team gathering, plus mine is the one on the lower left.
Now the fact that they each turn out different may be a bit of a deterrent to some people since the results can be a bit unpredictable. I think this characteristic of Pigment Sprinkles might make them less than appealing so some people.
As a result, I decided to show some alternative ways to create similar projects, for those that may not love pigment sprinkles as much as I do. I ended up making five different card variations in the process.
For one of the alternative backgrounds, I simply created a watercolor wash with an Aqua Painter, and Shaded Spruce ink refill, on watercolor paper.
This is the finished card made with the background above.
For this next card, I used a piece of Granny Apple Green cardstock in behind the focal piece. I love how clean this looks and the simpler background really makes the focal element stand out.
In the Facebook Live, I also showed some alternative ways to stamp the fern image. Check out the video to see those.
So, the technique tends to generate lots of stamped pieces so I had lots of ferns pieces to play with. I matched up the fern pieces that went the best with each background and still had more leftover when I was done.
I sure hope you enjoyed seeing all my card variations made with the Positive Thoughts Stamp Set and Natures Thoughts dies. Are you inspired to go find your own “creative bliss”? I sure hope so! Please leave a comment and let me know what you think.
If you’d like to order the products I used to make these projects, you’ll find a complete supply list with links to my online store at the end of this post. You’ll also find project dimensions there too! Thanks for spending some time with me today and…
Happy Crafting!
Melissa 🙂
More Going On Now
- Technique Club & Classes Now Available! Click HERE to learn about my exclusive technique classes!
- Become a Newsletter Subscriber and get Special Perks plus FREE Downloads too! Click HERE to subscribe!
- GET PERKS when you Place Orders through my online store! Receive FREE Project Kits. 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 3/5/20 at 7 pm EST. Find me on Facebook by clicking here: Melissa’s Crafting Treehouse Facebook Page
Click HERE to Shop in my Online Store Now!
Current Hostess Code:
WG4PFPS9
Use the current hostess code to get Free Card Kits and other perks with your qualifying purchases!
If your order is $150 or more Do NOT use the hostess code! You’ll get hostess rewards AND Free Card Kits too!
Not sure how to apply the Hostess Code? Click HERE to learn more.
See the NEW Jan. to Jun. 2020 Mini-Catalog PDF below.
See the NEW 2020 Sale-A-Bration PDF below.
Check out the 2019 – 2020 Annual Catalog PDF below.
Check out my Facebook Live and video tutorial here:
The project demonstration begins at around 5 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.
Card #1 Project Dimensions:
- Whisper White Card Body: 5-1/2″ x 8-1/2″
- Shaded Spruce Layer: 4″ x 5-1/2″
- Water Color Paper Background Piece: 3-1/2″ x 5-1/8″
- Vellum Layer: 2″ x 4-5/8″
- Shimmery White Sentiment Backing: 1-9/16″ x 4-3/16″
- Shaded Spruce Sentiment Backing: 1-3/16 x 3-13/16″
- Shimmery White Sentiment Piece: 1″ x 3-5/8″
Card #2 Project Dimensions:
- Whisper White Card Body: 5-1/2″ x 8-1/2″
- Shaded Spruce Layer: 3-7/8″ x 5-1/2″
- Water Color Paper Background Piece: 3-1/2″ x 5-1/2″
- Vellum Layer: 2-15/16″ x 4-15/16″
- Whisper White Layer: 2-1/2″ x 4-1/2″
Project Supplies:
Wow! Your cards are really awesome!
Thank you Lise. I’m so glad you enjoyed these projects. They are one of my latest favorites without a doubt! Thanks for commenting and Happy Crafting!