This blog post contains affiliate links. When you shop through my links, I may receive compensation at no cost to you. Thank you from the bottom of my crafty heart!
Good Old Summertime is a set I've turned to again and AGAIN this summer! The sweet images are so fun to mix and match for handmade cards! On the first card, I stuck with the DRINKS (YUM) and paired them with the perfect sentiment "Drink in the Summertime". I used watercolor pencils to color this tasty rainbow of beverages, and then added some glaze and glitter to add some extra sparkle.
The background of this card is a Gel Press print that I made using some summery shades of liquid ink, blended together. I really like the contrast of the black and white patterns from paper and washi tape too - but then again, I'm always a sucker for bright colors paired with black and white! 
Up next, the same stamp set but a TOTALLY different look and technique! For this card I wanted to make a stamped background of all the cute images in this set. To make it easy, I used one medium size clear block and I fit as many stamps on as I could. This takes a little bit of trial and error and stamping on scrap paper to make sure everything is straight and spaced out evenly, but the work is worth it - because then it only took about four impressions to stamp all of these small images onto my cardstock panel. I used markers to color these images in and finished it off with the HELLO SUMMER sentiment. 

     

 

And now, let's talk about the colorful background which made my simple black and white stamping really POP. 
I began this background with a sheet of watercolor paper. Using a little water mister, I misted just a bit of water across it to get started. Then I added a blob of water onto the paper, and brushed in Jane Davenport's Mermaid Markers. (Mermaid Markers are filled with highly concentrated watercolor ink with a brush tip.) I dried each splotch of color with a heat tool before creating another one, but sometimes I allowed two to mix a bit. In between, I splattered some Sparkle Silk which mixed in nicely and added some shimmer. I kept layering colors until I was happy with how it looked, and then I let it dry. 

Here's a tip: Soaking and using a heat gun to dry will cause watercolor paper to become warped. When finished with a technique like this, mist the whole sheet again lightly and let it slowly air dry before assembling the card. This helps it to flatten out and removes the warping. 

To finish off the card, I added the stamped and die cut images, added some Rainbow Drops and a bit of glaze and glitter. This watercolor technique was really fun, and because I kept layering the color on, it allowed me to work a little at a time and the colors didn't get out of control or muddy. Definitely a fun way to play!

Thanks so much for stopping by today. I hope you'll go check out the Craft Happy Bundle in the Spellbinders shop, and check out the extra inspiration that's there! xoxo

     

 

Today's stamp is called Holiday Stamps! All of those cute postage stamp images are part of ONE large stamp. On the square card above, I stamped it as is and then colored the images with watercolor. This card is a little larger than my usual size. (5.5x5.5)

Next, I stamped the whole stamp twice onto a sage green cardstock panel.( Here's a TIP: Sometimes it's hard to stamp it the second time exactly straight and even, but that white sentiment band will hide it if it isn't quite even! Im tricky like that!) To add some subtle detail to this card, I added white colored pencil details and shading to the stamped images. It gives the images an almost snowy feel and it's such a simple technique. 

And now last but certainly not least - for this card, I stamped the image onto white cardstock and then trimmed just a few of the little postage images and adhered them to my card. I colored them with markers for a little different look. 

All three of these cards feature the same sentiment set, called Holiday Words, some fabulous black and white gingham twine, and the Holiday Stamps stamp. That's all! This stamp provides all kinds of creative opportunities and the images are so pretty!

     

 

Each time FSJ releases a new collection, you have the chance to get many of the elements early, in our project kits. The full holiday collection will go live on August 10, but it's a great deal to grab this kit with many of the new items at a special price PLUS you'll receive kitted cardstock and embellishments to make four gorgeous cards that we've designed just for you. You'll receive a link along with your Joy and Wonder Project Kit, to a make-and-take video with Kim Kesti where she'll teach you techniques and tricks using the new products to craft up these four gorgeous cards! Then, go crazy and make up your own designs!
Below you'll see all of the project kit contents. It includes 2 photopolymer stamp sets, 2 die sets, an embossing folder plus all those card making goodies ready to go!
Just for fun, before you go SHOP, here's one more card I created with the Arctic Wonder stamp set. I am so in love with these sweet polar bears - and since they're white, they're so simple to STAMP and GO for card making ideas. No coloring necessary! It was fun to create a snowy winter scene with sequins and stamped snowflakes on this shaker card. I can't wait to share more projects with you in the coming weeks as we enjoy this new fall and winter release. So friends, go order the Joy and Wonder kit so that you can start crafting your way through the remainder of 2020! And then grab all of the new items on August 10. (You can see the full collection in the Coming Soon section of the Spellbinders website!) 

I'm so grateful you stopped by today! xoxo