Creating a View with Card-io Stamps

 

Good morning crafty peeps! October: the month during which the supermarkets start bombarding us with Halloween, fireworks and Christmas all at once! Have you had a mince pie yet? I am trying hard to resist, but I am rather partial, I fully admit...

 

This month we started to succumb to the inevitable and began some Christmas cards in class. We focused on using scene building ideas, creating unique little pictures which make fun and funky cards! The bonus is, once you get in the zone, you can make loads in a batch!

 

I was given a set from Card-io called 'Winter Walks' to play with, along with some sentiments. I always find these scene-style sets deceptive, as when you first look I don't think you always see all the options and the small stamps within. This is one of those situations in which playing is a MUST!

 

When I first looked at the stamps, I loved the people that were walking and this inspired me to create a scene through a window. I reached for my dies and found an old Spellbinders D-Lites die and started to play.

 

 

My first step was to draw around the inner section of the window to get an idea of the size of the area I had to work with. I always do this when creating a scene, as I find it easier to plan my layout. I cannot simply go straight to stamping, otherwise I get items in the wrong perspective, squashed or missing! I also think having a play with a smaller area rather than a blank sheet gives you confidence. Take the time to prepare, and it's worth it in the end...(rather like preparing to decorate!).

 

Pictured above is the scene I decided I wanted to go with. I also die-cut a template window so that I could check the positioning (I will go into detail with creating the scene elements in my tutorial post next Thursday if you would like to see this in more depth). I have used torn copy paper to create my hills, and drawn around the top of a small bottle and cut out a moon shape. The Winter Walks Card-io stamps have been stamped using Versafine Onyx Black ink, as there is some fine detail within and I wanted to capture all of this. Tip: if you are using glossy card, or don't want to wait for inks to dry, you can use Jet Black Staz-On. To add the colours I have used Distress Inks (Salty Ocean, or a similar blue works well, along with Squeezed Lemonade). There are also lots of Versacolour pads that will also give great effects.

 

Once I had decided my scene, I drew around the shape again onto Super Smooth White Card. I then stamped the scene, added some Crystal Glitter and cut it out. I also cut a window out, put some acetate behind the window panes and stuck the window elements together with Cosmic Shimmer glue.

 

The final card has been finished with an embossed panel behind the window, and mounted onto some co-ordinating card. I have added a sentiment panel using one of the stamps from the Card-io Christmas Sentiments selection.

 

 

I hope you like it, have an experiment with these scenes and make sure that you enter the new blog challenge to win £20 to spend on supplies for some Christmas crafting! The theme is 'Stamped Christmas Scenes' & if you use Card-io stamps on your project, you get a second entry.

 

Love

Martina

xx