More Spice Cake

Another self-explanatory card today! Triangles of spice cake designer paper on confetti cream cardstock form the card base. The trees have been stamped in chocolate chip ink onto another piece of confetti cream cardstock. There are small, coloured inclusions in this cardstock which gives it a rustic look - ideal for today's card. The rustic feel is echoed in the layer of chocolate chip cardstock with torn edges. You can't see from this photo, but I've used textured cardstock for added character. The sentiment has been stamped with chocolate chip ink, then cut using the decorative label punch. TIP: Stamp the sentiment, then turn the punch upside down so that you position the sentiment exactly where you need it. The same punch has been used with textured chocolate chip cardstock to produce an accent layer underneath.

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

• Stamps: Lovely as a Tree, Happiest Birthday Wishes (hostess set)
• Ink: Chocolate Chip
• Cardstock: Confetti Cream, Chocolate Chip
• Other: Spice Cake DSP, Decorative Label punch, dimensionals.

A birthday tree

I seem to be on a roll with masculine cards at the minute. Here is a birthday card, featuring one of my most-used sets in the catalogue, Lovely as a tree.

I embossed a piece of espresso cardstock using the square lattice embossing folder, then added eyelets using a crop-a-dile. Some twill has been threaded through the eyelets and tied in a knot. I made a little tag for the sentiment using the modern label punch and crumb cake cardstock, and attached to the twill knot with linen thread. The tree stamp has been inked using markers and stamped onto watercolour paper. I've then used an aquapainter to spread the ink a little to create a watercolour effect, then torn the paper on two sides.

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

• Stamps – Lovely as a Tree, Occasional Quotes (hostess L3)
• Ink – Old Olive, Early Espresso
• Cardstock – Old Olive, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake
• Other – Modern Label punch, Square Lattice Embossing folder, Watercolour paper, Aquapainter, Jumbo Eyelets, 3/8” Twill, Linen thread, dimensionals.

Monchromatic monolayer!

Here's a one layer card, something I don't do very often as I find it difficult not to add bits and bobs! This would be good for mass production as there aren't too many steps involved. Or how about experimenting with different colour schemes?


I created a mask by cutting an oval aperture in a piece of scrap paper, then placed this over my piece of white cardstock. The trees were then stamped through the aperture using artichoke ink (the edges of the image are on the scrap paper, not the cardstock). While the mask was still in place, I daubed round the edges with pastels. The mask was removed and the sentiment stamped in artichoke ink, and the bottom edge of the cardstock pierced. The artichoke ribbon was added before the white layer was added to an artichoke card base.

We all knew it wouldn't last!

I forgot to post yesterday, sorry! I did actually have something to post, but by the time I got back from card club it had slipped my mind (the mind is so small, that's quite easy to do, haha!)


The oak leaves have been coloured using an aquapainter and artichoke, mustard and cocoa inkpads. The artichoke paper is from the Tea and Crumpets pack, while the mustard is from the paper pad available as a Level 1 hostess gift. I wanted a sentiment that didn't distract too much from the image, and thought this sentiment from the Soft Summer set fit the bill nicely.

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

• Stamps: Lovely as a Tree, Soft Summer
  
• Ink: black Stazon, Always Artichoke, More Mustard, Close to Cocoa
  
• Cardstock: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip
• Other: Patterns Pack Designer paper (hostess), Tea and Crumpets Designer paper, Earth Elements buttons, Linen thread, Aqua Painter.

Another oak card

Here is another card made using the Lovely as a Tree set. As I said in a previous post, this set really lends itself to many occasions and is brilliant for a man's card, whether it be birthday, anniversary, thank you etc.

The oak leaf and acorn have been coloured using watercolour crayons on white cardstock. 2 jumbo eyelets have been added to the green panel, and a piece of string (non- SU!) has been threaded through them. The rust card has been stamped with rust ink using the Sanded background, and the sentiment stamped in black Stazon to make it more prominent.

Products used (all Stampin' Up! unless stated):

• Stamps: Lovely as a Tree, Sincere Salutations, Sanded BG
• Ink: Black Stazon, Really Rust
• Cardstock: Really Rust, Garden Green, Whisper White
• Other: Watercolour Wonder Crayons, jumbo eyelets, string (non-SU)

Watercoloured oak tree

Here is a card I made using one of the stamps from Lovely as a Tree. This set is really versatile - it can be used for Christmas cards, sympathy cards and cards for men (always difficult!)




The oak tree has been stamped on watercolour paper with black Stazon, then colored using watercolour crayons. These are really easy to use and blend beautifully. The colour can be added in several different ways:

• draw over the image with different coloured crayons, then use a watercolor pen or brush to blend the colours together,
• run the damp watercolour pen or brush over the crayon and use like proper watercolours.

The main image has been layered onto mustard and green cardstock and added to the navy card. A strip of mustard cardstock, with the sentiment from Sincere Salutations stamped in navy, has been added to the side of the image. The leaf from Lovely as a Tree has been stamped in navy ink over the navy card, though this is difficult to see in the picture.

Products used (all Stampin' Up! unless stated)

• Stamps: Lovely as a Tree, Sincere Salutations
• Ink: Not quite Navy
• Cardstock: More Mustard, Garden Green, Not quite Navy
• Other: watercolour paper (non SU), Watercolour Wonder Crayons