One Stamp, Four Cards

In my last gasp of energy for the weekend, I tried the One Stamp, Many Cards idea using the new Stampin' Up! Happiness background stamp. That is the real reason I bought it (read: justification), so I might as well give it a shot.

I first tried to color it with markers, but that was a disaster. Not gonna post the results of that effort.

I then tried the new In Color ink pads - too juicy, and they stamped really wet and dried funny on the Whisper White card stock. I'll wait until they have experienced a few more workshop sessions before I try them again.

Then I tried my old faithful Certainly Celery, which has certainly seen better days. It worked the best of all of the ink pads, so off I went to create.

First, I must say this stamp has way more solid image sections than I originally thought, and they do not take ink well...that may be the 'too wet' problem I had with the In Color inks. I should probably rough up those sections a bit and try again.

Even with the Certainly Celery ink pad, the solid-er parts stamped kind of mottled-looking, which is fine if you like that sort of thing, but it is not what I was going for.

Anyway, here we go...

This is card #1, and I used just the flower section of the stamp. I chose this particular color combination from the SU Web site. A few weeks (or maybe months) ago SU had Not Quite Navy on the background of their Web site, with Celery and Orange accents, and I LOVED it. So that's where the idea came from.

Recipe (All products by Stampin; Up!): Stamps - Happiness bg, Curvy Verses; Card stock - Certainly Celery, Not Quite Navy, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White; Ink - Certainly Celery, Not Quite Navy; Accessories - Navy gg ribbon, Pumpkin Pie marker.


This is card #2, using another section of the Happiness stamp. I used the same colors as #1 since they were out and I am lazy. I stuck with the same, predictable 'me' card, layering it (almost straight, too!) and this time I added the Pumpkin as stripes behind the layered image.

I think it is missing something, maybe a sentiment, but most of my sentiments retired :-( and I have not replenished my supply yet.

Recipe (All products by Stampin; Up!): Stamps - Happiness bg; Card stock - Certainly Celery, Not Quite Navy, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White; Ink - Certainly Celery; Accessories - Pumpkin Pie marker.

On to card #3, which used the floral and striped sections of the image. I did my usual layering with the same colors (I am SO lazy), but wanted to do something a little bit different, so I focused on the background. I noticed the circles of dots in the stamped image, and reached for the circle of dots in the new Think Happy Thoughts set. Subtle, but not boring, and it pulled everything together.

I added the Happy Birthday from the new All Holidays stamp set - but I sure do miss All Year Cheer 1 & 2! :-(

Recipe (All products by Stampin; Up!): Stamps - Happiness bg, All Holidays, Think Happy Thoughts; Card stock - Certainly Celery, Not Quite Navy, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White; Ink - Certainly Celery, Not Quite Navy; Accessories - Pumpkin Pie marker.


And last, but not least, card #4, in which *gasp* I used a different color for the card base! Actually, I did try to sneak some Pumpkin Pie in there, but it looked better without it.

This card uses the top strip of the Happiness image. The words are a little multi-colored from where I did not clean the stamp well enough from one of the darker ink stamping attempts prior to settling on Celery. I think it adds a certain je ne sais qua, don'tcha think? During a workshop, I'd say, "I meant to do that."

I have seen many samples on SCS using the scalloped edge and eyelets, and I LOVE the look! Now that I seem to be getting the hang of my Crop-A-Dile, it is really easy, too. [I have a pink Crop-A-Dile, pre-SU offering, so I have had practice...I just tend to mangle the eyelets.] The fiber tied in the two eyelets is a piece of selvege edge from the Navy gg ribbon.

I think I will call this my Fusion Card. Where else would you find Argyle, smoke whisps (or is that dust) from a Western set, and a sentiment from an Asian set? If you do not think too much about it, I think it will pass muster. [I really miss AYC 1 & 2 ....I sooo need some good sentiments.]

Recipe (All products by Stampin; Up!): Stamps - Happiness bg, Bronc Buster, Artfully Asian; Card stock - Not Quite Navy, Whisper White; Paper - Certainly Celery from the Palette Of Prints; Ink - Certainly Celery, Not Quite Navy; Accessories - Navy gg ribbon, Brilliant Blue eyelets, Crop-A-Dile.

I am sure I will try this again, especially since my Customers like the idea, so I'd best start practicing for a future workshop. Once I get the inking down on the solid parts of the stamp, I'll try making white-based cards to see if I can get that to work.