April Technique Blog Hop

APRIL: Stamp Set Showdown

Welcome to A Year of Card Techniques Blog Hop where each month we’ll feature a different card technique. We’ve assembled a team of fabulous card makers who range from new to advanced, so you’ll see a wide variety of cards and ideas.

The month of April features a Showdown! A stamp set showdown, that is. We’re using one stamp set in various ways. Let’s face it, stamp sets are getting more and more expensive; so we’re here to inspire you by demonstrating how to s-t-r-e-t-c-h those stamps! 

If you would like to check out our past technique hops, you can do that here:
January-Shaving Cream Marbleizing
February-So Sketchy
March-no hop 

Also - I'm the sponsor this month! Here's the prize - three Artist Trading size stamp sets from Fun Stampers Journey (plus a little surprise!) Please take a moment to check out our great products here. Also, you might want to visit my Facebook Group here to see some of the cards my group makes at our monthly classes. 

We really appreciate feedback, so please leave a comment on each of the blogs in the hop today. One winner will be chosen from all comments on the hop as of April 28, 2017. The winner will be announced in our May hop; so be sure to come back next month. 

You should have arrived here from Kim's blog, Katydid Cards.  If you're visiting here first, you might want to start at the beginning so you don't miss a thing and increase your chances of winning by leaving a comment on each blog. 

Now - on to the good stuff! I've chosen the Glass Blooms set by Fun Stampers Journey to focus on this month:




This set originally debuted in the February 2016 Bloom Box, Fun Stampers Journey's monthly kit, and was one of the items that led me to sign up as a Coach....but I was just 5 days too late to get it! Three months later it became available to non-Bloom Box subscribers, and I immediately purchased the set and matching dies. Four designs (which I've since duplicated) came in the original box, and I've created or CASE'd many others. This is one set that I hope doesn't retire for a LONG time to come! I hope you enjoy some of these cards, all mainly focusing on the dragonfly image. Because I LIKE dragonflies.



For the first card, I spritzed some water on my card stock and then dropped in some of our FSJ Silks. The colors moved and spread beautifully. After the card stock dried, I stamped and die cut the images to use in the card below.


I added more Silks to the embossed back panel, popped up the images, and added a few sequins because it looked like it needed something.



Lately, I've been coloring FSJ's clear glitter (Sparkle Dust) with Silks to create fine colored glitter to match my papers and inks. On this card I die cut the dragonflies from the white panel and added clear packaging tape to the back of the openings, sticky side facing front. Then I sprinkled the colored glitter all over the tape and burnished it with my finger.



Here, I masked off both sides of the card, and sponged on pan pastels in the center for the background. Then more Silk splatters! The dragonflies are painted with Silks diluted with a bit of water.



This card was one of the designs included in the original Bloom Box. The background was created by dipping the cap from the ink refill bottle into a puddle of ink, then "stamping" random circles. Journey Glaze makes the wings shiny.



For this card, I simply stamped my images onto a panel of Whip Cream card stock, and then cut it into thirds and adhered it to the card base. All of the flowers have blue centers, honest! I'm not sure what happened on the bottom right when I took this picture...

Now you’re off to visit with Jearise.  Hope you had fun and thanks for stopping by. See you next month with another technique!

Here’s the full line-up in case you get lost:
Sharon - A Piece of Heart
Claudia - Crafting with a View
Kim - Katydid Cards
Wilma - Stampin' to the Oldies (You are HERE!)
Jearise - Lorby's World
Amanda - My Thoughts & Scraps
Lisa - Lisa's Little Bits
Jodie - Stampin Jodie Creations
Card A Day Challenge Team - Card a Day Challenge
Ronda - Ronda's Paper Creations
Sandy - Scrapbook Blessings Club
Candy - candy scraps