Hey Bestie!

I wanted to share my hop cards from this months Create 3 Ways Instagram hop. I LOVE this hop. Each month a group of card makers gather to share their 3 takes on one product, color scheme, or sketch. Actually anything goes with that part… so long as your item makes it into all 3 cards. I had SO many ideas that it was hard to narrow down what I wanted to work with. In the end I decided on the Taylored Expressions background stamp called Summer Vibes.

So this stamp is large enough to create full backgrounds for many sized cards. My cards are almost always going to be A2 cards (4.25 x 5.5 inches). This is my goto size and the one that I prep for. Maybe that needs to be it’s own blog post… how I keep my card making stash ready to create at any moment.

I really was surprised at how different each card looked when finished. I mean they all started from the same black and white image on white cardstock. But the end result for each is uniquely it’s own. Let’s dive into all three cards one at a time.

The first card I’m sharing is where I started for this creative journey. The basic black and white panel. Summer for me is the ocean and days at the lake and both of those thoughts bring me to a blue green color pallet. I started by layering the black and white image onto a blue green card layer.

Almost all of the time my card layers are 1/8″ smaller than the one below it. I think this simplifies card making. I stamped the Hello from Taylored Expressions in 3 shades of blue green (light to dark). I used my finger to blend the edges of the ink a bit before stamping it. After fussy cutting the word, I was ready to add it to my card. I cut a band of light green paper to sit diagonaly across the background image. It is slightly higher on the card than dead center. This creates visual interest in the finished card.

To complete my card I added some blue green sequins. I really love how this card turned out. Now let’s talk about card two.

This card started with two black background panels. I colored one panel and the other I die cut using a Taylored Expression cover plate die. I really feel like any cover plate die would have looked fantastic with this idea. I took inspiration from the spotlight technique where you highlight or spotlight a section of the card by coloring it. I really love how this technique looks on large bold black and white line images and thought it would translate to this card as well. You will have to tell me in the comments if you have ever created with the spotlight technique.

For my spotlight section, I used Altenew duel tip makers from the Hawaiian Collection to color the icons. When I placed the uncolored die cut black and white layer on top, it created a unique background for my card.  This was really fun to do and honestly something that I enjoy. I know I’m the weird one who loves to fussy cut and color. I just find it so very calming! Once I had the two pieces ready, I glued the panels together.

The challenge for this card was how to add a sentiment. The background is VERY colorful and busy. While this was done on purpose, I needed to add some kind of layer to set the sentiment apart. I chose black and white as a way to stand out from the bright colors. I used a shadow die and 2 sizes of circles. There is a velum layer between the black layer and the actual card. I think that also helped to make the sentiment stand out. I finished this card with some gold thread and sequins.  On to our last card!

This one just might be my favorite! I really Iove each of these cards, but this last one really makes me smile in a way the others do not. Ok so I had this idea of what would happen if I took different layers of this image and put them together as a single image. The thought was kind of a twist on the spotlight technique. I debated so many different ways. Like what if I stamped it in a “sunset” color way and cut the panel in to sections and layered it from top to bottom. While I liked that idea it didn’t feel special enough. lol Then I wondered what would happen if I did that with Tim Holtz embossing glaze. Ok getting better. Still not sure though.

While debating what to actually do, I realized that I had the “cut outs” from my second card and it hit me!! I grabbed some Champaign embossing powder by Taylered Expressions and quicked made a new panel that I die cut to match the second card.  Now that I had both black and white and champaign and white pieces I was ready to assenble this card. I used the champaign colored frame to help me place the alternating pieces for my card. I am in LOVE with how this looks. I hope that you can see how special it is in the pictures because in real life it is STUNNING!

My sentiment is on a graphite gray cardstock and a cream colored word. Who says you can’t mix cream and white in the same card? I love how the two look together with the champaign embossing powder. A little more thread, this one is a Heidi Swapp, and some black sequins to complete the card! See why I love this one so much? It’s just chef’s kiss.

I really hope that you were inspired by this months Create 3 ways IG hop, and my deeper blog explanation of my process. I hope that you have been inspired to create today! Until next time… go be crafty!