Monday

Sunset Silhouette


Honestly, I think the hardest part about blogging is coming up with a post's title! (grin) I think I've changed my post title at least two other times...
Thank you for all of the warm wishes for my daughter's 10th birthday, yesterday. After she received it (and found her new stash of cash), I let her see her card posted on the big "WWW," and your comments especially touched her heart. And, just to let you know, we are going shopping when she returns from school this afternoon... she has already decided to get a wallet! What?!? No toy, new game or stuffed animal? I suppose she is growing up after all... and soon enough her wishlist items will become a cell phone, i-pod, car.... BIG leap with the last one there, kiddo!!!

Before I faint, let's move on to something a little more calming - today's card details:
This card's background was created entirely with sponging using SU's sponge daubers. I love the control you get with these babies! Such a simple technique to do, and I think the results are always stunning - it's truly hard to mess this technique up if you follow these two simple rules of thumb: 1) start with the lightest color first and end with the darkest, AND 2) with each subsequent color, begin about 1/2 inch or so away from the previous color and tap, tap, tap moving inwards to blend together. This way, the bulk of the darker color is on the very edges and the ink is "used up" as you are moving in toward the lighter color, which provides the most color control during the blending process for you! If you haven't tried this before, please do! It's easy, and the results are beautiful!!!

I started this card by stamping the leaves from the Embrace Life stamp set in Basic Black ink onto a pre-cut Whisper White cardstock block. I colored in the leaves with the black marker to create my silhouette. Using the 1 3/8 inch circle punch, I punched a circle out of a post-it note (or you can use scrap paper) and adhered it onto my W.White block with repositionable tape. I picked out 4 colors for my background (although you can have as few as two). I chose Summer Sun, Pumpkin Pie, Bravo Burgundy and Elegant Eggplant inkpads with this card. Beginning with the Summer Sun ink, I began tapping the inkpad with a sponge dauber 4-5 times to pick up ink (repeat this step as necessary). Starting on the post-it and moving outward about 3/4 inches, I tapped lightly until I achieved even coverage of color all around. I selected Pumpkin Pie next and (with a clean sponge dauber) started tapping about 1/4 inch away from the edges of the Summer Sun ink. I tapped the dauber in toward the Summer Sun ink and blended the two colors together till I was happy with the color transition, then moved outward toward the cardstock edges so that I had an orange "band" that about 3/4 inches in width. I followed the same method for the Bravo Burgundy and Elegant Eggplant - just remember, "start outside - move in"... Make sense? Then, here comes my favorite part of all - removing the post-it note! Ta-Da!!! The results are always breath-taking..... try it out and see for yourself!! ...then you'll hear me in the background whispering.... "I told you so!" :)
Have a great day, everyone!

Stamps - Embrace Life
Cardstock - Whisper White, Elegant Eggplant
Inks - Summer Sun, Pumpkin Pie, Bravo Burgundy and Elegant Eggplant inkpads, Black marker Accessories - sponge daubers, post-it note, 1 3/8 inch circle punch

6 comments:

Sara Mattson-Blume said...

WOW! I love your sponging! This is truly an A+ card!

Jasmine Hicks Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator said...

Hi June

This Card Is STUNNING. I love it. Im gonna have to try this technique and what a coincidence I just got some sponge daubers recently. Yay!!

Jaz xox

Lisa Page said...

This reminds me of a Michelle Zindorf card- you should be so proud of yourself, it is as good as her cards! ABSOLUTELY gorgeous! I really need to get my supplies out to make something like this- it has such the WOW factor!

Eileen said...

Wow, this is beautiful! The colors are great, and the image just pops against the background. I also love how the sentiment doesn't just leap out at you first. TFS~~

Mindy Ussery said...

This is breathtaking. I really need to try this technique. :)

Anonymous said...

This is amazing!! I love the details you put in your instructions. I know this is time consuming but this is what I find brings me back to blogs. All the nifty extras. Thanks!!

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