It's time for the Baker's Dozen Studio Challenge. This is a monthly opportunity for us to share what makes our stamping studios hum. Each month we will have a fun, crafty question so we can share our favorites, some tips and tricks, stamping advice and more.
The theme for August is:
PROJECT RUNWAY! Do you watch this show? It's perfect for creative types like us! On PR, the designers are given crazy challenges each week and asked to maintain their own personal style or point of view in their creation.
So, what's your stamping style or point of view? Would you consider your style to be CAS (Clean and Simple), Cutesy, Graphic, Vintage, Elegant, Layers & More Layers, or what? Describe it any way you like, it's your style after all! Today's challenge is to show us a couple of different projects using the same supplies. Show us one CAS card and one Fancy Fold card while still retaining your own personal style as much as possible.
I would consider my style to be Clean and Simple, but within that category I can go from cutesy to graphic, but I always like color!! If you notice, I don't add a lot of embellishments to my cards. I may add a ribbon or a few pearls, bling or stitching, but I usually keep my cards pretty simple. One thing I definitely like to add to my Clean and Simple cards is color. I created 3 cards today using the Summer Afternoon stamp set.
In the first card, I used some watercolor paper and Distress Markers to color the image. Once I colored the image, I sprayed it with water and stamped it on the card. I used the Small Scallop Border Die to add a little border to the card. These are my favorite kinds of cards to make. . .they are simple, don't require a lot of supplies, they're colorful and say what you want to say.
The second card uses the same stamp set, but less color on the stamp itself. I chose a Gate Fold Card for my Fancy Fold. I always liked the gate fold card, but I haven't made one in a while. I created the card base from Choice Snow White cardstock and once folded, I stamped the image in Walnut Stain Distress ink over the opening of the card. Next I stamped another sentiment from the set onto some patterned paper from Prima's Doodle Deux Collection that was in the August Key Ingredients Subscription. I punched it out with a circle punch and matted it with a larger circle punched out of some Bazzill cardstock. I attached the sentiment circle onto the right side of the gate fold opening with foam tape. I stamped and cut out the bird image and then mounted that to the left side of the gate fold opening with foam tape and the sentiment circle is able to be tucked behind the bird to keep the card from opening. I die cut some scallop borders using the Small Scallop Border Die again and added them to the top and bottom of the card.
Again, this card is Clean and Simple, but doesn't add as much color as the first card. This is the type of card I would create on days when I don't have time to color. Did I mention I LOVE silhouette images? That's one of the reasons I adore this set. . .because I don't have to color if I don't want to!
My third card uses the Summer Afternoon set again, colored again with the Distress Markers. This time, I added a few extras to the card. It's another Gate Fold Card, but I added patterned paper panels to the front of the card and used the Large Layering Doily Die to matte the sentiment circle. I used the same trick with the bird to hold the card closed as I did on the previous gate fold card. I also used a different sentiment from the set on this card.
So, there you have it! My Clean and Simple style in three different ways. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE cards in which the designer used lots of gorgeous embellishments, but my brain just doesn't work that way. If I was challenged to use lots of embellishments, I would do my best, but by nature, I like just plain old paper, ink and stamps!
I hope you've found our challenge interesting today! Visit the rest of the Baker's Dozen to see how they describe THEIR style!! Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!
Jen Shults
Jodi Collins
Karen Giron
Melody Rupple
Regina Mangum
Sankari Wegman
Shannon White
Shelly Mercado
Stephanie Kraft
Taylor VanBruggen
Wanda Guess