I am always watching for great deals, especially from my favorite stamp company. Let me tell you, folks, this "Deal of the Decade" is the best one yet!! So I went a little wild and ordered a bunch of D-sized sets because, at only $10, I was practically paying half price for them. (My consultant LOVES me!) In addition, I got the Cutie Pie Stamp of the Month at $5, and ordered enough to qualify for hostess credit all on my own allowing me to get a few of those new hostess only sets (see this post for how I used one of them).It was like my own, personalized Christmas opening that box!!
With all those new images to play with, I went to town. We all know about mixing and matching paper packs, but sometimes we act like our projects are limited to one stamp set, maybe two if one set is mostly graphics and the other is sentiments. Not so, my friends!
Here's an experiment to try. Pull out a bunch of your current stamp sets and lay them on the floor. Reorganize them into piles by style: masculine, hand-drawn, whimsical, bold/graphic, etc. Then focus in on just one pile. Lay the stamp sets out so you can see all the images. I sometimes remove them from their plastic folders and lay them side-by-side so the images all run together like one, big set. I start seeing combinations I wouldn't otherwise.
Another thing I like to do is go blog hopping. I'll see a combination of images that have me reaching for different sets. This card was inspired by one I've had in my file since I first saw it here:
I combined Here We Go (introduced in August) with Sightseer (not shown in catalog but still available to order). To create my circle, I used the Stitch Guide and Piercing Tool. My colors are Flaxen, Sunset, Lagoon, Gypsy, Cranberry, and Whisper.
Using almost an identical layout, (which coincidently happens to be a CAS style of this week's Mojo Monday), I also came up with this card:
There are three stamp sets used here: Doodled Designs, Cutie Pie, and You're the Bomb. The border is Honey Triangle Washi Tape, but you could easily use the chevron border stamp from the first card to create the same effect. The cherries on top were dotted with Liquid Glass to give them dimension and shine. I used a black marker around the edges of both the cupcakes and the "YOU ARE" banner because I like the way it disguises my fussy cutting and really makes the edges stand out against the background.
The circle from Doodled Designs creates a larger focal point without being too busy. I'll be doing lots with that fun circle! The hand-drawn cupcakes, "irresistible," and arrows tie all the images together the same way the solid, graphic images tie the first card together.
And I haven't even started talking about creating unique sentiments by mixing up words and/or phrases.
If you ever find yourself stuck for an idea, I encourage you to pull a bunch of sets and see what you can combine. Or you can get in on the "Deal of the Decade," order a boat-load of new stamp sets, and let them inspire you!
Until next time,
Becca
These are so fabulous! Those colored cupcakes are just scrumptious! Thanks for playing along with Mojo Monday!
ReplyDeleteLove these cards! Great mixed stamp sets, Becca!
ReplyDeleteThe cards are beautiful and they certainly showcase your artistic talent! June
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