Birthday Balloon card using 2 different stamp sets

     For this card I had fun making a background "designer paper" using the Simon Says Stamp Favorite Puperoni stamp set which was a free birthday stamp last year with purchase.  I used Papertrey Ink paper and matching ink in Aqua Mist.
     Then I used the Balloons Stamp set and matching Dies from Avery Elle, gluing about 4 sets of die cut balloons together for dimension.  I typically have difficulty getting these stamps to stamp evenly even in my Misti, but I lucked out this time.  I used Memento inks, then added glitter dots from the Dollar Tree for embellishments. 
     I really like the background paper I made.

Copic Jumpstart Color Combos

   

Traced Balloons from Avery Elle Balloons Dies

     Our homework for the day was to stamp multiple images and use different types of colors (warm versus cool) to make some images recede and some jump forward.  We also saw examples of  monochromatic, analagous, complementary, and triadic coloring.  I didn't have any stamps that would work for the homework so I used a set of balloon dies to create a possible card front.  First I traced the balloons, making sure to tuck some behind each other, then I colored them with analagous colors.  That is the look I am most drawn to.  

     I wish these were stamps because I don't have that thick outline to help keep my balloons perfectly even on the edges.  Some of my coloring goes outside the drawn pencil lines.  I couldn't have used my multi-liner to trace though because even with pencil, my dies wiggled and I messed up my tracing from time to time.  A copic multi-liner would have made a disaster if that happened.  Even though I don't have the nice black outline and my edges aren't perfectly smooth, I think I might be able to make this into a cheerful card for one of my young nieces or nephews.

Copic Jumpstart- Time to Mask and Stamp

 

Masked Balloons and Strings

 Today we masked whatever stamps we had that were roundish, then colored and shaded them.  I didn't have the best selection of stamps and this was the only configuration I could come up with but I guess it wasn't so bad.

     I was able to mask the balloons so they look like they are behind each other and then I masked the strings so it looks like they are tied onto one string and then attached to the mug handle.  I did need to use my Copic Multiliner pen to finish the curlicue on the top of the mug handle.

     I used Memento Tuxedo Black ink to stamp the images and the two stamp sets I used were Fiskars Birthday Bash and Hero Arts Father's Day.  I drew in the tabletop.  I didn't have anything that seemed masculine to add as embellishments so I am keeping it plain.  Sometimes simple is better.  I think I have enough action going to keep the eye moving on the card front.
     I attached the card front (Georgia Pacific card stock) to PaperTrey Ink True Black card stock that I top folded into a card base.  I lined the inside with more Georgia Pacific card stock.

Basic Borders set by Mama Elephant, Birthday Card Set, and Defective Die

Defective Die

      I received a defective die set from Simon Says Stamp (the Stitched Rectangles set). and in the aqua layers of the cards below you may notice there is a spot near a corner where 2 of the stitch details did not show up.  After inspecting my die I noticed the stitch details were never put on the die to start with.  I have emailed Simon Says Stamp and I suspect they will take care of the error.    

     

Mama Elephant Basic Borders
Avery Elle Balloons

     I had already die cut the blue card pieces though so I used them.  I just tried to cover the defective area with edges of the large balloon.  I tried the following sketch from Papertrey Ink because I wanted to play with the stamp set.  That was really fun but I needed to use my MISTI for lining up the borders.  I wouldn't have been able to do it otherwise.  Here is the sketch I used.

     I decided not to add the "dots" over the lowercase i's in some of my Birthday die cuts.  I thought the balloon strings could substitute.  I don't think it worked out too well though so if I do these again I will definitely glue the dots over the I's.  I might even glue them in before giving these cards away.

     I am trying to increase my skills.  Right now there are still three things terribly wrong with these cards that prevent them from looking professional.  The problem with the defective die (which wasn't my fault and should be easily fixed),  the fact that two of the greetings had a little too much glue on them and it is sticky on the front of the card  (I know there is a special eraser you can get for glue boo boos though so I will look for that), and one of the backgrounds that I put stripes on came out wonky.  The stripes line up with each other but they aren't straight with the rectangular piece I stamped on.  I also am not sure I am entirely happy with how well the ink stamped on the balloons.  I stamped each balloon twice because I didn't get a good image but I have excellent ink, excellent card stock, and excellent quality stamps. I did notice that initially I had to stamp the Mama Elephant border stamps twice in each spot to get a good image but by the last card I made I noticed that I was putting my ink on in a very quickly repeating pressing fashion.  Once I slowed down and gently and slowly pressed the ink into the stamp repeatedly it seemed to only require 1 stamping.  

    Here are some additional supplies I used: Perfect Match Aqua Mist card stock from Papertrey Ink,  Perfect Match Black card stock from Papertrey Ink, Neenah Solar White card stock, Perfect Match Aqua Mist dye ink from Papertrey Ink, Buttercup Creative Color pigment ink from Mama Elephant, Plumberry Creative Color pigment ink from Mama Elephant, Versafine Onyx Black ink, Stitched Rectangles wafer dies by Simon Says Stamp, Birthday Trio Die Collection from Papertrey Ink, MISTI by My Sweet Petunia.

Quality Stamps

     I am so impressed with my first purchase of Avery Elle clear stamps that in addition to showing you my first project with their stamps, I wanted to share my opinion on quality stamps.

Avery Elle Balloons

Sweet Sixteen Card

     My second daughter just celebrated her 16th birthday.  I made her a card but it didn't say sweet sixteen on it.  I made it in bright colors since that is appealing to most teens.  I had a birthday stamp set and had just watched a video about a new technique I wanted to try out using the balloons.  I also had a birthday paper set I wanted to use.
   

Fiskars Birthday Bash

Mojo Monday #287 Sketch

     The details of the video and supplies used for this card are at the end of this post.  Basically, I double stamped the balloons after removing part of the second color.  That gave the balloons more depth.  (Notice there is more color at the bottom and part of the right side of each balloon- and it isn't a matching color.)  I've never been able to line up my clear stamps to do a second stamping on top of the first one.  I always mess up. This time I noticed that if I lined up the little dots inside the balloon the second time I stamped, I could keep them in line with each other.
     When I double stamped the balloons I still couldn't get the ribbons below them to line up for a second stamping so I rubbed the ink off the ribbon, double stamped just the balloons, and free-handed the ribbons.  I'm not particularly happy with the look of the free hand ribbons but it is better than if I had double stamped them.  Also I had originally intended to use the balloons paper in the vertical rectangle and the Happy Birthday pink paper for the half circle, but I messed up and did it backwards.