How Many Cards can you Make with a Mini Stamp Set?

     In January I ordered a mini stamp set from Gina K Designs called "Love is Friendship".  It had one image and one sentiment.

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     I have heard stampers discuss the fact that you should think of three ways to use a stamp set before purchasing it so that you get your money's worth.  That sounds like sound advice because the stamp sets I never use do not inspire me to create different types of cards.

     The first card was inspired by a floral card created by Melanie Muenchinger.  It isn't as pretty as hers, but the inside front of the card is also stamped with the guitar so that it looks like it lines up with the front of the card.

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     For my second card, I wanted to use some wood tone paper for the guitar.  It didn't turn out as I had hoped because the wood tone was on too big of a scale.  A smaller scale would have worked nicely.  I used Washi tape stripes.

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     For the third one I did some simple masking of the guitar to make the hearts go behind it.  The stamp had three hearts in a row so I used my MISTI to line them up evenly.  I also performed "stamp surgery" on the sentiment because the entire sentiment wouldn't fit on one line where I wanted it to fit.

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     I put even more work into the 4th card.  I used a script stamp on a panel behind the red and cut out a heart near the center.  I stamped the sentiment and guitar on black card stock and used versamark and silver embossing powder for the detail, plus I stamped a swirl near the bottom with the versamark and used the same silver embossing powder.  I then took my versamark pen and "drew" a line along the two edges of the panel behind the guitar and also applied silver embossing powder.  It makes it look like there is a third layer of card stock but it is the same layer the script stamp is applied to.  Then I took the entire panel and attached it to an A2 card base.  The right side of the photo has glare but the panel is centered on the card.

What's Up? Carousel Seahorse. Daughter Love

      I have been overwhelmed with zucchini lately and have had very little time to craft due to shredding, freezing, baking and cooking with zucchini.  Seriously-I still have about 8 large zucchini to use and 3 little ones growing on the plants plus more blossoms wanting to turn into zucchini.  (Can you say a years worth of zucchini bread, zucchini crust pizza, chinese food with zucchini, italian crescent zucchini pie, vegetable side dishes, soups, etc.  It is really saving a lot off our food budget though.

Avery Elle What's up stamp set.  (Discontinued), Burlap, Wink of Stella, 

Dimensional foam, Copics, Fussy cutting, Ribbon, Stitched Rectangles Die.

  In the last few weeks I have managed to carve out a little late night crafting time for myself though and I have three cards to show for it.  They are very different from each other but that's the way I roll.

Avery Elle Thanks a Bunch, and Avery Elle We R Family Additions (Discontinued) stamp sets,

Memento Inks,  Copics, Wink of Stella, Stitched Rectangles Die, Pearls

Day 2 Of I Treasure You Virtual Stamp Night at Splitcoast Stampers

     This particular challenge on Splitcoaststamper's Virtual Stamp Night asked us to make a card using a map, and extra points would be given if it was a Pirates Treasure Map.

     I had the perfect set of stickers for this card from the Dollar Tree and a sheet of paper with a map motif I purchased eons ago from a dollar store.
     After I posted my card, someone commented that they thought is seemed like the circle with the map in it was what the pirate saw when looking through his "Spyglass".  I hadn't planned it that way but I like looking at it that way now.  By the way, we don't really get points, it's just an expression about how happy the hostess is if you follow more specific instructions then everyone might be capable of.
     I named this card Special Birthday Treasure.  Surprisingly the only stamping I did was on the inside which was a birthday greeting.

     The instructions for the next challenge was to make a card that showcased a memory.

Joys Life Barnyard Puns

Inside sentiment from Barnyard Puns says It's Past-ure Birthday

     My brothers and I would visit our Great Uncles Farm every Saturday during the summer when we were growing up.  Our favorite thing to do was to climb into the hay loft, then jump into the very high loose straw on the ground level just below.  The mice would scurry the first time someone jumped but stayed away after that.  It was probably dangerous but we never got hurt and had a lot of fun.  I made this card to go with that memory and I call it Barn Raising Memories.  

     We were next challenged to create an Easter Card and if we could manage to place an Easter Egg on it we would get extra points.  

Joy's Life Barnyard Puns

    

      I had a plain blue egg shaped die cut that I added washi tape to in order to make it look like an Easter Egg.  I experiemented for the first time with a stencil and distress ink (boy should I practice-not a good first attempt) and I really loved the shape of the stencil for the Easter theme.  I call this Easter People.

     The next challenge of Virtual Stamp Night had us use a front door on a card and extra points would be give if we put a welcome sign on it.  

Fiskars All Year Greetings

   
     I had nothing to use for this and had to find clip art.  I love this clip art though and feel as if this should be the front door to my front door if you know what I mean.  It's called My Ideal Welcome Door.


 
      For our next challenge we were asked to use spring flowering bulbs, and if we could use tulips we got extra points.

Fiskars All Year Greetings 

      

     I kept this card simple with large block silver heat embossed letters and a tulip sticker.  I call it Simply Love.

Backgrounds

     Today I decided to try the brick background that was taught in day 9 of the Online Card Classes Copics for Card Makers class.  Here's what I came up with.

Gina K Designs Heartily Yours by Nina Brackett (Discontinued) sentiment

Operation Write Home Card for Two Challenges

   

Fiskars All Year Greetings, Hero Arts Dotted Snowflake

World Card Making Day

     For Operation Write Home's World Card Making Day we were challenged to make Love cards.

Gina K Designs Heartily Yours stamp set by Nina Brackett (discontinued)

Copics Day 9:Backgrounds - and a Purple Haired Ballerina

       For today's Online Card Classes Copics for Card Makers class we learned several ways to incorporate backgrounds into our cards. 

Ballerina  image courtesy of Kristina Werner
TPC Studio Brush Stroke Greetings

Cas(e) this Sketch

Valentine's Card