Replenishing My Card Stash in a Few Hours

Hello my crafty and creative Friends!

I rarely have 2 blog posts on the same day...
However...I JUST finished a little card making project and wanted to share it with you.

I'll keep this blog post as brief as possible...Not a lo of chit chat..
Just lots of photos...and some basic info...

THE REASON FOR THIS CARD MAKING PROJECT
My card stash was dwindling...
I needed to replenish it by creating approx a dozen cards....and I didn't want the project to be tedious.
This was kinda like a 9-1-1 card emergency.

SUPPLIES and MATERIALS:
I wanted to keep it simple...
A small collection of materials and supplies.
Nothing complex.
The cards were going be similar...but different

I knew that I wanted to create all of the backgrounds with Blue Knight Rubber Stamps PanPastel palettes
I knew that I wanted to use Blue Knight's SILHOUETTE CORNER FOLIAGE  stamp set for all of the cards
And...
I knew that I wanted to use an assortment of different sentiments and quotes for each card

I have a large collection of sentiment and quote stamps....and chose stamps by Papertrey Ink..Avery Elle...and Crafters Companion....

I started out by gathering up....cutting and preparing everything that I'd be using.
I didn't want to be jumping up and down from my studio worktable to get things
I cut all of the Spectrum Noir Ultra Smooth white card stock...the black mat layers....I always pre-cut lots of card bases...I scored a stack of card bases....got out Memento Tuxedo Black ink...my stamp cleaning and scrubbing supplies....stamp positioning tool....an ATG gun ....my Blue Knight PanPastel palettes...and Panpastel colorless Blender...some applicator sponges...and NEXXUS Comb Thru Hairspray  (used for sealing the PanPastel pieces to avoid smudging and smearing.

*You'll find the SILHOUETTE CORNER FOLIAGE stamp set, the PanPastel Palettes and Colorless Blender at the BLUE KNIGHT RUBBER STAMPS web store HERE

After I had everything that I needed....
I got started....

First...I created the backgrounds...with PanPastels....
I knew that I wanted to create a few different looks....
Marbelized...ombre...and some random blending.

I applied the PanPastels to each piece to create the different looks...finishing each piece with the Colorless Blender...This is not a maybe I'll apply the colorless blender/Maybe I won't kind of thing.
Finishing each piece with the colorless blender is the key element ins blending...thus the name colorless BLENDER
The effect of the blender was most noticeable with the marbelized look...

(*I'm hoping to put together a video within the next week or so showing how to create different background looks with PanPastels.,...mostly because there's been an interest expressed to me for a video featuring PanPastels in general..and more recently...about how I created the marbelized look)

Okay...back to my card making project....

I created 13 background pieces...

After the backgrounds were created....
I added the SILHOUETTE CORNER FOLIAGE image to each one...and ...each piece started looking like a card!

I really enjoyed going through my (1000's) of sentiment and quote stamps...
yes...I have a "thing" for sentiment and quote stamps....
I collect them...I hoard them...I love them

I chose some that are old favorites..and some that are new...and haven't been inked up...YET

I used the background pieces in different positions ...as they would work best with each sentiment or quote stamp...which means that the foliage image was in varying sides of the completed cards....which gave the look of collection of cards some nice variety.
I gave attention to choosing background pieces that seemed to "match-up" nicely (color-wise) with each sentiment...
ie: I used the more subtle pieces with sympathy sentiments....brighter pieces with birthday sentiments....
As soon as the sentiments were stamped...they became cards!

THE NEXT STEP:
PanPastels will leave a dust-like residue on your card stock....
So... I gave each piece a light misting of NEXXUS Comb Thru Hairspray to seal the PanPastels
Yes, HAIRSPRAY.....
Every time I say this ...people are in disbelief.....andthey say...HAIRSPRAY????
My cards don't need to be archival safe...and hairspray works well...
(originally recommended to me when I went to an art shop to buy a sealant...
The Panpastel specialist at the shop encouraged me to use Hairspray

BUT...please don't cheap out on the Hairspray...invest in NEXXUS....and make sure it's their COMB THRU variety
Their other version is too heavy...
Comb Thru is much lighter....and the spray mechanism is fantastic.
One can will last you a very very long time...because you're just using a light mist on each piece.
Budget hairspray won't yield the same result.

NOTE: If you want whatever you create to be archival safe....you should seal your PanPastel piece(s) with a sealant purchased at an art store that works well with PanPastels to make your pieces archival safe.

After the completed pieces were sealed with the hairspray...I matted each one...and positioned them on the base cards....

And ...Wha-la....
Presto-change-o....
13 cards....
Complete...and ready for my card stash!

Here's a look at each card...individually....

I had a GREAT time creating this little collection of 13 PanPastel cards with the Blue Knight Rubber Stamps SILHOUETTE CORNER FOLIAGE stamp set...and an assortment of sentiment and quote stamps. ( The Stamp set is HERE )

This card making project friends me of the fact that sometimes...one stamp holds lots of versatility...in unexpected ways...and you know, in your card making little heart...that the stamp is a keeper...and that you'll use it over and over ...This silhouette stamp set is one of those samp sets.

I hope that YOU feel inspired to create a collection of cards of your own...using one stamp...as I did....
If you love to explore color....and enjoy boundless creative possibilities for adding color and creating/blending new colors...I think that you'll love PanPastels!
( PanPastels are  HERE )
*The Colorless Blender is also at this link

Okay my friends..
Thanks for visiting today....
It was fun sharing this little project with you....
Wishing you many happy creative adventures!
Michelle.