Category: Tips And Techniques

One More Ink Blended Card Idea Using the New Blending Brushes

1/19/2021

I just couldn't stop ink blending with the new blending brushes from Stampin' Up! They are just too much fun! If you missed it, be sure to check out yesterday's post where I shared lots of samples using ink blended backgrounds as well as a video on how to do ink blending. So, on y go! Let's get stamping.

Card design with an ink blended background using Blending Brushes from Stampin' Up! Also features the new Pretty Perennials stamp set and dies from the 2021 January-June Mini Catalog.

Pretty Perennials Lots of Happy Card Idea

Like yesterday, I used the new Pretty Perennials stamp set and dies from the 2021 January-June Mini Catalog. For today's card, I wanted some warm sunny colors, so I turned to Daffodil Delight, Mango Melody, and Poppy Parade. I created the ombre ink blended card front using blending brushes and then spritzed it with water to create the water spots. When it was dry, I added stenciled polka dots in the upper left and lower right corners using poppy parade ink and a blending brush. I added the die-cut black flowers over the stencil with a small rhinestone in the center of each. I stamped the greeting with Poppy Parade and Jet Black Stazon ink.

Cutting Dimensions for this Happy Card Design

Poppy Parade cardstock: 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored at 4 1/4"
Basic Black cardstock: 5 3/16" x 3 15/16" & scraps
Basic White cardstock: 5" x 3 3/4"

See the Supply List

Card making idea with an ink blended and stenciled background featuring the Pretty Perennials stamp set and dies from Stampin' Up!

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Ink Blending Tips and Techniques with Stampin' Up!'s Blending Brushes

1/18/2021

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Stampin' Up!'s new Blending Brushes might be the new item from the January-June Mini Catalog that I am most excited about. If you remember, a few months ago, I shared how to do ink blending using make-up brushes. These new blending brushes are so much better! So, I had to make a new video to show you some of the fun things you can do with them. Plus I have lots of sample cards! So, on y go! Let's get stamping.

2 Card ideas with ink blended backgrounds made with the new Blending Brushes from Stampin' Up! and the Pretty Perennials stamp set and dies from the 2021 January-June Mini Catalog.

Sample Cards with the Pretty Perennials Stamp Set and ink Blending

All of my sample cards use the new Pretty Perennials stamp set and coordinating dies. I love the bold flowers and greetings in this stamp set. They are just so happy! And it's a big stamp set and huge set of dies! Plus, some of the smaller dies, like leaves and small flowers, have multiple dies of the same shape so that you can cut multiples in the same pass through the Stampin' Cut & Emboss.

DHow to Create a Puff of ink on a Card Front

My first technique is create a small puff of ink in the center of a piece of cardstock. Because the Blending Brushes have a domed shape, they are fabulous for making this type of ink cloud on your card front. Here, I've used Pool Party to create a soft cloud under the Bermuda Bay and Gorgeous Grape flowers.

Birthday card idea using blending brushes to create a puff of ink. Images from the new Pretty Perennials stamp set from Stampin' Up!

Dimensions for this simple birthday card design

Bermuda Bay cardstock:

8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored at 4 1/4"
3/8" x 1 1/8'

Basic Black cardstock: 5 3/16" x 3 15/16"
Basic White cardstock: 5" x 3 3/4" & Scraps

Create an ombre background using blending brushes from Stampin' Up! This simple card idea uses the Pretty Perennials stamp set and dies from the 2021 January-June Mini Catalog.

Ombre Card Design

When you first try ink blending, it's best to start with a single color. Here, I've used Blushing Bride to create an ombre effect on the bottom portion of my card front.

Dimensions for this ombre card

Blushing Bride cardstock: 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored at 4 1/4"
Basic Black cardstock: 4 15/16" x 3 11/16" & scraps
Basic White cardstock: 4 3/4" x 3 1/2" & scraps

Multi-Color Ombre Card Design

Once you have mastered a single color ombre, you're ready to move on to multi-color effects. Here, I used Petal Pink, Flirty Flamingo, and Highland Heather. It's best to choose colors that are next to one another on the color spectrum. If you try mixing red and green, you might wind up with brown!

Dimensions for this Multi-Color Card Idea

Petal Pink cardstock: 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored at 4 1/4" & scraps
Gorgeous Grape cardstock: 5 3/16" x 3 15/16" & scraps
Basic White cardstock: 5" x 3 3/4" & scraps
Flirty Flamingo cardstock: scraps
Highland Heather cardstock: scraps
Pear Pizzazz: scraps

Card idea with an ink blended background made with blending brushes from Stampin' Up! This card also features the new Pretty Perennials stamp set and dies from the January-June Mini Catalog.

Birthday card idea with water spots on an ink blended ombre background. This fun card idea uses the new Pretty Perennials stamp set and dies from Stampin' Up!

Creating Water spots on Ombre Ink Blending

Create this fun effect by spritzing water on the cardstock after doing the ink blending. Here, I used Pool Party, Coastal Cabana, and Bermuda Bay inks. Then, I spritzed the water, let it sit for 20-30 seconds and blotted it off with a paper towel.

Cutting Dimensions for this Water-spotted Card Idea

Bermuda Bay cardstock: 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored at 4 1/4"
Basic Black cardstock: 4 15/16" x 3 11/16" & scraps
Basic White cardstock: 4 3/4" x 3 1/2"

Stencils and Blending Brushes

My last two cards use the Basic Pattern Decorative Masks, which is a fancy way to say stencil. I chose the polka dot one. The blending brushes are fabulous for adding ink with a stencil. I did the same ombre effect as the water-spotted card, but this time over the polka dot stencil.

Cutting Dimensions for this Polka Dot Card

Coastal Cabana cardstock:

8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored at 4 1/4"
3 1/2" x 2 1/2" cut with the Stitched So Sweetly Dies

Bermuda Bay cardstock: 5 3/16" x 3 15/16"
Basic White cardstock: 5" x 3 3/4" & scraps

Since I started with a piece of 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" Basic White cardstock to do the stenciling, I trimmed it down to 5" x 3 3/4". I added a piece of the trimmed front to the interior of the card to add a fun polka dot.

Lots of Happy card idea using ink blending over a stencil. This polka dot card uses the new Pretty Perennial stamp set and dies from the 2021 January-June Mini Catalog from Stampin' Up!

Birthday card idea featuring the emboss resist technique and ink blending. Card sample uses the new Pretty Perennials stamp set and dies from Stampin' Up!'s January-June Mini Catalog.

Emboss Resist and Blending Brushes

My final card also uses a stencil, but this time, I've embossed the polka dots. I placed the stencil over the cardstock and inked over it with a Versamark ink pad. Then, I embossed it with white embossing powder and heat embossed it. Finally, I used the blending brushes to do the same ombre effect with Pool Party, Coastal Cabana, and Bermuda Bay ink. When I was done, I wiped the top with a paper towel to remove any excess ink from the embossed areas.

The cutting dimensions for this emboss resist card are the same as the ones above.

Supply List for these Ink Blended Cards

Click here to see the supply list for these ink blended card ideas. If you need any of the supplies to recreate these cards, simply check the items you need and click "Add to Cart." On the next screen, be sure to add this month's host code under the pink "Checkout" button to earn Frequent Shopper Points.

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Lots of Sample Card Ideas from the NEW Mini Catalog and Sale-A-Bration

12/23/2020

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Lots and lots of sample cards using stamps, papers, and embellishments from the new 2021 January-June Mini Catalog and Sale-A-Bration Catalog

I am so excited to share this giant stack of swap cards I received last week using all NEW products from the 2021 January-June Mini Catalog and Sale-A-Bration Catalog. Over the next couple of months, I'm going to be sharing my Top 10 Favorite Things About Being a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

Number one on the list is the community of amazing crafters I get to hang out with. Stampin' Up! Demonstrators are some of the awesomest people I know! Through Stampin' Up! events and online groups, I have connected with so many fellow demonstrators and created lasting friendships.

The best things about being a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator. Top on the list is the community of other demonstrators.

One of the things Stampin' Up! Demonstrators love to do is swap cards. Whenever a group of us gets together, you'll always see demonstrators exchanging handmade cards with one another. It is so much fun to see all of the fabulous cards that other demos create and to get new ideas. (We've been doing this since before Pinterest!) Since we couldn't get together in person this fall, we had virtual swaps.

Thank you card idea using the new Simply Succulents stamp set and dies from the NEW 2021 January-June Mini Catalog.

I made 25 of these cards using the new Simply Succulents stamp set and sent them to the person in charge of the swap. She sorted through all of the packets of cards she received, shuffling them all. Each person received a bag of cards back that were all different because they were all from different Stampin' Up! Demonstrators from across the country. How awesome is that?

So, on y go! Let's check out all the cards that I received!