Tutorial -- Sponged Sky/Clouds Template

What is this, you say? No, it's not some kind of new funky card design. It's not a very poor attempt at creating a lop-sided turtle made of punches! It's a template that YOU can make to create realistic sky and cloud effects on your cards and scrapbook pages! I made this template using a large Scallop Circle Die Cut and 5 Scallop Circles Punchies (out of scrap cardstock, obviously). Using scotch tape (you can see the back in the smaller photo), I attached the scallop Circle punchies at varying depths and spacing around the Die Cut. The idea is to get a variety of scallop configurations so that as you sponge ink on your project, nothing will line up, giving you a random cloud-like effect.

Okay, here's how you use it once you create it. Using ink and a Stamping Sponge (I used Ballet Blue Ink and I cut my sponges in quarters), begin at the top of your cardstock, lightly sponge ink over the template. Working from the top to the bottom, move the template down and rotate it, each time apply a little more sponged ink. Keep working until you get to the bottom of the cardstock. If you like, go back over areas of the sky and add touches of yellow, pink, purple or any other color you want your sky to be, again, turning and rotating the template to give a random (rather than a uniform) effect. That's it! It's pretty simple really and so easy to make the template. The template can be used hundreds of times until it gets so saturated with ink that it's falling apart. Then simply pull out your punches and scraps and make a new one. This would be a great project to do with a Stamp club and each member would have a template to take home and use!

Okay, now for a couple of ideas of what to do with a sponged sky and clouds! Here's my first one (click on the image to view as larger). The sky is sponged with Ballet Blue, So Saffron and just a touch of Almost Amethyst. I stamped the bold flower image from Inspired by Nature directly over the sponged sky, added a book plate, ribbon and sentiment and you have a quick and beautiful card, ready to send to someone you care about!

And here's another idea using the Cheap Talk Stamp Set. The sky here is sponged with Bermuda Bay and So Saffron. I put some texture on the Bermuda Bay cardstock using the Big Shot and a Texturz Plate. The polka-dot paper is Thoroughly Modern Designer Series Paper and the ribbon is 5/8" Polka-Dot Grosgrain. Cute, don't you think!

Okay, now for a little contest. I want to see what you create with your own cloud and sky templates! So, once you've posted on your blog or other public site, come back here and link your creation back to me, using the Mr. Linky widget below. Make sure and link directly to your specific blog post, not just to your blog address (that way anyone can click on your link and go directly to your cloud and sky project). The deadline for playing along is next Sunday evening, September 6th, at 6 p.m. Central time. I'll choose one of your creations to win a little BLOG candy -- a package of 3 Stamping Sponges and a Brilliant Blue Ink Pad ... and I'll feature your creation on my Blog! Okay, get busy now -- I can't wait to see what you create!

Blessings, Gretchen 

If you don't have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and would like to order any of the items I've shown on this post, simply CLICK HERE to order Stampin' Up! Products 24-7! (and then click on "Shop Now")

Stamp Sets:

• 111656, Inspired by Nature, $23.95
• 116511, Grateful Greetings, $36.95
• 113204, Cheep Talk, $26.95

Classic Stampin' Pads, $5.95 Each:

• 100907, Ballet Blue
• 105213, So Saffron
• 115655, Bermuda Bay
• 115657, Soft Suede

Accessories:

• 109043, Scallop Circle Punch, $15.95
• 113468, Scallop Circle Sizzix Die, $19.95
• 101610, Stamping Sponges, $3.50 for 3
• 111325, Styled Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware, $29.95 for 200 pieces
• 115609, 5/8" Dusty Durango Polka-Dot Ribbon, $9.95 for 15 yards
• 115610, 5/8" Bermuda Bay Polka-Dot Ribbon, $9.95 for 15 yards
• 104430, Stampin' Dimensionals, $3.95
• 115673, Thoroughly Modern Designer Series Paper, $9.95
• 114512, Stampin' Up! Backgrounds I Texturz Plates, $11.95 for 6 patterns

Comments

[Sharon Clarke]

My entry is down a ways on my blog. I have two scrapbook pages using the cloud sponging- a blank Noah's Ark one and a baby boy one (hard to see the details). My favorite template WAS the large scallop oval die, but now I am going to have to try your new one, with all the small scallop circles- sooo cool! Off to experiment!!!
Sharon

[Lee]

This is so cool Gretchen! I really miss my cloud template and actually sold it. Leave it to you to come up with something brilliant to take it's place. I love it. Thanks for sharing and being such an inspiration!

[rebecca]

I can hardly wait to try this technique...thanks so much for sharing...

[tracie]

hello gretchen..i love your site.

i posted a link to my blog, but you have to scroll down to the picture of the card i just made using a the "All in the Family set".

I'm keeping my fingers crossed!
Tracie

[Cam]

Hi, I want to say thank you for providing the instructions. Like you said, it is easy and indeed it is. I have fun trying out a new technique. I hope you like my "creation".

[Leonie Schroder]

Oh Gretchen youre a legend ... i just tried to do a brayered sky and its laboursome and i'm getting lines - sigh ... going to get my bigshot out now and my scalloped circle die and punch

thanks again
mwah

Leonie

[Peggy Whitlow]

Gretchen I love how you share the talents that the Lord has given you. I like to brayer but it is a lot of steps. This sponge sky die is so cleaver.
Peggy