Takin' It To the Top Tuesday ... With a Twist!

Good morning, everyone! I'm going to do something a little different for Takin' It To the Top Tuesday today! I had so many people comment on THIS card and on the process of making your own Designer paper, that I thought I would focus on this technique for today. I decided to take four different color combinations and make my own Designer paper using the new stamp set, Vintage Vogue. This set seems particularly suited to create your own Designer paper and is so much fun to work with. After I was done creating the paper, I created four different cards with four completely different moods, all from this one set, a little bit of Whisper White cardstock, some ink and sponges (okay, maybe there's a little more to it but I'm trying to make a point here!).

You can see the color combinations I choose in the picture above -- Bashful Blue, Close to Cocoa and Creamy Caramel; Perfect Plumb, Pale Plumb and Old Olive; Orchid Opulence, Tempting Turquoise and Gable Green; and Regal Rose, Cameo Coral and So Saffron. Okay -- this is so much fun and so easy to do, you'll probably find yourself addicted to creating your own papers! click on any photo to view it larger.

Step One: Using the largest image and the color that you want to be most dominant, stamp the image in a random pattern on Whisper White or another Neutral Color cardstock. Be sure to stamp off the edge and make sure that you're images don't line up too straight, unless of course, that is the look you are going for! In my example, I stamped the largest flower in Perfect Plumb.

Step Two: Next, take the second largest image and stamp with your second color, in this case, Pale Plumb. Again, make sure you stamp the image randomly over the paper, and occasionally stamp off the edge. Fill in around the first larger image that you already stamped. Can you see that your Designer Paper is beginning to come to life? Aren't you already feeling like you're going to be addicted to this?

Now, you guessed it ... take your final image, in this case I'm using the Vine pattern, and stamp it in the least dominant color. Again, work randomly over the paper and fill in between the images you have already stamped. For my examples, I used three colors and three stamps for each paper but you can use more if you wish. Experiment and see what you like best and remember, it's only paper and ink at this point!

Now, the final step (see, isn't this easy), is to take all three colors, load them each up on a sponge, and sponge the colors over the stamped images. You can sponge on a lot of color or a little. You can make areas of the paper more vibrant if you wish, You can leave more white space if you're going for a more delicate look. The point is to have fun and fall in love with what you are creating! That's all there is to it! Now are you ready to see what I created with each color combination?

Here's the Perfect Plumb, Pale Plumb and Old Olive card. I used the Scallop Trim Border and Corner Punches to make the border of Old Olive and also used the 5/8" Old Olive Satin Ribbon, along with the "F" stamp from the set. I think this card has such a soft, romantic feel to it. Don't forget to do some stamping on the inside of the card as well!

 

Here's the card in Orchid Opulence, Tempting Turquoise and Green Gable -- how's this for a completely different look? I did some color blocking here on the top half of the card. I used the Scallop Border Punch and Whisper White Satin Ribbon and added some of the beautiful little butterflies, using the new Stampin' Up! Beautiful Wings Embosslet and the big Shot. The Butterflies are attached with Stampin' Dimensionals. The sentiment is stamped with Black Stazon Ink and is from the SAB set, Whimsical Words. I added a few butterflies on the inside of the card as well.

Now, the Bashful Blue, Close to Cocoa and Creamy Caramel Card. The sentiment is from Sincere Salutations. I added some Bashful Blue Satin Ribbon and stamped another flower on a scrap, cut it out and attached it with a Button Latte' Button and some Linen Thread. Again, some simple flowers stamped on the inside of the card really help to make it special. What do you think?

 

 

And finally, what I think may be my favorite combination of all -- Cameo Coral, Regal Rose and So Saffron. These colors are so spring-like and beautiful! I just love them. I added some Pretty in Pink Satin Ribbon and some border punching with the Scallop Trim Border Punch. The sentiment from Sincere Salutation is stamped and punched out with the Wide Oval Punch and then, to dress it up a little, I added a border around it that was made with the Scallop Trim Border Punch. It's easy to do as well -- punch a strip that is 3/4" x 10" and then run it through your Paper Crimper so that you can go around the oval edges. Put Sticky Strip on the back of the Wide Oval Punch, all the way around (it will wrinkle up but that's OK) and then slowly adhere the punched strip to the oval, turning the corners. Go slowly so you don't tear the delicate punched edge. The bow hides the spot where the two ends of the trim meet! I attached the entire oval with lots of Stampin' Dimensionals to make sure it would all hold together. That baby's not going anywhere -- LOL!

So there you go ... a different sort of Takin' It To the Top today, but I hope you enjoyed it and I hope it will help you add those special touches to your cards and projects which will truly Take Them to the Top!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you'll visit again soon!

Do You Want all the DSP, Ribbons and Embellishments from the New Occasions Mini Catalog? I am currently taking orders for Samplers of new Designer Series Papers, Ribbons and Embellishments from this great new catalog? Receive a 10% discount when you order all three samplers. You'll find all the information Here! I will order supplies for this next batch of samplers on Friday and will ship them out to you by the Friday after that!

Kits are still available for the Love Express Valentine Train! All remaining orders will be shipping out this week so there's plenty of time to order and make this adorable project before Valentine's Day. You can purchase the full kit or the Tutorial. Either way, this little train is just toot-toot cute and a must-have for Valentine's. Information and ordering details are HERE!

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I do hope you'll come back often for more inspiration and ideas!

Comments

[Julie A.]

Wow Gretchen! I love them all! I love your color choices:)

[hdenghel]

What a fabulous tutorial. Thanks for sharing!

[Leslie]

Beautiful DSP that you created yourself! Gorgeous. Thank you for sharing that with us and all the fab photos of the step by step process.

[Kimberly]

Gretchen,
What a great idea! This is a great idea when I don't have just the right printed paper. And you made it so simple to boot!!!

Thanks

[Brenda Cook]

Awesome Gretchen!

Thanks so much for sharing this technique.

Brenda Cook

[Heather]

I'm going to have to give it a try!

[Tammy Jackson]

Beautiful job!

[Lisa]

Amazing projects - love the color combinations!!

[Mary Campbell]

Thanks Gretchen for a reminder of something I hadn't tried in quite a while. I just finished two sheets on vanilla using the Fifth Avenus Floral and the Embrace life. They came out great. I will try with other sets. Mary

[Dawn]

Great idea Gretchen - gorgeous paper and cards!

[Wendie aka tankergypsie]

Your Vintage Vogue DSP is just beautiful. Thanks so much for sharing this.

[Createsfromscraps.blogspot.com]

Love love love the DSP you created!! Your colors are spectacular together. AND I'm totally loving the LOVE TRAIN!!! Great job!

[Michelle Gray]

Each of these color combos are so pretty. Love each of the cards you made using your customer designer paper. Thanks for the great tutorial too!

[Adriana B]

Thank you for the tutorial on the paper. Can't wait to try it! (And the train is oh, so cute!

[Sue-Lynn]

I am really enjoying your blog and this tutorial is really reaching out to me! Thanks so much for sharing all your creativity!

[Corie Foster]

This is so fabulous -- thanks so much for sharing this. I created a card with your technique -- again thanks!!

[Kathy]

I love this!!! We made the temp turq/orchid op/ gable green BEAUTIFUL!!!! the first card I did the sponging but the second card I didn't and I really liked the color contrast! thanks for posting!

[Kristi]

Gretchen, these backgrounds are beautiful. I cased the badkground idea and used my own layout for my first swap ever. The hostess just emailed me saying the paper was so pretty. I'm passing along your blog to her. Thanks so much!!
Kristi

[Gretchen Barron -- Inspiration in Action]