Inspiration Three Ways

We all know that inspiration can come from any number of places. Today's batch of cards were inspired by three sources . . . Karen's cool background technique, Kay's clever cutapart tutorial, and Marya and Ann Marie's super simple August Card Sketch Challenge.

Let's get started!

1. Create the background. I used Gelato as suggested by Karen in her tutorial.

Oops!  I stamped the sentiment on my background upside down... stay tuned to see how I fixed my boo boo. 

2. Stamp sentiment onto card base.

Second try at a background with sentiment stamped right side up ;)

Tribal sentiment

3. Select a cutapart that coordinates with the Gelato background.

Artifacts cutaparts, Feb 2009

Distress the edges of the cutapart for added interest.

4. Create the card using the August Card Sketch as your inspiration.

5. Admire the finished card!

Remember my upside down sentiment?

Turn card base on its side, layer with another cutapart (to cover up said boo boo), and stamp with the Picnic sentiment. I stamped the Artifacts sunburst image on the background using the Gelatos misted with a bit of water.

Scribble Gelatos on an acrylic block and mist with water.  Press the stamp onto the block to load with color. 

BONUS: In the process of creating this card, I discovered another background technique!

I noticed the acrylic block had a neat pattern on it after I loaded my stamp.

I took a piece of plain white paper and pressed it into the colors.

Voila, another background!

Don't you love the simplicity of this month's sketch? The "white" space allows the background technique to take center stage.

Have fun with this technique triple-play!

Julie