Just Say NO! to Patterned Paper

I love my patterned paper ... I use it on almost every card I make.  However, today's Micro Challenge at Caardvarks was to step away from the designer papers and get creative with cardstock. 

You have until midnight March 2nd to link up your great creations.  And what, you ask, is up for grabs??  The prize for the winner is a fabulous large acrylic stamp set donated by Penguin Pants Rubber Stamps.  These fine and very generous ladies will also be sponsoring another Caardvarks challenge in the near future, so you can look forward to lots of fabulous Penguin Pants creations from the Caardvarks Design Team.  Their acrylic stamps like a dream ... make sure you check them out.

My first card is 4" x 8 1/2" ... great size when you want to write a longer note inside and perfect for mailing in standard business size envelopes.  I started with a thin gray cardstock (this punch seems to work better with thinner paper due to all of the detail).  I lined it up and just started punching down one side. 

Next I broke out my new Inkadinkado Creative Words set and eyeballed placement of the words between the punches (this is easier for me to do when center the stamp from above and then squat down so that my card is at eye level and I can actually see the rubber as I stamp). 

The flourish is from Fancy Pants In the Garden Set stamped two times along the top and bottom (I love how clear acrylic stamps make placement along the edges so much easier).  I inked it with ColorBox Warm Violet, but stamped it off once on a scrap to produce the sort-of-watercolored effect with the image.

For this one, I created my own designer background using the Cornish Heritage Farms Geometric Flowers II Backgrounder.  I used blue and green ColorBox Chalk cat eyes to ink the stamp in a gradated pattern starting with the lightest shade and blending in the darker colors. 

The Stampin' Up So Many Scallops sentiment is also inked with a blended shade of blue and green.

I tied the green ribbon around the card and then took a second piece and added a second set of ribbon tails to my knot before adhering the punched sentiment with glue dots.

Can't wait to see what you make when you "Just Say No!" to patterned paper.

Comments

[Susan (rainy)]

BEAUTIFUL cards, Stef. Love the flourishes all along that wonderfully long edge. Oh and thanks for the enabling. I just visited the Penguin Pants and saw a couple of sets I'm going to have to have.

[Jackie]

Those are beautiful! I have become so dependent on patterned paper that I hesitate to try making my own background paper anymore but some stamps, like the CHF ones, make it really easy.

[Krista]

Very nice cards. I love the punch you used on the 1st one with the stamped words - it looks amazing - I'm going to try making that card size, great tip about the envelopes!

[Joan Jeffery]

Both of these cards are absolutely beautiful...each in their own way. The first one is so classy looking. The second....I love the background you created...it's gorgeous. Plus I love the colours. Visiting for the first time from Splitcoast.

[Trina]

Wow, just had a quick catch up on your last few posts. And I have to say how much I LOVE your style. Your cards are always so beautiful. I especially love what you did with the lace paper down below. Stunning.

T

[lauren]

i don't think i ever got to tell ya how much i LOVE your cards for this challenge! especially that punched one, with the flourishes. so, *SO*, sooooooooo elegant!!!