Step It Up Cards!: Lookin’ Sharp

Hello, and welcome to Jill Cameron Creations. I shared a video over on Instagram Stories the other day featuring a Five Minute Card. Well, we’re going to take that simple card, which you just saw and we’re going to step it up in two different ways.

For the first card, I’m going to be adding texture. I’m keeping the same color palette, even using the same stamps and also coloring my image the exact same way. The big difference is I’m heat embossing the background instead of using pattern paper. And I’m also throwing in an embossing folder since they’ve become super popular again.

And I have tons of them that have just been set in here. And some of them are unbranded (meaning they don’t have a logo printed on them so I have no idea what brand they are) that I bought at AC Moore years ago. Some were at the discount bin from Tuesday Morning and that kind of thing. I’ve had them for a really long time and I’m going to use them. I love embossing folders in the textures that they create.

I also love polka dots. So I’m going to create the background using white embossing powder and green cardstock similar to the patterned paper from the first card. I’m using the Concord & 9th, Polka Dot Turnabout stamp set. And I managed to get this off somehow when I stamped it. I think I didn’t center the stamp on the turntable piece. Opps! But I still used the background and loved it.

I’m using a stamp set from My Favorite Things is Saddle Up and Celebrate. It has the cowboy images and a cactus and like a little birthday cake with a hat on cowboy hat on. So adorable!

I’m using Altenew’s Pure White Crisp Embossing Powder. It is a little bit thicker granules than Detail White. It gets better coverage for the solid images, such as these polka dots in the background.

For first card, that was the five minute card over on my Instagram story, I just stamped the sentiment in black ink and popped it up with foam tape. However, for this one, I’m made it just a shade longer and heat embossed it in black powder.

I adjusted the layout on these two cards, just a shade. This layout gives the cards a little bit more polished look.

I cut the little cactus dude out using the coordinating die.

Next I going die cut the circle and then emboss it with the embossing folder. If you want a more subtle embossing, emboss first then die cut.

The next card is a little bit of scene. I created a sky with another image from the same stamp and die set. First, I traced around the outside of the circle die so I knew how much ink blending I needed for that. I used Distress Oxide in Broken China and Tumbled Glass.

I die cut some grass edge and added that to the bottom of the circle die cut with the sky. The card is assembled the exact same BUT when I finished this card, I thought it needed a little something else and added a cloud.

I hope you enjoyed these cards and see how simple it is to step up your card design with a few quick changes.

How to Inventory Your Stamps and Dies

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Products Used

MFT Saddle Up & Celebrate Stamps
MFT Saddle UP & Celebrate Dienamics
MFT Linked Chain Circle Frames
Hero Arts Infinity Nesting Circles
MFT Poppin’ Polkadots Patterned Paper Pad
Copics Used: G28, G24, G21, E29, E25, E23, R89, R46, R29
Maker Forte Eclipse Black Ink
Gina K Jelly Bean Green Cardstock
Embossing Folder
Concord & 9th Polkadot Turnabout Stamp
Black Embossing Powder
White Embossing Powder
Distress Oxide Broken China, Tumbled Glass
Lawn Fawn Grass Edge Die
Lawn Fawn Cloud Die
Versamark Ink
Domed Blenders
Spellbinders Platinum 6 Die Cutting Machine
White Cardstock
Black Cardstock
MFT A2 Stitched Rectangle Stax Set 1
MFT A2 Stitched Rectangle Stax Set 2
Foam Tape
Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Glitter Gloss