Monday, December 17, 2012

Beautiful Backgrounds

It's time for the monthly MFT Design Team Creative Challenge where we are challenged to explore our creative side using a specific product, theme or technique. This month we were challenged to do some background building using MFT stamps and Die-namics. Be sure to check out the MFT blog for a list of participating designers.

I created two birthday cards with stamped backgrounds for today's challenge, but the backgrounds are completely different from each other.

First up is this subtle background card using Darling Dots and Pure Innocence Being Cute is What I Do.


I started with a card base of Sweet Tooth then added a layer of Berrylicious. Next I cut a rectangle of Kraft and stamped it with the medium size dots from Darling Dots, using Memento Desert Sand ink. I love the subtle patterns. Normally I probably would have used an embossing folder for this layer, but the dots are so fun!

I stamped Pure Innocence Being Cute is What I Do with Memento Tuxedo Black onto X-Press It Blending Card and coloured her with copic markers. I paper pieced her shirt with one of the patterns from the Lost and Found 3 Oliver collection by My Mind's Eye. The Fishtail Flags STAX Die-namics were perfect for cutting out the Sweet Tooth flag for the sentiment. The layout is FMS65.

On the inside I repeated the layout from the front of the card and stamped the large dots from Darling Dots along the bottom of the Kraft layer before adding two sentiments from All Occasions Sentiments.
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Next up, this background is way more colourful and fun, and just a little "in your face", but in a good way, I think.


I used two different flowers from the Pretty Pocket stamp set to create this background. I started by stamping the larger outline flower in an organized random pattern onto X-Press It Blending Card. By organized random I mean I worked in triangles. So if you look at any of the flowers you can see a triangle with two other flowers. I really like the organized random look. I coloured the flowers with copic markers, then I stamped the smaller blue flowers with Memento Summer Sky in between all the yellow flowers (which also creates a triangle pattern with the blue flowers).

I used the same patterned paper from the Oliver collection to paper piece three of the largest flowers from Pretty Pocket and I added clear rhinestones to the centers, then coloured them with B06 copic marker. The colour scheme for this card is CDT222. I used the Designer Labels 1 STAX Die-namics to cut out the light blue shape behind the flowers then just trimmed off one edge. The Fancy Flourish Die-namics was perfect for cutting out the yellow flourish.

I used the Fishtail Flags STAX Die-namics to cut out two Sweet Tooth flags then stamped 'happy birthday' from the Vintage Cameo Frame stamp set. I wanted a cursive font to coordinate with the sentiment I planned on putting on the inside.

Speaking of the inside, I used the Designer Labels 1 STAX Die-namics again to cut out the white layer then added the sentiment from Clearly Sentimental about Birthdays.

I hope you'll play along and dig into your stamps and Die-namics to create fun backgrounds.

Here are the supplies I used on the Adore card:



Here are the supplies I used on the Happy Birthday card:


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Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

7 comments:

Caroline said...

These are gorgeous I love the backgrounds you have created the colours are beautiful. Caroline xxx

Mona Pendleton said...

Such sweet and pretty cards Karen! Love the floral background and darling image!

Lisa H. said...

two stunning cards. love the subtle polka dots on the first and those gorgeous flowers on the second! awesome.

Cindi said...

These are gorgeous! I love your coloring on the first one. She just pops off the card.

Barbara said...

I simply ADORE both of these, Karen! How stinkin' creative!

Anonymous said...

Fabulous cards! So cute and pretty. Your first card is so clean and simple and the coloring is PERFECT! The second one is fresh and bright! :-)

scrappingnana said...

So pretty. Love both of your cards and the stamped backgrounds are awesome.