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:

InLinkz.com

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

InLinkz.com

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

Merry Kissmas {MFTWSC101}

It's time to get sketchy with the MFT Wednesday Stamp Club and sketch 101!

I can't seem to stop creating Christmas cards, eventhough the big day is only 20 days away. MFT has so many sweet holiday themed stamp sets that just make me smile, and Pure Innocence Merry Kissmas is no exception. I adore how she's hugging the snowman, and I thought it was a perfect image for today's sketch.

I started with a base layer of Sweet Tooth card stock then layered some SU tempting turquoise and more Sweet Tooth (which I ran through my swiss dots embossing folder). The colour combo is from the Color Throwdown challenge, CTD220. I used the Chevron Stripes Die-namics to cut out turquoise and Sour Apple card stock then stitched them into place.

I stamped the image with Memento Tuxedo Black onto X-Press It Blending Card and coloured it with copic markers. I realize I used a lot of markers...not on purpose, but I just kept reaching for colours to create more contrast in the image. I paper pieced her coat and the snowman's accessories with patterns from the My Mind's Eye Winter Wonderland collection and added some white liquid appliqué to their hats. I sprinkled a little glitter onto her hat for some sparkle, and added a touch of red Spica glitter pen to the berries in the mistletoe. I used the Rectangle 1 STAX and Rectangle 2 STAX Die-namics to cut out the image and the Wild Cherry layer. I also added a snowflake, which I cut out using the Let it Snowflake Die-namics.

On the inside I used the Fishtail Flags Layers STAX Die-namics to cut out the red flag and stamped another sentiment from Pure Innocence Merry Kissmas in the middle of the Sweet Tooth layer using MFT Wild Cherry ink. I'm tickled with how this card turned out...so much so that I'm considering mailing it to myself! LOL!

There's a prize each week for one participant, chosen at random. You may use any stamps and supplies that you wish. Each week a keyword is assigned to the sketch, and this week's keyword is MFTWSC101. All you need to do to enter is upload your card to the gallery at Splitcoast and enter the given keyword in the keyword box during the upload process. After the deadline (noon Eastern on Tuesday) we randomly choose a winner from that week's entries and the winner will receive a $15 gift voucher. If the winning card uses MFT stamps, the participant will earn a $5 bonus, for a total of a $20 gift voucher!

Be sure to head over to the MFT Blog to view the entire list of design team participants...there's plenty of inspiration for you with today’s sketch!

Here are the supplies I used:

InLinkz.com

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen