More Positive Thoughts

Hello, Crafters.

I don’t know what made me think about it yesterday, but I decided I wanted to do something where I could use the thumping technique. One of the images I have always found the easiest for thumping is butterflies so I chose to use the Positive Thoughts Stamp Set. The matching Nature’s Thoughts Dies are available as part of the Co-ordination Products Release promotion which runs until 31st March 2020 while stocks last.

I didn’t have a design in mind for today’s card so I decided to stamp a selection of images in Old Olive and Petal Pink. I stamped a leafy frond in Old Olive and then I stamped again so I had a second generation image which looked more like Pear Pizzazz. It looked lovely so I stamped two more. The Petal Pink flower came out far too light to be put with my Old Olive or Pear Pizzazz leaves.

I changed to Terracotta Tile and stamped first and second-generation flowers twice each. The second-generation flowers looked remarkably like Flirty Flamingo – to say I was surprised is something of an understatement! To add extra interest to my card, I decided to add two strips of the die-cut decorative strip in Pear Pizzazz Cardstock (CS). While I was working on these strips I was also looking at the flowers trying to make up my mind – Terracotta Tile or Flirty Flamingo?

My final decision was Terracotta Tile, and then I was ready to start “thumping” some butterflies! If you’re new to card making, thumping creates an effect which looks very much like the baby wipe technique. The way this is created is done by Stampin’ Write Marker Pens. First of all, you choose the colours you want to use! My choices were Old Olive, Terracotta Tile and Calypso Coral.

After placing the stamp on your block, you hold the block with the stamp facing up in your left-hand – right-hand if you’re left-handed – and in the other hand hold the first marker between your index finger and your thumb with the brush end over the image. Move your thumb to make the brush bounce up and down onto the stamp moving the brush randomly over the image. Change to the second colour, and then the third bouncing each of randomly over the image.

When you feel that you have probably covered the whole image, go over again with the first colour and add a little bit more in case you have been a bit over-enthusiastic with the second and third colours. Huff on your stamp before stamping down in case your ink has had enough time to dry out! The first couple of times you use this technique you may not be pleased with the result, but do persevere. It doesn’t take long to know when you have thumped enough!

Have a close look at both the butterflies I’ve used and at first glance, they look identical but on a closer look, there are many differences, e.g. one has Terracotta antennae and the other has greeny-coloured antennae. The basics for today’s card are a Whisper White CS card base, a layer in Pear Pizzazz CS and a top layer of Whisper White CS onto which I adhered the two decorative stripes and then embossed it with the Subtle Dynamic (3D) Embossing Folder. I used the Stitched Shape oval die no. 2 for the sentiment and adhered it to a Terracotta Tile scalloped oval from the Layering Oval Dies – scalloped die no 3. I added a Champagne Rhinestone in each circle in the decorative strips, one at the top of the sentiment oval and one in the centre of the bow I made using the Very Vanilla Lace! I added the same two layers as I did on the front of the card, and added a “thumped” butterfly in the bottom right-hand corner.

I think I have remembered to cover everything, but please let me know if I have overlooked anything. That’s about it from me today. I wish you a really super weekend. If you’re here in the UK, it sounds like it’ll be a good weekend to stay indoors because it’s going to be very cold and very wet with snow in some places! Grrr! I look forward to being back with you tomorrow and in the meantime, happy crafting.

JanB. xx

Cardstock Layer Sizes: (A4)                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Card base 8¼” x 5¾” scored and folded at 4 1/8”                                                                                                                                                                                  First layer: 2 pieces 3 7/8” x 5½”                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Top layer: 2 pieces 3¾” x 5 3/8”

Cardstock Layer Sizes: (Letter-size)                                                                                                                                                                                                         Card base 8½” x 5½” scored and folded at 4¼”                                                                                                                                                                                          First layer: 2 pieces 4” x 5¼”                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Top layer: 2 pieces 3 7/8” x 5 1/8”

Products used for this project: please click on any of the links to be taken to my 24/7 online Stampin’ Up! shop. The Hostess Code for February 2020 is TWEMK47B. Thank you. xx

Card Stock A4 Pear Pizzazz [131290] £8.25	Terracotta Tile A4 Cardstock [150890] £8.25	Whisper White A4 Card Stock [106549] £9.00	Positive Thoughts Cling Stamp Set [151490] £20.00	Nature’s Thoughts Dies [153586] £27.00
Stitched Shapes Dies [145372] £28.00	Layering Ovals Dies [141706] £33.00	Subtle 3D Embossing Folder [151775] £9.25	Old Olive Classic Stampin’ Pad [147090] £7.00	Old Olive Classic Stampin’ Ink Refill [100531] £3.50
Pear Pizzazz Classic Stampin’ Pad [147104] £7.00	Pear Pizzazz Classic Stampin’ Ink Refill [131160] £3.50	Terracotta Tile Classic Stampin’ Pad [150086] £7.00	Terracotta Tile Classic Stampin’ Ink Refill [150093] £3.50	2019-2021 In Color Stampin’ Write Markers [150079] £13.75
Subtles Stampin’ Write Markers [147156] £27.50	Regals Stampin’ Write Markers [147155] £27.50	Very Vanilla 3/8″ (1 Cm) Scalloped Lace Trim [149593] £6.50	Champagne Rhinestone Basic Jewels [151193] £5.50	Take Your Pick [144107] £9.00
Paper Trimmer [152392] £23.00	Paper Snips [103579] £9.25	Grid Paper [130148] £11.75	Bone Folder [102300] £6.50	Silicone Craft Sheet [127853] £5.50
Multipurpose Liquid Glue [154974] £3.75	Stampin’ Dimensionals [104430] £3.75	Mini Stampin’ Dimensionals [144108] £3.75