Simple vs Stepped Up...Set #5

Do you enjoy making simple or stepped up projects? If you are like me, you enjoy both! Sometimes it is nice to sit down and create some projects that are pretty but don't involve a lot of steps. Other times, I like to sit down and spend more time on a single card.  If you are like me, it depends on how much time I have and if I'm feeling really creative.

As I was thinking about it earlier this week, I thought it would be nice to have a selection of both types of cards focusing on a single stamp set. I have decided to do this project using the Gift of Joy stamp set.  This is a set in the September Mini Catalog that caught me attention the first time I flipped through the catalog. The simple drawings and two step stamping procedure are what caught my attention.

Tip: Two step stamping is the process of layering stamped images created to work together.

These are my final cards in this series.  Today, I chose to use soft pastel colors instead of traditional reds and greens. The ink colors I have chosen are Fresh Freesia, Pretty in Pink and Summer Splash.  I used Shaded Spruce ink for the greenery on the card. I also stamped MERRY in all three colors around the middle of the card.  

For the simple card, I stamped the garland near the top of the card and the stockings hanging from it.  I created a mask of the stockings from a post it note and used it to mask the bottom of the candy cane and gingerbread by covering the stamped stocking with the mask.  This creates the appearance that the treats are poking out of the stockings. I colored the small stamped images with Stampin' Blends. I also stamped the ornaments at the top of the card and used my Shaded Spruce Stampin' Write Marker to place hearts randomly around the card.

I created another post it note mask to add some color to the bottom of the card in Summer Splash ink. Then I stamped the sentiment and a few more MERRY images in Shaded Spruce ink.

For the stepped up card, I stamped the stockings in the same color as above, but this time I fussy cut them out.  I also stamped the small candy canes, ornaments and gingerbread cookies then fussy cut them out as well.  I also cut a few extra to place in the garland I stamped above the stockings.

I ink blended behind each stocking in the same color I stamped it in and then stamped the gift from the set in the same colors.  I stamped the gifts to coordinate with the stocking, then the sentiment in Summer Splash ink.

All of this was created on a white panel that I ink blended around with Summer Splash ink and adhered to another white panel, allowing it to only slightly peek out.  I stamped the solid floral images in tone-on-tone Summer Splash card stock cut to an A2 card base.  I adhered the two white panels to the card front.  

To finish off the card, I added a few details with a fine tipped black pen.