Critter Cards- without colouring

If you spend a lot of money on critter stamps, you feel like you need to use them.  At least, I do. Sometimes, I don't feel like colouring my critter stamps. The thing is, there are so many other ways to use your critter stamps.  You just need to think outside the box. Let's look at a few ways you can make cards with critters, without having to build a scene or do any colouring. 

#1 Ink blending

You don't even need to ink blend realistic colours or place them where you expect.

The colours just make a bright background for the line art to sit on. 

So cute.

#2 Stamp onto coloured cardstock

You won't get any shadows or light, but it doesn't matter. 
Stamping these cute elephants on different shades of grey
cardstock gives enough contrast. A touch of stencilling
and a sweet sentiment, means this card came together
so easily and it really packs a punch.  

#3 Just stamp it  

This gelpress background didn't need much. 
Simply Stamping the hedgehogs on a basic shape is enough. 
The sentiment is simply stamped too, with a black mat. 
I'm really happy with how this card turned out. 

#Heat Embossing

This white heat embossed cat on black cardstock is so cute. 
You could heat emboss in white on brightly coloured cardstock too. 
I sent this card to a friend whose cat had crossed the rainbow bridge. 
She loved it. 

There you go, 4 ways to use your critter stamps without colouring. 

Do you have any other special tricks for using your critters (or any line art) without colouring them? 

Please share them in the comments below. 

 

More Critter Cards- Simple Scenes

Scene building is not really my thing, I can do it, but it takes a lot of effort for me.  When I have stamped out a critter and taken the time to colour it, I want a background for it, but I want the critter to be the star of the show.  Let's check out these very simple scenes set for some sweet critters. 

A cloud stencil with some light blue ink, makes a cloudy sky. 
Some post-it tape and light green ink, blends to make some grass. 
Use a card panel with a circle aperture to add some white space. 
Pop up the card panel, with a simple stamped sentiment too. 

This scene is just a bunch of critters holding up a 
Happy Birthday sentiment and some balloons. 
The background has some light ink blending around the 
edges and corners so there is a highlight in the centre. 
It doesn't get much simpler than this. 

The sentiment strip becomes 'the ground' on this card.
Some light ink blending behind the critter acts as sky. 
How cute is this dog holding the bunch of balloons in his mouth! 

I had fun building this scene! The cats are just playing
with little balls and string. They are climbing shelves and
looking down on the world. Judging you. 
I didn't worry about grounding or carpet or wallpaper. 
All those card makers who can do that are awesome. 
You can still make a great scene without feeling overwhelmed. 

Just some ink smooshing to make this bubbly, watery background
for this adorable whale was needed. Keeping the scene smaller than the card
by using a wide strip give the card some white space, a sort of frame and makes
the scene building so much easier. 

I used masking to contain this scene. 
Simple shapes and a bit of post-it tape and we're done. 

This is almost a one layer card with some great masking. 
A grey alcohol marker was the only real addition to ground the critter. 
This dog is so cute! 

That's that then, 

Next time, Critter cards for when you don't feel like colouring! 

 

Critter Cards and Stencils

 I love critter cards and critter stamp sets.  They are so cute! 

I am not great at using critter stamp sets and making critter cards.  I am getting better at stamping out the critters and colouring them. I don't feel quite so intimidated as I used to when I saw a critter set. I don't have lots of critter stamp sets, but the collection is growing a bit. The thing I really struggle with, when it comes to critters, is how to use them on my card.  I'm not great at scene building... too much work babe! While I can come up with a scene and think of a great story for the critters, the time and effort to get my scenes to look right are just too much.  

So, let's take a look at some cards I've made using critter stamps from my stash. 

A brick wall stencil makes a cute backdrop for these "hot" chicks.
An action wobbler means that the critter is the star and
 the fading out brick just compliments it making a cute little scene.
I can totally see these chicks exercising in their home gyms!

Just another stencilled backgound here. 
The monkey looks like he is hanging around in the jungle. 
I didn't have to worry about trees, ground, or sky,
but this totally works.

If you want to get really fancy, use some texture/ embossing paste
through your stencil. This partial stencilling looks so cool. 
If your critter is looking a bit lost, just add a plain die cut shape behind it.

I have some critter cards with simple scenes to share with you next time. Until then, let me know how you use your critter stamps. I'm always looking for new ideas. 

Brayer backgrounds...

I have wanted to purchase a Brayer for a long time. I had seen crafters use it in lots of different ways.  When I got a gelpress, I had to get a brayer. I loved it so much, I ended up buying another one!  I have one for paint and one for ink.  Jennifer McGuire has two videos demonstrating ways to use a brayer. 

While you can use a brayer to apply ink to large background stanmps, your gelpress and embossing folders, you can also use it to apply ink directly onto the paper.  Rolling the brayer in the ink and then onto the cardstock will give you an interesting texture and you will never be able to make two backgrounds that looks exactly the same. I had loads of fun playing with my brayer, inks and different paper/ cardstock.  Have a look at these. 

This card background uses the matte side of some photo paper.  
A big die cut sentiment and this card is done.  How cool is that? 
You could do something similar in any other colour combination. 
I like ot use inks that "play nicely", mixing together without making brown. 
Of course, I think I used brown in this particular card, but usually I wouldn't. 

These cards look similar because they use the same colour combination. 
I used the shiny side of the photo paper for these cards. The card to the left
is made mostly from scraps.  The sentiments on these cards were cut from 
backgrounds that were also made using my brayer, ink and stencils. 

These cards are actually quite 'flat' but there is quite a bit of dimension. 
I achieved this, by rolling different shades of green ink on the card panel. 
There are darker and lighter spots on the card which sort of reminds me of 
a patchy field where the kids used to practice soccer. Using a grassy stencil
I ink blended over the top to give it a different texture. The hexagons were
just diecut from a hexagon nesting die set. Adding a simple sentiment strip,
finishes this card off perfectly.  No need for further embellishment. 

You could use any analagous colour combination and several different types of cardstock to play with this technique and make lots of backgrounds. One last card for you..

All the paper in this card was coloured using my gelpress.
The ink was applied using a brayer. It gives a softer feel. I really like it. 

Get out your Brayer and have a play.  See what you can make with it. 

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

One Stamp Set - Five Cards!

Here is another set of cards that I have made using just one stamp set.  Well, maybe not just one. This is the fabulous HB2U stamp set from Sugar Pea Designs.  It's probably retired.  It was first made for a Catherine Pooler Stamp of Approval collection.  It has a big sentiment of "Happy Birthday to you" and three balloon shapes, - circle, star and um, a long one - some confetti and a balloon string!  It's lots of fun.  I wasn't able to buy the dies for this, so the balloon die cuts are actually from another stamp set.  You could use any big birthday sentiment and balloon stamps and dies to make these cards. 

A technique I learned from a Jennifer McGuire video. 
It makes for a great effect on a simple card. 
1. Stamp the big sentiment, using the MISTI.
2. Use temporary adhesive to attach the balloon die cuts onto the cardfront.
3. Use the MISTI to stamp the Happy Birthday sentiment again. 
4. Remove the balloons and reattach them using foam tape to give some dimension.
5. Add other balloon die cuts (or stamping) around the sentiment to continue the fun. 

Just a swipe of ink smooshed on a craft mat, makes a messy background.
All that's needed is the big Birthday sentiment and some balloons. 
This card is so quick and easy. 

Just one balloon stamped in various colours, or all the balloon stamps, 
makes a great party back drop for the Happy sentiment. 
This card really took no time at all. I have made similar cards in various
colour schemes, like the ones below. 

This small stamp was a great price, because it was only 3x4.  I have used it to make so many different cards with it. It doesn't take much to make a great card with this stamp set.  Look at these. 

Two colours, one balloon stamp and the curly birthday
sentiment sets the scene for this fun and festive shaker card. 
I think this must be one of the easiest shakers I've made. 

Some patterned paper and this big birthday sentiment
are the perfect match for a quick and easy card. The font
on this sentiment seems to go with anything! 

I've had this stampset for more than 5 years. It was one of the first photopolymer stamp set I bought and it was so worth it!  I have made so many cards using this stamp set.  The ones I've shown you today are just a few of them.  Everyone needs a stamp set like this in their stash.  It's definitely been a staple in my stash since I bought it and while I have many more stamp sets, I still reach for this one often.  Sometimes I use the whole set, or just one stamp from it.  I was devastated when I accidentally tore the  sentiment when removing it from a block.  I couldn't bring myself to throw it away and I couldn't replace it.  I mended the stamp with some painters tape and it's not quite good as new, but it stamps well enough and the whole set lives on!  I'm curious, what is your birthday stamp set staple? Let me know in the comments.