SSS Concentric Joy Cards

 *This post contains affiliate links to Simon Says Stamp

I thought it would be fun to pull out a 'non-Christmas' stamp to create some Christmas cards.

These cards feature my Concentric Doodle background for Simon Says Stamp.  For each card, I stamped the image once with Antique Linen Distress Oxide, and once with Versamark which was then embossed with a Gold Sparkle embossing powder from Wow.

Each of these panels was trimmed down.  I then fussy cut the center of the Concentric Doodle image to create a window, as well as around the outside of the image.  This entire piece was then popped up with foam tape over the Antique Linen panel.

I created one card from cream cardstock and one from white.

I used the Large Joy die for the sentiments, cutting the base piece from cream/white, and then the sentiment itself from Matte Gold cardstock.

This was centered over the fussy cut opening.

For the white cardstock card I also added a secondary sentiment from the From All of Us Sentiment Strips which was gold foiled.

These were really quite easy to create, and I just love how bold and sparkly they are.

STAMPtember is Here! Cards, New Products, Giveaways.

Hey everyone!  I'm so excited that STAMPtember is finally here!  Simon Says Stamp has a HUGE STAMPtember release that is now available with over 150 new products.  I'm thrilled to say that 15 of those are products I designed!  

To celebrate, I'm giving them away.  To spread the love a little, I've divided them into four groups:  

Printmaking, 

Backgrounds, 

Waves & Raindrops, 

and Coffee.  

Unfortunately, because of shipping costs, these packages are only open to US/Canada residents, but I'm also going to be giving away a $30 Simon Says Stamp gift certificate to one international friend.

To enter, be a follower, and leave a comment on any of my STAMPtember posts between now and next Tuesday.  If you're international, please indicate that.  I'll announce winners next Wednesday (although the STAMPtember posts will definitely last a while longer).  For additional chances to win, check out my Instagram (@mprantner).

Now for some cards.  Today I'm featuring my Concentric Doodle background stamp.  This is one of those backgrounds that can easily act as a grounding element for a large sentiment or focal image, but it is also striking on it's own.

For my first card, I decided to do some really easy coloring.  I might have used every BG Copic marker that I own.  Here's the full list: BG07, BG09, BG10, BG11, BG13, BG15, BG23, BG32, BG34, BG45, and BG49.

I started by stamping the background with Gina K Black Amalgam ink.  The images was then colored, mixing the different blue greens  and utilizing some very basic shading.  I also colored around the edges of the image with black.

Once I was done, I placed my panel back into the MISTI (I had left the stamp in place), and stamped again with Versafine to sharpen up my stamped lines.

The panel was then trimmed down, and I added a sentiment from the Sunshine and Rainbow Sentiment Strips.

This next card was so fun to make. I started by selected several different shades of cardstock.  Then I stamped and embossed the background on each piece, alternating between Versafine and clear embossing powder and Versamark and gold embossing powder.

The background was then 'pieced' together, but to keep things interesting and to add dimension, every other ring was popped up with foam tape.  I really wanted to go for drama, so I used a thicker foam than normal, and I love the results.  

I again used a sentiment from the Sunshine and Rainbow Sentiment Strips.

Be sure to head over to Simon to take a look at the rest of the release, there really is something for every one and for every occasion!  I'll be back tomorrow with lots more inspiration!