Nov 29 2008
Three Scoops for the Sweet Tooth
I’ll bet you’ve been seeing cards made with these new Our Craft Lounge sets all over the place. Well, when I saw this set I thought how fun it would be to color and what happy cards it would make. What a great opportunity for playing with designer papers, polka dots, scallops, ribbons — all the thing I love when I want to just sit down and have fun.
The name of this set is Life is Sweet and you can see it here. It has a variety of cute images and useful sentiments. I watercolored my three-scoop confection with Stampin’ Up! inks on watercolor paper and cut it out with oval Nesties. There are glittery sprinkles on the chocolate topping, and the cherry has a glossy coating of Crystal Effects.
I’m trying to use up some older designer papers and I made fair progress with this card. The entire card base is My Mind’s Eye designer paper — it’s a light cardstock weight, which is plenty heavy enough with the outer layers and the inside lining. I thought this stripe was . . . how shall I say . . . hideous. It seemed okay when I bought it ages ago, but you know how it goes — new and irresistable papers come along and you’ve got all these piles of old stuff . . . To tone down the brightness of the paper, I sanded it with fine grain sandpaper. Here’s a before and after of the striped paper:
The sanding helped soften, not only the appearance, but the feel of the paper. It’s an interesting effect that’s nice for a change. Any paper with a white core will respond to this treatment. Of course, you won’t know if it has a white core until you sand it, but all double sided designer paper has a white core. I sanded every piece on my card, including the popped up flower circles, which were punched from the design of another sheet. Maybe you’ve got some of that “what was I thinking” paper? Perhaps a good sanding will make it more palatable.
I’ve got more images from this set stamped and waiting to be colored, but other projects are in the works, too. I’m not sure which I’ll get to first. I’ll be sharing something again as soon as possible, and I always hope you’ll enjoy it and find any little idea you can use. Until next time, take care and have yourself a wonderful day!
- Stamps: Life is Sweet (Our Craft Lounge)
- Paper: My Mind’s Eye Kaleidoscope designer paper, watercolor
- Ink: Jet Black Stazon, various SU! inks for watercoloring
- Accessories: Ribbon, brad, Spellbinders oval Nesties, 1″ circle punch, scallop edge punch, glitter, Crystal Effects, Scotch brand foam mounting tape
Leslie - this is fabulous! I adore the distressed DP, your expert shading around the sundae, the “gourmet” brad, and the three floral circles are marvelous. I may need to print this image and carry it around with me today so I can gaze upon it as I do my chores and help my DH decorate for Christmas. After all, I can’t very well sit in front of a computer all day. What a wonderful card!
This is one rock’n card. It is so pretty, I can’t stop staring at it!! I love how you sanded the stripes down. Like you I have so much hideous paper, but now I can reinvent it by sanding. Thanks for the tip, and for the great card!
LOL! I bought the same paper ages ago and feel the same way about it now! Sanding it was a brilliant solution! I love this card — great layout and beautifully colored!
Just love this…colors are absolutely yummy! I also love sanding…gives it such a great look! You always inspire me!! TFS!
This card is absolutely delicious-looking! Fun, bright, and uplifting is what you’ve created and what I like making, too.
Yummy Leslie, love the sanding on the DP…I have that paper too…lol!!
Wow! Definitetly a good decision to sand the paper! I like the “after” - but would not have given the “before” a second look. That was an ingenious idea and I appreciate the tip. Nice card - great layout. tfs.
Oh, thank you for the reminder of sanding the paper. I have lots of ‘yuckies’ from those stacks where you love some and hate some. I will have to try that.
Gosh, I have not used sanding to soften for ages…..I love your effect on the striped paper. Love all the layers of DP and your beautiful coloring of the yummy ice cream image. TFS…….can’t wait for more
This is just Divine Leslie! I love it!!!!
Vicki
Oh, what a great idea you had with sanding that paper - I love the effect! And this card is just too darned cute! Of course, your coloring is fabulous. Linda
What a great idea! I love the sanded look and your coloring is wonderfuL!
LeAnne
Oh Yummy!!! Leslie I love that set and the paper you picked is just right!!
Hi Leslie,
I have your site on feed, and I just love coming to have a look at each new creation. I particularly love this one, it is so fresh and yummy. Thanks so much for sharing.
Rob
This is indeed yummy!!! What gorgeous coloring, really makes me want a sundae, right now! I agree with you on the paper - it looks soooo much better after the sanding and now I will be trying that out on some paper I have:) TFS
Holy Moly! This looks good enough to eat! Love it!
Beautiful card, I love how much softer the paper looks after sanding it, great idea. The stamp and sentiment are truly ideal. TFS, love it!
Sweet, sweet card!! Gorgeous!!!
Leslie! This card is so cute! Love your idea with the sanding! It gives a very nice effect to the card! Love your coloring!!!
Oh I just love the distressed paper….another why didn’t I think of that!! Beautiful card…your watercolouring is awesome!
This is so pretty and yummy-looking, Leslie!! I love how you’ve distress that paper!! I will have to remember to use that trick for some of my least favorite papers.
So so yummy, love it.
You rock my friend! This is beyond YUMMY!!!! I miss you Leslie Miller!!
What a great idea to make use of those “what-was-I-thinking” papers! Will be sure to give that a try. TFS!
ooo! Totally DELICIOUS! I love how you sanded the paper! I tend to do that only with vintage images, so this had put all kinds of ideas into my head!
Love it! What a great idea to sand the paper to tone it down! Super job!!
This is a delicious card, Leslie! I love the paper treatment! I will have to give that a try! I too just posted a card using one of the new “Our Craft Lounge” stamps! I am loving and having fun with them! Take good care and hope you are doing well!
What an over-the-top card!!! I LOVE how you’ve colored your ice cream Sundae and what you’ve done by sanding the DP is wonderfu!!! Such a great idea, I’ll be SURE to give it a try!!! GREAT main image on this card!! TFS!!!
Leslie, this is good enough to eat! The colors and the sanding (thanks for reminding me not to toss hideous bright stuff) and just everything about this makes it eye candy for sure!!! Delicious indeed!
What I would give to take a bite out of that sunday!! I love your design and the colors
So yummy! These colors are the perfect backdrop for this delicious image!
This is totally yummy!! I love this set, just got mine, and need to ink it up! I totally love what you did here, all the colors, your layout, just fabulous! *STAMPIN HUGS* Alex
This is a really Yummy looking card. Love how you distressed the paper.
Love the softened look of the designer paper. Awesome idea.. And your card is wonderful, too. That looks SO REAL.. just like that chocolate better get eaten right now before it hits the table (or worse like the front of my blouse… that always happens to me! lol)
So adorable! I love the sanded paper!!
How beautiful and absolutely yummy looking! I really love how the sanding of the DP looks!
Leslie–this really does look good enough to eat! The colors are just yummy! Delightful–thanks for sharing.