Two variations with the same mix of products.

You may have noticed I like to do variations. There are so many wonderful possibilities with color and product and design. I’d love to create them ALL, but we all know there’s no time for that. Instead, I will challenge myself to use a similar combination with some variations. In this case, the products (other than the sentiments are the same, with just some variation in the base cardstock color and the layout.

These cards feature Simon Hurley’s Astro Paste, Dazzling Diamond Layering Stencil, and the Autumn Leaves Inlay Die, from Concord & 9th.

My order of Astro Paste arrived the day before I left for vacation. I really wanted to be able to play with them, so I took them along with me to the beach. I didn’t craft much while I was there, but wanted to try them out. I made my swatches and a few backgrounds. One of my nieces had fun with them too. (One picture shows a different stencil - that card will come later - but I used the same rainbow of pastes on that as I did on these. It is a good illustration of how I created the blended paste background.) At the time I had no idea what I’d use them for, but I knew they’d make great backgrounds for something.

I got home and things were busy and I forgot about those backgrounds, but decided it was past time to make some cards with them.

Techniques:

• The background is created by spreading multiple colors of Astro Paste through a stencil onto colored cardstock.

• The leaves are simple die cuts from the Autumn Leaves Inlay die. I mixed in a darker color for the “stem” parts of the leaves (technically the petiole, midrib and veins - I had to look that up) because I wanted the contrast between the two parts to show off the shape. Doing those pieces in colors similar in value to the background keep it from being busy. They visually recede so it isn’t too busy.

• The sentiment is 3 layers of die cuts stacked together. The bright white of it provides good contrast so it stands out well against that background. That die does come with a shadow layer also, but I chose not to use it because I didn’t want to cover more of the sparkly background pattern.

Colors Used:

• cardstock: Concord & 9th Wildberry, Clementine, Peacock, and Midnight.

• Simon Hurley Astro Paste: Prom Queen, Roar, Slippery When Wet, Clear Skies, Crown Me

Techniques:

• The background is created by spreading multiple colors of Astro Paste through a stencil onto colored cardstock.

• The leaves are simple die cuts from the Autumn Leaves Inlay die. I didn’t have a good red-orange shade of cardstock that I wanted, so I ink blended onto the lighter orange I did have. I actually didn’t add any ink to my brushes for that, but used what was left on my brushes that I use for red and for the darker oranges (Spiced Cider, Cayenne…)

• I did some ink blending on the leaves I used, concentrating the color at the base/stem part and fading it upward. I used residual ink left on my brushes in colors that match the leaves.

• The leaves needed some stability to keep the die cut parts together, so I added a back piece to each. I used the frame portion from the die cuts to trace on a scrap of cardstock. I didn’t try to be perfect, but just made sure it was inset to be sure that the backer piece would be smaller than the leaf. I used scraps in the color that matched the leaf because I didn’t want to add any contrast to any gaps where it might peek through. After I glued those to the back of the die cut leaves I was able to pop them up with foam or glue them down and not have to worry about the pieces separating.

• I thought this sentiment, even though it is from a summer pool set, was appropriate with the change of seasons and falling leaves.

Colors:

• cardstock: Concord & 9th Wildberry, Sorbet (for the card base), Clementine, Lemongrass, and Peacock.

• Simon Hurley Astro Paste: Prom Queen, Roar, Slippery When Wet, Clear Skies, Crown Me

What do you think of the pair of cards? Is there one of the two that is your favorite? I’d love to know!

Thank you for visiting! I hope you get some time to create something soon.
Links are below if you’re interested in any of the products I used.

Supply list*:

(Listed by company, with links to Simon Says Stamp and others. Simon Says Stamp links are affiliate links*.)

*Affiliate links do not cost you any more when you shop, but it is beneficial to creators when you use them, so thanks in advance!