Here Comes the Sun...Again

I wasn't quite done with the Taylored Expressions Here Comes the Sun kit. The design team inspiration using Kraft cardstock was completely stuck in my head, and I wasn't going to be able to move on to any other products until I let this idea play out.

For all of the cards, I used sun die cuts and sentiments from the kit, as well as sentiments from the Watt's Up Mini Strips for the sub-sentiment.

I started the first card by using the TE Rotating Cloud stencil with Versamark ink to heat emboss the TE Fine Detail Embossing Powder in Puffy White.  It makes the clouds a little raised and well, puffy!

For the second card, I first used TE Sugar Cube ink through the stencil and then applied Blue Corn ink on top to give a brighter end result to the clouds.

For the last card, I applied the Blue Corn ink directly to the cardstock through the stencil, which resulted in darker clouds.

To finish the cards, I used vellum Cloud Stacklets and frames (Blue Corn A2 Thin Frame Cutting Plate and a black frame from my stash) to ground the cluster and give a cohesive look to the focal point.

Have a {sunshiny} good day!

Kayla

Here Comes the Sun

Occasionally there comes along a card kit that is just perfection!  For me, the Taylored Expressions April Card Kit of the Month was one of those.  From the first sneak peek of this sunny card kit, I knew that I absolutely had to have it!

The April kit was titled 'Here Comes the Sun' and it was full of sunshine.  The add on options were full of clouds, and together, they were just waiting to make the cutest cards.

Of course, I stalked my mailbox while I waited, and got started crafting right away when it arrived.  My first card was inspired by an idea from a member of the Fans of Taylored Expressions Facebook group to use sparkle white paper for the clouds.  I did this by using the largest die from the Cloud Stacklets to create a shaped card and placing a sparkly white paper cloud on the front to cover it.  Before gluing the edges down, I stamped the face on a sun die cut to have it peek out from behind the cloud.  I die cut a few more sizes of the Cloud Stacklets and stamped the Hello Sunshine sentiment on one to finish off the card.

When I go to bed, I usually watch a YouTube video or two to help me unwind from the day.  That night, I watched a Jennifer McGuire video titled 'Use Up Your Glitter!' and was inspired to use the technique with the new Radiant Cutting Plate.  I ink blended the background with TE yellow inks and then applied a layer of double sided tape, after the ink dried of course.  I adhered the Radiant die cut and then sprinkled warm toned glitter on the exposed tape.  After burnishing it, I added a vellum cloud and heat embossed sentiment to complete the card.  How perfect is warm sparkles for a sun card!

After finishing the sun card, I remembered that TE previously released the Rainbow Cutting Plate and it would be perfect for this technique as well.  To have the background colored in rainbow colors, I die cut the cutting plate and traced it onto a piece of white cardstock with the appropriate Copic markers, and then followed the same steps to complete the card.  Unfortunately, I grabbed the wrong glitter from my drawer and used a more opaque white glitter which didn't show the colors as well as I imagined.  The card was cute, but didn't have the wow factor I was looking for.

So I repeated the process, using the correct glitter this time, and simply adored the end result!  I mean, what is better than a sparkly rainbow? 

For my final card, I wanted to create a shaker.  I found a cute piece of cloud patterned paper and cut the a Cloud Stacklet from the middle, filling the shaker with seed beads and sequins from my stash.  To finish off the card, I added a sun die cut, vellum cloud, white clouds, and a sentiment from the Mini Strips Watt's Up stamp set.

I hope you enjoyed my 5 cards 1 kit post for the 'Here Comes the Sun' card kit!

Have a {sunshiny} good day!
Kayla