Good Morning Fellow Stampers ~
Well, here we are on a "hump day"; and I'm being mightily thankful that this week is an "off-Friday" week for me, so tomorrow will be my "Friday" this week!! And that sounds pretty mahvelous to me!! How about you? 😄
So a couple of weeks ago I shared a video tutorial with you creating a tone-on-tone card - you can click HERE to see it again. I promised you that we would be taking a look at a slightly different style of creating that kind of a card - a stamped, popped-up letter-style card that is. The new "Eclipse card" is all the rage right now!! BIG HUGE on the cardmaking scene at the moment. I'm sure you've been seeing it pop up on Pinterest and elsewhere. The differences between the two cards are subtle; but I can tell you that the "eclipse" effect is quite fun and one you will definitely want to try.
So last week I was sick and didn't get a chance to put together a video tutorial on this. I have decided this week to pace things a little bit. So today, we're just going to take a look at my fun little Halloween "Eclipse" card and talk through the differences between the two designs a little bit. This is not hard; and the few little tweaks you need to make are what create the "eclipse" look to this design.
Colorology
Now, much like our last popped letter card, you want to use a piece of scratch paper, cardstock, or sticky notes to create a "line" to line up your letters on. Then cut those out of your top layer to your card. Unlike our last card, this card has a number of layers to it, including a layer that is the same size as the top layer and will only be seen in the "eclipse" of the popped letters.
This card is cut from an Elegant Eggplant card base (5-1/2" x 8-1/2", scored at 4-1/4" - and turned on the horizontal with the fold to the top). We have a layer of Basic Black (4-1/8" x 5-3/8"), and then a layer of Paper Pumpkin (cut 4" x 5-1/4"); and a matched over-layer of Smoky Slate (also cut 4" x 5-1/4"). The first "trick" to an "eclipse" card is a lighter top layer and a "pop" color or darker color underneath it that will peek through.
Now, another very important point to an "eclipse" card - you will want to hold onto all the "middles" of your letters -- in this case, i.e., the two centers of the "B", and the center to each of the "O"'s. Replace the letters and centers back into their spots in the Smoky Slate, and then stamp your images - we're using the fabulous Spooky Cat stamp set today. Have you looked at this set closely? It is actually a 2-step stamp set - fabulous!! Check it out. The buckle on the witches hat, the beak and feet of the owl, all the "insides" to the potion bottles . . . they all are the "second" stamp so you can stamp any color you want. I love it!! Did you notice my cute little "tie" on my owl? That was a happy mistake, but I decided my owl needed a little "dressing up" and I just think it's adorable!!
Now there are two final "tricks" to making an "eclipse" card work. First ~ you are going to "SNAIL" down those letter centers to the card layer beneath (in this case the Pumpkin Pie). So, first attach the Smoky Slate to the Pumpkin pie layer; then with the letters just "laid" in place, carefully either use glue dots or SNAIL, and place the centers of each letter flat to the Pumpkin Pie layer. Then, the Second trick is what you use to pop up those letters themselves. Don't use dimensionals! You need a "deep" enough pop-up to get the "eclipse" effect. So you want to use our Foam Adhesive Strips. These are "taller" and give you the effect you want (that's why we use them for our shaker cards because you need a deep pop-up for shaker windows). You can see in this photo the deeper pop-up effect and how the orange shows nicely around the letters. I also used the Foam Adhesive Strips to pop up Mister Kitty so that he would be on the same level as the letters.
I finished off the detail on this card with lots of Clear Wink of Stella on the Witches Hat and Mister Mouse; and those wonderful Black Rhinestones in all the right places!!
Don't you just love it?
I've been thrilled and excited to share our Halloween Eclipse card with you today. Can you see why they call it an "eclipse" card? If you were lucky enough to get the full effect of the eclipse in August, then you know that when the moon fully covers the sun, you only get that "halo" of light and color around the edge. Kind of cool, isn't it? Implement the little tricks and use the video tutorial from a couple weeks ago, and I KNOW you can have a fabulous "eclipse" card too!! Don't hesitate to ask me questions - I'm here to help!! And if you need any of the supplies for today's card, just visit my Online Store today! Halloween is just around the corner after all!! 😉
Until Next Time . .
