Technique Tuesday

Hello Crafters! Its time for Technique Tuesday! Each Tuesday I will be showcasing a different technique for you to use on your projects! Its like attending a class without having to pay the fees!
The topic this week is sponging.  Sponging is a very easy and very basic technique to amp up your projects and make them pop!  Today’s card was created using the new Hand Stamped Sentiments weekly challenge.  Each Tuesday, they have a new challenge for crafters, you should check it out and get your creative juices flowing!
Here is the challenge this week (challenge can be found at http://handstampedsentiments.blogspot.com):

I just received a new box of Stampin’ Up! goodies and wanted to play around with some of the fall items I got.  There are many different items that you can use to sponge, but I prefer to use Stampin’ Up!’s Stamping Sponges.  Each package comes with three round yellow sponges, but I cut each round sponge into 8 triangles.  I feel like I get more bang for my buck, plus they are easier to hold while sponging.
The best way for me to do this technique is to hold the sponge in my hand, dab it in the stamp pad, and lightly tap or rub the paper depending on how you want the finish to look.  Tapping the paper gives the ‘spongy’ look while rubbing will give you a more even color spread out over a larger area.  The more ink you put on the sponge, the darker the finish will be, so be careful! Here’s my card:

For my project, I sponged my leaves using the tapping motion with Crumb Cake ink along the edges of the leaf but for the textured paper, I used the rubbing motion.  The Naturals Composition Specialty Paper is an embossed paper meaning some edges are smooth and some are raised.  This makes this paper perfect for sponging and changing the inside color of the paper.  Here is what the paper looked like halfway through rubbing.  You can see the difference in the colors.

Hope you enjoyed the fall card as much as I enjoyed making it! I can’t wait to use some of the other goodies that I ordered!
Supplies Used (all are Stampin’ Up! products):
Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla
Specialty Paper: Naturals Composition Speciality Paper
Ink: Soft Suede, More Mustard, Cherry Cobbler, Cajun Craze, Crumb Cake, Island Indigo
Stamp Sets: Wonderfall, Broadstreet Alphabet
Accessories: Bigz Autum Accents Die, Stampin’ Sponges, Paper Piercer, Stampin’ Pierce Mat, Paper Piercing Pack Essentials, Island Indigo 3/8th inch Ruffled Ribbon, More Mustard 1/2 inch Scallop Dots Ribbon, Foam Pop-Ups, Glue Dots
To order these products and all your favorite Stampin’ Up! items, visit my website at www.anastasia.stampinup.net!

5 thoughts on “Technique Tuesday”

  1. I love those big block letters! …and all those little alphas on the leaf too, very cute! Thanks for playing at Hand Stamped Sentiments! Erika

    Reply
  2. Very Cute!!! Great color combo and love the layout!!! Great technique!!! Great use of the alphabet!! Thanks for playing along with Hand Stamped Sentiments, Diane

    Reply
  3. I had to scroll through your blog to find your card, but I'm glad I did! I love your style and this card is equally fabulous. Happy you played along with us at HSS. PS–Thank you to your husband and yourself in your service to the country!

    Reply

Leave a Comment