Color Me Monday: All-Stars, Always!

Close To My Heart offers a gorgeous palette of 60 amazing colors, and because each one is like a child to me, I love them all! They each have a place, a season, and give something special to artwork. However, we definitely have a handful of all-stars: colorful players that are always our top sellers in cardstocks and inks, colors that work in virtually any season or theme, and that also have universal appeal. Who am I talking about? The ever-popular Outdoor Denim and his equally versatile teammate, Cranberry. This dynamic duo can best just about any design challenge, and everybody loves working with them whether you’re a consummate artist or a newbie stamper.

Today, I’ve partnered Outdoor Denim and Cranberry with Crystal Blue and Bamboo for some great looks on stamped cards and even a fun Tic-Tac-Toe game. Both of the cards feature simple stamp elements that have been trimmed with our micro-tip scissors (my favorites!), gussied up with some stitchin and scalloped-edge cardstock. If you’ve never made this scallop before, it’s SO easy, and fun. I guarantee you’ll be addicted once you try it!

Start by cutting a thin strip of cardstock any length you need it (and about an inch wide works great; just enough so you can hold it easily as you work with the tool). Get your corner rounder out and pull off the plastic guard—don’t worry, you can easily snap it back into place when you’re done. Slide your strip of cardstock into the corner rounder and punch to create your first scallop at the end of your strip. Then, slide the cardstock down to align the bottom of the scallop you’ve just punched with the bottom of the scallop on the corner rounder. Punch again, and you should have two scallops. Just repeat and repeat until your scalloped cardstock is the length you need for your project and voila—perfect scallops created in minutes.

Dress up your projects with the basics-are-best embellishments like grosgrain ribbon, buttons, and brads (I always reach for these timeless classics!) to create all-star artwork that’s always a hit.