Outside Looking In

This simple, yet effective, illusion was accomplished with a little tape and a lot of 

fun.

I stamped the frame first and then masked every line before stamping

the fern fronds and finally the giraffe.

I stamped an extra ear and popped it up for dimension.

If you look really close you can see where I got lazy with my masking.....

Frame image by Northwoods Rubber

Giraffe image by Embossing Arts

Fern fronds by Non Sequitur

Cut Out Technique

This technique is all about illusion!

First you will mask off a border on your cardfront.

I measured 1/2" for my sample.

Then using a medium size stamp, stamp images here and there, being sure to connect them in some way to the border area and to each other.

Stamp with versamark and emboss with EP.

Now draw a line using a ruler around the front at your desired

frame width.  Using a craft knife, cut along the border and around the images.

You should end with open spaces around the

images with a clear border area *see above*

Layer a metallic paper behind the cutout front 

and finish as desired.

This sounds harder than it is and you end up

with a really cool effect.

Images used were by Magenta and Non Sequitur

Faux Silk Technique

This card uses the "Faux Silk" technique, which is very easy to do.

First I stamped images (all by Non Sequitur) onto a piece

of tissue paper and then crumpled it up....creating wrinkles.

After smoothing the tissue paper out I adhered it to some cardstock,

leaving some wrinkles remaining to imitate silk.

Then I trimmed and layered, added a scrap of netting and a metal 

frame etc.

The result looks (IRL) like a swatch of silk, even feels like silk!

Nifty Napkins Technique

This is a super simple technique involving an iron and a napkin.

I trimmed the napkin to fit the paper and then iron it onto a piece of

freezer paper and attached that to my card.

I punched several circles, placed eyelets in each and laced some ribbon

through to make an oversize bow.

Sentiment stamp is by Non Sequitur

Ripped Palette

It might seem like I will do anything to get out of coloring

doesn't it?

This card uses a technique that makes your paper do the coloring!

For this card I began with a purple panel.  I ripped a green panel and 

centered that over the purple, then I ripped a smaller yellow panel and

put that on top of the green.

Then I stamped the image over it all.

To keep my markers from getting too dusty I stamped and cut out another butterfly

after coloring it.  I added some crinkly wire for the

antennae and popped it up at the bottom.

The sentiment is by Non Sequitur and the bugs are Magenta.