Too Cool Happenings!
- NEW Too Cool Stamp Club—Group 2 Signups Now Open!
- TC Stamper Sampler Class—Modern Medley Set July 23
- Stamp-of-the-Month: Traveler—Class-To-Go Kits Available!
- Buy 3, Get 1 FREE Designer Paper – Thru July 31
- Blendabilities Markers Now Available!
- Browse the NEW Annual Catalog Online PDF
____________________________________________________________________

My favorite part of these two cool cards is the sponged background using the Typeset Designer Series Paper. It was so easy and gives such a dramatic and rich look to this card!
Focus On Sponging—This month's Stamp-of-the-Month class focuses on sponging techniques, and the kit includes one Stampin' Sponge to get you started. I like to cut my Stampin' Sponge into six pieces and use each one for different colors. I actually have one sponge dedicated to each color, but you can start by having one for each color family (blues, greens, yellows, etc.).
CASEd from Lynn Weiss at LW Designs.
Map Sponging—I started by sponging a piece of 4" x 5-1/4" map patterned paper from the Typeset DSP. I used Soft Suede to roughly color in the land areas, then I filled in the ocean spaces with Marina Mist.
Optional: The World Map background stamp is a fantastic alternative to the Typeset map paper, especially if you want to make multiples of these cards. And, if you wanted a more subtle background, you could stamp the World Map onto a Crumb Cake or Night of Navy background with the same color of ink. That would be so pretty. I wanted to create a card to show you this, but My World Map stamp was on an unexpected backorder. Shoot! I should have it for the class if you want to try it out!
You don't have to be too exact with your sponging…I promise it's gonna look great! Even the overlapped areas at the borders of the land and sea blend to a pretty green color that looks right at home on a map.
Globe Focal Point—I stamped the Traveler globe image in Memento Black ink onto a piece of 2-1/4" x 3-1/4" Whisper White, then matted that on a 2-3/4" x 3-3/4" Night of Navy layer. The image is colored with Baked Brown Sugar (a lighter shade of Soft Suede), Marina Mist, and Hello Honey for the globe stand. I colored with a Blender Pen using ink from Classic Ink Pads.
TIP: Squeeze the ink pad before opening it to transfer the ink to the lid to create an ink palette.
Sweet Sentiment—I stamped the Gifts of Kindness greeting onto Soft Sky card stock, then die-cut it with the Banners Framelits. A couple of Rhinestone Jewels give it the finishing touch. I'm including a full pack of Rhinestones in your class kit, so you can add as much bling as you want!
Inside Décor—I found a "you make the world a better place" phrase in the Starburst Sayings set…perfect!
My second card is very similar, but it has some subtle changes that make all the difference.
Sponged Edges—I sponged the sides of the focal point layer with Baked Brown Sugar to soften the harsh edges and add to the aged look.
Banner Details—This sentiment is from the Something To Say set. I like the look of centering it at the bottom of the rectangle and accenting on each side with Rhinestones.
Distressed Background—The real difference in this version is the distressed background. After sponging on the colors, I crumpled the newsprint-weight paper into a tight ball, flattened it out, then crumpled it a second time before smoothing out and adhering it to the card base. The wrinkles provide some texture and a look of an old, well-worn map.
To add to the antiqued effect, I also lightly sponged over the entire background with the Soft Suede ink to accentuate the creases, and I allowed the edges to curl up a bit. You could even rip or tear some of the edges to add to the effect if you want.
Another Perfect Globe Greeting—The Something To Say sentiment set has two-part phrases and the second part to the "congratulations" greeting is "now go change the world." It makes a super card for a graduation, a big promotion, or to celebrate some other big life adventure.
Stay tuned! I'll be sharing details on more of the Traveler Class cards in the coming week.
Complete Supplies List
- Stamps—Traveler (wood), Gifts of Kindness (wood) card #1, Starburst Sayings (wood) card #1, Something To Say (wood) card #2
- Ink—Memento Black Ink; Baked Brown Sugar, Soft Suede, Marina Mist, Hello Honey Classic Ink
- Paper—Typeset DSP; Night of Navy, Soft Sky and Whisper White card stock
- Accessories—Rhinestone Jewels
- Tools—Banners Framelits, Big Shot, Stampin' Sponge, Dimensionals, SNAIL
Find all the supplies to create this project & more at my Online Store!
* * * * *
Register Now For The Traveler Stamp-of-the-Month Class!
Want to create one of these cards for yourself? Simply contact me to register!
Angie