There are a lot of photos in this post.

It all started when I was making swatches for some Distress Oxide inks.  I was curious about using a solid stamp on kraft and white cardstock. It is fun to compare the different ways that paper takes color and water.  These backgrounds were made on one 12 x12 kraft and one 8 1/2 x 11 white piece with six different colors of Distress Oxide inks. Any kind of solid stamp would work. I used one from one of the Altenew flower sets. Stamping gives a different effect than applying the ink pad directly to paper.  This is a more abstract, softer look. Which in turn made pretty cards.

3-inch x 3-inch cardstock samples for swatches

These swatches are on kraft, black and white cardstock. I cut a bunch of them at once.  A hole is punched in one corner and then the squares are put on a binder ring.

The name of the Distress Oxide ink is only written on the white cardstock

 It is easier for me to do all of the writing and then all of the stamping and water brushing at once.

Stamped images on three different cardstocks

In the photo above, the bottom stamped image is the one that is painted with water.  The little blob next to the stamped image is just that – a little blob of water and ink.

Distress Oxide Stamped on Kraft and White Cardstock with Water Splatters

After randomly stamping the ink onto the cardstock with an Altenew solid flower stamp in the different colors, I cut them into 4 1/4-inch by 5 1/2-inch pieces.  Some of the pieces were splattered with water.  The others were left as is.  Some were stamped and embossed with either clear detail or white embossing powder.

Others were cut into smaller pieces or die cut. I used the negative and positive cuts for the following two cards.  The extra white butterflies were used under the kraft ones for more dimension.

A2 Die Cover

Layered Butterflies Create a Shadow Effect

Background layered under the die cut butterflies

The “Hello” die is from A Muse Studio. The Butterfly die is from Memory Box. I believe it is retired.

Altenew Dahlia Blossoms Stamps and Diecut Shapes

Altenew Dahlia Blossoms stamped on Distress Oxide background

The cards look different enough that I thought I would share all 8 of them.  There are no bulky embellishments so they can all be mailed in a regular envelope without extra postage needed.