Sometimes the sentiment really is the star of the card.
That's what Craftyfield shows us with these two cards featuring Simple Expressions: GRACE paired with the Floral Parade Ephemera Cut-Outs. She used the same pairing for both cards, but the finished designs feel quite different. One is clean and simple. The other has a little more going on.
And both keep GRACE front and center.
Let GRACE Take Center Stage
For her first card, Craftyfield kept things very simple. She stamped the GRACE outline in black Versafine and the solid word in a pinkish color, then embossed it with red UTEE with gold lustre. She placed a floral bouquet from the Floral Parade ephemera cut-outs underneath the sentiment and matted the panel onto a blue card base.
And then she stopped.
I know that sounds simple, but sometimes that's the hardest part. When you have a whole stash of things you could add, it's pretty easy to keep going. Craftyfield resisted that temptation, and I think the card is better for it. The sentiment already has plenty of impact, and the floral image gives it just enough support without taking over.
Frame the Sentiment
For her second card, Craftyfield used the same GRACE stamp and Floral Parade ephemera cut-outs, but this time she built a little more around the sentiment. She framed the design with torn pieces of an Old Letters Pocket Backdrop, then added two pieces from the Floral Parade ephemera cut-outs. She fussy cut the flowers to remove the white border, which helps them blend right into the vintage-style background. Once again, she stamped the GRACE outline in black and the solid word in pink to coordinate with the flowers.
It's a little more layered than her first card, but GRACE is still the first thing you notice.
Creative Takeaway
These two cards are a good reminder that you don't need to build a complicated design around a strong sentiment. Sometimes the best thing you can do is give the word some breathing room. Other times, you can frame it with patterned paper, add a couple of coordinating images, and create a little more visual interest. The trick is deciding what you want to be the star.
And look at how different the second card feels. Same sentiment. Ephemera from Floral Parade. But add the Old Letters backdrop and fussy-cut the flowers, and you've got a completely different card.
That's one of the things I like about the Simple Expressions stamps. You can keep the design simple, or you can build around the sentiment and make it part of a bigger composition.
Words That Matter
That's really what Simple Expressions is about. A meaningful word can say a lot. Give it some room, pair it with an image that supports the message, and let it become part of the artwork instead of something you simply tuck into a corner.
There are 18 words and quotes in the collection, so there's plenty to choose from depending on what you want your card to say. And because the Simple Expressions stamps work so well with our paper goods, you can mix and match them with Card Fronts, ATCs, Collage Sheets, Pocket Backdrops, and Ephemera Cut-Outs to create your own combinations.
When you purchase a Simple Expressions stamp and a qualifying Paper Goods Pack, the Paper Goods Pack is automatically 40% off.
Until next time, keep creating with words that matter.
