Thursday Trend Watch: In the Clouds

I’d have to say that one of my favorite current trends is that of featuring clouds.  Although you’ve probably seen Soph incorporate a sponged cloud background into many of her projects, this was actually my first time trying it out.  If you’ve looked through paper crafting magazines, blogs or even some of the latest paper crafting products to hit the market, you’re sure to have seen clouds in various forms.  Some more defined, others less defined. 

In today’s project I decided to create a background with very defined clouds.  Here’s how I made my card:

1. Create some cloud templates.  To do this I took a Sharpie marker and drew freehand some clouds onto a transparency sheet (also known as acetate or window sheets). I do not use my good Stampin’ Up! window sheets for this, I just use the cheap stuff you can buy from the office supply store.
2. Temporarily stuck the clouds to a 3 3/4″ x 5″ piece of Whisper White CS using Dotto adhesive.
3. Sponge all around the clouds using Baja Breeze Classic ink and a wedge of Stamping Sponge.  I sponged from the outside edge of the card – starting off the paper and working inwards – sponging in a circular motion.
4. Carefully remove the acetate clouds and then get rid of any remaining adhesive using an adhesive eraser.
5. Stamp the balloon from the Crazy for Cupcakes stamp set onto some scraps of DP from the Happy B-day Simply Scrappin’ Kit, as well as from Real Red CS, using Basic Black Classic ink.  Cut them out with paper snips.
6. Using a stamp-a-ma-jig and Basic Black Classic ink, stamp three balloons onto the cloud background. Stick the cut out balloons over top of the stamped ballons with a Stampin’ Dimensional.
7. Add some glitter to the balloons using a 2-way glue pen if desired.
8. Stamp the greeting from the On Your Birthday stamp set in the bottom left corner of the cloud background piece using Basic Black Classic ink.
9. Center and stick the cloud background piece onto a 4″ x 5 1/4″ piece of Real Red CS.
10. Center and stick the Real Red CS to the Baja Breeze card front (created by folding a 4 1/4″ x 11″ piece of Baja Breeze CS in half with a bone folder).  You’re done!

I hope you enjoyed today’s project.  If you’re a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator, be sure to hop on over to my blog on Demo to Demo for some quick tips on using this trend in your business.

Stamps: Crazy for Cupcakes, On Your Birthay
Ink: Basic Black Classic ink, Baja Breeze Classic ink
Paper: Whisper White CS, Real Red CS, Baja Breeze CS, Happy B-day Simply Scrappin’ Kit
Accessories: Stamp-a-ma-jig, Dotto adhesive, Stampin’ Dimensionals, paper snips, 2-way glue pen, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, acetate, Sharpie marker