Yard Sale Kind of Luck

Hi again, this has been a productive week for me! Here's another card using the Hug a Snowman set. I am still working with laser printed images since I sold out of the stamp sets and didn't keep one for myself...so my images are slightly different than a stamped image. (If you zoom in too close you'll notice that the lines on mine are teeny squares...lol)

So on this card I really wanted to make it sparkle without glitter...hard to do. But I managed. I inked all the edges of the top layers with a white pigment cats eye by colorbox then used a polysparkle embossing powder by Ranger. It melts clear but has flecks of pearlescent glitter inside of the powder, so it gives a nice shimmery epoxy like effect. Love it. I have to add though that I piereced the holes prior to embossing.


And again, I used the liquid applique on the clothing "fluff" areas. I realized as I was doing this that I needed to be extra careful with the heat gun to make sure I melted the embossing powder enough while avoiding the applique so it didn't burn like a marshmellow.

So I know a lot of people struggle with shading images and knowing where to put shadows...the easiest way to figure it out is to set up a little still life. Grab a grouping of small objects and desk lamp, arrange the grouping and shine the light down at an angle onto the grouping. Now just sit back and look at it all. Take a look at what areas of the objects are darker as a result of where the light is coming from. Trying to replicate that same look in a stamped image is tricky at first. It just takes practice thought. Just imagine your stamped image as your little still life grouping. Decide where you want your light to be coming from and shade the opposite edges of the image, darkening folds in clothing, bends in arms or legs, and adding a slight shadow on the "ground" will help to give your coloring more depth and life.

When I add shading, I use a color one or two shades darker than the color I started with and only use it on the very edge and blend inward. It's easier to add more than try to take away if you used too much of the darker color to start.

Happy Crafting!