This week all of my samples will be made using only three stamp sets, three colors of ink and assorted papers and accessories. So there is no need to clean off your desk…you can still create these cards in that postage-sized “stamping area” we all have.  No matter how big your desk, we all end up with more supplies than space.

Thanksgiving is a time when we reflect on our blessings (even if we have had some hard times.)  Sending a card to someone who has stood by us lets them know how much we appreciate them, and reminds us how much their friendship means.

Supplies:

• Clear Design Messages
• Clear Design Happy Thanksgiving
• Memories ArtPrint Brown Ink
• Neutral Notecards and Envelopes
• Neutral Card Buttons
• Other: scalloped circle punches, embroidery floss

Trying to use up most of the paper in the Neutral notecard pack, I cut the flap from one of the mocha envelopes and attached it to the front of an okra notecard. Stamp a message along the bottom in brown ink. (Stamping the message now gives you the opportunity to make changes if you make a mistake.) Punch a large scalloped circle from the rest of the mocha envelope and a slightly smaller scalloped circle from an okra envelope. After punching a circle in white stamp a turkey in the center with brown ink. Layer the circles on the card, add the buttons with embroidery floss and your card only needs a special message from you inside.

Tips:

• Envelopes are made from a lighter weight paper so they are much easier to punch.
• The turkey is not colored, but colored pencils can be used to add color (if you have time.) Although for me, saving coloring projects to do while watching TV keeps me out of the refrigerator.

Using just a bit more time than the first card, this whimsical design uses most of the same supplies and is created in a limited palette of papers and ink.

Supplies:

• Clear Design Happy Thanksgiving
• Clear Design Messages
• Black StazOn Ink
• Cotton White StazOn Ink
• Memories ArtPrint Brown Ink
• Ultra Clean Clear Stamp Cleaner
• Summer & Neutral Card Buttons
• Little Turns & Brads
• Neutral Notecards and Envelopes
• Other:  scalloped circle punch, twine, VersaMark, colored pencils, scraps of paper

After punching a scalloped circle from kraft paper, add the pumpkin image. Since you will be using a bit of water to blend the colored pencils, I recommend using StazOn Black ink. Clean the stamp immediately with Ultra Clean clear stamp cleaner. Color the pumpkin as desired. On a piece of dark brown paper stamp a background of leaf images with StazOn Cotton white ink pad. Stamp a light brown piece of paper with the same leaf image using VersaMark ink. Stamp a message in brown ink on light brown paper and cut out. Add two orange brads to the trimmed message and assemble the card. Add the decorative buttons with twine to finish the card.

Tip: Are you wondering what you will do with all the leftover turns that come with the brads?…

Attach a small square of dark green paper  over the hole in a turn, add a swish of white with a paint pen (to simulate a reflection) and…you have adorable Christmas lights to add to stamped garlands of holiday greenery.

Now for the challenge…get out your favorite three sets of stamps and ink and start stamping!  Using at least one Hero Arts stamp set, create a project using only three stamp sets and three inks and tag it with the code word “threes”.  Post it to the Hero Arts Flickr group by 11:59pm PST on Sunday, October 26th.  Can’t wait to see what you come up with!  From the entries we will pick winners for these prizes:

• 1st place: $50 of new Hero Arts stamps + a 2008 catalog
• 2nd place: $25 of new Hero Arts stamps + a 2008 catalog
• 3rd place: $10 of new Hero Arts stamps + a 2008 catalog

Note:  I will be showing Thanksgiving and fall cards this week.  In some parts of world Thanksgiving celebrations are over,  so try using the same format, with three stamp sets and three inks that represent the current season in your country.

Visit the blog tomorrow for a bonus challenge using photographs and no more than three sets of Hero Arts images and three ink colors. Don’t forget, you can make an image lighter by stamping first on scratch paper and using the second stamping for your card.

Until tomorrow,

Filed under: threes

This entry was posted on Monday, October 20th, 2008 at 4:39 am and is filed under Motivation Mondays. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.