What's Up Wednesday! ~ Using a Small Image as the Star

Welcome to What's Up Wednesday! This week I'm sharing how you can use a small image as the "star" of your design. Those small images can often be overlooked in favor of the larger images. However, give those small image a chance and they will be a real WOW for your projects. 

I find a tone on tone theme using white is a way you can make a small image pop when you're coloring it with inks or markers. Those pops of color are what helps the images stand out against the white. All four of my examples use this method and various embellishments. The common theme is the little flower in the lower right corner of the Gallery Blooms stamp set.

Gallery Blooms Stamp Set
Also available in a bundle or suite

Here is the image stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black Ink. This ink won't bleed when using markers.  My colors are Fresh Freesia and Soft Sea Foam Stampin' Blends. White Willow CS was used on the cards. This will be consistent with all four projects.

The first card adds some ideas to the stamped image taking it up a notch. Since I was layering white on white I have a layer almost the size of the card front. On the back of this layer I used a pencil and rule to draw lines where I wanted to dry emboss on the other side. You don't have to worry about erasing the lines either since they will be on the back of the cardstock. 

Using my Stampin' Up Paper Trimmer I moved the cutting blade out of the way. I lined up one of the pencil lines and went over it with the scoring blade. This creates the dry embossed line on the other side. I did the same for the other lines and turned it over to work on the rest of the design.

I used a shape from the Textured Notes Dies to cute out the flower to make it a little fancier. I glued this layer inside the embossed lines, stamped a sentiment from Simply Said and added some Rhinestones. Oh, I also scissor distressed the edge of the larger layer to help it stand out from the card front.

This next card uses a framed look for the flower using CS in Fresh Freesia and Soft Sea Foam. The squares are die cut from the Stylish Shapes dies. I turned them to give a bit of drama to the look. The Fresh Freesia Ribbon is a nice touch and I left the tails long so it would frame the sentiment which is from Beautiful Motifs. The flower layer is popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals to give some depth to the layers. 

Card three shows off a pretty embossing folder from Glass & Gardens. It's a two-pack of really nice patterns. I used Everyday Arches dies to cute out the flower, this time using a die large enough to stamp a small sentiment within the arch. The arch is popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals and Rhinestones are once again added for some sparkle.

Here is my favorite one of the bunch! This time I embossed with the Damask Folder to give an all over charm to the background. The flowers are stamped three times then die cut with a shape from Nested Essentials dies. I used a piece of White Ribbon on the embossed layer using Mini Glue Dots to adhere it to the CS. On top of that I layered a piece of Gold Ribbon. The Gold ribbon is part of a two-pack with Silver. This pack is part of the Last Chance Sale so grab some while you can! With the Holiday card making season coming up you'll want some to add to those beautiful cards! 

Once the ribbons were added I popped up the flower layer with Stampin' Dimensionals. I added a new product called Large Gold Hoops. These hoops are not paper but a light metal. I used Mini Glue Dots around the edge to hold it in place. What a great addition!

Well, what did you think of those 4 ideas for making a small image the star? I have one more idea that goes with this theme but it won't go live until Friday. It's part of the Color Dare Challenge so be sure to come back Friday morning to check it out!

I hope you give those small images a chance and come up with ideas to let them shine!

Michelle Loncar

Independent Stampin' Up® Demonstrator 

Images© Stampin' Up

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