Believe in Magic - Adding Dimension to a Clean and Simple Card

It's another magical Monday with today's card.  I made this card for this week's CAS Colours & Sketches sketch challenge.  I used two techniques to give this clean and simple card a little bit of dimension and interest.  When adding to a CAS card you need to be careful not to add too much, or your card is suddenly no longer CAS!

I started with a panel of mixed media paper cut to 5 1/4 x 4 inches.  I used a die to cut the swirl then I watercolored around it using Distress Inks.  I love doing cards like this - they are very organic and no two ever come out the same.  I started with the lightest ink and added some darker blues to the center.  Then I added more light around the edges.  In between I used a heat gun to dry my layers.  I kept doing this until I was satisfied with the look.  When I was finished I adhered the panel to a top folding A2 card base.

I struggled with the right sentiment when I came across this one in my stash.  It seemed to fit perfectly.  I heat embossed it on a black panel and cut it to size.  I didn't want it flush with the card base, that seemed too flat and it needed some depth.  I tried using foam tape on the back but then it was way too high for the size of the strip.  It looked a bit ridiculous.  I ended up lifting it off the card slightly by using a stack of four pieces of black card stock the same size.  This has become one of my go to ways to add dimension.

I wanted the swirl to have some sparkle but not in an obvious way, so I added some clear glitter enamel dots.

Some I added to the blue areas and some fit perfectly in the holes created by the dots.  Because they are clear and glittery, they add just a hint of sparkle.  Hard to see in the photo but pretty striking in person.  Just enough to emphasize the "magic" of the image.

Adding dimension with a few layers of card stock and adding some interest with clear embellishments are two ways to add something extra to your cards while still keeping things simple.

Stamp: Impression Obsession Words for Art
Die: Simon Says Stamp Bubble Breeze
Distress Inks: Broken China, Mermaid Lagoon, Blueprint Sketch, Faded Jeans

Thanks for visiting today!  Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.  To be notified of future blog posts please sign up for email notifications.