Soft Pastels Assortment - Two Techniques!

 Hi Friends!

I hope you've had a chance to peruse the new 2021-2022 Annual Catalog from Stampin'Up! It's a winner for sure and hidden towards the back, on page 126 you'll find a real gem of a product! We now carry soft pastels chalk for all your coloring, creating and awe-inspiring ideas! I played with these recently and wanted to share my results. I know there are many more techniques and ways to use them but these were two fun and easy ways to get started and get your hands dirty (literally)!

The first technique involves the soft pastels and a water painter, filled with water. Here's the card:

I love to make silhouette cards and ones with pretty landscapes are really fun! I used the soft pastels colors of Mossy Meadow, Bermuda Bay, Granny Apple Green, Daffodil Delight, Mango Melody and Poppy Parade, starting from the bottom to the top. After I had colored the chalk on from bottom to top, I used the medium brush Water Painter to add water to the soft pastel in sweeping horizontal motions.  The bundle I used for the canopy of trees and the fabulous sentiment is the "Inspired Thoughts" bundle. If you need a fresh update on your supply of sentiments, you NEED this stamp set and who wouldn't want the trees as well!

My second technique involved Versamark ink. I used the "Biggest Wish" stamp set, combined two stamps on the same acrylic block and stamped with Versamark ink on a 2-1/4" by 4" piece of Very Vanilla cardstock. I then gently rubbed the Bermuda Bay pastel across the entire piece of cardstock. The powder residue from the pastel stuck to the Versamark ink and highlighted the sentiment while leaving a lighter shade of color on the rest of the piece of cardstock. I love this fun technique! Here's the card:

My other stamping was done with the "Color and Contour" stamp set and Crumb Cake ink. I added some shimmer ribbon and a cute bumblebee!

I have a quick "How-to" video demonstrating the techniques used on both of these cards as I'm learning we are mostly visual learners and we love watching how someone did something! 

I hope you'll add the "Soft Pastels Assortment" to your next order! They are relatively inexpensive at $9 and I'm anticipating they will last me a long time! Have fun with experimenting with them, just don't head to your sidewalks! That would use them up in a hurry, haha!

Happy Stampin'!

Sarah