Circus Cuties

***To see my Clear and Simple Stamps group post, please scroll down or click here.***

I’m having so much fun using Our Craft Lounge’s new Circus, Circus set for lots of different occasions. The images are great for both birthdays and babies, as I’ll show you on these projects that were featured on the OCL blog yesterday.

First up is the birthday card. I made a fun, festive circle card featuring the set’s elephant image. The elephant is colored with Copic markers in warm gray shades. I added a trio of small buttons to the panel for balloons and used a black pen to draw on strings.

To add some bright color, I attached a panel of striped paper from the Alphabet Soup-Boy collection kit under the colored image. The set’s “happy birthday” sentiment is stamped on a yellow banner strip that extends off of the card just a little bit. I added a button, tied with red baker’s twine, to the strip’s end. For a final festive touch, the image is layered on a red scalloped circle base.

Materials Used:
from i {heart} papers: Our Craft Lounge Circus, Circus stamp set, X-Press Copic blending cardstock, Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Copic markers (W00, W-1, W-3, W-5, R00, R11, R12 ), My Mind’s Eye Alphabet Soup-Boy Collection Kit, Spellbinders circle and scalloped circle dies, Divine Twine Cherry Red baker’s twine

other: Poppy Parade cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); Harvest Gold cardstock (Papertrey Ink); buttons (Michaels)

Now on to the baby stuff! Here’s a super sweet, super girly baby card using the set’s giraffe image. I colored the giraffe with several pink Copic markers and added a little Cotton Candy Pink Sparkly Fluff to its tail, then cut the image out. It’s set on the background panel with dimensional dots. I stamped the set’s “sweet baby” sentiment in the space above the image using Belle Rose ink. A pale green scalloped strip along the left edge of the panel adds a little contrasting color. I dotted each scallop with a bit of White Opal Liquid Pearls to bring in a few more dotted elements.

I accented the image with a pair of panels. I used a striped paper from Echo Park’s Little Girl Collection Kit, backed with a polka dot embossed panel to set the image off from the soft pink card front. A green button, tied with matching baker’s twine, ties it all together.

Materials Used:
from i {heart} papers: Our Craft Lounge Circus, Circus stamp set and Cotton Candy Pink Sparkly Fluff, X-Press Copic blending cardstock, Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Copic markers (RV00, R88, R83, R85), Palette Belle Rose ink, Ranger White Opal Liquid Pearls, Echo Park Little Girl Collection Kit, QuicKutz Polka Dots embossing folder, Divine Twine Green Apple baker’s twine, Zva Creative dimensional dots

other: Pink Pirouette, Regal Rose, and Kiwi Kiss cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); button (Michaels)

And, here’s one final baby project. I picked up a plain white onesie at the craft store and dressed it up with the set’s lion image. After washing and ironing the outfit, I stamped the lion on it with black Palette ink. If you try this, be sure to place a sturdy piece of cardboard inside the outfit before you stamp to stabilize it and to prevent the ink from transferring through to the back side of the outfit. I colored it with Copic markers, being careful to stay a bit inside the lines to allow the marker to spread a little on the fabric. Super cute and easy!

Materials Used:
from i {heart} papers: Our Craft Lounge Circus, Circus stamp set, Palette Noir Black ink, Copic markers (Y11, Y13, Y15, Y17, Y18, Y38, YR15, E23, R21)