Whimsy Stamps ~ Monster Close Ups

Hey crafty friends, I'm over on the Whimsy Stamps YouTube Channel today sharing these monster makes with a really cool set of stamps called Monster Close Ups. I share my creative journey choosing the backgrounds to pair them monsters with, I show the creating of the backgrounds and will soon show the colouring of the images in a separate video on my own YouTube Channel. But the video I shared today, focuses on the backgrounds and the card creations. 

I filmed the making of these cards several weeks ago, before I fell ill and I used a couple of fabulous red rubber background stamps from Whimsy, which are sadly now out of stock and permanently retired, so I'm a little sad about that. But I give some good alternatives for creating similar backgrounds in the video.

The first card I completed some weeks back now, is this cool Mummy card which I created with the sadly now retired Web Background. I believe this was designed by Jennifer Dove from DoveArt Designs. I'm sad to see this stamp retire as it's a really cool background. In the video I show a version I stamped with Kaleidacolor Ink, but I ended up redoing the background with Distress Oxides in Lost Shadow and Hickory Smoke. I wanted a more muted background for the Mummy that wouldn't detract from his more subtle colours. I trimmed the edges of the panel with a Tim Holtz Deckle Edge Trimmer and added a fabulously spooky spider from Whimsy's Spiders and Webs Die Set. I tucked a little bit of Mummy Cloth behind the image, which I had distressed with Unravelled Mica Spray Stain and Pumice Stone Spray Stain. My final touch was the 'scary' word from the Scary Night Word Die Set. I used papers from the Sizzix Opulent Black Cardstock Pack. The matte and glitter cardstocks were the ones I used.

I love how this Werewolf card turned out. I had intended to use the Tree Silhouette Rubber Cling Stamp for the background of this card, however when I had completed the colouring of the Werewolf I didn't like the combination. The tree scene was too colourful and overshadowed the wolf. I had a play with the Paint Splatter background as I was trying a different combination of inks for the Vampire card. But I ended up really loving the original panel I'd made for that card with Kaleidacolor Ink. So the Distress Oxide one I'd made as a backup, I tried with the wolf and really loved that combination. I had used Lumberjack Plaid and Aged Mahogany Distress Oxide Inks for that version. I diecut this panel with the Zig Zag Stitched Rectangles Die Set. I added some fun interest to the panel with the Clawed Stencil and some custom coloured texture paste. I show the process of this in the video. I added a sentiment from the same stamp set as the images and a little corner die from Whimsy's ATC Book Die Set. 

For this Vampire card I used the panel I created with the Paint Splatter Background and Kaleidacolor Ink. I ended up really loving how it looked with the Vampire. Once I coloured his eyes red, it all came together! I used a fun sentiment also from the Monster Close Ups Set which reminds me of one of my lovely bosses, so I had such fun with it. I used a cool slimline die set called Slimline Heartbeats to add the heartbeat tracing behind the image. I diecut the background with the fabulous Treasure Map Die Set and mounted it onto a page from the Sizzix Opulent Cardstock Pack. I matted both the image and the background panel with the brushed metal finish cardstock. 

For my Frankenstein's Monster card, I used the second background I created for this character after not liking the colour combination of the first. I used a bit of Wilted Violet Distress Oxide to edge the panel after I created it, as the Kaleidacolor Ink I used had some muted purple shades in it. A slightly different combination to what I might usually choose, but I really love how this turned out. I did add some spooky blood shot details to the monster's eyes for an extra creepy touch. I diecut the background panel with the Wonky Stitched Rectangles Die Set and added it to a side folding card base I created from another of the lovely cardstocks from the Sizzix Opulent Black Cardstock Pack. This one is the Black Pearl Cardstock. I used it to matte the image too. I diecut that Black Pearl panel with a smaller frame from the Wonky Stitched Rectangles Die Set. I used another sentiment from the Monster Close Ups Stamp set, which I stamped onto a strip of cardstock inked with the same Wilted Violet Oxide as I used on the main panel. 

I had such fun creating this card set. The video is a long one as I had four makes to share, but I've added chapters so it's easier to navigate to different sections that might be of interest. You'll need to pop over to the YouTube Video to use that feature. 

Whimsy is about to share their second Halloween release tomorrow and it's full of fun Halloween stamp and die sets. If spooky Halloween is your jam, check out the current release via the banner above. 

We have a GIF game over in our Inspiration Facebook Group, you can share the names of your favourite Halloween characters with us and one lucky commenter will win a $25 Whimsy Stamps Gift Certificate. It's where all the fun happens during our Halloween season, so sign up to the group if you're not already. Link through on the banner above. 

We are also having a fun Halloween Challenge during August. Come and join in with your creations which 'feature' a Whimsy design element on them. There's no limit to entries and you have until the end of August to join in. One lucky entrant will be randomly chosen to win a $50 Whimsy Stamps Gift Certificate. You can click through on the banner above to the post for this. Thanks for stopping in today. I hope you enjoyed seeing my Halloween Card Set. I'll be back again soon with another crafty adventure until then I wish you a wonderful week. Hugs, Wends xoxo

(I share thumbnails to the elements I design with in order to make your search for them easier, in case you like something I've used. I do use affiliate links where possible, which gives me a tiny commission but costs you no extra whatsoever. It helps the companies I design for to improve their marketing practice and track my contributions. I am deeply grateful if you use them for these reasons. I am proud to design for the companies I do and always feel happy to share where my inspiration and where my crafty stash comes from. I am occasionally gifted products to use, but I only design for companies whose products I absolutely love and buy for myself. My opinions are always my own.)

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