Everybody has a deck of playing cards that is missing at least one card, which makes it a little bit difficult to play any card games correctly. So instead of throwing those cards away, use them in your stamping art! You would be amazed at what you can do with these cards. I really enjoy making things with them and then having people say “That’s a playing card?” Let your imagination go with these cards. You can make greeting cards, tag art, key chains, and handmade books, decorate boxes, or even use them on scrapbook pages! Playing cards come in so many sizes and shapes these days. I have seen round, square, crooked, even mummy shaped! These make great elements in collages as well. The cards I used were found in a dollar store. They were labeled Jumbo, but seem the normal sized poker cards. They measure 2 ½”x 3 ½”. I also found some mini cards as well. These measure 2 ¼”x 1 ½” and were great sized for cards and key rings.

Playing cards have a waxy coating on them that prohibits some inks from adhering well. So I used fine sand paper to lightly sand the coating off of some of them. Sanding also gives them a nice worn look. I found that if you heat set the permanent inks they are a bit more durable.

Basic supplies used are playing cards of course, fine sandpaper, permanent ink pads, a yellow sponge, a heat gun, a glue stick, and stamps.

Now to get started playing.

I had this ready made ivory colored mini photo album which measures 5”x 7” lying around. So I decided it would be a wonderful playing card album. It has 6 pages, so I did cards that had pages to match. You could always journal on each page, or add photos even. This is the front of the book. It has a 1 7/8” square in The center. I used the yellow sponge and Wisteria Fluid Chalk ink pad to color the page. Stamp your image using Black Memories permanent ink onto a card that has been sponged with Port Red, Blue and Mango Memories permanent ink and heat set. Cut out image with Fiskars’ Stamp edged scissors. Glue the cut out image onto a 3” square piece of hand dyed rainbow paper. Glue this to the inside of the opening in the front cover. Color a playing card with Port Red Memories permanent ink by rubbing the ink pad directly to the card. Heat set the inks with a heat gun. Cut small strips off the edges with the Stamp edged Fiskars’ scissors. Color in the small indented frame that surrounds the opening using a Krylon Gold leafing pen. Now glue the Stamp Edged card strips around the gold opening with the patterned edge facing out. For the first page, I colored a large playing card with Mandarin Ancient Page permanent ink by rubbing the ink pad directly onto the card. Heat set the ink using a heat gun. I then stamped the saying using Black Memories permanent ink and heat set with a heat gun. Face image using Art Print Brown Memories permanent ink. The swirls were stamped all around the edges with Soft Gold Memories permanent ink pad. With a heat gun set the ink. Run a Krylon Gold Leafing pen around the edges of the card. Set aside to dry. For the corresponding page, I again used Mandarin Ancient Page permanent ink to add color all over the page, but I used a sponge to apply the ink. Stamp the face image randomly on the page using the Mandarin Ancient Page permanent ink pad. Stamp the swirls and the “ART” word using the Art Print Brown Memories permanent ink pad. Add small diamonds all over the page (because I used a 2 of diamonds card) using the Soft Gold Memories permanent ink pad. Lightly sponge some Art Print Brown ink around the edges to darken slightly. Now glue the playing card onto the page using a glue stick. The second page I used Blue Memories Permanent ink right from the ink pad to color to the large playing card. With a heat gun set the ink. Stamp the large B image using a Versamark Watermark ink pad. Cover stamped image with Antique Gold Embossing powder. Pour the excess back into the bottle. Heat the powder to emboss image. Stamp the Beauty image using the Black Memories permanent ink pad. Set ink with heat gun. Line the edges of the card with a Krylon Gold leafing pen. Set aside to dry. For the page in the book, I sponged Blue Memories permanent ink to match the card. Stamp the Girl image onto the edge of the page using the Black Memories permanent ink pad. Now add random images of the large B and the Beauty word using the Blue Memories permanent ink. Glue the playing card to the left side of the page using a glue stick. Page three is done in browns and clocks. I rubbed a Coffee Bean Brilliance ink pad right onto the playing card. With a heat gun set the ink. Stamp assorted clock images using Art Print Brown and Brown Memories permanent ink pads. Heat set with a heat gun. Stamp Time saying with a Versamark Watermark Ink pad, then cover image with Antique Gold embossing powder. With a heat gun emboss image. Line the edge of the card using the Krylon Gold leafing pen. Set card aside to dry. Sponge the Coffee bean Brilliance ink onto the corresponding page. Darken the edges with Brown Memories permanent ink. Stamp an Italian Script and Time word images using the Art Print Brown Memories permanent ink pad. Add assorted clock images using the Brown Memories permanent and Coffee Bean Brilliance ink pads. I then stamped the Quote with Black Memories permanent ink. Glue the finished playing card onto the right side of the page. Nice bright green ink dominates the fourth page. Onto the playing card I dabbed green Page Craft Pigment ink right from the ink pad. Heat set with a heat gun. I then stamped the Celtic Dog and Celtic knot images using the Black Memories Permanent Ink pad. Heat set with the heat gun. I colored in the open lines of both images with a Gelly Roll Gold glitter gel pen. Now stamp the small clover image using Soft Gold Memories permanent ink. Heat set with a heat gun. Line the edges of the card with the Krylon Gold leafing pen. Set aside to dry. Rub the Green Page Craft pigment ink pad all over the next page in the booklet. Then stamp the same Celtic knot image using the same ink pad. I added the Irish prayer and the small clover images with Black Memories permanent ink. Rub the Soft Gold Memories permanent ink pad all around the edges of the page. Smear some of the gold ink on the page itself as well. Glue the finished card to the right side of the page. Page five pays homage to spring! I used Mango Memories permanent ink for the base color of the card. Heat set with heat gun. Stamp the large dragonfly image with Black Memories ink. Heat set. Color in the image using Sharpie markers. I added the dragonfly word with Port Red Memories Permanent ink, the art word with the Blue memories Permanent ink. Heat set with heat gun. Line the edges of the card with Krylon Gold leafing pen. Set aside to dry. For the page, sponge Mango Memories permanent ink all over. I then sponged Port Red Memories ink around the edges to shade the page. Stamp the flower image all over the page, filling it up completely. Color in some of the flower images with Gelly Roll Glitter gel pens. Stamp the mini dragonfly mage using Port Red Memories permanent ink. Tear the edges of heavy weight Mulberry Paper. Glue this paper down in the center of the page. Now glue the card on top of the pink paper. The last page is dedicated to love and Postoids. Ink the card with the PortRed Memories permanent ink pad. Heat set with heat gun. Stamp the large Love Postage image and other small postoid images with the Black Memories permanent ink pad. Heat set with heat gun. Color in some of the images with Gelly Roll Glitter gel pens. Heat set with heat gun. Line edges of card with the Krylon Gold leafing pen. Set aside the dry. Sponge Port Red Memories permanent ink all over last page. I then stamped assorted Postoid images using the Port Red Memories permanent ink. Stamp a small open heart image around the page. Color in the small heart with a red Gelly Roll glitter gel pen. Using a large alphabet stamp set and Black Memories Permanent ink stamp the word Love down the right side of the page. Now using a smaller alphabet set and the Blue Memories permanent ink, stamp the word Poste beside it. Rub the Soft Gold memories permanent ink around the edges of the page. Glue the finished card to the left side of the page. You will now have a very colorful work of art in book form. Imagine how you could liven up your photo albums and scrapbooks!

Here are some samples I made that you might have a hard time realizing they were stamped on playing cards. These three playing cards were sanded first using fine sandpaper. Be sure to wipe off the dust with a cloth before proceeding to stamp the cards. I mainly wanted the center of the card to be as blank as I could get it, but I kept the corner numbers and suit symbols. The red suits sand off better than the black.



Now for these next samples I used the playing cards as they were, no sanding. I stamped with permanent inks, heat set, and then colored in with glitter gel pens and markers.



Here is something fun to make. I have included front and back photos. You can also stamp a special message on the back instead of a picture.

Okay...last but not least. This is my favorite. I love to make accordion cards. So of course I had to make one with playing cards. You could always use the frame idea with a photo in your scrapbooks.

There you have it folks. I hope you have enjoyed the lesson. Now go find those playing cards!!

Happy Stamping!
Sharon Solly