Category Archives: stamping

Nov23

Bringing Multiple Inspiration Ideas Together

Posted on by
Bringing Multiple Inspiration Ideas Together

Today’s card started with one idea, added another, and then finished with a third. It was rather a struggle putting it together, not because the techniques were hard, but because I kept running into mental roadblocks and making mistakes.

Inspiration from multiple sources

The background was done first, inspired by this pin on pinterest:

sea urchins pin

That part was finished fairly quickly. And then I ran into my first mental roadblock. I needed a focal image for the card. For some reason I felt I needed a round floral image, but didn’t have anything that really worked for me. So the background sat there for awhile while I worked on other cards.

And then I re-watched Bev Grey’s True Stamp class, and one of the things she used was technique tiles. I have some of those! So I dug those out, and happily colored one that was the right size to fit on the card. And then decided I’d use a rub-on on the colored tile. That didn’t work. Either because the ink was still slightly damp, or because the ink acted as a sealer, for some reason the rub-on wouldn’t adhere. So I flipped the tile over, and applied the rub-on to the reverse side of the tile, which didn’t have as smooth a surface as the front. Then I applied the color over the rub-on, because frequently rub-ons resist ink. Then I started wiping the excess color off the rub-on, and the rub-on started peeling right off the tile. Sigh. The mistakes just kept piling up.

After peeling off the rub-on, I was left with an interesting ghost image of the rub-on, but that wasn’t what I wanted, so I flipped the tile back over to the front. And then it occurred to me that I could use a partial image on the tile. A brief search through the stamp drawers led to my favorite butterfly stamp. I stamped it with versamark ink, and then applied white embossing powder to it. Which adhered to the ENTIRE front of the tile, because the ink STILL wasn’t dry.

Argh!!

Yes, it was one of those days.

I brushed the embossing powder off, and heat set the ink with my heat gun, and then stamped the butterfly in versamark, again, and added the embossing powder. This time it was mostly okay, so I heat set the embossing powder, and added the tile to the card.

Not one to leave well enough alone, and wanting to actually use some of the rub-ons on the card, I added a sentiment and a few doodles, and finally pronounced it done.

So what do you think? And what do you do when things go wrong? Feel free to vent in the comments!

Nov21

Faux Quilting

Posted on by
Faux Quilting

There are so many hobbies out there that are appealing. Quilting is one of those that requires skill and practice in order to excel. I love the way quilts look. The combination of colors and patterns and texture makes me want to sit down with my sewing machine and start creating my own quilts. However, my own skill set lies with paper.

So let’s make a faux quilt card!

faux quilt card

 

Now, if I were really serious about making this look quilt-like, all those dashes would be actual stitching. But I’m one of those weird people who worry about damaging their sewing machine, and so stick to using a pen to create a stitching look.

This was made with the hexagon stamp set from Stampin’ Up, and the Creative Memories hexagon punch. Stampin’ Up has a punch designed to go with this set, I just already had the CM one, and didn’t feel the need to invest in one almost the same as what I already had.

Which brings me to my point for the day. To get the most out of your stash, repeat yourself. Use a stamp over and over. Use the scraps from one project on a different project. Use up all the paint on a palette on multiple projects, rather than letting it dry out. Just because you’ve used one item on a specific project doesn’t mean it won’t work on an entirely different creation as well.

Make what you have work. Over and over and over again. You’ll be surprised at just how creative you can be when you push yourself.

 

Nov18

Playing With Alcohol Inks

Posted on by
Playing With Alcohol Inks

When was the last time you played with alcohol inks? I bet it’s been a while, hasn’t it?

Alcohol inks come in dropper bottles, and you apply them to surfaces with a small foam sponge or pad. It’s important that you use a sealed surface in order to get good coverage and intermixing. These are one of Tim Holtz’s favorite supplies, and he’s used it on everything from transparencies to dominos to metal to glossy coated cardstock.

alcohol ink background

I started with mirror cardstock (a type of metallic coated cardstock with a high gloss) and three colors of alcohol ink on one sponge, and then dabbed the sponge across the background. When Ink stopped transferring, I add more drops to the sponge, and kept going. This is one of those backgrounds that are simply stunning in person, but don’t necessarily translate well in photos.

A patterned paper in coordinating colors, and then a stamp in a related theme finishes off the card nicely.

Thought for today: there are lots of ways to start a card. You can start with a sketch, and build it based on the pieces of the sketch. You can start with a favorite image, and work from there. You can have a theme or sentiment in mind, and choose supplies based on that. Or, you can start with technique, as I did here, and then make the rest of your design choices based on how your technique turned out.

There is no right or wrong way to create a card. There’s just done. I like done, how about you?

Don’t forget, if you want to get a card from me, make sure you’re on my email list!

Nov17

Pocket Page Supplies on a Card!

Posted on by
Pocket Page Supplies on a Card!

One of the most fun classes at this past October’s True Scrap Was Layle Koncar’s Pocket Pages class. She used them in so many fun ways, you’ll be inspired for days. And you’ll get all those pocket page cards you HAD to have out of your stash. As soon as it’s available to purchase individually, I’ll link you up so you can check it out. I can’t recommend it strongly enough.

As you may be able to guess, this card was totally inspired by a pocket page card.

simple pocket page card

Don’t you just love the peek-a-boo possibilities of pocket cards with die cut shapes in them? A simple backing of a patterned paper behind it, and a little trimming, and you’ve got a card. You can stamp any kind of sentiment. I went with a heart theme here, although I think originally I was thinking something a little more patriotic/Americana.

What’s your favorite scrapbook supply? Can you think of a way to use it in a way it wasn’t originally intended? Let’s stretch that stash!

Don’t forget, if you want to get a card from me, you need to be on my mailing list. I’d love to send you a card!

Nov16

Watercolor Fun

Posted on by
Watercolor Fun

Does watercolor intimidate you? It always used to intimidate me. But then I read a book by Dave Brethauer called Card Design: Rubberstamping with Colored Pencils and Watercolors. One of the best books out there for inspiring confidence in your skills as a crafter.

One of the most important things I learned from the book? With water color, you’re not applying color to the page directly. You’re using water to move it around. Realizing that watercolor application is fluid just flipped the switch and helped me relax and just go with the flow as far as water colors were concerned.

Watercolor garden

This started with the Shimmering Pearls paints I used earlier this week, but then I realized I only had one blue, and no green. So I pulled out the Crayola watercolor palette I rescued from my kids, and started adding color and water to the sky and grass and stems. A simple nature themed stamp, and the card was done.

Do you have any techniques that you really want to try, but are afraid to? Are you worried you’ll ruin a scrapbook page by experimenting? That’s a huge reason to make cards. Cards are smaller, more manageable canvases, that allow you to practice techniques without worrying that you’ll ruin something. Next time you think to yourself that you want to try a new technique, practice on a card. Then you’ll feel a lot more confident when you use that technique on a page.