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Using Watercolor Paper!

Challenges, Sewing/Stitching, Spellbinders, Stampin' UP!, Techniques, Wrinkle-Free Distress 13 Responses »

Nov 132008

Happy Thursday! I have Stamp Club here Saturday afternoon, and I’m trying to come up with ideas. Because my mother is attending this month, and bringing a friend, I feel the pressure to make club special. Now my mother is NOT a stamper! I’ve tried to get her interested over the years and feel it is something she would enjoy. She’s quite artistic and has an excellent eye. Her friend she is bringing, IS a stamper. She normally attends a stamp club somewhere else. After seeing some of my cards that I’ve given mom, she has decided she wants to learn some of the things that I do. No pressure there . . . .

I have had one idea in mind, and then when I saw the Ways to Use It Challenge on Splitcoast this morning, I knew exactly what one of my projects would be. The challenge today is to use watercolor paper. Now if you know me, and have followed my stamping for a while, you know that one of my favorite techniques is stamping on wet watercolor paper. I may have bit off a bit more than I (or they) can chew, but hey . . . they are experienced stampers (well, except Mom).

Anyhoo, here’s the card that I will use as a sample for their project. I will give them some leeway, like the sewing and maybe the initial background. Those items will be their option.

Starting with my watercolor paper, craft sheet and Distress Inks, I created a background for the stamping. I swiped a line of Broken China, Spiced Marmalade and Mustard Seed down my craft sheet, misted the ink with water, and then laid my paper into the ink mixture. To dry the first layer of color I used my craft iron and ironed over the watercolor paper. I continued this process until I had the desired color I wanted for the background. Because I would be using more water, SU En Francais was stamped in Ranger Archival Coffee. The stamps from Inspired by Nature were then inked, misted with water and stamped on of everything else. I misted the grass a tiny bit to make it appear more in the background before I stamped the flowers. For the finishing touch to this layer, I scored 1″ lines on the back of the panel and then highlighted the score lines and the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

The sentiment was stamped on watercolor paper that I had inked with Broken China Distress Ink. The sentiment was then die cut using Petite Oval Nestabilities (the detail of the embossing on the watercolor paper is amazing). A Tim Holtz Trinket Pin was slipped through the sentiment to hold my bow.

Stamps: En Francais and Inspired by Nature from Stampin’ UP!
Paper: Canson Watercolor; Prism Vibrant Teal; SU Old Olive
Ink: Ranger Archival Coffee, and Spiced Marmalade, Broken China, Mustard Seed, Vintage Photo Distress; SU Riding Hood Red, Old Olive and Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Sewing Machine; Spellbinders Petite Oval Nestabilities; Scor-Pal; Ranger Mini Mister, Craft Sheet, Inkssentials Blending Tool, Glossy Accents; Tim Holtz idea-ology Long Fasteners and Trinket Pin; SU Corner Punch, Stampin’ Write Markers and Riding Hood Red Ribbon; Clover Craft Iron; Venture Foam Tape

I suppose that’s all I have today. Actually, the mailman just came and delivered this huge box of alterables that I ordered from eclectic Paperie . . . Oh My BADness . . . stamp club projects are going to have to wait just a bit longer! Goodies galore!!!!!

Batik or Faux Bleach?

Challenges, Faux Bleach/Batik, Spellbinders, Stampin' UP!, Techniques 6 Responses »

Sep 292008

Good morning! I hope you all had an enjoyable weekend. I myself, did nothing – absolutely nothing. I sat on the couch in my pajamas, took naps and watched movies . . . Bliss I tell you, pure bliss! Of course, I have to pay for those two days today. I have errands to run, finish up some cards I should have done over the weekend – and post today, and begin preparations to go out of town. This I what happens when you are lazy . . . too much crap to catch up on!

I did want to do a little fun stamping this morning, and checked in on the Try a New Technique Challenge on Splitcoast. I have to say that since Lynn has taken over (no offense Beth), but the challenges really do test me! Today’s challenge, Batik – The Colorwash Way, is actually the very same thing I’ve been doing, only calling it Faux Bleach. The difference with today’s challenge is, however, that Lynn used watercolor paper. Interesting! I had to try it! AND, it does give a different effect because the color wash soaks into the paper leaving a darker background.

Anyhoo, chores beckon, so here’s my card!

I stamped the silhouette on watercolor paper and clear embossed. Using Ranger Color Wash, I misted the image and then placed it between two pieces of printer paper. With my iron set on cotton, no steam, I ironed the paper to remove the embossing. To finish my card, I stamped Flannel Plaid (because it just goes with everything) on my background panels.

Stamps: SU Upsy Daisy and Flannel Plaid
Paper: Canson Watercolor Paper; SU Kiwi Kiss and Baja Breeze
Ink: Ranger Archival Jet Black and Tim Holtz Distress Embossing; SU Kiwi Kiss and Baja Breeze
Accessories: Ranger Clear EP; and Red Pepper, Stream and Butterscotch Color Wash; SU Scallop Punch and Ribbon; Spellbinders Petite Oval Nestabilities; Venture Foam Tape

Enjoy your day!

More Faux Bleaching!

Challenges, Faux Bleach/Batik, Just for Fun Rubber Stamps, Spellbinders, Stampin' UP! 12 Responses »

Aug 302008

I hope everyone is having a great weekend so far. I’ve been fairly lazy myself today. It took me forever to walk down to the studio and stamp a little. Mallory came home last night, and there just seems to be a lot going on in the house. Tomorrow I will be having the family over for a barbecue. My sister’s excuse for coming to my home, was that I grill better than she does. My mother used to always do something for every holiday, but now it seems that if Carrie or I don’t plan it, it doesn’t happen. So we did the morning phone call thing and planned the menu. Now I’ve got to dust and clean the bathrooms — household cleaning. Doesn’t she know that I would rather be creative than clean?

Talking about being creative, not too long ago I mentioned that I had been missing some fun in my stamping. Well, I have to say that over the last two weeks I’ve had more fun trying new techniques and just letting the mojo flow. I myself feel that I’ve done some of my most creative work recently. (No heckling from the peanut gallery.)

What I have for you today is a card I made for the Inspiration Challenge on Splitcoaststampers. We were given pictures of hotel rooms from the Hotel Fox in Copenhagen, Denmark, as our inspiration piece. This is the room that I chose.

This is the card that I made.

I used a variation of the Faux Bleach Technique that I used earlier in the week. I stamped the flourish and a butterfly in VersaMark and heat set. The floral silhouette was then stamped in VersaMark but was embossed with clear EP. I sprayed the image panel with a Broken China/Pearl distressed pearlized spray, and then placed the image between two pieces of copier paper and ironed. As you can see from this close-up, embossed area when ironed takes on the color of the background paper. However, the images stamped in VersaMark and not embossed, picked up a faint color from the distressed pearlized spray.

The background panel was stamped with the flourish, embossed with clear EP, and then ironed (the faux bleach part of the technique).

Stamps: SU Baroque Motifs and Happiness Always; Wildflower Silhouette from Just for Fun Rubber Stamps
Paper: SU Whisper White and Basic Black
Ink: Tsukineko VersaMark; Ranger Archival Jet Black and Broken China Distress
Accessories: Spellbinders Plain and Scalloped Circle Nestabilities; Ranger Mini Mister, Pearl Perfect Pearls, Super Fine Detail Clear EP, Craft Sheet; Brads; Ribbon; Iron

I hope you all have a great weekend, and if you are doing family things – have a great time!

Twisted Humor Challenge #1

Copic Markers, Gina K. Designs, Humor, Stampin' UP!, Techniques, Twisted Humor 25 Responses »

Aug 272008

Good morning! Are you ready for some fun? A little humor? Some slightly twisted humor? I KNOW I AM! It truly has been a very long time since I have sat down to stamp and intentionally make a twisted card! Since I started thinking about this, I’ve become a little overjoyed actually – some fun stamping, just for the heck of it!

I calling for all you twisted stampers! You know who you are! Anyone who wants to stamp for the fun of it and add a little humor to your stamping. Please join me for the very first . . . Twisted Humor Challenge!

The important thing about this challenge is to simply have fun and enjoy what you are stamping! All you have to do, is make a card and upload it to your online gallery and/or blog. Come back here, and post a link so that we can all enjoy your creations! There is no time limit either. To make it simple, if you upload to Splitcoaststampers, please use keyword THC1. Hopefully there won’t be any conflicts with that keyword (crossing my fingers and all 9 toes here). Now here is my only restriction with this challenge. Please don’t use any nudity or drop the “F” Bomb. You can push the envelope, etc., but let’s remember that we have young stampers among us!

My challenge for you (if you wish to accept), is to make anything your little heart desires, with the SOCK MONKEY. If you don’t have the Sock Monkey set from SU, that’s okay! Do you have a sock stamp, a monkey stamp, or any sock monkey stamp? If you do, you can still play along because I know you are creative!

Oh how much fun I had making this card –

I colored all the images with Copic Markers, and cut out the chicken and sock monkey. They were placed on the toilet with foam tape for a little dimension. Do you see where the hen is sitting? On the handle ready to flush! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! (Oh I just kill myself!) The sentiment was computer generated.

Stamps: SU Sock Monkey and Best of Cluck; Way to Go! From Gina K. Designs
Paper: SU Chocolate Chip, True Thyme and Cranberry Crisp; BasicGrey Sugared; Neenah Classic Crest Solar White
Ink: Ranger Adirondack Pitch Black and Black Soot Distress
Accessories: Copic Markers; Venture Foam Tape; Black Gel Pen; Ribbon; Computer

Have a great day, and I can’t wait to see your creations! I haven’t decided yet how often I’ll run this challenge, right now I’m thinking once a month, probably the last Wednesday. But that may change, depending on participation and how well it is (or isn’t) received.

Hip-Hippo-Ray

Copic Markers, Spellbinders, Stampin' UP!, Techniques 9 Responses »

May 312008

Good Saturday morning! Now that I’ve had a bit of my morning get up and go, I thought I would do just a quick post. I found that I was in need of a graduation card yesterday and finally got around to making one last night.

My niece’s oldest daughter, so I guess that makes Liz my great-niece, graduated from highschool this year and her party is today! She and Mallory have always been close, especially when they were much younger, and Mallory decided she needed a day out of the sun and is going along with. A day out of the sun? Yep, Mallory is a lifeguard and has been in the sun for three weeks now. She is already a deep golden brown color (much like a biscuit left in the oven too long), but she is also burnt. What we (well me, the mother) didn’t realize that Mallory was still taking meds for her acne and it is one you should stay out of the sun with. Having taken the same medication for years myself, I knew that! Too much exposure is like a hundred tiny needles being stuck in your skin. I truly didn’t realize she was still taking it and she came upstairs the other night and said something about it. She finally read the bottle about sun exposure. I had her stop taking it immediately, since there is no way she can stay out of the sun. By the way, she has already had a save this year and the pool has just been open a week! A little guy from a daycare group was stuck in the middle bobbing up a down, the group around him left and he didn’t. Mallory jumped in
and saved the poor little guy!

Oh my badness, I have totally digressed from the card. Believe it or not, I don’t have one single graduation stamp. It’s hard for me to believe too! So I started rummaging around for something to use, that wasn’t too snarky or too boyish, and decided on the little hippo from SU’s Pun Fun.

This is actually a gift card holder. I have plans on slipping in money however! The size is 4-1/4″ by 8-1/2″ with scores at 3″ and 2-1/2″ leaving me a card of 5-1/2″ x 4-1/4″. The 2-1/2″ panel was folded up and taped down on the sides to make a pocket to hold the money (or gift card). The hippo was colored with Copic Markers and then cut out using Nestabilities. (I’ve gotten rid of all my Marvy punches now – love these nesties!) By the way, the top flap folds down and is tied in place with the ribbon that wraps around the card.

Stamps: SU Pun Fun
Paper: BasicGrey Two Scoops; SU Pretty in Pink and Basic Gray
Ink: Ranger Adirondack Pitch Black
Accessories: Ranger Inkssentials White Opaque Pen; Spellbinders Circle Nestabilities; Copic Markers; Fiskars Cloud Edge Scissors; Ribbon

So I hope y’all have a great day and enjoy the start of your weekend!