Showing posts with label stamps. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stamps. Show all posts

Thursday, October 2, 2008

no tricks...just treats!

October is offically here, which means Halloween is just around the corner! Halloween treats are always fun to pass out to your kids, teachers, co-workers and friends & family.

I thought I would share some ideas on decorating yummy treats with your own creation of spooky papers. I found some great Halloween stamps at Michaels for only $1 each, but you could use whatever you have on-hand or even use some Halloween clip-art.

Instead of buying new papers, I used some older papers I had in my stash and made them into spooky, new ones! It was really easy to do and I bet you even have the supplies on-hand already. Here are the Halloween colored papers from my supplies that I used. These are from Karen Foster, but any colors that you like to use for this holiday would work.


You can do the following to either a whole sheet, smaller pieces (great way to use up scraps) or pieces you die-cut first. I tried all three ways and I found working with smaller pieces a bit easier. For this example, I pre-cut what I wanted to use for my treats.

Once you have chosen your papers, ink them up with black, brown or a combo of the two. I used a bit of both for mine this time. I used my Ranger blending tool to apply the ink, but you could use a make-up sponge or whatever you like. It doesn't really matter what ink you use, but I used a mix of Ranger Distress & Versafine. Apply as much or as little as you want until you like how it looks.

Next I misted the inked papers with water. You could probably skip this step if you want, but I think it helps to kind of "blend" the inks together with the paper and softens the ink too. Again, its personal preference...do it how YOU like it! You can also add more ink while your papers are wet.

You can let them dry now or you can move to the next step. I'm not very patient, so I didn't wait for them to dry before moving on. I think this is the fun part...now add some watercolor splats! All you do is use a lot of water and load up your brush with black watercolor paint.

Then shake & tap your very wet brush over your papers. This can be messy (or maybe it's just me?) but I used a tall box to put my papers in and then did this. You could also take it outside on the grass too. Here's what you'll have when your done.

Now let them dry.

Here is a photo of what the papers looked like before and after. See how spooky & fun they are!

Now for the decorating part. While going through my older papers, I also found these by Daisy D's and thought they would add an old, distressed touch.

Here are the treat bags I came up with, using the $1 stamps, my "new" old spooky papers and the distressed papers. To get a softer, stamped image, simply "kiss off" your stamp onto scrap paper first and then stamp your image. I think the softer images add to the oldness and look great with the spooky papers we just made. Look at the skeleton...you can see the crackled paper through...creepy!

Instead of tying my tag to the bag, I used a binder clip. I just tied my tag to the clip first and then clipped it to the bag. Simple & easy!

On the second one, I first stapled the rectangle over the top of the bag and then added my ghost tag on top. You guessed it...simple & easy!


Here are a few more that I did with some bulk candy, $1 treat bags I found at Target and more of the $1 stamps from Michaels.

I also did some candy bar wraps. The Spellbinders Nestabilities, large rectangle is the perfect size to wrap around a regular sized candy bar. No measuring or fancy folds...just a simple & easy die-cut! Then I just layered more of the $1 stamped images on top.

supplies used:
Pattern Papers: Karen Foster Lemon Chiffon, Kiwi Splash, Tangerine Swirl & Purple Swirl; Daisy D's Antique Dot, Antique Stripe & Antique Harlequin; Cut-it-Up Brushed Black

Stamps: Studio G Halloween (Michaels $1)
Ink: Ranger Distress; Versafine
Stickers: Making Memories Halloween Word Fetti
Die-Cut: Spellbinders Scallop Circle, scallop rectangle Nestabilities
Other: Provocraft Cuttlebug Machine

Ribbon: assorted scraps

Halloween bags: Michaels, Target

I hope I've given you some fun ideas to dress up your Halloween treats along with making those old papers into something new! If you create some of your own, make sure you link to it here so that we can check out what you did. I would love to see how you made some of your old papers into something spooky & new!



Thursday, September 18, 2008

The Art of Stamping Flowers

I recently found some really fun and interesting stamps at Kitchen Sink Stamps. Many of her stamps are referred to as "3-step" and in essence you are "painting" a flower or other design as you go. BUT - there is a challenge in figuring out what stamp pads and what colors to use to create the different layers. I wanted to not only show you the flower and leaves that I stamped but I wanted to show you the pads that I used. Mostly because you can see from the photo below that I mixed up the different companies of stamp pads in my choices.
These are the actual pads that I used for this flower. When you are stamping these layers or steps, you have to find colors that are going to get stronger or produce contrast to the layers. I found that hard to do with just keeping with one company or one kind of stamp pad. I have even mixed in the Fluid Chalk stamp pad and the ColorBox, Pigment ones. Here is a great example of not being afraid to experiment and play! You should see my pile of rejects!!! They all seem to work together and one thing that I really like is that as you creation sits for a minute, the colors seem to melt together. So if you aren't happy with your initial image, leave it for a little bit.
In the photo above, you can see the layers to this particular flower. For some reason I didn't stamp them in order so you have to follow the numbers that I put on each one. And, for my flower I used the Treasures cardstock by Worldwin and you see the texture in the paper that gave a "canvas" look to my flower.
Layer #1 - Vivid Yellow
Layer #2 - Marvy Brilliant Yellow
Layer #3 - Memento Tangelo
Layer #4 - Distress Ink - Vintage Photo
Each set of stamps from Kitchen Sinks stamps comes with a number of images in each set so you can see here one of the leaf choices. My background is an embossing plate by Provo Craft and that is highlighted slightly by rubbing over it with Fluid Chalk stamp pads.
After my flowers and leaves were stamped, I coated all of my cut out images with Inkssentials Crackle Accents. As this liquid dries, it cracks and I added a little emphasis to the cracks on the flower by patting it with a brown Fluid Chalk stamp pad. The brown ink "goes down into" the cracks to bring them out a little. I didn't add anything to the leaves.
Thanks for visiting Pursuit Of CraftYness today! The group of crafters here post yummy projects for your viewing pleasure and hopefully we have inspired you to try something new!!! Linda
CRACKLE DAISY card
Materials list:
Cardstock
Patterned paper – Wallflower/Times Nouveau Collection/Graphic 45
Cuttlebug embossing plate – Provo Craft
Fluid Chalk stamp pads – Clearsnap
3-Step Daisy stamp set – Kitchen Sink Stamps
Marvy stamp pad
Vivid stamp pad
Memento Stamp pads
Inkssentials Crackle Accents – Ranger
Ribbon

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

When you hear the word "MASK", what comes to mind?

A costume?
Halloween?
Mardi Gras?
How about if we want to use this word in a crafting sense?

In a way it is the same idea as the others, we want to place a shape OVER an area that we want to "hide" or protect, so-to-speak, from our paint or ink. Webster's Dictionary gives one example: "a pattern of opaque material used to shield selected areas of a surface "

Linda here and I get to share my masking projects with you today.

It can be as simple as a Post It note placed over the area you want to shield but what I used on my projects is a decorative mask by Heidi Swapp. She has a number of really neat designs that are created for the purpose of being masks for a craftying project. I'm going to use this Damask shape because it is the perfect size for a card. These masks are made to "cling" to your project and then they can just be peeled off when you are done without the adhesive harming your paper and they are made of a vinyl kind of material that is non porous so the liquids you use don't go through to your paper.

There are several products that work great with these masks. I have gathered the products that I used. Spray Tsukineko's Walnut Ink, Clearsnap's Fluid Chalk stamp pads and a stamp.

I decided that I wanted the Damask design to "appear" to be going off of the edge of my card so I cut my paper to the size of card that I wanted and determined where the fold would be but I didn't fold it yet. That way I could place the mask on a flat piece of cardstock and it was in the position where, when my card is folded it will be on the edge. I also decided that a fun and interesting look would be to have my finished design go around to the back of the card, so I incorporated the whole design.

The mask is placed across the middle of the card and on the first card I used my Fluid Chalk stamp pads to "rub" a couple different shades of inks around the edges of the mask. I also stamped my "dictionary print" stamp over the mask while it was still in place and across the rest of the front of the card. So in this case, the mask served to keep the area under the mask to be free of the inks and stamping that I did. I took a fine line pen and did a quick and uneven outline inside the masked area after I removed the mask to help give my design more definition.
For this first card, I used a patterned paper by We R Memory Keepers. This particular paper is a 12" x 12" piece with four designs on the piece. You can see that the pattern changes on the back of the card. Just something that adds even more interest to the back of the card. For my second card, I used a solid piece of textured cardstock. This piece happens to have one edge that has a scallop cut to it. The only product I used to add color over the mask is the spray Walnut ink in the Java color which is basically black. All you have to do with this spray is give a couple quick spurts until you have the amount of color you want. DO PROTECT YOUR WORK AREA though! This stuff will go everywhere! Again, after I removed the mask, you can see that some of the spray ink seeped under the mask, so I took a fine line pen to help give a little more definition to my design and I also decided that an "imperfect" image was just fine because that is what I think "art" is about.
And added note for the chipboard word "love", I stamped over the word, rubbed the edges a little bit with a stamp pad and coated it with Aleene's Paper Glaze. OK, are you ready for the ADDED bonus???? When I sprayed the Walnut Ink on the mask for my last card, there was alot of ink that "sat" on top of the mask. I sure didn't think I should waste that, so I grabbed a piece of watercolor paper from a little spiral bound book that I have. I blotted all of that ink that was on top of my mask with this paper and I now I had an additional design and of course, had to create a card from it! ALWAYS card - Materials: Patterned paper – We R Memory Keepers
Heidi Swapp Damask mask
Epoxy word – Creative Impressions
Eucalyptus Walnut Ink spray
Fluid Chalk stamp pads – Clearsnap
Rhinestones in a circle – Heidi Swapp
Dictionary stamp – Stampers Anonymous
Scor-Pal for the embossed lines

BLUE/BLACK DAMASK card - Materials: Solid cardstock – Core’dinations
Heidi Swapp mask
Chipboard letters – Rusty Pickle
Java Spray Walnut Ink
Writing stamp – Crafty Secrets
Flower – Making Memories
Rhinestone – Darice
Pen – American Crafts
Clear Paper Glaze – Aleene’s®/Tulip

SECRET-CONFIDENTIAL card - Materials: Solid cardstock
Heidi Swapp mask
Chipboard letter – Thickers/American Crafts
Java Spray Walnut Ink
Various stamps – Art Declassified
Glitter Fabric Dimensional paint – Tulip
Sticker labels – Scenic Route
Rub-on words – Making Memories
Machine sewing

So glad you visited The Pursuit Of CraftYness today, Thanks, Linda

Monday, May 12, 2008

Celebration of Color: Stamping and Watercolor

When I heard we were having a "Celebration of Color" on the Pursuit of Craftyness blog for the month of May, I immediately knew I would be using watercolor. In my pre-scrapbooking/cardmaking days, I was a watercolorist. I just LOVE watercolor - the transclucency, the layering ability, and softness - I love it all. So I'm going to share a few of my watercolor and stamping techniques and I hope you try them when you are stamping.

In this tutorial, the watercolors I will be using are artist's quality watercolors - but only because that is what I have on hand. You can use any transclucent watercolor paints you have.

You will need:
- watercolor paper (140 lb.)
- watercolor paint
- watercolor paint brush
- stamp
- embossing ink and powder
- heat gun


For my first card, "Love Letter", I stamped my image with embossing ink onto watercolor paper, and heat embosssed with black embossing powder. Next, I washed over the image with various colors of watercolor paint. Note that you can put the colors next to each other without making the color muddy, but you have to leave the colors alone or they will turn dark if mixed on the paper. To speed up the drying process, I used my heat gun to dry the paper. After the paper was dry, I went back and added some more color in various places to make some of the objects "pop".

I trimmed my image, matted it and used on this card.


Supplies:
-Cardstock: Bazzill
-Patterned Paper: We R Memory Keepers
-Watercolor paint (Grumbacher)
-Watercolor paper (Canson 140 lb. cold pressed)
-Stamp: Hampton Art (Correspondence/Quill Collage & Love Struck)
-Ink: Ranger / Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Clear Embossing & Black Soot)
-Embossing Powder: Ranger (Black)
-Other: Jute

On my next card, I used the watercolors as you would colored pencils or markers - that is, adding color to specific places of the image and even outlining. On my "Forever & Always" card, I stamped the image with black pigment ink, then added paint to the background behind the doves. Again, I used the heat gun to dry the first wash of color. Next, I applied the same color but only closer to the birds, to darken the area closest to the birds.

Next, I used the fine tip of my watercolor brush and outlined the wings with blue, and outlined the banner with green. I added yellow to their beeks. For a bit of sparkle, I used white stickles on their wing caps and let dry. I trimmed the image and used on this card.


Supplies:
-Cardstock: Bazzill
-Patterned Paper: Fancy Pants, Dream Street Paper, Flair Designs
-Stamps: Hampton Art (Love Struck;Intention
-Watercolor Paint (Grumbacher)
-Watercolor Paper (Canson 140 cold pressed)
-Flowers, Felt and Button: American Crafts
-Ink: Brilliance Pigment Ink (Archival Black)
-Stickles: Ranger (Star Dust)
-Border Punch: Fiskars
-Other: Thread, Corner Rounder

I hope you enjoyed this little insight into the wonderful world of using watercolor paint and stamps together. I'd LOVE to see what you create, so please share. Have a wonderful day and check back in a few days for more colorful inspiration!
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