6 x 6 Album

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Christmas Cards

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Inks For Sale

This gallery contains 30 photos.

Items are new and used.  These pads can be re-inked.  Most pads have a linen base but embossing, antique and multi colour have a foam base. If you have a question email me kymsmiley@ymail.com

Masking Step by Step Turtorial

Masking Tutorial

Combine these stamps with the old technique of Masking, you add style and class to your cards.

Although I had heard and read a little about this technique, I never new exactly what medium, I would need to purchase to attempt applying this to my card making.   Mediums on the market  that lend themselves to this technique included reusable adhesives, rolls of tape; sheets of adhesive and liquids that you paint on with a brush or  bottle with a nib allow to dry then remove after working with your inks.

Although these products may work, I was always hesitant to try them.   Some were costly, others complex to use, instructions too ambiguous or too time consuming.  There were other issues to consider, such as peeling or lifting off the dry liquid or adhesive with a blade or knife.  Some were only for non-porous surfaces.  If I use it, on the stamp would all the adhesive gel come off or would it leave a residue?  Lastly what effect would they have on my lovely cardstock!    I just wanted something easy to use to acquire overlapping images on my designs.

Consequently, novice to advanced stampers’ will find masking quick and easy using household post-it-notes to layer overlapping images.  This technique enables you to make gorgeous cards giving your designs perspective and depth.

Quick and Easy Masking Technique:

1. Stamp the image on your card; for example, the small ‘Scribble This’ flower.
2. Stamp the same image onto a Post-it note, stamping close to the top so that the sticky part is used.
3. Cut the image from the Post-it note, staying just inside the stamped outline. Once the design has been cut out, it forms what is called the mask.
4. Place the mask over the stamped image on your card, lining up exactly.  Having the mask slightly smaller than the original image will prevent a “halo effect” where the ink does not print and leaves a small void between the overlapping images.
5. Stamp the image (or a different image) again, overlapping the first image. When the mask is removed, the new image disappears behind the first one.

My Tips are listed below:

• Time saver:

If you want to make numerous cards using the same technique, stamp multiple flower images       onto colour of choice, cut the flowers out at your leisure prior to making the cards.

•  Money saver:

If you do not have an Aqua Painter use a small soft brush and water.

• Bright Idea:

If you are heavy handed or not use to watercolor pencils or crayons, apply colour to a piece of      paper.   Use your aqua brush to take the colour your design as it gives you more control over           the amount of colour you pick up.

• Why not try:

     Making a mask that is sturdy from card stock if you will be using it for multiple cards.

Use  repositioning or magic tape to hold it in place during stamping.

Celebrate

Stampin’ Up! Products used:

• Chocolate Chip, More Mustard cardstock
• Black Marker
• Basic Black Classic Stampin’ Pad
• ‘Scribble This’ (110252, Set of 5)
• ‘Lexicon of Love’ (108855, Set of 4)

• Post-it-note

1. Cut and fold Chocolate Chip 21 x 15cm for base card and ink edges.

1. Cut More Mustard 14.5 x 10cm, tear left hand corner, towards bottom centre section and ink edges except torn side.

3. Stamp ¾ of flower image onto bottom right hand side of torn More Mustard card.  Use the masking technique to overlap five more flowers and adhere to base card.
4. Stamp extra flower images to Chocolate Chip cardstock, cut out two centres and adhere to flowers of your choice.
5. Using black marker apply colour to the word in centre of Lexicon of Love.  Stamp onto scrap of More Mustard cardstock, cut out, ink edges apply to finished card.

Thinking of you

Stampin’ Up! Products used:

• Chocolate Chip and More Mustard cardstock
• Basic Black Classic Stampin’ Pad
•  ‘Scribble This’ (110252, Set of 5)
• Word stamp from ‘Simply Sent Kit  Remembering You’ (108510)

• Post-it-Note

1. Cut and fold Chocolate Chip card 21 x 15cm for base card.
2. Cut More Mustard 13.5 x 9.5cm and ink all edges. Stamp small amount of flower image onto bottom central area of Mustard card.  Use the masking technique to overlap another flower.
3. While the mask is in place, ink and stamp ‘Scribble This’ swirl to right hand side over-lapping the masked area.  Repeat this step on the next flower. Continue masking and adding flowers, and then adhere More Mustard cardstock to your base card.
4. Stamp extra flower images to Chocolate Chip cardstock, cut out two centres and adhere to flowers of your choice.
5. Using word stamp from ‘Simply Sent’ kit ink and stamp to the top right hand side of the completed card.

Remember me always

Stampin’ Up! Products used:

• Chocolate Chip, More Mustard and Thyme Card
• Stampin’ Dimensionals
• Basic Black Classic Stampin’ Pad
•  ‘Scribble This’ (110252, Set of 5)
• ‘Expressive Flexible Phrases’ (108786, Set of 56)

• Post-it-Note

1. Cut and fold More Mustard Card 21 x 15cm.  Stamp flowers across narrow side of base card in a slight S shape using the mask technique.  Cut away base card following flower edge entirely.
2. Attach Chocolate Chip 15 x 10.5cm behind the Mustard card to form new front.
3. Stamp large flower stamp from ‘Scribble This’ set to Thyme cardstock.  Cut out image then cut flower in half.  Position and adhere the two-piece onto base card to form leaves.
4. Stamp another two flowers onto More Mustard, cut out and attach to card using pop dots.
5. Stamp more flowers to scraps of Chocolate Chip, cut out and adhere to the two elevated flowers.
6. Ink and stamp words from ‘Expressive Flexible Phrases’ Stamp Set onto scraps of More Mustard cut out, ink edges and adhere to base card with adhesive of your choice.

Thanks

Stampin’ Up! Products used:

• Chocolate Chip, More Mustard and Thyme Card
• Stampin’ Dimensionals
• Basic Black Classic Stampin’ Pad
• Black Marker
•  ‘Scribble This’ (110252, Set of 5)
• ‘Lexicon of Love’ (108855, Set of 4)

1. Cut and fold Mustard cardstock to 21 x 15cm to form base card.  Cut and attach piece of Chocolate Chip stripe 4 x 15cm to front of base card.
2. Stamp three flower images to scrap of More Mustard and cut out.  Attach these flowers to either end on the Chocolate Chip.
3. Stamp and cut out two large flower images from the Thyme cardstock.  Adhere these to the front of your card overlapping the other images you have already adhered using pop dots.
4. Using black marker apply colour to the word in centre of ‘Lexicon of Love’ Stamp.  Stamp onto right hand area finished card.

 

Cherish

Stampin’ Up! Products used:

• Chocolate Chip, More Mustard and Thyme cardstock
• Stampin’ Dimensionals
• Pewter Hodgepodge Hardware
• Basic Black Classic Stampin’ Pad
•  ‘Scribble This’ (110252, Set of 5)
• ‘Flannel Plaid’ (108810, Set of 1)
• ‘Expressive Flexible Phrases’ (108786, Set of 56)

• Post-it-Note

1. Cut and fold Chocolate Chip cardstock 21 x 15cm.
2. Ink up the ‘Flannel Plaid’ stamp and apply to 9.5 x 14cm piece of More Mustard card.  Tear left hand side at 13cm, attach to base card.
3. Stamp a complete image of the large flower onto Thyme and two images onto More Mustard cardstock and cut out.  For the centres of flowers stamp three times and cut out.  Use pop dots to adhere to the three full flower images.
4. Stamp word onto scrap of More Mustard card, attach word and then use antique brass hodgepodge with brads to mount word from ‘Expressive Flexible Phrases’.

Our Memories

Stampin’ Up! Products used:

• Chocolate Chip and More Mustard cardstock
• Stampin’ Dimensionals
• Aqua Painter
• Watercolour Paper
• Watercolour Pencils
• Basic Black Classic Stampin’ Pad
•  ‘Scribble This’ (110252, Set of 5)
• ‘Expressive Flexible Phrases’ (108786, Set of 56)

1. Stamp your base card randomly with ‘Scribble This’ swirl stamp by loading with ink, stamp three times then re-ink until the base card has dark to light images covering it.
2. Cut and attach piece of Chocolate Chip stripe 4 x 15cm to front of base card 2.5cm from the edge.
3. Stamp three flower images to scrap of More Mustard and cut out.  Attach these flowers to either end on the Chocolate Chip.
4. Stamp large flower image onto watercolour paper.  Using medium green from watercolour pencil set, scribble some colour to the edge of the flower lightly and blend with the aqua painter.  Cut image out, then in half, attach with pop dot to the centre.
5. Attach the last More Mustard flower over the watercolour leaves with another pop dot.
6. Stamp words from ‘Expressive Flexible Phrases’ onto scrap of More Mustard cut out and adhere to card.

Precious You

Stampin’ Up! Products used:

• Chocolate Chip and More Mustard cardstock
• Basic Black Classic Stampin’ Pad
•  Aqua Painter
• Watercolour Paper
• Stampin’ Dimensionals
• ‘Scribble This’ (110252, Set of 5)
• ‘Expressive Flexible Phrases’ (108786, Set of 56)
• More Mustard, Really Rust, Summer Sun  from Earth Elements Watercolour Crayon Set

1. Stamp your base card in opposite corners with ‘Scribble This’ large swirl corner stamp.
2. Stamp two large flower images onto Chocolate Chip, cut out and attach to base card.
3. Stamp large flower image onto watercolour paper.  Using More Mustard, Really Rust and Summer Sun from watercolour crayons, scribble some colour lightly onto the outer edges of the image.  Use the Aqua Painter as a brush; wash the image blending the colours. Cut the image out, attach with pop dots to the centre of the other flowers.
4. Stamp words from ‘Expressive Flexible Phrases’ Stamp Set onto scrap of More Mustard cut out and adhere to card.

Over or Under-Inking your stamps

Do you Over or Under-ink your stamps

The easiest way to help you improve you inking technique is to turn the stamp over (so that the rubber is up),  then give the stamp a rub like if you were wiping a bench then tap, tap, tap the inkpad onto the stamp.

This way you can see how much ink you are getting on the rubber and you will be able to see if you miss any spots.   If you are a bit slow in inking and to prevent the ink from drying, exhale on the stamp with a huu blow.   The humidity from you will moisten the ink enough to wet it up again just before stamping.

Colour Layering Technique

Colour Layering Technique.

ALWAYS start with the lightest colour to darkest ink colours or you will MUDDY OR CONTAMINATE you ink pads!!!!!

Basically, this technique involves using dark ink in combination with a softer colour.  After a few inkings and impressions, what you have is a wonderful layering effect that gives your stamped image a simple elegance.

Picking the ink properties is very important.  Laying of soft colour then darker ink without cleaning you stamp created the gradation of colour that defines this technique.

To start, you will need non-glossy paper, a stamp that lends itself to a variety of similar colours, and a selection of co-ordinated inks.  Using Stampin’Up! Spots make this process simple.

Start by picking a flower stamp.  Choose your colour combination and follow these instructions.

• First ink the design with the lightest ink and lightly stamp onto a piece of spare paper.
• Without cleaning the stamp, re-ink with a slightly darker ink colour and repeat steps above.
• Make you second impression.
• Again without cleaning the stamp, re-ink with again a darker coloured ink.
• Make your third impression.

Other Important Tips:

• The scrap of paper that you where using to remove some of the ink can be used as  feature on another card.

• On flower designs, you will typically want to ink sections of the rubber with different                colours such as the stem and blossoms.  This can be done but just takes longer to do.

Layering with Stamps

Have you ever considered using stamps to create exquisite cards with three-dimensional embellishments, without a daunting price tag?  With a little basic stamping, lots of relaxed cutting in front of your television, you can use the age-old craft of Decoupage to create simple effective cards suitable for any occasion.

Evolution of Decoupage

Surprisingly the art originated in Asia before the 12^th century, becoming popular around the 17th century in European countries where it became decoupage.  Derived from the French word Decouper, meaning to cut out, is the creative art of assembling, pasting and varnishing paper decorated objects.  This craft has evolved into many forms of paper art, such as sculpting with paper, paper tole or 3-D Decoupage.  It is a technique in which part or all of an image is cut out and raised from a flat surface to give a three dimensional effect that enhances the natural shape of the image.

Getting Started

Choose any stamp you like. You are then looking at how many images you can see within the entire stamp, e.g. the flower stamp I have used has seven images on it giving me six layers.  On the topic of ink colour, I experiment to find one that gives the image added definition on the colour I am using.  You are ready to stamp multiple images of the same stamp onto whole sheets of A4 you have chosen and remember to re-ink each time you stamp.

Now you have your images its time to relax in the lounge, cut out each image in as many different ways as possible using any size or type of sharp pointed scissors you feel comfortable using. Place the images into clip lock bags and repeat the process until you have cut out all the images.   It is much easier to cut out all the shapes first, although the process is time consuming it is relaxing and very therapeutic.

Cutting out neatly

Many students tell me, they have trouble cutting out neatly and start stressing before they pick up their cutting tool of choice.  I believe anybody can achieve a quality image and  I hope the following will explain how to overcome this hurdle, build your confidence for the next time you pick up your scissors to do 3-D Decoupage or any other intricate cut out work.

Firstly, if you worry about it before you start you build yourself up to be disappointed with your product, even if it is well done. Finally invest in a good pair of scissors and this will increase your success instantly.  Cut the paper down to a manageable size before starting to cut out the detail image.  However, I must also acknowledge the use of a scalpel or X-acto ® knives or similar tools for cut out work and some crafters swear by these products but it is all personal preference and I am sure we all have a blade in our tool kits that we use when the need arises.

Build it up

Firstly, you need to choose the largest cut out and work your way up decreasing the size of the cut-outs each time. I prefer 2mm foam dots but they are hard to acquire, so I use Glue Dots, Pritt Gel or Silicone. To assist you with building unique embellishments I have made a step-by-step guide for constructing the butterfly because it is not a straight forward layering technique.

No rules

The scope, diversity and final appearance of your cards is limited only by your imagination as any stamp lends its self to this technique.  Variations of finished embellishments are achieved by changing the cutting area, colours and texture of card you use.

Inking techniques tips.  

When inking up a solid stamp ensure you apply enough ink to the image to get a good impression.  In most cases, it is better to take inkpad to the stamp, and then pretend you are polishing a bench using circular motions with light pressure.  This will assist you to get even ink application.  If using outline stamps use same application but do not apply much pressure, as you don’t want ink caked in the spaces.  I always test my stamps on scrap card before I start.

Essential Buying

I use Paper Snips costing around $20 from Stampin’ Up!  because they are thin-bladed scissors with precision-ground tips that cut to the end of the blade allowing expert cutting in the smallest areas possible.

Top Tip

To get crisp cuts around stamped images when cutting you need to move the paper not the scissors with as fewer strokes as possible. It just takes practise so don’t give up, because the only difference between a beginner and an advanced precision cutter is the more you do the better you get.

Best Tip

Put double-sided tape on the back of small thin areas such as butterfly antennas’ so they do not bend and break off.

Tread Carefully

You must watch the height of your embellishments if you are using foam dimensional adhesive, it comes in many different thicknesses.   If you have anything higher than 3mm in thickness, your embellishment will look out of place.

 

Refresh your Embossing Basics

 Embossing Basics

To emboss you can use Versa watermark pad or pigment ink (which is a heavy ink and takes a long time to dry).   Embossing powder (which comes in hundreds of colours) and embossing tool (AKA heat gun) and a stamp.

Embossing can be done on either matte or glossy paper.   If you use pigment ink on glossy paper you must emboss it or it will smear.

• Tap, tap, and tap the inkpad onto the stamp.
• Stamp the image onto your paper.
• Now dump a generous (this is no time to be stingy) amount of embossing powder onto  the image.
• Put the embossing powder back into its container.
• Now STOP and look at the image are there many loose pieces of powder around the image.

If so, there are 2 solutions (one of which is too late for but you’ll know next time):

1. Take a very small paintbrush and carefully “sweep” the little fritters off the card, but be careful not to touch the image with the brush, as the ink is still wet.
2. Next time, use an anti-static powder before putting ink to paper.

There are many other ways to emboss so have a look at my other techniques.

Scrapbooking Pages

Bonus Layout

Sometime ago I sat down and created many different 12 x 12 layouts.  My photos are still packed and will be for several more months, so I decided to upload each week to give you all mojo.  There are plenty to choose from so happy scrapbooking.

• Call back on each Friday to view the newest image.
• I have about 25 different pages ready for you.
• Use up your excess excess products.
• If you did classes with me in 2011 you may have already created a few of them.
• If you can’t work out how I have done a particular technique comment on the picture and I will explain them.

Ink dye lace motifs

January Card of the Month

My Swap for Stampin' Up! Incentive Trip Noosa 2009

Stamp Set: Bloomin’ with Beauty

Card Stock:  Whisper White / Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Pink Pirouette,

Ribbon: Pink Pirouette

Inks: Pink Pirouette, Red Riding Hood, Old Olive, Black Stazon

Tools: Lace Border Punch, Mat Pack, Blending Pens, Paper Piercer, Dimensionals, Snail Adhesive, Paper Snips.

Method: 

1. Stamp your image onto Whisper White/Very Vanilla card 10 x 5cm.
2. Colour the image using your blending pens and the colours listed above.
3. Using paper piercer and mat pack place holes on all sides.  Then mat this on black 10.5 x 5.5 cm.
4. Cut a piece of Pink Pirouette 12.5 x 8 cm, use lace punch down one side.  Pop this up using Dimensional onto a piece of basic black  7.5 x 13.5 cm. 
5. Using 16 cm of Pink Pirouette ribbon attach this to card from step 4 then knot another 11cm piece of ribbon to the ribbon.  Slide the knot along the ribbon to the position you wish it to be.  Place dimensional ready for mounting.
6. Cut a piece of Pink Pirouette card 14 x 10 cm and mat onto the basic black card 30 x 10.5 cm tent style card.  
7. Using Dimensionals attach the sections following the photo.
8. I have added Crystal Effects to some of the petals and leaves.  

I have some variations of my card in my 2009 Slide Show.

Happy Stamping  Kym