Inky Inspiration by Natalie

So, this blog piece is actually three in one; August has been a mad month in both good and bad ways. Here, are my three projects all in one go for this month's blog.

Inky Background 1

This project is all about cartridge paper, which often gets overlooked in our stamping. It is a great way of adding layers without bulk, and is much easier to fussy cut.

Start with an A6 piece of cartridge paper, ink up with Saltwater Taffy Distress Ink and Weathered wood using a large blending brush. The paper is easily saturated so allow it to dry completely naturally. Once dry, tear it into two at roughly a third of the way down. Adhere to a piece of stiff card with a gap between the pieces. Trim this to a tag shape. Again, allow any wetness to dry and then brush around edges with more Saltwater Taffy.

Onto another piece of cartridge paper stamp two butterflies and flower bud, using Prize Ribbon Archival ink; such as these from Harebell Butterfly. Add a touch of watercolour using Saltwater Taffy squeezed onto your glass mat to your butterflies. Set aside to dry. Onto the next piece of cartridge paper, stamp the diamond background pattern using Weathered Wood. Tear a small strip to form the top section of your tag.

Adhere the diamond background piece to your tag. Next, ink up a couple more stems with Prize Ribbon Distress Ink and spritz with a light coating of water for an instant watercolour look. Stamp onto your tag directly and allow to dry. You can also add a smaller stem in Saltwater Taffy.

Going back to your Prize Ribbon Archival ink, stamp the herringbone ribbon from Making more Marks at the centre top of the tag and at the bottom left hand edge. The cotton thread stamp from the same collection looks great stamped in Saltwater Taffy as a finishing touch to your stamping. Add a pink toned eyelet to finish your tag.

Optional: Adhere your tag to your card, doodling a thread for it to hang on either vertically or horizontally. I used a blue fineliner to complement the colours used in the tag. 

Using ink as a guide

This project is all about your ability to write an x. If you are looking for a mindful project, this is the one for you. Grab your coloured pencils, turn on the zen music of your choice and focus on those x's.

Start by stamping the grid image from Small Graph Paper using a brown ink of your choice. You want to get this as clear as possible without looking too perfect. Over the top, stamp the O from O is for... in a pale ink that is just dark enough for you to see the edges of the tree detail.

Next, start by "colouring" in the O with a dark brown pencil drawing an x to every square wholly covered in ink, or use a half stitch, quarter stitch or ¾ stitch around the edges. I found it easier to do the colouring this way round. You then want to use different shades of green to make the tree canopies pop along the a different shade of brown for the trunk. Finish with the green of the hills.

Inky Background 2

This card uses the images from Thistle Butterfly by stamping wet in wet.

Start by creating a splodge background by applying your dye based ink to your glass mat or blending mat. Spray watercolour card with water generously and place into the ink multiple times to pick up colour. To add stronger colour, ink up one of the stamps with the same ink and spritz lightly with water to stamp wet into wet. Allow the colour to bleed into the still wet background by holding slightly longer in the stamp.

Heat dry and stamp with the same ink using the dandelion image in green archival ink around the outside. Add watercolour to the buds of the dandelions and a little warm yellow to the tips. Stamp your main image the same way and colour with the same ink as your background to make the image feel like a field of the same plant.

Mount to a white card base and create a border around with a fineliner. Stamp your sentiment onto a spare piece of card. Trim and add a border of green card. Adhere your sentiment and voila!

 

graphs (by Veronica)

Good morning everyone, I hope that you are all not melting in the heat at the moment - as far as I am concerned, it's a close run thing!

Two more samples from last month's tv shows today , this time using the Small graph  paper stamp as the main image. I have to admit to a feeling of relief when others also went a bit wild!

The first one just has the graph part of the stamp stamped in black in the centre of a 5.5" square white card. The letters from Just Useful  and the scribble from Make More Marks also stamped in black, and the squares from Make More Marks stamped in red. I also filled in some of the scribble loops with a fine line pen.

 For the second card most of the graph stamp was stamped in blue ink, with the line from Making More Marks in green to make the graph line. The A from Just useful in black, and then a sentiment from Words of Comfort and Cheer added in black to finish

Make your own journal by Natalie

Here's a quick way of creating a small journal using supplies you are likely to have around the house. This technique is useful for time limited projects or where your journal theme only has a finite amount of space required.

You will need:

• Card blank measuring A5 or less (Kraft card used here) (or 2 for a thicker cover)
• A4 paper (could be copier paper, cartridge paper or more quality focussed paper such as mixed media or watercolour paper)
• Themed stamps: Making More Marks, Not More Flowers and Slim Word Strip 1
• Permanent and water reactive inks and matching watercolour pens and pencil crayons.

Making the journal

1. Starting with your card blank, decorate it as the cover for your journal. Start by stamping the "Journal" stamp for Slim Word Strip 1 with a chocolate permanent ink. Use a white pencil crayon or gel pen to highlight the detail in the word Journal.
2. Blend around the edges of the card blank on all sides to age the cover if you wish. I used a combination of blending brushes and sponges to vary the texture and colour depth. If you are using two card blanks, blend on the outside of your stamped cover and on the inside of the remaining card.
3. Depending on your card blank size, score and trim the papers to fit inside. Optional: you can round off the corners using a corner punch if you desire.
4. Next, fold your pages into one signature and fix this into the inside card of your cover (if using two) and you can even cut slots in this card for pockets if you wish. Use double sided tape to fix the card cover together. If using one card, then just staple in for the outside in.

Decorating the journal

Here's a few example pages for you along with a few little ideas along the way.

Stamped the dandelion image using permanent ink and doodled splash shapes using coloured pencils. The splurges are coloured darker on the outside to give them a wet blob appearance.

I pulled in some other stamp sets on a few pages and used masking to stamp mark images from Making More Marks into the background. The "Nature" stamp from Slim Word Strips 1 was stamped onto copier paper and torn along the long edge. It was then run through a Xyron sticker maker to turn it into washi style tape.

Again using the "Nature" word strip onto copier paper, but this time blend in inks into the background to add texture. Pull out individual words from the strip to use as titling or journalling.

As part of my signature, I mixed up paper types including a sheet of translucent paper as well as marker paper. Marker paper is great for avoiding bleed through, while translucent paper is great for effects such as layering and increasing contrast. You should also consider the reverse of any elements stuck to the translucent page - a great place for hiding journaling.

You can use repetitive stamping to create a background by staggering the placement of the image. I created a full sheet and then trimmed to fit my page. 

In the centre spread, I mimicked the first page this time using the daisy image; this time blending two colours per main blob. The "ribbon" stamp was stamped using a light grey ink, and then coloured using the watercolour pens to give a rainbow effect.

The rainbow effect for the paint splodge was done directly onto the stamp using watercolour markers and a light spritz of water to blend. It was stamped onto the reverse of the translucent paper while the text was stamped onto the front. Stamp your text first as its the bigger stamp being careful to remove any excess ink prior to stamping.

For the colour border first stamp the strip background in light grey and blend the watercolour pens for a rainbow effect. Allow to dry completely before stamping the word stamp.

In the above image, colours were applied to the paint stroke image and then prized with more water than the previous image using this technique. The colours will blend more, but be aware more warping to your paper can occur.

Multiple impressions will give you a lighter colour. I would apply these coloured images first and then align your detailed images over the top to make the most of the textures.

The border here was stamped with background strip inked first with lighter ink using kiss stamping to add the flower image into the background using a darker ink. Over this impression, then stamp your word image, this time with a water creative ink for a softer finish.

Beautiful Backgrounds by Natalie

 

You will need Not More Flowers and Making More Marks for this card. You will also need a piece of printed paper suitable for stamping on, ideally in a square format. You will also need: white card, A5 card blank and a piece of chocolate coloured card. You will also need distress inks and a paintbrush.

The background

Select your printed paper for texture but try to choose a neutral design with little contrast. Crop the paper, if needed, into a square. Using a stamp platform, insert your chosen paper up against a corner. Align your first leaf stamp so the image is positioned vertically and aligned centrally to your paper. Stamp this first image in Walnut Stain Distress Ink. Rotate your paper 90 degrees and stamp again; repeat for all sides. Blend any excess ink using a slightly damp paintbrush.

For the next image, align the stamp diagonally towards a corner. Stamp this image in Peeled Paint using the same technique as the first image.

Use another leaf design (or one you have already used but upside down) to infill using Saltwater Taffy Distress Ink.

Once your panel is dry, you can ink blend around the edges using the same colours to pull out more detail from your background or add lighter stamped images for added interest.

The card

Stamp your circle image onto your white card in brown ink and align and stamp your sentiment centrally. Using the string like image from Making More Marks, stamp in green ink. I really love this stamp for adding texture without having to worry about adhesion methods for fibres.

You can then cut out the circle and adhere it to your background panel directly, or add more depth with extra cardstock layers beneath.

The panel is then mounted onto chocolate card with a thin border to the top, right and bottom edges. Mount this onto your card blank as preferred and the trim the left hand edge of the chocolate card accordingly.

Blended Colours (by Sandra)

Hello, I am showing some more of my cards from the May show on Create and Craft.

My first card uses the Alium Collage set.

I started with a piece of watercolour card and stamped the Allium stamp in archival ink. I coloured the Allium with two shades of purple water colour markers. I added splashes of colour around the image and then spritzed it all with water so that the colours merged.  I added a border from Making More Marks and a sentiment.

My next card uses stamp from the Just Useful stamp set.

 I stamped the brush strokes using Versafine Clair inks using my stamping platform. I then stamped the splatters using the same inks. I used the letters to spell out ART on another piece of card and blended around the edges of both cards. I mat and layered the pieces onto some toning card stock.

For my last card today I used Ace Card stamp set. 

I started with a 7x5 card base and trimmed about 1/2" off the front side. With  the card open I stamped the script along the edge so that this could be seen when the card was closed. I then stamped the Ace card over the front of the card, masking each layer. I stamped the collage stamp onto some silk card in VersaMark and embossed in clear. I then used a brayer and 2 colours of Distress ink over the top blending them in the centre. Once the inks were dry I buffed the card with some tissue to remove any ink over the embossing. I mat and layered the collage piece and glued it to the front of the card.

 Thanks for looking

Sandra x

Creating a Journal Page (by Judith)

Hello everyone, I hope that you are keeping well. I have a project or two to share with you today showcasing stamps from last month's TV shows on Create and Craft. 

My first project is a two page journal spread, created in a large journal, almost A4 size. It is an American size, so not exactly the same measurement. I like to experiment in a journal, as I can often get ideas for cards and other projects when I am messing about creating journal pages. If I do not like what I create, I can just turn the page, and start again, there is no judgement, my journal is just a place to try out ideas.

I started both sides of the journal spread by inking up the large blank stamp from Slim Word Strip 1 with Distress Oxide, and spritzing it lightly with water. I pressed the stamp down the edge of each page. I chose a lovely moss green. I also stamped the stamp again onto a piece of scrap Drawing Cartridge for later.

Once the edges were dry, I stamped a couple of the word strips over the coloured edges using Versafine Clair Nocturne. I chose random stamps from Making More Marks, and Not More Flowers! using a combination of black orange and green ink to create a background over the pages. I stamped the lovely dandelion clock into the centre of the large circle on both pages, and added some of the olive gree ink within the circle to highlight the flower.

I also added some colour to the flower using watercolour pens, a brush and some water. Finally, I masked up the strip word stamps, and inked up two of the large words on the stamps, before stamping them onto a piece of the spare Drawing Cartridge that I had coloured previously. I cut them out and scrunched these for a bit of added texture before adhering them to the page. 

I did not add any background colour to the page, the stamps themselves were enough I felt, but you could add more colour if you wish, I like the white space, it gives the stamps room to breathe.

Also available on the show were some fabulous embellishments. The first were some really useful acrylic rings, that could be coloured and stamped over. I created a card using the pretty echinacea style flower, which I stamped onto a Distress Ink background. I coloured this with watercolour pens for a soft finish. I added a sentiment from the same stamp set, and then I coloured both pieces of acrylic with alcohol ink. Once they were dry, I stamped the large ring with script from Ace Card, and the little circle with a bee from Honey Bee. These embellishments are just so useful for highlighting a key area of your project, but light enough not to add to your postage costs.

Finally, we had a new sheet of shapes from Tando in three different shapes and two different sizes. These word pebbles are very versatile and can be painted, coloured, textured to create all sorts of effects. I have three samples here to show you just how effective they can be. The first example has had Drawing Cartridge added over the top, and I have added a word from one of the strip stamps, plus the little bee from the Honey Bee stamp set once again.   

The second has another word from one of the strip stamps and the Large Crackle Background over a simple painted background. 

Finally, I added coloured texture paste to  the last pebble and stamped the word strip directly into the paste. Once the paste was dry, I added some black paint, which I rubbed away after a moment or two.

I hope that you have enjoyed my projects, and will be inspired to try some of these ideas out for yourselves. Thanks for stopping by, take care,

 

Judith xx

Backgrounds and Framing by Natalie

This card uses Making More Marks, Not More Flowers and Slim Word Strip 1. You will need Masking Tissue or film/sheets.

Using the Nature words stamp and Archival green ink, stamp onto an A4 sheet of card. Stagger each light impression moving down the sheet and off the edges. If you are feeling confident, you can stamp directly onto the card blank. Try and keep your images parallel, and use blotting to lighten the impression if needed. If using an A4 sheet, trim the panel to fit the front of your card blank.

Next, use the line and corner images from Making More Marks to frame the panel. This adds a finished edge when we have a design that bleeds off. Not always necessary, but is a perfect finishing touch for some designs. If you have any gaps, you can add miniature foliage stamps as these link through to the focal theme. Now, if you are creating this design with a different focal stamp, then you might change this small detail accordingly.

Stamp the circle stamps from Making More Marks and Floral Paraphernalia onto masking tissue, film or sheet. However, rather than cutting out the image, we want to create a negative mask i.e. the image is the hole.

Stamp the same images onto white paper or card using the same archival green ink. The solid stamp should just be lightly inked around the edges. Apply your masks over the top, and blend through Salvaged Patina and Peeled Paint Distress Inks.

Onto the same card, stamp the floral image from Not More Flowers in Archival. This time, watercolour using the same Distress colours.

Fussy cut out everything and blend a circle of Peeled Paint onto your card background. Layer on your elements and add coordinating sequins to finish the card.

making a mark (by Veronica)

Good morning everyone, hopefully you are all enjoying the Jubilee weekend - I thought I ought to go with the flow and show you this  red, white and blue card!

I made a black DL card using my trimmer, which helpfully has a scoring blade, and cut a piece of white card to fit. I stamped the dotty streak stamp from making more marks twice in red and again in blue along the length of the white card - I did try to join it up properly, but the sentiment hides any gaps! I added the ink and paint words in the red and blue ink. The sentiment was stamped in black on a spare piece of card , with the exclamation mark added, trimmed down, mounted on a narrow black mat and glued in place.

For the second card I cut a square of white card about 7.5" square and fastened it onto a stmaping platform with the magnets. The tyre tread stamp was stamped four times in black versafine ink, turning the card each time after stamping one image. Reposition the stamp midway between two of the images and repeat the process four times. It looked a bit bare, so i added the narrow strip stamp, again placing it midway between two of the first images, and stamping four times. Reposition it in the blank spaces and repeat stamp another four times.

i added the word edgy roughly in the centre, then trimmed the card down into a hexagon shape, and inked the edges in black before adding to an 8" white card blank.

I used the loopy stamp to decorate a fabric shopper for something different. I used the versafine black ink again, and stamped the image eight times to form a rough circle this time usign an acrylic block ( only because the bag wouldn't fit into the stamping platform!).

I coloured the loops using promarkers to give something roughly approaching a flower .

If you want to decorate a similar bag, you would be better off using fabric inks - I did wash a previous bag that had been decorated using versafine and promarkers, and the colours didn't wash out , but obviously I could have just been very lucky that time!