Friday, September 30, 2011

Ink Techniques: Custom Ink Pad

I love to use markers directly on a stamp to get 2 colours. But, if you're making several of the same card, say for Xmas or Invitations, try using a Custom Ink Pad to speed things up.

Cut a piece of a craft foam sheet and lay it on your work surface. Place a Stamp-A-Ma-Jig on the foam and trace the corner to make re-positioning easy.
 Keep the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig in place and stamp your image with StazOn ink.
Apply ink to part of the image with a refill bottle. Let the ink soak in a bit and then blot up the excess with a baby wipe or a tissue.
 Replace the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig on the foam using the guide lines and ink the stamp. Try it out on scrap paper first! I usually get too much ink on the foam, but after stamping a few times on scrap paper the image is just right.
 I used the green inked image as a background on my card. Just re-ink the foam pad as needed.
Stamp the image on your envelopes, too!
After all the card fronts and envelopes are stamped, apply the second ink colour to the foam pad and blot. Don't forget to test it on scrap paper until you get a clean image. Now stamp the 2 colour mats.

I coloured the berries and leaves and glued on the twine bow.





Supplies
Stamps
-Easy Events 116958
Ink
-Old Olive ink refill 100531
-Real Red ink refill 103287
-Real Red marker 100052
-Certainly Celery marker 105106
Paper
-Certainly Celery card stock
-Whisper White card stock
-Real Red card stock
Tools
-Stamp-A-Ma-Jig 101049
Accessories
-craft foam sheet
-Tombow glue 110755
-Cherry Cobbler /White Baker's Twine 123125

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Ink Techniques: Baby Wipe

Make a multi-coloured ink pad with a Baby Wipe and re-inkers!

Choose colours that blend well together because they're going to mix. Then, ink your stamp or swipe some card stock to make plaid.










 Fold a Baby Wipe in quarters and place it on a plastic surface. I used a page protector.

Use re-inkers to add colours. Use colours that will look good blended together.
 Ink an image and stamp.
 I made a background paper with a watercolour leaf image.
 When you're done stamping, you can fold the Baby Wipe and swipe it on card stock. Turn the card stock and swipe again to make plaid.

Use some rubber gloves to protect your hands! I wish I had.

I used a leaf outline image on my plaid and cut out the leaves.






Supplies
Stamps
-Gently Falling 123802
-Upsy Daisy 111710
Ink
-Cherry Cobbler refill 119788
-Cajun Craze refill 119790
-More Mustard refill 101962
-Old Olive refill 100531
-Soft Suede pad 115657
Paper
-So Saffron card stock
-More Mustard card stock
Accessories
-Cherry Cobbler Quilted ribbon 124105
-Brights Designer buttons 119747
-linen thread 104199
-glue dots 103683
-Baby Wipe

I used the Baby Wipe technique on this card, too.

Check out my Workshops Page by clicking on the tab above or on this link.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Ink Techniques: Mirror Image

I used two different techniques for creating mirror images on this card.

The land areas were made by masking with scrap paper. Then, I flipped the masks over to ink the reflection on the water.

After stamping the trees on the mat, I stamped them on my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig clear plastic square, flipped it over and pressed the inked reflected image onto the water.

This scene was inspired by a card made by Sharon Field. Also, take a look at the work of Michelle Zindorf.

Below the supplies list you'll find some samples I made in the past. Some of the supplies have been discontinued, but I hope they inspire you.


Use repositionable adhesive on all the masks.

Start with a Whisper White 3 1/2 X 4 3/4 mat and cover 2 in. from the bottom with scrap paper. I used graph paper to keep things square.

Punch a 1 in. circle from card stock and adhere it left of centre and just slightly overlapping the edge of the first mat.
I used Sponge Daubers to apply So Saffron ink to the edge of the mat, followed by Pink Pirouette and Bashful Blue inks. Apply the inks lightly for the sky.
Remove the masks and sponge So Saffron ink in the circle for the sun. Overlap into the sky a little and into the area that will be the water.
The left area of land is already done. To make the right area, mask off the water again with scrap paper. Tear a slight curve in scrap paper and place the torn edge above the waterline and slightly over the sun.

Apply Garden Green ink followed by Always Artichoke ink with Sponge Daubers.
Remove the masks and save them for the reflections.
Use scrap paper to cover the sky and land areas.

Apply Marina Mist ink lightly to the water, leaving the area below the sun very faint and building up the colour to the left and right. Follow with Pacific Point ink.

Lightly apply So Saffron ink to the light section for the sun's reflection and remove the mask above the water.




Using the saved torn mask for the right land area, flip it over and match the shape to make the land reflection. Lightly apply Always Artichoke ink.

Repeat for the left land area.




I used my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to place the tree images.

To keep the bottom of the trees from showing, place a mask on the land area and stamp with Always Artichoke ink.

Use a mask to shorten the trees on the left side in the same way.


I turned my mat upside-down on graph paper and counted how many squares the top of the tallest tree measures from the horizon into the sky (9), and also from the side edge of the mat (2). These coordinates determine the placement for the reflection.


Place a mask on the reflected land area.

Stamp the trees with Always Artichoke ink onto the clear plastic square of the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig. Flip it over and position the trees using the coordinates from the previous step and press the ink onto the mat.

Follow these steps for the trees on the left side of the sun.

Use the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to stamp the sentiment with Pacific Point ink.


Supplies
Stamps
-Plant Hope 117042
Ink
-Pacific Point pad 111837
-So Saffron pad 105213
-Pink Pirouette pad 111838
-Bashful Blue pad 105209
-Marina Mist pad 119668
-Always Artichoke pad 105219
-Garden Green pad 102272
Paper
-Whisper White card stock
-Pear Pizzazz card stock
-Marina Mist card stock
Tools
-1 in. circle punch 119868
-Sponge Daubers 102892
-Stamp-A-Ma-Jig 101049

More Masking and Mirror Image Samples


This was my first attempt and is an unabashed copy of  a card made by Linda Bullard.














This shadow box card was just begging for shells.















Branch Out is still one of my favourite tree stamp sets. Too bad it was discontinued.