Warm Winter Wishes Just for You

I just love the 2008 Holiday Tag Collection stamp set. I wanted to use it to make a quick and easy gift and had to make a card to go along with it. For my card, I stamped the background paper first (more on that below). Then, I matted it with dark chocolate cardstock and put it on my pure poppy card.

I wrapped some dark chocolate satin ribbon around my card. Then, I stamped the sentiment. I first masked the coffee cup and stamped the sentiment ring. Then, I inked the "Just for you" in pure poppy and stamped it in the center. I sponged dark chocolate ink all over the circle and added a scalloped pure poppy layer.

My quick gift is a single serving of cocoa. I just dumped a packet of cocoa into one of the small glassine bags along with some marshmallows. Then, I folded the top over and stapled it shut. I created a tag for the top by stamping the tag, sponging some dark chocolate ink on it, and adding a pure poppy scalloped tag.

Stamped Patterned Paper Tutorial

It's been a while since I did a tutorial so I thought I would do a quick one with how I stamped my patterned paper for my card. It's really very easy I love how it reminds my of cocoa.

First, stamp the dotted circle from Borders and Corners Circles stamp set in dark chocolate ink onto vintage cream cardstock.

I wanted to use the coffee mug (without the sentiment) so I created a mask. Create a mask by stamping the tag image onto a post it note. Punch out the coffee mug so that you are left with just the sentiment on the post it note. Be sure to stamp the image up at the top of the post it note so you can use the sticky to keep it in place when using it as a mask. You can kind of see through the post it note so it is easy to center it over the dotted circles.

Now, you can stamp the coffee mug in the centers of the dotted circles and the words will stamp onto the post it note instead of the patterned paper. This way, you don't have to worry about being careful and only inking up part of the stamp. Just ink it all up and stamp in the center of the mask.

And this is what you will end up with. Stamp in the center of the rest of circles using the mask.

Now, the post-it note is not made of thick material and I started getting some marks on my paper where the ink bled through a little. If you want to prevent this, either use a few post-it notes layered together or use a thicker paper for your mask. I decided to embrace it and actually like how my paper turned out because of it. I sponged dark chocolate ink lightly all over my patterned paper. When I sponged, I inked the sponge up really well and then stamped it off on scrap paper before stamping it onto my patterned paper. Each time I needed more ink, I always stamped off on the scrap paper first. This helped get rid of a little ink so that it wouldn't be quite so dark. Then, after I cut my piece of patterned paper for my card, I sponged more dark chocolate ink on the edges. I think all the sponging really brings out the "cocoa feeling." Not sure if that is a real feeling or even makes sense, but I'm sticking to it.

Hope you all are having a great week!

Recipe

Stamps: 2008 Holiday Tag Collection, Borders and Corners Circles (Papertrey Ink)

Cardstock: Vintage Cream, Pure Poppy, Dark Chocolate (Papertrey Ink)

Patterned Paper: (hand stamped)

Ink: Pure Poppy, Dark Chocolate (Papertrey Ink)

Accents: Dark Chocolate Satin Ribbon (Papertrey Ink)

Tools: circle punch, scalloped circle punch (Marvy), small glassine bags (Papertrey Ink), sponge

Tutorial: Preparing Unmounted Red Rubber Stamps

I've received many questions about how to use unmounted red rubber stamps, like Hanna Stamps' Riley Moose stamps and High Hopes Rubber Stamps. You can apply EZ Mount to the back, use double sided tape, or use Alene's Tack it Over and Over. I use Alene's Tack it Over and Over. I just received some unmounted red rubber stamps from High Hopes Rubber Stamps and thought I would share how I prepare them.

This is how unmounted red rubber stamps usually come. Sometimes they are in a large sheet and sometimes individual stamps, but you usually always have to trim them. (You can click on all these photos for a larger image.)

Use scissors that are meant to trim rubber. I use SU's scissors, but I have heard great things about the Tim Holtz Tonic scissors, too. Trim around the edges of the stamps. Make sure you do not undercut the image because that can affect how well the image stamps.

Clean the back of the stamps. I just rub them on my stamp scrubber that has been sprayed with stamp cleaner. You just want to make sure the back is not dirty.

Then, I lay all the stamps face down on pieces of transparency. I use transparencies under the stamps just because I don't want to get glue on my work space if I happen to make a mess.

This is what the Alene's Tack it Over and Over looks like. You need this and a foam brush for the next step.

Add a little bit of Alene's Tack it Over and Over to the back and spread it out with the foam brush. You just need a thin layer to cover the back of the stamp. Let it dry. I usually just let mine dry overnight. When it is dry, it will be clear.

After it has dried, it will be very sticky. I stick the stamp to the palm of my hand and remove it. Repeat this a few times to make the back of the stamp not quite so sticky. You don't want it to be stuck down permanent, just tacky enough to stick to the block.

Now, you can use your unmounted red rubber stamps with your acrylic blocks. They stick to the block and are easily removed when you are done. I store my unmounted red rubber stamps in dvd tins. CD cases also work.

Have a great day!

Papertrey Blog Hop: Vellum

Hi Everyone! It's time again for the Papertrey Ink Blog Hop. This month's challenge was to use vellum. I decided to do some dry embossing with vellum and a stamp set. I chose Lisa's Flower Garden set. I love how the embossed vellum looks over the Plum Pudding cardstock. I decided to make a card that could be used for any occasion and left the sentiment off the front. That way I can write or stamp any sentiment inside.

I can't wait to see everyone's creations with vellum! I have a tutorial below for how to do dry embossing with stamps and vellum.



Dry Embossing with Vellum and Stamps

The supplies you need are: vellum, a stamp of your choice, versamark ink, and an embossing stylus. I used versamark because it is a watermark ink that will not show up after you are done embossing. A very light ink would probably work as well, but I did not test it.

Random stamp your vellum with your image using versamark ink. (Sorry for the reflection. I took a bunch of photos and could not get rid of the reflection.)


Next, take you embossing stylus and trace the lines of your stamp. Don't push too hard or you will poke a hole through the vellum. I went over my images twice using light pressure.

ETA: I forgot to mention when embossing, put your vellum piece over a soft surface. I am using the underside of a cutting mat. I actually always have the mat turned over on my desk because it helps with stamp sometimes when you have a hard time getting a good image. Thanks, Char, for letting me know I forgot to mention my surface!


Flip you vellum over and you have pretty, custom embossed vellum. If you decide to make something using dry embossing and vellum, please share a link to your project.


Well, I'm off to see what everyone created. Thanks so much for visiting!

Have a great night!


Recipe
Stamps: Flower Garden (Papertrey Ink)
Cardstock: plum pudding, vintage cream (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: versamark
Accents: plum pudding satin ribbon (Papertrey Ink), dew drops (Robin's Nest)
Tools: sewing machine, embossing stylus

Ribbon Tutorial

Just a quick post with a ribbon tutorial. I promised a tutorial showing how I tied my ribbon on this card. It is really very easy and only involves a few steps.







I will be back later with a card after I get some photos taken. Have a great day!!

Copic Marker Tutorial

I just love the Riley moose stamps! They are some of my favorite stamps to color and I'm always ready for the next ones to come out. A few weeks back, there was a challenge on the Hanna Forum to combine two different stamp sets. I didn't get a chance to do the challenge, but had the idea to combine the Fishing Riley and Tent Riley. I finally got a chance to make my card last week. Click on the photo to see a larger image.

I started out by stamping my images and coloring them. Then, I rounded the bottom corners and matted the image. I pierced some holes to put my screw brads in. Then, I created my card base and bottom layers. I sewed the layers together. Then, I wrapped my twill around the card and attached it with some hardware and brads. I added my cardstock layers to the card and added my image using dimensional adhesive.

There are quite a few different ways to color using copic markers. I thought today I would share my process of coloring my images for this card. You will notice that it's a lot of using the same steps over and over when you're coloring each part of your image.

First, I stamped my images and used a copic multiliner pen to add some grass, a water line, and a line for my bank by the water. When I start coloring my moose stamps, I always start with the antlers for some reason. This photo shows what they will look like when they are finished and the markers I usually use.

First, color the antler in with the lightest marker color. You can see how it's much lighter than what it will be when it is finished.

Next, create some shading using the second marker. It doesn't look very good yet because it isn't blended.

Blend the two colors together by going over the entire antler using the lighter marker until the colors are nicely blended. You can go over the area repeatedly because the marker won't pill the paper, which is one of the beauties of using an alcohol based marker. If you want more shading after you've blended the colors, you can add a little more of the darker marker by either touching the tip of the light marker to the dark one and coloring or just lightly add more with the darker marker. You can always go over them again if you don't like the results and you can make them lighter using the colorless blender marker (which takes color away).

Color the antlers on the second moose. Then, color the Fishing Riley's hat with a light blue and add the shading with a darker blue.

Blend the two blues the same way we did the antlers using the light blue marker.

Color Riley's hooves using a black copic marker. Color the fishing bobber using a red marker and color Riley's head using brown markers. This is the look we are going for with Riley's body (just for reference).

(None of the photos show the brown markers I use, but I usually use E33 and E37 when coloring my moose and that is what I am using here.) Start coloring Riley's head and body by coloring first with the light brown. Shade with the darker marker.

Blend using the lighter brown marker. After blending, if you need to, add more shading using the darker marker.

Color the Tent Riley using the same techniques (light color first, shade with darker color, blend with lighter color). Color his hooves black.

Next, I started coloring the tent. I colored the tent using my lighter color (R05). You can see that I'm not using markers close in shades, like say R02 and R04 (I don't know if those are real colors since I just made some up). Instead I'm using an orange red and a dark red. The reason it works is because you can blend so much by just adding another layer until it's how you like it.

Add shading using the darker red (R27). I add shading where I think the shadows would be, like the lower part of the tent and the spots where the tent sags a bit.

Blend by going over the image using the lighter marker. This is after one layer with the lighter marker. You can see that it needs to be blended more where the shading is so just go over it again until it looks nicely blended.

Color the rest of the tent and Fishing Riley's boat using the same process.

I thought I would show you what the back of my cardstock looks like at this point. Even with very thick cardstock, the back of your cardstock should look like this if you are blending enough.

I cut out my image before I started color the water and grass so that I wouldn't be wasting ink. I used my copic multiliner pen to add more grass and lines in the river bank. Next, color your water around the boat using light and dark markers. I added shading where the water ripples, under the boat and at the water line by the river bank. Then, I colored the river bank using two brown markers. For the grass, start the same way by coloring it with the light green.

Shade using the darker green marker. I added some darker green to my grass that I drew in with the copic multiliner pen and under the tent.

Blend the greens by going over them with the lighter green marker until it is well blended. Go back with the darker green marker to add a little more to the grass and right under the tent.

Last step is the sky. Go over the entire sky using small circular movements using a blue marker (usually I use B00 like I did here). Then, go over the sky using the colorless blender to blend the area. It will take away some of the color and make it look more even. If you end up with a spot that needs a little more color, touch the tip of your blender marker to the blue marker. That will give you a little bit of light blue that you can use to fill in the spot. You may need to touch the tips a few times to get it like you want it.

I would love to hear what you think and see your creations. If I need to be clearer about something or something doesn't make sense, please let me know. Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Recipe

Stamps: Fishing Riley, Tent Riley (Hanna Stamps)

Cardstock: white stamper's select (Papertrey Ink), classic red, baby blue dark, tawny medium (Prism)

Accents: screw brads, hardware, brads, red twill (from my stash)

Tools: sewing machine, corner rounder, copic markers and multiliner pen