Saturday, May 10, 2008

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Friday, March 21, 2008

Back of Rob's Card


So, maybe I will use this stamp on the back of all my cards, as a signature. It will make people laugh, at least the first time!

Inside of Rob's card


Inside was fun, altho the stamp was a little larger than I would have put in a card of this size.

Rob's 28th b'day card


So this was my first try with cutting a window! with mixed results, it could have been smoothier but I am not that unhappy with it. Of course, I stabbed my finger when I was trying to use the utility knife! knives and I don't do well together.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Inside of Cyn's b'day card


So I stamped balloons on the inside of the card, then I rolled it with one of the multicolored pads. Luckily the rolled part that didn't look as good is under the white!

Cyndi's 31st birthday


I had only planned on three butterflies.. but somehow a little smudge was on the card, so then there were four!

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Vicki Simms


Vicki was the Assistant Superintendent of Schools in Bedford a number of years ago. Here is a note card that she made!

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Excited!



I totally love the front of this card. I borrowed the idea from http://www.artfulstamper.com website.

I used the Cuttlebug for the Happy Birthday stampish background... I used it for the embossed card. On the inside, I used the Cricut to make the cloud looking sign. Martha told me about the watercolor crayons... they are amazing. So I used them with the blender tool. Wow... I totally loved the front.... !

Thank You Cards



So this is my first card. It's a thank you card for the PMC.

Friday, February 29, 2008




Beginning Stamping
INKS
Dye Based Inks (lasts 50-75 yrs)
Characteristics – dries instantly
  1. a. Distressed inks take longer
Waterproof
  1. Ancient Page – (black) waterproof, most inks aren’t
  2. Stampin’ Up Inks - black & brown – waterproof
Not Waterproof
  1. Adirondack – not waterproof
  2. ColorBox Chalk
  3. Kaleidacolor - sliding pad keeps colors from bleeding during storage. When ready to stamp, simply slide the pads together. When finished stamping, separate the colors again. Multicolored!
Pigment Inks (lasts 100-175 yrs)
  1. Characteristics – does not dry instantly, more archival
  2. Versamark – doesn’t dry instantly, used for wet embossing
  3. Encore – used for stamping in bulk, must use heatgun. Match embossing ink color to embossing powder
  4. Color Box – use for embossing
  5. VersaFine – black ink, deeper black, super rich. Doesn’t stay wet long enough for embossing
Solvent Inks
Not covered in beginning class
  1. Characteristics – any ink which is non- porous.
  2. StazOn – solvent, lots of color. Used on velum, plastic, acetate – can use heatgun
PREPARATION HINTS
  1. Create your own card with 8.5x11 paper is easiest. – A2 card when cut in 1/2
  2. Use Fiskars paper cutter – allows you to rotate card. Mark cutter permanently where you will cut.
  3. Tap stamp on pad several times. Test stamp on workpaper. Normally by the 4th time, it’s primed.
  4. Bone Folder is used to score cards (or scorer on the paper cutter)
  5. Reveal describes the border between the cardback and the stamped front if you use two pieces of paper to create the front. ½” cut to make ¼” on each side of card!
  6. A 6 or A7 per envelope sizes waste more paper
CLEAN UP HINTS
  1. Spray Stamp Cleaner on the stamp
  2. Rub stamp on Stamp Scrubber
  3. Wash Stamp Scrubber in dishwashing detergent
PROJECTS
Project One - Stamping
  1. Using Kaleidacolor tap stamp on pad several times, test on workpaper.
  2. Press stamp in a random fashion on tag.
  3. Dip small piece of sponge onto inkpad and pull ink onto tag from off-paper to on paper, sponge gives a softer tint – use a small piece of foam to give a denser tint. Looks like a matte
  4. Drag tag edge along stamp pad to create a colored, more finished, harder edge
  5. Sponge Dauber – used to create colored circles, use it around the reinforcer on the tag. Fits perfectly on the tag hole

ADDITIONAL IDEAS
  1. DTP – means Direct to Paper – use Distressed ink to create an antique look with sponge/foam pulled from off paper onto paper
  2. Bigger stamps, turn the stamp upside down, tap from top down onto stamp
  3. Distressed photo works best on matte finish photos
  4. Use Versamark stamp to leave an image in background – make white less white!
  5. Art Impression Stamps – good stamps for embossing beginners

Project Two – Chalking
  1. Use Ancient Page Ink – chalking doesn’t matter if ink is waterproof.
  2. Big Stamp for project – paper on top if stamp and ink pad are different sizes.
  3. Use Pebbles chalks which have a variety of pom poms with each color. Pebbles - I Kan'dee Chalk Sets has fixative in them, so no fixative spray is needed.
  4. Some chalks may need to be sprayed with a workable fixative – to affix chalk on paper.

Project Three – Embossing

  1. Use Versamark Ink – which is clear
  2. Select stamp and use Versmark pad
    1. Embossing powder should say detail fine/superfine
    2. Normally use black, silver, brown, copper powder
  3. Rub Embossing Buddy on paper to eliminate powder, static
  4. Stamp paper
  5. Cover paper with embossing powder, use brush to remove any stray powder
    1. Tupperware type container works great to keep embossing powder in, and to put paper through.
  6. Heat up card until it looks plastic like
Coloring Embossed Image with Watercolor
  1. Use Aqua-Flo Brush to watercolor the stamp.
  2. You want ink to bleed. Squeeze Adirondack ink pad (non waterproof ink) to put some ink on the cover of the ink pad
  3. Use the ink on the top of the pad to color the stamp