Tuesday, September 27, 2016

A Halloween Night Ink Blended Background with Lawn Fawn Happy Haunting Stamps



I just love Halloween! This night scene is so fun to create - the inks blend nicely to create the spooky night sky. GooseBumps acts as a resist, protecting the colors of the moon and creating stars that come out as you apply the inks to the sky. These Lawn Fawn stamps are only slightly scary (well, the ghosts are actually adorable, especially the little one).

Making the Card

1. Cut white cardstock to about 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inches (the final size will be 4 x 5 1/4).

2. Watch the following video to see how to create the ink blended background. Be sure not to touch the GooseBumps until it dries... I accidentally touched the moon and put a fingerprint in it. (Ugh.)


3. Stamp the house, tree, and 3 ghosts on white cardstock. Color with colored pencils. If you want to see how I colored them with my Faber-Castell Polychromos, watch the following video (coloring has been sped up).


4. Optional: with a small brush add GooseBumps to the parts of the bats that are outside the moon (i.e. outside the previous application of GooseBumps). Let that dry then put another application over both bats to give them a slight dimension (it also helped fix my finger indent somewhat).


5. Cut purple cardstock 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches; fold in half to form a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inch card base.

6. Once the GooseBumps has dried, adhere scene to cardbase. Adhere final ghost with dimensional tape if you haven't already done so. I wanted mine to go slightly beyond the scene onto the card base to make it seem like it was coming out of the card.


Supplies
  • Memento Inks: Dandelion, Cantaloupe, Tangelo, Elderberry, Paris Dark, Tuxedo Black
  • StazOn Ink: Jet Black
  • GooseBumps Clear Texture Spray
  • Memento Marker: Tuxedo Black
  • Ink Blushers
  • Optional: BrushStix, DoodleStix, Foam Pad
  • Cardstock: White (Smooth, e.g. Neenah Solar White), Dark Green, Purple
  • Stamps: Lawn Fawn Happy Haunting
  • Colored Pencils (e.g. Faber-Castell Polychromos)
  • Hillside Die: ECD 914 Outdoor Edges
  • Dimensional Tape
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Friday, September 23, 2016

Gingerbread Man and Holiday Icons Card


There are a lot of really cute Christmas patterned papers and cardstocks. If you can't find the one I used, there are lots of others featuring gingerbread men (I had several to choose from in my stash, from different manufacturers). I made my die cuts look like the images on the patterned cardstock (or at least close).

Making the Card

1. Cut red cardstock 7x10 inches; fold in hafl to form a 5x7 card base. Cut pattened cardstock with holiday icons to 6 1/2 x 9 1/2 inches; fold in half. Cut another patterned cardstock 4 1/2 by 6 1/2.; adhere to front of card. Cut brown cardstock 1 x 7 inches; adhere as shown. From red cardstock, cut a strip about 1/8 inch wide (for stripes on stocking).

2. Use Lorna Label PopUp to create platform in center of folded patterned cardstock as directed on packaging. From a piece of dotted cardstock, cut an extra platform - trim away all but label area (use score lines as guides). Adhere dotted cardstock to center platform. Train folds for pop up platform. Adhere to card base inside (adhere one side, then add adhesive to the other and close card). Cut off-white cardstock 2 1/2 x 5 inches. Adhere to patterned cardstock where shown (this is the writing space).


3. Die cut the following:
  • red cardstock: top of stocking plus toe and heel pieces, lolly pop spiral, 6 berries for holly (Candle), and ornament base
  • light pink cardstock: lolly pop base (to make it a circle, refit piece back into die shifting it to cut off wrapper end; may want to use removable tape to hold in place), decorator label with stitches (Lorna Label PopUp), banner (Lorna Label PopUp), candy cane (Gingerbread Man), and stocking base
  • off-white cardstock: gingerbread man shadow, 3 eyes (to use as buttons so they look more like the images on patterned cardstock), "frosting" for the gingerbread man, snowflake (Winter Sweater)
  • green: 2 sets of attached holly leaves (Candle)
  • light green: 2 sets of attached holly leaves (Candle) - cut each leaf in half following score lines then glue to green copy (left side)
  • black: buttons (Build a Snowman) to be used for gingerbread man's eyes
  • silver Shimmer Sheetz: top of ornament

4. Adhere the following:
  • snowflake and top of ornament to ornament as shown
  • lolly pop spiral to base
  • top to stocking, then stripes (trim from back side using detail scissors), toe, and heel
5. Draw small asterisk on berries with burgundy pen. Stamp "Merry Christmas" on pink stitched label. Stamp "and Happy New Year" on light pink banner.

6. Use dimensional tape to adhere gingerbread man and stocking on pop up platform as shown. Adhere banner to base with dimensional tape.

7.  Adhere pink stitched label to front with dimensional tape. Adhere holly leaves and 2 berries as shown (one set inside card, one set on front); use dimensional tape for the 3rd berry. Adhere candy at double dimensional tape height (i.e use single layer on label area, double up tape for off label area). Adhere ornament with dimensional tape. Color candy cane stripes (I used Copic R27). Glue candy cane where shown.


Supplies

ECD Supplies
Other Supplies
  • Cardstock: Red, Green, Light Green, Brown, Off-White, Light Pink, Black
  • Patterned Cardstock: Pebbles Home for Christmas 732678
  • Burgundy Pen
  • Brown Ink (e.g. Memento Luxe Rich Cocoa)
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Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Faux Glass Charm with StazOn


This charm is both fun to make and looks really cool. You could easily use this technique to make a pendant, earrings, or smaller charms for hanging off tags or a charm bracelet. I made this one with potions for Halloween.

The clear embossing powder gives the charm a shine that makes it look like glass. I edged the piece with silver embossing powder, which looks like a metal frame when finished. You could also use other colors, such as gold or black.


Making the Charm

1. Die cut shrink plastic using Potion Bottles. Cut a piece of shrink plastic in a rectangle that is larger than the potions stamp (Mini Halloween 4) - I recommend using a cutter so the lines will be straight.

2. Watch the video below for stamping, coloring, and embossing. You will emboss the piece multiple times with clear embossing powder. You may add VersaMarker (or VersaMark Ink) in between layers, or if you work quickly, you may dip the just heated piece back into the clear powder and it will stick.


3. Hints: I left the back of the charm with a pebble-like texture for a rough glass look. You may put more on to make it smooth. Also, I made the mistake of coloring the entire purple bottle, which had the unfortunate effect of making the label too dark. If I did this over, I would leave the center of the bottle clear where the label would go. The green bottle label didn't fit in the hole after shrinking (they don't shrink evenly) - it didn't bother me since I wanted it to stick up anyway. I'm not sure if adding it to the center of the plastic before shrinking would work - I wouldn't recommend putting glue on before baking; it might start a fire.

4. Attach a jump ring to each side through the hole punched earlier. Attach one jump ring to the lobster claw hook clasp and the other to the chain. Note, if you don't like the clasp next to the charm, you may attach it in the middle of the chain so it won't show on the front, just open a link in the middle to do so. I like the look of it so I put it next to the charm.


Supplies
  • StazOn Inks (Midi and/or Full Sized Ink Pads): Jet Black, Cactus Green, Forest Green, Eden
    Green, Orange Zest, Pumpkin, Gothic Purple, Royal Purple, Midnight Blue, Dove Gray, Spiced Chai
  • StazOn All Purpose Stamp Cleaner
  • Embossing Powder: Clear, Silver
  • VersaMarker (Preferred) or VersaMark Ink Pad
  • Ink Blushers
  • DoodleStix
  • GlazOn Clear
  • Shrink Plastic: Clear (e.g. Shrinky Dinks)
  • Stamps: Stampers Anonymous - Mini Haloween 4 CMS198, Mini Blueprints 5 CMS170
  • Dies: Taylored Expressions - Potion Bottles
  • Hole Punch (e.g. Crop-A-Dile)
  • Alcohol
  • Cotton Swabs
  • Glue
  • Chain, Jump Rings, Lobster Claw Hook Clasp
  • Optional: Stamp Positioner
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Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Love at Home Birds Accordion Card


The new Birds and Birdhouse dies from Joset Designs are super cute. They come with winter accessories but I decided to use them for a summer look, with fluffy clouds in the background and bright colors. The birds may look like they are kissing but they are really just dancing beak to beak.

Making the Card

1. Die Cut 3 panels from patterned paper (Abrianna by K&Company) using Accordion Rectangle: cut 2 from the blue side and 1 from the purple side.  Line up panels so tabs are all on right. Cut tabs off last as directed on packaging. Decorate first, before assembly

2. Die cut 2 sets of Katie Flourish Frame Edges from both turquoise and purple/pink cardstock (i.e. 4 small and 4 big sides of each color). Adhere to opposite colored panels (the first panel will have them on both sides since it will be the front).

3. Die cut bird house, birds, wings, feet, and an extra heart from light purple/pink cardstock (Bird Dies, Birdhouse Dies). Die cut 2 sets of roofs, 2 outline hearts, decorative lines, and stand from purple/pink cardstock. Using the 2 rectangle dies (Accordion Rectangle), cut a frame from the light purple/pink cardstock (you will not use the inside of the frame) and large rectangles from both the light purple/pink and purple/pink cardstock.


4. Adhere one roof to bird house; cut chimney off the other and adhere with dimensional tape. Adhere outline heart and decorative lines as shown. Place frame on first panel where shown but before adhering, line up bird house stand and trim bottom off - glue stand first, then frame onto panel. Adhere birdhouse.

5. Die cut clouds (Country Scapes - Clouds & Grass) from scrap paper or cardstock. Use chalk or ink to make a few clouds in the upper third of the light purple/pink rectangle. Use the hill (Outdoor Edges) to cut purple/pink rectangle ground for birds. Adhere to light purple/pink rectangle then adhere to card base (middle panel). Chalk or ink birds as shown. Adhere feet. Rub lightly on the back of their bodies and wings with ball stylus to round them slightly, then use dimensional silicone (or dimensional tape) to adhere wings. Adhere googly eyes if desired (if not, add black cardstock behind eye holes). Once dry, adhere to panel as shown using dimensional silicone (or dimensional tape). When dry, adhere purple/pink heart as shown.

6. Stamp sentiment "There is beauty all around when there is love at home" on last panel in black ink. Adhere light purple/pink heart and purple/pink outline heart as shown. Adhere light purple/pink heart to first panel (front of card) in upper right corner. Adhere purple/pink heart on second panel in upper right corner.

7. Assemble as directed on packaging for Accordion Rectangle.


Supplies

ECD Supplies
Other Supplies
  • Cardstock: Turquoise, Light Purple/Pink, Purple/Pink
  • K&Company Specialty Paper 12x12 Abrianna
  • Stamps: Close to My Heart S1302 Home Sweet Home
  • Black Ink (e.g. VersaFine Onyx Black)
  • Pastels (I used PanPastels) or Distress Ink and Ink Blending Tool
  • Dimensional Tape
  • Optional: Decorators Solution Clear Dimensional Silicone
  • Optional: Googly Eyes
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