Use your cream and white scraps to create lots of labels in different colors. Grunge them up for a more vintage look. Add adhesive to the back using a Xyron Creative Station, Xyron Creative Station Lite, Xyron 250 Create-A-Sticker, or Xyron 150 Create-A-Sticker if you would like to make them into stickers. I listed these in order of price (high to low), which also corresponds to size. The largest Creative Station will accept paper/cardstock up to 9 inches wide (e.g. US letter) and may also be used with 5 inch cartridges. The Creative Station Lite will accept 5" and 3" cartridges. The 250 has a 2.5" opening, and the smallest 150 has a 1.5" opening. All are refillable, but the larger machines (former two) offer more and varied cartridges, such as lamination and magnet, whereas the latter two are just for making stickers. Note: the largest Vintage Labels will not fit in the smallest sticker maker.
Labels can be used in many ways. You can stamp on them with words or numbers for a more traditional look, or stamp them with images for something different. Use rub-ons or vellum stickers on them. Use them on cards, in scrapbooks, or junk journals. Write on them to label folders, storage bins, etc. Make tabs out of them by either folding one in half or putting two of the same size/type back to back on a page or other edge so that part sticks out.
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Making the Labels
1. Gather your white card stock and cream card stock scraps. Of course you may also use full sheets but this is a great way to use up your scraps! If pieces (or sheets) are too big for your die cutting plates, you may want to cut them down to fit first. This is especially important if using a Sidekick. Note: I show how to use scrap strips in a different post.
1. Gather your white card stock and cream card stock scraps. Of course you may also use full sheets but this is a great way to use up your scraps! If pieces (or sheets) are too big for your die cutting plates, you may want to cut them down to fit first. This is especially important if using a Sidekick. Note: I show how to use scrap strips in a different post.
2. Before inking your Vintage Label dies, you need to condition them or the ink will bead up, giving you poor results. See photo below. The labels on the left were inked and die cut before conditioning the dies. The labels on the right were done after (same ink, same dies). To condition the dies, use toothpaste on a cotton swab to scrub well over the raised surface of each die where ink will go. I did this back and forth around each die about a dozen or more times. A little surface metal will come off - you should see this as you rub the toothpaste. This is how it conditions the surface; it roughs up the surface on a micro level, giving the ink a place to sit without beading up. This should only have to be done once, although if not enough of the surface is roughed up, this process may need to be repeated.
3. Have die cutting plates ready. One plate will be the cutting side; set this aside for the moment. Place the non-cutting side nearby so you can easily transfer inked dies to this plate when ready. Choose Vintage Label dies (or die) to fit a scrap piece of white or cream cardstock. Place these dies cutting side up on a sheet of scrap paper - I use scrap copy/cartridge/printer paper. Tap Ranger Archival Ink (or Distress Archival Ink) over surface until the flat raised areas are well covered. If the ink is still beading up too much, you may have to repeat conditioning. Be sure your ink pad is not too dry or you may not get enough ink to transfer on to the die. Once inked, carefully lift paper and slide dies onto plate, still cutting side up. You may need to slide them around in a configuration that will work with your piece of cardstock. Place cardstock carefully over dies then place cutting plate on top. Be sure nothing shifts. You may have to hold the plates in both hands as you start to feed them into your die cutting machine. If you find they move too much, you could try using washi or painters tape to temporarily tape paper to the bottom plate before placing the cutting plate on top.
Note: If you want to change ink colors, I recommend using isopropyl alcohol to clean dies. I don't recommend using stamp cleaner as any oil residue left behind may prevent ink from sticking.
4. Optional: after die cutting, ink edges of labels with Distress Ink or Distress Oxide Ink. I used Vintage Photo Distress Oxide Ink on an ink blender tool with domed foam. Note that if you do not ink the edges, some of the color of the Archival Ink that got on the blade may show a little. Adding inking around the edges helps hide this.
5. Optional: if you want to create sticker labels, put labels through a Xyron Creative Station or Sticker Maker (see other models listed in supplies, below). If you are doing multiples, you may cut them apart or leave them on the larger sheet until you want to use them. Note: you may add the adhesive to the cardstock before die cutting but I find that this wastes more adhesive and makes one side of the cardstock really slick, possibly making it more difficult when feeding into the die cutting machine.
Supplies
- Tim Holtz Sizzix Vintage Labels 665929
- Toothpaste, Cotton Swabs
- Tim Holtz Distress Archival Ink
- Ranger Archival Ink
- Cardstock - Cream or White
- Tim Holtz Blending Tools, Domed Foam Applicator
- Brown Distress Oxide Ink (I used Vintage Photo) or Brown Distress Ink
- Sizzix Sidekick, Big Shot, or other die cutting machine
- Optional: Xyron Creative Station (9" and 5" cartridges), Xyron Creative Station Lite (5" and 3" cartridges), Xyron 250 Create-A-Sticker (2.5", refills), or Xyron 150 Create-A-Sticker (1.5", refills)
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