I just
love Memento and Versafine inks. Memento is great for working with alcohol markers (like Copics) but it's also wonderful for blending and painting. It does not react to water the way Distress Inks do but knowing this can allow you to create a different look. Versafine is waterproof; it's also the best ink that I've found for solid areas as well as crisp, sharp stamping.
These Crazy Birds are super fun, especially when you add in their Crazy Things! These sets have many, many stamps and dies!
Making the Card
1. When stamping, leave lots of space between the stamped images so you can cut them out. You will need to heat set everything before adding color. Stamp birds (Bird Crazy set) on heavyweight white cardstock with Onyx Black Versafine ink. The heavier weight will help keep the cardstock from warping while painting. I stamped three birds - I figured at least one wouldn't come out since I'm experimenting (and I was right). Also stamp hat and pumpkin bucket from Crazy Things.
2. Using a watercolor brush and some water, you will color the images. This technique is meant to show strokes and be rather loose. The drawn shaded areas on the stamp make it really easy to color. For the body of the bird, I used three green colors of Memento ink: Cottage Ivy for the darkest areas, Bamboo Leaves for the mid-tones, and Pear Tart for the lightest. Do this in layers, making your strokes match the contours of the bird. See the Supplies section for the colors I used for everything else. I bought Dew Drop versions of all the Memento colors - they are super handy to use as well as portable. Squish some on a craft mat or art palette then add some water (sparingly) with the brush. You may want to test it in a corner of the cardstock before painting to see how much is absorbed and how it goes on. Don't use too much water and do not wet the paper before coloring.
Note: I stamped one of the pumpkin buckets, masked it (see step 3 for masking), measured the bird stamp, penciled some guides, then stamped one of the birds over it to make it one layer. The other will have more dimension by popping the items up (plus it's easier!).
3. Stamp bird on masking paper in black ink. I use Post-it Tape. Heat set (it will probably need more time than on cardstock due to a slicker surface). Cut just inside the black line - this helps prevent a white line around the object after inking. Note: if you have the matching dies, you can cut out the bird then trim any excess as necessary. I cut off the legs and feet since they are unnecessary and will likely just pull up while inking. Place mask on one of the birds (I did the one without the stamped pumpkin bucket).
4. On a new piece of masking, draw a slight hill for the bird to stand on leaving space on top and bottom, with a flat spot in the middle for the bird's feet. Cut across the line. Place the bottom mask below the bird's feet. Using an ink blending tool and Paris Dusk ink, blend starting on the mask moving in circles off as you work your way around the bird. A little goes a long way! I made my first one
way too dark (plus added purple but didn't like it). I decided to use that one for parts: die cut or use scissors to cut around the eyes, beak, and wings. Remove masks. Place the other half of the hill mask over the just inked area (starting at the bird's feet) - lined up with the ink line to protect it. Ink with Peanut Brittle across as ground then add a little Espresso Truffle under the bird for a shadow. Peel up mask. Using a black pen (e.g. Memento Marker, fine tip), draw a line between the ground and sky; add a few small circles for pebbles.
5. Stamp
frame then "trick or treat" sentiment (Skull Blueprint) on heavyweight white cardstock (note: the
Cobweb Blueprint has a matching "happy halloween"). Die cut with frame die. Use the same three green colors to watercolor alternating stripes across.
6. Stamp "Happy Halloween" (Halloweenies) on the edge of heavyweight white cardstock - trim to a strip then cut tails on right side. Ink lightly with Bamboo Leaves on the top and bottom edges.
7. Use 2nd largest Small Stitched Rectangle Stackables die to cut out the bird with background. Use
Crazy Birds die or scissors to cut out bird without background (I hand cut my bird before remembering the die - cutting off the legs/feet to make it easier... although they need to be stamped back on later). Use
Crazy Things dies or scissors to cut out witch hat and pumpkin bucket. Use Memento Marker to go around edges (from back side) of bird parts, cut out bird, witch hat, and pumpkin bucket.
8. Cut an 8 1/2 x 11 inch sheet of heavyweight white cardstock in half so you will have two pieces 5 1/2 x 8 1/2. Fold them in half to form two card bases. Cut black cardstock into two pieces 4 x 5 1/4 inches and one piece 2 7/8 x 3 7/8 inches. Cut bright green cardstock 3 3/8 x 4 3/4 inches. From Toil & Trouble patterned paper, cut bats/green background and black/green chevron papers to 3 3/4 x 5 inches, orange/black Halloween word paper to 2 5/8 x 3 5/8 inches, and the colored lines on black paper to 3 1/4 x 4 5/8 inches. Adhere all papers to their mats as shown.
9. If you cut off the legs/feet of the cut out bird, you will need to stamp them on the orange/black above where you plan to put the label. I used a stamp positioner, inking up just the legs, to do this. I realized that they blended too much into the background so I went over them with a green Milky pen (you could paint them with acrylic if you don't have the pen). Adhere mats to card as shown; adhere the bird, and "trick or treat" label with dimensional tape as shown.
10. To the bird with background, add eyes, beak, wings, hat, and pumpkin bucket with dimensional tape. Adhere mats, "Happy Halloween" banner, and bird as shown
11. Adhere enamel dots as shown. Tie twine around each card with a bow on the edge.
Supplies
- Cardstock: Heavyweight White (110lb/298gsm), Black, Bright Green
- Patterned Paper: American Crafts Toil & Trouble 340046
- Versafine Ink: Onyx Black
- Memento Ink: See List Below
- Memento Marker: Tuxedo Black 900
- Stampers Anonymous: Bird Crazy CMS212, Crazy Things CMS237
- Sizzix Dies (Optional): Bird Crazy 660954, Crazy Things 660953
- Sizzix Die Set with Stamps: Skull Blue Print (Trick or Treat Sentiment)
- Paper Smooches: Halloweenies (Happy Halloween Sentiment)
- Lawn Fawn Small Stitched Rectangle Stackables LF 768
- Ink Blending Tool
- Dimensional Tape
- Enamel Dots
- Twine: Black/Orange, Black/Green
Memento Ink (Dew Drops)
- Bird Body: Cottage Ivy, Bamboo Leaves, Pear Tart
- Beak: Cantaloupe, Dandelion
- Eyes: Summer Sky
- Pumpkin Bucket: Cantaloupe, Tangelo, Morocco
- Witch Hat: Elderberry, Sweet Plum, Peanut Brittle (Buckle)
- Background: Paris Dusk
- Ground: Peanut Brittle, Espresso Truffle
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