Using Background Stamps

For the St. Augustine meeting, Jan and I had volunteered to bring treats. We decided to make something that is easy to make, not messy, and could be individually packaged.  Jan stamped the sentiment using a new SU stamp, The doily is from MFT that she picked up this weekend. The butterfly is a new SU punch that is covered in broken china stickles. Inside is a trail mix: chocolate teddy grahams, cinnamon toast crunch, pretzels and delicious raspberry M&Ms.

At the meeting, I shared several ways to use large background stamps. First I demonstrated the mega mount. You can watch a demo here. You can also mask off portions of the card (I like to use eclipse tape). Here is a card made using this technique

Backgound stamps can be stamped over embossed images to add texture to a background. I created this tag using distress inks, blended walnut ink around the edge and them overstamped in frayed burlap. The larger background is stamped on designer paper.  I like to use text or script: this stamp is a hero arts background with text and music. Texture is added to the inside of the card (again on DP) using a "ghosting" technique. For this technique remove the rubber from the mount and just bend and touch to paper for partial stamped images.

Background stamps can be used to create your own designer paper and then punched, trimmed or die cut just as you would any DP. 

One of my favorite flower dies from MFT.

I love this new greeting die - another new purchase from our road trip.

The last technique is one I call a "stacked deck." Cut and layer cardstock using temporary adhesive. Stamp the layers and then mat them with cs that is 1/4 larger. (using a mat will cover the part of the paper that doesn't stamp along the edge).

Our challenge for next month is to use background stamps and to create a Christmas card.

Playing with Spraying

This has been such a wonderful weekend - very relaxing. I have caught up on some reading and spent two days playing with the "cult." Anita hosted a gathering at her house. We met on Saturday afternoon and the time just flew by; we had such a wonderful time that we invited ourselves back for Sunday.

Ever since we took the online lettering course, Anita and I have been talking sbout getting together to play with our sprays and stencils. We both have ordered sets of the dylusion sprays and some crafter workshop stencils and tried them out - but without much success. We were discouraged by our results, but have seen others use these supplies successfully so we decided that we needed to set aside a chunk of time and space to just play. After watching lots of videos (especially at joggles.com) we gathered supplies and cult members and just played. The slideshow below shows the fruits of our efforts. I am pleased and more at ease using these products; some techniques still need more practice. I am glad that summer vacation is almost here. I wonder how long it will be before the dye comes out of my fingers?

This is the handout including information that I researched before we met to play:

Backgrounds : Joggles and searching youtube for dyan reaveley are great resources

Stencils can be purchased or cut from transparency using your die cut shapes. A die cut can be used as a reverse stencil – perfect for a journaling spot

Slicker surfaces (like manila tags) allow time for inks to blend whereas watercolor paper absorbs ink quickly.

Colorwash has very deep colors – dilute in water (to your color preference) and spray over stencils. This is also  a textile medium

            Mist surface heavily with water first and then work light to dark and then let dry
            To lighten the color you can blot with paper towels or another tag
            You can use a brush to move color around on the surface.
            Secondary layers of spotty color can be added from swiping through overspray on mat
            Use a brush to pick up spray from mat and color stamped image
            Can be added to an aqua pen with some water to use for watercoloring
            Can be sprayed on a craft mat (with a bit of water) and pounced onto a bold stamp
            Can be sprayed over a gel medium (gloss or matte) resist
            Can be sprayed over gesso (that has dried) and it will absorb a second application of color

dylusions is intense color, but not as dark as colorwash. This is not intended for fabric. These sprays blend more easily than colorwash and are more reactive with water.

            Many of the above techniques will apply to this medium
            Use related colors – yel/orange/pink or yel/green/blue so you don’t get MUD
            Create GHOST images on a dry, dark surface by spraying with water, leave for 15 sec, then blot.
            After spraying, flip stencil over and “stamp” the reverse image on another background
            Heat drying will stop next color layer from blending
            Build layers of color

 Adding more visual texture to a colored base
            Stamp with archival for clear image, stamp with distress for blended images (use mega BG stamps)
          Splat with distress stains
            Use pearl mists as water, over the entire surface or through a stencil
            Crumble saran on a wet surface and let dry (better on tags) Gesso can highlight the texture.
            Add luminere to crumpled wax paper and gently touch to surface
            Add ink to bubble wrap and stamp
            spread acrylic paint in a thin surface on a craft mat and use to ink found items (bubble wrap bottle lids for open circles)
            glue on stamped and cut out images (text paper)
           stamp through stencils for partial images
            use blending tool and distress ink (on edges, through stencil)
            use blending sponge to apply versamark through stencil and emboss
           Spray ink over dry gel medium (gloss or matte) image for a resist (clean image quickly after gel is used)
           Apply metallic rub-on paint or ink gold through stencil
           Goosebumps acts as a resist.

Have fun getting messy!

New Tag Technique

I don't remember where I saw this technique online - but I admired the look and tried to recreate it with this tag. I demonstrated this background technique at our monthly stamp club meeting in St. Augustine today.

1. Color the background of the tag - I used broken china distress stain. It doesn't have to be neat and you can choose your own method of adding color-maybe Dylusion sprays. Dry.
2. Spritz for some sparkle - I used Perfect Pearl Mist in bronze. I think that Inka Gold sponged over would be a great look also. Dry.

3. Dry emboss - I used the Holtz gears folder.
4. Use a blending tool to sponge on ink over the raised areas. I used walnut distress ink.

 

5. Embellish as desired. I stamped a new MFT promotional sentiment on vanilla cardstock that was die cut with a MFT vertical greetings die and then I blended some antique linen distress ink around the edges. I went through my stash and found some Holtz gears and a paper and a metal flower; I colored some pearls with copics; added some Hero Arts sequins, some then Swarovski crystals. I tied some ribbon and trim at the top and created a dangling charm from crystals and a pearl. The tag is mounted on SU cardstock in expresso (because the metal parts are heavy and it need stabilizing).