Stamping With A Die

 

      How do you stamp with a die? Use the die to cut a funky foam shape and stamp with that. This card was made using the latest mandala die set from John Next Door - JND243 Belgravia Mandala.

     

     Using the die as a complete set I cut some funky foam, it's around 1mm thick so it cuts very well.

     Once cut and all the tiny bits were removed I covered the back with strips of double sided tape and mounted it on a circle of Stix2 Non Slip Grip. This grip was originally sold for putting on your rule to stop it slipping when measuring, but it has a fantastic 'cling' ability. There is no adhesive on this product, it just clings to a smooth surface, which means it clings to the stamp press perfectly.

     

     For the first stamping I used Distress Oxides, the ink sits on the foam quite happily without the need to prime the foam first.

     Watercolour card was best for this as the next step was to spritz it with water and allow the colours to run.

     

     To encourage the flow of colour across the card I used a hand operated air brush type gadget, it's sold for use with marker pens but without a pen it's a great way of puffing air where you want it.

     

     After the first layer was dry I selected the same colours but in Distress Ink this time. I dabbed the foam with a paper towel to remove any excess Oxide before adding the Ink to avoid any possible issues.

     The beauty of using a stamp press is having the ability to stamp in exactly the same place again, so that is just what I did, having made sure to add the colours in the same places on the foam stamp.

     With the Ink stamped over the Oxide it now looked like the one image had bled but without loosing any definition.

     The next step, once dry, was to cut the image out with a large square die. With another slightly larger square die I cut an outer layer to be used in the mat and layer process.

     With the die set still taped together from cutting the foam I cut the stamped panel to get all those lovely little gaps to drop out.

     I had to be careful to keep the various pieces of the mandala together and the right way around in the square while poking out the tiny bits.

     I taped the layers together on the back to make it easier to stick down over a gold pearl circle, this gave me a warm shimmer of gold through all those beautiful gaps, it reminded me of a peacock tail.

     I wanted a mat layer but nothing I had was just right, so out came the Oxides and Inks again, this time to go around the edge of a white mat layer to tone it in with the image panel. This layer was just large enough to cover the whole left in the big square, then all I had to do was match up the colours and stick this on top of the large square. It all sounds complicated but it really wasn't, if it had been it would probably have ended up in the recycle box!

     A few small gold pearls added around the mandala lifted the image panel and the addition of four corners cut from the same gold pearl card finished it off. With the pattern and the gold I didn't feel it needed a greeting on the front, that will have to go inside when required.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - #168 Anything Goes

A Bit More Time To Craft - #146 Anything Goes

Creative Fingers - #218 Anything Goes

Love To Craft - #64 Anything Goes

Crafts Galore Encore - #93 Anything Goes

A Perfect Time To Craft - #11 Anything Goes

The Creative Crafters - #45 Anything Goes

The Crafters Cafe - #277 Anything Goes

Sunshine and Showers

 

     

      The theme at River Of Creativity this month is sunshine, this challenge blog is not just for mixed media and cards, it is for ANY craft. If you have made it and it fits our theme we would love to see it.

     Both of these card started with I-Zink pigment inks and some acetate. The ink was dropped onto one piece of acetate, then covered with another piece of acetate and squished together.

     Before the ink could dry the two pieces were pulled apart, this is what gave it the steaky patterns. It was then set aside to dry, which didn't take very long. I made several different sheets using other colours and put them in my stash box, after all if you're going to get all the products out you may as well turn it into a full creative session.

     The best way I have found to stick these panels down is to put the decorated acetate on to a sheet of double sided sticky film, then you get no glue marks because it's sticky all over.

     These acetate panels were die cut after the sticky was added, using Tonic nesting ovals. I also discovered it was best to stick down one end of the panel and gently peel off the backing, smoothing it down as I went. It helped keep it aligned and made sure I got no air bubbles under the acetate. If you do get an air bubble you can pierce the card from behind with a pin, just make sure you don't go all the way through the acetate aswell.

      For the rain man the acetate was stuck onto a sheet of white card, then decorated with Distress Ink and spritzed to get the rain drops. 

      For the sunshine lady I used a stencil and Distress Ink to create the rays of the sun before sticking down the acetate. The stencil wasn't quite large enough to cover the card completely so I inked the main part and then moved the stencil around to enlarge the area.

      A mixture of Scattered Straw and a dash of Fossilised Amber created the desired effect. For each card the character was going to need to be grounded, this was done by using a piece of torn paper and the same Distress Inks used for the backgrounds.

      The two characters are cut using metal rule dies, one Sizzix and one unknown. The rain man was cut in very dark blue and the lady was cut in a pearly dark brown, each image panel has been matted on the same card as the character.

      The sayings were found on line, typed out and printed off. I don't know who Rain Man's saying comes from but the Sunshine Lady is by Helen Keller. Both sayings were die cut oval to match the acetate panel and ink blended to match the backgrounds. Both characters and sayings are mounted on foam, sayings on 1mm thick and characters on 2mm thick.

      The two cards were made several months apart as it took me a while to find a suitable lady for the sunshine card. Now they're complete I rather like them as a set, they may just end up being framed and kept rather than gifted as cards, although each acetate panel has a double so maybe it's a good reason to make some more.

      Don't forget that River Of Creativity is a new challenge that accepts ALL forms of craft, as long as we can see how the theme has inspired you any project is welcome.

I would like to enter these cards in the following challenges:

Path To Positivity - #91 optional - change your environment (frame as pictures)

Use Your Stuff - #422 Use A Stencil

Crafty Calendar - Masculine

The Creative Crafters - #40 Anything Goes

Love To Craft - #58 Anything Goes

Let's Craft and Create - #171 Anything Goes + No Patterned Paper

Happy Little Stampers - Anything Goes With Dies

Dies R Us - #169 Anything Goes using stock a die

A Bit More Time To Craft - #140 Anything Goes

613 Avenue Create - #5 Anything Goes / optional mood board

Moon Gazing Hare

 

     This is a birthday card I made for my friend, she loves hare's and fairies. I was so engrossed in making it I forgot to take any photos of the process, not that you need them as I'm sure you can see just how easy it was.

     It started with a square of white card, a large toadstool stamp and Versafine black ink. I have to say having a stamp platform has revolutionised my work, I can stamp a silhouette with confidence now, safe in the knowledge that if I miss a bit I can stamp again in exactly the same place.

     I then die cut a circular mask for the moon and placed it partly over the top of the toadstool. With the moon masked I used a stencil, a couple of blending brushes and some Distress Inks to create a subtle background in the centre of the card. This technique was picked up from the amazing Eileen Godwin.

     With the mask removed I stamped the fairy, the two small toadstools and the hare with Versafine black ink. Once dry I used a watercolour pencil to add a touch of yellow to the fungi and a little shadow beneath the hare and the toadstools to ground them.

     The sentiment was added, again in black, there is no reference to a birthday so she can frame it to add to her growing hare collection.

     A little thin black mat layer before going on a white card blank sets off the stamping. The final touch was to add some Stardust Geli glaze to the fairy's wings, just enough to catch the light but not to over power the image.

     I didn't know that a moon gazing hare is an ancient symbol of growth, abundance and good fortune, rather nice for a birthday card.

     

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Animal Friends - Hare / Rabbit

Country View - Silhouettes

Just Us Girls - #574 Animals     Chick of the week

The Fairy and The Unicorn - Anything Fantasy     Top 3

Winter Wishes

      As it's getting closer to Christmas I've been trying out some new, to me, techniques. Colouring through a stencil isn't new but it is when you use one of the new blending brushes from Crafts Too, they really are amazing little brushes for stencil use.

     I chose three shades of blue Distress Ink to go through my Sweet Poppy stencil, being metal they are nice and heavy but the soft brush is still perfect for getting into all the little bits. I also followed Lucy's tip about using a magnetic sheet under my cardstock to stop the stencil moving about...thanks Lucy.

     The moon is masked with some of Stix2 masking sheet die cut in a circle and tucked under the stencil. I also masked off all around the stencil because I wanted a wide white border.

     The stag is a Lavinia stamp, stamped in Medieval Blue VersaFine Clair. I used a stamp platform so I was able to stamp him three times to get a very dark image.

     The Winter Wishes was cut with some Tim Holtz dies and backed with some silver paper, using paper rather than mirri card means there is no lump under the words.

     I went through most of my blue card stash to find the right shade, I even tried the VersaFine pad, but it just wasn't quite right until I went over it with an alcohol marker.

     Matted onto the blue layer and then onto a white 7x5 card blank it's still thin enough to go as standard post, which if you're sending out a few helps keep the cost down.

     Not Just Cards is exactly that, not just cards, you can join us with any project you have made. Please pop over and take a look at all the inspiration from the DT and our lovely challenge participants.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

ABC Christmas - V=Vixen (deer)

CraftyHazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas

Crimbo Crackers - Anything Christmas

Merry Little Christmas - Anything Christmas

Allsorts - Winter Scene or Snow

Lavinia World - Anything Using A Stamped Image

Monochrome Bauble

   Welcome to my second card for Christmas At Sweet Stampin', our optional twist this month is monochrome but you can join us with any Christmas themed creation.

     This card started with some white card, a bauble stencil and Distress Ink. Using masking tape I secured the stencil to the card and my craft mat, then with an Inkylicious dusting brush I coloured the bauble shape with blue Distress Ink, trying to get it a little darker at the top than the bottom.
     I decided to stamp my image before removing the stencil, I've been a bit clumsy lately so thought this would protect the clean white card a bit longer and I'm happy to say it worked.
     This could just as easily be done in a stamp press, it's just that I was so keen to get it started I forgot until I got to the stamping stage!

     The image was stamped with Versafine Clair Medieval Blue, which is a very dark blue. I wanted to add some tiny stars to the night sky so I used a silver glitter gel pen. As the main star was stamped in blue I chose to add a tiny clear gem to the centre to make it stand out and shine.
     I wanted to keep it simple so I tried to find blue card to match my image, easier said than done, you would think with all the card and paper I have that I would have some the right shade?...no.  So I found an alcohol marker that did match almost perfectly, I cut a white mat layer and coloured the edge with the pen, let it dry and then matted my image panel.
     Once the panel was on a white card blank it needed a big greeting, a die cut would work well as it would sit across the layers happily. I cut one in white and coloured it with the same pen as the mat but it was too dull, so a quick rummage through the mirri card draw and a nice dark blue mirri greeting was ready. I saw somebody showing a tip for adding glue to a thin die cut, but sadly I don't remember who. Put some PVA on the back of your hand and dab the die cut over it to pick up a light coating before putting it on the card, it saves glue splodges oozing out when you press it down.
     A simple monochrome card suitable for a man and thin enough for posting. Making one card a month for is not going to get my stash built up very quickly, so starting next month I will try to make a batch of cards for each challenge to be blogged throughout the month.
     Please come and join us at Christmas At Sweet Stampin' with your seasonal creations, if you haven't seen all the DT inspiration then pop over and take a look.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

ABC Christmas - Hang It Up/Intricate

The 12 Month's Of Christmas - Anything Goes/optional Fairies

The Holly and Ivy - Anything Goes

Nina Journal, Birds Flyin' High

     A couple of months ago I began an art journal of sorts, these are the next few pages. My first page was used for Altered Eclectics DT so it seems only right that the next instalment should be for them also.
     I got so carried away with these pages that I forgot to take any pictures as I worked, I think you could say I was definitely 'in the zone' on this one. Following a theme has made my first foray into journaling a little easier, I have a rough idea of where I would like this to go.
     Distress inks over white card for the background got me started, then it was on to spritz and splatter for added detail. The doily was done using a stencil and Distress Oxides, as was the sun, these inks cover beautifully and having a mixture of the two types on the page adds to the effect.
     With the addition of birds and flowers the page was really coming together, all I needed to do now was to add the words. For the first few words of the song I used a Dymo tape machine and blue tape, for the repeated words I used some dies, I had to cut and edit them to make the words I wanted but once stuck down you can't see the joins.
     I am getting more adventurous with some of the pages, I have seen some stunning work out there which has given me inspiration, but as a slightly 'contained' crafter I still have a long way to go to let loose the inner creator.
     If you journal, make mixed media, anything but cards and ATC's then please come and join us Altered Eclectics and show us what you've created.

I would like to enter these pages in the following challenges:

We Love 2 Create - Anything Creative Mixed Media

Hiding In My Craftroom - Anything Goes

Crafting With Friends - Anything Goes

Feelin' Good About Journalling

     This is my first venture into the world of journaling, so I've chosen to use it as my DT project for Altered Eclectics. I have always been a little worried about starting something in a nice new book, what do I do if I don't like it? The answer is make a loose leaf journal, that way I only keep the pages I'm happy with.
      I had a Bind-It-All machine as a gift and decided this was a perfect opportunity to use it. I have cut all my pages using various types of card and punched the holes ready for binding. I thought if I had the holes done at the beginning it would help me keep any important decoration away from that area.

     To ease myself into this journey I chose a theme for my art journal, one of my favourite songs.
     This page is cream, coloured around the edge with Distress Ink Old Paper, then I used a crackle stamp and the same ink to add pattern.
     I printed a copy of the music, tore the edges and folded it up a little,then coloured it with Old Paper, adding some stains through a stencil. Once dry I stuck it to the aged page.

     I found some images of Nina Simone on line and printed one out in sepia tones, this I fussy cut and stuck over the music score.
     Using an alphabet stamp set I added 'Nina' to the bottom corner and embossed it with Wow Perissa, which has a lovely metalic mix of bronze, gold and silver.
     Two of the corners are stamped with a tatty corner design and covered with bronze mica powder, a quick blast of hairspray over this keeps it in place and stops it rubbing off. To finish the aged look I went around the outside edges with an edge scuffer, leaving the binding edge smooth.
     It's quite a simple page but for my first one I am pleased with how it turned out, I dare say I shall become more adventurous as I progress through the song. The covers are cut from mountboard which will lend themselves perfectly to some mixed media, but I plan to complete the song before starting on them.
     Altered Eclectics is a challenge for anything altered or mixed media, just no cards or ATC's, so please come and join us with whatever you're working on.

The Male Room Symmetrical Challenge

    This fortnights challenge at The Male Room is all about symmetry, there are some great examples over on the blog from our DT.

      I started with a white tag which I coloured with red Distress Ink, making the edges much darker than the middle, this was dried off with heat. The next step was to add some pattern to the background, using a stencil and Distress Oxide Hickory Smoke I worked the pattern on to the tag, this was also dried off with a gentle heat. The next layer was to go over the whole tag with the same grey Oxide ink to dull it all down a little, to finish the tag was spritzed and flicked with water.

      Using a Sizzix die I cut the Dapper gentleman in black card and then the bow tie and hat band in dark red. The black card was taped to the tag to use as a guide because I wanted to use the cut out parts, this helped me place the die cuts in exactly the right place to build the picture.
     Once removed the black card can be used to make another project, it could be a card to match the tag for a birthday.
     I have kept the ribbon simple by staining some cotton ribbon with the same Distress Inks used on the tag.
     Please come and join us at The Male Room with your masculine symmetrical projects, we would love to see what you make.

I would like to enter this tag in the following challenges:

The Paper Girls - Masculine Birthday   (F)

ARTastic - Black, White and one other   (M)

MHK Designer Inspiration

     This month I wanted to show you a selection of seasonal cards made with the same image from MHK Designs in a range of different colours.

     I have to confess that I used to think digital images were just to be printed and coloured, Oh how wrong I was!
     If you have time to play around with them using a photo package you can achieve so much more. Now I am not what I would call computer savvy, but through trial and error (non of them serious) I have learnt a little, with the help of YouTube tutorials by our very own Mynn and advice from friends I am slowly progressing. This makes digital images and papers SO much more useful and very good value for money.    

      After selecting my image I used my photo package to change the colours. This was done by sliding the Hue/Saturation scale, found under the heading Adjustments, up or down. Each time I saw a colour change I liked I saved it with a slightly different name and then continued until I had five variations and my original.
     Using an oval die I cut them out and then coloured the edges with ink to draw the eye to the image.
     The sentiment plaque in the image has rounded edges so I used a corner rounder to make my card blank match. The edges of the card are coloured to match the image panel, with small holly corners painted with the same ink the base card was finished.
     A mirri mat layer under the image panel lifts the card giving it a little Christmas shine, it's mounted on foam pads to add a little more interest to a basic vintage effect card.

Christmas Frames

     I hope this has inspired you to go and play with your MHK Designs images to see what you can do with them. You can enter our challenge with your results, we'd love to see them.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

A snowflakes Promise - Anything Christmas Goes   (M)

Crafty Cardmakers - Monochrome   (F)

Digi Choosday - Anything Goes  (W)

Christmas Cards All Year Round - Use Leaves   (M)

House Of Cards Blows Bubbles

     The new challenge at House Of Cards has an Autumnal feel to it, it's sad to see summer fading but I am looking forward to all those beautiful Autumn colours. We would like to see some text somewhere on your card so that's where I started with mine.

      As our colour palette is mostly browns and creams I started on Kraft card, using a stencil with various size circles cut in it. I stamped through the stencil with a script stamp and some brown ink.
     Once my script was dry I moved the stencil and made coloured circles with Distress Ink in shades of brown and orange, moving the stencil whenever I changed colour.
     The real magic happened when I started using Distress Oxide Ink, this sits more 'on top' of the card than the original Distress and gives another depth to the bokeh type effect, it's semi-opaque and changes appearance slightly when the card is moved in different light. I haven't spritzed any of this card with water to change the Distress inks but that may add even more interest.
     I played around for some time with the colour of the greeting and finally settled on a dark brown pearl card to die cut, it matches the script colour and helps pull that forward a little. A simple cream mat layer, which helps show off the pale Oxide circles, was all that was needed to finish off.
     The House Of Cards challenge runs all month so please come and join us with your Autumnal cards, we would love to see how you are inspired by the photo prompt.

Add Text and/or Colours

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Cardz 4 Gals - Use Kraft   (W)

Day Dreamer - Anything Goes   (M)

4 Crafty Chicks - Anything Goes   (W)

Crafting With Friends - Anything Goes   (F)

Male Room Fossil

     Our new challenge at The Male Room is mixed media, you can make a card or any other project as long as it's masculine mixed media. I didn't want to use a canvas so I die cut a tag from mount board for my base.

     Using some stencils I added Henry and a couple of ammonites with texture paste, Then the tag was coloured with Distress Oxide in Fossilised Amber, Broken China and Vintage Photo. I used a wet stencil to remove some ink, which doesn't show all that well, then spritzed and flicked to get more variation.
     The edges are darkened with Distress Ink in corresponding colours but Henry is coloured with Black Soot because he just didn't stand out enough, I rather like the pale lines around him as it gives him a feint glow.
     Using the Distress Inks I have stamped a pebble texture type pattern to add interest to the background, there is also a fossilised fish stamped above Henry's head.

     The word 'dig' is die cut in dark brown card and stuck on near Henry. There are also some interesting beach finds stuck to the tag, the stone may or may not be a fossil, but it looks like it could be so that's close enough for my tag.
     The label is die cut from the same mount board, inked dark brown and then covered with gold gilding wax and polished. I did have a dictionary definition but I messed it up, so had to type this one instead, it's on white card stamped with a craze pattern and covered with acetate.  All that remained was to add some twine to the top and Henry's tag was finished.
     Our challenge runs for two weeks, so hopefully that will give you enough time to come up with a masculine mixed media project to show us. Please have a look at the DT inspiration for a few ideas.

I would like to enter this tag in the following challenges:

2 Sisters On The Blog - Beach   (M)

Delicious Doodles - Beside The Sea   (M)

Eclectic Ellapu - Seaside or Summer Colours   (M)

Take A Word -Sea Creatures   (I hope fossilised ones count)  (W) 

Buzzing Around The House Of Cards

     Summer has definitely arrived at the House Of Cards with a bright and breezy photo prompt, we would like to see you use Stripes and/or Colours inspired by our photo.

     The picture made me think of bees, it was the pattern of the umbrella that struck me first so I set about finding a bee image. Now you might think that was easy.....it wasn't!  I have a few (ha,ha) stamps and dies but not one single bee that was suitable, so I resorted to the internet and it's mass of free images. A bee stamp and die are now on my wishlist. With my bee image printed and die cut I just had to make a background to show the stripes.
     What better than sun rays to provide the yellow stripes. After a search through my stencils nothing much inspired me so I went through some dies and found the prefect one. I die cut some strong card and used that as a stencil to work three shades of Distress ink through.
     The striped panel didn't look right on a white card blank so I coloured the edges yellow, then stuck the panel flat and the bee die cut on foam pads. It's a very simple card with a sweet and simple message so I have decided not to add anything else to it.
     The House Of Cards challenge runs all month so please pop over and join us, all you have to do is make a card inspired by our photo prompt.

Stripes and/or Colours 

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Star Stampz - Bright Sunshine   (F)

Through The Purple Haze - Spots and/or Stripes  (F)

Brown Sugar - Anything Goes  (W)

It's Friesian At The House Of Cards

     House Of Cards has a photo prompt and colour chart for you this month that will help you think of warmer days to come. As I had some farm themed stamps in my stash I decided to follow the prompt very closely and make sure I had some cows on my scenic card.
     To follow the colours I have used Distress Inks Stormy Sky and Iced Spruce, the cows are stamped in black Versafine, but the pop of yellow didn't look right so I left it out. Using Distress Inks meant I could blend the stamped images in places to create shading, it's also used on a white mat layer to make it blue. The greeting is typed in Word and then printed and die cut, coloured and mounted on foam pads.
     House Of Cards challenge runs for the whole month so pop in and join us with your creations when you can, we'd love to see your scenic cards.

Make A Scene and/or Colours

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Crazy Challenge - We Love Animals   (Winner)

Imagine That - Anything Goes

The Male Room Steampunk Travels

     Welcome to the Steampunk challenge at The Male Room, this challenge will run for two weeks for anything masculine and steampunk themed.

     Steampunk doesn't have to be dark and grungy if you don't want it to be. It's a science fiction/fantasy style with an historical setting, typically featuring steam powered machinery. I have a great set of stamps from Chocolate Baroque, called Steampunk Travel, which features several versions of everyday items with a steampunk twist.
     To start with I stamped the 'mobile home' and embossed in copper, then stamped a mask using Stix2 masking sheet and cut it out. With the image covered I used Distress Inks to colour a tag cut from mount board, making use of a cog mask at the same time. A spritz and flick with water to lift some colour and a run around the edge with the darker green finished off the Distress colouring.
     The image has been coloured with alcohol markers, because the tag is mount board the marker has not gone through to the back, which is a bonus. A little use of a copper gel pen on the cogs and a white Sharpie on the sail was followed with some Stix2 foils in the little window, then it was covered with Glossy Accents.
     The masked cogs were overstamped with the same Distress Ink colours and a small dot of bronze PVA was added to the middle of the large cogs.
     The addition of the sentiment, also embossed in copper, only left the need for ribbons in shades of green to complete the tag. It will be delivered to a friend who is building his own camper conversion since his caravan became very poorly.
     You have two weeks to join us at The Male Room with your steampunk creations, we have some inspiration on the blog to help get you started so please pop in and say hello.
   
   

I would like to enter this tag in the following challenges:

Come And Get It - Creations For Males

My Time To Craft - Travel

Cardz 4 Guyz - Tag It   (Top 3)

Chocolate Baroque - Colour Challenge