Technique Tutorial Thursday: Painting with ink pads on glossy paper

This month Stampin' Up! launched a new catalogue and we are celebrating a whole new colour revamp! I love experimenting with new colour combinations and today's technique is using just inkpads and glossy white paper! Extremely easy, low tech and just a little bit inky!

 

You will need:
* Glossy white cardstock - an A4 sheet cut into quarters (10.5cm x 14.9cm)
* Stampin' Up! ink pads - I've used Sahara Sand, Soft Sea Foam, Mint Macaron and Crumb Cake.
* Stazon Black ink pad
* A tree stamp from Rooted in Nature stamp set.

Step 1. Hold your glossy white paper in one hand and your Sahara sand ink pad in the other.
Hold the ink pad at a 45 degree angle and gently wipe the edge of the ink pad across the white paper. The edge of the ink pad will create a messy line on the glossy surface.
Draw a second line and give it a little twist as you swipe it across the paper. Each line will have a little smoosh as you swipe it down the page.
Note: "Smoosh" is a technical term for a smooth swooshing motion. ;)

Step 2. Open your second inkpad. I've used Mint Macaron, and give it a 45 degree angled smoosh across the page. If it looks too dark or too inky you can wipe it off while its wet with a tissue and apply it again. There's no right or wrong in painting. Just go with whatever happens!

Step 3. Open up your Soft Sea Foam ink pad.
This time use the inkpad direct to paper and drag, slide, paint the ink on to the paper so you get a nice wide stripe. This is your sky.

Step 4. Open your Crumb Cake inkpad and use the edge of the inkpad to paint a curved stripe along the bottom edge of the paper. This is your foreground.
Maybe add some Coastal Cabana for water in the middleground ...

Step 5. Add a little more depth to the sky with Sahara Sand if it needs it, and along the bottom edge with Crumb Cake ink. Now you're painting.!
Wait for it to dry, the colours will lighten as they dry.

Step 6. Using black stazon ink, stamp some trees in the foreground. Be careful just to lightly touch the glossy paper and not press too hard as the surface is shiny and the stamp may slip.
Note: I used the stamparatus to get a clean image.
I've added the Happy Birthday on the Classic Label punch to keep it simple and not cover up too much of my "painted" sky.
My favourite stamp set to apply this technique is the "Dandelion Wishes" stamps.

 
 In order to create a sunset I've added a line of Petal Pink ink, its a beautiful apricot that you see in our Australian skies. The purple dandelion skies are painted with Highland Heather, Gorgeous Grape and Balmy Blue with  a touch of Blueberry Bushell ink for depth.
 
If you live in Australia and you'd like to place an order you can email me at nerida_carter@hotmail.com or visit the online shop at www.stampinup.com/en-au
Make sure you choose Nerida from NSW as your demonstrator so I can send you a little thank you gift.

A File folder card on the Envelope punch board

I have had a couple of requests for a tutorial on how to make the File folder card.

Remember this card?

As we only have 2 weeks left of Saleabration I am using some lovely Sweet Sorbet papers.

You will need:

1 piece of A4 Cardstock cut to 14.9 cm x 27cm

Sweet Sorbet Patterned paper measuring 5.1 x 14 cm

                                                        And 9.5 x 14 cm

Step 1. Score the longest side at 5.5cm and 16.5cm.

2. Stick your patterned paper onto the cardstock. Smaller piece on the small panel, larger piece on the larger scored panel.

3. Using your envelope punch board measure 3" (or 7.5cm) and Punch a notch.

4. Slide it across to the edge and punch a half notch.

Here it is with the designer patterned paper on it. Showing the half notch and 3" measurement.

5. Next we move back to our stampin up cutter to remove one of the tabs.

6. Line up the deepest part of the notch with the groove in your cutter and put your cutting blade in the notch. Slide the blade down and cut off the lower tab.

Here it is after its cut off, showing how it looks with the DSP.

7. Next, we need to fold along the scored lines and add a glimmer paper flower, held on with a dimensional to hold the tab top closed.

Decorating with a couple of punched butterflies and rhinestone jewels.

8. Lastly, you might stamp your greeting in a matching ink. 

I've used Tangerine Tango to match the cardstock colour.

And a piece of gold washi tape or you could use a piece of ribbon.

Materials -

Stampset: Bring on the Cake

Designer Series Paper: Saleabration Sweet Sorbet

Cardstock and ink: Tangerine Tango

Punches: Itty bitty butterfly, Pansy Punch, 7/8" scallop punch.

Dimensional foam dots, champagne glimmer paper, watercolour wonder washi tape.

Tools: Stampin' up! cutter and Envelope punch board (EPB).

Flower shop thank you card

New stampset alert!

This really is my favourite time of year - seriously, beautiful crisp weather and a new annual catalogue to choose from.

Every time that parcel post man arrives at my door there's a new bundle of stamps and products to play with.

This bright little card is made with the flower shop stamps and matching punch.

Using some gorgeous in colours: Strawberry slush, Coastal Cabana, Bermuda Bay and Crisp Cantaloupe.

To make some dimension with these flowers I have used my bone folder to gently curl the petals upwards.

In the centre of each flower I've placed a different embellishment. A punched heart, a vintage faceted button, a flower brad, and a clay flower that I made at convention - coloured with crisp cantaloupe ink.

I think this size card makes a cute Thank you or ... You make me happy note card that would brighten someone's day don't you think?

Flower shop stamps (set of 6) $33.95 clear mounted

Pansy punch $27.95

You can find this stampset on page 94 of the annual catalogue and if you purchase as a bundle you can save and get 15% off! 

How to catch a butterfly - thumping technique tutorial

I promise that no butterfly has ever been harmed in creating this card.

This is a technique that has been around almost as long as Stampin' up! has had markers.

It is a really fun technique that produces a great result in no time at all.

 The thumping marker technique needs a semi solid stamp to get this flickering effect of colours.

The Swallowtail stamp from the Autumn Seasonal mini is a great choice.

You will need:

Swallowtail stamp

Whisper white cardstock

Crumbcake ink pad

Stampin' Write markers

 Step 1. Lay your rubber stamp rubber side up on your table and ink up your swallowtail stamp with Crumbcake ink.

 

Step 2. Taking the lightest coloured Stampin' write marker (I have chosen Summer Starfruit) hold it on the end and lightly tap the side of the brush on the rubber.

 It's not really thumping more tapping as in gently playing a drum.

Step 3. Take your next lightest colour (gumball green) and tap it lightly onto the rubber.

 Step 4. Using your darkest Stampin' Write Marker (Midnight Muse) add more tapping on the side of the brush.

 Step 5. Now stamp the butterfly onto your piece of whisper white cardstock.

*   *   *

 Every butterfly is different as the brush marks are never in the same place.

 Here is one my ten year old daughter made using 5 different markers from the in-colour pack on a base of Summer Starfruit ink.

Gift box wrapping a DVD and making crumpled flowers

 Gift wrapping can be a chore or,
 a creative canvas to express your feelings.

I made this DVD cover from cardstock as a gift for a friend who held a workshop for me recently.

It contained a DVD box with clear stamps in it.

 On the front side I "wheeled" the friendship stamp around the Island indigo cardstock, then scored and folded my box... with the new Stampin' up ScorePal.
 (more on that later).

I added a piece of Concord Crush Embossed houndstooth cardstock and a sentiment:

Just because from the "Notably Ornate" stampset.

 I wrapped it with a piece of lace ribbon punched from Lucky Limeade cardstock.

I think these colours go beautifully together: rich, bright and vibrant.

The box is topped off with a crumpled flower made with the Fancy Flower punch, 5 petal punch and the Boho Blossom punch.

Here's the basic Tutorial for making these pretty flowers.

 You will need:

*Fancy Flower Punch (punch three from vanilla cardstock)

*5-petal punch (punch three from vanilla cardstock)

*Boho Blossoms punch (punch three of the largest blossom)

# Paper piercing tool

# Brad and perhaps a mat pack (so that you dont ruin your table).

# A spray bottle of water or isocol. 

# Dimensional or glue dot to stick to your project.

 1. Layer your punched flowers onto the paper piercer, from largest to smallest blossom.

 2. Then push your brad through the centre hole to hold it together.

 3. Begin scrunching each layer of petals upwards.

If you are finding the cardstock a bit difficult to crumple with your fingers give the whole flower, or each layer a spray with your spray bottle. This makes the paper fibres more pliable, but be gentle they are delicate when wet.

If you used Isocol (rubbing alcohol from the chemist) you can add some shimmer paint and it will dry quicker.

4. When it's almost dry you can unfurl your petals to the desired shape of your bloom.

Just remember the amount you spray will determine how long it takes to dry.

If they are still a little too damp, they wont stick to your adhesive, so set them aside to dry.

 And there you have it crumpled flowers - they look a bit like Gardenias I think.

You can sponge them with ink if you want to deepen the colour or just spray on a bit more shimmer paint for added sparkle.

Enjoy!!!

How to tie the Perfect bow... one more time.

I've been asked how to tie a perfect bow. It is something every card crafter has to master at some time!

Fortunately, its easy once you know how.

These instructions are "slightly" different to the last tutuorial I did, so here goes.

 1. You will need to cut a piece of ribbon about 32cm long.

If in doubt use more, because you can always cut the excess off later.

 2. Fold the piece of ribbon in half over your two fingers that you are holding in a scissor shape.

3. Take the  back piece and wrap it upwards and hold in place with your thumb.

4. Make sure they cross over.

 5. Now take the left hand piece and wrap it over and towards the right.

 6. Wrap it completely around the back and bring the end up through the gap in your scissored fingers.

7. Let the top piece of ribbon flap forward over your thumb.

 8. Take the bottom piece and tie a little knot over your thumb. This takes two hands, but no more than three. I had to put down the camera to do this step.

 9. Slowly, Pull the ends tight.

 10. Turn over your hand and you have a perfectly-proportioned-flat-bow tied on your fingers.

Now gently, ease it off your fingers. You may need to adjust the tightness of the knot at the back.

11. Trim the ends into flag points with your sharp scissors and you have the "easy tie" bow.