In Touch

Holiday Card Making the "Simple Way!" by Kim Hughes

Which means it's time to start thinking about what your plan might be.  My face lights up when I receive a hand made card!  But there are things to keep in mind when you design your cards.  If you design a flat card, it won't cost you additional postage.  Even the smallest ribbon knot will add up when you are sending multiple envelopes.  So, I'd like to show you how to create a card that is completely flat (one layer) but still totally adorable.

The first card uses a traditional masking technique

and the second uses a "Collage" technique

Supplies: Arturo Cards Single, Soft White
Cornish Heritage Farms: Backgrounder, Paisley, Kim Hughes, Christmas Critters, Kim Hughes, Heart Warmers   inks: Adirondack Dye Ink Pad, Espresso, Adirondack Dye Ink Pad, Lettuce, Adirondack Dye Ink Pad, Cranberry, Adirondack Dye Ink Pad, Ginger, Adirondack Dye Ink Pad, Aqua, Adirondack Dye Ink Pad, Stream   Eclipse Twins (masking tape)

Start by choosing coordinating colors, when planning your collage card.

Start by inking up the backgrounder stamp and press the Arturo paper onto the bottom.

 

Plan where each image will overlap.  (please ignore the stamp above the cardinal...it's a Santa hat that I decided against).  Keep in mind that they will be in reverse when stamped.  I chose 5 colors and will keep the darker ink shades in the front.

 

The main purpose of a collage image is that it's overlapped somewhere.  You are creating a little piece of art.  It's fun to look at and will hopefully bring a smile to your face.  It's nice to use the Arturo paper because it has that wonderful texture.

The purpose of masking an image is to make one image appear to be in front of or behind another image.  The Eclipse strips are fantastic for this effect.  Stamp the moose onto your card base (after stamping the paisley backgrounder with light blue ink).  Adhere the masking tape onto a scrap paper, take note from the collage card of where the moose overlaps the trees and stamp that area on top of the tape.

 

Cut that area (on the outer line) and adhere to the base stamped image
 

Stamp row of trees on top of the masked area and gently lift to reveal that the moose appears to be in front of the trees.

 

Stamp the cardinal, sentiment and snowflakes and fill in the images with colored glitters.  I used a Sakura glue pen and find that it works so welll when adding glitter to stamped images.
 

This is a project that your kids can help with.  They can color the images with crayons, colored pencils or markers.  Copic glitter markers work great too!  And they can give their card to their teacher if they like.

Another way to keep your card flat is to paper piece the stamped images.  Stamp the image onto your card base.  Stamp the same image onto a different colored paper or patterned paper.  Cut along the outside of the image and place on top of the base stamped image.  Voila, you can have a polka dotted elephant...too fun!!

You can add a mat behind your image as well and it will still be easy to mail.  Keep in mind that a standard card size is 4 1/4 x 5 1/2, and that will easily fit into a standard envelope.  Square cards require extra postage.

Thanks so much for joining me today :)

An Adventure in Stitching

Do you have a sewing machine but it intimidates you a little? Take a basic sewing class back in junior high but forget most of what you learned? Well we are going to go over a few of the things that will demystify your machine and make it one of your favorite tools in your craft room!

The first thing to do is understand a few things about how the machine works. The thread is wound through the "engine" of the machine and the needle pierces the surface of the item you are stitching on and loops through the thread that is brought back up through from the bobbin. Start with your straight stitch and on a scrap piece of paper run it through a few times adjusting the tension to see what it looks like with different settings.

When you find a tension setting that looks right, play with the length of your straight stitch. Paper is a pretty fragile surface compared to fabric, so the more holes you punch in it, the more likely it is to rip, finding a balance between getting the stitches into your paper for your project and not making it to fragile is a fine line.

Making sure that your tension on your top thread is appropriate for the material that you are working on is really important. My tension adjustment looks like this (see photo below), yours probably looks similar and can be found in about the same place.

Use your needle down position as much as you can, it helps you control what you are doing and lets you lift your presser foot without letting the project run away.

Play with your zigzag stitch too. It is a great look and you can get a lot of variety in how it looks by adjusting the length of the stitch and the width of the stitch in infinite combination's.

And check out what types of options you have for specialty stitches on your machine. Mine is designed primarily for use with embroidery and is about twenty years old so the stitches aren't exactly the trendiest, but by playing with them I can get a fresh look. You may not have this many options, but really you don't need them, it is all about playing with what you do have! And with paper most of these aren't useful anyway because they destroy the fragile nature of the paper's fibers, they are better suited for fabrics.

Use the guide marks that are on your machine. I don't think I could function without these, and my presser foot has very useful marks as well. These help me "measure" distances on my projects and create spacing as well.

So with that, we are on to the projects that I am sharing today! I stayed with a basic straight stitch so that everyone who has a machine and wants to play along can.

First we are going to practice, so draw a spiral on a 4" x 4" piece of cardstock. It doesn't have to be perfectly spaced, so just let it flow.

Start on the outside of the spiral, with a shorter stitch. Any round shape looks better with shorter stitches, again just be aware that if the stitches are too close it destroys the papers ability to hold together. Continue around the shape with your needle in the down position and going slowly, rotate your paper and guide the needle along the pencil lines. Don't worry about being right on the lines, we can erase the lines later if we want. When you get better at this you will be able to do this without the pencil line just by using the left edge of your presser foot as a guide, it just takes a little practice.

This is what it looks like finished. So lets make something from this that we can use on a project!

Again draw the spiral, for this we don't want to wing it...

we are going to take little pieces of double sided tape and put them along the lines.

Then we are going to take a 1/2" wide silk ribbon and lightly tack the slippery ribbon onto those little pieces of tape. This makes the stitching process so much easier! If we were using fabric we would use straight pins for this part, but because it is paper we need to be a little more creative!

Keep going around the spiral shape until you have it filled in.

Then the beautiful rosette goes into the machine! Carefully stitch the inside edge of the ribbon, and make sure that the edge of the next spiral doesn't get caught in with the stitching you are doing on the current line you are on. I used a black thread so that what was going on would be obvious, but it could be done with a thread that is the same color as the ribbon you are working with or one that compliments the paper you will sew on.

This is what it looks like when you are done, so pretty!

To make a card using this beautiful flower, I stamped the "Daisy Chain" Scrapblock in Black Soot Distress Ink onto a white cardstock.

Adhere using your favorite adhesive to the card base. Glue Buttons into center. For the sentiment, stamp onto cardstock with Mona Lisa Moments "Friends Centers", and then lightly adhere under button. Elegant and so many different ways to give this a different look, have fun with it!

For the next straight stitch adventure, we are going to practice first again. Start with another piece of 4" x 4" white cardstock and draw a circle. Take it to the machine and straight stitch right down the center of it. Turn it to the side with your needle down so you have a nice pivot point, stitch across a few stitches and then turn it again and stitch back across the middle of the circle again. Repeat a few times. When you get to the end, you should be pretty close to where you started, so look for that first straight line to stitch across to.

We are going to practice again, this time with a super cute piece of Cosmo Cricket paper from the "Jolly by Golly" collection that was punched into a very large circle shape.

Again start with that first straight line down the middle and repeat until you get back to where you started.

Now you are going to see how the above piece inspired this project, when I was done with it, I saw a snowflake! (I have done this many times and have made lots of things, wheels, and flowers, but had never seen a snowflake!)
So I got out another piece of my Jolly by Golly paper (I worked in the 12' x 12') and started stitching on a piece of paper that was cut 4" x 5 1/4" and made lots of little "snowflakes" on it, so fun!
When I was done, I stitched it onto a card base.

I filled in the spokes of my little snowflakes with a delightful color of Stickles called "Cotton Candy"  (yum!) and set it aside to dry.

While it was drying, I stamped the sentiment from the "Vintage Christmas Expressions" with Adirondack Shell Pink Pigment ink and trimmed it to make it look like a little banner.

When it was all dry I hand stitched a few pink buttons into the centers of the snowflakes and attached the sentiment with a large pink button. I also gave the sentiment a little extra oomph by lightly bending the middle out, and then bending the end back up as well, so festive!

It all starts with being comfortable with your tools, so find a little time to hang with your sewing machine and become close friends, you will be glad you did!

Thanks so much for spending some time with me, and if you have comments or feedback about this article, I would love to hear it.

B-
 

Refining Your Airbrush Skills by Ellen Hutson

ETA: Thank you everyone for your excitement regarding the release of this new product idea. Email me with your posts so that I can see what you have created!!!

Announcing the winner of our blog candy Airbrush Starter Set and Copic Airbrushing DVD Vol 1!!! Sorry for the delay - after having a fever and icky headcold I am a bit behind. Thank you for your patience!

Here are your random numbers:

11

Timestamp: 2009-09-24 16:02:26 UTC

Debbie you are our lucky winner! We will be contacting you shortly for your snail mail information, but if for some reason you do not receive our message, please contact us at customerservice@ellenhutson.com. Congratulations and we hope that you enjoy your new tool!

It is so exciting to be finally be sharing this information and these tools with you today! These have been in the planning stages for a LONG time. As with all good things nothing seems to move at a quick pace - LOL!

When I first fell in love with the Copic markers I was fascinated by the airbrush system. As I learned to create using this addictive little tool I realized that the ability to control the spray was extremely important. By controlling the spray patterns I was able to achieve the results I was looking for. Unfortunately I would find that the force of air would buffet my project, blowing it around my work suface, as well many times my spray pattern would get in under the edges of my mask. 

If you watch the beginner section of the airbrushing DVD you will see that sticky notes were the option of this artist's choice. I never did use sticky notes, but rather Eclipse Tape. When needing a quick throwaway mask, I still use Eclipse Tape to mask - due to it being paper thin, the relief does not inhibit the spray pattern and create a "shadowed" edge. It works extremely well, except... my project continues to be chased around my work surface with the force of the air and it will only withstand a few uses before needing to be replaced.

The other products I would utilize are the many adhesive backed masks in the market place. I still love these, but again they are not ideal. It is so important to pat the sticky surface on blue jeans, or a t-shirt to remove some of the adhesive. This allows me to then lift the mask from my project without tearing my paper surface when I have finish airbrushing. Alas, sometimes the patting takes a misstep, being the overachiever that I am, and then it will not stick at all. So I was in a quandry and started thinking about what would work better.

Yet, another problem I was having was turning my project to get even coverage as I sprayed. I would end each project with beautiful rainbow color fingertips. Holding the project down and turning it were definite problems - I do love rainbows, but the constant need to rub my hands with alcohol was not a good thing - LOL! Being the gadget girl that I am I just knew that I needed new tools!

Experimenting with numerous items that I searched out in a wide-variety of stores I jury-rigged something together that would work for this task. It is that process which has led to the products I am about to introduce to you.

Rotating Magnetic, Self-healing Cutting Mat

The first product that is currently in prototype stage (in the video you will notice that I used a square, green mat - it was my first prototype) is a rotating magnetic, self-healing cutting surface. This patent pending tool is one I believe will make a huge difference in your airbrushing and crafting needs. It has multiple uses and someday soon I hope to share the many ways that I see you being able to use this tool in your every day crafting.

I didn't know how to demonstrate the most important characteristic of this mat using still photography. In this photo the surface is lifted vertically to show that the die and paper are firmly attached to the surface. It is completely different then other products in the marketplace in that the surface is essentially a large magnet. You will never have to chase your project around your work surface as you airbrush using your nestabilities and other steel dies again. Your work surface will help keep your project intact. Watch for more to come in the next few months! If you would like to read more about how it is that I have come up with my product ideas please visit my blog simple dreams.

Essentials by Ellen: Art Magnetic Masking Material

That's a mouthful - LOL! I still am questioning what we should call this product, but I felt that the name needed to reflect the primary application. This is the second product we have been researching and are thrilled to introduce it to you today. We are still working on producing a line of basic masks that you will be able to purchase - ready for use, but we felt that to bring you the basic material first would bring a whole new level of creativity to your crafting.

The third product is not yet available, so in it's place we have been utilizing the metal sheets we carry in our store. These sheets have been used as a base material in framed bulletin boards or inchie board projects. The magnetic material sticks beautifully to these sheets. It is EXTREMELY important to note that this product comes with very SHARP corners. It is important to keep it away from small children and to be careful when using it, due to the sharp corners. Fortunately it works extremely well and will "make do" until our "Craft Assistant" is available for purchase. Once the Craft Assistant becomes available you will then be able to use this sheet, together with some 12x12 decorative paper, and make yourself a wonderful little bulletin frame to coordinate with your home decor.

Now on to the exciting possibilities of Magnetic Masks!

The material that we have found for you is SO easy to cut. Using your rotary and guillotine style cutters, as well as scissors, you can easily cut this product to the size you need! It comes in sheets that are 8" x 10" and is flat when it arrives to you. No need to try and figure out how to flatten it upon arrival!

CRICUT, SILHOUETTE and OTHER ELECTRONIC CUTTERS

My first experiment with my new Cricut Expression was not quite what I had anticipated - LOL! I had purchased it late last fall and due to the fact that I have NO time, I have never taken it out of the box. Sadly, when I went to use it... NO POWER!!! Needless to say I was extremely disheartened. Fortunately I am blessed with some of the most amazing customers who live right here in my area and Joella came to my rescue. Joella, thank you SO much for bringing your Cricut down here to my office and helping me when I was up against this last minute deadline.

Joella helped me learn to use the Cricut Expression as well as discovered a few important facts about cutting masks and stencils with the Magnetic Sheets. First - the white surface needs to go face down and adhered to the sticky mat. As you can see we used the large teflon bone folder to adhere it firmly in place. We were then successful in cutting the most basic designs, as well, Joella cut me some of the most intricate beauties, one of which I use later in this post. Thank you again Joella!!!

LOW PROFILE DIES

Next I tried using low profile dies. As you can see I did need to run my product through a second time utilizing the embossing pad. For some reason I could not get the material to cut all the way through with these highly detailed dies unless I first did a pass through cutting and then pass it through again a second time using the embossing sandwich. As you can see I was able to create both a beautiful stencil, as well as masks!

LARGE DIES SUCH AS BIG SHOT, ELLISON, SIZZIX

This next photo showcases a large Big Shot die. Sizzix and/or Ellison dies would work exactly the same. These work fabulously! I went ahead and photographed these put back together after creating my project so that it would make it easier for you to see that you can fit these back together for storage purposes.

PUNCHES

I couldn't resist, I had to try some of my favorite punches. I will tell you that at this point I can NOT recommend this with a huge thumbs up, because I do not know how it will impact my punches long term. BUT it was extremely easy to punch through and create a magnetic stencil using my Martha punches. I was SO excited. If I find that I have problems with my punches in the future I will be certain to let you all know.

So now you can see why I am excited!!! Yes, you can use the many tools you already have in your crafting closet to create custom masks!!! So now on to the refining your airbrush skills :)

AIRBRUSHING USING MAGNETIC MASKS

Creating your own decorative paper is so very fun!

In the DVD I demonstrated some of the masking products I have collected in my "masking drawer." Many of the items I shared with the editors did not make it all the way to the DVD and so I will be trying to share them here on our blogs - In Touch, the CLASSroom, and simple dreams. It is my goal to educate you to the many possibilities that will help bring a whole new life to your creations.

As you can see I have utilized a sheet of specialty paper. I have many different types of textured, specialty papers that I have collected from art stores over the years. These work so well to create texture when utilizing the airbrush system OR ink blending tools.

To begin I placed the textured paper down over my white Neenah cardstock and them placed my Art Magnetic Snowflake Mask securely over the top. 

To ensure that I do not spray over the remainder of my project I have created two "L" shaped masking pieces. As you can see the magnetic mask held firmly in place as I airbrushed my snowflake with three different colors using my Copic Sketch markers - periwinkle, blue and lavender.

 

To add additional depth I created more snowflakes from a variety of dies and punches. Simply place these masks in place and airbrush with a new series of light color tones. Remember to test your colors on a piece of scrap paper first AND also remember that it is always easier to go darker, than to go lighter.

As I work I rotate my mat. This helps to provide even coverage within all the little crevices of the intricate designs.

That first peek after spraying is like magic! If you want to add more color simply replace your mask in the same location and continue spraying.

As you can see I want you to realize the power of magnets and their importance in holding your airbrushing projects firmly in place. In the second picture you will notice that this is one of those plastic mesh designs you find at Michaels or Hobby Lobby in the needle work section. Start looking at things around you that have "holey" patterns in them in a new way - think about the type of pattern it would create when used as a mask. You will be AMAZED at the resources you already have at your fingertips!!!

To continue I wanted to share how I use my Nestabilities and low profile dies with the airbrush system. First I cut out the selected design and emboss it. I then drop it on to my rotating magnetic, cutting surface and spray. A whole new look is created so simply!!!

EMBOSSING USING MAGNETIC MASKS

The possibilities as to what you can create with the pieces you cut out is not limited only to masking. I want you to begin to realize that it is actually only the "tip of the iceburg" so to speak.

In the picture series above I have utilized the same snowflakes as in the first project, in an entirely different manner. I began by first laying down a half-sheet of the magnetic material on my Big Shot platform. (I apologize for not having my sandwich written down - I will need to come back and compile a list of sandwiches for the most popular machines - it didn't dawn on me until writing this article that I needed to provide that information.) I then positioned my cut out masks on this surface and placed a sheet of Neenah cardstock over the surface. The tan embossing mat and then the final clear acrylic plate was added to this sandwich before running it through my Big Shot. Voila - your very own custom embossing folder. The possibilities are amazing!!! How many dies, punches, electronic cutters do you already own? Yippie - new uses for old products!!!

 

To draw the details out at a greater level and to achieve a more rustic look I stamped the surface with my Aged Sheet Music Scrapblock. Then using an Ink Blending tool, I added even more of a distressed look to this piece.

"ALMOST" LETTERPRESS

Letterpress - it's all the rage. It has been a look that has been sought after for high-end invitations for many years. How can you achieve a look similar without the mess and expense? It's simple - Art Magnetic Masking Material and your Copic airbrush system!

As I stated above Joella was amazing! Look at this exquisite flourish she cut for me using her Cricut Expression!!!

Paper choices can make all the difference. I highly recommend the Arturo line of papers we carry for a letter press look. These Italian manufactured beauties are made of a high quality moulded material and they emboss exquisitely!

As you can see in the first photo you have options. I selected the flourish mask to emboss the detail in to the paper in a manner almost identical to the snowflakes above. It was the "coloring in" process that I changed up.

The beauty of creating your own masks is that you get a stencil along with the mask!!! It's a two for one value experience :) Yes, Ellen and her value conscious mind at work again - LOL!

As you can see I placed my stencil precisely over the relief that was created first. Due to the heavier weight of this paper I find that it is necessary to add additional magnets to the finer points of these designs. Therefore it is important not to create such intricate and delicate designs that you have no room for additional magnets.

I then had over 300 options of colors that I could select from to achieve my "letterpress look. I simply selected my YG93 and YG95 Copic Sketch markers and sprayed within the confines of my stencil. Cleanup is quick and easy. Just a little colorless blending solution or rubbing alcohol and my masks are as good as new! No inky mess :)

This is yet another sample showing a variety of masking techniques and different paper selections.

Lasercut papers are exquisite when used with the airbrush and the good news is that you can use them over and over again. The large heart stencil was cut using the Cricut. Again I want to point out that when utilizing multiple layers you may need to add some additional magnets to your points to keep your project firmly attached to the surface so that air bursts do not lift the corners.

Rotating the project as you work will provide even coverage and a beautiful result.

STAMPED MASKS AND STENCILS

To create stamped masks I prefer to use Palette Ink and my Heat It Craft tool. To create this mask I stamped my Chintz Butterfly and then quickly set the ink using my Heat It tool. Sorry we are currently out of this product, but it has been so sought after that we have had trouble getting our orders filled (insert sad face - hopefully soon we will have them back in stock.)

To cut out my butterfly I used my Fiskars Craft Knife to cut along the straightest edge. Then I switched to my tiny scissors because I have better control when using scissors. It is a personal preference probably due to the fact that I cut out fine details a lot - LOL! As you can see in the photo on the left I created both a mask and a stencil. I also stamped my image in Tuxedo Black on Neenah cardstock for my project.

I then placed the magnetic mask over my stamped image and sprayed a soft yellow glow around my butterfly.

As you can see the results are beautiful. I didn't have to chase my project around the room either - insert big happy grin. I LOVE magnetic masks - LOL! Now what to do with the reverse image or the stencil? Shadows! For some shadows are hard to understand and create and so this will provide you with a new, easy method. Simply replace your mask atop your stamped butterfly. Then position the stencil as shown in the photo on the right.

Spray your image again with W4, remove your magnets and voila - the perfect shadow is created!

Don't limit yourself by the possibilities that I have laid forward for you today! Think outside the box and experiment! Exlore your own creativity! I can't wait to see what you come up with. It is a thrill to plant the seed and watch it sprout and grow. I will do my best to water it, fertilize it and care for the weeds - I want to watch as each of your plants mature! I am SO excited to see what each of you create in the future with this little seed I have planted.

BLOG CANDY

Let me know your thoughts, what more you would like to learn, what do you think... Leave us a comment below to be entered in to a drawing for your very own Copic Airbrush Starter Set, as well as the COPIC Airbrush Systems Vol.1, ABS Papercrafting DVD. Deadline for being entered in this random drawing will be Monday, September 21 at 9:00am.

I look forward to this new adventure in creativity!

Thank you so much!

Ellen

 

Back-to-School Projects by Sharon Harnist

It's back to school time, so I wanted to share a few fun projects to ease you back into the school year -- whether you are a teacher, student, parent OR need some gift-giving ideas!  First, how about a customized dry erase board?

With Ellen's 12" Crystal Clear Plastic as an overlay, you can put together any type of of customized background you wish!  Then just use a dry erase marker on top and there you have a beautiful dry erase board that can be used for:

• Teacher's classroom
• Student dorm room
• Family message center
• Shopping list keeper
• Calendar (see below)
• Locker art

The uses are endless!  My background was made with Graphic 45 papers.  I wanted to die cut the cherry paper with a 12-inch border but wanted a continuous cut all around.  But if you don't have a 12-inch die cut machine, that's hard to achieve.  The solution?  I placed the 12-inch die along each side of the 12-inch paper (on the reverse side), using it as a template and traced it with a pencil, then cut it out with scissors in one continuous piece!

The cherry border edges were inked and adhered to the green background.  For a quick embellishment, I die cut every other size of the Nested Blossom set, starting with the largest, using more Graphic 45 papers.  What I've discovered with these fabulous vintage papers is that most of the die colors are the same throughout the different collections, allowing for easy mixing of patterns and collections!

Next, I lightly misted the papers with water, crumpled them up, and then flattened them back out to dry.  Once dry, I stacked them together and machine stitched them in the center.  Then I threaded a piece of twine through the center of the paper, knotted it on the back of the flower and taped it in place.  The other end of the twine was also knotted and glued to the end of a dry erase marker, using Glossy Accents:

I also covered the dry erase marker with decorative paper, to match the board.

TIP: To make the paper easier to adhere to the pen, first roll it around the pen so it takes on that shape, then apply decoupage glue on the inside of the paper.  This will make the paper more pliable and easier to wrap around the small diameter of the pen.  You can use rubber bands to hold the paper in place until it dries.

To assemble your dry erase board, you can place the background papers, with plastic on top, in a 12-inch frame OR you could attach the two together at the corners with eyelets and use the holes to thread ribbon through, to use as a hanger.  (Here, I have it held in place on my 13-inch magnet board that has a red background).

Think about using photos in your background, too -- this clear plastic is acid-free!

Below is how I set up the board to use as a calendar, by just drawing a grid and adding the dates.  To make the calendar dates easier to erase and replace each month, you can draw the grid on the back side of the plastic, then write the numbers on the front.  I think these would also be a great gift for a student, in a little smaller size, so they could put it in their locker!

Supplies:

• Paper: Graphic 45 Times Nouveau Collection-Hey You! & Bees Knees, Fashionista Collection-Le Fleur & Buttons A La Mode, Playtimes Past Collection-Life's a Ball! 
• Accessories:  Crystal Clear Plastic, Spellbinders Heirloom Scroll Large Border & Nested Blossom dies, Royal Coat Decoupage Glue, Ranger Glossy Accents, Dry Erase marker

My next projects use more of the Crystal Clear Plastic, this time as protective overlays for a tag and bookmark:

This plastic comes with a protective blue backing on each side that should be left in place when die cutting, trimming , or scoring it: 

For the name tag (which can be used on a backpack, lunch bag or locker), I cut a piece 2-3/4" x 8" and then scored it in the middle (at 4"), to fold in half.  This plastic cuts and scores beautifully!  The insert I made for the tag uses Becky Olsen's new All Things Considered School Primer stamp set from Cornish Heritage Farms.  This set is sized for ATCs (Artist Trading Cards) but works wonderfully for tags, notecards and scrapbook pages, too.

I stamped the writing paper with Adirondack Raisin (stamped off once) onto Neenah Natural White cardstock and trimmed it.  Then I stamped the cursive alphabet with Adirondack Espresso ink and cut out each letter to spell my youngest daughter's name.  The girl and apple were also stamped with Espresso ink and colored with these Copic markers:

I cut out the images and adhered them to the writing paper, then layered that onto more Graphic 45 paper.  This insert was then put into the folded plastic, a hole punched in the top, and twill tied through to keep it closed.

The bookmark was made a little differently, since I wanted it to be a little thinner, totally flat AND I just wanted to try something a little different!

After stamping and cutting out the images as above (this time, using a 3/8" round hole punch to punch out the letters to spell my oldest daughter's name) and adhering them to the patterned paper (cut to 2"x6"), I used Martha Stewart's Zig Zag edger punch to make decorative ends from more coordinating Graphic 45 paper.  Then I applied Glossy Accents around the edges of the paper, and to the circles that make up the name, and pressed the cut clear plastic on top of the paper.  Once dry (the Glossy Accents will dry clear), I punched holes in both ends and tied more twill ribbon through them.

Aren't these little book elves adorable?  I thought they were perfect for a bookmark!  I colored the punched letters with the lighter blue Copic marker shown above and then used the darker blue around the edges.  I thought they turned out looking a lot like typewriter keys!

More Graphic 45 papers were used on the backs of the tag and bookmark:

I hope these projects give you some ideas for back-to-school or gift giving!

Thanks for visiting today!  ~ Sharon Harnist

Supplies:

• Stamps: CHF School Primer ATC set by Becky Olsen
• Paper: Graphic 45 Playtimes Past-Alphabet Games, Fashionista Collection-Fashionista & Buttons A La Mode, Communique Collection-On the Dot, Neenah Classic Natural White cardstock 
• Ink: Ranger Adirondack dye ink-Espresso & Raisin, Distress Ink-Brushed Corduroy & Antique Linen, Copic markers (colors shown above)
• Accessories: Crystal Clear Plastic, 5/8" Sand Twill, Martha Stewart Baker's Twine & Zig-Zag Edger Punch, Ranger Glossy Accents 

Christmas in July - Stamping "painted" gifts for those you love!

With each new month I try to figure out something that will inspire you and provide you with new learning opportunities. With the holiday season right around the corner (yes, it is going to be here before you can blink) I wanted to bring you two different projects in hopes that they will inspire you to start preparing for the gift-giving season ahead. If you are like me, then you MUST start now, or you will not be ready when the time comes.

This month I am sharing two completely different looks in hopes of appealing to small children, as well as the harder to please teen market. In doing so I took the opportunity to try something completely new to me. I hope that my "out of the box" thinking will appeal to some of you and that you will be inspired to create something completely different than what you typically create.

Cherry Apron

This first project is for the kids in your life - and yes, there are many adult kids too. I hope I can inspire you to create something for your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews (boys should learn how to cook too - insert big grin) or for one of those larger kids you adore (these aprons come in adult sizes as well). 

Cherries are hot, hot, hot right now and when Studio Line artist Nancy Baier, of Cornish Heritage Farms, released these two awesome sets,  Fruit Basket and Vegetable Harvest, I immediately made a quick trip over to Michaels to pick up some premade fabric pieces to customize in hopes of inspiring you. It is just now that I am finally getting to one of these projects.

 

To begin I created the illusion of a pocket and border by masking off the canvas using tape. You can use masking, painter's, artist canvas or any tape that creates a firm bond with the fabric and keeps paint from seeping under the edges. After defining the areas I wanted to paint I prepped the area using gesso and allowed it to dry.

 

Using Palette, Burnt Umber (I used Palette ink because it is waterproof and is permanent even on fabric) I stamped the cherries randomly in this prepared area. The gesso provides a wonderful surface on which to stamp and paint your images.

Due to the tight timeline in which I created this piece I have not had time to launder it, but I hope to in the coming week. I will be certain to come back and add an amendment to this post and let you see the final outcome of my laundered apron.

 

Using the Studio Paints, add color and dimension to the cherries.

• stems - Sable Brown
• cherries - Dash of Red, Modern Red
• leaves - Landscape Green, Dab of Yellow, Smidge of Blue (mix yellow and blue to create a custom green color - see Claudine's coloring mixing guide)

Remove the masking strips and add some detail using red stitching, and red twill with white stitching.

The possibilities are endless. Randomly stamp and paint fruits and vegetables over the entire apron surface, customizing it for the recipient, and so much more. Again this apron was available in a multitude of sizes and would be suitable for the big kids (men )in your lives as well. The good news is that it took less than one hour to complete this project and so I would like to encourage you to give it a try.

Graffiti Grunged Clutch

 

Creating for teenagers can be extremely difficult. In thinking about what it is that teens seem to be attracted to, I thought about the clothing they are wearing. "Graphic tees" are in abundance and they are created in such a funky style. I think it is probably easier to create for girls than boys, but I do think that even a teen boy might appreciate a personalized piece of art for his wall that is created in this style. Or perhaps even a cover to a photo album that includes pictures of him with his friends.

One of the pleasures I have during the summer is having Maddi come to work with me. Having her at work is so rewarding for me, and with this project I was able to consult with her and involve her throughout the process. It was an awesome day!!!

Girls always need something to carry their "stuff" around in and so I began the quest to create a one-of-a-kind clutch for her. When I was teaching "art classes" in my home I had purchased a ton of cotton fabric to create the gift/wine bag shown below. It was my first experimentation with stamping/painting on fabric and teaching others this art form.

A basic fabric can take on so many different looks and so I highly recommend purchasing a number of yards of a basic fabric if you are interested in creating a diverse selection of fabric stamped gift items.

 

To create Maddi's clutch only very basic sewing skills are needed, so please don't be "threatened" by needing to pull out your sewing machine.

Before beginning, be certain to cover your work surface, protecting it from any errant paint or gesso. I used a large black plastic bag to protect my surface AND to act as my "paint pad" (see later note on this.)

Start with a piece of cotton/canvas fabric that is approximately 14"w x 18"l. It is easier to work with a piece of fabric that is slightly larger than what you want your finished size to be. Upon completion I cut the size of my canvas down to 11 1/2"w x 16 1/2"l.

Before beginning I googled graffiti images, as well as grunge images. I was inspired by the haphazard "messy" style. What I also noted was that almost all graffiti has black as a contrast to the vibrant colors used.

 

Begin by painting a layer of gesso on to your fabric and allow it to dry. The gesso covered surface is still extremely maleable, but keeps the paint from "sinking" in to the fabric. Maddi requested purple and blue as the key colors and so using a very "messy" technique I covered the surface with these two colors, mixing them in some areas and letting them stand alone in others.

 

To personalize her clutch we painted her hand with gesso. To even out the coating of gesso Maddi placed her hand on to the plastic table covering that was protecting my work surface and then "stamped" her hand imprint on to the dry painted surface.

 

To splatter and drizzle the paint on to your fabric, first thin out the Blank Canvas and Charcoal Black paints with water. To create the drizzle effect, apply the watery paint in a thin line and then hold the canvas up allowing the paint to flow down your canvas. Experimenting with these messy techniques is SO much fun!

After Maddi shared with me what she wanted for the focal image and word, I mentally positioned these key elements on what I envisioned to be the final project. By folding the canvas as I worked I was able to determine approximate placement of these items.

 

What would graffiti be without airbrushing? I had not yet experimented with airbrushing over the Studio Paint lines and wanted to determine how they would adhere. SO COOL! The key to success with the airbrush system is finding the right masking techniques to use to control the misty spray patterns. Fortunately I am surrounded by fabulous resources and for this project selected Tim's Ransom Alphabet and Heidi Swapp's Mini Bird Branch as the focal point. Layering your masks will add so much to the final result.

 

By airbrushing only the letters and then adding the bird atop this surface and contrasting this image with white paint, it creates a stronger focal point than if I would have put both masks in place at the same time.

 

I shared the large variety of masks and stamps we have with Maddi and had her select the key elements of this project. We decided to us one of the new All Things Considered, Key Elements stamp sets created by Becky to add additional elements to the canvas. I also needed a third color to make some of the accents "pop". I tried to convince here that a contrasting bright such as a limey yellow would be perfect, but it just doesn't quite suit her personality and so we stuck with Smidge of Blue instead - LOL!

 

To stamp using paint it is easiest to apply the paint to the stamp surface by brushing paint on to a solid surface, creating a custom "paint pad". Iink your stamp in a similar manner to inking it on a stamp pad. Be certain to have an old toothbrush ready at the sink and promptly clean your stamps after applying your paint. This makes for easy clean-up. If allowed to sit and dry at all, it becomes much more difficult to clean your stamps.

 

You can see in this photo how it is that I folded and unfolded the canvas to determine placement of the key elements. I really don't believe that there is a right or wrong way of doing a project such as this. It's all about the experience and giddy feeling you get when you create something so unusual.

 

As I thought about what else I had here at work that would be suitable for completing this purse or clutch the Perfect Closures came to mind. To alter the color and turn the strap to the black color I needed I simply applied the Palette Noir Inkpad directly to the surface. So easy and a perfect coordinate.

At this time I cut my canvas down to the finished size and added a second layer of the same fabric to what would be the inside of the clutch. I pinned these two layers together and simply stitched the ends together using a zig-zag stitch on both ends as shown below.

Next I ran a length of black twill down the length of the sides and stitched the two layers together with the black twill, using black thread.

 

I then folded up the bottom portion and completed the remaining stitching using blue and purple thread. To stay with the "messy" grunge feel I didn't even need to worry about sewing a straight line - LOL! In fact I wanted messy lines Ü

 

To add the closure I used my Crop-a-dile and punched holes in my canvas and affixed the closure, following the directions on the packaging.

 

I'm not certain how practical my addition of "bling" was, but I just couldn't resist and it was most definitely one of those elements that created the visual triangle that brings focus to the clutch face.

 

I hope that this creation will bring a whole new thought process to you. It might not be your "cup of tea", but perhaps there is someone on your gift list that would be so appreciative of your efforts. I can sincerely tell you that it has been one of the more rewarding projects for me, due to the involvement of my sweet Maddi. My next project is going to have to include my little sugar and spice girl, Trina - and will probably include the colors of orange, turquoise and perhaps yellow Ü

Creating for one's children is incredibly sentimental. I hope that I can be a good mom and help give my daughters wings so that they can soar to heights I can't even begin to imagine. Thank you for sharing in my excitement of this creative process and don't hesitate - START NOW and feel the sense of fulfillment this process brings you and others.

Irresistable Techniques using "Invisibles by Heidi Swapp"

Invisibles - what are they? This is the line of paper products that Heidi Swapp introduced at Winter 2009 CHA. It was one of the most innovative products at the show and I could hardly wait to have the opportunity to play with it. The fabulous design on these products is hard to see when unaltered, so why is it that I am so excited about these products? As an individual who likes to explore and create I find this product so much fun to work with. It allows me to fully customize the texture and color of my final piece without having to go to the work of creating the intricate resist background!

Today I am going to share a handful of different ways that you can alter or color this collection of paper, chipboard, chipboard shapes and alphabet letters. To do so I took one 12"x12" page and cut it in to 12-3"x3" squares. I then used different products to create each set of colored squares.

So what does one do with all the little test squares? I opted to turn them in to a paper quilt and then use that paper to cover an inexpensive mirror from IKEA. A girl's gotta love all the inexpensive alterables IKEA offers! (insert big grin) This would also make an amazing Scrapbook page background, or if you cut smaller squares to begin with and then piece them together, they would make an awesome card front. So many options, so little time!

 

Below I will explain how each square was colored. You will notice that each square above has a deeper color sponged around the outside edges. I did this to unite the individual feel of the squares, making them meld together more evenly. I also added additional color to some of the lighter test samples to bring balance as well.

So let's begin - what can you use to alter Invisibiles by Heidi Swapp collection?

Be certain to double click on any picture below to see it in the full size view. The details will show up so much better, but due to the large number of pictures I have used in this post I tried to keep them small and save on room.

STUDIO PAINT (or other Acrylic Paints will work as well)

 

The buttery consistency of the Studio line of products makes this a go to for many of my projects. As you can see from my containers they are well loved. I am sharing this series of photos so that you can see how it is that I mix the colors and create custom colors to coordinate with a particular product line. I really didn't have a vision for what I was going to do with my squares and so I decided to match the entire collection of squares to the Basic Grey Urban Collection. In doing so I knew that I would have so many paper options, buttons, brads, and more to use on my final piece - whatever it was going to be.

I use toothpicks, a little watercolor tray, and a small scoop-like spoon for adding water to my paints to create more of a wash (sorry I just can't remember where I found the scoop). By dipping the toothpick in to my individual paint pots and scooping a small amount in to my tray, as shown in the first picture it saves me a ton of cleanup time - no more cleaning my paint brush with each addition of a new color. The color charts that Claudine provides are SO very helpful in helping me know which colors to begin with.

Download Claudine Hellmuth Studio Line Color Mixing Guide

As you can see I added a fourth color, the traditional tan, after realizing that my color was just too intense and needed to be slightly dulled down.

The first square I painted I allowed to dry without touching it. The second yellow square was painted and then wiped with a paper towel. I loved the different effects that were created with this option. When completing my project I wanted them to be a little more even and so I dampened a paper towel and then lightly wiped the surface of the first dry square. Voila - more white appeared where the resist is applied, without impacting the remaining yellow background!

COPIC MARKERS

 

Being that I love Copic markers I had to see what results could be achieved with the markers. The first square on the left was airbrushed. As expected it covered the resist surface, as well as the paper background. BUT when I applied colorless blender solution to my paper towel and wiped the project again the alcohol ink immediately lifted from the resist area. It left a bit of a streaky background based on the way that I wiped the surface, but I know that with further testing and a little finessing some very interested effects will result.

I then wondered what it would look like when coloredwith a Copic marker and so I quickly colored one square with my R83 or perhaps it was R85. I should have taken a picture with the marker visible so that it would make it easier to remember these little details, but... alas I just have to guess now. Again I needed to wipe this square with a Colorless Blender Solution dampened paper towel.

Now that I had proven to myself that indeed the "resist section" would take on the alcohol ink color I came back and did a little removal with my colorless blender marker and added some deeper tones with the coordinating darker tones of this Copic color family. The idea of coloring these papers in multiple color tones appeals to me and so I hope that I have the opportunity to try that some day.

I also wanted to see how the Inkssentials White Opaque Pen would work with the Invisibles. WAY cool - love the addition of the white dots and with more time I can easily see myself doodling on these resist products to add additional pop and depth.

DISTRESS CRACKLE PAINT

 

In addition to the Studio Line of paints I wanted to try another type of paint and so I reached for my Distress Crackle paints. I did use water to thin down the consistency of this paint. As you can see the resist immediately started to repel the watered down paint. The view on the right shows what these squares look like after completion. The one on the left was left to almost fully dry before wiping it with a paper towel and the one on the right was wiped immediately after painting. 

I wish that I would have had more time. I would like to still test this product and cover it with a much thicker layer of the Distress Crackle Paint. I wonder if it will move from the resist areas and if it will dry and crack in the typical manner that Tim and Ranger intended. Time was ticking and so I will leave that for another day.

CHALK

 

To begin I used my trusty old set of Stampin' Up chalks. Simply using a sponge dauber I applied the chalk evenly to the entire surface. I then selected a darker color tone from my Pebbles Pearlescent chalks and added some dimension to the piece using the small pom poms provided in their kit. The effect was soft an subtle.

DYE INK

 

The easiest method to apply color to the Invisibles products is to use the ink blending tool and dye ink. I tested both the Distress Ink (the peachy pink squares above were inked using Tattered Rose)and the Adirondack Dye Inks that we carry in the store. Absolutely delicious looking! and SO very easy.

The difference between the two squares above is almost imperceptible. The square on the left was inked and left alone, the square on the right was inked and then wiped with a paper towel. A little of the Pool ink did come off on the paper towel leaving the resist covered areas a brighter white then those left completely alone. It is almost as though wiping with the paper towel is like polishing a mirror - it just brightens the resist surface.

PERFECT PEARLS GLIMMER GLITZ

 

Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist is all the rage right now, but I do not own any. How odd is that?!? I just haven't found a need to purchase the many different colors, because I do own the entire Perfect Pearls collection and many dye reinkers. It has been several years since CHA when I had the opportunity to meet Tim and talk to him about these products. I was hooked! So I guess you could say that I have been making my own "glimmer mist" since that time, well before Glimmer Mist existed.

Today I will share how simple it is to make your own little custom colored bottle of Glimmer Mist. As you can see I opened an Urban Prairie tablet to a new page - a green/blue combination. Using a green base (Shabby Shutters Distress Reinker) with a blue sparkle (Turquoise Perfect Pearls) I mixed my ingredients in a Mini Mister.

I follow Tim's "recipe" of using one dropper full (NOT one drop, but the entire dropper full) of ink, add one of my little "tea" spoons of Perfect Pearls (My girls no longer use the little "Dora" tea set these came with, so I have confiscated all the spoons - LOL!) and then fill the remaining portion of the mister to within 1/2" of the top. Do not fill it completely because you do need to leave room to shake the mixture. You will need to put on some good music and shake girls! Shake, shake, shake! When you are ready to spritz your project then shake again.

Spritz your project. The sample on the left was left to dry completely. The sample on the right I let sit for about half a minute and then I wiped it with a paper towel. I then needed to add additional color using my ink blending tool and Shabby Shutters ink pad. I love how even and subtle the shimmer is when created in this manner. It was hard to capture in a photo, but is so subtle and elegant in person.

COMPLETING THE PROJECT

 

It was when I saw all my beautiful little finished squares sitting on the table in front of me that it occured to me to make a "quilt" with them. I thought that I would share a brief series of photos to help anyone else who might want to make something similar.

Due to the fact that I wanted to have my square return to it's original 12x12 size I cut strips of typing paper to use as my base. By applying a strip of adhesive on the outside edge of this paper using my Glue Glider I was able to avoid putting glue on the area that would need to be stitched. I tell you this so that you do not inadvertantly put glue directly beneath the area that you will stitch. Adhesive will "GUM" up your sewing machine. I have learned through experience that putting adhesive in an area that will be sewed is NOT a good idea - LOL! Putting adhesive BESIDE the stitching area is a "good thing".

Attach four squares and then stitch. Repeat three more times. Then attach these four long strips together and voila - a perfect quilt. You could alter the positioning and create all sorts of intricate quilt-like patterns! Let the creating begin!

 

Following are a few additional tips for covering this mirror:

• Measure the mirror precisely and score your "quilt" along the lines that will be folded around the mirror. This will provide clean, crisp edges.
• Cut out the center mirror section using an X cut. Be certain that the paper fits the mirror well BEFORE applying any adhesive!
• Paint the unfinished wood with Gesso before applying the Matte Medium. This will keep your adhesive from soaking in to the wood.
• Apply Matte Medium to both the top wood surface, as well as to the surface of the paper that will adhere to it.
• Apply Matte Medium to the edges and back of the frame, as well as the coordinating paper surfaces.
• Lastly, apply Matte Medium to the interior edge of the mirror and to the coordinating paper surface.
• Use a teflon bone folder to press your project in to place firmly. Remove any air bubbles while still wet.

 

I then embellished the frame using coordinating chipboard accents, flowers, pearls, butterfly and corner accent pieces. The corner pieces were shiny and just did not fit the look, yet I knew that they would be the pièce de résistance. Gesso to the rescue! Gesso adheres to metal and is white - it is the perfect tool to "shabify" any metal piece!

If you are looking for something new to perk up your creativity then I would like to recommend that you get some of these products to play and experiment with! If you are in need to alphabet stickers in a myriad of colors then I would like to suggest that you purchase a set and alter them using your ink pads - you will have any coordinating color letter, or multi-colored letters for all of your projects!

Get out your masks and add distinct patterns to this paper - the opportunities for exploration are huge!!! So stimulate your creativity today with the Invisibles line of products.

SUPPLIES USED:

Invisibles (located in the Alterables and Specialty Papers section of our store) - Classic Vintage, Ornate Frames, Shapes

Studio Line by Claudine Hellmuth- Dab of Yellow, Painterly Pink, Blank Canvas, Traditional Tan, Gesso, Multi Medium, Brushes

Copic Markers and Airbrush System - R83, R85, RV34, Colorless Blender Marker, Colorless Blender Solution, Airbrush System

Adirondack Ink Pads: Pool, Stream, Butterscotch, Caramel, Shell Pink, Watermelon, Mountain Rose

Distress Ink Pads: Shabby Shutters, Tattered Rose

Embellishments: Webster's Pages Classic Trim Collection, 12" White Strip Pearls, Snow Pearls, Prima Butterfly C,

Other Supplies:Inkssentials White Opaque Pen, Broken China Distress Crackle Paint, Stampin' Up and Pebbles Pearlescent Chalks, Ink Blending Tool, Turquoise Perfect Pearls, Shabby Shutters Distress Reinker,  1" Metal Corners

Ink Pad Comparisons - Let's Get Inky and Explore! by Ellen Hutson

Please be advised that the information to follow is my own personal perspective and is not to be taken as the official information on ink and ink pads. It is going to get long and boring for some of you, but I hope that you will find it interesting and of value. This information comes with a HUGE disclaimer! You must not take this as final word on any of these products, it is only my opinion and my experience. Ink characteristics can change dependent upon the paper that you select, as well as the environment in which you live. This information has been garnered over time through my own experience, as well as through conversations with manufacturers representatives and much reading. It is my interpretation of what it is that I have learned.

My hope is that through this post you can begin to understand some of the differences between the many inks pads that are available to you, but I am absolutely certain (without a doubt!) that I have missed something that may be of importance. As all good students I will continue to explore, and hopefully as a good teacher, I will not tell you that I know everything about this subject. I do NOT know everything. I am not a chemist, I am not an ink manufacturer - I am only a person who loves to stamp and share what I have learned. So let's get started.

There are MANY different ink manufacturers in today's world. The four primary rubber stamping ink pad manufacturers, whose products I have worked with are:

• Ranger Ink Industries
• Stewart Superior
• Tsukineko LLC
• Clearsnap/Color Box

I have had wonderful success with ink pads and inks from all of these manufacturers.

In addition to these four main manufacturers there are many more private labeled stamp pads, and most likely other manufacturers that I have missed. Some, but not all, include: Stampin' Up!, PaperTrey Ink, Impress, A Muse, and Hero Arts . These stamp pads are typically manufactured by one of the "big name" companies (please note that I said typically - I do not know where all stamp pads are manufactured and so this has a huge disclaimer on it). These companies most often are producing colors of ink pads to coordinate with a specific line of products they carry or manufacture. I believe that most of these companies will have resources available to teach you about their individual line of products. Since it is my goal with this article to primarily teach you about the inks that I have selected to carry in our store I will not be referencing these companies in this article. That is not to say that these are not good products. I am certain that many of these products are of similar quality.

As a beginner stamper the first stamp pads I fell in love with were the Adirondack Dye Ink Pads. One of the very first techniques I learned from a friend and fellow stamper/teacher, was to use dye ink on glossy cardstock. The vibrancy of the colors was addictive!

It has taken quite a lot of time, and expense (you should see all the different ink pads I own - LOL!), to explore the many varieties of stamp pads on the market. At first I found it quite confusing. It is this confusion that I hope I can help many beginner stampers, and perhaps even some of the more advanced stampers, dispel with today.

Again, please be advised that the information to follow is my own personal perspective.

RUBBER STAMPING INK TYPES

Let's start with the different varieties of ink types.

Most common variety of ink pads:

• Dye
• Pigment

Other varieties include:

• Hybrid
• Solvent
• Resist, Watermarking and Embossing
• Glue
• Tattoo
• Bleaching

Dye Inks:

• dye ink is thinner in consistency than pigment ink and will typically dry more quickly
• it can be permanent, non-permanent, or permanent only after heat activation - be certain to read individual labels for this information
• ink is more "transparent" in nature
• typically this pad consists of a cloth covered felt pad with a surface raised above the edge of the ink pad container - this characteristic makes it more user friendly when applying the ink pad directly to the paper (DTP)
• some dye inks, specifically chalk inks, are made of a foam pad with a high density "skin" on top of it - foam pad varieties need to be inked more frequently and are easier to over-ink (see below for more information regarding chalk ink)
• some recommend storing dye ink pads upside down - this is to keep the ink at the top of the pad. I prefer to store mine right side up and purchase a reinker when I purchase a new pad. A properly inked pad is one of the most useful tools you own.
• dye ink pads come in a large variety of colors
• products that fit within this category:
  • Adirondack Dye Ink Pads, Ranger
  • Ancient Page, Clearsnap/Color Box
  • Archival Ink Pads, Ranger
  • Distress Ink Pads, Ranger
  • Kaleidacolor Dye Ink Pads, Tsukineko
  • Memento Ink Pads, Tsukineko
  • Memories Acid Free Dye Ink Pads, Stewart Superior
  • Vivid, Clearsnap/Color Box
• chalk inks:
  •  a variety of dye ink pad, but due to the extensive differences I felt that they deserved their own heading
  • provide opaque ink coverage
  • muted chalky look with whitish residue or "chalky look" visible in reinkers
  • my personal preference for use with polymer stamps (because we do not carry a large variety of polymer stamps in our store, we do not currently carry this type of ink pad)
  • dye ink typically in a skin-foam ink pad
  • products that fit within this category:
    • Antiquities, Ranger
    • Fluid Chalk Ink Pads, Clearsnap/Color Box
    • Fresco, Stampa Rosa
    • Memories Chalk Inks, Stewart Superior
    • VersaMagic, Tsukineko

Pigment Inks:

• thick and slow drying on paper
• more opaque then dye inks
• most suitable for embossing techniques (embossing powders)
• may not dry on non-porous surfaces such as plastic or metal
• may contain glycerin - this ingredient provides increased dry time
• typically acid-free
• more fade resistant than dye inks and therefore perhaps more useful in scrapbooks
• best for stamping on absorbent papers where sharp detail is needed
• some pigment inks can be heat set for permanence on plastic, vellum or fabric
• Brilliance inks dry naturally on smooth surfaces such as vellum and/or coated papers, but it can take time
• pigment pads are typically foam style pads - ink soaks in to the pad, yet ink is available when ready to stamp
• pigment pads need to be reinked much more regularly than standard dye ink pads
• due to their "squishy" nature be certain to use a light hand, do not push your stamp in to this variety of ink pad but lightly press ink it on the surface of the foam pad. If you overink your stamp you will end up with a "messy" stamped image. You will need to completely clean your rubber stamp before inking it again.
• products that fit within this category:
  • Adirondack Pigment Ink Pads, Ranger
  • Brilliance Fast Drying Pigment Ink Pads, Tsukineko
  • Color Box Crafters, Clearsnap/Color Box
  • Encore Metallic Pigment Ink Pads, Tsukineko
  • VersaColor Pigment Ink Pads, Tsukineko
  • VersaCraft Ink Pads, Tsukineko (previously known as Fabrico - designed for stamping on fabric, wood, leather, shrink plastic, polymer clay, porcelain)
  • VersaFine Ink Pads, Tsukineko - this natural oil-based pigment ink dries instantly on matte cardstock, providing incredibly fine detail. Advised that no reinkers is needed for this stamp pad because it lasts 3-4 times longer than regular inks, but coming out with reinkers for most used colors shortly, if not already. I believe I will start carrying these shortly after this study Ü
  • Pigment Petal Points, Clearsnap/Color Box

Hybrid Inks - Palette by Stewart Superior:

• combination of dye and pigment ink (does not contain solvents)
• works on most surfaces including glass, plastic, acetate, metal, fabric and more
• does not smell bad and is nonflammable
• dries instantly on paper and porous surfaces; can require heat setting on glossy surfaces and fabrics
• dries too quickly to be a good embossing ink in most regions of the U.S.
• raised pad surface
• fast drying
• waterproof

Solvent Inks:

• Solvent based inks need a special cleaner and typically have an "odor" to them (example - Staz-On)
• Opaque and dries on smooth surfaces such as glass, dominos, metal and acetate
• most common variety available - Staz-On

Resist, Watermark, and Embossing Inks:

• resist ink is designed to resist dye based ink when stamped on glossy or coated papers - will not provide resist effect on standard card stock
• watermark ink is designed to leave a "watermark" or tone-on-tone effect on standard card stock
• the sticky nature of watermark inks allows them to be used as embossing powders or to attract pigment powders
• products that fit within this category:
  • Clear Resist, Ranger
  • Embossing Ink, Ranger
  • Perfect Medium, Ranger
  • VersaMark and VersaMark Dazzle, Tsukineko

Specialty Ink Pads:

• Glue Pads:
  •  Most common varieties available:
    • Essential Glue Pad, Tsukineko
    • Palette Stamp and Stick Glue Pad, Stewart Superior
• Tattoo Ink Stamp Pads:
  •  Most common varieties available:
    •  Stampin' Up!
• Castaway Pad by Jacquard - lightens paper similar to bleach, but supposed to be more effective than stamping with bleach. I did not have good results with this pad.

THE INKS WE CARRY AND WHY

 

For your convenience this is a quick link to our store and the entire line of ink pads we carry.

RANGER INK INDUSTRIES

• Distress Ink Pads and Reinkers:
  • The amazing versatility when it comes to using this ink pad for distress and watercolor techniques is the primary reason we carry these ink pads.
    • slow drying inks (stay wet longer) allowing you to blend, shade and emboss on photos and paper
    • works well for direct to paper (DTP) - apply the ink pad directly to paper to create an aged look
    • perfect for distressing papers and coloring photos
    • distress ink works well on all types of photos - inkjet, laser, toner copies, regular photos (both matte and glossy) and even can be used to "color" photos. Start by applying a light color using a brayer, DTP or ink blending tool. Blend colors with tool or finger, softening edges. These inks stay wet long enough for you to blend out any lines or marks that other ink pads leave on photos.
    • the fluidity of this ink allows the color to wick and spread out, traveling across the surface of your paper when spritzed with water. Other dye inks do not "travel" in the same manner. This capacity allows for creating beautiful tone on tone colors.
    • color stability - the integrity of these colors remain true after being watered down or heated, allowing for greater color control. Unlike other comparative products that may change color when water is introduced. For example brown colored dyes will typically break down when water is added, leaving behind pink or green hues on your paper. Distress inks will not do this.
    • these inks work beautifully for watercolor techniques - apply ink directly to stamp, spritz with water and stamp or apply by using a droplet of ink and a watercolor brush.
    • to distress papers apply ink directly to paper, spritz with water, crumple and tear. Heat to dry for greater color/tone control and contrast.
    • to create a charcoal sketch effect stamp image inked with Black Soot, then lightly spritz with water.
    • put a few drops of distress ink or apply an ink pad direct to a Teflon sheet. Spritz with water and then pull cardstock through mixture; swirling, pulling, drying and then applying a new layer will provide many unique looks.
• Adirondack Dye Ink Pads and Reinkers
  • The primary reason we carry this ink pad is for its clean lines when used with Copic Markers, coupled together with a fast drying time. This was the first ink that I discovered that I was pleased with the results when used together with Copic Markers. We began with only two colors - Pitch Black and Espresso, but have since added more colors to our store to complete the line for those who love this ink variety as much as I do. I have yet to test these colors with the Copic Markers and so you will need to stay tuned for that experiment.
    • non-toxic, fast drying ink
    • large color variety:
      • lights - great for shadow stamping or tone-on-tone stamping
      • brights - vibrant colors
      • earthtones - luscious colors, some of my first favorites!
    • Pitch Black and Espresso do not bleed when stamped on Neenah cardstock and allowed approximately a minute to dry before coloring with Copic Markers
• Adirondack Pigment Ink Pads
  • In looking for a white pigment ink that had full opaque coverage when stamping on colored cardstock I was very impressed with the look established with the use of the Adirondack Pigment Snow Cap Ink Pad. We have since added the full line of pigment pads to give our customers more pigment options.
    • acid free, non-toxic, archival
    • rich, opaque ink
    • air dries on matte papers
    • embossable
    • heat set on gloss paper, vellum, mica, shrink plastic, metal and glass
    • be certain to replace the liner before replacing lid for added protection against drying out
• Archival Ink Pad and Reinker
  • This ink pad is a definite "go to" when it comes to black ink due to its versatility in use on many surfaces. As well, it is useful for numerous specialty techniques.
    • acid-free, permanent, dye ink
    • oil-based making it a perfect ink for stamping over alcohol-ink applications (please note that I said stamping OVER - this ink is not recommended for stamping images and then coloring these images in with alcohol based markers)
    • great for using with watercolors and/or water based markers, due to being waterproof
    • great for resist methods on coated paper
    • does not deteriorate paper or precious photos
    • does not bleed when painted or brayered over with watercolors, colored pencils, water-based inks and markers, or pearl pigments
    • acts as a "resist" when stamped on surfaces that are not porous such as glass. Archival Ink seems to literally "eat" the alcohol ink when alcohol ink is applies to glass, allowed to dry and then stamped with an image inked in Archival Ink - watch for more to come on this technique.
• Perfect Medium Ink Pads, Markers and Reinkers
  • This ink pad was specially developed to work with Perfect Pearls Pigments and when used in conjunction with these powders gives superior results to other pad varieties. Who can resist the beautiful "glimmery mist" you can create using these powders? I can never just have one use for a product though and wanted to be able to maximize the use of the Perfect Pearls by having an ink pad that would work in conjunction with these beauties.
    • great for resist, embossing or watermark effects
    • wonderful for shadow stamping and subtle background work when combined with Perfect Pearls

STEWART SUPERIOR INK PRODUCTS

• Palette Hybrid Ink Pads
  • This is my go-to ink for stamping on "unusual" surfaces. I also use it frequently when I watercolor.
    • waterproof
    • use on any surface - glass, metal, fabric, wood and more
    • acid free, archival and non-fading

TSUKINEKO INK PRODUCTS

• Memento Ink Pads
  • the primary reason we carry this ink pad is for its clean lines when used with Copic Markers, coupled together with its fast drying time.
    • fast drying dye based ink
    • fade resistant
    • delivers fine impressions and even coverage 
• Essential Glue Pad
  •  this glue pad has provided superior adhesion to any other brands I have tried
    • adhesive in an ink pad
    • allows you to stamp an image and cover it in glitter, chalk, pigment powders, foil or flocking
• Brilliance Pigment Ink Pads
  • the primary reason we carry this ink pad is because we wanted to offer a pigment ink that would work with Copic Markers for customers who want to work with Copic Markers on a more porous paper.
    • non-toxic, archival and acid free
    • fast drying pigment ink
    • pigment ink that dries naturally on vellum and glossy paper (no heat setting required - just time)
    • vibrant, rich color
    • great for stamping on vellum, shrink plastic, gloss paper, polymer clay, acetate, leather and mica
    • not great on metal
• VersaMark Ink Pads, VersaMarkers and VersaMark Dazzle Ink Pads and Reinkers
  • my first love in watermark effects, coupled together with the sparkle that is now available makes it irresistable.
    • watermark - beautiful tone-on-tone effect on cardstock that is colored all the way through
    • emboss - long dry time allows for ease in use with embossing powders
    • resists ink on glossy or coated papers
    • heat set for stronger resist effect and quicker dry times
    • Dazzle - use as a shimmery watermark or heat set on glossy paper and brayer over with dye ink for a beautiful shimmer resist. I have found that it is necessary to reink this pad frequently for best results.

CLEANING RUBBER STAMPS

Now that you are all inky what is the best way to get your rubber stamps clean? For me the exploration for cleaning tools ended when I discovered Stewart Superior Inks Ultra Clean. It is like magic in a bottle! I can't even begin to remember when I first posted about this product and I am happy to say that my opinion has NOT changed. This was one of my children's favorite stamps before UltraClean and then after. Pictures truly are worth a thousand words.

So simply said there are two products I use to clean my stamps in addition to water and they are:

• UltraClean by Stewart Superior
• Rubit-Scrubit Pad

AS A BEGINNING STAMPER WHAT DO I NEED?

• start with a multi-purpose black ink pad:
  • if using alcohol ink markers begin with either a Memento Tuxedo Black Ink Pad or an Adirondack Dye Pitch Black Ink Pad  
• • if wanting to watercolor begin with either a Palette Noir Ink Pad or an Archival Jet Black Ink Pad
• next I would purchase a watermark, resist, embossing pad such as VersaMark or Perfect Medium
• then I would begin to add colors, and add more colors, and then even more colors - LOL! Yes, I need to take pictures of my ink pads and how I store them, but that is a complete topic in and of itself Ü

INK IN A NUTSHELL - THE CHARTS

Download INK COMPARISON CHART_DYE, PIGMENT, HYBRID

Download INK COMPARISON CHART_WATERMARK, EMBOSSING, RESIST, OTHER

The ink pad market is constantly advancing as new products are being discovered and so what might be "the word" one day, can instantly change when a new product arrives on the market. Manufacturers are continually striving to produce products that are new and improved. Sometimes it is an old product that gets manufactured with a new look or new packaging; other times it is new technology that has been discovered. This doesn't necessarily make one product better than the next - it only makes it different or perhaps improved.

Much time goes in to learning and teaching, and I am so very grateful to you for your support of our little store, it is your support that brings you the projects created by our designers and myself - for that I THANK YOU! I hope that this information will be useful to you as you work with the products that you have purchased from us. Now go and get inky ladies!!! Give one of the techniques a try - it is WAAAAY FUN!

Best Inks To Use With Copic Markers by Sharon Harnist

Since Copic markers are an alcohol-based dye ink, they require a certain type of ink to be compatible when coloring rubber stamped images.  For instance, Tsukineko's Staz-On ink is usually permanent on just about any surface but the alcohol in Copics react to the solvent in Staz-On and basically reactivate the dried Staz-On and will smear an image stamped with it: 

The scribble of pink under the marker tip is the color the marker is supposed to be.  See how the marker reacts with the Staz-On stamped sleeves and smears them?

Following are a few different ink options that work well with Copics.

Note: For these tests, I used Neenah Classic Solar White 80 lb. cardstock and Lockhart Stamp Company's Vintage Apron stamp.

My all-time favorite ink to use with Copics is Tsukineko's dye-based Memento Tuxedo Black ink pad.  It stamps crisp, clean and clear, dries very quickly and a stamped image can be colored immediately after stamping, with no smearing:

 

Above are examples of coloring a Memento stamped image (upper left) immediately after stamping, (upper right) 30 seconds after stamping, and (bottom) one minute after stamping. 

Below are the results of using Copic's Colorless Blender, repeatedly rubbing over the stamped lines of the apron's neckstrings (right where the marker tip is pointing):

The Blender was rubbed repeated over the black stamped lines and never smeared. This ink performed excellent on all the tests.

Next is Ranger's Adirondack Pitch Black dye-based ink pad.  It also stamps crisp, clean and clear but generally needs just a little bit longer to dry well on its own.

The same coloring tests were performed -- immediately after stamping, 30 seconds after stamping, and one minute after stamping:

 

My apologies for the blurriness at the top of the photo, but hopefully if you click on the photo for a closer look, you'll see a little smearing on the top left sleeve (immediately after stamping).  But as the ink dried on its own, you'll see it performed well under normal coloring circumstances.

But the Blender marker test left a little smearing of the stamped neckstrings (click for a closer view):

 

Keep in mind, the Blender marker was rubbed repeatedly over the stamped lines, so under normal coloring circumstances, you probably wouldn't experience this problem.

I also tried heat setting the Adirondack ink for 30 seconds and then waited for 10-15 minutes before coloring the stamped image, with improved coloring results:

 

Bleeding with the Blender test was also improved:

Lastly, I tested Tsukineko's Brilliance Graphite Black pigment ink pad.  This is the ink I used to use all the time with my Copics, before Tsukineko came out with their Memento line of ink.  Because it is pigment-based, you will need to let this ink dry thoroughly before coloring it, or quickly heat set it.  In my test, I let the stamped image air dry for about an hour, with these results:

 

Same crisp, clear and clean stamped image and no bleeding of the stamped lines when Copic marker was applied over the ink.  Remember, I colored outside of the lines on the left sleeve for testing purposes below (wink)!

This ink also performed excellently, even after repeated rubbing with the Blender marker to remove the pink marker on the neckstring.

I hope that gives you some ink options to keep in mind when coloring with your Copics!  Below is a little eye candy I made with one of these stamped Lockhart Vintage Aprons, combining it with the more masculine/less frilly Apron:

 

Invitation Supplies:

• Lockhart Apron & Vintage Apron
• Memento Tuxedo Black ink
• Copic markers RV34, RV17, YG03, YG17, E47
• Basic Grey Sultry papers
• Memory Box Currant notecard
• Martha Stewart Zig Zag Edger Punch

• Computer generated wording

Distress Inks and Archival Inks by Cindy Lyles

Tim Holtz created the Distress line of ink pads and re-inkers with Ranger Industries.  Ranger's home and manufacturing offices are located in Tinton Falls, New Jersey.  Distress Inks consist of twenty-four colors, are acid-free, fade resistant, water-based dye inks, and are made in the USA.

Distress inks are the ideal perfection of a product made specifically for creating vintage effects, a natural weathered look, and/or aged effects with paper, fibers, photos and other media. 

Distress inks were formulated to maintain their color and tonal value when they come in contact with water.  They are a dye ink, but do not dry immediately, and blend beautifully as a result of their longer dry time.  Dry time is about 15-20 seconds give or take; longer in moist climates and shorter in dry ones.

Archival Inks are also made by Ranger.  Ranger's Archival line are oil-based, dye ink pads, acid-free, waterproof, fade resistant and non-bleeding.  Safe for paper and photos, and an ideal ink when paired with Distress inks, as this ink refuses to bleed and dries almost immediately. 

Today I'd like to cover three very basic techniques (techniques developed by and courtesy of Tim Holtz) that demonstrate the incredible effects you can easily achieve with Distress ink pads:  Wrinkle Free, Nostalgic Batik and Wrinkled.

Wrinkle Free

Wrinkle Free is an easy technique for creating a quick custom background.  For this technique, begin by smearing a few Distress pads onto a non-stick craft sheet.  Ranger's craft sheets are glass-infused mats - a thin, wonderful work surface, non-absorbent, and I have yet to find an adhesive or product that sticks to them.  The inks sit obediently on the surface of the mat, tempting you with ideas...

Mist the swipes of ink well with water from a Mini Mister, then drop a piece of white cardstock into the wet ink (size of cardstock used:  3" x 5" - this size is used throughout all three techniques covered in this post).  Lift cardstock and heat set with a heat tool.  Repeat dipping and heat setting, until desired look is achieved.

You can begin by stamping on the altered cardstock, or, alter it a bit further with a mask (Ellen carries an enormous selection of fabulous masks in the store).  For this sample, I applied the mask, then sponged Peeled Paint Distress ink using an Ink Blending Tool.  Wipe mask clean then remove.

Stamp Mona Lisa Motivational Centers with Jet Black Archival ink, and add Memory Box Brandywine Flourish randomly using Peeled Paint Distress ink.

Altered, masked and stamped cardstock was simply matted and added to a Lagoon card base.  Matching Lagoon envelope was stamped using Jet Black Archival ink.

Nostalgic Batik
 

For Nostalgic Batik, start with clear embossing powder, a few Distress inks, white cardstock and a stamp (Memory Box Bird Branch used).

Stamp image using any Distress ink.  Since Distress ink has a slower dry time than traditional dye-based inks, you can emboss with any Distress ink.  Sprinkle clear embossing powder over image and heat set.

Begin blending cardstock using a variety of Distress inks and an Ink Blending Tool.  The Ink Blending Tool contains a piece of Cut 'n Dry Foam, also manufactured by Ranger.  A Cut 'n Dry Foam piece looks similar to a makeup applicator sponge; however, it is a closed cell foam, and will not fully absorb the stamp pad ink.  This will conserve your stamp pad ink and allow you to blend colors beautifully.

 

Scattered Straw Distress ink provides an overall warmth to the piece.  Scattered Straw could easily be described as my 'secret weapon' when an aura of warmth is needed.  Once all colors have been blended and you've achieved the desired look, wipe the embossed, stamped image with a clean, dry cloth or dry paper towel.

 

Next, remove the clear embossing powder by placing a clean piece of newsprint over the stamped/embossed image, and ironing with a craft iron.  This process simply re-melts the clear embossing powder and the newsprint absorbs it, removing it neatly from your project.

 

Memory Box 'Just a Note' sentiment and Paprika envelope were stamped using Jet Black Archival ink; Bird Branch image was quickly matted with Licorice cardstock and a Paprika cardbase partially covered using Graphic 45's Shutter Speed.

Wrinkled

The incredible popularity of distressing everything from paper to clothing to furniture has continued to thrive.  It is incredibly satisfying and enjoyable to take a perfectly pristine piece of cardstock and alter it beyond recognition into a gorgeous aged art piece.

To begin, break the tension in the cardstock by pushing on the center of the cardstock scrap with your thumbs, then continue to crumple the cardstock gently into a ball.  If you simply ball the cardstock up without first breaking the tension at the center of the paper you run the risk of tearing the cardstock.

Flatten the crumpled cardstock with your fingers, then swipe a Distress pad over the entire paper surface.  Hold the open ink pad in your hand and repeatedly sweep over the crumpled cardstock surface.  Vintage Photo Distress used here.  This is called DTP, or Direct to Paper technique.

 

Using a Mini Mister, spritz inked cardstock generously with water and watch the ink flow and bleed across the paper surface.

Use a hot craft iron (working over a non-stick craft sheet or towel) or a heat tool, and heat set the water and ink, and iron the cardstock dry and flat.

 

Repeat the process using other inks if desired.  To warm up the tones in the wrinkled cardstock I opted to use Scattered Straw and Antique Linen.

To create a unique card embellishment, use Graphic 45 Postage paper and punch a mini Library Pocket, score the punch, then form a nifty little pocket.  Next, let's make something to attach this miniature pocket to:

 

The small tags above display the progression of Distress ink application, and how beautifully the Distress inks blend and create to an aged, vintage look.

 

Finished card with Wrinkled cardstock and miniature pocket above.  Memory Box Tiny Packages interior sentiment is from Memory Box; found vintage dictionary sheet snippet and pieces of Graphic 45 Shutter Speed cardstock.  Card base with matching envelope is Cranberry.

 

Cranberry envelope and message insert above:  the gorgeous Cappa Flourish stamp is from Memory Box.

Pink Tulip: Watercoloring with Ink by Debbie Olson

I have to admit that when it comes to coloring, I habitually reach for my Copic markers! Occasionally we all need to shake it up a bit and use something different. Since this month's focus is ink, I chose to watercolor a stamped Tulip image with Adirondack ink refills.

The inks that I generally use when I am stamping an image that I plan to watercolor are Palette inks or Brilliance. If I use Brilliance, I heat-set it before painting, especially if I am using it on a really absorbent paper such as Arturo paper.

For this piece, I stamped my image on an Arturo Soft White Single with Palette Noir ink. I then put just a drop of reinker from the Meadow, Watermelon, and Lemonade inks on a scrap piece of acetate and use a medium and a small waterbrush to paint my image. Water-based reinkers are very simple to watercolor with. Keep in mind that they are concentrated, so a little goes a long way.

Helpful hints:(1) If I'm coloring an image that has a deep color (such as a dark pink or deep red) on the perimeter, I normally float my background color in first. That way I don't have to be so careful around the edges to avoid making my deep color bloom out into my pale background. (2) Before you color an image, decide upon your light source. It doesn't really matter where that theoretical light is coming from, as long as you are consistent with it. (3) Shadow areas tend to be not only darker in value, but also a bit cooler in temperature than well-lit areas. (4) Always THINK before you paint. For example, in the tulip, one petal overlaps another. The top petal will be lighter in value than the one that wraps underneath it. Also, look for lines that indicated crevices or humps and render then accordingly. A couple of minutes of thinking time will save you time trying to correct your mistakes afterward!

The background of this card is stamped in Adirondack Watermelon ink using a Tulle Damask Scrapblock. I then used some Long Rectangle Nestabilities to cut and emboss both my image and top mat layer.

Thank you for visiting the In Touch blog today!