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The Many Ways to Use a Crafter's Workshop Template

I love finding products that can be used with my existing supplies! Crafter's Workshop templates are definitely one of those items. There are SO many products that can be used with just one template (and they are easy to store - a huge bonus!) Today I am going to share five different ways to use a single template.

Chevron is a VERY trendy look - you will find it in fashion, home decor and now big time in the paper crafting world. It is so very easy to incorporate some of these fun trends into your projects and today I thought I would share all my samples using just this one template and a limited color scheme to show you how diverse one item can be. 

When working with a template I find it easiest to attach my cardstock to the back of the template using tissue tape. Tissue tape is easy to remove without damaging the cardstock and keeps the template in one position when working, for a crisp, clean end result.

DISTRESS INKS and CRAFTER'S WORKSHOP TEMPLATES

Fredward bear is oh so cute and when creating the various backgrounds the chevron appeared to be a group of forest trees. Adding a paper pieced scarf, a sweet Hero Arts sentiment, a little Copic shading, white glittery snowbanks and a little bling --- who wouldn't love receiving this sweet little thought in the mail?!?

By looking at your stencils, moving them around on your project and/or masking them, the variety of looks is endless! As you can see I placed a piece of scratch paper along the upper edge and taped my stencil into position, allowing the top of the stencil to become the treeline.

Simply swirl your ink blending tool over the top of the stencil and overlap the two colors ever so slightly to create this particular look.

By starting with the Tumbled Glass on each end and then adding in the Shabby Shutters, allowing the color to almost completely disappear by the center, I was able to create a fabulous gradated sample --- an ombre look.

Or mix it up even further and use a larger variety of colors.

These cute little snowmen are the Limited Edition release from Karen Lockhart this Christmas Season. I love how each year Karen creates a new snow globe centered around what is new in Nicholas' life. Yes, this year Nicholas LOVES to sing :-D Each stamp is signed and number, as well as colored, which makes it a wonderful reference tool!

These are the colors I used to create my sample image and on this is the image I used for this month's Thank You notes.

Using a Styled Labels diecut, trimmed to make it appear as though it is a mantle, I was able to create a fabulous and unusual colored Christmas card. The sentiment "Christmas brings us together" is so appropriate for this card!

COPIC MARKERS and CRAFTER'S WORKSHOP TEMPLATES
If you have had the opportunity to view the Copic Airbrushing DVD you will see how I love to use masks (stencils, templates) to control my airbrush and create wonderful effects. The Crafter's Workshop templates are fabulous for this use!

One product I forgot to include in this image of the supplies is Eclipse Tape. I have been shouting the beauty of Eclipse tape since I first began blogging in 2006. It is still my go to, absolute favorite, masking product.

Trace through the stencil with a pencil and then cut out the eclipse tape as shown in the image above. Even though the eclipse tape has a sticky surface it can curl away from the edges during use, so I have found that it is best to hold the eclipse in place using magnets and our Essentials Craft Assistant.This keeps the edges crisp.

Creating a mask will allow you to use the templates in a whole new way.

As you can see I developed a repetitive pattern by working my way down the template with my masks, covering an airbrushed area and exposing that fresh white cardstock until I had moved all the way down my cardfront.

Crisp, clean and bright!

Exact same supplies but just using the airbrush in a freeform manner, combining colors and creating a more graffiti like look! Super quick and EASY!

STUDIO PAINTS and CRAFTER'S WORKSHOP TEMPLATES

With the addition of the new Studio Paint Kits this project would be simplied even further! Squeezing small amounts directly on to the ink blending tool and then pouncing on your non-stick craft sheet to spread it evenly over the foam would be super easy!

For this project I simply placed a dab of Studio paint on a non-stick craft sheet using a different craft stick for each color. Dab an ink blending tool into the paint and apply to stencil.

As you can see a little paint goes a long way.

You could mask for a clean line between colors or do as I did and overlap the colors ever so slightly. Paint will work on cardstock, sticky back canvas and so much more!

Each product lends a unique look and texture to the finished sample.

FABER CASTELL AQUARELLES AND CRAFTER'S WORKSHOP TEMPLATES

When you want a precise look an easy product to use to achieve this would be the Faber Castell Aquarelles.

Color each chevron quickly with an Aquarelle pencil or combine a couple of colors for added variation. Do not worry about coloring in an even manner because it will actually have greater depth if you scribble color.

Then use a waterbrush or paint brush to blend the colors. Stay in the lines if you want a crisp clean look, or let it bleed outside the lines for a completely random look.

Creating unique and custom patterns is ideal with this medium.

ADIRONDACK DABBERS and CRAFTER'S WORKSHOP TEMPLATES

This background has a lovely textured look --- sort of like the surface on a piece of knitwear or even socks :-D Life is definitely too short to match socks, it is far more fun to stamp and experiment - LOL!

This cute image from Unity Stamps was watercolored with Distress Ink pads. Simply rub the surface of the ink pad on your non-stick craft sheet and then use the waterbrush to paint in your image.

Applying some of the fun stamping techniques I learned at Ranger U to these templates is going to be a blast! This particular technique is simply a modification of one of the techniques I especially love the look of.

Dab the entire surface with Snow Cap White.

Remove the stencil and allow to dry.

Then add color in a circular motion using an ink blending tool. Absolutely shabbilicious! You could also use different colors of dabbers to create a completely different look.

I haven't even touched on sprays, Distress Stains, watercolor paper, shrink plastic, layering... oh my, oh my, oh my! Let the experimentation begin with the Crafter's Workshop Templates!!!

Creating a Collage Using Creative Layers and Dylusions Stamps

Creating art for art's sake is so rewarding! Today I am sharing my journey as I tried my hand at creating a collage using Claudine Hellmuth's Studio Line paints and Creative Layers stamps; pairing them with the whimsical, new Dylusions stamps. This quirky, fun style of art is most definitely outside my comfort zone, but I must tell you that when I do step outside my norm I have SO much fun as I get lost in the process. I would like to encourage you to take "risks" once in a while and explore; creating just for the sake of creating.

 

I am most definitely NOT an expert in collage - for me it is an experimental process at this point. So what I share here today is just my learning process. When I began this piece I had no idea what I was going to create. It was a rainy day again here in Seattle and I have to admit I am REALLY tired of the rain, but decided that this was my opportunity to turn my nemisis into something fun and so I grabbed Dylusion's Ruby Rainbow stamp set to inspire me. I then found a quote that would bring a smile, and set to work. I am pleased to report that we now have sunshine - woohoo - perhaps positive thinking does make a difference! LOL!

Referring back to the projects we created under Claudine's and Dyan's direction at Winter CHA, in which we focused on the different uses of Studio Paints and Perfect Pearls, I began to create my canvas, layering the pearls with the Studio Paints.

 

The background was created by painting directly on the canvas. I also mixed some of the teal, sky blue and white on my non-stick craft sheet to create color blends, which added softness to the canvas background. LOVE the look of the "swooshy" background which is meant to resemble sky and land.

Once dry I added some of the black details, once again stamping these with paint. I like to "ink" my rubbber and clear stamps using an ink blending tool as shown below.

Using the flying crows to resemble Sea Gulls and adding a border were the first elements.

 

Foam stamps work GREAT on canvas. To add paint to these stamps I place a dollop of paint on the non-stick craft sheet and then pounce the stamp in the paint until it is completely covered.

 

I was curious - would reverse stamping work? Using a clean red rubber stamp I placed it to the surface of the foam stamp. I love how it removed some of the paint to add texture! When I am working quickly I don't bother to add Extra Time to my paint, but if you are afraid of the paint drying out before you can stamp, simply mix in a little Extra Time to give you just that... extra time.

 

Highlighting some of the edges and dots with additional white made the details pop. I also dry brushed over the birds using white to reduce the contrast that the pure black brought to the birds. These were not meant to be my focal point and I felt less intensity would be better.

 

To add paint to clear and red rubber stamps is easy. Simply place a small dollop of paint on your non-stick craft sheet and pounce the ink blending tool in the paint until it is spread evenly over your sponge surface.

 

Then pounce this on the surface of your stamps as shown above and stamp. Once again I work quickly, if you want more time add a little Extra Time to your paint. Always clean your stamps immediately after use to avoid long clean-up times.

Curious as to whether it would be easy to "doodle" on my canvas I pulled out one of my PITT Artist Pens and added a polka-dot hill. So FUN! I also used this same pen to add a little more definition to the house details as they did not stamp as dark as I had initially wanted. I should have used paint rather than ink - LOL! These pens work great to fix those little "oops" items.

Add highlights to some of the images using Sour Apple Perfect Pearls --- these really brighten the canvas.

 

Once again I added additional white to "pop" the details.

 

Stamp the pieces that you want to paint or "watercolor" with Perfect Pearls using Archival ink. This is the perfect ink for any wet projects - it is waterproof and will not smudge when you get it wet. I used Neenah cardstock for my project. It is not the ideal watercolor paper, but I always have it at hand and so it makes my life so very simple. I am totally pleased with the result - it stood up to the "wet factor" just fine.

Spritz water on the surface of your non-stick craft sheet and scoop out just a little Perfect Pearl using your paintbrush. Mix and paint.

 

I love being able to create my palette right on my non-stick craft sheet. Mixing colors is so easy. To create the flesh tone I mixed Biscotti together with just a hint of Pink Gumball and Mandarin.

 

Leave the excess on your sheet until you are completely finished your project.

 

It does not matter if it dries as you can easily reconstitute it with a droplet or two of water as shown above.

 

To add charm to the words I added an outline using a PITT artist brush around each of the printed words.

 

To see if it was all coming together I then laid it out the cut pieces on my canvas. I realized the author's name was too large and reprinted it smaller. Seeing it all come together is magical I tell ya!

To adhere the pieces to the canvas I used Matte Multi-Medium. LOVE this adhesive when I need it to REALLY stick! Simply paint it on the back side of your cut outs and press in place holding for a couple of seconds. Allow your project to sit and dry for about 30 minutes for great results.

 

To add additional brightness to some of the Perfect Pearl painted areas I simply colored with my PITT Big Brush markers and used my wet paintbrush to blend the color out. I love how you can mix different tools!!! I can easily see airbrushing, spritzing with sprays and SO MUCH MORE! Oh for more time to play :-D

So in a nutshell following is what I learned from this experiment as I created my "collage":

• layering is good,
• selecting a color scheme will give you confidence as you add layers (I used a split-complimentary color scheme - blue, green and orange),
• PITT brushes can be layered over Perfect Pearls to add additional color dimension,
• Perfect Pearls can be painted over top of Studio Paints to add sheen and a fun contrast,
• Perfect Pearls are easily reconstituted after drying,
• don't be afraid to experiment!
  
   

Now rather than plodding through the puddles I am going to think happy thoughts and envision cute little Ruby Rainbow (or perhaps my friend Heather who adores rain) hopping over the puddles looking so cute in her happy colors! I would like to invite you to join me and try something a little different by creating a collage using your rubber stamps or try watercoloring with your Perfect Pearls! Try something new - it is creatively invigorating!

 
stamps: Dylusions Ruby Rainbow and Around the Edge, Claudine Hellmuth Creative Layers Clear and Foam Dwellings, Doodles Clear Stamps; Studio 490 Be Happy Make Art; Memory Box Distressed Crows

ink: Jet Black Archival Ink Pad

paper: Neenah Solar White Classic Crest

accessories: Studio Line - Blank Canvas, Charcoal Black, Classic Teal, Sky Blue, Studio Artist Brushes, Matte Multi-Medium, Sticky Back Canvas;  Perfect Pearls - Sour Apple, Blue Raspberry, Mandarin, Pink Gumball, Biscotti; Faber-Castell PITT Big Brush & Artist Pens - #146 skyblue, #171 light green, #113 orange glaze, #118 scarlet red, #199 black

Get Your Shimmer On with Metallic Gelatos

For more information and a special surprise be certain to visit the CLASSroom today!

Metallic Gelatos are creamy little tubes of shimmery goodness. When you first see them you might think it is chapstick, but don't put it on your lips - LOL! So what can you do with these glossy little tubes? When I watched Jennifer McGuire's video I squealed in delight - I would have never though to just rub and buff! Thank you Jennifer for opening up a whole new thought process for these yummy little bursts of color!

 

Each of the cards above uses the Metallic Gelatos. Today I am sharing three different techniques that I hope will inspire you to experiment with this fun new product.

Emboss, Rub and Buff

 

I have always loved the way metallic products pop off of black paper. Many of the pearlescent powders and sprays spring to life when used on black and so each of my projects today uses black as the base.

 

To begin stamp each image and emboss with Clear Embossing powder.

 

Scribble the paint directly from the tube on to your image.

 

Use your finger to rub the creamy Gelato color into the paper surface and meld the colors.

 

This is what it looks like after being rubbed.

Use a paper towel to gently buff the embossed surface to remove excess Gelato from the embossed areas. This will dull the final color, but the shimmer remains. 

 

Rather than trying to stay within the confines of the image you can see I created a "halo" effect around each butterfly when buffing with my paper towel. I LOVE the combination of these three colors - green, blue and purple!

When I showed these cards to my DH he was particularly complimentary of this card.

Emboss, Rub, Buff and Color

 

I realized that using this type of process would create an almost "tin-like" look and so decided to try it next with an image that I felt I could create an antique feel. Experimenting with different grains of embossing powder was also something I wanted to explore.

This first image was stamped and embossed with a fine, detail embossing powder. Once again scribble the paint directly on your image after heat setting the powder. 

As you can see when the Gelato is rubbed into the surface it has a very fine grain on the surface.

 

Next I tried regular sized Clear Embossing Powder.

 

As you can see in this image the grain is not quite as fine and so the black is more pronounced.

 

Once again buff it with a paper towel. The longer you buff the more the bright colors of the Gelato disappear and the more tin-like it appears.

 

Last I tried UTEE, or Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel. When melted the embossing powder is quite thick and smooth and as you can see the "pits" are different. This embossing powder protected the black area the best.

Trying to capture a picture of the three different types of embossing powder images side-by-side was tough - LOL! What I am hoping to share in this picture and through this process, is that it is fun to experiment and try different products together as you create and learn. You may end up with unique results that will be oh so special!

 

Curiousity led me to see how it would work to add color back in to my image using the Aquarelle pencils. I sprayed a little water on my non-stick craft sheet and placed the tip of the Aquarelle pencil in the water droplet until the tip was softened enough to then color, in a bold way, on my image as shown above.

 

To experiment further I used my waterbrush to then soften some of the green and gold color in the foliage. I left the vase alone for comparison purposes and loved the contrast between these two techniques.

 
Creating a sparkly background is super easy as well. Lightly spritz your stamp and color with Gelato. Hold the colored stamp about 18" away from you when spritzing for best results. Spritz once again and stamp.

 
GORGEOUS!

Scribble, Chunk and Spritz

 

One of the techniques I remember learning early in my rubber stamping quest was a Faux Marble technique using Metallic Markers, Black Glossy Cardstock and water. Would this work with Gelatos?

 

I randomly scribbled a combination of Gelatos on the surface of the black glossy cardstock. As I scribbled I noticed little chunks had formed along the edges of the tube. I simply added those to the surface as well.

 

Spritz with water making certain all chunks are settled into a water "puddle" and allow to dry.

 

Using the newest Martha Stewart Punch All Over butterfly I created little "windows" in the surface.

 

I love how easy it was to create the random pattern with this unique style punch. This butterfly is definitely a must-have if you love butterflies as much as I do - LOL!

The background was created using the script in Papillon. Use the emboss, rub and buff technique demonstrated above. I mentally calculated where each butterfly was positioned and changed out the Gelato colors behind each for added interest.

 
Tip: Change the color of your trimmings using the new Distress Stains. SO SIMPLE!!!

Black Velvet Gelato Style

 

Do you remember black velvet posters? LOL! There is another old stamping technique I believe was called Black Velvet --- this is Black Velvet with a Gelato twist. In the old technique you would stamp your image in white and then color your image with colored pencils.

 

Begin by stamping your image, in this image I used Palette White Canvas to stamp my image. It is important to align the image perfectly for this technique and so I used my Stamp-a-ma-jig to make certain everything lined up correctly.

 

Lightly spritz stamp surface, color with Gelatos and lightly spritz again. Getting the right amount of water on your surface may take a few trial and error experiences, but once you "see" how much water is needed your results will be fabulous! Practice always makes for a much better end result :-D

 

Make certain your image will be aligned correctly and stamp.

 

Three cheers for getting those little letters aligned. I can tell you that it is probably best to start with an image that doesn't have words - LOL! Yes, I believe I stamped this three times to get it perfect. I kept getting distracted and would bump my positioner - OOPS.

The background was created using the Shimmer Sheetz technique taught here.

 

This project is a combination of the Black Velvet and Emboss, Rub and Buff.

 

This time I wanted to see if I could get a "whiter" image. I "inked" my stamp with a Snow Cap Adirondack Dabber and stamped my image.

 

Make certain your image is lined up exactly!

 

Spritz, scribble with Gelato combination and spritz again.
 

Stamp... SHIMMERY MAGIC happens!!!

Hmm - where are those black lights - LOL!

Yes, this is a LOT of information in one post, so please come back and revisit this post as needed. Get out your old favorites, add in a few new fun products and you will be thrilled with the results!
 
Faber-Castell Gelatos - Metallic Colors Set of 4 and Metallic Set of 2

stamps: Memory Box Cocoa Bean and Wonderland Butterflies, Leaf Canopy; Tim Holtz Papillon and Holiday Wishes; Hero Arts Silhouette Vase

ink: Palette New Canvas, Distress Embossing Ink

paper: Black Cardstock, Black Glossy Cardstock, Memory Box Ocean, Hyacinth, Peony, Squash and Wheat Grass Cardstock

accessories: Tropical Paisley Embossing Folder, Glitter Ritz - Rose Copper and Black, Iridescent Blue Shimmer Sheetz, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Adirondack Snow Cap Dabber, Prima Vintage Trinket Charm, Grid Blocks, Fanciful Accoutrements, Black Pearl and Rhinestone Charms, 1/4" White Silk Ribbon (use this with Copics and Distress Stains to easily coordinate with your projects!), Lavendar 1 1/4" Silk Ribbon, Be Creative Tape - 4 1/2", 1/2" and 1/4", Tim Holtz Lavish Trimmings, Inkssentials Mister, EK Success Open Scallop Punch