Inchie INKlings

A Spring Umbrella by Lisa Strahl

Wow!  How can I begin to thank you for that warm welcome?  Talk about warm fuzzies.  XOXO  Your encouragement can only mean one thing...it means that I am going to work REALLY hard for you!

Today's design features two Itty Bitty stamps by Lockhart - the Umbrella and Escargot.  I worked on the umbrella first and then decided that the background paper for the card needed to be "raining" something - how about snails?!!  We'll get to the snails in just a minute.  First, details on the inchie:

Begin by stamping the IB Umbrella on one of the solid green pieces in the Kioshi 6x6 Paper Pad (Basic Grey) with Coffee Archival Ink (Ranger).  Fussy cut out the top portion with Cutterbee Detail Scissors.  Stamp the image again on the green and orange plaid piece in the same pack.

Punch out the image stamped on the plaid paper with the 1 inch square punch.  Cut a piece of Sticky Back Canvas with the Labels 12 Die (Spellbinders).  This die cuts the PERFECT layer for your inchie!

Paper piece your green umbrella top onto the umbrella stamped on the plaid paper with the Quickie Glue Pen.  Fill in the handle of the brelly with Opaque White Gel Pen (Ranger).

Embellish the two stripes with Clear and Orange Spica Glitter Pens.  I can't emphasize enough the shimmer that these pens produce.  They have micro glass flakes for maximum sparkle.

 

Apply Glossy Accents over the entire brella top.

 

Stamp the Escargot with Peach Bellini Adirondack Ink (Ranger) on another green piece of solid paper from the Kioshi 6x6 Paper Pad and layer onto Mango Cardstock (Memory Box).

Punch Solar White Cardstock (Neenah) with the Thanks Edge Punch (Martha Stewart) and apply 1/8 inch double sided tape to the back side.

Final Details:

-die cut Thin Real Wood Birch with Labels Twelve to create another layer for your inchie; cut a thin strip of wood and adhere to the left of the thanks punch border

-add a small Mango Pearl to the top of the brelly

-add small clear jewels in every other hole on punched strip

-finished card size is 3.75 x 3.75 inches

Inchingly Yours, Lisa

P.S.  Check back Thursday to play along with our very first Sketch Challenge!

utee inchie pear magnets by cindy lyles

 

CLUE #7

Take your first hint from within this post and go back to the store to find a "hot" product "to dye for", it will make you "melt" even during this chilly time of year.

ETA: Direct Link to Clue #8

Today's post encases Inchies in small, clear wafers to create durable magnets.  I've wanted to encapsulate treasured Inchies in a functional manner, yet still be able to touch and handle the Inchies on a whim.

Lockhart Stamp Company's IB Pear image was stamped onto a 7/8" square of white cardstock and colored with Copic markers. Image was stamped again onto script paper and cut out.  Small scale red script paper (both papers - 7gypsies) decorated the white square, and the edges of both pear cutout and 7/8" white square were delicately sponged with Distress Vintage Photo ink with an ink blending tool. 

Adhere pear cutout to square, then mount the 7/8" decorated white square onto a 1" Black Inchie Square.

Prepare heat-resistant silicone ice cube tray by centering a neodymium (or other, strong) magnet into a well.  If using a neodymium magnet I suggest doing one Inchie magnet at a time or at the very least space them several wells apart, as the pull force of the these magnets is incredible.  One of these magnets can support fifteen sheets of paper easily.

Add Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel (utee) combined with UTEE Flex - a hardener, making the final product quite sturdy - into a Melting Pot (utee, flex, melting pot: Ranger) on the highest setting.  Cover, and allow the granular products to melt completely.

Pour melted utee mix over magnet in ice cube tray until just barely covered. 

Working quickly while utee is still molten, insert completed Inchie and tap firmly into place.  Pour a thin layer of utee over top of Inchie.  The photo above shows the air bubbles that natually occur.  To eliminate these, use a preheated heat tool (turn on your heat gun and let run about 10 seconds to warm up) to gingerly to pop the surface air bubbles.

Should the intial layer of utee harden, you can easily re-liquify it using your heat tool.

Allow utee Inchie to cool then gently pop from ice cube tray.

I created another Inchie using the same red script paper and a White Inchie Square, then colored with Copic markers. The base is a 1-1/4" square of Memory Box Licorice cardstock.  The process was repeated to create a second magnet.

 

Immediately upon removing each utee Inchie, carefully pop out the magnet with a hobby blade or other sharp implement.  Use superglue to re-attach the magnet and secure it permanently.

Inchies from A-Z: C is for... continued

C is for Clay

It has been a long time since I stamped in clay, but I knew that making Inchies out of clay would be an absolute blast! One of the easiest and readily available types of clay to use is Creative Paperclay. I believe I purchased mine from Michaels. It is simple to use being you do not need a special oven to bake it dry - it will air dry!

 

To create the Inchie above I rolled out a small piece of clay to the depth of approximately 1/8". I then cut it into a 1" square. To smooth any rough edges on the square I moistened my fingertip and ran it around the edge. Next I stamped the Spanish Script backgrounder into the surface by gently laying the backgrounder face down atop my Inchie and lightly pressing evenly over the Inchie. I then used my paper piercer to locate holes in the bottom right hand corner for the mini-brads I knew I wanted to add once the clay had dried.

I stamped the IB Pear in to the excess cut-off clay and then cut around the edge with my Retractable blade knife. I also smoothed these edges with my damp finger. These pieces were then set aside to dry overnight. I did go back several times throughout the evening to make certain that the clay was drying flat.

This morning I added color to my white clay Inchie. I am SO loving the airbrush! I put my Y21 marker in and quickly airbrushed the white square. I then used my Blending Tool along with Vintage Photo Distress Ink to darken the edges. The pear was airbrushed with YR24. The highlight was created with my Special Y21 Light marker. The leaf was then colored with YG63 and YG00. E57 was used for the stem. To attach the pear to the background I used Matte Inkssentials glue.

I think that this could make an absolutely charming piece of artwork when mounted to a larger surface. Perhaps I'll have to give that a whirl next Ü