the CLASSroom

In Detail: Product Reviews & News – Gift Tags by Jean Manis

This week’s In Detail post focuses on Gift Tags. I’m sharing several ways to create custom-made gift tags.

Before we get started, tags mean different things to papercrafters. Perhaps you’ve created a technique tag in a class, or for your own reference, with instructions for or descriptions of the technique written on the back of the tag. Many of the examples I show in the In Detail posts were created with #8 Manila tags on which I note key details on the back.

There’s also the “art tag” in which the creation is not dissimilar to a card; the tag is simply a different canvas than a card front. The tags showcased in the 12 Days of Feminine Tags series, which will run again in the CLASSroom this December, would be considered art tags.

The “real estate” on a gift tag is more limited than on an art tag. With that in mind, I wanted to explore ways to create interest in a limited amount of space without a lot of labor.

Pattern Paper & Pre-Printed Sentiments

An easy and quick custom gift tag can be created with patterned papers that include pre-printed sentiments.

With the tag dies from the Lawn Cuts Tag You're It set and the Lawn Fawn Petite Peace Joy Love Paper Pack, I cut a preprinted “to”/”from” element and a background paper, finishing the tag with Lawn Fawn Peppermint Hemp Cord. With just one sheet in the pad you can create eight different front tags.

Heat-Embossed One-Layer

No time to color a stamped image? Heat embossing is a way to add interest to a one-layer tag.

For the tag on the left, I stamped a sentiment and image from the Essentials by Ellen Tis the Season by Julie Ebersole set at the same time using the Fiskars Compact Stamp Press and then heat embossed. The second tag was created in the same manner with an image from the same set and a sentiment from Essentials by Ellen Cozy Christmas by Julie Ebersole.

Inlaid Die Cutting

Another fun way to add interest to a gift tag is with an inlaid die cut. (I described the technique in this In Detail post.) I nested the largest snowflake from the Penny Black Crystal Trio Snowflake set inside the tag from the My Favorite Things Die-namics Tag Builder Blueprints 1 set (see this In Detail post for more on that set) and cut the tag with my Big Shot.

I also cut a snowflake from white cardstock and replaced the Jawbreaker one. I stamped and heat embossed a Penny Black sentiment from Joy Filled.

In a similar manner, I used the Lawn Cuts Forest Border to cut Gumdrop and white cardstock.

After piecing the white sky with the green forest border, I taped the pieces on the back and cut the tag with the Lawn Cuts Tag You're It large tag die. I added a sentiment cut with the Lawn Cuts Scripty Joy to finish off the tag.

Add Dimension

Use dimension and metallic accents to add impact. I stamped and heat embossed the snowflake from Hero Arts Let It Snow set and cut it with its coordinating die cut.

I adhered the snowflake with dimensional adhesive to a tag cut from Curious Metallic Galvanized Cardstock using the Hero Arts Long and Cute Tags set. I heat embossed the tag with a sentiment from the same Hero Arts stamp and die set.

The Sizzix Snowfall and Falling Trees Embossing Folders by Tim Holtz can be used to add dimension and still leave room for a stamped sentiment. I cut a tag with the Lawn Cuts Tag You're It set and strategically placed it inside the Falling Trees embossing folder leaving plenty of room for the sentiment.

I stamped and heat embossed the tag with a sentiment from the Lawn Fawn Winter Gifts set (which coordinates with the Tag You’re It die set).

Personalize It

Want to mass-produce a tag, but at the same time add personalization? I stamped and heat embossed the Lawn Fawn Winter Gifts “from” sentiment with letters from Lawn Fawn Milo's ABCs to personalize the back of a tag. I lined up the sentiment and letters on the Fiskars Compact Stamp Press.

For the tag front, I used the inlaid technique with the Lawn Cuts Scripty Joy die.

Copic Coloring

The Lawn Fawn Winter Penguin and corresponding die Lawn Cuts Winter Penguin make it easy to add a Copic-colored element to a tag. 

I cut the tag with the Lawn Cuts Tag You're It set from patterned paper in the Lawn Fawn Petite Peace Joy Love Paper Pack. I also used the tag die to cut white cardstock that had been cut with the Lawn Cuts Stitched Hillside Border set and stamped with a sentiment from the Lawn Fawn Winter Gifts set. I attached the snowy hill to the patterned paper tag and added the penguin with dimensional adhesive.

For these examples, I simply finished off the tags with twine. Obviously ribbons, bells and other embellishments could be added for even more texture, color, sparkle and shine!

--Jean

Lawn Cuts Dies, Tag You're It	My Favorite Things Die-namics, Tag Builder Blueprints 1	Hero Arts Frame Cuts Dies, Long and Cute Tags	Essentials by Ellen Clear Stamps, Tis the Season by Julie Ebersole
Essentials by Ellen Clear Stamps, Cozy Christmas by Julie Ebersole	Penny Black Clear Stamps, Joy Filled	Penny Black Dies, Crystal Trio	Hero Arts Stamp & Cuts, Let It Snow
Lawn Cuts Dies, Scripty Joy	Lawn Cuts Dies, Forest Border	Lawn Fawn Clear Stamps, Winter Gifts	Lawn Fawn Clear Stamps, Milo's ABCs
Lawn Cuts Dies, Winter Penguin	Lawn Fawn Clear Stamps, Winter Penguin	Lawn Cuts Dies, Stitched Hillside Border	Sizzix Textured Effects Embossing Folder, Snowfall and Falling Trees by Tim Holtz
Lawn Fawn Petite Paper Pack, Peace Joy Love	Bazzill Card Shoppe Cardstock, Wax Lips, 10 pk	Bazzill Card Shoppe Cardstock, Lollipop, 25 pk	Bazzill Card Shoppe Cardstock, Gumdrop, 25 pk
Bazzill Card Shoppe Cardstock, Jawbreaker, 10 pk	Curious Metallic, Galvanized Cardstock	Bazzill Card Shoppe Cardstock, Peppermint, 10 pk	Lawn Fawn Hemp Cord, Silver Sparkle Single Cord
Prima Marketing Wax Cord, Papaya	Lawn Fawn Hemp Cord, Single Spool Peppermint	Copic Sketch Markers	VersaMark Ink Pad
White Embossing Powder	Hero Arts Embossing Powder, Silver	Fiskars Compact Stamp Press	A Cardstock, Neenah Heavyweight, Classic Crest Solar White 110 lb, 25 pk
Sizzix Big Shot Machine, Powder Blue & Teal

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In Detail: Product Reviews & News – Adding Silver and Gold to Your Projects by Jean Manis

Welcome to another In Detail post. With the holidays around the corner, I thought it would be fun to take a look at a few of the many silver and gold products in the Ellen Hutson store with which to add shimmer and shine to your papercrafting projects.

Inks

Let’s start the exploration by looking at metallic inks. With the Hero Arts Winter Sparkle Background stamp, I stamped Hero Arts Shadow Silver and Gold Inks on Neenah cardstock. 

I stamped the same image in Delicata Silvery Shimmer and Golden Glitz. 

On white, the Hero Arts inks give a subtle effect, especially the Gold, whereas the Delicata Golden Glitz really stands out. 

When I stamped the Hero Arts Shadow Silver ink on Bazzill Licorice cardstock, I found the results to be different. The black cardstock allowed the subtlety of the shadow ink to work effectively.

Although the Delicata Silvery Shimmer stamped on black has good coverage, the effect does not rival that of the Hero Arts ink.

Embossing Powders

Let’s move on to embossing powders.  I stamped sentiments from Essentials by Ellen Merry & Bright by Julie Ebersole with VersaMark ink and heat embossed on Bazzill Licorice cardstock with the following powders: Ranger Super Fine Gold, Ranger Super Fine Silver, Hero Arts Gold and Hero Arts Silver.

I also stamped a sentiment from the Essentials by Ellen Brushstroke Christmas by Julie Ebersole set and embossed with both the Ranger and Hero Arts powders.

For heat embossing, the Ranger Super Fine powders provide a titch more detail than the Hero Arts ones. Colorwise the Ranger and Hero Arts powders are comparable. (For more on metallic embossing powders, this In Detail post may be of interest.)

Cardstock & Paper

There are several paper and cardstock options to add silver or gold to a papercrafting project. 

With the Brushstroke Peace die I cut American Crafts Pow! Glitter Paper in Gold and Silver. Described as ultra-thin and lightweight, I found it necessary to use a metal adaptor to get the die to cut cleanly through the paper. The glitter is imbedded in the paper rather than glued onto the surface.

With the Chickaniddy foil papers (Goldie Lox and Silver Surfer), it was best to cut without the metal adaptor.

The Curious Metallic Cardstock (90#) in Gold Leaf and Galvanized (a silver color) adds a metallic accent that’s more subtle than either the glitter or foil papers. 

The glitter paper adds the most sparkle and the foil paper adds the most shine. Of the three, the Curious Metallics cardstock, which adds a subtle metallic accent, is the one best suited to create a card base because of its weight.

Sprays & Mists

I sprayed Tarnished Brass through the Penny Black Snow Dance Stencil on Bazzill Licorice cardstock creating a shimmery background. (In this In Detail post, I reviewed the Distress Ink Spray Stains including Ranger Distress Brushed Pewter Spray Stain and Tarnished Brass.)

Sequins

I discussed sequins in this In Detail post that included the combination of Pretty Pink Posh 6mm Flat Silver Stars with Pretty Pink Posh 6mm Gold Circle Confetti sequins.

Put It All Together

After playing with the various products, I created several cards, combining the metallic materials.

For the first project, I used the Memory Box Cabrini Ornament die to cut American Crafts Pow! Silver paper, Curious Metallics Gold Leaf and Galvanized cardstock, piecing the ornament together in the method I described in this In Detail post. I chose the cardstock for its stability. If using the glitter or foil papers, I recommend cutting the ornament outline out of solid cardstock and adhering the paper to it. I stamped and heat embossed a sentiment from Penny Black Nature's Friend in Ranger Super Fine Silver embossing powder on a rectangle panel, cut with the Pretty Pink Posh stitched rectangle from the Duo 2 set. I adhered the rectangle to a Curious Metallics Galvanized card base.

For the second card I combined the Brushstroke Peace die cut from Silver glitter paper and a sentiment from the Essentials by Ellen Brushstroke Christmas by Julie Ebersole set embossed with Hero Arts Silver powder on a vellum strip. (I adhered several die cuts for the peace sentiment.) The card base was created by spraying Ranger Distress Brushed Pewter Spray Stain through the Tim Holtz Festive stencil on Bazzill Licorice cardstock. 

That wraps up an exploration covering a just a few of the ways to add sparkle and shine to your papercrafting projects. 

What metallic accents do you reach for when papercrafting?

--Jean

 

Hero Arts DesignBlock, Winter Sparkle	Essentials by Ellen Clear Stamps, Merry & Bright by Julie Ebersole	Essentials by Ellen Clear Stamps, Brushstroke Christmas by Julie Ebersole	Essentials by Ellen Designer Dies, Brushstroke Peace by Julie Ebersole
Memory Box Dies, Cabrini Ornament	Penny Black Clear Stamps, Nature's Friend	Hero Arts Shadow Ink, Gold	Hero Arts Shadow Ink: Silver
Delicata Ink Pad, Golden Glitz	Delicata Ink Pad, Silvery Shimmer	Ranger Super Fine Embossing Powder, Gold	Ranger Super Fine Embossing Powder, 1 oz. Silver
Hero Arts Embossing Powder, Gold	Hero Arts Embossing Powder, Silver	VersaMark Ink Pad	American Crafts, Pow! Glitter Paper, 12x12 Gold, 2 pk
American Crafts, Pow! Glitter Paper, 12x12 Silver Solid, 2 pk	Chickaniddy 12x12 Foil Paper, Goldie Lox	Chickaniddy 12x12 Foil Paper, Silver Surfer	Curious Metallic, Gold Leaf Cardstock
Curious Metallic, Galvanized Cardstock	Tim Holtz Stencils, Festive	Ranger Distress Spray Stain, Tarnished Brass	Ranger Distress Spray Stain, Brushed Pewter
Bazzill Card Shoppe Cardstock, Licorice Twist, 10 pk	A Cardstock, Neenah Heavyweight, Classic Crest Solar White 110 lb, 25 pk	Sizzix Big Shot Machine, Powder Blue & Teal	Sizzix Accessory, Magnetic Platform for Wafer-Thin Dies
Memory Box Dies, Metal Adaptor Plate

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In Detail: Product Reviews & News – Distress Ink Spray Stains by Jean Manis

Welcome! In this In Detail segment, I’ll be discussing the recently released Ranger Distress Ink Spray Stains.

The In Detail posts on Spray Mists, Make-Your-Own Mists, and Stencils may be of interest. The topics “Misting Basics” and “Spraying through Stencils” are covered in the Spray Mists post.

The Distress Spray Stains (1.9 oz.) are available in 24 colors, including white and 3 metallics, from the Distress color palette. These water-based dye inks, also water-reactive, are intended for use on paper and porous surfaces. The white and metallic bottles include a mixing ball, whereas the other colors do not.

Spraying through Stencils

To test one of the color sprays, I sprayed Ranger Distress Mustard Seed Spray Stain through the Crafter’s Workshop Chunky Chevron stencil. 

The spray provided an even mist with a few large drops. The formula for the color sprays is more like that of the Dylusions sprays than the Studio Calico or Hero Arts sprays, (these products were reviewed in Spray Mists). The Distress Spray Stain saturates the paper rather than sits on its surface.

To test one of the metallic colors, I sprayed Ranger Distress Brushed Pewter Spray Stain through the Tim Holtz Stars stencil on red cardstock. 

Again, the spray provided an even mist with a few large drops. Due to its opacity, the metallic spray sits more on the surface than the color sprays.

I sprayed the Distress Picket Fence Spray Stain through the Tim Holtz Holiday Knit stencil on red cardstock. 

Yet again, the spray provided an even mist with only a few large drops. Like the metallic sprays, the white spray sits more on the surface than the color sprays.

Adding Splatters

My next test was to remove the nozzles of the sprays and tap the product onto cardstock squares.

The drops from the Tarnished Brass, Brushed Pewter, and Picket Fence stay on the top of the paper, while those from Barn Door, Mowed Lawn, and Mustard Seed spread considerably and soak into the paper. 

Emboss Resist

On #5 Manila tags, I stamped and heat-embossed a sentiment from the Essentials by Ellen Brushstroke Christmas by Julie Ebersole. I sprayed three tags with Distress Spray Stains in Mowed Lawn, Evergreen Bough, and Barn Door and swiped with a paper towel. 

The sprays provided good coverage without soaking the tag too much. 

Combining Mists

Just as I did in the Spray Mists post, in which I used Dylusions sprays, I sprayed two Distress Spray Stains–Mowed Lawn and Peacock Feathers–onto a manila tag and rolled with a paper towel roll. This is an easy way to create a background. The key is to avoid combining colors that are opposites on the color wheel–red/green, blue/orange, yellow/purple–because the color created with the combination will muddy.

Painting with Sprays

I used the Barn Door and Mowed Lawn Spray Stains to paint a stamped Tim Holtz poinsettia image. I simply sprayed the colors into small disposable cups and used a Tim Holtz water brush, without any water, to apply the sprays full-strength to the image. While I wasn’t using the spray to watercolor, but rather just to color, the image, the spray stains could be used for watercolor.

Stamping with Distress Picket Fence Spray Stain

Since the Picket Fence Spray Stain is opaque rather than transparent, it can be used for stamping with the Dylusions Ink Spray Pad. I heavily sprayed a section of the pad with the Picket Fence Spray Stain. I concentrated the spray in one section, slightly larger than the stamp I was using, as I didn’t want to use the entire bottle on the ink pad! I stamped the same image with Memento Luxe Wedding Dress ink and with the spray ink on black tags. 

Although I would not use this method on a regular basis, the Picket Fence Spray Stain can be used for stamping.

Custom Blends with Distress Picket Fence Spray Stain

In the Make-Your-Own Mists post, I discussed the ability to mix Dylusions Ink Spray White Linen with other sprays in the Dylusions line. I wanted to test the mixability of the Distress Picket Fence Spray Stain. With a Studio Calico eye dropper, I added two droppersfuls of the Picket Fence Spray Stain and one-quarter dropper of Distress Peacock Feathers Spray Stain to a Mini Mister bottle to make a light teal spray. 

The resulting mist, which I sprayed through the Dylusions Floral Medley stencil, yielded a subtly-colored, opaque image. By design, the Distress Spray Stains coordinate with the Distress color palette and therefore lacked the vibrancy of the Dylusions mists.

Creating "Watercolor" Backgrounds

For my final test, I sprayed Mowed Lawn and Peacock Feathers Spray Stains onto my craft sheet and swiped a panel of watercolor paper through the sprayed areas. (I use a similar method to apply Distress Ink to watercolor paper for a background by smooshing the Distress Ink pads onto the craft sheet and misting with water. By the way, the Dylusions sprays can be used in the same manner.)

While I wouldn’t purchase the Distress Spray Stains specifically for this technique, it’s nice to know it’s an option.

Thanks for joining me today. I hope you've enjoyed this exploration of the new Ranger Distress Spray Stains. 

--Jean

 

Ranger Distress Spray Stain, Tarnished Brass	Ranger Distress Spray Stain, Peacock Feathers	Ranger Distress Spray Stain, Mustard Seed	Ranger Distress Spray Stain, Picket Fence
Ranger Distress Spray Stain, Mowed Lawn	Ranger Distress Spray Stain, Evergreen Bough	Ranger Distress Spray Stain, Brushed Pewter	Ranger Distress Spray Stain, Barn Door
Inkssentials Surfaces, Black Tag #5	Inkssentials Surfaces, Manila Tag #5	Inkssentials Surfaces, Manila Tag #8	Crafter's Workshop Templates, 6x6 Chunky Chevron
Tim Holtz Stencils, Stars	Tim Holtz Stencils, Holiday Knit	Dylusions Stencil, Floral Medley 5x8	Tim Holtz Cling Stamps, Handwritten Holidays 2
Essentials by Ellen Clear Stamps, Brushstroke Christmas by Julie Ebersole	Tim Holtz Cling Stamps, Mini Blueprint 7	Watercolor Paper, 10 pk	Bazzill Card Shoppe Cardstock, Licorice Twist, 10 pk
Bazzill Card Shoppe Cardstock, Peppermint, 10 pk	VersaMark Ink Pad	Ranger Super Fine Embossing Powder, 1 oz. Clear	Archival Ink Pad, Jet Black
Non-Stick Craft Sheet	Tim Holtz Water Brush, Detailer Brush Nib	Studio Calico Mister Huey's Droppers	Mini Mister, Individual

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In Detail: Product Reviews & News – Sequins and a Shaker Card by Jean Manis

Welcome to another In Detail post. This week I’m talking about Sequins and Shaker Cards.

First I’ll take a look at a selection of the sequins available in the Ellen Hutson shop, including those that are pre-blended and those sold individually, which can be custom mixed. (You'll find sequins as a category under Embellishments in the storefront.) Then I’ll put together a shaker card from start to finish, using the Impression Obsession Christmas Tree Cutout die set and a sentiment from the just-released Essentials by Ellen Merry and Bright by Julie Ebersole die set.

To begin, I looked through the storefront searching for a variety of sequins considering color, shape and size. With the upcoming holidays in mind, I focused on metallic and holiday colors.

If you’re interested in a sequin set that has already been “blended” for the holidays, consider the Pretty Pink Posh Classic Christmas Mix with 6mm flat sequins in red, green and gold.

With Halloween on the horizon, there’s the Taylored Expressions Hocus Pocus mix of cupped sequins designed to coordinate with the Hocus Pocus collection including a 6 x 6 paper pad and kit.

Looking for some variety in terms of shape? The American Crafts WOW! Christmas 1 Glitter Shapes set includes four tubes containing evergreen trees, snowflakes, gingerbread people and candy canes. There are two colors for each shape. For example, there are white and red candy canes and silver and white snowflakes. The Christmas 2 set (not shown) includes presents, stockings, lightbulbs and reindeer.

Moving onto non-blended sequins, the Doodlebug Rainbow Assortment offers sequins in twelve colors; there are six shades of color in matte, clear and opalescent finishes in each of the containers. 

Let’s make some mixes. For the first, I’ve combined Pretty Pink Posh 6mm Flat Silver Stars with red and green sequins from the Doodlebug Rainbow Assortment.

For the next, I mixed the Pretty Pink Posh 6mm Flat Silver Stars with the Pretty Pink Posh 6mm Gold Circle Confetti sequins.

I mixed the trees from the American Crafts WOW! Christmas 1 Glitter Shapes set (the trees come in two shades of green) with sparkling clear sequins in 4mm, 6mm and 8mm from the Pretty Pink Posh Exclusive Ellen Hutson Mix.

Finally, with a color scheme that could work for New Year’s, I mixed Pretty Pink Posh 4mm and 6mm gold cupped sequins with purple ones from the Doodlebug Rainbow Assortment.

As you can see, it’s easy to mix color, shape and size for unique combinations. 

Before we get started on the shaker card, I want to show you the die set I’ll be using. The Impression Obsession Christmas Tree Cutout die set includes three tree designs, a star and a tree outline.

The three tree designs do not cut on the outside line. The outline die cuts on the outside.

The tree designs can be cut with the outline die or can be used for the knock-out technique, as described in the In Detail article on Die Cutting Techniques. 

I wanted to use the knock out technique on the interior of my shaker card. While I could have simply backed the die cut with a piece of cardstock, I was concerned that the edges of the die cut could trap sequins, so I chose the easiest of the three patterns to create an inlaid background. Inlaid die cutting is also covered in the aforementioned In Detail article on Die Cutting Techniques.

To begin the shaker card, I die cut a rectangle with the Stitched Rectangle die (4" x 5 ¼"), from the My Favorite Things Blueprints 13 set. (I discussed this die set in this In Detail post.) I then centered the tree outline on the rectangle and die cut it.

Next I cut the tree design from green cardstock and again from a white cardstock panel, into which I planned to inlay the green pieces.

A section at a time, I replaced the white pieces with the corresponding green ones. I taped the back of the panel to secure the pieces at each step.

Once the tree was fully inlaid into the white panel, I adhered an acetate panel (from a Hero Arts Acetate Card) with Be Creative tape to the card front panel cut with the tree outline die.

Next I adhered 1/4" Foam Mounting tape along the perimeter of the tree outline in order to form a container for the sequins.

I added red candy canes and silver snowflakes from the American Crafts WOW! Christmas 1 Glitter Shapes set to the inlaid panel and then carefully placed the card panel on top.

Before we finish the card, I want to show you the signature packaging for the Essentials by Ellen Stamp Sets and Dies, which includes a durable clear envelope and labeled card stock backer for convenient storage and organization. The die storage features an attached magnetic sheet, to ensure that even the smallest of your dies is stored securely!

The Essentials by Ellen Magnetic Die Storage can be purchased separately in packages of 25.

To finish my card, I used the merry die to cut a sentiment for the card front panel out of gold foil. I also cut a star (included in the Christmas Tree Cutout die set) from the foil to put on top of the tree. I attached the completed card panel to a card base made from Neenah Heavy-weight Cardstock.

I hope you've enjoyed this exploration of sequin options, as well as this tutorial on how to make an inlaid shaker card!

--Jean

Pretty Pink Posh Sequins, 6 mm Flat Mix, Classic Christmas	Taylored Expression Sequins, Hocus Pocus	American Crafts WOW! Glitter Shapes, Christmas 1	Doodlebug Sequins, Rainbow Assortment
Pretty Pink Posh Sequins, 6 mm Flat, Silver Stars	Pretty Pink Posh Sequins, 6 mm Circle Confetti, Gold	Pretty Pink Posh Sequins, Exclusive Ellen Hutson Mix (4mm, 6mm & 8mm), Sparkling Clear	Pretty Pink Posh Sequins, 4mm Cupped, Metallic Gold
Pretty Pink Posh Sequins, 6 mm Cupped, Metallic Gold	Impression Obsession Dies, Christmas Tree Cutout	My Favorite Things Die-namics, Blueprints 13	Essentials by Ellen Designer Dies, Merry and Bright by Julie Ebersole
Essentials by Ellen Magnetic Die Storage, 25pk	Bazzill Card Shoppe Cardstock, Wax Lips, 10 pk	Bazzill Card Shoppe Cardstock, Gumdrop, 25 pk	A Cardstock, Neenah Heavyweight, Classic Crest Solar White 110 lb, 25 pk
Pebbles Jen Hadfield Homemade, 12x12 Gold Foil	Hero Arts Folded Cards, Acetate	Be Creative Tape, 5mm (1/4")	Copic Double-Sided Foam Mounting Tape, 1/4-inch
Sizzix Big Shot Machine, Powder Blue & Teal	Sizzix Accessory, Magnetic Platform for Wafer-Thin Dies

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In Detail: Product Reviews & News – Imaginisce Milk Paint by Jean Manis

In this In Detail post, I’m reviewing the recently introduced Milk Paint by Imaginisce. I’m sharing my tips on how to mix the paint, as well as the materials for which I think it is best suited.

Traditional milk paint is made up of milk protein, lime and natural pigments to color the paint. Imaginisce Milk Paint is a non-toxic, powder-based paint that works on any porous surface; its main ingredient is powdered milk.

You will find the Imaginisce Milk Paint in the Ellen Hutson store under “Arts Supplies/Other”. Individual bottles, sold in 1.1 oz. bottles, are available in Black, Blue, Brown, Gray, Green, Light Gray, Pastel Blue, Pastel Green, Pastel Pink, Red, White and Yellow. Sets of two 1.1 oz. bottles are sold in the following pairs: Black & Brown, Blue & Yellow, Pastel Blue & Pastel Green, Pastel Pink & Light Gray, Red & Green, and White & Gray.

The product is VOC-free, cleans up extremely easily with water and dries quickly. The advantage of the powdered form is that you only use how much you need. Mixed paint can be refrigerated for up to two weeks. The directions on the product box say “mix 1 part powder with 2 parts water.” You can mix thicker for a heavier coat or lighter for a stain.

I measured a small amount of the red paint from the Red & Green set with a plastic measuring spoon into a disposable cup.

Per the package instructions, I added two parts water to the cup.

I mixed with a bristle brush I have had many years, used primarily for projects with my sons when they were younger.

I mixed until the powder was dissolved.

To begin, I painted the Maya Road Wood Shipping Tags with the paints. After testing the Milk Paint on wood, Craft-a-Board, grunge board, and glass (those other tests follow), I would be most likely to paint wooden items with the Milk Paint. You can find wood items in the Ellen Hutson store under “Alterable Items/Wood”.

 

The darker colors covered better than the lighter ones. For all colors, at least two coats of paint would be needed for a finished product. I found the one part paint/two parts water ratio to be too watery. For a more even finish, use foam paint brushes (available in craft stores) for application.

I stamped sentiments from Tim Holtz Handwritten Holidays 1 and Handwritten Holidays 2 on the red and green tags with Adirondack Pigment Ink. The red tag had two coats of paint whereas the green on did not.

I’ve been pinning Mason jar projects the last couple of months and had a painted Mason jar in mind when I started working with the Imaginisce Milk Paint. Although the product’s description reads “works on any porous surface,” I still wanted to test the glass jar. From what I had read about painting Mason jars, it is best to spray paint first with a white paint. I tested the red Milk Paint on both an unpainted and a spray-painted jar.

I left the pre-painted jar to dry.

The unpainted jar took the paint, but after one coat I didn’t like the appearance. I was able to wash off the paint almost completely from the jar with warm water and a little dish soap.

Going back to the pre-painted jar, I thought it needed a second coat. After the second coat dried, there was some buckling and cracking of the paint.

 

I wouldn’t buy the Milk Paint expressly for the purpose of painting Mason jars, but it is possibly to use the paint for this purpose. Starting with a spray-painted jar and using two coats gave the best results. 

Next, I wanted to test how well the Milk Paint could be mixed for custom colors. I added yellow powder from the Milk Paint Blue & Yellow set to my mixture of red paint. I added water as needed for the right consistency. The result was a pumpkin color.

I painted the orange paint on top of the two coats of red paint already on the Mason jar. 

After the paint dried, I distressed it with a PolyShrink sanding block. I wasn’t pleased with the way the paint chipped off around the letters, but I was interested to see how easily the paint could be sanded.

With the orange paint already mixed up, I painted leaves cut with the Tim Holtz Sizzix Mini Tattered Leaves dies (now discontinued) from Craft-a-Board and grunge board. I also pre-painted leaves cut from both materials with gesso, as I wanted to find out whether doing so would be of any benefit. 

The leaves that had not been painted with gesso had more uniform coverage than those that had been painted with the gesso.

For comparison, I painted another set of leaves with Tim Holtz Distress Paint in Wild Honey. The color is not similar to the pumpkin I custom mixed, but it was the only autumn color I owned. The Distress Paint is a water-based, acrylic with a matte finish. Compared to the Milk Paint finish, the Distress Paint is satiny as the Milk Paint finish is chalky.

With the red and green paints from the Red & Green set I painted wreaths and bows cut with the Tim Holtz Sizzix Mini Wreath & Bow dies.

The green mixture was more watery than the orange mixture (which I had used on the leaves) resulting in less even coverage. These would need another coat of paint before using on a finished project. Again, the items without gesso took the paint better than those pre-painted with the gesso.

For comparison, I painted the wreath with Distress Paint in Peeled Paint and the bow with Distress Paint in Festive Berries.

Imaginisce Milk Paint works especially well on wooden items. The powdered form allows one to mix only what is needed for a project. It's non-toxic, dries quickly and cleans easily with water. 

Have you tried the Milk Paint? If so, for what type of projects have you used it?

Before I go, here's a sneak of one of my projects using the new Essentials by Ellen Stamps and Dies. This one features the Christmas Scribbles Stamp Set and the Treat Yo Self Die Set! These products will be fully revealed and available for ordering on October 4th, World Card-making Day!

--Jean

Imaginisce Milk Paint, Set of 2, Blue & Yellow	Imaginisce Milk Paint, Set of 2, Red & Green	Imaginisce Milk Paint, Set of 2, White & Gray	Sizzix Tim Holtz, Movers & Shapers Magnetic Die Set, Mini Wreath & Bow
Maya Road Wood Shipping Tags	Tim Holtz, Grungeboard, Plain 5x8 Sheets, 10 pk	Essentials by Ellen: Craft-a-Board 6x12, 12 pk	Cosmo Cricket Show Toppers, Clip Top Lid, White with White Clip
Distress Paint, Wild Honey	Distress Paint, Peeled Paint	Distress Paint, Festive Berries	Tim Holtz Cling Stamps, Handwritten Holidays 2
Tim Holtz Cling Stamps, Handwritten Holidays 1	Adirondack Pigment Ink Pad, Pitch Black	Dina Media Gesso, White, 2 oz.

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In Detail: Product Reviews & News – Die Cutting Techniques by Jean Manis

Welcome back to another installment of In Detail. Today, I’m taking another look at die cuts, specifically dies suitable for the negative, inlay, knock-out, window and selective-cut techniques. I’ve chosen dies to illustrate these techniques with the upcoming holidays in mind.

For many of the examples, I’m using a 4" tag die from either the My Favorite Things Die-namics Tag Builder Blueprints 1 set or the Pretty Pink Posh Stitched Duo 1 set; I reviewed the sets in this In Detail post.

Negative Technique

Let’s start with dies that work well for the negative technique. For this technique, look for a solid image that’s easily recognizable, such as the Savvy Woodland Deer.

To create the tag, I nested the deer die inside the Pretty Pink Posh tag die and ran the combination through my Big Shot, cutting the tag out of white cardstock. I also cut the tag separately out of red cardstock and put the white tag on top of the red tag. The tags could be left separate, as shown, or adhered together. The combination could be used on a gift package or added to a card.

I used the same technique with the largest die in the Penny Black Crystal Trio Snowflake set (the dies can be snipped apart), cutting the snowflake inside the My Favorite Things tag die.

In both cases, you’ll also have a positive image left over to add to a tag or card.

Inlaid Die-cuts

Dies that work for the negative die-cut technique will also work for the inlaid technique.

The inlaid technique requires a minimum of two cuts. Cut the die once in the background cardstock and again in the cardstock of the image. Remove the die cut from the background and replace with the die cut in the other color cardstock.

Here’s an example of the inlaid technique using the Savvy Woodland Deer die. Please note: I did not attach the deer to the tag in the example. For finished work, I’ve used Scotch tape, as well as office supply labels (cut to size), to secure the inlaid image to the background.

The Memory Box Cabrini Ornament die works well for this technique, although a little more work is required. The die cuts an outline and interior pieces. 

I nested the ornament die inside the Pretty Pink Posh tag die and ran the combination through my Big Shot, cutting the tag out of white cardstock. After removing the ornament outline and interior pieces, I’m left with the following negative shape.

The outline piece without the interior pieces could be used alone.

To create the inlaid tag, I began by putting the ornament outline, cut from gold foil, into the white tag from which I had removed the white outline and interior pieces.

I die cut the ornament out of green and red cardstock as well, putting the pieces into the gold ornament outline for the leaves and berries. I find the Lifestyle Crafts QuickStik invaluable for this process. For this example, the ornament itself is gold foil.

Knock Out Technique

Unlike most dies, the Memory Box Dazzling Snowflake die does not cut a positive shape. Instead it cuts small pieces that would be next to impossible to be used alone, but the die works well for the knock-out technique, a variant of the negative technique.

I cut the die from a 4" x 5 ¼" panel and placed it on an A2 card base. The Tim Holtz Tonic Craft Pick was essential for poking out the tiny pieces from the card panel.

Window

In this In Detail post, I showed how the Pretty Pink Posh Stitched Duo 1 set includes a window die. The Halloween-themed My Favorite Things Centerpieces Spooky Window is similar. The window pane die does not cut on its outer edge.

The four-pane window measures 2 ⅝" x 3 ⅝". I cut the Spooky Window from a 4" x 5 ¼" black cardstock panel and placed it over an A2 card base of orange cardstock. Since no outside edge is cut, I could have cut the window from the A2 card front or from a smaller rectangle. The die set includes a separate spider; I cut the spider from black glitter paper for added contrast.

Selective Cut

The final technique uses the Penny Black Wings of Peace die.

I don’t know that this technique or type of die has a specific name, but I’m calling it a “selective cut.” The Wings of Peace die cuts the outline of the bird (and its eye), but the bird body is left in place.

In the photo, the image on the left shows a white cardstock rectangle cut with the die from which the outline piece has been removed. The center image illustrates how the die could be used for the negative technique. The wings of the bird can be left loose and pulled away from the card or tag base for added interest. The image on the right shows how the die could be used for the inlaid technique. The white outline and eye were loosely placed into the negative space (for illustrative reasons). For a finished tag, I would adhere the outline from behind. 

What's your favorite die cutting technique beyond using the positive die cut?

--Jean

Savvy Stamps Dies, Woodland Deer	Penny Black Dies, Crystal Trio	Memory Box Dies, Cabrini Ornament	Memory Box Dies, Dazzling Snowflake
Penny Black Dies, Wings of Peace	My Favorite Things Die-namics, Centerpieces Spooky Window	Pretty Pink Posh Dies, Stitched Duo 1	My Favorite Things Die-namics, Tag Builder Blueprints 1
Sizzix Big Shot Machine, Powder Blue & Teal	Sizzix Accessory, Magnetic Platform for Wafer-Thin Dies	Memory Box Dies, Metal Adaptor Plate	Bazzill Card Shoppe Cardstock, Wax Lips, 10 pk
Bazzill Card Shoppe Cardstock, Candy Necklace, 25 pk	Bazzill Card Shoppe Cardstock, Jawbreaker, 10 pk	Pebbles Jen Hadfield Homemade, 12x12 Gold Foil	Bazzill Card Shoppe Cardstock, Gumdrop, 25 pk
Bazzill Card Shoppe Cardstock, Candy Corn, 10 pk	Bazzill Card Shoppe Cardstock, Licorice Twist, 10 pk	American Crafts, Pow! Glitter Paper, 12x12 Black Solid, 2 pk	A Cardstock, Neenah Heavyweight, Classic Crest Solar White 110 lb, 25 pk
QuickStik	Tim Holtz Tonic Retractable Craft Pick

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In Detail: Product Reviews & News – Little B Perfect Positioner by Jean Manis

In this installment of In Detail, I’m reviewing the Little B Perfect Positioner. The Perfect Positioner is described as a clear adhesive mat designed to help keep nested dies from shifting during die cutting for any die-cutting tool platform. I’ll show how it works with both the Lifestyle Crafts Genius Platform System (no longer available) and the Sizzix Extended Multipurpose Platform in the Sizzix Big Shot Machine.

(To note: My usual die-cutting set up is the Big Shot with the Magnetic Platform and Standard Cutting Plates. I reviewed the magnetic platform in this In Detail post.)

There’s a slightly tacky adhesive on both sides of the Perfect Positioner. Measuring 12" tall x 6" wide, the positioner is printed with a ¼" increment ruler grid and 12 card template guides. 

To begin, remove the clear plastic protector from the back and adhere the positioner to the platform. Since the Perfect Positioner is not quite as long as the Genius Platform. I chose to line the bottom of the positioner with the bottom of the Genius Platform. Remove the front plastic protector. Save the protectors.

For the purposes of evaluating the Perfect Positioner, I tested several die configurations. Please note: These configurations were not chosen for their aesthetics. 

I placed a circle die from the Sizzix Circles Framelits set inside a rectangle die from the My Favorite Things Blueprints 1 set on the Genius Platform base, which is magnetic, with the cut sides up. Although I was not using the card template guides, I placed the rectangle die inside the A2 card template (which I’ve indicated in the photo with a red rectangle). The positioner’s ruler grid is drawn with black, solid and dashed lines. The card template lines are drawn with a slightly heavier-weight, black, solid line. My immediate reaction to centering the circle die was one of overwhelm, trying to distinguish which line was which. I resorted to counting squares with my fingers.

(In the In Detail post on 11 Essential Tools I describe how I use the Tim Holtz Ruler to position dies. On one side, the ruler is labeled in a standard manner from “0” to “12” inches, in ⅛" increments, while on the other side, “0” appears in the middle and the measurements go left and right from “0” to “6.” This enables one to easily center a die inside another shape.)

I covered the dies with the cardstock and the A mat, and I ran the combination through my Big Shot.

The panel cut well, and the dies did not appear to shift during either the process of placing the mat on top of the platform or running the platform and mat through the Big Shot.

The A2 card template on the positioner is drawn for a half-fold, 4 ¼" wide x 5 ½" tall card or a tent-fold, 5 ½" wide x 4 ¼" tall card. Even though there are 12 card templates on the positioner, I am only interested in using the A2 one; unfortunately it is drawn for a card that I only make about 30% of the time. Most cards that I make are tent-fold, 4 ¼" wide x 5 ½" tall.

Frustrated with the difficulty of centering the circle die in the rectangle, I discovered it to be easier to line up the rectangle die along the bottom of the grid. Because the far-left line is so close to the platform edge, I started at the 1" line. Going forward, I would ignore the card template lines entirely.

Continuing with the positioner on the Genius platform, I tested a combination of dies from the Paper Smooches Quote Tag die set. To avoid visual confusion, I placed the combination of dies where I could take advantage of one of the lines on which to place the “Hello” sentiment. I lined the top of the tag on one of the heavier card template lines. Because this combination of dies easily fit together, the placement of the dies was more straightforward than in the previous example.

I covered the dies with the cardstock and cutting mat and ran it through the Big Shot. The dies stayed in place during the die cutting.

Next I wanted to test a combination of the sentiment from the Paper Smooches Quote Tag die set inside the rectangle die from the My Favorite Things Blueprints 1 with the Genius platform using the positioner and without it. With the positioner on the Genius platform the combination cut well without shifting.

Next, I removed the positioner from the Genius magnetic platform and set up the same combination of dies on the Genius platform’s A cutting mat grid. Since I was working on the other side of the cutting sandwich, the dies were placed cut-side down on the cardstock. (There’s a grid printed on the cutting mat; within the center section, the grid has 1" increments. Therefore, for precise placement I would need to use the Tim Holtz Ruler or similar.) I positioned the magnetic platform on top of the dies, flipped the platform and pad, and ran it through the Big Shot. 

As you can see, the cardstock shifted at some point in the process.

With the positioner still removed, I die cut the same combination by placing the dies on the Genius platform (rather than the cutting mat), covering them with cardstock and the cutting mat, and running the combination through the Big Shot. Again, the cardstock shifted at some point in the process.

Judging from the die cutting results without the positioner compared to the results using it, it’s apparent that the slightly tacky adhesive of the Perfect Positioner helps prevent shifting of the dies during the die-cutting process when using the Genius platform. However, I would prefer that the positioner not include the card template lines.

For a final test, I wanted to use the positioner with the Sizzix Extended Multipurpose Platform. Normally I use Sizzix platforms with my dies cut-side down. Since the cutting plates are clear, it’s easy to see what you’re cutting. Because the Perfect Positioner cannot be cut into, I had to change my setup. With the positioner adhered to my non-cutting plate, I placed the dies cut-side up. Next I covered the dies with the cardstock and the other cutting plate and ran the sandwich through the Big Shot. The dies stayed in place.

Using my usual configuration of the Magnetic Platform and Standard Cutting Plates, I almost never have any slippage issues. Furthermore, I rarely use the Sizzix Extended Multipurpose Platform for die-cutting. I don’t see an advantage to using the Perfect Positioner with the Sizzix platforms, given that doing so requires that I have to arrange the dies cut-side up covered by cardstock. I much prefer to arrange my dies on top of the cardstock and use the Tim Holtz ruler for positioning.

I can recommend the Little B Perfect Positioner for the Genius platform, although as I stated earlier, I would have preferred that the grid not include the card templates. The Little B Perfect Positioner provides an inexpensive alternative to adhering the dies with washi tape or other temporary adhesives for placement. It's hard to predict how many times the positioner can be used before needing replacement. Over time, the adhesive will most certainly wear out, but replacements are less expensive than a roll of washi tape.

--Jean

 

In Detail: Product Reviews & News – Gift Bag Punch Board by Jean Manis

Welcome to another In Detail post. This week, I’m reviewing the We R Memory Keepers Gift Bag Punch Board. For a review of the Gift Box Punch Board, check out this previous In Detail post.

The Gift Bag Punch Board comes with instructions. The scoring/creasing tool neatly stores within the punch board. The footprint of the Gift Bag Punch Board is smaller than that of the Gift Box Punch Board.

The range of gift bag sizes is limited to Small, Medium or Large. For the Small bag, you start with a paper width of 10" to create a bag that will be 2 ⅝" wide. Similarly, a paper width of 11" results in a bag that’s 3 ⅛" wide, and a paper width of 12" results in a bag that 3 ⅝" wide. These measurements are included in the instructions and they are printed on the punch board. The side panels for all three bag sizes measure 2" wide (the bag’s depth) and cannot be varied. The height of the bag depends on the height of the paper you use. Paper sizes from 4" to 12" can be used, taking into account that the bottom flaps take up 1 ¼". For example, with a 12" by 12" piece of paper, I can craft a bag that’s slightly less than 10 ¾" tall (by my measurement it’s closer to 10 ⅝"), 3 ⅝" wide and 2" deep. With a paper sized 10" by 4", I could craft a bag 2 ¾" tall, 2 ⅝" wide and 2" deep. 

After trimming my paper to my desired size, 10" by 6", I lined my paper up on the “Start Line.” Since I was using a paper with a direction, I needed to take that into consideration when I began. You begin by punching out the bag’s bottom flaps, so the paper appears to be upside down, but it’s not.

The first action is to punch with the punch mechanism. I noticed that the Gift Bag Punch Board’s punch was more difficult to press than the one on the Gift Box Punch Board. There’s a “sweet spot” that you’ll figure out once you’ve used it a few times.

After punching, use the tool to horizontally and vertically score the paper. In this case, I was making a Small bag, so I scored vertically on the “S” line.

Next, the paper is shifted to the left until the scored vertical line is aligned with the “Start Line.” Again the paper is punched. For the side panel, score the paper around the Triangle, along the Horizontal line and vertically on the Side lines. One of the Side lines is in the middle of the Triangle.

Following the instructions, I did another round of punching and scoring for the bag’s face and another round for the second side panel.

Panel after punching and scoring faces and sides

In addition to the face and side panels, there will be a tab. We’ll address that in a moment. At this point, the top of the bag can be punched for a string handle or not. We’ll get back to handles, but first we need to finish the bag.

The other side of the punch mechanism has a dual-hole punch. The instructions include a diagram showing where the bag top should be punched with the mechanism.

The tab edge is trimmed at an angle with scissors at the bottom and the top.

Crease the bag along the score lines using the bone folder. I hand creased the side panels.

Apply adhesive to the tab panel. I used 1/8" Be Creative Tape (in retrospect, I wish I’d used a slightly wider tape).  

It is recommended that you fold the bag onto itself and adhere for easy alignment.

Next apply adhesive to the bottom flap. I applied two strips of the Be Creative tape to the flap that would be covered. You’ll notice in the photo that one of the strips was too far back and not covered by the other flap. When I made another bag, I applied the adhesive to the flap that would be on top. I found taping the bottom flaps to be the most difficult part of making the bag. You have to simultaneously hold the bag in shape and tape down the flap. 

Before we move onto the options for handles, let’s talk about creating a bag where the paper size exceeds the platform size of the Gift Bag Punch Board. The platform is 7 ½" in length, so any paper larger than that will not be scored all the way from the base to the top.

After the punching and scoring are complete, the creasing for the larger paper sizes has to be done by hand.

Let’s assume that you’ve punched holes along the top for a handle. One idea is to thread ribbon through the holes and tie the loop in one corner. The ribbon should be cut to accommodate the desired handle length.

Another idea is to have separate handles. I didn’t like this solution as well since the side panel holes are left punched but empty. A workaround would be to punch a template for the placement of the holes, and use a single punch on the actual bag, but I consider that to be too much work!

The ribbon can also be run through the holes and tied in front.

You can forgo the holes entirely and simply roll down the top. You’ll need to do so twice in order to have a finished appearance.

If the overall paper size is 6" or less in height, then you can die cut the front and/or back panels for added interest to the bag. After punching and scoring, I centered a star die from the My Favorite Things Die-Namics Stax Stars set on the bag front panel and ran it through my die cutting machine.

I can envision using the punch board to create luminarias (paper lanterns) for a fireplace mantle during the holiday season. Use flameless candles inside the luminarias to create interesting light patterns through the die cut front panels.

Dies offer an option to the punch board when you have a specific bag size in mind.

The Lifestyle Crafts Bag Die creates a bag 2 ½" x 1 ¾" x 3".

The Little B Bag Template Diecreates a bag 2 ¾" x 2 ¾".

The My Favorite Things Paper Bag Treat Box creates a bag 2 ¾" x 3 ¾".

The Paper Smooches Deco Bag Die creates a bag 2 ½" x 3 ½".

The Sizzix Tim Holtz In the Bag Die creates a bag 3" x 4 ¾" x ¾".

--Jean

We R Memory Keepers Punch Board, Gift Bag	Be Creative Tape, 3mm (1/8")	Be Creative Tape, 5mm (1/4")	My Favorite Things Die-namics, STAX Stars
Sizzix Big Shot Machine, Powder Blue & Teal	Sizzix Accessory, Magnetic Platform for Wafer-Thin Dies

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In Detail: Product Reviews & News – Tag Die Cut Sets by Jean Manis

Welcome back to another installment of In Detail. Today, I’m taking a look at two tag die cut sets – the My Favorite Things Die-namics Tag Builder Blueprints 1 set and the Pretty Pink Posh Stitched Duo 1 set. The primary die in both sets is a 4" tall tag die.

To give some size perspective, here's a look at the tags centered on A2 card bases.

With the Die-namics Tag Builder Blueprints 1 set, My Favorite Things extends their Blueprints series to tags. I reviewed the Blueprints 13 set in a previous In Detail article. The Tag Builder set must be cut apart before use. (The Elizabeth Crafts Design Die Snips and File Set are suggested tools for this use.) The set comes packaged with a magnetic sheet. The ten-piece Tag Builder set includes the following dies: Tag 2 ⅜" x 4", Diagonal Stripe 2 ⅜"x 1 ⅞", Rectangle 1 ¾" x 2 ⅜", Circle 1 ⅜"diameter, Dotted Circle 1 ½" diameter, Tab 1 ⅜"x ⅜", Arrow ½" x ⅜",Hole Cover ½" diameter, “4U” 1" x ⅝", and Star 3⅜" diameter.

For my investigation of the Tag Builder set, I printed out the Tag Builder Blueprints 1 Sketches. Using the sketches as a guide, I played around with pieces cut with the dies from patterned paper, solid color cardstock and foil paper. I’m most likely to use gift tags during the holidays, so I used holiday colors and sentiments for these tags. The assembled tags can be used to attach to gift bags and boxes, or be attached on card bases. Please note: I didn’t glue down the pieces on the tags shown in the photos, so some elements are shifted.

The dotted circle, included in the set, does not cut; it pierces the paper and is designed to work behind the circle included in the set or on its own. I did not use the dotted circle or the arrow in any of my designs.

The pieces are scaled for tags, and as a result, several of them are quite small. Every time I used the star, I immediately put it back on the magnetic sheet, as I was so concerned I’d lose it. The pieces that I will use most from the set will be the tag and the rectangle.

Now, let’s take a look at the Pretty Pink Posh Stitched Duo 1 set. The die pieces are not attached, and therefore do not need to be cut apart. The set consists of a stitched tag die, measuring approximately 2 ¾" wide x 4" high, shown in the photo with the MFT tag, and a window pane die. The tag die does not cut a hole at the top of the tag. 

The window pane die measures approximately 2 ¾" wide by 2" tall. The window pane die does not cut on its outer edge. The six rectangle cuts, with a faux stitched edge, measure ⅞" x 11/16".

Most obviously, the tag and window pane die can be used together to create a tag with windows. You can find lots of inspiration on the Pretty Pink Posh blog showing the tag cut with windows. For example, the windows can nicely showcase smaller stamps.

Since the window pane die does not cut on its outer edge, it can be used to create windows on a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Here’s a photo showing the result of using the die on a pre-cut rectangle.

I found that the easiest way to use the window pane die was to cut the rectangle first and then the window. I used the Tim Holtz Ruler to center the die on the rectangle before running it through my die cutting machine.

With the holiday theme in mind, and my holiday papers and stamps already out on my worktable, I used the Pretty Pink Posh window pane die with the Stitched Rectangle die (4" x 5 ¼"), from the My Favorite Things Blueprints 13 set, to create a front panel for a holiday card. I placed a die cut skyline (Memory Box Cityscape Nightline and Cityscape Silhouette behind the window pane. The window pane die will be the one I use the most from this tag set, primarily to create window cards.

--Jean

My Favorite Things Die-namics, Tag Builder Blueprints 1	Pretty Pink Posh Dies, Stitched Duo 1	Memory Box Dies, Cityscape Nightline	Memory Box Dies, Cityscape Silhouette
Hero Arts ClearDesign: Naughty or Nice	Chickaniddy 12x12 Foil Paper, Silver Surfer	Heidi Swapp Believe, 6x6 Petite Paper Pack	Basic Grey 25th & Pine, 6x6 Paper Pad
Memory Box Dies, Metal Adaptor Plate	Hero Arts Embossing Powder, Silver	Ranger Super Fine Embossing Powder, 1 oz. Silver	VersaMark Ink Pad
A Cardstock, Neenah Heavyweight, Classic Crest Solar White 110 lb, 25 pk	Bazzill Card Shoppe Cardstock, Caramel Apple, 10 pk	Bazzill Card Shoppe Cardstock, Wax Lips, 10 pk	Bazzill Card Shoppe Cardstock, Peppermint, 10 pk
Memory Box Licorice Cardstock	Sizzix Big Shot Machine, Powder Blue & Teal	Sizzix Accessory, Magnetic Platform for Wafer-Thin Dies

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In Detail: Product Reviews & News – Gift Box Punch Board by Jean Manis

Welcome to another In Detail post. This week, I’m reviewing the We R Memory Keepers Gift Box Punch Board, and as a point of comparison, showing ways to create boxes with the We R Memory Keepers Envelope Punch Board.

The Envelope Punch Board was the first punch board introduction for We R Memory Keepers. In addition to the Gift Box Punch Board, We R Memory Keepers have more recently released punch boards to create Gift Bags, Pillow Boxes, Flowers, and Candy Boxes, and the list continues to grow. The punch boards make it possible to create one-of-a-kind party and gift products using paper many of us already have in our supplies. When I first heard of these boards, I was thrown by the name, and thought they were more complicated that they really are. I now think of them more as “score boards” as they are designed to help score various items.

The Gift Box Punch Board comes with an instruction sheet and scoring tool. One feature I noticed right away was that the scoring tool storage was integrated into the design. 

On the board are a set of measurements (formulas) for desired box sizes in both inches and centimeters. Each of the box sizes is followed by the paper size required and the “start line” and “diagonal line.” The “start line” is where you line up your paper on the board and it’s predefined as “S,” “M,” “L” and “XL.” With a range of paper sizes from 6" x 6" to 12" x 12", four start lines and four diagonal lines, there are 16 box sizes possible from a 1 ¾" x 1 ¾" x 1 ¾" box to a 4" x 4" x 4" one.

Both square and rectangular boxes are possible. For example, an 8" x 8" paper makes a 2 ½" x 2 ½" x 2 ½" box when the Start Line and Diagonal Line are both “M.” For the same size paper, if the Start Line is “L” and the Diagonal Line is “S,” then you’ll create a 3 ¼" x 3 ¼" x 1 ¾" box. The instruction sheet provides the formulas for five additional boxes that can be created, however the Diagonal score lines would need to be folded by hand.

The box punch board has three sets of scoring lines – vertical, horizontal and diagonal.

The creation of the boxes is quite simple once you get the hang of it. I practiced a few times before I “got it right” and suggest using scrap/scratch paper before making boxes with your final project paper.

Creating a Box with the Gift Box Punch Board

Let’s go through the steps to create a 4" x 4" x 4" box with a 12" x 12" paper, which is the largest box you can make with the punch board. I’m using paper from the Lawn Fawn Let’s Polka Collection Kit.

Step 1: Line up the paper on the “XL” start line.

Step 2: Notch the paper with the punch mechanism.

Step 3: Score the paper vertically along the score line. I noticed that the paper had a tendency to shift away from the top, as I scored down. Be sure paper is held snugly in place.

Step 4: Score the paper horizontally along the score line. Since the paper is longer, the extension arm should be out. 

Step 5: Score the paper diagonally until it meets the horizontal line. 

Step 6: Rotate the paper 90 degrees and repeat the notching and scoring. Continue to do so around the paper.

Step 7: Flip the paper to the other side. Line the paper up at the XL start line and notch with the punch mechanism. Rotate and repeat for the other three sides. At this point, the paper should have two notches per side.

Step 8: Punch attachment slits on the four corners using the other side of the punch mechanism, which rounds the corners in addition to cutting the slit. 

Step 9: Using the bone folder, crease the side score lines and then the flap score lines on all four sides.

Step 10: The diagonal score lines in the four corners must be folded inward by hand.

Step 11: Connect opposite flaps with the attachment slits. 

I didn’t use any adhesive to hold the corners together in my example. However, without adhesive, the box opens up when not attached. 

You can read my review of adhesives in this In Detail post. Double-sided Be Creative Tape, 5mm (1/4") would be a good choice to attach the corners. The boxes can be finished off in any number of ways, for example with ribbon, a belly-band, or a die cut bow.

Once you’ve made one, you can easily make any of the other possible box sizes. I made a 3 ¼" x 3 ¼" x 1 ¾" box with paper cut to 8" x 8" from the Lawn Fawn Let’s Polka Collection Kit.

The We R Memory Keepers Gift Box Punch Board is well-made, compact, and well-designed. It would be especially useful for creating gift boxes to coordinate with an event’s theme and colors. I can also picture using the Gift Box Punch Board to craft small boxes for a custom-made advent calendar.

Creating a Box with the Envelope Punch Board

Now let’s say you already own the Envelope Punch Board and are wondering if you need the Gift Box Punch Board. How about first making a box with the Envelope Punch Board?

There are a couple of key differences with making a box with the Envelope Punch Board. To begin with, you’ll be choosing a measurement to start off, rather than a one of four fixed sizes. The Envelope Punch Board has score lines in ⅛" measurements. Additionally, the board only has one score line which means you’ll be creating shorter score lines that match up in the middle and you won’t have a diagonal line for your corners. Those will be folded without being scored.

To create a box with the Envelope Punch Board, I lined up a sheet of 12" x 12" paper, from the Lawn Fawn Let’s Polka Collection Kit, at the 3" score line. I notched the paper with the punch mechanism and then scored.

I rotated the paper 90 degrees and repeated the process until all four sides were notched and scored. Note: For the initial score line, you use the measurement at the top of the punch board. For subsequent scoring, line the score mark on the paper with the score guide on the punch mechanism. 

I then flipped the paper over and repeated the process, so that every side had two notches and the score lines joined together.

The flap corners need to be scored individually, since the envelope punch board has only one score line.

Round the corners with the opposite side of the punch mechanism and crease the score lines.

Fold the four corners in by hand. Unlike the box created with the Gift Box Punch Board, there’s no score line in the corners.

The finished box has four round flap tops, but there’s no attachment slit with which to attach the flaps. Like the box created with the Gift Box Punch Board, adhesive can be added to the corners for structure. The box can be taped shut or held with ribbon or a belly band. This box measures 3¾" x 3¾" x 4¼" tall.

What about specialty or more unusual boxes?

So you’ve created a few boxes with one of the punch boards and want to do more. I tried creating an acetate box with the Gift Box Punch Board. To begin with, I found that it was difficult to score the acetate sufficiently. I had to crease the score lines with a lot of force to create a fold. Furthermore, there’s the issue of a visible corner flap when the box is closed. Take a look.

Creating a “view” box

I was interested in creating a “view” box, in which the contents were visible through an opening. It’s possible to create one with a Circle Scissor Pro. Simply cut the desired circle size in one of the box faces and insert a sheet of acetate over the opening. However, I don’t own a circle cutter of this type, nor did I have a circle punch that would work.

Therefore, I was limited to the size of paper that fits through the Big Shot. It turns out that the maximum size paper that fits through the Big Shot is roughly 6 ¼" wide. The paper will extend slightly over the Cutting Plate.

The only box using a paper size within that range which can be created with the Envelope Punch Board is one measuring 1 ¾" x 1 ¾" x 1 ¾". Using the smallest circle die in the Sizzix Circle Framelits Die Set, I would be able to cut a tiny window in the box.

Another option is to create a view box using the Envelope Punch Board.

Cut paper to 6 ¼" square. Line the paper at the 2 ⅝" line on the Envelope Punch Board, notch and score. Repeat at the 3 ⅝" line.

Rotate the paper 90 degrees and repeat the notching and scoring. Continue to do so around the paper. Round the corners with the opposite side of the punching mechanism.

The reverse side of the box should look like this. 

You can crease along the score lines before or after cutting the center with the 2 ½" circle from the Sizzix Circle Framelits Die Set.

You’ll need to snip the corners with scissors for this style of box.

Add an acetate panel to cover the opening. The resulting box is sized for four tea lights or a few chocolate candies. The box front measures 3⅛" × 3⅛"; the box is approximately ¾" tall.

If you had just one size box to make and wanted an alternative to a punch board, consider:

The Little B Box & Bows Template Die makes a completed box of 1 ¾" x 1 ¾" x 1 ¾", the same size as the smallest box possible with the Gift Box Punch Board.

The Lifestyle Crafts Rectangle Box Die makes a 3⅛" x 2" x 1" box.

Looking for more Punch Board inspiration? Check out these previously published CLASSroom projects:

File Folder Cards by Sharon Harnist

Making Envelopes by Julia Stainton

The DIY Envelope by Julie Ebersole

Hello Monday 12.16.2013 by Julie Ebersole

--Jean

We R Memory Keepers Punch Board, Gift Box

We R Memory Keepers Envelope Punch Board

Lawn Fawn Collection Kit, Let's Polka

Sizzix Framelits Die Set, Circles

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In Detail: Product Reviews & News - Copic Airbrush by Jean Manis

Welcome back to another installment of In Detail. This week we’re taking a look at the COPIC Airbrush Starter Set 1N. I’m calling this the “Copic Airbrush Reboot article” as there have been several articles about its use and featuring projects created with the airbrush here in the CLASSroom. I’ve provided links to those posts at the end of this article.

I’ve been intrigued with the Copic airbrush since I first saw it in use at Ellen’s studio. At the time, I’d just started stamping and only had a handful of Copic markers, so it just wasn’t the right time to consider the purchase of one. I’m going to talk about the products required to get started, show you a few ideas I tried, and then compare those results with results using other products.

Let’s begin with the equipment needed to get started.

The COPIC Airbrush Starter Set 1N includes the following pieces: Air Grip, Air Adaptor, Air Hose, Air Can 180 and Air Can Holder.

The Air Can 180 included in the kit, which can also be purchased separately, provides up to 45 minutes of airbrushing. If you want to take it up a notch, the Sparmax AC-100 Airbrush Compressor is available. I purchased the COPIC Airbrush Starter Set 1N since it provided the option of purchasing the compressor in the future should I decide to go that direction. The COPIC Airbrush Kit ABS-3, which includes the Air Grip and Air Adaptor, is designed for use with an air compressor. The Copic Airbrush System Brochure includes airbrushing basics, a diagram of how to set up the system, and troubleshooting tips. 

The airbrush system is recommended for Copic Original and Sketch markers, but not the Ciao. I used Sketch markers, as those are the only ones I own.

The Air Can 180 should be kept upright while in operation. The kit includes a foam holder (not shown in the photo) so that the Air Can rests upright while you’re working.

Work in a ventilated area. Even though you might not see it, there’s a lot of alcohol ink being dispersed into the air during the operation of the airbrush.

When the Air Grip is operated in a vertical position, the resulting spray is not directly below the tip of the Air Nozzle, but slightly to the front.

The closer to the surface you are, the more concentrated the spray pattern will be. The farther away, the more dispersed the pattern will be, as the spray area increases.

The flat side (chisel tip end) of the Sketch marker gives a less spattered pattern than the brush tip. I primarily worked with the chisel end. In the photo below, in which I used both the chisel tip and brush tip, I worked at a distance from the cardstock to create a dispersed pattern.

To begin my investigation in the use of the airbrush, I had in mind a sunset with various yellows and oranges blending together, much like a distressed ink background. However, I decided to start with two contrasting colors, Copic markers in the BG series and some in the YR series, since the contrast between the two would be easier to see. 

As I was experimenting, rather than working on a final project, I masked off a strip of cardstock with large sticky notes. (The airbrush lifted the notes, allowing marker to go into the masked area, so this method of masking is not recommended for an actual project.) Before applying ink to the project piece, I tested the setup on a scrap piece of cardstock to ensure that it was functioning properly.

I began at one end of the masked area laying down the BG marker. I moved the airbrush back and forth across the strip beyond the mask.

Early on, I applied too much BG marker to one area. I may have been holding the marker too close to the cardstock, or I stayed in that area for too long.

After applying some BG color, I rotated the cardstock 180 degrees and began to apply YR color at the other end. As I moved from the bottom towards the center of the paper, I moved the airbrush farther away from the surface. I had greater success applying the YR color than the BG. I don’t have an explanation. It may be that I was more accustomed to the use of the airbrush or the YR colors are more forgiving.

After applying the YR color, I rotated the cardstock again to fill in more BG color, trying to diminish that darker area by adding more and more color. I allowed the two colors to overlap in the center.

While working on the feathered background, I encountered situations where no ink was coming out of the marker. In fact, I used several BG and YR markers wondering if the issue was that the markers were running out of ink. In actuality, airbrushing with the markers should use less ink than coloring with them the traditional way.

I’ve discovered these troubleshooting tips:

• Is the chisel tip upright in the holder? If the tip is off by a slight amount, the spray may be inconsistent.

• Is the chisel tip too far out? Too far in? If the place on the nib that is being hit by the Air Nozzle is off by as little as 1/32" the ink could spray poorly. The distance can be adjusted with the COPIC tweezers. These tweezers can also be used to remove the tip to refill the marker.

• Is the Air Can too cold? There's only 60-90 seconds of stable, continued spraying with the Air Can. More than 90 seconds of continued spraying may cause the liquid gas in the Air Can to be too cold for operation. Simply wait until the can warms up before resuming.
• Is the marker out of ink? For any future projects, I will have reinkers on hand for the colors I plan to use.

Since the airbrush system is a sizable investment, you might ask, "Do Distress Markers work in the airbrush?" I tried one of my Distress Markers with the system. The fit of the marker in the grip would need to be adjusted, if I wanted to airbrush with Distress Markers for an actual project. As it was, I tried to hold the marker in place as best I could. The ink in the Distress Markers is not alcohol-based, as it is with the Copic Markers, and there is no chisel tip on a Distress Marker. While the Distress Marker technically “worked” with the Copic airbrush, I wouldn’t purchase a Copic airbrush system to use with Distress Markers on a regular basis.

I also asked, "Can I achieve similar results with other tools or products?" For the sake of comparison, I wanted to try creating a gradient with two colors using spray mists.

I started with Studio Calico Mister Huey’s Ocean and Double Yellow mists. 

Using the techniques I discussed in the In Detail article on Spray Mists, I applied the Ocean at one end of the masked area, rotated the cardstock, and applied Double Yellow at the other end.

I also tried Hero Arts Butter Bar and Pale Tomato spray mists to create a gradient.

As you can see, the airbrush gradient is decidedly smoother. Obviously the mists give a much different look, with variation in the size of the mist droplets. That being said, depending on the style of your project, the grungier look may better suit. Another consideration, because the Copic markers contain alcohol ink, the airbrushed cardstock is smooth and flat, whereas the misted cardstock curls as it dries. 

As another comparison, I wanted to use the Copic airbrush with the same Crafter's Workshop Wildflowers stencil I tried in the In Detail article on Make-Your-Own Mists using the Distress Marker Spritzer Tool. I attached the stencil to cardstock and taped it with washi tape. I worked fairly close to the surface to apply marker to color the stems, leaves, and flowers. If I was working on an actual project, I would attach the stencil more securely and mask out areas as I worked. For example, I would cover the flowers while applying ink to the stems and leaves.

The results with the Copic airbrush are definitely smoother than those with the Distress Marker Spritzer. That being said, the airbrush results aren’t nearly as professional as I’d like them to be. I would need to work with stencils more extensively to improve my expertise.

While working with the Copic airbrush, I kept asking myself “Do I really need this product?” and “Do I need a compressor?” I’m certainly glad that I have had the opportunity to play with the system, and for the right projects, the results can’t be matched with other techniques. However, there are a number of less expensive options for achieving similar looks such as sponging inks, using spray mists, and working with the Distress Marker Spritzer. For the amount of time I’m likely to use the airbrush, I can’t currently justify the expenditure of the compressor. For someone who already has a lot of Copic markers and works primarily with the Copic medium, the airbrush system is a great next step. 

There are a number of articles in the CLASSroom sharing Copic airbrush basics and project ideas:

Copic Airbrushing by Sharon Harnist

COPIC Airbrush Mania - Part 1

COPIC Airbrush Mania – Part 2

Patriotic Luminary by Sharon Harnist

Copic Airbrushed Direct To Rubber Background by Sharon Harnist

Copic-Airbrushing a Background by Debbie Olson

Fall Custom Copic Background by Sharon Harnist

--Jean

Copic Airbrush jSystem Starter Kit 1N	Copic Sketch Markers	Studio Calico Mister Huey's Color Mist, Ocean, Here & There	Studio Calico Mister Huey's Color Mist, Double Yellow, That-a-Way
Hero Arts Spray, Pale Tomato	Hero Arts Spray, Butter Bar	Crafter's Workshop Templates, 6x6 Wildflowers by Ronda Palazarri	A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, 25 pack

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In Detail: Product Reviews & News – 11 Black Stamping Inks by Jean Manis

Welcome back to another installment of In Detail. I’m switching gears this week to talk about black stamping inks. I’ve collected 11 different black inks to investigate. There are several more black inks available at Ellen Hutson than those I’ve included in this post, but I’ve chosen a wide variety of inks. You’ll find Ink Pads in the subcategory Pads under Inks in the Storefront and Reinkers in their own subcategory.

First, let’s take a look at the inks that I tested. I’m including information in the descriptions below that has been provided from the manufacturers. Please note, unless specified as such, the use of the word “marker” does not mean Copic.

Dye Inks

Hero Arts Black India Ink is quick-drying, acid-free, archival, non-smearing, fade-resistant and designed for both porous and non-porous surfaces. It can be used for watercolors and markers.

Hero Arts Black Dye Ink is quick-drying, acid-free, archival, non-smearing, fade-resistant and dries permanently on most papers. It is waterproof for watercolors and markers. A reinker is available.

Hero Arts Blackboard Mid-Tone Shadow Ink is formulated for good coverage with solid stamps. It’s water-based, acid-free, archival and fade-resistant.

Hero Arts Night Chalk Ink is quick-drying, acid-free, archival and fade-resistant. It offers a gentle mid-range color.

Memento Tuxedo Black Ink is fast-drying, acid-free and fade-resistant. Its works well with Copic and other markers as it will not smear. The ink is offered in a Dew Drop size and a reinker is available.

Archival Jet Black Ink provides permanent results on many surfaces. It’s designed to work over water-based inks and markers, acrylic paints, water colors, Adirondack Alcohol Ink or Perfect Pearls pigment powders. It’s acid-free, waterproof, and permanent on matte and glossy papers. A reinker is available.

Pigment Inks

Memento Luxe Tuxedo Black Ink is a mixed-media ink for paper, fabric, wood, leather and more. It’s permanent on non-porous surfaces when heat set. A reinker is available.

VersaFine Onyx Black Ink is a natural oil-based pigment ink that dries quickly on matte cardstock delivering great stamping results for fine detail. The ink works with watercolor and markers. The inkpad is designed to last 3-5 times longer than regular inks. A reinker is available.

Adirondack Pitch Black Pigment Ink provides opaque coverage that air dries on matte paper surfaces. The ink is embossable and can be heat set on gloss paper, vellum, shrink plastic, metal and glass. A reinker is available.

Brilliance Graphite Black Ink is designed to work on vellum, mica, acetate, photo papers, sculpey clay, shrink plastic and more. A reinker is available.

Solvent Ink

StazOn Jet Black Midi Pad Ink is an acid-free, archival, fast-drying solvent-based ink, designed for decorating non-porous and semi-porous surfaces, such as metal, shrink plastic, acrylic, cellophane, aluminum foil, leather and some glass surfaces. A reinker is available.

I wanted to test the inks for myself, putting aside the descriptions provided by the manufacturers. I’m primarily interested in using these inks for stamping in the creation of cards. I don’t do a lot of mixed-media, and my interest is not currently in the creation of home décor projects, so I did not test the inks on plastics, glass or clay.

Most of the 11 inks I already owned. I repurchased the Brilliance as I found mine to be somewhat dry. I purchased the Adirondack as I did not own it. I didn’t reink the pads before beginning my tests, although, in general, I do reink the pads on a regular basis (for those that have reinkers). Additionally, while I’m sharing photographs of the stamping, nothing compares to looking at the stamping first-hand. I’m interpreting the findings for you in the information below.

To begin, I stamped each of the inks on Neenah Classic Crest Solar White cardstock using the Hero Arts Hello Bubble wood stamp. I wanted to test the inks’ coverage with a solid image. To note, I stamped the pads with the stamp, rather than inking the stamp with the stamp pad. 

Of the four Hero Arts inks, in the top row, the India Ink and the Blackboard ink gave the best coverage. The Blackboard color is a different black than the India ink, almost like a dark gray. The Chalk ink does not come with a reinker, and I’ve had my ink pad for awhile. To be honest, I’ve seldom used the ink. Moving to the second row, the Ranger Archival and Memento Luxe gave terrific coverage. Finally, the Adirondack gave the best coverage compared to the Versafine and the Brilliance. I’m simply noting coverage here; depending on your project, the surface you’re working on and other considerations, you’d have a preference for one ink over another.

I wanted to test the inks on a detailed sentiment, so I chose one from the Avery Elle Red and Goldie stamp set. Again, I stamped the stamp into the ink and then onto Neenah cardstock.

All of the inks stamped adequately, although on close inspection, the StazOn sentiment is a little fuzzy. The Memento Luxe, Versafine and Brilliance (all pigment inks) gave the most legible results with good coverage. 

Next, I stamped and heat embossed the same sentiment on Neenah cardstock with all of the inks, using Ranger Super Fine Clear embossing powder. Obviously you won’t be able to truly see the embossing in the photo.

Initially I wasn’t going to even try this test on those inks that aren’t typically heat embossed, like the Hero Arts or Memento dye inks, but I figured I’d try heat embossing them all. Surprisingly, all of the inks grabbed some of the embossing powder. In fact, the heat-embossed Hero Arts dye ink and Hero Arts chalk ink sentiments both looked better than their stamped (and not embossed) counterparts. Of all of the inks, the embossed Memento Luxe looks like best. Of course, there are a number of factors here affecting the results, including my heat embossing. Furthermore, the environment may affect results. The Pacific Northwest (where I live) is fairly humid. That being said, in the future, I’ll be more inclined to try heat embossing dye inks with the super-fine powder.

Now, let’s move on to other surfaces. I stamped a different sentiment from the Avery Elle Red and Goldie stamp set with the inks on a piece of acetate. When stamping on acetate, you have to stamp carefully, as the ink has a tendency to slide on the surface. Again, I stamped into the ink, rather than stamping the stamp with the ink pad. I stamped with StazOn twice as I slipped on the first take. 

I let the inks air dry and then went back and wiped them with my finger. As you can see, the StazOn and Ranger Archival were not smudged, the StazOn being the most resilient and the Ranger giving a clearer impression. Some of the inks could be wiped off as if they were never stamped. After several days of drying, the Hero Arts inks, the Ranger Archival and the StazOn cannot be wiped off.

Next, I stamped the same sentiment onto foil paper with each of the inks. 

After air drying for about an hour, I swiped the inks with my finger. Only the Staz On (which again I’d stamped twice, this time because I lost track of the order in which I was stamping the inks!) was not smudged. Even after several days of drying, the Memento and Adirondack Pigment inks can be wiped off completely. With sufficient dry time, the Ranger Archival would be fine, and it stamped well on the foil. Please note, results with heat setting may have been different, but I only let the inks air dry.

I also stamped the same sentiment with all of the inks on vellum paper and let it air dry. 

I swiped the inks with my finger and found that the Adirondack Pigment and Versafine inks smudged, whereas the other inks did not. In terms of clarity, the Brilliance ink looked the best. On the other hand, the Ranger Archival ink soaked into the vellum and blurred the sentiment. Again, heat setting the pigment inks may have prevented their smearing.

I stamped the bear from the Avery Elle Red and Goldie stamp set with the inks on Distress Watercolor Cardstock, added some scribbling using a Faber-Castell watercolor pencil and then applied water to the images using one of the Studio Artist Brushes. 

The Hero Arts Chalk, the Memento Luxe and the Brilliance inks did not stamp particularly well on the paper. The Memento Luxe, Adirondack Pigment and the Brilliance reacted with the water and are not recommended for watercoloring without heat embossing.

I looked through the cards I’ve made over the past several months to determine which black inks I use most often. I’m sharing close ups of the cards as examples of the ways I use these inks most frequently.

Versafine: This is my most often used black ink. I use Versafine ink to stamp sentiments, embossed and not. It seems to be the most forgiving ink when stamping sentiments. I emboss Versafine for watercoloring images and coloring with Copics. A word of caution, I have had some discoloration with light-colored Copic markers and heat-embossed images. I might have tried to color too soon after heat embossing or there might be an actual reaction that I only notice with the light-colored inks.

Stamped Versafine ink for Sentiment 

Heat-embossed Versafine ink for Copic coloring

Heat-embossed Versafine ink for watercoloring

Ranger Archival: I most often use Ranger Archival when working with mixed media projects because of its waterproof nature. I also use it for watercoloring when a stamp image is too fine to heat emboss.

Ranger Archival ink on Sprayed Mist Background

Ranger Archival ink for Watercoloring

Memento: I use Memento when I am working on a Copic-coloring project. Memento black ink was one of the first inks I purchased for its all-around versatility. I’m not as fond, however, of using it for stamping sentiments as I am of the Hero Arts dye inks.

Memento ink for Copic coloring

What was the first black ink you purchased? Which black ink do you use most often?

Want to know more about the best inks to use for Copic Markers? Check out this article by Sharon Harnist. 

--Jean

 

Hero Arts India Ink, Black	Hero Arts Dye Ink, Black	Hero Arts Shadow Ink, Mid-Tone: Blackboard	Hero Arts Chalk Ink, Night
Archival Ink Pad, Jet Black	StazOn Midi Pad, Jet Black	Memento Ink Pad, Tuxedo Black	Memento Luxe Ink Pad, Tuxedo Black
Adirondack Pigment Ink Pad, Pitch Black	Brilliance Pad, Graphite Black	Hero Arts Wood Block Stamp, Hello Bubble	Avery Elle Clear Stamps, Red and Goldie
A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, 25 pack

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In Detail: Product Reviews & News – MFT Blueprints and Avery Elle Custom Panels by Jean Manis

Welcome to another In Detail post. Today I’m reviewing two die cut sets: My Favorite Things Blueprints 13 and Avery Elle Custom Panels Elle-ments.

I don’t really know quite how to categorize these sets. Unlike the die sets I’ve recently reviewed manufactured by Sizzix, neither of these sets creates the actual card base. These sets often greater flexibility in terms of card design than the Sizzix Flip-Its and Stand-Ups die sets. Both the MFT and Avery Elle sets contain a main card panel die, in slightly different dimensions, which I’ll get into in a moment. These panels would be attached to the card base. There are pieces in both sets that I might not ever use, and there are pieces in both that I’ll use again and again. 

As of My Favorite Things’s May release, there are fifteen Blueprints sets. Each Blueprints set contains a variety of large and small pieces. There are basic shapes such as squares, circles and rectangles, as well as word dies, arrows, flowers and bows. There are downloadable sketches available for the My Favorite Things Blueprints, which can be found in the Product Description on the store website.

The Blueprints 13 set must be cut apart before use. (The Elizabeth Crafts Design Die Snips and File Set are suggested tools for this use.) The set comes packaged with a magnetic sheet.

The approximate measurements of the Blueprints 13 pieces, according to the manufacturer, are as follows: Stitched Rectangle 4" x 5 1/4", Fishtail Banner 2 5/8" x 4 3/4", Bracket Banner 2 1/8" x 4", Washi Tape 3 1/4" x 1/2", Fishtail Flag 1 3/4" x 1/2", Stitched Line 5 1/4" in length, Rounded Edge Label 2 1/2" x 3/4", Large Arrow 2 1/8" x 3/8", Small Arrow 5/8" x 1/4", Large Star 7/8" x 7/8", Small Star 1/2" x 1/2", Circle 1 1/2" in diameter, and Pinking Edge Circle 1 5/8" in diameter.

To begin my investigation of the Blueprints 13 set, I cut cardstock strips (4 ¼" x 11") with the dies in the set using my Sizzix Big Shot and Magnetic Platform. Following the sketch guide for Blueprints 13, I combined the cut pieces. I didn’t glue down the pieces, as I was simply arranging the shapes on the card fronts. For each, I used the stitched rectangle, measuring 4" x 5 ¼", as the card panel. This will definitely be my most-used die from the set. (While I could easily create this size panel with my paper cutter, I prefer having a die to cut paper exactly, and I like the finish of the stitched edge.)

I began working with only solid cardstock pieces, but I soon realized that pieces stamped with background stamps or dry embossed with stencils or embossing folders were needed for visual and textural interest. With a lot of layers, it’s important to include some pattern. 

In the photo on the left, above, the fishtail and bracket banners were cut for a horizontal orientation. The set includes a stitched line to finish off the cut edge.

Personally, I had a hard time figuring out where I would put a sentiment with the designs shown in the sketches. Most of my card designs are simpler than these, as I tend to use fewer layers. Additionaly, I would replace the arrow with a different die cut. While My Favorite Things does not have any specific stamp sets that coordinate with this Blueprints set, they do offer a large selection of sentiment stamp sets, which would work with the various shapes, such as the circle or the rounded edge label. For example, the Lollipop Additions – Birthday stamp set coordinates with the Lollipop Treat Die Set, which includes a slightly smaller circle (1 3/8") than the circle die in the Blueprints 13 set. Obviously other stamp manufacturers sell circle stamps sets that would work. My Favorite Things also sell two stamp sets–Washi Patterns and More Washi Patterns–designed to resemble washi tape that work with the washi tape die in the Blueprints 13 set.

I ran into this same issue when I worked with the Sizzix Stephanie Barnard Flip-Its die. I just haven’t built up a collection of sentiments that work inside circles.

While I don’t usually make any purchase suggestions in the In Detail post, one of the Blueprint sets would be a great introduction into die cutting for someone just starting to build their die collection. My Favorite Things offer a wide collection of STAX (stackable) dies: circles, rectangles, squares, labels, and other shapes sold in a variety of sizes in the set. However, it takes some time to build up a collection of those, and the Blueprints offer an affordable option if you simply want to “dip your toes” into the die cutting pool.

Now let’s turn our attention to the Avery Elle Custom Panels Elle-ments set. Designed by J.J. Bolton, the set includes the following dies: an A2-sized rectangle (4" x 5 1/4"), a label, three circles, three hexagons, a curvy line, a curved line, an angle, and a curved-edge shape. The set also includes an alignment guide (the plus sign) to align dies. The set must be cut apart before use. In this case, I have not included a photo of the set before I cut it apart. 

In the photo below I show how the A2 rectangle die can be used to cut a card front panel from patterned paper. 

Angled card panels are currently trending, and the A2 die can be used to easily create a variety of angled panels. Please note: for the following examples, I've combined the cut pieces but did not use any adhesives. In some of the photos you may detect that the cut pieces have shifted slightly.

Similarly, the angle die in the set, which is not a 90-degree angle, can be used to create angled card panels. Simply vary the position of the die to create any number of different shapes. Even a shift in one direction by a small amount creates a different shape.

You can also make an angle cut, then shift the die down and cut again, to achieve another angle piece. 

Even though I was using a magnetic platform (and brand-new cutting plates), I found that it was necessary to hold down the die with washi tape for precise placement.

The wavy line / hill die can be used to create panels with two different shapes simply by using both sides of the cut paper. The length of the wavy line is just a bit greater than 4 ¼". For an actual card, I would trim the wavy line/hill panel to size.

The curved die can be used in a variety of ways. Its width is just a fraction under 5 ½". For my first example, I placed the curved die on an A2-sized panel vertically and ran it through my Big Shot. 

Then I folded the cut panel back (I could have also snipped it on the edges) and used the A2 die to cut a hill shape at a width of 4 ¼".

Finally, here's another example using the curved die, in which I cut the cardstock first with the A2 die and then with the curved die. I added a die cut sentiment to the curved area for illustrative reasons.

As you can see, the line dies included in the Avery Elle's Custom Panels Elle-ments set leave the creation of the shapes up to the imagination of the crafter!

--Jean

My Favorite Things Die-namics, Blueprints 13	Avery ELLE-ments Dies, Custom Panels	Lifestyle Crafts Embossing Folders, Jubilant	Impression Obsession Cover-a-Card Cling Stamp Set: Thin Stripes
Memory Box Stencils, Wave	Hero Arts Cling: Magical Background	Lawn Cuts Dies, Scripty Thanks	Sizzix Big Shot Machine, Powder Blue & Teal
Sizzix Accessory, Magnetic Platform for Wafer-Thin Dies

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In Detail: Product Reviews & News - Sizzix Triplits and Stand-Ups by Jean Manis

Welcome back to another installment of In Detail. In my last post, we took a look at a broad product category, adhesives. This week, I’m reviewing specific Sizzix products from the Stephanie Barnard Collection, the Flowers and Butterfly Triplits die sets along with the Elegant Stand-Up die set. Why am I reviewing two different sets of Triplits, you ask? Well, if you haven’t already figured it out, I like to analyze things, and I wanted to see the differences in the two images. 

The Flowers and Butterfly Triplits die sets are a combination of Framelit and Thinlit dies. For both sets, there are three variations of the same image, hence the triplits name, that can be mixed and matched in a number of combinations.

Before we look at the designs, let’s look at the die sets. 

The Flowers die set includes seven dies – five Thinlits (1, 4-7 in image above) and two Framelits (2,3). The Thinlit flower die (1) cuts and embosses. The dies come in their own storage envelope along with a diagram showing various combinations of the die cuts.

The shadow Framelit (3) can be combined with the flower Thinlit (1) to cut a thin open flower.

Now let's look at the Butterfly die set.

The Butterfly die set includes thirteen dies – six Thinlits (1, 4-7, 13 in image above) and seven Framelits (2, 3, 8-12). Like the Flowers set, the dies come in their own storage envelope along with a diagram showing various combinations of the die cuts.

To achieve a thin butterfly, the Framelit (2) can be cut with the wings (4-7). The resulting thin butterfly is shown in the photo above that includes all of the die set pieces and cut cardstock.

I had difficulty die cutting the Triplits dies. In particular I couldn’t get out the cardstock cleanly from the Thinlits dies in either the Flowers or Butterfly sets. However, by adding a sheet of waxed paper on top of my cardstock, I was able to get clean cuts. I've actually taken to cutting all of my die cuts with waxed paper as it keeps the cardstock clean and the dies cut more easily. However, it is time consuming!

After wrapping up the research for this post, I purchased a new Big Shot machine. With a new machine and my old cutting plates, I did not need the waxed paper to cut the Thinlit dies. 

I found it simplest to cut my cardstock into 4 ¼" x 11" pieces and place all of the dies from the Triplits sets on the cardstock and cut all at once. I cut the pieces out of a variety of cardstock and patterned paper. Once cut, I played with the various combinations. {There are some pieces in the photo below from the Stand-Ups die set I'll be discussing later on in this article.}

To note, I had to do a fair amount of sanding away the little bits of cardstock that are left after die cutting on the edges, particularly on the butterfly antennae. I glued the pieces with the Zig Memory Two-Way Fine Tip Pen. (This product was included in my recent In Detail article on adhesives.)

Now let’s talk about the Elegant Stand-Up die set. In a previous In Detail post, Interactive Card Die Sets, I reviewed the Sizzix Stephanie Barnard Triple Circle Flip-Its Die Set. Same as that die set, the Elegant Stand-Up comes in its own plastic storage pouch with all of the dies separate. There’s no need to cut anything apart. The instructions include a diagram showing the measurements of the individual pieces which include the card base, the card front pieces, a border die, a decorative strip, word dies with shadows/bubbles, and two labels.

The base die measures 5 ½" wide x 8 ½" long. I cut the base cardstock 6" wide x 9" long. As you can see in the photo below, the base just fits on the magnetic platform. (In the photo I placed the die on top of the cutting plate without a piece of cardstock for illustrative purposes.)

I had difficulty running the base die through my Big Shot. My plates are slightly warped and this may have been part of the issue. It also might be easier to cut the base die using an extended platform. At any rate, I staggered my plates off of the platform and was able to pass under the rollers. However, that meant I had to flip the die around to get the back half of it to cut. I put washi tape on the die so that it would hold as I flipped it around.

As I mentioned above, after wrapping up the research for this post, I purchased a new Big Shot machine, which came with an extended platform. I also purchased extended cutting plates. I was able to easily cut the stand-up die with the extended platform and extended plates. The Big Shot machine comes with a standard-sized pair of cutting plates. The design of the new cutting plates is different than the other pair I had; the front and back edges are tapered. With the magnetic platform and the brand-new tapered cutting plates, I was able to easily cut the stand-up die as well. 

I constructed two cards with the die set. For the first, I cut the base in white cardstock, and then cut the card front pieces out of patterned paper and colored card stock.

I cut the base again out of patterned paper. I assembled this card, but I didn’t decorate it.

For the second card, I cut the card base from a double-sided 6" wide x 12" long scrapbook paper. (I cut a scrapbook paper I’ve had in my stash for several years in half). I was able to create the card base and cut a label from the same paper strip. Using double-sided paper eliminates the need to cut the base a second time.

To the card, I added a label cut from solid cardstock, a few of the Triplit flowers I had created, along with a sentiment cut with one of the stand-up set’s word dies. I cut the sentiment three times and glued the pieces together for some depth.

Obviously, there's lots more that could be added to the card using pieces from the Elegant Stand-Up! Sizzix has also recently released two other Stephanie Barnard Stand-Up die sets, the Regal Stand-Up and the Royal Stand-Up. Similar to the Elegant Stand-Up, the sets contain different word and accessory dies, as well as slightly different shaped labels.

--Jean

Sizzix Stephanie Barnard, Triplits Die Set, Flower	Sizzix Stephanie Barnard, Triplits Die Set, Butterfly	Sizzix Stephanie Barnard, Framelits Die Set, Card, Elegant Stand-Ups	Sizzix Big Shot Machine, Powder Blue & Teal
Sizzix Accessory, Magnetic Platform for Wafer-Thin Dies	QuickStik	Tim Holtz Tonic Retractable Craft Pick	PolyShrink, Sanding Blocks
2 Way Glue, Fine Tip	Tombow Adhesive Dot Stamp Runner, Permanent

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In Detail: Product Reviews & News - Adhesives by Jean Manis

Welcome back to another installment of In Detail. This week, I’m talking about Adhesives. You’ll find adhesives in their own category at Ellen Hutson.

While I understand the necessity of using the appropriate adhesive for the papercrafting task, I have to say that my relationship with adhesives isn’t a particularly comfortable one. As a perfectionist, I often dread the part in the project in which I have to put everything together, lest I make a mistake with the glue, tape, etc. At the same time, adhesives can make or break a beautifully crafted project! In this post, I’m reviewing the adhesives I now use on a regular basis, stating for which tasks they’re best suited, and pointing out caveats along the way. I think I’ve probably got company in the mindset of “If it works, don’t fix it,” and I know that I’ve depended on adhesives that worked, without looking for anything new or possibly better. During research for this post, I went outside my comfort zone and discovered there are more adhesives out there than I imagined! The list of adhesives I’m covering is by no means exhaustive, and new adhesives are added to the store on a frequent basis. 

Let’s begin with the first type of adhesive I ever used in constructing cards – the tape runner, or in this case a "dot stamp" runner. This is my “go to” adhesive when I create a card constructed only of cardstock, without heavy embellishments. The Tombow Adhesive Dot Stamp Runner can be used as both a traditional tape runner, as well as a “stamp on” adhesive. 

I have never used this adhesive except as a tape runner, but having tried the stamping method, I know I’ll use that in certain applications. This adhesive has a lot of play. I can apply it, put my cardstock pieces together, and then change my mind about placement and make an adjustment. The downside of that characteristic is that the hold isn’t super strong. This adhesive is not suitable for putting on embellishments such as buttons, or adhering watercolor panels (which might have some warp) to a cardstock base. On the plus side, the adhesive can be easily removed if you make a mistake. I use the Thermoweb Adhesive Pick-Up Square to remove stray, sticky dots. When the adhesive runs out, refills are available.

For times when I want to more securely attach a paper panel to a cardstock base, I reach for the ATG aka Advanced Tape Glider. The kit includes the glider and two ¼" x 36 yard rolls of adhesive. There are many videos online showing how to load the tape, and the kit includes instructions. The ATG can be intimidating size-wise, especially if you’re used to something smaller, like the dot runner. The ATC isn’t suitable for applying adhesive in small, tight areas, but rather for times when you want to lay down a big strip of adhesive. This adhesive is economical, quick to apply, and with 36 yards in a roll, you won’t need to reload the ATG too often. When you do, there are refills available. I’ve only recently added the ATG to my arsenal. Given its size, I did have to find space for it in my storage.

While you can change your mind after you’ve applied the adhesive, I noticed that when I pulled the card panel from the base, the cardstock bent. In other words, it’s best to be sure when you apply this adhesive and it's hold is strong. I also recently noticed that when I tried to apply this adhesive to a watercolor panel, which had a fair amount of texture on its surface, the ATG tape immediately pulled up. The ATG tape works best on a smooth surface. 

The Xyron 1.5" Create-a-Sticker Machine comes already loaded with ½" wide x 20' long, acid-free permanent adhesive. A permanent refill and a repositionable refill are both available. I had never used this tool until working on this article! I’d heard of it, but somehow the “sticker” name didn’t resonate with me. I’ve been using Glossy Accents (more on those later in the article) to attach die cut letters, but not without a lot of exasperation. I was pleasantly surprised at how simple this machine is to use.

Just load the item at the top of the X and let it go.

Pull the tape at the bottom of the X and tear off the sealed item, or items, if you send through more than one at a time.

Peel away the top sheet, lift off the item to which a sticky adhesive has been applied, and place on your project.

Now that I’ve used it, this will be my “go to” tool for adding adhesive to die cut letters. Although I haven’t confirmed this with my own testing, I’ve read that thin buttons and ribbon can be sent through the machine.

Although the double-sided Be Creative Tape, 5mm (1/4") can take a little longer to apply, as it needs to be cut, its hold is unbeatable and the application is precise. 

Recently I’ve been doing a lot of watercolor projects, and I noticed that if I applied the watercolor panels to the card base with the stamp runner, I was likely to have some gaps, especially as the watercolor panels are often slightly warped. I now apply heavier cardstock panels and watercolor panels to a card base with this tape.

Be Creative Tape is also available in the following sizes: 3mm (1/8"), 7mm (3/10"), 12mm (1/2"), 25mm (1") , 15mm (3/5"), 40mm (1 1/2"), 65mm (2.5") and 115mm (4.5").

The popular “cover-a-card” die cuts pose a particular adhesive challenge, and for those I use the Be Creative Sheets, 5 pk (8x11). I cut the sheets down to A2 size. Before running the cardstock through the die cut machine, I attach the sheet to the cardstock panel. (I typically use the Memory Box Metal Adaptor Plate to cut the cardstock panel with the larger die cuts.) 

 

After the card panel has been run through the die cut, I carefully peel the part of the die cut I want to apply to the card base away from the sheet. Once I make the commitment to apply the die cut to the card base, there’s no going back. The Be Creative sheets offer a strong hold.

Although I don’t often use the High Tack Double-Sided Foam Mounting Tape, 1/4" (2mm/0.08 in. in depth), I have begun to do so on the recommendation of Kittie Caracciolo. This is an easy to apply product for times when you need dimension on your project. The tape is also available in ½” width.

I used the tape on all four sides of a window overlay, as shown.

I could also use a strip or smaller pieces to adhere items with dimension.

This tape is forgiving in that I was able to pull a window overlay off of a watercolor paper panel to make an adjustment.

I also use Scrapbook Adhesives Foam Squares for those times when I don’t need an entire strip of dimension. The package includes (63) ½" x ½" and (154) ¼" x ¼" squares, 2mm/0.08 in. in depth.

The Kool Tak Clear Foam Adhesive, 1/4" Squares are another way to add dimension to a project. The package includes 144 adhesive squares measuring 1/4" x 1/4" x 1/32" thick. I used the clear squares to adhere a die cut strip. I wanted to attach the row of houses, which were cut from a watercolored panel, to a watercolored background.

Because the die cut had openings, the clear squares allowed me to attach the panel without worry that the squares would show through. However, there are a couple of caveats. I find that these squares are somewhat difficult to get off of the sheet. More precisely, the squares tend to come off the sheet several at a time.

I also found the liner on the squares difficult to remove. Still there are certain instances when an almost invisible adhesive is needed, and for that, these squares work well.

I wasn’t quite happy with how I attached the strip of houses to the background and was able to lift it off and reattach it.

Although I’ve owned glue pens for several years, I honestly didn’t know how to use them. The Sakura Quickie Glue Pen, Zig Memory Squeeze & Roll Pen and the Zig Memory Two-Way Fine Tip Pen offer both permanent and repositionable adhesion. When the glue is first applied, it’s blue. At this point, it’s permanent. As it dries, it turns clear, at which point it’s repositionable. I have come to realize that I was slow in getting my items glued. Therefore, the hold I got was repositionable, whereas I wanted it to be permanent. I would only use this product for a permanent hold. Because the glue does dry quickly, I find that the pens are best suited for gluing smaller items such as cardstock die cuts. 

Because you have to “write” with the pen, the item needs to be on a solid surface to apply the glue. With squeezers, the item can be picked up to be applied to the project.

Using a glue pen to apply glue to a “cover-a-card” die cut would take too long for this style of adhesive to provide a permanent hold. The glue would be dry, making it repositionable, by the time you got around the die cut edge!

The Sakura Quickie Glue Pen writes like a ball-point pen, as does the Zig Memory Squeeze & Roll Pen.The Zig Memory Two-Way Fine Tip Pen is a felt-tip. There’s also a chisel-tip version.

I actually prefer adding dots of glue with the Zig Memory Two-Way Fine Tip Pen. I like that the dots are consistent in terms of amount and shape of the glue, and I was able to quickly apply the glue with this pen.

I used the Sakura Quickie Glue Pen (top) and the Zig Memory Squeeze & Roll Pen (bottom) to test the application of fine glitter. The Sakura was easier with which to write.

However, after the glue dried, I tested the hold by brushing the glitter.

The glitter applied with the Sakura glue pen was easy to brush off, whereas the glitter applied with the Zig Memory glue held strong. I’ve read online that glitter can be sealed with a fixative, which would eliminate the problem of the product rubbing off.

Another product I’ve had in my supplies, but had not used before embarking on this post, is the Ranger Collage Glue Stick. Ranger has also recently introduced the Ranger Collage Glue Stick, Triangle whose shape provides the capability to apply glue in hard-to-reach corners. The collage stick is intended for gluing paper and photos. I used the glue stick to apply a piece of patterned paper to grunge board before die-cutting the grunge board. 

I applied the glue liberally to the grunge board and then firmly pressed the patterned paper onto the grunge board. After allowing ample drying time, I die cut the grunge board. This was much simpler than die cutting the grunge board, die cutting the patterned paper and then applying the patterned paper pieces to the grunge board.

I’ll end my review of adhesives with a product that has been part of my supply since I began cardmaking a few years ago. Whether for attaching buttons, twine, non-flat items such as paper clips, or delicate die cuts, I reach for the Ranger Mini Glossy Accents. As I revealed earlier, until I learned about the Xyron 1.5" Create-a-Sticker Machine and the glue pens, I used Glossy Accents for just about everything except gluing paper to paper! Ranger Glossy Accents are also available in a two-ounce size, but I prefer the smaller size. Not just an adhesive, Glossy Accents can be used as a gloss medium to add shine to stamped images, die cuts, chipboard accents and more. The product dries clear, strong and fast. My experience is that there is not a lot of play with this product, and when it’s dry, it’s attached for good!

In the photos, I’ve shown the application of Glossy Accents to a grunge board die cut onto which I’ve added a die cut patterned paper piece. For this type of application I find the Lifestyle Crafts QuickStik or EK Craft Tweezers to be particularly useful. More often, I hold the item to which I’m applying the Glossy Accents with the QuickStik or the tweezers (the type of item dictates which of the tools I use). For example, if I had a metal accent that I was planning to put on a card base, I would hold it with the tweezers and apply the glue.

Interested in learning about glitter adhesives? Check out Ellen’s post “Transparent Double-Stick Tape and Microfine Glitter Comparison.”

Julie Ebersole has a terrific video tutorial “Adhesive for Delicate Die Cuts.”

Is there an adhesive you use that I didn’t cover? Do you use one of the adhesives mentioned in a manner that I didn’t discuss? We love to hear from you!

--Jean

Tombow Adhesive Dot Stamp Runner, Permanent	ATG Kit, Advanced Tape Glider	Xyron, 1.5" Create-a-sticker Machine	Be Creative Tape, 5mm (1/4")
Be Creative (Sookwang) Sheets, 5 pk (8x11)	High Tack Double-Sided Foam Mounting Tape, 1/4"	3-D Foam Squares, Mixed	Kool Tak Clear Foam Adhesive, 1/4 Squares
Sakura Quickie Glue Pen	Zig 2 Way Glue Pen, Squeeze & Roll	2 Way Glue, Fine Tip	Accents, Mini Glossy
Accents, Glossy	Collage Glue Stick	Thermoweb Adhesive Pick-Up Square

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In Detail: Product Reviews & News - Interactive Card Die Sets by Jean Manis

Welcome back to another installment of In Detail. This week I’m reviewing two die cut sets that create interactive cards aka flip-its, pop-ups, stand-ups – the Sizzix Stephanie Barnard Triple Circle Flip-Its Die Set and the Elizabeth Craft Designs Lucy Label Pop Up Die, designed by Karen Burniston. 

Let start with the Sizzix Stephanie Barnard Triple Circle Flip-Its Die Set.

The set comes in its own plastic storage pouch with all of the ten dies separate. There’s no need to cut anything apart. The instructions include a diagram showing the measurements of the individual pieces which include the card base, the card front pieces, a scallop border die, and six circles of various diameters and edge treatments. 

To begin, I cut the card base using the Sizzix Magnetic Platform and my Big Shot machine. (Interested in knowing more about the Magnetic Platform? – Check out my review of the platform in a previous In Detail post.) After cutting, I scored the card center (valley fold) and the card front flap (mountain/peak fold).

Next I cut the left-hand piece of the card front out of patterned paper.

I also cut the right-hand piece of the card front out of patterned paper.

The card design is such that there really isn’t a place for a traditional sentiment. I’ve seen examples with word sentiments in all three of the front circles. The circles are 1 3/8" diameter, but the set doesn’t include a circle die of that diameter. I’m guessing that if the circle sections were covered with circles of the exact diameter, there might be issues opening and closing the card, because the paper could somehow catch. The set does include a 1 ¼" diameter circle with a scalloped edge and two 1/8" circles, one with a pierced edge and the other plain.

The most difficult part in the creation of this card was making design decisions about what to use on the six circles (three front and three back) so that the pattern would be pleasing. I tend to be matchy-matchy at times in my thinking, so I wanted the paper patterns, colors and motifs to hang together.

I’ve seen examples of cards repeating the same element, a small stamped flower or flower die cut on all of the circles. I’ve also seen examples in which a die-cut element was used on the card front left-hand corner and/or one on the card front right-hand corner. I just didn’t find anything in my supplies that I thought would work well or look coordinated.

I decided to use a Lawn Fawn flair button in the center of the three front circles for my sentiment, even though by doing so, I’d be adding bulk for mailing the card. I attached the flair to a circle cut with scalloped edge 1 ¼" diameter circle front the set. After I searched through my stamp sets and came up short on any small stamps that I thought would work, I searched through my die cuts for small items. I cut pieces with the Lawn Fawn Lawn Cuts Hearts Dies and the Poppystamps Groovy Flower Set and attached them to plain-edge 1 1/8" circles cut from the die included in the Sizzix set. 

I attached a circle, cut with the set’s 2" scallop-edge circle die, for an area on which to include a short, personal note or signature.

The finished card, when folded, is 4 1/4" wide by 5 1/2" tall. Before adhering all of the pieces, I smoothed off the die cut burrs with a PolyShrink Sanding Block.

There are two other Sizzix Stephanie Barnard sets similar to the Triple Circle Flip-Its Die Set: the Triple Fancy Frame Flip-its Die Set and Triple Square Flip-Its Die Set. There are also different style flip-its and stand-ups in the Sizzix Stephanie Barnard line.

Let's take a look at the Elizabeth Craft Designs Lucy Label Pop Up Die. This set is the most generic of the Pop It Ups designed by Karen Burniston.

The set must be cut apart before use. (The Elizabeth Crafts Design Die Snips and File Set are suggested tools for this use.) The Pop Up set includes the main pop-up piece, three label dies of various sizes and designs, and two dies to create slots for decorative elements or creating a ribbon slide. I only used the main piece and one of the label dies for the card I created.

Unlike the Pop 'n Cuts products designed by Karen Burniston for Sizzix, the card interior and card base aka cover (which covers up the hole created by the pop-up) must be cut by the crafter. The card shape and orientation (square/circular/rectangular, vertical/horizontal) and size (as long as the width doesn’t exceed the width of the die cutting machine’s plate width) are left up to the crafter.

According to the package directions, the center of the pop-up die should be aligned over the center of the center fold of the cardstock. The photograph of the pop-up die piece is shown die side up.

I cut the interior piece cardstock and scored it at the center of its 11" length. I placed the pop-up piece on the scored line on the cutting plate and magnetic platform of my Big Shot machine. I found it difficult to see the placement of the die over the fold, so I marked the center with some pencil scribbling. The pencil was darker on the fold.

I also found it helpful to use the Tim Holtz ruler to determine the center from left to right. 

After cutting, I began by popping out the label and shelf, folding the shelf on the back wall as a valley fold and closing the card. Then I folded the stair-step platform above the top shelf. This stair-step platform could also be left lying flat.

My advice is to practice cutting the pop-up on scrap cardstock before commiting to your final paper. The scrap does not need to be a full-sized card strip, just large enough to cut the size of the die and a bit more.

With the cutting and folding of the pop-up interior, the difficult part of the card creation is done. Before I go to my final design, I want to discuss some options.

The card interior piece can be slightly smaller in width than the exterior/cover. This border provides a nice finished look.

I also crafted a card with a piece of scrapbook paper I had in my stash, which had a pattern front and back. I cut the scrapbook paper in half, using one half for the interior and the other for the exterior. For this example, I turned the die around. The top-half of the card interior has the label die and the bottom-half has the shelf. The stair-step pop-up is left flat. 

Another option is to use the Elizabeth Craft Designs Agatha Edges Die Set to cut a flourish edge on the card. The set work for any cards created with the Pop It Ups Collection by Karen Burniston.

I created a scene for my pop-up interior using pieces cut with the following die sets: Memory Box Garden Watering Can, Memory Box Marshmallow Clouds, Memory Box Puffy Clouds, Poppystamps Tulip Fanfare, and Elizabeth Craft Designs Bees Die. The watering can base is attached to the stair-step label piece.

I added a sentiment stamped from the Hero Arts Enjoy Today set, which I cut with the label shape included with the Lucy Label set. I also cut a label using a Lifestyle Crafts nesting set (the set is included in the purchase of the Genius platform, but not sold separately) to attach to the card interior bottom half for a hand-written note and/or signature.

I dry-embossed the card exterior (backing card) front with the Elizabeth Crafts Design Bees Embossing Folder.

The finished card, when folded, is 4 1/4" wide by 5 1/2" tall.

A couple of design considerations:

• Because I attached the watering can and flowers to the stair-step platform, when the card is closed, the can and flowers move up ½" (the height of the platform). For that reason, the design should not come within ½" of the top of the card; otherwise those pieces will be exposed when the card is closed.

• When the interior is attached to the exterior card cover, the interior piece extends a bit vertically, due to the fold of the card cover. I attached the interior, closed the card, and measured the amount I needed to trim the interior.

As I stated earlier, the Lucy Label Pop Up Die is the most generic of the Pop It Ups designed by Karen Burniston for Elizabeth Craft Designs. Be sure to check out the ever-growing collection of Pop It Ups including Lots of Pops and Garden Bench.

Did you know there’s an Interactive Card Design Class offered at Ellen Hutson?

Save $3 on the HOWnow Fold It, Pop It, Flip It, Zip It! Interactive Card Making Class with the coupon code FIPIFIZI3. Offer valid from April 26 to May 3, 2014.

--Jean

 

Sizzix Accessory, Magnetic Platform for Wafer-Thin Dies	Sizzix Stephanie Barnard, Framelits Die Set, Card, Triple Circle Flip-Its	Elizabeth Craft Designs Die, Lucy Label Pop Up	Lawn Fawn Flair, Hello Sunshine
Lawn Cuts Dies, Hearts	Poppystamps Dies, Groovy Flower	Memory Box Dies, Garden Watering Can	Memory Box Dies, Marshmallow Clouds
Memory Box Dies, Puffy Clouds	Elizabeth Craft Designs Die, Bees	Elizabeth Craft Designs Embossing Folder, Bees	Hero Arts ClearDesign, Enjoy Today
PolyShrink, Sanding Blocks	Ruler, Tim Holtz Design

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In Detail: Product Reviews & News - Make-Your-Own Mists by Jean Manis

Welcome back to another installment of In Detail. In this post, I’m continuing my exploration of mists with a review of “make your own” mists and the Distress Marker Spritzer Tool. The previous In Detail posts on Spray Mists and Stencils may be of interest.

Let’s begin with a misting option that's simple to create, especially if you already own reinkers. I put a dropper and a half of Tumbled Glass Distress Reinker into a Mini Mister spray bottle and filled the remainder of the bottle with water. (The Mini Misters are also sold in packages of three.)

I sprayed the reinker mixture through the Tim Holtz Latticework stencil. I wanted to compare this mixture with Distress Stain, so I filled a Mini Mister with Tumbled Glass Distress Stain, without adding any water, and sprayed it through the same stencil.

Both the reinker mixture and the Distress Stain mixture sprayed evenly, providing good coverage. However, the mist created with the reinker is more watery. The color is also slightly lighter, although I suspect that could be corrected by adding more ink to the mixture. Conversely, you can make your color lighter by adding more water. To the touch, the tag sprayed with the reinker is slightly raised from the water.

Neither of the tags curled much in comparison to the curling that occurs with pre-made sprays. I wanted to compare the Distress Stain spray to Adirondack Color Wash, so I filled a Mini Mister with Faded Jeans Distress Stain and sprayed a tag with the Tim Holtz Clockworks stencil. I sprayed the same stencil with the Tim Holtz Adirondack Denim Color Wash.

Although the colors aren’t quite the same, the coverage achieved with the Distress Stain is comparable to the coverage from the Adirondack spray. Furthermore, the Distress Stain had fewer droplets. That being said, the Adirondack spray provides characteristics that sprayed Distress Stain does not. The Adirondack spray is permanent and can be used on fabric. But if coverage is all you’re after, then spraying Distress Stains offers an alternative, especially if you’ve already invested in the Distress Stains.

After playing with the Dylusions Ink Spray White Linen for the previous post on Spray Mists, I had a bottle that was less than a quarter full. White Linen is an opaque mist that comes in a spray bottle, which includes a metal ball to help with mixing the product before spraying.

With a Studio Calico eye dropper I added a dropper full of the Dylusions Calypso Teal Ink Spray to the White Linen bottle to make a light teal spray. If I’d wanted more color, I would have added more, one dropper at a time. Alternatively, I could have mixed several droppersfuls of the White Linen with one of the Teal in a 2 oz Inkssentials Mister, but I wanted the mixture in a bottle with a metal ball for mixing.

I sprayed the mixture through the Dylusions Floral Medley stencil yielding a subtly colored, but vibrant, opaque image. The mist sits on the surface because of the White Linen spray formula.

Next, I used the Gelatos Mist Maker Tool Kit to create a mist with a gelato. The set includes a palette knife, a dropper, two misting bottles and a metallic melon gelato stick. I followed the instructions for creating a mist from the package.

I cut a section of the Gelato off into a bowl and mixed with two full droppers of warm water.

I blended the Gelato my pressing on it with the palette knife until dissolved, and then added another two dropperfuls of warm water and dissolved it again.

I filled the misting bottle with the mixture using the dropper.

I created mists with the Metallic Melon color included in the set, as well as with a Cotton Candy one (included in the set of four Blue Gelatos). 

If you’ve already got a lot of Gelatos in your supplies, then making mists with them is a logical step. It’s relatively easy to make the mist and you’ve got as many colors available as you have Gelato colors. The method described above did not make a lot of product. After applying the spray to a couple of tags, the mister was empty. Therefore, I can't comment about the shelf life of the Gelatos mist. If you wanted to make a larger amount of mist to begin with, you’d simply start with more of the Gelato and more water.

I sprayed the Metallic Melon Gelato Mist through the Dylusions Floral Medley stencil.

The Gelato mist created a light coverage with a fair number of bigger drops. The metallic Gelato gave a pearly sheen when dry.

I also sprayed the Cotton Candy Gelato Mist through the same stencil to compare its coverage and appearance with that of the Dylusions mixture and the Tumbled Glass reinker spray.

To continue my exploration of the mists, I painted an image stamped from the Dylusions How Does Your Garden Grow stamp set. 

Let’s compare the Reinker mixture to that of the Distress Stain to color the image. Predictably, the Distress Stain provided more solid coverage. As discussed above, the reinker mixture could be made darker with a change to the ratio of reinker to water. Better yet, the Reinkers could be used without any dilution to color the image. Reinkers and Distress Stains work wonderfully for coloring images.

When comparing the Adirondack Color Wash to the Distress Stain to color, the Distress Stain gave more even, less blotchy coverage. The Color Wash product is permanent, whereas the Distress Stain is not. 

The Gelato and Dylusions White Linen formulas can’t really be compared to one another. The Metallic Melon Gelato mixture gives a waxy finish when painted. The Dylusions White Linen mixture colors the image evenly.

For coloring, the Distress Stain and Dylusions White Linen mixtures were my preferences. Of course, the Gelatos could be used more easily for coloring by simply appllying the product to a craft sheet and picking it up with water. As already discussed, the Reinkers can be used for coloring without dilution.

I also splattered the sprays by flicking a small paint brush that had been dipped in each at full strength onto white cardstock.

For this application, my preferences in order: the splatters produced by the Dylusions White Linen mixture, the Gelato, the Distress Stain, and finally the Reinker.

Lastly, I wanted to try the new Distress Marker Spritzer Tool. This hand-operated product provides an airbrush effect.

I placed the Distress Marker into the tool, tightened the screw and spritzed a tag through the Crafter's Workshop Wildflowers stencil by squeezing the bulb pointing the end of the tool towards the tag, not the end of the marker. You can control the amount of marker ink that is applied by how hard you squeeze the bulb.

The tool is well suited for applying ink through stencils for an air-brushed effect, especially where you want to apply several different colors into relatively small openings, without a lot of overlap. However, it takes a fair amount of work to continuously squeeze the tool. Additionally, it’s not clear how much of the marker is being drained by using it to mist. The Distress Markers aren’t refillable, although they are fairly inexpensive. If you're already invested in Distress Markers and you're interested in an airbrush tool for occasional use, the spritzer is worth its affordable price. It's also much less messy to use than other spray mists!

--Jean

 

Distress Reinker, Tumbled Glass	Distress Stain, Tumbled Glass	Distress Stain, Faded Jeans	Tim Holtz Adirondack Color Wash, Denim
Dylusions Ink Spray, Calypso Teal	Dylusions Ink Spray, White Linen	Gelatos Mist Maker Tool Kit	Gelatos, Set of 4, Blue
Mini Mister, Individual	Distress Marker Spritzer Tool	Tim Holtz Distress Markers	Tim Holtz Stencils, Latticework
Tim Holtz Stencils, Clockworks	Dylusions Stencil, Floral Medley 5x8	Crafter's Workshop Templates, 6x6 Wildflowers by Ronda Palazarri	Dylusions Cling Stamp Set, How Does Your Garden Grow
Studio Artist Brushes	Studio Calico Mister Huey's Droppers	Archival Ink Pad, Jet Black	Inkssentials Surfaces, Manila Tag #8
A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, 25 pack

InLinkz.com

 

In Detail: Product Reviews & News - Spray Mists by Jean Manis

Welcome! In this In Detail segment, I’m going to be discussing spray mists. To begin, let me say that I had little knowledge about or experience with spray mists before researching the products for this article. In fact, I had a bit of a phobia about using them! (I’ll be referring to spray mists interchangeably as “sprays” and “mists” throughout the article.)

Sprays and mists can be found in the Ellen Hutson Storefront in the subcategory Mists and Sprays under Ink. I’m reviewing mists from the following manufacturers/labels:

• Ranger Dylusions Ink Spray (2 oz.) – developed by mixed-media artist Dyan Reaveley, the sprays are available in 24 vibrant colors, including White Linen, an opaque white. The water-based and water-reactive dyes, acid-free and non-toxic, work on porous surfaces such as paper, Sticky Back Canvas, wood, and clay.

• Ranger Tim Holtz Adirondack Color Wash (2 oz.) – available in 12 earthy and bright colors. The water-based and water-soluble, permanent spray dyes, acid-free and non-toxic, will work on paper, fibers, fabric and more.

• Hero Arts Spray (1 oz.) – available in 13 colors (six shadow mid-tone and seven neon colors). The water-based dye inks are acid-free, archival and fade resistant. 

• Studio Calico Mister Huey's Color Mist (1 oz.) – colors coordinate with Studio Calico collections. Currently available in a variety of colors, as well as silver and gold.

• Tsukineko/Imagine Crafts irRESISTible Texture Spray (2 oz.) – 23 complementary Memento colors, as well as gold, silver, copper, bronze and white. The product, archival and acid-free, offers texture and vibrant, fade-resistant color for a variety of surfaces.

• Tsukineko/Imagine Crafts Goosebumps Texture Spray (2 oz.) – Original, Matte and Shimmer finishes. The spray adds a unique speckled texture for use on paper, canvas, glass, acrylic, acetate and more.

• Ranger Perfect Pearls Mist (2 oz.) – 24 colors in the palette of Perfect Pearls Powders. The water-based formula spray, acid-free and non-toxic, has a built-in binder.

Misting Basics

Before discussing the various experiments, some observation about using mists:

• Don’t start misting on your project before taking a few practices spritzes on a spare tag or scrap cardstock. It will help get your rhythm and ensure that the mister is operating without a clog.

• Don’t be a hesitant mister. Although there’s a natural tendency to go lightly or slowly with something you want to do well, in the case of misting, that tendency will actually lead to more mistakes. A half-pressed spray will cause dribbles. Commit to the mist!

• The more practice you have at misting, the better at misting you will become. I truly believed I would never be a “mister” until tackling this topic. Now, I actually find it enjoyable! However, it does introduce a degree of randomness to a project, and it’s messy.

Spraying Through Stencils

My first experiment was to spray the mists through stencils on manila tags. I placed the tags and stencils in a cardboard box, which I took outside. Depending on your goal, you can choose to spray close or farther away. It’s important to consider this common problem: by the time you think you’ve got enough coverage, you’ve more than likely applied too much product.

Let’s say you want your project to include only a portion of the stencil design. In that case, get closer to the stencil and spray in the region where you want the most product. I sprayed Hero Arts Pool Mists through the Tim Holtz Bubble stencil.

The most amount of product is in the upper-right corner, where I sprayed, although there’s quite a bit of coverage throughout. Obviously if I’d sprayed less, there would be less coverage overall with a concentration in the upper-right.

In order to evaluate the mist products, I stood 12-18 inches away from the surface. I wanted to spray as evenly as possibly through the entire stencil, and I moved around the stencil as I sprayed.

Too much product invariably means that there’s seepage under the stencil. For some of the tags, I sprayed multiple ones in order to get the right amount of coverage. Additionally, if I got too much coverage, I stood farther from the stencil when I sprayed. Of course, this means that you’re wasting product to some extent, because the farther away you stand, the more product you’re spraying overall. 

Dylusions Ink Calypso Teal sprayed through the Crafter’s Workshop Chunky Chevron stencil. 

The mist particles were fine and the spray provided solid, even coverage. There were a few larger spots. There was no discernable seepage under the stencil from too much product being applied. The color is translucent and bright.

Tim Holtz Adirondack Butterscotch sprayed through the Crafter’s Workshop Chunky Chevron stencil. 

The results are similar to those from the Dylusions mist. The spray provided an even mist with a few large drops. In general, the Adirondack colors are more muted than those in the Dylusions line. 

Hero Arts Pool Mists sprayed through the Crafter’s Workshop Chunky Chevron stencil. 

The spray provided an even mist giving good coverage with a few bigger drops. There was some seepage that could be prevented with a less spray.

Studio Calico Mister Huey's Canyon sprayed through the Crafter’s Workshop Chunky Chevron stencil.

The spray provided an even mist giving good coverage with a few large drops. I don’t believe that the coverage is quite as solid as the Studio Calico spray, for the same amount applied. 

For the above four sprays, I  achieved solid and even coverage, without seepage under the stencil, as long as I stood at a good distance and didn’t overspray. I was not able to eliminate a few bigger drops, however, even with multiple tries with the same spray and stencil. The formula of the Dylusions and Adirondack products is more watery than that of the Hero Arts and Studio Calico sprays. The Hero Arts and Mister Huey’s spray bottles are both marked with “Shake Well” instructions. The inks of the Dylusions and Adirondack products saturate the paper more, whereas those in the Hero Arts and Studio Calico sprays seem to stay more on the surface.

The irRESISTible Texture Spray is a completely different type of product than the previously mentioned sprays. The spray contains a substance that creates texture. This product dried quickly on the stencil. In fact, I had to scrub the stencil, even though I put it immediately in warm, soapy water after spraying.

irRESISTible Lady Bug Texture Spray sprayed through the Crafter's Workshop 6x6 Echoes stencil. 

It is easy to “over spray” with this product, in which case there is a lot of seepage under the stencil. (See above left.) When I used a lighter hand, there was less coverage. (See above right.) In other words, it’s almost impossible to fill in the stencil with this product and not get seepage. Additionally, there is a large variation in the size of the droplets, so coverage isn’t even. I found that this spray works best with stencil images that allowed the image to take shape with less coverage. I also found that the nozzle got clogged easily with this spray. At one point, I was spraying a stream rather than a mist. However, it was easy to clean out the nozzle.

irRESISTible Silver Texture Spray sprayed through the Tim Holtz Hearts stencil.

As you can see, there's some seepage and a wide variation in the mist size.

Perfect Pearls Grape Fizz sprayed through the Tim Holtz Stars stencil on black cardstock. 

The spray is difficult to see on a lighter background. It’s also difficult to see this product during application. Overall, it provides a subtle shimmering effect. Although it might be difficult to see in the photo, there’s a wide variation in the size of the spray drops. However, the end result was one without any seepage under the stencil and the sprayed stars are flat.

The Dylusions White Linen spray mist is different than the other Dylusions mists as it is an opaque, rather than transparent mist. The spray bottle includes a metal ball to help with mixing the product before spraying.

Dylusions White Linen sprayed through the Tim Holtz Stars stencil.

I sprayed the White Linen mist on colored cardstock, since its visibility would be less on a manila tag. There wasn’t any seepage under the stencil, so it’s relatively easy to control. I have more information on the White Linen spray later in the article.

Emboss resist

Although I might not use this method on a regular basis when creating a project, I wanted to see what the sprays looked like with a heat-embossed sentiment. On manila tags, I stamped a sentiment from the Tim Holtz Random Quotes set with VersaMark ink and heat set with clear embossing powder. I sprayed and swiped a paper towel across the tag to cover with the spray.

The Dylusions and Adirondack sprays saturated the tags the most. Those tags are also the most curled. The Hero Arts and Mister Huey’s mists sat more on the surface, giving less intense coverage. The irRESISTible Texture spray was almost dry before I could swipe it across, and the cover isn't even.

The Goosebumps Texture Spray product is designed to add texture. It dries clear and is water-resistant, making it ideal for resist projects. I sprayed it through the Tim Holtz Stars stencil on a manila tag and then applied Salty Ocean Distress ink.

There’s a lot of texture and it certainly resists the Distress ink. The coverage is uneven and there was some seepage. 

Adding splatters

My next test was to remove the nozzles of the sprays and tap the product onto cardstock squares. I’ve noticed that a lot of mists are used for adding splatter accents to projects.

I was surprised that none of the products just easily dropped onto the cardstock. I had to tap the end to get the drops to fall onto the paper. For this technique, I prefer the drops from the Hero Arts, Mister Huey’s and Dylusions White Linen mist. I don’t particularly like the spread pattern of the Dylusions and Adirondack mists, and the drops from the irRESISTible Texture spray were raised and shiny when dry. You might be able to see a few Perfect Pearls Grape Fizz splatters in the square with the Dylusions White. I couldn't see the product being applied, so I wasn't sure they were there until they dried!

I also used a Studio Calico eye dropper to place Dylusions, Hero Arts and Studio Calico Mister Huey’s mists on cardstock to see the differences in how the ink absorbs into cardstock.

As you can see, the Mister Huey’s product appears to sit on top of the cardstock whereas the other two products spread into the cardstock. I was interested to see the difference in the formulas. (Please note: I wasn’t scientific about placing the exact same amount of product for the three mists.)

Painting with Sprays

I read in Dyan Reaveley’s book, My Creative Journal Journey, that the Dylusions sprays can be put into a Tim Holtz water brush and used to color a stamped image. Although I didn’t put the various sprays into water brushes, I did paint stamped images with the various sprays to see how easily I could paint with them and the appearance they gave. I stamped a flower image from the Dylusions How Does Your Garden Grow stamp set with Archival ink onto cardstock and colored the image by brushing on the mist full-strength, not diluted with water. I poured a small amount of the mist into a disposable cup and dipped my paint brush into the cup.

For this experiment, I tried to stay inside the lines. All of the products were relatively easy to apply with a brush. The Dylusions and Adirondack mists saturated the paper more than the Hero Arts and Mister Huey’s. I don’t particularly like the look that the irRESISTible Texture spray gives, which is shiny and bumpy. Then again, the product is designed to provide texture and wasn’t designed to be used in this manner. While I wouldn’t buy a mist in order to paint with it, it was good to know that I could do so.

Combining Mists

In her book, My Creative Journal Journey, Dyan Reaveley shows how to roll over sprayed journal pages with a paper towel roll to remove excess color. I sprayed two Dylusions sprays onto a manila tag and rolled with a paper towel roll.

This is an easy way to create a background. The key is to avoid combining colors that are opposites on the color wheel—red/green, blue/orange, yellow/purple—because the color created with the combination will be brown. Even though I used the same two sprays, Dylusions Calypso Teal and Dylusions Dirty Martini, I got different results every time.

Stamping and Stenciling with Dylusions White Linen Ink Spray

As I already mentioned, the Dylusions White Linen spray mist is opaque rather than transparent. One interesting feature is that the spray can be used for stamping with the Dylusions Ink Spray Pad. (In fact, the Dylusions Ink Spray Pad is designed to use any of the Dylusions sprays as stamping inks.) There are many tutorial videos on the internet showing how to use the spray pad, which is oversized. I seasoned my pad for use, as directed by one of Dyan Reaveley’s videos, and then sprayed a section of the pad with the White Linen spray. I concentrated the spray in one section, slightly larger than the stamp I was using, as I didn’t want to use the entire bottle on the ink pad! 

I stamped the same image with Memento Luxe Wedding Dress ink and with the spray ink on black cardstock.

While the Memento Luxe image is crisper than the one stamped with the White Linen mist, I was happy with how well the mist worked as a stamping ink.

I went ahead and sprayed the entire pad with the White Linen to ink the Hero Arts Raindrops stamp.The results are more subtle than a stamped image would be. You can see that the White Linen product is visible through the stamped black ink.

Additionally, the pad can be used to ink through a stencil. For this application, I sprayed a larger section of the pad. The stencil is placed onto the pad and then the tag is placed face-down on top of the stencil. I tried this technique using the Memory Box Starry Nights stencil and the Tim Holtz Stars stencil on tags I had created with the Dylusions mists. Applying the mist in this manner is relatively easy. 

I finished off the tags with images and sentiments stamped in Archival ink with the Savvy Stamps Cityscape stamp and the Tim Holtz Random Quotes set. I wouldn’t buy the White Linen spray specifically to use as a stamping ink; however, knowing that I could do so is definitely a plus.

In Summary

Honestly, I didn’t expect to like mists, but once I developed confidence in using them, I found myself thinking of projects on which I could use them. I like the vibrancy of the colors in the Dylusions line, specifically for blending to color a tag background. For projects on which I would want partial misting, I’d pick either the Hero Arts or Mister Huey’s. One advantage of the Hero Arts line is that the colors coordinate with their inks. 

Additional Reading

A GooseBumps Tutorial for Speckled Poinsettias by Selma Stevenson

Misting Mania by Julie Ebersole

Hello, Monday 06.17.2013 by Julie Ebersole

--Jean

 

Dylusions Ink Spray, Calypso Teal	Dylusions Ink Spray, Dirty Martini	Dylusions Ink Spray, White Linen	Tim Holtz Adirondack Color Wash, Butterscotch
Hero Arts Spray, Pool Mists	Studio Calico Mister Huey's Color Mist, Canyon, That-a-Way	irRESISTible Texture Spray, Lady Bug	irRESISTible Texture Spray, Silver
Goosebumps Texture Spray	Perfect Pearls Mists, Grape Fizz	Tim Holtz Stencils, Bubble	Crafter's Workshop Templates, 6x6 Chunky Chevron
Crafter's Workshop Templates, 6x6 Echoes	Tim Holtz Stencils, Stars	Tim Holtz Stencils, Hearts	Dylusions Cling Stamp Set, How Does Your Garden Grow
Tim Holtz Cling Stamp Set, Random Quotes	Dylusions Ink Spray Pad, #3 Dry	Studio Calico Mister Huey's Droppers	My Creative Journal Journey by Diane Reaveley
Tim Holtz Water Brush, Detailer Brush Nib	Savvy Stamps, Cityscape	Basic Grey Cling Stamp Set: Fresh Cut, Raindrops	Memory Box Stencils, Starry Nights
Distress Ink Pad, Salty Ocean	Archival Ink Pad, Jet Black	Memento Luxe Ink Pad, White	VersaMark Ink Pad
Ranger Embossing Powder, Clear	A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, 25 pack	Inkssentials Surfaces, Manila Tag #8

InLinkz.com

In Detail: Product Reviews & News - This & That by Jean Manis

Welcome! In this installment of In Detail we’ve got a little of this and a little of that. Who would have imagined that since we started the series at the end of 2013 that we’d already be updating recent product info?!

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, the scissors in the In Detail: Essential Tools post have been replaced by the Teflon coated scissors shown here.

Additionally, in the In Detail review of the magnetic platform, I made mention of the Sizzix replacement for the multi-purpose platform. Good news for those of you who have wanted a multi-purpose platform – it’s back! Sizzix has reissued the platform in extended length.

We had great feedback on the In Detail: Essential Tools post and wanted to share the suggestions from the comments. 

To begin, it was mentioned that the Tim Holtz Ruler has a line of small holes along one edge through which you can evenly pierce paper using the Tim Holtz Tonic Craft Pick.

Many of you added tools that you considered essential, including the following:

• The Teflon Bone Folder does not leave sheen on cardstock.

• The EK Success Stamp-a-ma-Jig is useful for lining up rubber stamps, both wood-mounted and cling variety.

• Kittie Caracciolo listed the Sizzix Tool Kit inspired by Susan Tierney-Cockburn as an essential. The tools are designed for crafting more realistic flowers with floral die cuts.

• I have the Martha Stewart Scoring Board set up next to my paper cutter. I score my card base just after cutting it. (I didn’t include paper cutters on the tool list. They may be a topic for a future post.) The board is also available in a smaller size with a scoring area of 6 5/8" x 8 1/4".

• Tim Holtz Tonic Non-Stick Micro Serrated Scissors

• Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher

A future post of In Detail is in the works with a review of adhesives, which were not covered in the In Detail: Essential Tools post. 

Finally, we got a question on the Stencils post about using the Crafter’s Workshop blank stencil material to make your own stencil. I have created stencils using Memory Box and Mama Elephant dies using this material. However, there are certain thin dies that are too intricate to cut through the material. If you aren’t able to easily cut heavy cardstock with the die, you probably won’t be able to cut the Crafter’s Workshop material.

Another option for a single-use stencil is cutting one out of cardstock. I recently made a cardstock stencil with the Penny Black Interlocking die through which I applied Distress Inks.

I’m also happy to report that the most recently released Memory Box stencils are thicker than those in the first release.

--Jean

EK Tools, Precision 5 Inch Scissors with Sheath	Sizzix Multipurpose Platform, Extended	Ruler, Tim Holtz Design	Tim Holtz Tonic Retractable Craft Pick
Teflon Bone Folder	Stamp-a-ma-Jig	Sizzix Accessory, Tool Kit inspired by Susan Tierney-Cockburn	Martha Stewart Scoring Board
Martha Stewart Scoring Board, Mini	Non-stick Micro Serrated Scissors	Tim Holtz, Tiny Attacher	Crafter's Workshop Templates, 6x6 Blank Stencil Sheets
Penny Black Dies, Interlocking

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In Detail: Product Reviews & News - Stencils by Jean Manis

Welcome back to another installment of In Detail. This week, we’re talking about Stencils.

Before we get started, we want to let you know that the scissors in the In Detail: Essential Tools post have been replaced by the Teflon coated scissors shown here.

It seems as if every other paper crafting project these days involves the use of stencils in some way, and more and more manufacturers are including stencils in their offerings. Price point is definitely one of their attractions – most stencils sell in the $5-7.50 range. You will find the stencils offered at Ellen Hutson in the Tools Category, under Masks/Stencils. 

I’m approaching the use of stencils from that of a cardmaker. My cards are typically 4 ¼" x 5 ½" (both portrait and landscape orientations). Mixed media artists undoubtedly would have a somewhat different take on the use of stencils than cardmakers.

Rather than talk about the stencils based on their manufacturer, I’m showing different ways to use stencils on your projects and listing considerations accordingly. Image size and image design are two big factors to consider when choosing a stencil for your project. 

While I’m not sharing examples of finished card designs using stencils, I have included a list of links at the end of the article for inspiration. Many of my examples show the use of the entire stencil; however, another one of their attractions is the ability to add subtle pattern and color by partially inking, painting or applying embossing paste.

There’s a lot of information included in this article, but by no means is it exhaustive in describing the many ways to use stencils in papercrafting. Our friends at Online Card Classes have provided a special offer to Ellen Hutson customers for their Stenciled class. The coupon code is included at the end of this post.

Inking

Let’s start with applying inks through the stencil. Personally, this is the method I’m most likely to use a stencil, and one for which I feel they are well suited.

For my first example, I’ve applied a combination of Distress Inks through the Tim Holtz Clockworks stencil. 

The Tim Holtz stencils have an image area that’s 3" wide by 6 7/8" tall. The image size is both wider and taller than a Size 8 Manila tag (that’s a size #8 tag in the photo). If you’re working on a tag, you can place the stencil over the tag, and tape the stencil to your work surface, such as a craft sheet, with washi tape.

Where and how you tape the stencil, and the surface on which you’re working, is something that I found to be of utmost important for the success of working with the stencils. It’s important to have the stencil tight to the surface. If it isn’t, the ink applicator can lift the stencil from the paper or get snagged on intricate parts of the stencil. For this tag, I taped the stencil on all four sides, but I did not tape the tag. If I had taped the tag, I'd have a spot covered by tape on the tag that wouldn’t be colored by the inks. Instead, I applied pressure with my hand in key spots to make sure that the tag didn’t move underneath the stencil. If the tag were to move, the effect of the stencil would be different. There are cases where you might want an effect generated by moving the stencil, but in this case, that was not my goal.

For my second example, I used the same method with the Memory Box Tessatina stencil. 

The cardstock on the right is 4 ¼" x 5 ½". As you can see, the Memory Box stencil image area is smaller in width; it is 3 7/8" wide. In this case, because there was space on the sides to tape my cardstock, I did so, making it less important for me to apply pressure to the stencil as I applied the inks. On the other hand, if I was planning to use the finished piece as a background for a card, I would most likely cut it down from the top and bottom. An alternative would be to mask the stencil on the top and the bottom so that the finished stencil project would have an even white margin in all four directions.

I have several similar Memory Box stencils, similar in that they have a defined top, bottom and sides. There seems to be a variation in the width and height by ¼" or less. Additionally, the Memory Box stencils are thinner than those made by other manufacturers I tested. What this means to a crafter is that the product could warp, so having the stencil taped securely is even more important.

In both of the above examples using inks, the stencil images were such that there was a good ratio of open space to stencil. It’s more difficult to apply ink to a stencil with a lot of open space because there’s less support from the stencil itself. 

With their latest collection, Penny Black has released a set of four stencils with companion stamps. 

The two can be used in combination or separately. As I’m new to mixed media, I stayed inside the lines with my example. I stamped Softly with black ink, and then I placed the Promenade stencil over the stamped image to apply various distress inks, using small sponge applicators. I found this an easy way to color the stamped image. I've seen wonderful examples with the Penny Black combination stamps and stencils also using gelatos to color the flowers and leaves.

Dry Embossing

Stencils can also be used in a similar method to embossing folders for dry embossing. 

I used the Hero Arts Tweed stencil whose image size 4 3/8" wide by 5 ¾" in height. I trimmed the panel for the photograph. 

For stencils, I use an embossing sandwich as follows:

• Sizzix Multi-Platform with both tabs open
• Cutting Plate
• Sizzix Silicone Rubber Sheet
• Cardstock or Tag
• Stencil
• Sizzix Impressions Pad

Generally, the results of dry embossing with a stencil are more subtle than the effect with embossing folders. Something to consider, embossing folders are typically designed for the 4 ¼" x 5 ½" card front, so you can dry-emboss a card base front, rather than embossing a card front panel that you would attach to a card base. On the other hand, certain stencil sizes might leave unwanted crease lines when dry-embossed, so more than likely, dry-embossed backgrounds will need to be trimmed and attached to a card base.

You can also combine some of these techniques, as I did with the Tim Holtz Stars stencil. 

I dry embossed the tag, and then I taped the stencil over the tag and applied a variety of Distress Ink colors. The dry embossing gives the tag some texture in addition to the color.

Embossing Pastes

A popular use of stencils is the application of embossing paste. For my first example, I used the Tim Holtz Bubble stencil with white Wendy Vecchi embossing paste.

Most examples I have seen using white paste are done on white cardstock; I applied the white paste to colored cardstock for illustrative purposes. When choosing a stencil for embossing paste, you’ll want enough open area in the design that the paste can be applied through the opening, but not so much that you’ll have a huge expanse. Embossing paste is often added for a bit of an accent in a corner, as I’ve shown here. The Tim Holtz Bubble stencil with a rough edge works well for a partial application of the design. Additionally, by only applying through a portion of the stencil, it’s easy to tape both the paper and the stencil securely, which is necessary when working with a wet medium.

You can easily color white embossing paste. I've done so successfully with both dye inks and acrylic paints. If you're intersted in trying embossing pastes with stencils, start with the purchase of white.

For my next example, I’m using the Crafter’s Workshop Birds of a Feather stencil with Dreamweaver silver embossing paste. Dreamweaver manufacturers the Wendy Vecchi line of embossing pastes as well.

In this case, I only wanted a portion of the stencil. Because I didn’t want to pick up any of the branch above the image or the birdcage to the right, I had to mask off the stencil and/or the cardstock underneath accordingly. Crafter’s Workshop has a large variety of stencil designs in both 6" x 6" and 12" x 12" sizes. (Although not relevant for this particular stencil, one advantage to a square stencil is that all-over patterns can often be used both vertically and horizontally.)

The silver paste was slicker than the white embossing paste, making it even more necessary to have the stencil secured tightly to the cardstock so that there would not be seepage underneath the stencil.

In my final example of using embossing pastes, I’ve used a portion of the My Favorite Things Graduated Stars stencil with Viva Decor Ferro Metal Effect Paint.

Similar to the example above with the Crafter’s Workshop bird cage stencil, I only wanted to use a portion of the My Favorite Things stencil. (By the way, the finished product on the right is upside down from the stencil design.) With a combination of sticky notes and washi tape to mask off the portions of the stencil I did not want to use, I spread on the gold paint without worrying that it would get outside the lines, so to speak. The Viva Decor product is quite coarse, almost like sand.

Paint

Stencils work well with the application of paint through the stencil and on the back of the stencil.

I applied Distress Paints through the Tim Holtz Rays stencil by putting the daubing the paint onto my craft sheet and then applying the paint with a sponge dauber. You can see at the top of the tag where I taped the tag to the craft sheet, resulting in an unwanted blank spot on the tag. Like the application of the inks, the stencils that work well with paints have enough open space to apply the paint, but not so much that it’s difficult to keep the stencil in place.

You can also print with the stencil by applying inks to the back and then pressing the stencil onto the cardstock or tag to get the reverse of the design.

I applied a variety of Distress Paints to the back to the Tim Holtz Burlap stencil, spritzed the tag with a water mister, and then pressed the painted side onto the tag. In this case, I did not tape the tag to the work surface because I wanted to cover the entire tag with the paint. For this technique, you need a stencil with enough closed space to hold the paint. 

Misting

Stencils work great for misting as well. I must say upfront, I have little misting experience. 

I sprayed through the Crafter’s Workshop Chunky Chevron stencil with a retired Mister Huey’s mist. The cardstock panel is 4 ¼" x 5 ½". I took my craft sheet outside, placed the stencil on top of the cardstock and secured it with washi tape directly to the craft sheet. The cardstock was not taped. To spray, I stood somewhere about 18" from the project. Because the stencil was larger than the cardstock, I was able to remove the stencil easily. When misting, the paper will curl, pushing the stencil off the cardstock. You have to work fast to remove it. 

For my second example, I misted the Memory Box Rhapsody stencil with Mr. Huey’s Canyon Color Mist. 

As you can see, the cardstock I misted is larger than the stencil image size. In this case, I would trim the dried cardstock down to use on a project. There were issues misting cardstock larger than the stencil. It was more difficult to lift the stencil off of the cardstock than it was in the above example, where I lifted the stencil off of the craft sheet. As the paper curled, I ran the risk of smearing the misted project, as I lifted the stencil off.

Both of the stencils I used for misting had a good ratio of open space to stencil. A stencil image design with a lot of open space would obviously absorb a lot of ink.

Here’s another example of mixing techniques. 

I misted a tag using the Tim Holtz Clockworks stencil with Butterscotch Adirondak Color Wash.

What I didn’t realize is that the tag I misted had been painted using the Tim Holtz Measured stencil with Picket Fence Distress Paint. (The paint is light on the manila tag, so it’s difficult to see.) When I misted, the portion of the Measured stencil I had painted became visible. Combining techniques is an effective manner for also including a variety of stencil patterns on your project.

There are several techniques I haven’t shown:

Stamping through a Stencil - I tried this technique unsuccessfully with a wood-mounted text background stamp. I've seen successful examples of this technique in which the stencil is stamped with a handheld, small cling stamp, such as the text stamp in the Tim Holtz Love Struck set. This technique is best combined with the application of color through the stencil before stamping.

Heat Embossing - I haven’t tried to heat emboss through a stencil. The small Versamark ink pad is recommended for this technique. 

Finally, with the Crafter’s Workshop blank stencil material you can make your own stencils with die cuts. 

Want to learn more about incorporating stencils into your cardmaking? Online Card Classes have provided a special offer to Ellen Hutson customers for their Stenciled class.

Additional Reading – There is a lot of information about stencils in the Ellen Hutson Archives, check out or bookmark these articles:

The Many Ways to Use a Crafter's Workshop Template

Masking with Stencils...1,2,3 by Julia Stainton

"If You're Afraid of the Dark" Altered Trading Cards by Ellen Hutson

Texture & Dimension With Embossing Pastes

How have you been using stencils with your papercrafting? What technique are you planning to try next?

--Jean

Tim Holtz Stencils, Stars	Memory Box Stencils, Tessatina	Penny Black Cling Stamps, Softly	Penny Black Stencils, Promenade
Crafter's Workshop Templates, 6x6 Birds of a Feather	Distress Ink Pad, Worn Lipstick	Distress Ink Pad, Barn Door	Distress Ink Pad, Spiced Marmalade
Distress Ink Pad, Wild Honey	Ranger Distress Ink Pad, Antique Linen	Tumbled Glass Distress Ink Pad	Distress Ink Pad, Broken China
Distress Ink Pad, Salty Ocean	Distress Ink Pad, Old Paper	Distress Ink Pad, Peeled Paint	Distress Ink Pad, Vintage Photo
My Favorite Things Stencils, Graduated Stars by Mona Pendleton	Tim Holtz Stencils, Bubble	Studio 490 Embossing Paste by Wendy Vecchi, White	Dreamweaver Embossing Paste, Metallic Silver, 4 oz.
Viva Decor Ferro Metal Effect Paint, Old Gold	Viva Decor Palette Knife Set, 3 Pieces	Tim Holtz Stencils, Rays	Tim Holtz Stencils, Burlap
Distress Paint, Picket Fence	Distress Paint, Wild Honey	Distress Paint, Barn Door	Distress Paint, Festive Berries
Crafter's Workshop Templates, 6x6 Chunky Chevron	Memory Box Stencils, Rhapsody	Tim Holtz Stencils, Clockworks	Tim Holtz Stencils, Measured
Studio Calico Mister Huey's Color Mist, Canyon, That-a-Way	Tim Holtz Adirondack Color Wash, Butterscotch	Hero Arts Stencils, Tweed Pattern	Sizzix Texturz, Silicone Rubber Sheet
Sizzix Texturz, Impressions Pad	Inkssentials Surfaces, Manila Tag #8	Crafter's Workshop Templates, 6x6 Blank Stencil Sheets

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In Detail: Product Reviews & News – 11 Must-Have Craft Tools by Jean Manis

Today we are covering eleven must-have tools for paper crafters. I chose these eleven items by analyzing which tools you’ll almost always find out on my work area. These are the tools that I reach for on a regular basis for stamping, embossing, die cutting and fussy cutting. You won’t find big tools on this list, such as my die cutting machine, paper cutter or heat gun. Instead, this is a list of those smaller “essentials.”

This list is by no means comprehensive. Depending on the paper crafting category, there are many more essential tools. For example, someone who watercolors would most certainly include brushes on their list. I purchased several of these tools on the advice of Ellen when I first began card making. Others I’ve more recently discovered as I’ve tried more techniques. If you’re an experienced crafter, you may already own all of these tools. If you’re just starting out, you may have considered the purchase of some, but not known enough about a particular tool to do so.

Let’s take a look.

1. Fiskars Compact Stamp Press

One of the first stamping tools I purchased was the Fiskars Compact Stamp Press, which has a 3" x 5" grid. I use this regularly for stamping, especially for stamping sentiments directly onto a card base, because the tool makes it easy to position clear and cling stamps. See those ink splotches on the press? When using the press, it’s easiest to stamp the stamp with the stamp pad (rather than put the stamp into the pad). When I inked the stamp, some of the ink got onto the press, but that ink won’t transfer to the card unless I pressed extremely hard on the edges. The press is also available in a larger size. However, I find this compact size perfect for just about anything I stamp.

2. EK Success Scissors

Ellen demonstrated the EK Success scissors when I asked her which scissors to purchase for fussy cutting. Like the stamp press, these scissors were an early investment. The precision-ground tips are intended for making intricate cuts. I don’t use my pair for anything but fussy cutting, not even cutting baker’s twine and certainly not for cutting foam adhesive. I have a different pair for those tasks. I wanted to maintain the sharpness of these blades specifically for fussy cutting. As Ellen taught me, turn your paper, not your scissors. 

3. Tim Holtz Ruler

The Tim Holtz Ruler is a recent investment. On one side, the ruler is labeled in a standard manner from “0” to “12” inches, in 1/8" increments, while on the other side, “0” appears in the middle and the measurements go left and right from “0” to “6.” This enables one to easily center an item, such as a die when cutting the shape out of the base as a window.

4. Tim Holtz Tonic Craft Pick

I use the Tim Holtz Tonic Craft Pick to remove delicate die cuts from a die after cutting by poking the tool through the small holes in the dies. The tool can be used to pierce a variety of materials as well, although I don’t use it to do so. The pick is retractable, which I personally prefer to a cap, for safe storage. 

5. We R Memory Keepers QuickStik

Although the Lifestyle Crafts QuickStik can also be used to remove die cuts from dies, I primarily use it to pick up delicate die cut pieces when applying glue to the pieces. The tool contains a sticky tack that is exposed by turning the top slightly. The tool can be used to pick up anything small, such as beads or gemstones. The opposite end includes a double-tipped poker with both a sharp point and a chisel tip to control small pieces. I occasionally use the chisel end to maneuver my die cuts as I'm gluing them.

6. EK Craft Tweezers

I learned about the EK Craft Tweezers from Julie Ebersole. The reverse-action feature means that you can use the tweezers as a third hand, for example, when tying a bow in baker’s twine. I also use them to hold die cuts or other embellishments while gluing them to a card base.  

7. PolyShrink Sanding Blocks

I use the PolyShrink Sanding Blocks, abrasive-coated foam blocks, in two ways, neither of which are their intended use. I use the blocks to sand off rough edges on my card sides. The grit on the blocks is such that it doesn’t tear the cardstock. I also use the blocks to gently sand new stamps to season them if I get any splotches with my first stamp. This is another “trick” I learned from Ellen.

8. Copic Swatch Book

I’ve included the Copic Color Swatch Book in this list even though it’s not a typical “tool.” I don’t have a storage system for my Copics that makes it easy to see what I’ve got, so I just flip open the book when I’m looking for a particular yellow-green, for example. It’s also easy to see which color families I own when choosing for a project.

Finally, I’m sharing a couple of tools that just weren’t that exciting to photograph but are essentials nonetheless.

9. Ranger Non-Stick Craft Sheet

The Ranger Craft Sheet, sized 15" x 18", was another item Ellen advised me to purchase when I began paper crafting. It’s an invaluable work surface. I have my craft sheet on my worktable whenever I’m working with embossing pastes, Distress inks, Distress paints or Distress stains. I have also used the mat when misting through stencils in an outdoor environment. The sheet is easily cleaned; I simply put it in the sink to wash it off.

10. Inkadinkado Embossing Magic Bag

Whenever I heat emboss, I pounce the Inkadinkado Embossing Magic Bag on the cardstock surface. The bag will need to be replaced after many uses.

11. Thermoweb Adhesive Pick-Up Square

I use the Thermoweb Adhesive Pick-Up Square to remove adhesive from my cards, as well as to clean up little spots that inevitably get on my cards. I also use the square, which has a rubbery texture, to season clear stamps before use.

Have I missed one of your often-used paper crafting tools? 

--Jean

Fiskars Compact Stamp Press	EK Tools, Precision 5 Inch Scissors with Sheath	Ruler, Tim Holtz Design	Tim Holtz Tonic Retractable Craft Pick
QuickStik	EK Craft Tweezers	PolyShrink, Sanding Blocks	COPIC Color Swatch Book
Non-Stick Craft Sheet	Thermoweb Adhesive Pick-Up Square	Inkadinkado Embossing Magic Bag

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In Detail: Product Reviews & News - Sizzix Magnetic Platform by Jean Manis

Happy Saturday! In this installment of In Detail, I’m evaluating the Sizzix Magnetic Platform that uses magnets to hold wafer-thin dies in place during cutting. According to Sizzix, the platform is compatible with the BIGkick, Big Shot, Big Shot Pro and Vagabond machines. Standard Cutting Plates are required as a separate purchase.

The tests for the magnetic platform were run on my Big Shot machine, and as such, I can only vouch for how the platform performs in the Big Shot. I purchased my machine with a multi-purpose platform, which is now retired. {As an FYI, the equivalent platform consists of the Solo Thin Die Adapter, Solo Shim and Solo Platform. This diagram shows the cutting sandwich for those products.}

The magnetic platform is a single platform that is the thickness of the multi-purpose platform with both tabs closed. You cannot use the magnetic platform to emboss or to cut with dies that do not require as much thickness for die cutting.

The die is placed on the cardstock cut side down. The cutting sandwich is illustrated on the platform.

The magnetic platform works well for die cutting stamped images that have companion dies. I discussed Stamp Set Companion Die Cuts in the most recent In Detail article. 

Without the magnetic platform, I normally hold die cuts in place over stamped images with washi tape. The magnetic platform, which I tested with several stamped images on Neenah cardstock, eliminates the need for the tape. I tested two sizes of Stamp Companion Die Cuts, the thinking being that the die might shift depending on the size, but both cut without issue. Using the magnetic platform is a much more preferable way to cut these stamped images than using washi tape.

Avery Elle "Petals & Stems" flower die and stamp

Mama Elephant “Party Kit” heart die and stamp 

I ran similar tests with Craft-a-Board, cork, foam and felt. In all cases, the platform worked well. The pull of the magnetic plate even through the foam was strong.

Mama Elephant “Party Kit” heart die and stamp on Craft-a-Board

Perhaps it goes without saying, the platform worked well with standard die cuts, ones that would not need to be held in place with tape. I did not extensively test this category as it is not one that has a noticeable or significant benefit with the use of the magnetic platform over a non-magnetic one.

I also tested individual die cut letters from Lawn Cuts Cole’s ABCs lined up to spell “THANKS.” The idea being that the sentiment would be cut out of the card base.

This was one of the uses of the magnetic platform about which I was especially interested, because cutting a sentiment this way can be tricky using washi tape to hold it. Unfortunately, the die cut letters interacted with the underlying magnetic grid structure in a manner that made it difficult to line them up and space them out properly. 

Similarly, I tested a pattern of hearts created with Lawn Cuts “Hearts.” For certain patterns, I was able to get the hearts to stay in the position I placed them.

While in other cases, some of the hearts rotated.

On the other hand, the magnetic plate worked without any issues to cut the Paper Smooches “Quote Tag” dies with one pass. So in some configuartions, the dies will stay in position, while in other configurations, they do not.

I also tested the use of the Memory Box Metal Adaptor Plate with the magnetic platform. I placed the metal plate under the bottom cutting plate, directly on top of the platform.There were no issues using the plate with the magnetic platform. 

Considerations

The magnetic platform carries a warning label for pacemaker wearers.

If your acrylic plates are warped, the cutting results may be compromised. My acrylic plates are warped, so I would want a dedicated set of plates for use with the magnetic platform.

The magnetic platform is 6-1/8" wide x 8-7/8" long x 5/8" thick. It is essentially the same size as the multi-purpose platform. On the other hand, the replacement platform for the multi-purpose platform is extended; it is 13” long. As I am currently using the shorter platform, the length is not a concern.

I die cut frequently, and as such, I would purchase the magnetic plate. In fact, I use my Big Shot primarily for die cutting. For the times that I do need to emboss, I will simply pick up the multi-purpose platform and use the appropriate tab configuration. But the magnetic platform is definitely a luxury item. Furthermore, I will still need to use washi tape to hold the dies in certain situations.

--Jean

 

Sizzix Big Shot Machine, Powder Blue & Teal	Sizzix Accessory, Magnetic Platform for Wafer-Thin Dies	Sizzix Cutting Pad, Standard	Avery ELLE-ments Dies, Petals & Stems
Avery Elle Petals and Stems Stamp Set	Mama Elephant Creative Cuts, Party Kit	Mama Elephant Clear Stamps, Party Kit	Lawn Cuts Dies, Cole's ABCs
Lawn Cuts Dies, Hearts	Paper Smooches Wise Dies, Quote Tag	Essentials by Ellen: Craft-a-Board 6x12, 12 pk	A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, 25 pack
Mama Elephant Creative Color Ink Pads, Lollipop

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In Detail: Product Reviews & News - Die Cuts by Jean Manis

Hello! In this installment of In Detail, I’m sharing information about die cuts to augment the article “Die Comparison,” which was published in July 2012. Be sure to bookmark that article to read as it is chock-full of useful information.

There’s a lot going on in the die cut arena, especially in the realm of “low-profile, wafer-thin” dies. It is these products on which I’ll concentrate in this article. The products carried by Ellen Hutson for die cutting can be found in the “Die Domain” category.

(Please note: the die cuts shown in this article were cut with the Sizzix Big Shot Machine.)

Okay, let's get started.

Low-Profile/Wafer-Thin Dies

Most of the low-profile dies carried at Ellen Hutson are created through a chemical etching process and are wafer-thin. Designed to cut a single sheet of cardstock, paper, metallic foil or vellum, some of the less intricate designs can also cut through two layers of cardstock, felt, Craft-a-Board, cork, corrugated papers and our Magnetic Masking Material.

In the past year, a die cutting explosion has occurred with more and more manufacturers offering low-profile, wafer-thin dies. Many stamp manufacturers are now creating companion die cuts for their stamps, as well as frame dies, word dies, alphabet die sets, and standalone dies.

There are two styles of wafer-thin dies - closed and open. There are advantages to each style of die, depending on the type of project you would like to create.

Closed Dies

Some closed dies contain both cut lines and embossing lines. If embossing lines are part of the die, detail will be added when the die is sent through the die cut machine.

For example, the Poppystamps “Grand Madison Arched Window” and WPlus9 Design “Under the Mistletoe” dies include both cut and embossing lines as shown above.

Closed dies are often necessary for smaller images. For example, alphabet die sets are closed.

Lawn Fawn’s “Cole's ABCs” dies are shown above. The small holes are provided to help remove the cut paper.

As previously mentioned, size also plays a factor in the design of the die and for some stamp companion sets, the die cuts are closed. This makes it more difficult to stamp first, die cut second. In general, you’ll want to die cut first and then stamp. However, for some images, I use this trick–I use the companion die cut to cut a template out of cardstock. I place the template around the stamped image and then place the die over the template to send it through the die cutting machine.

WPlus9 Design “Silver Bells” stamp set and companion die cut shown.

Open Dies

In the Open Die category, let’s take a look at some of the stackable die cut sets on the market. By stackable, I mean that a basic shape–circle, square, tag, label–is included in a variety of sizes in the set. 

Both the My Favorite Things “STAX Traditional Tags” set, which has an acetate backer, and the one-of-a-kind nesting die set, included with the Lifestyle Crafts “Genius Platform System,” have a small amount of metal that extends into the opening of the die. When cutting with these die sets you may get an embossed line on the interior edge of your die cut, depending on the tightness of your sandwich. On the other hand, the Sizzix “Framelits Circles" set is designed so that the cut piece will not have an embossed detail. As you can see, the Sizzix die does not have any metal extending into the interior edge. Let’s say that rather than a circle piece, you want a card front with a circle cut out of it–in that case, depending on the tightness of your cutting sandwich, you might see an indent on the card front from that metal edge. 

Stamp Set Companion Die Cuts

Let’s take a look at a couple of companion die cut sets. The amount of white space around the cut stamped image varies amongst manufacturers.

On the right, the Mama Elephant “Party Kit” balloon die placed over the stamped image from the companion stamp set. On the left, the balloon after die cutting.

On the right, the Paper Smooches “Love Struck” die placed over the stamped image from the companion set. On the left, the cupid after die cutting.

The Paper Smooches set has a more white space around the stamped image than the Mama Elephant one. This is neither bad nor good–just simply something to note.

To finish off, I’m showing some dies that caught my eye for a variety of reasons.

The Paper Smooches “Quote Tag” includes four pieces (the fourth, not shown, is another word die). I cut the three dies with one pass through the die cutting machine. 

 

The My Favorite Things “LLD Accent It–Celebrate” set includes words that can be used as titles on scrapbook pages or sentiments on cards. Although I’ve shown the die cut on a short piece of paper, the amount of paper below the letters is at the crafter’s discretion. The title can be cut on the left and right along the short cut lines.

The Mama Elephant “Landscape Trio” dies have a cut line and a pierced line. These dies could be used to cut both the cut and pierced lines, or flipped around for shapes that only have a cut line.

The Sizzix “Karen Burniston Labels and Stitched Frames” set includes three different sizes of die pairs. The dies can be used together to cut a label with a pierced (stitched) edge, or separately for a label without the stitching.

Finally, the dies in the Sizzix “Rachael Bright Decorative #2 Frames” set have exterior and interior cut lines. Use the dies to cut a frame piece, shown in green in the photo, or a label, shown in orange in the photo. 

--Jean

Sizzix Big Shot Machine, Powder Blue & Teal	Sizzix Accessory, Magnetic Platform for Wafer-Thin Dies	Poppystamps Dies, Grand Madison Arched Window	WPlus9 Design Studio Dies, Under the Mistletoe
Lawn Cuts Dies, Cole's ABCs	WPlus9 Design Studio Clear Stamp Set, Silver Bells	WPlus9 Design Studio Dies, Silver Bells	My Favorite Things Die-namics Stax, Traditional Tags
Lifestyle Crafts Genius Platform System	Sizzix Framelits Die Set, Circles	Mama Elephant Clear Stamps, Party Kit	Mama Elephant Creative Cuts, Party Kit
Paper Smooches Clear Stamps, Love Struck	Paper Smooches Wise Dies, Love Struck Icons	Paper Smooches Wise Dies, Quote Tag	My Favorite Things Die-namics, Accent It - Celebrate by Laina Lamb Design
Mama Elephant Creative Cuts, Landscape Trio	Sizzix Karen Burniston, Framelits Die Set, Labels and Stitched Frames	Sizzix Rachael Bright, Framelits Die Set, Frames, Decorative #2

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In Detail: Product Reviews & News - Metallic Embossing Powders by Jean Manis

Welcome back to a second installment of “In Detail: Product Reviews & News,” a new feature here in the CLASSroom. Today, I’m reviewing metallic embossing powders from manufacturers Hero Arts and Ranger – Ranger Super Fine Detail Gold powder, Ranger Super Fine Detail Silver powder, Hero Arts Gold powder, Hero Arts Silver powder, and Ranger Queen’s Gold powder.

For all of the embossing shown, I prepped my cardstock surface with an embossing “magic bag” to eliminate static cling, stamped with Versamark ink and heat set the powders with the Hero Arts heat gun. I used a compact Fiskars stamp press to stamp the images. 

For my first “test,” I heat embossed a sentiment tag stamp on white cardstock. I chose the stamp because it contains some detailed letters.

In terms of color, the Ranger Queen’s Gold powder provides a gold color that is less “green” than the gold of either the Ranger Super Fine Gold or Hero Arts Gold. However, the Ranger Queen’s Gold powder does not provide the same detail as the Ranger Super Fine Detail powders. The Ranger Super Fine powders and the Hero Arts powders are similar color-wise. (If you are looking for other shades of gold embossing powders, Ranger manufacturers a line of Ancient Golds™ Embossing Powders that include Antique Gold and Tarnished Gold.)

In terms of detail, the Super Fine Detail powders performed better than the Hero Arts powders.

Continuing to investigate the powders in terms of detail, I heat embossed a less intricate sentiment with the Ranger Super Fine Silver powder and the Hero Arts Silver powder on colored cardstock. 

For this particular sentiment, there was no appreciable difference between the two powders.

For my next test, I heat embossed a solid image stamp with the original five powders. 

For this case, the coverage by the powders is similar and not readily noticeable. If I scrutinize the images under strong light, I can detect a slight difference, with the Ranger Super Fine Detail providing better coverage.

Finally, I heat embossed a detailed, rubber cling-background stamp with the Ranger Super Fine gold powder and the Hero Arts gold powder. In this example, the difference between the two powders was fairly noticeable. The Super Fine did a better job with the details – the scallops and dots were more distinct.

In terms of “ease of use,” the products were essentially the same. For example, none of the embossing powders left significant residue on the paper. The Hero Arts powders appeared to heat emboss somewhat more quickly than the Ranger powders.

After playing with the fun stamps from the Hero Arts Basic Grey RSVP collection, I decided to create a card using stamped images from Sweet Wishes and patterned papers from the collection. I chose the Ranger Super Fine Detail Silver powder to emboss the sentiment. I stamped the cupcake image with Mama Elephant Bubblegum ink (these inks were reviewed in this In Detail article) and heat embossed it with Hero Arts Sparkle powder, which adds a subtle touch of sparkle to an image stamped with a pigment ink.

To recap, the Ranger Super Fine Detail powders provide greater detail than the Hero Arts powders, although many stamped images do not require that level of detail. In terms of color, the gold and silver Ranger Super Fine Detail powders are similar to the Hero Arts powders. Ranger Queen’s Gold powder provides a unique shade of gold, but does not have the same detail as the Ranger Super Fine Detail powders.

-Jean

Ranger Embossing Powder, Queen's Gold	Ranger Super Fine Embossing Powder, 1 oz. Gold	Ranger Super Fine Embossing Powder, 1 oz. Silver	Hero Arts Embossing Powder, Gold
Hero Arts Embossing Powder, Silver	Basic Grey ClearDesign: RSVP, Sweet Wishes	Basic Grey Cling Stamp Set: Persimmon, Small Scallop Background	Hero Arts Embossing Powder, Sparkle
Hero Arts Embossing Gun	VersaMark Ink Pad	Fiskars Compact Stamp Press	Inkadinkado Embossing Magic Bag
Mama Elephant Creative Color Ink Pads, Bubblegum	Basic Grey RSVP, 6x6 Paper Pad	My Favorite Things Die-namics Stax, Traditional Tags	Hero Arts Frame Cuts Dies, Classic Frame
A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, 25 pack	Hero Arts Layering Paper, Pool

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In Detail: Product Reviews & News - Mama Elephant “Creative Color” Pigment Inks by Jean Manis

Welcome! I’m delighted to be in the CLASSroom today sharing information about the recently released Mama Elephant pigment inks. In Detail is a new feature in the CLASSroom in which we’ll be reviewing and analyzing products sold at Ellen Hutson with the goal of educating the consumer. We want you to know how the products work and in what situations they’re best suited. My focus will be providing samples showing features about the products, rather than designs with the products. Please check out the fabulous projects here in the CLASSroom from our other teachers focusing more on design.

Featuring a special-formula, faster-drying pigment ink, the Mama Elephant “Creative Color” ink pads were specifically created to work with clear stamps for beautiful, crisp impressions. Currently, the inks are available in twelve colors - Apple, Blush, Bubblegum, Eggplant, Hazel, Lollipop, Mojito, Ocean, Orangeade, Smoke, Sunshine, and Winter. They are listed as acid-free, non-toxic, and embossable.

Let’s get to the review! I chose Smoke, Lollipop, Blush and Ocean ink pads for my tests. Smoke is one of the two neutrals, and I thought it would look best with the pinks. 

For my first card, I stamped images from the Mama Elephant Party Kit set and a sentiment from Tree Friends on Neenah Solar White cardstock. I chose the balloon stamp to illustrate stamping a solid stamp with the ink and the sentiment to illustrate stamping something more detailed. I also wanted to test what the inks looked like when they overlapped.

[To note, when inking the stamp, I stamp the stamp with the pad, rather than place the stamp into the ink pad.]

The colors overlapped nicely, especially the two shades of pink. Although the coverage for the sentiment was adequate, I’d be more likely to stamp the sentiment with VersaFine Onyx Black or Hero Arts Black Dye Ink. I’m interested in seeing a darker gray or black in the Creative Color line for a better comparison.

I heat-embossed the Lollipop ink using Ranger Super Fine Clear Embossing Powder. After stamping and embossing, I cut the image with the matching Mama Elephant Creative Cuts Party Kit die. 

The results with the Super Fine embossing powder gave better results in terms of coverage than when I embossed with the Ranger Clear Embossing Powder. The heat embossing also seemed to increase the vibrancy of the ink. [Please note: the sentiment and balloon string were stamped with Hero Arts Black Dye Ink in the above image.]

Next, I tested the inks on Neenah Desert Storm cardstock. Although the colors show up, their impact is faded on the kraft. 

Finally, I tested the inks on a small muslin bag, which I heat-set with an iron before running through the washing machine. [The unwashed bag is on the left, the washed one is on the right.]

Based on these results, I wouldn’t use the Creative Color inks for stamping on fabric that I was planning to wash.

Want more information about inks in general? Check out Ink Pad Comparisons from the CLASSroom library. Interested in hearing about another recently released pigment ink? Julie Ebersole used Memento Luxe inks on this Hello, Monday card and talks about the inks.

We’d love to hear from you to find out what you’d be interested in learning more about. Feel free to leave topics for future In Detail segments in the comments.

Mama Elephant Creative Color Ink Pad Set, Set of 12	Mama Elephant Creative Color Ink Pads, Smoke	Mama Elephant Creative Color Ink Pads, Lollipop	Mama Elephant Creative Color Ink Pads, Ocean
Mama Elephant Creative Color Ink Pads, Blush	Mama Elephant Clear Stamps, Party Kit	Mama Elephant Clear Stamps, Tree Friends	Mama Elephant Creative Cuts, Party Kit
A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, 25 pack	A3 Cardstock, Neenah Environment Desert Storm, Ream	VersaFine, Onyx Black	Hero Arts Dye Ink, Black
Ranger Super Fine Embossing Powder, 1 oz. Clear

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