We are so very excited to be carrying Kim Hughes Paper Smooches stamps in our store --- being able to color and paper piece these cuties is something I adore! We are also thrilled to be hosting our very first "Warehouse Crop!" We only have three spots left, so if you live in the Seattle metropolitan area we would love to have you join us this coming Saturday between noon and 6:00 p.m. You can find complete details here.
This is one of the projects I have created for the women attending to do as a make n' take and I thought I would share it with you today because it has a couple of tips and ideas that I hope you might enjoy and learn from.
The Basic Grey Nordic papers coordinate fabulously with the Swanky Snowmen! With the holiday season just around the corner (yes, for me it is just around the corner, as it ALWAYS sneaks up on me) I felt that a tag would be something everyone could use.
To begin I stamped with Archival Jet Black Ink. I have found that it is important to use a waterproof ink when applying lots of Rock Candy Distress Stickles to keep the image from bleeding. Memento has a tendency to bleed out on me with this combination. I kept my coloring with Copics to a minimum and where it was important not to "bleed" the ink lines, I made certain to stay inside the lines of my stamped image. I then applied the Rock Candy and used my Heat It tool to quickly dry my now sparkly, snowy image.
Copic colors used: T1, 0, E17, YR04, YR07
Rock Candy can also be applied to give the clouds a "silver lining".
The Memory Box Puffy Clouds die comes as shown above. The scale and size of these dies is PERFECT for card making! I wanted to use it in a way that the format they come in would not allow and so I decided to test my idea to create individual clouds.
Using my wire cutters I carefully snipped my pieces apart as shown above.
To remove the sharp, pointy tips I then used a file in my Precision kit to file these down until I had a nice, smooth finish. If I had been working at home I would have probably used my Dremel, but using this file made it super easy to control exactly how much of the metal I removed. Take your time and be patient as you file. I am now free to use these clouds in any position!!!
Now to share some of the many options I have available with these new free form clouds - a girl's gotta love options :-D
THE MANY WAYS TO USE A MEMORY BOX DIE
CUT-OUTS
The first way you can use these dies is to create cut-outs in precise locations. Simply use a piece of tissue tape to hold the die in place and run through your machine. I use the following sandwich:
- Solo Platform
- Solo Shim (this comes with the Platform, but because it can be damaged after loads of use it can be purchased separately)
- Solo Thin Die Adapter
- Extra shim if necessary - this can be as thin as a piece of copy paper to as thick as a piece of Craft-a-Board. Some machines and dies have a "sweet spot". If you cut out your die image and it is not quite cut all the way through simply add a shim to your sandwich.
- Acrylic Plate or Cutting Pad
- Cardstock
- Memory Box Die - Position with "blade" side facing down towards cardstock. I like to hold my die in position using tissue tape - this helps keep the alignment perfect. Yes, it's the perfectionist syndrome - LOL!
- Acrylic Plate or Cutting Pad
Pictured above is the tag with cut-outs. Of course you can use the clouds on a project as well!
EMBOSSED LINES
Some of the Memory Box dies can create beautiful, "puffy" embossed images or outlines as well. For this type of look we recommend the following sandwich:
You can use the front side for this "puffy" look...
or the back side for a more defined look!
INNIES AND OUTIES
OK - I can't help myself, this is what came to mind when I was trying to think up a name for this and I started to laugh and knew I would remember this one.
This technique embosses the entire back surface of the die, similar to embossing something such as a coin. It lends such a fun look to some images. If you use this technique with a die that has a coordinating image you can easily stamp your image into the embossed shape!
For this type of look we recommend the following sandwich:
One side of your surface has your "innies"...
and the other your "outties."
Combine all three looks for something really unique!
For today's project I used a combination of "innies" and a cloud cut-out of designer paper. So much fun!!! After embossing use an ink blending tool and in a swirling motion add Pool ink to the tag edges.
Just a couple more little tips or tricks and our tag is complete. Use the tiny attacher to staple a piece of Baker's Twine to your project and then tie the twine into a cute little bow.
Use the Tiny Attacher staples to create snowflakes in your sky!
When using the black Enamel Accents I like to make my first "dot" on a piece of scrap paper. This ensures that all the air is out of the tip and I don't end up with a dot of enormous magnitude or a "splotch" when it pops. The key to making pretty dots is to hold the applicator in an upright position and then slowly lift straight up allowing the little "string" to release back into the center of the dot. Black Enamel Accents make fabulous "coal" eyes and mouth!
Last I adhered some Bakers Twine to the back side of the scarf and poked a hole, inserting twine through the pom pom area. It's all the little details that just make me giddy - LOL!
Now be certain to return here on Saturday as I have another surprise for you - we can't have all the fun n the Warehouse, without providing you a little fun here in the CLASSroom now can we?!?
stamps: Paper Smooches Swanky Snowdudes
ink: Archival Jet Black, Hero Arts Pool Shadow Ink, Tumbled Glass Distress Stain
paper: Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Basic Grey Nordic 6x6 Paper Pad
accessories: Tim Holtz Tag & Bookplates Die, Tiny Attacher, Rock Candy Distress Stickles, Black Enamel Accents, Memory Box Puffy Clouds, Bakers Twine, 1/2" Essentials by Ellen Crinkle Ribbon
