Faux Print Look

One of the things I enjoy doing is checking the blogs of artists whose work I admire. I appreciate their creativity, and learn from their generous sharing of knowledge.

I recently saw a blog post from a paper artist in Europe. Her style is so bright and fun, and she often uses paint to create the backgrounds for her stamped cards. I was intrigued by a card she posted recently, and she included a link to the artist's video that demonstrated the technique she used, called the faux print look.

Here is a link to her blog post: http://somefiddlingonthekitchentable.blogspot.com/2016/04/faux-print-look.html. And here is the link to the video tutorial she referenced: http://www.kimdellow.co.uk/2016/04/video-get-faux-printed-look.html.

I was impressed with how easy she made it look, and couldn't wait to give it a try. I got out the very simple supplies needed: cardstock, acrylic paint (the cheap craft paint works fine), and an old plastic gift card.

Following her directions, I spread thin layers of paint across the surface of the cardstock, leaving a white border around the edges. Because the paint is so thin, it dries very quickly. It is so easy to make several backgrounds at once and have some on hand.

I love the way it turned out! I wanted to use it in a card to submit for a Facebook challenge with the Unity Show & Tell group. This particular challenge was to use one of the "Unity Girl" stamps - there are so many, but I only have a few. I thought this particular one (Maple Girl) would look nice against the painted background. I stamped it with Ranger Archival ink - since the face is tilted slightly towards the right, I placed the image to the left of my painted panel. 

I also used a Unity text stamp (Vintage Handwritten) in the background, around the main image - to keep it light, I stamped off on scrap paper before stamping on the panel. The sentiment is from a recent kit called "Sometimes I Wonder". I stamped that on a scrap of white cardstock, and blended Distress Peacock Feathers ink over it to get that shade of blue. I trimmed it down with some old decorative scissors from Stampin' Up!, and stitched it down to the main panel. 

After trimming, the stamped panel seemed a little short, so I got some scrap lace trim out to fill up that extra space at the bottom. I figured that the sewing machine was the best way to attach it, so I used deliberately messy stitching and  black thread to sew it down and create a frame around the card at the same time. I glued it down to some mustard colored cardstock, and left it under a book overnight to dry completely.

After posting it in the Facebook group, I received several nice comments, so I thought I'd put it out here for everyone. I appreciate that others shared what they did so that I could learn and benefit from it!

Hope your week is going well - I know I'm looking forward to the weekend!

Immi

Quick Card

I'm popping in with a quick card this afternoon. We are enjoying a lovely spring rain outside, and it seemed like a good time to have a little creative fun.

This morning at church, I saw someone who can't be there very often, due to poor health. She was so excited to tell me that she's been feeling much better recently. I am happy for her, and thought she would appreciate a card.

I recently got a new stamp set from Unity Stamp called "Sometimes I Wonder", and this is the first time I've used it. It has several cute images - I especially like the bird I used for this card. The sentiment is also from Unity Stamp, and I thought it reflected her happiness and acknowledgement of God's healing.

This was a super quick and easy card. After stamping with black Archival ink, all the coloring is done with Stampin' Up! markers, and the flowered washi tape seemed like a great accompaniment. The washi tape is wrapped to the back of the white panel, and I used a corner rounder on the top edge. I mounted the panel to a blue card base and called it done.

Hope you have a good week!

Immi

Unity Stamp Challenge

I have recently been experimenting with some of the stamps from Unity Stamp Company. Their stamps are all made in Minnesota. The prices on sale are really great, and shipping is quite reasonable. Each month, on their blog, a new challenge is posted. Participants have the choice of basing their inspiration on a sketch and/or a color scheme.

I love the look of vintage ornaments, so the photo really caught my eye. I decided to try to incorporate the colors and the card sketch. Here's the result:

I started with an off-white cardstock that I colored with Distress Ink - Old Paper, using a blending tool. Then I inked up a background stamp - Thin Stripes from Impression Obsession, using Distress Ink in Spun Sugar. The pink panels are from a 6 x 6 paper pad by Colorbok that I found at Walmart. 

The sentiment is from Unity Stamp's October 2014 Sentiment Kit. I stamped it on a plain old manila shipping tag using Ranger's black Archival ink. The tag was colored with Distress Ink Peacock Feathers, with Vintage Photo around the edges. I spread a crackle medium over the entire tag and let it dry. I love the cool crackled effect!

The thread is some heavy cotton thread that I colored using Distress Inks in Picked Raspberry and Vintage Photo. I smooshed some ink on my craft sheet and spritzed it with water. Wearing a glove to prevent stained fingers, I rubbed the thread into the ink until it was colored, then dried it with a heat tool. I wrapped both colors around the bottom of the tag, and also made a bow at the top.

Till next time,

Immi

Challenge: About A Face

This week's Monday challenge on the Simon Says Stamp blog is called "About a Face". The challenge is to come up with a project that features a face - a clock face, a person's face - the interpretation is open. 

After seeing an inspiring video tutorial on coloring with Distress Inks and Cut & Dry Nibs, I decided to give it a try. I pulled out a collage-style stamp I haven't used in a looong time. It's called "Small Rose Collage" by Paper Inspirations. The video I had watched suggested using Specialty Stamping Paper by Ranger which I didn't have. I thought the technique might work on some glossy paper I had in my stash, so that's what I used.

I stamped the image using black Archival Ink, which will not bleed when touched by water. This is important for the coloring, since the Distress Inks would make other black dye inks run. After heat setting, I followed the instructions on the video and used the nib to apply ink to the stamped image. I heat set after each color to prevent smearing. After all the coloring was done, I rubbed some darker Distress Ink on the edges to give it some definition.

I decided to use the image to make a card and went with a top-folding style. I rarely do this type of fold, but it's very popular right now so I  hopped on the bandwagon. I trimmed my stamped image and mounted it on a pale pink cardstock and wrapped some black & gold ribbon around the bottom. I mounted this panel onto a black card base. Normally I would stamp a sentiment for the card front, but I chose to leave it off this time. I think this card would work for any occasion, or just to send a note.

Here's my finished card:

Happy crafting!

Immi

Mission: Stash Reduction - Belated Father's Day

Hi, all. Although Father's Day has come and gone, I did make some cards that I sent off to Operation Write Home that I meant to post. I am still working my way through papers that I'd like to use up, and enjoying stamps I haven't touched in a while. Here's a sample of some cards I made.

These cards are part of a larger group of miscellaneous cards I made using up a sheet of dimensional white letter stickers, called "Thickers". I'd had them so long that the adhesive on the back of the letters wasn't very good anymore, but I hated to throw them away. So I laboriously put drops of a strong liquid adhesive on the backs of the letters, then weighted each card down with books. (I keep a box full of old telephone books just for this purpose.) I always put a sheet of waxed paper between the project I'm drying and the book so that if any adhesive leaks out, it won't make my project stick to the book. Although it took some time, I was very pleased with the results of the white letters against darker backgrounds. Can you tell that I cheated on the second card and used "p" stickers upside down in place of "d"?

The next two cards make use of some Stampin' Up! sets I have. I stamped with Ranger Archival Ink (it won't bleed when it comes in contact with water) and used a brush loaded with inks diluted with water to color the images. Very quick, easy, and I love doing it!

I hope some of our military personnel enjoyed sending these cards home.

Till next time,

Immi