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Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Transformations Meets Mixed Media


Welcome to the Club Scrap Tranformations Collection Blog Hop! You can return to the start of the blog hop Here.  This month is was my pleasure to be the guest artist for this months' Greeting to Go cards on the Club Scrap Blog. You can see all my card interpretations Here.  For today's Hop I'm going into give a tutorial for two the techniques from the GTG cards. 

Greeting to Go Card

The first technique is fake water coloring as used on the card above.  For this card I stamped the Bamboo background Stamp from the CS Transformations Collection stamped in Club Scrap Hybrid ink Sandstone onto watercolor paper 140# hot press finish. Then I heat set the ink to make it waterproof in preparation for water coloring. Next I outlined the image in Inktense Watercolor Pencils as shown below.

Stamped Image Outlined in Pencil

Next, I lightly colored in the green areas with the pencil. When I wet the area with my brush the Inktense pencil becomes much more vibrant. If you are using regular watercolor pencil note that the color will lighten when wet.  After the green I followed the brown outline with a wet fine tipped brush. Finally I colored in each background block lightly and used a wet bush to smooth the color over each rectangle.

Image Colored with Pencils and Water

For my final card I coating the image in a wash of Lindy's Stamp Gang (LSG) Starburst Rusty Lantern Lime and acrylic glaze to tone down the brightness as was fitting for the Transformation Collection colors.

Super Simple Version

If you really want to keep things simple try the technique above. I stamped the image in CS hybrid ink moss then heat set.  Next I colored in the background squares with the pencils and spray with water. Below is the card I made with this watercolor.

A Simple Watercolor Card

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Greeting to Go Card Detail

My Demo Card

The second technique is a salt watercolor adapted using colored sprays as shown in the cards above. I did not take pictures as I went so I made a couple of new items using the same technique.  I start by heat embossing the Nautilus Stamp from the CS Transformations Borders and Backgrounds in LSG Dessert Moon Copper Teal embossing powered using Versamark Ink on watercolor paper.

Heat Embossed Stamp Image

To start I wet the image and then brushed blobs of color all over the image using a lighter and darker colored LSG Starburst Sprays Cape Cod Coral and Wild Honeysuckle Coral.

Wet Paint Brush Drops of Colored Sprays

Next I added rock salt anywhere I wanted color to collect.  I add the salt and then dribbled on more color over the salt. The salt causes the color t collect and pool, so use a lot of color and water at this stage.  Then leave the paper to dry overnight! I know that is a long time but the technique just doesn't work if you use a heat tool to dry it.

Rock Salt added to Images

In the morning brush off the rock salt and buff off any spray on the embossing powered.  You'll have an image very much like this one, but each salt wash is unique.

Nautilus 1

Nautilus 2

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Here is a second panel using the salt watercolor technique.  This time I wanted to create the image of leaves floating on a pond.  I started with a raindrops stamp from the CS Serenity collection and CS hybrid ink in ash.  Again, I heat set the image before continuing. 

Heat Set Stamped Image background

 I used the two Ginkgo leaf images from the CS Transformations collection and CS Tranformations Borders and Backgrounds with Versamark ink and CS verdigris embossing powder from the 2012 Holiday WOW collection.  After heat setting this embossing powder has a wonder multicolored shine to it.

Embossed Leave Image Detail

Next I began layering water and sprays. I used three different LSG Starburst sprays from lightest to darkest: Ocean Breeze Blue, Blue Hawaiian Blue, and Azure Sea Asters.  I put steps, but really I just wanted to create puddles of color by alternating spray applied with a brush and water until the paper was the color I desired. Because the paper gets soaked a heavy paper specifically for mixed media or water coloring is needed. In addition, I taped down the paper to keep it from curling too much due to water addition.

Image Ready to Paint

Step 1 - Wash with Lightest Color

Step 2 - Add Darker Colors

Step 3 - Add Rock Salt Clustered at Edge of Leaves

Step 4 - Dribble Sprays Around Salt

Again wait until morning to brush off the rock salt and buff off any spray on the embossing. Then cross your fingers that this looks like the pond image that I wanted.

Leaf on Pond - Final Panel

Final Leaf Card

This one turned out as I hoped, but I made another that I did turn out so well. On that one I was not as careful about salt placement and used too dark of blues for my sprays. Not wanting to waste an art panel I made a card that did not focus on the pond effect. This card uses Retro Sketch #183 and I will link to the challenge site.  All supplies are from the Club Scrap Transformations Collection. 

Another Card RS#183, Made from my Rejected Leaf Panel

Thank you for stopping by today and I hope you try one of these two techniques.  Your set stop is with the artistic Cathy Grey at The Artful Gamut. To get back to the start of the Blog Hop click here

Happy Creating,

Debby


Sunday, August 30, 2015

Laura's Refold Paper Bag Album in 2 sizes

I was looking for a quick and easy album to introduce a friend to album making. So I looked through Laura Denison's mini-albums and came across this one, Re-folded Paper Bag Album Pattern using paper lunch bags as a base for each page. One of the things I appreciate is that Laura has videos of how to make her projects available on her website such as these for the Re-folded Paper Bag Album.


I ended up making two versions of the album. The first album was made just as written using Graphic 45's Artisan Style collection. The second album was re-sized to enlarge the tag size to 5 x 7 using Prima Marketing's Garden Fable collection.


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My objective in making this first album was to show a basic album. I used fussy cutting to add dimension to the cover. Since I fussy cut the same image as the background I did not need to cut fine details like the vines on the roof or peacock frills. Still I keep things simple and did not ink any edges.

Graphic 45 Artisan Style Refold Paper Bag Album
Supplies:
  • 8x8 Graphic 45 Artisan Style pad 
  • 6x6 Graphic 45 Artisan Style pad 
  • Graphic 45 Artisan Style journaling cards
  • Twill Ribbon
  • Martha Stewart Edge Punch Geometric Frames
  • EK Success Large Edge Punch Palm
  • We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper Angle/Photo Corner and Rounded
  • Teal and Black Paper Bags
  • Cardstock in black, blue, and white
  • Chipboard
  • Scor-Tape adhesive and glue 
  • Colored brads
  • Heartfelt Creations Delicate Asters Die

Front Cover and Front Page 1

 Back Page 1 and Front Page 2

 Back Page 2 and Front Page 3

 Back Page 3 and Front Page 4

 Back Page 4 and Front Page 5

 Back Page 5 and Front Page 6

 Back Page 5 and Inside Back Cover

Mats and Tags from One Paper Bag Page

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My second album was made by re-sizing the basic album. I deviated from the instructions for cardstock bags to allow for 5x7 tags and to used the patterned cardstock for pages.

Re-sized Paper Bag Album

I added a lot of detail on the cover.  The blue birds in the upper left and several chipboard shapes were colored with Lindy's Stamp Gang Magicals. I inked the edges of the Prima chipboard shapes, Prima embellishments (flowers and butterfly) as well as the punch leaves. The small flowers and branch from Heartfelt Creations were stamped, colored with Pan Pastels, and die cut before shaping. 

Front Cover Detail
Supplies:
  • A4 Prima Marketing Garden Fable pad 
  • 4x6 Prima Marketing Garden Fable journaling cards
  • Prima Marketing Garden Fable chipboard stickers and more
  • Prima Marketing Garden Fable Flowers Embellishments
  • Prima Marketing Garden Fable Cling Mount Stamps
  • Martha Stewart Edge Punch Lace Flowers
  • Martha Stewart Edge Punch Crochet Loop
  • We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper Angle/Photo Corner and Rounded
  • We R Memory Keepers Power Punch Euro Hook
  • Tim Holtz Sizzix Paper Punch Medium Leaf
  • Cardstock in white, cream, kraft, parchment, and pastel in yellow, blue, green, and pink
  • Chipboard
  • Distress ink vintage photo
  • Scor-Tape adhesive and glue 
  • Adhesive Pearls
  • Twine and teal tulle
  • Lindy Stamp Gang Magicals
  • Club Scrap Random Doorways Stamp
  • Pan Pastels
  • Heartfelt Creations Leafy Branch Die, and Birds and Blooms Die
  • Heartfelt Creations Birds and Blooms Cling Stamp


Inside Front Cover and Front Page 1

 Back Page 1 and Front Page 2

 Back Page 2 and Front Page 3

 Back Page 3 and Front Page 4

 Back Page 4 and Front Page 5

 Back Page 5 and Front Page 6

 Back Page 6 and Inside Back Cover

Mat and Tags from One Re-sized Paper Bag Page

This shows just how many spots for pictures and journaling are contained in one 'page'.  I hope you will check out Laura Denison's many beautiful and detail packed creations at her website Laura Denison Designs.

Thanks for stopping by and if you enjoyed this post please leave a comment,

Happy Crafting,
 Debby H

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Stamped Cards, Woven Strands Style

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Welcome to the Club Scrap Woven Strands Collection Blog Hop! To return to the start of the hop here. I especially loved the Celtic image stamps in this collection. I used them with my new stamping tool, the MISTI to make these cards. The MISTI is an wonderful tool and I posted a summary of the top five reasons I love to use it, here.  

Woven Strands Card 1

Card 1 - The stamped frame was aligned using the MISTI. The collection white ribbon was dyed purple with Lindy's Stamp Gang Magicals. 

Supplies: 



Woven Strands Card 2

Card 2 - The stamped border and sentiment were stamped using the MISTI. The stamped border was heat set and colored with Lindy's Stamp Gang Magicals. 

Supplies: 



Woven Strands Card 3

Cart 3 - Multiple stamping with the same stamp was done using the MISTI. 

Supplies: 


Woven Strands Card 4 Closed

Woven Strands Card 4 Open

Cart 4 - The stamped images were aligned using the MISTI. The collection wood corner is used as closure. It was inked with peridot and then heat embossed in two layers of clear embossing powder. 

Supplies: 

Thank you for reading and comments. For more on stamping with the MISTI see my post from yesterday, here.  Your next stop is with Donna at Hawthorne Hills and the beginning of the hop is here.

Happy Crafting,
 Debby H
  


Tuesday, August 25, 2015

My Top 5 Reason to Stamp with MISTI using Unmounted Rubber Stamps


I've have a new tool that I have fallen in love with. It is the MISTI, from My Sweet Petunia. M.I.S.T.I. stands for the Most Incredible Stamping Tool Invented. Today I have compiled a list of my five reason I love the MISTI. (Just so you know. I paid full price for my MISTI and receive no compensation for my endorsement.)

I've learned a lot from blogs and YouTube videos.  Below are some I've found most informative, but there are many more out there:

Prep and getting started:
MISTI Stamping Tool - Introduction & Getting Started by Taherrah 

Overall Review:
Review of the MISTI Stamping Tool by Darlene DeVries

Using diecuts and stamp combos:
Multi Step Stamping with the MISTI by Maureen Wong

Mulit-color stamping:
Stamping with Watercolor Markers (with MISTI) by Virginia Lu

Aligning multiple images from a single stamp: 
Repeat Stamping with the MISTI by Maureen Wong

Then I began experimenting on my own. The techniques I show have already been given in the video's above and probably in others out there as well. One thing I have not see in looking on the web is an example of using the MISTI with unmounted rubber stamps. I've only seen rubber stamps with foam attached.

I'm a fan of Club Scrap's unmounted rubber stamps. These are rubber stamps that do not have foam mounted on the back side. Instead they have a remove adhesive and a foam pad is place under the stamped surface. Turns out MISTI works great for unmounted rubber stamps, too since it includes a foam pad to place under acrylic stamps. For my samples I've used:


So let's count down, 

The Top Five Reasons to Stamp with MISTI:

No. 5:  Making an all over pattern using a single stamp - The pattern below was made used a single border stamp and off-setting the stamp for each color to make this background.

No. 5 - All over patterns

No. 4:  Stamping a single stamp using multiple colors - Instead of trying to layer all the inks for one stamping, I was able to color and stamp each part one at a time to get perfect placement of ink colors.

No. 4 - Stamp coloring

No. 3:  Stamping in white pigment ink - A single stamping of white ink on a dark background is not bright white enough for me, even with a high quality ink like Club Scraps' white ink. Now I can stamp the image multiple times with perfect alignment. See the difference below for a single stamping and a triple stamping.

No 3 - Stamping White Ink (left single stamped, right triple stamped) 

No. 2:  Exact placement of stamped images - When making an all over patterns from a single stamp I usually use a random pattern, since it is so hard to line up. Now I can align stamps perfectly every time. The following patterns were made from single stamps.

No. 2 - Exact stamp placement

No. 1:  Re-Stamping solid area stamps - For solid image stamps getting a completely solid image is sometimes difficult especially on colored paper. Now I just stamp again to fill in the image. Below compares a single stamping with a double stamping on a colored paper.

No. 1 - Re-stamping perfection (top single stamped, bottom double stamped)
To see how I've used these stamped images to make cards check out by blog post, Stamped Cards, Woven Strands Style, for tomorrow's Club Scrap Woven Strands Blog Hop. So glad you've stopped by my blog and read all the way to the end. Your support and comments are greatly appreciated.

Happy Crafting,
 Debby H

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Cantina Be Happy Journal

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Welcome to the Club Scrap Cantina Blog Hop! To return to the start of the hop here.  From the moment I saw the sneak peak I wanted to pair the Cantina Collection with this art work by my 10 year old son.  He had this hung in the local art museum during Youth Art Month.

"Happy"

I've paired this art work with the National Parks Explorer Journal and Explorer Journal 2.0. I used the kit and just changing out the papers for ones in the Cantina Collection. You'll see mine is a hybrid with the original binding and the larger 2.0 pages. 

Be Happy Make Art Journal

To make the word Happy stand out I cut it out and raised it with foam adhesive. The rest of the title was made from the Cantina Digital Kit alphas that were recolored.   

Raised Happy Title

On the first page I documented the local art museum exhibit and its star artist. 

First Page

Inside I added Cantina cut aparts to make locations for mats and tags. I've included heavy mixed media paper and 4 x 6 mats for the pockets. I plan to use this as an art journal.

Top view of all the colorful pages

Typical Page 1 - Cut Apart Strip used as a Belly band

Typical Page 2 - Cut Apart glued in an "L" shape to hold a photo mat

Typical Page 3 - Printed paper mats on Paper Bags

Typical Page 4 - Manila Tags in short Paper Bag Pockets

Than you for reading and comments. Your next stop is with the talented Lisa at Rockin Paper Scissors and Glue and the beginning of the hop is here.

Happy Crafting,
 Debby H