A Glimmer Mist Background

We all buy these wonderful products.
Then we use them immediately after the purchase
and then they sit in our crafting area gathering dust.
Personally, I make up a huge bunch to have
for "later". Well, it's later. (after at least 2 years)

I have a stack of Glimmer Mist and Polished Stone
backgrounds ready to use.
When I think of them they are very handy.
Sadly I am like most crafters, very visual.
If it's not sitting in line of sight, right in front of me,
I forget about them.
So, I have started to dig through my hidden stashes,
searching for old "now new" goodies.

This card has a Glimmer Mist background.
It was created on a 4.25 x 5.50 piece of card stock
and then attached to an A2 card base.

I stamped this image with Versa Mark and
embossed with fine line black embossing powder.
The edges of the card are then
heavily sponged with Ranger's Archival
black ink.

I Cor 1:4

Often the simplest cards are the most dramatic.
The card front has been covered with a visually
low impact scrapbook paper.
The maroon and tan square is scrapbook paper
that is from the same stack as that that is
covering the card base.
I used a delicate filigree-vining
background stamp and embossed with
a dark red embossing powder.
It has been layered on a red/brown
piece of card stock.

The phrase is from
Our Daily Bread Designs,
which has light tan fine lined
flourishes stamped as a background.
This has been layered over a dark brown card stock.

The Sizzix die cut in the lower right hand
corner is made from dark brown card stock.

HINT - for coordinating papers, use scrapbook
paper stacks with matching plain card stock stacks.
While these are a little expensive, they go a long way
when making cards.

Sponging on Steroids

This background has been done entirely by
sponging with Rangers Distressed Inks.
The PSX tree is stamped in medium brown and
the Inkadinkado rearing horse in black.
The edges have been sponged deeply with
dark brown ink and then black.
Since the Distressed Inks remain moist
for a short period of time, holographic sparkle
embossing powder was spread over
the entire card and where it stuck, it stuck.

I really do like the randomness of the embossing powder.
It was a little surprising where is adhered and where it didn't.

A Resist Technique

There are so many ways to do resist techniques. This one is fairly simple.

To make sure that the two pieces at the top and bottom of the butterfly resist, a half sheet of cream card stock was stamped with light brown ink using a crackle stamp. Now cut it in half.

On one half of the paper talc, shake off excess and using VersaMark, randomly stamp image. Emboss with clear embossing powder.

Using Distressed Inks by Ranger, sponge yellow and orange over stamped image. The embossed image will "resist" the ink. Now very lightly and carefully sponge a light to medium brown ink just over the image. This will make it "pop" off the paper. (trust me it will pop, it is amazing)

The other half of the crackle stamped paper is used for the top and bottom "bars". I could see textured paper used here or scrapbook paper.

The phrase is an innie and outie that says "...I care." on the inside.

Butterflies and Fairies

A cream card stock card base with rounded corners is the first supply and paper crafting step. The K and Company scrapbook paper was cut 1/4 inch smaller than the card base and those corners were rounded as well.

Inkadinkado is the maker of the butterfly stamp.
1. Talc the paper.
2. Stamp butterfly with VersaMark.
3. Fineline white embossing powder is next, heat
to emboss.
4. The phrase (Stampabilities) is stamped with
black dye ink.
5. Attach to card base, if glue is used place under
heavy book to keep flat and crisp looking.

Thanks

This card is not my usualy style, but I certainly do like it. Let me begin with the stamps. I think the bare winter tree stamp is Inkadinkado. I was stamped with Soot Black Distressed Ink by Ranger that was rubbed over while the ink was still wet to create a soft misty appearance. The thanks stamp is from Morning Star Stamps. It was stamped with VersaMark ink and embossed with #12 Stone Red powder. Both the powder and the ink a products from the Tsukineko line. I had stray powder below the thanks that I didn't notice until after I had "cooked" the embossing powder. For once I liked the look of my mistake. There is sponging around the hand cut edge of the thanks/tree images.

Spellbinders dies were used to cut the dark pink label and the leaves. The gold metallic leaf is a light weight foil candy wrapper. I glued it to some text weight paper. There is a texture to the foil that is very attractive.

Papers are from DCWV Indian Summer Fall Mat Stack.

Framed

The image inside the frame is stamped on a scrap of polished stone background paper. It was embossed with fineline black embossing powder. I have no idea who is the maker of the stamp.

The frame stamp is from PSX (Personal Stamp Exchange) which has not been in business for a number of years. It was stamped on black cardstock and embossed with fineline gold embossing powder. Pop dots were used to raise the frame over the picture.

The lovely border stamp is from another out of business company called Stampa Rosa. Again fineline gold embossing powder was used.

This basic design has so many possibilities. Any type of frame would work. What about paper that had been textured in Cuttlebug A2 embossing folder? Frame a picture of your kids and send the card to grandma? A picture of your dog or cat? A border of textured paper or layers of scrapbook papers? Oh my, I think I need to get to my studio and create!

Tri Oval Cards

These are very simple basic cards. The card on the left with the lavender mesh image by B-Line is a stamped background that is embossed with clear embossing powder. Spellbinders dies were used to create ovals and scalloped ovals on both cards.

For the "With Sympathy" scrapbooking paper was attached to the card front. Note that the edges are sponged with dark brown ink. The embossing powder is an old one that I have had for ages. It has some glitter in it. One of the those flowers has a matching shade of blue (sort of, LOL)

Playing With Die Cuts

I certainly do like the Spellbinder's Nestibilities dies.

The edges of the scrapbook paper that is used to cover the card base have been sponged with dark brown. This adds depth and softens the edges.

Inkadinkadoo is the maker of the stamped image in the center. I used a metallic brown embossing powder.

Hope some of you get some ideas for using your die cuts from this card.

Rubbadubbadoo Stamps Are Fantastic

This is one of my very favorite scriptures. Now if you add to that a stamp that has an easy to stamp AND read font, well, I am sold, totally. I am impressed that even the tiny scripture reference is so easy to read.

The phrase was stamped with VersaMark and embossed with fineline black embossing powder. It was then cut out and layered using three different Spellbinders Circle Nestibilites.

The background paper was made using some Basic Grey clear flourish stamp. Ink used was VersaMark and followed by a clean embossing powder. This technique gives a perfect color match for a subtle background.

A Martha Stewart border punch used on the opening edge of the card added the final touch.

Outside My Box

This is a card that was published in the Card Sketch Challenge of Stampers Quest online magazine in March. My normal card size is A2 or 4.25x5.5 inches. Also known as a quarter fold as it is the size of a quarter of a sheet of standard 8.5x11 inche cardstock. This card sketch was long and narrow.

The front of the card is stamped with a paisley Tim Holtz image from Stampers Anonymous. I used VersaMark ink and fineline gold embossing powder. The edges were then sponged with a medium brown dye ink.

The light turquoise bars have been embossed with a Cuttlebug A2 paisley folder. How did I get that paisly white? I sanded it. The paper is what is called "white core". This means that when you look the edge of the paper carefully you will see three distinct layers of color. In this case there was turquoise, white and then turquoise. After embossing the raised portion is literally sanded with sand paper and this removes the turquoise layer, letting the white show through.

The bars and the phrase are layered onto a medium brown cardstock and trimmed to a narrow border.

The final touch was the slightly darker turquoise ribbon with a ribbon tassel attached.

A Perfect Match

Have you ever had a piece of paper that you just

loved the color of and could not find an ink

or embossing powder to match it???

I have a solution. It is soooooo simple and

it works every time.

The above card is it!!!

Stamp with clear pigment ink or VersaMark,

apply clear embossing powder and heat

with a heat gun.

The result is a perfect match

that is several shade darker than your card stock.

How easy is that?

Now you can add to your card and embellish as desired

or send it just as it.

Match the inside to the outside

A lovely finishing touch for a card is to have the inside

match the outside, as in this card.

It is also a way to use a scrap.

And we paper addicts hate to waste even the smallest

scrap of paper.

When you use a border punch there is often a strip of

paper left over. It is perfectly straight and just cries out

to be used somewhere, so I glue them along

the inside of my card.

Since the strip came from a part that is on the front

of the card, using it on the inside "pulls" the

entire design together very nicely.

The above card was created using Basic Grey clear stamps.

For once I stamped right on the front of the card base,

using VersaMark ink and ivory embossing powder.

The ivory on white is very elegant and subtle.

The blue punched border was stamped with the

same image using clear embossing powder.

The phrase was computer generated, attached

to the same blue cardstock as the punched border and

trimmed to a narrow border on the top and bottom.

A Fiskars Ripple decorative edge scissors was

used to cut the white and the blue cardstock.

It takes a little practice, but this matching of

the cut on both layers can be that final little

touch that finishes off a card perfectly.

Botanicals

This card has such a soft subtle look that is very easy to achieve.

The background is more Glimmer Mists. Can you tell how much I love those Glimmer Mists?

You could use this technique on plain paper and get a similar effect.

Stamp your image with VersaMark and apply clear embossing powder. This causes your stamped image to be several shades darker than your paper. No matching embossing powders! I love it. Great results that are fast and easy.

The botanical stamp is by Fred B. Mullet. This company has some fantastic botanicals and fish fossil stamps. Very high quality rubber that stamps beautifully.

The second card uses the same technique with one difference. Some of the images have been embossed with fine line gold EP.

Note that the edges of these cards have been sponged with black dye ink.

This technique can also be used to create very interesting backgrounds.

Variations on a Theme

My theme here is stamping over Glimmer Mist backgrounds.

When I am going to use embossing powders on a paper I usually use a dusting of talc to prevent strays of embossing powder adhereing where I don't want them. Even the oils from your fingers on the paper will cause the powder to stick in places you really don't want it.

The only time I don't talc is with dark backgrounds as the powder will lighten the paper somewhat.

On all three cards the images were stamped with VersaMark ink. Then either black or white fine line

embossing powder was applied and heated with a heat gun.

The edges of the black embossing powder cards have been sponged with black dye ink.

Personal Stamp Exchange, fondly known as PSX to long time stampers was the maker of the Courage phrase. I have no idea of who now owns this company as it has changed hands several time. It has been a long time since I have seen any of their classic images.

The floral flourishes are by Inkadinkado. This particular set is clear acrylic. I have found the quality to be excellent.

They stamp and clean up well. The "With Sympathy" stamp is made by Stamps Happen Inc.

The Glimmer Mists were applied to a seperate piece of paper that was the size of the card front. After the misted paper had dried I glued it to the card base with Crafters Pick Ultimate Glue and let the entire card base rest for the night under a heavy book. This gives my cards a nice crisp apperance that is very pleasing.

Working on the card front itself will often warp the card.

Many of the inking type techniques dampen your paper and cause warping.

Thank You card

The card began on a seperate piece of white cardstock that was cut slightly larger than the basic A2 card. (A2 - 4 1/4 x 5 1/2)
A brass stencil was laid over the paper and misted with the darker shade of Glimmer Mists. Then I carefully placed another piece of paper the same size over the entire stencil to pick up the mist that was on the stencil. This created a negative image.
Now mist on a lighter color to have the entire card front covered with shimmery glimmery color. To see the tutorial for this technique click here.

The dried finished product is glued to a card base and the edges trimmed. It then was flattened to under a big heavy book overnight for that nice crisp clean look. This avoids warping, which is something that I really dislike.

Dust the entire card front with talc (cheap baby powder) to avoid strays when embossing. Stamp the Inkadinkado image with VersaMark and apply fine line black embossing powder.

My final touch - fill in areas of the flourishes with Inkssentials white gel pen by Ranger. A friend also suggested using clear glitter glue to the ends of the flourishes. I think I will have to try that. Thanks for the suggestion Nancy S.

Why I Sponge Edges

This is the same card. The one on the left is before I sponged and the the card on the right is after sponging (also called distressing). The difference is dramatic.

Sponging or distressing is one of my favorite techniques. It adds depth and interest to a project.

The beautiful cowboy stamp is by Ink Blocks which is now a part of I Brake For Stamps. It can be found in their southwestern and Indian division. Ink Blocks has some of the most unusual and striking native American stamps I have ever seen and they are well worth the effort to find them. I only have a small portion of this amazing art work in rubber. Now I will have to get some of them stamped up and on the blog for you all to see.

The barbwire stamp is from Sutter Enterprises. The Howdy greeting stamp is unknown. The background crackle stamp is also unknown. The greeting, cowboy and barbwire are stamped with black pigment followed by finline black embossing powder. The crackle is one of the lighter brown Distressed Inks by Ranger.

God Bless, Shelly

Snowflakes In Blue

You will note that these cards are numbered 19 and 20.

There are 18 more cards with full tutorials to be found at

www.stampersquest.com in the Christmas Blizzard section.

Please visit Stampers Quest for many many

exciting and innovative Christmas ideas.

These cards are very very simple to make.

The white background card is stamped

with Brilliance Pearlescent Sky Blue (Tsukineko)

and embossed using Hologram embossing powder.

Using dark blue cardstock, punch a silhouette

snowflake (All Night Media) and carefully

trim evenly around the edge with a deckle scissors.

The blue background card is stamped with

VersaMark (Tsukineko) and embossed

with white sparkle embossing powder.

I was amazed at how fast and easy it

was to complete these cards.

While any snowflake stamp can be used,

this one is by Art Impressions, one of

my favorite companies for rubber.