The House That Stamps Built: Anything Goes

It’s the fifth Wednesday of the Month and time for The House That Stamps Built Anything Goes challenge.  This doesn’t come around too often, but it’s your time to do anything you wish.  You have until Tuesday, October 6th to enter for a chance to win a $25.00 gift certificate at Repeat Impressions.

For my card today I wanted to celebrate fall.  I know, I just can’t get enough of it and we haven’t even seen the trees turning yet.

I started by stamping the Repeat Impressions “Nature Quartet 8506-U” with Versamark Ink and white heat embossed. I brought out my distress inks again and used Squeezed Lemonade, Shabby Shutters and Vintage Photo.

The leaves are from the new Lawn Fawn stitched leaf die and the button is from My Favorite Things.  The quartet images are perfect for a clean and simple design so hope you’ll stop by the store and check them out!

Come join us at The House That Stamps Built.  If you use a Repeat Impressions Stamp in your design, you’ll get an extra entry!

Oh, and don’t forget to get your discount code from my blogs sidebar when you shop at Repeat Impressions Stamps.

Technique Junkies Christmas

Hey Junkies,

It’s the Crafty Nurse here back with a little holiday spirit!  Okay, okay, it’s a little early, but would you believe there are only 12 more weeks until Christmas?  It’s okay though, Pat has released some gorgeous Holiday stamps that you can use to make multiple cards or gift sets so I thought I’d share a few quick ideas to accomplish that.

All my cards began with the Peppermint Swirl stamp from the September release.  I stamped the first layer with white pigment ink and then a second layer of dye ink.  Easy peasy!

The first card’s focal point is another great September release called, “Ornament 1.”  I embossed 4 layers of Liquid Platinum from Ranger and then stamped right into the wet powder after it was melted.  This works great for very detailed stamps.

Close up of “Ornament 1”

 For this card I only used the white pigment ink and no dye overlay ink.  I did some inlayed die cutting with the snow die making for a very quick and easy card that is great to send through the mail because it’s completely flat.

My third card uses the same technique as card #1 with the focal stamp being “Joy”, also from the September release.

Close-up of the “Joy” stamp dipped in multiple layers of embossing powder after it was heat set.

I hope you’ve gotten a little holiday spirit and look forward to seeing you at our Blog Hop that starts tomorrow on October 1st!

Goodbye for now,

The Crafty Nurse

 

The House That Stamps Built; Project of the week: 9-28-15

Hello stampers!  The Crafty Nurse here with some creative play for The House that Stamps Built project of the week.  I don’t know if you’ve had a chance to see the new Sentiment Stamps, by Repeat Impressions because they are FANTASTIC!  There are two sets out now with two more to be offered soon.  They have one big sentiment word with a great choice of smaller sentiments that can be combined in a ton of different ways.

For my project of the week, I’d like to show you a couple of different ways to use sentiments stamps.  Let’s get started!

For this project the supplies I used are:

• Water Bottle
• Black Waterproof Ink (I used Hero Arts)
• Distress Ink or any other dye based ink.
• A large stamping tool, either the Fiskars or the Misti
• Brusho’s
• An acrylic block
• Versamark
• Embossing Powder
• Micron .01 Pen – waterproof
• Paper – I used 140 lb Watercolor but you can use your favorite.
• Repeat Impressions Stamps of your choice, I used: Happy Cling and Hello Cling

Both projects today are great for making multiple cards for gift sets or donation.  To allow my cling stamps to stick, I apply a bit of Alene’s Spritz-on Tacky Glue and let dry overnight.  I then grabbed my Fiskars Stamp Press as I don’t own a Misti (sure wish I did), and centered it over the press.

To ensure that you get a good inking when using the press, I added my acrylic block underneath the press before I inked which allows the flexible stamp press to become firm and not buckle or bow causing uneven inking.

I then inked up the entire stamp and stamped it on a white card base.

To finish off the card I added doodling…..

Then inked up with some color and sprayed with a bit of shimmer. How easy is that???

My next card uses the Hello Sentiment Stamps after they had been cut apart.  I used the super fun Brusho’s watercolors now in the Repeat Impressions store so I could show you a different, softer way to use them as actual watercolors.

I like to use the Tim Holtz Tonic scissors to kit out my cling stamps.  I also cut them close so you don’t have any over stamping issues.

To get placement, I layout the stamps the way I want them on my card.

I then turn the stamps over in the same placement so they can be picked up all at once with the stamp press.

I ALWAYS give a test stamp first when I’m stamping text blocks so that I know the words are facing the right way and even.  Take this time to reposition any words you don’t like or became uneven.

Once tested and all is looking good, I stamped the front of a card base with Versamark ink and white heat embossed.

Now, let’s have some fun with Brusho’s.  If you want to “tone down” the colors, you can use the Brusho’s like a watercolor.  I shook out a small amount of pigment onto my craft mat and sprayed with water making two areas of pigment for coloring.  You can also apply pigment directly to the stamps or put your stamp in the pigment (like a stamp pad) for a more watercolor feel. If you have watered it down enough, using text blocks make a great background for another focal image.

I thoroughly wet a 140# watercolor paper around the words only with a flat brush.  I then picked up the color from my mat and applied to the card.  Don’t you love this soft look?

I finished off the card with a My Favorite Things border die and a Simon Says Stamp card base die and called it done.

I hope you enjoyed how to get more out of your sentiment stamps. The holidays are a great time to use this technique as once your stamps are on the press, you can duplicate easily.

Please join us in the weekly challenges here at The House That Stamps Built for your chance at a $25.00 gift certificate.

Beginning Wednesday, September 30th, we are having an “Anything Goes” Challenge!

I wish you a wonderful rest of the week!

The Crafty Nurse

Sketch Saturday #380-Bugaboo

Happy Saturday!!  You know what means…. It’s time for a new sketch at Sketch Saturday!

The sketch this week is sponsored by Bugaboo Stamps who is offering the winner 7 free digi’s of their choice!

Here is the Sketch:

I love Bugaboo images and today I’ve chosen to color up Girlz-Witchy. I’ve colored this sassy witch with Copic Markers and used a bit of various refill and 91% alcohol to create the background.

The paper is an older pack from Authentique called, “Enchanted.”  The sentiment is from Inkadinkado.

I sure hope you’ll join us this week at Sketch Saturday.  You have until Friday, October 2nd to enter.  I look forward to your entry and who knows, you could be the winner!

A Day For Daisies: Photo Inspiration Challenge

It’s Friday and for our new challenge at A Day For Daisies we are using this gorgeous photo to inspire you.

For my Design Team inspiration, I chose one of the new release stamps called,  “Mucha Style Bachelor Button 1.”  Based on inspiration from Kelly Latevola, another ADFD Designer, I brought my image into Photoshop Elements and added texture and color digitally. I then colored the image with a combination of Sakura Metallic and Gold pens, edged the image in Krylon Silver pen, added some stickers, pearls, and ribbon for embellishment and called her done!

I sure hope you’ll stop by and see all the other designers cards showing their “Photo Inspiration” creations.  The challenge will run through Thursday, October 1st at Noon.  See you at A Day For Daisies Blog!

We’d also love for you to visit our Facebook Community Page as we’d love to see your cards there too!

Brown Sugar Challenge #165 – Use a Doily!

Happy Friday!  It’s time for a new challenge at Brown Sugar Challenges and today, we are asking you to use a “Doily”.  This challenge is sponsored Sassy Studios and Milk Coffee both offering Digital Images for our winners.

                     

For my card today, I used  Milk Coffee’s digital image called, “Halloween Tiffany as Sexy Cat Girl.”  I colored this feisty kitty with Copic Markers and used DCWV “Spooky Time Stack for papers.  For my doily, I sprayed it with Lindy’s Stamp Gang Spray in “Open Arms Amethyst” and stamped the “meow” with Lawn Fawn’s Milo alphabet.

I can’t wait to see your “Doily” cards at Brown Sugar Challenges!   You have until Thursday, October 1st to enter.

The House That Stamps Built: Sketch Challenge

It’s the fourth Wednesday of the Month and time for The House That Stamps Built sketch challenge.  You have until Tuesday, September 29th to enter for a chance to win a $25.00 gift certificate at Repeat Impressions.

Here’s the Sketch:

For my card today I stamped Repeat Impressions “Foliage Negative” 5902-M with Versamark ink and white heat embossed it.  I then colored the image with distress inks in Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, and Vintage Photo.  Behind the “Foliage” image is another great Repeat Impressions stamp called, “Oak Leaf Silhouette 5110-I” which I embossed in gold.

The back panel of the card is dry embossed using a fall folder from Darice.  I added more wild honey ink on the raised leaves to add punch.  The sentiment from Repeat Impressions “Let Us 2826-H” is stamped with Sepia Archival ink on a Simon Says Stamp die.

I hope you’ll join us at The House That Stamps Built, you may be our next winner!

Oh, and don’t forget to get your discount code from my blogs sidebar when you shop at Repeat Impressions Stamps.

 

From The Heart Stamps Sketch #119

Hello friends!  Happy Monday!  I’m here with this weeks sketch challenge at From The Heart Stamps.  These are great challenges because you can use just the sketch, or if you’d like, add the twist.  The only requirement is that you use a From The Heart image and the sketch – the rest is up to you.  The twist for this challenge is “Spotlight” Technique.  Hope I’ll see some of your creations using Sketch #119.

I used the adorable image Faithful Friends; Just Because colored with Copic markers.  I didn’t do a “Spotlight” technique, but instead did a little cropping of the image.  The paper is new from Simple Stories called, “Pumpkin Spice”. Rectangle dies are Spellbinders and card base die is Simon Says Stamp.

Technique Junkies – Japanese Maple

Hello fellow Technique Junkie Friends.  Today I’m bringing you some inky goodness with a fall theme using a fabulous Technique Junkies stamp called “Vintage Botanical Japanese Maple S#336” available at the Technique Junkies Store.  This stamp is gorgeous for this time of the year.

I used an oldie but a goodie Technique Junkie Newsletter technique called, “Pigment Spritzed Tutorial,” from June/July 2009.  I began by applying multiple colors of pigment ink in yellow, oranges, and browns. I then continued to stamp without reinking and then sprayed Lindy’s Stamp Gang sprays over the stamped image. The initial technique calls for the creation of your own spray by using reinker and perfect pearls, but I was lazy. LOL.

To create the background I cut out the image using a Simon Says Stamp stitched card die and punched holes in each corner.  I then strung dark jute to create a frame and finished off with a bit of distress ink through a screen for texture.

I’m sending this card to my Technique Junkies 1 on 1 friend.  This is a great group of other Technique Junkies who swap 1 card per month.  It’s a great way to see all the great Technique Junkies stamps in real life. As always, stop by and check out all the new goodies at the Technique Junkies store.

By for now,

The Crafty Nurse

 

Cards in Envy Challenge: Colors of Fall

Happy Monday!  It’s time for another Cards in Envy challenge using the theme of Colors of Fall!  You all know that I love, love, love the fall and now that I’ve moved to Virginia, I can’t wait to see how all the trees here are going to show their true majesty.

The rules at Cards in Envy  are simple.  We ask that your cards fit into a standard A2 envelope for ease of mailing.  That doesn’t mean they have to be one layer or clean and simple as you can see from my card.

I took a different route with my card today using a project featured on the Papertrey Ink Make it Monday post focusing on creative card borders using dies. This is a super way to get some dimension in your card without changing the general A2 shape.  All the stamps and dies are from Papertrey Ink and the ink is Hero Arts Shadow.

I look forward to seeing what your Color of Fall cards look like at Cards in Envy!