Dauber Fun

Last week I tried a technique that was showcased on the Hero Arts blog.  Here is a link to the original post:    http://heroarts.com/blogs/club/page/4/

But it is difficult for me to use the distress inks with the ink applicator these days due to neck and arm problems, so I decided to use daubers instead.

I first stamped a panel with a sentiment from Our Daily Bread (Thank you, Donna, for the loan of these stamps!) using Clearsnap fluid chalk ink.

I then masked the sentiment with a rectangle of Eclipse masking tape.  (You could also use a post it note.)

I then stamped a Hero Arts large cling stamp pattern (I used large Lotus blossom) using white pigment ink and white embossing powder over the mask.

Keeping the mask in place, I then rubbed a liquid ink dauber over the embossing to color the background paper.  Let dry, and then remove the mask and attach the panel to a notecard.

You can see in the picture above (the blue one) that my first attempt at this technique was not really successful.  The background stamp I chose for this one was not bold enough.  The technique works better with a bold print background stamp.

Here are the color combinations I liked best:

Lipstick Red chalk ink paired with Fired Brick Tim Holtz dauber.
Yellow Citrus chalk ink paired with Mustard Seed Tim Holtz dauber
Warm Green chalk ink paired with Peeled Paint Tim Holtz dauber

Autumn Dinner Party

A few nights ago I went to an autumn dinner party with a few close friends.  The food was fabulous!  We had roast beef, potatoes, acorn squash, and salad with apple pie for dessert.  My favorite was the acorn squash with cranberry.  Here's a picture:

As you can see, we ate a lot of it!  I took one of these home for the next day!

I made a little "welcome autumn" card for everyone at the party:

This is another of the shaker cards I love so much.  I used the usual Paper Trey Ink supplies with background paper from an old Basic Grey line:  Indian Summer.  I filled the shaker with some confetti sequin leaves I found in my stash.  Everything old is new again!  Sequins are all the rage and I have to say I have a fair supply of all kinds that I have collected through the years.  

   About the leaf embellishment:  This is a Hero Arts leaf stamp that I stamped in Clearsnap's Alpine pigment ink and then sprinkled various embossing powders over:  orange from the Stampendous "Painting with Powder" line, a sort of matte gold from Ranger, and an old Ranger Adirondack Terra Cotta color.  I have to say that like sequins, I am glad I have collected a lot of various embossing powders in my day.   And unlike what some say, mine don't seem to go "bad".  

   I hope you like the card!  I liked the food and the company!

Re-discovering Brass Stencils

When I participated in Stamp a faire this last weekend, I re-discovered some toys I had previously put away:  my brass stencils!  So I dragged all of these out, including my light box, and had a little fun.  Here is the first card I made, using the faux ceramic tile technique:

This vase is stenciled onto light blue cardstock, with the diamond accent stencil adding pattern.  It took me a long time to figure out what to do, since I had not done this technique in a long while.  And I can't find my video from Dreamweaver Stencils.  I had a very good video showing all the steps, but I don't know where I put it.
    But I persevered, and I think the results are quite lovely.  The Hero Arts greenery stamp is stamped with Bamboo Leaves Memento ink over the diamond stencil.  I sponged clear embossing ink over the top of the vase and heat embossed with clear powder.  That step really made the blue of the paper pop.  (In a day or two, when I am finished with another card using the same technique, I'll show again this lovely light blue paper.)
   I used the vase stencil to make a background "frame" for the image using a tiny print scrapbook paper.  What do you think about the duck?  Should I lose it?  I am undecided.  I think the card needs something there, but I am not sure about the proportion of the duck.
         Here is a list of the supplies I used:  green Hero Arts notecard, green print from Basic Grey 6" Kioshi pad, Dreamweaver vase and diamond pattern stencil, Dreamweaver regular embossing paste,  light table, Hero Arts Exotic Bloom (H5424), Memento Bamboo Leaves ink, Colorbox Top Boss clear embossing ink, Toybox duck rubber stamp with Memento black ink on white card, Copic markers,
        This card looks cool in tone and peaceful.  I am thinking I might make some wall art from the stencils in this same manner.

Crown Jewels ATC's

The theme for this month's ATC trade was "Crown Jewels".  I made all sorts of glittery goodness, as you can see in the photo above.  I used 2" sized chipboard squares and heat embossed them with Clearsnap Copper pigment ink and a combination of Ranger UTEE, gold and copper embossing powders.  While the layers of embossing powder were still hot I impressed a crown stamp (Postmodern Design) into the molten mess.   I then used red and ginger alcohol inks to add to the color.  This is a very fun technique--making deep thermal embossed tiles.  The fun part is sprinkling in all sorts of different powders for a unique look.   To further embellish the tiles once they were on the inked, stamped, and be-ribboned cards, I added tiny gold beads with Glossy Accents as an adhesive.  They really look like treasure!  Lastly, I composed a bit of prose to add some text to my creation.  I had fun at the trade.  All the cards were imaginative and the company fun to be with.  ATC's--a way to share your art with others.

Halloween Shadowbox: Thank you Memory Box!

I have wanted to make this Halloween shadowbox ever since I saw it on the Memory Box Blog.  Last year I even ordered most of the stamps to make it.  I worked on it yesterday at Karen's fun craft room and finished up today.  It has lots of Halloween gleam and glitter.  You can see the original at this link:  Memory Box Spooky Printer's Tray    I used a printer's tray from Hobby Lobby instead of the 7 Gypsies one used in the original project.  The basic papers I used were from the Memory Box Nightfall collection.  I added stamps from Hero Arts, Inkadinkado, and Amuse in addition to the ones from Memory Box.  I did not have any Halloween Design Adhesives, so I used strips of green glitter paper for sparkle.  I also wanted some text, so in addition to some stamped words, I used a Cricut cartridge called "Word Collage".  The Halloween selection was perfect!  I cut some text in black and some in orange glitter paper.   All background papers were adhered with Perfect Paper Adhesive Matte from USArtquest.  I used a foam brush to apply the adhesive directly to the shadowbox.    Here are some closeups of various sections:

In the section above, I worked at the "Spooky Collage" technique, which is shown on the Memory Box blog.  It was a lot of fun!  Karen and I made three spooky collages and used one of them in the Shadowbox.  It is basically a technique where you make a "waxy buildup" of clear embossing powder, stamp on top of it in black ink, and then embellish with alcohol ink.  You can check out the technique specifics here:  http://davebrethauer.typepad.com/stampcolorcreate/2010/08/the-spooky-collage.html  Karen and I found that the collage stamp worked better if you used pigment ink and then heat embossed it also in clear ink before adding the alcohol ink.  We just had to be careful not to let the built up pool of clear melted powder melt any further!  This way we didn't have to wait for the ink to dry before adding the alcohol ink.

In the section above, you can see the very cool "cat in the spotlight" technique, which is described in the original Memory Box project here.  I used Tim Holtz Black Soot (a freshly re-inked pad) and a foam applicator to make the shadow.  I masked the spotlight with Eclipse Tape.   Can you find the following:

• hanging ghosts from Penny Black embossed in white?
• an orange glitter moon behind an Inkadinkado haunted mansion?
• some owls displayed in front of some shiny orbs painted with Smooch paint?

In the section above you can find some spooky Inkadinkado spiderwebs heat embossed with Mystic Fire embossing powder from B & J Art Stamps.   You can also see a golden Hero Arts chandelier with some colorful Stickles accents.

Lots of fun!  I really enjoy making these.  I had intended it for use initially to house my Hallmark Merry Miniatures Halloween collection, but they just didn't look right and some were a little large for the printer's tray.  So my next idea is I will use it to house Halloween costume jewelry I have collected over the years.  That will make it very sparkly!  If I adhere the jewelry pieces (pins, earrings, etc) with hot glue I don't think it will get damaged if I ever decide to wear any of it again!  I prefer to look at my jewels rather than wear them on my person any day!  This project will be a great backdrop for my pretties!