Tuesday, January 7, 2025

Die Cut Masks and Ink Spritzing Technique

I recently learned this technique from a Barb Mullikin, a demonstrator friend of mine and I thought I'd give it a try.  I had so much fun with it that I decided it would be this week's video.  I have to warn you that it can be messy and unpredictable.  If you're OK with that, you'll love it!

You will need a spritzer, rubbing alcohol (I used 70%; not sure if 91% works equally as well), an ink refill, scrap paper and the packaging paper from our packs of DSP.  Begin by adding alcohol to the spritzer.  Since a little goes a long way, I only added alcohol to about 1" or so from the bottom.  The number of drops of ink you need will depend on the ink you use.  The first one I tested was Berry Burst and I only added two drops - perfect.  The next color I tried was Azure Afternoon and two drops was way too pale.  So with any color you select, you will want to test it on scrap paper before you begin your project.  

Next you will need to cut out your die cut (or punched) shapes.  I like using the packaging from our paper packs because the paper is rather slick and not too thick.  The ink doesn't absorb into the paper very much because of the satin coating on it.  Cover your work surface with lots of scrap paper - the spray often goes further than you expect!  Lastly, I added a little bit of seal (using my fingers to remove most of the stickiness) to the backs of my shapes and the piece I'm spraying to hold them in place.  We are ready to rock and roll!

 Gather your supplies:

  • Cardstock: Thick Basic White 8-1/2" x 5-1/2"(scored at 4-1/4"); Basic White 3-1/4" x 4-1/2"; Azure Afternoon 3-3/4" x 5"
  • Stamp:  Linked Together
  • Ink and Ink Refill:  Blueberry Bushel
  • Die:  Hearts of Elegance
  • Embossing Folder:  Distressed Tile 3D
  • Stampin' Spritzer
  • Rubbing Alcohol
  • Embellishment: Adhesive Backed Heart Sequins
  • Adhesive and Tools

Once you have the spritzer ready to go, this card will go together very quickly.  Die cut the two heart shapes from the packaging material and place them on the rectangle of white.  Spritz until you get the coverage you want (I found it only took two or three spritzes) and allow to dry before removing the masks.  Stamp the sentiment with Blueberry Bushel ink.  Emboss the Azure Afternoon panel before adhering the spritzed piece to it.  Pop this up on the card front.  Add your sentiment to the inside and emboss the flap of the card with the same embossing folder.  That's it!  Quick and easy once you get the spritzer set up.




So when I first tried this technique, I chose Berry Burst (one of my favorite colors).  I had been playing with the new Ocean Friends bundle and decided to cut out a few crabs to use as my masks.  I cut out the crab from the Friends of the Ocean DSP, added some of the Sunny Day Iridescent Dots and boy, did I have a cute card or what?  







My next one was the Hearts of Elegance Bundle (pink and hearts are such the perfect pairing!).  I used the three smallest hearts in the nesting set and staggered them on my white panel.  Because I stamped the sentiment in black, I added a thin mat of black before adding the beautiful Iridescent Striped Trim and popping it up on my card base of Berry Burst.  The Iridescent Pearls Basic Jewels add the final touch for the card front.  For both the inside panel and the envelope, I used the heart masks again and spritzed just the lower left corner.  I love, love, love this final touch!









My next color to try was Azure Afternoon.  I had some thoughts in my head for sample ideas so I picked colors that I thought would blend together well. But for this card, I just used Azure Afternoon.  I made my mask from the Linked Together dies and I like how the spritzed card front looked like a trellis.  I used the Delightful Wishes bundle for the flowers and sentiments and was very happy with the results.  













My next two colors to fill spritzers were Blueberry Bushel and Lemon Lime Twist.  I punched out a variety of circles and placed them on the white panel.  The first spritz was the Blueberry Bushel.  Then I moved the circles so I would have some overlapping ones and spritzed with Lemon Lime Twist.  This was my first two tone spritz and at first, I didn't love it.  Then I decided to emboss it with the Starstruck embossing folder (a Sale-a-Bration selection). and I liked it much better.  I used the Greeting for All Mix and Match Ephemera pack for the sentiments and spritzed the corner of my envelope to complete this card.








After I had made my first heart card, I got the idea for this one.  I wanted to see three shades of colors for the heart.  My first attempt was a big flop - I put my biggest heart down and used Berry Burst.  For the next smallest heart I used Azure Afternoon and for the smallest, I used Blueberry Bushel.  Well, the Blueberry just dominated and I didn't like the result.  So I tried again, reversing the order of my colors and this card is that result - much better!  I added Purple Adhesive Backed Sequins (another Sale-a-Bration selection!) to complete this romantic card.  I'm glad I didn't give up with my first attempt and encourage you to keep trying until you get results you like.









Since I had plenty of ink in my spritzers, I decided to play a bit and spritz strips of paper.  This one used Blueberry Bushel and Lemon Lime Twist and I paired it with the Beautiful Butterflies bundle.  I colored the butterfly with blends and added a little Blueberry spritz with my Stampin' Write Marker.  











My last sample was one where I spritzed on colored cardstock instead of white.  I used one of the blues on Lemon Lime Twist and more of the circle masks.  The stamp set is Day to Celebrate (yet another Sale-a-Bration selection!) and a little linen thread is all the embellishment I added.  The remainder of my strip turned out to be a 2" square, so I added my Happy Birthday sentiment on that and used it on the inside.  No scrap left behind.  

As you can see, I've used quite a few new products - our mini catalog was released yesterday (let me know if you need a catalog) along with new Online Exclusives, Scrapbooking products and the Sale-a-Bration brochure!  So many new things to see and play with!  I encourage you to take advantage of Sale-a-Bration because during January and February, you get to select from lots of exclusive products for every $60 you spend!  There are stamp sets, paper packs, a card kit, an embossing folder, ribbon, embellishments and ever a bundle! So it's a great time to stock on products you need, new and fun things, or even a Paper Pumpkin subscription - you'll get bonus products for free!  It's also a wonderful time to join my team - ask me about the joining special!

Karen


ThePowerOfACard@gmail.com

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Tuesday, December 24, 2024

Color Buddies - What are They?

Color Buddies are two shades of the same hue and they work perfectly when paired together.  Color Buddies are especially useful when you have two-step stamping.  This style is used for florals, greenery, sea life, etc.  Sara Douglass, who is our CEO of Stampin' Up! coined this description and I think it is a perfect name.  You will have two colors that blend together, whether it is stamping, paper, or markers.

As I was preparing for this video, I decided to make a chart of some Color Buddies to have as a reference.  I kept coming up with more and more combinations!  I probably could have made even more and you will probably find your own favorites.  Some of them I've used often, but others are fresh new ones to try.  Here is the chart:




Before I make my card, I wanted to show you the difference between making the flowers with Pumpkin Pie and Peach Pie as Color Buddies and just using Pumpkin Pie (stamped off for the solid part of the flowers).  I think the stamped off version works great, and it's often what I choose to do.  However, the result is more soft or pastel in nature. The Color Buddy version is more vibrant and full of life, since both stamps are first generation stamping.







 Gather your supplies:

  • Cardstock: Thick Basic White 8-1/2" x 5-1/2"(scored at 4-1/4"); Pumpkin Pie 3" x 3", Lily Pad Lane 6" x 6" DSP 2-1/2" x 2-1/2", Basic White 2" x 2"
  • Stamp:  Sentimental Park
  • Inks:  Pumpkin Pie and Peach Pie
  • Die:  Stylish Shapes
  • Ribbon: Peach Pie Bordered Ribbon - 11"
  • Adhesive and Tools

After folding your card base in half, stamp the outline of the flowers all over the front of the card with Pumpkin Pie.  Focus mainly on the outside of the card as the center will be covered with the label.  Rotate the stamp so the flowers go in different directions and some of them go off the edges.  When you have all of these done, stamp the inside of the flowers with Peach Pie.  You may want to add some flowers to the inside of the card and envelope while you're doing them.

Cut the Pumpkin Pie, Lily Pad Lane DSP (the piece that has a Peach Pie subtle background on one side and fish on the other side) and Basic White paper using the three largest squares from the Stylish Shapes dies.  Stamp the sentiment onto the white square (on point) with Pumpkin Pie ink.  I chose two sentiments (Sentiment Buddies??) that would make a great retirement card.  Layer the three squares together with glue and pop them up in the center of the card with Dimensionals.  Finish by adding a bow made from the Peach Pie Bordered Ribbon and a Mini Glue Dot.

My original sample was made with Blueberry Bushel and Azure Afternoon, one of my favorite Color Buddies!  I used a new set of dies called Everyday Arches (coming in January as an Online Exclusive).  I also used the dies that go with the Sentimental Park stamp set to cut out some additional flowers and made a bow with the Iridescent Striped Trim.




My next sample uses the new Ocean Friends stamp set and Friends of the Ocean DSP.  These are part of a beautiful suite of products called Friends of the Ocean.  I really love these colors - pinks, oranges and splashes of teal and lime!  For my crab, I used Melon Mambo and Pretty in Pink.  In case you're wondering, I used hot glue to add ribbons of shine to the background paper as a fun bit of sparkle and texture.  The final touch are some Purple Adhesive-Backed Sequins, a free selection during Sale-A-Bration, which starts January 7th and goes to the end of February.




Another sneak peak suite from the upcoming catalog is called Floral Delight.  I am using the Delightful Wishes bundle for this sample and Petunia Pop and Pretty in Pink as my Color Buddies.  The suite features a sunny yellow pallet and has two DSP packs - Floral and Gingham Vellum and Floral Delight (you'll see more of this in my Facebook group posts and maybe even a video).  





While this next stamp set is technically not two-step stamping, I've used these reversible stamps the same way.  I did leaves in the Lemon Lime Twist/Granny Apple Green and Granny Apple Green/Garden Green Color Buddy combinations. The flower pot was the Gray Granite/Pebbled Path combo.  Reversible stamps can be placed on your block with either side - one has just a solid image and the other has the design.  I think this is fun way to use these stamps and a way I hadn't tried before.  I also used the Greetings for All Mix & Match Ephemera Pack - pre stamped greetings to add to your cards for a quick and easy sentiment.  









So far, we've only been doing stamping to illustrate the Color Buddies concept.  In this card, I paired two papers in the same way - Summer Splash and Coastal Cabana.  I stamped the small cluster of flowers from Bright Borders (also in the new mini catalog) with the same color ink as the paper strips.  The sentiment and border are from that same set and stamped in both colors.  The Point Label punch is bundled with the Hugs for Love set, but pairs with this set too,  





My last sample takes Color Buddies to Stampin' Blends!  I used Blackberry Bliss and Petunia Pop to add lines to a white card panel.  I used both the brush and fine tip end to add lines of various lengths.  I started with a quarter sheet of white so that I could cut it down for my front and have a strip for the inside of the card.  The diamond and oval shapes are from the new Linked Together dies and the flowers and sentiments are from the Mixed Labels dies (coming in January!).  

Since this video is being released on Christmas day - I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  I thank you so much for being a part of my Stampin' Up! business, whether it is from my YouTube videos, this blog, being a part of the group who come to card classes at my house, or a member of my team.  I appreciate your friendship, viewership and business more than you will know!

Karen


ThePowerOfACard@gmail.com

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Tuesday, December 10, 2024

Embossed Gift Card Set that's Quick, Easy and Beautiful!

As Christmas is fast approaching, I wanted to show you how to make a gift set of embossed cards with supplies I'm sure you already have.  You'll need just neutral cardstock, embossing folders (a variety or even just one) and a sentiment stamp set.  My goal is to show you how a simple design, done as a set, looks wonderful and makes a gift anyone would love.

The first set I made was done with Crumb Cake and used Layered Florals, Fern, Painted Tres, Zinnia and Distressed Tile folders (also linked below).  I added a layer of white for the inside and left that plain with the exception of a 1/2" embossed strip in Crumb Cake.  For my video, I selected five different embossing folders (and there were many I didn't use!).  I added a strip of embossed white on the inside and while it's not colorful, it adds a great finishing touch.  On all of them, I embossed the flap of the envelope to match.

I used a few products from the Last Chance List (check it out - there are some great deals and some products I am sad to see leave), and one that is not released yet.  I recommend you make several sets at the same time - once you're in the mode of embossing, it will go quickly.  I used some pretty ribbon to tie the set together and just like that, I have a great gift.

 Gather your supplies:

  • Cardstock: (5) Thick Basic White 8-1/2" x 5-1/2"(scored at 4-1/4"); (5) Basic White 4" x 5-1/4" and 1/2" strips - the size will depend on which orientation you emboss your front panel
  • Stamp:  Sweetly Scripted
  • Inks:  Blueberry Bushel, Cajun Craze, Pumpkin Pie, Poppy Parade and Granny Apple Green
  • Embellishment: Iridescent Pearls Basic Jewels
  • Embossing Folders: Forever Plaid, Exposed Brick, Beautiful Butterflies (coming in January!), Happy Hibiscus and Changing Leaves
  • Adhesive and Tools
The "formula" for each card is the same - start by embossing the neutral panel and the 1/2" strip you'll use on the inside.  I was able to emboss both at the same time, which speeds up the process.  Adhere this to your card front, either with Dimensionals, or as I did in the video, just with glue.  Stamp the sentiment onto the 1/2" strip (or 3/4" strip for the birthday sentiment) in a color of ink that compliments the embossed design.  Add this over the embossing with Dimensionals.  Embellish with a few pearls if desired.

For the inside of the card, add the embossed strip at the bottom.  If  you are using a a darker neutral, you will want to add an additional layer of white on the inside.  The finishing touch is to emboss the envelope flap with the same folder as on the card.  Stack them up and tie with a pretty ribbon - it's time to give them away!

Here are the individual cards I made in the video.  I hope I've given you the motivation to make a few sets yourself.  Not only are these great to give to family and friends, but also to people who wouldn't expect it like servers at your favorite coffee spot, your hairdresser, the delivery person, or the person at your office who cleans.  As Christmas is soon to be upon us, I'm hoping this quick little project will be just what you need to finish up your gift giving list!







Karen


ThePowerOfACard@gmail.com

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For orders over $150, you qualify for host rewards from Stampin’ Up! (plus a treat from me!).


Product List

Die Cut Masks and Ink Spritzing Technique

I recently learned this technique from a Barb Mullikin, a demonstrator friend of mine and I thought I'd give it a try.  I had so much fu...