Featured Artist

I'm so excited to let you know that I've been asked to be a Featured Artist at Scrapbook News and Review (SNR)  magazine.  The topic I chose was comparing rubber stamps vs. digital stamps using the Emboss Resist technique on different types of papers and different mediums (that's a mouth-full!).  I also explain how to do the Emboss Resist technique using both a rubber stamp and a digital image.  It takes a few extra steps to do this technique with a digital image, but it can be done, using any of the three types of paper (plain cardstock, glossy cardstock, vellum).  You can read the full article/tutorial HERE.  I had a pre-conceived notion as to what I expected the results to be; but I was surprised. 

I completed two cards from all my experimentation.  For the first card, the completed panel is a combination of plain cardstock and Smooch Spritz.  The popped up flower is a combination of vellum paper and alcohol inks.  I added some pearls for the center of the flower and a bit of ribbon where I stamped my sentiment.  Both the flower images and the sentiment are from Outlines Rubber Stamps.

The second card is comprised of a digital image by KLM Designs (which is no longer in business).  If you read my blog fairly regularly, you know how much I love to fussy cut out my images and add pop dots for added dimension.  This card is no exception. I combined four of the experimental panels to complete this card.  The daffodil on the left is comprised of vellum/alcohol inks for the body and glossy cardstock/Smooch Spritz for the head.  The flower on the right is a combination of glossy cardstock/alcohol inks for the body and plain cardstock/alcohol inks for the head. 

Here's a close up where you can see that I pop dotted the top portion of the daffodil head for more dimension.  If you have any questions about this technique or the tutorial, please let me know and I'll try my best to answer them.

Sunflowers

My stamp challenge at Ch{all}enge Masters this month is to encourage you to get out of your red rubber comfort zone and use a digital stamp on your project.  There are lots of places that offer free digital stamps to see if you like them or not.  This image is a free digi stamp from KLM Designs.

I used several different techniques to make this card.  As usual, I colored my image with Copic markers (Y35, E37, G05, G09, G28) and  a brown Spica glitter pen.  I then used the "out of the box" technique and Spellbinders Petite Scalloped Ovals, Small #6 (assumes #1 is smallest in set) to cut out my image.  For the out of the box technique, you leave a portion of your image on the outside of the cut line.  You lightly mark where the die will be, cut around the portion that you don't want to be cut by your die, slip the die underneath that portion, then cut as normal.  For my image, the lower leaf is outside the scalloped cut line.

Next,  I decided to try out a newly discovered product, Colorless Art Masking Fluid, to mask my entire image.  (I purchased mine at a local Michael's.)   No more paper masks to cut.  It's best to use a fine tipped brush so you can get into the fine details better.  Let the product dry (it only took a few minutes and I live in a very humid area) and then you're ready to proceed. 

For my background, I stamped Tumbled Glass and Broken China Distress Inks directly onto my craft mat and then spritzed them lightly with water.  Using my foam blending tool, I grabbed the ink from my mat and then swirled it all around the flower image.  I left the Spellbinder's die in place so that I would have a crisp white frame around the entire piece.  I continued using the blending tool and inks until I was happy with the way the colors looked.  Once finished with the background, just gently rub the Colorless Art Masking Fluid off with your fingertip (or you can use an eraser - like the directions say to, but where's the fun in that).

For the card base, I chose brown cardstock and, using Spellbinders Petite Scalloped Ovals, Large #6, cut out the entire card.  Score and fold the cardstock before cutting it out.  Position the cutting portion of the die on the outside of your fold, so the dies doesn't cut through that part.  Adhere your focal panel to the front of the card.

This is what the inside should look like.  I used Antique Linen Distress Ink and a sponge dauber to go around the outer edge of the right panel.  I left the inside blank so I can come back and stamp my sentiment at a later date.  Now, if I need a last minute card, all I have to do is stamp my sentiment and I'm good to go.

So, my challenge to you is 1) try a digital stamp and 2) go check out all the fun challenges over at Challenge Masters.

Lastly, don't forget you still have time to play in our first ever F{all} into a Ch{all}enge Masters Blog Hop.   Check this past Fridays's post for more details.  You can win blog candy from each Diva.

Back to School

School is in session in most places.  We've been back at school since the first week of August.  For this card, the blackboard is a free digital stamp from KLM Digi Stamps and the little boy perched on top is by CC Designs Take A Seat Sugarplums set.  Everything is colored with Copics.

I colored and then cut out each design and then adhered them to my card base.  It took longer than I initially thought to color the blackboard because there are so many layers of C4 and C6, each making the image slightly darker.  But I like the end result - it looks like a blackboard to me (although I think a lot of schools now use white dry erase boards - oh well). 

This week's challenge at Stamp Something weekly challenge blog is back to school.  Go on over, there's still time to play.