INKY FINGERS

I did get to play a little with my acrylic blocks but have been struggling to get decent photos.  Decided to blog them anyway, despite the fact that the variations in shade and colour are just not showing up – grrr!

No problems with this one because it’s just black and white.

I’ve done more but I’ll save them for another time.  I did one on my trusty old large Hero Arts shadow stamp and I quite like that one.  Takes me back to when we had the little Stamp Club in the shop.  We did quite a lot of mono stamping then – probably around 5 or 6 years ago - and it was so much fun.

Chalk inks also work really well.  Haven’t done any samples but that’s what we used years ago, when they first appeared on the market.
It’s not my technique – it’s a standard printing technique which has been used for eons but it’s great for experimenting with.  Just wish I had more time to play.  Any more questions, please do ask.

For more information on monoprinting the printer’s and artist’s way, see here.

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The ice has almost melted and the sun is shining, so I may just venture out for a bit of fresh air.  No snow here, though.  Hope you’re all staying warm x

1. Stamp image(s) in Versamark or clear Embossing ink, then emboss in clear powder. 
2. Apply colour, using your favourite method but be sure not to use permanent or pigment inks, which will cover the embossed images and spoil the effect.  Water based inks, such as Vivid, Distress, Adirondack, Big 'n' Juicy, Kaleidacolor, Memento, Marvy, etc etc are ideal.  If there’s ink on your embossing, wipe off with a piece of kitchen towel or a baby wipe..
3. Cover the embossed card with a piece of kitchen towel (newsprint or brown paper work just as well).  Set an iron to HOT (no steam) and IRON over the material covering the embossed bits, leaving it over them for 15 seconds or so.  You know your own iron, so you’ll know how hot it’s getting.  If you need to, lift up the paper/kitchen towel to see if the embossing powder has lifted up.
4. When embossing powder is removed, overstamp with more images (or the same – works particularly well with flowers and people, creating a sort of shadow effect).
5. Clear emboss new stamping if you like, to create dimension.

I made these backgrounds last week, when playing with Brilliance reinkers, so these were very quick cards, but fun to make.  I think I like these words, he, he.

Today is the birthday of my very special friend, Lynne – Happy Birthday, Lynne!
Here’s what I spent the morning making – yep, I know – last minute Katy, as ever.  Enjoyed making it but it’s a while since I’ve done anything like this in such a short time and if you could only see the aftermath – stuff all over my stamping room and all over the kitchen table and the worktops…. lots of tidying up to do now that it’s been delivered.
I taught this at a workshop just before I closed the business but I haven’t ever done it since, so thought I’d give it a rehash.
This is how it started – making the pages from white card, with Colorbox pigment inks – and a bit of Adirondack Twilight Pigment – and stamps.  Oops, the white is Adirondack Snow Cap Dabber, stamped, but it's not meant to be clear, so that isn't a mistake.  I like the fact that it gives the illusion of words, a bit of texture and a total contrast - this is an element I use often over inky backgrounds.
As ever, click to enlarge if you want a closer look :)

 

Ooh, just had a fab half hour playing with Sharpies and alcohol – err, hiccup, hiccup, hiccup :) Only kidding – not the kind to drink – not yet anyway, lol.

I saw this technique somewhere - sorry I can’t remember where cos I hate it when people don’t credit the source! I’ll edit if I find it again. Anyway, I just fancied a go for a break from Maths (yuk!).

You just scribble on a non stick mat with various colours of Sharpie (or any alcohol based marker – try ‘P’ off pens or Permanent white board markers if you have them) then spray with alcohol (Isopropyl) and quickly lay something glossy in it, before it dries. You can get two if you hurry. I used glossy paper, so the colours are probably a little more muted than if it was hi gloss card but I’m in a muted mood after all that bright colour :) Here are my results.

These last two are my favourites. I used the same three colours I used on the bright coloured sheets a few weeks ago – magenta, turquoise and yellow. I know I said they’re muted but you can see the colours a little more than in these pics and while there is some white still showing, there’s very little of it, despite how the scans look

I feel more than a little embarrassed about posting this as a technique because it really is so EASY, but here you go…

I used just three shades of Ecoline inks – Cerise, Cyan and Yellow – then, taking a sheet of card (thickish) or watercolour paper (I used hot press smooth) I just painted them on randomly (with thick brushes) and left them to dry. What a cheat? The colours blend beautifully and create all those shades you can see on the ATCs. On some, I wet the card or paper first, then added the inks, on others I spritzed after painting, then mopped up excess colour with another sheet of card/paper, so I ended up with lots of variations – some muddier looking than others, some paler.

Word of warning – it looks YUKKY before you stamp it and the white highlighting really does make all the difference :)

I did try this with Adirondack reinkers but they are too highly pigmented, so the colours are too dark. Great for inkpads but not for techniques like this. I am intending trying the same thing with Vivid Reinkers because I have quite a lot of those – I’ll upload my results when I do.

Here are a couple of the backgrounds BS (Before Stamping).

I think the first two were spritzed VERY lightly. Don’t they look YUKKY?

The second two pieces were wet before I started and then were spritzed a little more before being allowed to dry. These look much nicer unstamped.

We’re restarting the monthly challenges on Katy’s Corner UK and to ease us in gently, the first challenge is ‘Serendipity’. To make things easier for those who’ve never done this before, I’m posting the sheet I used to have on my website, for easy access.

This is one of those great techniques for using up all your bits and pieces of scrap paper and card - only problem being you won't want to throw the bits away, so you end up with bags or boxes of bits! The word means 'accidental discovery' and was dreamed up (literally – she dreamed the idea) by an American lady, whose name I don’t know.

OLD Stamp Club samples

Lynne Wilkinson, sample panel and the tall card was made by Debbie Shelton, using tag shapes

Star card by Freyja Lee.

SUPPLIES

Sheet of card to be used as base – A4 or A5, but A4 will give you more scope and will make more cards.

Scraps of paper, punchies, foils, wrapping paper, mulberry paper, handmade papers, magazine or newspaper pages, fabric scraps, netting or anything to use as collage. I have a Serendipity Basket and in that I throw bits of interesting paper, especially metallics (great at Christmas time or birthdays) just for this technique

Scissors (and or cutter)

Ruler (or other object to measure squares) - OR punch out shapes

Glue and/or Xyron machine

Stamps – can be any kind but usually works well in a theme, ie Asian, Christmas, Birthday, etc, etc – I also try to include at least one text stamp of some kind to achieve a nice arty feel to the finished item

Embossing ink of any kind - stick with Versamark if you're not sure

Embossing powder – any colour, but preferably to match the chosen ‘theme’ and colour scheme and metallics DO look nice

INSTRUCTIONS

• Take the plain piece of card and, using glue, cover it randomly with torn bits of paper, card, or whatever you choose to use (can even be bits of fabric). You don’t have to cover every centimetre of space, but don’t be too sparing, either. If you like you can also add some Marvy Metallics (or other brand) squiggles or some Acrylic paint squiggles – be inventive here!
• Once the glue has dried, using embossing ink, stamp – again randomly – all over the card and the papers you’ve glued to it. If you’re using more than one colour of embossing powder, do one colour at a time, tipping off excess before adding another colour. When stamped images are covered with ep, heat with heat tool until the powder melts. This will give you the basis for your Serendipity tiles. See samples below.
• I sometimes complete this stage with Gold Webbing spray – gives a very nice effect!
• 
• Your sheet should now look a mess!! A nice mess, but nothing perfect or aligned or organised. Turn it over and, using the ruler or other instrument, measure the back of the card in a grid of squares. I usually take a narrow ruler, draw down the side, then draw the next line a ruler’s width away, to avoid any measuring discrepancies. OR I use a cutter!! Cut the card into the squares (or shape of your choice) you measured, cutting from the back so that it is totally haphazard.
• TIP: If you have a Xyron, this is where it comes into its own. Run the completed sheet through the Xyron, using either permanent or non permanent adhesive, THEN measure on the front - saves all that messy gluing afterwards
• Take whatever card you are using as the first mat and arrange the shapes on it, gluing them down in whichever design or shape you prefer. They don’t have to match – in fact they look better if they don’t – and you can use as many or as few as you like to create your chosen design.
• When your design is complete, make up your card. You can use it as it is, or embellish it in any way you like. Add a Greeting or a Ribbon or a charm – anything. Experiment and see what you can come up with.

This is an ideal 'man's' card and the beauty of Serendipity is that no one can do anything wrong as it is just haphazard and every piece created is unique and individual - that is its beauty and attraction!!

Happy stamping!!!

Just been getting ready a background for Inchies and ATCs. The theme is yellow - not one I would normally use as I'm not a big fan of yellow on its own, but it's more of a challenge because of that.

I'll be making cards with my backgrounds later, but for now, here are the instructions for Caught in Crystal.

You need:-
Thermal Acetate - Photocopier or laser printer acetate
Tissue paper - white and larger than the acetate
Masking tape
Inks or reinkers - water based inks work best
Johnson's Klear Floor Polish
Ultra fine glitter
Kitchen towels
Heat tool
LOTS of protective paper and/or a non stick craft mat
Wear gloves if you don't like inky fingers.................

Using masking tape, tape the acetate down on all four sides. Drop a puddle of Klear in the centre and smooth over with your fingers to cover the acetate.

Add a sprinkling of ultra fine glitter - you can also add other things if you're feeling adventurous........ fibres, mica flakes, etc

Crumple the tissue paper into a tight wad, then open again and lay it over the acetate, smoothing down carefully but leaving as many of the creases as you can.

Add more Klear - don't be mean with it as that's what makes the inks flow, but don't add too much at this point. If you do, it will seep underneath the acetate, which will then stick to the paper. Spread it around - using fingers or a paintbrush. Don't worry if the tissue tears - just rip off another piece and place it over the hole - the Klear will adhere it and no one will see it.

Take two or three inks and randomly drop small amounts on the tissue, then move the inks around with a paintbrush - or your fingers. This is where you need to be careful not to muddy the inks and why it's best to use small amounts and not too many colours. Add a touch more Klear if you need to lighten the inks, but not too much, then use the kitchen towel to mop up any excess colour or colours which look too dark. I like to keep it light, with some blank areas - it's nice to stamp something on the card you're attaching the caught in crystal piece to, so you get a 3D effect.

Heat set from a distance with the heat tool. Even though the acetate is thermal, it WILL buckle if you overheat it. When it's completely dry, you can't see any shiny bits at all - it's more of a satin finish and pretty solid when you touch it. Add another puddle of Klear and again, move it around to cover the tissue. Heat set again.

Add one last layer of Klear - this is the one which really makes it crystallise. I like to use a spritzer for this one - much less messy. Heat set again until it starts to bubble a bit and you see the tissue lifting in small areas - that's what you want. You can actually see the crystallising and the glitter shining through. This is where the technique (developed by Deb Cowan of Second Star on the Right) differs from the reinker and Diamond Glaze technique developed by Mary Jo McGraw - you don't get that Crystalline effect with her technique, though it's still a lovely effect.

Take off the masking tape, being careful not to pull off the tissue paper and turn over. If it has stuck to the paper underneath, don't panic. You can remove the offending paper bits with a baby wipe or with water and your fingernail. Some of mine stuck but you can't see it now!

Stamp on the smooth side of the acetate, using Stazon, Brilliance Graphite Black or Stewart Superior Jet Black Document ink - make sure it's completely dry before layering up.

Enjoy!