Bubble Wrap Technique with Instruction Sheet

Playing with bubble wrap and creating new backgrounds adds a pop of color and fun to any card or project! And, if you don't have any bubble wrap laying around the house, I found some for $1 at my local dollar store! It's cheap and easy to use (I actually wiped my down with a damp paper towel and could use the same piece over and over).

Get the FREE Project Idea Sheet for this card here.

Supplies Used:

Uninked Stampin' Spots

[141822]

Thank You Die

[146832]

Balmy Blue Classic Stampin' Ink Refill

[147168]

Pear Pizzazz Classic Stampin' Ink Refill

[131160]

So Saffron Classic Stampin' Ink Refill

[105225]

Calypso Coral Classic Stampin' Ink Refill

[122934]

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock

[140272]

Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[121045]

Happy Stamping,

Marble Technique with Everything Festive Stamp Set

This 'marble in a box' technique is an oldie but goodie! Have you ever seen it before? If you have then enjoy another sample made with this fun technique and if you haven't, I hope you give it a try. It's super easy and once you get started 'marbeling' everything, you may find you just can't stop.

Below is the card I made with the Everything Festive stamp set. Love this new set because it includes sentiments for Halloween, Christmas, Valentine's and winter / New Years.

Marble Technique Tutorial

Card stock Measurements:

• Whisper White Thick card stock base 5 ½” X 8 ½”; scored and folded in half
• Basic Black cut to 5 ¼” X 4”
• White card stock cut to 5” X 3 ¾”

Supplies: 

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock

[140272]

Full Wide Stamp Cases

[127551]

Pumpkin Pie Classic Stampin' Ink Refill

[105229]

Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Ink Refill

[131158]

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[100730]

Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[121045]

Black 5/8" (1.6 Cm) Glittered Organdy Ribbon

[147897]

Everything Festive Cling Stamp Set (En)

[150566]

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad

[132708]

Forgot to include the Stitched Nested Labels Dies (use for the sentiment).

Instructions:
1. Drop several drops of re-inker in a clear case. Add two or three marbles and roll the marbles through the ink. Don't turn the box over yet. Just ink up the marbles on one side of the plastic box. (see picture below)

2. Using the 5” X 3 ¾” piece of white card stock, run a little Snail Adhesive on the back and then stick to the lid (on the inside) of the box.
3. Invert box and roll the marbles over the card stock. Invert the box again and carefully open the box and take out the piece of card stock.
4. Stamp images and add embellishments following the picture.

I've kept the ink in the boxes for several days now and it hasn't dried out. Also, you can wash out the boxes and use different colors. I just run the box under the sink and since the ink is water soluble, it just comes right off.

I hope you enjoy giving this fun technique a try!

Happy Stamping,

Techniques and Some Creative Stampers

Techniques!  Who loves playing with paper and ink?  My stamping friends in the Cowtown Crafters demonstrator group sure do!  Each month we have a fun time swapping and sharing ideas and earlier this month we had a technique swap.  My technique that I shared and swapped was the Direct to Paper technique I shared in the previous post and now here are some of my fellow stampers' ideas.  (I've shared 4 techniques here but there are even more on my Facebook Page.)

Technique #1 - Dauber Blending or Stained Glass Technique

Technique #2 - Zentangling by Lee

 Technique #3 - Faux Leather by Marilyn

Technique #4 - Stained Glass by Janet

If you are enjoying these techniques, then you'll want to head over to my Facebook Page to see even more that I've been posting this week!  (This is only 4 of the 10 techniques in the swap!)

Happy Stamping,

Direct to Paper - Another Fun Technique!

Learning new techniques can be so much fun!  Now, the projects don't always turn out the way I had planned (I don't want to talk about the horrible Rock and Roll technique that was a total bomb) but trying something new just adds variety to stamping!

When I needed to come up with a technique card for a swap I was participating in, I decided to give the Direct to Paper technique a try.  And, I have to say I think it turned out very well for two reasons.  One - it was quick!  Two - it was easy!  My favorite kind of cards, projects and techniques are quick and easy!  I'm a busy homeschooling mom of two (a 6th grade and 8th grader) and I don't have a lot of extra time to work on something for hours.

So, if you're like me and want really nice looking cards but need simple and quick, the Direct to Paper technique is for you!  (Scroll down for the video tutorial, too!)

Ready to see how it's done?  




Happy Stamping,

Tuesday's Technique - Bokeh

I have finally decided to give the Bokeh technique a try!  And, I'm SO glad I did!  What a fun technique!  It was much easier to do than I originally thought and I figured out a few tips and ideas that might help you to venture into the world of Bokeh!

Supplies Needed:

• Piece of white card stock (I cut mine to 4 3/4" X 3 1/2")
• 3 different colors of ink (In the card above, I used Daffodil Delight, Soft Sky and Blushing Bride.)
• Sponges
• Circle punch template (see the picture below)
• White craft ink
• Daubers

 

Circle Punch Template:

• If you don't have the circle punch sizes I used, use what you have.  You can also cut out circles using the Circles Collection of Framelits with the Big Shot Die Cutting Machine.
• Note: Many tutorials I watched cut the holes from clear acetate or window sheets.  I found that using a piece of card stock worked better for me and I explain why in the instruction steps below.

Steps for making your own Bokeh card:

• Use a different sponge piece to swirl on the three different colors of ink.  You'll want to completely cover the white card stock.  Use a circular motion.
• Lay the template over the piece of inked piece of card stock and begin swirling on the craft ink with the dauber into the different sized circles.
• Choose random places to make the circles.  Pick up the template and reposition and add as many circles as you'd like.
• If you'd like the white ink darker, let the first set of circles dry (or heat with a heat tool) and then go back over the first set of circles with more white craft ink.
• Once everything is completely dry, stamp desired image with Memento ink.

 I chose to make my template out of card stock instead of a piece of acetate or window sheet.  Why?  

First, I found that since craft ink on a window sheet doesn't dry, I was getting ink on my fingers as well as on the back of the window sheet which in turn was transferring ink all over my background piece (in places I didn't want).

Second, even though you could see through the window sheet so you knew where to add the circles, I found it was too distracting to see where they were going.  I guess I was "over-thinking" it and I wanted more of a random placement of circles.  Using a piece of card stock helped me to just put circles here and there and not get hung up on the "perfect placement" of everything.

So, there you have it!  A fun technique to try!  Have you already done this technique and discovered a few tips for yourself?  I'd love for you to share your tips and ideas in the comments section below.  It's all about crafters helping crafters! 

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Happy Stamping,

Quick Rock & Roll Technique Video from Stampin' Up!

Got 47 seconds to watch a fun technique in action?  It's been awhile since I've done the Rock & Roll technique so I love to see it again with one of my favorite stamp sets - Sheltering Tree.


Stampin' Up! has created some amazing video tutorials and I'm always inspired!  I hope you are, too!

How to Water Color Images for Cards

Have you done any water coloring on a card before?  It's been awhile for me but on this past Friday's blog post I gave several suggestions on how to water color.  Now, I'm no expert by any means when it comes to water coloring but I can tell you that if I can do it, so can you!  It just takes some time to sit down and play!

That's exactly what I did this weekend.  I brushed off my blender pens, aqua painters and paint brushes and decided it was time to water color again!

There are several great stamp sets in the Spring catalog that work well for water coloring.  These are called line art stamp sets because it's just that - the outline of the image.  It's up to you to add the color.  Here's what I came up with using the Secret Garden stamp set from the Spring Catalog.  What do you think?

I thought it turned out pretty well for not having water colored in awhile.

I think I also chose this stamp set because it has the matching Framelits (I'm a sucker for stamp sets that have coordinating Framelits dies - so easy to cut out!).

Three Videos to Help You Get Started with Water Coloring:

Basics with Blender Pens

Basics with Aqua Painters

Basics with Paint Brushes and Water

Happy Stamping and Water Coloring!