Skull-buggy for Halloween

It's Tuesday which means that it's time to share a project created for Topflight Stamps. This week my teammates and I are getting a head start on autumn and/or Halloween projects. Guess which I chose?

Here are my four tags created with the Skull Bugs Clear Stamp Set by Melina Dahl for That's Crafty. Pleae note that the tags are all the same size in real life. My mad photography and/or photo-editing skills wonked 'em out.

Topflight Stamps Products Used:

Skull Bugs Clear Stamp Set by Melina Dahl for That's Crafty

Skullduggery Borders Cling Mounted Stamp Set by Indigo Blu

Mystic Swirl Clear Polymer Stamp by Lavinia Stamps

Meditation Red Rubber Cling Stamp Set by Darkroom Door

Black and Brilliant Red Brusho Crystal Colours by Colourcraft

Onyx Black VersaFine™ Ink by Tsukineko®

Other Products Used:

140 Lb. Mixed Media Cardstock by Strathmore®

Solar White Classic Crest® Cardstock by Neenah Papers

Black Tags by Graphic 45®

Black Tag Cutting Die by Graphic 45®

Obsidian Amalgam Ink by Gina K® Designs

New Canvas Palette™ Ink by Stewart Superior

Black Soot Distress® Oxide Spray by Tim Holtz® for Ranger Ink

VersaMark™ Ink Pad by Tsukineko®

Copic® Markers:

   Ladybugs' Carapaces: R24, R27, R29, R39

   Skulls: YR30, YR31, E40, E50, E51, T0

   Butterfly Wings: BV23, BV25, BV29, V04, V06, R37

Yellow, Bright Yellow, and Red Zig® Clean Color Markers by Kuretake

Clear Detail Embossing Powder by Stampendous!®

Occasions Small Talk Stickers by Tim Holtz®/Idea-ology® for Advantus

White Seam Binding

Bleach

Stamping Platform

Instructions:

1. Cut a piece of 9" x 12" mixed media cardstock into four pieces.
2. Put two pieces of the mixed media cardstock into a cardboard box. 
3. Spritz with water and shake some Black and Brilliant Red Brusho Crystal Colours onto the damp cardstock.
4. Spray both pieces with Black Soot Distress Oxide Spray and water. 
5. Add more Brusho Crystals and spray again until happy with the color and coverage.
6. Repeat Steps #2-5 with the second set of cardstock pieces.
7. Use white seam binding to sop up the excess inky goodness.  
8. Heat set the four pieces of cardstock, mist with water to add a bit more detail, and heat set again.
9. Crumple the dyed seam binding and heat set while keeping it crumply.
10. Use the tag die to cut the mixed media pieces to create four card fronts.
11. Use New Canvas Palette ink to stamp the spiderweb from the Skullduggery Borders Cling Mounted Stamp Set onto one of the tags. Heat set.
12. Using the stamp platform and Onyx Black VersaFine ink, stamp the skull-spider onto the tag front with with the white spiderwebs.
13. Using the stamp platform and Onyx Black Versa-Fine ink, stamp the skull-dragonfly and two skull-ladybugs onto two of the tag fronts . 
14. Use bleach to remove the ink from the skulls on both the skull-spider and the skull-dragonfly.
15. Use Zig Clean Color markers to color the skull-spider 's eyes.
16. Use Obsidian ink to stamp the small lotus from the Meditation Red Rubber Cling Stamp Set around the skull-dragonfly.
17. Use Obsidian ink to stamp the skull- ladybug and the skull-butterfly two times each onto Neenah cardstock. 
18. Fussy-cut the skull-ladybug's carapaces and the skull and body of the skull-butterfly.
19. Color the fussy-cut images with Copic makers and edge them with a dark marker. 
20. Press the skull-ladybugs' carapaces onto a VersaMark pad, sprinkle them with clear detail embossing powder, dump off the excess, and heat set. 
21. Use bleach to lighten the eye and nose sockets of the skull-butterfly's and color with Zig markers.
22. Use Obsidian ink to stamp some leaves around both skull-ladybugs.
23. Adhere both colored, heat embossed skull-ladybug carapaces onto their stamped counterparts on the tag front. Retrospectively, I wish I had heat embossed the skull-ladybug bodies. Oh well.
24. Use New Canvas ink to stamp the Mystic Swirl Clear Polymer Stamp onto the skull-butterfly's tag and heat set. 
25. Adhere the the skull-butterfly's body to the tag, then glue the skull atop its counterpart.
26. Adhere the tag fronts to the pre-made black tags. 
27. Add Idea-ology sentiment stickers.
28. Thread and tie the dyed crinkle ribbon through the tag holes to finish the tags!

Thanks for visiting today!

Tempus Fugit -- A Mixed Media Tag

It's the end of August. Days are growing shorter, leaves are beginning to fall, and Autumn will soon be here, which means it's time to turn my attention to all things Halloween! I started to prepare for this season by casting a batch of skulls using FastCast™Urethane Casting Resin and the Finnabair® Imaginarium Wings and Bones Mould by Prima Marketing.

Here's the first project created with one of these skulls. It's a mixed media tag made with the Eldaro Greyboard Kit by Andy Skinner for Tando Creative, Ltd..

Products Used:

FastCast™Urethane Casting Resin by Environmental Technologiy, Inc.

Imaginarium Wings and Bones Mould by Finnabair® for  Prima® Marketing

Eldaro Greyboard Kit by Andy Skinner for Tando Creative, Ltd.

Media® Black Gesso by DecoArt®

Silver, Pthalo Blue, Ultra Marine Blue, Quinacridone Violet,  Cobalt Teal Hue, Quinacridone Red, and Quinacridone Magenta Media® Fluid Acrylic Paints by DecoArt®

Caramel and Buff Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic Paints by PaperArtsy

Ink and the Dog #26 Mini Cling Rubber Stamp by PaperArtsy

Watch Stencil by Stamperia

Jet Black Archival™ Ink by Ranger Ink

Inkssentials™ Cut 'N' Dry™ Stamping Foam by Ranger Ink

Fuschia Netty stuff from my stash

Strong glue

Steel wool

Instructions and Notes:

Part 1: Casting your skulls

1. Cover your work surface with newspaper. Be smart (unlike me) and wear a pair of latex gloves. 
2. Follow the instructions on the FastCast box to mix the two components to make the resin.
3. Quickly pour the resin into the moulds. 
4. Wait patiently (unlike me) until the resin turns white and cools off a bit.
5. Unmold each skull, trim the edges with scissors, and press onto a hard surface to flatten. 
6. Peel out any detritus from the moulds.
7. Repeat Steps #2 until you have a nice quantity for your stash.
8. Pop downstairs and loudly proclaim that dinner will have to wait until you're done casting and trimming your skulls. 
9. Watch the reaction to your announcement.

Notes: 

• I found that making smaller batches of the resin works best because the resin changes viscosity quickly. and becomes less pourable. Waste not, want not!
• Try not to overfill the moulds to make a flatter backed skull and remove the trimming the skulls with scissors step.
• Wear gloves and be sure to clean all surfaces quickly. Removing the resin from skin takes a while and some skin as well. 

Instructions: Part 2

1. Free all of the greyboard components from their backing. Save the backing because it's lovely thick greyboard and/or can be used as a stencil.
2. Paint the tag, both sets of Industrial Wings, and the heart with Silver Media Fluid Acrylic Paint.
3. Apply drops of Pthalo Blue, Ultra Marine Blue, Quinacridone Violet,  Cobalt Teal Hue to a piece of Inkssentials foam. 
4. Pounce the foam onto a craft mat to mix the drops.
5. Pounce the foam onto the tag and small Industrial Wings, repeating Steps #3 and #4 as needed to attain the coverage you want.
6. Sponge of Quinacridone Red, and Quinacridone Magenta Media Fluid Acrylic Paints to another piece of foam.
7. Pounce the foam onto a craft mat to mix the drops.
8. Pounce the foam onto the large Industrial Wings and the heart, repeating Steps #6 and #7 as needed.
9. Heat set all painted greyboard.
10. Sponge or brush Jet Black Archival ink over the time stencil onto the tag. Heat set.
11. Edge the tag with Jet Black Archival ink and heat set.
12. Use steel wool to apply specks and dots of Jet Black Archival ink to the tag and the tags components. Heat set.
13. Use Jet Black Archival Ink to stamp the text from the Ink and the Dog #26 Mini Cling Rubber Stamp onto the heart. Heat set.
14. Use strong liquid glue to assemble the tag.
15. Use a fine tip Sharpie pen to color the nose and eye holes of the skull.
16. Use Buff and Caramel Fresco Finish Acrylic Paints to age the skull.
17. Use steel wool to apply specks and dots of Jet Black Archival ink to the skull. Heat set.
18. Adhere the skull to the heart with strong liquid adhesive.
19. Add fiber stuff through the hole of the tag.

Notes:

• When you apply color paint onto a silver painted surface, you end up with a lovely shimmery colored surface that will please your inner magpie.
• Trim a small piece of steel wool with ink to use to apply dots and speckles to your project. Toss the steel wool when you're done. 

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this tag into the following challenges:

• Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenges: Glimmer and Sparkle

• Creative Artiste Mixed Media Challenges: Anything Goes

• Mixed Media Lovers: Challenge #4 - Anything Goes

There's No Place Like Home!

It's Tuesday so I'm sharing a project created for Topflight Stamps. This week my TFS teammates and I are showcasing PaperArtsy's wonderful products.

Here's my card which uses the Eclectica Rubber Cling Mounted Stamp Set (EKC34)  and the Eclectica Rubber Cling Mounted Stamp Set (EKC35), both by Kay Carley for PaperArtsy. 

Topflight Stamps Products Used:

Eclectica Rubber Cling Mounted Stamp Set (EKC34) by Kay Carley for PaperArtsy

Eclectica Rubber Cling Mounted Stamp Set (EKC35) by Kay Carley for PaperArtsy

Great Outdoors 6x6 Stencil by Polkadoodles

Periwinkle and Pink Jellybean Prism Inks by Hunkydory Crafts

Onyx Black VersaFine™ Ink by Tsukineko®

Black Blending Brushes by Time for Tea Designs

Other Products Used:

140 Lb. Mixed Media Paper by Strathmore®

Obsidian Amalgam Ink by Gina K.™ Designs

Terracotta, Pink Flesh, Turquoise Blue, Kingfisher Blue, Grass Green, Copper Beech, Deep Cadmium, and Chinese White Watercolour Pencils by Derwent

Sandstone, Lavender, Rosewood, Golden Locks, Honeycomb, Rosie Cheeks, Bing Cherry,  Blue Jeans, Inchworm, Fern, Folaige, Zig® Photo Twin™ Markers by Kuretake*

Cobalt Blue, Tea Rose, Brown, Pale Grey, Light Grey, Grey Tint Zig® Clean Color Brush Markers by Kuretake

Small Point Blend Brush IPC 1 by Dynasty®/FM Brush Company

Terracotta Chalk Pencil by Derwent

Blue and Black Cardstock by Bazzill Basics Paper®

Stamping Platform

Repositionable Labels by Avery®

Post-It® Notes by 3M

STAY-tion™ by Wendy Vecchi for Ranger Ink

Notes:

Since it's still summer and I needed a card to accompany a house-warming gift, I wanted to use my whimsically gorgeous floral house stamps by Kay Carley. There are several stamp sets and a bunch of coordinating stencils in this collection that are on my wish list. You should check them out. You'll be glad you did.

This project took a left turn somewhere and I ended up creating something completely different than I had planned. I had planned on using my beloved Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic paints with this set and was going to create a slimline card. However, the flower house was wider than I thought, which did not leave room for those gorgeous trees. Instead, I created an 5.5" x 8.5" using primarily watercolor pens, pencils, and ink.

Instructions:

1. Score a piece of 8.5" x 11" blue cardstock and fold to create the card. Set aside.
2. Use magnets to secure a 5" x 8.5" piece of Mixed Media paper to the stamping platform.
3. Position the floral house stamp face down on the paper. Press the platform's lid onto the back of the stamp and lift.
4. Ink the stamp with Obsidian Amalgam ink and stamp. Repeat if necessary to create a good impression.
5. Ink the stamp again and stamp onto a piece of Removable Label Paper placed temporarily on the image panel.
6. Position Post-It Notes so that they are covering the sides of the house.
7. Use the stamping platform to stamp the tree onto the left and right sides of the house, cleaning the stamp between impressions.
8. Stamp the tree onto a piece of the Removable Label Paper.
9. Apply temporary adhesive to two small pieces of Removable Label Paper and stack them.
10. Adhere the Removable Label Paper with the tree stamped on it to top of the pile.
11. Fussy-cut the tree, separate the three layers, and remove the temporary adhesive to create three masks.
12. Apply one of the tree masks to the tree on the left of the house. Reserve the other tree masks.
13. Stamp the third tree on the far left. Remove the Post-It Note and reserve.
14. Cover the bottom of the house with a Post-It Note.
15. Position the stone path stamp from the Eclectica Rubber Cling Mounted Stamp Set (EKC35) as desired below the door of the house. 
16. Press the platform's lid onto the back of the stamp and lift.
17. Ink the stamp with Obsidian Amalgam ink and stamp. 
18. Remove the stamped image panel from the stamping platform.
19. Use watercolor pencils, watercolor pens, and the IPC brush to color all the images as shown. 
20. Use the green watercolor pens and the IPC brush to add the grass below the house and on either side of the stone path.
21. Fussy-cut the house mask, then adhere atop its counterpart. 
22. Adhere the tree masks over their counterparts.
23. Use magnets to secure the image panel to the STAY-tion.
24. Starting from the top of the image panel, sponge or brush Periwinkle and Pink Jellybean Prism ink over the cloud portion of the Great Outdoors stencil.
25. Move the stencil downward and continue to brush ink over the stencil until the image panel is filled with clouds.
26. Use the Light Grey Zig Clean Color marker to ink the bricks stamp, breathe onto the stamp, and stamp the bricks onto the house. Repeat several times.
27. Use Terracotta Chalk Pencil to add additional color to the house as shown.
28. Use magnets to secure the image panel to the stamping platform.
29. Position the sentiment facedown as desired on the image panel.
30. Press the platform's lid onto the back of the stamp and lift.
31. Ink the stamp with Onyx Black VersaFine ink and stamp the sentiment. 
32. Trim the image panel to 5" x 8".
33. Mat the image panel with black cardstock cut slightly larger.
34. Adhere the matted image panel to the blue card.

Thanks for visiting today!

Thank You!

It's Tuesday so I'm sharing a project created for Topflight Stamps.  I always need thank you cards, so here's one using Visible Image's One Kind Word and Mesh-Ellaneous Clear Polymer Stamp Sets.

Topflight Stamps Products Used:

One Kind Word Clear Polymer Stamp Set by Visible Image

Mesh-Ellaneous Clear Polymer Stamp Set by Visible Image 

Neenah Creative Collection Premium Metallic Cardstock

Onyx Black VersaFine Ink by Tsukineko®

3D Adhesive Foam Roll by Hunkydory Crafts

Premier Ink Blending Tool and Foam by Hunkydory Crafts

3D Adhesive Foam Roll by Hunkydory Crafts

Other Products Used:

Solar White Classic Crest® Cardstock by Neenah Papers

Raven Cardstock by Bazzill Basics Paper®

Typewriter  3D Texture Fades™ Embossing Folder by Tim Holtz® for Sizzix®

Black Soot Distress® Oxide Spray by Tim Holtz® for Ranger Ink

Tumbled Glass, Stormy Sky, Tea Dye, and Walnut Stain Distress® Inks by Tim Holtz® for Ranger Ink

Manganese Blue and Geranium Archival™ Inks by Ranger Ink

Black Soot Distress® Archival™ Ink by Tim Holtz® for Ranger Ink

Majestic Blue and Satine Red VersaFine™ Ink by Tsukineko®

Black Chalk Pencil by General's® Pencil Company

Repositionable Label Paper by Avery®

STAY-tion™ by Wendy Vecchi for Ranger Ink

Stamping Platform

Instructions:

1. Since the typewriter stamp from the One Kind Word is so detailed, use Onyx Black VersaFine Ink o stamp it onto white cardstock and onto masking paper.
2. The masking paper version was fussy-cut and set aside for a moment.
3. Stamp the sentiment and heartwith Majestic Blue and Satin Red VersaFine Ink.
4. Mask the image panel with the reserved fussy-cut mask and secure it to the STAY-tion with magnets.
5. Place the magnetic ruler horizontally across the image and sponge Tumbled Glass and Stormy Sky Distress ink over the top portion.
6. Move the ruler up and sponge Tea Dye and Walnut Stain Distress ink over the bottom part of the image panel.
7. While the image is still masked, use Tumbled Glass Distress Ink to stamp one of the mesh stamps from the Mesh-Ellaneous Clear Polymer Stamp Set by Visible Image around the image. 
8. Smudge the wet ink slightly.
9. Lift the mask and reserve for another use.
10. Mat the image panel with black and silver cardstock.
11. Cut two pieces of 4.25" x 6.25" Silver metallic cardstock from the packet of Neenah Creative Collection Premium Metallic Cardstock.
12. Use the Typewriter ED Texture Fade Embossing Folder to emboss each piece of silver cardstock. 
13. Spray each piece of embossed metallic cardstock with Black Soot Distress Oxide Spray and heat set.
14. Sponge the embossed silver cardstock with Manganese Blue and Geranium Archival ink.
15. Use Black Soot Distress Archival Ink to lightly ink the raised letters on the embossed cardstock.
16. Use the Black Chalk pencil to outline each typewriter key and to add darkness to the raised letters.
17. Trim one piece of embossed and inked silver cardstock to become the background panel.
18. Use scissors to cut the letters "L", "O", "V", "E", and "&" typewriter keys from the second sheet of embossed and inked silver metallic cardstock. 
19. Ink the individual letter typewriter keys from Step #16 with Manganese Blue Archival ink and the "&" individual key with Geranium Archival ink. 
20. Repeat #Step 14 on the individual letter keys.
21. Adhere the individual typewriter keys to the back of the matted image.
22. Add foam tape to the back of the image panel and the typewriter keys.
23. Adhere both the image panel and typewriter keys to the background panel as shown.
24. Adhere the background panel to a black card.

Thanks for visiting today!

Cat Themed Tab Tag Album -

I'm back with the promised sequel to my cat themed tag album, which I started last week in honor of International Cat Day. Last week I had completed the construction of the mini-album, painted the pages, and created the cover. This week I added additional colors, paint splatters, and stamping to the pages. 

The pages were created using the Essentials by Marlene Tab Tags by Studio Light with AALL and Create's  Tall Cats Clear Stamp Set #465, Cat Lover Clear Stamp Set #256,  Felines Clear Stamp Set #408,  the Caterday Clear Stamp Set #477,  Have a Seat Clear Stamp Set #461, Lil' Love Clear Stamp Set #481, Reverse Dots Clear Stamp #313, Numbers Clear Stamp Set by 13@rts, Cats Clear Polymer Stamp Set by Hobby Art, and Washi Tape #2 by Autour de Mwa for AALL and Create.

Here are pages 2 and 3

Pages 4 and 5

Pages 6 and 7

Topflight Stamps Products Used:

Essentials by Marlene Tab Tags by Studio Light

Tall Cats Clear Stamp Set #465 by Janet Klein for AALL and Create

Cat Lover Clear Stamp Set #256 by Janet Klein for AALL and Create

Felines Clear Stamp Set #408 by Janet Klein for AALL and Create

Caterday Clear Stamp Set #477 by Janet Klein for AALL and Create

Have a Seat Clear Stamp Set #461 by Janet Klein for AALL and Create

Lil' Love Clear Stamp Set #481 by Janet Klein for AALL and Create

Reverse Dots Clear Stamp #313 by Autour de Moi for AALL and Create

Washi Tape #2 by Autour de Mwa for AALL and Create

Numbers Clear Stamp Set by 13@rts

Cats Clear Polymer Stamp Set by Hobby Art

Haystack, Banana, Pool, Southern Skies, Spring, Green Patina, and Prawn Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic Paint by PaperArtsy

Onyx Black VersaFine™ Ink by Tsukineko®

PSA: If I were you, I'd pop right over to Topflight Stamps as there is a plethora of new products including the new AALL & Create stencils and stamps!

Other Products Used:

Solar White Classic Crest® Cardstock by Neenah Papers

Tuxedo Black Memento™ Ink by Tsukineko®

Blue Belle VersaFine Clair™ Ink by Tsukineko®

Manganese Blue, Forget-Me-Not, and Rose Madder Archival™ Ink by Ranger Ink

Black Soot and Peeled Paint Distress® Archival™ Ink by Tim Holtz® for Ranger Ink

Copic® Markers:

  Girls' Skin: BV000, E50, E21, E11, E000, R20

  Girls' Lips: E04, R21, R22

  Girl's Hair (p.3) T0, T1, YR30, YR31

  Girl's Eyes (p.3) B21, B23

  Dress (p.3) : YG41, YG45

  Collar and Tights (p.3): BV000, R30

  Girl's Dress (p.4):  BG53, BG57, G20, G40

  Girl's Hair (p.4): E74, E77, E79

  Girl's Eyes (p.4): G20, G21

  Cats: C00, C0, C1, C2, C3, C4, B21, B32, YG21, 23. B32; YR0000, YR000, YR30, YR31

  Couch and Chair: B24, B26, B28, B39, E74, E78

  Cats: YR0000, YR000, YR00, YR30, YR31, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7

Heart Washi Tape by Little B

Speech Bubble Die Cut: not sure. Oopsy.

Instructions:

1. Use Southern Skies and Prawn Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic Paint to add splatters and splashes to all of the pages. Heat Set. 
2. Use Manganese Blue, Forget-Me-Not, Rose Madder, Peeled Paint, and Black Soot Distress ink to stamp the hearts, dots, numbers, paw prints, fish bones, and cat words. Heat set because why not?
3. Use Onyx Black VersaFine Ink or Blue Belle VersaFine Clair Ink to stamp the sentiments directly onto the pages. Heat Set.
4. I messed up the impression on (page 7), but fixed it by stamping the sentiment onto a reserved scrap of painted paper, heat set it, then cut it out with a speech bubble cutting die.
5. Use Tuxedo Black Memento ink to stamp all the cats and furniture. 
6. Fussy-cut all the images, color them with Copic markers, and edge them with a dark marker.
7. Decide on the arrangement of the figures.
8. Add Washi Tape #2 and thin red heart Washi tape where you will want to place the images.
9. Adhere the images over the combined Washi tape as shown.
10. Use Black Soot Distress Archival ink to edge all of the pages.

Thanks for visiting today!

Mermaid Play with Lavinia Stamps!

It's Tuesday which means it's time to share a project created for Topflight Stamps. This week my teammates and I are showcasing Lavinia Stamps' fabulous products. 

I wanted to experiment with Elements Inks to see how they reacted with water mists and with salt. I got so excited that I created two backgrounds that I loved, which led to the creation of the two cards below.

Both cards use Zelith Clear Polymer Stamp, Sea Creatures Clear Polymer Stamp, the two little stamps included with the Floral Wreath Clear Polymer Stamp Set, the Glory Stencil, Blue Lagoon and Mermaid Elements Ink.

Here's the first card, which also uses the Mini Fish Clear Polymer Stamp and Every Dream Clear Polymer Stamp. 

Here's the second card that uses Mini Sea Urchin Clear Polymer Stamp, Acetate Hills Masks by Lavinia Stamps,  with the Deeper Than The Ocean Clear Polymer Stamp sentiment.

Topflight Stamps Products Used:

Zelith Clear Polymer Stamp by Lavinia Stamps

Floral Wreath Clear Polymer Stamp by Lavinia Stamps

Sea Creatures Clear Polymer Stamp by Lavinia Stamps

Mini Sea Urchin Clear Polymer Stamp by Lavinia Stamps

Mini Fish Clear Polymer Stamp by Lavinia Stamps

Every Dream Clear Polymer Stamp by Lavinia Stamps

Deeper Than The Ocean Clear Polymer Stamp by Lavinia Stamps

Glory Stencil by Lavinia Stamps

Acetate Hills Masks by Lavinia Stamps

Blue Lagoon Elements Ink by Lavinia Stamps

Mermaid Elements Ink by Lavinia Stamps

Rainforest Prism Ink by Hunkydory Crafts

Onyx Black VersaFine™ Ink by Tsukineko®

PSA: There are loads of wonderful new products available at the store. You should go take a look! I bet you'll find something you want and/or need.

Other Products Used:

140 lb. Mixed Media Paper by Strathmore®

Cardstock by Bazzill Basics Paper®

Twilight, Blue Belle, and Rainforest VersaFine Clair™ Inks by Tsukineko®

VersaMark™ Ink by Tsukineko®

White Detail Embossing Powder by Stampendous!®

Clear Glaze ® 3D Glossy Gel Pen by Sakura® of America

White Gelly Roll® Gel Pen by Sakura® of America

Green and Light Green Stardust® Glitter Gel Pens by Sakura® of America

Triplus® Fineliner Pens by Staedtler

STAY-tion™ by Wendy Vecchi for Ranger Ink

Brayers

8" x 10" Gel Press

Stamping Platform

White Gesso

Chalk Pencils by General's® Pencils

Kosher Salt

Calcium Chloride

Low-tack Tape

Instructions and Notes:

Elements Inks are very juicy so my usual method of using them is to apply ink to the brayer, then brayer off some ink onto a second piece of cardstock. This allows me to control the amount and intensity of the ink applied to the Gel Press.

Instructions for the Backgrounds:

1. Apply Mermaid Elements Ink to a brayer, brayer off onto a piece of Mixed Media Paper, then brayer the ink onto a large Gel Press. 
2.Pull the print.
3. Repeat this process using the same print, building layers of ink until happy with the coverage. 
4. Repeat steps #1 to 3 using Blue Lagoon Elements Ink. You're applying multiple light layers of ink to the same print.
5. The print was misted with water then heat set.

Here's a photo of the misted and heat set print.

6. This background was the result of my experiment. The cardstock that I had used to remove the excess ink from the brayer was rather dark after multiple applications of ink. 

7. Heavily spray the background with water.

8. Add a combination of Kosher salt and large crystals of calcium chloride to the wet print. My husband is a chemist, so we have odd things around here, other than him. 

The salt immediately began to react with the water and ink. Some salt seemed to disappear; some formed a gel-like substance. 

Here's a photo.

 

9. The cardstock was heat set and the remaining crystals were brushed into the bin.

This is what the background looked like when that was done. So cool!

Instructions for the first card.

1. Secure the first background onto the STAYtion with magnets.
2. Brush or sponge Rainforest Prism ink over the Glory stencil onto both sides of the background. Heat set.
3. Move the stenciled background onto the Stamping Platform and secure with magnets.
4. Position Zelith facedown onto the background panel, press the platform's lid onto the back of the stamp, and lift.
5. Ink the stamp with Nocturne VersaFine Clair and stamp. Repeat if necessary for good coverage. Heat set.
6. Remove the stamped, stenciled background from the Stamping Platform.
7. Use Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink to stamp the sea horse and the fish as shown.
8. Use Rainforest VersaFine Clair ink to stamp the vertical plant from the Floral Wreath set along the bottom of the image panel. Heat set.
9. Use Rainforest VersaFine Clair ink to stamp the floral leaf plant from from the Floral Wreath set along both sides of the image panel. Heat set.
10.  Repeat step #18 using Blue Belle VersaFine Clair ink. Heat set.
11. Use Triplus markers to add color and detail to the fish and sea horse.
12. Use Blue Belle VersaFine Clair ink to edge the piece. Heat set.
13. Mat with black cardstock cut slightly larger than the image panel.
14. Use VersaMark ink to stamp the "Every dream" sentiment onto black cardstock.
15. Heat set with White Detail Embossing Powder.
16. Die cut the sentiment with a banner die.
17. Assemble the card as shown.

Instructions for the second card (the salted one):

1. Secure the second background onto the STAYtion with magnets.
2. Brush or sponge Rainforest Prism ink over the Glory stencil onto both sides of the background. Heat set.
3. Move the stenciled background onto the Stamping Platform and secure with magnets.
4. Position Zelith facedown onto the background panel, press the platform's lid onto the back of the stamp, and lift.
5. Ink the stamp with Nocturne VersaFine Clair and stamp. Repeat if necessary for good coverage. Heat set.
6. Remove the stamped, stenciled background from the Stamping Platform.
7. Use Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink to stamp the jellyfish.
8. Use Rainforest VersaFine Clair ink to stamp the vertical plant from the Floral Wreath set along the bottom of the image panel. Heat set.
9. Use Rainforest VersaFine Clair ink to stamp the floral leaf plant from from the Floral Wreath set along both sides of the image panel. Heat set.
10.  Repeat step #18 using Twlight VersaFine Clair ink. Heat set.
11. Use Triplus markers to add color to Zelith's hair, tail, and wing-like structure.
12. Use Stardust Glitter pens to add glittery detail to Zelith.
13. Add a layer of Clear Glaze Pen to the jellyfish's body. Let dry. 
14. Repeat adding layers of Clear Glaze Pen to the jellyfish body, allowing the glaze to dry between applications. 
15. Use white chalk pencil to trace one of the Hills stencils.
16. Use Nocturne VersaFine Clair to stamp the Mini Sea Urchins. Heat set.
17. Paint white gesso along the chalk line to the bottom of the piece. Heat set, which will add some crackly texture.
18. Use chalk pencils to add color to the white gesso to create a sandy layer.
19. Use chalk pencils to add shading around the Sea Urchins and color to them.
20. Use Twilight VersaFine Clair ink to edge the piece. Heat set.
21. Repeat Background Steps #1 to #5 onto another piece of Mixed Media cardstock.
22. Use magnets to secure this piece onto the Stamping Platform.
23. Position the sentiment facedown onto the background panel, press the platform's lid onto the back of the stamp, and lift.
24. Use low-tack tape to cover the second sentence. Ink the stamp with Onyx Black VersaFine ink, remove the tape, stamp, then heat set.
25. Slightly move the background panel. Re-secure it with magnets.
26. Clean and dry the stamp.
27. Use another piece of low-tack tape to cover the top sentence. Ink the stamp with VersaFine ink, remove the tape, stamp, then heat set.
28. Remove the panel from the Stamping Platform.
29. Trim the sentiments and edge with Twilight VersaFine Clair ink. Heat set.
30. Adhere the sentiment as shown.
31. Mount the image panel/background onto a blue card.

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