Mounted stamps with MISTI

I put together a quick video to share how I use my MISTI tool for positioning mounted stamps... I have quite a few collectible stamps that I'd like to keep on their blocks, so this is my solution for being able to restamp an image that doesn't come out quite right the first time.

Enjoy, and have a great week!

Mix-Ability - Chalk it up!

This week's Mix-Ability challenge is inspired by the return of our kids to school - it's all about chalkboards! Any kind of chalkboard technique or chalky medium will do.

I went with a faux chalkboard look, without using any chalk medium whatsoever! I stamped and embossed the leaf collage image on a black matboard ATC from Inchie Arts. I first painted the surfaces I wanted colored using white India ink - that gave me a good base for adding color. When I paint with acrylics I tend to water them down quite a bit and use them a little more like watercolors... working that way it would take quite a few layers to cover up the black!

After getting the acrylic the way I wanted it, I added a few highlights with a Coloursoft pencil (I'm re-exploring these... I had a set before and found them crumbly, but for highlights on watercolor or acrylic work like this, I really do like them - they just require a light touch. I used Touch Twin markers to add some shadows around the leaves to give the image some dimension.

The bow is my favorite ribbon from The Stamp Simply Ribbon Store - it's May Arts Textured Two Tone. That was the last little piece I had left, too - I need to get some more! :) So pretty, lightweight, and it ties so nicely on the Bow Easy.

Stamps I used: Leaf Collage, Warm Fuzzies clear set

Enjoy your weekend!

Splitcoast Tutorial: Coloring (Fabric) Folds

This week's tutorial over on Splitcoast is brought to us by Copic guru Colleen Schaan  - she's sharing some tips for coloring ruffles and folds.

I wanted to apply the principles to something besides a dress, so I printed out this Geranium digital stamp from Power Poppy in a large format, and set to coloring the ripples in the leaves and petals.

I took a couple of pictures as I was working, so you could see a little bit of my process. I used Touch Twin Markers for my coloring. Here are my first 2 stages, laying in shadows and my medium tone. The colors I used are listed below. Before coloring, I spritzed the panel with a homemade mist, made with water and Bister powders.

Here's the first coloring stage on the blooms.

I cut the image in two, for two thank you cards - the sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp.

Second card:

These are the markers I used:

Come on over and learn a coloring tip or two!

Mix-Ability: nature prints

This week's Mix-Ability challenge is a fun technique - we're pressing leaves and flowers in our die cutting machines! I really liked this print - it came out so clean.

This is a leaf from one of my money trees, which despite my negligence has been one of the few plants that has survived in our house. Now if only it would really grow money! I pressed the leaf between two pieces of watercolor paper, so I have a matching print in reverse (for whatever it's worth, this is the print from the underside of the leaf, and it's brighter than the top side...).

I used Distress ink and an Akashiya marker to watercolor in some shadows around the leaf print for a little added dimension.... I added some splatters and some collage-y stamping too.

The sentiment is from a set from Verve Stamps - they just celebrated 8 years in business - it sure doesn't seem that long!

Enjoy your weekend!

Impression Obsession DT Challenge: Say it Big

The Impression Obsession team's challenge today is to create a project using large words or phrases as the focal point of our cards.

Sometimes I watch movies on my computer when I'm stamping, and the one for this day was called Lifted... that explains the theme and the subtle patriotic color scheme. The focal panel is a 4" Art Square from Inchie Arts, which did wonderfully with all my layers of distracted splattering.

I used Distress markers to color my panel - they're the closest reach from here, and so versatile. I used some direct blending and palette blending, as well as splattering to get my point across.

I used a light chalk ink to stamp the Starburst background just around the edges of the image - I love the subtle drama of that - it really draws focus in to the bird.  Stamps I used (from my dkdesigns line): Sing, Bird Collage 4, CAC Starburst, French Script 

Be sure to check out these other designers' blogs for inspiration -

Anna @ Sassy & Sweet Notes
Daniela @ For the First Time
Dina @ Mama Dini's Stamperia ---- you're here
Ellen @ The Serendipitous Stamper
Jeanne @ Inky Paws
Jenny @ One Krafty Kat
Karen @ Paper Lilies and Ink
Kittie @ Kittie Kraft
Laura @ Laura's Stamp Art Journal
Vicki @ Summerthyme Studio

Remember you can enter these challenges too, using your Impression Obsession stamps! See the I.O. blog for all the details - you might even win a $25 gift certificate!! We'd love to have you join us. Thank you for visiting today!

#WOYWW

Just a quick tour Wednesday tour around my desk today! Lots going on. (WOYWW is an acronym for "What's on your Workdesk? Wednesday" - it's a fun no-rules meeting of creative minds and spaces, and you can find the details HERE.)

 First off, there's a cute tutorial over on Splitcoast today - Brenda's showing how she makes these cute little zinnia-ish flowers using a scalloped circle die. I made mine into a pencil topper.

Moving to the right a little... I'm working on getting things together to begin a new homeschool year. I've moved our registration to CA, so there are some structural things and paperwork to figure out. So hard to wrap my brain around it all this time around... but here we go!

I've been painting these cutie 4" canvas panels, so there are a couple of them on my desk still... I joined a Retro Toys small canvas swap on Facebook- I did the nesting doll but still had the tricycle idea in my head....

 Still not sure which one I'll swap. I'm trying to build up courage to paint with the intention of selling pieces... actually I'm not sure if it's a matter of courage or attachment... :)

Hanging on my Ott Lite are these terra cotta pendants that I've added to my store - these can hold a drop of essential oils as a wearable diffuser. They're lightweight, adjustable length, and more suited to teens and guys than the other lockets I'm selling.

Here's a look at my space - relatively clean, actually!
 

Brush markers and Peerless watercolors

I had a little fun this weekend playing with watercolors - I thought it would be fun to stretch the color range of my Zig Clean Color Real Brush Pens and Akashiya Sai markers by using them to pick up color from my Peerless palette. The Zig markers are a real brush marker (bristles, not felt tip), so they're the perfect format for this type of palette blending.

I started by stamping the orchid image onto a 4" white matboard Art Square from Inchie Arts. For each background section, I picked up some light blue ink with the tip of a light green marker, and blended out the color. I love the dimension that adds to an otherwise 'flat' line image.

On the flowers, I used the light peach Sai marker with water to create a solid base layer of color. To add shading, I used the same peach marker to pick up rose and purple inks, layering colors until I got the look I wanted. The ink flowing through the pen created a nice blend with the added color.

Here's a closer look at the flowers (you can click on the photo for a larger view).  Stamps I used (all dkdesigns from Impression Obsession): Stained Glass Orchid, Live Life, CAC Starburst

Have a wonderful week!

Click here for more Inchie Arts products!

Impression Obsession DT Thursday - Peony stamps

It's my turn to share a post for Impression Obsession's DT Thursday! I wanted to share my method for using these new multi-step peony stamps... I know these types of stamps can be daunting for some, but I really love this method and the results. Here's the card I made:

I used the MISTI stamp positioner to position the stamps as I went along - if you don't have a MISTI, you can use another stamp positioner.

The peony sets are 5-step sets, each image building up to a dimensional flower when all the stamps have been layered. You can use just the 1st, 3rd, and 5th stamps if 5 layer stamping frightens you!

I used 4 inks on this sample, but I did a similar one with 3 inks that I like just as well (I actually meant to use 3 on this one but I got distracted...!). I started by stamping the base image twice onto my cardstock - I just used an acrylic block for this stamp, not the MISTI - I wasn't worried about a really solid impression, and I wanted a little more freedom in the placement of the flowers at first.

For the second layer I positioned my stamp on the MISTI and stamped the image onto a piece of heavy acetate using black dye ink.

I used the acetate to position the image onto my cardstock. Holding the layers together, I positioned the corner of the acetate into the corner of the MISTI.

Still holding the layers together, I flipped up the corner of the acetate and put a magnet down on the cardstock to hold it in place.

The next step was to stamp the 2nd image over the base. I stamped in the same color as the first layer (Versafine Satin Red).

I used the same method of positioning for the 2nd flower....

Here is the result.

For the consecutive layers, I used the same method, stamping onto the acetate with black dye ink...

...positioning the acetate over the stamped image...

...holding the layers together and tucking the corner of the acetate right into the corner of the MISTI, then using a magnet to hold the cardstock in place...

...and stamping (I used Fired Brick Distress Ink for the 3rd layer, Adirondack Currant for the 4th, and Memento Tuxedo Black for the 5th).

I did some masking to complete the rest of the card front... the leaves are also multi-step but I didn't need a lot of detail in them so I just used one of the layers, masking the flower to stamp the leaves around it.

I masked a circle for the sentiment and sponged the rest of the card, then stamped the sentiment to finish it off.

Here's the card again (sorry for the photo-heavy post!!) - and you can find the peony sets HERE and HERE. If you have suggestions for future multi-step flowers, please let me know! Working on some roses today.