Hi friends! Today we are going to make a card using the ink blending technique in about 10 minutes.
Watch the video to see this easy card come together!
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Distress oxide ink in colors candied apple, spiced marmalade, wild honey and black soot *any juicy inkpad is fine for this though so use what you have:)
I hope you give this technique a try and til next time happy crafting!
Howdy friends! Today we are going to talk about the power of a paper punch! These are workhorses of any stampers studio and if you buy wisely you can end up with a ton of looks from just a few versatile punches.
I have to admit, I don’t have a ton of punches and the ones I use the most are basic: Circles, scalloped circles, flowers, tags and generic design elements like this mosaic punch (that I just got in the mail today and I think will b a new favorite-prepare to be sick of me using this LOL!) and labels.
Watch this video to learn more about punches and see how I made this card in real-time!
Versatile: Google “punch art” to see really creative ideas of embellishments you can make with basic shapes, you will animals, Sesame Street characters, minions and more made from basic shape punches!
You can make use of small scraps of paper that otherwise might be thrown away.
Portability: It is easier to grab a few punches to take to a crop instead of a machine and dies.
Punch Tips!
Choose basic designs to start, a circle or oval will be more useful than a balloon shape BUT you can easily make a balloon from a circle or oval!
The more detailed the design (like a lacy corner) the more limited you will be with materials it will cut. Die cuts are generally better for really intricate designs.
If a punch sticks you can put it in the freezer and it will usually pop back. You can clean and sharpen punches by punching through aluminum foil and use WD40 or another light oil to lubricate them if they stick, just punch through scrap paper until no grease remains.
Make sure to buy the designs you will use the most from a quality brand but it is OK to get the $1 novelty ones you are only likely to use a few times too. 🙂
I hope you enjoyed this project and if you have punches you give it a try! You can always trace stencils or use die cuts to get the look that I have here. The most important thing is to use what you have! Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!
Hi friends! We did not get the blizzard that was predicted today, we only got a couple of inches of snow and not the 18″-24″ that was in the forecast. That was great because we got to have a lazy day around the house. I spent most of the day preparing samples for classes I (hopefully) will teach at the Heirloom Stamp Convention in Mass this June. Speaking of stamps I have a winner for the ArtNeko stamp giveaway from last week: oberlinmom Yay! please check your email for details! Also the winner of the Spoil contest last week goes to Cindy Z! Congrats ladies!
I have had many people asking me how to mount and unmount stamps lately. I thought I would do a quick tutorial since I just got this sheet of sentiments from Art Neko that I needed to mount. Generally I do not wood mount my stamps but I like to have my sentiments mounted and sitting on my shelf for quick access. I hope this helps! Money saving tips too!
If you want more in depth info on stamp mounting you can see all my stamp mounting videos in this playlist. Now that’s a thrill a minute I tell you. Have a great night and til next time happy crafting!
Hi friends! Today I will show you how to make a stamp cleaning pad. It works as well as the stamp scrubbers you can pay $15+ for (better than some) and you might have all the supplies you need already! Check out the video!
You will need: A flat container like a travel baby wipes box, DVD or VHS case, 2 paint pads, foam tape and a sharpie. Simply adhere a paint pad to each side of the inside of the container and you are all set! I use simple green and water (9:1 ratio) for rubber stamps and 1 Tablespoon baby shampoo in a 4oz spray bottle of water for clear stamps but I must say if you clean them right when you use them water will probably do the trick. I hope this helps you save some cash and keep those stamps in tip-top shape! Happy crafting!
Hi Friends! I am beginning to feel like a game show host with all of the fun giveaways lately! Up for grabs today are the butterfly and peony stamps I used in my video and a $10 gift certificate to Art Neko! This contest is open word-wide so everyone can play! All you have to do is leave a comment and I will pick a winner at random next Monday! Now watch this video for this fun technique!
You can also do this technique with colored chalk (pastels), watercolor crayons and in some cases watercolor pencils. Try what you have. You can also use water based markers for a different look but still beautiful. Try this technique with the stamps you have OR if you are inclined to shop for the ones I used you can use my coupon code Lindsay10% to save 10% on regular priced items your next order at Artneko. The Butterflies I used are also on the beautiful Cats set (A huge 8″x10″ pate) that is normally $29.99 but on sale now for $12.99 and the peony is available as a single stamp for $6 (reg price $8) or you can get it as part of this beautiful set of Assorted Ancient Asian Images for $14.99 (regular $29.99) I love it when the sets I picked to use are on sale! I have no idea when the sale is over so don’t wait if you want these. If you buy it and end up winning they will let you choose different stamps:) Don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance to win! Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!
Howdy friends! Remember the good ol’ days? We crafters would buy supplies, make crafts with them and sell some at a craft fair so we could go buy more supplies? Those were the days eh? But now it seems everyone is opening ETSY shops and stores online and selling their handmade items there which I think is fantastic…until you come to the subject of copyright. I have several people this week ask specifically about copyright, specifically if they could use their rubber stamps on cards for sale. Should be a simple yes right? Not always. Watch the video to find everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask about crafting and copyright:
I asked my YouTube friends what they thought and we had a spirited discussion (you can read it in the comments section for this video on YouTube) and I found myself learning a thing or two. Did you know that there is a rule called The First Sale Doctrine that allows you to resell licensed items that you paid for. A lady had bough John Deer fabric from a fabric store and made crafts with it and a policeman confiscated all of them at a craft fair saying that you can’t sell copyrighted items…well she bought the fabric and was reselling it right? Hmmmm, there is a lot to think about there.
Here is the list of Angel Companies on the About.com Stamping forum, please chick through to a stamp company in case their terms have changed, I saw one that had. *An angel company is a stamp company that allows you to use their rubber stamped images on cards and crafts for sale. Each company has their own rules so be sure to check.
What IS subject to copyright:
original artwork (drawings, paintings, sculptures, photographs)
books
performances (sound and video recordings)
song lyrics
What is not subject to copyright
ideas
techniques
utilitarian objects (clothes, furniture)
works of art or song lyrics in the public domain (please note, recording of old music are copyrighted to the performer even though the music is in the public domain, you cannot use the recording without permission)
See also trademark and patent law if you want to get more confused, or you need sleep aid.
Want to weigh in? Leave a comment!
Here are a couple of stamp companies with awesome Angel Policies that I mentioned in the videos but there are so many more. In fact most independent stamp companies are Angel Companies who would not dream of biting the hand that feeds them because if you can make money using their stamps you can buy more stamps!
Speaking of stamps I am in W. Springfield MA as you read this getting ready for the Heirloom Productions Rubber Stamp Convention happening this weekend at the Big E. I’ll be there all day Saturday so please say “howdy” if you see me:)
So, what are YOUR thoughts on stamps and copyright, please share your opinion and experiences in the comments section. Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!
Happy Friday friends! I feel like giving away some stamps today and it’s a good thing too because the fine folks at Art Neko (Formally About Art Accents) have some lovelies for me to give away. You can win the stamps I used on this card, and a $10 gift certificate to Art Neko! With Mothers Day right around the corner I thought I’d share a fun technique that lets you get nice and artsy! You will need an old book or magazine page, white gesso (or flat white house paint/primer if you don’t have gesso), some kind of clear embossing powder, a silhouette style stamp and a dye based ink pad and sponge. Ready? Let’s get inky!
I really wanted to feature these Authentic Antique European Silhouettes stamps because they are one of the first sets I got from them 5 years ago AND because that stamp set is on sale for $9.99 (regular price $29.99) for a 8″x10″ sheet of red rubber stamps! I love a bargain. Of course winning stamps for free is even better so leave a comment and you will go into the prize draw! If you buy the set and end up being the winner you can pick other stamps as your prize, yes the owners of Art Neko are that awesome! I’ll pick a winner next Friday. This contest is open to EVERYBODY EVERYWHERE so don’t be shy, leave a comment. Also Art Neko ships worldwide and charges actual fair postage. Good luck & happy crafting!
EDIT: I forgot to post the printable sheet of Dolly Parton Quotes, you can download or print it directly here.
Happy Friday Folks! Well, I had plans of making a tofu scramble for dinner tonight but I was overruled 4 to 1 so I grabbed a pizza and we plunked in the living room and watched Once Upon a Time while we enjoyed takeout. They has pizza and I had a veggie Italian (and french fries…I’m a vegetarian, not a saint LOL!) I love how they are bringing OZ into story-line, I also love that it is a show I want to watch with my children and not some show with obnoxious teenagers in it LOL! Anyway, this recent TV show has inspired this card:
Wizard of OZ stamps: Lost coast designs, Quote: Dolly Parton
I used the Wizard of OZ stamps from Lost Coast Designs that feature the precious illustrations from the original book. I did not use many supplies for this card and I bet you can make do with what you have too to make something like it! Watch the video for tips and hints on masking, embossing and coloring!
I hope that tutorial inspired you to dig out some of your older supplies and show them some love. Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!
Happy Monday folks! I an thrilled to announce that Lost Coast Designs and Stencil Girl have teamed up for a blog hop today and you get a chance to win some new stamps and stencils! Oh Yeah! I’ll share the details in a bit but first here is a card I made with feather stencils from Stencil Girl and crow stamps from Lost Coast Designs:
I used a lot of fun and frugal techniques in this card, I’ll even show you how to use your stencils in your die-cut machine to emboss the feathers…be warned my technique is not for the faint of heart:
I hope I have inspired you to use your stencils and stamps in new ways! So, do you want to win some of these goodies? We have a $25 gift certificate from Lost Coast Designs and two 9″x 12″ stencils from Stencil Girl up for grabs. A winner will be chosen at random from the comments let on the blog hop. If you want a chance to win leave a comment by next Sunday the 30th! If you want more chances to win leave a comment on everyone’s blog, here is a list incase you started here. 😀
Good luck everyone and I hope you enjoy the inspiring projects created by the other designers. Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!
The Frugal Crafter Blog 