Technique Tuesday - When Stamps Kiss!

Today's technique is a real oldie, maybe one of the first "special" stamping techniques I ever learned.  I'd forgotten about it until about a week or so ago when a visit to Wendy Vecchi's blog reminded me.  I don't think it was ever intended for use as a background, but if you like the collage look it works for that purpose very well.  So, let's learn about Kissing Rubber!

You need a few items, and you probably have them all at hand:

• rubber stamp with solid images (no details)
• large background stamps
• paper to stamp on
• ink pads (I experimented with dye inks, pigment inks and distress inks)

There are actually two versions of Kissing Rubber.  Here's the first.  Ink up a background stamp.

Take your solid image stamp and press it into the inked background stamp.

What happens is, the uninked solid stamp will pick up the pattern of the background stamp.  Then just go ahead and stamp it onto paper.  Different inks result in different effects, but the look is usually soft and subtle with this technique.   Since I'm doing a background, I'm going to cover my paper, collage style.  Stamp one:

On to another solid stamp, another background stamp, and another ink:

I repeated this several times with a few different butterfly and flower solid stamps, and lots of background stamps:

When I was finished with my stamping, I cut my paper to 3x4" because I'm making a jumbo ATC.

There is a second version of Kissing Rubber.  With this one, you begin by inking up a solid stamp really well:

Then press the inked solid stamp into a clean, uninked background stamp:

By doing this, you pull away some of the ink from the solid stamp, leaving behind a negative of the  background stamp's pattern.  Stamp onto paper and you get something like this:

I used a strong color in a pigment ink for this because I want this butterfly to really contrast with the softer background.  Using one of my favorite PID sheets, "Art Heads," I made this jumbo ATC for our weekly challenge at the PID yahoo group (butterflies and flowers):

This is a great technique, and it will breathe new life into your solid image rubber stamps.  Give it a try and let us know how it worked out for you.

Eileen

Paper Imagery Designs

Design Team

Weekly Challenge--Monday, March 29th

This weeks challenge theme is....

~~BUTTERFLIES AND FLOWERS~~

I did this little hanging piece....though it's not an Easter challenge,

I just couldn't resist playing with this cute little "bunny".

I love this image :O) (and she's from digital sheet #762 so I can print her again!!!)

The butterfly on the ribbon and rose in the corner are from sheet #501...one of my favorites!

Here's a close up :)

~~Angie

Technique Tuesday - Inked Embossing Folders

This technique is a great way to add both embossing and color to your paper at the same time.  Here is all you'll need:

• an embossing folder (and of course the machine to use it in!)
• a dye ink (water based) pad
• light or lightly patterned cardstock.  (I used this polka dot print....a good way to jazz up a blah pattern).

This step requires a leap of faith.....no, you're not going to ruin your embossing folder.  The folder is plastic and the ink is water based.

Swipe the ink pad over the side of the embossing folder that will touch the front side of your paper.  Then insert the paper and run it through your machine.   This is what I wound up with:

I decided I wanted a little more green, so I took a slightly darker green ink pad and gently swiped it over the paper and got this:

When you're finished, just hold the embossing folder under running water and the ink will disappear.  No harm done!  But do make sure you're using a water based ink pad.

By the way, I've also done this with a thin layer of acrylic paint, for a very different effect, as the paint spreads more than ink.  Different, but nice.

I cut my paper into ATC size and used it for my entry in this week's challenge at PID.  The theme is buttons, and I used images from one of my favorite sheet, Artheads (#717).  Love those heads and butterfly wings.  I added the buttons to create button fairies right on the ATC.

If you own a machine that embosses and an embossing folder, give this technique a whirl.  It couldn't be easier and every time you change the folder, the ink color or the paper, you get a totally different look.

This has nothing to do with the technique, but it does contain buttons, so here is my little button fairy ornament:

Eileen

Paper Imagery Designs

Design Team

Weekly Challenge ~~ BUTTONS ~~

This week the Challenge theme is BUTTONS!!

I had trouble deciding which I wanted to do, so I made two button projects!

I LOVE BUTTONS :)

~~Angie

NEW NEW NEW Easter Digital Downloads

For a limited time get all EASTER SHEETS in digital download format. There are only 10 available in each print. All of my Easter Sheets have been retouched and altered ... get them now before they are gone and switched to paper format for good :D http://www.paperimagerydesigns.com/category/Main-Shop-1

   

If you don't want Digital they are also available in paper print http://www.paperimagerydesigns.com/category/Easter-174

More great news .... save 20% on all orders until March 31, 2010 use promo code EASTER

Marie Necklace

I love the new Marie Antoinette sheets and decided to try a transfer technique to make this bamboo tile necklace.  The easiest way to make a transfer is with packing tape (or clear contact paper), and I followed the tutorial that Arlene, one of my fellow PID designers did back in 2008.  Click here to follow it too.

I colored the tile with some alcohol inks, added my transfer, and strung some waxed linen cord through the holes.  A few beads, and done!
Eileen
Paper Imagery Designs
Design Team

Happy St Patricks Day

In honor of St Patrick's Day here is an awesome St Patrick's Day Collage Sheet in digital download good for 2 days only! Get it now before it's gone

FREE SHIPPING also available to those who spend $17.00 on your order. St Patrick's Day is on the 17th ... Use Promo code GREEN

Sale ends 3/19/2010

Technique Tuesday - Stamping without Stamps, Part 2

Welcome to Technique Tuesday!  Last time, we stamped with bubble wrap.....today, stamping with another office product, the humble rubberband!   Here is all you need:

• light colored cardstock (or scrapbook paper with a very light pattern, as I used here)
• a brayer with a removable cylinder
• rubberbands
• ink pads

Remove the brayer from the handle and wrap one or two rubber bands around it in a random pattern.

Reattach the brayer.

Roll the brayer over one of the ink pads and make sure the rubberbands are well inked.

Roll the brayer over the paper.  This is what it might look like with one color, stamping in one direction.

My finished background.  I added a second color, and stamped in all directions.  I wanted something very bold and colorful for my "Circus Circus" ATC.

This is a technique that will yield different results depending on so many things:  the size of the rubberbands and the way you wrap them around the brayer, the number of inks you use, the way you choose to stamp, the number of times you stamp.....in other words, a great technique for experimentation.  Also a good way to completely alter any "dull" patterned paper you have.   

PID has some GREAT circus sheets available, and I used several images for my ATC:

And you'll notice yet another way to change up this technique.  I decided to tone it down just a bit, so I swiped some of the yellow ink, directly from the pad over the top.  This pretty much left only the red stamping, as the yellow stripes blended into the new yellow background.

Eileen

Paper Imagery Designs

Design Team

Weekly Challenge .....

This week the Paper Imagery Designs ART Challenge is...

~~CIRCUS CIRCUS~~

I included two photos of my piece....

The colors are true on the bottom picture...but there is a glare, sorry.

Hope everyone has lots of FUN with this one!!!

Marie Antoinette Altered Playing Card Doll

How to play in this swap: Make 2 Playing Card dolls and mail them in to us and get 2 in return. Mail along with our release form and be considered to be a part of Paper Imagery Designs image sheets. Please read our swap policy before playing along.

Deadline: March 30th 2010
Join: Join us on the Ning Group to play along and join the Designers Challenge Group.

Well I got one of my Altered Cards done.

 

 

 

For my Altered Card I used Large Maries, Robins Nest, Bird Cages, ATC Chipboard and Little Mushrooms also a new product coming soon handmade glass glitter made by Me !!

 

I first glued my Marie image to some thinner chipboard and then cut her out to make her more sturdy. I glued my Robin Nest ATC to some of our chipboard and colored the edges with a black copic marker. Next I took my worn lipstick distress ink and smeared it all over the robin atc and mod podged down my bird cage.

 

                    

 

To attach Marie to the back I cut her in half and glued to the back of the chipboard. I also cut out her arms and glued those to the front as if to put her arms out over her dress. In her hand I took one of our mushrooms and dipped in mod podge and then dipped in our hand made glass glitter (coming soon).

 

Care to own my Marie Altered Card Doll join our swap!!

Technique Tuesday - Stamping without Stamps, Part 1

Welcome to Technique Tuesday!  Today's background combines three features I love:  it is quick, it is easy, and it is inexpensive to do.  Gather these materials and let's get started:

That's right, we're going to stamp with bubble wrap!   Here, I'm using two kinds of wrap, one with small bubbles, one with large ones.  You'll also need some light colored (I'm using white) cardstock, two ink pads in coordinating colors, and some metallic paint for an optional accent.

Take a piece of the bubble wrap and wad it up so you can hold it comfortably.  Pounce it on the inkpad, then stamp onto the cardstock.

I do this quickly and randomly, starting with the lighter of the two colors, then moving on to the darker.  Move your wrist around to vary the pattern; pressing lightly or harder will also give you different results.  Add color where you want until you are satisfied with the look.

You can stop here, of course, but I then took the wrap with the larger bubble, pounced it into a very little bit of gold metallic acrylic paint and dabbed lightly in just a few areas:

Here's a sample done in blues:

And this one, done with green inkpads used the larger bubble wrap only for a completely different look:

I took the pink background paper and used it to punch out some flower shapes and put them together to make this sweet little ornament for our weekly challenge at the PID yahoo group....the theme this week is "Spring Fever/Easter."

The image in the center is Tessa, and I think she was made for a spring inspired piece.  And I used up some ribbon scraps too.

So, keep in mind that while background techniques make a great base for your greeting cards, ATCs, wall hangings and collage art, you can also use them for projects like this one.  (And any small leftover pieces can be cut into squares for inchie art!)

Eileen

Paper Imagery Designs

Design Team