I FINALLY did it! LOL

Yep, after much urging I have finally set up a Feedblitz box in the sidebar where you can sign up to recieve new posts in email format. I believe it checks for new posts every eight hours - that should cover it LOL as sometimes in summer I have to go a week without posting. Anyway, hope you enjoy! :o)

FAMILY PETS Sample 4

Click photo for more detail

Card measures 4 1/4" x 5"

I saved this card for last because it's my favorite today ;o) This handsome guy is from my sheet of rubber FAMILY PETS (see sidebar - for full story see post from Tuesday - Exciting News!)

I stamped the dog in Staz-On black ink, colored him in with photo markers, then used a Versamark marker to go over everything. I sprinkled with fine detail clear embossing powder and heated. This allowed me to apply inks over it with sponges for the background and then wipe it off the image with a tissue.

For the Pal tag, I used a scrap from the bottom of the green area, stamping the word from a large Stampin' Up! background stamp with words all in boxes. I used a rivet style snap and pop dotted it on to allow room for the back piece. The words in Versamark on the blue strip behind the main panel are from SU!'s Lexicon of Love set.

The background is a Brayered Spots panel from the December 2007 Technique Junkies newsletter I had made in greens and taupes at the time. Nothing like having a file of premade backgrounds!

*tip*

When it's just as easy, do your TJ bkgds on a full sheet of cs instead of a fourth sheet - you'll always have extra if you cut wrong, or enough to embellish further. Store the extras in manilla folders labeled with the date of the newsletter.

The corners are just crumpled Buckaroo Blue (Stampin' Up!) cs, cut into a square, and then cut on the diagonal, and notched as shown with a scissor.

Thanks for looking!

FAMILY PETS Sample 3

Click photo for more detail

Card measures 5 1/2" x 4 1/2"

Is this girl regal or what?! I had to avoid my urge to put a crown on her so you could see her pretty ears ;o) This image is also from my sheet of rubber titled FAMILY PETS (see sidebar on right).

You may want to click on this image - the brown scanned really dark and the technique detail is amazing. It's called Bleach Overstamping from the Technique Junkies 06/04 newsletter. The only color I added was a light green on the eyes, with a spot of white from a Sakura gel pen, and after I scanned it LOL a little pink on the nose to liven her up.

*tip*

When doing this technique, do not neglect the heat gun - it makes all the difference on some cardstocks! Also, if you have a finely detailed stamp like this, after you apply the bleach, swipe over the image with your finger held flat to remove alot of it and even it out. Then RUN to the bathroom and wash your hands thoroughly!! LOL

I don't own any Nestabilities yet (I know, I know - poor me!! LOL) so I used an oval punch by Emaginations Crafts Inc. after I had stamped my image. Then I laid the oval over cream cs and drew a circle in pencil around the edge. I used a scallop-edge scissor by The Creative Memories Collection to trim around and out from the pencil line as much as shown, just eyeballing as I went around.

The background blue panel was run thru the Cuttlebug with the Textile folder. I adhered it with the bumpy side down for an reverse cameo effect. The corners are just squares of more brown cs, cut on the diagonal with the notch trimmed out.

*tip*

When cutting anything by hand, cut the first piece, then stack the rest on it and trim. For diagonal tag corners, trim one however you'd like, then lay that scrap over the other corner to trim it - they'll both be exactly the same.

The phrase panel stamp wasn't labeled but it looks like an Anna Griffin mount to me. I stamped it on the cream cs using Adirondack Mushroom ink, trimming closely around. I hightlighted the lettering by darkening it with a Micron black pen, and then added highlights to the curves with a Sakura white gel pen (which I had already shaded in with a brown pencil). Sorry, but I don't know who makes the ribbon - I bought it on clearance and now I'm kicking myself for not buying the whole roll at such a great price!

Thanks for stopping by :o)

FAMILY PETS Sample 2

Click image for more detail

Card measures 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

This little guy, to me anyway, is hilarious! He looks like the most unwilling partier ever!!

He's from my sheet of rubber (see sidebar) FAMILY PETS. See post below, titled Exciting News, for the whole story...

This technique is called Warhol 1, from the Feb/Mar 2005 Technique Junkie newsletter. It's the first time I've used it and I love it! Quick, not messy, no special materials required, will suit any stamp depending on the colors you use, and you can make the most of a single image. It's a winner!! LOL Check out the issue for two more variations on this technique.

Okay, so to make your life easier if you try this one, let me tell you - my panels measure 2" x 1 3/4" and fit on an A2 card front perfectly with the borders shown. I stamped my images and then trimmed, but you can just as easily do it the other way too. I used Versafine black ink because I love how truly black it stamps and it doesn't lose fine detail. After it was dry I used a Sakura white gel pen to color in his eyes. I used a Hero Arts stamp for his hat - stamping the text then cutting a triangle at an angle. I edged it with black and was going to add a pom-pom but didn't have any tiny enough on hand.

I stamped the sentiment (PrintWorks) on vellum, then attached it with two coordinating brads.

Thanks for visiting!

FAMILY PETS Sample 1

Click photo for more detail

Card measures 4 1/2" x 5 3/4"

I just love this cat image (from my own sheet of rubber - see sidebar!) - he/she looks so docile and sweet. Like it wouldn't even hurt a butterfly :o) I stamped the image on a scrap of white cs using black Staz-On. Next I stamped a small butterfly (PSX) where it looked like the cat would be watching it. I drew in the dotted line with a Micron 01 black pen. I covered the entire inside area of the cat and butterfly with Masquepen Masking Fluid (a liquid that turns rubbery, covering an area so you can ink over it, then rub the dried fluid off, uncovering a lighter area).

I sponged on inks as shown to match my background paper (more on that below). I used a torn sheet of paper for the "grass" edge. I let the ink dry, then rubbed off the dried masking fluid.

*tip*

It's very important to let the fluid dry (it will turn from a liquid to a tacky rubber cement feel) before working over it, and then it is equally important to let your background inks dry before rubbing off the masker.

I shadowed the cat's coat with a gray pencil, and added some pink to his nose. I used deeper shades of the background to color in the butterfly.

The patterned background is from the brand new Technique Junkies 06/08 newsletter. The technique is called AI Float, and it gives you a cross between a marbled and a watercolored look. Careful tho - it's very hard to adhere a panel over this bkgd and get it straight! LOL as you can see >;o)

Stay tuned - I've got three more cards finished from this sheet...!!

The rubber is here, the rubber is here!!!

That's right, these cutie-patooties have arrived and are ready for good homes :o) (for those wondering what I'm referring to, see the previous post LOL)

Click for more detail

And here's the actual sheet of rubber:

Rubber measures 8" x 10"

As you can almost see, this is very thick red rubber, etched nice and deep so you can still press as hard as you want to and there is no worry about stamping anything but the image. Della at I Brake For Stamps pressed this rubber for me and as you know, her rubber sheets are top of the line!

I have them for purchase here and will replenish as needed. And remember, guys, there is absolutely no obligation to buy (unless of course you need some awesome animal stamps! LOL)

I'll post some cards I made using these soon... :o)

Exciting News!

Are you curious, wondering where the rest of the images are, maybe? LOL Just teasing you till I'm able to post the full versions... Here's the story:

Shortly after I got started stamping, I had a really hard time finding domestic animals as unmounted rubber (which was a hard to locate by the sheet back then!) This led me to peruse all my antique child readers and other old books I had collected looking for animals I'd like to stamp with. I eventually had a sheet made with these found images, cleaned up minimally for better stamping, but left mostly in the authentic style they were first drawn in.

Mom has been encouraging me yearly since then to bring them out of retirement LOL and offer the sheets to stampers again, and then Della at I Brake For Stamps gave me the final push I needed to track down the molds and have some rubber made. If I remember right the initial run was about 10 sheets and were offered under the company name Rare Image Rubber Stamps for a few months.

I'll be offering them thru my ebay store for ease of payment options, shipping labels, etc. as soon as the rubber arrives, which I'm hoping will be in a couple days. I'll post full views as soon as the rubber gets here and is posted for sale. I believe there are 20 images on the sheet of rubber so lots to choose from! To all those I know personally, there is absolutely no expectation on my part for you to buy anything :o) unless of course you need more stamps, and such cute ones at that ROTFLMBO

Thanks for stopping by!

Collage Rooster

I wanted to show you some detail on this card that I submitted for the current Technique Junkies 04/08 newsletter. I can't believe the next issue is almost due to come out! I had such a great time working on sample cards for that - hope you like and that they inspire you to try your own versions of the techniques. :o)

All the stamps used on this card are from the great Country Girl sheet of rubber by Oxford Impressions.

Click photo for more detail

Card measures 5" x 5 3/4"

I started with the center panel, doing the Aged Tiles technique from the current TJ newsletter, using SU In Colors from last year, Cranberry Crisp and Marigold Mornings. I'm pretty sure the brown ink was Staz-On Timber Brown and the tile edges were done in Distress Antique Linen.

I stamped the border repeatedly using a stamp positioner and second generation Cranberry, laid my main image where it was going to end up and added images to fill in the sides. I layered the main panel to a dark brown one and adhered it. I just stamped the ladybug and flower on scraps, cut them at angles and edged them with the brown ink straight from the pad. I did the same thing with the sentiment, but edged it with Antique Linen. I lightly sponged the whole thing and layered it to a Marigold Morning panel.

Red Hot Peppers

Oh my goodness - I can't even believe it myself!! LOL Third post in three days - that would explain the pile of dishes in the sink that need to be washed ;o) I've been stamping in any spare minute I can find and it feels great. The coming of spring and summer always invigorates me no matter how tired I get. All the miracles of plant life, all kinds of birds singing in the early morning, and the sun rising... I just wanna yell praise the Lord! when I'm outside sometimes! I'm sure my neighbors will thank me not to do that at 6am >;o)

Okay, this stamp is from the I Brake For Stamps half sheet of rubber #IBFS-RB026 and I have been admiring it for the longest time. I'm not sure if they are supposed to be red or green irl but they were going to be red no matter what!!! LOL The pattern is the same blanket background stamp as in the teepee post yesterday.

Click image for more detail

Card measures 3 1/2" x 6 1/4"

I started by stamping the peppers on a kraft cs with black Staz-On ink, and coloring it in with numerous colored pencils. I covered over the red area with Judi-kins Diamond Glaze for that shiny wax look. I used a chalky white pastel pencil to color an aura around them, but then decided it looked too plain with so much kraft area left. Which led me to do the Technique Junkies Milkpaint technique for that cool white washed board look. (If you click on the TJ link it will take you to the main page where you can click on the free Milkpaint tutorial link on the right-hand side and you can see the whole tutorial - it's a free online sample that Pat provides so you can see what the cds consist of, and should you get a subscription the online part will be in two pages for each technique - one with the step-by-step instructions and photos, and one with sample artwork which yours truly gets to humbly contribute to :o). Generally I would do this bkgd technique before the main image but it worked out fine. For another sample card with this technique click here.

*tip*

When I do Milkpaint, I like to use the Colorbox white pad because it is very wet and streaks well. For the pen, I find the Micron #2 fine point black pen works great (invest in the multi-size pack at Joann's, Michael's, etc. - you can use them to fill in holidays when you stamp in black, and all sorts of other applications. They last forever if you treat them well and I couldn't work without them.)

Both the corner punch and border punch are by Marvy Uchida. I mounted a scrap of kraft behind the black scrap that I used the border punch on. For the background I used my stamp positioner to stamp the blanket pattern twice using Distress Fired Brick. I used a sponge and some Versafine black ink to finish the edges of both panels as shown.

Thanks for stopping by!

Path to a Friend

Wow! Two posts in two days - you can bet I'm not getting as much work done as I should!! Thank goodness I'm my own boss or I might get fired for stamping on the job LOL

Click photo for more detail

Card measures 5" x 6 1/2"

I thought this word stamp was just a perfect fit for this image! All the rubber is from

I Brake For Stamps The teepee (comes in two sizes - this is the larger one) and blanket pattern are single images, and the phrase is on a half sheet of other cool sentiments, etc. #IBFS-IB06

The technique on the main image panel is one I submitted to Pat and she put it in the current Technique Junkies 04/08 newsletter - woohoo! It's called Aged Tiles, and it's super easy. I used Distress Aged Paper to age all the edges. I stamped the teepee in Staz-On Timber Brown and used a blender pen to color it in with Distress Frayed Burlap.

*tip*

When coloring with a blender pen, close your inkpad, gently press the lid to the pad, open container, and use the ink pooled in the lid to dip blender tip or water brush in.

I partially inked the blanket pattern large bkgd stamp by swiping a Distress Vintage Photo pad over it randomly. I stamped this on one side of the main panel, and also made a card front the same way. I used the same ink to stamp the sentiment, color in more of the image, and edge the cardfront. I then layered the main panel to a coordinating rusty brown panel.

The piece between the main image and cardfront is a taupe panel I brushed with Distress Frayed Burlap Crackle Paint. I left it a little streaky for more visual texture (you may have to click the photo above to see this). I was quite pleased that it curled up initially when wet and then dryed pretty flat without almost no warping. I used a scissor to notch out the edges, and then used aged copper brads in the corners.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Finally, a post!! LOL

This card is especially for Laurie, who's been waiting so patiently LOL to see a fresh card post ;o)

I've only used one stamp here but isn't it a great one, especially for this time of year?! This chair in the sand image is by I Brake for Stamps and is on a half sheet of rubber, #IBFS-RB09.

Card measures 5 1/2" x 4 1/4"

The background is a Technique Junkies technique from the current newsletter called Mesh Direct. I used Stampin' Up!'s Buckaroo Blue and Marigold Morning inks for that, and the same for the scene, along with SU's Apricot Appeal and Palette's Burnt Umber. The grass was colored in using an Adirondack marker.

The scene done all in inks and sponges was inspired by the style on the blog Freedom in Creating Michelle is truly an artist and one of my favorite stampers for her unbelievable use of color and perspective! When you go to her page, click on the Tutorials link and prepare to sit for hours oogling and absorbing! The chair was stamped in the Burnt Umber, covered with a Versamark pen and then embossed in clear powder to allow me to color in the scene over it without ink soaking in to the main image. I pop-dotted the main panel so it would stand out more which only really shows irl.

To get the corners I just cut a square of brown cs, cut it on the diagonal and notched out the triangle as shown. I sponged the edges of these and the Stampin' Up! punched window strips with coordinating ink as listed above. The brads are pearlized light blue.

Thanks for stopping in, and don't miss my note on the top of the sidebar - thanks! :o)

A quick note to let you know that Krista at Wood-n-Paper, Ink has just let me know that the business has been sold and is being taken over by Dan & Amy of AJ's Country Stampn'. They hope the transition process will be complete by the end of the month, but you can still order stamps. Go check out the WPI homepage for all the details. Thanks!

Plaster Flower Panel

Here's a fun new-to-me technique I picked up browsing thru the book section at Joann's the other day. The end result provides the actual feel and look of an ancient plaster wall treatment.

Click photo for more detail

Card measures 7 1/4" x 4 1/4"

The main panel features a fine art product called Modeling Paste. If you're using it on flexible surfaces look for the version labled Flexible (although newbie that I am I bought the regular and it worked just fine as applied below).

Here's how it works:

Cut a piece of scrap matboard or chipboard (white) to size. If you don't have white I think you could prime any color with a layer of Gesso and apply paste over that when it's dry.

All you do is grab a popsicle stick, spread a thin layer over the surface of the matboard, smooth or rough up as desired for patterning, and then stamp an uninked rubber stamp into the surface while it's still wet.

Set this aside to dry, and when it is you can apply chalk inks into the crevices and onto the surface to highlight details. I used Stampin' Up! chalks in the Soft Subtles family, and a tiny sponge head tool to apply it called Mini Tip Applicators by Gary M. Burlin & Co. (very cheap, reuseable, and invaluable for small spaces and chalk application).

The flower is a brushstroke one by Penny Black. For the background cs I used VersaMagic dewdrop chalk ink in Sage to stamp a speckled texture and then a marble texture (both by Paper Inspirations). I inked up only the flower head with SU Pretty in Pink (stamped off once on scrap paper first each time to lighten it) and stamped this randomly. This was followed by stamping the writing (Hero Arts) down one side using a stamp positioner and Colorbox Chalk ink in Creamy Brown. I over stamped all of this with second generation SU Bashful Blue ink using a solid flourish from the Autumn Leaves Big Swirls set. I used the brown ink to stamp the word as shown, and to edge the bg panel. I layered onto a craft panel, and then to a SU Mellow Moss cardfront.

I tried everything to embellish this card and nothing really added to it, so I decided to just let the flower panel be the focus.

Thanks for visiting!

Wildflower Filmstrip

Hi! It's been awhile since I've had a chance to make any finished artwork to post. It's our really busy work season, and I've been spending most of my spare time stamping up some sample cards for the next Technique Junkie newsletter coming out the first part of June.

The filmstrip portion of the card below was inspired by a card in the Dec/Jan 08 Stamper's Sampler (pg. 8). It featured a purchased black and white filmstrip panel with flower heads in grey tones. The color scheme was pinks and green, but I wanted to do more of a sunset look.

Click for photo for more detail

Card measures 8 1/2" x 3 5/8"

I stamped the filmstrip (Judi-Kins) in black Staz-On ink on white cardstock. I used Post-It's to block off each section and then stamped portions of the stamp below (Endless Creations) using the same black ink.

I left the masking on the top and bottom of the filmstrip and stippled Adirondack inks on - Caramel on the base, Ginger in the middle and Raisin on the top. I trimmed the raw edges off and mounted this to a white cs strip, then to a black one with distressed edges.

For the background I stamped the flower heads (Just For Fun) using VersaMagic Cloud White and the vine with leaves (Printworks) with the Ginger ink.

I mounted the filmstrip panel as shown, and stamped the sentiment (unknown) in the black ink on the background. I mounted this to white, and then black cs.

Thanks for stopping by!