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.

Out in the Field

This is another card featuring the new Oxford Impressions Country Girl sheet. Did I mention there are 18 images and phrases?! It's a great deal!!

Click photo for more detail

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

I started this one with a previously-made sheet of Water Color Distress background paper (see TechniqueJunkies Feb 07 issue) I believe I used Tea Dye and Peeled Paint on a cream cardstock.

I stamped the tractor in Staz-On Timber Brown, masked the tire with a Post-It note, and then stamped the wheat in Peeled Paint. I used a Tim Holtz Distressing Tool to rough up the edges and let the cream cs show a bit.

I stamped the Chicks ad block on a couple scraps of cream cs in third generation Timber Brown, tore them into long triangles, and edged them with Distress Antique Linen. I stamped Farm Fresh in Timber Brown on cream cs and edged the panel directly from the Peeled Paint ink pad.

To put it all together, I layered the main panel to a dark brown panel, wrapped the word triangles around and glued on reverse, and put an antiqued copper brad and flower medallion (Decorative Details) over one. I adhered the farm fresh panel and tacked a decorative antiqued copper picture hanger wrapped with brown gingham ribbon (Offray Nice & Narrow from Joann's) on it using an antiqued copper brad.

I used Timber Brown in second generation to stamp various elements (chicken wire, food grade circle label, wheat, Chicks ad and flower) from the sheet on the rust cardfront. I adhered the caramel cs over this, and the rest on top of that.

Thanks for looking!

Country Girl

I had such a good time making this card using the stamps in the new Oxford Impressions sheet of rubber called Country Girl. I'm such a huge fan of vintage-feel images, and these all go so great together. I have another card from the same sheet that I'll share in the next couple of days...

Click photo for detail

Card measures 5" x 6 1/4"

I started this card with a background I had made previously using my most favorite ever technique from the TechniqueJunkies Feb 2007 newsletter - it's called Water Color Distress. I think the colors I used here were Weathered Wood and Vintage Photo or Brushed Corduroy.

I stamped the house on semi gloss paper using Staz-on Stone Grey and colored it in with inkpads and a blender pen. I stamped the girl in the Grey ink too, but she turned out looking green around the gills LOL so I restamped her in Memories black ink, let her dry and colored her in the same way. Then I trimmed both pieces out closely.

*tip*

Most unmounted stamps work just fine for me with no cushion aside from the Tack n' Peel on the acrylic blocks, but for photo stamps with incredible detail it's best to mount them on cling cushion and use an ink that is not too wet.

I laid all the elements out on the background to check on the best placement, using a stamp positioner for the words. I adhered the house panel, stamped the words in the Grey ink, pop-dotted the girl, put an antiqued silver brad thru a paper flower and used Glue Dots to adhere.

For the first patterned layer I stamped the chicken wire background repeatedly using a stamp positioner and edged it in the same ink with a sponge. For the second layer I stamped the Chicks ad words rectangle repeatedly in the Grey ink and edged it with a sponge. I overlapped these at angles, using a scrap cut to the same size to cover what I'd already stamped.

Thanks for looking!

Seahorse Collage

I was pretty happy with how this turned out, and I must say it wouldn't have been possible without my Christmas-gift Cuttlebug - it's the gift that keeps on giving! (thanks again Dad ;o)

Also many thanks to Betsy at ISC for sending the foil sheets, which she carries (it's called Shimmer Sheetz), along with my last batch of stamps so I was able to try this technique so quickly. This was my "practice" card before I used the product with ISC stamps, but I liked it so much I had to share it here!! LOL

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

The main image panel was inked in various shades of pigment inks, direct to paper. The images (from Oxford Impressions, the By the Sea sheet) were stamped in black Staz-On over this. The ticket and hotel sign were stamped on a piece of white cs brushed with light green pigment ink. The shells were stamped in black ink on a piece of dark green cs.

The white swirls are on a background of heavy foil (which you can see as multicolored shimmer irl), and it is a technique from the current TechniqueJunkies newsletter. The dark green cardfront was embossed with the Cuttlebug Tiny Bubbles folder. The swirls are the Cuttlebug D'vine Swirl folder.

Thanks for looking!