Technique of the Week: The Joy of Dylusions

This technique features Dylusions paint, the fabulous fluid acrylic paint by Dyan Reaveley. Dylusions paints are available in 24 vibrant colors. The Dylusions paints were formulated by Dyan Reaveley for Ranger, to be especially ideal for use in Journals. The colors are amazing, and they dry quickly. Conveniently, this also makes them ideal for card making.

Dyan Reaveley has a number of videos online where she demos her products, including this paint, so if you have not already seen her videos, be sure to check them out. She has a number of products in her Dylusions line, and you can see many of her videos here including the ones using her paints.

Also featured on this card are a stamp and a stencil from Magenta's newest fall and winter collection. I used the new Magenta stencil, Graphic Poinsettia TM195, and a new Magenta stamp, Joy to the World 07.958.H. I also used Dylusions paint colors Cherry Pie and White Linen.

One of my favorite techniques that Dyan does with her paints is that she often uses a baby wipe to apply it, and I used that technique here.

For this card, I cut a panel to 3.75" x 5" out of heavy weight Strathmore Bristol paper. If you don't have Bristol, you can also use heavy weight white Neenah Solar White cardstock, or watercolor cardstock. The Bristol is nice because it's very smooth and accepts the paint well. To cut my panel, I used the largest die in the Lawn Fawn Small Stitched Rectangle Stackables set LF768.

I started with Dylusions Cherry Pie paint and using a baby wipe I applied color all over the panel. One tip is that before you open the paint, tip it upside down. This puts paint on the inside of the lid, and you can dip your baby wipe in the lid instead of dipping it into the jar of paint. Also, so that my baby wipe would not be too wet, before dipping into the paint, I squeezed it out over a paper towel to get some of the moisture out. This paint dries very quickly, but once I had applied color to the entire panel, I hit it with a heat gun for a short time to be sure.

After sticking the panel down to my craft mat, I laid the stencil onto it and arranged it so that there would be room for a sentiment. I taped the stencil down with painter's tape.

At this point I switched to a small blending tool that has a foam pad, and opened the White Linen paint. I dipped the blending tool into the paint in the lid, and rubbed it into a circle on my craft mat to work the paint into the sponge. I applied the paint through the stencil openings with the blending tool.

Once I was satisfied with the coverage, I removed the stencil and really liked the result. One tip I have is that the second color needs to be enough of a contrast to show up.

I stamped the Magenta Joy to the World stamp in Versamark ink and embossed with White Diamond embossing powder. White dots were added to the center of the Poinsettia using Imagine Crafts Pico embellisher in Wedding Dress. I also went over all of the Poinsettia petals with a clear Wink of Stella pen to add a little sparkle, and scattered some sequins, gluing them down with Ranger Multi Medium Matte.

To put the card together, I adhered a piece of green cardstock (4" x 5.25") to a white base card (4.25" x 5.5" Neenah Solar White 110# cardstock). I decided to pop the red panel up off of the green mat, so I cut a piece of white fun foam just a little smaller than the red panel. Since I didn't want the white foam to show from the sides, I took a dark green Copic marker, and colored the sides of the foam before gluing it down. I adhered the foam to the red panel, and then adhered it to the green mat and base card using scor tape. It's very hard to see anything under the red panel with the edges of the foam painted so dark.

I love how this card turned out, and hope you will give this technique a try. There are 26 lovely colors of Dylusions paints, and you can use them to make a quick and easy card for almost any occasion. For more photos of the entire process, please visit my Backporch blog here.

Technique of the Week: Repeat Stamping with the MISTI

This week’s technique showcases one of the many benefits of the MISTI.  You can do this card with a stamp positioner but the MISTI really makes it so easy to keep each row of the stamped sentiment perfectly aligned.

I came across this technique on Jennifer McGuire’s website and you can see that video here.  I love watching and learning from other artists and I experimenting with their techniques to see if they are as easy as they seem on video.  This was another technique that was fairly simple to do and I loved the final results!

I started with a piece of Kraft cardstock cut to 4 ¼” by 5 ½”.  I selected two Magenta stamps for my images – Doodle Poinsettia 1, C0687.I and Peace on Earth, C07.457.H.  You will need a mask for the poinsettia image so stamp it on a piece of masking paper or a Post it note and cut it out. 

This is the most important step to make this technique work.  Since you will be moving the paper in this technique it makes it easier if you begin placing your paper lengthwise in the MISTI.  Don't place it in the corner, but one or two grid marks above the bottom edge of the MISTI.  Once your paper is positioned, place the Poinsettia stamp on the card stock and then center the sentiment right below it.  I found that it works best if you place the sentiment as close to the bottom of the poinsettia stamp as possible.  Close the lid of the MISTI to pick up the stamps, ink them with Versa Fine Black Onyx ink and stamp.  Remove the poinsettia stamp from the MISTI but leave the sentiment stamp in the same position.

I removed the card stock and embossed the image and sentiment with clear embossing powder.  This is an optional step.  In Jennifer McGuire's video you will see that rather than embossing, she used dark ink for the main sentiment and lighter ink for stamping the other sentiments.

After embossing the images, return the paper to the MISTI in the same position and place the mask over the poinsettia. 

Measure the height of your sentiment image and using the ruler on the side of the MISTI, slide your paper down by that amount.  For example, my sentiment was ½” tall so I moved the paper down ½” in the MISTI.  Be sure to keep the edge of your paper snuggly against the side of the MISTI.  Apply ink to your sentiment and stamp. 

Repeat the process by moving your paper down again by ½” (or the height of your sentiment), inking and stamping.  Continue this process until you have reached the top of your cardstock.  The mask will protect the poinsettia image.  Your paper will extend over the bottom of the MISTI but don’t worry; the lid of the MISTI won’t crease it.

To finish the bottom of your card, return to the original starting position and move your paper up ½”, ink and stamp. 

Repeat until you reach the bottom of your card.

To finish the card, use your choice of medium to color your image.  This example uses Prismacolor colored pencils.  (Scarlet Lake and Crimson Red for the flower; Canary Yellow for the center of the flower.)  I cut a piece of red cardstock to 4 ¼” by 5 ½” and adhered it to a white notecard.  I trimmed down the stamped image to 4” x 5 1/4:”, adhered a piece of fun foam to the back and then adhered it to the red card stock.  I added a few sequins and some yellow stickles in the center of the poinsettia. 

You can see the final card at Art ‘n Soul.  This technique goes quickly once you get started. I practiced a couple of times before starting on my “real” card and I love the finished look.  I plan to use this idea for some of my Christmas cards this year.  I hope you will give it a try, too.

Technique of the Week: "FINDERS" - Keepers! Technique by Marj Marion

I love dies and sentiment/quote stamps, and recently created a fun way to easily plan and coordinate using both these art tools together.  Here are the steps I followed to find just the right die to create appropriate sized openings for quote, or alternately, to create a stamped panel with a quote.

By Marj Marion

1. I folded an 8.5” by 11” black 60# paper in half, and glued the two sides together to form a firm paper base for the templates.

2. Next, I looked through my rectangle, square, oval and circle dies and selected the two or three smallest dies from each set. I cut each one through the sturdy template paper, grouping several that fit together on one template.

3. To help me locate the dies while doing future projects, I labeled each template with the correct corresponding die name.

4. For a wood stamp, I hold the template over the wood, checking the size to find just the right die to create an opening or a panel for the sentiment.

5. For my cling stamps, I find it easiest to stamp out the sentiment on a scrap of paper and then use the template over that stamped sentiment to check the size.

6. If you are making multiple cards, you can use the MISTI for quick production of many stamped sentiments.

7. Next, I cut the openings in my card. Using the selected dies, I place them on the card front in a pleasing arrangement, secure with removable tape, and cut the openings.

8. Then, I stamp my sentiments on the desired paper to place under the opening. Note that you can stamp on solid color paper, decorative paper, Nuance prepared paper, and more. Put adhesive on the back of the aperture, and then align your trimmed sentiment and press in place. Prepare a panel to cover the adhered sentiment, and glue to the inside of the card front.

9. A quick variation is to fill the larger aperture with decorative or handmade paper.

by Marj Marion

10. I made two cards on which I used my templates to select the appropriate size dies to create openings for my sentiments.

You can visit the store to view the cards, and the templates, and see the list of products used on the cards.

I hope you will try this technique and enjoy using your dies and sentiments in creative ways on your cards.

Products Used:

Card #1

Magenta Stamps: Joy to the World 07.958.H
Merry Christmas 07.462.I (inside card)

Magenta Nuance in Blues and Purples
Die-namics Inside & Out Stitched Square Stax MFT850
Die-namics Inside & Out Stitched Oval Stax MFT846
Impression Obsession Pine Branch DIE021-N
Versafine Imperial Purple ink
Misc. sequins
Ranger Multi Medium matte

Card #2
Impression Obsession stamp A13112 blessed to call you friend
Die-namics Inside & Out Stitched Rectangle Stax MFT847
Versafine Onyx Black ink
Decorative paper
Misc. sequins
Ranger Multi Medium matte

Technique of the Week: Playing with Distress Crayons

Today’s technique uses Distress Crayons on watercolor paper.  I bought the crayons as soon as they were available last spring but unfortunately, I haven't used them very much.  I recently started trying different techniques with them and then I ran across a video by Sandy Allnock which I mentioned in last week's Technique of the Week article.  

After experimenting with the technique a bit I’ve decided that I really like it and I hope that you will like it too!  In her video, Sandy does two versions of this technique – an embossed version and another version without embossing.  I’m sharing the embossed version today because I loved the shine created by the embossing powder and I love anything with shine!  However, the directions for the version without embossing, as well as a link to her video will be at the end of this blog post.

To begin you need to select a stamp that will cover the entire front of your card.  I selected Hero Arts Garden Tile, CG667, for this project but there are also lots of other big stamps, to include Impression Obsession Cover a Card stamps that will work great for this technique.  

Cut a piece of watercolor paper slightly larger than your stamp.  Tape the paper to the inside of your MISTI, smooth side up to hold it in place.  Align your stamp on your paper then pick it up with the lid of the MISTI. Use the Embossing Powder tool to generously cover the watercolor paper with powder. Ink the stamp well with Versa Mark ink and stamp the paper.  Restamp if necessary to ensure an even stamping.  

(If you don't have a MISTI, lay your stamp on your table, rubber side up. Ink your stamp and place your watercolor paper, smooth side against the rubber. Hold it in place and use your other hand to press the paper all over so that it makes good contact with the rubber. You will not be able to do a second stamping without the MISTI). Apply a detailed embossing powder such as Judikins Detail Gold and then heat with a heat gun. 

Select a few Distress Crayons in colors that will blend well together– I used Spun Sugar, and Dried Marigold, (from set #5) and Candied Apple and Squeezed Lemonade (from set #4).  Use the crayons to put dots of color all over the paper.  You can make the dots random or put them in a pattern.  Leave white space too, as you will be blending these dots.

Once you have the colors on the paper, use a baby wipe to blend the colors.  After experimenting I realized that it works best if you blend all the dots of one color, such as Spun Sugar, first.  Use a small section of the baby wipe and a light, circular motion to blend out the color.  The baby wipes will pick up the color so move to a clean section of the wipe when you start blending the second color. 

Follow this process until all the dots have been blended.  You can add more color as desired.  Just add the color and keep blending until you have the amount of color you want. 

Be careful not to overwork the paper though.  Move to another clean section of the wipe and gently wipe the whole card to clean any bits of crayon off the embossed areas.

To finish this card I trimmed the watercolor piece to 4”x5 ½”.   I used the Penny Black die cut “A Very Merry”, #51-147, to cut a sentiment in the center of the paper.  When you remove the die cut, be sure to save all the little inside letter pieces. 

Cut a piece of Scor Tape the size of the opening and place it on the back of the watercolor paper. I also die cut the same sentiment from red mirricard paper and then placed the red die cut into the die cut opening on the watercolor paper. 

I pieced in the centers of the letters (A, R, etc.).  I cut a piece of red mirricard to 4 ¼”x5 ½” and adhered it to the front of an A2 card.  I adhered the watercolor paper to the red mirricard and then added a few sequins to finish the card.

Another alternative is to skip the embossing step.  Just stamp with Versa Fine pigment ink (rather than Versa Mark) and after it dries follow the steps above.  Versa Fine works the best because it is a great ink for detailed stamps.  You can also check out Sandy Allnock’s video here to see both versions of this technique.    

Ranger has five sets of Distress Crayons available now and they just announced they will be releasing two more sets soon.  Eventually all 60 Distress ink colors will have a matching crayon.  The crayons will also be available individually.  Please stop by Art ‘n Soul to see this card in person and to learn more about these fun crayons.