Technique of the Week: Distress Stain Daubers Two Ways by Dianne Johnson

I played with some of my Distress Stain daubers, and I have to say that this stuff is so much fun. One of the things that I wanted to try first is to see what would happen if I applied stain to a stamp.

This is a pretty simple one layer card, but it was fun to make, and I love how the colors turned out.

Distress Stain comes two different ways, spray and dauber bottles. I like both of them, but they are very different in how the finished product appears. I like the sprays, but they are just that. The daubers seem to be more versatile. For this project, I chose Cracked Pistachio, Mermaid Lagoon, Fossilized Amber and Abandoned Coral. I also chose a Magenta stamp, 85.020.N Swirly Leaves, chosen partly for the amount of solid rubber on the stamp.

Of course I used the MISTI tool when stamping, because I did think that I would want to ink and stamp more than once, and I was right. I think I inked and stamped about 3 times, and I really liked the results.

When you apply the stain, it really beads up on the stamp surface, but I wasn't worried, knowing that using the MISTI, I could stamp in the same place as many times as I wanted to.

The first stamping was pretty, but I wanted more definition to the image. I added the colors in rainbow order so that even if I added one adjacent ink over another, it would not make mud, but it would blend in a pleasing way.

I really like the watercolor-y look this gives and I will use the stain daubers to ink my stamps more often. I put a little of the Mermaid Lagoon stain on my mat and picked it up with a paintbrush to flick some specks on the image also.

I wanted to use the daubers in a second way, so I created a background using them. (First, while I had the stamp in the MISTI, I stamped a second panel to use with the background).

To make the background, I tried just dragging the daubers over first regular cardstock, and then over watercolor cardstock. The stain really soaked into the regular cardstock pretty quickly, so it was difficult to do much blending of the colors.

When I rubbed the daubers over watercolor cardstock however, I sprayed it with pearly water (1/4 tsp Perfect Pearls powder mixed with 2 oz water) and the colors blended beautifully.

Once my panels had dried, I put the two cards together. For the first card, I stamped it with the Magenta sentiment stamp 07.869.D Thinking of You. I used Mermaid Lagoon Distress ink for the stamping so it would match the color in the image. 

I decided to use the rejected regular piece of cardstock to mat my card. I had tried putting some water splotches on it and I think my wet baby wipe got on it too, but none of that would show. I cut my stamped panel to 3.75" x 5" using the Lawn Fawn die LF768 Small Stitched Rectangle Stackables; and I cut the matting panel with Die-Namics MFT-463 Blueprints 13 (which has a die that will cut a stitched rectangle to 4" x 5.25").  I think it's a good use of the rejected piece of cardstock.

I adhered the pieces to a base card and added some sequins for added interest.

For the second card, I stamped the Swirly Leaves stamp onto the background with Mermaid Lagoon stain. I then stamped the Magenta sentiment 07.962.F Happy Birthday Little in the corner with Versamark ink and embossed it with White Diamond Embossing powder.

Since I didn't want to cover too much of the background, I cut the original stamped panel into a smaller piece 4" x 1.75" using Die-Namics MFT-470 Horizontal Stitched Strips, and cut a slightly smaller piece of craft foam to adhere to the back of the panel, and popped it up on the background piece.

Here's the finished second card. The focal image is spotlighted with the same image repeated on the background. I added some sequins for bling.

I hope this will encourage you to try using Distress stain daubers. There are other things you can do with them as well, including mixing colors and die-cutting, and using them to make "splats" I will try to explore other uses in future posts.

Thanks for hanging in there with me this long! For step by step photos of the above process, please visit my Backporch blog here.

We have some other important announcements! We have submitted orders for additional MISTI Creative Corners, as well as orders to Impression Obsession and Rosie's Roadshow. If you have made paid pink sheet orders, thank you so much, and you will be called when your order comes in, and we will also mention it here on the blog.

We have also scheduled some fabulous classes for March, April and May, including some fabulous new classes with Sally Penley and some wonderful classes with Lynell Harlow, one of the founders of Dreamweaver stencils. You do NOT want to miss any of these classes. If you did not receive our latest newsletter, please link to our newsletter at the top of the page, or you can link to our calendar also. We will have additional announcements on Facebook, so be sure to friend us!

Technique of the Week: "Smooshing" Revisited

Please be sure to scroll all the way down for some new class descriptions for classes just opened. We are thrilled to welcome Lynell Harlow, founding member of Dreamweaver Stencils to Art 'n Soul in April

I have shown you "smooshing" before, but this time I'm taking it up a notch.

Made with Nuance by Magenta:
Raspberry, Cerulean blue, Aquamarine

Smooshing is applying ink onto your panel using a piece of acetate. It creates very interesting backgrounds on which you can stamp. The piece of acetate I used was cut from some packaging.

Made with Distress ink:
Wilted Violet, Blueprint Sketch, Cracked Pistachio

This time, instead of applying color to a blank panel, I stamped and embossed an image first, using White Diamond embossing powder by JudiKins. My main image is Magenta's beautiful Three Flowers 14.639.P.

My panel was cut from Tim Holtz watercolor cardstock, using the largest die in the set LF768, Lawn Fawn Small Stitched Rectangle Stackables. This die gives a stitched edge around a panel 3.75" x 5". If you don't have this die, you can just cut your panel to this size with a paper cutter. this is the perfect size to be able to mat with a colored piece of cardstock before you mount it to an A2 size card.

Also of note is that I like the Tim Holtz watercolor cardstock because it's white. When I mount it onto my base card, which is also white, it coordinates well.

MISTI Creative Corner in the mini MISTI

When stamping my images, I used one of the new MISTI Creative Corners. I LOVE these! This way if I'm using a large stamp, and it comes close to the edge of my panel, I can set it away from the ruler edge of the MISTI. I don't seem to get a good image when my stamp is close to that edge. This corner is being used in the mini MISTI by the way, and works just fine.

I also decided to try Smooshing using Distress ink on one panel and Nuance on a second panel with the same stamp. I used Distress first.

Another difference this time is I applied the ink to my craft mat and sprayed it with Pearly Water (1/4 tsp Perfect Pearls Powder mixed with 2 oz water). Last time I applied the ink directly to the acetate and sprayed it there. I think this new way I can get better control over which color I'm using at any given time.

After picking up the ink with the acetate, I dabbed it around on the panel, taking care to apply it to the embossed areas. I continued to pick up additional colors with the acetate and dab ink around the embossed image.

As the ink was added, the image popped out of the layers of color. I noticed that the Distress ink has a transparent look to it so that you can see layers through layers.

Next I decided to try Nuance, used the same way. I chose Raspberry, Cerulean Blue, and Aquamarine. I tapped the powders onto my craft mat and sprayed with Pearly Water.

The first thing I noticed is that the colors are darker and more vibrant. You can probably get lighter colors if you spray the powder with more water. In order to get the colors to spread out onto the embossed areas, I occasionally scraped the puddles of water with the edge of the acetate.

As I continued to apply the different colors. I noticed that the Nuance seems more opaque than the Distress ink. I love the vibrancy of the Nuance.

At the end, I used a paintbrush just a bit on both the Distress and Nuance panels to be sure color got where I wanted it around the embossing.

I added the sentiments last, using Magenta stamp 07.954.G Think about you often (one of my favorite sentiments). On the Nuance panel, I stamped with Nuance and embossed with JudiKins White Diamond embossing powder, just as I had for the main image. This step could easily have been done when I stamped the flowers. 

On the Distress card, I decided to stamp the sentiment with Wilted Violet Distress ink to match the main image. One of the many things I love about the MISTI tool is that now we can actually stamp with Distress and not worry that it will be too faint or blotchy. You just keep inking and stamping until you are happy with the color. 

Here again I used one of the MISTI Creative Corners (in the mini MISTI). This sets the panel away from the hard side and bottom of the MISTI and allowed for a better stamping.

I hope you try this smooshing technique to color your stamped and embossed images. It's easy and it's fun, and you can probably use things you already have around.

For more step by step photos, and a complete list of products used, please go to my Backporch blog post here.

Lynell Harlow, founding member of Dreamweaver Stencils is coming to teach at Art 'n Soul!

Lynell will be coming to teach 4 classes (3 different classes and one repeat) on April 21st, 22nd, and 23rd. If you have taken classes with Lynell before, you know how fabulous they are. If you have not, you will want to sign up for at least one, if not all 3 of her classes. So many of you tell us that you don't know what to do with stencils. You will learn amazing and fun techniques in Lynell's classes.

We will have more photos of class samples for you next week.

Friday April 21, 2017, 10:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.  “MIXED MEDIA PAPER QUILTS” – Lynell Harlow $35

Come Zen-Stencil with Lynell Harlow. The founder of Dreamweaver Stencils is back to present a multi-technique, mixed media class using a metal grid stencil, bleeding watercolor paper, colored pencils, markers, embossing powders and the list goes on. Intrigued? Yes, there will be lots of demonstrations and fun as you create background papers for these unique paper quilts and then move on to the finishing details of tangling your quilt. Although fabric and threads are not used, your sewing or quilting friends will love getting one of these beautifully tangled quilts. No stenciling or tangling experience is needed just the desire to have a couple of hours of creative learning. Bring your basic kit plus an 01 technical pen like a Micron by Sakura. If you have a favorite marker set or colored pencil set feel free to bring them. Lynell will provide a kit with photos of the sample cards, instructions.

Saturday April 22, 10:30 a.m. - 1:00 a.m. “CRACKED GLASS USING METAL STENCILS” – Lynell Harlow $35

This class is also being offered again on Sunday, April 23, 1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

This effective technique has its origins in the Faux Cloisonné technique….but in actuality it’s even simpler to achieve. Lynell Harlow is back to teach this step by step layering technique using the Dreamweaver Embossing Paste, embossing powders and inks. So that you can spend more time on the fun part of adding color she has even prepped some of the embossing paste work for you. Be sure to bring an old cotton kitchen towel (not a terry towel texture) or cut up a soft t-shirt (used for cleaning and drying metal stencils) and soft tipped stencil brushes.  The Dreamweaver Stencils brushes are recommended: two large 3/4” or 1/2” brushes and two or three gold handle 1/4” brushes. Bring your basic kit. Lynell will provide a kit with photos of the sample cards, instructions and finishing papers for you to take home and build your cards.

Saturday April 22, 2:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. “EMBOSSING, STENCILING AND LAYERING TECHNIQUES”– Lynell Harlow $35

Everyone loves embossing techniques and Lynell will demonstrate easy methods using metal stencils and an embossing machine to achieve quick results, if you have a big shot bring it with you…not necessary but it will cut down on the wait time to use the machine. Lynell will take you on a unique technique journey of using inks and metal stencils. A special faux linen weave technique using a variety of inks will make you look at your reinkers in a totally different way. Bring two large stencil brushes 1/2 or 3/4 inch the soft tipped Dreamweaver Stencil brushes are recommended and two small gold handle Dreamweaver Stencil brushes or soft tipped 1/4” brushes. Lynell will gift you a soft tipped stencil brush for this class. Be sure to bring an old cotton kitchen towel or cut up soft t-shirt  (used for cleaning and drying metal stencils). Bring your basic kit. Lynell will provide a kit with photos of the sample cards, instructions, and finishing papers for you to take home and build your cards.

Sunday April 23, 1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. “CRACKED GLASS USING METAL STENCILS” – Lynell Harlow $35
This is a second offering of this class in case this date and time works better for your schedule than the Saturday class.

This effective technique has its origins in the Faux Cloisonné technique….but in actuality it’s even simpler to achieve. Lynell Harlow is back to teach this step by step layering technique using the Dreamweaver Embossing Paste, embossing powders and inks. So that you can spend more time on the fun part of adding color she has even prepped some of the embossing paste work for you. Be sure to bring an old cotton kitchen towel (not a terry towel texture) or cut up a soft t-shirt (will be used for cleaning and drying metal stencils) and soft tipped stencil brushes.  The Dreamweaver Stencils brushes are recommended: two large 3/4” or 1/2” brushes and two or three gold handle 1/4” brushes. Bring your basic kit. Lynell will provide a kit with photos of the sample cards, instructions and finishing papers for you to take home and build your cards.

Technique of the Week: Distress Blending/Emboss Resist by Dianne Johnson

This is a super easy way to make lots of backgrounds to have on hand for your cards. I made quite a few in one sitting, and have already used some of them for cards I needed to make. 

by Dianne Johnson

First, choose a background stamp that will cover your panel. I used 80# Neenah Solar White cardstock, cut to 5.25" x 4". I have a great many Cover a Card stamps from Impression Obsession. These stamps are 5.75" x 5.75" square, so they should cover any A2 size panel. For this example I chose "Medallion" CC032.

The first step is to ink your stamp with Versamark ink. Your MISTI tool would work well for stamping your panel, but I find it just as easy to turn my stamp face-up on the table, ink it, and put my cardstock panel onto the stamp. I cover the whole thing with a piece of scrap paper and hold it down with one hand, while rubbing the paper with the other to press the cardstock onto the stamp. This will nearly always give a good impression.

I used JudiKins Iridescent Sparkle embossing powder to emboss my panel, but you could also use Clear, Opaque White, or White Diamond. I wanted my panel to sparkle, and Iridescent Sparkle really does.

I chose 3 colors of Distress Ink for the example shown here: Picked Raspberry, Wilted Violet, and Shaded Lilac. Using blending tools, I started blending the color onto the embossed panel. With this method, you don't have to worry about pressing too hard and making splotches. You can press hard right from the start. The more ink you add, the more the embossing will pop.

After blending the colors, I cut the panel to 5" x 3.75" and adhered it to an A2 size base card made from 110# Neenah Solar White cardstock.

I cut a frame from So Silk Passion Purple cardstock and adhered it to the panel to frame the card.

Out of the same Purple cardstock I die-cut the word "happy" using Hero Arts DC150 "Happy Stamp & Cut". This set from Hero Arts has coordinating stamps, so I cut a small banner from the So Silk cardstock and stamped "birthday" in Versamark ink. I embossed it with JudiKins White Diamond embossing powder.

I adhered the "happy" die-cut to the panel and popped up the banner with the "birthday" sentiment using foam tape. I scattered a few sequins at the end.

I chose a number of background stamps to make more of these panels in the same way, choosing lots of other Distress colors for blending. They were easy and fun to make and now i have background panels the I can use to quickly make a card. I hope you will give this technique a try.

For step by step photos of this process, please go to my blog here.

Happenings at Art 'n Soul

We are very excited that Pam Nelson is going to teach another class at Art 'n Soul! Her class "Focus on Thanks" is a fabulous technique-driven Thank You card class. 

by Pam Nelson

Saturday, March 11th, 10:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. "Focus on Thanks" by Pam Nelson $35
Couldn't we all use a stash of thank you cars at our disposal? Join Pam to try some fun techniques and build up your supply of cards. In this class you will make four different thank you cards using a variety of different techniques that feature stamping, die cutting and Magenta Nuance. Each technique is fun and easy. Please bring your basic kit, watercolor brushes (medium and large), fine point glue applicator, adhesive, small paper trimmer, and optionally a Big Shot (not absolutely necessary but will reduce waiting time).


SAVE THE DATE!
Lynell Harlow is coming!
Lynell Harlow, from Dreamweaver Stencils, will be coming to teach April 21st, 22nd, and 23rd. If you have taken classes with Lynell before, you know how fabulous they are. If you have not, you will want to sign up for at least one, if not all 3 of her classes. We will have those details very soon.

OPEN CATALOGS!
We have opened the Rosie's Roadshow catalog for a limited time! If there are Rosie's stamps you have been wanting, now it the time. Also, come in to look at some samples that Linda sent us, and images of her new stamps! You're going to love them!

We are also opening the Impression Obsession catalog for a short time. Come in and look at the new Spring Catalog, or have a look online by clicking the links below.

2017 Spring Stamps by Impression Obsession

2017 Spring Die Catalog by Impression Obsession

Hope to see you soon!

Technique of the Week: Nesting Die Valentine by Pam Nelson

How many times have you planned out a card and then when it was finished, the card looked much different than the original plan?  That’s what happened to me with this week’s card but, I had a lot of fun creating it!  I was going through my Valentine supplies and came across a die set that I totally forgot about buying so I decided I needed to use it. 

Memory Box Glorious Hearts Die set (#30006) is a set of five nested hearts, designed to be used individually, with each other or with other Memory Box hearts.

Several blogs have shown cards with a rainbow of distress colors – one color blending into the next one and then blending to the next color and so forth to create a beautiful palette of color.  I've really wanted to try this so I selected six Distress colors:  Mowed Lawn, Mermaid Lagoon, Wilted Violet, Picked Raspberry, Carved Pumpkin and Mustard Seed. 

Cut a piece of white 80# cardstock to 4 ¼” x 11” and laid the five dies, in descending size, on the paper.  All five dies won’t fit on the width of the paper; you will need to stagger the last one a bit. 

Beginning with Mowed Lawn and a round sponge applicator, apply the ink to the paper and cover an area not quite as wide as the largest heart die.  Next use Mermaid Lagoon – overlap the Mowed Lawn a bit to blend it and cover an area not quite as wide as the second heart. 

Next move to Wilted Violet, overlapping it on the Mermaid Lagoon. 

Continue this until you have used all six colors ending with Mustard Seed. 

 

The next step is to cut out the hearts.  Align each die over the blended color – arrange the largest die over the Mowed Lawn that is blended with Mermaid Lagoon and die cut.  Next arrange the next second heart over the section that is Mermaid Lagoon blended into Wilted Violet, etc. until you have cut all five hearts.  Lay the heart die cuts on the work surface in descending size order.  Next, put the second largest die onto the largest heart die cut; put the third largest die onto the second heart die cut, then put the fourth die onto the third heart and the fifth die onto the 4^th heart. 

Die cut each of the four hearts which creates four heart frames.  Use the largest heart die to cut another heart from white cardstock and use cut another heart the same size from craft foam.

Cover the white cardstock heart with adhesive and begin by putting the largest heart frame on the white heart.  Follow with the second heart frame, the third and fourth frame and last, the center heart that was cut from the smallest die. (Note you could also put Stick-it on your white cardstock and foam before die cutting.)  Adhere your nested hearts die cut to the craft foam heart. 

Cut a piece of white card stock to 4 1/4” x 5 ½”.  Use a foam applicator to apply Distress Picked Raspberry ink in a strip about ½” wide along both long edges.  Adhere this piece to the front of a white A2 card. 

Cut another piece of white card stock to 4” x 5 1/2” and use a round foam applicator to cover the entire surface with a light application of Distress Spun Sugar ink.  Put the Hero Arts Crossing Waves Stencil (SA080) on top and tape down the edges.  Using a round foam applicator lightly apply Distress Picked Raspberry ink over the entire piece.  Remove the stencil.

Cut a piece of vellum to 1 ¾” x 8 ½”.  Use a powder tool on the paper then stamp the Magenta “Be My Valentine” stamp (07.608.J) using VersaMark Ink.  Apply gold detail embossing powder and heat set.   Align the vellum with the bottom edge of the stenciled layer.  Apply a bit of adhesive to the back of the cardstock and the fold the vellum edges to the back.  Adhere this layer to the card, then adhere the heart to the top section of the card.  Apply sequins or tiny heart accents.

I hope you will stop by the store to check out this card in person.  There are a few other samples, too.  This technique works well with any set of nested die and any color scheme so try it out and let us know if you had fun with it.

This card uses Memory Box Stitched Rectangle Dies (30009), and IO Wishes stamp set (MC657) and die set (DIE 364F) and the same Distress colors as the sample card.

This piece uses the My Favorite Things Inside and Outside Stitched Rectangle set and the same Distress colors.  Notice how the rectangles are cut at an angle (on purpose) for some extra fun.

This piece uses Memory Box Stitched Squares (30038), again cut at an angle, with Distress inks of Peacock Feathers, Mermaid Lagoon, Wilted Violet and Cracked Pistachio.  Wouldn't a Rosie's Roadshow stamp look great in the center?

While you are at the store, also check out the dies from Memory Box and Poppy - their January release had lots of beautiful dies!