Stamping on Stencils

I found a "new-to-me" technique video while browsing Pinterest the other day and couldn't wait to give it a go and then share the results with all of you.

I grabbed some simple supplies and got to work.

1. Geometrics stencil and a stiff bristled paint brush (hardware store find)

2. Time of your Life Borders and Backgrounds stamps

3. Hybrid Ink Pads: Lagoon, Leaf, and Amethyst

4. Wild Flowers distressed script stamp.

5. Follow the video instructions and admire the amazing results!

Tip: Select a stencil with large open areas.

6. Create a card with a layout design by Gloria found here.

Versailles blue, Wisteria purple and Ornamental shimmer green circles
Gear stamp from Time of your Life Part Deux UM set

I hope you like this fun technique and will give it a try.

Julie

Card Trio--Oopsie Daisy Blog Hop

Welcome to the blog hop! Today seventeen bloggers share awesome cards, pages and projects featuring Club Scrap's July collection.

I recently finished my Oopsie Daisy Greetings to Go, but I'm still on a card making roll. What's a girl to do? Time for a little Pinspiration! Below is a trio of Oopsie Daisy cards inspired by my Pinterest visit. 

Flower stamped, only half colored in watercolor pencil, trimmed with a craft knife.

Acrylic block frame in Leaf. Die cut flower folded in half with free-hand cut center.
UM stamped stem with watercolor pencil.

Trim your own "stencil" using a scrap of cardstock and a circle cutter.
Mask the daisy image before inking with Topaz ink. White and green watercolor pencils, India ink.

Shall we check out what our other bloggers are up to? Julie at Cape Cod Scrapper is next. If you get lost along the way, a complete list of bloggers is below: 

Julie at Cape Cod Scrapper

Ink Stains with Roni

Deb Duz Scrappin'

Jill's Place

Tricia at The Efficient Crafter

Hetty at Craft Chaos

Kay's Keepsakes

Cathy at The Artful Gamut

Anne at Crzymom's Tidbits

Debby at Masculine Inspirations

Dishing with Janet

Tiare Smith Designs

Marya at A Notebook Novel

Annette at Digital Musings

Donna at The Crafty Colonel

Made by Wendy Bellino

Creatively yours,

Karen

Cinema Spoiler! and...Action!

Club Scrap hopes to "Go Ahead and Make Your Day" with our August Cinema Kit!

Below you'll find images that will give you a feel of what this collection is about. It has a nostalgic, classic cinema feel with a cool, classy color palette. It's a combination that will be perfect for any family and friend photos!

If you need more information about becoming a Club Scrap Member, check THIS out. Act quickly because shipping day will be here on Friday!

See ya at the movies!

Here's lookin' at you, kid.
Kay at Club Scrap

Acrylic Block Stamping and Oopsie Daisy

I found this link a while ago, before Oopsie Daisy was released. While the post really isn't about the technique shared below, I liked the overall look of the soft inked "frame" and floral image together. Since I didn't really know quite what the Oopsie Daisy art would look like at the time, I bookmarked the post anyway, thinking it might be something to try.

I don't have a rectangular stamp like the blog author does, so I thought I'd try getting a similar "look" with my 3x4" acrylic stamp block. I was pretty pleased with the results.

The key to using the acrylic block (in lieu of a rubber stamp) is good cushioning underneath. My CS desk blotter is nice and thick so that worked for me, but if you don't have one you could try stamping on top of an old catalog or magazine--or even a mouse pad.

Start with a clean acrylic block. I assure you my block doesn't normally look like this . . . it's usually an inky mess . . . but some rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball took care of that, easy peasy.

Ink the edges of the acrylic block (make sure to ink the smooth side, if your block has a grid like mine). Starting from the outside, sweep ink toward the center. For added dimension, start with a light color and add a darker color around the outer-most edges, if desired.

Press the acrylic block onto paper. You will get different looks depending on the texture or finish of the paper. Experiment, have fun with it.

Since I love the look of watercolors paired with the Oopsie Daisy images, I tried the same technique with Gelatos.

Start by lightly misting the acrylic block with water, then add color. Use a light color first with a darker shade around the outer edges, if desired.

Press onto paper. If you're lucky, you might get a second impression.

Be sure to thoroughly clean your acrylic block after each use.

One advantage to using the same block to add rubber stamps is that positioning is a no-brainer!

Topaz CS Hybrid ink "frame"

Topaz CS Hybrid ink "frame"

Gray Gelatos "frame"

Yellow Gelatos edged with orange

Who knew you could use your acrylic block AS a stamp? Well, now ya know!

Creatively yours,

Karen

Summer Camp Spotlight--Week 3

Summer Camp is well under way, and we are at Week 3 out of four. The top producer for Week 3 was Cathy Gray, so let's get to know her a bit better!

What is your name on the Coffeehouse Forum Chat? My forum name is cathyjgray.

Which Club Scrap kit was your first? February of 2004

What are your top 3 favorite Club Scrap kits? That's a really tough question! I have different favorites for different reasons. For example, I have favorites I like to use a lot to make tones of creations, like the "blurple" paper from Steppin’ Out, but I also have "don't touch" favorites because I want to treasure the paper forever, like English Garden and Natural Wonders. In general, I guess I'd pick Orient Express, Up, Up and Away and Take Wing.

Best thing you learned from CS so far? The monthly theme has many interpretations, and each month the kit is even better than I thought it would be. The designs and artwork even are more amazing in person, whether in paper or digital.

Favorite kit goodie? Do stamps count? I love the artwork and wonderful sayings!

What motivates you to scrap? I love working with the great designs on the Club Scrap papers and themed kits; it inspires me to make many things.

Select 2-3 of your favorite pages/cards from this week's challenge. Why are these your favorites? I really enjoy mixed media, especially working with stencils, ink sprays and paints. It's so fun not knowing what creation will present itself, so Week Three Summer Camp's “Messy Challenge" was perfect for me. Club Scrap paper provides the perfect first layer. The brilliant colors, textures and images make a great mixed media base, even though it's sometimes hard to cover up the wonderful paper!

For these cards I ended up using five 12 x 12 papers: An Ivory Plain (from my stash), two Navajo prints and two Bon Appetit prints. Using my stencils, I got at least two images from each imprint--one by adding medium through the stencil onto the paper, and a second reverse image by pressing paper onto the "messy" stencil. The pink Bon Appetit card below was one of my favorites because the light script you see in the background was already on the paper.

To get the impressions you see on my cards, lightly mist the stencil with water, then apply ivory and blue acrylic paint (Navajo) or pink and white ink sprays (Bon Appetit) layered onto Geometric stencils. 

To create card panels from these decorated papers, cut each 12 x 12 at 4 and 8". Rotate each 4 x 12" horizontally and trim at 5.25 and 10.5". Trim coordinating 8.5 x 11 card stock in half horizontally to make A2 card bases (cut at 5.5"). 

I was able to create 30 "messy" cards from these panels combined with left over Greetings to Go die cuts and stamps from various past kits. Washi tape is a good layering trick for mixed media projects, too, because it allows colors from underneath to subtly show through. The “What will happen if I spray over this stencil and use this paper?” experience was so much fun!

Congratulations, Cathy!

Six Tips for Layout Design

Have you ever had the sense that your layout designs felt a little "off"?

I stick with the following six principles when creating our monthly layout cards and pre-assembled page designs.

1. Focal Images
Think of your page as a theater production. Select the best photos to be the "leading characters." Those images will be featured on the full 4x6 single or double mattes. In our July Layout Sketch (included each month with your membership), there are two double-matted spots for focal images and two additional co-stars with single mattes.

2. Groups
Compliment focal images with groups of smaller items. These are the "supporting characters" of your theater production. This sketch has several sets of sub groups. The smaller spots can also be an ideal location for journaling or non-photo embellishments.

3. Anchoring Strips
This is the "backstage crew" of your production! Anchor elements on the layout with 12" strips to prevent that uncomfortable "floating" feeling. Anchors can vary in width and be created with strips of paper, ribbons or even a row of stamped images. I like to alternate with horizontal and vertical anchoring strips.

4. Anchoring Blocks
In addition to strips, another helpful grounding tool is a block of solid or printed paper beneath a group of items. I frequently use complete sheets of 8.5x11 paper as an anchoring block. It also subdivides the page into smaller areas and can make the space seem less overwhelming.

5. Spacing
I like to separate elements on the page with equal spacing within groups. Notice how all of the elements on the double page spread have a perimeter of roughly the same distance. This helps create a cohesive feeling within the group. Avoid trying to distribute the pieces to the top, bottom and outside edges.

Note the difference in the page below with the lack of anchoring, grouping, and spacing principles.

6. Tangents

A tangent simply indicates that two things are touching. And not in a good way. Avoid a tangent created by two corners/edges touching or aligning with one another. The first illustration below shows ideal placement of corners.

Study the differences in the layout below to discover the newly-formed tangents. The vertical anchoring strip is aligned with the edge of the anchor block, and the photo matte in the lower right corner forms a tangent with the right edge of the page. The other newly-formed corner tangents are not as problematic, but the above layout is a better arrangement.

Here is a real-life layout using July's Oopsie Daisy Layout Sketch with papers from the collection:

It translates quite well, doesn't it? Adapting the layout sketch is easy once you know the basic principles. I was able to preserve the tall water tower image by adding it to the grouping on the bottom half of the left page. The anchoring strip was also a terrific place for my page title.

Members, don't forget to download your layout sketches every month for instant inspiration and complete paper trimming instructions.

Have fun and design well!
Tricia

Creating a Digital Layout in Three Easy Steps

Each CS Digital Kit comes with six Quick Drop Digital Layouts (QDDLs). These template make it easy to create layouts by just adding photos. But sometimes you just want to make something that's more "your own."

The digital clusters that are part of each kit can help you accomplish that. Clusters are pre-assembled groupings of various parts and pieces of the digital kit, even including the appropriate shadows. This helps add detail to your layout without having to do a lot of work. In fact, you can make your own digital layout in just three steps.

Using this month’s Oopsie Daisy Digital Kit, let me show you how!

1. Open one of the digital backgrounds.

2. Add a cluster.

. . . or two!

3. Add a photo, cropping if necessary.

Done! Wasn't that simple?

The next time you want to make a quick and easy digital layout, check out the clusters in the kit. They can make light work of building a layout of your own . . . as easy as 1, 2, 3!

Until next time, thanks for stopping by.

-Ron

Oopsie Daisy Greetings to Go Guest Artist

To start with, daisies are my favorite flower -- and I LOVE all flowers! In fact, way back in 1966, before it was even “done," I had fresh daisies on my wedding cake. So I was thrilled when I was asked to play with this kit! And what a stunning kit it is! I love line drawing-type stamps for coloring or other treatments.

Now, being honest, I was a bit disappointed when I saw Tricia and Kay's creations earlier this month -- 'cause they were just the kind of style cards I wanted to make. Well, that forced me to think about the various supplies I have on hand, and it turned out to be great fun to pull them out and play, play, play. 

I’ll also say that the artwork/artistry in the embellishment side order is flat out gorgeous and I couldn’t help defaulting to those pieces. So beautiful! The copper on black -- stunning. Wait until you see what bleach does to the black paper! (Looks like a wood cut to me.)

Set A: 5x7” Caramel Gate Fold Cards

Embossing folders add texture. (Folders used are from Picnic and Spellbinders "Quiltwork")

Spellbinders dies (Gerber daisy/Aster). Paper flowers painted with Twinks.

Iris folded mason jar.

Iris folding pattern from Paper Wishes.

Rectangles trimmed using craft knife, layered with fun foam and copper metallic paper from stash. Colored with Gelatos, Prima Metallic Chalk Edgers. Liquid pearls used for flower center.

Spellbinders die on card edge layered with rick rack ribbon. Twinks on petals. Self-adhesive pearls from stash.

I guess I would say Twinks are my all time favorites -- can’t beat the blendable water color looks with the lovely shimmer. I like it better than markers, and feel I have better control with a brush.

Set B: 4¼x5½” Grey Cards

Main panel created using dye inks on glossy paper over clear embossed stamped images. Chipboard flower was painted, stamped and edged with black pen.

Close-up of clear-embossed stamp image "resist" on glossy paper, colored with dye ink.

Colored in outline stamp with black Sharpie to create a "silhouette." Stencil and pearls from stash.

Embellishment cutaparts panel, "colored" using . . . get this . . . bleach!

Close up of bleach on black panel. So much detail!

Background painted with Sparkle Gel Crayons and water brush.

Trio of flowers stamped multiple times, layered using 3-dimensional adhesive.

Image stamped with watermark ink and traced using Scrap Happy Sheer Glue. Copper Foil rubbed over dried glue. Copper thread and Liquid Pearls from stash.

Set C: 3½x5” Green Mini Easel Cards

Flower stamped, cut out, and traced using stylus onto copper sheet.

Antiqued with Ebony Rub 'N Buff. Copper triangle brads from stash.

Twinks on flower petals and caterpillar.

Used B&B sentiment with 3/4" and 1-1/2" circle punches to create round embellishments. Cape Cod stencil.

Friends stencil background. Flower image stamped and embossed with white EP. Stripe stamp from
Short Sleeve Pants in CS White Pigment Ink.

Traced Oopsie Daisy masking stencil onto panel and added zentangles to each petal.
Background is colored with watercolor pencils. Hydrangeas "LOVE" stamp.

So once the box of these fifteen cards was on its way to Club Scrap, what did I do? I grabbed the rest of the embellishment kit images and made more! I have parts for another fifteen cards partly assembled. Once you get rolling, it's quite addictive!

Enjoy!

Cyndy

********************

Greetings to Go Guest Artists are given the current month's Club Scrap materials to work with:

• Greetings to Go Pack
• Embellishment Pack
• Collection Unmounted Rubber Stamp sheet
• Greeting Unmounted Rubber Stamp sheet
• Art Nouveau Unmounted Rubber Stamp sheet
• Extra 8.5 x 11" plain papers from the monthly kit

The artist may also choose to incorporate items from their own craft stash, as well as different inks and art mediums. We do our best to make note these additions in the card descriptions whenever possible.