Botanical Pocket Card

Hello Friends, it's the beginning of a new week, and I have a little different style of card to show you today. It has been awhile since I have done cards using this technique that I learned years ago from the ladies at A Stamp in the Hand Stamp Company. I don't believe the company is in business anymore, but both ladies that taught this technique are still teaching stamping out and about. So for Joyce and Kat, I hope these cards make you proud knowing that what you taught years ago actually "stuck" in one stamper's mind.

To start with, you use a few different supplies from the normal basic card stock and stamps. The paper that gives the best result is Glossy Card stock, I got mine through Ranger. Using red rubber stamps and Marvy Inks and markers, you can create beautiful, and vivid color creations on that glossy paper.  I like to build layers on my cards using this technique.  Starting with the background images, in this card I stamped the large leaf spray in each of the four corners. When you use the red rubber stamps, you can color directly on the rubber with the Marvy markers. Starting with the lightest colors so you don't contaminate your markers, draw the light green marker over the surface of the leaf, touching here and there with the bright green color. Next, draw the olive green marker over the stamp, touching where the darker green areas would be on the leaf stem. Finally, use the darker purple marker to highlight the stem and base of each leaf.  If the ink looks as if it has dried a bit while adding colors, breathe directly on the stamp's rubber, huffing a bit so your breath re-moistens the ink. Stamp onto the glossy stock one or two times to get the graduated colors of the first and second stampings. Re-color your stamp with the markers and stamp again, as many times as you wish.

NOTE: Dye based markers work best with this technique, because they dry slower than do Copic's or Sharpie's.

The next layer on the card base is done with the Marvy Ink pads and a stipple brush. A stipple brush is a stiff bristled brush that is usually flat on the tip end, and is used to "pounce" the ink onto the card. They come in many sizes, from small (1/2 inch) to large (1 1/2 inch) in diameter. I like using the larger sizes because they cover the card base faster when stippling.  Stippling makes tiny dots  on the background if you hold the brush in an upright position when pouncing. Tap the brush on the ink pad several times as it picks up the ink, and then pounce on the paper, shadowing around the edges of the card, blending the colors you want to use.

I then inked and stamped several images on the library pocket, along with gluing several strips of patterned paper and ephemera to the pocket before attaching the metal tag with the dragonfly brad. I stippled a little more ink on the pocket, and then adhered the pocket to the front of the card with red-line double stick tape. The red-line double stick tape is preferred when adhering to the glossy card stock, for stronger hold.

When complete, you can adhere the glossy stock to a card base, or use the glossy stock as the card, the glossy finish is usually only on one side, the other side is a matte finish. I placed an Artist Trading Card in the library pocket, but you could also use the pocket to hold a gift card or handwritten note.  Many ask if the glossy card stock is a necessity?  If you look closely, you can see that the colors stamped on the glossy stock are much brighter and more vivid than the same colors stamped on the library pocket.

I hope you have enjoyed this technique, and will try it on a project soon. I enjoy using it on cards where bright colors are used, and hope the cards will brighten your day. Take care, and have a great week!

Mindy

SWEETNESS

Hello friends,
Sweetness is what I feel when I see this lovely fawn napping in the grass. This is the first time I have used this stamp, and I really like the way it stamped out.

The weather here in South Texas has been cooler the past week, and all the creatures have been coming out at sundown to enjoy the cooler temperatures. There is a private church school down the street from my home, where in the evening right before sunset, you can see a family of deer strolling through the school grounds into the wooded area beyond.  They stop and frolic in the well manicured lawn of the school, sometimes laying in the cool, freshly watered grass before they scamper off into the wooded area behind the school. I love to watch them graze and frolic, and wonder if they feel safe living in such a populated area as San Antonio. They inspired me to make this card and add it to my collection.

The entire picture area is the stamp, and I stamped it on watercolor paper with Versafine Sepia ink. Then I gently colored it with my Distressed Ink markers. I stippled on the blue background and them matted the picture in a light beige card stock, before mounting it on an animal printed card base. I believe I purchased the box of animal print cards at JoAnn's Crafts. I thought they were so unique, and would add an element of texture to my animal themed cards.

Take time to enjoy the nature in and around your home. Sometimes you too, will be inspired to use this nature in creating ideas for cards and art projects that you do. Take care, and visit again soon.

Leaf Background

Hello fellow stampers,
Today I am showing a leaf background I recently did for a card. Stamping on a piece of heavy watercolor paper, I stamped the Hero Arts Maple Leaf stamp in four colors of Memento Ink. I started with the Grape, then Potters Clay, Pear Tart, and finally London Fog. I tried to stamp the images in a random pattern, with the darker colors near the center and the lighter colors near the outside edge. When the card was filled with the maple leaf stamp, I took my stipple brush and the Potters Clay Memento Ink.

The stipple brush is a round shaped brush with all of its bristles flat that will touch the surface of the paper. To "stipple" take the brush in your hand like a pen, and tap the bristles into the stamp pad gently. The more times you tap, the more ink you will pick up on the brush.  Then gently tap in the vacant areas between the leaf stampings to get the "stippled effect."  Of course, you may do many layers of stippling to increase the color intensity if needed, but I usually go by the rule, "less is more!"

To finish this background, I used a colored Spica glitter pen matching each color of leaf, and put just a hint of sparkle on each leaf. You can then add a sentiment to your background if using it to make a card.
Stay cool, and have a happy day. Keep Stampin'!