A Quick and easy background

This week at The Friends of Speedy the Cat blog the challenge was to make anything but the regular 4 1/4x 5 1/2 card. I had a Center Stair Step card base on my desk. That's where I began. I wanted to use my new Lilacs in the Summer stamp set from Marks Finest Papers. Now I needed a background that would stand out so out came the webbing and if you scroll down I will show you how I did it along with a sample of a background I have had for sometime but wasn't happy with it until I sprayed it this morning with Webbing. Can't find webbing. You can find it here. 

Here is a sample I had stomped with a sponge and metallic paints. Never really cared for it but I keep everything. Never know when you might be able to use it.

 And here it is with Black Webbing. What a difference. So if you ever have a background you are not happy with bring out the webbing. You might be creatively surprised.

Now here is how I made my background for todays challenge card. I started out with white card stock and my small Memento pads. This size of ink pad is great for this.

Start with your 2 lightest colors and just swirl ink around. There is no right or wrong way.

Then add a medium color and then a darker color if you like. Next is the webbing.

My favorite is the black but do use the gold and white a lot. It also comes in silver. I don't find myself reaching for that one though very often. Here is my background after being sprayed with gold and then black.

The secret is to keep your arm moving. If you spray dead on you will get blobs and not a webbing look.

Another technique and the first Let's Ink It Up challenge of 2011

First welcome to the first Let's Ink It Up Challenge for 2011. Anything goes was the theme for challenge #8 so I decided to do another tutorial. But first we need to get the business out of the way.

The Sponsor for Challenge #8 at Let's Ink It Up is:
- Make It Crafty - http://www.makeitcrafty.com.au

Prize Package - their choice of one rubber stamp

Sponsor Blurb - Make it Crafty - Think it. Make it. Love it!
Make it Crafty is a dream come true for Zoe who has loved making projects from paper from a young child. Whether it be drawing, making cards, colouring, or her absolute favourite 3D mechanical projects; Zoe is always trying to think about new ideas to play with!
For a number of years Zoe has wanted to share her ideas and love for craft products with you and so Make it Crafty was finally born where she sells some of her favourite products as well as her own range of both digital and rubber stamps.
Zoe only sells products she uses personally so she is always ready to help you where she can. You may also like to stop by the Make it Crafty Blog to see the latest projects, news and tips!
Be sure to add your project by Feb. 3rd Aussie time.
Now head on over to Let's Ink It Up and see what the rest of the team has come up with.


Okay here we go. For this background you will need Dye ink pads and if you have small pads like these you can work directly to the paper with the pad. If you don't use a sponge to add the colors. I have become a fan of Memento Inks and am busily collecting all the pads in mini version. Great colors.

 For this project I used Sweet Plum, London Fog and New Sprout inks. You will use regular card stock for this also.

 Swipe the pads over the card stock or use a sponge to add your ink in any pattern. No right or wrong here. Each one you make will look different. If you used Distressed Ink Pads you could blend your colors with a sponge for a smoother looking background.

                                               This is mine.

 Next I sprayed it with Pearl Glimmer Mist. After it dried I sprayed with Silver Webbing. The Pearl Glimmer Mist gave it a real sheen.

 Here it is after I sprayed the webbing. Webbing comes in 4 colors. White, Black, Gold and Silver. I normally spray everything with the black. It makes the colors really pop. But for this project I decided I wanted a softer background and used the Silver. The one color I never pick up.

 I used an image from I Brake For stamps from the Rick St. Dennis Co. I used Gamsol and Prisma pencils to color my clown. Glitter on his little puff ball decoration. Stamped my sentiment with a Rainbow Pad. Inked all the edges with Sweet Plum. The square behind him is sponged with the New Sprout and sprayed with the Pearl Glimmer Mist. I wish you could see how shiny it is. One tip about the webbing. I always do it outside in the grass and be sure you spray in a sweeping motion.  If you don't move your arm you will get big blobs.

Let's make a background

I haven't done a tutorial for awhile so decided to do a couple to start the new year. This one is a fun background which uses your dye ink reinkers, glossy paper and salt. Table salt will work but Kosher salt works the best. You can use it as your background layer or you can stamp right on it. Here we go.

 I used Adirondack colors Denim, Sail Boat Blue, Pool and Mountain Rose. You need glossy card stock for this along with a water brush and a spray bottle filled with water.

 Squirt out a little of each color onto your non stick craft sheet and spray your glossy card stock with the water.

   Now pick up each color and swirl it around in any pattern. Have fun with this. Try going in all different directions.  Add another color. No two will look the same when you finish.

                              This is mine all filled in with each color.

                                         Sprinkle with salt.

               Leave to dry over night or speed it along with your heat tool.

 When it's dry take a paper towel and wipe all the salt off. This is what you are left with. Table salt will make smaller and fewer spots.

 I used my Cuddlebug to cut out the center and a white rectangle to fit behind it. The piece I cut out of the center of the background I used for the inside and matched it with a smaller white rectangle to stamp my sentiment on the inside of the card.

I used Mountain Rose to stamp leaves all around my card base. Attached my larger white rectangle to the center of that. Stamped the Sentiment from Inkadinkado. Used Pop Dots to attach the background over this. Added a piece of pink border punched with a Martha Stewart punch to the inside of the opening. Flowers are from Sky Blue Pink and the leaves are a punch. Here's my card. I hope you give this a try.

An acetate technique

As promised I'm back with a fun technique. You'll need a piece of acetate, tissue paper, reinkers and clear glue. Before I get started though I want to show you the card I made with one of those very cool carnations.

I'm going to try my Nestabilities scalloped circle die for the smallest circle. You would probably need less layers. I'll let you know if it works. Now onto the technique I'm going to show you today. Start out by stamping on the front of your acetate with a permanent ink. I used the Ranger archival jet black ink. Let this dry before moving on.



When dry turn your acetate over and using a clear glue make little puddles around the piece.



Now add drops of ink next to each puddle of glue.



Put on a rubber glove if you have a problem with inky fingers. Dab the inks & glue with your finger spreading the ink and glue all around the back side of your acetate.





Scrunch up your tissue paper. Flatten it out and smoosh on top of the ink glue mixture. Press all around to adhere the tissue to the acetate. My sample turned out way too dark so I have redone it without the brown colored ink so I suggest not using any dark colors.

Let this dry. Trim it up and add it to your card. I have backed mine with 2 different colors to show you the difference. First is white and the second is olive green. I decided on the white for my card. It looked so much brighter.



Here is my finished card and another one that I have made using Inkadinkado Stamps.

An easel card using Stained Mosaic technique

Had the day off so made time to try out the Easel card to show off my Stained Mosaic Technique pieces. First I want to show you my stamp. I made it 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 with fun foam pieces.



I made it very simple as I experimented making the easel card. I'll show you how I made it. You can decorated and layer to make a real masterpiece.


I used a 12 x 12 piece of card stock. You can get 3 cards by cutting each 4" wide. So you will have a piece that is 4 x 12. Score at 4-6-and 8 and fold like this.




Turn it over and add adhesive to the first 2" section.




Push down on it to adhere to the first section.



Here is a side view of what it looks like.



You can us anything you want to be the stop for your easel. Layer, decorate the inside and experiment with what can hold up your easel.

Well it's cold here. I'm glad I didn't have to go to work this morning. Luckily we don't have the snow worries the rest of the country has.

The Demo that wasn't or was it?

First my apologies ladies for not making it to our get together today. I'm sure you were all real disappointed I didn't make it. Or maybe you didn't even know I wasn't there. No I'm going to believe you missed me. Even Gerri missed me I'm sure. I think something or someone was telling me to stay home today. First I had a bad night. Woke up with blood squirting out of a hole on my rear end. I was rubbing my hip which is sore and felt this hard thing and flicked it off. Next thing I knew blood was squirting everywhere. I mean everywhere. Have no clue what it was. We couldn't find anything. My husband got the bleeding to stop and stuck a bandaid on it. It's not sore so who knows. So that was our night. Robin had to be up a 7 this morning. I got up, woke her up and laid back down with the dog. Was still awake when she left at 7:30. The next thing I know it's 9:10. Now I have to leave at 9:30 to get there so got up and dressed. Everything was already packed and I was on my way. Got to the road and the tire went flat. Backed up real slow to get back in the drive and then I gathered up all my stuff and walked home. Next thing I know there is a Sherrif helicopter circling the area where my car is. I'm guessing they think someone is hunting or something because there is a car on State land. Go to get on the tractor to drive up to the car and the dang thing wouldn't get out of park. So I walked back up there. Called the Sherrif's office. Told the dispatcher to tell them it was my car and it had a flat tire. She said to me no one had called in about a car with a flat. I said Maam they are in a helicopter. My car is on the ground. I don't think they can see if I have a flat. She says, guess not well OK. That was the end of the conversation. He left, I walked back home and 15 minutes later he came back. I walked back to the car and sat there waiving at him and then started walking home. He left. Has not come back and I pray when I go and get the mail that my car is still there and hasn't been towed. So that has been my day. I did get my laundry done but didn't want to disappoint all of you so I decided to do a online demo for you. I know it won't be the same. But I will know that you are picking on me and whining as you do the technique at home. So here is the project. The technique is called Bleached Polished Stone.

This is what you need. A bottle of alcohol if using a cotton ball or a spray bottle with alcohol if you have one of the Ranger distress tools and a piece of glossy card stock.


You will also need 2 Dye ink reinkers and a metallic reinker. Now if you use one of the Ranger metallic mixatives you will not need to seal the project when your done. If you use a pigment reinker or gold leaf pen you will need to seal it so it does not rub off. I use Krylon Fixatif Spray when I seal things.

Wet your cotton ball or felt piece with the alcohol. Then add a few drops of the lighter color.

Stomp it pounce it ,or whatever you want to call it, around until you have real good coverage.

Now add a few drops of the next color and do the same thing.

if you feel it is getting dry and the inks are not moving add a little more alcohol.


Now add a few drops of the metallic and a little alcohol and pounce that around till you are happy with the results. .



Let it dry about 5 minutes. Now take your embossing buddy and wipe it across your polished stoned card stock. Ink your stamp with Versa mark and stamp it.



Put black embossing powder on it and then heat emboss.


Next comes the fun part if you haven't already been having fun. You are going to need a small paint brush and some bleach.

Now paint with the bleach between your lines. Let dry a few seconds and add a second coat of bleach. In about 10 minutes this will be your results.

What you have left is the white of the glossy card stock and the metallic reinker. It has a real nice shine to it. I hope you all enjoyed your lunch. I bought Chinese take out after work last night so finished that off. I missed our time today. Looking forward to next month. Give this a try. It's a fun technique and will be the theme for our monthly swap. .