Stretch Your Stamps 2, Day 11

Today was a play day, and the last day of lessons.  Sad it's over, but happy about how much I've learned!

I decided to use Laura's video as my starting off place, and made a background by stamping one stamp over and over.  My sentiment was made by taping off everything from a sentiment of That's what you are except for the that's.  I added the word Awesome to finish the sentiment.








My card base was white, and then I added a piece of blue cardstock to the front just a bit smaller.  I cut the piece with the sentiment on it a bit smaller, then cut the background and sentiment apart. I  popped them up them up on the card front with a small gap between them.  I added a few sequins and enamel dots for bling.

Stretch Your Stamps 2, Day 9

For my card today I followed Julie's video almost exactly, with the exception of the colors.  I was in more of a blue mood, rather than a pink mood, thus the change.

I drew my circle, and added first the small leaf cluster (Hero Arts Field Greens), then the blue flowers (Distress Salty Ocean), followed by the smaller flowers (Hero Arts Pool), lastly stamping the single leaves in Hero Arts Green Fields.   After the stamping, I started to use my Atyou Spica pen in lemon to add some sparkle to the center of the flowers, but didn't think it added enough bling, so I ended up using Stickles in Scattered Straw for the smaller flowers, and Silver Stickles for the larger flowers, which I liked much better.

  

I didn't have a die to cut a sentiment available to use, so I cut a circle in the card base front and stamped a sentiment on the inside. The card stock with the wreath was popped up on the card front.

Stretch Your Stamps 2, Day 8

More great ways to use graphic stamps in today's lesson!  I really like Kelly's idea of using graphic stamps for a border, so combined that with Nichol's idea of a window card.  This is what I came up with--I used Distress Ink Squeezed Lemonade and stamped my graphic rounded diamond on to a strip of white card stock, and also used the ink to color a strip of white card stock.  I then over-stamped the rounded diamond with a heart in Momento Tuxedo Black.

I die cut a window on a separate piece of white card stock a little narrower than the card front.  I attached the stamped strip to the left hand side of the card base, then centered my colored strip under the die cut window and attached the strip to the card front.  I stamped my sentiment in Momento Tuxedo Black.  I then popped up the card stock with the window, and called it good--for now.

 

I think the front needs a little something more, but I'm not sure what.  Maybe a ribbon and bow?  Black or yellow?  Or maybe I should do some yellow and black spatters?  Or maybe stamp some of the hearts in yellow and black randomly on the card front?  Maybe I'll just leave it the way it is.  I'm going to spend a few days thinking about it before I make up my mind. 

Stretch Your Stamps 2, Day 7

I thought I'd try the random background stamping from Debby's video today.  I'm not really sure I like what I did, but I tried a smaller stamp that wasn't so bold for the background.  I might try it again later with a larger, bolder stamp.

I stamped the background with Hero Arts Soft Pool and Pale Tomato (I also did a second stamping with this without re-inking my stamp), and Momento London Fog (also did a second stamping with this ink).  I used Momento Tuxedo Black for my over-stamping of the sentiment. 

I added a black and white polka dot ribbon for interest.  I first added the ribbon at the top of the stamping (first photo), but it just didn't seem to look right.  I removed it, and was just going to go with the plain stamping, but decided to try it first on the bottom of the card (second photo).  I liked this so better.  I will be adding a few embellishments--as soon as I find my little box of embellies that has gone missing! 

I then popped it up on a slightly larger piece of red card stock, off center.  The whole thing was then attached to the white card base. 

Stretch Your Stamps 2, Day 6

Wow, I've learned so much in this class!  Although I'm not surprised, as I've also learned a lot in each of the other onlinecardclasses.com classes I've taken!

When I watched the video by Laura, I really liked the idea of stamping a little off center, and while I loved her tags, I wanted to do a card, so I combined these two ideas in a way.

I die cut a piece of white card stock, and I stamped the floral design off center with black Momento ink.  My original plan was to color the flowers with Copic markers like Laura had done on her tag, but decided instead to just blend some ink around the edges (after putting the die cut back in the die) with Salty Ocean Distress Ink.  I then mounted it offset to another die cut, this time in black card stock.

A small sentiment stamped in black Momento ink on white, then mounted on black card stock, was popped up for a little dimension.

I added the whole thing to a white card base, also popped up.  I really liked how this one turned out, which is completely different then my original plan! 

Update:  A few days after posting this, I added a little color by dotting Atyou Spica  Sky Blue in the little circles in th middle of each flower, then used my brand new, just arrived Zig Wink of Stella brush to highlight all of the petals  Love it!

Card made from Class Scraps

I was gathering up my scraps from the cards I made while camping, and noticed I had a bit of the watercolor paper with some spatters on it, along with some red card stock and black cardstock scraps.  I decided to put them all together and make a quick card. 

I stamped Happy Birthday with a rainbow ink pad (Tahiti by Kaleidacolor) on the watercolor paper, then matted it with red, and popped it up on a blue rectangle that was matted by black and put on a green card base. I think it turned out pretty good!

Stretch Your Stamps 2--Day 2 revisited

When doing the rainbow water-coloring of my background stamp I made a second one on regular card stock.  I liked how it turned out, and decided to make a card with that one. 

The front of the card

I used the die cut technique that was presented in the video by Jennifer McGuire.  I'm really happy with how this card turned out.  Now I just have to find someone really special to get the card!

The inside of the card

And here's what the inside looks like.
















And then I had to make a card with the leftover heart from the background, and the negative of the yellow heart, so I inlaid the background heart in the cutout, and popped a sentiment on top!

Stretch Your Stamps 2 Day 5

Today's lesson was about using outline stamps.  I decided to try the technique from Jennifer Rzasa's video, using Distress Ink and watercoloring with them.

I used Distress Ink to stamp the floral design on watercolor paper, then used a waterbrush to spread the color out.  I matted the watercolor paper on tan cardstock, tied tan organza ribbon around it, then popped it up on the green card base.  I stamped the inside with a sympathy sentiment, but decided not to add anything else to the front.

Stretch Your Stamps 2 Day 3, Card 2

I really liked the way Julie used the alphabet as a background, so I thought I'd give that a try. 

 I didn't try to do a word search type background, but stamped the background in multicolored ink (Tomato Vine by Kaleidacolor). I inked the edges with red before attaching to card front.

I then stamped the sentiment in the same ink, and matted it with three different colors of cardstock, then popped it up on the front of the card.  Still missing are my enamel dots, which, when found, will be placed on the sentiment and possibly the rest of the card front randomly.

Stretch Your Stamps 2 Day 3

Day 3 concentrated on using alphabet stamps.  They gave us several ideas on how to use them.







When I watched Debby's video, I liked the idea of using the alphabet stamps on the card embellishments, so die cut some leaves and stamped them in multicolored ink with the words Happy Thanksgiving.  I then stamped the sentiment in brown ink on tan card stock, and matted it on two sides with red.  I then popped it up on the card front (which really doesn't show well in this photo).








I made the card while camping, and while I took a lot of my supplies with me, I couldn't take everything (at least, that's what my husband told me) so I didn't have a lot of choices as far as card stock was concerned.  And I can't seem to find my enamel dots, so you'll have to imagine some red, yellow and orange dots scattered on the card front.

Stretch Your Stamps 2 Day Two

I thought I would try the Perfect Pearls technique from Jennifer McGuire's video, but then discovered I actually had PearlEx.  They are not exactly the same, but close.  I decided to do try the PearlEx, and then looked for a background stamp to use.  I didn't find a reverse background stamp, but did find a pretty sea shell background stamp I had forgotten I had.

I used VersaMark to ink up my stamp, which was made up of various sea shells for the background.  I then applied the PearlEx, and used hairspray as a fixative.The photos do not do this justice.

 The first photo isn't very good, but does show the shiny gold where the flash hit it.  In real life the whole front has nice shiny gold highlights.










The second photo doesn't show the shine as well, but you can actually see the whole stamp.  I accidentally got my thumb on the VersaMark and rubbed off a bit on one of the shells on the right edge, but that will be covered by the sentiment--as soon as I decide what sentiment I want to use!

 

I'm really enjoying this class, as I have all of the classes I've taken from OnlineCardClasses.com.  They are just chock full of different ideas, and are clearly explained!  They also include helpful hints that make it easier to use the techniques in my own cards.

Here's a photo of the updated card with sentiment and ribbon.

Stretch Your Stamps 2 Day One, Card 3

Card 3 from Day 1 lesson

I had a bit of the water-colored background stamp left over from my first card, so decided to put it to good use in another card.  I also used the spatter technique that was mentioned in Lisa's video by adding some spatters to the sentiment.  I like the way it pulled in the colors from the watercolors.

Stretch Your Stamps 2 Class Day One, Card 2

After making the first card from Kristina's video, I decided to try making a card based on Lisa Spangler's video.  She used VersaMark ink and heat embossed the design, then sprayed the card with gold spray ink.  She then removed the embossed areas.

I stamped and embossed my background design, then sprayed it with a red spray ink.  When I lightly wiped the surface to remove the ink from the embossing, it spread the ink around, and when it dried it was very dull looking.  I decided to spray it again with a gold spray ink.  I was much more pleased with how this turned out.

2nd card from 1st day of class

I followed her directions on how to leave enough room for your sentiment, stamped it on black card stock with VersaMark and used gold embossing powder, and it came out pretty well.  Due to my embossed background design being slightly warped, I taped it directly to the black as oppsed to popping it up as Lisa had done.  I then taped the whole thing to a red card.  I'm pretty pleased with this card, although I know there is a lot of room for improvement!

Stretch Your Stamps 2 Class Day One

I signed up for an online card making class called Stretch Your Stamps 2.  I've taken several other classes from OnlineCardClasses.com and have learned so much from each of them.  I've been looking forward to the start of this class for weeks.

The first day of class was about using background stamps, and different ways to use them.  Kristina Werner's video intrigued me as she used watercolors on the design after she had heat embossed it, and I decided to try it as I've never used watercolors before, but had some on hand.  I didn't use a full background stamp, but used a border stamp by Paper Smooches to mimic one.  I had a lot of trouble lining up the stamp for the repeats when I used VersaMark ink, so I switched to white pigment ink, and for some reason the embossing powder didn't seem to be working well. I'm not sure if the ink was sticky enough.

I then decided to just go with Momento black ink on white cardstock, and then to use the watercolor paint to add color.  This worked out a little better, except the black ink smeared a little with the watercolors.  Still, not too bad as a learning experience.

2nd attempt using watercolors with background stamp