Technique Tuesday - Magic Ink Background....

You've been waiting for it, right?  Well, here it is - the technique I used on my April 18 blog entry - Magic Ink Background.  We all like the look that alcohol inks make for backgrounds but don't want to invest in a whole lot more inks, right?  And the biggest problem is that they are not in Stampin' Up!'s wonderful coordinating colors!  Well, now you can make them yourself and get that same look using your Stampin' Up! reinkers!

 Here's what you need:

Rubbing Alcohol
Two colors of coordinating reinkers (I used Pacific Point and Old Olive)
A cotton ball
Versamark Ink Pad
Clear or white embossing powder
Heat gun
Glossy cardstock
Stamp image you want to show through the background (I chose Nature's Nest's feather)

 First, stamp your image using Versamark ink numerous times on the glossy white cardstock and cover with clear or white embossing powder.

 Heat set with heat gun.

 Take your cotton ball and pull on the fibers until you made it more flat and square.  Soak it completely with the rubbing alcohol.

 Take one of your reinkers and put two drops of the ink on opposite corners of the square cotton ball.

 Take your second reinker and put in the other two corners of the cotton ball.

 Begin smooshing the cotton ball down on the glossy cardstock.  Do not rub back and forth.  Pick it straight up and move around the cardstock.

 Once you have your cardstock covered with the color as much as you want, heat it with your heat gun.  The alcohol will dry real quickly and set the ink.

 Your stamped images will begin to show up through the colors like my picture above.  If you decide you want more color, you can use your cotton ball again and put down more color until it is the way you like it.  Just remember to use your heat gun to dry the alcohol off the cardstock quickly.

Here's the card I made using this background technique.  I hope you have fun with this one too.

Technique Tuesday - Secret Fold Card...

Today I am going to teach you how to make a Secret Fold Card.  It is one of those WOW cards that is actually easy to make.  Here's what you will need:

Your Cutter
Two Coordinating Stampin' Up! Cardstocks - Mine are Old Olive & Marina Mist

 Cut a piece of Old Olive Cardstock to 8-1/2"x5- 1/2"  Score the paper at the half way point (4-1/4").

 Score the cardstock again at 2-1/8".

 Flip the cardstock around and score again at 2-1/8".  You should end up with three score lines that are an equal distance apart.

 Turn the cardstock 90 degrees and cut the cardstock at 2-3/4" between the two outside score lines.

 Move the cardstock and cut the cardstock at 1-3/8" between the outside score lines and flip the cardstock 180 degrees and cut again at 1-3/8" between the score lines.

 You will end up with something like this.  I know it is difficult to see the score lines in my picture but hopefully you will get the idea from it.

 Fold along score lines so that it makes an "M".

 Taking a piece of 5-1/2"x 4-1/4" coordinating cardstock and cut in half at 2-1/8".

 On left side of cuts, begin weaving one strip of the Marina Mist cardstock over, under, over under through the left side cuts.

 Then take the other piece and begin under, over, under, over until your card looks like this.

 Cut four pieces of Whisper White cardstock that measure 2" x 1-1/8".  Stamp images on these.

 Turn card around so you have a gate fold front.  Attach stamped images and stamp other sentiments inside

 Fold up as shown above and grab ahold of the green pieces on the left and right side of the middle fold.

 Pull outward to show center of card. 

Decorate the card with the other two stamped images and any other stamping you wish to do.

Decorate the front of the card.  If you attach ribbon like I did, do not put it all the way around the card because it will stop the card from working properly.  Just adhere it behind the matting of your front images.  Good luck - it is such a cool card!