Technique Tuesday - Smoothing Out Stamped Images...

Hi there and welcome to Technique Tuesday.  Do you ever stamp an image on your card and it just doesn't end up smoothly inked?  Don't you hate that?  Do you wad up that cardstock, throw it away and start over?  Now you won't have to - I will show you how to easily smooth out those splotchy images.  Let's get started.....

  

Here's what you will need:

• Your solid stamp (I used the flowers from Upsy Daisy)
• Classic Ink of your choice (I used Not Quite Navy)
• Blender Pen
• Cardstock

 Ink your stamp and stamp your image.  Here's the point that you say "Oh rats!", wad up that cardstock and throw it away.  But wait!  Keep reading and you won't be wasting that piece.....

See here where my image isn't very nice.  In fact, there are several areas of this image that are not inked well.  The first thing to do - although you need to do it BEFORE you stamp - take your sanding block and gently sand the rubber working left to right and then up and down.  This removes a light coating on the top of the stamp image and the ink adheres better.

Take your ink pad while it is closed and squeeze the center of the pad so you place some ink into the lid of the ink pad.  Open the ink pad and pick up some of the color with your blender pen.  Color the image where you need to fix it.

 Here you can see that the four flowers in the top left have been fixed.

 Continue working until your entire image has been fixed.

Here's my completed card.  On More Mustard cardstock, I stamped the same image using Versamark to get the subtle repeat of the image.  I used the new Edgelit die and Adorning Accents Embossing folders from the Occasions Mini Catalog at the bottom.  A button from the Regals color family and some pearls finish this card off.



Technique Tuesday - Joy Fold Card & Dryer Sheet Technique....

Today I am going to teach you how to make a Joy Fold Card (don't ask me where the name came from cause I don't know!) and a Dryer Sheet Technique -- two for the price of one!  Please excuse the quality of the photos today, I had some technical difficulties and had to switch cameras and I am not real familiar with  my husband's camera so a number of the pictures are pretty washed out.

 Here's what you will need:
Pear Pizzazz cardstock cut to 4 1/4"x8 1/2" and scored at 5 1/2".
Chocolate Chip cardstock cut to 3"x8" and scored at 4".
Pink Pirouette cardstock cut to 2 3/4"x3 3/4".
Two pieces of Whisper White cardstock cut to 2 1/2"x3 1/2".
Pink Pirouette, Pear Pizzazz and Chocolate Chip cardstock punched with Wide Oval Punch.
Stampin' Up! DSP (pink pirouette stripe) cut to 4"x5 1/4"
Coordinating DSP (chocolate chip dots) cut to 2 3/4"x4"
Stampin' Up! Multipurpose Adhesive Sheet cut a little larger than 2 1/2"x3 1/2"
Chocolate Chip Classic Ink
Dazzling Diamonds glitter
Pear Pizzazz Ribbon
Stampin' Up! Dimensionals
Upsy Daisy stamp set or other set of your choice
USED Dryer Sheet

 Fold Pear Pizzazz cardstock along left side and adhere Pink Pirouette Stripe DSP to the inside.

 Fold the Chocolate Chip cardstock along score line toward the left and adhere one of the 2 1/2"x3 1/2" Whisper White pieces to the inside on the left.

 Fold the Chocolate Chip piece from the right to the left and adhere the Pink Pirouette cardstock to the front of the cardstock.

 Adhere Chocolate Chip dots DSP to the folded side of the Pear Pizzazz cardstock.  Adhere Chocolate Chip folded piece to the inside of the Pear Pizzazz piece leaving approximately 1/2" from edge.

 This is what your piece will look like.

 Using a sponge and Chocoloate Chip ink, distress the edge of the Pink Pirouette oval.  Stamp your sentiment on it.  (You may want to do this before punching it out.)

 Adhere Pear Pizzazz oval to the left side of the Pink Pirouette one and the Chocolate Chip oval to the right side.

 Place two Dimensionals on the Pear Pizzazz end of the ovals.  These ovals will hold your card shut once it is all put together.

 Your card should look like this.  Now, on to the Dryer Sheet Technique which is quite simple but very pretty.

 Stamp your image on the 2 1/2"x3 1/2" Whisper White cardstock using Chocolate Chip Classic Ink.

 Remove the backing on the Multipurpose Adhesive Sheet and place over your image.

 Using your bone folder, rub the image so the adhesive is well adhered.

 Remove the backing and place the dryer sheet onto the image.  Rub it lightly to make sure it is completely adhered.

 Trim off the excess dryer sheet and pour Dazzling Diamonds glitter over the entire dryer sheet and press lightly to adhere to adhesive between the dryer sheet fibers.  Attach image to card.

 Make bow from 12" of Pear Pizzazz ribbon and attach to your card.

Here's mine!  What do you think?  Thank you Deb for the design of this card and the technique which I learned last week at the my monthly downline meeting.

Stampin' Up!'s Upsy Daisy Set....

I am preparing for an upcoming Necessities Bag organization fundraising workshop on April 9.  Here's my first card that everyone will be making.  All of the cards will be "Thank You" cards which will be donated to the organization.  I love this color combination - Baja Breeze & Early Espresso - right on trend these days!