Chalked Pigment technique

The technique used on the lower part of the front of this card is called Chalked Pigment. Now, by me using the green cardstock (Always Artichoke) it also looks like a technique called "chalkboard something". I can't remember the exact name of that technique but you see that by using the chalk on a dark color of cardstock it does looking something like a chalkboard. This is really a simple technique. You stamp with a pigment ink (Whisper White in this case) and then rub the chalk over the stamped image. And, just a little FYI on the sentiment part of the card - I used to Sizzlet twice. First I used the Rose Red cardstock and then the Very Vanilla. I cut the center part out of the Rose Red die cut to make a "frame" and then placed the Rose Red die cut over the Very Vanilla die cut. Here is a list of the items I used to make this card.

Stamp sets: Itty Bitty Bits, Elements of Style

Cardstock/paper: Crumb Cake, Rose Red, Very Vanilla, Always Artichoke, Springtime Vintage DSP

Ink: Always Artichoke, Whisper White

Other: Stampin' Pastels, Neutrals brads, Q-Tip, Chantilly 1/2" Crochet Trim, Stampin' Dimensionals, Big Shot, Lots of Tags 2 Sizzlet

All products made by/sold by Stampin' Up! (except for the Q-Tip of course! LOL)

Brayer/Rubber Band background technique

I think this background looks fun (almost like party streamers) and is SO easy! You take your rubber brayer roller, wrap some different sized rubber bands around it, roll on ink pad or pads of your choice and roll on your paper! Can it get any easier than that? PERFECT for a birthday card! You can use one color of ink or multiple colors of ink. Here are the products I used to make this card.

Stamp set: Matchbox Messages

Cardstock: Whisper White, Daffodil Delight, Pacific Point

Ink: Melon Mambo, Pacific Point, Daffodil Delight, Peach Parfait

Other: brayer, rubber bands, 1 1/4" Circle punch, sticker sheet from Ice Cream Parlor DSP (from SAB), Stampin' Dimensionals

All products (except the rubber bands of course) made by/sold by Stampin' Up!

Block Collage technique

The technique for this card is called Block Collage. It's really quite simple! You get multiple stamps with a common theme first. You will also need two ink colors in the same color family, one light and one darker. You brayer the lighter ink over your cardstock sparingly. Then, stamp your focal image in the center of your cardstock. You also stamp the image on a Post-It note. Cut the image on the Post-It note out and cover the image on your cardstock. Use the other stamps you picked out all along your cardstock using your darker ink color. Then, use a stipple brush and "stipple" along the edges of the Post-It note with the darker ink color. This will sort of "highlight" your focal image. Then, remove the Post-It note and mat or embellish as desired! See? EASY! Here are the items I used to make this card.

Stamp set: Friends Never Fade

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Regal Rose, Rose Red

Ink: Regal Rose, Rose Red

Other: stipple brush, Post-It note, Pinking Hearts Corner punch

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Triple Mosaic technique

The technique for the background of this card is called Triple Mosaic. I got the instructions for it from the June 2006 Technique Junkies newsletter. The idea came from Julia Muscari. When you follow the technique instructions you actually end up with enough to make three cards in one! You need a large background type stamp, three colors of cardstock, repositional adhesive, stamp positioner (like a Stamp-a-ma-jig) and your paper trimmer! You use your stamp positioner to stamp on each piece of cardstock. Then, use the repositional adhesive to stack the cardstock one on top of the other. Then, use your paper trimmer to cut the cardstock at all different angles. So, you end up with three pieces cut exactly the same only in different colors. Then, you can lay the pieces out almost like a puzzle. So, see the yellow piece in the bottom right on my card? I also had two other pieces in the exact shape only in the orange and blue. Once you get them all laid out you can start gluing them down to your background piece of cardstock. You can either use them just as is and glue them down. Or, you can ink the edges of each piece just to sort shadow the edges. Or, you can leave even spaces around each piece to give a grout line type effect. I glued mine down as they were but then decided to use some ribbon as a "grout line". Here is a list of the different products I used to make this card.

Stamp sets: Pretty Petals (background stamp), Full of Life

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Poppy Parade, So Saffron, Baja Breeze

Ink: Early Espresso

Other: Early Espresso 1/8" Taffeta ribbon, glue dots (to stick down the ribbon), Stampin' Dimensionals, In-Color Glimmer brads

All products made by/sold by Stampin' Up!

Dragged Madras technique

The technique used for the background is called Dragged Madras. It's quite simple really but makes a nice plaid looking background. I didn't follow the directions exactly. I was supposed to make the dragged lines at "exact" measurements. I liked the random look better so that's what I did! (grin) Basically you use a cosmetic sponge, add some reinker of your choice and drag the sponge along the edge of a scrap piece of cardstock with a straight edge. Then, move the cardstock and drag again. Easy Peasy! You do that all long your background piece of cardstock. Then, turn the cardstock 90 degrees and use a different but complimentary ink to make the lines in the other direction. Here are the products I used to make this card.

Stamp Set: Trendy Trees

Cardstock: Whisper White, Wild Wasabi

Ink: Wild Wasabi, Garden Green, Chocolate Chip

Other: sponge, piercing tool, Stampin' Dimensionals

All products made by/sold by Stampin' Up!

Antique Wallpaper technique

This one was rather interesting! I LOVE new background techniques! Now, the tutorial called for distress inks. I do have some of those but I wanted to also try some of our Classic inks to see the difference. The blue and green cardstock above was made using our Classic inks. The red and brown was made using some of the Tim Holtz/Ranger Distress inks. I do like them both but I sort of like the one using our Classic inks better! Who knew? (grin) The basic instructions are to first run your cardstock through you Big Shot using an embossing folder. You then rub the inks directly from the ink pad onto the raised parts of the cardstock. Then, spritz with water and lift the cardstock and watch the inks run! Use your heat tool to dry the cardstock. Then, after the cardstock is dry run it through your Big Shot again but this time when you make your "sandwich" don't put the cardstock "in" the embossing folder. Put it on top of the embossing folder. Basically, what you are doing it flattening out the embossed part of the cardstock. Then, apply an antique color of ink to the edges of your cardstock to enhance the aged look. This tutorial came from the June/July 2010 Technique Junkies newsletter. If you want more detailed instructions on this technique please email me or leave a comment. Here are the inks I used to make these two samples.

Stampin' Up! Classic Inks in Not Quite Navy, Crumb Cake and "edged" with Chocolate Chip

distress inks in Fired Brick, Tea Dye and "edged" in Vintage Photo

I used the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder.

All products made by/sold by Stampin' Up! except for the distress inks.

Faux Dry Embossing Technique

When I first did this card I didn't really think it looked like dry embossing. But, I'll be danged, the more I look at it the more it DOES look like dry embossing! I think some call this technique "ghosting" or something like that. But, the technique directions that I followed (from the April 2006 Subscribers Only Pages of the Technique Junkies newsletter) call this Faux Dry Embossing. Of course it's as simple as it looks really. You stamp your image using Whisper White Craft ink. Let it dry and then use your Stamp-a-ma-jig to stamp a bit "off" using a darker ink color. Here are the items I used to make this card.

Stamp set: Always

Cardstock/paper: Crumb Cake, Marina Mist, So Saffron, Whisper White, Botanical Gazette DSP

Ink: Marina Mist, Whisper White

Other: Stamp-a-ma-jig, Big Shot, Top Note die, Flower Daisies #2 die, Scallop Border punch, Antiques brads

All products made by/sold by Stampin' Up!