Faux Metal

I made the three "medallions" across the center of this card using the Faux Metal technique. Again, this is another technique that is SO simple but looks just stunning! First, you ink your stamp with VersaMark but then just set it aside. I think the VersaMark must help keep the melted embossing powder from sticking to your stamp. Then, you cover your cardstock with VersaMark. Either use a brayer or you can just use the "direct to paper" method. Then, cover your cardstock with embossing powder and melt it. While it's still hot add more embossing powder on top of what you just melted. Heat it again until that embossing powder melts. Keep adding embossing powder while it's still hot and melting for at least 4 more times. You want a nice thick layer of melted embossing powder on your cardstock. After you have a thick enough layer while the melted embossing powder is still hot press your stamp down into the melted embossing powder. Hold your stamp there for just a second to be sure you get a nice image. Then, let the embossing powder cool and cut out your image and use as desired. EASY but a really cool effect! Here are the items I used to make this card.

Stamp set: Cute By The Inch

Cardstock/paper: Note Quite Navy, Baja Breeze, Springtime Vintage DSP

Ink: VersaMark

Other: heat tool, silver embossing powder, Whisper White Organza ribbon, Vintage Flowers Adornments, Scallop Square punch, glue dots, Stampin' Dimensionals

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Frost Background technique

The technique used on the background on this card is called Frost Background. It's really simple to do. All you need is some wax paper, some dye inks, a brayer and some glossy cardstock. I just LOVE anything "faux" and anything using simple items around the house for something other than what they are intended to be used for! So, all you do is take a piece of wax paper and crumple it up really good. Then, flatten out the wax paper and use your brayer to cover it with ink. Then, flip the wax paper over onto your glossy cardstock and use the brayer again to roll the inked side of your wax paper onto your glossy cardstock. Then, remove the wax paper from the cardstock and let it dry! Easy, peasy! Here are the items I used to make this card.

Stamp set: All Holidays

Cardstock: Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White, Glossy White

Ink: Tempting Turquoise

Other: wax paper, brayer, silver brads, Stampin' Dimensionals, Ticket Corner punch

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Herringbone technique

I'm not usually very good at piecing paper together like this but I really like how this turned out. No matter how hard I try I usually end up with small gaps between some of the pieces of paper! This technique is a GREAT way to use up scrap pieces of cardstock and DSP! You start with a scrap piece of cardstock of whatever color and cover it with adhesive. I used my Xyron but you could also use double sided tape. Just be sure to cover the entire piece of cardstock. Then, start with the one strip that goes diagonal (for this card it is the long piece of Old Olive that goes from the upper left to the lower right). Then I placed the two smaller pieces of Old Olive, one going from the center to the upper right and the other going from the center to the lower left. Then, go to which ever section you want and lay the pieces out. After you finish that section go on to the next one. I know I so suck at giving directions on stuff like this so if you want more detailed instructions just email me. I think most of you will probably be able to figure it out though. But, if you are in the least like me and want some more details just write me! I got this technique from the Technique Junkies Newsletter. Here are the items I used to make this card.

Stamp set: Perfect Punches

Cardstock/paper: Melon Mambo, Old Olive, Ice Cream Parlor DSP

Ink: Melon Mambo

Other: doubled sided tape, XL Decorative Label punch, Wide Oval punch, Ice Cream Parlor ribbon, Ice Cream Parlor Flower button, Stampin' Dimensionals

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Kissing technique

I used the Kissing technique on the petals of the flower. Basically you ink up your stamp (a solid stamp) and then you ink up a second stamp with a coordinating color and stamp your first stamp onto the second stamp then stamp onto your cardstock. So, for this card I used one of the petals from the Build A Blossom set and inked it with Daffodil Delight. I inked up the Sanded Background stamp with Peach Parfait. Then, I pressed my petal stamp onto the Sanded Background stamp. That transferred the Peach Parfait ink on the Sanded Background stamp onto the petal. It's hard to see in the picture above but it gave my petals a really nice textured look. Here are the products I used to make this card.

Stamp sets: Teeny Tiny Wishes, Build A Blossom, Sanded Background

Cardstock/paper: Whisper White, Old Olive, Peach Parfait, Chocolate Chip, Ice Cream Parlor DSP

Ink: Old Olive, Peach Parfait, Daffodil Delight

Other: sticker sheet from the Ice Cream Parlor DSP pack, 1" Circle punch, XL Blossom Petals punch, Word Window punch, Modern Label punch, Square Lattice Embossing folder, Stampin' Dimensionals, Sweet Stitches Designer buttons, Chocolate Chip 1/8" Taffeta ribbon

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Stained Glass technique

You really can't tell much from this picture unfortunately. But, the image of the cakes is what I did this technique on. Basically, you stamp your image on vellum using VersaMark or a pigment ink. Then, use embossing powder and heat emboss it. Then, you color in your image on the back side using markers. The "front side" will be the side with the raised embossed image on it. By coloring on the back side it sort of mutes the colors. Here is a list of the products I used to make this card.

Stamp set: Birthday Bakery

Cardstock/paper: Daffodil Delight, Pacific Point, Whisper White, vellum, Ice Cream Parlor DSP (from the SAB catalog)

Ink: VersaMark, Pacific Point

Other: black embossing powder, heat tool, silver eyelets, Stampin' Dimensionals, glue dots, asst. Stampin' Write markers, Ice Cream Parlor ribbon (from the SAB catalog), Ice Cream Parlor buttons (from the SAB catalog)

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Emboss Resist technique

Emboss Resist is a "old" favorite for many of us. I just love heat embossing anyway! There is just something about watching that embossing powder melt! (grin) Anyway, emboss resist is really easy! You take your light colored cardstock, stamp on your image using VersaMark, add clear embossing powder, heat it (my favorite part!). Then, there are any number of ways you can add color...brayer, sponges, direct...you get the idea! I used sponges on this card. Then, after you add your ink take a paper towel or tissue and rub over the embossed part to remove any ink from the top of the melted clear embossing powder. That's it! Told you it was easy! Now, here are the products I used to make this card.

Stamp sets: Sincere Salutations, Elements of Style

Cardstock/paper: Rose Red, Very Vanilla, Pear Pizzazz, Springtime Vintage DSP

Ink: Pear Pizzazz, Crumb Cake, Baja Breeze, Rose Red, VersaMark

Other: Big Shot, Lots of Tags Label 3 Sizzlet, sponges, Pear Pizzazz Seam Binding, Stampin' Dimensionals, glue dots, stick on pearls, XL Decorative Label punch, clear embossing powder, heat tool

All products made by/sold by Stampin' Up! except for the stick on pearls.

Bleached Out Images technique

I just love using regular, every day household items in my cardmaking! It's like finding a new and fun use for something that typically not so fun to use. I mean really...just how many of us ENJOY doing laundry!?!?! But, now I can go into my laundry room and get some bleach and do something fun with it! (grin) Anyway, this technique is really pretty simple. You stamp your image using VersaMark. Then, I used clear embossing powder so that the dark red of the Cherry Cobbler cardstock would show through the embossing powder. The only "trick" to this technique is getting the bleach on evenly. You can see that I didn't do such a good job of that on my card! I used multiple "layers" of bleach letting the bleach dry between each application in an effort to get the bleaching even. I assume you could just keep going until your cardstock was bleached to your liking. Then, you let it air dry or use your heat tool to dry the bleach. I then cut out the rose and finished my card! Quite easy really! Here is a list of the products I used to make this card.

Stamp sets: Fifth Avenue Floral, Silhouette Sentiments

Cardstock/paper: Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, Botanical Gazette DSP

Ink: VersaMark, Cherry Cobbler

Other: bleach, water color brush, stick-on gems, Stampin' Dimensionals, clear embossing powder, heat tool, 3/4" X 15/16" Oval punch, Scallop Oval punch, Scallop Trim Border punch, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch, Ticket Corner punch, sponge

All products (except stick-on gems, bleach & water color brush) made by/sold by Stampin' Up!