simonsaysstamp – Page 34 – SkyPaperScissors

I Am So Very Sorry

March 25, 2018July 16, 2020 SkyPaperScissors

I am in love with this Emma background stamp from Simon Says Stamp! It’s beautifully intricate but the way the pattern loosens at the edges is what I think sets this stamp apart from similar backgrounds.

I stamped the background onto Neenah Solar White 80# cardstock using VersaMark ink. I then poured Hero Arts white embossing powder over it, tapped off the excess, and hit it with a heat gun.

In contrast to the bright colors I used two days ago, I wanted to use some pretty blues and purples. I blended three colors of Distress Oxide inks (Seedless Preserves, Wilted Violet, and Faded Jeans), radiating out from the center of the pattern. I love that Distress Oxides allow you to quickly apply a rich layer of color. And, they’re so easy to blend!

With the background complete, I moved on to this beautiful sentiment from Neat & Tangled’s No Words stamp set. I trimmed a piece of vellum to be just wider than the card front and then stamped the sentiment in Versafine Black Onyx ink. Since ink won’t dry on vellum, I poured Hero Arts clear embossing powder over the ink and then heat embossed it. This seals in the ink and gives a bit of a dimension. Another option would have been to use VersaMark ink and black embossing powder, but I find the combination of black ink and clear powder to give more subtle and less shiny dimension. Since this is a condolence or apology card, I didn’t want too much shine.

I finished by laying the vellum strip over the card front and folding the ends of the strip over the back where I adhered them with a bit of tape runner adhesive. Then I glued the entire card front to an A2-sized card base.

The next time I use this background for heat embossing, I’ll be sure to use my anti-static pouch to prevent embossing powder from sticking to where it shouldn’t. But in my mind, handmade beats perfection.

Thank You Cards

Bright and Sunny Thanks

March 23, 2018March 28, 2018 SkyPaperScissors

It’s been unusually cool and rainy in Oakland for this time of year and so I felt like making my own sunshine. I started by laying the Emma Background Stamp from Simon Says Stamp on my work surface, etched side facing up. I inked it up with VersaMark ink, and then laid a piece of Neenah Solar White 80# cardstock over the top, offsetting it just a bit to get the composition I wanted. Then I laid a sheet of scrap typing paper over that to keep my hands clean while I rubbed over the top to make sure I got a nice stamped image. With that done, I sprinkled Hero Arts white embossing powder over the image and heat set it.

Then it was time for the fun part. I used three colors of Distress Oxide ink: Fossilized Amber, Wild Honey, and Spiced Marmalade. Starting in the middle of the embossed image with Fossilized Amber, I blended outwards into the darker colors. I went heavy with the ink for vibrant color. At this point I realized that I really do “need” the new Squeezed Lemonade color because the Fossilized Amber and Wild Honey didn’t give me the quite contrast I was hoping for. I did take a water brush to the very center of the image to pick up a bit of the Fossilized Amber hoping to lighten that area a bit, but I don’t think the result is noticeable.

With the inking done, I moved on to the sentiment using the Large Thanks die set from Honey Bee Stamps. I tried several different colors (yellow, orange, and white) for the shadow layer and settled on using a light gray cardstock which I felt gave enough contrast to make the sentiment readable against the white embossed pattern, and didn’t distract from the rest of the card. I like to use Recollections cardstock from Michael’s because you can easily collect a rainbow of colors without breaking the bank.

I glued the sentiment pieces together, and then to the card front, with Ranger Multi Medium Matte glue. Then I glued the entire thing to a card base to finish this A2-sized card.

Just Because Cards

It’s Crafting Time!

March 22, 2018June 23, 2018 SkyPaperScissors

What’s not to love about Kristina Werner’s hand lettering? The combination of her beautiful writing and this sentiment immediately landed this stamp in my Simon Says Stamp cart.

I started with Canson XL watercolor paper which I cut down with a stitched rectangle die from My Favorite Things to a size just smaller than an A2-size card.

Then, using VersaMark ink and Hero Arts white embossing powder, I heat embossed the sentiment to the center of the panel.

With clean clear water, I wet the paper over and around the sentiment and then dropped in Wisteria Violet and Deep Blue watercolors from Peerless Watercolors. These watercolors blend beautifully. I had hoped for soft edges, but I did end up with some hard lines where I let the color pool a bit too much. I’m still learning!

Once the panel was dry, I adhered it to an A2-sized piece of craft cardstock and then glued the entire thing to a top-folding card base to finish.

Happy crafting!

Encouragement Cards

One Day at a Time

March 21, 2018March 28, 2018 SkyPaperScissors

I bought the You Got This stamp set from Simon Says Stamp for this single sentiment. Though the set has a lot of other great sentiments that I know I’ll use, this one really spoke to me. When I’m suffering or inching towards a goal and feeling like I’m not making progress, a reminder like this helps keep me going.

Because the words themselves are so powerful to me, I wanted this card to be very simple. I started by cutting a scrap piece of Neenah Solar White 80# cardstock with the Paper Smooches Linked Hearts die. Then I did the same, three more times, using some inexpensive 110# white cardstock from Michael’s.

I pieced the Neenah die cut back into the positive cut and backed it all with some Post-It Tape to temporarily hold it together while I ink blended. I used three colors of Distress Oxide Inks (Candied Apple, Picked Raspberry, and Worn Lipstick) blending left to right.

Once that was done, I used the borders of the other three die cuts and adhered them to the inked border so that the heart borders would have some dimension. I adhered that to my card front, then pieced in inked hearts in a single layer.

I stamped the sentiment in Versafine Onyx Black ink and trimmed the card front to a size just smaller than an A2-sized card. To finish, I added foam tape to the back of the card front and adhered it to a white A2-sized card base, for a white-on-white finish.

Keep on keeping on. You can do it!