Easy Stamping for Multiple Cards Technique

I have 5 cards for you today, and the technique I use is easy and fun! All of these images were colored with Prismacolor pencils.

I have discovered that I really enjoy listening to podcasts in the evening. There are SO many out there now that are entertaining, interesting, and educational. But I don't like to just sit and listen; I prefer to also be doing something else. The perfect something else to do is something with my favorite hobby, papercrafting. I can sit for hours in the evening, coloring. I have also learned that listening to podcasts is the perfect activity when I have a boring organizational task to do; or when I am making multiples of cards and am putting all of the parts together.

When making these cards, I chose Prismacolor coloring. I started by die-cutting 5 panels from different colors of cardstock, and arranged this beautiful floral stamp from Gina K Designs across the top of one of the panels. This technique works best if you use a stamp platform. In this case, I used the MISTI.

I stamped the top of each panel using a light color of ink. I don't think it matters what color you used, but I chose Distress inks in colors that coordinated with the Prismacolor palette I would use.

I flipped the panel around 180 degrees and stamped it again, so that I had it stamped on both the top and bottom. I chose Prismacolor pencils in 5 different color palettes, plus greens for the leaves and started coloring. Oh, and be sure to LEAVE THE STAMP IN YOUR STAMP PLATFORM. Do not move your stamp. This is crucial for the last step.

Work in Progress

I kind of like how the coloring looks at this point - almost like no-line coloring, but I'm not stopping here. Once all the coloring is finished, I put each panel back into the MISTI, where the stamp is still in place, and stamped the images (top and bottom) again with Versamark ink. I then embossed each one with different embossing powders.

By the way, this one was done on Strathmore Mixed Media paper in Gray Tone. I love this cardstock, it's very heavy (146#) and I love the gray. I'll be using it quite a bit in the future.

I love, love, love how these turn out, and how easy they are to make. I enjoy coloring anyway, and listening to podcasts makes the time fly and before I know it, I've finished another one.

If colored pencil coloring is not your thing, you can make these cards with markers, watercolors, pan pastels, or your medium of choice.

To complete the cards, I either stamped and embossed a sentiment, or used a die-cut sentiment in the center. Looking at my stash of cards, I was low on Birthday and get well cards, so now I have quite a few! Each panel was mounted on a coordinating mat and then on a base card, and done!

By the way, this stamp (Magenta 07.806.K Sending You) is one of my favorite get well sentiments (I don't like to command people to get well - they are doing their best to on their own; also, not everyone who isn't well is sick - sometimes they are recovering from an injury or surgery). This stamp however is very long and only fits on a card in the horizontal position. I often split it apart as I have done here. In fact, I have now actually cut it apart to make it easier to position just the way I want.

I hope you'll try this technique. Using a stamp platform and being able to flip the card around and stamp it twice made this very easy to do. I am going to look through all of my stamps to find more that will lend themselves to this style. I'm sure I have quite a few! Even if your stamp is large, you only need to use part of it and stamp off the panel. I'll be using this same technique to make some Christmas cards that I will be showing soon.

Products used:

Card #1 Happy Birthday Blues

Gina K Designs 4365 You Make Me Smile (Floral)

Papertrey Ink Think Big Favorites 13 (Happy Birthday)

Die-Namics MFT-463 Blueprints 13 die set (stitched rectangle)

Prismacolors: PC992 Light Aqua, PC905 Aquamarine, 

PC1027 Peacock Blue, PC1004 Yellow Chartreuse, PC1005 Limepeel, 

PC911 Olive Green, PC908 Dark Green

Versamark Ink

JudiKins Silver embossing powder

Deep Blue Cardstock from The Paper Cut

Stardream Silver cardstock

Neenah Solar White 110# cardstock

Card #2 Happy Birthday Oranges on White

Gina K Designs 4365 You Make Me Smile (Floral)

Savvy 10221 Happy Birthday die

Die-Namics MFT-463 Blueprints 13 die set (stitched rectangle)

Prismacolors: PC921 Pale Vermillion, PC1002 Yellowed Orange,

PC1003 Spanish Orange, PC1004 Yellow Chartreuse, PC1005 Limepeel, 

PC911 Olive Green, PC908 Dark Green

Versamark Ink

JudiKins Gold embossing powder

Stardream Fairway cardstock

Gold Polish cardstock

Neenah Solar White cardstock 80# & 110#

Card #3 Birthday Kraft and Red

Gina K Designs 4365 You Make Me Smile (Floral)

Papertrey Ink Think Big Favorites 13 (Happy Birthday)

Die-Namics MFT-463 Blueprints 13 die set (stitched rectangle)

Prismacolors: PC928 Blush Pink, PC926 Carmine Red,

PC924 Crimson Red, PC925 Crimson Lake, PC1004 Yellow Chartreuse,

PC1005 Limepeel, PC911 Olive Green, PC908 Dark Green

Versamark Ink

JudiKins Gold embossing powder

Paper Accent Natural Kraft cardstock

Stardream Jupiter cardstock

Neenah Solar White cardstock 110#

Card #4 Speedy Recovery Blues

Gina K Designs 4365 You Make Me Smile (Floral)

Magenta 07.806.K Sending Warm Thoughts

Die-Namics MFT-463 Blueprints 13 die set (stitched rectangle)

Prismacolors: PC919 Non-Photo Blue, PC903 True Blue,

PC906 Copenhagen Blue, PC901 Indigo Blue, PC1004 Yellow Chartreuse,

PC1005 Limepeel, PC911 Olive Green, PC908 Dark Green

Versamark Ink

Distress Oxide Salty Ocean ink

JudiKins Clear Detail embossing powder

Blue Malmero Pearl carstock

Neenah Solar White 110# cardstock

Strathmore Mixed Media paper in Toned Gray

Card #5 Speedy Recovery Purples and Black
Gina K Designs 4365 You Make Me Smile (Floral)

Magenta 07.806.K Sending Warm Thoughts

Die-Namics MFT-463 Blueprints 13 die set (stitched rectangle)
Prismacolors: PC996 Black Grape, Pc1008 Parma Violet, PC956 Lilac,

PC934 Lavender, PC938 White, PC1004 Yellow Chartreuse,

PC1005 Limepeel, PC911 Olive Green, PC908 Dark Green

Versamark Ink

JudiKins Opaque White embossing powder

Papertrey Ink True Black cardstock

So Silk Passion Purple cardstock

Neenah Solar White cardstock

Distress Oxide Glaze Technique: Sending Warm Thoughts

As with my last post, for the next few posts I will show some cards that I have made using the Distress Oxide glaze technique and die cuts. I have had lots of questions about how to use these backgrounds, and one of the easiest and most fun ways to use them is with die cuts. If you have not seen my post on how to do this technique, please go here for an overview.

This card was made using the same die as my last post (you can see it here). These cards look completely different. I love versatile dies that you can use over and over like this.

I took the Distress Oxide glazed panel that I made (I think it's part of this pile I made recently) and die cut it using the MFT-463 Die-Namics Blueprints 13 set (the large rectangle in the set cuts a panel to 5.25" x 4").

I cut the white panel out of Core'dinations 80# white canvas cardstock, using the Lawn Fawn LF-768 Small Stitched Rectangles Stackables die set (the largest die in the set cuts a rectangle 5" x 3.75") The MFT rectangle and this Lawn Fawn rectangle are the most used dies that I own. They cut rectangles in sizes I use a lot, and with a nice stitched finished edge.

I used the Memory Box 99946 Cherry Flower collage die at the top center of the white panel. This cuts out the circle with the flowers in it. I stamped a Magenta sentiment 07.806.K "Sending Warm Thoughts" under the circle. I really like this sentiment because it doesn't command the person who gets the card to get well; it's also nice for people who are not sick, but are recovering from an injury

However, this stamp is very long, and normally on a card of this size can only be used horizontally. But you can break it up using a Stamp-a-ma-jig old style stamp positioner. Even though I own more stamp platforms that one person should, I still kept my old Stamp-a-ma-jig for times like this. The beauty of this style positioner is that once you stamp on the plastic, you can move it around on your paper to be sure your stamp will be where you need it to be. If you want to see a tutorial on how to break up a stamp like this, please go here (scroll down toward the bottom of the post where it says "Bonus Tutorial").

To finish the card, I adhered the white panel to the Oxide glaze panel, and the whole thing to a base card of Neenah Solar white 110# cardstock. I added yellow gems from Little Things from Lucy's Cards Jewels.

Products Used

Magenta 07.806.K Sending Warm Thoughts

Memory Box die 99946 Cheery Flower Collage

MFT-463 Die-Namics Blueprints 13 die set

Lawn Fawn LF-768 Small Stitched Rectangles Stackables die set

Stamp-a-ma-jig positioning tool

Distress Oxide inks: Wilted Violet, Salty Ocean, Wild Honey, 

Squeezed Lemonade, Picked Raspberry

Versafine Onyx Black ink

Ranger Glaze Medium

Core-dinations 80# White Canvas cardstock

Ranger Alcohol Ink cardstock

Neenah Solar White 110# cardstock

Little Things from Lucy's Cards - Jewels - Lemon mix

Technique of the Week: Create Your Own Die Cut Embellishments

This post is in conjunction with the Art 'n Soul newsletter. To visit the Art 'n Soul blog, and access archived newsletters, please click here.

This is such a simple technique, and so pretty! I used one of the new 2016 Spring collection Poppy dies (Bellina Butterfly Stem 1391); a Nuance background; and Magenta stamp Sending you warm thoughts (07.806.K).

First I prepared a Nuance background by applying Nuance powder to a dry piece of watercolor card stock. I used Orange, Golden Yellow, Bright Yellow and Red initially. I then sprayed the powdered panel liberally with pearly water (mix 1/4 tsp of Perfect Pearls Pearl powder into 2 oz water). After spraying, I tapped some Jade Green Nuance into the mix, and let dry.

I die cut the focal point out of white fun foam. It cut pretty easily, even though it is a fairly detailed image.

I sprayed the front of the die cut with spray adhesive, and put it into a tub of glitter. I got the idea for this from Laura Bassen, and I love the glittery, sugar-frosted look of it. I then sprayed adhesive on the back of the die cut and adhered it to the Nuance panel.

For the sentiment, I used a favorite Magenta stamp, "Sending you warm thoughts for a speedy recovery." I have a friend who is recovering from knee surgery, and I love this stamp because recovering from surgery does not mean you are sick, and this sentiment is not a command to "get well." 

I had to split the stamp using a stamp positioner to make it fit. If you have not already seen the tutorial post on my blog for this, and you are not familiar with using a stamp positioner, you can view the post here. Scroll down to the end of that post for the tutorial.

I stamped the sentiment with Versamark ink, and embossed it with Judikins White Diamond embossing powder. I sprinkled a few sequins around and adhered them with Ranger Multi Medium Matte. The panel was mounted on a white card base. 

This technique was so easy and fun to do! I hope you'll give it a try.

Magenta Products Used

07.806.K Sending you warm thoughts

MNU002 Bright Yellow

MNU004 Jade

MNU006 Orange

MNU008 Golden Yellow

MNU015 Red

Other Products Used

Poppy Die 1391 Bellina Butterfly Stem

Fun Foam

White Glitter

Versamark Ink

Judikins White Diamond Embossing Powder

Various Sequins

Tim Holtz Watercolor card stock

Ranger Multi medium matte adhesive