Bubble Wrap & Bookmarks: A Playful Gel Press Tag Tutorial

 

Hello friends!

Ericka from Strangely Creative here, and today I’m sharing a vibrant and textured mixed media tag I had a blast creating! If you're looking for a fun way to use your gel press and experiment with custom tape, this little project might spark some inspiration.

To start, I pulled out my Studio Light Calm Acrylic Paints in Peony and Azure—two dreamy colors that blend beautifully. Using my gel press, I pulled a soft, layered print onto a blank tag.

 

For extra texture and interest, I grabbed some bubble wrap (yes, the kind you can’t resist popping!) and used it to press more of the same paint onto masking tape. The result? A playful and patterned tape I can’t wait to use again in future projects. Making your own tape is so addictive!

Next, I stamped my tag using the PaperArtsy Tracy Scott 98 set. I layered in Versafine Clair inks in Twilight and Lavinia Russet Orange, then quickly clear heat-embossed the images to help them stand out against the colorful, layered background.

 

To finish it off, I added a simple sentiment from my label maker and voilà—a unique mixed media bookmark ready for my next read.

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you feel inspired to play with your gel press and make something that’s uniquely you. Wishing you a joyful and creative weekend!

PaperArtsy - Tracy Scott 98 Shop at: TP	WOW! Embossing - Clear Shop at: WOW US | TP	Lavinia - Elements Dye Ink - Russet Orange Shop at: TP	Tsukineko - Versafine Clair - Twilight Shop at: TP	Studio Light - Acrylic Paint Set - Calm Shop at: TP
Ranger - Tim Holtz Distress Mixed Media Tag Shop at: SC | Misc	Gel Press - Reusable Gel Printing Plate Shop at: AZ | TP | Misc	Hero Arts - Wagner - HT400 Precision Heat Tool Shop at: AZ	Speedball - 2" Brayer Shop at: TP

The Holly & The Ivy

Hello!  This week at Topflight Stamps, we are focusing on Anything Goes!  I have a Christmas card to share, to add to my stash.  Using Crealies Stitched Rectangle dies, I created a frame for the PaperArtsy - Alison Bomber - Mini 96 stamp.  As I stamped the Mini 96 with VersaFine Onyx Black ink, I had the old Christmas carol "The Holly and The Ivy" playing in my head (Bing Crosby in particular).  So lovely! 

After mounting the song lyrics on the red frame, I stamped some holly leaves and berries from Visible Image Christmas Robin on a scrap of white cardstock. I colored them and fussy cut them, and added to one corner of the lyrics, along with some die cut greenery from my stash.

Thanks so much for checking out our daily dose of inspiration!  

Have a great day! ~ Colleen

Supplies Used From Topflight Stamps Store:

PaperArtsy - Alison Bomber - Mini 96

Visible Image - Christmas Robin

Crealies Stitched Rectangle Dies

VersaFine Onyx Black Ink

"Thinking of You" with Lavinia Stamps

Hello, Lisa Hoel here. This week at Topflight Stamps our theme is Anything Goes ! I made a card using Lavinia Stamps (perfect for scene building!) The "thinking of you" sentiment stamp is from Visible Image's Go To Words Set.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out the Topflight Stamps store for a wide selection of different and hard to find stamps, stencils and other paper crafting supplies from all around the world! Also keep an eye here on the Topflight Stamps blog. There is new inspiration posted daily!

Topflight Stamps Supplies Used:

Lavinia Stamp - Josie

Lavinia Stamp - Woodland Fern

Lavinia Stamp - Vine Set

Lavinia Stamp - Silhouette Foliage Set

Visible Image Stamp Set - Go To Words

Clair ink pad - Nocturne

Lavinia Elements ink pads - Lime Punch, Sahara

Happy Meowoween

Hi there! It's Kathi back with a second project to share with you this week. Did you know that Half-O-Ween was last weekend and that I missed it? Therefore, here's a Halloween card created with the Zinski Art 47 Rubber Cling Stamp Set by Elena Zinski for PaperArtsy, the Roadway Vistas Die Set 78 by AALL and Create, and a sentiment frankensteined from the Rise Up Borders Clear Stamp Set 490, Caturday Clear Stamp Set 477, and the Pumpkin Party Clear Stamp Set 1055 — all by AALL and Create.

Here it is!

I used Tuxedo Black Memento Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko to stamp the fat cat from the Zinski Art 47 Rubber Cling Stamp Set by Elena Zinski for PaperArtsy onto white cardstock. I fussy-cut him and colored her with Copic markers. Several layers of Clear Glaze pen were added to the frames and lenses of his reading glasses. A Witch Hat cutting die was used to cut white cardstock, which was also colored with Copic markers. Note: The hat and book are actually a deep purple irl, but photographed indigo-y. When the Glaze on the witch's glasses was dry, the witch hat was adhered as shown. If you look closely, you can see her ears peeking through her hat.

I chose a piece of patterned paper from the Ink Drops - Midnight 6x6 Patterned Paper Pad by Craft Consortium, then used a Copic marker to alter the color the veining to match the cat's glasses. The patterned paper was then cut with one of the dies from the Roadway Vistas Die Set 78 by AALL and Create and edged with a black marker.

Orange cardstock was cut with the larger die from the Roadway Vistas Die Set 78 by AALL and Create and used to mat the patterned paper die-cut.

The sentiment combines the word "Halloween" from the Pumpkin Party Clear Stamp Set 1055 by Autour de Mwa for AALL and Create, the word "Meow" from the Caturday Clear Stamp Set 477 by Janet Klein for AALL and Create, and the word "Happy" from the Rise Up Borders Clear Stamp Set 490 by Janet Klein for AALL and Create. Repositionable Scotch Tape was used to cover the unwanted words on each sentiment stamp, the stamp was inked with Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko, the tape was removed, and the word was stamped onto orange cardstock. 

When the sentiment was complete it was cut with a ribbon slide die. One of the borders included in the Frayed Frames Die Set 26 by AALL and Create was used to cut black cardstock. The border die-cut was adhered to a strip of orange cardstock, threaded through the ribbon slide sentiment die-cut, and adhered to the large orange from the Roadway Vistas die-cut. The witch cat was adhered atop the ribbon slide sentiment die-cut. 

Please pop over to my blog, Kat's Tales of Stamping, for step-by-step instructions and complete supply lists. 

Topflight Stamps Products Used:

Zinski Art 47 Rubber Cling Stamp Set by Elena Zinski for PaperArtsy

Roadway Vistas Die Set 78 by AALL and Create

Frayed Frames Die Set 26 by AALL and Create

Rise Up Borders Clear Stamp Set 490 by Janet Klein for AALL and Create

Caturday Clear Stamp Set 477 by Janet Klein for AALL and Create

Pumpkin Party Clear Stamp Set 1055 by Autour de Mwa for AALL and Create

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko

Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko

Ink Drops - Midnight 6x6 Patterned Paper Pad by Craft Consortium

Thanks for visiting today!

Yippeee! Tequila!

 Greetings!  You've got Kathi here today to share a project with you. It's an "Anything Goes" theme this week and since today is Cinco de Mayo, I immediately thought of margaritas and decided to make a shaker card created with two of the ladies from the Tea Time Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set by Katzelkraft, the word "Tequila!" from the Relax Sentiments Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set by Katzelkraft, and the word "yippeee" from the Whatcha Saying? Clear Stamp Set by Heffy Doodle.

Here it is!

Use Tuxedo Black Memento Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko to stamp two of the ladies from the Tea Time Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set by Katzelkraft twice — once onto white cardstock and once onto repositionable sticker paper.

Color the ladies with Copic markers and outline them with a CO Copic marker. Fussy-cut the sticker paper versions of the ladies and place them over their counterparts on the image panel. 

Place a piece of low-tack tape horizontally along the bottom of the image panel. Use a cloud stencil and  Della Blue Elements Ink by Lavinia Stamps to create a cloudy sky.

Move the low-tack tape so that it's on the horizon line and covering the masked ladies' legs. Sponge grey dye inks over the tape onto the image panel to create a ground area.

Cut the image panel to 6" x 4.25". Edge with Della Blue Elements Ink and grey dye ink.

Use a martini glass cutting die to cut a martini-glass shaped aperture in the center of the image panel for the shaker element and to cut another piece of white cardstock. Use the martini contents die to cut the aperture in the white cardstock die-cut. Use Copic markers to color the martini glass die-cut. 

Back a piece of vellum with double-sided tape. Use black StazOn ink to stamp the word "YIPPEEE" from the Whatcha Saying? Clear Stamp Set by Heffy Doodle onto the vellum. Use a speech bubble die to cut the sentiment.

Place the "Tequila" sentiment from the Relax Sentiments Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set by Katzelkraft onto the lid of a stamping platform. Use tape or a Post-It Note to cover all the words except "Tequila". Ink the stamp with black StazOn Ink, remove the tape or Post-It Note, and stamp the sentiment onto the vellum. Use another speech bubble die to cut the sentiment.

Flip the image panel and create the shaker element. When done, adhere the image panel onto a grey A6 card. Adhere the vellum sentiment speech bubbles to complete the card. 

Please pop over to my blog, Kat's Tales of Stamping, for verbose step-by-step instructions and complete supply lists. 

Topflight Stamps Products Used:

Tea Time Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set by Katzelkraft

Relax Sentiments Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set by Katzelkraft

Whatcha Saying? Clear Stamp Set by Heffy Doodle

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko

Della Blue Elements Ink by Lavinia Stamps

Thanks for visiting today!

Transforming Gel Prints into a Bold Bloom Journal Page

 

Hello friends!
Ericka from Strangely Creative here, and today I’m sharing a mixed media journal page that’s all about second chances and creative surprises.

I’ll admit it—I didn’t love the gel press prints I made with alcohol ink a while back. But instead of tossing them, I saved them… and I’m so glad I did! Those “meh” prints ended up being just right for the layered, vibrant page I created today.

Step-by-Step Process:

1. Background Bloom:
I began with a cool blue background and used the PaperArtsy Tracy Scott PS463 stencil to trace a big bloom using an acrylic pen. Once outlined, I added black shading and detailed it with yellow and white highlights. Then I cut it out to layer later.

 

2. Creating the Base:
On my orange background, I stamped the Seth Apter Mini 65 sentiment using Versafine Twilight ink. I added background texture using the script stamp from Seth Apter 44 (PaperArtsy) in white ink, then clear heat embossed both stamps for texture and subtle shine.

 

3. Finishing Touches:
I shaded the edges with Russet Orange, glued down the bloom, and added a few strips of AALL & Create Washi Tape #39 for extra interest and movement.

Creative Takeaway:

This page reminded me that art doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful. Those forgotten or “not-quite-right” prints? They can become the stars of your next piece when given a second look.

So dig into your stash, embrace the unexpected, and keep creating! 🎨

---

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you have a beautifully creative weekend!
— Ericka 🌸

 

Topflight Stamp Supplies

PaperArtsy - Tracy Scott PS463 Shop at: TP	PaperArtsy - Seth Apter 44 Shop at: TP	PaperArtsy - Seth Apter Mini 65 Shop at: TP	AALL & Create - Washi Tape #39 Scriptual Shop at: TP	WOW! Embossing - Clear Shop at:  TP
WOW! Embossing - Clear Embossing Pad Shop at:  TP	Gel Press - Reusable Gel Printing Plate Shop at:  TP	Lavinia - Elements Dye Ink - Russet Orange Shop at: TP	Tsukineko - Versafine Clair - Twilight Shop at: TP

Vintage Radish Seed Packet

Hello!  This week at Topflight Stamps it's Anything Goes and I have got RADISHES for you!!  This vintage vegetable set by PaperArtsy Scrapcosy 02 has beautiful illustrations of cabbage, radishes, pumpkin and red onion.  There are two labels as well, which I used on my card.  I use VersaFine Onyx Black Ink to stamp with because it is a deep black and gives great coverage, keeping the small details crisp.  I stamped the radish on a piece of patterned paper from Creative Expressions Nature's Compendium, since it has an aged look already.  On a separate piece of the same patterned paper, I stamped the two labels from the set, fussy-cut those, and added gold marker around the edges.  Underneath the round label, I added a piece of netting and then an actual vintage button on top.

Thanks for joining me today!  Hope your day is beautiful. ~ Colleen

Supplies Used From Topflight Stamps Store:

PaperArtsy Scrapcosy 02

VersaFine Onyx Black Ink

Creative Expressions Nature's Compendium