Topflight Stamps: Eclipse Card Tutorial

Greetings! You've got Kathi here today! My blog post this week was pre-empted by Topflight Stamps 9th Birthday Blog Hop so I decided to share a tutorial showing how I created my Birthday Hop eclipse card!

I hope that you've had the chance to hop, been inspired at each hop stop, and left lots of comments to improve your chance of winning a fabulous prize! However, not to worry, you have until midnight on March 31st to participate!

Here's my birthday eclipse card created with the Kate Crane 006 Cling Mounted Stamp Set, the Kate Crane Mini 004 Cling Mounted Stamp, the Kate Crane Mini 005 Cling Mounted Stamp —all by Kate Crane for PaperArtsy. PS322 Stencil by Tracy Scott for PaperArtsy with VersaFine Clair Inks by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko and the Happy Birthday Essentials Cutting Die Set by Studio Light.

Instructions:

Step 1:

Use blending tool and foam to apply Arctic VersaFine Clair Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko to a piece of Mixed Media Paper to begin your background panel. It's okay if it's a bit streaky. Heat set.

Step 2:

Use low-tack tape to secure the PS322 Stencil by Tracy Scott for PaperArtsy onto the background panel. Use a sponge dauber to apply Baby Pink VersaFine Clair Ink diagonally over the stencil onto the background panel.

Step 3:

Use another dauber to sponge Arctic VersaFine Clair Ink over the stencil onto the background panel. This time you'll be adding blue areas to either side of the pink inked "x", slightly overlapping the inks. VersaFine Clair Inks blend beautifully with one another.

Step 4:

Using yet another dauber, sponge Lilac Bloom VersaFine Clair Ink over the stencil onto the background panel, adding lilac/purple ink as shown above.

Step 5:

Use another dauber to apply Veri Peri VersaFine Clair Ink over the stencil to fill in the the remaining open areas of the background panel.

Step 6:

Remove the low-tack tape and the stencil from the background panel and heat set it. As VersaFine Clair Ink is pigment-based, the stencil should be cleaned immediately. I use a paper towel to apply Purell and then use another paper towel to dry the stencil.

Step 7:

Trim the background panel to 8.5" x 5.5". Place the Shadow Die from the Happy Birthday Essentials Cutting Die Set by Studio Light facedown on the background panel and secure with low-tack tape which should overlap to the back of the panel.

Run the die/background panel sandwich through a die-cutting machine.

When done, remove the cutting die and low-tack tape from the background panel. Set the background panel and the sentiment shadow die-cut aside.

Step 8:

Use the same die to cut another piece of white Mixed Media Paper and edge the die-cut using Arctic VersaFine Clair Ink. Heat set the ink.

Step 9:

Sponge Blue Belle VersaFine Clair Ink onto a piece of Mixed Media Paper. Heat set the ink. Place the "Happy Birthday" sentiment from the Happy Birthday Essentials Cutting Die Set facedown onto the inked and heat-set cardstock. Run the sandwich through the die-cut machine, then use the same ink to edge the letters in the sentiment. Set the sentiment die-cut aside.

Step 10:

Use Tuxedo Black Memento Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko to stamp the Queen from the Kate Crane 006 Cling Mounted Stamp Set, the bird from the Kate Crane Mini 004 Cling Mounted Stamp, and the other bird from the Kate Crane Mini 005 Cling Mounted Stamp onto Copic-friendly white cardstock. Fussy-cut all the images.

Step 11:

Use Copic markers to color the queen. Use a black pen to edge the image. Use a white gel pen to add catchlights to the pupils of her eyes and a purple glitter pen to add glitter to the gems in her crown.

Step 12:

Use Copic markers to color the birds. Use a black pen to edge the images. Use a white gel pen to add catchlights to their eyes and a purple glitter pen to add glitter to the gems in the crown.

Step 13:

Create an 8.5" x 5.5" card from white heavyweight cardstock. Adhere the background panel to the card then edge the card with Blue Belle VersaFine Clair Ink. Heat set.

Adhere the die-cut created in Step 8 into the opening in the card.