Soar!

Greetings! It's Tuesday so you've got Kathi here to share a project with you! This week's focus is on Mixed Media with an emphasis on pigment powders. I created an encouragement card with the Tracy Scott 59 (TS059) Rubber Cling Stamp Set, the Tracy Scott 53 (TS053) Rubber Cling Stamp Set, the Scrapcosy 36 (ESC36)  Rubber Cling Stamp Set, and Sleight Blue, Sunset Beach, and Violet Storms Infusions — all by PaperArtsy.

Here it is!

Cut a piece of 9" x 12" Mixed Media paper in half. Secure one half of the Mixed Media paper to the base of a stamping platform. Position the hexagons and the bee from the Tracy Scott 59 (TS059) Rubber Cling Stamp Set by PaperArtsy facedown on the Mixed Media paper. Press the platform's lid onto the back of the stamps and lift.

Gently dip a blending foam on a Premier Ink Blending Tool by Hunkydory Crafts into a jar of Distress Micro Glaze to pick up some of the glaze. Use the Premier Ink Blending Too to apply the glaze to the stamps. If you wish, you can spread the Distress Micro Glaze with a blending brush. Close the platform's lid to transfer the glaze to the Mixed Media panel. Repeat these steps to ensure good impressions for all the stamps.

Remove the image panel from the stamping platform and place it onto a craft mat.

Lightly sprinkle Sleight Blue Infusions by PaperArtsy onto the bottom part of the image panel. Lightly sprinkle Sunset Beach Infusions over and around the bee. Lightly sprinkle Violet Storms Infusions by PaperArtsy over the top part of the panel and wherever the powder seems light. Mist the image panel with a water-filled Fine Spray Mister by Spectrum Noir to activate the Infusions' pigments. You will note that the Distress Micro Glaze acted as a resist and the images' outlines remained white. 

Tilt the background panel to encourage the Infusions pigments to blend. Use a paintbrush to spread them further if so desired. Gently dip a paper towel into any puddles to remove excess water. 

When you're happy with the background, thoroughly heat set the image, trim to slightly less than 5" x 7". Use the edge of a pair of scissors to distress the edges of the image panel.

Pat an anti-static tool over the image panel then place the image panel back onto the base of a stamping platform. Position the "Soar" sentiment stamp from the Tracy Scott 53 (TS053) Rubber Cling Stamp Set by  PaperArtsy towards the top left. Position the "Free to Fly..." sentiment stamp from the Scrapcosy 36 (ESC36)  Rubber Cling Stamp Set by PaperArtsy centered under the bee (but straight -- oops!). Ink both sentiments with Dahlia Purple VersaFine Clair Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko and stamp. Add Clear Gloss Embossing Powder by WOW to the wet ink, dump the excess powder back into the container, and heat set the embossing powder.

Adhere the image panel to a white 5" x 7" card.

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

Topflight Stamps Products Used:

Tracy Scott 59 (TS059) Rubber Cling Stamp Set by Tracy Scott for PaperArtsy

Tracy Scott 53 (TS053) Rubber Cling Stamp Set by Tracy Scott for PaperArtsy

Scrapcosy 36 (ESC36)  Rubber Cling Stamp Set by Scrapcosy for PaperArtsy

Sleight Blue, Sunset Beach, and Violet Storms Infusions by PaperArtsy

Dahlia Purple VersaFine Clair Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko

Clear Gloss Embossing Powder by WOW

Fine Spray Misters by Spectrum Noir

Premier Ink Blending Tool by Hunkydory Crafts

Thank you for visiting today!

Seashell by the Seashore

Hello friends!  You've got Colleen here today - this week at Topflight Stamps our theme is  Beach / Ocean!  I used several items to create a moody ocean themed card.  On a couple of pieces of watercolor paper scraps, I sprinkled PaperArtsy Infusions Dye Sleight Blue powder then spritzed with water liberally.  Once dry, I used Studio Light Scenery Borders Waves die set to cut out some waves. I set those aside and used the PaperArtsy Sara Naumann Mini 118 seashell stamp to create a focal point on ivory cardstock, stamped with VersaFine Onyx Black Ink.  On the card base, I used a PaperArtsy Alison Bomber Summer Edition sentiment stamp and Lavinia Dye Ink Soft Cygnet, stamped repeatedly across the background.  Final touches were some enamel dots from my stash, and Hunkydory Classic Pearls.

Hope you have a wonderful week! ~ Colleen

Below are the watercolor paper scraps I created with the PaperArtsy Infusions Dye in Sleight Blue.  Aren't they beautiful as-is?

Supplies Used From Topflight Stamps:

PaperArtsy - Sara Naumann - Mini 118 stamp set

PaperArtsy - Alison Bomber - Summer Edition stamp set

PaperArtsy Infusions Dye - Sleight Blue

Studio Light - Scenery Borders Dies: Waves

Lavinia Dye Ink - Soft Cygnet

VersaFine Onyx Black Ink

Hunkydory Classic Pearls

Chou & Flowers Postcard

Hello all!  You've got Colleen here today for an Anything Goes week at Topflight Stamps!  I was inspired by the vintage vibes of a few Chou & Flowers stamp sets:  Brittany Text, Envelopes and Postmark Background.  I stamped the Envelopes, Brittany Text and Postmark Background in Versafine Clair Nocturne on patterned papers, then fussy cut them all and arranged with some ephemera in my stash.  These were layered on a piece of vintage lace trim.  The final touches:  Hunkydory Pearls!  

Hope you have a wonderful day! ~ Colleen

Supplies From Topflight Stamps:

Chou & Flowers Envelopes

Chou & Flowers Postmark Background

Chou & Flowers Brittany Text

Hunkydory Pearls

Versafine Clair Nocturne

Nesting Robins

Hello!  You've got Colleen here for an Anything Goes week at Topflight Stamps!  Considering we're in springtime, I have birds and nests on my mind.  I needed a New Home card for someone special, so I pulled out Visible Image "Christmas Robin" stamps as well as PaperArtsy Alison Bomber "House & Home" stamp set.  On a scrap of cardstock, I used Versafine Clair ink in Fallen Leaves to stamp the birds (mom and baby), then fussy-cut them out.  I had some punched leaves from my stash to snuggle around them to create a nest vibe.  I used Versafine Onyx Black ink to stamp the sentiment and add it toward the top of the card.  It's a quote from Laura Ingalls Wilder: "Home is the nicest word there is."  I also added some pearls as "eggs" in the nest.  These are from Hunkydory.  One of my fave accents!  

Hope you have a great day! ~ Colleen

Supplies From Topflight Stamps:

Visible Image Christmas Robin

PaperArtsy - Alison Bomber - House & Home Edition

Versafine Clair - Fallen Leaves

Versafine Onyx Black

Hunkydory Pearls

Birthday Bunny

Hello!  You've got Colleen Dietrich here today to continue celebrating Topflight Stamps' 9th birthday week!  To keep up the birthday fun, I've got a card featuring a cute bunny from L'encre et L'image stamp set called The Long-Eared Family.  This little guy is holding a bouquet of clover.  I love him. 😊  I started with a background of patterned paper from Kaisercraft's Provincial paper pad.  Then I stamped that bunny on a scrap of paper with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, colored him with alcohol markers and fussy-cut the image.  The Provincial paper pad has not only patterned papers but also punch-out ephemera, like the two scalloped borders, clock and sentiment.  So easy.  I added some bakery twine for the bunny to stand on, along with some floral embroidery trim from my stash.  Pearls from Hunkydory were the final touches.  Hope you have a wonderful day! ~ Colleen

Supplies Used From Topflight Stamps:

Hunkydory Precious Pearls

Kaisercraft "Provincial" paper pad

L'encre et L'image "The Long-Eared Family"

Memento Tuxedo Black ink pad

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. 

Step 14:

Adhere the colored and fussy-cut queen in the center of the card as shown above. 

Step 15:

Adhere the sentiment shadow die-cut created in Step 7 atop the queen and the white die-cut. This will raise the sentiment shadow die-cut slightly. 

Adhere the two colored and fussy-cut birds as shown above. Adhere the "Happy Birthday" sentiment die-cut to finish the card. 

As always, pop over to my blog, Kat's Tales of Stamping, for complete supply lists (Copic markers used, etc.).

Topflight Stamps Products Used:

Kate Crane 006 Cling Mounted Stamp Set by Kate Crane for PaperArtsy

Kate Crane Mini 004 Cling Mounted Stamp by Kate Crane for PaperArtsy

Kate Crane Mini 005 Cling Mounted Stamp by Kate Crane for PaperArtsy

PS322 Stencil by Tracy Scott for PaperArtsy

Happy Birthday Essentials Cutting Die Set by Studio Light

Arctic, Baby Pink, Lilac Bloom, Veri Peri, , and Blue Belle VersaFine Clair Inks by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko 

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko

Bold Stardust Clear Glittering Gelly Roll Gel Pens by Sakura

Premier Ink Blending Tool and Foam by Hunkydory Crafts

(I love these tools. The velcro that holds the foam is firmly glued to the handle, which makes it easy to add and remove the foam pads.)

Thanks for visiting today!

I'd be remiss if I didn't remind you to complete the hop and/or participate to our Insta-hop!

And don't forget the 9th Birthday Sale!