Punchable Tags - Tutorial

Stamp the empty tag - bottom left corner of the packaging. I used Bamboo Leaves Memento ink.

Inside stamp the journalling lines in another colour - London Fog.

I then proceeded to stamp the stalks using Bamboo leaves. With this stamp set you have the option to stamp these flower all at once or using the stalks and flowers separately.

Then I stamped the flowers using Lilac Posies Memento ink.

If you are stamping the three flowers using the ink, you can lay the stamps onto the image. Make sure that they are clean first.

Then press the acrylic bloc over it and press down. That way both of the stamps will be in the right spot.

However I changed my mind and re stamped the flowers using the darker pink ink.

Then I punch it out using EkSuccess Large Tag punch.

I incorporated the message - from Punchable Labels - using Versafine black ink.

Here side by side you can see the tag that has already the journaling incorporated and one of the empty ones with the journaling stamped on with a different ink. Depending what look I am after I will choose one option or the other.

And here you can see them here finished. I stamped the circle, flowers and the To From.

And this is the finished card. I used Antique paper Distress inks to age a bit the tags and colour match them with the off white of the white wash Coredinations card.

Thank you Friend

This card is made using the three new sets. The main one is the Punchable Tags which I used for the two tags and the flowers. Both messages are from the Punchable Labels and the Journaling Spot for the background of the message.
As punches go, I used the EkSuccess Large Tag punch and the 1" circle punch for the message.

Thinking of You

This is a card as simple as it gets, but I think we all have been in that situation where we need a quick an easy card. I first stamped the larger Journaling Spot on a blank ATC using Smokey Grey Versafine ink. Then I stamped the flowers from the Punchable Tags using Spanish Moss (Versafine).
For the message I used one of the labels from Punchable Labels, and used Wow Bright white embossing powder over it - if you are looking for quality embossing powder perfect white this is it. Then I punched the label and used Shabby Shutters distress ink all over the label and the journaling ATC. I stamped the message last although you could do that before punching which may be easier for some.

Photo Labels Tutorial

I started the card by stamping the label with the flowers on using Black Versafine on ultra smooth card.

Then I took the small flower that fits right inside the larger central one on the label. I used Versafine Spanish Moss.

Then I stamped the message and punched the label out using the EkSuccess Photo Labels punch.

On a separate piece of card I stamped a flower from the Filled With Flowers set.

As it is a two step flower set, I then took the second flower and stamped it using the same Spanish Moss.

I use the little dots in a circle from the Punchable labels set to add more detail.

I wish now that I stopped there, but I didn't and I stamped the black circles inside the dotty ones.

Then I layered all and realized it needed something else.

So I stamped the black edged label.

When you punch it out you may have white edges around.

To solve that problem I run my black ink around the edges.

So the problem is solved.

And here you have the finished card.

Good Luck

This one of the first cards I did yesterday using my new sets of stamps. In this case, I used the Punchable labels - good luck message, Labels and numbers - Journaling spots - the grey graph pattern and the circle journaling spot - and Filled with Flowers - the Hugs and Kisses message.
I made the glimmer mist background quite a while ago, maybe even a year ago. Thing is sometimes I just like to have a play with the latest products that inspire me, having a play with them allows me to enjoy the crafty stuff without the added pressure of creating a card. I usually keep all the bits and pieces with potential in a box, ready to be used when I need to make a card with a striking background.


The punches that I have used here are:

1.  Photo Labels from EK Success - available from Personal Impressions stockists among them Crafts U Love and The Glitter Pot.
2. 1" circle punch - any will do, does not matter manufacturers although I prefer EkSuccess ones as they seem to be extremely durable and strong. Woodware has it too and it is quite good value for money.
3. 1 1/8" circle punch - the lime green circle on the card. It is one of the ones I used to layer under the 1". It is from EkSuccess and it is hard to find at the moment but hopefully soon will be readily available.

Ink pads:

1. Versafine Black ink. If you do not have one, do yourself a favor and buy one pad, you wont find a sharper, more solid and precise black ink pad, specially for clear stamps. Besides, the little 1" cubes are just under £1.50.
2. Versafine Smokey Grey and Versafine Spanish Moss.
3. Memento New Sprout. I find that Memento inks are the dye based pads that work the best with clear stamps.
   
   To clarify the ink pads statement: Versafine Black is the best overall black ink pad that I have found for any type of stamps and it is a pigment fast drying oil based ink. Other colours are also as great inks however the colour range is a bit limited so I tend to use often only a handful of the other colours - Spanish Moss and Deep Lagoon mostly. 
   Memento ink pads are the best dye based inks for clear stamps and besides they have a lovely range of colours which Versafine lacks - light blues, greens, pinks and purples. Dye based inks by nature are not opaque and offer less crisp results than pigment based ones.
   So, the best ink pad for clear stamps is Versafine, and Memento is great too but not as fantastic. Clear now?

Tutorials on the new stamp sets coming up soon, hopefully early next week.

Super excited!

Look what I just received in the mail. It is my latest release of stamps, yes only three due due simply to the fact that i was rather busy with different sort of stuff when I had to design them. But do not worry, I have lately been working on a few more sets! 


They will soon - over the next couple of days - arrive to craft shops around the country.


Off to play with Journaling Spots, Punchable Labels and Punchable Tags. 

Products I am loving right now

Honestly, I did not expect to love them so much. But I do. they are part of my essential tools now, so easy, quick to add colour to chipboard, card... You can find them here.

The Sizzix Tim Holtz tag die. Fabulous!

Movers and shapers. They are a great addition to the Bigz family. Butterflies and Hearts alike. Hopefully i will take some photos of the tags i did recently to share here.

In other news, we are having our bathroom renovated. I am a bit stressed out and so is Wasabi, but it seems that he seeks comfort by sitting and sleeping on my lap. I can't complain then.

PaperMood

Today I would like to share with you PaperMood. My good friend Fabrizio runs it and I think is a brilliant idea as is the perfect place for looking out for cards and forthcoming new products from different communities.
Plus, it's a perfect site for crafters on the go as it's designed for mobile devices. 

Colours

This is the non Christmas version that I did of this seasonal card that you can find here. Obviously the original one was mounted on to red card and it was large. But the important thing I like to share is to be able to look back at Christmas cards and get inspiration from them. With a little change of colors, you have a bright spring card. All the stamps are from the Filled with Flowers set.


Also, for those who like walks in the country side I would like to recommend my friend Deborah tours at Great Oaks Walks. They organize walking tours around Kent. I am not really into walking around nature (unfortunately, I prefer cities) so I haven't tried them myself, but knowing Deborah and her husband, I know all the walks will be great.

Japan

I am, like I imagine all of you, extremely sad about what has and is happening in Japan. Pretty much all hope that the nuclear situation would be solved seems to have disappeared. So, to the destruction of nature, it is now added a man made destruction. However, if I learnt something from Japan when i went there -in 2004 is that they love beauty and are committed to continuing life even among the hardest of hardships. With all my love and prayers.