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Technique Tuesday; Versatile Versamarker

 

Each month I choose a Stampin' Up! product as my Feature Product. For the month of November I am featuring embossing techniques! All embossing supplies,including Craft Ink and refills, embossing powder, Versamark and the Heat tool are on special this month when purchased through me. My Technique Tuesday's during November will feature different ideas and techniques for using embossing. As well, throughout the month of November, you can expect to see projects on my blog featuring embossing, and I will be demonstrating embossing during all my November workshops.

Here is the special for November:

• 10% off all embossing supplies including Craft Ink & refills, embossing powders, Versamark and the Heat Tool 
• My November hostesses will receive 20% Off!

If you wish to place an order, or book a workshop you may contact me via email. I accept all major credit cards. Canadian orders only please. Sorry, them's the rules!

Technique Tuesday: Versatile Versamarker

What I am sharing today, is so simple that it hardly needs a tutorial to explain it...although I did one anyway!  What I am hoping to do is remind you of a little tool you probably have sitting in your stamp room anyway.  There is so much you can do with it...and I am often asked "what else" at workshops.  So today I'm showing two quick and simple ways you can use your Versarmarker.  I'm sure once you see this, you'll have a million other ideas running through your head.

  You need:

Versamarker

Embossing Buddy

Embossing powder

Stamp set 

Frame, ruler or other guide that you work well with.  I created my frame with a Spellbinder's Nestability, but a ruler works well for some.  (not me...I always over shoot!)

Repositionable adhesive

  First run your embossing buddy over your card to help avoid stray powders sticking around.

Next, attach your frame to your card with repositionable adhesive.  I use dotto, and you want one that doesn't leave a residue behind, or you may find your embossing powder sticking to the residue.  With Dotto, I just rub off the dots and we're good to go.

  Sorry for the poor shot here.  I thought I had it lined up pretty well until I went in to edit it. 

Now you will draw your frame using your Versamarker.

  Add embossing powder and emboss.

  Here's the embossed frame!  Beautiful huh? 

I will let you in on a little secret.  You have to be fairly quick since the versamarker tends to soak into the paper and dries faster. 

***When I finished embossing, I thought my frame seemed a little "sparse" in some areas...where either the Versamarker had dried too fast or perhaps where my pressure wasn't so even.  So I placed the frame back on the card, and ran my Versamarker over the embossed line and embossed again.  Perfecto!

Ready to see what I did with it?

I picked out the set "Wishing You Cheer" by Stampin' Up!, since they all fit inside my frame.  I stamped the three images side by side and coloured them in with markers.  I masked off the frame and sponged a little Baja Breeze to help define it more.

I also decided to emboss the little "ornaments" on the tree, and the three "holly berries" on the snowman's hat.  I ran my embossing buddy over the image, which helps to make sure that any dye ink is dry, then I used the Versamarker to "colour" in those areas.  I added red embossing powder and heat embossed it.

Something else fun to do with the Versamarker.  You can see it better in the banner image at the top of the post.

To finish I added some Felt Flurry snowflakes and a red rhinestone brad adhered with a pop up glue dot, and a length of Real Red Grosgrain along the bottom!

Happy Tuesday!  Thanks so much for dropping by!  You know I love it when you do!

Recipe:  Stamps: Wishing you Cheer (SU)  Paper: PTI White  Ink: Basic Black, Versamarker  Accessories: Felt Flurries, rhinestone brad, pop up glue dot, Real Red Grosgrain ribbon, ruby Red ep (Stampin' Stuff), Sterling Silver ep. Stardust Stickles

Finished card size:  standard A2, 5 1/2" x 4 1/4", vertical topfold

Technique Tuesday; Fun with Embossing Powders

Each month I choose a Stampin' Up! product as my Feature Product. For the month of November I am featuring embossing techniques! All embossing supplies,including Craft Ink and refills, embossing powder, Versamark and the Heat tool are on special this month when purchased through me. My Technique Tuesday's during November will feature different ideas and techniques for using embossing. As well, throughout the month of November, you can expect to see projects on my blog featuring embossing, and I will be demonstrating embossing during all my November workshops.

Here is the special for November:

• 10% off all embossing supplies including Craft Ink & refills, embossing powders, Versamark and the Heat Tool 
• My November hostesses will receive 20% Off!

If you wish to place an order, or book a workshop you may contact me via email. I accept all major credit cards. Canadian orders only please. Sorry, them's the rules!

Technique Tuesday; Fun with Embossing Powders

The idea to do this technique has been floating around in the back of my mind for some time now.  I actually did something similar with glitter in August's Fan Club gallery.  You can view it here if you're a fan club member.   I had seen a card in a store with a similar technique and I had marvelled over how they had done it.   Then last year around this time Tim Holtz did his "12 Tags of Christmas" tutorials, and on one of them, he sprinkled different coloured embossing powders on a tag, and said don't worry about the blended colours left over...save it for a "party mix" later.  So when it came time to focus on embossing I decided to try this...for the first time yesterday.  Needless to say, I was thrilled with the outcome and ended up playing with different ideas, so I will share three samples with you using variations of this "technique".  I hope you enjoy it, although I will say, it's not for you Obsessive Compulsive neat freaks...this will send shivers up your spine if you are!!

  You will need:

Stamps:  I chose "Tres Chic" a background image, and the tree from "Season of Joy", but as long as the image is reasonably large and not too detailed, you should get good results.

Embossing Buddy

Versamark

Several colours of embossing powders.  I chose Ruby Red, Detail Gold, and Black Sparkle

Run your embossing buddy over your paper.

It works to make sure embossing powder does not stick to the paper by static electricity or errant finger prints. 

Very important with this technique as you will have several different colours of embossing powders working on the same paper.

I have heard that a Bounce dryer sheet also works...although I've not tried it.

  Next, you will ink up your stamp with Versamark.  I used my background stamp here for the example, and you know from the banner that I only stamped half my cardstock. 

I always work with my background stamps face up, and then place my paper on top, then, using a piece of copy paper over top, I run my hands over it to ensure a complete and full transfer of ink.

Now you want to take your first colour and place a little pile on side.  (Now you see why I chose to only work with embossing on half...so I had somewhere to put the ep!)

I recommend you have as many scored cards to tap the embossing powder off on to.  

  Now, tip the card at an angle and let the embossing powder fall across the Versamark image on an angle.

Remove the paper with the red embossing powder and get a new one.

  This is what it looks like with the first colour.  I do the top corner last.

  Repeat that step with the other colours, making sure you change the displacement papers...unless  you want a huge pile of "party mix"!

  Here is the fully embossed piece.

Here is the completed card.

 I embossed the tree with the same technique, added a strip of red velvet ribbon, some corner piercing and a gold star (which was actually clear until I covered it with my painty pen).  Very quick!

Ok, I did some other variations, that I will just explain to you.

Recipe:  Stamps:  Tres Chic, Season of Joy (SU)  Paper:  Real Red, Kraft, Basic Black  Ink:  Versamark  Accessories:  Ruby Red & Detail Gold ep (Stampin Stuff), Black Sparkle ep (PSE), clear star gem (?), Red Velvet Ribbon (Dots, Dashes & Checks), dimensionals, paper piercer & template

Finished card size:  standard A2 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" vertical top fold

This next card was created the Tim Holtz way, sprinkling different colours of embossing powder all together, at the same time on the same image. Then I just sort of shook them, like I was sifting for gold, untill it was completely covered.  The embossing powder that remains was a "Party Mix", and I created the card after this using that mix!

  For the wreath, I stamped it in black, coloured it with markers, then added dots and details with my Versamarker.  The bow was stamped over the wreath and then Ruby Red embossing powder was sprinkled over and heat embossed.  The sentiment was embossed over the embossing! 

Things were really heating up here yesterday!

Recipe:  Stamps:  Poinsetta & Boxwood (Flourishes) Stitched (SU)  Paper:  Real Red, Basic Black, Kraft  Ink:  Versamark, Versafine Onyx Black  Accessories:  Versamarker, Ruby Red ep (Stampin' Stuff), dimensionals, Spellbinders dies

Finished card size:  standard A2 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" vertical topfold

 Both the background and the image were embossed with the "Party Mix" created by my last card.  It's very difficult to capture in the photograph, but the embossing is almost holographic.  When you move it in the light, you see gold or red or black, and since the black has sparkle...the sparkle is dispersed through out.

Very cool effect and I hope you'll give it a try your self!

Recipe: Stamps:  Tres Chic (SU), Christmas Wishes(Little Paper Shop)  Paper:  Whisper White, Basic Black, Brushed Gold  Ink: Versamark  Accessories:  May Arts two toned satin ribbon, dimensionals, Ruby Red & Detail Gold ep (Stampin Stuff), Black Sparkle ep (PSE)

Finished card size:  standard A2 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" vertical side fold

Well thank you so much for your patience.  I almost started to post this last night, but it was so late and I knew it would be a long post.  I hope you think it was worth the wait...and I hope you will try it yourself!

Thanks so much for dropping by today...I just love it when you do!

Technique Tuesday; Embossing in Colour

 

Each month I choose a Stampin' Up! product as my Feature Product. For the month of November I am featuring embossing techniques! All embossing supplies,including Craft Ink and refills, embossing powder, Versamark and the Heat tool are on special this month when purchased through me. My Technique Tuesday's during November will feature different ideas and techniques for using embossing. As well, throughout the month of November, you can expect to see projects on my blog featuring embossing, and I will be demonstrating embossing during all my November workshops.

Here is the special for November:

• 10% off all embossing supplies including Craft Ink & refills, embossing powders, Versamark and the Heat Tool 
• My November hostesses will receive 20% Off!

If you wish to place an order, or book a workshop you may contact me via email. I accept all major credit cards. Canadian orders only please. Sorry, them's the rules!

Technique Tuesday; Embossing in Colour

I have to confess I was a little miffed when Stampin' Up! discontinued most of their embossing powders, however, it's not that big of a deal since they have Craft Ink available in full size stamp pads as well as Stampin' Spots!  Craft Ink offers so much potential and that's what I will be focusing on today.  In fact, to try to create this piece with coloured embossing powders would be time consuming to say the least.  The project I am showing you is super simple and best done with Craft (pigment) inks!

 To stamp and emboss in colour, you need the following:

Stamps with lots of images (I chose Snowburst)

Craft ink in various colours (I'm working with Bold Brights)

Clear or Iridescent Ice embossing powder

Naturals or Confetti paper (I'm using Naturals White)

Heat tool

  Stamp your images in a different Craft ink colour on Naturals or Confetti paper.  For this technique you don't want Whisper White, as it is so "Ink loving" that it sucks up the ink and it dries too fast.

You want to have a lot of similar images because you don't want to clean in between stamping.  Craft ink does stay wet longer, but not forever.

  Once you have stamped all your images, sprinkle your embossing powder over it and heat. 

Pay special attention to the images on the edges.  It is sometimes difficult to tell if it's all embossed, so I recommend you take an eye level look when the embossing powder is first on and the colours are lighter and they're "powdery".  Once embossed the colours will brighten again, and they will be flatter not "Powdery" when looking at eye level.

This technique works wonderfully with flower garden sets, autumn leaf sets and the like.  But it's Christmas time, so I'm using snowflakes!

  This is the heat embossed image.  Isn't it fabulous! 

I took about 10 pictures trying to capture the sparkle of the iridescent snowflakes, and decided this one did it best!

If you've know me, I just love pink for Christmas, and I love all those fabulous designer papers out there, that I really can't justify buying, since I have sooooo much paper!

Ready for the final card?

  I kept the design fairly simple, layering the embossed image on Pixie Pink then Green Galore.  I used the ticket corner punch to add a little interest.

The sentiment is from "All Holiday" and I stamped it in Real Red and embossed it in clear, because I find words a bit difficult to read when they're too sparkly.

I added a punched snowflake with a pink gem in the center, only because I don't have those fabulous felt snowflakes....yet!!

There you have it, a very simple card, and I will be demonstrating this exact card at my November workshops with the felt flowers!

Recipe:  Stamps:  Snowburst, All Holidays (SU)  Paper:  Naturals White, Real Red, Pixie Pink, Green Galore  Ink:  Craft Ink in Pixie Pink, Pink Passion, Green Galore, Tempting Turquoise, Real Red  Accessories:  Iridescent Ice & Clear embossing powders, ticket corner punch, Pink Stitched grosgrain ribbon (Offray micro spools), hand held rectangle punch, snowflake punch (EK), gem (EK), dimensionals

I have lots of fabulous things lined up this week...Flourishes is releasing three new sets.  Can I just say that I LOVE them, and can't wait to sneak you a peek starting tomorrow.  I hope you can drop in over the next few days and see why I'm so excited! 

Have a wonderful day and thanks so much for dropping by!  You know I love it when you do!