Is this a new variation on a mirror image technique?

Have you ever had a happy accident with your inks and stamps? I admit that most of my accidents are very far from happy and mainly involve dropped ink pads or smudged fingerprints. However my venture into the different ways to mirror stamp resulted in something I didn't expect, but absolutely loved... and the bonus is that it is repeatable. Happy days!

There are many methods you can use to stamp a mirror image, e.g using a brayer, or piece of acetate, there is even a product called 'Mirror Image' that you can buy. But I haven't seen anything that leaves this type of pattern when you stamp, so I might just claim this technique as my own. lol ;-)

This is not the 'kiss stamping' method (because I use the back of the large stamp), and I'm not claiming that stamping on the back of a stamp to produce a mirror image is the new technique either (because there are loads of people who have done that before). What I think is new is the way I let the stamps peel apart to make those particular patterns and that's the 'new technique' that I'm claiming. 

I made a little video (2 mins 48 seconds long) showing how I achieved this look because it is sometimes easier to see how to do things rather than explain in words, but there is also a photo and text 'how to' below this video link.

Doesn't that ink look all textured/patterned and it also matches the impression on the image of splashed and moving water. The beautiful head silhouette from the  Visible Image 'No Space For Dreams' set (one of my favourite sets!) and mirror image stamping have been in my head for a while now, so I'm glad I that it worked out so well.

The method used here is to take a large stamp, stamp your image onto the back of the large stamp and then take a print onto paper or card.

TIP Use a large stamp with lots of detail on it because stamps with open areas do not work well at all. (I used the large Visible Image Organics stamp).

So, first of all I lined up the profile silhouette stamp in my misti and attached it to the door.

Then I placed the large stamp face down onto the grid paper in the Misti i.e. the detail of the stamp was in contact with the grid paper and the flat back of the stamp was facing up. I should say that the grid paper inside the misti has been laminated and that means that photopolymer stamps will slightly cling to it so they won't move.

Next the silhouette stamp was inked up and I closed the misti door and pressed down as you would normally.

Now comes the magic....just let the two stamps peel apart on their own and don't touch anything until they have done that. As the stamps do peel apart on their own, the ink pools and created the big splodge (for want of a better word) and all the little threadlike veins. You can see from the photo that both the stamped image and the actual stamp have the same pools and veins. Fab!


Now, leave the head silhouette in the door because you will use that in a moment.

But before that, take your piece of card and press it firmly on top of the large stamp using your fingers or even a brayer - making sure not to move the card! When you peel the card away you have your mirror image ready.

Next, remove the large stamp from the Misti and place your card back in with the stamped silhouette facing upwards, then close the Misti door so that the 'normal' image stamps.

My first 'happy accident' went into the picture frame and I added a stamped 'Gemini' as a label.

But to finish the card front I cut it down to size, stamped the word 'Sister' between the two faces and edged it with a promarker.



On the inside I stamped the full sister sentiment

Then the area above the crease was masked and the splashes around the outside edges of the face stamp was used to create a loose border (with second generation ink).

Stamps Used:

(please click on the picture to be taken direct to the stamp set in the online store):

               

Other Supplies:

Nenah Solar White card, Altenew dye ink (ultraviolet), Promarker (sugar plum), Misti stamping tool


I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Craft Stamper TIMI January - Anything goes
Crafters Castle #13 - Anything Goes with option of fun techniques
Crafting From The Heart #234 - Anything Goes
Dream Valley Challenges #193 - Anything Goes
Get Creative Challenge #76 - AG - No twist
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #97 - Anything Goes
Stamping Sensations January - Fabulously Feminine
Through The Craft Room Door 8th January - Anything Goes

Visible Image social media and other links (just click on the words in capital letters):

SHOP where the fantastic stamps are sold
BLOG with all the latest news and posts
FACEBOOK PAGE with info, inspiration and weekly giveaways
FACEBOOK GROUP come share your work with us and enter the monthly 'show and tell' challenges
INSTAGRAM
PINterest

I hope you like this card and picture. Now....if only I had a sister who was a Gemini.....
Thanks for stopping by and I really hope to see you again soon.

Hugs,
Sharon xx

Less is More #386 - Water

Happy New Year everyone!

How was your holiday break? Really good and full of making precious memories with family and friends I hope. I had an (almost totally) social media free holiday and it has done me the world of good.  I was becoming a real slave to those little 'pings' from my phone, so the break was incredibly welcome. It was much easier to do than I thought too!

But here we are again at the start of a new year and I'm super-excited to say that 3 new incredibly talented ladies have joined our Less is More design team. So I hope you'll pop over to the Less is More challenge blog to give

Kylie, Michelle and Stephanie

a warm welcome. You can take a look at all the amazing projects that the DT has created for the first LIM challenge of 2019 while you are there too. 

Right on to the challenge:

So that can be water in any of its forms...ice, snow, mist, liquid etc. There's plenty of ways to incorporate a water theme into your projects,

We're delighted to welcome back Skull and Cross Buns as our January Sponsor.

www.skullandcrossbuns.com 

And our Guest Designer for this challenge is the talented Viv (Daizy-Mae) who was our October winner last year. It would be lovely if you head over to her blog to leave her some love too.

I have 2 cards today, so let's take a look at them.

1) Feeling Under The Weather

This card goes out to any of you in the northern hemisphere that are currently suffering with a cold or flu, because it is that time of year isn't it?

I love the shine on that umbrella and I didn't use glossy accents to achieve it either! The umbrella was die cut 4 times, one umbrella was coloured with promarkers, and then all 4 were stacked together for dimension. I used a versamark pen to colour over the umbrella and then simply heat embossed with ultra thick embossing crystals. I did the heat embossing twice to really get a thick shiny coating.

The raindrops were die cut from a piece of scrap distress stained card. That was the only fiddly thing... sticking each raindrop on separately.

The sentiment was also die cut 4 times and stacked up for dimension too.

DIES: First Edition Craft (Weather), Sugar Pea Designs (Card Front Builder), Tattered Lace (All Occasions Sentiments)
PROMARKERS: Poppy, Pumpkin, Canary, Lush Green, Azure, Prussian
OTHER: Versamark Pen. Cosmic Shimmer Ultra Thick Embossing Crystals, Fun Foam, Scrap of water coloured card, white card.

2) Neutral Hugs 

Here's another card that can be used for a get well, or even a sympathy card. I must admit that I was disappointed that my camera couldn't pick up the shine on the vase on this one. But, hey-ho, that's the way the cookie crumbled.

I did get to open one set of my brand new Altenew ink cubes for this card though. I thought it would be good to try out the neutral colours on these wild flower silhouettes.

 So, everything was simply stamped, then the water and bit of 'grounding' was coloured with promarkers before colouring and heat embossing with UTE Crystals again.  A simple banner sentiment was made and everything was raised on fun foam for dimension.


STAMPS: Clearly Besotted (Simple Silhouettes)
DIES: Sugar Pea Designs (Card Front Builder)
INKS: Altenew (Milk Chocolate, Almond Butter, Hazelnut, Vanilla Cream) 
PROMARKERS: Cool Aqua, Sky Blue 
OTHER: WOW! Ultra Bright White embossing powder, Cosmic Shimmer ultra thick embossing crystals, fun foam, white card, kraft card


LIM BLOG
LIM FACEBOOK PAGE
LIM INSTAGRAM

I'd like to enter my cards into the following challenges:

Umbrella Card
Passion for Promarkers #474 - Add a Sentiment
ReTarte #134 - Anything Goes  (and a sad goodbye to this challenge!)
Through The Craft Room Door (week 1-1-19) - Anything Goes

Flower Vase Card
Always Fun Challenge #91 - Something New (new inks)
Lemon Shortbread #84 - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - Something New (new inks)


That's it from me for now. I hope you found something you like and I really hope to see you again soon.

Hugs,
Sharon xx

Joyful Tag

Hi! How are your holiday preparations coming along? I hope you have managed to make all your cards and are not feeling at all stressed about the looming date. My make today is a gift tag - just in case you need a little more inspiration for your tags. I've used 2 completely non-holiday stamp sets, and one holiday one from Visible Image stamps in this design. 

This is my last Visible Image DT make for 2018 because we have been given a few weeks off over the holiday period. But we'll all be back in January with more inspiration. 

I didn't have time to make a video today, so here is a photo tutorial of how I made this tag:

First, wet a piece of card and then pounce distress stains onto it.

Spritz the card with water as you dry it with a heat gun to get some droplets that make it look like it is texture.

Cut a tag shape from the card. I used the partial die cutting technique on an old spellbinders nesting die shape.

 Using a co-ordinating ink, stamp the Elemental stamp onto the tag

 Let the tag completely dry before stamping the jumping girl in clear ink before embossing with white embossing powder.

 Now take the star from the Peace Love And Hope set and stamp over the tag. I used second generation stamping to be sure the colour co-ordinated well.
Wipe off the girl image with a cloth to remove any ink that may have been stamped onto her.

 Gently swipe the outside edges of the tag with versamark and sprinkle on some glittery blue embossing powder. Use your finger to remove bits of the embossing powder before heat setting it - this give a more natural look.

 Next stamp the tiny trees and heat emboss those with coordinating embossing powders. Fussy cut them out. Stamp, heat emboss and fussy cut the sentiment too.

 Add an eyelet to the top of the tag and attach some different size and textured ribbons and threads. for some textural interest.  I also threaded a tiny Christmas tree charm around the threads and a piece of pearl wire too.

 Finally attach the fussy cut trees and sentiment at various depths with 3d foam. Die cut some leaves from glittered cardstock and attach those to the top of the tag.

 Here's a close-up of the trees and the embossing around the edges.

 And here is the top of the tag

Stamps Used:

(please click on the picture to be taken direct to the stamp set in the online store):
           

   

Other Supplies:

White Card, Spritzer, Distress Stains ( broken china, worn lipstick, wilted violet), Spellbinders Labels 28, Prism Ink (blue lagoon, dusky rose), Versamark clear ink, WOW! embossing powders ( opaque bright white, misty sky), WOW! embossing glitters (coastal, royal crush,neutral ultra shimmer), ribbons, threads, charm, wire pearl embellishment, Sizzix TH Alterations die (festive greenery), white glitter card,3d foam

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Craft Stamper TIMI December - Anything Goes
Crafting From The Heart #232 - Anything Goes
Crafty Cardmakers #244 - Christmas (winter fun theme)
Creative Moments #158 - Anything Goes
Inkspirational #175 - Anything Christmas Goes
Pammies Inky Pinkies #1849 - Anything Goes
QKR Stampede #325 - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Warm Winter Wishes
Stamping Sensations December - Winter Sparkle

Visible Image social media and other links (just click on the words in capital letters):

SHOP where the fantastic stamps are sold
BLOG with all the latest news and posts
FACEBOOK PAGE with info, inspiration and weekly giveaways
FACEBOOK GROUP come share your work with us and enter the monthly 'show and tell' challenges
INSTAGRAM
PINterest

That's it from me for now. Thanks for stopping by and I really hope to see you again soon.

Hugs,
Sharon xx

You Are Strong

Hello there. This is a card where I tried to incorporate a bit of mixed media into a CAS card. There is a bit of grunge paste, heat embossing on metal, water colour, ink and glossy accents on this one, and of course I used some gorgeous Visible Image stamps.

Thoughts behind this card
Despite what we think, we are all much stronger than we realise. In my card, the leaves blowing away represent a loss, e.g. of loved ones, fading beauty or lost confidence etc. But as they fly away on the breeze they also reveal a strong and sturdy tree underneath and this depicts the inner core strength inside us all. We are all much stronger than we realise and this beautiful sentiment from Visible Image

Here's how I made this card:

Cut two A5 card fronts and die cut a rectangle aperture into one of them. Place the die cut piece on top of the uncut piece and mark the 4 corners of the aperture lightly with a pencil. Using a stamping platform line the bare tree from the Into The Woods set up inside the 4 pencil marked points. Stamp the tree in faded jeans Distress Oxide.

Next stamp the small perching owl in iced spruce distress oxide. Erase the pencil marks and highlight the eyes on the owl with a black pen. Watercolour a little ground around the base of the tree. Protect the owl with a little micro glaze and add glossy accents.








Cut a moon shape in a small piece of masking sheet, spread grunge paste through the shape with a spatula and set the piece aside to dry.

Now add the die cut piece of card into a stamp positioner, and stamp the small leaves from the Create It set using multiple shades of distress ink. TIP: Stamping more than once helps with the blending on the leaves, and rotating the stamp each time makes it look more natural.

 






On a smaller piece of card, stamp the sentiment from the So Much Stronger set in Memento elderberry ink. Mask off the middle portion of the sentiment (lengthways) and blend two borders using the same distress inks as on the leaves.

Thread some cotton through a metal leaf charm, press the front into a clear ink pad and heat emboss with white embossing powder. Let the charm cool, then press into the clear ink pad again and heat emboss with the oasis embossing powder. Let it cool and cut the hole part off the charm.

Assemble the card on fun foam.

Stamps Used:

(please click on the picture to be taken direct to the stamp set in the online store):

            

   

Other Supplies:

White card, My Favourite Things Inside Out Stitched Rectangles, Distress Oxide (faded jeans and iced spruce), Black Pigment Pen, Micro Glaze, Glossy Accents, Masking sheet, Grunge Paste, Gansai Tambi Watercolour: No 20 (Black), Water and paintbrush, Distress Ink (picked raspberry, wilted violet, blueprint sketch, broken china), Memento Dew Drop Dye Ink: (elderberry), Masking Tape, Versamark Clear Ink, WOW! Embossing powders (opaque bright white and oasis), Cotton, Metal Leaf Charm, Fun Foam


I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Artistic Inspirations #210 - Anything Goes
Crafting From The Heart #230 - Anything Goes
Crafty Sentiments 4th Dec - Anything Goes
Crazy for CAS #12 - Not Christmas
Crazy For Challenges C4C463 - Feature A Tree
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #95 - Anything Goes
Pammies Inky Pinkies #1848 - Anything Goes
Retarte #133 - Anything Goes (2nd entry from me)
Through The Craft Room Door 4 Dec - Anything Goes
Tuesday Throwdown #420 - Anything Goes

Visible Image social media and other links (just click on the words in capital letters):

SHOP where the fantastic stamps are sold
BLOG with all the latest news and posts
FACEBOOK PAGE with info, inspiration and weekly giveaways
FACEBOOK GROUP come share your work with us and enter the monthly 'show and tell' challenges
INSTAGRAM
PINterest

That's it from me for now. Thanks for stopping by and I really hope to see you again soon.

Hugs,
Sharon xx

Festive Crackers with Background Stamps

Once again I've veered away from making a card and this time I've made some festive crackers with non-festive background stamps by Visible Image stamps. You can just about use any stamp for these as long as you emboss with a sparkly or shiny embossing powder.

And to mix it up a bit I've made a short video.

1) Red Elemental

Stamps Used:

(please click on the picture to be taken direct to the stamp set in the online store):

               

Other Supplies:

Distress Inks (festive berries, candied apple and aged mahogany), Versamark clear ink a superfine  silver embossing powders, Dies (Tonic Studio: cracker and sentiments. Sizzix: layered poinsettia), Papermill Super Smooth card, Silver mirror card, ribbon.

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2) Pink Shape It Up

Stamps Used:

(please click on the picture to be taken direct to the stamp set in the online store):

               

Other Supplies:

Distress Inks (abandoned coral, picked raspberry, worn lipstick), Versamark clear ink, Wow! sparkling snow embossing powder, Dies (Tonic Studio: cracker and sentiments. Sizzix: snowflake pendant and create a flake 4), Papermill Super Smooth card, white pearl card, ribbon.

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3) Green Fragile

Stamps Used:

(please click on the picture to be taken direct to the stamp set in the online store):

                

Other Supplies:

Distress Inks (cracked pistachio, evergreen bough, pine needles), Versamark clear ink, WOW! metallic gold sparkle embossing powder, Dies (Tonic Studio: cracker and sentiments. Sizzix: shining star), Papermill Super Smooth card, gold card, ribbon.

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3) Blue Organics

Stamps Used:

(please click on the picture to be taken direct to the stamp set in the online store):

             

Other Supplies:

Distress Inks (salty ocean, blueprint sketch, chipped sapphire), Versamark clear ink, WOW! sparkling snow embossing powder, Dies (Tonic Studio: cracker and sentiments. Happy Little Stampers: christmas trees), Papermill Super Smooth card, and white linen card, ribbon.

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I'd like to enter these crackers into the following challenges: A Gem Of A Challenge #232 - Anything Goes Addicted To Stamps #168 - Anything Goes with the option of Use Ribbon Always Fun Challenges #86 - Anything Goes Crafty Cardmakers #223 - Anything But A Card Get Creative Challenge #75 - Anything But A Card (entry #2 from me) Pammies Inky Pinkies #1847 - Anything Goes Retarte #133 - Anything Goes The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge #41 - Anything Goes (entry #2 from me)  Through The Craft Room Door 27 November - Anything Goes  Visible Image social media and other links (just click on the words in capital letters): SHOP where the fantastic stamps are sold BLOG with all the latest news and posts FACEBOOK PAGE with info, inspiration and weekly giveaways FACEBOOK GROUP come share your work with us and enter the monthly 'show and tell' challenges INSTAGRAM PINterest That's it from me for now. Thanks for stopping by and I really hope to see you again soon. Hugs, Sharon xx

Less is More #385 - Holiday

Goodness me - it is all go on the Less is More blog today.

We're saying a very sad farewell to Sarah who has been on the DT for 4 years and has run the challenge for almost 2 years. She has been struggling with time commitments and lack of mojo for the past 6 months, so I stepped in to keep the challenge going while she had a break.

Sadly the break doesn't seem to have worked, so she's decided to step down. This is a big loss for the challenge as she worked so tirelessly behind the scenes, was an incredible leader for the DT, and inspired so many people with her beautiful projects and comments. We will miss her so much, but I am lucky enough to consider her a friend now, so I hope we will continue that friendship into the future.

Anyway, it would have been heartbreaking to see the challenge fold, so I have stepped up and will keep the challenge running.

We're also having a DT CALL and are looking for 2 new members. Please pop over to the blog to see the requirements.

It is also going to be the last challenge for 2018 as we're giving the design team a well deserved break over Christmas....but we'll be back on 5th January 2019!

So....onto the challenge. It's that dreaded one layer week and we have an apt theme for this time of the year.

We're still sponsored for this challenge by

https://shop.happylittlestampers.com/

And our lovely winner of the Lucky Dip challenge in September, Katrina Bufton has joined us as guest designer.  It would be lovely if you visited her to leave her a lovely comment on the gorgeous card she created for us.

And if you head on over to the challenge blog you'll get lots of fantastic inspiration from the design team too.

I have 3 cards again today.

1) Fa la la la laaaa la llama

This year, for the first time, I have used a lot of digital images on my holiday cards and I've thoroughly enjoyed using them.

To make them more interesting I give them a bit of texture on the smaller details by using glossy accents, nuvo drops and stickles.

On this card the 'fur' on the hat has white nuvo drops, the holly leaves have glossy accents and the fairy lights have stickles.

Here I printed the image onto the hopsack card blank, coloured it with pencil crayons and blended a sky and a bit of ground. Then I stickled, nuvodropped and glossy accented.

A very fast card to make.

STAMPS: Pink Petticoat Digital - Fa-La Llama
INKS: Distress Inks (Tumbled Glass, Broken China)
OTHER: Glossy Accents, White Nuvo Drops, Stickles, Polychromos pencils (Cold Grey 1,3 and 5, light flesh,dark flesh, permanent carmine, dark red, cadmium yellow, light ultramarine, hooker's green), White opaque pen, White hopsack card stock

 

2) Special Memories

I am so glad to have this sentiment stamp in my stash because it is a beautiful way to let someone who has lost a loved one in the year, really know that you have made the card with their loss in mind.

Here a simple black gold and white colour scheme hopefully adds a bit of elegance.

This one is heat embossed with a bit of masking to create the border, and also masking of the sentiment when the snowflake was stamped.

No fuss - just sincere wishes.

STAMPS: Visible Image - Snow Is Falling and Christmas Memories
INKS: Versamark clear, Versafine Onyx Black
OTHER: Detail clear and detail gold embossing powders, post-it note and masking tape, heat gun, White card blank.

3) Christmas Scene

I wanted to create a card with the look of an added layer, so I die cut an oval into a piece of scrap paper and used that as a mask.

The mask was attached to the front of the card blank and then the oval was inked through with iced spruce to create hills, and with tumbled glass, broken china and faded jeans for the sky. The trees and deer were stamped in chipped sapphire and the star in silver ink.

To finish, the mask was removed and the sentiment stamped in faded jeans distress oxide, then stickles were added to the tops of the hills.

STAMPS: Visible Image (Peace, Love And Hope & Go To Christmas Words)
DIES: Sizix classic ovals
INKS: Distress Inks (tumbled glass, broken china, faded jeans, chipped sapphire), Distress Oxides (faded jeans), Encore Silver
OTHER: White card blank, scrap paper (for oval mask and hill shapes), Stickles.



LIM BLOG
LIM FACEBOOK PAGE
LIM INSTAGRAM

I'd like to enter these cards into the following challenges:

Fa la la laaaa la llama
Addicted to Stamps and More! #319 - Clean and Simple
Cute n Crafty #14 - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesdays - Baby It's Cold Outside

Christmas Memories
Aud's Sentiments #217 - Christmas or Winter sentiment
Time Out Challenge #123 - Black White and one other colour
Through The Craft Room Door 20 Nov - Anything Goes

Christmas scene
That's Crafty - Winter Wonderland (entry #2 from me)
The Holly and the Ivy Christmas Challenge #41 - Anything Christmas Goes
Creative Knock-outs #273 - Snow Much Fun

It'd be fantastic if you joined us over on the Less is More blog for this challenge, and don't forget to consider entering the design team call too.

Hugs,
Sharon xx