Guess I need a blog!

Ok, so now what? How do zentangle and stamping relate?

2011-08-08T00:34:00.000-04:00

The conversation on the twopeasinabucket stamping forum was exploring how zentangle could be used with stamping. There were lots of beautiful examples. In most cases, an outline image was stamped and the interior was filled with zentangle patterns. So, I started looking through my stamp collection for a possible image to use. Instead, I kept noticing patterns in my stamps. I stamped the following two pieces with the stamp set shown.

Kind of sloppy water coloring! I made the picture smaller so you can't look too closely!

I was worried the recipient of this card would wonder why I left a pencil outline, so I went over the original "square" with an 03 microperm pen and emphasized the corner dots.

Stamp Set : Stampendous April Shower Flowers

The flower outlines with the patterned oval rings and oval shapes reminded me of zentangle designs. I stamped in the traditional size zentangle "square" (3.5inch square of 140lb watercolor paper with a loosely pencil sketched wavy square inside). I stamped with archival ink and colored with Tombow markers. The first example used a watercolor technique. The second example (already made in to a card) I got bolder color by only using water on the background. Hmmm, these were ok, but not exactly a zentangle. What's missing? Ahhh, the string! A pencilled in random line that divides the area in to sections to be filled with pattern. I'll post my next experiment with zentangle and stamping tomorrow. Thanks for hanging with me so far! In the meantime, if you haven't checked out the zentangle website, they describe strings and tangles and supplies there. The newsletters are a great way to learn.

Playing with Zentangle

2011-08-07T23:42:00.000-04:00

My first zentangle

I was thinking about taking a zentangle class, and then a conversation started about zentangle on the stamping forum on twopeasinabucket.com. I decided to go ahead and try it myself first to see if I would enjoy it. I read up on the subject at www.zentangle.com . They say, "With Zentangle, anyone can create beautiful images from repetitive patterns." It is fun and relaxing! And I don't even pretend to know how to draw. That's why I like rubber stamping so much; the drawing is already done for me. But zentangle is a series of repetitive strokes, easy strokes! The zentangle above is my first attempt. I learned the patterns from the zentangle website. I looked under their Newsletters tab and a few of the patterns actually had video demonstrations. Tips on shading were particularly helpful! The patterns (or tangles) I used above from top left to bottom right are mooka, betweed, cadent, (un-named filler of circles/dots), and paradox. I think I will definitely try this again! I hope you'll give it a try too. There is lots of good information at the zentangle website linked above.

Retake on Thinking Inking Week Two - embossing Take Two

2010-07-19T11:55:00.000-04:00

Rubber Stamp : Stampin Up Print Pattern (harlequin), Deadbeat Designs (Life ...)
Distress Embossing Powder : Tattered Rose
Distress Inks : Pumice Stone, Victorian Velvet, Worn lipstick, Old Paper
Paper : Tim Holtz Paper Stash Lost and Found (pig card was cut from a sheet in this pad)

I continued to play with embossing this week. I sponged with Pumice Stone Distress ink. Stamped SU Printed Pattern (Harlequin) with Victorian Velvet Distress ink and Embossed with Tattered Rose Distress embossing powder. I stamped Life is Good with Pumice Stone twice to help it show up a little better, and embossed with clear EP. The edges were inked direct to paper with Worn Lipstick to brighten it up a little. The embellishment was cut from Tim Holtz' Paper Stash, Lost and Found pad. I put 3 coats of UTEE on it, then stuck it in the freezer for a few minutes and crackled it. I rubbed it with Old Paper distress ink and adhered with redline tape. Thanks for looking!

Whew! I think I'm finally just about caught up posting my latest stamping projects.

Retake on Thinking Inking - Week Two Swap Tags

2010-07-19T11:43:00.000-04:00

To find out more about the Retake on Thinking Inking, check out this post. Week two is all about embossing. Embossing in general, using multiple colors of embossing powders, distress embossing powder, UTEE (ultra thick embossing enamel) ...

Here are the tags I made. One to swap one to keep.

Rubber Stamps : Stampin Up Printed Pattern (harlequin background), Rubber Stampede (Gerbera Daisy)
Distress Inks : Shabby Shutters and Peeled Paint
Embossing Powders : Stampendous PEARLustre in Garnet and Champagne

Technique :

Blended distress inks on with foam applicator
Waterstamped background (inked with Versamark, then spritzed with water and stamped)
Dried with heat gun and rubbed with embossing bag (so powder wouldn't stick anywhere except where I wanted it.)
Stamped flower with versamark, sprinkled with embossing powders and heated.
Inked edge by applying the distress ink pad direct to paper.

The cool thing about the distress inks is that they react with water, so stamping with a wet rubber stamp lightens the stamped areas. Something I learned about embossing powder is not to overheat! The first flower I stamped on another tag seeped in to the tag until it was no longer embossed. I was left with a flat gold flower.

Retake on Thinking Inking Week 1 - Continued just for fun

2010-07-18T21:26:00.000-04:00

Week one of Thinking Inking covered Distress Inks. I wanted more play time so I made a few more tags just for fun.

Rubber Stamps : Stampendous (Pua Tapa border) , Sarasota Stamps (Hi - Florida Palm), Stampabilities (Paradise postage), Viva Las Vegastamps (water skier)
Distress Inks : Tumbled Glass and Weathered Wood
Versafine : Onyx black
Archival : black (lighter skier, that ink pad was a little dry so I switched to Versafine for the others)
Perfect Pearls : turquoise

Technique :

First two tags left to right - inked up a craft sheet with tumbled glass distress ink, sprinkled with a little perfect pearls, spritzed with water and then mopped the color up with the tag. Third tag - applied ink with a blending sponge.
Stamped border with distress ink.
Stamped water skier with black ink.
Used a marker to color just a portion of the Florida Palm stamp.
Paradise postage stamped with Weathered Wood distress ink.

I sent one tag along with my bubble girl swap tag. I sent another tag with a little package in thanks for a gift certificate I won. I'm putting the last tag with my collection of Technique tags. Thanks for visiting!

Retake on Thinking Inking Week 1 - Distress Inks

2010-07-18T20:46:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite websites to hang out on is www.twopeasinabucket.com. The Stamping Forum is re-visiting the Thinking Inking videos that Jennifer McGuire presented last summer. There are 3 videos per week demonstrating techniques using Ranger and Hero Arts products. Jan is spearheading the effort on her twopeas blog and in the Stamping Forum. We're encouraged to make two tags using a technique of the week. We keep one tag and swap the other. Can't wait to get my first tag. It's coming from Belgium! My tag went to Maine.

Week 1 covered Ranger Distress Inks.

My swap tags :

Rubber stamp : Stamp Camp (Bubble girl)
Distress Inks : Peeled Paint, Pumice Stone, Tumbled Glass
Versafine Ink : Onyx black
Perfect Pearls : turqoise
Other : Gelly roll, clear glaze pen on stamped bubbles

Technique :

Blended on inks with a foam applicator.
flicked on water with a brush that had a little perfect pearls in it.
Stamped bubble girl with Versafine Onyx Black.
Went over stamped bubbles with a clear glaze pen.

I hope my recipient likes her tag! All the tags submitted were really wonderful!

While the Paper was out ...

2010-07-18T18:24:00.000-04:00

Rubber Stamps : Stampin Up (Happy Birthday scallop), Endless Creations (circles and scallop dots)
Paper and twill : Scenic Route
Tools : Stampin Up scallop circle punch, Martha Stewart embossed border punch

I made another birthday card. I made it a few weeks ago, so I'll try to remember the details as best I can. The double circle lines and dots on the scallop embellishment are another Endless Creations stamp, this one sized to fit the Stampin Up scallop circle punch. The green scallops, candles and sentiment were colored with Tombow markers on a SU stamp. There is a little sparkle pen on the candle flames, that doesn't really show up in the picture. Always nice to have a birthday card ready to mail!

More Stampfest Goodies

2010-07-18T18:02:00.000-04:00

Rubber stamps: Endless Creations (circular HB), Hampton Arts (cupcake), Hero Arts (Seize the cake and HAPPYbirthday)

Papers and twill : Scenic Route

I found the circular Happy Birthday stamp at Stampfest. It's sized for a little bit larger inside circle, but I used what I have. The stamp came from Endless Creations. They had lots of stamps sized to fit popular punches. This card was for my father's birthday.

4 Cards from 1 sheet of 12x12 paper

2010-07-18T13:09:00.039-04:00

I had so much fun at Stampfest! It was back in June in Orlando. I went with my friend and we had a ball!
Had to get this double-sided paper from Graphic 45 as my husband loves airplanes and flying.

My first card was inspired by a display card at Stampfest. It became my husband's Father's Day card.

Paper : Graphic 45

Portions of the paper were cut and collaged for the background. The airplane was cut out and foam mounted.

Paper : Graphic 45
Rubber Stamp : Autumn Leaves
Tool : Star punch (Stampin Up)

I think the top card of these 3 will be a retirement card for a retiring pilot. I had fun using up the whole sheet of paper to make these cards. Thanks for stopping by!

Kari's card

2010-07-18T12:53:00.001-04:00

Rubber Stamp : Magnolia (Longing Tilda)
Markers : Tombow
Rub on zigzag : Autumn Leaves

Finally posting again. Time to catch up! Kari colored Tilda, I just got her made in to a card.

Stars & Stamps Sketch Challenge #21

2010-06-15T21:21:00.000-04:00

Rubber stamp : Stampin Up
Papers : Basic Grey Kioshi
Tools : Stampin Up punches - 2 step bird, scallop edge, word window and modern label

I followed this week's Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps sketch to make a card for my friend, Jayne.
We had an awesome day and a half at the beach last week. By night we watched sea turtles emerge from the ocean to lay their eggs. By day we gazed at the ocean from the balcony and the beach! Ahhhhh, so nice, so relaxing! Thanks Jayne for sharing your company, your cooking talents and your beautiful condo. It was heavenly!

Operation Write Home Sketch #19

2010-06-04T23:36:00.007-04:00

Rubber stamp : Magnolia (Longing Tilda)
Coloring : Tombow markers on watercolor paper with a water brush and Niji Pearlescent watercolors (dress and hair bow)
Papers : Basic Grey Kioshi
Tools : Fiskars border punch

I made this card using this week's OWH sketch. This is my first Magnolia stamp. I think she's kinda cute!

I'm surprised that the Magnolia packaging doesn't have an image name on it. Maybe I'll try and look her up. (It's Longing Tilda, don't know why that was bugging me ... I had to know!)
My daughter even sat down and colored one with me, only because the tv went blank and she couldn't watch college softball! It was fun while it lasted! Hopefully I can snag her to color with me again sometime. I'll post hers when I get it made in to a card.

If you're active in OWH and in the know, please leave a comment as to whether or not you think the pearlescent watercolors are ok to send to the troops (no glitter policy, we don't want to make them sparkle, kind of defeats the camo you know). I'm assuming they are similar to H2O's, but I don't have any of those. The Niji's are a Yasutomo product. They are a pan watercolor and very reasonably priced. My pan has 16 colors and I got them with a coupon :)

OWH posts a new sketch every Sunday. Check out the OWH Stars and Stamps site. You can always click on the badge in the right hand column. I just joined their blog circle. I hope you'll try a sketch and send some cards to Operation Write Home!

I won!

2010-06-04T23:32:00.000-04:00

I won Prize #2 for using Sandy's digital image (the eaglet) on a card and linking it up to her blog, It's a colourful world. Yeah! Thanks Sandy! She hosted this challenge for Operation Write Home's Memorial Day Blog Hop. You can see my eaglet card in the post just before this one.

OWH Memorial Weekend Blog Hop

2010-05-30T16:26:00.000-04:00

Digital stamps : eaglet and sentiment, Sandy Allnock
Rubber stamp : wavy lines (umarked except for KC8211, if it's yours let me know)
Embellishments : star eyelets Stampin Up
Tools : Crop-a-dile, circle punch and hole punch, Tombow markers

WooHoo it's post number two!
Sandy, the founder of Operation Write Home (OWH), issued a challenge to make a card using one of her newly created digital stamps. I don't have much practice with digital stamps (I have way too many actual rubber and clear stamps) but I gave it a go. The eaglet and the inside sentiment are Sandy's. This card will be mailed to OWH who will in turn mail it to our military troops, so they can write a letter home to their loved ones. Thanks for the digi stamps Sandy, and the push to step away from the laptop and make a card!

You can visit Sandy's blog and the Operation Write Home Blog Hop for lots of patriotic and crafty inspiration.

Happy Memorial Day!

Intro

2010-05-29T11:37:00.000-04:00

Hello! I guess I need a blog! I'm new to this, as you will be able to tell. I don't particularly like to write, but I tend to be too wordy! How does that fit? I'm starting this because I like to participate in blog hops and card making challenges. This weekend it's Operation Write Home's blog hop. I'll post a link when I figure it out.