Making it Clear

Snow is such a fun theme to work with.  There are so many styles of snow too.  This gorgeous background stamp is from Simon Says Stamp and works great in a variety of ways.  Here is an example of an iron off technique that leaves the paper silky smooth after first clear heat embossing & applying lots of water color.

 Ranger Perfect Pearls in the water adds a beautiful shimmer to your medium.  I used Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Inks in leu of watercolor because I love the soft look of them and the beautiful way they blend.  But you could use any water reactive colorant! Different ones leave different results.

Because the iron off results in a white outline (or whatever color of paper is beneath the clear embossing) the effect is the reverse of using the stamp conventionally, (which would leave an inked outline instead of an inked background).  I love to use my supplies in as many ways as possible, and what a beautiful way!

I have also discovered another great benefit to iron-off embossing is the biproduct, sheet of "transfer" paper.  I will quickly describe the process below if you are not familiar with it and link a fun YouTube video I found very helpful!

I used ledger size copy paper as my iron off sheet.  Then I used that copy paper to fashion a matching envelope!  To give the envelope a little extra pop I die cut the flap and inserted a piece of lightweight colored paper.  It gives a beautiful impact when the envelope is opened up as well as a wonderfully subtle & cohesive look!

The clear front of the card is the result of glittering the inside of a laminating pouch, laminating and then cutting it to size before "trapping" it in a paper frame.  I LOVE the icy look it leaves!!  I added my silhouette die-cuts and finished the back with the same die-cuts to hide the adhesives!

For a little extra fun I added a hidden sentiment oval inside the card.  The sender can sign the oval on the back of the card flap &/or leave a written message on the back of the card.  

I will be sharing lots of ideas with laminating pouches!  I have found them to be addictive and the unique results are clear!  (ha!! pun intended!!)  Lots of beautiful ways to use them in every season!  Each time I discover something new I can do with them it leads to more experiments and more inspiring ideas!  The price point is great too.  The laminator was only $20 and the sheets I found were about $17 for a box of 200/3ml!! 

Thanks for stopping by!  I really enjoy your comments so please feel free to share your thoughts and ideas below.  Have a great day!!

                                                                                                       

Basic Steps to Iron-Off Embossing:

1. clear heat emboss your image on heavy cardstock or watercolor paper
2.  Saturate your image/paper with inks (water reactive colors)
3. Spray with water (more water to make colors move around a lot, less for a subtle or speckly look - I used lots of water & swirled it around)
4. After the paper is thoroughly dry use an iron on its hottest setting to remove the embossing. Use a stack layered like this: bottom - thin dish towl (to protect your flat hard surface. I use a glass cutting board), middle - project with image facing up, top - a sheet of copy paper on top of entire image (make sure your iron only ever touches the copy paper on the top of the stack.
5. Iron slowly without letting the top paper move and all of the embossing powder will wick up and transfer to the copy paper, leaving a faint, nearly clear outline. Once you can see the transfer is occurring you can lift the paper.  If it cools first it will stick to your project so I lift the copy paper right as I lift the iron.  Inspect your original for any shiny spots.  If there are, iron them off with a fresh piece of paper.

iron off video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3BiE8GyB1c

Stripes!! Fun with Linear Stamps and Oxide Inks!

Oooooooh!!!  I am so excited to share this post!!  I have a love for borders and border stamping!  Inspired by a note pad that had stripes on it I decided to experiment with Tim Holtz's new Distress Oxide Inks and some linear stamps I found:



This was so rewarding!!  I'll let the pictures tell most of the story and although the results (by my standards!) are AMAZING these card backgrounds were pretty simple to pull off :)

I started with regular black or white cardstock from Stampin' Up! and painters tape because it sticks dependably yet still comes off without harming the paper. 

Once I felt I had as much variation as wanted . . . .

. . . time for the big reveal!!

Oh my Gosh!!  I think that they are great as is!!  These colors are GORGEOUS!

I stamped each series of lines separately so that I could emboss them in as many colors as I wanted!!  This was a great time to experiment with all those wonderful powders <3  I've decided I can't possibly have enough of these card backs on hand!!!  So many combinations and so little time!!

Then it was time to play around with inlays. My real motivation for doing the inlays was my reluctance to cover any part of that beautiful background!!  If I cut out the part I was going to cover anyway I could then use it elsewhere!!!  I will do a second posting that links back to this with the finished results.  I have some fun ideas and I can hardly wait to try them and share them.  Happy stamping to you my friends <3

Jar Labels

Recently I've decided to start keeping all of my bulk kitchen items in glass jars, Mostly Ball Jars, but I also keep my eyes out for interesting glass jars, I tend to lean towards the tall skinny types.  I just think that they look neat!!!

I decided to make my own labels for the jars after I got 2 similar spices mixed up!!!  Plus it was just plain fun for me to get out my dies and inks ;) My dear friend, who I can attribute my appreciation for all things rustic, saw them and wanted a set for herself.  I made them to match the colors in her 1950's kitchen.  

I thought it would be fun to share what I did with you and I would love to hear if you have ideas or have done something similar and how you did it :)

   I started with 2 die cut shapes that I liked when layered and stamped them with herbal/classic images that I thought went well in a rustic or traditional flavor!  To further the antique look I used tea stain ink from Stampin' Up! and gently rubbed the edges. 

Extra points if you can figure

what spice will go behind this label!

   Once again, after choosing a font to die cut I aged the letters with the tea stain ink.

   It is important to gently bend and curve the labels to conform to the shape of your jars.  If they dry flat after being glued together it is really difficult to make them stick to a glass or plastic jar - they resist the flexing & want to pop off.

            

                                   
Cris sent me photos of how they looked on her awesome jar collection.  I knew you'd want me to share them with you!!

                         

                                         My kitchen is more browns, burgundy and green. After making Cris hers, I'm thinking I like the beautiful brightness of the turquoise and red. . . .hmmm, maybe I'll be blogging a kitchen color overhaul next!

Products used: Tim Holtz Upon a Time letter die, Framelits dies from Apothecary Accents, Stampin' Up! stamps~ Flora & Fauna, Rue Des Fleurs, Notably Ornate