Stamp Happens

Custom Markers

Posted on 06-07-2009 | By: Tonya

Category : Coloring Techniques, Custom Markers, SH Shop, Stampin' Up! Stamps

Tags: coloring, Custom Markers, ink, inkessentials, ranger ink

We got really lucky this year since Stampin’ Up! started giving us In Color markers! However, this hasn’t always been the case.

I want to share with you, a product called Inkessentials Cut-N-Dry Pen Nibs that I’m currently stocking.

These nibs are $3.75 for 10 and they are reusable. They have several uses and I want to show you a little of what I’ve done with them.

You can use an ink pad or reinker with these nibs. Here, I’ve put drops of Baja Breeze into the lid of my ink pad. Then I just put the nib in the ink to soak up some ink.

Then, I simply start applying the color to the image just like I’m using a marker.

I’m using textured Stampin’ Up! Whisper White and Jet Black Stazon ink for this project.

You can add more ink as needed.

Once you finish with one color, you simply run the nib under water until the water runs clear.

The nib in this picture has been rinsed.

Now, here is an interesting part. The directions tell you to let the nib dry.

However, if you leave it damp, you can use it to blend like watercoloring, or using a blender pen!

Here is my image after adding Blue Bayou accents.

One thing I could do is take a damp nib and blend all the colors together. However, I didn’t here. I wanted very definite color differences.

On Wednesday, I’ll show you the completed image and the card it went on.

Don’t forget to grab some of your own Cut-N-Dry Nibs from my store today!

Inking Your Stamps

Posted on 01-07-2009 | By: Tonya

Category : Instructions, Product Review

Tags: help, ink, stampin up, stazon ink, whisper white

Deidre asked me this today:

SO I have a question regarding Staz On. When I use it I often get splotchy images where the ink hasn’t taken well or it is sticky when I apply to the paper. I really have to ink it up and look at it to make sure I am going to get a good image….it is so much work! I have reinked and more. Do you think it is because my staz on is old? Should I just get a new pad? Does anyone else have this problem???

What a great question!! Actually, the question is so great, that I couldn’t just respond to Deidre alone. I had to share my experience with everyone.

There is absolutely nothing worse that gooey, gloppy, sticky ink that gets everywhere! I avoid this by doing one simple thing…

I ink my stamps upside down!

Seriously, I find this solves the problem 95% of the time. Let’s look…

A lot of people lay their stamps down onto the ink pad as shown on the left. That is how I stamped the “Oh Hoppy Day” sentiment on the right.

A lot of times, stamps that are inked in this manner get too much ink on them. And not in the right spots!! The extra gloppy ink can look like this:

See how the ink pools around certain spots? Not every image will do this. But when they do…yuck.

Then, when you put the image on your paper (I’ve used Stampin’ Up! Whisper White here), it gets smudgy.

Now, here are two notes.

I find this to happen most often with Stampin’ Up! Whisper White because of its smooth finish. That is why I chose to use it here.
There seems to be a “slicker” side on Whisper White. I tend to notice the “stick” sound when I stamp on it. The other side doesn’t seem to do this. I’m not sure how to tell the difference.

Now let’s look at the image I stamped doing the “upside down” technique.

I pat the ink pad onto the stamp making sure every area is covered. I don’t push hard. I just pat it over until the image is completely covered.

See the difference between the two images? No pooling or extra gloppy ink on this one!

And here is my sentiment when stamped this way:

See how much clearer the bottom is?

Now, I said this cures 95% of problems. If you try this and it doesn’t work, I would spend the extra money for a new pad. I’d also try a different paper.

I really love PaperTrey Ink’s white paper. I’ve tried a few other white card stocks and by far, PTI’s rocks my world.

And one last thing…you should check out Deidre’s blog. She’s got some extremely cute projects on there!

Battle of the Inks: Best Ink With Copics?

Posted on 26-06-2009 | By: Tonya

Category : Coloring Techniques, Copics

Tags: brilliance, Copics, ink, stampin up, stazon, versafine

This little battle is starting to GROW! Tomorrow, I’m going to show you the same inks stamped on Stampin’ Up! Whisper White paper so you can see how differently the ink stamps on another type of paper.

But today, although it is very late, let’s talk about how Copics color on Paper Trey Ink White paper with our inks!

I only used E00 (Skin White) so far. This is a light color that I always “have trouble” with. So I thought it would show the best results!

First up, Versafine.

There is extremely light smearing around the mouth and the tips of some hair. Overall, I’m pretty impressed.

Second up, StazOn.

There is smearing around the mouth, eyebrows, neckline and the tips of some hair. Now, I’ll be honest here. I often use StazOn when I color with Copics. It can be done, but the trick is to color right up to the edges but not all the way. The color will lightly bleed to the edges and all is good. However, for the purpose of this test, I colored every image the exact same way, coloring to the edges and over the black ink.

Third, is Brilliance.

Don’t pay attention to the coloring that goes out of the lines. the markers tend to bleed and it’s easily removed with a blender pen or colored over. That’s why I usually don’t go all the way to the edge. But I digress.

Brilliance is by far, the best ink for Copic coloring in this test. There are no visible smudges or smears. I am completely surprised and excited!!

Finally, Stampin’ Up!.

I have to say, I’m completely stunned by the SU! results. There is extremely light smearing on the chin and that is it!! All the other smudges are from the original stamped image. I was really, really surprised that the SU! ink didn’t smear. Not bad!

So my vote for favorite black ink when using Copics? Versafine & Brilliance.

Coming Up: Battle Continues…Stampin’ Up! Whisper White Paper and the Inks.

Twilight Tuesday Inspiration Challenge #10

Posted on 02-12-2008 | By: Tonya

Category : Twilight Tuesday Inspiration

Tags: crafts, cullen, edward cullen, fix, ink, paper, paper crafts, rubber stamps, scrapbooking, stampin up, stamping, stamps, Twilight, vampires

Welcome back Twerds!!! Exciting times, exciting times!! I’m still a little behind getting out prizes, but I’m back on track now. Everything will be out by the end of the week.

Drum roll please….dadadadadadadadadada BOOM!! CLASH!

Introducing the new Twilight Tuesday Inspiration Challenge Design Team!!

Please make sure to visit the design team’s blogs. They are all wonderfully talented and enthusiastic Twilighters. I’m really excited to be working with each of them. And they are excited to start these challenges because we have a lot of fun stuff in store for you!

We’ve changed the *rules* a little so here they are:

Have fun. Wow, that’s a hard rule, huh?? Don’t be afraid to play along…no one will bite (ahem) you. Let’s see what’s in your heart. Even if you are a beginner or think you aren’t “good enough”…we’re not that kind of crowd. We truly want to see! We love to share Twilight! And besides, all of us were (ARE) insecure about our work sometime.

ANY craft or art. While most of us are paper crafters, we welcome everybody. Ok, not if you are using really weird stuff like tampons. And yes, I have seen stuff made with them. Let’s keep this respectable. If it’s respectable and able to be shown to a 6 year old…then it’s ok. I don’t want to explain to my 6 year old what a tampon is. *wink* Jen does some incredible drawings and makes jewelry. We truly don’t mind a little diversity. It can help the creative juices. Except the you-know-whats. I don’t want to go there. I’ll get bad images during my TOM. Thank you. Yes, sometimes I can be crude. Sorry. It’s been a long week. Yes, I know it’s only Tuesday. I’m still having a last week hangover.

Prezzies. We still love prezzies but they’ll be offered differently than before. We’ll be offering periodic (like monthly) blog candy from each of the DT memembers.

Links & Time. There is no time limit for playing. There will be time limits for blog candy but each DT member will give those rules. Please link your entry back to the challenge of the day. Also, enter the SCS keyword if you upload to an SCS gallery. That way we can see all the fab entries!!

Ok! Now on to the challenge! Since we are celebrating our new DT members, I thought a little “getting to know you” thing was in order. So this week’s inspiration is Which Female Twilight Character Are You???

Some of you probably already know your answer after we played “Which male Twilight character are you?” So here’s the challenge:

Take Twilighter Anonymous’ Which Female Twilight Character Are You quiz.
Let us know which one you are. If you feel extra friendly, give us some examples…elaborate! I love getting to know my readers!
Craft something inspired by which female character you are.
Link back here and leave us a comment with your link so we can visit you! Use the keywords TTIC10, and Twilight if you upload to SCS.

Hey, if you are still feeling shy about a craft, please still do 1 and 2…we’re patient! Sorta. Unless we’re waiting for a new Twilight movie to come out or something like that.

Oh, and don’t forget to BREATHE…