Learn to Stamp and Scrap with Lynn Larson

Watercolored Rose Card Sample

Here is a sample of a card using a fabulous new technique that was shared at Stampin' Up!s Regional Conference in Seattle.  I love this technique.  It has been all the rage among the stamping community for nearly a month now.  I actually taught this technique, along with two other techniques, in the second session of Spring Fling a couple weeks ago.

 

Here is a close-up of the rose so you can see the detail that the floating watercolor technique creates.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I will share this and a couple of other techniques with you starting next week so stay tuned for that.

Remember that the next blog tour is taking place on Friday, May 15th.  I have some great samples to share with you then so mark your calendar and be sure to check back!

Happy stamping,

Lynn Larson - www.learntostampandscrap.com

Technique - Dry Embossing

Many people have been asking me about Stampin' Up!'s Classy Brass Templates so today, I thought it would be nice to go over what dry embossing is and what you needed to do it.

If you have ever gotten one of those wedding invitations in the mail that has the raised words or images on the cardstock, that is what is called dry embossing.  You do this by using a brass template and a stylus to indent the cardstock and create that raised image. 

To dry emboss, you will need the following supplies:  a light table, a brass template, a stylus, wax paper, a piece of tape and cardstock. 

Simply follow these steps and you are on your way:

1]   Secure the Classy Brass template to a light source, such as a light table or a window, with a piece of tape.

2]   Rub waxed paper on the surface of the card stock so that the stylus will glide more smoothly and to help prevent tears in your paper.

3]   Place the paper or card stock over the template, positioning it so that you'll have the image where you want it. For a raised image on the front of the card, place the paper face down.

4]   Using the large end of the stylus tool, press the paper through the open areas of the templates. This produces a raised image.

5]   If you want to color the raised image, reposition the brass template over the image on the front side of the card stock. It will act as a mask to protect the flat surfaces around the embossed image. Apply color with a small sponge using Stampin' Pads or Stampin' Pastels.

QUICK TIP
Make sure to use the small end of the stylus to emboss small areas or patterns of the design.

If you have any questions or if you would like to book a workshop to see dry embossing in action, please contact me at lynn@learntostampandscrap.com or 802-380-0222.

Happy Stampin',

Lynn

Technique - Watercolor Wash

I really liked this card layout that my friend Jen did.  I changed it up a little bit for my technique class last week. 

The supplies used for this project are: 

Stamp Set:  Infinite Goodness (Hostess Set - soon to be leaving us when the new catalog arrives)

Cardstock:  Confetti Cream, Not Quite Navy and More Mustard

Ink:  Jet Black StazOn and Not Quite Navy

Accessories:  Aqua Painter paint brush, Watercolor Wonder Crayons, Vanilla 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon, Dimensionals and a Mini Glue Dot.

I started off stamping the pear with Jet Black StazOn onto the Confetti Cream cardstock.  Using my More Mustard, Not Quite Navy and Close to Cocoa Watercolor Wonder Crayons, it was time to watercolor my pear and the background.  I used a really wet Aqua Painter brush to paint on some More Mustard Watercolor Crayon onto the bottom of the cardstock below the pear.  It almost looks as if the pear is sitting on a table instead of floating in the air.  I added a little Close to Cocoa crayon just underneath the pear to give a slight shadow and to definte the top of the imaginary table. 

Then using the Not Quite Navy Crayon, I added color above the table and around the pear.  Be careful when using a dark color and doing a watercolor wash to use a lot of water and very little color from the crayon.  You can always add more color to make what you are watercoloring darker if needed, but it is sometimes hard to take color away if it is too dark.  I added more color around the pear to give the image a shadow and some depth as well.

The next step was to color in the pear.  I used the More Mustard Crayon directly onto the outline of the pear and anywhere else the black in was used to give the pear dimension.  Then I used a slightly less wet Aqua Painter to pull the color from my drawn outline to the center of the pear to spread the color.  Doing your watercoloring like this keeps the concentration of color on the outline of your image while coloring in a lighter tone of the image with the crayon you pull away from the outline.

I then stamped the words from Infinite Goodness onto the card using Not Quite Navy ink, added the Vanilla Grosgrain across the card and then tying my single knot in a separate piece of ribbon and attaching it with a glue dot to finish that part off.

The pear image is layered onto the Not Quite Navy layer of cardstock and then attached to the card using Dimensionals to give it a little more depth and interest.  A pretty simple card that looks pretty classy when it is done.  The great thing about this card is that it can be used for men as well as women.  It is a nice, generic card to have on hand for the quick man's birthday card, anniversary card, etc.

I hope you enjoyed this technique and this sample!  Thanks so much for stopping by...

Lynn

"Live Your Dream" using Black Magic with a Twist!

I just love the way this card turned out!  I created it for a card swap with other Stampin' Up! demonstrators for the new Occasions Mini Catalog using the "Live Your Dream" stamp set.  I wanted to do a special card with a "WOW" factor to it.  It is a card that I give to very special people in my life.

The flowers, using the Black Magic Technique, just pop right off the card, but adding a 'twist' as I call it with a white gel pen really makes the flowers stand out and accentuate the details. 

This technique is done by using dark colored cardstock, white craft ink, pure color pencils and white gel pen. 

I highlighted this card and the tutorial for making this card in my March newsletter.  You can subscribe to my newsletter that will include a new technique or product focus each month.  I also include a card sketch challenge each month where you can win a free gift from me if you win the challenge for the month.  Sign up and check it out!

Happy stamping!

Reverse Negative

This is a technique that I did at my technique class called Stamp and Scrap University last night.  This is actually not the sample that we did.  I was going to post that one, but I actually gave my sample away so I don't have it to post.  This is such an awesome technique that is very striking and easy to do.

Check out for my class schedule for my next Stamp & Stamp University.  I hold them twice a month at my home in West Wardsboro, Vermont.

Create Your Own Background - COOL Technique!

This layout started off as a challenge to create.  I had taken pictures on Stone Island in Mazatlan, Mexico.  It was a beautiful there and the pictures were a great representation of the island and its culture.  However, there was a lot of sand, coconut trees, decorated coconut shells, etc. so there wasn't much color to work with in the layout. 

When I began to plan my pages, I had a few different colors of card stock that matched the colors in the photos perfectly.  Unfortunately, they were such subtle colors that the layout lacked interest when I used them by themselves.  I also couldn't add many accents to these pages for fear of distracting from the photos.  Besides, what type of an accent do you put with an Iguana anyway? 

I needed to create something that added interest so that the pages weren't just pictures on card stock in the same tones.  Then it hit me.  I thought that it might be nice to try to combine a bunch of the subtle colors together to hopefully add more interest to my layout.  I decided to play around with a technique to create my own background and see how that looked.  I used Close to Cocoa, Sahara Sand and Sage Shadow reinkers with a baby wipe to create this background on a sheet of Very Vanilla card stock.  I liked the way that the colors created interest without distracting the attention from the photos.  I then tore the card stock to create a page border and then add brads to the crossed over corners to add another subtle element and complete the page.  In the end, I think that this page turned out very well.  There is interest on the page without creating a distraction from the photos.

If you would like to learn more about his technique, and others, you can join us at one of our Mini Stamp and Scrap University nights held at my house every Tuesday or have your own class with a group of your friends in the convenience of your own home.  You can click on My Stampin' Up! Website to see my calendar of events or contact me directly to set up your own Technique Night or class.