Technique Tags

Posted in A Blast from the Past, Organization and Storage, Tutorials by lisababitz

Technique Tags

(a blast from the past…)

Here’s an idea that helps you keep track of new techniques you come across and also allows you to try them quickly without needing to create a whole, finished project…

Early in my card making “career,” I couldn’t get enough of the many technique videos and instructional posts available online. I learned so much so quickly and couldn’t keep up with trying them all on complete card projects so I started doing technique samples on tags (with the video/instructional post location and instructions/notes on the backs). I used a shower curtain ring to keep them together which made it easy to add new tags as I learned new techniques. When I had time to work on a card project, I could flip through my tags to get ideas (and instructions) on techniques I had wanted to try. (I still love watching technique videos, but I pace myself now – lol!)

Saving videos as “favorites” on YouTube or pinning cards and/or instructional blog posts to pinterest boards are also great ways to “remember” things you see and want to try, but the technique tags are a way to actually try the technique quickly without worrying about the rest of a card layout.

This project was originally shared on stamptv (June 14, 2013). (Sadly, this site is no longer active, and the StampTV galleries no longer exist.)

Thanks for checking out my post!

13Mar2019

Floral Frame Napkin Card – with Tutorial

Posted in Cards, Other, Tutorials by lisababitz

Floral Frame Napkin Card – with Tutorial

Recently, I had created a few cards with panels I made where I adhered napkins to card stock with cling wrap. It was suggested that freezer paper also works (thanks Bonnie and Verna), and I decided to give that a try. Oh my goodness – soooo much easier to work with! The freezer paper does not stick to itself (at all) or move around as much as the cling wrap does.

Another issue I had in the past was separating the back layer(s) from the front layer of the napkin. I discovered a tip (on this video at 12:20 mark) which is to use a piece of tape on the back of the napkin – near the corner, half on and half hanging over the edge. Use your finger nail or a bone folder to burnish/push it down on the corner really well. Then pull up on the tape. The portion of the back layer attached to the tape will begin to separate from the front layer(s). Once started, carefully pull the rest of the layer off. If there are two layers behind the front layer, use a second piece of tape to remove the second layer. Again – soooo much easier than fighting with the corners to get it started!

I used a pre-cut freezer paper sheet (instead of a roll) which I really liked because it did not curl and was easy to cut to size with either my paper trimmer or scissors. The freezer paper is shiny/coated on one side, and this is the side that “sticks” to the napkin when heat is applied either with an iron or when it is run through the minc (or laminator). (An additional layer of card stock was not needed as with the cling wrap method. Since there is only one coated side (that sticks to the napkin), there is nothing on the back to adhere to a card stock layer.)

If you care to see how I created my napkin panels with freezer paper, I’ve included complete instructions at the end of this post .

I die cut a square (with a peek-a-boo window die) from the napkin panel to create a frame on my 5 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ card. My Favorite Things has dies that cut either a square or a rectangle frame, and the cool thing about these dies is that the stitching is on the negative and not on the square itself which makes an interesting border around the opening of the frame.

I stamped my greeting on a smaller square panel 4 times in my MISTI. A die cut flower with a bit of stickles (glitter glue) in the center finished it off.

If you care to see how I created my napkin panels…

Continue reading →

6Mar2019

Snowflake Wreaths & Stamping on Custom Size Panels

Posted in Cards, Other, Tutorials by lisababitz

Snowflake Wreaths & Stamping on Custom Size Panels

I have several small snowflake stamps and thought it would be fun to create a winter wreath card with them. I don’t usually use pink, but I decided to try something a little different for me, and I like it more than I thought I would! The Gina K Designs wreath builder template helps you create a perfectly positioned and evenly spaced circular pattern with your stamps. A tutorial on how to use this tool can be found HERE (beginning at the 6:40 mark). While it is easier if you use a stamp positioner (like a MISTI), I show you HERE how to use the template without one.

For this card, I wanted my wreath to be on a 3 inch panel but was using a 4 inch template. It is super simple to use any size panel (the template size or smaller) with any size template.

Let’s say you wanted your stamped panel to be 2 1/8 inches square. In addition to the 2 1/8″ panel, cut a scrap panel to the correct size for the template. If you are using a 4 inch template, you need a 4 inch square panel. With a pencil and a ruler, draw diagonal lines from each corner to it’s opposite corner. Put a spot of removable adhesive in the center of this panel.

Take the 2 1/8 inch square you need for your project. Center it on the “adapter” scrap. Use the diagonal lines to help you position it; when all 4 corners of your panel touch the diagonal lines, it is centered.

Then, just rotate and stamp with the “adapter” (and your temporarily attached panel) as you normally would.

Remove your stamped panel when done. Save your adapter panel. If you used removable adhesive, you can rub it off and use this adapter again and again (although it is so easy to just make another one if needed)!

I used Milled Lavender and Seedless Preserves distress inks and Memento Danube Blue and Summer Sky.

While I had these ink pads out, I made another card where I stamped the wreath directly on the rectangular card panel (instead of on a smaller square). If you focus on the top edge and corners of the panel (and ignore the bottom half that hangs out of the template) and rotate and stamp as you do with a square panel, you can achieve the same result.

Both of these cards were made with just white card stock. I applied ink to some of the card stock to create the matching background panels and mats. I also added ink to white ribbon (on the second sample) to make the purple bow.

Thanks for checking out my card projects!

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25Feb2019

Another Double Z-Fold Card with Pop-up Panel (Wiper Card) – with Tutorial

Posted in Birthday Cards, Cards, Creative Folds, Interactive, Tutorials by lisababitz

Another Double Z-Fold Card with Pop-up Panel (Wiper Card) – with Tutorial

Recently, I shared a wiper card I made for my class and have another sample (with same image from the “Cup of Thanks” stamp set by Studio Katia) that I did with different colors. (If you care to see how I made this card base, I’ve included a short tutorial at the end of this post.) Again, I used Bic alcohol markers (polynesian purple, stone grey, petal pink, tranquil teal, cloud nine grey, ocean blue), and a blender pen to color my image. I found this patterned paper called “Watercolor Dots” by Recollections at Michaels and liked that it had so many colors that worked well with the pencils, markers, and inks available to my students.

Here is a tent fold card layout with the same image.

If you wish to see how I made my Double Z-Fold card base with a pop-up panel (Wiper Card)… Continue reading →

28Nov2018

Using a Wreath Builder Template WITHOUT a Stamp Positioner

Posted in Tutorials by lisababitz

Using a Wreath Builder Template WITHOUT a Stamp Positioner

Making wreaths is easy with a template from Gina K Designs. (HERE is a video showing how to use this tool.)

While it is easiest to use a wreath builder template with a stamp positioner (like the MISTI), it is possible to create wreaths and other circular patterns without one and still achieve the same result. Anything that has (2) raised sides at a 90 degree angle (like a shoe box top, a cookie sheet, a frame, a Stamp-a-ma-jig, etc.) and a large, rectangular acrylic (or wood) block will work.

Here’s how to do it using a photo box lid:

Place your template in the corner of the box top. (Once in place, the template cannot move. Use tape to secure in place if desired.) Place your card panel in the template in the square orientation (not diagonal/diamond orientation) to begin. Place your first stamp on the card panel as desired. (Place the stamp closer to the edge for a larger wreath or closer to the center for a smaller wreath.)

2. With your acrylic block squared/wedged in the corner of the box top, carefully lower the block to pick up the stamp. It is important to keep the two sides of the block touching/wedged in the corner/two sides of the lid.

3. Remove the acrylic block with the stamp, and ink it up as desired.

4. With your acrylic block and inked stamp squared/wedged in the corner of the box top, carefully lower the block onto the card panel to stamp the image. (Again, it is important to keep the two sides of the block touching/wedged in the corner/two sides of the lid as it was when you first picked up the stamp.)

5. Lift/remove the block. Rotate the card panel into the next position on the template. (It’s now in the diamond orientation.)

6. Ink up the stamp again, and repeat the stamping.

7. Continue rotating the panel (now in the square orientation) and stamping the image…

…until you’ve done it 8 times in each of the positions on the template.

8. Remove the stamp from the block, add another stamp, and continue adding images to your panel as desired. (Always start in square orientation when adding another stamp.)