Layered Thinking of You

Posted in Cards, Get Well/Sympathy by

Layered Thinking of You

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This project features a layered greeting panel cut with the Gina K “Fabulous Label” die set.

To create the pattern on all of the Gina K Honey Mustard card stock, I used a leaf stamp from the Stampers Anonymous “Falling Leaves” set by Tim Holtz (shown below) with Gina K Honey Mustard ink.  I just randomly and repeatedly stamped the image (overlapping) until the whole panel was covered.  This leaf image worked well because it was not completely solid and allowed for a nice mix of ink (heavy and light) and open space.  The “tone on tone” stamping makes the pattern very subtle.

Fall Leaves Set

(I used the stamp on the bottom right corner.)

To create the paper for the little leaves around the greeting, I repeated the process above but with Gina K Faded Brick card stock and Charcoal brown ink.  Once the panel was stamped, I used a small Recollections Oak Leaf Punch (5/8 inch) to cut out the leaves.

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The burlap paper was store bought, but it was an unmarked piece from my scrap box so I don’t know who made it.

I added a bit of texture to my project  with the “Fall Leaf Background” embossing folder by Darice.  Once that panel was embossed, I lightly ran the Honey Mustard ink pad over the surface to darken the raised areas a bit.

The edges were inked with Gina K Charcoal Brown ink.

In addition to the Honey Mustard panels, I also used Gina K Pure Ivory card stock.  The label die set does not have a die to create the ivory mat around my embossed panel, but if you cut the (ivory) die cut up the center and position the two halves beyond either side of a whole (embossed) piece, it creates the matted edge along both sides as shown in this video HERE (at 6:20 mark).

The greeting is from the “Framed Greetings” stamp set (retired?) by Gina K Designs and was stamped with Gina K Charcoal Brown ink.

Thanks for checking out my card project!

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Magic Window Card Tutorial

Posted in Tutorials by

Magic Window Card Tutorial

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Recently, I posted a card with a window element that opens and closes like the iris of a camera.

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I saw several tutorials on YouTube showing how to make this type of card.  Each had slightly different measurements and slightly different ways to cut and assemble the pieces for the card.  This is what I did to make mine… Continue reading →

Masculine Birthday Magic Window Card

Posted in Birthday Cards, Cards, Interactive by

Masculine Birthday Magic Window Card

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This gatefold card has a cool “magic window” mechanism on the inside that reveals a hidden message or image when the card is opened.

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The hidden message or image disappears as the card is closed again.

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The sentiment in the window is from the “Framed Greetings” set (retired?) by Gina K Designs, stamped with GK Charcoal Brown ink.  The sentiment below the window is computer generated.  The patterned paper is “Kraft Small Dot” and “Kraft Stripe” by Core’dinations.  I also used Stampin’ Up Tip Top Taupe card stock and Recollections heavy weight ivory.

I created a belly band which slides on the card when closed.

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The image on the belly band is from the “Sketch a Party” set by Stampin’ Up and was also stamped with GK Charcoal Brown ink.  The circle panels were cut with dies from the Spellbinders Large and Small Standard Circles dies.

Thanks for checking out my card project!

How Should Ink Pads Be Stored?

Posted in Contact Me, Organization and Storage, Questions by

How Should Ink Pads Be Stored?

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I recently received a question asking if dye ink pads should be stored upside down.  I have seen this question (and lots of opinions about it!) online and have often wondered what the answer is myself.

I sent an email to Tsukineko (Memento ink pads) asking this question and received no response.

I found this HERE on the Ranger site:   “How should I store my Distress Ink Pads?    The molded plastic case is designed to create the proper fit needed for the ink formulation. While storing the pads flat with the bottom side up will neither help nor hurt, we usually store pads on their sides or flat with the right side up.”

And HERE is an interesting video (at 4:21 mark) where Tim Holtz talks about how ink behaves in their pads and how they don’t need to be stored upside down.  (Thanks for pointing this out, Joyce!).  He talks about it again HERE (at 8:30 mark).

I also contacted customer service at Gina K Designs, and this is the response I received:  “It actually does not matter, it will not affect the quality of the ink at all. We store them with the colored label up here at our brick and mortar store. :)”

I am not an expert, but according to the sources I checked, it doesn’t really matter.  It seems to me (and this is just my opinion) that if the ink pads were supposed to be stored with the pads facing down, the manufacturers would put the ink pad on the lid. Since the pad is on the bottom and the label is on the top, it seems (to me) like that is the way they are to be stored (or at least that it is fine to store them this way).

Personally, I store my ink pads on their sides or with the lids facing up (because that is how my storage racks or containers hold them), and I have never had a problem.

When I am actually stamping, I usually place my stamp on the table facing up and tap the ink pad down on the stamp, and then I place the ink pad face down on its lid on my desk.  (I like to keep the lid on the pad when I am done inking the stamp, and this is just a more natural technique for me than flipping the pad over and picking up the lid.)  The ink pads are just as “inky” when stamping from this upside down position as when I first start using it from the upright position as it was stored.

Thanks for checking out my post!