Stamp it Crazy

1. Stamp out 3 identical butterflies on sticker paper. Color as desired.
   Cut out all 3, leaving the backing on. (Figure 1)
2. Fold each butterfly in half, right sides together. (Figure 2)
3. Take the backing off butterfly #1 and butterfly #2.
   Slightly stick them to the back of your hand.
4. Stick the right wing of butterfly #1 to the left wing of butterfly #2. (Figure 2)
5. Remove backing from butterfly #3.
6. Stick left wing of butterfly #3 to right wing of butterfly #2,
   carefully matching edges. (Figure 3)
7. You now have two sticky wings remaining, one of #1 and one of #3.
   Stick both of these wings on your card or package, placing as close
   together as you can. (Figure 4)
8. Your butterfly will look like he's ready to flutter by, yet he will flatten
   down beautifully for mailing.

Create a standing frame, hanging ornament or greeting card which is a re-usable container for candy, potpourri, small gift items, or pictures. A "door" on the back of the window panel makes it possible to insert your gift items, and for your friend to retrieve them without destroying the container.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

T E C H N I Q U E

1. Plan your project, inside and out. Make sure the box and the access door are big enough for your gift.
2. Cut a ½" thick piece of foam board the size of your card. Then cut this frame ½" from all edges. The interior box opening can be larger than the image you plan for its front. (See Figure 1)
3. On a separate piece of card stock, stamp and decorate the image you wish to use for the top layer (window.) Cut away the "window" opening, carefully staying inside the stamped outline.
4. Cut ½" strips of matching card stock and glue to inside and outside edges of the frame to cover the edges of the foam board or plan an extra ½" allowance on all four edges which will be wrapped downward like a gift. (See Figure 2)
5. Cut a piece of clear acetate slightly smaller than the foam board frame; attach to the frame with double stick tape. Glue or tape the stamped window over the acetate.
6. Stamp the background (which will be seen through the window) onto the front of a card. This scene can extend beyond the edges of your window. Turn this piece over, and cut a "door", ½" from the top and sides, extending halfway down the card. Score and fold back.
7. Cut or punch two "buttons" of card stock. Attach one just above the door and the other on the door, using mounting foam and glue. Anchor a piece of string under the button on the door. Wind the string around both buttons to lock it closed.
8. Glue the back piece onto the foam board frame. Insert your gift.
9. This frame can be mounted on the front of a card, on a tripod (tent) standing frame, punched to hang as an ornament, or used just as a box for a small gift item such as jewelry or candy

2. Another MONOCHROMATIC color scheme can be achieved by creating an all-over background. Choose a solid stamp design. Ink  and press it onto the leaf. Stamp the leaf randomly onto your paper. Now ink and press it onto the leaf, and add more overlapping images with this darker shade of green. Finally, stamp a few leaves that are inked directly with the green pad. (Example 4)

6. COLOR COUNTERCHANGE is achieved when different colors are overlapped, forming new colors. This works well with solid or screened images. It is a very interesting way to discover new colors and enhance the vibrant colors of autumn. (See Example 9)

7. LAYERING WITHOUT LAYERING - a fun technique! This type of shadow stamping will give the look of a raised, glued-on element over a background without all of the cutting and pasting! It also introduces many new uses for your small stamps. Even the smallest image can be made the central focus of a card when it is enhanced by the space created by a shadow stamp. (See Card Examples Below)

• Stamp a shadow stamp onto your card using a light color.
• Stamp an extra of this image onto scrap paper and cut it out. This will be a mask.
• Stamp a small image onto the stamped shadow image.
• Mask this area.
• Using a background stamp with a similar theme, stamp over the mask to make the background disappear behind your main element.
• Choose colors for this technique that will be contrasting or complementary.

.

Cut on the solid lines, score for folding on the dotted lines.
Stamp, stencil or decorate as desired.
Enclose a tea bag. Secure the flap with glue, sticker or tape.
Place inside a card or use as a gift ornament.

You will need:
 
• a candle: any size,
  shape or color
• rubber art-stamps,
  ink, embossing powder
• heat embossing tool
• plain white tissue paper
• sponge for applying water
 

T E C H N I Q U E

1. Plan the design for your candle.
2. Cut a piece of tissue paper to the size of the area you wish to decorate.
3. Stamp, decorate and heat emboss the design on the tissue paper. If you are adding a single small design, cut it out close to the edge of the image. If you are stamping on all-over design, use just one piece of tissue paper cut to measure around the candle without overlapping.
4. Sponge just enough water onto the back of the tissue paper to allow it to stick smoothly onto the surface of the candle. Do not over-wet.
5. Preheat your embossing tool for a moment, then begin to apply heat to the surface of the tissue area. Move the tool uniformly around the area for even heating. First you will see the tissue paper dry out, and then you will see it "disappear" as the heat melts the surface of the candle, causing it to absorb into the tissue. Only your heat embossed design will remain.

S T A M P I N '   T I P S

• Either solid or open designs can be used. Phrases and word stamps work
  well if they are fairly large and bold.
• Metallic and opaque embossing powders work the best. A color contrast
  is desired.
• Try adding a small amount of glitter to your embossing powder for extra dazzle.
• Glitter Glue works beautifully for this technique. Allow it to dry completely on the tissue before applying it to the candle.
• Loose Glitter makes an interesting texture. With no tissue paper, apply heat to the surface of the candle until wax begins to melt. Quickly sprinkle glitter onto surface and apply more heat. This is messy and you will have no control over where it goes, but it is very pretty. A tissue image could be applied on top of the glitter layer.
• Experiment on some old candles first to get the feel of it, and then move on to your elegant holiday or party project.

T E C H N I Q U E

Using rubber art stamps to decorate wooden objects is a great way to expand your stamping hobby into three dimensions. Some wooden objects, which can be stamped, are pre-assembled, unfinished boxes (sized for trinkets, recipes, jewelry, etc.), plaques, frames or berry boxes. Visit a craft store for ideas.

Some raw wood tends to cause your ink to "bleed", and some finished wood is too slick to hold the ink.
For best results:

• Lightly sand the wood until smooth.
• Finish the wood with polyurethane stain or wipe on latex paint.
• For a natural look, with no stain or paint, seal the wood before stamping
  with olive oil or tung oil.
• Clear acrylic spray can also be used to seal the wood.

S T A M P I N '   T I P S

• Use pigment based or black Memories ink. Most other water based inks will bleed. Pigment ink can be heat embossed or heat set (to speed drying time). Stamping Paint can be applied to the rubber die with a sponge.
• Carefully consider color choices. The color must be dark enough to contrast with the natural or stained tones of the wood. Black stamped images can be colored in once the ink is dry, using suitable paints or Marvy pigmented markers, which dry permanent. Care must be taken not to smear your images as you add to your design.
• Decorate the interior of your box by stamping it or by lining it with decorative or handmade paper. Glue the lining in place with a glue stick, which will not wet or buckle the paper. Paint the open edges of your box with acrylic paint if desired. o
• Protect your design with a light coat of clear acrylic spray after waiting 4-8 hours for the ink to dry and cure.
• Try this for beautiful ornaments using small wooden shapes: Cover the surface completely with pigment ink. Immediately apply one or two coats of clear embossing enamel. Prepare a stamp for quick use by inking it with black Memories ink. Heat the last coat of embossing enamel and immediately press in the stamp. The image will be recessed into the embossing enamel and will not stick to the surface once it begins to cool.