Michael Strong Card of the Day - Technique Thursday

The technique for today is an old one but something I haven't done in a while.  It's quick and easy and uses something everyone has -- stamps!  The kissing technique.

Basically you just ink up a solid stamp with one colour of ink (Wild Wasabi):

Then you stamp on it with another stamp in a different colour (Garden Green):

 

The result:

 Do that all over your stamp and then huff on the stamp (to re-moisten the ink) and stamp on paper to get something like this:

 Here is the card I made:

 

The tiny flower is from Mikes's Busy-bee stamp set and I also used Mike's Gecko.  The vine down below is a die cut that I accidently glued onto the bottom of the card rather than the side (like I wanted) but I actually think it looks better there so that must have been fate or destiny playing a part there...or maybe just me rationalizing the whole situation.  The paper for both the card and the vine is Garden Green.

The finished card is 5.25x5.25.

Michael Strong Card of the Day - Wednesday

This card started with the tag.  To create the background of the tag I had smeared some distress paints (Salty Ocean, Chipped Sapphire) with some white acrylic paint on some paper.  Then I stamped a script stamp in black on top.  I had cut out a flower from Mike's Busy-bee stamp set and stamped that all over in black along with a dot circle stamp.  Then I punched out the tag from my new Stampin Up tag punch.   I added an old Stampin Up! sentiment and some ribbon and the tag was done!  I couldn't see me just giving a tag to someone so I made a card out of it. 

First I smeared some transparent embossing paste over some white cardstock using a swirly stencil.  Then I added a Night of Navy doily, a Bashful Blue butterfly and a daisy made from white and Night of Navy.  I mounted the white background on Bashful Blue and added to a Night of Navy base.  Then I added some pearls to the butterfly and a few sprinkled around the tag and the card was complete!

Michael Strong Card of the Day - Tuesday

For this card I used a diamond stencil and applied some embossing paste to watercolour paper to make the raised diamonds.  When that was dry I painted some twinkling H20's (Mallard, Rainforest) on top.  I distressed the edges and mounted on black then Garden Green paper.  The leaf die cut is in Garden Green.  Mike's small flower stamped in black on Tangerine Tango paper was cut out with his die cut and added on top of some black canvas ribbon.  A few black enamel dots were also added. 

Michael Strong Card of the Day - Monday

I finally made a card with my new Pony stamp!  First I stamped Mike's Cloisonne Pony in Versamark on white cardstock and embossed with clear embossing powder.  Then I sprayed some Lindy's two toned spray (Milk Chocolate Brown) and some Dylusions spray (Melted Chocolate) on top.  Once that was dry I used a star stencil and sponged on some Chocolate Chip ink.  The embossing resisted all the inks so the pony could shine through!  I mounted on white cardstock and then put on some Chocolate Chip paper.  I had some silver brads with stars on them so added those and a sentiment. 

The finished card is 5.25x5.25 and quite shimmery thanks to the Lindy's spray.

Michael Strong Card of the Day - Friday

Here is my final card for the week.  For this card I first used a diamond stencil and some embossing paste to make some irregular diamonds on some watercolour paper.  Next I used a twinkling H2O (Meditteranean) to paint the background.  I stamped Mike's Seahorse in silver shimmer paint onto white cardstock and cut out using his Seahorse die cutter.  Then I added some black burlap and brads and distressed the edges slightly.  I placed on black cardstock and then on a Pool Party card base.  It's very shimmery in real life!

Michael Strong Card of the Day - Technique Thursday

Yesterday's technique on SplitCoastStampers was called "Embossing Folder Stamping".  It seemed quick and messy so I thought I'd give it a try.

Step 1:
Basically you just take an embossing folder and dab some ink or paint onto it in a bunch of different areas.  Here I used Distress Paints (Mustard Seed and Mowed Lawn).

Step 2:

Spray with water.  They also suggested Glimmer Mist.  Do NOT spray too much.  Just a little.  This is TOO much.  You'll see below.  Just 1 or 2 squirts is enough.

Step 3:
Put watercolour paper into the mess and press down slightly.  Leave for a few seconds.

Step 4:

Remove the paper.  Here's what happens when you spray too much!

This one is much better:

Here's the card I made from that background.  I stamped Mike's Gecko and an old Stampin Up! sentiment in "Gathered Twigs", distressed the edges, put on Daffodil Delight paper and placed on a Chocolate Chip card.  I also added a bit of burlap and some brads to get some texture in there.

Anyhow the technique is quick, fun and easy to do.  You can experiment with different folders, different colours, different mediums (paints or inks), and even different sprays (water, glimmer mist, I going to try some coloured ones just to see what it looks like) so you won't get bored easily with this technique!

Michael Strong Card of the Day - Wednesday

Here is the card for today.  It uses a new technique called "Tye Dye Circles" from the latest issue of Technique Junkie.

To make the circles I used Distress inks (Tumbled Glass, Broken China, Salty Ocean) on watercolour paper.  I stamped Mike's large Seahorse in Salty Ocean.  The swirls made out of circles are made from a stencil and some embossing paste.  I distressed the edges a little bit and added some white yarn and a sentiment from Stampin Up!  The blue paper is Pacific Point.