STAMPING WITH CORKS

Another simple background technique this week....and one you may well have tried as a little person.  As is sometimes the case, this looks more effective in reality that in the photo, as the metallic ink and embossing lose some of their shine "in translation".  The technique is simply to use cork as a stamp.  In this example I've used white and gold acrylic paint, and then added some round gold stamps.  Ink would give a more even result.  The edge of the circle has been rubbed roughlyy with versamark and then heat embossed with gold  powder.  the stamp on the red circle is also embossed.

STAMP PAD BACKGOUNDS

At this time of year there is no time for complicated techniques so this is about as simple as it can be.  I've just punched out some squares from textured card, pressed a little square pink stamp pad lightly onto the middle (not really trying to get the edges to print).  After a couple of moments drying time I've overstamped with little motifs, using black inks.

Use one to decorate a gift card, three for a standard "rectangular" card and all four for a square card.

STAMPING ON AIR DRY CLAY

I'm cheating again on the "new technique" front as I made this box top literally years ago.  The photo doesn't really do it justice so you'll have to take my word for it still looking as bright as the day it was made.  I've just stamped into DAS air-drying clay with a stamp (unfortunately I can't remember the brand but am happy to credit it if anyone does know).  I've then coloured in with a variety of Gel pens, edged with black permanent pen and added lots of glitter glue.  I can't remember what I used to attach it to the little paper mache box, (which is covered with handmade paper) but after more than six years its still attached!!

RUB-ONS ON SHELL

I have more than my share of moments when I buy something that I'm quite sure will come in useful one day, but don't quite know when that day will come.  As a consequence I have far too much "stuff".  Every now and then, I feel compelled to do a bit of sorting with "use it or lose it" in mind.  It never lasts very long but usually I end up giving one or two things away and actually using a couple of other things, before my attention span is exhausted and the rest of the craft room is safe for the next few months.
The orange shell disc in the middle of this card was one of a bag of six I bought thinking that perhaps I could make something in the jewelry line (its intended purpose) but in over two years nothing has sprung to mind.  I also have lots of little ends of ribbon that never seem to be quite long enough to use.  Add into the mix my rather sad rub-on collection, which I foolishly stored in a warm place with a couple of large books on top hence a sticky mainly unusable stack which I still haven't thrown out.
As you can see, I combined all of these elements, and sat them on top of a teabag motif made with pages from the book I mentioned last week,  I then mounted it onto some decorative paper, then onto a card and well....the result is slightly unusual but OK.  Plus of course, I can feel slightly smug about finally using some of my more obscure craft room "treasures".  The teabag fold is a variation of my favourite kite shape in which one side is opened and secured under the folded side of the next shape.  As this blog is supposed to show a different technique each week, I'll go with  " Rub-ons on shell" as the title!

ROLLED ROSE

I am one of the least likely people you would ever find to rip up a book however.......this one was well and truly falling apart, it was a cheap paperback AND I already had another copy so....I made an exception and now have a couple of hundred nice vintage printed pages to play with.  These little rolled flowers are everywhere at the moment.  You can buy dies to cut them but I prefer the roughly torn version, as shown in the picture.  For those that haven't tried these before: Start by tearing a roughly circular shape (don't be too upset if its not exact, that's the whole idea).  Beginning at the outside tear in a spiral shape towards the middle, being deliberately "wavy" and leaving a small area in the middle as a base.  Now start rolling from the outside until you get to the base, allow the rolled shape to "relax" a little, then glue it to the base.  If you're using light paper like this then double sided tape will do, otherwise use something like Pritt glue or a hot glue gun.  If the flower still looks a little tight, you can gently bend out the petals.