Sunflowers & Dragonflies

How to Create a Reverse Spotlight Technique

Bam, how is this for a large photo?  I’m told that my photos are too small so I created a much larger pic for you.

So, today I have what I call a “reverse spotlight” technique.  I combined this technique with my much-loved Stampscapes stamps.  Even if you don’t have these stamps, any stamps will do.

Supplies:  Four colours of ink, stipple brushes, glossy paper

Not in Photo:  white cardstock, round punch

Stipple yellow in the center of your glossy paper.  Surround with the next darker colour.

Continue adding darker colour as shown here.

Finish by using a dark blue or purple for the edges.  Round your edges as shown here.

Stamp out main image.  Notice my black mark on the bottom? That was brought about when I opened up my ink pad and dropped it.  Have you done that before?  I always seem to.  Anyways, that is okay because mistakes are so easily hidden with these stamps.

Stamp out trees.  Stagger the size by stamping the whole tree out and then just the tips.  Do not fill up all of the space because a second focal point will be added.

Add a second and third focal image as I did with the fishing boat and flying geese.  There are many other stamps to use (ie. row boat, loon, moon).

Stamp out main image onto cardstock.

Punch a hole in the cardstock.

Adhere punched circle and finish your card.

Tutorials each Tuesday

Subscribe to the comments for this post

How to Create Shadows

Have you ever wented to know how to create shadows and highlights in your work?  Today I will show you just how to do that.

Supplies:  Prismacolor pencil crayon, odorless mineral spirits

The first thing to do is envision where the sunlight is.  If it helps, draw a circle on your work area.

Start by using the lightest colour of pencil crayon, and colour your work surface.  Colour just a little bit of each area, leaving white space at the tips of each area. Leave more white space as the sun hits the object.

Continue to colour your image.  Notice how the front of the dress is left white.

Use a deeper shade of colour in each area.  Add a smaller amount of colour than you did earlier.  Shadow is recessed so think about that as you colour. Be sure to use a darker shade of skin tone under the hair line, under the chin and at the back of the left elbow.  (not pictured)  Your image is now ready to put together in a card or project.

If you want to take it a step further, use your colour wheel (shown here is The Color Wheel Company colour wheel) to determine what colour to use in the white space.  Be sure to select a much-lighter colour than your main surface area.  Using my wheel, I chose a coordinating green.

Continue adding shadows and highlights as your desire.

To take it a step even further, paint your image with Creative Inspirations paint.  If you don’t have C.I. paint on hand, then look at using children’s watercolor paints.

Your image is now ready to put together on your card/project.

I hope you learned something today.  If you have any questions, please leave me a comment or e-mail me.

Supplies:

Prismacolor pencil crayons and odorless mineral spirits.

Color Wheel from The Color Wheel Company

Creative Inspirations paint:  Fuchsia and Plum

Paper:  Paisly Road by Prima Marketing and Salt Air from Cosmo Cricket, both purchased at Mark’s Finest Papers.

TUTORIALS EVERYTHING TUESDAY

Subscribe to the comments for this post

The Color Wheel Company Sponsorship for Tutorial Tuesday

UPDATED TO READ “The Color Wheel Company“

Did you know mice can eat bubblegum?  Anything is possible with house mouse stamps.  They are so darn cute!

Today’s tutorial shows you a quick overview of  how I selected the colors for my card.  Today’s sponsor is The Color Wheel Company who generously provided me with a color wheel for one lucky winner.

(photo used by permission from The Color Wheel Company)

As you can see from the photo above, there are many colour choices compared to an ordinary colour wheel.  This Web Wheel was created for beaders.  When this wheel on my mom’s beading table, I went crazy.  No longer did I see a scrapbooker/cardmarker color wheel with few choices, but I had a whole new world open up to me.  When I contacted The Color Wheel Company for sponsorship, they generously provided me with lots of blog candy for future posts.  This week I will randomly select a winner who will win The Web Wheel as shown above.  All you have to do is leave me a comment.  If you like, let me know if you use a colour wheel, or if you need further instructions in using one.

If you do not own The Color Wheel Company,  you can visit their site, or refer to one of the colour wheels you have on hand.

Now, on to the tutorial.

When selecting colours to use on a card, look at The Color Wheel Company  to help you out.

I wanted to see what colours would work best on my mats, as I knew I wanted to use the peachy orange as my card front.

Continue referring to The Color Wheel Company for colour choices.

Whether you already have a colour wheel on hand, or are looking for a colour wheel, The Color Wheel Company  is a #1 choice.

* * *

Image was painted with the following Creative Inspirations paint:

Rose Quartz, Canary, Turquoise, Sky Blue

Image was coloured with the following Copic markers:

E00, 01

E31, 33

R30, 32, 37

RV02, 09, 14

Y19, 35, 38

BG05

V05

YR04

G14

Subscribe to the comments for this post

How to make a Post-it Note Holder

Have you made a post-it note holder before?  I am sure you will enjoy making one as much as I did.

Supplies:

Score Pal or Score Blade

Post-It note

Cardstock

Glue (note in photo)

Cut your cardstock to 7 1/2″ x 3 1/2″

Score at 3 1/2″ and 4″

Glue your post-it note holder into the scored cardstock

Tutorials every Tuesday

Subscribe to the comments for this post

How to Distress with Acrylic Paint

Have you wanted to take the plunge to work with acrylic paint?  Have you been scared off from distressing?  Well, stop right here. This is an easy technique that gives punching results.  Back in 2007 I produced a distressing (with acrylic paint) tutorial, which I am updating today.  Added to my card is the Bandana Technique.

There is no right or wrong when distressing.  Every try will provide a different look.

Supplies:

Ink

Paint

Paint brush

Dictionary page

Slap ink onto cardstock (coloured or white cardstock)

Thin paint with water.  Paint thinned paint over top of the entire cardstock.  This softens the ink distressing.

Glue pieces of torn dictionary pages to the cardstock.

Optional:  Distress edges and along dictionary pages

When the card is all dry, you might like to iron (on low) between two pieces of paper to flatten out your cardstock.

Matt cardstock and finish as desired.  Have fun!

Tutorials every Tuesday

Subscribe to the comments for this post

How to make Cracked Glass

Have you worked with Cracked Glass before?  It is a technique that has been around forever.  Back in 2007 I posted a tutorial on Cracked Glass, and thought it was time to bring it out again, but with an updated version.  Let me know if you have already done this technique.  I’m interested in knowing how many of you know about this technique.

Supplies:

Ultra thick embossing powder

heat gun

stamp

VersaMark

ink and stamp

Stamp out your image.  Next, cover your image with VersaMark.  Sprinkle VersaMark over the image that has VersaMark.

Heat emboss.  Repeat previous step (applying VersaMark and Ultra thick embossing powder) with this step (heat embossing) three times.

After applying three coats of VersaMark/ultra thick embossing powder, place into the freezer and leave there for 2 hours,or longer (mine was left in there for three days simply because I got busy with other things).

Take out of the freezer.  Now the fun part, using both hands crack the image.

Optional, distress your image.  Let dry for one hour.

Have fun!

Tutorials every Tuesday

Subscribe to the comments for this post

Black-Eyed Susan

As many of you know, I love using my Tombow watercolour markers.  It’s so much fun deciding what colours to use.  Today I am sharing a brightly coloured black-eyed susan with you.

My card uses the Scalloped Easel Card tutorial.

Have a terrific day!

Subscribe to the comments for this post

Criss Cross Card

The criss cross card has been around for a long time.  You can keep your card simple or embellish it as much as you like.   All images are from Digital Delights.

Cut two 4 1/2″ x 11″ pieces of cardstock

Score both pieces at 5 1/2″

Place your cardstock in at an angle as shown.

Trim your cardstock after placing the cardstock in an angle.

Your two pieces of cardstock should look like this.

Fold trimmed pieces of cardstock inwards.

Glue the back of one of the trimmed cardstock and adhere to look like the photo above.

You will need two pieces of designer paper, size 3 1/4″ x 5″.  Cut each piece of DP on an angle as shown above.  Be sure to cut each piece in a different direction so that both pieces of DP are upright.

Adhere your DP to the card as shown.

Fold flaps over to create a criss cross.  Adhere along the bottom of the right flap.  Adhere along the bottom of the left flap, and from the pencil down to the bottom.

Criss cross is now finished.  It’s time to add the card insert.

Take a 3 1/2″  x 4 3/4″ (shown here in pink) and mat it with  3 3/4″ x 5″

To create a band, cut cardstock to 1 1/2″ x 12″.  Score at 5 5/8″ x 1 1/4″.

Along one side, glue as shown.  Wrap around the card and put pressure on the glued side to the non glued side.  Your band is now complete.

The band will look like this.  Embellish as desired.

The inside of the card is now decorated.

Tutorial index along the top bar

Subscribe to the comments for this post

Inchie Paintchips

Last week I showed you a quick and easy paintchip bookmark.  Today I will show you some other ideas for paint chips. The finished “friends” ATC is another tutorial I did called Wax Crayons.

Today’s tutorial is all about inchies.  You can emboss them and stamp on them.  Today I will show you both.

Supplies:

Paint chips

Square punch or Nestabilities square die

Embossing folder

Adhesive

Stamps (not in photo)

After cutting out your inchies, run them through the Cuttlebug, or another die cutting/embossing machine.

Emboss all of your pieces

Lay your inchies in an even space and adhere them to your card front.

Finish off your card as desired.

Using your paint chips again, you will stamp on them.

Step 1:  Layout out your inchies in a verigated fashion with the lightest on the left, slowly going darker towards the right.

Step 2:  Stamp on your inchies, using inchie stamps or regular stamps.  Here I used inchie stamps.

Evenly space your inchies on your card front, laying your paintchips in a verigated fashion like above.

Finish off your inchie cardfront as desired, or leave alone like this.

Subscribe to the comments for this post

How to Make a Paint Chip Bookmark

Are you looking for something to with paint chips?  Something so quick and so easy?  Well, this tutorial is for you.

Supplies:

Paint chip

Crop-o-Dil

Ribbon or Wool

Cut your paint chip the width you would like

Cut the length you would like.

Bookmark is now done.

Subscribe to the comments for this post