Seaside Summer Fun -- The Oi Oi Fish

The folks at Stampendous are having a Seaside Summer Fun week,  My post for today features a little undersea summer fun.  I used part of the Waves and Dots Stencil to look like seaweed and bubbles.

Here is how I made it.

MATERIALS:

DWLL373 Oi ‘Oi Fish Stencil

DWLX7012 Waves and Dots Stencil

Regular Embossing Paste

Pearlescent Embossing Paste

Versamark Pen
Embossing Heat Tool
Palette Knife
Paste Spreader

DCP1005 Fitted Frames B

Kaleidoscope Transparent Embossing Powder

Copic Markers in B97 Night Blue, Y13 Lemon Yellow, Y17 Golden Yellow, 100 Black, N7 Neutral Gray No. 7, W8 Warm Gray No. 8, N10 Neutral Gray No. 10

Chamelon Marker in BL6 Royal Blue

Spectrum Markers in DG2 and DG3

Removable Tape

Zip Dry

Scrapbook Adhesives White Foam Squares

My Colors Card Stock in Poolside, Tropical Splash and Grasshopper

May Arts Ribbon

Manual Die Cut Machine

DIRECTIONS:

1)    Fold a piece of 6 3/8” by 9 ½ ” card stock so that the fold is on the side.

2)    Use the manual die cut machine and the fitted frames to cut a large frame from the tropical splash card stock.

3)     Tape the fish stencil face up on the cut out frame. Use one large piece across the top of the stencil initially.  It will be a hinge later.  Tape all the way around.

4)    Remove the Pearlescent embossing paste from the container with the palette knife and place on the paste spreader.

5)    Place the paste spreader on the top of the stencil and pull down towards you, filling the holes and keeping contact with the stencil at all times.

6)    Replace any extra paste into the container.

7)    Remove the tape from the bottom and sides of the stencil.

8)    Using the taped top as a hinge, carefully remove the stencil.  Let the paste dry.

9)    Repeat step 3 with the waves and dots stencil and the tropical splash card stock. 

10)                     Remove the regular paste with the palette knife and instead of placing it on the paste spreader, paste the left side and the bottom of the stencil.  You do not have to be particular about how the paste fills the holes, because it is supposed to represent the ever moving sea weed.

11)                     Repeat steps 7 and 8.  Let all the paste dry.

12)                     Color with the alcohol ink markers directly onto the paste.  You will see that the regular paste gives a matte finish and the pearlescent is a little shimmery.  Let the color dry.

13)                     Select a few of the white colored dots to make as “bubbles”.  Color them with the Versamark Pen and cover with the embossing powder.

14)                     Heat set the embossing powder.

15)                     Adhere the background to the folded card.

16)                     Assemble the card, using the foam squares to raise the fish above the card.

Thanks for stopping by.  Come back again tomorrow for something really different.  Here are the links to the rest of the posts for today:

Kristine Reynolds

Louise Healy

Pam Hornschu

Stampendous Blog

April Showers!

Welcome to the Stampendous-Dreamweaver Stencils April challenge of "Showers to Showers!" Our designers have so many choices with this theme, baby, wedding, rain...You'll definitely want to see what we come up with each week of April!

 

Today I chose to interpret the theme this way:

 

 

     This cute baby shower card was created with four stencils:  LJ886 Fireworks, LG756 Open Elephant, LG628 Dogwood Pattern and LS22 Congratulations.  First, all the stencils were run through the Cuttlebug with the Stamping Details Rubber Embossing Mat.  The fireworks were run through with white card stock.  The congratulations stencil and the elephant and dogwood combo were created using teal coated aluminum. 

      For the congratulations, I used the following "sandwich": A Plate, stencil face up, metal face up, rubber mat and two B Plates.  This "debossed" the image, pushing the metal down into the word.  I sanded the piece with the stencil still under it. 

     The other piece of teal metal was sent through the Cuttlebug the same way, but with both the dogwood stencil and the metal face down.  I sanded the metal after removing the stencil.  Then,, I sent the textured metal through the machine the same way, but with the elephant stencil.  After I removed the stencil, I added Black Beauty Color Solutions to the eye and Aquarius Color Solutions to the crevices that outlined the elephant.  I used the tip of a cotton swab to add the Color Solutions with precision.  I sanded the image again, paying special attention to the tusk.

 

 

     Finally, I replaced the fireworks stencil and sprayed it with Memory Mists in Silver.  As you can see, when I replaced the stencil, I got it a little off the original embossing.  This was not my intent, but when it was done, I liked the sense of movement it conveyed.

     I added a beautiful May Arts Ribbon and a little teal card stock and I was done.

Our "A Team" wants to "shower" you with lots more ideas, so be sure to visit and leave them "showers" of comments!

Dream It Up!

Leadonna Kimmel

Louise Healy

Laura Drahozal

Jamie Martin

Christmas in September?

Where did the summer go? Kids are back in school, with all the insanity that goes with it, vacations are a not-so-distant memory, and it is once again time to get busy with the important things in life...crafting for the holidays! Yay! All of September the Dream Team will be featuring all the new goodies we have for the "Most wonderful time of the year", the fall and winter holiday season. New stencil designs, new dies, and...(coming soon) brand new embossing folders featuring some of our top-selling designs, all to be found on-line through the Stencil with Style web-site, or your local papercrafting store.

 

Here's my holiday inspiration for this week:

I created it using metal and velvet paper, which means that it did not photograph as well as I would like to (the only thing about these two materials that I don't like), but perhaps a couple of closer shots and some more detailed explanation would be helpful.
For the flowers, I started by running green metal through my Cuttlebug with this sandwich:  A Plate, Stencil LL3046 Tall Poinsettia (face up), Green Coated Aluminum (face up), the Stamping Details Rubber Embossing Mat and two B Plates.  You might wonder why I have those little lines through the metal.  Well, true confession time, I was all out of the Mercart Metal, so I used a different brand in the same color.  If you use the metal that I linked, you won't have that problem.  Anyway, I then left the stencil under the metal as I gently pressed the metal against the inside of the stencil with the Teflon Tool in the Basic Metal Kit.  You can skip this step if you want to, it just won't have as crisp of edges.  Then, I used the Color Solutions Remover on a Q Tip to remove the green inside the flower and seeds.  I left just a little in the edges so that it would darken the tips.  I dropped a little Christmas Red Color Solutions inside the wells of the flowers and Lemoncello inside the seeds.  I did not worry too much about it going over the edges because I knew I would sand it later.  I enhanced the colors a little with Q Tips and Paprika Red in the flowers and Gourd Green in the leaves.  I then sanded the top and brushed of the dust with a stencil brush.  I pulled the metal off the stencil, and placed it on Double Stick Mounting Paper, burnishing it down with my fingers.

 

For the background, I repeated the embossing process I explained, except that I put Stencil LX 7027 Quatrefoil face down and the velvet paper face down on top of it.  Other than that, I used the same sandwich.  For the letters, I used the new Dual Alphabet Dies in my Cuttlebug with green metal.  The sandwich for this was A Plate, dies face up, metal face down, C Plate and B Plate.  If you have any trouble cutting all the way through the metal, a slight shim of cardstock should fix it. Then, I sanded just the outside of the letter and reassembled them on Double Stick Mounting Paper.
Finally, I assembled the card, using the other side of the Double Stick Paper to attach the metals.

 

Of course, we have our monthly challenge for you to play along, so post your own holiday creations, and use the Inlinkz tool on the Dream It Up! blog, for a chance to win the prize at the end of the month. We also have our fabulous Guest Designer for the month of September, Wendy Price! Here's the list of our "A" Team with their links for the week:

Dream It Up!

Wendy Price (GD)

Leadonna Kimmel

Louise Healy

Laura Drahozal

Lynn Mercurio

Pam Hornschu

Jamie Martin

An InLinkz Link-up

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Christmas in August Blog Hop with Woodware--The Final Day

Yes! It's that time of year again! The time when we inspire crafters on both sides of the "pond" with a mix of both Dreamweaver and Woodware UK* products for the holidays! Six days, SIX, of beautiful, elegant, merry, cute, artsy, and craftsy projects to have you heading out to your local stores or internet sites to buy these goodies immediately!

Of course, there will be prizes as well. Three prize packages will be given to three commenters during this week's posts on the team's blogs, including five stencils and one nested die set. You can have an opportunity to win these goodies by leaving some holiday sweetness for each team member posting each day, to be one of the three winners for the week. Here are the team members that are inspiring you today:

Dream It Up!

Woodware UK

Kristine Reynolds

Jamie Martin

Pam Hornschu

Louise Healy

Lyn Bernatovich

Lynn Mercurio

Lea Kimmel

Gill Wilson

Laura Drahozal 

Dorothy Adam

  Debs Frost

Alison Heikkila

Here's my creation: 

 

First, I stamped with a beautiful Woodware stamp on white card stock with Jet Black Archival Ink.  Then, I ran a couple of stencils through my manual die cut machine with the Rubber Embossing Mat.  I ran the Dreamweaver Stencil LX 7002 Plaid through with red velvet paper.  The Dreamweaver Stencil LL557 Long Merry Christmas was used with Red Coated Aluminum.  I put the aluminum red side up over the stencil, which was also right side up.  I enhanced the "debossing" with the Teflon Tool from the Beginner Metal Tool Set.  I used a Qtip with Color Solutions Alcohol Ink Thinner to remove the red in the holly leaves.  I then used a little Color Solutions in Pine Bough to add green to  the leaves.  Finally, a sanding block removed all the color I did not want.  I did all of these steps with the stencil still behind the metal. 

 

The image was colored with Crayola Crayons.  The card was assembled using regular adhesive, Double Stick Mounting Paper behind the metal, 3D Dots and a lovely May Arts Ribbon.

*For a stockist near you contact Woodware Craft Collection in the UK and Notions Marketing in the USA.

The Flora and Fauna Challenge Continues.....

It's May! The Dream Team members are challenging you this month to a "Flora and Fauna" theme! Considering most of the Dreamweaver designs incorporate these themes, you should have no problem playing along with our challenge this month! As usual, link your creations at the end of the Dream It Up! blog post.  As the challenge gets underway, you'll see thumbnails of others who are playing along as inspirations for your own creations!

Here in Michigan, the weather has been stormy and hot, although later this week it is going to cool down again.  Typical for a Michigan spring.....  The weather, however, has gotten me thinking about summer, so I thought I would share a little summer card with you.

 

I made it with metals.  As my regular followers know, I am BIG into the metals.  They are so much easier to use than they appear.  Check it out with my tutorial on the goldfish.

 

MATERIALS:

 

Dreamweaver LX 7023 Large Scales Stencil

Dreamweaver LJ 863 Swirls Stencil

Dreamweaver LL 3038 Open Fish Stencil

Dreamweaver LM 294 Summer Stencil

Dreamweaver Color Solutions in Pumpkin, Lemoncello and Black Beauty

Stamping Details Rubber Embossing Mat

Mercart Medium Blue Coated Aluminum

Mercart Yellow Coated Aluminum

Mercart Beginners Tool Kit (includes both Teflon Tool and Ball Tool)

Mercart Filling Paste

A Small Piece of Suede

Scissors

Manual Die Cut Machine

Sandpaper

Cotton Swabs

White Card Stock

Adhesive

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1)  Cut the metals to just larger than the stencils:  blue for the scales and gold for the swirls and the summer stencil.

 

2)  Run the metals through the die cut machine with the metals and the rubber mat.  I have a Cuttlebug, so I used an A Plate, stencil, metal (face up), rubber mat and two B Plates.  Leave the stencils under the metals.

 

3)  Use the Teflon Tool (found in the Beginners Kit) to press in and "sharpen" the word summer.

 

3)  Use a cotton swab to add a little Pumpkin Color Solutions over parts of the gold swirls and into the word summer.  Let it dry (this should only take a minute or so).

 

4)  Sand the blue scales and the gold/orange swirls and word summer with the stencils underneath.  After you are done sanding, you can remove the stencils.

 

5)  Run the gold/orange metal through the die cut machine with the goldfish stencil.



 

 6)  Place the goldfish face down on a piece of suede and "push" the metal out with the Ball Tool (found in the beginners tool kit).

 

 You are shaping the fish.  Be sure to use the Metal Ball Tool to enhance the shape with your own flair.  I like to add some "ruffles" in the tail.

 

 7)  Once the shape is the way you like it, flip the metal back over and place on a die cut machine plate or another smooth, flat surface.  Use the small end of the Teflon Tool (found in the beginners kit) to "sharpen" areas of the fish.

 

 8)  Use the "Deer Foot" end of the Teflon Tool to flatten the outside of the fish.

 

 9)  Flip the fish back over and fill with the Mercart Filling Paste.  Let it dry.  This will take a couple of hours.  It will be hard when done.

 

 10)  When the hardener is dry, use cotton swabs and the Color Solutions to enhance the colors.

 

11)  Trim around the outside of all the metal pieces with scissors. 

 

12)  Assemble the card.



 





Thanks for stopping by.  I hope to have inspired some people to use metals.  It is reall easy and great fun!

Be sure to check out all the other "A" Team members this week--and leave us a little love! 

Dream It Up!

Leadonna Kimmel

Louise Healy

Laura Drahozal

Lynn Mercurio

Pam Hornschu

Jamie Martin

 

Tiny Treats Box

Welcome to a new month and a new challenge with Dreamweaver Stencils.  For the month of May, the challenge is "Tiny Treats".  The thought is that you can create a small token for teacher appreciation, graduation, party favors and the like.  Here is my take:

 MATERIALS:
Dreamweaver Stencil LX 7017 Stars
Stamping Details Rubber Embossing Mat
Mercart Metal (One sheet, any color aluminum)
Mercart Teflon Tool (in the Beginning Kit--optional)
Color Solutions Alcohol Ink in Lemoncello, Aquarius, Mojito Green, Iceberg and Cosmo Pink
Double-Sided Mounting Paper
Manual Die Cut Machine
Box (mine was $1 at Michael's)
Black Paint
Paint Brush
Sharp Scissors
Craft Knife

Sandpaper

DIRECTIONS:
1)  Paint the bottom and inside of the box.
2)  Run the metal with the stencil through the manual die cut machine.  You will be debossing the silver side of the metal.  You also need the Stamping Details Mat.  The sandwich for the Cuttlebug is A plate, stencil face up, metal color side down, rubber embossing mat and two B plates.
3)  Repeat step 2

4)  If desired, use the Mercart Teflon Tool to sharpen and deepen the "wells" you have created by using the stencil.  You can do that by running the tool around the edges of the shapes against the stencil.
5)  Drip Color Solution colors into the wells as desired.  Let dry.
6)  Sand the metal to remove any color that got outside the wells.

7)  Use the scissors to cut the Double Sided Mounting Paper to fit each of the sides of the box.  Be sure to cut out spaces for the hinge and the clasp.
8)  Decide on which portion of the metal pieces you want on the side.
9)  Remove one side of the coating on the paper and adhere to the back of the metal.
10)  Trim the metal to fit the adhesive paper, leaving just a little extra all the way around.
11)  Remove the backing of the adhesive paper and attach the metal to the box.
12)  Rub the slight excess metal around the corners, tuck up next to clasp and trim with scissors or craft knife where necessary.

13)  For the top, select two areas that you would like to feature.
14)  Place mounting paper on the back of the metal parts.
15)  Trim around the stars if desired, always making sure that the metal will cover the top.
16)  Remove backing and place on the top.

I hope you enjoyed this post today.  If you create a "Tiny Treat", be sure to send the picture to Lynell@dreamweaverstencils.com and you could win a wonderful prize!  In the meantime, you can find some more inspiration by visiting my fellow teammates.

Dream It up!

Laura Drahozal

Lyn Bernatovich

Pam Hornschu

Heidi Erickson 

Louise Healy

Jessica Griffin

Cyndi Bundy

Another Inky Metals Piece

It is the last week of the theme "Getting Inky with Stencils". I couldn't let the month end without putting up just one more alcohol ink project.  This one was VERY easy, but uses just a slightly different technique.

MATERIALS:
Dreamweaver Stencil LX7014 Daisy Background
Dreamweaver Stencil LS1010  Happy Birthday
Manual Die Cut Machine  (I used Cuttlebug)
Stamping Details Embossing Mat
Mercart Metal Aluminum (any color--we will use the back)
Ranger Alcohol Ink in Watermelon and Denim
Craft Sheet
Sandpaper
Cardstock
Ribbon
Adhesive

DIRECTIONS:
1)  Use the manual die cut machine to emboss the metal.  This is the sandwich for the Cuttlebug:  A Plate, Stencil (face down), metal (silver side down), Details Embossing Mat, Two B Plates.  Emboss both stencils this way.
2)   Lay metal on craft sheet, silver (embossed) side up.  Drip the two colors of alcohol inks randomly onto metal.  Quickly swirl around the color a little by tipping the metal or by dipping a QTip into it and pushing it around.   Let dry.
3)  Sand the embossed pieces.
4)  Assemble.
This was as easy as can be.  You should give it a try.  If you do, photo it and either email it to Lynell@dreamweaverstencils.com or upload it anywhere online and link it to the blog, www.dreamweaverstencils.blogspot.com.
This month we will have just a bit different twist on our monthly challenge ... we are letting you choose any stencil you would like as your prize if you win. Yep, any Dreamweaver stencil you "so desire". We will still have two winners, one for best interpretation of the challenge and one for best usage of Dreamweaver products.  Enter now, before it is too late!

A Crystal Fairy Princess Wand

Here is my latest post for Connie Crystal.  It is a crystal fairy wand, well in advance of Halloween.  for more pictures and directions, go check it out at the Connie Crystal Blog. 

I will show you how to dye your own crystals for a truly personalized project of any kind.  Check it out!

More Stencil Inkiness

This month's challenge is "Getting Inky With Stencils".  If you play along, you can win the stencil of your choice.  That's right--any stencil you want!  But, how do you play?  You use ink with stencils.  Any ink, any way.  Then, take a digital photo and email it to Lynell at Lynell@dreamweaverstencils.com. She will put it online for you so that everyone can see it.  If you have a blog, a gallery, or even a photo account, you can put it online yourself and link it to the Mr. Linky at the bottom of the Dreamweaver Stencils Blog.
Last week, I showed you alcohol inks on metals.  This week, lets see what they can do on Glossy White Paste. 

 

MATERIALS

Dreamweaver Stylized Dahlia Stencil LG743

Dreamweaver White Glossy Paste

Paste Spreader LM 2010

Dreamweaver Color Solutions in Pine Bough

Dreamweaver Color Solutions in Gourd Green

Dreamweaver Color Solutions Thinner

Alcohol Ink Applicator

Pink Vellum

Cardstock

Patterned Paper

Adhesive

 

DIRECTIONS

1)  Use removable tape to tape the stencil down to cardstock.  Be sure to tape all the way around the stencil.

2)  Put White Glossy Paste on spreader.  Pull it down across the stencil.  Think of it like a squeegee.

3)  Remove tape from 3 of the 4 sides of the cardstock and lift stencil as if it were on a hinge. 

4)  Remove stencil.  Let paste dry.

5)  Replace stencil.

6)  Use applicator to daub color on the stems and leaves.  You can also thin the color a little and daub onto the bottom of the petals.

7)  Remove stencil. 

8)  Assemble card.





Getting Inky With Stencils

Welcome to September!  Can you believe it?  September already!  Well, it is time for a new month and time for a new theme--"Getting Inky With Stencils".  You will want to be sure and look at ALL the blogs this week for inspiration (they are all listed on my sidebar), because this is really a wide open category.  Is it pigment ink?  Spray ink?  Distress Ink?  Well, if you follow me, and know my style, you understand that for me, the favorite must be alcohol ink.  Yep, a metal project.  In fact, this week I am posting a FIVE MINUTE PROJECT.  No, really.  Let me show you.

MATERIALS:
Dreamweaver Tree Line Stencil LG 745
Mercart USA Copper Coated Aluminum
Stamping Details Rubber Embossing Mat
Die Cut Machine (I used the Cuttlebug)
Alcohol Inks (for this one I used Tim Holtz Butterscotch, Espresso, Terra Cotta and Pesto)
Alcohol Ink Applicator
Sanding Block
Cardstock
Twine

DIRECTIONS:
1)  Run the stencil and metal through the machine.  With the Cuttlebug, the "sandwich" looks like this: A Plate, Stencil face up, metal--copper side up, rubber mat, and 2 "B" Plates.  In this case, I am debossing, or pushing the metal into the holes in the stencil.
2)  With the stencil still attached, use the alcohol ink applicator to apply alcohol inks to the whole thing.  You are just applying a very light coat to mottle the copper color and add more interest.  You don't want to get too involved and erase the copper underneath. 
3)  With the stencil still attached, sand lightly to remove the color on the raised sections.  Even then, feel free to leave a little copper, like I did in the trees.
4)  Remove the stencil and assemble the card.
Done!  Really--this was five minutes.  Try it for yourself.  Then, link it or email it to Dreamweaver Stencils, and you can win the stencil of YOUR choice.  (I could definitely recommend this tree line, because it is one of my favorites--as is the holly or poinsettia, if you want a Christmas stencil--just saying.)
Here is the official word from Lynell:
"This month we will have just a bit different twist on our monthly challenge ... we are letting you choose any stencil you would like as your prize if you win. Yep, any Dreamweaver stencil you "so desire". We will still have two winners, one for best interpretation of the challenge and one for best usage of Dreamweaver products."
So, go ahead--get inky with your stencil.  You know you want to......

Dreamweaver and Woodware Blog Hop Day 1

All of this week, the Dream Team and the Woodware UK teams are celebrating the release of the new holiday designs from Dreamweaver Stencils. Of course, no celebration is complete without prizes...and there are some fabulous ones for those commenting on both sides of the "pond".

Each team will be providing the opportunity to win four prize packages of stencil designs, perfect for the holidays. Just leave your comments each day on each players' post as well as the Dream It Up! and Woodware UK blogs, and the Dreamweaver and Woodware Facebook pages. Two random commentors will be chosen from the batch of weekday posts, one each from the DW and WW Facebook pages, and from the big hop on Saturday...from each side of the pond!* That's a total of eight prize packages up for grabs! Here's what you could win:

So, here is my post for today.  This card is going to be on many of the new stencil boards in the U.S. this year, so I thought I would let everyone know how it was made.

I began with a piece of Mercart aluminum.  This piece was actually color coated with the plain side up. I ran it through my Cuttlebug with the new stencil LX7016 Season of Joy.  I used the A Plate, the stencil face up, the metal silver side up, the Details Embossing Mat and two flat B Plates (not those curvy, scratched up ones we all have.....).   After I put it through the machine, I left the stencil on and refined the edges with my Mercart Teflon Tool.  I then tackled the coloring challenge with my gorgeous Color Solutions Alcohol Inks.   I dripped it into the "wells" of my card, smooshing it around and into the holes with the tip of the bottle.  I shortened my cleanup time a little by gently wiping the overages with a paper towel before the ink dried.  I used Sugar Plum in the words, Gold Star in the star, Pine Bough in the foreground trees, Noble Fir in the background trees, Creme Brulee in the animals and Iceberg in the stream.  After the colors were dry (moments, really), I sanded it.  Any stubborn spots of color on the background were removed with a little Color Solutions Thinner on a precision Q Tip. Then, it was just a matter of assembly. 

I hope that you got a little inspiration here. Don't forget to leave me some holiday cheer as you move on to the other players for today.                                                              

Woodware UK
Dream It Up!
Laura Drahozal
Lee Kellogg
Pam Hornschu
Dorothy Adam
Terrece Siddoway
Wendy JordanLouise Healy
Remember to follow along with the challenges on the Dream It Up! and Woodware UK blogs for more prize opportunities, and more crafty inspiration, as well as "liking" DW and WW on Facebook.

*Winners selected must be from USA/Canada/UK only.