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Basic Pattern Decorative Masks: Victorian

July 9, 2020

Decorative Masks Part II

Card made with Basic Pattern Decorative Masks, Victorian style

Basic Pattern Decorative Masks (item #150697) come in a set of 4 masks, sized 6 x 6″ each. They are thin and pliable, plastic in nature and easily cleaned. The enclosed insert lists 5 different methods you can use when you create with these decorative masks: spritz, sponge, trace, emboss and texture.

The variety in the Basic Pattern Decorative Masks is wonderful, and this set has something for everyone. Part I in my mini series on Decorative Masks focused on the Dot Mask, and creating a textured background. To see that post, which contains great information and card making tips, click here.

In Part II of my mini series on Decorative Masks, I have focused on the Victorian Mask and the spritzing technique. I find this technique useful with any mask, and can use it in any color as well. Let me show you the fun of spritzing!

Spritzing Technique

Are you looking for big impact in card making on a low budget? I have news for you: spritzing is the way to go! The Stampin’ Spritzers (item #126185) cost $3 for a set of 2. Classic Stampin’ Ink Refill (in the color of your choice) costs $3.75. All you need now is rubbing alcohol or water, and you have the mixin’s for some wow.

Stampin' Spritzer and Classic Stampin' Ink Refill

The magic mix of spritzer lasts a long time, since a little goes a long way. In fact, I still had some left-over from another project, as can be seen in my blog post, here.

Tips For Mixing And Using The Stampin’ Spritzers:

*Stampin’ Spritzers can be used to spray color saturation on your paper.

*Add 6-8 drops of Ink Refill to the opened spritzer (protective cap pops off and spritzing mechanism/tube screws off) and dilute with rubbing alcohol or water. Rubbing alcohol is preferred to water, since the alcohol base dries quicker. Percentage on rubbing alcohol bottle is not crucial.

*The more liquid, the lighter the overall color. Add more ink or more liquid until you are happy with the result. Experiment!

*Shake your spritzer well before each use to avoid settling or separation. Store your filled spritzer upright.

*Spritz with care! You can use an empty card-board box to place your paper in and spritz away if you are concerned with making a mess. I find that having a great clearance around my work surface ensures that nothing gets an accidental coating of color from over-spray.

*Before using it on your project, you may need to flatten your finished color-spritzed paper. Drying time will vary depending on the liquid choice used and humidity levels in your home.

*Watercolor Paper or Shimmery White Cardstock work nicely with these wet procedures. And don’t rule out Glimmer Paper for extra sparkle.

*The spritzer bottle is easy to clean, just wash with soapy water and rinse. Don’t forget to clean the inner tube and spritzer mechanism too.

Set Up For Spritzing Success

Spritzing can be done with or without a mask. Just like in my previous Decorative Mask post using Embossing Paste, I highly recommend securing your paper and mask to avoid shifting mid-work while spritzing.

I took advantage of a Tombow Removable Adhesive Tape Runner, and secured my cardstock to my graph paper. This kind of tape runner allows temporary holds, and is easily removed without tearing or residue. In fact, when I rub my finger across the removable adhesive, it crumbles away like pencil erasing. Only a very small amount is needed here.

Next, I secured the Basic Pattern Decorative Mask Victorian design in the exact position I wanted it to be. This time I used Painters Tape to hold the mask down. I made sure I did not cover my cardstock with the tape.

Time to spritz! I applied an even coverage over the entire Decorative Mask. The alcohol scent can be strong, and liquid that does not hit the paper will remain on top of the mask. I absorbed the extra fluid by blotting with a paper towel.

By taping down one side of the mask only, I was able to lift the mask once it was dried off, to view my handi-work. I decided to spritz some more in certain areas, and placed the mask back in its original position to do so.

My paper dried quite quickly, and it did not need to be flattened before use.

Just Saying Hello

The light purple of my spritzed masked cardstock needed a strong coordinating hue to back it up, so I chose a Blackberry Bliss card base. To go with the soft pastel-color focal background, I added in Soft Sea Foam green, too.

I trimmed a small piece off of my spritzed paper, and set it aside for another project.

Adjusting the size of the spritzed masked cardstcok

I was looking for a generic, large sentiment for this card, along with a basic die cut. So, I pulled out the stamp set, Tasteful Touches (item #152562) and inked “just saying hello” in Blackberry Bliss.

Tasteful Touches Stamp Set and Blackberry Bliss Ink

Next, I die cut the sentiment using one of my new favorites, the Tasteful Labels Dies (item #152886).

Victorian Flowers

The Many Layered Blossoms Dies (item #153582) provide two large open flower die cuts, which can be used individually or combined. I wanted a lot of my spritzed masked background to show, so I chose the thinner outline of the dies to use.

I die cut the flowers in Purple Posy CS, so they would not compete with my light purple background.

Many Layered Blossoms Dies and Take Your Pick Tool — The Take Your Pick Tool (item #144107) and Take Your Pick Die Brush Tip (item #149655) are great for getting all the fine die cuts removed quickly and easily. Here, I chose to keep some of the cut-aways intact.

I love to add some greenery to my flower cards, but the Many Layered Blossoms Dies do not provide any leaves. Instead, I took small scraps of Soft Sea Foam CS and die cut just the leafy outer areas of the bolder die image.

Stampin’ Up! brought in a new version of Adhesive Sheets (item #152334), and I was so happy to use them on the smaller die cut flowers. This double sided sticky paper works wonders where glue or tape are impossible. Simply remove adhesive on one side, attach to cardstock, die cut, and you have an “instant sticker”.

Small die cuts from Many Layered Blossoms Dies and Adhesive Sheets — I mistakenly thought the small flower dies would combine together to make two-toned flowers. The thinner flower dies are meant to go on the outer flowers of the large flower die.

Award Winning Ribbon

All this ribbon and not one is in the color I am looking for today. But, I have a super simple solution to make white ribbon the right ribbon!

Did you know that you could color white ribbon with any color of Stampin’ Blends and create the shade you want? My favorite ribbon to do this with is the 1/4″ Crinkled Seam Binding Ribbon (item #151326).

Coloring the Crinkled Seam Binding Ribbon with Stampin' Blends

I chose the light Soft Sea Foam Stampin’ Blend, which was the color of ribbon I was looking for. I placed the ribbon on my Silicone Craft Sheet (item #127853, also great for use with glue and tape) and used the broad tip brush to swipe color along the ribbon. The ribbon soaks up the color and dries quickly.

Layering on the card front — I used Tear & Tape Adhesive (item #138995) to secure my ribbon and the ends of the leaves. My sentiment die cut will cover this area on the finished card.

A Little Hello

Remember that small piece of spritzed masked cardstock I cut away for another project? It was perfect for a mini card.

Mini’s are easy to make: cut a piece of cardstock 3 x 6″ and score at 3″ for a 3 x 3″ card. The mini cards fit the 3 x 3″ Envelopes (item #145829) for big impact.

Mini Card with Itty Bitty Greetings Stamp Set — Itty Bitty Greetings Stamp Set (item #151331) is no longer offered as a wood mount option. Yours will come in cling (red rubber) stamps.

As you can see, spritzing with the Basic Pattern Decorative Masks is easy and versatile, and another great way to incorporate masks into your projects. If you need any of the supplies I used in my cards today, head over to my online store, https://juliemakson.stampinup.net.

Cards made with Basic Pattern Decorative Masks

There are lots of options and uses left to explore with Decorative Masks, and I will continue to cover them in my ongoing mini series. Be sure to check back in, to see what I come up with next!

Basic Pattern Decorative Masks: Dots

July 8, 2020 1 Comment

Decorative Masks Part I

Card made with Dots Basic Pattern Decorative Mask

Masks are not new to the Stampin’ Up! world. In fact, there have been several different package assortments thru the years, as my drawer is full of them! The variety in the Basic Pattern Decorative Masks is wonderful, and this set has something for everyone.

Part I in my mini series on Decorative Masks is focused on the Dot Mask, and creating a textured background. But really, you could create a textured background with any mask! Let me share some insight on Embossing Paste.

Embossing Paste For Texture

The Stampin’ Up! Embossing Paste currently comes in 2 varieties: Shimmery White (item #145645) and White (item #141979). The paste can be dyed with Classic Stampin’ Ink Refills, and used on cardstock, fabric or other materials.

It was first introduced in 2017, and like all new things, I had to try it out. Important lessons:

*Each time you use it, you will need to stir it up. The Palette Knives (item #142808) are so handy when using the paste, but a popsicle stick or plastic knife would work too. Think of the paste as spackle: apply liberally to fill in the cracks, and then swipe off the excess, putting it back in the jar.

*The paste will dry out very quickly. Keep it covered securely. You may want to add wax paper, saran wrap or aluminum foil over the top of the paste before you screw the lid shut tightly. I did not, and had a jar dry out long before it was even half used up. Adding water to try to re-hydrate did not work.

*The paste needs to be cleaned off your mask immediately after use. You may find that even then, it will leave a white residue film. This after-effect will not harm the mask in any way or cause issues with use. But, your mask will look used. You can use a baby wipe, and follow up with a water rinse and air dry. The mask can also be cleaned with dish soap and water.

Set Up For Texture Success

Using the Embossing Paste with Decorative Masks is really easy. Like anything, practice helps. I recommend securing your paper and mask whenever possible to avoid shifting mid-work.

Setting up for Embossing Paste on Decorative Mask — Keep the foam insert from your jar (seen above in jar lid) as an added barrier against dried out paste.

Next, I secured the Basic Pattern Decorative Mask Dot design in the exact position I wanted it to be. This time I used Painters Tape to hold the mask down. I made sure I did not cover my cardstock with the tape.

Time to spackle! I used my Pallet Knife to add the Shimmery White Embossing Paste over the Decorative Mask. It plops on and spreads like frosting. Be sure to wipe off the excess after every area you want to cover has enough paste in the stencil holes.

Dot Decorative Mask and Shimmery White Embossing Paste

When I removed the Decorative Mask, this was my result! You can see in my finished piece that more could have been added in certain areas. I did not fully add Embossing Paste to every dot, with the intention of using only part of the created image for my project. This look is also artistic, with its partial effect.

The Embossing Paste dries very quickly on the project, so I did not use any heat (from my Heat Tool, item #129053) also used for heat embossing) to speed it along. It remains quite solid once it is completely dry, and will not fall apart with inquiring fingers. The Shimmer White Embossing Paste looks like glitter paper as the light hits it.

This Calls For Confetti!

The Shimmer Embossing Paste had a greenish tint when wet on the Basic Black CS, so I decided to use Bermuda Bay and Pool Party as the card’s coordinating colors. But don’t worry, when dry it appears glittery white!

First, I die cut a stitched rectangle from a piece of Pool Party CS, to provide a cut-away over my textured embossed piece. Next, I stamped it with the Drybrush Background Stamp (item #152599) and Pool Party Ink.

Drybrush Stamp Set and So Sentimental Stamp Set

I thought the shimmery dots looked like a happy celebration, so I chose the sentiment “this calls for confetti” from the So Sentimental Stamp Set (item #151691). I used the Stitched So Sweetly Dies (item #151690), which can be combined with the stamp set for a bundle and 10% savings (item #153828).

When I was working on this card, I tried different combinations of die cuts and colors, as can be seen above (along with the Pool Party cut-away). In the end, I chose a Pool Party oval (and sponged the edges in Pool Party Ink to deepen the color), a Whisper White Stitched Rectangle backer, and heat embossed the sentiment with White Embossing Powder on Basic Black CS.

Glitz It Up!

To make this card stand out, I added dimensionals beneath the Pool Party cut-away layer before placing it over the textured embossed cardstock. Next, I die cut the swirly spray in Whisper White, from the Stitched Stars Dies (item #150653), which is perfect for any celebrational card. I taped this to the back of my sentiment piece using regular scotch tape.

I really wanted to use both the Glittered Organdy Ribbon (item #147897) and the 3/8″ Sheer Ribbon in Pool Party (item #152462). In the end, only the Black Glittered Ribbon made it onto my card. The Sheer Pool Party Ribbon was so light it just disappeared on the card front.

Glittered Organdy Ribbon and 3/8" Sheer Ribbon in Pool Party

Decorative Mask Delight

Card made with Basic Pattern Decorative Masks and Shimmery Embossing Paste

You can see that making this card with the Basic Pattern Decorative Masks was pretty simple, and stylish fun! Next time you visit my online store, https:juliemakson.stampinup.net, be sure to add the masks and some Embossing Paste to your shopping cart.

Creating raised texture is a great way to use those masks! Come back to see even more fantastic options for the Basic Pattern Decorative Masks over the course of my on-going 4 part mini-series. The possibilities will enthrall you!

Lovely You In Rich Razzleberry

July 6, 2020

Monday’s Are Hard, Stamping Shouldn’t Be

Monday’s are hard, but in this cardmaking series, I will show you that stamping shouldn’t be. In fact, it’s quite easy. And with minimal supplies and minimal efforts, you can get fabulous results!

Lovely You Stamp Set

Today’s Monday Card features the stamp set Lovely You. This is a new stamp set from the 2020-2021 Annual Catalog from Stampin’ Up!. If you would like to see another easy Monday card that features flowers, click here.

You can purchase Lovely You as a bundle with the Lovely Labels Pick A Punch and save 10%. However, since we are using minimal supplies, this Monday Card only uses the stamp set. But more on the punch later!

That’s right, one stamp set, Lovely You, two ink pads, Rich Razzleberry and Shaded Spruce, and two colors of cardstock, Rich Razzleberry and Whisper White. Please follow along!

A Monday Card

The Card Recipe

Rich Razzleberry CS: 5-1/2 x 8-1/2″, score at 4-1/4″ for card base.

Rich Razzleberry CS: 4 x 5-1/4″, 1-3/4 x 3-1/2″, ″ and 1 x 4″, small scrap

Whisper White CS: 4 x 5 1/4″ (for inside, optional)

Whisper White CS: 1-1/2 x 3-1/4″, 3/4 x 3-3/4″, (4 of) 3/4 x 5″, small scrap

Stamp And Assemble

This Monday’s Are Hard, Stamping Shouldn’t Be Card starts out with the typical “fold in half” and score with your bone folder to get a great crisp card base. Let’s not break tradition.

However, my TIP to you is to score once, invert the fold and score again. Your inner crease is now as crisp as the outer one. This makes for a professional looking card base!

Rich Razzleberry cardstock and bone folder

Create Your Own Designer Series Paper

With the minimal supplies used in this card, we are not adding designer series paper to it. We are making our own!

This great background pattern can be used with any stamp sets you own that contain small stamps and sentiments. It is a great way to use up some of those white strips of left-over paper that are lying around too!

I started with the Shaded Spruce Ink and 2 of the 3/4 x 5″ Whisper White strips. I used the three-leaf stamp from the Lovely You Stamp Set four times on one strip. Next, I used the sentiment “always”, and varied which letters from the word showed on my narrow paper strip.

Shaded Spruce Ink and stamps from Lovely You Stamp Set

After completing the Shaded Spruce strips, I worked on the Rich Razzleberry ones. On the two remaining strips, I stamped flowers from the Lovely You Stamp Set. I was able to get four of the larger flower images on one, and five of the smaller images on the other.

Rich Razzleberry Ink and stamps from Lovely You Stamp Set

After I stamped all four strips, I adhered them to a piece of 4 x 5-1/4″ Rich Razzleberry CS. I like to “dry fit” my pieces before permanently attaching them. This gives me time to see if I like the layout, and the ability to change my mind.

I kept my strips closer to the left, with a portion of the Rich Razzleberry visible on the right. There is room to play here, and you could easily separate the strips farther apart and fill the space instead.

Focal Stamping

This card has a lot of small stamps doing all the work. To anchor the sentiment, I continued by using Shaded Spruce Ink and the leaf sprig stamp from the Lovely You Stamp Set. But this time, I doubled the size by stamping the image twice, once up and once down.

Sprig leaf stamp from Lovely You Stamp Set

If there is an overlap in the middle, that is fine. The middle stamping will be covered up by the sentiment layer later on. I adhered this 1-1/2 x 3-1/4″ Whisper White CS to a panel of Rich Razzleberry CS, 1-3/4 x 3-1/2″.

So Many Sentiments

The Lovely You Stamp Set has 8 sentiments, along with 3 individual words. This stamp set has so much variety! I chose the sentiment “miles apart, but still in my heart”.

Sentiment stamp from Lovely You Stamp Set

When I stamped the sentiment in Rich Razzleberry Ink, I kept the image to the right of my 3/4 x 3-3/4″ Whisper White CS. Next, I adhered it to a layer of 1 x 4″ Rich Razzleberry CS.

Finishing Touches

The leaf sprig layer and sentiment layer need to be placed on the card. I placed the leaf sprig layer toward the left of the card, overlapping some of the smaller strips. The final position can be chosen to suit the background stamps in play.

When it came time to add the sentiment strip over the sprig assembly, the previous card layering left one end much lower. I solved this off-kilter situation by adding small pieces of Rich Razzleberry CS to the back of the sentiment layer where it needed a ‘bump’ up.

Adding cardstock bumps to create the proper height — The back of this sentiment piece needed to go up at least two levels,which I accomplished by adding small pieces of like-color cardstock in the appropriate area.

Fussy Details

Fussy cutting is not a favorite of most people. I try to keep mine to a minimum as well. But from time to time, it adds a needed detail to a card.

For this Monday card, I stamped the three-leaf stamp in Shaded Spruce, and the larger of the floral stamps in Rich Razzleberry onto a white scrap. Then, I did a little of the dreaded fussy cutting with my Paper Snips.

Fussy cut images from Lovely You Stamp Set

The middle of the fussy cut leaf will be covered by the flower, so it will not require the fussiest of cutting. The flower is easy to fussy cut, as just the head is needed. Lastly, I attached them to my card front, on the left of the sentiment piece.

The Insider Job

Your card is beautiful on the outside, now lets make it pretty inside too! I like to mimic some of the outer stamping into a corner of the inside card. This way the card has continuity and there is still lots of room to add your own sentiment or written thoughts.

Here, I used the leaf sprig stamp and Shaded Spruce Ink first. I angled the image from the bottom corner toward the middle of the 4 x 5-1/4″ Whisper White CS. Next, I stamped the larger flower in Rich Razzleberry and added it on the side.

Inside stamping using Lovely You Stamp Set

Step It Up!

For my stepped up version of this same card, I pulled out the Lovely Labels Pick A Punch, which can be purchased at the same time as the stamp set for an instant 10% savings, using item #154070 when buying both.

Lovely Labels Pick A Punch, item #152883

Because this versatile punch removes a small amount of cardstock from the end, you will need to add 1/8″ to your cardstock measurement for each side that is punched. So, in my next card sample, I added 1/8″ to the four background strips, punching only one end. For the sentiment pieces, I added 1/4″, because I punched both ends.

Handy Tip: When cutting cardstock for the Lovely Labels Pick A Punch, you can choose 1/2″, 3/4″ or 1″ strips to fit in the channels. I find that the cardstock fits smoothly if I shave 1/16″ off the width from the stated sizes when cutting my paper.

In my stepped up Lovely You card, I also used the Tasteful Textile 3D Embossing Folder (item #152718) on the 4 x 5-1/4″ Rich Razzleberry CS to help define it. I used some retired Rich Razzleberry Ribbon and a gem from the Rhinestone Basic Jewels (item #144220) in the center of my flower.

Another Monday

I hope you enjoyed making this easy card on a hard Monday with me. My video tutorial can be found on my FaceBook page, as well as my YouTube channel. If you need any supplies for this card, please feel free to visit my online store, https://www.juliemakson.stampinup.net, at any time. See you next Monday for another installment of:

Monday’s Are Hard, Stamping Shouldn’t Be!

The Maine Stamper

Julie Makson Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator