Hamsa Magnet

A Hamsa is an ancient Jewish symbol meant to ward off the 'Evil Eye'. It is said to be mystical and a sign of good luck. I have personally always loved the symbol and I have many necklaces depicting it. When I saw this gorgeous stamp from Ruth's Jewish Stamps a couple of months ago I knew I needed it. AND when I saw the wonderful Mazel Tov set from PaperTrey I also knew I had to have. See a trend??

So, I decided to play! I wanted to make a gift for my Grandma Jean, whom I call 'Bubbie'. I used the UTEE impression technique to make this fun magnet. It really is an easy technique. All I did was cut a piece of cardboard into a rectangle, then melt UTEE Gold on it 3 times. After it was thick, I added some different sprinkles of other embossing powders, heated it again and pushed my stamp into the center. Hold down for 30 seconds and then release. VERY EASY! I used Black Staz-on for the sentiment and the other Hamsa impressions. I filled the impression with Diamond Glaze to give it a cool texture.

Make sure you scroll down to the post below this for a chance to win BLOG CANDY!!

Elyssa

Little Paper Shop Sneak Peak #1

This set is my absolute favorite for this month. The main image is a snow globe with other sentiments and elements to go with it. The minute I saw it I thought of one word POTENTIAL. This set can be used with ANY set to create the perfect globe. I decided to play around with it a little make a nature themed global to sent to one of my cousins. She LOVES butterflies.

I used Little Paper Shop's Butterflies and Blossoms set for all of the stamping save the globe. I stamped the Butterfly in Memento Tuxedo Black and colored it in with YG91, YG95 and BG13. Next I masked the butterfly and stamped flowers to replace snowflakes as the 'floating element' of my globe in Soft Sky. Next, I masked the top portion of the globe and stamped the leaves from BnB in River Rock. I then cut out my globe and placed it aside. My focus then went to my layer. I decided to keep the two color theme and stamped the flowers in Soft Sky/River Rock. Then I used my copic marker (YG95) to make a faux layer by using the chisel tip and swiping my marker across the paper. Finally, I dyed my clear ribbon with YG13. EASY!!!!

I also wanted to share with y'all a little tip I've picked up with acrylics. Sometimes circular images (or straight lines) are hard to place on your acrylic block while maintaining shape by just 'eyeing it'. I find it helpful to place your block over the set's label and then layer your stamp over it. Thus using the label as a template.
Also, make sure you check out the wonderfully talented other members of the LPS design team at our very own LPS DT BLOG!!!


Happy Stamping!
Elyssa

Party Like A Rockstar!! ...and a worn look tutorial....

...with this gorgeous set from Little Paper Shop. This set is aptly named 'Rock Star' for it's fun and funky vibe. I know that it will hit home with everyone from ex-hippies to Hannah Montana Tweens.

This particular card was made in a set of 10 note cards for my younger cousin. It was super easy! I'm trying a new was of explaining my card process, which is to just number my steps sort of like you would see in a magazine. As always, tell me what you think!

1) Stamp the guitar in Encore Gold embossing ink on various colors of TEXTURED card stock.
2) Heat Emboss with Egyptian Gold embossing powder by Judikins
3) Color inside the lines with different colors of Tombow water based markers.
4) Take a lightly damp cloth and smear the color. This creates the cool worn out look.
5) Get creative! Take other colors and smear them outside of your focal image.

I hope you like it! Make sure to keep checking back this week for more SNEAK PEAKS! Also please check out the other DT Members on their blogs which are linked on my side bar.

New COPIC VIDEO tutorial, managing to use Glorious Green, and other fabulous day-before-birthday adventures!

By popular demand I made another quick copic video tutorial. The tutorial mainly focuses on how to pick color off of a Ranger non-stick mat. It is really very easy and effective!

The most exciting part of this card is the fact that I used........

GLORIOUS GREEN!!

I swear I always feel accomplished when I use it. I find it so FUGLLYY, but on this card I think it works.

Ok well I'm off to play Wii... it's seriously addicting.

See you tomorrow, when I turn the big 2-0! SCARY

Ely

ps. How adorable are those two mice???

Ingredients
Stamps: 'Surprise Party' by Stampendous, 'In the Spotlight' by Stampin Up
Ink: 'Glorious Green' By Stampin Up, Memento Tuxedo Black by Tsuineko
Accessories: American Craft Ribbon
Paper: Glorious Green By SU, Pink Bazzil, Gold Vellum
Copics:B21, B24, B29, RV14, G24, G21, YR23, W1, W3, E00, R20, E31, E33

Tye-Dye Friday!

In high school, we used to have Tye-Dye Fridays, where everyone would dress very casual usually with something tye-dyed. I figured I would celebrate this on my new blog, every Friday I hope to showcase some sort of tye-dying technique, from copics to brayering.

Above is our finished project :)

Step One: Gather a bunch of Bright colors. These tend to dye the best because of their darker ink. Also choose a fun stamp that is wide and not very intricate.

Step Two and Three: Dot your image with all of the different color markers, vary how much space is in between the various spots of color for a more uneven look. Take you 0 colorless blender and really push against the coloring in a circular motion. Immediately, you should see the color dispersal. You can continue to push againest the paper for as long as you want to get your desired affect.

This is what your image should now look like. Notice the holes in color...

Step Four: Choose lighter variants of the aforementioned colors.

Step Five: Fill in the color gaps with these markers.

Step Six: Repeat the pushing with the 0 Colorless Blender until your desired effect is achieved.

Completed! This is not a perfectly neat technique. The color will tend to bleed out of the lines. There are a few solutions to this, outline in a darker color (i.e. where I put light purple you could put dark purple or blue), cut your tye-dye image out and paper piece or you could even leave it as it highlights the funky effect. Again, my theory with art is that your neatness level should reflect your piece. For this flower I wanted it to be funky so even my cut out of the circle is a little off the center :)

Hope you enjoyed it!

1 Pen, 2 Layers

Good Morning! Copics are obviously a pretty large investment, given the fact that they retail for 5.99 and it is suggested that one purchases three varients of shades for each 'color'. This is due to the fact that the gorgeous look one recieves is mostly from the layering of color, rather than the blending technique. I have found that three varients of color is not always necessary. Certain colors, such as RV 14 Begonia Pink, layer particularly well with themselves making it unnecessary to purchase the three variennt shades (which would be RV12,14,16)!

Step One: Choose Image. I think this girl is so adorable for anything from a good report card to a shoot for the stars greeting!

Step Two: Start with the first layers. For stick drawings, such as this darling girl or bellas, I tend to outline the 'stick limbs'. I think it gives her more dimension!

Step Three: Use R20 to make circluar blush on her checks (it makes it look a little more cartoonish but I think in a cute way). Lightly color R14 over her dress, put more pressure around the edges of her dress.

Step Three: Wait 20 seconds. Put your second layer (or third or fourth!) of RV14 on the corners and outline of her dress. Your image should show the layers like above.

Finish your image! Since she is such a playful image I kinda went with that theme for my coloring. Notice how the coloring is not perfect, the star's shading is not totally even. Its always fun to adapt your style of color for a certain image, if its childish, a gorgeous flower, or a birthday cake, your colors and style should reflect that!