The Open Sea - Masking Tape Technique

This technique is so simple and, boy oh boy, does it pack an impact!

It's hard to believe that the background on this card takes just a few seconds to create!  I did not have any masking tape in my craft room, so I popped up to the dollar store and bought a roll.  It worked wonderfully, showing that you don't need the expensive stuff to do this technique.  I received this card in a swap in October with some local Demonstrators.  Did I mention these local ladies are awesome!!!

  Stamps:  The Open Sea
  Ink:  Pear Pizzazz, Marina Mist, Smoky Slate, Midnight Muse
  Paper:  Marina Mist, Whisper White, Smoky Slate
  Other:  Masking Tape, Linen Thread, Ovals Dies (#1 & #2),  Occasions Punch Pack, Paper Piercing Tool, Stampin' Pierce Mat, 1-3/8" Circle Punch, 1-1/4" Circle Punch, Regals Candy Dots, Neutrals Candy Dots, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter

To do the background you need 3 pieces of masking tape wider than your ink pad (the long way).  Then lay the tape over the ink pads (Marina Mist, Smoky Slate and Pear Pizzazz) lightly push the tape into the ink pad picking up some colour.  Be very careful not to push too hard or your tape will stick to the ink pad surface and when you lift it up, it may tear your ink pad foam!!!! (Yup learned this is the hard way.)  Lay the ink filled tape on your Whisper White cardstock, one at a time, in colour progression.  You need to reink the tape after each time you apply it to the cardstock.  Also make sure you lift the tape back off of your cardstock very gently as that can rip as well.

Hope you get a chance to give this a try! . . . . . .

The Open Sea - Take 2

Hi!  I'm back again with the second card in my "The Open Sea" trilogy ....

 This was a card I received in a swap in October at our local Demonstrator Get Together.  It is by Mavis Slaby.  Another card that my customers loved!  I used the World Background stamp and some sponging on the main image.  The ocean part is just the Pacific Point ink pad swiped on the bottom of the cardstock in Direct to Paper technique.  Once that was dry, we skipped the Whisper White Craft Ink pad over the top to give some highlights and mimic the wave action.

  Stamps:  The Open Sea, Something To Celebrate, World Map
  Ink:  Soft Sky, Marina Mist, Pacific Point, Whisper White, StazOn
  Paper:  Basic Black, Whisper White
  Other:  Square Lattice EF, Sponges, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Regals Candy Dots

To sponge the image piece:  First sponge Soft Sky all over, then sponge Marina Mist around the top edges leaving the very center just Soft Sky.  Then sponge Pacific Point around the very outside edges.  Voila, done!

Thanks for visiting, go get crafty!    . . . . . . . 

The Open Sea - Ship In A Bottle Card

The first card in my trilogy using The Open Sea stamp set.

I received this awesome card in a swap at the Stampin' Up! Convention in July 2014 from Pat Zweber.  My stampin' customers bugged me long and hard until I included it in a stampin' class.  In March I had an entire class based around this stamp set called The Open Sea (click on the image to go to my web store) ......

This is the first card from the class.  In the next 2 posts I will share the other 2 cards with you.  They are equally as amazing as this one is.  Thanks, Pat!

  Stamps:  The Open Sea, Gifts of Kindness
  Ink:  Baked Brown Sugar, Early Espresso, Pacific Point
  Paper:  Naturals Ivory, Pacific Point, Soft Sky
  Other:  Masks, Bottle Template, Clear Embossing Powder, Aqua Pen, Sponges, Early Espresso Baker's Twine, 1-1/4" Punch, Banner Punch (SAB), 1/8" Handheld Punch, Brights Candy Dots

I had to figure out how to get the bottle template.  I had customers searching their Cricut cartridges, online, and anywhere else I could think of. When that did not work, I just photo copied the card and cut out the bottle and the cork.  Worked like a charm.

Happy Stampin' and Creatin'  . . . . . . .

The Open Sea Spinner Card

This was one of my Cool Moves cards in January.

This month's theme for my Cool Moves Card Class was Spinner Cards.  I will share all 3 of them with you over the next 3 blog posts.

This was card #1 - The Open Sea Spinner Card.  I have never made a spinner card before (gasp, I know!!!) When I decided to create 3 of them for my class, I did not know how much fun they would be.  I challenge anyone to pick up one of these fun cards and not spend at least 30 seconds spinning it back and forth.  In Canada, we no longer have pennies, so I had to graduate up in coins.  This one is made with pennies as I managed to scrounge up 2 of them.  The next one, I call Hero Spinner Card, is made with nickels and the third one I used dimes.  They all work well, and there is no difference in the mechanics of the card, or the movement.

  Stamps:  The Open Sea, Gifts Of Kindness
  Ink:  Midnight Muse, Smoky Slate, VersaMark
  Paper:  Smoky Slate, Soft Sky, Midnight Muse, Whisper White, Midnight Muse Patterns DSP
  Other:  2 pennies, 1/2" Circle Punch, Clear EP, 1-1/4" Circle Punch, Paper Trimmer

Wait till you see the next two cards, if this one does not spur you to make a Spinner Card, the next two definitely will.

Happy and Fun Stampin' ... ... ... 

Push Pull Masculine card - cased

This is the third card we made at my recent Masculine Stamp-A-Stack card class.

I cased this card from Monica Weaver.  She posted a wonderful tutorial on how to make this card.  Go to her blog and get the tutorial, this card is a lot of fun to make.

   Stamps:  The Open Sea, Bring On The Cake
   Ink:  Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip, Early Espresso, Staz On
   Paper:  Night of Navy, Cherry Cobbler DSP, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla, Brushed Gold
   Other:  Plastic bag, Square Lattice EF, Distressing Tool, Metallic Brads, Paper Piercing Tool, Stampin' Pierce Mat, Crystal Effects, Soda Pop Top, 1, 3/4 and 1-3.8" Circle Punches, 1-1/4" Square Punch, Sponge

Try to use a paper bag that is not one of the recyclable shopping bags.  It seems they do break down and your card will fall apart!

Happy Stampin' ..... 

The Open Sea Birthday Wishes

Another day to play In My Craft Room, how lucky am I?  Today's card share is from the set "The Open Sea" which is not in any of the current catalogues.  Stampin' Up! calls it a "Write In" which means it was in the last mini, it did not make it into the new main catalogue but is still available!  Yippeeeee.

I used the new Pewter Embossing Powder available in the Holiday Mini Catalogue on the anchors.  Then I wanted some brads to match, well I did not have any handy, so I used some 5/16" Silver Brads and now I can't wait to "dye" more with the other coloured embossing powders....

Stamps:  The Open Sea, So Happy For You

Ink:  StazOn, VersaMark, Pool Party, Island Indigo

Cardstock:  Whisper White, Island Indigo, Pool Party

Other:  Stripes Embossing Folder, Pewter Embossing Powder, 5/16" Silver Brad, Decorative Label Punch,White Baker's Twine, Aqua Pen

I used an Aqua Pen and washed the background behind the ship with Pool Party ink.  The ship is stamped on regular white cardstock, I did not use Watercolour paper. I used very little water when washing the ink so it did not harm the cardstock..

   Whisper White - 5.5 x 8.5

   Island Indigo - 5.25 x 4

   Pool Party - 3-5/8 x 3-1/8

   Whisper White - 3.5 x 3

Happy Stampin' ......     

The Open Sea Expedition - Masculine Birthday

The new Summer Mini from Stampin' Up! has some really, really awesome masculine stamps and designer papers.  I finally got around to mounting my new stamp sets and got right at making a card. 

I love how these stamp sets go together to create a really fun masculine birthday card.  It is hard to find stamps, DSP and ribbon that create a non-feminine feeling on a card.  These 3 items do that quite well, I think.
Stamps:  The Open Sea, Swirls and Curls Verses
Ink:  Not Quite Navy, Cherry Cobbler, Bashful Blue
Paper:  Nautical Expedition DSP
Cardstock:  Not Quite Navy, Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White
Other:  Cherry Cobbler/White Baker's Twine
We have finally had a couple of days of spring like weather.  It has been a long time coming.  I keep seeing all the pictures from California of the flowers in bloom on other blogs, and when we were down there I got to see them in real life.  Now I hope our flowers will struggle through the cold winds and produce some blossoms.  Right now the Lilacs are in full bloom and while walking around our neighbourhood all you have to do is breath in as you walk by and the smells are so awesome.  Much, much nicer than the Skunk Cabbages that bloom in March!
Bye for now, Happy Stampin' . . . . . .