Tips & Techniques

Create amazing backgrounds with this fabulous technique!

• Stamp your image lightly on your paper first to serve as the sketch.
• Apply VersaMark™ Watermark Ink Pad to most of the entire panel of card stock.
• Sprinkle a variety of colors of embossing powder in different areas of card stock panel.
  Follow the areas of your sketch for powder placement.
  
• As you sprinkle each color, thoroughly remove any excess by tilting away the still wet ink. 
• Heat entire surface to set and melt powder.
• Emboss your image again using VersaMark and a contrasting color of powder over background.
• You can add additional details with more colors of embossing powder by using a VersaMark Pen.
  
• Adhere panel to card front.
• When using our Scenic Serenity Stamps, be sure to get a 5-jar kit of our specially chosen color palettes
  of embossing powders. You may want several, and you'll need additional individual colors to make the
  samples shown here
  

Check out our video on Painting with Powder:

Be sure to look for more of our Painting with Powder videos on our YouTube Channel.

Fran's Encrusted Jewel Technique creats a lovely Fran•táge look with a few simple steps.

After embossing your image with our new Fran•táge Aged or Shabby Embossing Enamels,
simply begin heating your piece from underneath. Sprinkle additional embossing powders/enamels
on top and add our Shaved Ice, Fran•táge Fragments Micas, or Treasures vintage glitters and
allow to melt together. The embossing powder will adhere the glitters or micas firmly to your piece adding
texture and visual interest.

On our YouTube video Fran explains how the Encrusted Jewel Technique was developed and how the texure improves your Fran•táge projects.

1. To emboss, first make a stamped impression with a slow drying ink such as Boss Gloss™
Embossing Ink, Pigment Pads, or Versamark™ ink.

2. Pour embossing powder over the wet impression. Powder will stick to wet areas. Tap off
excess powder onto a folded piece of scrap paper to use as a funnel to pour the powder back
into the jar. Brush away specks of powder from around your impression using a paint brush.

3. Use Heat Tool to melt powder evenly by moving heat over the top of the card until the
powder becomes shiny. Hold Heat Tool approximately 3 inches above card. Overheating may
scorch paper. Other heat sources such as an iron, or toaster oven will work but may not be as
safe or easy to use. Hair dryers are not hot enough and blow the powder away.

4. Sometimes powder will stick to unwanted areas of the card. This may be due to excessive
static electricity or texture on the paper. To prevent this, it is helpful to dust the paper with
some talcum powder first and brush it away with a soft brush.

Watch how on our Basic Embossing YouTube Video!

Antique Embossing is a technique which simulates an aged, embossed metal surface using
rubber stamping materials. There are five basic steps:

1. Start off with a black surface, or paint desired surface with black matte acrylic paint.
Allow to dry.

2. Stamp and emboss your image with Clear embossing ink and Deep Impression™ clear
embossing powder. This powder has large granulation for a deep relief.

3. Paint over entire surface with any color of acrylic paint. Allow to dry.

4. Gently scrub away paint with a damp textured cloth to reveal the embossed image. Leave
some areas partially scrubbed for a more aged look.

http://www.hgtv.com/crafting/antique-embossed-tins/index.html

Get amazing 3D texture by layering coats of embossing powder and pressing a texture cube or other image into it.

1. Thoroughly coat object to be textured with VersaMark Ink. (In our video, Fran uses a wooden snowflake)

2. Press into a bed of Deep Impressions Chunky Clear Embossing Enamel.

3. Heat till melted, then repress coated side into clear enamel again to pick up more.

4. Heat till set.

5. Repeat once more with your choice of colored embossing powder.

6. Heat till melted and then quickly press in a textured rubber stamp of your choice.

You now have texture on a once flat surface.

You can use standard woodmounted, cling rubber, or clear stamps with inks, markers, or
paints intended for fabrics.

1. Prewash and iron fabric and stretch on cardboard. This removes the sizing in new fabrics.

2. Ink stamps with fabric ink pads, Crafter's inks or Acrylic Paints.

3. Stamp design.

4. Final clean up is easy with running water in the sink. Rub stamps over textured Rubber
Scrubber. Blot dry.

5. Heat set fabric with hottest possible iron or by running through the dryer on hot for 20
minutes before washing.

Fuzzy Fun Flock can be applied in several ways. It is most effective when applied over a similarly
colored area or surface.

• You can use a glue pen/marker to color in the area you wish to flock. Sprinkle the flock
  over the glue covered area and use your finger to press lightly, securing the flock in
  the glue. You can then tap the paper firmly to remove excess flocking and return it to
  the jar. A soft brush may help remove extra flock.
• You can use a double-sided adhesive like Peel-N-Stick to apply flock to a large area.
  Rub flocking into the adhesive with fingers to adhere as thoroughly as possible. This
  flocked sheet can then be stamped, punched, or cut to desired size and shape. You
  could also use this technique with double sided tapes to form flocked stripes.
• You can use our Stamp 'N Bond™ powder to adhere flocking to an entire stamped
  image. First stamp your image with a pigment ink that is colored similarly to the flock
  you wish to use. Sprinkle with Stamp 'N Bond and shake the excess powder back into
  the jar. Using a heat embossing tool, preheat the tool until it is hot enough that you
  can only hold your hand under it for a few seconds. Heat the Stamp 'N Bond JUST
  until it turns clear. Overheating is the only mistake you can make with this technique.
  After heating, the powder acts as an adhesive. Sprinkle flocking on melted powder
  and rub lightly with your finger to adhere as thoroughly as possible. Tap off the excess
  and return to the jar.

Using your stamps with a glue ink pad to adhere flock is a great idea! Check out Kimberly C.'s
blog for a tutorial and more photos at http://kimberly-crawford.blogspot.com/

Fuzzy Fun Flock is the perfect complement to other embellishments.

• Use empty jars to mix Fun Flock colors to create your own custom colors perfect for
  any application.
• Mix Fun Flock with glitter to create some fuzzy bling!
• Combine Fun Flock with our Class A'Peel™ Stickers for fun and fuzzy embellish-
  ments. Simply apply flock to the sticky side of a similarly colored sticker and rub into
  the adhesive.

Combine our fun flocks with our exclusive Class A'Peel™ Stickers for a dynamic
background that will wow the recipients of any project you create!

• Peel one side and apply Therm O Web Peel N' Stick double sided adhesive to a large
  area of cardstock with a similar color to the flock or glitter you wish to use.
• Peel the other side and apply your Class A'Peel™ Stickers directly to the adhesive sheet.
• Fill in the remaining areas around the stickers with Fuzzy Fun™ Flock in coordinating
  shades.
• Try leaving portions of the stickers hanging off the edges of your fuzzy panel for an
  interesting effect.
• Try combining glitters and flocks for custom mixes or mulitple areas of color.

Check out Cyndi B.'s tutorial on using glitter with acetate on your cards and scrapbooking
pages at her blog http://scrappychick.typepad.com/

Apply Liquid Appliqué to image after ink is completely DRY, otherwise it will pick up colors
underneath. Heat set Liquid Appliqué to puff. For puffier look allow Liquid Appliqué to dry
overnight before using the Heat Tool. You may use the Heat Tool directly on wet Liquid Appliqué
also. To add body and make Liquid Appliqué remain puffy longer, sprinkle clear or Crystal
embossing powder over wet Liquid Appliqué before heating. The embossing powder will add
strength to the puffed appliqué.

Stamped projects can easily be made to appear 3 dimensional through the use of a simple
technique called masking. To "mask" an image means to cover up a previously stamped
image so that another may be stamped over it. When the cover is removed, the overstamped
image appears to be behind the first image.  It is important when beginning such a project
to think it through. What object is desired "in front"? That image should be stamped first.
Then each image in sequence as they proceed to the "back". Follow these simple rules as many
times as necessary to achieve the look you want.

1. First stamp the object that is to be "in front".
2. Stamp the same image again on scratch paper or a repositionable "post-it" type note paper.
   Be sure to get some of the image on the sticky part of the note paper.
   
3. Cut out the scratch image very carefully with sharp scissors. When cutting, cut OFF the
   outside line of the image. This will prevent your image having a "ghost" of empty space
   around it. We usually cut two or three at a time so we have extra "masks" for later.
4. Use a mask to cover your original image positioning it carefully inside the lines.
5. Stamp your second image over the top of the first image + mask. Using a stamp positioning
   tool will help to get this image exactly where you want it.
6. Repeat this process, masking the second image, if more layers are desired.
7. Remove the masks to view the layered artwork. At this point you can color your piece
   remembering that objects farther away will be darker and more shadowed than those close up.
8. A nice effect is to cut out portions of one image and layer them on top to create another layer of dimension.

Another fun masking technique is called "mortise masking". In this technique you are stamping something through an opening or frame to make it appear as though it fills the frame.

1. Stamp your image on your card in the desired location
.
2. Stamp your image again on a repositionable post-it type note.

3. Use a craft knife and cutting mat  to cut out the opening in the image. BE SURE to CUT OFF the entire line of the inner frame.
This allows your inner image to come all the way up to the edges of the frame.

4. Position your mask over your original image and stamp your inner image through the opening. Press Firmly

.

Notice how the inner design comes right up to the edge of the opening. If you don't cut off
the lines when you make your mask, you'll end up with "ghosting", like this:

You can see how the image doesn't fill in the corners or come all the way to
the edge of the design.

If you want to stamp around the image after this, then make a new mask
following the directions for regular masking and mask this image to stamp
your background.

We use Zip Dry™ Paper Glue by Beacon Adhesives for gluing most paper surfaces together.
We find that this liquid glue gives us the flexibilty to make sure card layers are straight, but
the permanence of a high-quality, permanent adhesive.

In order to create dimension on some cards, we use our Sticky Squares. These squares of
dimensional foam are adhesive on both sides and can be cut as necessary to provide smaller
pieces. They raise a card layer up about 1/8". They can be stacked if a taller layer is required.

For an instant bond with strength like creating a pocket, box, or envelope we use the Glue
Glider Pro™ by GlueArts. This easy dispenser can provide just a tiny rectangle of adhesive
or an extremly strong strip. The adhesive comes in several formulations including temporary
and vellum adhesives.

Perfectly Clear™ Stamps are used with our clear acrylic handles for easy inking and
positioning. Each set comes on a clear plastic carrier sheet with a printed index and a cover
sheet to protect from dust, glitter, etc. Peel the stamp design from the carrier carefully the
first time, and place on the clear acrylic handle. The stamp will cling by itself without
adhesives. Unlike woodmounted stamps, clear stamps will work best with light pressure for
both inking and stamping. Use more than one image on a handle if desired. Clean stamps
while still on the handle and replace onto the carrier. Stamps sets can be stored in our
Perfectly Clear™ Stamps Tote or in our Storage Solutions™ Thin container.

Clean your stamps as you would your woodmounted stamps. Use any of the following:

• stamp cleaners
• baby wipes
• soap and water
• rubbing alcohol
• or for tough stains Spoto stain remover

Avoid acetone, bleach and oil-based cleaners, these will damage your stamps. Use rubbing
alcohol to clean acrylic handles. We suggest cleaning clear stamps while they are still on the
acrylic handle. DO NOT clean your stamps in a sink. Small parts can be easily lost down a
drain and cannot be replaced. If you want to use water, clean your stamps in a small bowl.

Perfectly Clear™ Stamps are designed in interactive sets that allow the pieces to work together
in a variety of ways. Most sets include small elements that are intended to act as borders or
backgrounds to complement the main images.

Each element can be inked separately, then positioned precisely with our clear acrylic handle.
You can also combine several images on a block to create a larger image in one inking.

Alphabets provide numerous opportunities to create words for greetings, invitations, scrapbook
page titles, etc. When more than one of a specific letter is needed simply set up the word on
the acrylic block. Use the letter in its normal position the first time. When you reach the place
where the letter appears again, remove it from its previous location and move it to the new
spot. Stamp the word with the letter in its final postion. Then, simply put that letter on a small
block by itself and use the see-through positionability of Perfectly Clear™ Stamps to stamp
it right in place as many times as necessary. Here are a few designs you can try.

Most inks that you use for your woodmounted stamps can be used with Perfectly Clear™
Stamps. However, some inks will stain your stamps more than others. Staining does not harm
the surface or the performance of clear stamps.

We prefer VersaFine™ inks for use on your clear stamps. This ink provides a crisp, clean image
with only a light pressure. It also cleans off easily and almost stain free. You can use VersaFine
with watercolors, colored pencil, or many other coloring media.