Saturday, December 26, 2015

If you don't like the weather...






Christmas at the ranch was sunny and in the mid 70's this year.  The full moon, the still night, the chirps of insects made it feel much more like a fall day instead of Christmas Day. 

Tonight the weather changes and the ranch weather will be freezing with rain and possible snow.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy new year!




 

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Christmas House Border & Tags

 
Texana Designs Stamps

House Border
House (mini)
Tag
“From our house to yours”
Merry Christmas (script)

Versafine inks
Viva Décor Glitter Pens

Tim Holtz Kraft Core Paper
Metallic Collection

Texana Design Team
11/1/2015



More ideas for using the tags:



Saturday, October 17, 2015

Scrapping and Stamping Mini Class at Scrapbook 'n' Such


 

Modified for Mini Class - Scrapping and Stamping

Stamps as Titles

Using Texana Designs Word Stacker "Today"


Dust white cardstock with anti-static pad to keep embossing powder from sticking anything but the ink.

Stamp with black versa fine and emboss with clear embossing powder.  You could use VersaMark and black embossing powder, but I find that it leaves stray black dots even if I use the anti-static pad.

Turn on the embossing gun and let it get hot before heating your embossing powder.  Once the air is hot, you will want to gently rotate the hot air over the embossing powder until it melts.  Do not overheat it or the raised powder will completely melt.

This image has a shadow to the word.  Color the shadow to match your page layout.  I used a brown colored pencil.  You could use any anything to color the title block.  Embossing the word first allows for a little raised edge that would keep liquid colors like Wink of Stella brushes to stay within the lines.

Trim the white cardstock and then mat with a black piece cut 1/2" larger than the white title.
 
For page 2 dust another strip of white cardstock with anti-static pad.  Now stamp one of the following – TEXAS, OKLAHOMA or FRIENDS” with VersaMark and sprinkle with brown embossing powder.  It will be trimmed 6” wide and 1 1/4” high


Stamping Borders

Borders are a great way to use your stamps on your scrapbook page.  They can be simple or they can be elaborate.  This layout we are going to use the camera and tripod to create a border at the top of the page.  I stamped the tripod starting from the left edge and tilting it each time for a random look.  That's my little trick when I don't think I will be able to line something up perfectly - make it random.   If you want the image in the middle to transition across you can put a bit of removable tape on the back of the two pages where they meet. 

Stamp across the top of the 12x12 white cardstock with black ink.  Any ink will work for this.
There are lots of discussions online about the different properties of each ink.  Do a little search or check out:  Best Black Ink Pad

Stamping Background Paper or Elements

Ever been searching through your patterned papers and can't find the perfect background or color?  Do you have a stamp that fits the mood or page?  If so, create your own background papers.  I like to use tone on tone or watermark images so that they are in the "background" and don't take away from the pictures on the page.

Today we will take a kraft strip of paper and create a coordinating patterned paper in the perfect color and theme to match the layout.  You can use VersaFine sepia to stamp or get a similar look by using VersaMark that will create a watermark.  Choose a sentiment you like and randomly stamp to create a subtle background.
 
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For page two we are going to make one of the 2 ½” x 5” white blocks a background image.  Pick one of the following stamps – OKLAHOMA CITIES, TEXAS CITIES or FILM STRIP – and stamp with VersaFine Sepia.


Stamping Accent Element

Use a favorite stamp as an accent element for your page.  Instead of stickers or pre-made accents, make your own.  You can also use Staz-on to stamp on buttons or acrylic fragments.
 
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For page two stamp one of the following – TEXAS SHAPE or OKLAHOMA SHAPE – on kraft paper with black ink.  You can stamp a sentiment inside the shape if you want and then cut around the shape to add to your layout.


Stamping on Ribbon 


Stamping on ribbon can personalize almost any ribbon to match perfectly.  You will always want to test the stamp, ink and ribbon to see how they work together.  Different ribbons will take different inks differently.  You may not want the stamped image to bleed.  I did a test of most of my black ink pads on seam binding ribbon or Tim Holtz crinkle ribbon.  You can see many did bleed, but the Staz-on, MementoLuxe and Ranger inks seemed to work the best.
 
Stamp “SMILE”  with Staz-On Ink on seam binding or Tim Holtz Crinkle Ribbon.

Recap of dimensions and techniques


Sizes of papers
Background – 12x12” white cardstock – stamp border across the top using camera on tripod
Mat 1 – 10x10” black cardstock
Mat 2 – 9 ½ x 9 ½” kraft cardstock
Patterned Accent Strip – 2 ½ x 12” kraft cardstock  - stamping tone on tone for background or patterned papers
Title Block – trim to fit stamped (approx 3 ¾” x 1 ½”) & embossed title – color shadow with pencils
Title block mat – ½” larger than title (approx 4 ¼” x 2”)
Photo blocks on left side – top is 4 ½” x 3 ¾”,  bottom is 4 ½” x 4 ¾”
Photo block on right – top is 4” x 5 ½” – put adhesives on sides and bottom so that tag slides in behind photo
Stamped element block – bottom is 4” x 3” – stamped with camera, colored with pencil, optional add saying
Stamp sentiment on krinkle ribbon with staz-on ink
Stamp tag, trim & punch hole then when the ribbon has dried tie it to the tag.
Assemble page one
 
Sizes of papers for page two
Background – 12x12” white cardstock – stamp border across the top using camera on tripod
Mat 1 – 10x10” black cardstock
Mat 2 – 9 ½ x 9 ½” kraft cardstock
Patterned Accent Strip – 2 ½ x 12” kraft cardstock  - stamping tone on tone for background or patterned papers
White mats are 2 ½” x 5” and 2 ½” x 3 ½”, 2 – 3 ½” x 6” and 1 1/4” x 6”

Links

Remember that google is your friend.  There are many, many great blogs and videos about each of these techniques.  Below are a couple that you might find helpful.

How to Rubber Stamp in Your Scrapbook

Best Black Ink Pad














Additional Variations










Saturday, September 5, 2015

August 29, 2015 Make N Take at Salado






Jillian, Jilda and Nancy
Jillian and Jimmye Sue
Texana Designs were at Stamp Salado on 8/29/15 to introduce the new Halloween stamps created by Jillian O'Diorne.

Jillian drew a frog wearing a witch's hat, a fun, fat spider, a tiny spider web, Frankenstein, a cauldron, a haunted house, a sugar skull and witch's legs with 'tude.  Check out Texana's blog to see them all.

Jilda used the mini spider and the mini frog for her candy holder make 'n' take.

I used the witch's legs to create a card with a short front flap and stamping on the inside that shows through to the front of the card.  "Happy Trick or Treat" is a combination of two stamps - Happy Birthday and Trick or Treat.  With the stamps on cling mount it's super easy to take the Tim Holtz' scissors and split the sentiment.  I usually cut it at an angle so that if I want to line it back up easier I have something to follow.   Participants used Wink of Stella pens to color the image.



I had lots of samples showing fun variations (see below):








































Monday, July 20, 2015

Mistletoe Christmas


New Texana Stamps - Mistletoe (large), Mistletoe (mini), "Merry Christmas" - script
Colored with Wink of Stella & Red Glitter Pen
by Jimmye Sue

I love the new Christmas release of Texana Designs Stamps.  This time I have a special connection because my talented daughter, Jillian, has added her artwork to the collection of stamps.  She designed the two mistletoe stamps used above as well as the jingle bell and two wells. (Janet)

Friday, July 10, 2015

New Christmas Stamps


 
New Texana Designs Stamps
Christmas in July 2015

Bigz Die:  Baroque &
Movers and Shapers Baroque
Bazzill Dotted Swiss
Doodlebug Designs 6x6 Paper Pad:
Frosty Friends
Wink of Stella Pens
Foam Sheets – 3 or 6 mm

Technique:  Die Cuts
Texana Design Team
7/11/2015











Saturday, June 27, 2015

Paper Piecing and Texana Owls & Books


You may ask "what is paper piecing".  It's a cool technique that I learned from Jam'n Stamps spectacular artist, Joyce Meyer.  An image is stamped (and sometimes embossed) several times on different papers.  Next the individual pieces (body, wings, head, etc) are cut and separated and glued onto the bottom image.  Here it is up close and personal.


I stamped and embossed the owl on a cream colored patterned paper.  I used my Brother Scan'n'Cut to cut out the image with a small border.  I stamped the owl again on a darker cream for the wings and the head, I used the striped paper for the body.  I also cut the beak out and layered it on top.  I used colored pencils to color the branch, beak and feet.  I also lightly shaded the wings.  In order to make the eyes really pop, I used my white pen.


This was a fun project.  There are so many ways to paper piece Texana Stamps.  The card above I used the book stamp as if the two exposed edges were the pages of the book.  The two cards below show one edge as the bookbinding and one edge as the pages.  So versatile!


For this sample I used a printed paper that keeps in step with the anniverary theme.  For this one I also removed the branch and placed the owl directly on the books.


This sample my paper pad had fewer choices of coordinating papers, so the background is the same as the body of the owl.  I wanted to make it a bit different, so I used colored pencils and a blending tool to shade the body.

Product used:
Texana Designs Stamps:  Owl (lg), Books (lg) &
sentiments:  Owl always love you! &
This anniversary is for the books!
sentiment: This birthday is for the books!
or sentiment:  Owl never bee too old to read!
Graphic 45 6x6 Paper Pad
Distress Ink - Vintage Photo


Technique:  Paper Piecing
Texana Design Team
9/01/2015

Sunday, May 31, 2015

Texana Sea Shells and New Distress 2015 Sprays



The Texana Design Team was challenged  to use the shells stamps and any type of sprays or mists.  I've been collecting the new 2015 colors of distress products so I thought this would be a great opportunity to play.

I began with watercolor paper that was 11" x 18".  I sprayed the bottom with Mermaid Lagoon and the top with Fossilized Amber.  I added some of the Abandoned Coral to deepen the sky color.  I also added some of the Distress Brushed Brass for a bit more depth.  On the water I added a bit of blue glimmer mist.  I set that aside to dry.

Next I took more watercolor paper and with Archival ink I stamped the four shell shapes in both sizes making four sets of shells.  I sprayed each set with Cracked Pistachio, Abandoned Coral, Mermaid Lagoon and Fossilized Amber.  A month or so ago I found some chipboard shell shapes and I played with the new Distress paints.  the shells were just plain and boring, but a couple of them were similar shapes to the Texana shells.  I stamped the center of the sand dollar on the chipboard sand dollar and I stamped the fan shell onto the other chipboard fan shaped shell.  The fan stamp did not line up exactly, but I'm not sure anyone can tell now that it's been layered.  After all of the shells dried I cut them out.  Some were cut with the Brother Scan'n'Cut and others were cut by hand.  Sometimes the Brother cannot recognize the images if the contrast is not dark enough.

The next day I started working on the journal page (cut to 11" x 11") and the tags that I hand cut to the same size as the Ranger tags (approx 4 1/4" x 8 1/2").  First I stamped the Texana Sun in the upper right corner using Archival Ink - Chrome Yellow.  I also used the same ink with the sentiment stamp "Here Comes the Sun" to make additional sun rays.   I wanted these stamps to become part of the background.  I attempted to lift the sky color for the clouds, but that didn't work as well as I had hoped, so I started trying other stuff.  First I painted through the stencil using Distress Paint, Picket Fence.  That dried and the yellow came through and I still wasn't satisfied.  So next I added some of the Ranger Texture Paste over the cloud, still yellow but now with texture.  After that dried I added more Picket Fence, less yellow, but better.  On one of the tags I went so far as to add gesso, but that still did not make a white cloud.  That's when I knew that if I had wanted truly white clouds I would have to paper piece them or have started with the clouds first before spraying the sky.  Live and learn every day!



I tried positioning the shells in the lower right corner, but decided I needed a bit more background action.  I took the small Dylusions Bubbles stencil and lifted some of the blue by spritzing with water through the stencil.  That helped, but it still needed more.  I remembered The Crafters Workshop Mini Coral stencil I had.  I also found a bottle of BoBunny texture paste in gold glitter that I had not used yet, so I put the two together and liked what I was seeing.  Later I decided the journal page needed more than one coral, so I used Texture Paste and when it was dry I colored it with Distress Coral Paint.

Next I wanted a silhouette  so I reached for the stencils by Dyan Reaveley.  I decided on Flossie.  The journal page has the middle size image and the tags has the small image.  I used Ranger Paint - Black Soot to color in the image.  The next day I evened out the edges by outlining the black with a black pen.

I decided that I didn't like her just standing in the water.  I reached for the sand paste that I bought several years ago, but it was rock hard.  I had to find another solution.  I considered sand paper, but didn't know how the feet would work out.  I found an embossing powder called "cement".  I used the the inside of the stencil to cover the black image.  Then I took the VersaMark pad and created the land to anchor Flossie.  I embossed it and I liked the way it looked. 

I stamped the sentiment "You can't cross the sea merely by staring at the ocean" on watercolor paper that had a light misting of yellow sprays.  I trimmed along the complete saying for the journal page and one of the tags, The other two tags I cut each line apart so that I could space things out a little more.

I layered the various shells over the coral until I was happy with the placement.  I glued them down.  Next I wanted matching ribbons for the tags.  I took seam binding and misted with Cracked Pistachio, Fossilized Amber and Abandoned Coral.  I left it scrunched up to dry for a bit more texture.





Products Used on Journal Page and most of the tags

Texana Designs Stamps:   
Sand Dollar (small & mini), 
Fan Shell (small & mini), 
Snail Shell (small & mini) 
& Starfish (small & mini),
 Sun, “Here Comes the Sun” 
& “You can’t cross the sea…”

Distress Sprays: 
Cracked Pistachio, 
Abandoned Coral, 
Mermaid Lagoon, 
Fossilized Amber 
& Tarnished Brass

Stencils:   
Dylusions – Flossie & Bubbles
& The Crafter’s Workshop – Mini Coral & Clouds

Distress Paints:
Black Soot 
& Picket Fence

Bobunny Glitter Paste - Gold

Ranger Texture Paste

Archival Ink:
Jet Black & Chrome Yellow

Ranger Embossing Powder:   
Antiquities Cement

Chipboard Elements painted with
Distress Paints: Cracked Pistachio, Abandoned Coral,
Mermaid Lagoon & Mustard Yellow
then stamped with Texana stamps

Mini Coral with Glitter Paste on right
Mini Coral with Texture Paste and Distress Paint on left

Cloud Stencil with Gesso, Texture Paste and Picket Fence Distress Paint


Technique:  Sprays
Texana Design Team
7/01/2015