Fun & Funky Embossed Tag for Topflight Stamps

Hello Stamping Fans! Do you ever sit down with a plan for what you are going to do & then get distracted by something shiny? That is what happened today for my Topflight Stamps blog post on this Mix Media Monday. I had a good idea of what my project was going to be, I try & check to make sure we have the product in the store before creating. What I saw immediately was the new embossing powders from Emerald Creek have arrived! So erkkkkkkk left turn to a whole new idea!

*Affiliate- some of these companies have given me product to use, play & experiment with. The ideas are my own but I tend to work with companies whose products I love so enjoy the inspiration.
**some of these links are affiliate, I receive a small percentage from the company at no cost to you. This may help me continue to bring you techniques & more inspiration.

I was also feeling tagish so here is my colorful multiple embossed tag. It came together fairly quickly so I hope you take the time to have a try. 

  

Here are some of the products I pulled out to make this tag with my morning coffee! 

Step 1: Using Fresco Finish paints scrape colors randomly on the tag. 

Step 2: One of the great traits of this paint is it dries quickly. There are also some colors that are translucent & some are opaque. Can you see the difference here? Once the paint is dry randomly stamp on the white areas especially with a background stamp. I love this text stamp by Seth it is one of my all time go to stamps. 

Step 3: Time to emboss!! Using an embossing ink and stamp, heat emboss the powders. If you have not done this before simply ink the stamp up, stamp, pour emboss powder on top, tap off the extra onto a folded piece of paper so it can go back in the jar. ***The powders are being transitioned from jars to eco-friendly packaging. So during this transition you may still receive jars. I advise keeping the jars & re-filling from the packages. Although the packages take up less space! If you are using the eco packages, simply pour the powder out from the package into a small cup, then onto your image. Tap the excess powder onto a piece of paper, transfer back to the small cup (I used a plastic medicine 2oz cup. Then bend the cup a bit to create a spout & pour back in the package. it has a zip closure. Super simple way to help our environment & save $$ on shipping as the packages are light!

It is always a good idea to preheat your embossing heat gun for 15 sec or so to get it warmed up. As these powders of Eileen's & Seth's tend to be chunky, if possible start heating from underneath the tag. Once the powders heat up & start melting you can heat from the top. You can see in this pic the powder is crystal like where it is not yet set. Heat until the powder is melted & shiny. NUMMY!! 

I used 2 of Seth's newest stamps which I just LOVE!!! That and Eileen's new embossing powder in Sun Shower & Seashell Ivory. The yellow has specks of white in it and darker yellow as well,  so much fun! Sun Shower was used with Seth's stamp EM54 & the Ivory is EM50. 

Step 4: Add a focal point. I tore a random piece of book paper out of a pilot manual book that I got at a yard sale. I happened upon the title "Displaced Thresholds". It may be one of my new favorite terms! Another great Stamp EM52 was embossed with Seth's Deep Sea. And the stamp EM39 was used in black with the word Seek cut out. Everything was adhered to the tag with pop dots. 

Step 5: Wrap twine around the tag toward the bottom & add a charm. Add ribbons & voila!! I just love this tag. I will find a home in a my junk journal for this treasure! I hope you get the chance to get inky today!!! PS: When shopping at Topflight remember to code in my discount karenbearse to save 12%- check shop for exclusions.

Supplies:

*you can pop over to Topflight to see pics of all the stamps...

Paint by PaperArtsy- Amethyst, Cerise, South Pacific, Mermaid.
Eileen Hull Emboss- Seashell Ivory, Sun Shower
Seth Apter Emboss- Deep Sea
Prism Inks- Roasted Coffee, Ocean Spray
Seth Apter Stamps by PaperArtsy- ESAo4, EM39 , EM50, EM52, EM54. 
 

Mixed Media Monday with PaperArtsy

Hello Topflight Stamps Fans, happy Mixed Media Monday!!! I am back from Creativation 2020. I am posting a lot of the show on my Instagram account which you can find here. It was the usual overwhelm of awesome products, techniques & catching up with friends. Once the products start rolling in to the shop I plan on doing a blog post on the fun we saw!

For today I am doing a quick art journal page in my #the100dayproject book. One of the things that is great about art journal is you can make back grounds in one go, get in the rhythm of that & come back to add stamping, ephemera etc. at a later date.

I started with a deli paper gel print. It was made with stencils, leaving empty space to create a window to the next page. Whatever you put underneath will show through the frosted areas. If you look closely to my project you can see the letters showing through from the scrap book paper that the deli paper was adhered to.

Next the bird was heat embossed with Burmese Jade embossing powder. I like outlining stamps with emboss- it leaves a bolder image that shows up better on a busy art journal page.

Using ink pads on my craft mat with a bit of water to paint the images seemed a good way to go. Mixing in a bit of the Glimmer Mist gave the bird a bit of a shimmer. 

Here is a close up of the inking & then some metallic pen was added. The page was finished with some washi tape, ephemera & a quote. Thanks for joining me today, now go get inky!

Supplies:

Gwen Lafleur Boho Blends emboss- Burmese Jade

"          " Stamp by PaperArtsy - EGL05

Glimmer Mist in Glamour Gold & Apple Green

Prism Ink Pads

*Affiliate- some of these companies have given me product to use, play & experiment with. The ideas are my own but I tend to work with companies whose products I like so enjoy the inspiration. 

**some of these links are affiliate, I receive a small percentage from the company at no cost to you. This may help me continue to bring you techniques & more inspiration.

Making the Coolest Postage Stamps with Carabelle Studios

Hello stamping fans, I am here with my Topflight Stamps Mix Media Monday!! This week the Design Team are playing with the Carabelle Studios "My Stamp". This is such a great idea!!!! It allows you to make your own postage stamps. 

SO 1st off I flipping love this system. I was literally in the process of making my own stamps when this came out. I made 3 stamps for this post & will show ideas on how to use them. They were made with the same technique just slight variations. Yet the results are subtly different. 

Let me explain the "My Stamp" system. Start with the base which is called "My Stamp". I stamped the full image but you also have the option to make much larger stamps using the frame edge, & repeating it. I so can't wait to play with that one!

Next there are many strips of stamps that will make the middle of the stamp for you. Not going to lie I squealed like a little girl when I saw these. I got "Fantasy", they come with 8 stamps that can be used as the main image. Don't forget you can also use them as stand alone stamps!  You can check out a few of the options here.

   

I started by stamping the images on card stock paper with archival ink, then cutting it out. For Tuba Playing Card lady I colored her in with colored pencils.  Next the edges were distressed with Prism Ink in Roasted Coffee. 

Stamp 2 was stamped in multiple colors of archival ink using a Stamp Press. I started the  bunny fur in brown- simply mask off the face & stamp the rest in black. 

Next color in with watercolor paint & when dry outline the bunny head in black to make it pop.  

I cut out this frame with normal scissors & then cut it out again using postage edged scissors. Which edge do you like best? I really hope Carabelle Studios come out with a die cut that will cut the image out.

Now for the magic. Simply cover the stamp image with Embossing Ink & cover in Vintage Beeswax embossing powder. Shake off the extra & put back into the jar & heat. You will get this lovely vintage faux encaustic shiny look.

The 3rd stamp was made by stamping on book paper. The background of this stamp already has the music notes on it so I ended up with it looking like it was on music paper- kinda fun! It was painted with water color also & then embossed with the Vintage Beeswax emboss. 

Now how to use them, 1st: The butterfly man I used as a closure for an envelope. Simply put tape along the bottom of the stamp & line it up on your envelope so the flap tucks inside the stamp & holds it shut.

2nd:  Tuba playing card lady I added glue on 3 sides & made a small pocket to put a tag in. This would be great to use in a mini art journal or scrap book.  You can also of course use them as an image for a card or art journal page. I hope you enjoy this little postage stamp tutorial & you get a chance to play with this system. Remember if you use my name karenbearse code you save $$$! Have an inky great day.

Supply List:

Carabelle Studios: My Stamp, Fantasy Labels

Prism Ink Roasted Coffee

Seth Apter Vintage Beeswax emboss by Emerald Creek 

Digital tag image by Love Junk Journals Fox Creative

Dream of the Beach Altered Art

Hello Topflight Fans, this week the team are playing with MDF Life Quotes by Debbi Moore. There are many different kinds including Words, quotes, ATC coins & stands to put your creations on. 

MDF stands for medium-density fiber board, basically it is an engineered wood. I was given the word Dream. I went with my favorite colors & decided to do a bit of a beach theme even with the butterflies. My dream is the beach so that is the direction to go in! 

Here is what the Life Quote starts out as. It comes with a stand that the word fits into. I didn't add paint to the part that goes in the stand as the extra layer might not make it fit as well. 

I did a color test on a tag to make sure the colors I picked went along with some of my ideas to jazz the word up. Really loving the look of crackle so that was part of the test. PaperArtsy makes a Crackle Glaze Paint. Hot-Tip PaperArtsy paints come in translucent & opaque colors. Keep this in mind when choosing which ones to use. 

Next up was adding a base layer of color. This will be the color that shows through the cracks. South Pacific was painted directly onto the word. Fresco Finish is a matte paint & really goes on smoothly as a base. Once dry, a layer of Crackle was applied. While waiting for it to dry the butterfly were embossed in Eileen Hull's Golden Rod. Hot Tip- use an embossing heat gun, it is runs hotter & has less blowing so the powder stars put. Also shake the embossing bottle before applying to mix the different weights of powder.

Once the crackle was dry a top coat was added. This will be the majority color. I went with Aqua Duck Egg, a pretty pale minty blue color. A thicker coat creates bigger cracks & thinner creates smaller cracks. Set aside to dry. The butterflies were embossed with Golden Rod. 

The bottom of the word base needed a sandy look & Seth Apters Embossing powder Dirty Sand was perfect!! I masked off the edge that goes in the stand with tape & embossed letting it run up some of the letters because sand goes everywhere when you are at the beach!

The base was coated in more of an ocean water color, Blueberry. Using a heavy gel medium shells & art stones were added. I also used some Textured Sand Paste from Stamperia. Next crushed shells from our last visit to the beach were added. Once all that was dry, sequins, beads, and metal accents joined the fun. 

This is my favorite part just letting my imagination play. Adding details like the mermaid charm, painting the sand with a shimmery paint, adhering Diamond Sparkles from Hunkydory.

Finally a Tim Holtz quote was added with gold ribbon that resembles netting. More beads & Diamond Sparkles & a few more charms. Thanks so much for joining me today. I hope you jump in to the MDF quote game & make something pretty!!!

*Affiliate- some of these companies have given me product to use, play & experiment with. The ideas are my own but I tend to work with companies whose products I like so enjoy the inspiration. 

**some of these links are affiliate, I receive a small percentage from the company at no cost to you. This may help me continue to bring you techniques & more inspiration.

Textured Crow Art Journal Page

Hello Inky Fans, today I have a spooky, textured, crow, art journal page for my Topflight Stamps blog post. This week we are getting our Halloween on. I hope you hop over & see pictures of all the products that were used on this page. If you use my code KARENBEARSE you will save 12% off your order.

Now on to the project! The stamp I used is incredibly detailed & was best showcased, simply inked. So I decided to have the background be more colorful to highlight the image. I did want it to be somewhat spooky looking however & adding the cheesecloth really did the trick! The bonus is you can use a background page you have already made & simply add to it to get the same effect.

Start with a mix media page in an art journal. Add a layer or 2 of acrylic stenciling, and paint the edges of the page. Next decoupage cheese cloth over most of the page. Create wrinkles as you go. Add metallic paint by scuffing over the raised areas. This adds to the texture. 

I used the Gothic Crow by Crafty Individuals. The image is stunning & stamps like a dream. With so much detail using a fine ink like Memento in black & Archival in grey was the way to go. I stamped the base & cross using Watering Can, then marked off the areas with post it notes so the Tuxedo Black would only ink the raven. 

Time to fussy cut the image & adhered it to the page. I used Cosmic Shimmer Quick Grab Glue for the 1st time & it did a really good job of working on the uneven background, holding my stamped image down very securely. 

I cannot stop using the die cuts by Art by Marlene- the images add a bit of whimsy yet go surprisingly well. I added a few stars & the sliver of the moon. 

Love the the dead fish at the bottom! To give the page a finished look it was embossed around the edges using Eileen Hull's Molten Dimension in my favorite color Aqua Splash. This Emerald Creek emboss is unique & has chunky bits of white in it. 

Finally the crow was outlined with purple paint & the gravestone with a silver paint marker. A quote was the final touch. Thanks for joining me in playing with a bit of Halloween fun. 

Don't forget if you add my code KarenBearse you will receive 12% off your order...restrictions may apply.

Supplies:

Gothic Crow by Crafty Individuals
Paint by PaperArtsy
Die Cuts by Art by Marlene
Eileen Hull Embossing Powder by Emerald Creek 
Variety of Stencils 
Embossing Ink by Prism
Cosmic Shimmer Glue

*Affiliate- some of these companies have given me product to use, play & experiment with. The ideas are my own but I tend to work with companies whose products I like so enjoy the inspiration. 

**some of these links are affiliate, I receive a small percentage from the company at no cost to you. This may help me continue to bring you techniques & more inspiration.

Mix Media Monday with Topflight Stamps

Happy Mix Media Monday!! Today I am playing with FTLOS (For the love of Stamps) & Prism Inks. You can find these products & many more at Topflight Stamps.

Working in my the100daysproject today & making a mini art journal page for this weeks page.

Start by inking up the large mandala type stamp with different colors of Prism Ink, quickly while the ink is still wet, heat emboss using clear embossing powder.I stamped on book paper that has Russian writing on it found at a thrift shop. 

I also stamped the smaller circle & embossed with Seth Apter's Taos Sunset which has the same colors that I used for the large piece. 

Next the edges of the larger piece were distressed with Fire Coral & the smaller circle with Cinnamon Swirl. Adding a decorative brad in the center seemed a good idea.  

The rest of the page was simply adding die-cut ephemera & washi tape from Art by Marlene. Plus a paperdoll with the perfect expression on her face!

Thanks so much for joining me this week, I hope you have the chance to get inky!! If you use my coupon code KARENBEARSE you will save 12% off your order.  

There is also a sale this week on summer items!

Supplies:
   
For the love of Stamps- Perfect Petals
Prism Ink in Fire Coral, Cinnamon Swirl & Butterscotch
Eileen Hull Glistening Glass Emboss by Emerald Creek
Seth Apter Taos Sunset Emboss by Emerald Creek
Art by Marlene Die-cut pieces & washi tape by Studio Light
Paperdoll & Snarky Small Talk by Tim Holtz.  

*Affiliate- some of these companies have given me product to use, play & experiment with. The ideas are my own but I tend to work with companies whose products I like so enjoy the inspiration.

**some of these links are affiliate, I receive a small percentage from the company at no cost to you. This may help me continue to bring you techniques & more inspiration.

Mini Art Journal Page with Darkroom Door Stamps

Welcome to Mix Media Monday, today I have a mini art journal page using Darkroom Door Stamps & Hero Ink Ombre ink pads. This week the Topflight Design Team is playing with those 2 products. I hope you check the blog for some fun inspiration! All the supplies are listed below.

I have been working on a mini art journal for The 100 Day Project. The pages measure 3x4.5". I am loving working with embossing powder right now & discovered a fun way to make the filmstrip stamp actually look like a real aged film strip. This is the great part of art journal play is discovering new techniques! 

My page started by dragging the Neon Ombre (yellow to orange) ink pad down my piece of card stock. I used sponges to fill in & darken the color. 

Next step was to stamp the Darkroom Door Collage Stamp "Arty Hexagons" In a similar color to the dark orange. 

I added some stamped & cut out hexagons using the same stamp & ink as the background. 

For the film strip technique I first stamped in another Ombre ink " Pool to Navy". Once dry it was covered in embossing ink & Vintage Beeswax embossing powder. After heat setting I realized the vintage beeswax made the film strip look real!!! Eureka. 

Then it was just a matter of adding ephemera to my page along with some mark making.I hope you enjoyed this project & I hope you get a chance to get inky today!!

Supplies:

Darkroom Door Stamps- Arty Hexagons, Paris Filmstrip.

Hero Arts Ink- Ombre (Pool to Navy), Neon Ombre (Yellow to Orange). 

Prism Ink in Fire Coral

Seth Apter Vintage Beeswax embossing powder by Emerald Creek. 

Art by Marlene Ephemera

Tim Holtz Snarky Small Talk.

*Affiliate- some of these companies have given me product to use, play & experiment with. The ideas are my own but I tend to work with companies whose products I like so enjoy the inspiration.