| ~ Tips and Craft Samples ~ ~ Page One! ~ GUESS WHAT? We have a new BLOG! More CARDS, TIPS, CUSTOMER'S CRAFTS, CONTESTS, NEW STAMP UPDATES, AND MORE FUN STUFF!! CHECK IT OUT!!! If you would like to have one of your cards, (that you have made with our stamps), posted on our Customer's Crafts page, email it to us in jpeg file - with your name and an explanation of how you made it. Thanks!! To get to the second page of Tips and Samples - CLICK HERE!!! |
ARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!! Pirate Card! The stamps on this card are Pirate - J369H, Swashbuckler - J434K, and Skull and Crossbones - N442F. What I did was cut a piece of tan card stock to size. Then I ripped the whole front edge and brushed it with a sponge covered in art print brown dye ink. I then stamped the pirate images directly onto the card stock, with black dye ink. I drew in the map design with markers. I then measured out an eye patch to stretch across the card, with black card stock. I stamped the skull with white pigment ink, and then covered it with white embossing powder. I heated this, then brushed the edges of the eye patch onto the white ink pad, and then tapped it in my leftover embossing powder on my work area. I heated that. I taped on the eye patch with double stick tape and then wrote the phrase on it with a white pen. TIP: This card also makes a great invitation to your next TALK LIKE a PIRATE DAY! You'AAAARRRRRGGGHHHHH Invited... |
Western Valentine The stamps on this card are Paisley Background - N235I, Paisley - J286C, Paisley Heart - M163E, and Cowboy Boots - J365F. What I did was cut a piece of pink card stock to size. I stamped it with the paisley backgd in pink dye ink. Then I stamped the paisley over the top with green dye ink. I then stamped the paisley hearts, and boots on pink card stock with art print brown, and ripped them out. Then I brushed them with a sponge covered in art print brown dye ink. I cut brown and green card stock squares, and double stick taped all that together. Then I taped the boots onto a paper doiley, and then taped that on to the card. TIP: Our paisley background and paisley design together makes a perfect Western card. Similar to a Bandana! |
| Retro Bold Reindeer - Christmas Card The stamps on this card are Snowflake 4 - J368B, Snowflake 5 - J391B, and Retro Bold Reindeer - J380M. What I did was cut a piece of white card stock to size. Then I stamped the Snowflake images directly onto the card stock, with one color of purple dye ink. To get the lighter color of purple, I stamped off the Snowflake 5 first then restamped it on the card. I then stamped the Retro Bold Reindeer image on a piece of lavender card stock, with white pigment ink and then sprinkled it with PSX sparkle bridal embossing powder. I heat set this with a heat gun. Then I cut around the shape of the reindeer and laid it onto the card with double stick tape. TIP: "Stamp off" your image on another piece of paper first, then restamp it on your card, with all different colors of dark ink, and see the results you get! Your colors will always be in the same family and you get more use out of one ink pad! Also: To make a quick retro Christmas card, use our Bold Christmas designs. These, along with a few of your other favorite stamps as a background, will make fast cards for your friends and family this year! |
Retro Happy Anniversary Card The stamps on this card are Bathing Beauty - J354F, Mod Circle Border - J367H, Retro Star Background - J404F, and Happy Anniversary - J367E. What I did was cut a piece of white card stock to size. Then I stamped the Bathing Beauty, and Happy Anniversary images on a piece of pink card stock, with brown dye ink. I then cut them into a square and from there, sized a piece of green card stock and brown card stock to the size that would frame each image. I brushed the edges on the pink papers with art print brown dye ink and colored the girl with markers, then laid them aside. I then stamped the Star Background on the main card stock, with green dye ink; and the Mod Circle Border with brown dye ink. I laid the pink, green and brown pieces together and double stick taped them. Then I taped that to the card. Voila! TIP: To make a quick retro card, use our backgrounds and borders. These, along with a few of your other favorite stamps as a centerpiece, set the retro theme quite nicely. |
Vintage Circus Card The stamps on this card are Spider Lady Circus Poster - J110I, Circus Poster - J111I, Toy Clown Head - N293E, Pinhead - N346D, KooKoo the Bird Girl - J307H, Alligator Boy - N114D, Pop Corn - N128C, Hypnotic Swirl - N34E, Pointing Hand - N398D, Vintage 1930's Circus - J375O, Desert Mesa - N270I, and Surfer Rosa - J249G. What I did was fold a piece of beige card stock in half. Then I stamped the swirl, circus posters, desert mesa, surfer rosa and alligator boy directly on the card stock with art print brown dye ink. I stamped the pointing hand, pinhead, popcorn, bird girl, clown head, and circus on the same color of card stock with art print brown dye ink. I cut around these images and brushed the edges with art print brown dye ink. Then I colored the images with blue and yellow markers. I taped these to blue card stock and cut around the edges. I sponged a bit more of the art print brown ink around the edges and on the main card itself. Then I taped on the circus scene with mounting tape to make it raised a bit. It taped all of the rest of the images on with double stick tape. TIP: Stamping with drab colors of ink and limiting your color scheme can make your project look more antique! |
| Retro Happy Birthday Card Most of these stamps can be found on our New Page of Rubber Stamp Designs. They are Mod Flowers - J356G, Retro Flowers - J363E, Happy Birthday Cake - J373F, and Retro Design - J301B. What I did was cut a piece of white card stock to size. Then I stamped the Birthday Cake image on a piece of yellow card stock, with brown dye ink. I then cut it into a square and from there, sized a piece of blue card stock and green card stock to the size I liked. I then stamped the Mod Flowers around the edge of the yellow card stock, with orange dye ink. I brushed the edges with art print brown dye ink and laid it aside. Then I stamped the green card stock with the retro design, in green, and brushed the edges with the same green dye ink. I stamped the blue card stock with the retro flowers, and then brushed the edges of it with the same blue dye ink. I stamped the card with layers of mod flowers, retro flowers and retro design, accordingly. I used the same dye inks that I used previously to stamp the small pieces of card stock. I then brushed the edges of the card with orange dye ink. I laid the smaller pieces together and double stick taped them. Then I taped that to the card. Voila! TIP: Stamping with the same color of ink on the same color of paper makes a nice subtle effect. It decorates your card simply, which goes with the whole retro thing, and also makes the paper look like you bought it that way. (Even if it doesn't show up too well in the scan!) :) |
| Swank Summer (Open Up) Tiki Card Most of these stamps can be found on the Hawaiian Polynesian Surf and Tikis Page. They are Palm Trees and Boat - J317Q, Wahine Nouveau - J311H, Tiki Torch - J256E, and Oliver Tiki - N321J. The Leopard Print Design - J245F, can be found on the Backgrounds Scenery and Borders Page, and the Hand Stamped By - J242B, can be found on the Words Phrases and Miscellaneous Page. This card was a lot of fun to make! I first cut my beige card stock into a long strip as tall as the tiki. Approximately 3 3/4"tall by 11". I then stamped the palm trees and boat, in art print brown dye ink, directly onto the far right side of the strip of paper. I folded it right along the edge of the palm tree stamp, creating a 3 3/4" square. Then working to the left, I folded it again so that I could have a remaining piece to stamp the tiki on. I stamped him directly onto the paper in art print brown dye ink. Then I stamped my hand stamped by on what would be the back of the card. (See example above.) After coloring the palm tree and the tiki with markers and blender pen, I flipped the card over and stamped the leopard print design, in baby blue dye ink, on the inside of the card. Then, turning the card back over, I cut along the left edge of the tiki, so when I fold the card together, he rests right on top of the palm tree and boat stamp. (See closed card sample above.) Then I stamped the Wahine Nouveau Stamp and the Tiki Torch on another piece of beige card stock. I colored them also with markers and blender pen and then cut them out. I mounted them onto the inside of the card with double stick tape. Tip: Even if you don't like the stamps I used, you can still make this same card with a new style. For instance, try stamping our Wave and Sun - J244P - rubber stamp in place of the Palm Tree and Boat. Then instead of the Tiki, stamp our Surfer Rosa - J249G - rubber stamp along the bottom right and cut along her right side. Reverse the card, stamping the wave on the left side of the card and the surfer girl on the right. Or try this card with our Juke Box - J335L - rubber stamp in place of the Palm Trees, and our Mod Girl with a Purse - J325N - rubber stamp in place of the Tiki. Be creative and have fun!! |
| Hey, check out our Customer's Craft Samples Page! Here you'll find some amazing crafts made especially by our customers, along with cool craft ideas for your future endeavors! To get to our second page of Tips and Samples - CLICK HERE!! |
| ARRRRGGGGHHHH MATEY!!!!! ~ Pirate Eye Patch The stamp on this patch is our Skull and Crossbones - N442F. A while back, my sister threw a pirate themed party for her husband and the boys so we decided to make eye patches for them. We found some black canvas and cut it into an eye patch shape. After we surged the edges we stamped the pirate stamp on the material with a very wet white fabrico ink pad. We dried it with the heat gun, and then sewed the patches onto a piece of elastic. What a fun and simple craft! And I hear they even wore them! TIP: You can use any one of our skull, pirate, or other stamps to make this eye patch, or other fabric crafts. All of our rubber stamps are the deepest etch and work great with wet ink pads and acrylic paint etc. |
Happy Birthday Hawaiian Card The stamps on this card are our Tiki Carving - J419M, Retro Flowers - J363E, Happy Birthday Cake - J373F, Stylized Palm Tree - J415L, Ukulele Wahine - J403J, and Polynesian Print Background - J377M. What I did was cut a piece of white card stock to size. I stamped the background all over with grass green dye ink. Then on another sheet of white card stock I stamped the tiki, retro flowers, cake, palm tree, and Wahine in art print brown dye ink. I then colored them with blender pen, various other ink pads and markers. I cut these out and then adhered them to the card with mounting tape to give it a popped up look. TIP: To give your art more color, instead of trying to work out a color scheme to stamp with different ink pads, use your colors in the shading and coloring of your stamped images. Highlights and lighted edges (where the imaginary sun would hit) are warm tones like yellows, oranges, and reds; and shady or unlit areas are cool tones like blues, purples and greens. Have fun and experiment for even more color! |
Father's Day Barbecue Card The stamps on this card are our Hamburger - J123C, Hot Dog - J122C, Hot Rod Flames, BBQ Spatula - 467D, BBQ Fork - 465D, and Retro BBQ - 468G. What I did first was cut a piece of white card stock to size. I stamped the hot dog, hamburger and flames on the background with art print brown and yellow dye ink. Then on another sheet of yellow card stock I stamped the bbq stuff with black dye ink. I then colored them with blender pen and markers. I cut these out with a scalloped edge pair of scissors, and then punched holes in each scallop. I brushed the edges with art print brown dye ink, and then double stick taped these to more card stock, the bbq on orange and the utensils directly on the red. I cut around these and added the bbq to a piece of red card stock. I then taped them to the card. TIP: Try this scalloped edge look, it's pretty easy and fun! |
| Manly Retro Coffee Shop Card The stamps on this card are our Coffee Shop - 475G, Retro Antennae Design - N68B, and Retro Star - N71C. What I did first was cut a piece of white card stock square. I stamped the retro designs on the background with black and green dye ink. Then on another sheet of yellow card stock, I stamped the coffee shop with black dye ink. I cut the edges of this with a dull cutter blade and then taped this to a piece of green card stock, which I also cut with a dull blade. I taped the ribbon to the card and then taped the coffee shop on top of that. TIP: If your double stick tape doesn't want to hold the ribbon, you can always melt it with a standard hair straightener. Just hold the heated up iron on your card for about 10 seconds, or less if it's super hot. It will melt your ribbon on to your card, straight! Just be sure to designate a hair straightener for crafts as you probably don't want melted tape in your hair! :) |
Happy Birthday Cowgirl Card The stamps on this card are our Happy Birthday Cake - J373F, Cowgirl with Gun - J413J, Retro Leaf - J297B, and Retro Tiki Design - J299C. What I did first was cut a piece of white card stock to size. I stamped the background in grass green and blue dye ink with a couple of stamps I made out of rubber scraps. I then stamped the retro designs over that with art print brown dye ink. Then on another sheet of orange card stock, I stamped the cake and cowgirl with art print brown dye ink. I cut the edges of this rounded and brushed them with brown ink. I then taped these to a piece of brown card stock, which I also cut rounded and brushed with brown ink. I taped the ribbon to the card and then taped the cowgirl and cake on top of that. TIP: Choose your ribbon first. If you are stumped about what colors to make a card, pick out your ribbon and go from there. It will always liven up your color scheme and get you to use colors you might have not thought of! :) |