Masking is a great stamping technique where you cover a part of an image and stamp another image on top.  I use post-it notes to mask because they stay in place and you do not need to worry about them slipping when you apply the second stamp.

This great video by Hero Arts presented by Lisa Spangler gives a great demonstration on how to do the Masking technique.  She shows a reverse masking which is great for shapes…you can extend this to masking with images which don’t have a straight edge like these letters.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I still love owl stamps.  Doesn’t she make a great card use the Masking technique!

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Jayne

The Ultimate Pro by Crafter’s Companion has become one of the most sought after crafting tools this year.  It is packed full of features and is so easy to use.  I love my Ultimate Crafter’s Companion Pro and it has become one of my most used crafting tools!  It is great for scoring, measuring, trimming, embossing and embellishing.  There are so many things which you can with The Ultimate Pro and you can make really professional looking cards, enevelopes, boxes and bows.

The Ultimate Pro has ten amazing functions which are all packed into one compact carry case:

• Card Maker
• Envelope Scorer
• Box Folder
• Envelope Box Creator
• Embossing Designs
• Decorative Lines and Corners
• Popout and K-card Creator
• Bow Maker
• Built in Paper Trimmer
• Storage Compartments

The Ultimate Pro Demo 1

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Ultimate Pro Demo 2

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Ultimate Pro Demo 3

Click here to view the embedded video.

Card Making

There is an easy way to score cards so that they can be folded perfectly.  There are labelled lines so that you can create a huge range of card sizes.  It is a perfect addition to your card making supplies.

Box Maker

The box making function lets you create boxes in all shapes and sizes.  The box and the lid are made together at the same time so they fit perfectly together.  The depth of the boxes can be half an inch up to three and half inches.

Popout and K-card Creator

Great popout cards in different shapes and sizes can be made with shapes on the board.  These shapes can also be used to create K-cards and for decorative embossing.

Embossing Designs

You can dry emboss with a variety of shapes which are on the board.  These designs can be used for the popout cards.  There are also decorative images which can be used to embellish your cardstock.

Paper Trimmer

There is a built in paper trimmer with an easy to replace blade.  It has measurements for centimetres and inches and can be used to strengthen the case when it is laid out flat and then tucks away in its own compartment for easy storage.

Bow Maker

There is a very easy to use peg system for making bows.  You can make single bows, through to bows with several loops.  The bows are very easy and quick to make with perfect results each time.

Storage Compartments

All the accessories and a DVD which can be purchased separately can be stored in a very compact case which clips together.  There are storage compartments for the:

• Paper Trimmer
• Cutting Mouse
• Double Ended Scoring Tool
• Ruler
• Bow-Making Pegs
• Instruction Booklet
• DVD (purchased separately)

With so many fantastic things which you can make with The Ultimate Pro by Crafter’s Companion, this is really the ULTIMATE tool for your cardmaking and scrapbooking supplies.

You can buy your The Ultimate Pro here…. today!

Thankyou for reading this post on Stamps and Craft.
Jayne

If you are looking for the best Ink For Stamping a lot of that will depend on what you are stamping onto and what you are going to do with the stamped images.  There are a lot of types of inks out there for papercraft and most are specialised in how to use them.  What ink you choose for stamping can be a difficult choice and there are some important points that you need to keep in mind when picking up the ink pad.

There are several types of Ink For Stamping which include:

• Dye Ink
• Pigment Ink
• Craft Ink
• Permanent Ink
• Specialty Inks

Each of these inks are used for special purposes which are described below:

Dye Ink

Dye Inks are water based inks which dry quickly.  The come in a huge range of colours, even beautiful rainbow pads and are very versatile.  They are best stamped onto paper/card and are easily cleaned off your stamp.  Make sure you choose a high quality paper/card though to stamp on or the image will bleed.

The important thing to remember about dye inks are that they are water based, so if they get wet they will run.  Therefore they are not suitable if you are going to colour the image in with markers or with watercolours.  You need a permanent ink for that.  You can of course use the fact that they run to your advantage if you are creating a distressed project and you can spritz the paper with water to purposefully create interesting effects.

I really like using dye inks when I am colouring with chalk, or using them with sponging blocks and craft sponges.  I also like using them with solid stamps, especially rainbow pads) and when I am creating landscapes.

Examples of dye ink include:

• Adirondack Dye Inks
• Tim Holtz Distress Ink

Pigment Ink

Pigment Ink is a slow drying ink which is quite viscous.  There are several types of pigment ink available on the market and you need to check whether you need a heat tool to set the ink, if it needs embossing or if it will dry naturally.  Pigment inks do not blend into the paper, so remain quite solid and therefore have a vibrant colour.

Most of the time, to be safe, it is best to emboss an image which has been stamped with pigment ink.  If you use a clear embossing powder then the colour of the ink will show through.  If you use a coloured embossing powder then you will no longer be able to see the colour of the ink underneath.  If you are going to be using embossing powder then it is advisable to buy an embossing ink, which is specifically designed for embossing powder.

Pigment Ink is slow drying and is a good Ink for Stamping if you have the time to let it dry as you will have a beautiful stamped image.  It will not dry on glossy surfaces, even if you use a heat gun – you will need to emboss the image.

Examples of pigment ink include:

• Emboss It
• Adirondack Pigment Inks
• Perfect Medium
• Encore Metallic Ink

Craft Ink

Craft Ink is usually used for stamping onto fabric and is similar to pigment ink.  You can set craft ink with a heat gun or an iron to make it permanent.

Examples of craft ink include:

• Fabrico Craft Ink

Permanent Ink

Permanent Ink is great to use if you are going to be colouring an image in with watercolours or markers.  Over the past few years these inks are now being released in a variety of colours as the selection just used to be black.  These inks are great for using on glossy surfaces as they don’t need to be heat set.

One problem with them though is that they are permanent so can be difficult to clean off clothing and also a real pain to clean off stamps.  Most of the time they do stain the stamp, but that is not really a problem as they will not damage your next project, even if you are using a completely different colour as long as it has dried.

Examples of permanent ink include:

• Archival Ink
• Briliance
• Staz-On

Specialty Inks

There are a few inks out there which don’t fall into any category except as specialty inks.  Specialty Ink For Stamping includes those inks which are good for watermarks like the Versamark.  Sometimes they can be considered to be a perfect ink as they will hold chalk, Perfect Pearls, they will watercolour and also emboss.

Examples of specialty ink include:

• Versamark
• Perfect Medium

There are some great craft inks out there which are matt, glittery, chalky, metallic.  Most stampers should have a permanent black ink, embossing ink and a range of dye inks in their collection.  I suggest having three shades of each dye ink (light, medium and dark) so that you can create wonderful effects with blending and stamped images.  With all that there is to choose from, hardest thing will be not to buy every single Ink For Stamping there is on the market!

This gorgeous Crown Collage Card uses the Fleur-De-Lis subtly in the background and is super simple to make.  It is great to use as a card for someone very special, almost regal or for special occasions such as a wedding.

1)    Fold a piece of card in half to make a vertically opening card.

2)    Stamp the Crown Collage onto the front of the folded card with a light ink.

3)    Accent areas of the crown with chalks.

4)    Attach a strip of ribbon to the front of the card.

5)    Embellish the ribbon with a bow, some flowers and pearls.

6)    Embellish the crown with some pearls.

Stamp used is Hero Arts Design Block Crown Collage S5104.

Image courtesy of Hero Arts (c).

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Jayne

The Fleur-De-Lis has been one of those images which stampers and scrapbookers have all used at one time or the other in their projects.  It is an elegant symbol, seeping with historical meaning and purpose.  The Fleur-De-Lis translated into English from French means ‘Flower of the Lily’.  It is said to represent perfection, life and light.  Sometimes it is spelled as Fleur-De-Lys.

The Fleur-De-Lis was first used to represent royalty by King Louis the VI on his shield.  Since then it has been used by English Kings and in the clothing of their knights.

Use of the Fleur-De-Lis During History

Joan of Arc had the Fleur-De-Lis on a white banner when she led the French army to victory against the English when Charles VII (the Dauphin) was claiming the French throne

The Roman Catholic Church  has used the Fleur-De-Lis to represent the Holy Trinity.

The Roman Catholic Church has used the Fleur-De-Lis as their symbol for the Virgin Mary.

There is another legend which describes an Angel handing down the symbol to Clovis who was the Merovingian King of the Franks when he converted to Christianity.

Fleur-De-Lis in Cardmaking

Using the Fleur-De-Lis in your card projects will give your cards elegance and the symbol can be used as the focal/featured image or as a background.  It is a great image to use for shabby chic or distressed projects.

There are some absolutely gorgeous Fleur-De-Lis stamps which can be found at the Stamps and Craft Webshop.

Here are the instructions for making this Crown Collage Card.

Image courtesy of Hero Arts (c).

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Jayne

Working out Envelope Sizes and Paper Sizes can be rather confusing, but it is a straight forward system.  I have included several images below which explains how cards and envelopes are sized.

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Jayne

Here is a great video from Hero Arts on Clear Card Stamping.  This is a great technique and leads to fabulous handmade cards.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I will have more videos in the following weeks as well with what you can do with clear stamps.

I would love it if you could share some of your Cleard Card Stamping techniques.

Thankyou for reading this post on Stamps and Craft.
Jayne

Try and keep your photos, ideas and scrapbooking layouts organised.  If you have elements all ready for a layout, but are not going to do the layout together, place them in a plastic sleeve or box ready for when you are ready to do the page.  There are numerous files and organisers available for taking your photos etc to a shop or scrap night without too much hassle.

How do you store your scrapbooking materials and other papercraft supplies?

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Jayne

Working out Paper Sizes can be rather confusing, but it is a straight forward system.  I have included several images below which explains how paper is sized, how cards are sized and how envelopes are sized.

Thankyou for reading this post on Stamps and Craft.
Jayne

Even though there is no wrong way to create a Scrapbook Layout and you will develop your own style as you become more experienced.  There may be times when you look at your page and you think: “Something just doesn’t quite look right”.  Quite often it is the order of the layout.

There are many books available on the market which gives ideas for layouts.  When starting it is best to use a triangle layout design:

Thankyou for reading this post on Stamps and Craft.
Jayne