Whimsy Tutorial -- Underwater Focus

I'm on the Whimsy Stamps blog with a brief tutorial.  Come check it out!

You should also check out the new release which is suuuuuper cute!  Whimsy shop. 

CDD -- Interactive Card Time

Hi Everyone!  I'm sharing an interactive card with you today using Christmas Wishes, Snowflake Flurries Stencil, Fall Border Dies, and the Fancy Frames Dies.  Did you spot Rudolph's blinking nose? Beep beep!  LOL.  

I started out with the basic Chibi light components (conductive copper tape, a watch battery and a Chibi light). I had already done a mock up of the card so knew where I wanted the light and "push here" point to be.  I thus prepared the card panel and image by making small holes for the light to show through.  It's not absolutely necessary to do that but I did want to make sure the light would be as bright as possible. 

I had stamped the image twice--once for coloring and once on the card front to make it easier to see where the hole for the light and push point needed to be.

Next came the assembly of the light unit. I've done this a few times so have come up with cheats to help myself. These include using two layers of sticky-back foam to and dies to create the height needed for the components. Notice I had saved the diecut portion of the foam and used it to cover up the light except for that hole. I did this so the light would come only through the hole rather than lighting up the entire area there.

The Chibi light has a positive and negative side (noted in the photo) and you need to have a conductive copper line leading to/from both.  Notice how I made a scored casing to hold the battery and to provide a place for the positive line to wrap up and over to reach the positive side of the battery.  Also notice I had drawn where my card front opening was so I knew exactly how much space I had to work in.

Here you can see how the positive copper tape wraps over the scored casing. When the battery touches BOTH the positive and negative ends, the circuit is complete and the light will activate. Be sure to test that it works before you use the diecut foam to cover the components and finish up your card. By the way, I've had no difficulty with light activation when the foam covers the copper tape.

I assembled the card by adhering the front panel to the Chibi card base, stenciling the Snowflake Flurries stencil using Distress Oxide, adhering the two Fall Border Dies layers I had colored with Copics, and stamping the sentiment with VersaFine Onyx Black.

COPICS
Skin: E00, E02 (blush), E11 (shadow)
Hair: YR0000, Y21, Y35, YR24
Clothes: B01, B02, B04, RV06
Scarf & Trees: YG03, YG05
Reindeer: E50, E51, E53, E55
Houses: B04, RV06, Y15, Y17

Christmas Wishes

Snowflake Flurries

Fall Border Dies

Fancy Frames Dies

Distress Oxide

VersaFine Onyx Black

Masking Butterflies Tutorial

Time for a little mid-challenge inspiration and reminder for the Happy Little Stampers CAS masking challenge.  Come on over and join the fun!

Now, Linda had commented on my previous masked butterfly card and asked for clarification on my masking technique with Copics and the MISTI. So, last night I made another butterfly card and documented the process as I went along.  I hope this helps you!

1. Set up your MISTI and place scrap paper between the card stock panel and black foam pad.  This avoids ink being absorbed by the foam. I also find it easier to see what I'm doing.
2. Stamp your first image and leave the stamp in place on the lid of the MISTI.  Do NOT remove the cardstock panel.  
3. Notice the image is rather splotchy at this point. 



4. Color the image carefully to avoid accidentally moving the cardstock panel.
5. Re-stamp the image to cover up any stray marks and to deepen the color.  It really pops now, right?

6. Now lay down a mask over your image and position the next image.
7. With the MISTI I place the stamp where I want on the card stock panel and then lower the lid to pick up the stamp.  When I ink up and stamp the image, it is exactly where I had it.

8. Color up this image as above, leaving the mask in place.

9. The first stamping was really light but look how it pops after re-stamping.
10. You can also see where I nudged the card stock just the tiniest bit so the second stamping isn't quite in alignment with the first.

11.  Continue in this manner until your work of art is ready to go!

The Details:  Hammermill 80lb color cardstock, PTI 140lb white card stock base, Recollections black cardstock, Memento Tuxedo Black, MFT Inspired by Butterflies, 7 Gypsies sentiment, Wink of Stella, Versamark, Stampendous black detail fine embossing powder, Copic BG11, BG13, BG15, BG18, Y11, Y13

I'm entering this in Addicted to Stamps and More #157 Make Your Mark, Fab 'n' Funky #270 Anything with Wings