Masterboard Technique

Good grief, it's ben over a month since I last added a tutorial, naughty me, must do better! Over on Do Crafts I have for a few months been hosting a Let's Stamp ATC swap, the purpose being to either learn or refresh our way though our ABC of stamping techniques, for the letter M, I chose Masterboard and this is the promised tutorial, so I hope everyone who looks here will find it useful. I firt saw the girls from Stamp Addicts doing it on Create and Craft TV, Since, it has appeared in the Craft Stamper magazine this year, these are my own pics and words.

Pic. 1 shows what you will need, I did this on an A5 sheet of whtie card, though normally I would use an A4 size card. Gather your chosen colour inks, it doesn't ahve to be Distress Inks but I love them, choose your theme and gather your stamps. If you scroll down there are samples of themes I have chosen prviously, this time I have chosen Nature. Pic 2 below - here I have added splashes of the colours to cover the card, leaving a few pieces of the background white will give more contrast and keep the overall mix lighter in colour. I used Mustard Seed, Scattered Straw, Spiced Marmalade, Tumbled Glass, Weathered Wood, Peeled Paint.

Pic 3. below -You can heat set the Distress inks if you wish but it isn't necessary. Using your larger stamps first, randomly stamp them over the A5 sheet, making sure some do go off the page with some of them. I like to add a few words on mine.


Pic 4 below - fill in the gaps with your smaller stamps, also letting some of them go off the page.

Pic 5 below - this is a sample of a completed card with similar colours and stamps. You can use, as I did here, for a complete background and make a suitable matching topper with similar stamps.

Pic 6 - below - is a sheet I have prepared for future use using a completly different set of colours and stamps, this is my masterbaord for ladies and fashion

Pic 7 - below - Again another prepared masterboard in another colour scheme, I have used stamps for Ladies and Travel. As you can see I have already taken a piece for a card, which you can see on Here.

If using an A5 sheet, it is best to add your stamps in a portrait orientation, for making ATC's for you will this way get 4 ATC. Once cut out, you can edge a colour to give more definition, you could use it as a background or add somthing complimenting the background. Whatever you choose to do, have fun and relax.
Plese keep scrolling down, for I seem to have increased this page and knocked loads way, way down, there is more below.

Faux Linen

Close up of Faux Linen

Faux Linen background
Faux Linen Script

I first found Faux Linen on You Tube, goodness knows where. the technique is so simple,
yet is very effective for a background. It is also an article in the April issue of CS.
Choose the size of background card to which your faux linen will be adhered to.
Cut a piece of white tissue paper so it is approx 2 cm larger all round.
Stamp onto the tissue paper, you can either use black or a toning colour for your
project. I used script on one but the other I stamped randomly.
Make sure your ink is dry, heat to dry if necessary. put aside to prepare remainder of
your project. Check it is dry, if so, scrunch it up into a tight ball, loosen out but try not
to smooth too many creases. On your prepared piece of card, rub a glue stick all over.
Gently place your creased tissue paper on top, slip and slide it to create more creases.
When satisfied, cut off the excess at the edges.
You now need to complete your card, with your faux linen as a background.
I hope you enjoy playing with this for the ways you can use it are endless.

Roses and other paper flowers

I made these roses using red card, however, my top tip for making a load of roses to be on standby, is to make them with white card, you can then easily colour them to suit any project. You can use, glimmer Mist, Cosmic Shimmer Mist or other sprays, chalks, inks, even use old items from your make up bag contents, don't throw away the dregs, put them into a box as extra colouring mediums, with your old shadow applicators. There are lots of videos available on the net, on how to make these flowers, some are with punches, some are hand cut, I have a lovely little stamp which cost just over £1 at a craft fair from www.dreamees.org.uk . Here is a lsit of some of the flower making web sites which I like to follow to make my roses and other flowers.
Gabrielles water distressed flowers with and without a punch.
Lisa' Paper Poppies
Lynne's flowers
I'm sure you'll find many more, the important thing is to have fun and a bag or box full of handmade flowers.

Double Slider Card

I tried this last year and failed miserably, not one to be beaten, I tried again, and this time I think I have discovered the secret, the quality of your grocery bag! It needs to be a sturdy type of plastic and not a see through flimsy one. Here is the you tube video to watch with Dawn Griffith, this I find is the easiest one to understand . I decorated mine with some tapestry peg stamps using a variety of dye ink pads, to achieve the colours I wanted. I do hope you will have a go, it is so satisfying when you hold the single card, pull on the ribbon and whoosh! out pop two hidden messages. I coloured the edges using a broad nibbed marker pen, by placing the card onto a piece of scrap paper,

place the nib at the top right corner and drag the pen straight down, half on the card , half on the paper, practice first on waste card, you will soon be able to do it. It saves having to mat your work, especially if you don't want extra card on your main project.

A bulky slip knot solution

If your ribbons and fibres are too thick to go through the hole in your tag, try this simple, yet very effective solution. First push through one of your threads, to form a loop, with two dangling ends at the front of the tag, in the pics, a piece of check ribbon. (1) Lay the remainder of your ribbons, fibres etc vertically across the tag, over the punched hole area. (2) Push the tails of the check ribbon through the check loop, this will catch the bulky fibres (3). Join the two ends of each piece of fibre etc, to make a knot to secure. (4) Completed tag (5)

Completed Tag

Desk Top Post It Note Holder

I have always loved small books, there are so many videos on You tube for the cute little Post It Note holders, so if this is what you are looking for, I have a few versions, which may save you ages searching and surfing, it will certainly benefit me, for when I want to make more, it will now be so easy to find them. The first I have chosen is a more sturdy version, I have called it a Desk version, as the video describes it, but I think because it is more sturdy, it is suitable to be more mobile than sitting on your desk. I first received one very similar from my good friend Yvonne (Meggymay's Way) some time ago, so at long last, have made a few myself. The video, being American states to use chipboard, I used mount card, or you can use cereal box card, glue and

sandwich two pieces together to make more sturdy. I chose to add some more colourful papers from a Basic Grey 8.5" square paper pad, of course this is where you have the chance to really personalise your book by the colours and style of papers you choose. I stamped a message inside. On the front cover, I stamped onto a piece of mount card a flower which was coloured with Distress inks and pencils, then outlined with a black marker pen. To add a little flourish, using my Crop-o-dile, I punched a hole close to the top of the spine,fixed an eyelet, added 3 jump rings and a charm, suitable for the person for whom they are going to be a small thank you gift. I hope you enjoy looking at the video, and maybe you too will make one of these really handy little notebooks. If so, I would love to see it, so please let me know when to visit your blog. I have a less involved version to follow, so please continue to look out for another additon to my tutorial blog. Thanks for dropping by.

.... another desk calendar

I needed to make another desk calendar as a demo for the ladies at the card class, which I hold each Friday morning. I am not a qualified teacher but I have learnt over the years how to pass on any skills I may have, I do have a huge store of hints and tips, which I've picked up here and there over my years of crafting. I'm sorry for the out of focus view, taking pics in the winter is an art I haven't accomplished. I used one of my latest Tapestry peg stamp sets to decorate, another bargain, it was half price in a end of line sale. I love a baragain, but then who doesn't?