Tiny stamp design

Tiny stamp design
Add new dimension to your rubbers stamping by using shrink plastic in conjunction with your favourite stamp design.
Enthusiastic stampers are always interested in creative ways to use their rubber stamps. Stamping on shrink plastic is perfect for making fridge magnets, jewellery, dolls’ house miniatures and cards.
When heated, shrink plastic reduces in size and increases in thickness, but retains its original shape. It is therefore ideally suited for use with rubber stamped images. Since a stamped design will reduce to approximately half its original size, medium size for buttons and small jewellery items, whereas jumbo stamps are suitable for earrings, pendants, badges, fridge magnets and so on. Any size can be utilized effectively in making greeting cards.

You will need
For all projects:

• Shrink plastic
• Permanent ink and pad
• Stamp cleaner for permamnent ink
• Fine sandpaper
• Scissors
• Colouring pencils or acrylic paint

Teddy bear badge

• Judikins stamp 5230
• Permanent pen
• Badge bar
• Super glue

For the sun pendant

• PSX stamp K1781
• Hole punch
• Super glue
• 92cm (36”) leather thong
• Jump ring
• Gold glitter glue

Teddy bear card with earrings

• Judikins stamps 52246
• Blank card
• Black dye ink pad
• Ear wires
• Jump rings
• Darning needle

Step by step
For the sun pendant
Step 1
Stamp, colour, cut out and cook the sun image as described above. Decorate with glitter glue.

Step 2
Colour two matching 10cm (4”) squares of shtink plastic as backing for the sun image, punch a hole in a corner of one of the squares and shrink. (We shrunk them first, then painted them with copper acrylic paint).

Step 3
Use a strong glue to mount the sun on the squares as shown, then attach jump ring and leather thong. Knot the thong to complete.

Teddy bear badge
Step 1
Stamp, colour, and cut our the teddy bear image as described above. Write a name or message on the badge with permanent ink, then shrink it.

Step 2
Use a suitable glue to attach the badge bar to the back of the badge.

Teddy bear card with earrings
This unusual card would make an ideal gift for a special person.

Step 1
Stamp, colour, and cut out two teddy bear images as described above. Punch a hole at the top of each teddy bear, then shrink them.

Step 2
Attach jump rings and ear wires to the teddy bears.

Step 3
Use the black dye ink to stamp the teddy bear on one side of the card, colour the image to match the earrings, then attach he earrings alongside by threading through holes made with a darning needle.
Shrink plastic is a simple medium provided you follow these guidelines:

• Sand the plastic with find sandpaper before stamping on it-this prevents the stamp sliding on a smooth surface and simplifies colouring of the image.
• Stamp or draw with permanent ink and leave it to dry for a few minutes. Always try the stamp on scrap paper first and be sure to clean the stamp with stamp cleaner for permanent ink after use.
• The plastic sheet shrinks more in one direction than the other, so when you want matching images for earrings, buttons, etc. be sure to stamp all of them in the same direction.
• Colour with colouring pencils (soft leads are best) or diluted acrylic paint. Colours will intensify with shrinkage.
• Cut out images with scissors and punch any necessary holes (for wires etc.) before shrink. A 3mm (1/8”) hole punch is the most appropriate size.
• When the image has been coloured and cut out, cook on a non-stick baking tray or piece of mount board in a 130c/gas mark 1 oven for three-five minutes. The plastic will curl up, then shrink as it flattens. It is ready when flat.
• Shrink can also be accomplished with a heat gun, but you must hold it down at one side while heating.

Heaven Scent

Heaven Scent
Preserve the colour and aroma of herbs and flowers with Janie Mann’s fragrant pot-pourri ideas

In winter it is rewarding to fill your house with the fragrance of flowers, leaves and herbs which you collected through the summer. The soft, gentle colour of natural dried flowers are so beautiful compared to the over-bright, dyed colours available in some mass-produced pot-pourri.
Timing is the key to successfully harvesting your flowers. They must be perfectly dry, so attempt to pick them on a sunny day after the morning dew has evaporated.
Ideally choose flowers that are not fully open as they will continue to bloom during the drying period. Pick lavender when the buds have just reached the deep purple stage, before it is fully open. If you want to use whole heads of roses in your mix, then also pick them when the bud is showing colour.
Dry your flowers, herbs and leaves by spreading them in a single layer on a wooden tray, basket or muslin stretched over a frame. Leave them in a warm place and preferably in the dark-an airing cupboard is ideal.

You will need
CONTRY Rose Garden Pot-pourri

• 4 Cups roses (heads and petals)
• 2 cups dark blue delphinium
• 1 cup lavender
• 1 pinch powdered cinnamon
• 2.5ml (1/2 tsp.) Rose oil

Orange Spice Pot-pourri

• 1 cup bay leaves
• 1 cup dried red chilies
• 1 cup dried lemon grass
• ½ cup rosemary
• ½ cup dried orange peel
• A few cinnamon sticks
• 2ml Orange Spice Oil

Step by step

Step 1
Mix together all the dried ingredients. Slowly dip the required amount of oil, stirring and mixing gently but thoroughly. Avoid any one flower head becoming soaked with the oil.

Step 2
When thoroughly mixed, put the pot-pourri into a thick paper bag (don’t use a plastic one). Leave this in the bag for at least two weeks. Don’t leave it anywhere too hot or damp, and shake occasionally.

Step 3
The fragrance should last at least six months. When it’s time to revive the pot-pourri, repeat from step 2.

Tip
Once you’ve made your pot-pourri, there are many ways to use and display it. Bowls look beautiful anywhere, and as you pass by you can gently stir them to release the glorious fragrance. The rose pot-pourri can easily be made into a pretty sachet for you to place in a drawer or hang in a cupboard. Here’s an effective and simple way of doing this ….

Make a scented sachet
Step 1
Take an embroidered handkerchief and lay it flat.

Step 2
Place a small handful of pot-pourri in the centre

Step 3
Bring each corner up to meet its opposite and place a rubber band around the handkerchief at the top of the ball of pot-pouri.

Step 4
Tie a co-ordinating ribbon around to hide the rubber band.

Step 5
If you want to hang the sachet, tie a further loop of ribbon to the back of the sachet. This sachet can also be made using a square of any fabric with a hemmed or ‘pinked’ edge, and could then be matched to your décor.

Easter Greetings Cards (Part 2)

Easter Greetings Cards (Part 2)

Step by step
Step 1
First,press the stamp you have chosen into the embossing ink pad.Now quickly colour the stamp with the brush pens. We've used a combination of red, yellow, and green. Immediately stamp onto the white card, then sprinkle with your colour choice of pearlescent powder.

Step 2
Melt the powder gently with your heat source. Return the excess powder to its container as soon as possible to avoid mishaps.

Step 3
When your embossing is complete, carefully cut round your designs. For this we used decorative edge scissors around the Happy Easter stamp. We have used decoupage scissors around the eggs to follow the outline faithfully.

Step 4
Fold the A4 sheet of card in half, so that the size is A5. Cut two comer triangles from the deep pink card, size 7.5 x 10.5 x 13cm (3” x 4 1/8” x 5 1/8”). Use the decorative edge scissors along the longest side. Glue the triangles on the top left and bottom right so that the decorative edges face inwards.

Step 5
Glue the embossed eggs on to the pale pink parchment card, with the Happy Easter fixed centrally between them. This completes the outside of the card, leaving the inside for your personal massage.

Yellow and Blue Card
Step 1
Press the stamp in to the embossing pad, then quickly colour the stamp with the brush pens. This card use a combination of red, yellow, green and blue. Stamp on to the white card.

Step 2
Sprinkle over the pearlescent powder. On the blue stamp we have used purple, whilst on the yellow stamp we have used bronze. Different combinations of ink and pearlescent powders produce a whole range of colour finishes. Experiment until to you find the colour you are seeking. Then melt the powder gently with your heat gun. Repeat as necessary. Return the excess powder to its container as soon as possible to avoid mishaps.

Step 3
Carefully cut out your design with decorative edge scissors.

Step 4
Using the coloured card again, cut out large, background pieces and glue the blue stamp to the blue card and the yellow stamp to the yellow card. Finally, fold the A4 card in half and glue the coloured cards to it diagonally, completing your card.

Multi-coloured Card
Step 1
Press your stamp on to the embossing pad. Quickly colour your stamp with the brush pens. Stamp on to a sheet of white card, sprinkle on your choice of pearlescent powder and apply heart with the heat gun. Return the excess powder to its container as soon as possible to avoid mishaps.

Step 2
Carefully cut out the egg shapes and use decorative edge scissors to cut out the Happy Easter stamp image. Fold the other A4 card in half, then prepare two rectangles of blue card, 4 x 21cm (1 ½” x 8 ¼”), and cut one long edge on each with decorative scissors. Glue them on to the folder white card on one half so that the cut edges face inwards.

Step 3
Glue the cut-out eggs into place on the blue strips. Cut one piece of blue card 8.5 x 4.5cm (3 3/8” x1 ¾”) with the decorative scissors and glue this in the centre of the space between the two blue strips. Finally, glue the Happy Easter centrally over the blue centre card. Your card is no finished.

 

Part 1

Easter Greetings Cards (Part 1)

Easter Greetings Cards 

These cards use various rubber stamping and papercraft techniques to simple  stunning effect. Decorative-edge scissors add distinctive touch and these can be purchased along with all  the other items..

You will need

Pink and white Card

• Pink and White card
• Rubber stamps of your choice
• Sheet of A4 pink parchment card
• A5 sheet of white and deep pink card
• Red, yellow and green brush pens
• Embossing ink pad
• Decorative edge scissors
• Glue

Yellow and Blue Card

• Stamp of your choice
• Two white A4 cards
• 10 x x7.5cm (3"x4") yellow and blue cards
• Andrews  Pearlescent Embossing powder
• Red, blue, green, and yellow brush pens
• Embossing pad and heat gun

Multi-coloured cards

• Staps of your choice (we have used PSX stamp B564 and E989)
• A4 blue card
• A4 white card
• Red, yellow. blue and green brush pens
• Andrews pearlescent embosing powders: green, red, blue and orange
• Embossing ink pad and heat gun

Part 2

Floral filigree (Part 2)

Floral filigree (Part 2)
You will need
1 Pack 3mm quilling papers, assorted colours
1 pack 5mm quilling papers, assorted colours
Quilling tool or corsage pin
PVA glue
Backing of your choice, and frame 8” x 10”

Step by step

• Making up the picture by referring to our numbered methods.
• Saisies
• (Make 3) 5mm width quilling paper: 16 pieces – 7cm long – layered flower (see 7).
• Daisy centres
• (make 3) 5mm width quilling paper: 2 pieces – 11cm long – fringed flowers, double rolled into in two colours. Glue to the centre of the daisies. (see 8)
• Tulips
• (Make 3) 3mm width quilling paper: 1 full length – wrapped design, then squeezed into pressed heart shape (see 3)
• Tulips (make3) 3mm width quilling paper: 1 piece – 7cm long – Eye shape. Glue into indentation of pressed heart shape.
• Leaves
• (make 9) 3 mm width quilling paper: 1 full length Wrapped design, then twisted into petal shape.

Assembly
Glue the daisies onto your chosen backing using the pattern as a guide. Curve lengths of paper between finger and thumb, then glue down, sideways on, to form the stems. Glue leaves into position, and finally the tulips. Before starting the design, study the basic quilling techniques below and practice making a few shapes. The size of your quilled shapes will be dependent upon your method of rolling and the length of paper you use. Methods of rolling the paper include using a special tool available from any good craft supplier – check out our further information panel.

Step 8
Fringed circles
Tear off the length of paper, about 3” (8 cm), then make small cuts close together down the length, without cutting through.
Roll the paper into a Tight circle and glue loose ends down. When dry, use thumb nail to fan the fringed cuts outwards.
 


Part 1

Floral filigree (Part 1)

Floral filigree
Before starting the design, study the basic quilling techniques below and practice making a few shapes. The size of your quilled shapes will be dependant upon your method of rolling and the length of paper you use. Methods of rolling the paper include using a quilling tool, corsage pin or simply by rolling the paper between finger and thumb. Experiment to find the method which suits you best. Described below is the method of rolling using a quilling tool.
Basic quilling techniques

Step 1
Loose circle
Insert the end of your paper into the slot at the end of the tool. Now turn the tool rolling up all the paper.

Step 2
Eye shape
Pinch opposite slides of a loose circle, leaving filigree in the centre.

Step 3
Pressed heart
Hold loose circle between thumb and finger, then make a deep indent as shown.

Step 4
Curved Petal
Pinch the opposite sides of loose circle bending points as shown.
Let the roller paper fall of the tool. Now glue down the loose end to form the circle.

Step 5
Using one end of the strip, make a loop (fig. 1). Continue wrapping, pinching end together, making each loop a little large each time (fig. 2). Glue end down at pinched edge. If a more pointed wrap is required, gently pinch top edge.

Step 6
Double rolling
For an interesting effect, roll two colours together. Tear one strip about 0,5 “ (12mm) shorter than the second one and place on top of longer piece, rolling the two strips together. Shaper as required.

Step 7
Layered Flower
Cut ends of paper into points. Glue one strip on top of another. Continue gluing strips are glued, cut them in half length ways almost to the centre. Run thumb and forefinger along strips to curl slightly upwards.

Part 2

Fabric craft

Fabric craft

You will need

• 100% thin cotton sheeting 150 x 110cm
• Setacolor transparent paints.
• Cut-our shapes, pasta etc.
• Sun (infra-red lamps)
• Brushes, foam or sponges
• Water

Cotton
100% thin  cotton works very well with this techniques. However, you could also use silk and cotton lawn. Make sure you wash th cotton sheeting before you start, to remove any size in the fabric. Cut a 150 x 110cm length of cotton fabric and wet it by dipping it in a bucket of water, putting it under a tap or laying it out on the lawn and sprinkling it with the hose. Lay the sarong on a large sheet of polythene, on the lawn, or stretch it on a frame before your start to paint.

Paints
Choose your colours. For the dolphin sarong; blue, purple, pink and turquoise were used. The paints are fairly thick and can be diluted, one volume of paint and up to three volumes of water, depending on the intensity of colour required. Next, paint the surface of the wet cotton using a large paintbrush, foam brush or sponge. You cold also dip dye the cloth in a bucket if you only wanted one or two colours. The dolpin sarong was painted in stripes with a blue border around the edge. While the cotton is still wet, place your cut-outs, paste etc. Onto the fabric.

Picture Frame Mats (Part 2)

Picture Frame Mats (Part 2)

Step 7

Attach entire mat and photograph to recycled or new picture frame backing with stand.

Tips

• Always store your solid coloured  ink pads upside down. This will keep the ink on the surface of the pad. However, never store your rainbow pads this way. Always store them right side up.
• Some stampers believe stamp pads store in the refrigerator last much, much longer.
• During long periods of no use, never store your rubber stamps in direct sunlight or any hot area. The rubber can actually become brittle and of poor quality.
• Rubber stamps that have a build up of ink on them and won’t take a good coating of ink can be ‘sanded’ using a stiff pumice sponge available at most cosmetic counters.
• To protect the design on the top of your rubber stamps, a bit of clear packing tape across the design will do the job. A quick wipe with a damp cloth will remove any unwanted ink smears.
• Regular household bleach makes a terrific ‘eraser’ for tiny ink smears on white paper. Simply dab on full strength, using a Q-tip. Don’t try this on coloured paper.
• When making folder greeting cards, always score your fold on the inside of the card. Any imperfections in the fold will be hidden inside the card and be barely visible.

Part 1

Picture Frame Mats (Part 1)

Picture Frame Mats

Step by step
Step 1
Select a familiar product with a clean cardstock container, making sure brand names, logos, etc., are included.

Step 2
Cut square or rectangular template out of cardstock, sized slightly smaller than size of photograph to be used. Centre template on top of 5” x 7” product cardstock and draw lightly around outside edges with pencil. Using a mat knife, cut out centre of product cardstock.

Step 3
Cut out a 5” x 7” piece of coloured cardstock. Using a separate sheet of cardstock, cut a square or rectangular template sized slightly  smaller than the opening on product cardstock. Centre this template top of 5” x 7” coloured cardstock and draw lightly around outside edges with pencil. Using a mat knife, cut out centre of cardstock. Centre this coloured cardstock mat behind the product cardstock mat and glue. This will create an inner solid coloured ‘frame’ of the photograph.

Greeting Card Mat (Part 2)

Step 3
Cut piece of coloured cardstock 0,5 wider and 0,5 longer than greeting card.

Step 4
If you’d like to laminate your picture frame mat, laminate both the greeting card and the coloured cardstock separately at this point. Cut out greeting card centre again and trim all outside edges.

Step 5
Carefully tape the photograph to the back of the greeting card, with photograph facing out from printed side. Then centre greeting card on coloured cardstock and glue. Set aside.

Step 6
Using black ink pad, ink baby in highchair rubber stamp and stamp onto white cardstock. Let the ink dry completely. Colour the image, using markers and then cut out. Laminated, if desired. Trim excess laminating film. Position ‘baby in highchair’ image on front of greeting card and glue.

Greeting Card Mat (Part 1)

Greeting Card Mat
You will need

• Greeting card, front section only
• Baby in Highchair rubber stamp
• Black ink pad
• Water based coloured markers
• Coloured cardstock
• Mat knife
• Scissors
• Glue
• Tape
• New or recycled picture frame backing, with built in stand
• Laminating film (optional)

Step by step

Bingo card Mat

Bingo card Mat
Step by step
Step 1
Take the bingo card to your local photocopy bureau to be enlarged to approximately 5 x 6,5 and printed on coloured cardstock.

Step 2
Cut square or rectangular template out of cardstock, sized slightly smaller than size of photograph to be put into the finished mat. Centre the template on top of the coloured cardstock bingo card and draw lightly around outside edge, with pencil. Then cut out centre of the bingo card, using a black marker and a ruler.

Step 3
Cut piece of contrasting coloured cardstock to 5,5 x 7

Step 4
If you’d like to laminate your piture frame mat, laminate both the bingo card and the 5,5 x 7, coloured cardstock piece separately at this point. Cut out bingo card centre again and trim all outside edges.

Step 5
Carefully centre and tape the photograph to the back of the bingo card, with photograph facing out from printed side. Centre and glue bingo card to coloured cardstocks. Set aside.

GEM ENCRUSTED CANDLES (Part 2)

GEM ENCRUSTED CANDLES (part 2)

Step 3

Stand the prepared would on newspaper or in a roasting tray to catch any spills and protect your work surface.

Step 4

Using the thermometer, check the temperature of the wax. When it has reached 85c,pour the wax carefully into the mould.

Tips

If you dip the end of the wick in molten wax, It will be easier to thread and the finished candle will not need to have its wick dipped in wax to aid lighting.

GEM ENCRUSTED CANDLES (Part 1)

GEM CANDLES

Add a touch of sparkle to your candle creations by encrusting them with gems. Adrian Pumprhey heats up the wax and shows you how.

Before you can encrust your candle with gems you must first make the candle, In this case the candle is made with a slightly thinner wick than normal to cause the  candle to hollow when burnt and produce a lantern effect showing off the gems to their best.

Although making candle is not inherently dangerous there are one or two safety precautions that should be followed. Wax is flammable at 100c and should not be melted in a saucepan directly on the heat source.  The best way of melting the wax is in a double boiler. If be worst should happen, treat a wax fire as you would an oil fire. Turn off the source of heat if you can safety do so; Cover the pan with the towel if you were unable to do so before.