Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Welcome to the Neighbourhood! (Stamping with Die-namics Clouds)

Squigglefly Whimsy Town by mel stampz

I'm still taking it easy around here & thank you ever much for your fabulous comments. I absolutely loved reading about how you make & save or send your cards. (Some brilliant pointers in those comments, hey?) I especially needs to find me a wholesale whack of bubble-mailer-envelopes! ;o)

This card is another simple one... for friends of ours who have moved to our neighbourhood. We're so excited that they live here now! Here are the details of how it was made...




The image is called
Whimsy Town by artist Angie Davis
I bought it at Squigglefly ( for $2)!

CLOSE Squigglefly digital houses image Whimsy Town by mel stampz

The town: As soon as I saw the weensy cat, bike, & birds, I knew I had to live in this little town. The digi image is heat-embossed again (on Matte Medium. Can't use a digital image without doing that.)

Do you love heat-embossed images?

Embossing DETAIL Squigglefly Whimsy Town by mel stampz

If you'd like to see a full tutorial on how to achieve heat-embossed digital images (using an ink-jet printer) please see this post (& if you think you might try it out, please read the "disclaimer" about combining copics & printers with Matte Medium) :-)

The road (sentiment) is just some typing I did in a word document & printed onto gray cardstock.

The grass is just a thin strip of paper coloured with Copic markers (stippled for texture) and cut in a fringe.



MFT Die-namics clouds as foam background stamp Squigglefly Whimsy Town by mel stampz

The clouds are made with a My Favourite Things cloud die
(MFT Die-namics) in two ways:
  1. Do it Yourself cloud stamp
  2. Homemade vellum stickers
I cut the rounded MFT clouds in half for both applications & the birds are just
drawn on with a Copic Multiliner (fine permanent marker).



make a do it yourself fun foam background stamp:


  • MFT die-namics cloud die
  • White fun foam (or any colour you have)
  • White pigment ink/chalk ink
  • Cuttlebug C plate or large acrylic block
  • Optional: damp cloth (to moisten stamp)
  • Background/Texture Stamp to "kiss" on
Step 1) Cut clouds out of white fun foam

Step 2) Cut the foam clouds in half (for cumulus flat-bottomed clouds) or leave 'em fluffy

Step 3) Adhere them to an acrylic block (alternatively, your C plate for a Cuttlebug makes a perfect large clear stamping block)

Step 4) Stamp with your clouds. Pigment & chalk inks are lovely on fun foam & stamping-off or kissing (onto a background stamp) is a riot of fun!

Little Pointer: If you find it's hard to get a good solid image or keep the ink wet enough: before adding ink, try wiping over the foam with a damp lint free cloth (or a slightly wet brayer, or sponge...) to moisten it first, and then apply the ink.

To get homemade sheer stickers: cut clouds from self-adhesive vellum, cut them in half and stick them on. :o)

Thanks so much for visiting.
P.S. I'm still dreaming of that crafters' neighbourhood
(where You are all my neighbours!)


(a.k.a. stamp-geek, hehehe) ;-)

P.S. I hope you can all see these flickr images,
if not, please try clicking these blogger thumbnails:

27 comments:

Holly Young said...

This is just adorable Mel, and I am so happy for you that you have friends coming to live nearby! Love how you change the look of the clouds by cutting it in half, and your grass is some fun texture!
I've had thoughts of a crafting retirement home community where everyone could get together and enjoy their craft and maybe learn new ones - then every year they'd have a sale!

Eileen said...

Great card and what a brilliant image too. eileen xx

Arlene said...

What a wonderful town you've created. Love it.

Ruth said...

This is wonderful! You always put such love into your cards! Ruth x

Becky said...

This is a fabulous card Mel.Love how you put so much details in them. I love those clouds.
Right now I am have trouble with digi stamps, no mater what I do, when I color the ink smears. Holly gave me a few ideas that I will try. Yes I tried embossing them, no luck.

mekei said...

super duper cute. you are a talent!

Shoshi said...

I really like this, Mel. Very different from many cards we see today. Quirky and fun! Thanks also for all the marvellous tips.

KellyRae said...

I'd love to live in that town too! One of my favorite types of card to create is a housewarming card. Yours is just sooooo inviting (and I LOVE your typed border block of housewarming words...awesome idea and one I will be using a lot). TFS!

Axes DesigNs said...

Wow.. I love, love your cards.. but I still trying the print embossing :(

Alice said...

love that little town, too! fabulous card.

Anonymous said...

Very cool. I love clean and simple lately. I enjoy making something that I can bear to part with!

Eveline said...

wauw, amazing i realy love it. thanks for sharing this piece of art with us.

Eveline

Suzi said...

What fun to have friends in the neighborhood! Terrific card!

Merry said...

This is such a fantastic card...love the colours and colouring. Also the use of the wording on the card. Brilliant.

Dawn said...

total cuteness Mel style! so GOOD to see you back!

xoxooo

Kim Etherington said...

I LOVE this card! It's so fun and the sentiments are perfecto! Cute cute town! Great to see you back once in awhile!! Can't wait to see you on Thurs! Hope it works out for us to all meet up!

Deebi27 said...

I'd love to live in YOUR neighborhood. I could learn so much about this craft from YOU! I have done the embossed thing before using Copics ... helps to keep the colors in their place! Sooo glad you've returned, I was missed your talent!

Patricia said...

i love your card.

Artnova said...

Przesliczne te domeczki.

pinky said...

This is one nice way to welcome new neighbours. Love how you created your clouds, ingenious!
Pinky

Laura said...

Mel, as usual, so beautiful! Don't know that I've commented before, but I thoroughly enjoy your blog, and want to pass along a blog award to you that I recently received. Hope this brings even more paper geeks like me to your blog. Please visit my blog to collect the award, and to pass it on to other blogs of your choosing: http://cricutcard-iologist.blogspot.com
Cheers, Laura

Nerina said...

This is totally and completely cool! What a cutie village - I'd love to try my hand at something like this too! Thanks for the inspiration!

Created By You said...

Very cute,Mel! Love the layered clouds!

Peggy said...

love your blog and gave you an award check out my blog and get your award. thanks so much for sharing all your talent...thanks PEGGY
www.createwithbubbe.blogspot.com

Chrysalis said...

Hi Mel - sorry you've been missing from Blogland for a while - hope you are not struggling too much just now, but our thoughts and prayers are with you even when you can't be around. Thanks for all your lovely posts and ideas.

xx

Tee McNeil Art said...

Mel this card is beautiful! I love the houses and the three different types of clouds. You amaze me, you always have! I visit your blog and look at your fantastic creations and have to reach up to close my jaw.

You are an inspiration and the standard to which I aspire. For these and so many other reasons, I'm giving you the Cherry on Top Blog Award. You can pick it up on my little blog post for today.

Congrats - you are so deserving of this and so much more!

Dotty Jo said...

Goodness Mel, this is such a cutie!
Love it all, Jo x