Friday, January 18, 2008

Altering Cardstock to Match Designer Papers

I can't get enough of designer papers. However, sometimes cardstock feels naked or stark against it. Lately, I've been trying different ways to alter plain cardstock to make it more textured looking. This card uses two of those ways: 1st--stamping a subtle pattern on it before doing your main image and 2nd--using a wheel (or texture stamp) to add white stippled texture.

This Angel Island paper does all the work in this card (Pheobe Basic Grey phe 757.) It has colours to match Stampin Up paper, but it also has a huge depth of colours. The flowers in the new sab set Friendship Blooms seem to match it perfectly image-wise. To make them match even more, I stamped them on naturals card stock that I had altered first. How?

1) Brayer Going Gray ink onto the Paisley stamp
2) Stamp off once (top of picture below)
3) Without reinking stamp again (bottom of picture below)
4) Let dry a little & you have a subtly altered cardstock to emboss the flowers onto.
It matches the flowers that are already on the Basic Grey paper because they have a mottled light gray pattern through them:

Stamping tip: Don't have craft ink in the colour you want to emboss? You can emboss any colour by adding a layer of versamark before you add colour.

1) Put versamark on the stamp first,
2) Then before stamping, apply the classic ink colour to the stamp as well.
3) Stamp it on your paper
4) Then cover the stamped image with with embossing powder quickly.

I did the flowers that way here with Basic Gray ink (since there is, alas, no Basic Gray craft pad.)


The pink & green flower centers are made using cardstock that has been mottled with the Speckled wheel. You can also use any texture stamp. How?

1) Put the Speckled wheel into your Stampin' Around Handle
2) Ink it up with White Craft Ink (unless you have a cartridge with white) Or use a textured stamp.
3) Just roll your wheel (or stamp the texture stamp) repeatedly on a square of paper. I like to go over the paper several times.
4) Punch out the flowers. (If you'd like to see the speckling just click on the picture above and look at the pink centers; they're punched with the retired SU flower punch.)

It looks neat on full square of paper as well, or in versamark and other ink tones--you could stamp a full image over it or just use it like d.p.

Thanks for reading; have a great day!
Mel

P.S. Want other ways to alter your cardstock? You can also tint it with markers, paint (or sponge!) on Pearlex-tinted Mod Podge or Lumiere, sponge inks on, make homemade sprays of reinker wash to apply colour or Pearlex shimmer spray (with old Stamp'n'Mist bottles,) Layer several background/image stamps, brayer on colours, or use a direct to paper application (rub your stamp pad on it.) I'd LOVE to hear your tricks. :0)

14 comments:

April said...

That's a really pretty card and cool technique!!

ScrapMomOf2 said...

Pretty card!

Gwen said...

Wowza!! a little bit over my little head but the card is so beautiful, I will be back to study up...as this is all very intriguing to me...THANKS!

Anonymous said...

Your card is so pretty but I must be so dense to not get what you did. I love it and I know I always have problems with matching colors. Thanks for all these tips and tricks tho. So impressive!

mel m. m. mccarthy said...

Hey you Fabulous Ladies,

Thanks for the comments (and the heads up that I wasn't making any sense! Migraine stupidity strikes again, lol) I fixed it, so I think it should be better now, but the migraine is still on the rampage, so please feel free to ask me to clarify my cryptic ranting, heehee!

:0) Mel

Michelle said...

Mel, thank you again for another wonderful and clever idea! Your card is gorgeous. What a great idea!

Betsy said...

I always learn something when I visit your blog...
thanks for making me a better stamper.

Corie said...

WOW -- just gorgeous. Thanks for the tips!!!

Lastel said...

Pretty card , thanks for all the tips and tricks !
Also wanted to let you know I have added you to my blog roll .

Tina said...

What a great card! I love it!

Kim Etherington said...

Pretty card. Liking the colours and the flower layout!

Crystal Ware said...

This card is so pretty and such a great technique. Thanks for the tips!

If you haven't been already, I have tagged you :D
The rules of the game:
• Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
• Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog, we all want to know them.
• Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
• Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Catherine said...

Hiya Mel! Another beautiful card! I've been doing alot of direct to paper lately. My markers are the old SU!, so they leave streaks/lines. I'm also vowing to dig up my brayer again and start using it.
PS-I tagged you for a new game (different than the 7 weird facts one). I hope you'll visit my blog and play along!

Libby Hickson said...

Gosh Mel, your blog is just so amazing - so many incredible tips and ideas - I want to try it all!! And it's sort of depressing me bc in reality I can't find much time for stamping these days. Boo hoo! I just caught up on about 8 or so of your posts, soooo much inspiration! I think the first thing I need to do is get myself a notebook so I can jot down your ideas that I MUST TRY and start prioritizing!! :-) Thanks for sharing so many great ideas!!