Rubbernecker Stamps

Friday Focus-Faux Postage

Welcome back to the Friday Focus!!

Today is Faux Postage!!  It is a great technique for Valentines that both experienced stampers and beginners can enjoy.

Materials list:

Post-it notes or scrap paper--copy weight works great

Post-it® Correction & Cover-up Tape

Stamps -often smaller images are best but using just a part of larger images often works well, too

Inks

sponge (optional)

Faux Postage Template; You can make your own or use one like this: Download Faux_Postage_Template-JMS

 

1) Print out template on the paper you want to stamp on and put the Post-it® Correction & Cover-up Tape along each side of the dotted lines.  I have found this product takes the headache and elbow grease out of Faux Postage. This makes a nice white (or whatever color your base is) frame around each image, setting them apart like individual pieces of art.

OR

You could print out the template on some plain cardstock and centers of the template out leaving approximately an 1/8” border on each side of the dotted lines. This could be done with scissors, and tape any snipped areas on the reverse side of the template.

OR

You can just use the template as is--masking each Faux stamp as you go. 

2) Stamp each area—shielding the other areas with Post-it notes or  scrap paper.  Color stamped areas if desired.  Don't be afraid to let the stamped image go out of the faux stamp area and onto your mask or post-its, this will just emphasize the "frame" around each faux stamp.

3) Sponge around the edges of each postage area. This is optional, but, once again, this will emphasize each faux stamp. 

4) Remove all the Cover-up Tape and Post-its and trim the area.     I usually trim 1/8" around the outside lines but you could cut the postage out in a strip or just a single faux stamp.

If any adhesive from the tapes remain, remove carefully with a clean white eraser.

Your faux Postage is now ready to be used on your card or project.

Here is my finished project:

Stamps: Swirl Heart and Solid Heart

Check out more Rubbernecker Design Team examples:

• Kittie -  Kittie Kraft
• Tami - A Walk on the Mild Side
• Juliana- Stampin' With Inky Fingers

We would LOVE to see what you create with faux postage!

Please come back and post a link to your creation!

Alcohol Ink and Fragments

Continuing with the Alcohol Faux Bleach/Batik Tutorial today.  If you were at the Chicago or York Stamp Show, you saw me work with acrylic fragments and alcohol ink.  That is what I want to walk you through today.  I’ll also show you the finished project, which is a tag made with alcohol inks using the faux bleach technique.

Let’s get started by inking up your felt applicator with the alcohol inks.  I have used cranberry, butterscotch and stream.

Apply the inks onto the fragment, letting the alcohol ink dry in between layers.  You will end up with a fragment that looks similar to this.  Let the ink dry thoroughly.

Choose an image (not words or sentiments) that you would like to stamp on your fragment.  Ink the image with a permanent black ink.  I have used Ranger Archival Jet Black.

Stamp the image over the alcohol ink that you applied to the fragment.

Using a gentle touch, immediately wipe the black ink off with a cloth.  You should now have a fragment that has a clear image of the one you stamped.

To highlight the stamped image, glue the fragment (alcohol ink side down) onto a white piece of cardstock.  I have used Ranger Glossy Accents as my glue.  It dries clear and very quickly.  (By the way, I applied more Glossy Accents than needed - it was way too much.)

Trim the image and you will now have an embellishment ready to use on a card, or anything else you would like to use it for.

For mine, I used the fragment as an embellishment on a tag.  Using the faux bleach/batik technique described in the first installment of this tutorial, I created a tag using alcohol inks.  The tag, unlike glossy cardstock, absorbs the alcohol ink and gives an entirely different look than that of glossy cardstock.

Supplies used:

• Stamps: Tim Holtz Nature’s Discovery by Stampers Anonymous from Rubbernecker Stamp Company
• Paper: White Cardstock and White Shipping Tag
• Ink: Ranger Archival Jet Black and Distress Embossing
• Accessories: Ranger Cranberry, Butterscotch and Stream Alcohol Inks, Ink Blending Tool and Felt, Glossy Accents, Alcohol Blending Solution, Clear Embossing Powder; Tim Holtz Idea-ology Oval Fragment and Trinket Pin; Heat Gun; Iron; Ribbon; Tonic Tim Holtz Distress Tool

Alcohol Ink Faux Bleach/Batik

While working the Chicago, Illinois and York, Pennsylvania shows, I was demonstrating Ranger Alcohol Inks. Part of the demo included an embossing technique.  Following is that portion of the demonstration.

The products you will need are: Ranger Alcohol Inks (I have used Butterscotch, Lettuce and Terra Cotta); Alcohol Blending Solution; Ink Applicator with felt; Embossing Ink; Clear Embossing Powder; Heat Tool; Iron; White Glossy Cardstock; Plain White Cardstock.  Stamps I used are from the Stamp Oasis Winter Holiday Collection Leaf Set SKU:868 869 870 SO.

Stamp your image on the white glossy cardstock, cover with the clear embossing powder, and then heat set using your heat tool.

Apply the alcohol inks to your felt applicator by pressing in the point of bottle and give the bottle a good two second squeeze, allowing the ink to fill your felt.

Begin pouncing the ink onto your embossed glossy cardstock, covering the entire surface.  To apply a second layer of color and blend the inks, apply a small drop of the blending solution to your felt, and go over your cardstock a second time.

While the alcohol is still damp, lay your plain white cardstock over the top of the inked glossy cardstock, and then iron over your image. Your iron should be set on high with no steam.

Once you see the embossed image come through the top layer of cardstock, you are done.  Remove the white cardstock and you will have two backgrounds.  The background on the left is the original alcohol inked glossy cardstock (Faux Bleach and/or Batik with Alcohol Inks) and the background on the right is the Alcohol Fresco.

Here is the fresco background trimmed and inked.  You can also leave the second background as it is for more of a fresco look.

You can now make two cards with one technique.  My first with the Faux Bleach/Batik Background.

The second with the Alcohol Fresco Background.