Metallic Easter Eggs

Happy Day Everyone!

Since St. Patty's Day is done and past I thought it would be a great time to start on some fun Spring Time / Easter Decorations!

So today I wanted to share Metallic Easter Eggs with you.

CAUTION: Please PLEASE keep in mind this technique (or any of the other techniques I'm going to be sharing in the coming days) should not be used on eggs meant for human consumption. Egg shells are porous so whatever you put on the outside can end up on the inside. I don't know for sure if it would be bad for you or so please don't chance it. Better safe than sorry.

Metallic Easter Eggs

Supplies:

Eggs

Adirondack Alcohol Ink

Ink Applicator

Adirondack Metal Mixatives

Alcohol Blending Solution

Instructions:

1. First you will need to prepare the eggs. To do so, wash the eggs thoroughly. Poke a hole on each end of your egg. I just use my paper piercer but you could use whatever you have on hand. Just make sure it is VERY sharp so it punctures the egg instead of cracks it.

2. After you have created the holes I like to stick a toothpick into one end and scramble the egg. I know that sounds weird but trust me, it will make blowing them a whole lot easier! Swish the toothpick around for 15-20 seconds to ensure the yoke has been broken up sufficiently.

3. Blow the yoke and whites out of the egg...this is harder than it sounds depending on the size of hole you poked in the shell.

4. This step is optional but I like to wash the insides of my eggs once they have been blown. I can't stand the though of the gooey insides still in there. I wash my eggs by submerging them in a bowl filled with water with one hole pointed up. You will immediately that tiny air bubbles begin escaping from the hole. Keep it under water until it sits on the bottom and no more bubbles are visible. Your egg is now full of water. I leave my eggs sit in the water 5-10 minutes.

5. Blow the water out of each egg and let them set overnight to dry.

6. Next, determine what colors of Adirondack Alcohol Ink you will be using with each Metallic Mixative. I used the following combinations:

Pearl MM - Raspberry, Pink Sherbet, Wild Plum

Copper MM - Pesto, Lettuce, Butterscotch

Gold MM - Peach Bellini, Mountain Rose, Sunset Orange

Silver MM - Sailboat Blue, Cloudy Blue, Purple Twilight

You of course can use any color combo you like.

7. Apply the desired Adirondack Alcohol Ink colors to each egg using the Ink Applicator & Felt just as you would on paper. Add a drop or two of each color to the felt and dab the ink onto the shell gently. Rotate until the entire egg has been covered with AI.

8. I like to add the Metallic Mixative separately to create more shine. Simply apply a drop of the MM to the same felt used to apply the Alcohol Ink. Add a drop or two of Alcohol Blending Solution and dab over the existing AI's. Add as much or as little as desired.

After you have added the Metallic Mixatives let the eggs dry completely.

Here is what your finished eggs will look like.... the pearl MM doesn't show up very well in the photos ~ it is more of an iridescent effect but the Copper, Gold & Silver show up very nicely!

Tomorrow I'll show you a few ideas on how to finish them off!

I'll also have an Ink Stained Card Sketch to share

so be sure and stop in and check em out!

Till then friends...

Take care and have an inky afternoon!

St. Patty's Day Bottle Cap Charm Winners!!

Well friends I hope you've all had a wonderful St. Patty's Day!

I'll bet you thought I forgot about the bottle caps huh?

Nope, not at all :)

I'm so glad everyone liked these so much! I know a few of you even gave them a shot and either shared them on your blogs or with me. I love them all and really enjoy seeing your individual take on a particular project. It's so much fun to see how everyone takes it and makes it personally their own :)

Without further delay....

The winners are (drawn from Random.org)

in no particular order....

Shirley Smith

Anonymous said...
Wow these are so nice would love to win one. Love your vintage postcards as well. I am going to do some tags with these. Shirley Smith from Nova Scotia, Canada
March 14, 2010 7:25 PM

Elaine A

Elaine A said...
Hi Roni -These bottlecaps really came out wonderfully! I love them! And I like the bail you used for them. I bought a few about a month ago to use for my domino pendants, but . . . DUH! I never thought about using them for bottlecaps. I always punched a hole in the bottlecap and used jump rings. This is so much nicer! Smart girl!Elaine Allen
March 16, 2010 10:22 AM

Deedles

Deedles said...
Love your charms! I love the images and the sparkle of the glitter.
March 15, 2010 12:42 PM

and

AZviaTX

AZviaTx said...
Aye Lassie, wouldna lerve to ha' me one of those wee charmers. Erin go 'braugh! Tina
March 17, 2010 4:02 AM

Congratulations Everyone!!!

Please send me your snail mail addies so I can get your charms on their merry way!

No worries if you didn't win today...

I've got lots more give-a-ways planned for the very near future ;)

StampInsanity Stamps

This week I’d like to introduce you to Beth Schultz…the mind behind StampInsanity Rubber Stamps! These aren’t your normal every day stamps and that’s the way Beth likes it! She doesn’t want to be just another stamp company.

Here is my interview with Beth….

How long have you been stamping?

I have been stamping for about 7 years now – since my first Stampin’ Up! workshop, I have been... well, ‘avid’ is a nice word. (No worries Beth, we’re all addicts here ;) LOL!!!)
How did you get started designing rubber stamps?

I started thinking about doing it long before I took the plunge – mainly because I could not find the type of images that ‘fit’ my style and what I wanted to achieve.
Where do you get your inspiration from for your stamp designs?

Completely my head – scary thought! I have a certain ‘vibe’, as I like to call it. And I work closely with my artists to achieve that – and to make my designs as diverse, but universal as possible. They can be used in different ways and portray a completely different feel. I love that about my ‘babies’!
What are your favorite stamps?

Oh, wow. That changes, and I hate to say it, but the ones that are set to release top them all! At the risk of sounding cheesy and self-serving – you kinda just have to watch for them! I am really very proud of these and the artists that helped me make them reality. If I had to choose one that is available at this writing, I would have to say Morgan from Morgan’s Spell. That little witch oozes cool! (I’d have to agree…she is a devilishly cute little witch and the sayings which come in the set fit perfectly!!)
Anything special you’d like the readers to know about your stamps/designs/company?

Most definitely! Above all else, I strive and go to great lengths to keep my characters and sentiments original. Doing that walks a fine line between mainstream demand and those looking for something different, but it is a walk I am willing to see through! I love that as people are becoming more aware of SIS, that they seem to be appreciating the differences I try to present them!
Are you an Angel Company?

Absolutely! I love to see my designs out there and am thrilled to have crafters use them, so long as are ‘angels’ about it!
What forms of payments do you take?

The StampHappens Shop accepts PayPal, as well as regular Debit/Credit Card payments. Very simple and secure!
Do you ship internationally?

Sure do – and since many of my images are available digitally, they are available for immediate download!

Henry and Morgan & Zeke and Maddie are Beth & StampInsanity main characters and characters they are! Always into something fun and sayings to match. I'm sure you'll want to watch closely as they dive into more fun in the coming months.

You can do so buy following the StampInsanity Blog which I'm sure will be brimming with lots of fun new ideas since Beth recently introduced the Groovy Gurlz ~ her new design team!

As Beth mentioned StampInsanity stamps can be found exclusively at Stamp Happens Paper Craft Supplies. They offer both Rubber (red rubber mounted on foam cushion) and Digital stamps! Something I've never played with but looks like lots of fun...we can both try them out as they are offering for a very limited time Maddie with a Card Digital Stamp! Why don't we all try to make a card using her and see how different they all turn out!! Be sure to add it to the Stamp Happens Flickr Group if you do. I know I'm going to make a couple and post her there. ;)

I'd have to say like Beth I really love Morgan from Morgan's Spell but I also love the Naughty and Nice set (isn't she just so wicked looking?) as well as Zeke and Maddie...she's just so sweet and I love that tiara! I can't wait to see what Beth comes up with next.

There you go....

More must have stamps to add to your Inky Stampin' list!

So tell me, are your favorites?

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

Happy St. Paddy's Day everyone!!!

Sending wishes of Good Luck

to you and yours

through out the year!!

Have a wonderful day!!!

Queen Kat Designs Stamp Give-A-Way Winner!!!

And the winner of the Get Inked March stamp set is......

HAYDEE!!!

Haydee said...
Love the Vintage, Nature - especially the tree!!! SO love the Tweedle dee and Tweedle Dum~ Thanks!
March 13, 2010 11:22 PM

Congratulations Hadee!

Please send me your snail mail addy so I can get your stamps in the mail :)

Hope you enjoy the stamps!!

Tomorrow I'll have a new stamp designer/retailer to share with you that I know you'll love!!

Be sure to stop in and see who it is ;)

Create Faux Wood Grain

Here is the video demonstrating how to use the faux wood grain stamp tools and acrylic glazing medium.
Enjoy!!

Glazing Pt IV - Faux Wood Grain

The final installment (for now) using Acrylic Glaze is how to create a faux wood grain pattern. I LOVE this technique.

I will be using these vintage wood grain stamping tools that I found and was lucky enough to win at a local auction. They are so cool looking and have lots of character from years of use. I even have the original info that came with them!

You can pick up new wood grain tools at hardware and home improvement stores for around 3-10.00... most I've seen in the 4.00 or 5.oo range. Just depends on the individual stores and their mark ups.

The tools are curved and the whole idea behind these tools is a dragging - rocking motion. You simply drag and rock the stamp over the glazing medium. That's it...the stamp will do the rest!

I tell you it is EASY!! Now, I don't claim to know how to create various types of wood grains (maple, oak, cherry, etc.) to be honest I don't even know what the difference really is but I promise you will be making great looking faux wood in mere minutes. The "professionals" make it sound so hard like it takes years of practice but it's all bull. For our crafty purposes you'll be a pro after just a few strokes.

Now, below are a few examples of the various types of wood patterns I created in just seconds.

I used the normal 5-1 ratio Glazing Medium/Acrylic Paint mix. After it was mixed well, I slathered the paint on white cardstock (to show the pattern really well) and here we go....

4" Wood Grain Stamp Tool

2 1/2" Wood Grain Stamp Tool

This is a rough sawn wood grain tool...it's even easier to use because it's a roller!

And here is a combo of the 4" & 2 1/2" wood grain tools alternated.

Cool huh?

Now I know it helps to see it so later today I'll be posting a video on this technique!

Hope you enjoy!!

Glazing Examples Pt III

Remember on Thursday I mentioned that I'd be sharing some examples of glaze paired with Making Memories Texture Tool...well here they are!

This is the little tool that I used to create all of these amazing examples. It's a rubber 4 sided texture tool that was originally intended to be used with their acrylic paints. (you can tell how "loved" it is - lol!!) As long as you wash it immediately after being used in the glaze it will be just fine. Don't let the glaze dry on the tool though...it will get hard as a brick bat. If you don't have one of these little tools in your stash, improvise... there are many items around the house that can double for this texture tool ~ brushes, combs, spoons or other kitchen utensils, etc. Use what you have and experiment! You probably already have what you need hidden away somewhere in your home.

and now for the examples.

In each example the glaze was applied in a medium/thick layer on the cardstock and then I just started playing.

Fringe Side

Skinny Teeth

Notched Teeth

Fat Teeth

All of the following were created using a combination of the teeth. As you will note thicker layers of glaze add lighter and darker areas and more defined lines.

The next two examples were created using a corner of the tool. (one fat tooth)

Now the sky is the limit!

Play, experiment and have fun with it.

Tomorrow I'll be sharing faux wood grain made with some cool texture rollers & other tools.

Vintage Postcards - St. Patrick's Day Ladies

Well only a few short days until St. Patrick's Day so today I have a few vintage ladies for your postcards today! I used a few of them on the charms that I shared earlier :)

Enjoy!!

Will be back tomorrow with more Glaze techniques!

Hope to see you there!

Queen Kat Designs DT Crop Goodies

Well this weekend was the Spring DT crop at QKD.

I was a bit behind because of the power outage and I missed the live chat

BUT

I did finish some of the challenges today!!

I thought I'd share them with you :)

In all of the challenges we had to use QKD stamps so I thought I'd use the stamps from the Get Inked kits to give folks more ideas on how to use the stamps.

I'm Late...

This card challenge was to create a "belated" card with the color requirement of orange. I used the new Distress Ink ~ Rusty Hinge and January Get Inked stamps.

Easter Dress

The challenge was to create an Easter card or tag using Pink, Ribbon and at least one Eyelet. I used the stamps from February's Get Inked Kit. I also used the Victorian Velvet and Spun Sugar along with Worn Lipstick.

Strength of three....

This card is a sketch challenge that had to use the sketch and buttons. All of the new green Distress Inks were used along with the March Get Inked stamps.

What do you think????

I'm glad I was able to finish. It was lots of fun :)