Banana Frog Blog

Stamping School - Have yourself a Retro merry Christmas

Hello Froggy cyber friends, another class at stamp school, with me, is in session! Somebody kindly pointed out to me yesterday that it is less than 11 weeks until Christmas eek!!! Thankfully I can start to get ahead with cards and decorations after getting my inky mitts on the new Retro Christmas Stamps !

 

Christmas ‘baubles’

 

The ingredients

 

As well as using the new Retro Christmas stamp set I’ve also used Retro Baubles and Blizzard. You will also need some chip board shapes, some texture paste (there’s lots of versions out there!) Acrylic paint, glitter, shimmer mist, art metal, permanent ink, embossing tools, an embossing mat (I use a piece of funky foam!) embossing powder, glue stick, ribbon and nail varnish in different colours (all will be revealed!)

So to start, apply a thin layer of the texture paste onto a chip board shape (punch a hole in it before you start!) Note, I did try this with a fibre texture paste but the images don’t show up as well when stamped, the one I used is a hard, smooth paste.

 

Don’t spread it too thickly so the stamped image will show and I like to make it thinner in places for extra texture.

 

Choose stamps for your background, for this one I have used the text and stars from Retro Christmas.  Very carefully stamp into your paste, get right over the top, stamp straight down and don’t press too hard, it will slide! You will need to hold the chipboard down and lift the stamp straight up to remove; of course the beauty is as the paste takes a while to dry you can smooth out mistakes! BIG NOTE! Keep cleaning the stamp off between stamped images, the paste builds up and wash the stamps IMMEDIATELY after doing this technique making sure all the texture paste is removed!!!

 

Continue stamping randomly and once I had stamped the text I then stamped over it all with the 2 small star stamps.

 

 

The paste takes a little while to dry, so if you’re impatient (erm like me!) you can dry it with a heat gun, hold it away from the surface though as it bubbles when it gets too hot, unless of course you like the effect! Once it is completely dry go ahead and paint it. I used a sponge to keep the paint layers thin otherwise you fill in the images and I used 3 colours to build it up. (Don’t forget to paint the edges and back!)

 

While the acrylic was still wet I sprinkled glitter into it and then spritzed it with shimmer mist.

 

Then to add even more texture I used my favourite embossing trick of adding some lumpy glue stick and embossing it with a matching metallic coloured powder.

 

Next stage is to make the metal embellishment. Stamp your chosen image onto some art metal with a permanent ink; I used the retro Christmas tree.

 

 
You can cut the image out if you like, I like to tear it for a little bit of added interest

 

 

Put the metal image on an embossing mat, like I said I use funky foam and emboss the stamped lines, and yes I am using a biro! (Just don’t press too hard!)

 

Flip the metal over and you will see the outline of the stamped image, now you can deboss some of these sections (push the embossed line back on itself) so that these bits stand proud on the right side.

 

Flip the metal again and further emboss the bits that you want to push back even more.

 

 

 

 
 
 Here comes the nail varnish! I haven’t found anything easier or more effective to add an enamelled finish to my metal … yet! I just picked out small bits of the metal to colour. If you use a paint brush have nail varnish remover to hand!

 

Attach your metal embellishment to your chipboard shape with a strong glue (I used silicon)

 

Now you know the technique set about creating some other ‘baubles’ I have made mine different shapes and  used different stamps for the backgrounds. The circular one uses the strip of small decorations in Retro Christmas. The lozenge shape uses stamps from Blizzard building up the snow flakes. And the tear drop uses text and snow flakes from Retro Baubles.

 

Paint and glitter in the same way. Make metal embellishments in the same way, add ribbon and hang

 

 

 

 The metal image on this one is again the tree from retro Christmas, the nail varnish highlights being on the tree baubles this time.

 

 

The embellishment on this one is the sleigh from a Retro Christmas

 

This one uses a large snow flake from Blizzard

 

And finally this is where we started!

 

Of course you don’t have to add the metal embellishment; I think the painted stamped texture looks great by itself!

I hope you’re feeling a little bit ‘Christmassy’ now and inspired to have a play, please share your creations and don’t forget you have a chance to win not only the Retro Christmas stamp set but the other five new designs by leaving a comment here, so hop on over for a chance to get your inky mitts on some banana frog gorgeousness!

Thanks for stopping by and as always visit often to check out all the fab projects from my fellow froglets. Until the 23^rd when I’ll be back happy crafting!

Love

M x

Stamping School - Chalk it up to elegance

Hi all, well it’s that time again, another stamping school from me! Following Shimelles featured stamp post on the 17th featuring the elegant swirls stamps I was inspired to come up with this chalking project to share with you

 

An age of elegance

 

 

The ingredients

 

The layout is 12x6 and features a 6x4 photo of my nanny and her friends. I used the elegant swirls and It’s all about elegance stamp sets for this project (can you see where I got the layout title from?)

You will need a clear versamark ink pad (or similar)some cotton wool pads and a selection of decorative chalks and/or pastels for this technique, as well as some co-ordinating inks, embossing powder, selection of papers/card, trimmings and embellishments of your choice oh and some cheap hairspray (all will be revealed!)

I love this chalking technique, you can create so many lovely patterns in so many shades of colours and it’s a great way to make your own patterned paper. I think it works especially well for a vintage feel as in the layout I have created.

 

 

The main strip across the layout is created using one of the smaller stamps in the It’s all about elegance stamp set and I have used the matt side of some brown paper to stamp on.

 

 

Create a random pattern by stamping with your clear ink

 

 

Then using some cotton wool pads and your choice of chalk colours gently rub all over the paper in a circular movement tip; let the versamark dry a little before applying chalk so you don’t smudge your pattern and don’t be too heavy handed. Build up the different colours, I’ve used 3 shades of brown, until you are happy. The chalk clings to the versamark ink, it’s like the pattern magically appears (a bit like the magic colouring books I had as a kid where the picture appeared when you applied water LOL)

 

 

I then created a patterned strip with a different stamp using the same technique but this time using pastels instead of the decorative chalk. It is slightly richer in colour and gives me more colour choice. I put a block of pastel on some scrap paper and pick it up on my cotton wool.

 

 

Using some basic grey paper as a base I stamped along the bottom edge with the scallop lace stamp from It’s all about elegance, chalked it in the same way and cut out the scallop. I also used another stamp from the set to create the corner details again using the same technique, adding chalk around the rest of the sides. I distressed the edges of the paper and inked them.

 

 

I stamped the lovely It’s all about elegance frame on to some thin chipboard (well the back of a reporters notebook actually!) and embossed it with a copper detail powder. Tip; to give it a distressed metal feel heat the powder so it just melts giving you a hammered metal effect. I created my title on some cream card that I then chalked. I cut out the frame, inked the edges and framed my title.

 

 

The last thing I did before assembling my layout was to stamp the photo with a couple of the elegant swirl stamps to pull the whole design together.

 

 

Before assembling everything it is very important to fix all that chalk and pastel so your work doesn’t get smudged this is where the cheap hairspray comes in, the cheaper the better, it has more sticky stuff in it! Spray over all the chalky bits (once over is enough, don’t soak the paper!)

 

 

Assemble the layout with all the layers and patterned loveliness and embellish as you wish. The eagle eyed amongst you will see I used one of my heartfelt blooms from my last stamping school, the colours were perfect!

 

So your homework is to go and create some of your own patterned paper. Why not try some of your Banana frog retro stamps and maybe some of the funky ones with brighter colours to create a completely different look with the same technique? And remember stamps aren't just for ink!! Have fun playing and don’t forget to share your creations with us, we love to see what you create with your Banana frog stamps here at the lilly pad!

Thanks for hopping by, visit soon to be inspired by all the talented froglets and I’ll see you next month with another stamping school. Until then happy crafting!

Love

M x

Stamping School - Stamp it off and crackle

Hi class time for another project from me, hope you’ve all had fun playing with your Banana Frog stamps since I was last here, there’s been some fabby ideas from the froglets hasn’t there! This class I thought we would re visit a technique I shared with you in my 1^st guest spot at the Lily pad back in June, remember the mirror with the crackle effect? Quite a few people have asked about the technique so I thought we’d play with it again ….. With a bit of a twist!

How does your garden grow?

 

This time I have created a 12x12 LO on corrugated card, and instead of one colour used in the distressing I thought it would be fun to try a rainbow, well who says distressing has to be dull?

The ingredients

 

Banana Frog stamp sets; Round in Circles, I heart you, Make a chain, It’s all about Hearts, Greenwich Park. Corrugated card, Gesso, Acrylic paints, PVA glue, a wide paint brush, Ink, your own photo, ephemera and embellishments.

First off I cut a 12x12 piece of card from the side of an old cardboard box. I cut a 3’’ strip away from the left side, ripped down the edge and distressed the other 3 sides of the larger piece.

 

After joining the lower part of the strip back to the main body with a piece of masking tape (I like the texture!) I painted the whole thing with gesso to make the application of the acrylic paint easier.

Next lets get messy, my favourite thing! When I’ve used this technique before I have always used one flat colour, this time, I painted a random pattern of rainbow colours with acrylics until the whole piece was covered.

 

Setting it aside to dry, I got the stamps I wanted to use ready on their blocks (the eagle eyed among you will note the unusually clean acrylic block in my picture, that’s because it’s a brand shiny new one …. It won’t last LOL!) I used a selection of stamps, and as the stamping is done in the wet glue and paint you need to be ready to go!

(As I didn’t have enough big blocks to mount all the stamps I wanted straight away I decided to work on the main section first, then the strip, also it meant there was less wet space to get stamped at a time!)

 

And so to the crackle technique, prepare some white acrylic with a touch of water in it and set aside. Dribble some PVA glue over your base and spread with your fingers (don’t use too much to start, a little goes a long way and you can always add more) keep spreading the glue around until it goes tacky.

 

Paint over the layer of glue with a wide brush, generously loaded with your white acrylic paint, and a light hand. If you keep the brush strokes going in the same direction the crackle will happen the same way, to get cracks in different directions change the direction of your brush strokes. Don’t overwork the paint as it will lift off.

Once you’re happy with the coverage start stamping and build up a pattern or as I’ve done an abstract garden.

Tip Be positive when placing your stamp, stamp straight down, but as with stamping on acetate don’t press to hard until it’s in position as the stamp will slide in the paint, also be careful when lifting the block and try and do it as vertical as possible, again to avoid sliding, you will find the stamp kind of gets sucked onto the surface!

When you lift the stamp you should see that the paint and glue has been ‘stamped off’ I continued to create the garden using the concentric circles from Round in Circles for the large flowers, one of the strips from Make a Chain for the stalks, a heart from I Heart You for the leaves, the large heart garland from It’s All About Hearts for the row of small flowers and the solid bird from Greenwich Park to complete the picture.

I then did the pva and acrylic paint thing on the strip and used stamps from Make a Chain to decorate along the edge, I love this stamp set, there are so many things you can do with it!!!

 

I then let the whole thing dry naturally while I went and washed my stamps in warm soapy water, they’re as good as new again! (Please make sure you wash your stamps!!) Then I watched the cracks appear. You can heat it with a heat gun to speed up the process, just remember to keep the gun at a distance so you don’t blister the paint.

 

With my background done I assembled my photo and embellishments distressing and inking edges and then inked round the edge of my cardboard with the same colour to tie the layout together.

 

I laced the gap at the top of the strip with some garden string….

 

 

… And added journaling to the cute little seed packet that I found as a free download on content in a cottage blogspot

 

I love the multi coloured dots, hearts and swirls on my background and the texture you get from stamping into the paint.

 

 

 

So why not have a go, just get a small piece of scrap card and use one stamp to get started, it really is good fun to ‘stamp off’ the paint and see the effects you can achieve with your Banana Frog stamps! Don’t be shy now, share your results with us, I’d love to see what you do with this technique. Thanks for hopping by and hop by soon to check out the all the fab projects the froglets have to share. I’ll see you in class on the 11^th August until then happy crafting!

Love

M x

Thinking Outside the Flower Box

We've already seen some great ideas using the Build a Bloom set to do exactly what it says on the packet, build blooms! But this set is so much more versatile and the designs can be used to create cool pattern effects. Here are a few ideas I had recently:

This kind of leafy design is currently very popular in fabric prints and papers, and you can create the look using the plain petal stamp. I love this pattern in bright zinging colours like lime green, red, and turquoise.

The plain petal stamp is also great for creating a deep scallop stamped border to your cards and layouts to frame other stamped images and greetings, again bright and bold colours work great here. Cream together with blue and red are a very popular choice in fabrics right now, so look great on cards! I also loved how Pharmacy font helps to create a great retro look with this style.

The filigree petal stamp is also great for creating striking design patterns, I used softer spring colours here, and added a touch of bling.

And for a bit more fun, a mock harlequin-esque pattern... you could use one colour, or add lots to the mix!

And while I had those inks out, I couldn't resist using the Flowery Thoughts set again to create a really colourful background. The Retro Greetings set is just perfect for these bright designs!

Faded Flowers

What with the Build A Bloom contest, it seems a good time for a good old-fashioned tutorial. I'm sure other people have fancy names for this, but I call it fade inking. You can use it around the edge of any shape to create a shaded inked edge (rather than the basic outline you get from going straight from ink pad to the edge of the cardstock). But today, we're going to build some fade inked blooms. Banana Frog stamps at the ready, ladies!

Gather your supplies. You will need:
*Build A Bloom stamp set
*Acrylic block
*Variety of pigment inks
*White cardstock
*Alcohol ink applicator (not the inks themselves) with felt -- or a a makeshift version to get you started
*Non-stick surface or craft mat
*Scissors
*One large brad
*Baby wipes or stamp cleaner

It starts very simply (not that there is anything actually difficult!). Stamp the petal designs of your choice in the colours you like. I used 9 petals on my finished flower -- you can use more or less, depending on spacing. Stamp a few extra in case you need to get the colour mix right at the end.

Once they are all stamped and dry, cut them out with scissors, leaving a white border all the way around the petal. Don't worry about getting them exactly even. It won't show in the end.

Here comes the fading -- and it's why you need the slick, non-stick surface. Start with the lightest colour of ink. Stamp the ink pad directly onto the craft mat a few times.

Use the felt-covered applicator to collect the ink, then run it along the edges of the petal. Try to leave a white gap in the centre, which will give you dimension and the appearance of light. I get the best results with small, circular patterns. Try on some scrap card that you cut so you have an idea of how it will work.
Remember, if you start with the lightest shade in one colour and work to the darkest, you won't have to change the felt to get a true colour. As I just had pinks and greens, I used one side of the felt for each colour. Waste not, want not and such, right?!

Once you've done that for each petal, you're ready to stick them down in place. Don't worry about the centre being too messy -- cover it with a big brad or a separate piece of cardstock with one of the centre stamps from the Build a Bloom set.

Here it is on a finished layout -- with lots more fade inking in pink, around the patterned paper and the cardstock. The journaling stamp is also a Banana Frog favourite -- using the small ink pads lets me ink just the lines and leave off the brackets so I get extra versatility.

Now that summer has finally arrived, you have no excuse not to put your Build A Bloom set to use and come up with something that could win you free stamps and stash!

xlovesx

A Perfect Fit

You just have to love it when new craft supplies breathe some life into ones you might not use much anymore. I have boxes of punches, but aside from my basic square and circle, they mostly just sit in those boxes. I can't be the only one.

Something I do use --constantly, in fact-- is my Banana Frog circle journaling stamp. How excited am I that this circle fits perfectly with the two inch scallop circle punch, that I probably would have otherwise ignored? So excited, indeed. (You may laugh at my stamp + punch excitement, but I know secretly you are feeling it too! Admit it!)

I also used stamps from the Swirls and I Heart You sets on this little page.

What otherwise ignored stash or tool do you love again when you bring your stamps into the picture? Let us know! Have fun with punches, templates or forgotten stickers and let us see what you come up with.

♥