Card Swap: Let's Go On Safari

This month I participated in my first card swap, which was coordinated through Stampin' Stacy at RubberStampChat.net. The swap had a safari theme and the finished product was to be a post card (meaning, no layers, glitter, etc.) This card is the finished product and it combines stamping, Stamp-N-Foil, chalks, and embossing. 

Here's what you'll need: 

For the giraffe: a safari themed animal stamp, 1 quick drying ink pad in a dark color (StazOn in Timber Brown), and blending chalks.

For the center foil section: 1 roll of your favorite color of Stamp-N-Foil (Copper Penny), 1 jar of Stamp-N-Foil bonding powder, 1 VersaMark watermark stamp pad, an animal print stamp, a piece of 8.5" X 6.5" copy paper, and a laminator (you can also use a household iron, please see tutorial below for further instructions).

For the right side: Your VersMark watermark stamp pad, blending chalks, 1 pigment ink pad in any color (Scarlet),  any kind of postage or travel type stamp, and a heat tool. 

Miscellaneous: Card stock cut to 3.5" X 5", a non-stick craft sheet, and your secret weapon (a stamping mat).

Place your non-stick craft sheet on top of your stamping mat.

Ink your animal print stamp with a VersaMark watermark stamp pad (you could also use any color pigment ink for this step). We're going to be applying Stamp-N-Foil bonding powder to the stamped                                                   area, so make sure you get                                             your stamp nice and juicy.

Stamp your image onto your card. Make sure you stamp on a stamp mat to get nice clean edges. I've been told that stamp mats are a stamper's Secret Weapon...and I believe it.

Sprinkle the Stamp-N-Foil bonding powder over the stamped image (this part is just like embossing).

Tap off any excess powder. You can also flick the card from the back to remove any stubborn pieces of powder that don't seem to want to "tap" off. Remember, wherever the powder is, the Stamp-N-Foil will stick.

Heat set the Stamp-N-Foil bonding powder with your heat tool until it becomes glossy.

Lay a piece of Stamp-N-Foil over your stamped image.

Cover then entire card with a piece of color copy paper. This is going to protect the foil as it goes through the laminator.

If you don't have a hot laminator don't worry, we've got you covered! Just scroll down to view the                                                   tutorial entitled "Apply                                                   Stamp-N-Foil with your                                                   household iron!"

Feed the card through the laminator. 

After the card feeds through the laminator, remove the piece of copy paper.

Starting at one end, peel the foil off of the card.  The pattern of the stamp will now be covered in foil. Now we're ready to move on to the left side of the card with the giraffe.

Ink up your safari animal stamp with a dark colored, quick drying ink. I'm using StazOn in Timber Brown.

Stamp your image near the center of the left side of the card.

Using blending chalks (I'm using Bold Brights by Inkadinkado), color in your safari animal. 

Using the blending chalks, color in the rest of your scene.  Now we're ready to move on to the right side of the card with the animal pattern on it.

In this step, we're going to use another animal print stamp to create an overall pattern on the right half of the card. Ink up your stamp with a VersaMark watermark stamp pad and make sure it's nice and juicy.

Stamp the animal print on the right half of the card making sure that you cover the entire area.

While the ink is still wet, use your blending chalks to color over the entire right side of the card. The areas of wet ink will show up darker than the background.

When you're done coloring the right half of the card, it should look something like this. Now we're ready to add a fun travel/safari detail. I've chosen a stamp of a postage stamp (confusing, right?) with the words "World Traveler" on                                               it.

Using a pigment ink in a coordinating color (I'm using ColorBox in Scarlet) ink up your safari/traveler stamp and make sure it's nice and juicy.

Stamp your image somewhere on the right half of your card. Since my stamp looks like a postage stamp, I put it all the way up in the upper right hand corner.

Sprinkle clear embossing powder over the stamped image.

Tap off any excess powder. You can also flick the card from the back to remove any stubborn pieces of powder that don't seem to want to "tap" off.  

Heat set the embossing powder using your heat tool just until the powder raises and becomes glossy.

TAAH-DAAAH!

Stamp-N-Foil, Stamp-N-Foil bonding powder, and clear embossing powder: all available at www.stampee.net.

Giraffe Animal Stamp: from the "African Animals Kit" by Rubber Stampede

Giraffe pattern stamps: from                                                             "Simply Safari" Perfectly Clear                                                                Stamps by Stampendous!

                                                                         World Traveler stamp: by                                                                    Inkadinkado 

Apply Stamp-N-Foil with your household iron!

We've been getting a lot of inquiries here at Stampee.net for alternative techniques to apply the Stamp-N-Foils.  As you can see in our instructional YouTube video, using a pouch laminator will give you a high quality, consistent result with full foil coverage over the stamped image.  Here's an alternative method that uses a household iron to achieve the same type of full coverage that the pouch laminator provides. 

Here's what you'll need: 1 household iron (with absolutely NO water in it), 1 roll of your favorite color of Stamp-N-Foil (I'm using Gold Bling), 1 jar of Stamp-N-Foil bonding powder, pigment ink (any color, remember, this method gives full foil coverage), a stamp, a heat tool, card stock, a non-stick craft sheet, and your secret weapon (a stamping mat).

Place your non-stick craft sheet on top of your stamping mat.  We're going to be using our iron on top of the stamp mat and we don't want the hot iron to stick to it.

For every Stamp-N-Foil project, you'll need to use a PIGMENT INK.  Your ink can be any color for this project.  I'm using Encore Silver from Stampin' Up.

Place your card stock on top of your non-stick craft sheet (which is on top of your stamp mat) and stamp your image.

Sprinkle the Stamp-N-Foil bonding powder over the stamped image (this part is just like embossing).

Tap off any excess powder. You can also flick the card from the back to remove any stubborn pieces of powder that don't seem to want to "tap" off.  Remember, wherever the powder is, the Stamp-N-Foil will stick. 

Heat set the Stamp-N-Foil bonding powder using your heat tool until the powder becomes glossy.

Lay a piece of Stamp-N-Foil over your stamped image.

Flip the Stamp-N-Foil and card over so they are face down on your non-stick craft sheet.

Using a household iron set to medium heat, press the back of the stamped image for 20 seconds.  Twist iron 90 degrees and press for another 20 seconds.   

Allow the card to cool COMPLETELY and then slowly peel the foil off.  If you're impatient like me, you can use a can of compressed air to blow on the back of the card to cool it down faster.  ;)

Now there's nothing left to do but sit back and admire that gorgeous metallic stamp.

Distressed Foil

Here's a fun way to add a distressed metal look to your stamped images using Stamp-N-Foil and Stamp-N-Foil bonding powder from www.stampee.net. This method does not require the use of a pouch laminator.

Here's what you'll need: 

1 roll of your favorite color of Stamp-N-Foil (I'm using Copper Penny), 1 jar of Stamp-N-Foil bonding powder, pigment ink (I'm using silver but you should choose a color that coordinates with your foil because you're going to see some of the ink between the cracks), a stamp, a heat tool, card stock, and a stamping mat. 

To apply the Stamp-N-Foil bonding powder you'll need to use a PIGMENT INK. Choose a color that coordinates but doesn't match the Stamp-N-Foil color you've selected because you're going to see some of the ink behind the                                               distressed foil.

Ink up your stamp and make sure that it's "juicy."

Stamp your image onto your card. Make sure you stamp on a stamp mat to get nice clean edges. I've been told that stamp mats are a stamper's Secret Weapon...and I believe it. 

Sprinkle the Stamp-N-Foil bonding powder over the stamped image (this part is just like embossing).

Tap off any excess powder. You can also flick the card from the back to remove any stubborn pieces of powder that don't seem to want to "tap" off. Remember, wherever the powder is, the Stamp-N-Foil will stick.

Heat set the Stamp-N-Foil bonding powder using your heat tool until the powder becomes glossy.

While the powder is still hot, lay a piece of Stamp-N-Foil over your stamped image. 

 

Place a piece of scrap paper on top large enough to cover the Stamp-N-Foil COMPLETELY. This just protects the foil from wrinkling during the next step.

Firmly rub over the back of the paper with a rounded edge.                       

Allow the card to cool COMPLETELY and then slowly peel off the foil.   

You will have a distressed metal effect with the color of the ink peeking through in the cracks of the foil.