Gina K Stamps Youve Got A Friend In Me

I dont consider myself a stamper. Yes, I own some stamps, ink and pens/markers but really I mostly use the inks on the edges of my die cuts to cover up the white core of the paper that might show through. When I stamp, it is normally JUST a sentiment in black. The idea of stamping an image and then messing it up when I went to color it in scared me . . . so I just never tried to do it. Also, I see images that other people do with this beautiful shading and I would think "there is no way I can do THAT!" so I just would not try. Then there are the supplies . . . what ink do I get? What pens? I was basically overwhelmed.

 That is the reason I signed up for the Gina K. classes at the Bella Craft Connections event going on at the Mall of America this weekend. I figured I could learn some tips and tricks and test stamping out . . . if I took the classes and the cards looked terrible, I would know to never try this again . . . if they looked nice then I would be opening a whole new avenue of use for my supplies.

In the class we were using Ginas new stamp set called Youve Got a Friend in Me.  We made three cards.  I will show you the sample cards that Gina had at her class first, and then my cards are at the end.

One thing I really liked about these cards if that they all follow the same basic idea.  Pick a patterned paper and one or two solid colors that accent that patterned paper and layer them.  

Layers are (from the bottom up)

1) Solid color base

2) Solid color accent, or white

3 Patterned paper

4) Smaller rectangle in a solid color (either the same color as the base or the same color as the #2 on this list)

5) White cardstock that you stamped your image on

Then you use a rectangle for the sentiment and back that either the same color as the base or the color used in #2 on the list above.  I love this because then I am not looking for lots of different colors and patterns and trying to figure out if they work together . . . just pick one pattern and two colors and you are good to go.

These images are for cutting sizes.  I did not measure everything out, but since I laid them all on this grid you can figure out all of the sizes you need to cut.  Each square on the grid is 1/4" big.

Now it was time to stamp.  (OMG . . . can I really do this!?!?!?!)

Those look pretty cute!  Normally this is where I would stop and just say "Dont do any more . . . you will mess it up" but I am going to face my fears.  Below are the pens we were working with.  I do own a blender pen, but I always thought that they were only for blending one color into another, or for when you just wanted a soft halo effect and you would blend out a harsh line you drew.  

Gina taught me that with just a few pens and a blender you can CREATE pattern and interest to your images.  Below is an example of what I am talking about.  I used two different green pens on the trees below, coloring every other one alternating between the light and the dark green.  Using my blender pen I went back over them and added patterns . . . polka dots, criss cross, lines . . . what ever I wanted.  Now this is starting to look like something I would have done with my die cutting machine, cutting each tree out of a different patterned paper.

To assemble the card, just stat to adhere the layers to the base.

And now for my cards.  Personally, the owl one is my least favorite.  I feel like the dark brown was too dark.  I did like the technique that Gina showed us to use the pen to create a feather pattern on the owl.  I also used a green ad their feet and blended it out to kind of make it look like they are standing on the grass.

Oh . . . and if you have a box filled with old buttons that dont match anything you own, cards are the perfect way to use those up!  Put some twine through them and tie a bow and you have a cute little accent.  And if you are like me and you are a messy stamper, you can place the button right where you smudged some ink to hide the mess.  

I think I like the tree card the best.  And to think I consider myself a non-stamper kind of girl.  I think after this weekend that might be changing.

And the little bird card.  On this one I was going to do the body purple with green wings, but I did not stay inside the lines too well on the bird on the left so I just made him all purple.  Afterwards I decided to just accent the wings by adding some green over the top on just parts of the wings.  

For the second bird I colored the wing green, and I was coming in afterwards with the purple and got to close to the wing and purple started to bleed in . . . I was so upset!  Then I watched it and thought "That looks kind of cool" so I added some more purple at the base of the wing and let it bleed into the green  I think it has a peacock feather look.

Final touch . . . a button with some twine.

If you want to check out Gina K. and her amazing Design Team, I have included some links for you below.  Tell them Shawn sent you!

Gina K. on Stamp TV // Blog // Facebook // Twitter // Pinterest // YouTube // Shop Gina K.

If you would like to attend the Bella Crafts Connection next year, be sure to follow Bella Crafts at

Bella Crafts Publishing website // Facebook // Twitter // Pinterest // YouTube

#BellaCon15

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Using Watercolor Inks with Gina K at Bella Crafts Connection

It is time for my post about the second class I took with Gina K and her Design Team at the Bella Crafts Connection event at the Mall Of America.  If you want to see the post about the first class, just click HERE.  This class was focused on watercolor inks and pens.  Here are all of the sample cards on the display table.

For this class we were able to play with Ginas Wild Blossom stamp set.  I am so glad we got to take this one home with us!  I think I am really going to have fun with this set.

Supplies for the first card . . . pink base, black piece to go behind the stamped piece and a pink trim.

Here is Gina showing us how to ink up and use a LARGE stamp like the vine stamp in this set.

She recommends putting your stamp on the block, inking it and then laying the piece of cardstock on top of the stamp to get the image on the cardstock.  This way you are not messing around with that HUGE block.

Here is mine.  I got a little ink smudge in the lower right corner . . . I will take care of that later.

This is a close up of the sample card.

And then mine . . . with the smudge  :(

Next card!  This card is made with the Smacking Acetate technique.  Yes, we all laughed about the name. 

 Take a piece of acetate and three different colors of watercolor markers and scribble on the acetate.   You dont need to purchase acetate for this project . . . just use the clear piece that comes with your stamp set.  Since you are using watercolor markers it will clean right off.  Then spritz the scribbles with water.  Then put a piece of cardstock down on top of the acetate  

And you end up with this beautiful background!  You can run a ink pad over it to fill in any white space if you would like.  Then just stamp your image and sentiment.

I was having SO MUCH FUN I totally forgot to take in progress photos for this last card!  Here is Ginas sample.  The gray background piece that looks like woodgrain . . . that was actually a white piece of cardstock and we took an ink pad and ran it down the length of the whole piece of cardstock.

Okay, are you ready to see my finished cards?

As you can see, I used my favorite form of "cover up" . . . the rhinestone sticker sheets from The Buckle Boutique!  Since they cut so easily, I could cut a piece just the right size for what I needed to cover.  I used a portion of the Tie Dye print for this, which was nice since it gave me several of the colors that were in the card.  The Tie Dye is on sale right now . . . $8 for a sheet 10" x 20" . . . while supplies last so hurry!

Here is my second card.  I really like this one since it is so quick and easy!  I feel like I could make several of these in a very short time and be ready for all of the family birthday gatherings, yet each card will be different because of the colors and the way the markers will react with the water.

And my third card . . . which also ended up with a smudge on it . . . so more bling for "cover up".

These cards might not have turned out perfect, but they did show me that I dont have to be afraid of using inks and markers.  Even I can do this!  And the more I do it, the better they will get.

If you want to check out Gina K. and her amazing Design Team, I have included some links for you below.  Tell them Shawn sent you!

Gina K. on Stamp TV // Blog // Facebook // Twitter // Pinterest // YouTube // Shop Gina K.

And make sure to tune in Tuesday September 28th at 7:00 PM Central Time to see the new stamp launch!  Tell them Shawn sent you!

If you would like to attend the Bella Crafts Connection next year, be sure to follow Bella Crafts at

Bella Crafts Publishing website // Facebook // Twitter // Pinterest // YouTube

#BellaCon15

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Urban Doodles with Lorine Mason

This is my last post about the classes and workshops I took at the Bella Crafts Connections event at the Mall of America.  One of the classes I took was called Urban Doodles, and when I signed up for it I had no idea how fun it was going to turn out being!  It was taught by Lorine Mason and she actually just posted something on her blog about the class . . . check it out by clicking HERE.

First off, what is Urban Doodles?  It is making some basic shapes on a surface and then filling the spaces of those shapes in with patterns and colors.  You can fill in as little or as much as you would like.  Patterns can be anything.  There are no rules.

Here are some examples that Lorine brought with her to the class.

I loved how the colors were blended on this sample!

For our class Lorine wanted us to make a finished project.  If we just worked on a piece of fabric then we could take it home and make it into something . . . a pillow, a wall hanging . . . whatever we wanted . . . but she was thinking ahead and thought about how people bring projects home and say "I am going to do something with that" and then never do, so to avoid that Lorine sewed some fabric composition book covers for all of us to use for this project.  Now we could just take it home and put it on a book.  (Great idea!)

To start, fan fold the fabric and then put rubber bands on it in a few spots.

Next, take spray fabric paint and spray the fabric.  If you want to use multiple colors you can do that also.  

You can go heavier in some spots and lighter in others.  I just did a light mist since I wanted more space for the shapes and doodles.

Now, you would let that dry overnight, but to speed things up we used a blow dryer and then ironed the fabric to set the die.  Here is what mine looked like.

Now time to add the shapes.  We used templates that Lorine brought with, but you can use any shape you want.  I might want to try this idea again and do a Hidden Mickey in the pattern.  First we traced around the templates with pencil so that we could figure out the placement and adjust things we wanted to.  Then we came in with a black fabric marker to darken the outlines  . . . then came the part I personally was nervous about . . . the doodles and painting!  What if I messed up!

This is where having a great teacher like Lorine really helped.  She showed me that there are no mistakes, and that you cannot screw this up . . . it might not look like what you had planned, but you can allow it to become an opportunity to try something new.  She even showed me some spots on one of her display pieces that she said when the colors first started to bleed together she thought the whole piece was ruined.  She walked away from the project, and when she came back later she looked again and realized that the end result was something beautiful that she had not expected and she actually ended up repeating that technique in other areas on the same piece.  

Here are some close ups of my finished piece.

This is the back cover.  I did this little cluster of circles to hide a spot where I must have had ink on my hand and there was a weird splotch on the fabric.  Bet you cannot even SEE the thing that I first thought was a "mistake".  (see . . . I told you Lorine is a good teacher)

And this is the finished project.  I put it on the composition book that I always have on my craft room work surface.  I use this book to sketch out ideas or when that random thought comes through my head and I think "I dont want to forget that".

If you want to learn more about Lorine Mason and her classes on Urban Doodles, I have provide links where you can find her below.  Tell her Shawn sent you!

Happy Doodling

Lorine Mason Website // Blog // Facebook // Pinterest // Twitter 


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