My Obsessions...

There are three things that I consider my obsessions in my crafting lately... Stamps, Copics and Shimmerz! On this card, I used them all! The coloring was done for the challenge at the Copic Creations blog - to color Brunette Hair! I'm a brunette... Brunettes rock!! This is probably one of my most favorite Copic Colorings. I had soooo much fun coloring the hair on this image!! I really am very pleased with the shading and blending on this and how I captured the light on her face. Click on any image for a larger view.

I absolutely fell in love with this image when I saw it! I loved the swirls in the background and her flowing hair. She looks so real! I just thought that she looked like she was walking down the beach with her iPod, listening to romantic music and thinking about someone she loves. To add some other visual interest to this, while trying not to distract from the drawing, I added some clear embossing powder to the "waves" in the background, as well as to parts of the blue paper behind. I used a clear Ranger embossing marker to color just the small areas for the embossing powder. The blue paper is a digital paper I created and is available in my downloads for free. Around the white parts of the image, I wanted just a tiny bit of sparkle so I sprayed some Baby's Breath Shimmerz Spritz onto a paper towel, then dabbed the paper towel just around the white and blue parts of the image. I like to use this technique with the Spritz when I want to control where the shimmer will go but only want a very light layer. Then just a touch of diamond glaze on her eyes so they twinkle. In this picture you can see the Shimmerz Spritz - it really helps to add to the romantic magical feel of the image, don't you think?

As we're finishing up a fun week here on the Shimmerz blog using Impression Obsession stamps, I'd like to point out how I used some on this card. On the brown paper behind, I used one of the beautiful petals from Impression Obsessions Butterflies and Blossoms. The pattern on this particular petal seemed Hawaiian to me and I thought this sort of looked like little surfboards all lined up along the edges. That set is turning out to be very versatile and I can tell it will get used quite often!

Thanks for allowing me to share this card with you! I hope everyone has had a fantastic week!

Hugs, Jami

RECIPE
Stamps Pepper Sky © Stanley Lau {ArtGerm}; Butterflies and Blossoms (Impression Obsession)
Ink Vintage Photo (Tim Holz), printer
Paper Close to Cocoa (SU), White (GinaK pure luxury), Wavy - Just Beachy Collection (by me)
Accessories Clear EP, Ranger embossing marker, Shimmerz Spritz, diamond glaze
Copics E00, E000, E21, R02, E57, E55, E35, E33, E29, E30, Y11, YR24, 0, B000, B02, B05, YG00, YG03, YG05, YG09, YR04, C3

Spritzing a Butterfly

I have a really fun little project to share with you today that uses the new Shimmerz Spritz and a fun Impression Obsession stamp set. Impression Obsession is sponsoring the Shimmerz design team this week, and I chose this very versatile Butterflies and Blossoms set to use on my project. I have been having such a great time playing around with my Spritz, and have tried it on so many different materials. This technique I actually discovered accidentally.

My plan was to stamp the image with Black Versafine ink and heat emboss it with clear embossing powder....so far so good... Well, then I spritzed it heavily with my favorite Spritz color - Tuscan Sun. I was going to wipe it off the embossed areas, but the phone rang. When I came back in, the Spritz had settled into all the little grooves of the embossing and given it this almost stone-like effect which I just love! Click the picture below for an extreme closeup to see it!!

I also spritzed the primas before adding them. This container is just an empty Crystal Lite container. For the topper on it, I made a little ribbon flower with some cream colored ribbon and spritzed it with Eucalyptus. Then I stamped this really cool Sun image and embossed it too. I punched it with a circle punch and layered it with a spritzed prima and one of the Bloom centers.



The Shimmerz girlz will be showcasing Impression Obsession stamps on our projects all week, here on the Shimmerz blog, so stop back again tomorrow and check out the fabulous samples they've created for you!

Hugs, Jami

Spritzed wall hanging

For this project I took a wooden door hanger and covered it with Barn Door Spritz. I colored the little stars with a Y15 copic marker, then gave them one coat of Tuscan Sun Spritz (my favorite of the Spritz colors) I've been on a little kick recently making the little ribbon flowers - you'll see a lot more of them in upcoming posts. The bottom layer of the flower was just made with gold ribbon. But, the middle layer is actually made from a cream colored ribbon that was spritzed with the Barn Door Spritz. I love that it coordinates perfectly with the spritzed wood! There are a few images above as I tried to capture one with all the sparkle of the Spritz showing, and one without so you can see the difference. I ended up using the Spritz on three different materials here... chipboard, wood, and ribbon. Such a versatile product! (by the way, click on an image above to get a bigger view and really see all the sparkle!!)

A Shimmery Flower Tutorial

Hi Everyone!! I'd like to share a fun little tutorial with you on how to make a shimmery 3-dimensional flower. I hope you enjoy it...

Supplies I used for this project:

• Shimmerz - Fire Engine Red, Royal Red, Olive
• Distress Ink (Tim Holz)
• Paintbrush
• Scissors
• Scallop Punch (Stampin' Up)
• Brad
• Crimper
• 65# Card Stock (best for curling the petals)
  

For a little bit of shadowing, I rub some ink into the areas where the center of the flower will be. I use an ink that is a couple shades darker than the card stock I am using, and do this before applying the Shimmerz.

You can use what ever you like to apply the ink, a sponge or a dauber. I like to use an old t-shirt wrapped around my fingers as I feel I have more control of the ink this way.


I then apply Fire Engine Red Shimmerz with a paint brush to the areas that will be punched out with the scallop punch. I used a small scrap to punch out a window to hold over the area - this allows me to only apply Shimmerz to where I need to instead of the entire sheet. I’m thrifty like that. You’ll need to punch a total of 4 scallops for your flower.

While the Shimmerz on the red card stock is drying, I move along to making the leaves. I used some scraps of card stock.

I free hand cut some leaves from the folded edge.

With the leaf still folded in half, I run it through the crimper. You want to lay the leaf so that the outside edge goes through the crimper before the folded edge. This will make sure the lines are going the way the veins in a leaf would naturally.

After running them through the crimper, I use a light coat of Olive Shimmerz. Running the brush over top, just catching the top edges of the crimping. I also edge the leaves with the Shimmerz.

By the time you’re done with the leaves, the Shimmerz on your petals should be dry enough to punch. Holding the punch upside down so you can see where you’re punching, punch out 4 scallops.

You could also try this with a scalloped nestie, or just a circle punch. Or maybe you have a flower punch...

After punching them out, flip them over and apply Shimmerz to the other side of them.

Next, snip in between every other scallop with your scissors. Do not cut all the way to the center.

Then you’ll want to punch the hole in the center for your brad to fit through. It’s easiest to do it now while the petals are flat.

You also want to punch a hole in the leaves.

I use the end of the paintbrush I used for the Shimmerz to curl the edges of the petals.

On one (the bottom) layer, I curl the petals under. On all the other layers, I curl the petals upward.

Starting with the top layer of petals, layer them onto the brad.

Layer the leaves onto the brad, and secure the brad to hold them all together.

The last thing to do is to fold up the middle petals into an arrangement you like.

I then used Royal Red Shimmerz, which is just a shade darker than the Fire Engine Red Shimmerz, to edge the tops and bottoms of the petals.

Here’s the finished look. It’s a great way to add some shimmery dimension to any project. I know it seems like a lot of directions, but it's a really quick project.

Here's an example of one I created to add to the belly band for an envelope/box.


You can download a PDF version of these instructions at this link. Thanks for taking a look, and I hope this makes it easy for you to add some 3-dimensional shimmer to your projects!

Did you like the tutorial? If so, leave a comment and let me know. I'd love to know if I should do more of these.

Hugs,
Jami