Special Guest - Heidi Jakobs

Hi everyone, Heidi here again with my second Whimsy Stamps guest design project of the season. How I loved to colour the images on today’s cards! And isn’t it awesome that many of Whimsy Stamps gorgeous stamps are also available as digital stamps? I totally love that: one of the best things about digital images is that you can resize them to make them fit the project you have in mind!

On today’s project I used two of Whimsy Stamps digital images in combination with some other Whimsy Stamps clear/rubber stamps! Let’s get started!

Card 1 Step 1:

For my first card I started out by printing the Whimsy Stamps digital image called “Candle Light” onto alcohol marker friendly paper.

I wanted to create a look as if the snowman was sitting by the candle light at night, so the background needed to be darker. Since I don’t have that many colours of alcohol markers, I mixed some of the colours that I had to create a vintage dark background. I didn’t worry about blending it outwards super well since I planned on fussy cutting the image leaving a small dark border. For colouring I used the Spectrum Noir Illustrator alcohol markers in the following colours: CR5, CT2, EB8, TN4 and BG2, which are mostly gray browns and warm browns, combined with yellow and orange for the candle.

Step 2:

Next I worked on the other colours of my project: for this I used Spectrum Noir Illustrator markers in: TN2, TN8, DG1, DG4, DR2, DR5, PP3, TN6, TN4, CT2, CR5, Bl (blender) and BG2, which is the gray brown colour that I used in the first colouring part.  I also used this colour to mute the vibrancy of the other colours since I’m colouring a night scene.

Step 3:

When the colouring is done, I added back in some highlights using a white Gelly Roll pen, and then I fussy cut the image leaving a small dark border.

To further work on my background, I die cut a matching cool dark brown rectangle panel two sizes smaller then my card base. On this panel I stamped one of the sentiments from the Whimsy Stamps “You’re My Jolly” stamp set using VersaMark ink (this is a sticky ink) and then I heat embossed using a gold coloured embossing powder. The results for this will be best if you treat the paper first with an anti-static powder tool; this way the embossing powder will only stick to the VersaMark ink and not on the areas where your fingers have been, for example.

Step 4:

Now I’m ready to put my card together: I die cut a slightly larger panel from some matching red card stock and adhered both rectangle panels together using liquid glue. This combination I adhered to a white card base using one millimetre thick foam tape.  To finish the card, I only had to adhere the coloured image on top, also using one millimetre thick foam tape, and draw in the swirly parts and the snow using white and gold gel pens.

Card 2 Step 1:

For my second card project, I also started out by printing a Whimsy Stamps digital image (this time I used “Heidi with Sledge”) onto alcohol marker friendly paper. Of course it’s most convenient to print several images on an A4-sized paper all at once.

Then I started colouring the image, also using my Spectrum Noir Illustrator alcohol markers: for this first layer I used: CR1, CR2, TN2, PP3, DR2, DR5 and DR7 (for skin and red tones). I find it easiest to pretend that my light source is on the top left hand corner, so that I always know where my highlights and shadows will go (this will only work if there is no directly visible light source like in my last card).

Step 2:

Next I added my greens using DG4, CG3, DG1 and some EB8 (which is a dark brown) to create my shadows.

Step 3:

Here I forgot to take a picture when my colouring was done, so I inserted a detail picture of the finished card where you can see the colouring well: you know how that happens when you’re so into creating your project that you’re already working on the next step before you know it?

For the hair I used Illustrator markers in : EB8, TN4 and TN6.

And the other colours that I used to finish up the colouring are BG2, BT1 and the Blender.

When the colouring was done, I added back in some highlights using a white Gelly Roll pen, and then I fussy cut the image leaving a small border.

Step 4:

For my background I decided on a white rectangle panel two sizes smaller then my card base. Onto this panel I stamped only a part of the Whimsy Stamps “Falling Leaves Background” stamp using VersaMark ink and then I heat embossed using silver embossing powder.

On the top left hand part I then stamped one of the sentiments from a Whimsy Stamps stamp set called “The Nutcracker” using Versafine ink in “Onyx Black” and my MISTI stamping tool.

 Step 5:

Now I can put my card together: I die cut a slightly larger panel from some matching green card stock and adhered both rectangle panels together using liquid glue. To create a bit more distance between my coloured image and the stamped leaves background, I then first wrapped a sparkly red ribbon around these combined panels (and adhered on the back using regular tape) and then adhered this combination to my white card base using one millimetre thick foam tape.

To finish my project, I now only have to adhere the coloured image on top, also using one millimetre thick foam tape!

And that’s it for my guest design projects for this season!  I loved being on the Whimsy Stamps blog and working with Whimsy Stamps adorable and awesome products! Thanks for having me!

Special Guest - Heidi Jakobs

Hi, everyone! Heidi here, and I’m so happy to be back with you as a guest designer for Whimsy Stamps! Today I’m showing you how you can create two different Christmas cards using a few gorgeous Whimsy Stamps stamp sets. Let’s get started!

Card 1: Step 1:

For my first card, I started out by stamping the adorable image from the Whimsy Stamps “Ellie Jungle Bell Rock” stamp onto Strathmore Bristol Smooth Surface Paper using Versafine Onyx Black ink and clear heat embossing afterwards. This way my lines stay black and crisp even if I add lots of water to the paper.

Then I started colouring the image with my first thin layer: for this I used my Spectrum Noir Aqua Markers in the colours Crimson, Spice, Peach, Jasmine, Slate, Tan and Charcoal, in combination with an aqua brush. I’m mapping out where my highlights and my shadows will go. Each of the elephants I’m colouring a slightly different tint of gray brown.

Step 2:Next I’m working on deepening the colours using the same colours as mentioned before and also adding SN Aqua Markers in Burgundy, Terracotta, Sunflower, Moss and Aquamarine, trying to create deeper shadows and keeping my highlights as light as possible.

Step 3:

When the colouring is done, I add some highlights using a white Gelly Roll Pen, and then I fussy cut the image leaving a small border.

Step 4:

Now that my main image is done, I’m working on my background: for this I die cut a square panel one size smaller than my card base. On this panel I stamp the Whimsy Stamps “Falling Leaves Background” stamp using VersaMark ink (this is a sticky ink), and then I heat embossed with a gold embossing powder.

Step 5:

I stamped my sentiment from the Whimsy Stamps stamp set “The Nutcracker” onto a smaller rectangle panel using my MISTI and also created a slightly larger panel from matching red coloured card stock.

Step 6:

Now I’m ready to put my card together: I adhered the two smaller rectangle panels together using liquid glue. Around the green background panel, I wrapped some matching gray brown ribbon twice and adhered on the back using regular tape. This background panel I adhered to my creme-coloured, linen-textured card base using one millimetre thick foam tape. To finish my card, I adhered the combined rectangle panels using one millimetre thick foam tape, and then I finally added the cute elephants on top using liquid glue.

Card 2: Step 1:

For this card I also started out by stamping the elephants from "Jungle Bell Rock" onto my paper, this time I’m using Canson 1557 paper. Like with my other card, I also start my colouring process by adding the shadow parts first using a light hand.  When I make a mistake, this way I can always correct it in a later step. I’m starting with my Spectrum Noir Colourblend coloured pencil colours in Smoke, Stone and Pewter.

Step 2:

Then I decided on colouring the middle elephant first: for this I added the colours Rose Peach, Espresso, Ginger, Maple and Blackberry in the mix. I used Blackberry, which is a purple colour, to create my deepest shadow parts.

You can always use a small eraser to bring your highlights back up a bit, unless you used a too-heavy hand too soon!

Step 3:

For the most left elephant, I then used the Pewter colour I mentioned before, in combination with Black, Taupe and Blackberry again.

Step 4:

Because I wanted each elephant to look different but also complimenting the other two, I mixed colours I used on the first two elephants and added in some Copper to colour my third elephant.

Step 5:

To finish the image I also used Lemon, Maize, Smooth Jade, Raspberry and Earth. Then I decided I also needed some presents on this card: for this I used the presents stamps in “The Nutcracker” stamp set and coloured them using the colours mentioned before.

Step 6:

Then I fussy cut all the images leaving a small border and added some Glossy Accents to the bells and the bows and the dots on the one present and then set them aside to dry. In the meantime I’m working on my background panel: I die cut a panel two sizes smaller than my card base and decided on my lay out. I first stamped one of the sentiments from the Whimsy Stamps “You’re My Jolly” stamp set and then added some snowflakes in the colour Distress Ink “Tumbled Glass” using one of the snowflakes from “The Nutcracker” stamp set.

This background panel I adhered to a slightly larger red panel using liquid glue and then I adhered this combination to a white card base. To finish the card I only had to adhere the elephants and the presents on top using liquid glue and one millimetre thick foam tape!

And that's it for today's projects!

Thanks for joining me today.  I hope you enjoyed it, and I will see you again soon!

Christmas Sprite - Special Guest - Heidi Jakobs

Christmas Sprite in three different mediums

Hi everyone, Heidi here, today I’m showing you my second project as a guest designer for Whimsy Stamps. In today’s project I would like to show you one gorgeous Christmas Sprite stamp coloured three times in three different mediums, so that you can pick and choose which one fits your supplies or style best!

For my first card I choose to colour the gorgeous “ChristmasSprite“ image using Copic Markers. You can use any alcohol markers you have of course. I stamped the image onto Copic friendly paper using Memento “Tuxedo Black“ ink and let her sit for a while, so that the ink can dry completely, before I started colouring.

Then I coloured the image using the following Copic colours: Y000, Y26, Y04, YR18, YR21, E000, R00, R01, W1, W3, R29, R39, E07, RV52, RV55, RV19, V17, E39, G40, YG17, YG67, YG97 and B0000. When the colouring was done I added back in some highlights using a white Gelly Roll Pen.

On the wings I added some “Diamond“ Stickles using a brush (wash the brush afterwards) for an extra magical look!

I choose for a round card base which I created by die cutting a circle shape from a square white linen textured card base (make sure that the part where the die is sticking out has the fold).

Then I die cut a slightly smaller circle shape from some matching orange coloured mirror card stock and then I die cut around the coloured image using an even smaller circle die.

On this last panel I stamped one of the sentiments from the “You’re My Jolly“ stamp set using the same black ink as before.

Now I can finish my card by adhering the coloured image on top of the orange circle using liquid glue and then adhering these combined layers onto the circle shaped card base using one millimetre thick foam tape.

For my second card I choose watercolour pencils as my colouring medium. I stamped the same  “Christmas Sprite“ image onto fairly smooth watercolour paper using Versafine “Onyx Black“ ink and let the ink dry. Then I used a combination of Caran d‘Ache Museum Aquarelle and Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer watercolour pencils and an aquabrush to colour the image.

From the Caran d’Ache line I used the following colours: CA350, CA010, CA036, CA065, CA599, CA661, CA004, CA249, CA719, CA245 and CA049.

From the Faber Castell line I used the following colours: FC19, FC125, FC132, FC189 and FC137.

I also added some “Diamond“ Stickles to the wings in the same way as I did for the first card.

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Next I die cut a square around the coloured image leaving enough room on the top to ad my sentiment. As my sentiment I choose a combination of words from the “Everyday Scripted Sentiments“ stamp set, those I stamped on the top part of the panel using the same black ink that I used before.

To finish this second card I die cut a slightly larger square from some matching olive green card stock. I adhered both square panels together using liquid glue and then adhered these combined panels to a crème coloured linen textured card base using one millimetre thick foam tape.

And for today’s final card I choose regular coloured pencils as my colouring medium, but I decided to work on Strathmore “Toned Tan“ paper, for a different look. I stamped the sprite image onto this paper using Versafine “Onyx Black“ and then coloured the image with a combination of Faber Castell Polychromos and Prismacolor Premier (for the skin parts) coloured pencils and one Caran d‘Ache Luminance coloured pencil.

For my highlights I used the White pencil from Caran d‘Ache.

From the Faber Castell line I used: 271, 108, 283, 173, 168, 171, 188, 135, 119 and 250.

From the Prismacolor line I used: Crème, Beige, Light Peach, Peach and Salmon Pink.

And for this card I used some “Star Dust“ Stickles for her wings.

When the colouring was done I die cut a circle shape around the image using the same procedure as with my first card. I also added the sentiment from the “You’re My Jolly“ stamp set. For my slightly larger mat I choose a yellow orangy circle shaped die cut panel and put the card together on a crème coloured linen textured card base.

And that’s it for today’s trio of Christmas Sprite cards. I’m curious what your favourite medium is to colour with?

Thank you for having me as a guest designer, I had a blast while creating these projects for you!

I wish you a creative day and a fabulous time with friends and family during the Holidays!

  

Nutty or Nice - special guest - Heidi Jakobs

Nutty or Nice?

Hi everyone, Heidi here, I’m very excited to be back on the Whimsy blog and bring you today’s project as guest designer. I decided to create a set of fun Christmas cards using the adorable “The Nutcracker“ stamp set, combined with various sentiment stamp sets! So, let’s get started!

For my first card I stamped one of the nutcracker images from “The Nutcracker“ stamp set onto Strathmore Bristol Smooth Paper using Versafine “Onxy Black“ ink and I clear heat embossed afterwards. Then I coloured the image using my Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers and an aquabrush. I used the following Marker colours: Mid Brown, Geranium Red, Deep Red, Light Carmine, Tea Rose, Pale Pink, Ochre, Pale Gray, Blue Gray and Blue. When the colouring was done and dry I added some highlights using a white Gelly Roll Pen and then fussy cut the image leaving a small white border.

Then I started working on my background: for this I first die cut a rectangle panel in the size that I wanted from some crème coloured linen textured card stock. Then I placed this panel in my MISTI, decided where the nutcracker image should go en then positioned the sentiments that come in “The Nutcracker“ stamp set on the panel where I wanted them to be and used the same black ink that I used before to stamp the sentiments.

To finish this first card I die cut a slightly larger mat from some matching blue card stock and adhered both rectangle panels together using liquid glue. These combined panels I adhered to a crème coloured linen textured card base using one millimetre thick foam tape and then adhered the little nutcracker on top also using one millimetre thick foam tape!

For my second card I stamped and coloured another nutcracker image from the same stamp set in the same way as I mentioned for the first card. Then I positioned the nutcracker image, in the same way as I did for the first card, on the crème coloured panel in my MISTI and added the sentiments. For this card I choose a combination of the word “Christmas“ from the “Everyday Scripted Sentiments“ stamp set and “merry“ and “to you and yours“ from the “You’re My Jolly“ stamp set. I love to combine my stamp sets to create new designs!

To put this card together I die cut a slightly larger matching red mat for the crème coloured panel. These panels I adhered together using liquid glue. Then I wrapped some red/white bakers twine around those panels and adhered on the back using regular tape. These combined panels I adhered to a crème coloured linen textured card base using one millimetre thick foam tape and I finished this second card by adhering the nutcracker image on top using one millimetre thick foam tape.

My third and last card for today’s project takes a little bit more time to create but was also a lot of fun. I wanted the nutcrackers to look like the Buckingham Palace Guards in front of their guard houses so I die cut around the stamped images using a smaller rectangle die. I then coloured the images in the same way as I did with the other cards, using the brown colour to enhance the guard house idea. I also stamped and coloured three of the packages that come in the same stamp set and fussy cut around them.

For my sentiment I choose all words from the “You’re myJolly“ stamp set, stamped them on a vellum strip using the same black ink as before and I carefully heat embossed afterwards using clear embossing powder.

Then I adhered the nutcrackers and the packages onto a crème coloured linen textured rectangle panel using liquid glue. This combination I adhered onto a slightly larger red mat also using liquid glue. Next I wrapped the vellum strip around these combined panels and adhered on the back using regular tape and then I finished the card by adhering this combination to a crème coloured linen textured card base using one millimetre thick foam tape.

And that’s it for today’s fun Christmas card project! I wish you all a creative day and a fabulous Holiday Season!

  

Special Guest - Heidi Jakobs - Baby Card

Hi everyone, Heidi here, I’m very excited to be back on the Whimsy blog and bring you today’s project as guest designer. I don’t need many baby cards in my life but one of my nephew’s became father of the cutest little girl on earth a few weeks ago, so I made this card for him and his girlfriend to welcome the new family member! For today’s card I choose two stamps from the Whimsy Stamps product line.

To get this card started I stamped the adorable Whimsy Stamps “Baby Giraffe“ stamp onto some Strathmore “Toned Tan“ paper using Versafine ink in the colour “Onyx Black“.

Next I coloured the image using coloured pencils from four different brands (you can of course use whatever coloured pencils you have and like): from my Faber Castell Polychromos pencils I used the numbers 123, 187, 180, 177 and 102. From my Holbein Artists‘ Colored Pencils I used the Rose Pink colour (this pencil is from the Pastel Tone Set that you can buy on Ebay). From my Prismacolor coloured pencils I used the Creme, Beige, Light Peach, Peach and Salmon Pink (for the skin tones) and for my highlights I used the White pencil from the Caran d‘Ache Luminance line.

When the colouring was done I went over some of the lines, that I lost during the colouring process, with a black Copic Multiliner (0.1).

Now I can die cut around the image using a circle stitched die from a nesting die set (I like to colour first and then die cut so that I have room to hold the image while colouring and also to do some swatches for colour combo’s to try out). I adhered this circle to a larger piece of yellow coloured paper using liquid glue and fussy cut around it, using my Fiskars scissors, since I don’t have a die in a size that‘s slightly larger then the stitched one that I used before.

I didn’t wanted the background to distract from the cute image so that’s why I choose a matching patterned paper from my stash with two different patterns on it, I die cut this in the right size with a square nesting die and I also die cut a larger square from a light green card stock using a stitched square die in a slightly larger size then the one I used before. I edged the pink patterned paper panel using Distress Ink in the colour “Picked Raspberry” and then I adhered the two mats together using liquid glue.

I also found some fun ribbon (that looks a little like lace) in my stash, wrapped that around the combined mats where the two patterns meet and adhered the ribbon on the back using regular tape.

Then I adhered these combined panels with the ribbon onto a square kraft card base slightly darker in tone then the paper that I coloured the image on, using one millimetre thick foam tape.

Next I’m going to work on my sentiment: for this I stamped one of the sentiments from the Whimsy Stamps “Friendly Flowers“ stamp set onto some crème coloured card stock using the same black ink as before and then I die cut around the sentiment using a circle die. I also die cut a slightly larger stitched circle die shape from the same light green card stock that I used before. These mats I adhered together using liquid glue.

Now I can put this card together: I adhered the coloured image with the yellow mat onto the square panels using one millimetre thick foam tape and then I adhered the sentiment over that also using one millimetre thick foam tape. To finish this card I adhered a matching baby themed chipboard from my stash to the project using Ranger Medium Matte.

And that’s today’s fun little project!