Men's Mini Stamps - Timepiece and Golf Swing

Men's Mini Stamps - Timepiece and Golf Swing

For these cards I've been trying out ideas for using Couture Creations Men's Stamps - the Timepiece and Golf Swing mini stamps.

I've used the Timepiece mini stamp to create two card backgrounds - I made one using some sparkly pigment inks and also used stamps from the Gentlemans Emporium collection; and the other by stamping in black onto kraft card.

For the sentiments on these cards I've used cut/foil/emboss dies from the Delightful Sentiments collection but used ink or gilding waxes instead of hot foiling with them.

On the first card the sentiment is cut from black card and then treated with gilding waxes.  It's best to cut 2 layers and glue them together, as it makes it easier to apply the gilding wax without accidentally bending the die cut.

I like to use several different colour gilding waxes and apply very sparingly to gradually build up the effect of worn metal work.  (see video)

On the other Timepiece card, to contrast with the Kraft card, I've die cut the sentiments from white card and used some sparkly pigment ink on the die.

For this Golf Swing card, I've used papers from the Gentlemans Emporium collection, and die cut a tag from some white card to stamp onto. 

I've coloured the golfer using ink from pigment ink pads and a water brush.  Just press the stamp pad on a glass mat or acrylic block and pick up the colour on the water brush tip. You can mix colours using the water brush too, and water them down if lighter, less intense colour is needed.  

The topper on the other Golf Swing card is made using a die from the Modern Essentials Bracket Frames nesting cut/foil/emboss die set.  I've inked the die before cutting out to get a coloured line around the edge of the die cut.

I made a mask for the stamp by stamping on some plain white card, cutting out and covering the back of the card using a Zig 2 way glue pen.  Make sure the glue has dried thoroughly before using as a mask.

Stamp the golfer using a permanent ink, such as Staz-On.  Ensure the stamping ink is dry, and then place the mask over the top of it.  This will protect the stamped area from the ink used for the background.

To create the hills in the background, I made a mask from some copy paper - just draw a rough zig zag line using a wet paint brush or water brush and tear along the wet line (see video).  Once the paper has dried out use it as a mask and apply a little pigment ink using a blending tool.  Make several rows of hills starting at the top, and come down as far as the golfer's belt line.

Use a water brush to pick up some colour and just paint it on from side to side to create the ground in front of the hills.  Add more colour towards the bottom.

I added a little colour from a black pigment ink pad, mixed with the colour used for the hills to add the impression of trees and shrubs at the base of the hills - I just dab with the brush and add a few vertical lines to give the impression of trees (see video).

Once the background is complete, remove the mask and add colour to the stamped image.  Start by adding colour where the creases in the clothing and shadows are, then colour the rest of the clothing.




For the sentiment on this card I used one of the cut/foil/emboss dies from the Dazzlia sentiment range.  You can either add ink to the die using a blending tool for a subtle effect, or add ink to the die from your pigment ink pads but then pounce (tap) on it lightly with a sponge blending tool - this evens out the ink coverage.

Couture Creations Products Used:

CO726790 - Men's Collection - Golf Swing mini stamp

CO726783 - Men's Collection - Timepiece mini stamp

CO726837 - Gentlemans Emporium - Gentlemans Corner Mini Stamp

CO726840 - Gentlemans Emporium - Ornate Icon mini stamp

CO726459  - Modern Essentials Cut, Foil and Emboss dies - Bracket Frames

CO726965 - Delightful Sentiments - Cut, Foil and Emboss die - Amazing

CO726934 - Delightful Sentiments - Cut, Foil and Emboss die - You

CO726717 - Dazzlia Sentiments - Cut, Foil and Emboss die - Birthday Wishes.

ZMSB20M - Glue - Zig 2 Way Glue 2mm (Fine)

Elegant Hanging Beaded Bauble - Cardmaker Square Foiled Aperture

Elegant Hanging Beaded Bauble and 

Card maker Reverse Squares Foiled Aperture

For this card I've combined one of the Couture Creations Dimensional Decorations - Beaded Bauble, with Couture Creations Cut, Foil and emboss square aperture Cardmaker Reverse Squares die set.  Both are foiled using my Couture Creations GoPress & Foil.

My card is made from an A5 card blank cut down to a square card 14.8cm x 14.8cm.  I've covered the front of the card blank with some deep red card.  The gold mat is 14cm square and the card front is 13.6cm square.  You need to remove the middle of the gold mat, before sticking it in place, so that the red card will be seen in the opening that will be created using the square die.  See my video.

As these are Cut/Foil/Emboss dies, you need to use the Couture Creations Conversion Plate (thick metal plate) on your GoPress & Foil, or alternatively 2 thin metal die cutting shims.  You may also need an additional card shim, depending on the pressure from your die cutting machine and the thickness of your card.

In order to get the aperture exactly in the centre of the card I created a paper template.  

• Start by cutting a piece of copier paper to the exact same size as your card front.  

• Carefully fold it in half in both directions, so that you can see where the mid point of each side is.

• Line up our die on the template so that the fold marks go through the corners, tape it down and die cut it out of the paper.

• Lay the paper template over your piece for your card front, making sure the edges are exactly lined up and tape it in place.

• Use a straight edge to draw in guide lines between the corners in both directions.  These will be used to line up the corners of the die.

Trim a piece of foil to just a little bigger than the outside edge of the die, and use a craft knife to remove the centre.  I do this laying the foil and die on a self healing cutting mat or sheet of copier paper, taping in place and the cutting out the middle a few mm (1/8") from the inside edge of the die.

Remove the paper template from the card front and use the guide lines you have drawn to line up the corners of the die, with the foil underneath it, and tape it in place.  The die needs to be cutting edge down and it's best to tape it to the card in the centre as this will be waste.  See my video for how to do this.

Once you are happy with the position of the die and foil, place them on the metal plate on the GoPress & Foil with the card on top of the die.   Allow about a  minute for the die to heat before rolling the GoPress & Foil through your die cutting machine.  See my Video.

Clean up any over foiling around the edge of the aperture (the space left by the die cut) before adding foam pads to the back of the card front, and tape a short length of thread in place to hang the Beaded Bauble.

Foil the Beaded Bauble - stick the die and foil onto a piece of card and heat on the GoPress (on the conversion plate or metal shims), and then the GoPress through your die cutting machine.  You need 3 of the Beaded Baubles, with 2 of them creased down the middle.  I did this using the Couture Creations Mini Scoring Board.  Stick the 2 creased baubles in the centre of the base one.

Once the glue is dry stick the thread to the back of the bauble.

Finally stick the card front in place on to of your gold mat, and add a sentiment.   I used one of the Dazzlia Cut/Foil/Emboss sentiments.  This is foiled in the same way as the Beaded Bauble.

Couture Creations Products Used:

CO726880 – Cut, Foil and Emboss Die - Cardmaker Frames - Nesting Negative Squares

CO727008 - Cut, Foil and Emboss Die - Dimensional Decorations - Beaded Bauble
CO726834 - Mini Die - Gentlemans Emporium - Gentlemans Corner Mini Die
CO725355 - Foil - Gold (Vintage Matte Finish)
CO726725 - Cut, Foil and Emboss Die- Dazzlia - Lots of Love