Merry Mail

Hi!  Who doesn't love getting mail from someone?  We all get excited when we get real mail in the mail box not just junk, bills or advertisements.    The new Darkroom Door stamp set Merry Mail has a beautiful mix of Christmas and mail images. 

This had me inspired to create a variety of projects inspired by Christmas tags, Envelopes and a Postcard template.

My first tag started with a leftover star from playing with the new Small Stencil.  I had brushed onto white cardstock this star using gold paint.  I cut that out into a shape of a tag.  (I actually mounted the tag onto a tag card base made from red cardstock.

I stamped the post mark onto white cardstock and cut it out to place in the center of the start.  I stamped the No.25 in red ink on the tag.  I added a stamped joy and a few more stars sponged on in gold paint.

A quick and easy tag/card to attach to a gift.  That had me thinking of other tags that I could whip up with a few different stamps. 

On this tag I went with a soft silver ink for Santa and a few other background stamps.  I then added a pop of red with the sentiment and the No. 25.  Framed it out with a red background and added some fun red and white striped twine.  Another sweet tag to put on one of the gifts under the tree!

Next up another tag but this time I wanted to switch to non-traditional colors and decided to go pink and green.  I stamped the sleigh first onto the tag.  I stamped the sleigh onto a second piece of scrap paper. I cut it out to use as a mask.  I placed the mask over the sleigh and stamped the tree in green.  It left a little outline But I liked how it made the sleigh pop! 

Next I cut a slit into the top of the sleigh.  I stamped santa onto another piece of cardstock.  I cut him out. I actually cut the top half of santa from his legs.  I did this so I could put pop dots under the top half and have santas belly hanging over his legs.  I stuck his legs into the slit on the sleigh. 

This would be really cute with one of those pop ups that move.  :)   I then sponged a background tag and mounted the stamped image onto the sponged background and added a coordinating bow.

After my tags I decided to make some envelope art.  I took some plain white envelopes and stamped and stenciled them. 

First I stamped santa in the corner with red ink.  I then stamped the sentiment along the left side of the envelope.  I finished by tracing the star stencil around santa.  

 Next I stamped Santa again in a corner of a white envelope.  I stamped a second Santa and cut him out to use as a mask.  He turned very yellow very quickly. :)  I placed the mask over Santa first.  I then placed the star stencil over the masked Santa.  I sponged all around Santa and into the star yellow dye ink.

I then took the small stars stencil and sponged a mix of stars all over the front of the envelope.  I stamped the Merry Mail and Deliver to using archival ink and drew a few lines for the address.

I like this so much I made a second envelope only using black ink for Santa.

My final project was to make a postcard.  I set up the mailing side of the post card: 

 Just stamped Santa in silver added a happy Merry Mail in red ink. I stamped the Carte Postale along the top and drew a dividing line. 

I stamped the front of the postcard just like the envelope but used silver for the stars. 

I also created two more tags from a background I created with a mix of silver and gold ink.

 I started by creating the front of what I thought was going to be a postcard.  But when I added the deer and the sentiment I was inspired to cut them down and use them as tags. 

 I mounted the tags on a background created by sponging versamark around the edges and heat embossing with the gold embossing powder.

Well I hope this has you thinking of fun mail or tags you can create for the holidays!

Suzz

Products: (Linked to Darkroom Door)
Darkroom Door Merry Mail 
Darkroom Door Brushed Christmas Vol 1
Darkroom Door Christmas Reindeer
Darkroom Door Festive Ornaments
Darkroom Door Small Stencil Star
Darkroom Door Small Stencil Starry Night
Tsukeniko Delicata Silver & Gold Inks
Ranger Embossing Powder Gold
Ranger Embossing Powder Gold Tinsel
Versamark Watermark Ink
Ranger Distress Ink - Fossilized Amber
Ranger Archival Ink - Vermillion, Leaf Green,  Magenta Hue, Jet Black
Gold Paint

I'm Seeing Stars

Hi!  I am back to share a post highlighting the new Darkroom Door Star Small Stencil!

 I had some linen material on my desk from my last project and reached out to that first.  I applied gesso to the linen and  had to wait until that dried.  While that was drying I spent some time making stars with the stencil on paper with embossing paste.   After the painted linen dried I created stars on the painted linen with embossing paste. 

I waited for a few to dry and stamped on the star by placing the stencil back in place and stamping over the stencil with script.

I added a hint of stamping in the background with a gold ink and a music stamp.   I stamped the believe stamp onto a piece of leftover linen and embossed with gold embossing powder.  It is a little difficult to see on this angle but looks beautiful IRL.

I sewed the golden star onto the center of the embossed star.  It actually worked really well with the embossing paste. It was like sewing through a soft batting. :)

I added a stamped No. 25 from the Merry Mail stamp set.

On my next linen background I used a few different sprays to add some color to the background and star.

While the embossed star is wet I sprayed a variety of brown, ivory and gold inky sprays.  After it dried the script was stamped over the star.  Then I stamped the Believe onto a scrap of painted linen with Versamark.  I heat embossed using gold embossing powder.  I then inked up the edges with the brown inky spray.

The rest were fun embellishments that were painted with gold metallic paint and attached to the linen background.

While everything was drying at different times I spent some time using the stencil with distress inks.

I started with yellow stars sponged on a white background.  I then pulled out the cobalt blue ink and started to add accents to the background.

Then I accented with some splatters in the background and some stars and accents from different sets.
 

My final card mixed the sunshine stencil with the star mask/stencil.  I placed the star mask under the sunshine stencil on a piece of white cardstock. 

I sponged over the entire layered stencils with a yellow die ink.  I then removed both stencils and placed the star stencil over the white star and sponged in the ink. It leaves a little white line around the star which I highlighted with white gel pen to accent. 

I added a few coordinating stars and sentiment in a soft orange ink.

Thanks for stopping by!

Suzz

Products: (Links to Darkroom Door)
Darkroom Door Small Stencil Star
Darkroom Door Small Stencil Sunshine 
Darkroom Door Rubber Stamp Set Merry Mail 
Darkroom Door Rubber Stamp Set Christmas Reindeer
Darkroom Door Rubber Stamp Set New York Vol 1
Darkroom Door Rubber Stamp Set Stars 
Darkroom Door Rubber Stamp Set Simple Sayings Vol 1
Ranger Distress Inks - Fossilized Amber, Ground Espresso, Wild Honey
Ranger Archival Ink - Cobalt
Dylusions Shimmer Spray - Melted Chocolate
Ranger Distress Stain Sprays - Antique Linen, Ground Espresso, Fossilized Amber, Tarnished Brass
Versamark Watermark Ink
Ranger Wendy Vecchi - Embossing Paste
Tsukeniko Delicata Gold Ink
Ranger Gold Embossing Powder 
Dina Wakely White Gesso
Prima Alchemy Gold Metallique Paint

Festive Ornaments

Hi!  I am sharing today a card made with the new Darkroom Door Festive Ornament Rubber Stamp set.

Steps:

1.  Stamp ornaments using plum colored ink.  Stagger on background.
2.  Stamp the sentiments on white cardstock. Cut out and edge with silver ink.
3. Edge card and background with silver ink.
4. Draw hanging lines to ornaments with versamark ink and emboss with silver tinsel embossing powder.
5. Dye ribbon with silver ink and add as accents to ornaments.
6. Splatter silver inky spray over background.

My next card was a mix of the ornaments in a softer archival ink.

I used a mix of the of the ornaments stamped in blue violet and highlighted in a shimmery gold ink.

For the final card I used the sentiment in a repeated pattern in the background. 

I stamped the words repeatedly using a distress oxide ink. I then stamped the reindeer over the top and embossed with a nice rich grey embossing powder.

These ornaments bring back visions of vintage Christmas.  Thanks for stopping by!

Suzz

Products: 
Darkroom Door - Festive Ornaments
Darkroom Door - Christmas Reindeer
Ranger Archival Ink - Thistle, Blue Violet
Ranger Embossing Powder - Watering Can 
Jingle Bells
Krylon Silver Pen
Ranger Distress Stain Sprays -Tarnished Brass, Silver
Prima Art Alchemy - Unicorn Sparks Gold
Seam Binding