A Masculine Card with Versamark Ideas

Don't you enjoy having a stamp set that includes enough images to make your card? I'm constantly mixing my stamp sets for different styles and enjoy it, too, but sometimes it's nice to sit down with one stamp set and create. This card is intended for a male's birthday and I used the SU! retired stamp set, Riveting. (If you don't have it, I bet your SU! demonstrator could locate one for you to purchase.) It's a classic and that is why I kept it. The patterned paper was found at my local Dollar Store. I was surprised to find the selection of papers in the package similar to the SU! colors. (Don't you love that?) The main image was stamped in black and colored with the SU! Only Orange marker. After using the 1 1/4 inch circle punch on the image, it was adhered with dimensionals (similar to pop-dots) to the card. The brads are also from SU! The circles on top of the card were stamped with Versamark ink. All of these items were mounted to a white card. I love using Versamark ink as it gives a watermark image and adds texture to my stamped items.

Here's a question for you: What one item would you suggest a beginner stamper purchase? (besides a scrubber and mist) I'd love to hear your suggestions. I would have to suggest they purchase a Versamark pad, because of it's many uses. Below are several of the many uses for this unique pad. ( I don't know who compiled this list, sorry!) The only negative side of the Versamark pad is it tends to cling to any ink left on your stamps and can look dingy very quickly. But, this doesn't affect the use of the pad, so keep on using it. Here are the other ideas and please add comments with other suggestions for this unique ink pad.

1. A TRULY CLEAR EMBOSSING PAD - Use like you would the Top Boss. Just stamp and emboss with colored powder or clear powder for a see through shine.

2. A WATERMARK - This is great for backgrounds, it will deepen the shade of colored paper wherever you stamp. Just think about this, for every color of paper you own, you now have a complementary color of ink!

3. POPPIN' PASTELS - There are a couple of ways to accomplish this effect on light colored card stocks. 1.) Apply chalks to the area to be stamped, stamp with Versamark and allow to dry or use heat gun. Then rub gently with a clean cotton ball. You can get a dramatic effect by adding more chalk to a cotton ball or dauber after you stamped with the Versamark. Or you can emboss while stamped image is still wet with clear embossing powder and the image will jump out at you! 2.) Stamp first then chalk gently over the stamped area and watch the image "magically" appear. You can follow this same technique but replace Pearl Ex Pigment Powders in place of chalks.

4. REVERSE PASTELS (AKA PULLIN' PASTELS) - This time you use brightly colored chalk to cover dark colored card stock (Basic Black, Night of Navy, Close to Cocoa, Old Olive, etc.) and then stamp over the chalked area. The ink will pull out the color of the paper from beneath the chalk. Be sure to clean the stamp before re-inking it as the chalk you removed is now on your stamp and you will dirty your Versamark pad.

5. SHADOWING - This is a technique to use with Spectrum pads and word stamps but you can use it for anything really. Just stamp directly over your first image. Because you will seldom be exact you will make a shadow that gives the initial image a 3-D effect. You can even take it a step further and emboss with a transparent powder like Pearl or Iridescent Ice.

6. BRAYER RESIST - This technique looks great when done with Versamark. Stamp image(s) onto Glossy White card stock. Gently wipe away the ink using a lotion-free tissue and small circular motion. Ink up your brayer and roll it over the paper. Wherever the Versamark ink was stamped, the paper will resist the colored ink from your brayer. This works on matte card stock but looks better on glossy.

7. VERSAMARK & 2-STEP STAMPIN' - Stamp the same image first w/Versamark & then with metallic (Encore). Just shift the image a little bit when stamping the metallic ink. It gives it a shadowed look. Looks great on baroque burgundy and forest foliage!

8. EMBOSSING ON GLASS - Using the embossing buddy first, then using the Versamark to stamp the image on a glass container, then emboss with detail gold or silver. Fill it with candy and tie a ribbon on it.

9. EMBOSSING WITH YOUR 48 STAMPIN! UP PADS - Ink your stamp with Versamark, then stamp on one of our 48 color pads or you can use a dauber to apply the color ink if you are worried about the color pad. Stamp and use clear embossing powder. Heat. Now you can emboss and be perfectly coordinated with the SU! Markers, cardstock and ink pads. Be certain to clean stamp before re-inking on Versamark pad or you will leave color on it.

10. DISCREET JOURNALING LINES - Although the Versamark ink is sticky when applied, it dries like regular ink and loses the stickiness. It is Acid-free and safe for scrapbook pages. It works perfectly on all of our colored cardstock.

11. BATIK TECHNIQUE - Simply stamp your image using Versamark on ultra smooth white or confetti or some other light CS and then emboss with clear embossing powder. Let cool. Then gently wad paper into a ball or you could fold it into a small square for a different look. Unfold it and smooth it out. Place it on a towel and wet with water so the paper is very damp. Next ink your brayer with a Spectrum pad and brayer across the paper. The image will stay white while the ink will seep into cracks and the rest of the paper will have a batik look. (Like back in the 70's when you applied wax to a pattern on a shirt and then dipped it in dye, cooled and chipped the wax away. Like far out man!)

12. EMBOSSING BRADS - Another great use for Versamark... Take a brass fastener, pinch it in a clothes pin, dip the head in Versamark, then dip in embossing powder, heat with heat gun, while powder is still wet, dip again in embossing powder & heat one last time. After it cools down you will have a nice enamel type colored coating on your fastener.

13. PRESERVING CHILDREN'S HAND PRINTS - Versamark is a great pigment ink to use on little kids' hands to make embossed hand prints, because it is clear and cleans up easily. Grown-ups should do the embossing of the sweet little hand prints since the powder can be messy and the heat gun is hot. But let the little ones watch their hand print turn to gold or silver before their eyes - they LOVE it! And I'm sure you can imagine how the moms, dads, or grandparents will love their precious one's little hand print preserved in gold!

14. HEAT & STICK - Use it with heat and stick powder to add glittery glitz or flocking to any project.

15. A PROTECTIVE COATING FOR SCISSORS - Rub on your Craft & Rubber Scissors and it will keep them from getting all gunky with sticky stuff.

16. CLEAR EMBOSS RESIST - Use it with clear embossing powder on white, vanilla, naturals, confetti, kraft or any soft colored paper. Then sponge over the clear embossed image and watch it pop out.

17. POLY SHRINK - Use it on poly shrink projects. After you shrink your item press it into the Versamark pad. Add the clear or translucent powder of your choice and heat. Repeat till you get the thickness and look you want

18. FULL COVERAGE EMBOSSING - Brayer with the Versamark over a stamped image and use glassy glaze embossing powder. This will give you an all over gloss. Repeat till it is the thickness you want.

19. SOOT STAMPING - Hold glossy card stock over an oil lamp with the flame turned up high to leave deposits of soot on it. Using a clean stamp, ink it with the Versamark pad and then stamp on the soot. The stamp removes the soot and leaves a bit different effect than if you stamp with just the bare rubber. Be sure to clean stamp in between EACH time you stamp on your soot project so you won't get any of it on your Versamark pad. You must then spray with a fixative.

20. VERSAMARK IS FOR KIDS!! Versamark is a GREAT kid's ink pad. Just let the little ones stamp their little hearts out without ever worrying about an ink mess on those precious little hands or faces or table . . . or anything else for that matter! It doesn't stain the wood on the stamps either. Encourage your young ones to watch for the "magic ink" . . . Just a second of waiting and they will see the image magically appear. This is great for elementary students in a classroom sitting too.

Enough ideas for you? Enjoy and have a safe weekend!