Archive for August, 2010

Here is where we left off yesterday.

I entered all of my stamp ink pads into excel (by their actual names) then I sorted them alphabetically.  Then I numbered them.  What I don’t have a picture to show is the sheets that I made with 3 large rectangles across and 8 rectangles down the page.

Next with gloves on I slowly but surely, took the coffee filter flowers and inked them and then placed them on the page and numbered them according to their name.

I took re-positionable tape and taped it down to the square and then wrote in the corresponding number to the ink pad name.  This way I could get all of the flowers inked and tape down with the right number so they could dry.  For example the blue flower with a #1 in the square was Ballet Blue.

I let them dry overnight and then I cut each square out.  I then took the colors by groups, i.e. pinks, greens, yellows, etc.

Within each group I lined the up from light to dark.

I then went back to the computer and keyed in each name corresponding with the numbers of each group (going from light to dark in each color group) and glued each flower into the appropriate named box.

I started with the blue violet, then moved into the pinks, then reds, then orange, then yellow, then greens and then blues.  I also did the browns and blacks just so I would have an inventory of all the ink pads.   Click on the pictures to get a close up of the names.

Now when I get ready to make my flowers or when I need to match an ink pad to some pattern paper it can easily be done by just going to these inventory sheets and see what I have on hand.  I know it is a lot of work but it’s one of those you do a lot now to save you some time later.  I keep it attached to my bulletin board next to my Copic Marker chart.  Both of them right at my finger tips when I start combining colors for flowers.

I thought I would show you my stamp ink pad inventory.  When I’m making the coffee filter flowers I was having difficulty with blending some colors together.  One of the areas you have to deal with when using coffee filters is the ink looks darker when you first ink everything and because it is so porous it soaks up a lot of ink.

I decided to make an inventory sheet (or should I say sheets) so I could see what the colors looked like on the coffee filter petals when they were dry.

Using the TH Alterations Tattered Floral die cut is where I started.  I’ve found using the die cut to cut the coffee filters works the best.

I’ve tired using a punch but it didn’t cut as well.  I didn’t try the Cricut but figured the coffee filter would be to fragile to pull off the mat without tearing.

This is a great die cut and it is a must have to make all kinds of flowers.  This is a thick die and it can work in your CB.  I use a B plate (one the I use to cut), the die cut, the paper and then another B plate.  It will cut through 8 layers of coffee filter without any issues.

I fold the coffee filter in half.

Then half again (this makes 4 flowers at this point).

And half again.

Find the flower on the die cut and place it in the area, then place the B plate (the B plate I use for cutting) to hold it in place.  This B plate is not my cutting plate but I wanted you to see how I placed it on the die cut.

Run the sandwich through CB and it cuts right through every layer.  You can see in this picture that my B plate that I use for cutting is very scarred and has lots of cuts.  This is ok, they are designed to get scarred up and eventually they will break.  At that point get yourself another B plate and keep going!

If you are real careful you can get two cuts out of your coffee filter on the small flower.

I need a bunch of these (I’m ink pad poor), so I tried to get as many cuts out of one coffee filter as I possibly could.

Next, I used Excel and listed all the names of my ink pads.  Once I had them listed I sorted them alphabetically and then numbered them.

I probably could have just taken a flower at this point and inked it up and slapped it on a page but I wanted to be able to color coordinate the pages (light color to dark color) and in the same order as I keep my Copic Markers.

I know what you are thinking, and yes it was a lot of work but I’m really glad I did it because it makes pulling colors together for flowers a lot easier.  Tune in tomorrow when I finish up this project.  I needed to break this post up so it would not be so long.

Hi Everyone!  Here is the next video in my home made flowers series.  I love making these flowers and I love how simple they are.  So enjoy!

Here is a picture so you can see up close.  Oops!  Looks like I didn’t get the glass bead set in the center correctly.  Oh well, I can add some glitter and make that look right.

These are really fun to make and they have such a soft look.  Let me know if you try any and how they came out!