CCEE1727 Mask, Masking

Maryann starts her month as hostess for the CCEE Stampers by asking us to create a card using a mask -- whether it is a masking technique or a stamped image of a mask.  I chose a favorite technique of mine -- reverse masking -- for my card. 

To see how the rest of the team used masks on their cards, check out the CCEE Stampers blog.

CCEE1642 - One-layer Card

This week Joanne asked the CCEE Stampers to make a true one-layer card -- nothing popped up or embellished.  Also, our card must have a Halloween or Thanksgiving theme.  I used one of my favorite background techniques -- reverse masking.

Check out the CCEE Stampers blog for some more one-layer cards.

Speedy Fox and Friends - Favorite Technique

The Speedy Fox and Friends challenge this week was to use your favorite technique.  One of my very favorite techniques is reverse masking -- just cut out a shape and sponge within the negative space that's left. It's a good way to give some depth without adding weight to your card.  If you've never tried this technique, here is a tutorial I wrote explaining how to do it.

Another technique I like is to coordinate your envelope by stamping part of an image from your card onto it. In this case, I stamped the upper portion of my heron on the corner of my envelope.  I had colored in the heron on my card to make a full silhouette, but I decided to leave the detail on the envelope.

Show us what your favorite technique is by making a card and uploading it the MFP Blog.  You might just win a free stamp set.

Stamps:  Mark's Finest Papers - Marsh Birds, Marsh Silhouettes, Scenic Selections
Paper:  MFP Bang Up Blue, Snow Storm Smooth
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Tim Holtz Distress Tumbled Glass
Accessories:  Glitter Brads, Memento Tuxedo Black marker, Spellbinders Hexagon Nestabilities die

CCEE1228 - Reverse Masking

Each member of the CCEE challenge blog gets to be hostess for a month -- that means she can pick the challenge.  As I am the hostess for July, I decided to use my very favorite technique for the challenge this week -- Reverse Masking.  I usually use Eclipse Tape to mask off the rest of the card while I am sponging my background.  I love it!  (Mental note to self -- you need another roll of Eclipse Tape.  Yours is almost gone.)

My card is a sneak peek at a new stamp set from Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company, which will be released next week.  It is called Be Wild & Free.  Included in the set is a most-familiar African tree, which is what I used on my card.  To make this card, I first cut out an opening in a piece of Eclipse Tape using the third largest Large Petite Ovals nestabilities die and then sponged on the background color.  I used four different Tim Holtz Distress inks -- Scattered Straw, Wild Honey, Crushed Marigold, and Spiced Marmalade.    Whenever I remove the Eclipse Tape mask,  I am always amazed at how dramatic it looks!

I then stamped the tree, the lion, and the sentiment in Versafine Onyx Black.  One trick I've learned when using silhouette clear stamps is to rub a white eraser on the stamp to "rough up" the surface.  The ink seems to grip better, and you get a much cleaner image.   All that was left was to pierce the corners, and voila -- I was finished.

We'd love for you to play along with the CCEE team.  Just make your card and upload to the CCEE blog using Mr. Linky at the bottom of the post.

Stamps:  Mark's Finest Papers - Be Wild & Free

Paper:  MFP Favorite Natural

Ink:  Tim Holtz Distress Scattered Straw, Wild Honey, Crushed Marigold, Spiced Marmalade; Versafine Onyx Black

Accessories:  Petite Ovals Nestabilities die, Eclipse tape, Paper piercing tool and template

Featured MFP DT Member Tutorial - Reverse Masking

Masking is one of my favorite, rather simple, techniques. I love the way you can get depth on a flat surface.  Regular masking allows you to make a scene come alive, and reverse masking lets you put a background behind your focal image.  This week's MFP Featured Design Team Member is me!  I wrote a tutorial on Reverse Masking -- check it out on Speedy TV.  Here are several examples of reverse masking.

This is the sample I used for my tutorial.  I actually used both regular and reverse masking on this card.  The rose was masked with a post-it note on which I had stamped the rose.  The heart is the negative of a mask created with a Spellbinders heart nestie.

Yesterday's Clean and Simple challenge was all about love.  I'm not a dog owner at the moment, but I have owned dogs in the past.  Dog owners love their pets, so I made a card for all the dog lovers out there.

Again I used both regular and reverse masking.  After stamping the cute little dog, I stamped the image again on Eclipse Tape, cut it out, and placed the mask on the dog.  Once again, the heart is the negative of a Spellbinders heart nestie.

I saw a technique a while ago on Splitcoaststampers where two sections of the card are masked off and then the middle section is sponged.  This is also an example of reverse masking.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today.  I hope you try this simple, yet dramatic technique.

Stampin'B Challenge - Pink Thank You

As hostess for this week's Stampin'B challenge, Emily wanted us to make a thank you card using spring colors -- one of which had to be pink. I colored my Mark's Finest Papers' gerber daisies using Copic markers in several shades of pink. One of my favorite techniques is Reverse Masking. I like the way it can highlight your image.





I cut out the daisies using a Labels Eleven nestie and mounted it on some Basic Grey Two Scoops DP. The strip down the side was made with a Martha Stewart border punch. It's not quite a CAS card, but it is flat and shouldn't take any extra postage.

Stamps: Mark's Finest Papers - Greet the Day with Gerber
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Distress Mustard Seed
Paper: Mark's Finest Papers Snow Storm Smooth, Basic Grey Two Scoops DP
Accessories: Labels Eleven Nestabilities, Martha Stewart border punch, Copic markers (R11, R12, R14, BG93, BG96)