gg designs Catalog Home of Unmounted, Carved Look Rubber Stamps

February 2010--Deb Lovett's Spray Starch Technique


Carved Look, Unmounted Rubber Stamps Catalog • gg designs' blog • STAMPSggdesigns@aol.com February 2010

Special orders (requests for stamps not currently in stock) placed on the 15th of every month.


Meet the Stamp Artists

Deb Lovett I recently "met" . . . gg designs through a sketch challenge at rubberstampchat. I enjoy stamping and learning new techniques, and I look for opportunities to share that enjoyment with others. I am a teacher at heart. That teaching opportunity may be in a class, a tutorial, or even by publishing a card and explaining how it is made.
Stamping is a fun craft, and even if we aren't "artistic," we can be creative and make something lovely to give away or keep in a scrapbook. I have a wonderful and very encouraging husband. We have two grown daughters. I work full time and besides stamping, I am active in our church and in Bible studies. ggd--In our correspondence related to preparing this issue, Deb wrote: I work at Hobby Lobby (Asst Mgr/Floral Dept Mgr) and recently had to fill out an accident report with the Mgr present. (Background: I have been a secretary for YEARS. I worked for the State Dept, with temp tours in Russia and Geneva, then worked in a private law firm -- always as secretary. That was back when we typed on typewriters. Nowadays I type (on a computer) for an author. So to continue, I was filling out the accident report on the computer, and the Mgr. noticed that I know how to type. "Who taught you to type?" she asked. "I was a secretary for years," I answered. BUT in my mind, I was proudly thinking of my past history. Then a humbling thought crossed my mind: People don't care about who you WERE. They care about who you ARE. *------------------------------------* *Not to argue but--We care about it all. Love this additional insight and information about your background and your experiences. ggd*

Deb acknowledges her love of techniques and her willingness to share them. Her belief that "even if we aren't "artistic," we can be creative and make something lovely" is at the heart of the tutorials and challenges here at gg designs. This month she is sharing her "Spray Starch Technique." She writes: BTW, as far as I know I came up with the technique. I was doing a : "Stamping Around the House" series several years ago and wanted to have a class using items from the laundry room, and wondered what would happen if I mixed spray starch and PE [Pearl Ex]. I was thrilled with how it turned out... I sent the technique to Technique Junkies and Pat featured it as an Ultimate Technique. After a year or so I sent it to Take Ten and they they featured it in the Jan 2008 issue. That was pretty exciting for me. ggd--We feel excited and privileged to be able to share this exciting technique here. Thanks. Deb.
Spray Starch Technique You will love the shimmer and shine of this amazingly simple background.
Materials needed: Black cardstock Spray Starch (I use Niagra) Pearl Ex (one or more colors) Foam paint brush Tray (devoted to crafting)
• Place black cardstock on the tray and spray it liberally with Spray Starch. • Tap on Pearl Ex powder(s). • Use the foam paint brush to swirl the Pearl Ex into the Spray Starch. If using more than one color, try not to mix. • Let dry. Use as a background, or emboss your stamped image with a contrasting color directly on the Spray Starch background. Note: The Spray Starch acts as the adhesive and sets the Pearl Ex. *There you have it! Short-Sweet-Simple! And oh so much fun!*



We think you will love playing with this lush technique. But don't get stuck on using it just for backgrounds. See what else you can come up with.

For this month's Challenge, please use Deb's Spray Starch Technique and Arlene's Rubberstampchat December Challenge Sketch: (Note: We've linked to the RSC Challenge but would like you to use Deb's Technique combined with Arlene's Sketch. Thanks.)
This sketch allows the background to be quite visible, but if you feel you need more space to show off your Spray Starch results, alter away! Here at ggd we pretty much believe that directions, sketches and other guidelines are idea starters and points of departure. The important thing is to PLAY!
We are anxious to see what you come up with. This month's winner will have the choice of either of the specials below. Send a scan of your entry to: February Challenge. Thanks.

First February Entry!!!

Here's my card for the Feb challenge.

It's a fun challenge and got me working way out of my comfort zone.

I bought the Pearl Ex a couple of years ago and this is the first time I opened the jars. I used gold and copper Pearl Ex and Copper Sparkles embossing powder on the feathers and saying to tie them together. Sorry the picture isn't very good. Kept getting glare from the sparkles and gold mirror cardstock in the background so had to shoot it at a angle.

Deloris Thiede

ggd: Really glamorous with all the glitter and sparkles!

Additional Information from Deloris:
I used the Pearl Ex on the green layer.

One hint I learned when using the spray starch technique. Make sure you use a heavy weight cardstock (80 to 110lb) as the 65 lb will buckle when it gets sprayed and won't stay attached to the cardfront. (Lol, found that out on the first batch of backgrounds I made that wound up in the trash...)

ggd: Whoops! Drag those "flops" out of the trash! You never know when they will come in handy! (Accents? Fringe? Paper Beads?)
Click on the feather and/or the phrase to find them in ggd's catalog.

Deb: Deloris' card turned out fantastic! Yes, pull those Spray Starch sheets out of the trash! Mine curled, but I use a glue stick to adhere them to my card.You can also gently run your finger down the back of it and get it to straighten ou

Comments for Deloris:

Deloris made such a stunning card. It's a beautiful use of the sketch and the technique. I love the colors that she used.

What! you threw them away! We don't throw our mistakes in the trash. They will eventually become something beautiful. But, I see that you pulled them back out. Good girl.

Off, to get Pearl-ex and spray starch later this morning.

Jeanette

I love that feather card!

Vivian Reilly

My sketch has never looked more lovely. I especially like that you tried using a different dark color instead of black. I'm thinking I have to get to the paper store and find some 110 lb cover stock. My stuff is too lightweight.

Arlene

ggd: Don't be too sure Arlene. Deb discusses how to flatten out the paper..........besides : ) there are always paper beads : )

A Plea for Help:

I'm all over starch and gorgeous gold but my paper is not looking nearly as lovely!
What am I doing wrong?
Because the Pearl Ex is expensive and I'm a tight wad, am I using too little? But, even with my frugal approach, when I get started I can't seem to stop...I add and swirl and swirl and add.
And I end up with a nice piece of silver paper or a nice piece of gold with a little green (my second swirl color) showing through.
It's pretty but somehow not nearly as elegant as yours. HELP?
Because of everyone's caution about the paper curling, I laid it on a slightly dampened cookie sheet and that seemed to hold the paper in place.
Is there a "test" of some sort to let me know when the starch is just right as opposed to too much or too little? (Sounds kind of like the Goldilocks dilemma doesn't it?)
Is there a measure for how much or how little Pearl Ex to add?
I imagine I'm making this much more difficult than it needs to be....but I do need some additional information.

Thanks in advance.

A. Nony Moose

An answer from Deb:

Hmm...

I don't worry about the curling. I spray on a lot of Spray Starch so the cardstock is wet. Then I tap on PE in spots around the paper.

I suggest since you are somewhat timid, to work on a 1/4 piece of black cardstock. You can re-work what you have already started. Also how about if you start with just one color of PE. Don't "paint" the entire sheet. Swirl it around, you want some of the black to show through. If you use too much PE, when the SS dries, the PE is cake-like and you can brush it off.

Keep me posted. I want you to succeed!!!!!

Deb

>>>You can leave comments for any of the artists or discuss your experience with the technique by clicking on the mail box above or here>>>

Recently added Profiles
Jeanette Waters	Arlene Faber
Added to the "Artists" Section--Click on the photos or see link below at bottom of page.

Sketch Challenges and Throw Down Links :

• October 2008--Heather Presents The First Sketch Challenge
• January 2009--Jeanette Waters' Sketch Challenge
• February 2009--Valentine Challenges
• March/April 2009--Bonus Challenges
• May 09--Mother's Day Cards
• Male Mail & Father's Day Cards--Gone but not forgotten...refer to this page when you
get "stuck" for ideas for the men in your lives.
• July Slice n' Dice Samples
• Wood Veneer Challenge Results
• Ida's Watercolor Challenge
• Arlene Faber's December 09 Sketch

February "Stamp(s) of the Month"

Tea Set Regularly $15.00 February Sale Price $12.00

Quilt Blocks
After Gee's Quilts. These were designed to be used in mail art projects coordinated with the US Postal Service's stamps featuring these marvelous quilt designs. They work well as backgrounds and accents for other projects.

Regularly $15.00 February Sale Price $12.00

Please use your browser's BACK button to return to previous page(s).
Use links to navigate to other areas.

Please report broken links to: STAMPSggdesigns@aol.com

gg designs no longer produces single images. All new designs are "sets" in three sizes.
2010 Prices:
• Quarter Sheet $8.00 • Half Sheet $15 • Full Sheet $28
Single images are sold if they are in stock or are specifically ordered, at the price listed in the catalog.

To be notified when this page changes submit your request here:
Yes, please notify me when the Gazette Page changes.