Whiff of Joy Tutorial: Using Multiple Images

Hello everyone!

I just wanted to point you all to the Whiff of Joy blog to see my tutorial and tips on how to use multiple stamps.  Below is my card using one of my tips.

For this card, I used the ribbon flower technique again using lace.  I love this look!

Stamps: Whiff of Joy Life's a Beach July Store Kit and Fun in the Sun June Store Kit 
Sentiment: Whimsy Stamps Birthday Letter Seals
Coloring Medium: Distress Reinkers
Paper: BasicGrey Green at Heart
Accessories: Prima roses, flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts, lace
Tools: Cuttlebug, Nestabilities, Shapeabilities Fancy Tags, Making Memories Paper Trimmer,  ATG adhesive gun

This card is for a couple of challenges:

1. Scrappy Frogs - Girlie Girl
2. Pollycraft - Birthday

Whiff of Joy Tutorial: Coloring Black and White images

 Hi everyone! I hope that you're having a good week so far :)

I would just like to point you all to the Whiff of Joy Inspiration blog for a tutorial that I created on how to use distress inks to color black and white images.  I've used Graduation Willow, which is part of the new City Girls II Collection that released on the 25th.  This card uses the sketch at KL Stampin N Scrappin Challenge.

Here's my finished card:

Stamp: Whiff of Joy Graduation Willow; Medium: Distress Inks; Paper: BasicGrey Ambrosia; Accessories/tools: Cuttlebug, Nestabilities, pearls, Prima flowers, MS leaf punch, Spritz Concrete

Tutorials: How to add watermarks to your photos

As a service to all those who have purchased custom watermarks from the Whimsy Stamps Custom Designs Store and also to all my blog readers who might also be interested in this topic, I've decided to put together a few tutorials on how to add watermarks to your photos.  Below are links of where to find three FREE programs you can use to watermark your photos as well as the screencast tutorial on how to use the program to watermark your photo.  Hopefully these all make sense, and if it still doesn't, please feel free to email me at raindropecho@gmail.com.


You can also find the tutorials permanently on my blog page here: http://raindropechodesigns.blogspot.com/p/tutorials-on-how-to-add-watermarks-to.html

Adding Watermarks to Your Images

Screencast tutorials by Ann Vento of Raindrop Echo Designs

Please email raindropecho@gmail.com for questions and/or comments

Using Photoscape
(download Photoscape for free here)
http://www.screencast.com/t/ZTVkNWJj


Using Paint.NET
(download Paint.NET for free here)
http://www.screencast.com/t/MGVhN2Q4Mz


Using GIMP
(download GIMP for free here)
http://www.screencast.com/t/MjJiOWE4Zm


Other screencasts coming soon: 
Adding Watermarks Using Photoshop
How to change watermark colors
Changing colors of digital images

Combining Challenges 101

Do you love to play along in challenges, but are too busy to make one item for all the challenges out there? Do you wonder how some fit so many challenges into one card/layout?

Yes, you’ve seen them around. In every challenge blog you go, their name is in Mr. Linky, but it’s the same card/layout. How do they do it? This may not be how some do it, but I’ve put together the 3 easy steps I take to combining multiple challenges (at least 3) into one creation. I hope you find this helpful!

Three easy steps to combining challenges:

1. Break up the challenges into categories. My three main categories are (A) Sketch challenges (B) Color challenges (C) Theme challenges and I’ve found that this has worked out pretty well.
2. Pick one challenge from each category. For example, on this card I used a sketch from Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge, a black and white color challenge for Rosie-Dee’s and The Pink Elephant , and a theme challenge of “As you like it” from Daisy May Challenges.
3. Look down the list of Theme challenges to see if any are the same or if you can incorporate a few in one creation. For example, if a challenge calls for you to use a picture as an inspiration and another asks for you to use a bird, you can use the colors from the inspiration picture on your bird. Also, watch out for those that call for a certain type of embellishment; most likely you can add it onto your creation. This is when things get really fun!
   

Those are the 3 easy steps I take to combine challenges. The reason why I do it this way is that I cannot combine a sketch challenge with another sketch challenge and the same goes with color challenges. Therefore, if you put them in these three categories, you’re bound to get at least 3 challenges on one creation.

Well, that’s my two cents. Comment below for to share your own tips! Enjoy combining your challenges!

Reader submissions:

1. "Copy and paste challenges into Word or a spreadsheet" - Kim Y.
2. "I have a list of daily challenges in my favorites and every morning I check it out and put it in a word document." - Stef. H (I do this too!! My challenge blogs are put into separate bookmark folders and in Firefox, I just open up all the sites in that folder at one time.)

TUTORIAL: Embossed butterfly with twine

These are becoming one of my favorite things to add to my cards. Today I made another one that had these embossed butterflies (you can see the other ones here and here). I decided to put together a tutorial in case someone wanted to make them and didn't know how. The reason why I decided to put this tutorial up is because I haven't seen butterflies put together in this particular way, but I could be wrong and there could already be another tutorial out there. If so, sorry about that :)

You don't need much supplies and they're easy to make, but if you have questions, just let me know. If you decide to use this tutorial and make some, I would love to see what you've done with them!!

Supplies: Scissors, paper, embossing folder/tool, hemp cord

Step 1: Fold paper in half and draw a simple half outline of a butterfly.
I usually just freehand cut it and see what looks good; you can do the same.
I'll make some more "complicated" butterfly shapes when I get the chance.


Step 2: Cut out the butterfly outline and unfold.

Step 3: Emboss the cut shape in any way you want with any folder.
I use Swiss Dots a lot because I think it goes with a lot of my cards.


Step 4: Take your hemp cord or any other type of string (it shouldn't be too thin) and fold in it half.
Place the string on top of the cut butterfly.



Step 5: Fold the string in half again and place the first part you folded part in the back. It's hard to describe, so please see picture for clarification. After you folded your string again, loop the front cut ends of the string through the first string fold.Step 6: Pull the string taut and you're finished! You can decorate the butterfly any way you want. I usually leave it undecorated because I like how it looks that way.

Hope you enjoyed the tutorial and that it was easy to follow!