Author: Suzanne Porter

How To Guides

What Is A Digi Stamp and How Do I Use Them?

Suzanne Porter

If your new to the world of Digi Stamps then the questions What Is A Digi Stamp? & How Do I Use Them? Is a very important one – I’ve seen it asked many times on social media and people are always helpful when responding to that question. Today I’m going to explain what a digi stamp is. Talk about file formats, what card stock to print them off on, how to resize your digi’s and show you the wonderful world of digital art!

What is a Digi Stamp?

A Digi Stamp (also know as a Digital Stamp) is a black and white line drawing – which can be drawn on a computer (digitally) or hand drawn & made digital. You download them onto your computer, where they can be resized before printing. Digi Stamps can come in different digital formats such as; JPEG, PDF, or PNG. PNG files have a transparent background. There is no physical stamp – but they can be printed as many times as you like when you need them.

What Do I Need To Use Digi Stamp?

To start using digi stamps you’ll need a computer, a reliable website to purchase stamps from (I recommend Etsy.com) a printer, card stock and colouring equipment.
Once you’ve purchased and downloaded your digi stamp, you can open your file in a photo application or a pdf reader (follow my instruction below on how to start printing). I recommend at least 300gsm super smooth card stock – if your using alcohol based markers to shade your digi stamp this will help prevent bleeding.

Printing and Resizing Your Digi Stamps…

Here I will show you how to print and resize your digi stamp via a PDF Reader. There are other way to do so ( You can also open JPEG files in a Word & resize you image this way) – but I find the PDF way the easiest & if your a beginner this is a good place to start

Step 1; open your chosen digi stamp in a PDF Reader & locate the little printer icon (this will normally be on the top bar)
Step 2; Once the printing menu box comes up, locate the button which say ‘Properties’ & click
Step 3; You may need to change the orientation of the page from either ‘Landscape’ or ‘Portrait’. Use the drop down box for ‘Paper Type’ (I normally stick with Plain Paper) and check the drop down box for ‘Quality’ I normally change this to high – then click ok once you have the setting right
(Different printers may have a different options layout – I have an epson printer but most will have the options I have listed above)
Step 4; under ‘Page Sizing & handling’ click on the box which say ‘Custom Scale’ here you can adjust the percentage to increase or reduce the size of the image. When your happy with the size click print – then you can start creating

What colouring equipment to use?

Alcohol based markers and coloured pencils are best for digi stamps – due the printing ink, it’s not recommended to use any medium too wet as this will make the lines run and distort. You can still use your favourite embellishments and glitters to add finishing touches.

Digi Stamps and Copyrights?

Different artists will have different angel policies so don’t forget to check those out before you start using your digi stamps.

Why I Love Digi Stamp?

Even though unlike traditional stamps which you can stamp in a variety of colours. I love digi stamps because they are instant – if you want a start a project you can simply find and download a stamp & get going – no need to hang around the letter box waiting for your purchase or have to hurry down to the craft shop. They can come in any size you require and there is some many fabulous designs from very talented designers.

Cardmaking, Design Team Creations

Design Team; Christmas In July Cardmaking Inspiration

Suzanne Porter

Today I have two cards to share with you. Our Design Team Members have been creating some festive cards – using the new ‘Playful Penguins’ Digi Stamp and ‘Christmas Trees’ Digital Papers now available in Twinkle Lane Design Etsy Shop. Giving you a little inspiration when you create your own cardmaking projects.

The first card we are sharing is from Helen – who has chosen a white & red colour palette for her creation. Matting ‘Christmas Trees’ Digital Paper on-to a square card & wrapping a textured twine around the center. ‘Playful Penguins’ has been die cute using a pierced circle, matted onto red die cut circle & both have been layered onto white scalloped die cut card stock. Finished off with card candi & a sentiment.

Made By Helen Blog

Mowbray Designs has chosen a blue and silver colour palette for her Playful Penguins card. Matting one of the new papers and the digi stamp on silver mirror card stock along with one of the sentiments from the digi sheet. She has also included some silver die cute Christmas Trees. Finished off with blue pearl drops.

Mowbray Designs Blog

Both beautiful cards showcasing our two lovely new designs

New Releases for this week;
Playful Penguins Digi Stamp; CLICK HERE
Christmas Trees Digital Paper Pack: CLICK HERE

Cardmaking, Twinkle Lane Designs Cards

Christmas In July: Creating A Framed Playful Penguins Card

Suzanne Porter

Today we have another two new releases and we are going to showing you how to create this fun card using frames, stamping and heat embossing. We also have another quick colouring video with hints and tips of how to shade this lovely new digi.

We’ve used a blue and white colour palette for this card. Snow is the one thing I think we all wish for at Christmas time – only it’s a very rare occasion we have a white Christmas here in England – so alot of my card creation features snowflakes/snowfall, to me it’s a symbol of the festive season. The backing paper we’ve used is from our ‘Christmas Penguins‘ Paper Pack

My favourite thing about this digi stamp is the fun the season which is captures – kids love to get out on their sledges when there’s fresh snow fall & you can just see the joy on the little penguins face – very cute!


Let’s get creating…

Step By Step; Creating your framed card

Step 1; Take a black 8×8″ card we’ve then used a ‘Stamps By Chloes’ snowflake board stamp, VersaMark embossing ink pad & Wow Embossing Powder ‘Glacier’. Stamp round each edge of the card (have a spare piece of paper to shake the embossing powder onto) Then use your heat glue to seal the stamped image.
Step 2; Print and shade your digi stamp in – see youtube for colouring tips.
Step 3; Cut your matt and layers with square nesting dies – also cut a frame.
Step 4; To create snowfall in the background of the digi, place small glue dots around the image & shake glitter over the top – this will need to left to dry. Make sure your glue is dries clear.
Step 5; Stick pattern paper, & your matt and layer digi to the card – i’ve put the digi on at an angle. & place foam pads around the inside edge of your frame & stick
Step 6; finish your card off with a sentiment, die cut snowflakes and adhesive gems

Need help shading – watch this speed colouring video;

Here is a list of the promarker colours we used throughout the tutorial. If you don’t have all these colours you can mix it up a little & try combinations of your own.

New Releases for this week;
Playful Penguins Digi Stamp; CLICK HERE
Christmas Trees Digital Paper Pack: CLICK HERE

Twinkle Lane Designs Cards

How To Create A Penguin Tunnel Card

Suzanne Porter

We’ve been making another card with our cute Ice Skating Penguins. We will show you a step by step guide on how to create your own. There’s also a quick youtube colouring tutorial on how to shade our penguin digi.

For this card we have used just the lady penguin. This is a tunnel style card – instead of building the layers up on the card base – you build them on the inside – creating a tunnel.

Watch our how to shade the penguin digi in this youtube video;

Promarkers colours used to shade to penguin in the tutorial above

STEP BY STEP; Guide to assembling the card

Step 1: With your pre-scored 8×8 blank card – measure 1cm either side of the centre score line & then make your own score lines along your marked line.
Step 2: You will now have a valley fold
Step 3: Select the papers/card & nesting dies. We’ve used circle nesting die in 4 gradient sizes.
Step 4: Matt & layer your chosen card stock to the main card – take the second largest circle & place in the center of the card front & die cut out all layers.
Step 5: Cut the different layers of card stock using the nest circles. Make sure each circle is large enough to matt the small layer onto. Remember you building the layers in-wards, instead of out.
Step 6: Use foam pads to stick all inner layers together. I’ve added small ice skates (available from our Free Digi Sheet) around the outer frame along with die cut snowflakes.
Step 7: Shade in your digi stamp – see youtube tutorial for tips.
Step 8: Finish off with adhesive gems. You will have a lovely tunnel style Christmas card.

Here you can see all the build up of layers. I love the colour palette of teals and lilacs.
You can get the mini individual ice skates from the FREEBIES section on the site – see the competition page on how to access.

Twinkle Lane Designs products used to create this card;
Christmas Penguin Paper Pack; CLICK HERE
Ice Skating Penguin Digi Stamps; CLICK HERE

Design Team Creations

Christmas In July; Design Team Part 1

Suzanne Porter

Our Design Team have been working hard creating some beautiful samples with the new ‘Ice Skating Penguins’ Digi Stamps & Christmas Penguin Digital Papers.

Mowbray Designs has used two of the papers from the ‘Christmas Penguins’ pack. Matt and layered them with sliver mirror card. Using a hexagon die with silver card & white card – which has then been embossed with a Xmas embossing folder & inked over to highlight the pattern. Additional extras include die cut snowflakes and a bow.

Mowbray Designs Blog

 Using washi tape Julianne created a striped background pattern blending in Salty Ocean Distress Oxide Ink adding some snowflakes in light blue glitter cardstock.

Using a snowflake background stamp Julianne stamped in tumbled glass distress oxide inks to create the background adding in some additional holiday cardstock for dimension and adding a sentiment from Honey Bee Jingle all the Way stamp set. Die cute snowflakes to finish.

Julianne’s Blog

Made By Helen has created a sweet pink & white Christmas Card. Half embossing with a snowflake folder & the other half you’re having a sneak peek of a paper from a pack which will be release next week. Penguins have been die cut out with a rounded rectangle. Finishing off with a sentiment & adhesive gems

Made By Helen’s Blog

Twinkle Lane Design products used on these cards:
Christmas Penguins Paper Pack: CLICK HERE
Ice Skating Penguin Digi Stamps: CLICK HERE

Twinkle Lane Designs Cards

Christmas In July; Ice Skating Penguins

Suzanne Porter

Merry Christmas In July
It’s that time of year again & we have our first New Release for ‘Christmas In July’ – if your wanting to get a head start with your Christmas Crafting we have perfect penguin products to make fun and lovely cards for all you friends and family!

For our first release of the year we have some very cute ‘Ice Skating Penguins’. These penguins can be used together or individually to create men or women’s Christmas Cards. Very versatile – plus who doesn’t love penguins?!

To make this card you will need;
8×8 Blank Card / Silver Mirror Card / Winter Forest Digital Papers (TLD) / X-Cut Nesting Dies / X-Cut Snowflakes / Tree Die / Adhesive Gems / White Card / Snowflake Stamp / Foam Pads / Penguin Digi Stamps / Glitter / X-Cut Corner Punch / Tree Die / Heart Dies

We’ve created a card for a couple with our cute penguins. Using a mix of promarkers and pencils to shade in the penguins. I love the penguins look like they are skating towards each other, like they are about to hug!

We used different matt and layers – foam pads to give height to the card.

These are the Twinkle Lane products used to create the card;
NEW Ice Skating Penguins; CLICK HERE
Winter Forest Digital Paper; CLICK HERE

Twinkle Lane Designs Cards

Welcome!

Suzanne Porter

Welcome to our brand new blog! This is where you’ll find all about our new releases, see the wonderful makes from our Design Team. We are also going to run monthly cardmaking competitions & give away Free products – such as Digi Stamps and Papers. If you want to keep up-to-date with all our blog activity – follow us via your e-mail.