Wednesday 7 December 2022

Doodle Wreath


This months challenge at The Paper Funday is as always Anything Goes with a December twist of Holiday Time. This great digi stamp is from Varada Sharma, called Doodle Wreath.
     The larger card was made by fading the image to 50%, then laying the full strength image over the top and turning it 90degrees. Sounds complicated but believe me it's not, I'm not very tech savvy atall, all done in a basic version of Photoshop.
     The faded image I coloured in light green and the darker in dark green, I think it gives it some depth. A little Distress Ink Bundled Sage around the edge helped knock back the bright white. All the berries were coloured with a Christmas Red Stickles.
     A thin mat of red mirri card helps the red berries stand out a little more, this was then mounted on foam on a white card blank.

     The small card was inspired by the way a png image has a black background when viewed in my photo package, I rather liked it for a more masculine card. Again changed in Photoshop with a little tech support from my son, once he explained about a paint bucket symbol it made sense, choose the bucket, choose the colour and click where you want to tip the bucket!
     The berries on this one were coloured with red Liquid Pearls but this time I used plain red card for a mat and a silver peel off greeting to finish it off.
     Digital images are great, you can change the size, orientation and play around with them to achieve different effects. To see what else can be done with them pop over to The Paper Funday and have a look at the DT samples.


I would like to enter these cards in the following challenges:
Winter Wonderland - Anything Christmas Goes
The 12 Months of Christmas - #95 Anything Christmas Goes
CraftyHazelnut's Christmas - #623 Anything Christmas
The Holly and Ivy - Anything Christmas

Tuesday 6 December 2022

Christmas Mini Journal

 

     This little journal was made using the new Mini Living Hinge from John Next Door. The previous hinge made an A5 journal from an A4 sheet, this one is half the size so it makes a cute little A6 journal from an A5 sheet. 
     There are many options when making books with this hinge, this is just one of them, using it in it's most basic way to just cut a hinge into one piece of covered card and folding it over.
     The cover was made with a sheet of 1mm greyboard, covered both sides with decorative papers from a magazine freebie. This paper was glued onto the greyboard using a PVA glue and a brayer to smooth out any bubbles, before leaving the board to dry overnight weighed down under some books to stop it buckling.

     I have marked the centre of my hinge die on the back using a Sharpie pen, I found it helps me line everything up more easily.
     To encourage the fold I found easing it over a strong cardboard tube helped to prevent any sudden slips resulting in creases and cracks, the tube is from a roll of tinfoil.
     While I was planning the contents I left the folded cover with a couple of large rubber bands round it to hold it while the fibres settled down and got used to their new position.
     
     To put one booklet in the journal I chose to use an envelope type section on the back cover to hold it, this means the booklet can be changed once full without having to discard the whole journal.
     The flaps on the sides were folded over the outside rather than inside to make it easier to slide the booklet in and out, with a bracket style cut to make it look nice and to ease the placing of the booklet. This pocket was then stuck onto the back cover with redline tape.
     To make the booklet I used 10 sheets of copy paper cut in half, giving me 20 leaves. The booklet cover is a piece of double sided scrapbook paper which was nice and firm. I have been shown how to make these booklet by Clove Bindery, it's a great way to make custom sizes with whatever cover you wish, please feel free to pop over and ask Wendy how, she's very helpful.
     Inside the front cover I have added a small wallet for odd little bits like receipts or tickets. The outside is decorated with one of John's baubles dies stuck over a long length of green ribbon, there is double sided tape under the ribbon on both back and front to keep it in place but not on the hinge as it needs to move a little.



I would like to enter this project in the following challenges:
Jingle Belles - Anything Christmas Goes
International Art & Soul - Ch#148 Winter
The Holly and Ivy - Anything Christmas
Country View - Anything Christmas
Die Cut Divas - Anything Winter or Christmas
Sparkles Forum - #158 Dies and/or Punches
Kraftin' Kimmie - Anything BUT A Card