Embossing With The Paper Funday

 

     Welcome to my contribution to this month's The Paper Funday Challenge, this month our twist is Embossing - Hot or Dry, or both if you wish.

     I chose to dry emboss with a Tim Holtz embossing folder - Elegant. I have inherited a large craft stash for my mum so it seemed right to use some of it on this project, Clarity papers caught my eye but I can't tell you which set it comes from, sorry.

     There were a few areas of damage on the piece I chose, so I cut it down to a 4inch square and ran it through the embossing folder. I have a Bigshot so for my machine I used the base plate, the folder and one clear plate, the 3D folders are much thicker than the ordinary ones so you'll need to adjust your sandwich according to your machine.

     Once embossed I used a little silver Pebeo gilding wax on a hard foam pad to add highlight to the raised areas. I left it for a few minutes then gave it a gentle buff with a soft cloth to get a nice shine.

     I wanted to have a coloured mat layer under my patterned paper but nothing in my stash was the right shade, so I made my own. I cut a square of white card and used an alcohol marker to colour the edges, no need to do the whole card as only the edge will be seen.

     After sticking the embossed topper to the mat layer I then cut another mat layer in silver paper and mounted that underneath on foam tape.

     Once stuck onto the white card blank I went in search of a suitable greeting. My card stash needs lots more birthday cards so after a little rummage I found some greeting toppers, the birthday one wasn't quite right so I used a Best Wishes instead. Mounted on foam tape and tucked in the top corner finished this card off and with the colour scheme it could be for a man or a woman.

     If you haven't been to The Paper Funday then please pop over and take a look at all the lovely inspiration you'll find there, then come and join us with your project.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

The Paper Players - PP638 Tic-Tac-Toe  (last row down)

Can You Handle The Pressure - Anything Goes Embossing     (Top Winner)

Pammie's Inky Pinkies - #2317 Anything Goes     (Honourable mention)

Love To Craft - #74 Anything Goes

Taking A Break

      I'm taking a little break at the moment, sadly crafting has to take a back seat for a few weeks but I shall return soon. 

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

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

Through The Craft Room Door - Anything 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

Mica Magic Northern Lights

     Mica Magic is mica powder in an almost cream like form, a bit like eyeshadow but please do not use it as makeup. It can be applied with a sponge or on your finger, a brush would work but tends to hold onto the powder so you end up using more. The effects you can achieve with this product are many and varied, this one is a Northern Lights background inspired by a You Tube video from Kevin Nakagawa, he used ink pads for his background.

     All but the black came from the new Dawn Aurora pallet and were applied using the reverse of a piece of  Cut N Dry Foam. The back of the foam is quite firm and doesn't bend so it applies the mica perfectly over embossed surfaces as well as smoothly onto flat card, this is a tip I picked up from the talented Dot when using gilding wax.

     Starting with the lightest colour first I added streaks of yellow and lime green in one direction across my white card, building up with darker green and black.

     The white stars were made using a Posca pen held over the card and tapped with the edge of a ruler to make it splatter.

     Once complete the background was buffed gently with a soft cloth to get a subtle shine. The scenic layer was die cut using a die from JND Snow Scenes in black card, then stuck onto the background with redline tape to make sure it didn't fall of the shiny surface. The scenic background was then matted onto a black layer.

     To find a perfect match for the green mat was almost impossible so I made one using the same green Mica Magic used in the background to colour a piece of white card, only the edge needs to be coloured as the rest is covered.

     My green mat was then added to a black card blank, I tried it on white but it didn't look right, with the scenic layer being added with 2mm double sided foam tape to give a little lift.

      All that remained was to add the die cut Silent Night in black, which was actually cut from the centre of the black mat layer, and embellish with a couple of amber gems. I would love to see the Northern Lights but until I do then trying to make them on card will have to do.

      

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

ABC Christmas - W~white/X~xtra special  

The 12 Months of Christmas - #94 Anything Christmas

CraftyHazelnut's Christmas - #622 Anything Christmas

Merry Little Christmas - #47 Anything Christmas

The Sisterhood Of Crafters - Anything Christmas

Autumn Butterfly

 

     This months challenge at The Paper Funday is Anything Goes with an optional twist of Autumn Colours. I love the colours of Autumn so I chose to use them on a butterfly.

     The butterfly was stamped using a John Next Door media plate and a selection of dye based inks, the main body of the silhouette being in yellows with a touch of rusty orange around the outside.

     To get the shimmering flowers the inked image had to completely dry then using the same media plate a stencil was laid on top and a generous layer of Versamark was added to the media plate. This was then stamped on top of the coloured shape and dusted with pearl mica powder. A very light spray of an in-expensive hairspray was used to fix the mica.

     To finish of the image panel some silhouette stamps were used with Versafine black ink and then the sentiment was added.

     To get the same shade of orange as a mat layer a plain white layer was coloured but only around the edge that would be seen, then a black mat layer before going onto a white card blank.

     You will see that the card changes with the angel of view, the mica is always there but when it catches the light it really shines.

     Come along and join us at The Paper Funday with your creations this month, we have lots of inspiration to help get you started.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Try It On Tuesday - Sparkle and Shine

Sunday Stamps - SSC295 Autumn Bounty     (Top Cup)

Art Impressions - #339 Stencil or Mask

Signs Of Autumn

 

     A new challenge has started at The Paper Funday this morning, this month's twist to our Anything Goes challenge is All About The Candy. I have chosen to stay with an Autumn theme by using one of our sponsor images, Signs Of Autumn by Jan's Digis.

     This digi comes blank or pre coloured, I chose to colour a blank image but used the pre coloured as a guide to help me see where one leaf stopped and another started.

     The blank image was printed four times on smooth white cardstock, this gave me one image to die cut with a rectangle, two to trim and layer, with one left to experiment on. I planned my colours on the play piece and tried out various combinations before colouring my main image with alcohol markers.

     Using foam pads I layered the jar after giving it a little curve and added the leaves on top. A small Thanks stamp added to the bottom makes it a useful little addition to my card stash.

     The main image panel was matted on a dark orange card then a very dark brown before going on a 7x5 Kraft card blank.

     Pop over to The Paper Funday to see all the fabulous inspiration the team have come up with, then come and join us with your project.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

(PIN)spirational - #294 October

Everybody-Art - #521 Autumn

Shopping Our Stash - #480 Leaf Me Alone

Try It On Tuesday - Autumn     (Top 5)

Use Your Stuff - #468 Autumn/Fall