Bank Holiday Monday Crafting

I've spent the Bank Holiday Monday, stamping, cutting, ripping and sticking.

I had a deadline for my August ATC swap and they need posting tomorrow!  This month's theme is THIS ENGLAND.  A few months ago I did a swap based around the Union flag with images that were distinctly British as the focal point.  I liked the result so I thought I would do something similar for this swap. 

I decided to use a 'Clean Collage' technique on this occasion, still incorporating stamped images.  Some images ripped up to create a stylised George Cross along with vellum and old book pages and other images simply stamped in black and cut out for the main image. 

Clean Collage refers to the fact that the collage doesn't cover all of the piece, there are areas of white card still visible.  Apart from the white ATC blanks all paper, vellum and card used were from the scraps box.  Using a gel glue to put everything together, the final pieces were not as one-dimensional as the photos suggest.  I love the rose stamp which I bought from 'differentcolors.nl' at Hobbycrafts in Birmingham last year, and have used it in a number of projects featured on the blog.

Simple Card

Vintage style woodtype and letterpress printing is very fashionable on cards in the shops at the moment and I like some of the simple and stylish designs.

I made a card with this in mind for Dad, although it can obviously be easily translated for Mum or anyone else for that matter.

Opting for a black and white colour scheme on this occasion  I started with a sheet of black A4 card and folded a card blank with a bone folder, adding a white panel towards the right hand side of the card.  I also included a white card insert to give a heavier weight feel and a more suitable writing surface for the greeting.

The card topper was prepared with an ATC sized piece of black card decorated with white die cut and hand cut letters, black rubber stamping onto small white pieces of card and a single 'DAD' handwritten with a white gel pen on black card to fill in the last tiny little gap and all in different fonts and styles.

Shabby Tag Tuturial

I thought I would share how to get a shabby chic effect using an embossing powder resist and acrylic paint.  I have made a few birthday cards recently with this technique and was really pleased with the results.

Start with some 300gsm black card and cut a tag 12x6cm.  Using Spellbinders dies (labels number four and single spiral blossom number one) die cut in the same heavy duty black cardstock two nestled panels and a floral spiral.

Wipe over the tag with an anti-static bag, tumble dryer sheet or a light brushing of talcum powder.  

 Using a flourish rubberstamp - this one is from IndigoBlu Music Hall set, stamp randomly around the bottom edge and up the left hand side of the tag a few times with VersaMark or a clear embossing ink. 

 

Sprinkle with clear embossing powder and tap off the excess.  

 Heat emboss until all the embossing powder has melted.

 Using a pastel shade apply acrylic paint fairly liberally with a brush or a paint dauber to the smallest panel, flower die cut (both sides) and all over the surface of the tag. 

Allow the panel and flower die cuts to fully dry. 

Before the paint on the tag has fully dried gently wipe away excess paint with a dampened kitchen paper towel.  The paint takes longer to dry on the embossed areas.  

All is not lost if you manage to wipe away too much paint, just reapply and repeat.  

Leave the tag to completely dry.

With Staz-on black ink stamp 'shabby' over on the left hand side of the panel.  

Once dry stick the panel onto the larger panel and then stick the matted panel onto the tag, with the edge overhanging on the right hand side.  

Cut off the excess.

To make the rose, with fine sandpaper sand away the edges of the spiral to reveal some of the black colour underneath the paint. 

 

Using a bone folder gently curl the edges of the spiral before winding it tightly round.  

Leave the spiral to unwind a little, the rose should naturally form it's shape. 

Apply some glue (glossy accents will be best) to the base and hold for a few seconds for the flower to bond.  

Once thoroughly stuck, manipulate the 'petals' into a more rose-like shape and press down on it with the palm of your hand to flatten it.  

Stick onto the bottom left hand corner of the tag with a wet glue.

To finish the tag, dye some American seam binding with Black Soot Distress Ink by applying ink to a craft mat, spritzing with water and running the binding through it.  

Scrunch and crinkle binding.

Dry with heat gun.  

Thread through your tag.

Your tag is finished! 

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial and these techniques.