MORE PENDANTS

MORE PENDANT IDEAS

I'm still enjoying playing with wearable paper.  Two of these are photos (the red and gold round picture is the ceiling of a local church, the other is one of my touristy snaps from London.  The top example is a bit of a "ring in" as it is made from wood veneer.  For the record I'm not super keen on the end result with this one as the glue reacted strangely - I think that perhaps sealing it first would help.

The same is somewhat true for the photos - the London one in particular (printed on my home inkjet printer) went a bit blurry as the dimensional magic I used as glue dissolved some of the printer ink.  It was a bit of a happy mistake in this case as I don't mind the end result at all.  I used less glue on the other photo and there were no problems.

All of these so far have glass tops, but the remaining pendant features a cut out from a Kaiser paper pad, and is topped with an acrylic sticker.  This worked way better than I would have predicted.  I was going to use it as a card embellishment but am now thinking it might have an outing or two around my neck before I consign it to the craft box.

USING STENCILS IN CUTTLEBUG

MACHINE EMBOSSED STENCILS

One of my on-going resolutions regarding my craft supplies is to "use or lose it."   Now of course I don't want to get rid of anything potentially useful - which is just about everything, so I've been raiding the shelves and re-discovering some almost forgotten "toys."

In the olden days (i.e. a few years ago) machines like the Cuttlebug and Bigshot were rarities and when we wanted to emboss a pattern we used either a lightbox or a window and a brass or plastic stencil combined with a stylus to hand-emboss our paper.

With the advent of embossing folders my collection of brass and plastic stencils has stayed unused and unloved for a very long time.  I've just bought a new rubber embossing mat for my Cuttlebug so I thought it was a good time to try it out with these stencils.  Previously I hadn't been overly impressed with the results but this mat is fabulous and suddenly I'm all enthused about using all my long-neglected stencils again, especially as I don't have to laboriously trace around them all by hand!!  The main thing I have learnt is that the type of embossing mat used DOES make a difference.

The stack I used was A, B, stencil, paper, rubber mat, B.  Do be aware though, that despite a lot of info around that suggest otherwise, there is no magic combination that suits all situations - it really depends on the thickness of your paper/card, the thickness of your rubber mats, whether your plates have a bit of a bend or not etc.  The trick is to do a few trial runs before the main project, and never force a stack that feels too thick through the machine.  The examples shown in the photo were my trial runs and hence they aren't properly centred etc.  I had anticipated having to muck around with bits of cardboard etc. and was pleasantly surprised to find it worked first pop with both kinds of stencil!

Die Cuts and Dimensional Magic

Whoops......I only realized I'd forgotten to put any text with this picture when I checked that it had posted late last night.......and then decided I'd rather go to bed and fix it in the morning......and it is still technically morning.

Its a lovely time of year and I've just come in from the garden where we have an abundance of berries to pick this year.  We didn't have so very many last year and totally neglected the plants with a view to removing them this winter.....obviously this is the key to success as the strawberries, raspberries,  and currants (black, red and white) are all outdoing themselves this season, with lots of bramble berries to come (if we beat the birds to them).

Anyway (who can tell I'm in holiday mode?) this is not "Garden trek" but "Papertrek" and this weeks sample are a couple of little motifs made with a combination of Cuttlebug die cuts (from thick cardboard/chipboard), and Dimensional Magic.  I've used scrapbooking paper on the top one, and Kaiser pens (I assume any alcohol marker would work) to add colour to the bottom.  the end result is quite a solid little ornament that could be adapted for jewellry or to hang on the tree next year!

PATTERNED PAPER AS INSPIRATION

There have been a lot of lovely patterned papers around lately.  Quite apart from various ways they can be used in their own right , sometimes they can provide the inspiration for other projects.  The thought process for these quick cards was provided by Kaiser's Sweet Pea range - even although they haven't really ended up as "obviously related".  As you can see, I'm loving the look of  stamped Versamark Dazzle on Botany/Kraft paper for backgrounds at the moment.

DIE CUT FOAM STAMPS

Super-easy "background in a hurry" idea - three thin foam die cuts (using an old Cuttlebug die set) stuck to a clear block, inked up with Versamark dazzle and stamped at various angles onto Kraft card - about 5 minutes work, even including cutting out the stamps.  I really must experiment more with using die-cuts with ink and paint - if only the Time Fairy would wave her magic wand and create a few more hours in the day!!!!!!

CARDS WITH WOVEN FEATURES

"FREESTYLE WEAVING"

"FORMAL WEAVING"

Here's a different style of paper weaving using slits cut into the middle panel of a 3-panel card as the base.  The fist example is fairly random, and the strips are torn , with the ends visible.  I've just added 3 die-cut shapes across the panel to finish.

The second example is more formal, with the ends hidden on the back and the border emphasized with different sizes of diecut daisies.

In both cases, after weaving, I added tape to the back to make sure everything stays in place.  The messy back is hidden when the third panel is secured over the top.  These examples have both been kept monochromatic - they are made from Botany (Kraft) card, (browner than they appear on screen)  but it would be fun to experiment with different colours.

FOLDING EMBOSSED PAPER

ORIGAMI CARD AND BOOKMARKS

I love paper folding so this is not the point of this weeks post - its was, rather finding out whether this highly embossed and somewhat stretchy paper could be folded.  The answer is "yes" although I wouldn't try models that involved a lot of sharp creases as the embossing tends to tear, nor any models that need too many folds as the embossing adds thickness.  HOWEVER.......simple folds like this are fine.  Just make a waterbomb base (a square folded in half with the sides squashed in (http://www.origami-instructions.com has clear diagrams if you need them).  The next step is to lift one side on the front and squash it flat, turn over and repeat on the other side.  That's it!  Place four side by side to make the motif on the card.  Make and package a few more to give as a gift - they slip nicely over page corners to make bookmarks.

PRINTING ON BOOK PAGES

PAGE TAPED TO A4 PAPER 

CLOSE VIEW

Its easy enough to combine images using software such as Elements, but it never looks quite the same as the "real thing".  I have a few old books that I use for various projects and wanted to experiment with printing out some clip art onto the pages.  The only problem was that being a very old (and cheap) paperback, the quality of the paper was poor and I didn't want it shedding "bits" in the printer, plus it was an odd size which isn't a major issue but still a bit annoying.  The solution was to use a couple of tiny pieces of thin double sided tape to secure the book page to an ordinary piece of white A4 copier paper,  The floral picture was placed in the middle of an A4 document, and then printed out onto the taped book page.  It all worked rather well except.........I knew which side of the paper the printer printed on but obviously now realize that I didn't know which way up it printed as it ended up being upside down - something you can't get away with when using text!!  Oh well, the point of this blog is to try different things each week and work out how to improve my efforts the next time around!!  (P.S. The pretty picture of the lily was free clipart but I didn't reference where it came from - sorry- I'd love to add the appropriate attribution if anyone recognizes the source).

PAPER EARRINGS-

Here are some earrings made with cardboard and paper and I think quite wearable.

I cut six circles of the same size out of very thick card with my Cuttlebug. I then stuck some text scrapbooking paper to another piece of the the card with double-sided Jac paper, and cut two more circles.

The circles were then divided into two groups and stuck together with Jac paper to form a really thick base.

A thick coating of Dimensional Magic was put on top of the patterned paper, and when it was dry, and earring post was glued to the back.

I decorated the top of a paper mache box with a book page, and smudged some brown ink over the top.  The rosette is made with layers of punched  flower shapes secured in the middle with a split pin, and the packing is scrunched up book pages.

PAPER COVERED BOXES

BOX WITH EMBOSSED PAPER AND PAINTED EDGES

BOX WITH HANDMADE PAPER WITH LEAVES AND FIBRE

 Marvin has been out in the shed making me some MDF boxes so I can experiment with different finishes.  I'm not totally happy with any of these examples but I have learnt quite a bit along the way, and they aren't so bad that they can't be used.

The first box was edged with gold paint and covered with a highly embossed paper. I used doublesided Jac paper to stick the paper, which worked really well.  The only issue was that as the paper was quite highly raised, it didn't sit nicely on the bits where it joined the wood.  A lot of sanding with an emery board and retouching helped a lot but I think gorgeous as this paper is, I'll use a flatter one in the future.

The second box was a real surprise.  I had some small squares of  different coloured handmade papers with leaves and fibre that were not big enough to cover any of the panels.  I didn't think obvious joins would look good so I ripped it into small pieces (with hindsight not the easiest thing to do to paper with so many "solids"), and stuck them to the box with Mod Podge, each slightlty overlapping the other.  The "surprise" element was that whilst the coloured papers covered the surface, the the white paper disappeared completely once the glue was applied, so that the "raw" box was visible with the leaves etc appearing to sit directly on the surface.  It added a really interesting element.  I finished off with about three coats of Mod Podge.  I hadn't really factored "disappearing paper" into my plans but will now test all papers if I'm gluing them on to a particular surface.  If I can find enough of the paper I might have another go at this one as it has potential.

The third box is painted, and decorated with a Kaiser wooden flourish.  The "paper" bit of this one is the lining - simply suede paper applied to very thick card and cut to a very snug fit so glue is unnecessary. I did this in case the lining needs to be replaced at some stage.  (Its not sitting quite straight in the photo but it just needs a little push on the front edge to fix it).  The edge of the cardboard looked surprisingly brown (I just used packing board) so I ran around the edge with a marker (permanant) in a green to match the box.

PAINTED BOX

SUEDE PAPER BOX LINING.

COLOURING VERSAMARK STAMPS

VERSAMARK AND KAISER PENS

Yes I know this is very "ordinary' colouring of an otherwise very nice Kaiser stamp HOWEVER fortunately I wasn't trying for a masterpiece of  colouring technique.  I was, rather,  experimenting with the idea that if I stamped in Versamark I'd be able to see the outlines clearly enough to colour without them being too obvious afterwards.......in other words, to make the images look more "drawn"  and less "stamped".  It works best on coloured "dyed through" papers but it does work, as shown in this example

WOVEN PAPER BABY CARD

PAPER WEAVING

 I hate to see things thrown away that could be useful, but began to doubt myself with these little strips that were in the paper bin at work, until I began to weave them together.

The end result reminded me of old-fashioned white wicker baby bassinets, so I put the panel under a Regal teddy bear cut-out  to make an interesting base for a baby card

I soon worked out that the easiest way to do this was to anchor one row of strips with double sided tape on one side of the aperture of the card with a small space between each piece.  Then run another row of tape at right angles and anchor each of the subsequent strips (running the other way) as I went, leaving the ends of each  unanchored until the weaving was completed to make it easy to adjust . When everything is neatly in place, run normal tape around all the edges to secure (It will be hidden under the third panel of the card.)
I will probably add a bow to the teddy's neck and an appropriate greeting to complete the card, and for the time being, the the little white strips have saved themselves from a second trip to the rubbish.

WOVEN TEDDY BEAR

DIY COLOUR SCHEMES

COUNTRY LANDSCAPE

SPRING

AUTUMN

I have a bit of a tendency to use fairly "safe' colour schemes, and think that maybe its time to branch out a bit.

All I've done here is use the eyedropper tool in Elements to select a few colours from each photograph, by way of inspiration.

The country and spring colour schemes are fairly conventional but the autumn example throws up some fairly interesting combinations.

The next step of course, is to stop playing with the charts and actually translate the colours into papercraft projects!!!!

CATHEDRAL WINDOW CARD

Pink squares set into blue circles, with the edges folded over, make a faux "Cathedral Window" quilt.  I've added a bit of lace and ribbon to make a new baby card, but I think if I was actually making it "for real", I'd skip the fiddly bits and just cover an entire square card with the folded circle/square units as they are quite decorative enough on their own.

FRAMED WALLPAPER

FRAMED WALLPAPER

A visitor asked me why I had a frame with nothing in it when she saw this picture on my wall.  Had she been wearing her glasses, she would have seen these samples of gorgeous vintage white wallpaper which have pride of place at the top of the stairs.