Thursday, November 27, 2008

More Small Cuttlebug Folder/Die Holders

I was quite pleased with the holder I made yesterday for the swap, and realized I needed a couple of folders myself. Better than having the small folders and dies loose in a box, and more attractive. (This is pretty much the same steps as posted for yesterdays folder).
I liked making the covers out of wallpaper samples. I have a few sheets that are kind of funky. I decided to play and see what I could come up with. I also had bought some badge holders that were vertical holders for badges, which means a horizontal orientation for a small booklet or holder. For the sheets of wallpaper seen below, I embossed with this folder and colored the raised areas with Brilliance ink and heat set.
On the upper sheet in the above picture, I adhered it to thin cardboard and then ran through a second Cuttlebug embossing folder and colored the raised areas with the green Brilliance ink pad. I took some of the wallpaper scraps, ran them through the same embossing folder used the first time, colored with the brown Brilliance ink pad and then cut a decorative element with a Cuttlebug die.
I like how the embossing and coloring really transformed these wallpaper samples. I used a black Sharpie to color the edges of the decorative elements. Front cover:
I added sticker letters and an image to the inside front cover.
Added an image and letter stickers on the inside back cover. (bad photo, stickers spell "explore").
Back cover:
For the second booklet, I choose some wallpaper samples that I didn't particularly like. I embossed the upper papers with the diamond folder and the lower papers with the floral folders. I decided I wanted the paper more blue than the original green color, so I was very liberal in applying blue Brilliance ink.
I took the floral embossed paper, adhered it to a thin sheet of cardboard and embossed with the diamond folder and colored with the platinum Brilliance ink.
I had some scraps of wallpaper left over from yesterday's project. cut it out with a Cuttlebug die and ran a platinum Brilliance ink pad over the surface to add to the outside covers.
I added a rub on and some stickers letters on the front cover.
I added an art quote on vellum to the inside front cover. This softened the geometric pattern.
And added another quote on vellum to the back inside cover.
Back cover:
I like the covers so much more than how the original sheet of wallpaper looked.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Small Cuttlebug folder/die Holder

I love playing with the Cuttlebug. The embossing folders give a nice deep dry embossed image. ccswaps is having a Cutlebug swap, I had to sign up. Besides making "something" using the Cuttlebug embossing folders, I wanted to make something a Cuttlebug enthusiast would appreciate. I discovered the small Cuttlebug embossing folders and dies fit nicely into the plastic badge holders I use to make ATC holders. Eureka! So I made this Cuttlebug embossing folder/die holder.
I also wanted to emboss some paper/materials I hadn't yet tried. I have some attractive wall paper samples. I choose this black paper with silver stripes for the outside covers. Ran it through the embossing folder, ran black Archival ink over the top and heat set.
I used this textured cream wall paper sample for the inside covers. I ran through the same embossing folder, inked the top with black Archival ink and heat set.
The wall paper is very flexible. To do a second layer of embossing that I wanted to keep its hold, I first adhered thin cardboard to the back of the wallpaper after embossing the numbers folder. I then ran this cardboard backed wall paper through the Cuttlebug with the diamond embossing folder. Next I ran a platinum Brilliance pad over the surface to lighten it and give it a little sheen.
I really like how the texture changes the appearance of the page as it moves in the light:

Another paper I hadn't embossed before was thick vellum. I wanted to tie in the inside cover embellishments with the inside covers. I embossed a sheet of thick vellum with the same diamond embossing folder as used on those covers, then punched out two slide mounts.
I ran the same Brilliance pad over the slide mounts and added a bit of this Brilliance ink to two images with my finger. I adhered the embossed wall paper fronts to the other side of the cardboard covers and colored the edges with a silver leafing pen.
For an embellishment on the front cover, I stamped a clock face onto thin card board. To make the clock "cover", I printed the same image used on the inside covers onto a transparency sheet. Before stamping the clock outside edge, I played with placement to decide how I wanted the image to appear on the clock. I stamped the image with StaZon ink and let dry.
I adhered the stamped transparency image to the cardboard, added a silver brad and attached to the front cover. I also attached a metal embellishment with two black brads. Bound the covers and pages together with a Bind-It-All using 1" rings so the holder will expand to hold desired folders and dies.
I stamped the words "be entertained" onto the vellum slide mount on the inside front cover.
I stamped the words "enjoy life" on the vellum slide mount on the inside back cover.
I'm not giving away my Cuttlebug embossing folders and dies along with this holder. The recipient will have to fill the holder with their own supplies.
View of the back of the holder:

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Double Resist

When I was working on Sheryl's deco, I saw a gorgeous page down by Autumn. I asked how she did it and she placed the info here on her blog! I loved how she did a double resist with the faux batik resist. I wanted to play with that technique. I started with this paper bag my lost paper purchase was packaged in. It has a fun "batik" look to it. I'm making ATC's for a 6:5 swap on ccswaps with the theme "Resist". I wanted the backgrounds to have both design elements from the bag on the diagonal. Since this required "fussy cutting", I cut out a template from a thick vellum scrap. This way I could see exactly where I wanted to cut.

I stamped some thick flourishes onto the paper with a clear embossing pad and covered with clear embossing powder and heat set. With this thinner paper, the embossing powder soaks all the way through the paper (seen on the paper on the right). This is much like what is done with wax and fabric to create the resist in batiking.

I covered the paper with blue Distress ink and dried the ink with a heat tool. Now for the second layer of resist. I stamped the same flourish stamp slightly off the original stamping with a clear embossing pad and covered with clear embossing powder.

Then I heat set it with a heat tool. I also heated the embossing from the back side of the paper to ensure the powder soaked through the paper.

I covered the paper with a darker blue Distress ink.

I laid a sheet of paper towel on a craft sheet, placed the paper with the embossing side down and ironed. The embossing powder is absorbed into the paper towel. Moved the paper around and continued to iron until most of the embossing powder is removed.

I ran the paper through a swirl Cuttlebug embossing folder. I cut an 1-1-/2" square sheet from the same paper bag. Ran this small square through the same embossing folder and colored the raised areas with the lighter blue Distress ink. I used a gold leafing pad to color the edges.

I trimmed down the "resist" paper and layered it on gold colored card stock. Layered on the smaller square a shell embellishment with some fibers attached.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Book Study- Resist with Torn Masking Tape 2

We're doing a Book Study as a group on NGS. We are using Nancy Curry's book "Texture Effects for Rubber Stamping". This is another card inspired by her Silent Whispers card. I wanted to make a card much like the card in her book. I love the color combination greens & purples. I started by stamping flowers with VersaMark ink on glossy card stock. Then heat set.I taped down a torn strip of masking tape and sponged on a blend of three shades of green dye inks with a jumbo dauber. Remember to rub on the dye ink firmly to expose the resist images. Rub the ink from the edge of the masking tape toward the right edge of the card.

I moved the masking tape and using a clean jumbo dauber, sponged on a blend of just the two lighter shades of green dye inks. I noticed on this card ( not the previous one I did with the same card stock) that the masking tape created a lighter shade of the blended inks. Looks great, so that doesn't bother me. It's just a curious event!?!?!

I continued to ink the card stock in this same way, until the whole card was covered.

I over stamped the flower images, using purple Adirondak ink on the flowers and the darker green dye ink on the stems.

Next, I over stamped several of the floral images with a lavender Brilliance ink, covered it with clear embossing powder and heat set.

I stamped a saying with black Archival ink, mounted this piece on to white card stock and added three small metal dragonfly charms, that I colored with Eggplant Alcohol ink. (Sorry for the glare on the card.)

I like this card the best of the ones I made today.

Book Study - Resist with Torn Masking Tape

We're doing a Book Study as a group on NGS. We are using Nancy Curry's book "Texture Effects for Rubber Stamping". This card is inspired by her Silent Whispers card. I need Birthday cards I can sent to guys, so my mind is on Birthdays. I started by stamping balloons with VersaMark ink on glossy card stock. Then heat set.

I tore a strip of masking tape and laid it on the card stock. Used a cosmetic sponge and blended two shapes of blue Distress inks to color that section. Start at tape edge and work the ink toward the right side. Rub firmly to reveal the resist images. Remove masking tape.


I then taped the other half of the torn masking tape a bit off to the left. This time I used two shades of purple Distress inks to color this section with a new cosmetic sponge. Nancy says it's okay to rub this ink onto the other exposed section.


These steps were continued until the entire card was colored with these same Distress ink combinations.


I then over stamped the balloons and string with purple Adirondak ink.


I stamped some words with black Archival ink and layer this piece on to white card stock.

Book Study - Resist with Bleeding Tissue 2

We're doing a Book Study as a group on NGS. We are using Nancy Curry's book "Texture Effects for Rubber Stamping". This is another card inspired by her Tumbling Feathers card. This time, I started by stamping butterflies with VersaMark ink on glossy card stock. Then heat set.
I placed torn pink, blue & purple tissue paper on the card stock and sprayed with water.

I dried the tissue with a heat tool, and removed the dried tissue. I covered all the card stock with pink dye ink and a cosmetic sponge. Rub hard to reveal the resist images.

I added some more color to the background, using jumbo daubers and blue & purple dye inks.

I used the same blue & purple ink to stamp on some more butterflies. Next stamped on more butterflies with lavender Brilliance ink, and embossed with clear embossing powder and heat set. I trimmed the card stock, mounted it on dark blue card stock and added lots of small purple rhinestones.