Club Scrap: Celebrate Kit Blog Hop

Time for another blog hop.  You should have arrived from:  Deb.  If you got lost and want to start at the beginning, This Link will take you there.  Celebrate is the Kit and it truly was a Celebration to work with.

My Cards!, The focus is Backgrounds.  And a few little "tricks"

I love backgrounds and the making of them.  The experimentation and the surprises.  With all the circles and forms I decided to save those stamps and make them the focus of this posting. The combination created some amazing and simple cards that are easy to re-create without a lot of fuss, just some experimentation and playing with your supplies.  That is why I love making backgrounds.

Card 1:

This card explores the technique that I touched on in the Team Challenge posting.  It was the background for my "space friends".

First I arranged the stamps and stamped using Versamark on Watercolor paper.  Heat set with a clear embossing powder.  I did not show this as it is hard to see.

Here the stamps are placed on my Misti, in the end I did not use the Misti and just stamped on paper using an acrylic block.  This way I was  able to use more pressure.  I used Tim Holtz Watercolor paper and the texture side is difficult to get a good stamping.  I tried stamping on the smoother size and while it was ok, it was still not perfect.  For this technique,it didn't matter.  I used this paper because I like how the ink is able to "get under the stamping". Other water color papers, give a tighter "seal" and you get less seeping under the embossed area, which is what I wanted.  I have said this before, Paper makes a huge difference in outcome.  If you don't like something, change the paper first. 

Same process as before.  Using re-inkers placed drops onto an acetate sheet, misted with water and applied to paper.  So let us stop here and discuss how I chose the colors.  These are Twisted Citron, Ripe Persimmon and Wild Honey.  I had read somewhere that if you take the Tim Holtz distress chart, downloadable from their web site, and use colors that either are linear or surround the "target" Color, you will get a compatible mix.  So, I tried it:

Hard to see, but if you double click, you will see these Three Colors in a grid.  Rusty Hinge would have made up the quadrant.  Link to Downloadable Chart.  I am not convinced that with the new addition of inks, this theory works.  If you look at a color wheel, these are secondary and stand next to each other on the wheel, Yellow, Green, Orange. I will play with it a bit more and see.  I do think the previous chart, (prior to addition of the new colors) worked well to find combinations to play with.

Anyway back to the card.  So I lifted the acetate and smoothed it onto the paper.  Added more water and continued  to build up the color until I liked what I had.  Then I enhanced the colors with an ink blending tool and ink pad and finally spritzed with water.

Next step, I ironed the paper to remove the embossing powder, revealing the white paper with bleed under neath

Love it!!.  I did not want to cover it up, so I just added a sentiment and called it done.  I didn't even add a mat. White card base, A2 size.  

Card 2:

Where to go next.  I wanted the circle stamp to be front and center.  I tried many background ideas and they were too busy to get that focal image to stand out.  I thought one might work and made the focal image in that color scheme.  Only to find that it did not work and needed to rethink the background.  While staring in horror and at a total loss, I noticed the paper in the Kit, the black to grey paper with all the flourishes.  I had used a part of it for another card and an idea hit, Black on White, OK.  So I just started stamping.  Black Versafine on white Cardstock.  

Trimmed down the area that I liked to a 5 " square, mounted it on my inspiration paper and now it was ready for the focal image.  

That had been stamped with Versafine ink, and heat embossed with clear.  I embellished it with pearls that I had colored with my Copic markers and added some clear rhinestones.  But I needed something to pop it off of the background.  I tried the glitter paper in the kit but it really needed color.  Since I was stuck with the color scheme, I cut a circle that was covered with double sized tape and added microfine glitter in Green.  Great.  Popped it up on a piece of fun foam.  Added the black ribbon and sentiment, a few more crystal accents.  Mmmm,  But is still needed something.  A black bow, did nothing and I could not add a different ribbon.  Oh, but the mother of invention can come in handy at times.  I remember at a convention seeing ribbon being made with score tape, I went to the Web Site for this company, Sparkle and Sprinkle and found this technique, so I thought I would give it a try.

Length of Scor-tape or double sided tape

Roll up the tape, go the whole length and make it a tight roll.

 Once you have the "rope", coat it with glitter, burnish it in and tie it into a bow!  Perfect

DONE!!

Card 3:  I turned this card over to my Granddaughter. 

Paige Trunnell:  Guest Artist

Miss Paige is the photographer behind all my action shots.  I could not get the pictures I have without her help.  When she came in from school, she asked if "I needed any pictures taken?, I asked if she could help me make this card and she smiled.  Oh but to play with all that forbidden goodies, "you bet!"  But of course I had to turn it into a discussion of math and science, color wheel theory and chemistry.  Wonder why she has that look?  Oh well, in the end it needed to be just pink and glittery, I think it worked.

So we started with a box of sprays, white paper and the stencil from the Celebrate Kit.  Color wheel was used to choose the colors.  We did both direct spay and blotted up the excess paint from the stencils.  I could tell after several tries that we were not "getting her vision", so I stepped back and she chose her ink and created this:

Lesson learned Grandma, stop meddling and micromanaging.  There is a place for theory and a place for adventure.

Other backgrounds: all made with ColorWheel:

She did good.  

The rest was pretty straight forward.  She cut a pink mat, and made an A2 base, added a white ribbon and stamped a sentiment.  The mat was fussy cut after tracing around the sentiment die, pink glitter was added to the edges and then mounted on fun foam.

Thank you for stopping by.  Your next stop:  Hetty at Craftchaos

Happy Crafting,

Josette

All supplies used are from:  Celebrate Kit by Club Scrap

Inks used for spray: ColourArte, Radiant Rain and Heidi Swapp

Distress:  Twisted Citron, Ripe Persimmon, Wild Honey

Other ink: Versfine Black Onxy and Versamark

Embossing powder: Hero Arts fine clear

Glitter from various vendors: Sprinkle and Sparkle, Elizabeth Crafts

Scor tape, fun foam, Pearls and chrystals, wet glue to adhere.  

ColourArt: Primary Elements and Stamping

In my last video for ColourArt I used  Primary Elements to create a soft background,   Background Video Link.  In this video, the background was turned into a card.  I had intended to use Twinkling H20 for the image, but after much consideration, decided to stick with the same product.  I tested this technique and determined it to be a perfect choice.

I used both backgrounds and cut them down to the right size.  The first one is an A2 and the second, well I just could not bear to trim all that gorgeousness away, so it is a 5.5" square card.

I cut mat out of gold Cardstock for the square card and did not use a mat for the other one.  I was struggling with the black but that was the paper that showed the image the best.  Gold seemed to soften it a bit.

The image was stamped with Versamark after a static tool was applied to the cardstock.  This helps control the powder,  Patting on the Primary Elements, finally brushing away the excess and cleaning up the mess with a Swifter cloth.  A quick spritz with water and after drying was ready for the card.

I cut the tag with an oval die, a mat from a slightly larger scalloped die.  Then using fun foam, created the corner element.  Final touch was to add a gold cord underneath the tag.

Everything was adhered with score-tape onto the card base, mat and finally the element onto the card.
I used scor-tape for 2 reasons.  Water color paper can be warped and it is hard to get good contact.  The second issue is that in Texas, my snail tape and ATG doesn't seem to stay stuck.  I am unsure if I need a different product or I am just glue challenged.  Anyway the scor-tape always holds for me.

I used a Heidi Swapp Glitter paper and it was backed with scor-tape before die cutting.  This paper is very thin but incredibly sturdy.  The combination of die cutting and score tape makes a durable sticker that is easily repositioned for a short time.


That is it!! All done.  Stop by YouTube: Primary Element and Stamping Video to see this card in the making.

Happy Crafting,
Josette
Link:  ColourArte
YouTube: ColourArte YouTube Channel
Supplies:  Primary Elements:  Beach house Blue and Sunburst
Veramark
Cardstock, black and gold
Swifter cloth
Scor-tape
Stamps are from Unity Stamp Company
Heidi Swap Glitter Paper in Gold

Club Scrap Team Challenge: Celebration Kit

Welcome to the Team Challenge Hop.  You should have arrived from Hetty: At Craftchaos     If you got lost along the way, start at the beginning by clicking on this link:  Blog Hop Start

The challenge this month was to use circles in a creative way.  OK, circle cards, circle shapes, circle?
Well how do I use circles and the kit without out just making circles.  After much thinking, I decided that the circles needed to be a part of the construction.  So what would be my theme.  Well I love Star Wars and R2-D2 and C3PO are 2 of my favorite characters.  So robots and circles.

Cute aren't they!!!
Let us see how they are made.  We will start with the easiest and move the the more complex.

Card 1:  Telescoping Circle Card

Easy Peasy, die cut some circles and put them together.

I took an assortment of circle dies and cut out papers from the kit.  Stamped Love and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  The final circle, has a cute little robot and "thinking of you".

Then they were assembled with brads.  Closed a nice little circle card, open a larger card.

The only tricky part was, when adding the brads, the image on top must be upside down, then when spiral open, everything is up right.  I found this card on Splitcoast Stampers.  I had searched circle cards and this popped up.

Here is a close up of the cute little robot.

Card 2:  Yo-Yo Head Card

Well this one is easier is some ways from the final card, and more difficult in other ways (getting that head to turn).

Lets take a look at the construction:

The moon:  I used the grey in the kit, embossed using a folder with these tiny flowers.  Then inked with distress: Smoked Hickory and Pumice stone.  Next I used a very large circle to cut out and then trimmed to fit the A2 Card base.

I needed a background that "looked like outer space"  I used 3 re-inkers from Ranger: Mermaid Lagoon, Peacock Feather and Candied Apple.  Placing them onto an acetate sheet, spritzing with water and then laying the inked sheet onto the paper.

I very carefully added water as I did not want a puddle or too much mixing. This was carefully turned over the paper and "Smooshed"..   Paper I have discovered is huge factor.  The first attempt I used Neenah solar white, and there was too much time for the ink to stay on the paper and more migration.  The one in the very front on the left is the Neenah of the top photo is this example.    I switch to a bristol paper by Canson, while "duller", it is more fibrous and the ink grabbed onto the paper and there was less migration.  The second photo and the one on the right were created with the Canson paper.  See how they have more "distinct" color areas.  After heat setting the first application of ink, more water was added and selectively Smooshed onto the paper in areas that needed more ink, heat set again.  Then I gently misted with water to get a more distressed appearance.  This was then cut down to 4X5.25 inches and attached to an A2 card base.

I penciled in my "moon shape" and stamped the robots from My Favorite Things (MFT) onto Neenah solar white and colored with Copic Markers. Note masking is required, visit the Bamboo Pandas in this blog posting for a refresher if needed:  Masking for layered images  As a last step, added a layer of Wink of Stella to give a shine.  These were fussy cut.  The robot whose head will turn, was stamped an additional time and colored.

Circles were cut out of fun foam and acetate.  I used the smallest circle in my die set and it is about 1/2 " in diameter.  Fun foam with adhesive applied to both sides was attached to the image that will be the card.  Next an acetate circle was adhered to the fun foam, a second acetate circle, with glue on one side was attached to the "second head" and all were sandwichd and attached with a brad to the image.  A piece of twine with a ribbon was attached to the outside head and then wound around the outside of the fun foam.  When pulled the head turns around.  There is a Splitcoast Stamper instruction with video here:  Yo Yo Spinner Card

Let us take a moment and talk about the sentiment.  When I was a new card maker, I wanted everything just so.  Image big, sentiment small and not to interfere with the image.  I spent untold hours trying to find the perfect sentiment with the perfect shape and size and/or the perfect die to cut it with.  When I started with Club Scrap, I noted the sentiments are large, they are for Scrapbooking not little A2 cards. I could make big cards or cut them down or put them on the inside, But  I love the words, the saying and for their inspiration.  If you look at my cards over time, you will see the migration of the sayings into my cards, subtle change but present and I like where I am headed.

Anyway, this sentiment matched the image,  So I made it fit.  I stamped and embossed and then holding it to the card, started trimming and cutting until it fit perfectly.  I think it is the sentiment that makes this card.  Busy, interactive, yes, but so is life.   This card is not technically challenging just fussy.

Card 3:  This was the first card I made for this challenge and the most frustrating.  It took one whole day just to get it to work.  When I look at the card now, it seems so simple.  Oh well, you can just copy it, but I will share the technique and some issues along the way.

My C3PO, isn't he cute.  Circles.  this guy was a circle or rather a round can filler.  Concept is simple, 2 layers, one a shaker window with another image with a shaker window.  OK  can you see the first problem, the whole left side is open, how do I get a shaker to work with one side open.  There are many solutions, but all closed up that open circle concept I was going for, so in the end I improvised.

First I cut the teal paper down to 4X 5.25, and the shiny glitter paper 3.5X 5.25.  Die cut a circle in the glitter paper.

This was centered.  Next I cut a frame with fun foam and Stick-t to create the window and attached a piece of acetate to this.  I recently made a video demonstrating how to make a shaker card with fun foam.  Valentine Shaker Card.  All the details are in that video.
I placed the glitter paper over the teal paper and glued glitter and rhinestones to the paper.  The attached the

window frame.  A strip of black paper was attached over the right side of the card.  Next the glitter paper was placed over the acetate window.  Here I learned a major lesson.  All dies are not created equal.  I used one brand for the acetate and used a different brand for the glitter paper.  The circles were exactly the same size, but the acetate (spellbinders) was not an exact circle and my glitter paper did not cover the fun foam on one edge.  Normally this would not make a difference, It did here.  How to fix it? I really did not want to cut another glitter paper (and waste it) and the acetate was stuck down.  I either had to start over (which I did ) or live with it (which I could not).  Problem was I knew that I had used 2 separate dies, but I did not know which had been used to cut what and to look at them you could not tell which was not perfectly round.  So I had to cut test papers to find the culprit.  I did and now I know.  So tidbit, use the same brand of dies for anything that must fit together perfectly.

Let us move onto the next issue:  The Robot

I cut out 1 paper robot and a fun foam robot.  The fun foam had stick-it applied to both sides and die cut.  The stamped robot in the picture was my "test Dummy", you can see he is not cut perfectly or stamped.
I use the negative to center over my stamped image, then place the die in the opening, tape down and cut.  Perfect every time.  Then I cut a heart out of the center.  Colored the robot, so far so good.  Attached the colored image to one side of the fun foam and filled with microbeads and glitter.
Micro beads are a nightmare in such a small area, the static sends them rolling, then after I removed the backing paper, knocked it over and they all stuck to the stick-it.  START OVER.  Except I am out of stick-it.  So I switched to Scor-Tape, which is thicker and my die would not cut all the way through.  And I could not get it off of the fun foam.  So, I stuck a heart crystal in the opening, glued the fun foam pieces together and attached it to the window on the card, in the wrong place.  Now I have glue all over my acetate.  Thank heavens 91% alcohol dissolves glue and not the acetate.
Embellished that baby, shut out the lights and called it a day.

close up of robot, all colored and cute

Next day, I added the sentiment.  Cut out a circle, stamped and heat embossed in clear.  I used the  circle die to get the top line and position correct and then shaped the bottom of the sentiment to fit.  I had also curved and shaped the stamp prior to stamping.  One thing I love about unmounted stamps, I am in charge!!.

So that is it for this challenge.  In the end, I learned a lot and I love my Robots.  I love this kit and the stamps are wonderful.  I have not even explored all the wonderful swirls and circle stamps in this kit, stayed tuned there is more to come.

Your next stop is:  Debbie

Happy Crafting,

Josette

Supplies:  All supplies are available at Club Scrap and the Celebration Kit and Stamps is here.

Only other supplies used: Copic, Wink of Stella and MSTN Bionic Bots

Assorted circle dies, adhesive, Stick-it, Scor-tape, glitter and crystals.