Club Scrap: October Blog Hop: Literature Kit

Time of the October Blog Hop at Club Scrap.  This month we are using the Literature KIt.  This kit is amazing, with classic books, aged paper, soft and antiqued.  Before we look at the cards, lets take care of the hopping links: You should have arrived here from Cheryl  and your next stop is Jennifer.  If you get lost Click here to start at the beginning.

Ok here are the Three Cards I created for this hop.

This month was a challenge in that I had used all my paper to create my memory book.  All I had left was a pile of scraps.  Some big, some not.  This situation had occured to me while I was making the book, but I thought, "Oh well, I will just print off some digital papers".  Well as luck would have it, I got side tracked making Halloween Cards and when I got back to this project, I realized my printer was completely empty of ink.  It was after 4pm, Costco is 30+ miles away and I was going to have to endure Dallas traffic on the weekend, oops, no ink.  No what.  Well my laser printer had ink and I have a Minc, so here we go!!!

Card 1:

This was my first card.  I love Alice in Wonderland and really like this rabbit.  But in creating my book the only rabbit I had left was missing most of his arms.

So I measured what I had, looked up cards that were close to that measurement and arrived at 6.5 x 5 as a 5-bar card.  Ok, someplace to start.

I figured this panel could measure 6.25 inches and I was just going to go with what width I had.  Inked it up, mostly to help the image to recede into the background and become a background.  Now I needed to cover up that cut off hand.
Pulled out my computer, loaded Photoshop and uploaded the digital files.  with ruler in hand I calculated how much real estate I had and sized the words to fit that area.  Then I bordered it in an outline, printed it out on my laser printer and ran it through the Minc.  cut it down to size and mounted it on foam dimensional.  I had this bare area in the right hand corner, stamped and embossed the medallion for the stamp set.

 cut it out with a die to give the border some texture.

Added a circle of gold ribbon,

Mounted the medallion on top, Finished

Card 2:

This one took some thinking.  I wanted to use the stamp in the kit, but I did not want it to be a background, and I needed to give it some dimension.

Look closely at the card.  Noted the rabbit and the "curiouser and" is darker.  How did I do that.  Well lets take a look.  There were two options.  One was to ink and stamp off, stamp the image, re-ink the parts to be darker and re-stamp.  Too much work and Too risky.  Remember I am running out of time.

So, 

I stamped it with an archival ink, Potting Shed, then applied embossing powder to only the areas I wanted Darker.  Magic.  Next to color.  Copics would have been to dark, this is card stock so water color is out and I wanted vintage.  Pulled out my water color pencils and colored the image. 

Then very carefully, added just enough water to "float the color". 

I think this worked.  Repeated for the rest of the areas to be colored.

Shaded around the rabbit and letters, added a velum banner and mounted it onto an mat and then onto an A2 card base.  Looked plain, so I added some gold ribbon and the charm from the kit.  Perfect.  Could work for any occasion and especially for an Alice in Wonderland fan.

Card 3

This one is just a repeat of Card 1.  Used what I had, measured the real estate, printed a sentiment, foiled int he Minc, mounted onto a mat, then a card base, added a ribbon and sequins, finished!!

Of the 3, this one is my favorite.  Clean and simple, but elegant.  Can't go wrong with a little gold, some bling and red.  This card will find an owner soon!!!

Thank you for stopping by, remember to continue on your journey and pick up your Literature Kit before they are gone.  Click here to move to the next stop.

Happy Crafting,

Josette

Links:Club Scrap

Literature Deluxe Kit

Club Scrap: Team Challenge for October

Well it is hard to believe we are more than half way through October and Halloween looms around the corner, which means the holidays are drawing near.  This month's team challenge was create a project for giving.  So what better gift than a memory book.  But before I start, lets make sure we are in the right spot.  You should have arrived here from Jennifer, if not or you want to start at the beginning, Click Here.  Your next stop is: Debbie .

Ok, lets take a look at my project.  I have not embellished it, so this is the blank book prior to giving it to its recipient.

The kit this month is Literature.  What better to represent literature than file folders.  While I was in grad school, I had file folders everywhere.  Even the though of those days makes me think of those stacks of folders.  I work in medicine now, and the file folder is a fond memory of those days.  But this book if for my daughter who competed this summer in Rio at the Paralympic Games and I needed a "folder" to collect her pictures and memorabilia.  This kit was perfect and so I took my file folder idea and headed out to Pinterest.  I was not sure what I was looking for, but I found this lovely album that uses the We Are Memory Makers, envelop board to create this file folder album.  There was nothing unique or creative about my book, I just followed the instructions and it came out perfectly.  So here is the link to the web site with all the instructions, including measurements.  Envelope punch board album.  Be warned, this takes an enormous amount of paper.  I used my entire kit and finished off a drawer full of scraps.  

I am only going to share the parts that were difficult to understand in hopes of clarifying and some changes I made in construction.  

Start with the cover.  After cutting my chip board, I ran then through the byron. 

This gives me a layer of adhesive on the back side and helps to prevent shifting. 

I adhered the chip board to the cover paper, and added score tape around the edges.  I would recommend cutting the paper 1/4 inch bigger all the way around, but this did work, just no wiggle room. 

I used 2 thickness of chipboard, laid this along the corner and used it to cut my corner.  This is a good trick to prevent those dog ears.  Then I just folded over my edges and burnished all the edges and corners.

I applied score tape to the chip board before attaching my paper.  This was not a step included but again gives more stability.  

Here is with all the chip board covered and the side pocket finished.  The directions here are excellent, just do what she says.  The pocket is where the book slides in.  I used scortape throughout.   

 I measured everything, then laid down a strip of score tape, added my ribbon, but do this in the bent position. If you do it flat, it might be too tight.

See how when flat, there are ripples over the edges, just burnish down, they will be fine.  

Next add the cover papers to the front.  Here is a little trick.  Put the score tape down on all four sides, then fold back a small area of the cover tape.

Now when you go to apply the paper, you haven't committed the entire adhesive area and this makes repositioning a snap.  Make sure you can grab those turned over bits and just zip that paper in place, slick.  

Back to the inside.  

After you cut those flaps, use temporary tape to fit them together.  This makes positioning a snap.  There are many instructions out there on how to use the envelop board.  I found the easiest is to use even measurement, 5,6, 4 inches, whole numbers, at the center place your first notch.  Then where ever you want the "file" tab, right or left, just position in the center of the punch.  Trim off the end that is "not the tab" to the center, perfect.  Try this on some scrap to get the hang of it.  If the paper needs to be smaller than the whole measure, trim after finishing on both ends.  You can do two thinner papers at the same time, but put right sides together so they are mirrored images. 

Here they are installed.  After covering the outside, I placed brads and then covered the inside.  

To keep the brad from being too tight and allow me to be able to wrap the string. I folded two pieces of scrap paper under the head, on the left, inserted the string and tightened down the arms.  On the other side I was careful to keep the "gap"  The paper helped.  

I decided to make 8 pages.  This was because I had 4 sheets of 12x12 in red and kraft.  I could get 2 out of each piece.  Again her instructions for the pages are perfect, just follow them.  Here are a few photos of the pages.

I needed to use scraps and other papers to finish all these pages.  I tied them together by distressing the papers.  If they were too light, the ink took care of it and when they were finished they looked like they were meant to be together, even though I have no idea where most of them came from.  This is one side. 

this is back side with pocket and photo mat in place.  This pocket gave me pause.  There is a "hinge on both of the short ends that attaches the folder to the main page.  this elevates the paper so that the mat slides in nicely.  Just remember the hinges go on the short end and then onto the page. I kept trying to bend it around something, and there is not bending just stick and stick.  

The mats and the tags are straight forward and I used all her measurements without adjustment. 

here is a pick of the tag with the first cut.  This one is not in the center,  just follow her measurement.  

See how I just cut that end off.  Then covered both sides with paper.  

The tag inserts into the pocket at the top, but wait until your book is finished before inserting.

Almost done.  I make 2 chipboard covers for my book and covered them from and back.  I think it looked nicer.  Then I used my Bind it all to put it all together.  the back cover slides into the pocket on the right of the cover. 

I alternated the "file ends" for interest only.  I only did a 6 whole binding.  

Inserted with front pocket opened. 

Inside of book cover with first page showing.  

All I need to do now is embellish the fromt and spine, add photos and memorabilia and it is ready to delivery.  

Hope you enjoyed this project, remember your next stop is Deb

Happy crafting,

Josette

Links:

Club Scrap

Literature Kit: Deluxe

Technique Corner: Stamps as a background.

Hi, I am finally back to my regular scheduled programing,  I think.  Over at Club Scrap we need to create a personal blog post to go along with the kits.  I am going to use my "time" to discuss stamping and techniques.  Lets look at the cards I created for this post and them will discuss the process and issues.

I love the idea of simple one layer cards.  They are easy to mail and should be fast.  Well, I struggle with them.  I don't like the flat look,   I want my image to pop,  and I love all the embellishments.  And well, they rely on perfect stamping.  

I saw a posting by Jennifer McQuire, where she demoed this very technique and as a result made these phenomenal one layer cards.  My first thought, was Perfect.  I have the perfect stamps and I need a bunch of thank you cards.  They look easy and simple, and in one afternoon I can scratch Thank you cards off my list.   So I set about to recreate her technique.  Well lets, just say I did not get the results that she did.  My stampings were messy, nothing was lined up and well they just stinked.  

I am not one to let defeat get in the way of a phenomenal learning experience.  So that is what this blog posting is about.  The rest of the story, or at least my version. 

What did I learn.  Start big and cut down.  Even the most careful placement looks different in the card form.  Find ways to compensate and cover the messes.  I have a garbage can of trials and errors, so I hope to save you come of the grief.  

This started out as an A2, but after I trimmed it up to get everything centered, it is a bit smaller.  

I first stamped the image and the black saying and heat embossed.  I like to emboss, it gives dimension and texture.  I was planning to watercolor and the embossing helps everything stay put.  But it can warp the paper just enough to make alignment an issue. I countered this by using a lot of magnets on my Misti.

Alignment is everything.  Take the time and get it perfect.  Trim your stamps if needed.  I stamped everything on a sheet of plastic with a grid, and checked and doubled checked placement.  Still was off, oh well, that is what trimmers are for!!

Once I was sure I had it, I removed the images and started to repeat stamping the words.  I used the stamping on the plastic to guide my placement.  Lesson 1, wipe off the area around the stamp after inking, and don't forget, or you will need to start over.  Also, use a very light ink for the background words.  I also created a mask to cover up the images.  After it was all done, finally, I colored the images.

By adding shading around the images, I was able to add dimension and helped overcome that flat feeling.  

I did not add any embellishments.  Theoretically, you should be able to reproduce this over and over again.  But in reality, one card was enough for me!!!  To cover up the messy areas that was not eliminated with trimming, I just inked the paper and spritzed with water.  Now it looks like I meant to be "distressed"

I learned a lot from the first card.  One, use the wording as a background, create a panel and trim!!  Still one layer, no embellishments but I saved a few hours by not having to worry about symmetry and by separating the image from the card blank.  This was created the same way.  Stamp the image, mask and then stamp the background.  Look close,   I used different words in the background.  Finally, I distressed the heck out of it.

Here is booked ready to start adding the words.  See that I masked off the words as well.  Note the paper towel.  I learned early on that it is very hard to get stamps perfectly clean.  I did not remove the booked stamp, just covered it with the paper towel and placed my words elsewhere on the Misti.  This is a time saver, if you have to start over, and believe you me I did, many many times.  The paper towel helped keep my paper clean.  Should have tried it on the first card.  Again I stamped in a very light color.  Both cards, the words  were stamped with Hero Arts, Soft Brown.  

The images were colored with Copics.    This card is slightly bigger than an A2, I let the wording dictate the size of the panel and then worked upwards.  The card stock is fun.  The card blank was cut from one of the book papers in the kit.  When you turn it over, Alice in Wonderland is on the back.  Matches the theme very well.

To recap.  Think through the process.  Do a dry run to see what you might have missed.  Be aware that most of us make ink marks on our paper, just figure out how to cover it up, relax, remember this is suppose to be fun.

Until next week, when we present our Team Challenge. Mark the date: October 19,
Happy Crafting
Josette

Links:
Club Scrap

Literature Stamp Set

Garden Shed Stamps