Club Scrap: Monthly Blog Hop: Delft

Here we are for another Blog Hop.  I missed last month, but am here with great excitement to share the Delft March Kit and my creations.  This Month I decided to keep it clean and simple.  But before we start, here are some housekeeping tips.  You should have arrived from Cheryl or if you want to start at the beginning Click Here.

My Projects.  These are simple and easy to do.  Lets get started.


Card 1:

I started out creating the background.  I used the stencil and taped it down over white card stock.

Then using the new Distress Oxide, and used the ink pad to directly apply ink to the stencil.  This created thicker areas in com places, but my goal was to actually coat the stencil plastic.

This is the result, if you look close you can see the thicker areas of ink,  The white is where the plastic was.  Ignore the yellow part, I was playing to find a way to use this.  

Next, I misted the stencil, (paper is still in place), and laid a piece of water color paper on top and used a brayer to transfer the ink from the stencil to the paper.  

That step laid down the blue lines.  Dried well with heat tool.  Then I used Distress Oxide,, Fossilized amber and directly  applied the ink pad to craft mat, misted and ran the paper through the Yellow ink. Again dried with a heat tool.  

The final step was to rub the Nuvo Mousse onto the paper to enhance the color and give it a bit of a shine.

Fussy cut out the tulip paper and mounted it onto a mat, this became my focal image.

Last step the sentiment.  

Started with a tag die cut and cut out the die.  Placed this on my Misti and aligned the word.  

Replaced the tag cutout into the opening and stamped, Voila, Perfect.

Lastly just added a ribbon, popped everything onto a white A2 card.  Done!!

Card 2:

Another easy but complicated looking card is this one:

Started out by arranging my stamps on a misty, stamped in Versamark and embossed in a white Embossing powder.  Next, masked off the center.

And blended 2 inks,  Cracked Pistachio and Faded Jeans, Distress oxide again, and gently misted.  Wiped the embossing clear, removed the masked and stamped Celebrate on the center.  A few rhinestones, a blue mat and a white card base finishes this simple but classy card.

Card 3:

This one appears more complicated , but it is just as simple.  I started out with a Black Stamping and embossed in Clear.  Then I covered the entire image with Glossy Accents and let dry.

Next I cut it all apart, and assembled it on vellum with pop dots, making sure to leave the "pieces" wavy.  

Here is a better look that fives a better idea of the dimension.  

The base card is a silver and cut down to A2 size.  Matt was cut from silver printed paper included in kit.  Mats were cut from same silver card stock, added a silver wrapping of embroidery thread and bow.  Popped the sentiment on another silver mat.  Simple and I think the saying goes well with the Cracked Tile effect.  My idea for this card was from the Club Scrap Blog posting by Julie.

Well fellow crafter, that is it for me.  Your next stop is:  Jennifer.  

Happy Crafting,

Josette

Links:  

 Club Scrap

Delft Stamp Kit

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Club Scrap: Artist Team Challenge: Digi Delight.

Ok are you ready for the Team Challenge.  This month the challenge was to use the Digital images  to create digital/hybrid projects.  Digital can be challenging or fun, it is a different way to craft.  I came to crafting through Digital Scrapbooking.  Then moved into Digital Art Journaling.  I still created a lot of my sentiments in photoshop, print and use on my cards, solves that issue of "not right stamping".  I did not want to overwhelm you with the techie part, so my goal was to show you  a trick or maybe something new that might  get you to think about the digital files in a different way.

This was not an easy task as I have never written a tutorial for this type of project.  So I tried to keep it simple.  Let me know what you think or if you have any questions., just sent me a note.    But first, you should have arrived from Jennifer and if you got lost, Click here.

First off, I am using Photoshop for this project.  I am also using the latest release,  your screen might not look the same if you are using an older version, or a different Photoshop Program than this.  But the principal is the same.  I have been using this Program for many years and while it changes  with every release, the basics are constant.

Card 1:  This will demonstrate the basic technique, hang in there.

and

These were made with the same images but one is layered and the other flat.  

I started by creating the background.

One of the issues with using files, that if you try to enlarge them they can Pixilate, have jagged borders.  One way to avoid this is to create a stamp from the image, and then alter the "stamp".

Located the Image that I wanted and using the lasso tool, outlined the image.  I captured part of the background.  You can't see it in the photo but this little bit of background gives the paper texture and depth, taking away that "photo look".  Next, I opened another file, white page and dragged this image onto the paper.  It is very light and needed to be darkened.  There are many ways to do this, but the easiest is to click on the image bar and use the adjustment and brightness and contrast tools.

Under the image tab is the adjustment tool.  Below this is the Auto Contrast.  Screen One is the Level and the second shot is Contrast .  

Placed the output level clear to the right at 255 and far left to 0

 Use this to darken it further.  

Here is the comparison, right is untouched, left is the darkened image.  You  could also use the layers to add more layers and use the darken mode to do this, but you have to flatten the image and sometimes there is a bit of distortion.  This is a simple 2 step process.   It is still blue, but so dark it really doesn't matter.

Now we need to turn into a stamp.  Under the edit tab, is the "Define Brush Present, click this.

This widow opens, Name your brush and you just created a "stamp".   That number indicates the size.  You just increase the number in the brush tool to make bigger or smaller.  

Ok, we are almost done!!

On the blog, when a kit is released is a file with very important information.  Also the fonts used are in this posting.  They are a click away and load right into Photoshop.  

Open this file in Photoshop.  Then using the color picker, place the eye dropper on whatever color you want, or choose a color of your choice.    I chose the bottom blue color.  Make this your selection.

Go to the brush tool, select the brush, set you color and stamp away.  

I printed this out and used it for the backing for the first example, matted it on blue and added a ribbon.  For my Hybrid part, I created the Sentiment tag.  

Tag was created using the Rectangle tool, creating my boxes and then typed in my text. 

The outer box is black, Happy Birthday and the inner box is in the same blue as the Shoes.  

I printed this out on white card stock.  The Black and blue tag was printed on my ink jet printer.  A second black box (on top) was printed with my Laser printer.  

I ran the black box through my Minc with Gold foil, cut along the lighter blue line and matted these.

Both of these layers were popped up on fun foam.  I used the crystal pen in blue (included in the kit) to add hash marks to the light blue line to add that "hand touch".

For the second card, I copied the Background onto a smaller (5X7 canvas), pulled the rectangle into the file, centering it and then printed on my ink jet printer  All that was needed was to add ribbon, embellishment, mat and place on a card base.  I did cut this down to the A2 size.  

Whew!!! that was involved.  but the good news, I used all the same techniques to create the other 2 cards.  So, you get a reprieve from my tutorial, enjoy some eye candy.

Card 2

Simple and elegant.  Used the darker blue "ink" on the chip, same rectangle box, same stamp making technique and lastly a Dutch Proverb makes a simple elegant and perfect card.  This one is matted and no foiling was used in the creation of this project.  I flipped the "shoe" by checking a box in the brush tool selection tab.  (This is my favorite).

Card 3:

Again, created the "stamp", made my alignment, stamped in black ink and printed on my Laser printer.  Just lassoed the Sentiment pulled it onto the paper and printed .

This is how it was printed.  I have an additional sentiment,  Never sure when I might need one, and why waste paper.  I just cut these out and keep a folder in my foil supply drawer.  

Cut down to size, foiled the sentiment in gold and the card in Blue, mounted on a blue cardstock, finished. 

This photo shows the shine a bit better.

Well that is all from me today.  Your next stop is Cheryl.  

Happy Crafting 

Josette

Card Challenge Time: Freshly Made Sketches

Time for my challenge card.  I have to say these are rough for me to do.  I am a free spirit when I craft and have a hard time conforming.  I must have looked at a dozen sites before one spoke to me.  I  always seems to have an idea and then go looking for the challenge that matches it.  I need to find a simpler way I am thinking.  Oh well, the card is cute and matches the challenge perfectly.

The Sketch

This card is straight forward.  I used the papers from Club Scrap March Kit, Delft.  Fussy cut the papers for the "ribbons" and a printed paper for the the mat.  All of this was arranged on a 5X7 white card base.  

This is the paper that I was trying to find a use for.  I used the stencil on white 120 card stock, and brushed over a layer of Nuvo Mousse.  This is a new product for me and well, I'm not sure about it.  I am a great fan of Inca Gold and this is similar, fluffier, but harder to control.  I need to play some more.

Nuvo Mousse

The rest of the card is straight forward: Stamped and copic colored the images, then fussy cut.  Added a sentiment and a few sequins.  Finished!  Not bad.  

That is it for me!!  Stop over to Freshly Made Sketches and see all the other cards made from this Sketch.  Be sure and visit  Club Scrap and check out the latest Kit:  Delft, March 2017.

Until next time, 

Happy Crafting,

Josette. 

Interactive Cards: A Windmill Tutorial

I am back!!!  February was a rough month.  I had just finished the inside of my interactive card and was feeling the "happy dance".. Headed off to work, thinking the weekend would see me finishing it and publishing soon.  Well life can change in a moment, while walking down the hall and thinking about life, I felt and "heard" a pop in my knee and I was down for the count.  I understand pain, but to experience that white hot searing pain of acute injury and the awareness that walking was impossible was a new experience.  Good thing I work in a medical facility, wheel chairs are easily acquired.  I was whisked off to ED, MRI, Ortho, and medicated before the reality hit that it was going to be a long way to the top of those stairs and my craft room.  Well, my saga continues but with help I can get upstairs and when finished, with help can get back down the stairs.  So, on my return to the craft room, What did I make?  A Windmill!!!

Cute isn't it?  Wonder how that will fit into a card.   I made a movie.

Ok, lets see how to make this:  The principle is on a box idea.  We are familiar with these, the exploding box,  box card, and Karen Burniston's Flower Pot Pop Up.  I just made a closed box and used a triangle as the element.

There is a Windmill Stamp in the Club Scrap March Kit Delft.  I used this for inspiration.  First started out by measuring the stamp.  I determined that the base is slightly narrower than the height.  I began here.

The windmill stamp is on the right 

I drew out several different sizes of triangles to get the exact size, keeping in mind that I did not want a giant card, 5X7 was goal and I needed room for the blades.  Then I made a model and adjusted the blades and figured out the construction.

Ended up with an equilateral triangle with base of 2" and height of 2.5".  At this point it is important that the triangle be perfect.  All the angles must be exact.

We could go into the geometry of this whole exercise, but in reality, just use a ruler and draw 2 lines.  I used a t-square to keep everything straight.  one line is 2"  (the base) and crossed by line that is 2.5" (the height) and connect the lines.  Then I drew tabs onto one side and the bottom.

Next I placed this on a folded piece of paper and created this:

Not the easiest to see, but the triangle pattern in first picture is represented on the left, creases are where the lines were drawn.  The triangle to the left is another whole triangle, tabs are shown.

This is converted to the full pattern.  Dotted lines are the fold lines.  This was carefully cut and scored.  The Inked embellishments were added, while flat and the windows cut out.  The blades were added on before the closing up the "box".   I used an xacto knife to cut out the "windows" and glued yellow paper behind the holes.  Inked up the panes and added a white gel pen outline to indicate frames around the windows and door.  A brad holds the blades.  

Blades were also inked to add dimension.  

I created the card base the same as in all my other cards.  Cutting the base and adding the backing papers to the inside, leaving space along the gutter (the center fold).  The Center fold on the front of the windmill must line up with the gutter.  I added the glue to one tab and with the windmill open attached that side down.  Then flattened everything, removed the strip from the second tab, folded the card, perfect.

Next I needed to adjust the blades.

I had made the blades too long and nothing seemed to keep them in my card, so I just trimmed them down until they stayed within the card.  

Perfect!!

That is it, the inside of the card is nearly done.  I just needed to add some additional focal points.  

I always keep my failed backgrounds, you never know when you might need them!!!

Using a tulip die, I cut tulips from the backgrounds above, you wouldn't know, but the green is leaves and the yellow/pink are the flowers.  Stamped a the shoe, colored with copics, added a sentiment.  The other side was left blank for a message to be written .

The front is simple and complements the inside.  I try to keep the front simple.  

I I fussy cut one of the papers in the kit, added a ribbon , the embellishment and a sentiment.  

Well this seems long and involved.  But it isn't.  Getting the pattern made was the hard part.  Remember when making popups, the gutter or center is where "most of the action is" and both sides must be symmetrical.  If all things are equal and it is foldable, it will work.  Just experiment.  

I will post February Interactive card soon.  In retrospect, this mechanism needed to come first. The Succulent Card relies on Parallelogram and is more complicated.  In the scheme of things, this is a very simple pop up.  Let me know if you have any questions.

Happy Crafting,

Josette

Links: 

Club Scrap   

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