Watercolor textured backgrounds

Hello, welcome to a new week! It's Anna posting today.

Experimentation is one of the best aspects of paper crafting. There are more techniques to make an Embossed Background using Sizzix Textured Impressions Embossing Folder. Now that Sizzix have created the new Folders Plus, you increase possibilities and techniques, saving time!

Today’s tutorial shows how to combine a Plus embossing folder and inks spray for create “watercolor” textured backgrounds.

These are my cards:

 

 

 

 

 

Read on to discover this papercraft technique: how to make embossing watercolor cards (one of methods).

 

 

Spray different colours liberally onto your craft sheet (cling film).

Spray several times the water over the ink.

Press the cardstock (A4 sheet) into the ink.

Let a few drops of spray ink.

Make sure to fully dry your cardstock (with a heat tool, if you want).

Using the Textured Impressions Plus Embossing Folder - Botanical Swirls and the Big Shot Plus machine emboss your finished cardstock.

The size of A4 cardstock is enough to cut 4 backgrounds for your cards and all of them are different! All that’s left is for you to use your watercolor backgrounds on your creations!

 

 

For my finished cards I used flower, twig and butterfly that I have cut out from cardstocks and patterned paper to embellish. To create flower and twig I used the dies of new great collection My Kind of Happy by Debi Potter.

The great thing about “watercolor” cards this way is that it will look different every time you do it. You can experiment with different colour combinations to see what sort of looks you can create.

I hope you enjoyed my tutorial today. Have a great week end, see you next Friday!

 

Items used:

Sizzix Big Shot Plus Machine (660020)

Sizzix Textured Impressions Plus Embossing Folder - Botanical Swirls (660579)

Sizzix Bigz Die - Butterfly Trio (660448)

Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 5PK - Intricate Garden Flowers (660869)

Sizzix Bigz Die - Garden Flower (660874)

cardstocks

scrap of patterned paper

ink spray

cling film

vellum paper

heart brad

sewing machine

 

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Per le amiche italiane! :)

 

Benvenuti! Sono Anna, con un nuovo tutorial per voi.

 

La sperimentazione è uno degli aspetti più belli del paper crafting, non trovate? Ci sono diverse tecniche per creare uno sfondo “embossato” utilizzando le mascherine Sizzix. Ed ora che Sizzix ha messo in commercio le nuove mascherine da embossing per la Big Shot Plus, le possibilità e le tecniche aumentano, soprattutto per farci risparmiare tempo!

Il tutorial di oggi mostra come usare una Textured Impressions Plus Embossing Folder e i colori spray per creare sfondi con effetto acquerello con disegni in rilievo.

Con un solo sfondo in formato A4, io sono riuscita a creare ben quattro card! Due ve le mostro nelle foto in alto.

 

Continuate a leggere per scoprire la tecnica usata: ovvero come fare card con effetto acquerello e disegni in rilievo (questo è solo uno dei vari metodi).

 

Spruzzare diversi colori sulla pellicola trasparente.

Spruzzare quindi due o tre volte l'acqua sopra.

Premere bene il cartoncino (foglio A4) sopra i colori spruzzati.

Capovolgere il foglio e se volete, potete lasciar cadere qualche goccia di colore qua e là.

Fate asciugare completamente il cartoncino (se volete, potete accelerare i tempi con phon ecc).

Utilizzando il Textured Impressions Plus Embossing Folder - Botanical Swirls e la macchina Big Shot Plus imprimete il disegno sul cartoncino già decorato.

La dimensione del cartoncino A4 è sufficiente per tagliare ben 4 sfondi per le vostre card, tutti diversi! Non vi resta che utilizzare gli sfondi per le vostre creazioni!

 

Per le mie card ho usato per abbelire fiore, ramoscello e farfalla che ho fustellato da cartoncini e carta fantasia. Per creare fiori e ramoscello ho usato le nuove favolose fustelle della collezione My Kind of Happy by Debi Potter.

 

La cosa bella di queste card effetto acquerello è che, anche se realizzate simili, quasi “in serie” avranno un aspetto diverso ogni volta, grazie al particolare sfondo, che non sarà mai uguale! Si possono fare prove con diverse combinazioni di colori e abbinamenti cromatici con i cartoncini sui quali far aderire lo sfondo lavorato, per vedere quante possibilità creative ci sono.

 

Bene, spero che il mio tutorial di oggi vi sia piaciuto. Buon week end, ci vediamo venerdì prossimo!

 

Items used:

Sizzix Big Shot Plus Machine (660020)

Sizzix Textured Impressions Plus Embossing Folder - Botanical Swirls (660579)

Sizzix Bigz Die - Butterfly Trio (660448)

Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 5PK - Intricate Garden Flowers (660869)

Sizzix Bigz Die - Garden Flower (660874)

cartoncini

ritagli di carte scrap

ink spray

pellicola da cucina

carta da lucido

brad

macchina da cucire

A Gear necklace made with mountboard

This week I have been inspired by the Prima dies that just been released this month.
I love Gears, I do think they are great as less feminine flowers, a perfect add on to cards and layouts, but the also make lovely jewelry.

I made a similar one using the old Tim Holtz gear dies a few years a go. But as it is made out of mount board - or passepartout as it is called in some areas, the stuff used to mount art piece on frames - it tends to age fast if worn a lot.

So I decided to make a new version using the new Prima die Sizzix Bigz Die - Love Gears 659709.



I die cut several gears out of mount board. At the end I only used two designs out of the four included on the die. I attached them together with strong wet glue and I let them dry completely.

Then I used Liquid Leaf which is a high shine metallic medium and painted all over it. To distress it a bit, I added some other metallic tints using a wax from the same manufacturer.

Finally I added a chain using a jump ring and the own circle hole of each gear to unite it.

It is an statement piece, but I think it is perfect as they are all the rage now!

Christmas blog hop round up


Last week was our Christmas blog hop, and we had a week of really lovely patchwork and quilted projects. If you missed any of them I've got some pictures to remind you and you can head straight to their tutorials.
There was so much inspiration, and projects to suit every taste.

You can still find plenty of Christmas fabrics in stores (button up and stitch and Fabric HQ both have a good selection of modern Christmas fabrics still in stock), so it's not too late to stock up and make some great Christmassy projects (can you believe Christmas is just one month away now?!)

And here are the projects;
Table runner and placemats from Angela.... (click on each person's name to go direct to their tutorial)

A Christmas tree cushion from Hadley (this is my favourite from the week, I love it!)...

A simple mug rug (or coaster) from Carolyn...

A fun banner from Kerry...

A Christmas stocking from me....

There's still time to enter the giveaway! It closes this coming Friday at 10am (November 29th), and all of the details can be found by clicking here.

what a bind!


Every month I do some projects for Sizzix that are for editorials or projects that will (soon) be tutorials on the website and I thought it might be helpful to have a binding tutorial in one place for quick reference (please excuse the 11 billionty photos

There are hundreds of tutorials for binding quilts online, but this is my slightly cheating, ever so easy binding tutorial.

First up you need to measure your quilt around the perimeter - so all 4 sides. Then add on 10" for good measure (to allow for when you miter the corners and to make finishing the ends easier)

Divide the total number by the measurement of the width of your binding fabric. In this case 42" (most fabrics are between 40" and 44" wide from selvedge to selvedge). This number is the how many strips you need to cut.

I like to make my double fold binding using the 2 1/2" strip die. This gives you a slightly wide binding on the back of the quilt. This isn't set in stone - some people prefer a narrower binding, but I like the look of the wider binding on the reverse of the quilt, and so that's what we're doing today!

Press your fabric well and trim off the selvedge.

Using the 2 1/2" strip die cut the number of strips you calculated.

Sew these strips end to end using a generous 1/4" seam. Press the seams to one side, all in the same direction.

Now fold in half all along the length, wrong sides together, and press.

I like to wind my binding onto an empty thread spool, so I can pop this spool onto the spare spool holder on my machine when I'm sewing on the binding, it helps keep it nice and tidy and stops it getting tangled up as you sew.

Now you're ready to attach the binding to your quilt.

Starting in the middle of one side of your quilt, match up the raw edges of the binding to the raw edge of your quilt. Leave a tail of about 4 or 5"

Use a 1/4" seam (a walking foot is a good idea because you're stitching through multiple layers and the binding might be stretchier than the quilt) and sew along until you get to 1/4" from the first corner. Stop and backstitch. Fold up the binding at a 90 degree angle.

  Fold right back onto itself. This gives you a mitered corner that you want when you finish sewing the binding to the reverse of the quilt.

  Start sewing again from the very edge. Backstitch again and continue using a 1/4" seam

  Continue doing the same with the other corners as you just did (stop 1/4" from the end, fold up 90 degrees, fold back down and sew on) and then stop (secure with a backstitch or 2) about a hand's width or so away from where you started. You'll have another tail, just like you started with (or longer - it's ok, you'll trim it in a bit - you can keep all the tails and leftovers from binding and sew them together into one lovely scrappy binding)

  Now this is the cheaty bit. Fold those tails up towards each other and press down to create a fold.

  Pin the binding together at either side of the fold

  And sew along the fold

  Open out the seam (you can press to one side if you prefer), trim off the tails to 1/4" and finish stitching the binding on.

  Flip the binding over to the reverse and hold in place with hair clips (if you're cheap like me) or binding clips (which look exactly the same but are silver and not lovely pretty pink clips) Hand stitch the binding to the reverse of the quilt using a thread that matches and small whipstitches.

  To get nice sharp corners fold the edge of the binding down and stitch up to the corner. Take the next edge and fold down tightly, you might need to wiggle the corner about a bit to get it nice and tidy, but a few wiggles and you'll have a lovely corner. It'll pretty much fall into place without a lot of work, because you did the front correctly when you sewed the binding on, remember?

And that's it. 

Go forth and bind!!

Tag with butterfly and hearts........

Hi Everyone....hope you all had a great week. Today I have a tag to show you.
 I have used Dies from Sizzix Big Shot Starter Kit (Powder Blue & Teal)

 

Supply list: 

Sizzix Big Shot Starter Kit (Powder Blue & Teal) 

Sizzix Movers & Shapers Magnetic Die Set 2PK - Mini Bird & Cage Set

Papers - Manila tag # 12

Stamps - Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Collection

Inks - Distress Stain  - Dusty Concord, Distress ink Pad - Dusty Concord, Seedless Preserves, Wild Honey, Walnut Stain. Distress Paint - Brushed Pewter, Perfect Pearls - Grape Fizz.

Other: Seam Binding Ribbon, Brads, Wire Pins

How to do:

Distress top of  the tag with Distress Stain, Perfect Pearls and some water. Color the ribbon with Distress Stain. Distress the hole tag with Distress ink Pads and water.

Die cut labels and heart and distress these with Distress ink Pads. Die cut the cute butterfly from the bottom of the tag and sew it to the tag. Fold the tag to a card. Stamp some images and text on the tag. Die cut the bird and cage and color the cage with Distress Paint and the cute bird with Distress ink Pads. 

 

  

Inside the tag.

 

 Thanks for stopping by...see you next Tuesday :o))

Anne Kristine

Hei alle sammen...håper du har hatt en fin uke! I dag har jeg en tag å vise dere hvor det er brukt dies fra Sizzix Big Shot Starter Kit (Powder Blue & Teal)

   

Materialer:

Sizzix Big Shot Starter Kit (Powder Blue & Teal) 

Sizzix Movers & Shapers Magnetic Die Set 2PK - Mini Bird & Cage Set

Papir - Manila tag # 12

Stempler - Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Collection

Stempelputer - Distress Stain  - Dusty Concord, Distress ink Pad - Dusty Concord, Seedless Preserves, Wild Honey, Walnut Stain. Distress Paint - Brushed Pewter, Perfect Pearls - Grape Fizz.

Annet: Seam Binding bånd, Brads, Wire Pins

Beskrivelse:

Distress toppen av tag'en med Distress Stain, Perfect Pearls og litt vann. Farg bådnet med Distress Stain. Distress hele tag'en med Distress ink Pads og vann.

Stans ut merkelapper og hjerter og distress disse med Distress ink Pads. Stans ut den søte sommerfuglen fra bunnen av tag'en. Sy sommerfuglen til tag'en. Fold tag'en til et kort. Stample noen motiver og tekst på tag'en. Stans ut fuglen og fugleburet og fargelegg buret med Distress Paint og den søte fulgen med Distress ink Pads.

 

Ønsker deg en fin dag...vi ses neste tirsdag!

Anne Kristine 

Pretty Easter egg box

Hi everyone,
Easter is coming soon and today I'm sharing with you how to customize an egg carton!

Items used:

Sizzix Big shot machine (655268)
Sizzix Originals Die - Circles #4 (657020)
Sizzix Bigz Die - Tattered Florals (656640)
Sizzix Sizzlits Decorative Strip Die - Tattered Flower Garland (657824)
Sizzix Movers & Shapers Die – Ornamental (656641)
Sizzix Framelits Die Set 7PK w/Stamps - Flowers, Lovely (658291)
Sizzix Framelits Die Set 8PK - Circles, Scallop (657552)
Sizzix Framelits Die Set 6PK w/Stamps – Banners (658289)

egg box
acrylic paint, lilac
cardstock: white, aqua, lilac
scrap of patterned papers
scrap of yellow fabric
I Top or similar
tag “Happy Easter” (by kidlark)
garden wire
strass
sequins
twine
wooden skewer
paper doilies

How to make:

1- Take an egg carton. Remove the closure and the cups attached on the lid (if present). Paint the box with acrylic paint.
2- Use Sizzix machine to cut out a little circle from fabric (die 657020) for making the fabric covered button with I Top or other tool.
3- Use the Bigz die (656640) to cut out two flowers from white cardstock and one similar flower with Decorative Strip Die. Start with the smallest and work backwards. Insert the button and the garden wire. Shape the petals.
4- Now decorate the box. Use a piece of patterned paper to cover the box lid.
5- Cut a tag Ornamental (die 656641) and cut away the central part. Adhere the two parts in the center of the lid.
6- Cut two stripes of different papers and apply them in the center. Create a rosette (656931) and glue it to the center of the box lid.  With Framelits Flowers Lovely cut out the little flower. Adhere the flower and the strass. Use some sequins and glue them.
7- Inside box: Use a piece of lilac paper to cover the box lid. Cut out three banners with Framelits. Adhere them to the twine. Insert the twine in the box lid.
8- Print or stamp the Easter greetings. Cut out with Framelits Circles Scallop to create the topper. Insert the flower into an egg groove.
9- Fill each compartment with paper doilies before adding chocolate eggs.

A quick and easy gift for Easter!
Thanks for stopping

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Per le amiche italiane! :)

Ciao!
Come sapete, si sta avvicinando la Pasqua, così oggi voglio condividere con voi un progetto per personalizzare una scatola delle uova, un oggetto semplice e facilmente reperibile.

Materiali:

Sizzix Big shot machine (655268)
Sizzix Originals Die - Circles #4 (657020)
Sizzix Bigz Die - Tattered Florals (656640)
Sizzix Sizzlits Decorative Strip Die - Tattered Flower Garland (657824)
Sizzix Movers & Shapers Die – Ornamental (656641)
Sizzix Framelits Die Set 7PK w/Stamps - Flowers, Lovely (658291)
Sizzix Framelits Die Set 8PK - Circles, Scallop (657552)
Sizzix Framelits Die Set 6PK w/Stamps – Banners (658289)

scatola delle uova
colore acrilico lilla
cartoncino: bianco, verde acqua e lilla
ritagli di carte pattenerd
un pezzo di tessuto giallo
I Top o altro attrezzo per fare i bottoni di stoffa
tag "Happy Easter" (fonte: kidlark)
filo metallico da giardinaggio
strass
paillettes
cordoncino e spago
spiedino di legno
centrini di carta
colla ecc.

Procedimento:

1 - Prendere una scatola delle uova. Rimuovere la chiusura e i divisori del coperchio. Dipingere la scatola con vernice acrilica.
2 - Utilizzare la macchina Sizzix per tagliare un piccolo cerchio in tessuto (fustella 657020) per creare il bottone di stoffa, usando l'I Top o un altro tipo di attrezzo.
3 - Utilizzare la fustella con i fiori (656640) per tagliare due fiori multi petali dal cartoncino bianco. Tagliare un fiore simile con la striscia decorativa coordinata. Sovrapporre i fiori iniziando con il più piccolo, lavorando a ritroso. Forare e inserire  al centro il bottone di stoffa. Inserire dietro il filo di ferro da giardinaggio, arrotolando l'estremità per creare un piedistallo per il fiore. Modellare i petali per creare la margherita.
4 - Ora possiamo decorare la scatola. Ricalcare il coperchio per creare un modello da tagliare su di un pezzo di carta fantasia e ricoprire.
5 - Tagliare la tag Ornamental usando la fustella 656641 e tagliare via la parte centrale, per adattarsi alla misura della scatola. Incollare le due parti della tag unite al centro del coperchio.
6 - Tagliate due strisce di carte diverse, creare il becco da cicogna e applicare anch'esse al centro della scatola. Creare una “rosette” (656931) e incollarla al centro del coperchio della scatola. Tagliare un fiorellino con i Framelits, applicare uno strass. Dare dei punti di luce con piccole paillettes.
7 - Per l'interno: ricoprire il coperchio interno con carta tinta unita, così come avete fatto per l'esterno. Tagliare tre bandierine con i Framelits. Incollarle ad un cordoncino bianco. Inserire il cordoncino nel coperchio della scatola, praticando due fori e annodare. Fare anche un fiocco con più fili di spago grezzo, inseriti nei fori naturali della chiusura della scatola.
8 - Stampare (o timbrare) l'augurio pasquale. Tagliare con i Framelits dei cerchi scallop per creare il topper. Inserire il fiore in uno scomparto della scatola.
9 - Riempire ogni vano con centrini di carta, prima di aggiungere le uova di cioccolato.

Quando si regala, avvolgere con carta velina e un nastro per chiudere, in modo da nascondere la sorpresa!

Ecco un semplice e veloce regalo per Pasqua!
Grazie per essere passati di qui :)

Mixed-media collage



Hi, everyone!

I love to create mixed-media projects. They give free play to my imagination. And today I want to show you a small collage.

Items used:

Big Shot Machine (655268)

Sizzix Sizzlits Decorative Strip Die - Vintage Lace Edging (657413)

Sizzix Sizzlits Decorative Strip Die - Flower Garden w/Scallops (657708)

Sizzix Sizzlits Die Set 3PK - Card Phrases Set #2 (657523)

Sizzix Sizzlits Decorative Strip Alphabet Die - Inside Out (657827)

Permament marker - black

Smooch Spritz - Splash

Rub-ons

Acrylic paint - yellow

Crystals - Green

Decoupage glue

Different stamps and papers

1. I cut two borders using Vintage Lace Edging and Flower Garden w/Scallops dies. One of them I cut from vellum, and another from scrapbooking paper. I used this borders to make the surface more textural. I glued them using decoupage glue.

2. Then I used brayer to apply the acrylic paint to my collage. After paint dried  I sprinkled spray.

3. I used different stamps to make the background more interesting.

4. After that I cut butterflies using Card Phrases Set #2 and glued them with decoupage glue.

5. I cut the letters using Inside Out die and glued them. Then I painted butterflies and letters with yellow acrylic paint. After they dried I outline letters and butterflies with a black permanent marker.

 6. And the last step. I added a small details using stamps, rub-ons, crystals and glitter. Collage is ready. It will be the cover of my small notebook.

See you next Wednesday
Daria.


Всем привет!

Я обожаю создавать микс-медиа проекты. Они дают простор для творчества и воображения. И сегодня я хочу показать вам небольшой коллаж.

Материалы:

Big Shot Machine (655268)

Sizzix Sizzlits Decorative Strip Die - Vintage Lace Edging (657413)

Sizzix Sizzlits Decorative Strip Die - Flower Garden w/Scallops (657708)

Sizzix Sizzlits Die Set 3PK - Card Phrases Set #2 (657523)

Sizzix Sizzlits Decorative Strip Alphabet Die - Inside Out (657827)

Перманентный маркер - черный

Спрей Smooch Spritz - Splash

Натирки

Акриловая краска - желтая

Стразы - зеленые

Декупажный клей

Различные штампы и бумага

1. C помощью ножей Vintage Lace Edging и Flower Garden w/Scallops я вырезала два бордюра. Один из кальки, другой из скрап-бумаги. Я буду использовать их, чтобы сделать поверхность моего коллажа более текстурной и узорчатой. Я приклеила бумагу и эти бордюры с помощью декупажного клея.

2. С помощью валика я нанесла желтую акриловую краску и после ее высыхания побрызгала спреем.

3. Затем я воспользовалась различными штампами, чтобы сделать фон более интересным. 

4. После этого я вырезала бабочек с помощью набора ножей Card Phrases Set #2 и приклеила их с помощью декупажного клея.

5. Я вырезала буквы с помощью ножа Inside Out и приклеила их. Затем покрасила бабочек и буквы желтой акриловой краской, после чего обвела их черным маркером и помазала глиттером.

6. И последний этап, я добавила немного деталек с помощью штампов, натирок и страз. Коллаж готов. И это будет обложка для моего блокнотика.

Хорошего дня!
Дарья.