Making Your Own Background Paper Part 1: Using Rubber Stamps

Have you ever driven yourself near mad just trying to find the absolute right piece of patterned paper to go with your scrapbook layouts or handmade cards?  Let me share a secret with you....I am having a love affair with paper...especially patterned paper and handmade paper.  Believe me, I have A LOT of it!  However, from time to time I just can't find exactly what it is that I want in my stash nor do I have the time to run out and look for something at my local store.  So, out of the love of craftiness, I have started making my own papers to coordinate with whatever I am working on.  (yes, I have a HUGE stamp pad collection, too!)

The sample above is a piece of background paper I made using a few simple supplies.  You will need:

• White or a fairly light colored piece of card stock or scrapbook paper
• Permanent Ink (I like to use StazOn by Tsukineko)
• Dye based ink (I like to use Tim Holtz's Distress Inks)
• Stipple brushes
• An assortment of rubber stamps

The first thing you will want to do is take your largest images and begin to stamp those randomly onto your solid colored piece of paper.  To make it interesting, stamp some of the images off the page.

**Something important to note....when using this technique, you want to make sure you are using PERMANENT ink.  If you try to use dye inks to stamp your background, they will smudge when you go to colorize it later.

Start with your largest stamps.

Next, stamp your medium and smaller stamps to fill in some of the white space.  Again, use a random pattern and stamp some of the images so they are "hanging" off the page.  Also, overlap your stamps.  It looks really cool!

Add your medium, then small stamps.

Next, use a filler stamp, like the checkered patterned stamp I used below, to fill in some of the wider areas of white space.  Overlapping images looks really cool, so don't be afraid of it.  Once you've done that, it should look something like this:

The checkered image here fills in some of the white space.

I think that looks pretty good, but there is still too much stark white space.  To deal with that, I used this textured stamp and stamped it all over the areas where there were white gaps.  This creates texture and makes the over all look much softer.

Create texture by randomly stamping this type of image over stark white areas of your paper.

If you don't have a textured stamp in your arsenal, that is just fine!  You can create texture in other ways.  You can "stamp" with the following:

• a stipple brush and tap the bristles onto the paper 
• a crumpled piece of wax paper or even tin foil
• a piece of steel wool 
• the scrubby side of a sponge
• a sea sponge (which will be right by the sea shells in your local craft store) 

Once you have added the texture, your paper will look like this.  

I think this is really pretty.  In some circumstances I would leave it just like this, however, this paper was going to be used in a vintage style layout, so I added some color using Tim Holtz's Distressed Inks.  

Using my stipple brushes (ya know I can't help myself!), I stippled the lightest color first using a sweeping motion.  Then I highlighted specific areas with the middle color. Finally, I used the darkest color just at the edges of the paper for some contrast.

When I was done, it looked just like this:

I hope you are inspired to make some of your own background paper.  I have been doing this a lot lately and have more ideas to share.  So check back for part 2 very soon!

Just a heads up to you...soon I will be moving this blog to another space along with a new URL.  I will keep you posted.  I hope you will join me there.  I'm very excited about it.

Artfully yours....

Theresa

SIZZIX TRIPLE PLAY BLOG HOP WEEK 7: MOLLY'S TRAVEL BAG

Welcome to the 7th and, sadly, the LAST installment of Sizzix Triple Play Blog Hop.  Well, at least for now.  This has been a wonderful and fulfilling experience for me personally.  I looked forward to the challenge every week, it stretched me as an artist and I had the great fortune to be linked to many of the talented designers in our industry.  I want to take a minute here to personally thank Sizzix, Eileen Hull, Brenda Pinnick and Karen Burniston for allowing me to be a part of this Hop!  Considering the size of this blog hop...it took a lot of behind the scene prep and also cost!  So, thank you times ten!

Out of this experience is born some other great experiences.  I can't get into all of it right now, but keep checking back.  When it happens you will know!!

Now onto this week's project...

This week's project features Eileen Hull's Treat Bag Toppers die.  Several elements came in my kit.  The die itself features 3 separate toppers, but one in particular stood out to me because it looked like a purse handle.  Then the size of it made me think that'd it be perfect for a doll...which made me think "American Girl"!  So, I chose to make a travel bag for Molly from Americal Girl.

Here is what you need from Sizzix:
Sizzix Scoreboards XL Die #656774 - Treat Bag Toppers
Sizzix Big Shot
Sizzix Accessory - Cutting Pad, Extended 1 Pair 
Sizzix Little Sizzles - 6" x 13" Mat Board Pack, 6 White Sheets

And you will also need:
Fabric of your choice
Batting
Needle and Thread
Steam-a-Seam 2 fusible web
Iron
Scissors
Ranger Adirondack Colorwash, Espresso
Ranger Adirondack Dye Ink Pads, Espresso & Ginger
Stipple Brushes
Mod Podge - Glossy AND Fabric
Foam Brushes
Paper Towel

If you click the link above for the Treat Bag Toppers die, to the left of the picture you will see a link that says "line".  When you click that link, you'll see how all the elements are laid out on the die...which is very cooly btw!  You will see there are 3 toppers and several other elements for embellishing.  Out of all of those, as I was saying earlier, I was inspired by the one that looked like a purse handle...almost kind of like a carpet bag.  I also had some fabric that I liked.

I am not much of a sewer...and I am still just learning how to use my machine....whiiiiiiiich.......I left in the box for this project.  Since the purse is doll size, I figured by time I make a bobbin and thread my machine, I could just hand sew it.  I sewed it inside out and just up the sides.  It looks like a kid did it, but I tried my hardest.  :)

And at least it looks a lot better once you turn it right side out!  Whew!  I then filled the purse with some batting to puff it out so it would look full.  I cheated and used fusible web to seat the top.

The fun part of any art project for me is always the MESS!  Making sure to put the fabric purse part away.  Otherwise I inevitably get it dirty.  I wanted to make the topper look like wood and after playing with a few techniques on the mat board, I decided to go with Adirondack Colorwash in Espresso.  

At the moment, the drafting table in my studio is covered in freezer paper...glossy side up.  It happens to make a nice palette and was convenient for what I did.  The Colorwash comes in a spray bottle, so I just spritzed some onto the freezer paper.  I dampened a foam brush and just picked up the Colorwash from the paper and brushed it onto the mat topper.  I made several passes at this wiping with paper towel after each application until I had a shade I liked.  Here is a closer look at the result:

 

I let that dry for a couple of hours.  Then I brushed a thick coat of Glossy Mod Podge over the entire element and let it dry thoroughly.  After separating the hearts, I brushed on Ginger dye ink on the outside heart and Espresso dye ink on the inside heart.  I then put them back together and also brushed those with Glossy Mod Podge.

Once the handle was good and dry, I used Fabric Mod Podge to adhere it to the bottom part of the bag.

Next, I glued the heart elements to the front plate of the bag handle.

And now Molly has a new travel bag!

While I'm sad that the Sizzix Triple Play Blog Hop has come to and end...for now...I'm still looking forward to bringing you some really great projects that you can try at home.  It has been my sincere pleasure to showcase some of the fantastic dies that Sizzix has to offer.

Artfully yours,
Theresa

Tips, Tools and Techniques Tuesday!

Hi everyone! Welcome to a brand new week. I hope you have all recovered from your Turkey induced comas and that you are basking in the glory of your leftovers! Come on now...I know it's Tuesday, but you till have leftover turkey...I know it!

As I promised, I am back to work this week and back on my blog. I'm glad to get back in the swing of things too!

This week I have another really great tool to share with you. These are stipple brushes. A stipple brush is an artistic tool used to add texture or shading. I use them constantly. As a matter of fact, if you have been following the Sizzix Triple Play Blog Hop and seen any of my posts from that, I have used my stipple brushes on the last two projects:

• My Vintage Garden
• School Days

Stipple brushes can be used for a myriad of things. I can add texture by pouncing my brush straight up and down or I can sweep it from the edge of the paper towards the inside to give a project depth. I have made really great back grounds for beach pages and I have used them to antique handmade books and other projects. I have used them with stencils...getting both the positive and negative images.

Mostly, I use my stipple brushes with stamp pads or reinkers. I like the effects I can get. I keep a brush for each color family. You can also use stipple brushes with paints, but you will want to make sure that you wash your brushes thoroughly and let them dry completely after.

If you don't have any, you should really get a couple and play with 'em. It is a lot of fun.

Artfully yours,

Theresa

SIZZIX TRIPLE PLAY BLOG HOP WEEK 4: SCHOOL DAYS

Happy Turkey Day everyone! Welcome to Week 4 of Sizzix Triple Play Blog Hop. Can you believe we are smack dab in the middle already? Time sure does fly when you're having fun. This week we are using Eileen Hull's Frame and Frame Back with Stand. Let me tell you, there are a lot of elements with this die! There are really so many possibilities. I was really inspired most of all...you're gonna think I'm weird...by the flat back piece. I don't know what screamed out "chalk board!", but it did. I don't pretend to understand these things, I just go with it.

Let's start of with our supplies this week:

Sizzix Scoreboard Pro Die #656835-Frame and Frame Back w/Stand by Eileen Hull

Sizzix Big Shot Pro

Sizzix Little Sizzles-12x12 Mat Board Pack, 3 White Sheets

Other supplies I used

Preserve it Frames 15x15 Black Frame Kit

Raven Black Paper by Bazzill

White Paper

Vellum

Polka Dot Paper by Time Flies

B&W Alphabet Paper by Rusty Pickle

Vintage Chalk by Rusty Pickle

Black Soot Distress Ink by Tim Holtz

Crayola Chalk

1/8" stripped ribbon

Mod Podge

Black Chalk Paint by Plaid

Brown Acrylic Paint

Foam Brushes

Sakura Gelly Roll Glitter Pen

Ultra Fine Point Black Sharpie

White Paint Pen

Foam Tape

Double Stick Tape

Sand Paper

Xacto Knife & Mat

Stipple Brush

Flat Wood Strips

Textural Wood Image

You can see for yourself, this die comes with a lot of elements! You can choose to put them together OR you can use them separately as I did. I have saved the elements that I didn't use for another day. Now...as I mentioned...there was just something about that back piece that make me want to make it into a chalkboard...so I did. Who am I to argue with my inner voice?! To be honest, I think I have just been dying to play with Plaid's Chalk Paint for so long and this really lends itself perfectly.

I painted the back piece according to the directions on the Chalk Paint. You really want to do this first because it needs a couple of coats and then needs to cure for 24 hours. Then you can work on other elements. Then I took thin flat wooden strips that I got from Michaels. I used my Xacto to cut them to the desired size, then gave them one light coat of paint. **Just a note - the chalk paint is going to make the mat board curl. Don't worry about it. It will flatten out some on it's own AND if need be you can always straighten it out later.**

In between coats of paint and drying time, I set to work on my layout.

I took a piece of Raven Black Paper by Bazzill and rubbed a piece of white chalk over half of it. I like this effect because the the Bazzill paper has a texture to it. I tore the polka dot paper and with a stipple brush gently brushed Black Soot ink across the edges. I repeated this process with the chalk paper. Finally, I adhered them to each other in this order....

Doesn't that chalk paper look cool!!!! I didn't get a good pic of it, but once I was at this stage, I took a pice of sand paper to the edges of the chalk and polka dot papers.

I took the scalloped edge frame and and taped the B&W Alphabet paper to the front of the frame. With my Xacto I trimmed away the excess paper. The next frame layer that I put underneath, I used my stipple brush again just at the edges.

Now, in between the two frames I sandwiched a photo that I printed on vellum paper and then layered over white. WHY?? I just happen to like the effect. It comes out softer than when printed on photo paper. Oh, I also went into Photoshop and converted my pics to black and white to stay consistent with my theme.

Again, I took some sandpaper to the front frame to distress it some. I assembled all the layers and added the ribbon and the heart (which is one of the elements in Eileen's die!). I stippled some Black Soot on the edges of the heart, used a Black Glitter Sakura Pen to make the stitch marks and a fine tipped Sharpie.

I took the smallest frame and again stippled the edges, but I also took a textured stamp and stamped it all over the front of the frame in the Black Soot. Then I layered the vellum and white paper underneath it. I tied a simple ribbon and used Mod Podge to fix it to the frame.

Now remember that back piece that I painted with the Chalk Paint? Yanno, that stuff really works great?! I was very impressed with how well it works. Anyway, I just used double stick tape to frame the "chalkboard". I drew on the hearts with a white paint pen....but I used CHALK to write "first day of school".

I tied ribbon around one piece of chalk and added a couple more pieces of chalk which I adhered with Mod Podge. I attached all the elements to my page and then set it aside as I waited for the chalk to dry.

I really like how the this page turned out. I wanted to do something special with it, especially because it is so dimensional, so I decided to frame it with a Preserve it Frame kit I had. The plexiglass is actually a cube with a 1/4" inch lip around the perimeter and it us UV coated so that my papers and photos are protected. It enables me to put dimensional pages underneath without having to use such a deep shadow box.

I hope you enjoyed this week's project. I know that I sure enjoyed creating it. Again, Happy Thanksgiving....time to hop!

Artfully yours,

Theresa