Throwback Thursday Technique - Chalking & Color blocking

 Time for another issue of Throwback Thursday Technique!  This week we will be looking at chalking and color blocking.  Color blocking was (maybe still is?) popular with scrapbooking however, we are going to see it used to create cards!  Most crafters I know seem to grow a collection of scraps of leftover papers from projects. We hang onto the because we know that 'one day' we will use them!  If you read my blog post on Masculine Cards, then you would know that I am the type of crafter that likes to use up as much paper scrap as she can. That being said, it's not always possible on every project and thus, we have scraps!

For a color blocking technique I find this to be one of the best ways to use up scrap paper, both solids and patterns.  Start with a theme, usually directed by your color choices, for this installment I'm going with fall colors, after all it's still October!  Grab a nice array of papers, it's important to use scraps but occasionally you'll need to bring in other papers like a card base and possibly a card front. I created 6 cards, 4 of those cards I used all scrap pieces with the exception of the card base. For the last 2 cards I used pre-cut 4"x5.25" white card fronts. Regardless which way you go, start with any piece of scrap and place it on your card front, the important step in the process is to try and not alter that scrap to much. You will need to adjust to size as necessary and maybe even trim an edge or two to even it up, but the whole point to color blocking is just that, blocks of color!

For my first two cards it was simple, the scraps I had barely needed any adjustment and they fit side by side giving this card a solid along a piece pattern paper, easy peasy really!  

For my next two cards the process was just about the same with the exception of the second card, I trimmed two pieces of solid cardstock to give it a block look and then added a strip of the pattern paper that was already a perfect size and match, I only needed to trim it down to fit the card front.

For my last two cards I decided to use that white card front and build upon it. Using the same technique for that last card above, again I barely needed to cut my cardstock, just a few trims here and there. For the last card, it was almost magical! I grabbed the pattern paper and thought it would look perfect down the middle, there was an golden color strip already ready to go, the width was perfect for one side. I had a nice green cardstock that all I needed to do was trim the width as the length was the perfect fit, a trim for them all to fit the card front and there was my sixth card front.  

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Before mounting these down I used my Pebbles Classic Chalks to chalk all the edges of each piece of paper and then glued them down to the card front and then onto their respective card bases.  Because I choose to use all colored card bases, I then used 4"x5x25" white Neenah 80 lbs cardstock for the inside that I chalked with these Metallic Cream Chalks, they are dreamy and pearlescent, I love the look they made!

And there you have it, 6 cards ready to go for anything you need, just add your sentiments and decoration!  Color blocking is fun, easy and a great way to use up that scrap paper!  For a video tutorial on this please visit my You Tube Channel, Throwback Thursday Technique, Chalking and Color Blocking.

Throwback Thursday Technique

Ok yes this is a day late posting!  I started a new series over on my You Tube Channel, Artful Creations by Tracie, called Throwback Thursday Technique.  Each week I plan to spotlight a type of technique that we used to do (and maybe even still do now but improved)!  This week's was on Altered Items.

You can easily alter just about anything you'd like, many things we already have around our house or can pick up at a second hand store for pennies on a dime (if you're a good thrift store shopper)!  The two items that I decided to showcase for this week's video were paperclips and old CDs.  Any style paperclip will do but I think it's fun to have some crazy shaped paperclips, which I have several types of.  How do we alter these?  Easy, we emboss them!  That's right you can emboss paperclips using the same technique you would use on your paper.  All you need is your paperclips, embossing ink, embossing powder and a heat tool.  I take my paperclips and press them into the embossing ink pad and using a pair of reverse tweezers, remove them and put them onto either a piece of paper, or an unused coffee filter and sprinkle a generous amount of embossing powder on top.  Use those same tweezers (reverse tweezers are great because they serve two purposes, one to lock and hold your item so it doesn't move or drop and number two, the heat tool will not come anywhere near your fingers), to hold the clip and heat up that embossing powder and watch it melt! 

Once that is done let it sit and cool for a few minutes then you can repeat the process to get a nice coat onto your paperclip, any color will do!  Now your paperclips are ready for any paper project and can easily color coordinate to your needs.   Next to each one is what it originally looked like.  

For my next project I create an altered CD that you can easily make into a card or an ornament for your tree.  I probably made my first altered CD at least 10 years ago. I don't know about you but I happened to have quite a plethora of CDs that I have collected over the years, a lot came in the mail such as those from Stamps.com and I just keep them knowing I will use them.  If you watch my video you will see exactly how I create these using an old tool I've had for many  years.  You don't need this tool because all it did was cut out my circles, if you have a Cricut or a Silhouette, you can easily make those without any problem, I just thought it would be fun to drag that out and use it.  Let me know what you think of my CD oranments!

Give Thanks

 Years ago when I started making cards I would participate in card swaps, long before the birth of the internet as we know it. Each month there would be theme and we would create as many cards as there were people that were participating in the swap (sometimes up to 12)! I have many fond memories of doing those card swaps and that was the beginning to the hundreds of swaps I would come to do once the internet for home use came into play! 

When my kids were younger I seemed to have more time to craft, make cards, scrapbook and make A WHOLE LOT of stuff for swaps. I participated in scrapbooking swaps 10 fold to my card swaps. If you have been around for awhile maybe you remember Yahoo Groups? That was the birth of swapping online groups (I believe anyway). We had a lot of fun and I STILL have A LOT of scrapbook swaps from way back then.  

Seasons come and seasons go and just like that, so did the online swap groups, my time became less for doing anything crafty and then it would be months before I would craft or scrapbook. Just this year (2020), what a strange year indeed, I reconnected with a lot of crafters on Facebook Groups. I was so happy to be a part of that actually participated in card swaps!  Needless to say I signed up and have been doing it for a few months now. Today's card was inspired for one of these swaps.  

To create the background I used watercolor paper from Arteza *and watercolor paints*, also from Arteza. I gently sprayed the paper and then used an Arteza watercolor flat brush* and brushed on my first color, took a heat tool to it then added a second color, heated it and then my third color.  After drying it for a final time I then dropped on Brutus Monoe's surface spray, Cabbage* and Jack-O-Lantern*. I made my own homemade shimmer spray (using Gum Arabic* and Pearl White Mica Powder*, also from Arteza.  I allowed this to dry overnight just to  be sure nothing would smear.

To create the words "Give Thanks" I chose an image from Design Space for my Cricut, cut that out three times on white cardstock and once on a beautiful copper matte foil vinyl from Cricut (no longer available).  I stacked the words to give it dimension with the last layer being the vinyl. I mounted the background to my Neenah 80# solar crest white paper*, added some fabric leaves as well as some old 3D embellishments I've had for quite awhile (source unknown). And that was the card I sent to 5 of my card swappers!  What do you think?

 

*Products are inked for your convenience I do not have any affiliation with these companies at this time.

 

Masculine Cards

 I bought one of Scrapping for Less's mini kits some time ago called Dapper Man,  it's no longer available sadly.  I wish I had snapped a photo of everything that came in the kit, but if memory serves me it had 5 or 6, 6x6 double-sided pattern papers, a mini sheet of enamel dots, 2 metal arrow embellishments and a stamp set (that I still have)!  My goal for this set was to create as many cards as I could using all the paper in the kit along with the embellishments.  

As the days, months and years roll on from when I first started paper crafting, I have accumulated A LOT of product, most of it is really consumable and I shouldn't really have as much as I do if I crafted more. Can you relate?

On to my goal!  I managed to create 9 cards using a bit more than just the pattern paper, but using ALL the pattern paper!  What first inspired me was that back in September it was my husband's birthday. I make him a card every year no matter what and I remembered this card kit and got to work.

My additional products I brought in to create these cards were, Neenah solar crest cardstock 80#, textured pearlized winter gray 80# cardstock from Cut Card Stock, some die sets from unknown sources (looks like I should keep better details), stamps from MayMay Made It, distress inks and embellishments for accents from various companies (there are so many out there)!  The dies I used were party balloons in two sizes, tools, gears and party banner.  The cards are shown below, what do you think?  The very bottom right is the card that was given to my hubby for his birthday.  What are your crafting goals?

Camping Paper Bag Albums

 Over the years I have created a lot of crafts, started out making cards, then scrapbooks, then other types of paper crafty goodies and somewhere along the way paper bag albums became the next fun thing.  I created some over on my other blog but I am unsure how to get to the post link (still after all these years I'm not all that tech savvy, I think it's archived, I can see the post but not get the link).

Not to stress over the matter I know I have evolved in my style and creations, I can assure you that the albums were pretty basic without a lot of fancy embellishments or fun pockets, etc.  I actually created this album about 5 weeks ago, in fact I created 2 camping albums back to back. I used a patterned pack from Cricut and how I was able to lay out and create all the pages I need in my Design Space, it's enough for 2 albums.

Paper crafting is such great therapy!  I also like to challenge myself when using paper, such as being able to use ALL the paper that I have ear-marked for a project. I really don't like waste, although I don't waste, I save!  I do have a basket full of solid paper scraps as well as one with patterned paper.  I like to go to my scrap pile for colors and styles before I use my full sheets, however that doesn't always happen.  When I created these two albums, there really was very little waste, I managed to use all 12 sheets of paper and not have ANY (yes I am serious here) left to put into my scrap bin.  The pieces that were left, were much too small to use for projects (well ok maybe in reality they weren't because let's face it, paper crafters can use even the tiniest of papers, I just didn't want to save those)!

I hope to have a tutorial up over on my You Tube channel for creating a paper bag album, I did make one a few weeks ago but still trying to figure out the editing to it as I don't really have the best editing software right now. I am off camera on a few key areas and I do plan to create another album soon so I may just start afresh!  I'll be sure to blog it and post a link to the video when that happens.  

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day!

Harvest Fair Kit - Digital Images

 Fall is in the air!  I am sure that many of us are all lovers of fall, especially those that can experience the changing of the colors to the tress and shrubs, the drying of the corn fields and the noticeable change of the temperature.  Living in the Midwest has really provided me with such an array of wonderful colors to appreciate, I wish it could be fall all year round.  

This blog post is two-fold for me. First it's my official announcement that I am a brand new Design Team member for Taylor Made Card 4 U!  I'm SO THRILLED & EXCITED to join the ranks of some VERY talented woman bringing alive Monica's digital kits.  For this month, it's none other than the Harvest Fair digital kit.  The second is creating cards with fall colors as well as a more vintage style (something I truly love very much).  

There is a Design Team hop for this beautiful kit (Monica also offers a Harvest Fair Journal Bundle too).  There will be other blog posts and videos (see the end of my blog for all the links).  Using the Harvest Fair Kit, I printed out a few additional materials and added in some cardstock to create 8 beautiful cards.  If you'd like to see more details on how I made 2 of the 8 cards, please check out my you tube video: 

Crafter’s Castle is currently having a monthly challenge and you can find that link here: Crafter's Castle. This prize is the Harvest Fair Kit from Taylormadecards4u that the design team is working with this month.

Video Links:

Taylormadecards4u: https://youtu.be/sNLGNydlT5c

Janie: https://youtu.be/NE4um2lOThs

Mynn (On A Stampage): https://youtu.be/lA3VX_vrIK8

Monica Martinez (Heartcraftpaper): https://youtu.be/lV9G9X4aGRo

Jeanie Ellis: https://youtu.be/nLOsgom3F6c

Cyn / Stampin MunchKins: https://youtu.be/mO-rTMAbiQs