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!