Artful Musings

22
Dec
2015

Merry & Bright Glass Block

categories: Artful Pursuits, Christmas Inspiration

A few years ago I got really into glass block art. I made several and ultimately gave them away to friends. I realized that I didn’t have one of my own. I decided to fix that so “Merry & Bright” was born.

Using supplies from my local craft supply (Ben Franklin in Redmond, WA) I was able to put together a wonderful Christmas display. Ben Franklin doesn’t have online ordering so I’ve looked around for all the items and the links are below. I love the Krylon stained glass paint (both translucent and sea glass which is semi-translucent). You should be able to get these locally at Home Depot, Lowes, Michaels, Hobby Lobby, and Joann.

It’s pretty simple really. First, spray paint the block and set aside. You might want more than one coat, depending on coverage and look you are trying to achieve. Once dry apply your vinyl image, following the directions on the package. Those with Cricut machines (or any die cutting system) can make their own vinyl decals so I’ve linked to both pre-cut as well as supplies to make your own. If you are cutting your own, I cannot stress enough the importance of transfer tape. Trust me, it will make your life so much easier. I prefer the Cricut brand vinyl, but any adhesive backed vinyl will work.

Vinyl is pretty easy to apply, especially to glass. TIP: When you are removing the top mask, (that transfer tape I mentioned earlier) pull slowly at a sharp 45 degree angle.

Once done, you can carefully insert your string of twinkle lights into the block. I just pushed them around until I liked the way they looked. The final step, for me often the most difficult, is the topper. Choosing flowers, ribbon, and ornaments to rest on the top of your block. I used wire-edged ribbon because the bow and tails hold their shapes (and go back into shape after storage) and give the block that finished look. A few green glitter sprigs of foliage and some small red Christmas ornaments complete the look. I wound the ribbon around, tied the bow and then attached the foliage and ornaments using their ends and a bit of thin wire.

Insert the block into the metal stand, choose a window, plug in the twinkle lights and sit back to enjoy your festive display. Wishing you and yours Happy Holidays!

Until next time, remember, creativity and imperfection live together in all we do. “Grace is the face love wears when it meets imperfection.”

~xoxo
Beanie

Supplies Used
Krylon Stained Glass Spray Paint
Krafty Blok Glass Block & Stand
Vinyl Sentiment or Image
Vinyl Supplies
Cricut Transfer Tape (this is a must)
Darice White Twinkle Lights
Wire Edge Ribbon
Small Ornamants

17
Dec
2015

Tag … You’re It!

categories: Artful Pursuits, Christmas Inspiration, Gift Ideas

Hello friends! I can hardly believe that we are T-minus seven days from Christmas Eve. 2015 has truly flown by at warp speed. As I prepare for Christmas: baking cookies, buying that perfect little something for a friend or coworker, I am always thinking of presentation as well. The wrapping of Christmas presents … or any present for that matter is almost as important as what is inside. The right packaging can pull a gift together and let the recipient know how much you care and really reflects the work put into handmade gifts in particular.

What I especially like is the size of this project, I can pre-cut tags and other elements and then sit in front of the TV watching a Christmas movie (Scrooged, White Christmas, Holiday Inn, or Elf). They go together quickly and I make more than I need for those gifts that seem to pop up at the last minute.

With this in mind, I decided to pull out my Christmas papers, Yuletide by 7 Dots Studio and Vintage Christmas by Blue Fern Studios and make some gift tags for the handmade goodies I’m giving friends this year. Any die set will work to make your tags, you can even purchase pre-formed tags in white, kraft, black, and other colors. For these tags I used the Holiday Tags Stamps & Die Set from My Creative Time it is my favorite at the moment. I think they are so festive. I also added sequins, pearls, trees and holly cut from glitter paper, and a bit of festive washi tape. Here are a few pictures to get your creative ideas flowing.

I hope this has inspired you to take a look at your gift wrapping and make some festive gift tags. Until then, remember, creativity and imperfection live together in all we do. “Grace is the face love wears when it meets imperfection.”

~xoxo
Beanie

Supplies Used
Yuletide & Vintage Christmas
Holiday Tags Stamps & Die Set
Pretty Pink Posh sequins
Red Pearls
Heidi Swapp Glitter Paper
Fresh Ink: Currant & Mojito
Christmas Cross Stitch Washi
Christmas Tree Winter Washi

05
Dec
2015

Twenty-Fifth Treasure Chest

categories: Artful Pursuits, Christmas Inspiration

Hello and welcome to another day of Christmas inspiration. Today’s project is a simple balsa wood box, perfect for holding onto those little Christmas treasures. I created an accordion booklet but this box could easily hold gift tags or any other Christmas treasures you might have.

First, I removed all the hardware, painted, and set the box aside to dry. I knew I wanted to use the Yuletide collection from Seven Dots Studio, which focuses on rich gold/yellows, reds, and grays so I chose a complimentary paint. This collection is so versatile and I’ve gotten so much use out of the items in the collection kit – truly a little goes a long way.

I began by cutting the paper pieces for the lid, outsides, and inner lid out of Gingerbread. I also chose some flowers and leaves. Using LSG Industrial Chic: Golden Doubloons, I sprayed all the flowers and leaves. I glued the Gingerbread pieces to the lid and all four sides of the box. Using my piercing tool, I punched holes in the center of the lid and attached the porcelain “25” to the lid using brads. I stuck various stickers from the word stickers sheet to the red piece and then glued the piece inside the lid.

For the “Dear Santa” accordion booklet I cut two pieces of Figgy Pudding (the gray side) 4″ x 12″. I scored the first piece into three 4″ panels. The second piece I scored at 1/2″ and then created two additional 4″ panels, finally trimming off the excess 3.5″. This resulted in five, 4″ panels. Using tape runner I attached the two pieces together using the 1/2″ tab. Next, using element stickers and element cutouts from the Yuletide collection, I filled in the panels of my “Dear Santa” booklet.

Finally, I replaced the hardware, added some Merry Christmas washi tape to the sides of the box, and attached the flowers and leaves to the lid. As the final touch, I drew a white dot border using my favorite white pen from Signo. TIP: White pen can be used to create all sorts of borders or accents.

I hope you enjoyed this little sojourn and that it helped boost your Christmas spirits!

Until then, remember, creativity and imperfection live together in all we do. “Grace is the face love wears when it meets imperfection.”

~xoxo
Beanie

Supplies Used
Yuletide collection
LSG: Golden Doubloons
Merry Christmas washi tape
Savvy Cityscape Die
Signo White Pen
Distress Paint: Fossilized Amber

23
Nov
2015

Yuletide Greetings

categories: Artful Pursuits, Gift Ideas, NKO Design Team

Happy Monday before Thanksgiving friends! If you find yourself here, welcome! Grab a cup of tea (or coffee) and enjoy a few minutes with me while you take a break from your Thanksgiving preparations.

Today I have a group of Christmas cards made using the Yuletide collection from 7 Dots Studio. I love these papers and have enjoyed playing with all the bits that came in the collection. In addition to the 12 x 12 papers there are tags, word stickers, element stickers, and a second sheet of element goodies. More than enough to spark your creativity!

For the first card, “Holly Jolly Christmas” I used one of the large tags, a word sticker, a chili pepper card base, and a wooden tree from UmWow Studio. First, I ran the front of my card through the Big Shot inside a texture plate (knit sweater) and I rubbed metallic gold ink over the texture to give it definition. Next, I die cut the Seattle skyline out of the Gingerbread card stock. I adhered the tag to a piece of Warm Cider card stock (the snowflake side) and trimmed it close. I popped up the skyline using black foam dots and added the Holly Jolly Christmas word sticker to the tag. I painted the tree using a dark green glitter pen and glued a silver star sequin to the top. Once it was dry, I glued it to the skyline. A red enamel disc and bit of creme an gold ribbon and this card is complete.

The next card, “Noel”, uses one of my favorite dies, the word noel with reindeer antlers, which I cut out of a piece of Sugarplum card stock. I mounted on another of the large tags and tied some red and green twine through the hole in the tag. I also cut a 5.5″ x 1″ strip of Gingerbread card stock and mounted it to the vanilla bean card base. Next I popped up the tag using black foam dots. To finish off this card I glued down a few snowflake sequins and added Rudolph’s red nose.

The “Joy” card is mounted on a juniper card base I ran through the Big Shot with a texture plate (numbers). As before, I rubbed gold metallic ink over the face of the card to highlight the texture. I die cut the bough out of vanilla bean card stock and used some Queen & Company red pearls for the holly berries. The focal piece, the joy chipboard ornament, was painted with red paint and then clear glitter pen was added over the top to give it a bit of sparkle.

The final card, “Presents Squared”, uses a crimson card base run through the Big Shot with a texture plate (brick wall) and highlighted using gold metallic ink. I cut a strip of Sugarplum card stock 5.5″ x 2.25″ and mounted it to the front of the card. I chose another large tag and a few square sticker elements that I applied to the tag. Another UmWow Studio chipboard (a present) was colored using a gold orange glitter pen and adhered to the tag. A green enamel disc adds a pop of color to this card.

I hope you have a blessed and joyful Thanksgiving. We will be back with another Christmas preview week beginning Sunday, December 6th! Until then, remember, creativity and imperfection live together in all we do. “Grace is the face love wears when it meets imperfection.”

~xoxo
Beanie

Supplies Used
Yuletide collection
UmWow Studio
Queen & Co Red Pearls
Joy Chipboard Ornament
Big Shot & Dies, Adhesive, & Gold Metallic Ink

15
Nov
2015

All Hot & Bothered Over a Cup (& a Cookie)

categories: 21st Century Issues, Christian Thoughts, Marketing

I will admit to a fair amount of chagrin recently when I read about all the ire over, of all things, a disposable coffee cup.

By now, most of you are likely aware that Starbucks unveiled their holiday cups and … *GASP* omitted the Christmas scenes (holly wreaths, polar bears, Santa’s, reindeer’s, etc). Apparently, one man (self-identified as a Christian) took this personally, going so far as to order a drink at said chain, tell the barista his name was “Merry Christmas” so he could “offend the global coffee company” when the barista shouted, “Merry Christmas, Peppermint Soy Mocha”. Seriously.

First, I have never thought the Starbucks cup was “Christian” so much as it was commercially festive. Second, Christmas isn’t the only holiday in December and we are not a world (or even a country) where only one holiday is acceptable. I mean, Jewish folks don’t pitch a fit, screaming global conspiracy because the cup is red and not blue or that it contains reindeer instead of 5-pointed stars.

So, why all the kerfuffle over a cup? I wondered the same thing and even read a few articles about the whole mess. It was beginning to take up space in my head. Then, in what I believe, was a God-inspired moment it stopped when I decided that “…the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate! Baby, I’m just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake, shake it off, I shake it off!” (yes, I just quoted Taylor Swift). With this revelation, a peace came over me and I thought, “Why do I care what the Starbucks cup looks like and why do I care that people are mad?”

It was wonderful and I didn’t really give the cup anymore thought … at least until the next offensive thing Starbucks did … they released, *GASP*, polar bear cookies that appeared to have their throats cut, which I will admit had the opposite affect those offended wanted. I actually laughed out loud. For shame, Starbucks think of the little children.

Upon further investigation, I learned the offending cookies were out in 2010 (some enterprising blogger found an old image and decided to go to town on Starbucks) and the hubbub started all over again. Even the cup began to get play on my newsfeed again. Starbucks, apparently haters of Christians, were single-handedly trying to kill Christmas.

My chosen profession is marketing. Over my 18 years in the field, I’ve hit some out of the park — a few, and I’ve struck out — far too many times to count. Was the polar bear cookie unfortunate, of course it was. Is it the end of civilization as we know it, as if. I’m also an artist of sorts and when I look at the above image I see a scarf. If it was green or purple I guarantee that is what you would see too. Furthermore, I don’t think the cup is an indictment of Christianity or Christmas either.

Here is a wonderful post with a minority Christian opinion about the red cups. I happen to agree with her assertions and enjoyed her thoughts.

What I can promise you, is that Starbucks is not trying to kill Christmas or even to offend Christians. They love Christmas — that time of year when we buy and buy for those we love. They want our dollars. Not convinced? Let me leave you with this … For a company that supposedly hates Christmas why would they turn Starbucks cups into miniature Christmas tree ornaments and sell them?

12
Nov
2015

Yuletide 6×6 Trio

categories: Artful Pursuits, Gift Ideas, NKO Design Team

Hello and welcome to another Christmas-themed project. I am so happy to have the opportunity to share my Christmas creativity with you this week. It’s a dream come true, being on a design team, and it is my hope that the projects created inspire you on your own creative journey.

Earlier this week I posted a project using the new Blue Fern Studios Vintage Christmas line, which I love but for today’s inspiration I pulled out the Yuletide collection from 7 Dots Studio. I love the papers from 7DS because they are so different from what American manufacturers are creating.

Using some new (and a few old) Christmas dies and the lush and beautiful Yuletide papers I created three 6″ x 6″ panels.

The first panel was made using Sugarplum for the background, which contains a picture of a stag wearing a crown. I trimmed the paper to 5.75″ x 5.75″ and adhered it to the background. Next I cut the Noel die using a contrasting paper, Gingerbread.

To create interest among the three panels I reversed the color palette on the middle panel, focusing on red for the background. Using Gingerbread again, I cut the reindeer roster and the leaping reindeer out of the remnants of the Sugarplum piece. To add interest I popped the reindeer up using black foam dots.

For the final panel I used the snowflake side of Warm Cider and cut Santa’s sleigh and eight reindeer out of the remnants of Gingerbread and the skyline and moon out of Sugarplum. I mounted Santa using black foam dots and then stamped the phrase “all is calm and bright” in blue ink.

I hope you have enjoyed today’s Christmas preview. Until then, remember, creativity and imperfection live together in all we do. “Grace is the face love wears when it meets imperfection.”

~xoxo
Beanie

Supplies Used
Yuletide Collection
Sizzix Reindeer Names Die
Ken Oliver Art Blocks
“And Bright” Stamp
& Adhesive

11
Nov
2015

A Holly Jolly Christmas Shadow Box

categories: Artful Pursuits, NKO Design Team

Today I am bringing you a mixed media piece using Graphic 45s 3-panel shadow box and Blue Fern Studios Vintage Christmas papers. I am so happy to have the opportunity to share my love of Christmas through my project, which is based on a Graphic 45 3-panel wall hanging.

Last week I absently quipped to one of my fellow design team members that “sometimes my creativity needed the pressure of waiting until close to the deadline” to function properly. The person I was talking with is so on the ball with her submissions and me, well I’m not.

I’ve known what I was creating for about two weeks, but as I began working on it I felt compelled to stop and step away several times. The building of pressure (always inching closer to the publication deadline) helped me hone the design. Each time I came back after an absence (no matter how short) I found that I took things off, rearranged things, and added new goodies. It’s been a truly cathartic.

But enough about my process … onto the Christmas fun! My favorite Christmas cartoon is the classic Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer mostly due to the wonderful songs included. The songs Silver & Gold, Fame & Fortune, We’re a Couple of Misfits, There’s Always Tomorrow, and of course, my favorite A Holly Jolly Christmas are what have given the cartoon it’s charm and staying power. I named my piece Holly Jolly Christmas in homage to this classic from my childhood.

I’ve had this Graphic 45 3-panel shadow box for about 4 months. Originally I bought it with the thought of doing something with it for Halloween, but when I joined the NKO design team and learned we were having a Christmas kickoff I decided to save it. I was able to get my hands on some of the brand new Blue Fern Studio Vintage Christmas papers, which formed the basis for this project. These papers are amazing, with rich colors, beautiful imagery, and an opulent thickness not found in other papers. Simply put, the line is perfection.

I started by choosing 3 papers and cutting the background squares. The frame has two pieces of plexi glass that are held in place by swivel clasps. I also used the Greeting Cards paper for the elements added to the back over the background squares. When everything was glued and dry it was sandwiched between the plexi glass and secured to the frame using the swivel hooks. I added metal corners & a paperclip to the front along with the “Merry Christmas” banner (also from the Greeting Cards sheet). Using red and white baker’s twine I tied the silver bells together and then threaded them through the clip holding the banner. I mounted the banner to the wood using foam squares.

Next, I inked the edges of all the papers using Hickory Smoke Distress and Powder Puff Chalk Biscotti inks. Once the panels were in place I began laying out each vignette. For the top vignette I fussy cut the little girl off the Noel sheet and glued her in place. I also inked up the 25 chipboard with Fresh Ink’s Red Currant and added sticky embossing powder so I could finish it with some Distress rock candy glitter. I popped it up off the background using black foam dots. TIP: I prefer black foam tape and dots because they are easy to hide and are not as stark as the white. I added an ecru burlap flower to the corner and some vintage metal trim to the bottom of the panel. For the focal piece, I filled a glass bottle (similar to these) with German glass glitter in green, silver, and red. I added the tinsel label, a gumdrop (similar to these) to the top of the cork, and tied a bow with some red and green baker’s twine.

For the middle panel I fussy cut the little letter carrier from one of the cards on the Greeting Cards paper. Since I had two sheets of this I was able to glue down the card and then cut out the frame and the little letter carrier, which I popped up using foam tape. I added a red burlap flower to the corner and for the focal point I filled a small cork dome with mini jingle bells and added the jingle label to the outside.

For the bottom panel I chose another of the Greeting Cards panels and also fussy cut a wreath and added some red berry pearls from Queen & Co. I mounted the wreath using a double stack of black foam dots so that it pops up far away from the background. I added some miniature trees in green, red, and ecru to one corner. For the focal point I used a large corked dome for the “holly jolly” sign post. I mounted the words to a silver memo pin that I stuck into the cork base. To create the snow at the base of the sign I added liquid applique and shaved ice flakes.

Here are a few more closeups of some of the fun elements in this piece.

There were so many wonderful panels on the Greeting Cards sheet that I made a card as well. You easily make several cards from this sheet alone.

I hope you have enjoyed today’s Christmas preview. There is more fun throughout the week over on the Nani Ke Ola blog.

Until then, remember, creativity and imperfection live together in all we do. “Grace is the face love wears when it meets imperfection.”

~xoxo
Beanie

Supplies Used

Blue Fern Studio Vintage Christmas
Graphic 45 Shadow Box
Chipboard Elements
Powder Puff Chalk Ink Biscotti
Fresh Ink Red Currant & Queen & Co Pearls Berry Red
Cork Domes, Memo Clips, Chitchat Stickers Holiday, Gumdrops, Rock Candy Glitter, Metal Corners
Sticky Embossing Powder Liquid Applique, Shaved Ice Flakes, Glass Bottles, Baker’s Twine

P.S. Do you always know what you’re doing when you start a new piece? Does it seem to pour out of you as you work? Do you procrastinate? Do you get it done way ahead? If you feel so inclined I would love to read your comments about your process so drop me a note below.

08
Oct
2015

Giving the Gift of Fashion: Custom Barrettes

categories: Artful Pursuits, Gift Ideas, NKO Design Team

Hello, friends! Beanie here again sharing another gift idea for all the ladies in your life: hair barrettes. Sounds simple, right? Well, it truly is but it makes a wonderful gift. Customizable for any style, color, or occasion, these fashion accessories make wonderful gifts.

Requiring minimal supplies, these barrettes come together so quickly and easily you will be astounded at how many you can create in an evening.

For the ones shown here, I used Lindy’s Stamp Gang Autumn Leaves Sidekick and Prima’s Pearl White Color Bloom sprays to give a shimmer to the flowers. TIP: Did you know that you can refill Color Bloom sprays with filtered or bottled water two times? That’s right, when the bottle is nearly empty, simply refill it with filtered or bottled water, shake it up, and you’re ready to go again. The Color Blooms may seem expensive, but when you factor in three bottles out of one, they are actually one of the more inexpensive sprays on the market.

I made card backs (a piece of 3″ x 3″ cardstock) to hold the finished barrettes using 7 Dots Studio’s Cold Country paper line (choose paper that compliments the barrettes). You can find your barrette base online at Amazon (I used the 2″ type for these), at your local beauty supply, or Target. I used many different types of flowers and centers (micro beads and other self-adhesive gems). Fabri-Tac is my favorite adhesive for this sort of creation because it sets up so quickly.

Attach the base flowers to the barrette using Fabri-Tac (it dries quickly so you won’t have to wait long to move forward). Before attaching your focal flower, add anything to the center (beads, sequins, gems, etc) using Fabri-Tac or other dries clear adhesive and let that set up. Once it’s set, you can attach it to the barrette using Fabri-Tac.

The most difficult part of this project: choosing flowers. There are literally thousands of combinations and the sky is the limit for customization including beads, self-adhesive gems, sequins, sprays, die cuts, mini bells, and on and on! Be sure to stop by the store for all of your paper crafting needs. Some wonderful new goodies are being added for the holidays!

I hope this idea inspires you to step outside the box in terms of gift-giving. Remember, creativity and imperfection live together in all we do. “Grace is the face love wears when it meets imperfection.”

~xoxo
Beanie

Supplies Used
7 Dots Studio Cold Country
LSG: Autumn Leaves Sidekick
Prima Pearl White Color Bloom
Flowers & Barrettes
Self-Adhesive Gems, Buttons, & Brads

28
Sep
2015

What a Wonderful World: Altered Box

categories: Artful Pursuits, NKO Design Team

Last time I shared my struggles with (and a new commitment to) creating handmade gifts that were simple, yet elegant. I’m happy to say I’ve been doing pretty good creating handmade gifts for friends this Christmas and today I would like to show you my latest, the “What a Wonderful World Gift Box”. Let’s get started!

On a recent foraging excursion to my local craft store, I picked up a small balsa wood box. It has a window insert in the lid that intrigued me. I knew there was the perfect vinyl sentiment just waiting to be part of this box. Enter the “what a WONDERFUL world” sentiment and 7 Dots Studio’s Cold Country paper and embellishments line. I really like the 7 Dots Studio papers. They are rich and luscious and have some interesting visuals, very different than what you see from US companies.

This little trinket box currently holds a set of handmade cards and matching washi tape (a stationery kit of sorts) but it could easily hold other small gifts: tea for two (tea bags and honey straws) or a gift tag kit (tags, washi tape, to/from stamps, and ink pad). The options are truly infinite and can easily be tailored to your intended recipient. That is what I love about this project.

I started by taking the box apart so the lid and base were separate. This allowed me to protect the metal findings (hinges and clasp) and paint quickly. Once apart, I lightly sanded the box, particularly any rough spots and wiped it off with a damp cloth. I also measured the surfaces that I planned to cover with paper (interior lid and base, and all four outer sides. Looking over the Cold Country papers, I chose two paint colors, (a light and a dark) that complimented the line. To get the shade I wanted I mixed the colors together using a 4 to 1 ratio, 4 parts Weathered Wood (light) to 1 part Blueprint Sketch (dark).

While I waited for that to dry I cut my papers and inked their edges using Weathered Wood ink. TIP: I always ink the edges of any items (paper, stickers, embellishments) that have white edges; doing so gives your project a finished look. Once painted and dry I went back over the box with Weathered Wood and Blueprint Sketch inks using the round blending tool. I heat set the ink and applied the papers to the various surfaces on the outside and inside of the box using matte Mod Podge. I sealed the entire box using Mod Podge..

Next, I created 4 cards using some grey and white mini cards that fit inside the box and the embellishments from the Cold Country kit. I also custom dyed ribbon to bind the cards together using white seam binding and Distress stains and sprays in Brushed Pewter, Blueprint Sketch, Hickory Smoke & Tumbled Glass.

For the insert in the lid I chose a piece of cardstock from the Cold Country papers and applied the “what a wonderful world” vinyl sentiment to the cardstock. TIP: To ensure that your sentiment is centered in the window, insert the paper in place and lightly trace the edge of the insert. Once you’re done you can easily erase the guide. Vinyl is very easy to adhere to porous surfaces, a good burnishing before you start and a slow peeling of the backing at a sharp angle are my secrets to success. I also glued the cardstock to the wooden insert and cut a piece of acetate to go on top. For the inside of the insert (the lid) I glued another piece of paper that is the perfect place to write a note to the recipient.

Cold Country is a lovely collection of vintage images and sentiments focused on family and love designed by Anna Dąbrowska aka Finnabair. It is based on a cool palette and goes well with other cool colors (blues, greens, and grays).

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and that it inspires you to make and give handmade gifts. Remember, creativity and imperfection live together in all we do. “Grace is the face love wears when it meets imperfection.”

~xoxo
Beanie

Supplies Used:
7 Dots Studio Collection Kit
Distress Inks (Weathered Wood, Blueprint Sketch, & Hickory Smoke)
Distress Paints (Weathered Wood & Blueprint Sketch)
Distress Stains (Brushed Pewter, Blueprint Sketch, Hickory Smoke & Tumbled Glass)
Mod Podge, Hug Snug Binding (winter white), ruler, paper trimmer, sanding block, round distress tool

10
Sep
2015

A Study In Brown

categories: NKO Design Team, With One Color

I love brown, really I do. It’s wonderful for aging things and comes in a wide array of shades: vintage photo, chocolate, ground espresso, walnut stain, frayed burlap, antique linen, corduroy, gathered twigs, sepia, and many others. These colors are powerful bases and accents but how does brown do when it’s the focus? This was the challenge I set myself for this post. My secondary challenge: get going on handmade Christmas gifts for those near and dear to me.

If you are anything like me, you start out with the very best intentions – something handmade for everyone dear to you and then sometime between September and November the days slide away and you are burning the midnight oil just to get a couple of things done. If you are not like me (aka you are organized and on top of your handmade gifts) I applaud you … oh, and can I have a hair off your head so I can clone you?!?

This year I am trying to make sure my gifts are special, but don’t require weeks to complete. I decided to make a few calendars for friends using 3″ x 4″ wood blocks and mini printed calendars. The Nature Walk collection from 7 Dots Studio was perfect for this self imposed challenge.

First, I painted the wooden block using Vintage Photo Distress paint. Once it was dry I went over it again with a coat of Walnut Stain Distress paint. If you are impatient like me, you can hit the block with the heat gun to speed up drying. TIP: Make sure you don’t get the heat too close or the paint will bubble and peel. Once this was dry I distressed the edges with a sanding block (so some of the vintage photo as well as the raw wood showed through) and finished it up with Lindy’s Stamp Gang (LSG)-Autumn Leaves Sidekick “Blazing Sun” and “Incandescent Copper”. Once that was dry I added the tissue tape. Tissue tape (and washi tape) is not overly sticky so to make sure it stayed put I spread on a thin layer of Mod Podge under the tape. Using the round distress tool I colored the tape with Fossilized Amber and Frayed Burlap Distress inks.

For the front and back of the calendar I chose one of the 6×6 sheets from the Nature Walk paper pad. I cut two pieces, 2 3/4″ x 3 3/4″ and inked the edges using the round distress tool and Fossilized Amber and Frayed Burlap Distress inks. TIP: Start with the lightest color to avoid cross-contamination of your ink pads. I also lightly inked up each of the calendar pages with a bit of Frayed Burlap Distress ink. Using flowers and leaves from Prima Marketing’s Archivist collection, I spritzed them with Prima’s Color Bloom-“Empress Gold” and set them aside to dry.

Using Mod Podge I attached the papers to the front and back of the block. I have a mini pastry roller that I use to make sure all the bubbles are out and the paper sticks completely. I also put a small amount of Mod Podge on the last page of the calendar, gluing it down as well. I love Fabri-Tac for dimensional items like flowers and wood pieces. Once all the flowers and leaves were attached with Fabri-Tac I set it aside to dry.

The back of the calendar was completed the same way as the front. I used some of the Nature Walk wood stickers to spell out the message “Take flight … find yourself … spread your wings.” The butterfly wood icon is from Prima’s Archivist collection and it was attached using Fabri-Tac.

For the companion card I used another sheet from the Nature Walk 6×6 pad, a piece of chocolate cardstock cut 4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″, and the beetle hexagon from the Nature Walk Elements sheet. Using a hexagon die from My Creative Time, I cut a mat for the beetle element out of the brown cardstock and glued the beetle hexagon to it.

To make the crinkle ribbon I used my Hug Snug “Winter White” seam binding ribbon and LSG “Incandescent Copper” and “Blazing Sun” sprays. While the ribbon was still wet I bunched it up (creating the crinkles) and then I dried it using my heat gun. I glued the ribbon to the back side of the panel and then glued the panel to the card using Scotch’s Tacky Glue. Two black foam squares pop the beetle hexagon up, completing the card.

I hope you enjoyed this little trip into the world of brown and that it inspires you to take a little creative trip of your own. Remember, creativity and imperfection live together in all we do. “Grace is the face love wears when it meets imperfection.”

~xoxo
Beanie

Supplies Used

7 Dots Studio-Nature Walk 6×6 Paper Pad
7 Dots Studio-Nature Walk Elements
7 Dots Studio-Nature Walk Wood Stickers
Prima Color Bloom Spray-Empress Gold
LSG-Autumn Leaves Sidekick
3” x 4” wood block
2016 Yearly Calendar
Hexy Dies
Prima-Archivist: Posterity Flowers & Wood Icons
Distress Paint: Vintage Photo & Walnut Stain
Distress Ink: Fossilized Amber & Frayed Burlap
Ideology Sanding Block, Round Distress Tool, Tissue Tape (or other washi tape), Hug Snug: Winter White
Mod Podge (Matte), Fabri-Tac, Scotch Tacky Glue