Julie: Using 'Artists Colours' cardstock to make a mini-album

 Hello again.

 

Today I thought I'd try to show you something that's a little tricky to convey online, something which might not come across in the product image on the website ... and that's: the quality of the 'Artists Colours' 12x12 recycled cardstock available in the 3DJean shop.

 

Currently available in 8 colours it has a very similar texture/finish to kraft card, but in colour rather than the natural buff shade. And for my project today I chose the 'French Mustard' option:

For some reason this shade puts me in mind of school exercise books and has a nice nostalgic feel to it! And, while it is  definitely a mustard-y shade - I find it almost as versatile as a 'neutral'.

 

 And by cutting down two sheets of the 12x12 I created the covers for this mini-album:

[p.s: you can find the lovely bright blue 'sunburst' design patterned paper I've used on the cover here]

 

Now, here's where I need to find a way to show you just how suitable this heavyweight card is for album covers!

 

Here's a close-up of the card edge-on - I think you should just be able to see how thick it is form this:

Another bonus is that it doesn't bend or buckle - which will come in useful as my album fills-up.

 

And here's a shot from above, showing how the album can stand up alone as the covers are that strong:

It really is a useful weight of card to have on the shelf for future projects [I've got a new album project in mind and am going to treat myself to the 'French Navy' colour-way for that one] and here's a few more ideas which may help you judge the kind of card it is ....

 

It's not the kind of card I'd use for:

• scrapbook pages or card making - it's far too thick for this
• die-cutting - unless I was using the Bigz style heavyweight dies in which case it would be perfect!!

But it's amazing for:

• album covers
• 3d constructions/ boxes / shrines /
• a base for wall-art / collage / mixed media work

... really, it's ideal for projects where you might usually turn to chipboard except it's:

• much more colourful;
• much smoother and
• more dense than a lot of chipboard [it doesn't get that 'fluffy' edge chipboard tend to get when you cut some chipboards].

I hope I've managed to convey something of the quality and versatility of this fab 12x12 recycled cardstock - it was the next best thing to some sort of futuristic 'touch-o-vision' I could manage for you!

 

You're welcome to share anything you've made with this card or indeed ANY product you've ordered from Jean on the 3DJean Facebook page .

 

Until next time - have a great June.

 

Julie :-) 

Hit with a Cute Stick

A couple of weeks ago Gail , Andrea and I went away to a crafting retreat in Whitby for the weekend , the new stamps from Sweetpea Stamps had just arrived so Andrea and I had a play around with them. I used the Little Wishes and some of the Lily Bee papers in purple whilst Andrea did pink.  

I Andrea used Little Blossom stamp, Lily Bee papers and diamante stickers from 3DJean

Liquid Pearls, Lace, satin ribbon and charm from Ribbon Girl

Copics, spellbinders die, stampin up tab punch

I think Gail was a little worries that someone had hit me with a Cute Stick as this really is far to cute for my style , but I know a friend who will love it for her Birthday.

Be Still...

... my beating heart!

 

I think Iv'e been hit with the lavender stick and may have to lie down in  a darkened room! Lavender is not a colour I use very often ( twice in a week!) and considering I have a button phobia it's a wonder this project happened at all!

 

It's a 6x6 inch canvas... painted with lilac acrylic paint, the edges daubed with Viva Croco in gold.... I was too impatient and dried it with a heat gun... the result.. not much crackle so I wiped some of the still sticky paint  off.

 

I stamped the dotty stamp and embossed it in gold, stuck it to a chipboard heart and stitched buttons onto it. Strips of gold faux mesh tinted with a purple Pro Marker surround the heart. 

 

The heart is mounted onto an old book page and glued to the canvas....

Playing with Shimmerz

I needed a gift for my cousin who has just got engaged so thought a shimmery canvas might be the ideal thing. I've used the Shimmerz Baby Breath and Vibez Razzledazzleberry to make it shimmer all over.  

 I have also used around the chipboard heart some of the silver Diamante Faux Mesh cut into strips and stuck with Best Ever Glue. A couple of Hobby House flowers in the corner finished it off nicely.

 

Julie: card making sci-fi style [with masking, staping + heat embossing]

Hello again.

 

The 'Tape' set of clear stamps by Infocrea consists of 3 really versatile background designs:

• mesh / chicken wire;
• tape measures and
• a circuit-board style

I know I'm going to have fun with these timeless images in my art journals soon but, as I recently had a card to make for a sci-fi fan,  ... I knew I could put that circuit-board to use straight away, and here's what I came up with:

Using an embossing ink pad I stamped on to the plain side of the double-sided Lily Bee paper 'Victoria Park' Charcoal [the reverse side is the polka dot design I used on the final card] which I'd die-cut into hexagons.

 

 I then heat embossed in several colours:

Next I stamped again, just on the edges this time, then embossed in a contrasting colour:

I added the embossed hexagons to my card base using 3D foam pads then along one side I stencilled through the Tando Creative 'Distorted Harlequin' mask using a white chalk ink: 

Here's a close-up:

 ... and here's the end result again:

So there you have it some space-age style stamping with the Infocrea stamp set ... I hope my sci-fi fan likes it!

 

If you're not a sci-fi fan ... how about using it in a Steampunk style? Or just as an abstract background?

 

Plus there are 2 other Infocrea 3-piece sets available to choose from too:

• 'Abstract' features: doodled circles; owls and chequerboard - another perfect adaptable set] and ...
• 'Nature' features wild flowers; a book plate and butterflies.

 

Which set's more your style?

 

Julie :-)

NEW Stamps

I just love the new Owl stamps from SweetPea Stamps and needed a couple of birthday cards , what could be better than these. 

i stamped the image first and then stamped it again on matching paper , cut out the moon and his hat so i could paper piece them and then added some of the Gold Diamante Faux Mesh . I just cut a strip of it and stuck it along the bottom a couple of Hobby House flowers later and there done. 

Peony or Anenome?

...either way difficult to spell but easy to make...

 

 

I used the Tim Holtz tattered Flowers die and this double sided patterned paper...and at  70p a sheet it won't break the bank.Cut 4 in the large flower for the top, 4 smaller flowers for the centre and 4 large flowers for the lower layer in a contrast patterned paper

Fold each flower in half and then quarters... use a hot glue gun to glue together, this is quicker than using wet glue (if you use wet glue use a peg to hold until dry).

You may have to tear some petals to make them lie flat...Curl your petals

 

Punch a circle... glue one set of four flowers to the circle. Glue the smaller flowers inside this set of four.Turn the flower upside down and glue the contrast flowers to the circle..the petals should curl in the opposite direction.

 

 

Make a hole in the centre... push a piece of florists wire through, bend the end.

 

Secure with hot glue and add aflat back gem..

 

Peony or anenome.... you decide.