Monday, March 30, 2009

LPS Monday! Colour Challenge (+ mini area rug, LOL)




Do you like to "cheat" at challenges? Are you a challenge purist, or do you relish throwing something that bends the rules in there? It's so fun to see what develops out of challenges isn't it?

I loves me those colour challenges, and boy do I need 'em! (You guys know me, without colour challenges, all the cards I make would be monochromatic (especially turquoise); oh wait, they are! hehe.) I always feel the need to throw something extra into a colour challenge, ...makes me feel like I'm getting away with something sneaky, muhahaHA! ;O) This time it was turquoise; go figure, huh? ROFL.

Wanna bend the rules with us? ;O)
Here are the colours...
The keyword is: LPSC09

The Cardstock:

I've used Sarhara Sand cardstock here, but I've replaced the other colours with rich coloured cardstock from Paper Temptress: Instead of Chocolate Chip, Hot Fudge Pop Tones c.s It's not as orangey a brown (it's more of a deep coffee colour) so it coordinates like a dream. And instead of Riding Hood Red, Wild Cherry Pop Tone c.s. That is one sassy red!

I like the Pop Tones Cardstock better for two reasons (sorry SU): It's priced for less than I pay per sheet as an SU demo and the colours are more saturated. There's a whole family of juicy colours here.

Who on earth could possibly need a tutorial on making a miniature Persian rug? Nobody, I'm sure, but it was so much silly fun that I just had to share with ya. (P.S. Yup, I know I'm nutso.) ;O)



Step 1) Cut a rug (shape) & colour areas of it to match your colour combo. (The paper is Sweetwater Cotton Candy Item # BJ5.)



Step 2) Make carpet underlay (just kidding.)

Stick thin papers to a piece of cardstock (the cream colour in the above photo.) Layering helps to support flimsy Designer Paper (like this brown flowery piece) that you may want to mutilate (a.k.a. knot it like crazy.)

Use the patterned piece as a guide to trim away the cardstock underneath.

Step 3) Make a row of knots on the end by...



A) Piercing a row of holes (far enough in so that it won't tear when you stitch; ask me how i know!) ;O)



B) Tying a knot on the front
C) Putting your needle back down through the next hole
D) Continuing to knot.

"Why would you want to do all that?" you ask...

for Step 4) ...To make a realistic miniature area rug fringe:
(of course) ;o)



Step 1) Cut two strips of cardstock to fit under the ends of your rug shape.



Step 2) Stick a piece of good strong double-sided tape to both strips of cardstock.

Step 3) Adhere pieces of embroidery floss to the tape (trimming as you go along)

Step 4) Adhere another piece of tape over the thread pieces & stick the whole fringe under the rug.

It may seem crazy to make a rug, but here are some other potential ideas for embroidery fringe:

...as an edge on a card...
...as a soft textural element in place of ribbon.
...fringey grass...
...a lion's mane...(or a horse, giraffe's mane....)
...People hair...
...scarf fringe (on snowmen maybe?)
...fringe on a dress...



Digital Fun:

It wows me that the Little Paper Shop digital images are
still clear as a bell when you reduce them to a minuscule size
(these lil' gals are 3/4 of an inch).



Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic
-Arthur C. Clarke


Clarke was theorizing about SciFi, but digis feel like the best technological magic to me. :o) I giggled all the way through this card, because of how fantastically the weensy little digital images printed out (the ones in those wee 1 inch silver frames.) Click the pic to see them up close. You can even emboss them!

To make the Mini Digi Frames I did this stuff:
(In case you have any of these dollar store frames & want to try it.)

1) Print the digital images at 18% (Fits in 1 inch shape; perfect for you inchie enthusiasts.) Jena Rain & Katie Swing

2) Emboss them with clear embossing powder. (Crazy, hey? These little guys are even embossed. The print so fast at that size that the ink didn't dry up before I could emboss them)

3) Colour the image (I used Copic markers. How tricksy to colour something so small!) :O)

4) Adhere them to the frame. Crystal lacquer that has set for a few seconds works wonders:



...using a pin to spread the Crystal Lacquer on the back of the frame is handy. :O)



Want to stitch a mini embroidery sampler? Or a sentiment with small letters? Here's some tricks that might come in handy.

Step 1) Keep writing out your phrase until you like the spacing & size (or type it up & print it out) Boxy letters stitch nicely.

Step 2) Instead of piercing your cardstock with a paper piercer, use a needle for smaller holes.

Step 3) Use a super fine needle to sew a single thread so it doesn't obscure the lettering or tear your paper.

Making Wee Wainscoting:



Not sure if this picture is any good (I think I scratched the lens on my camera & now everything is grainy)... but this is how the wainscoting was made:

Step 1) Punch out a bunch of word window punches made of cardstock (or just cut strips)

Step 2) Cut a piece of cardstock in the same colour (Sahara Sand)

Step 3) Add double-sided tape the the cardstock piece & adhere the punched strips to it

Step 4) Trim the ends & add a strip at the top and bottom for baseboard & chair-rail

Step 5) Add a paint wash with markers, if you like. This is "painted" with a white marker from Close to my Heart<---(LUV their white marker & the awesome Annapurna!) :O)



Well, i hope there may have been a useful method for you in this madness...
and that your crafting is blissful,



P.S. Do you prefer bigger pictures for the tutorial schtuff, or is this size better?

21 comments:

Erum Tasneem said...

Excellent ideas! I love your card! AND THERE ARE SOOO MANY DETAILS AS USUAL! you put everything in the things you make!

ikki said...

What a brill card, so full of fun and colour and skill. Nice to see you posting, hope you're feeling much better. ikki x
ps Your tutorials are so inspiring that any size is fine.

Going with the Flow By Renee said...

You are just too cute and soooo talented! These pics are fine - thanks for the tutorial. I can't see me making rugs, but just in case - I will try to remember this great tutorial! Keep on truckin' schweetheart!

Elena said...

Your idea with the rug is fantastic! The whole scene you created is awesome! Frames, wall border, embroidery - so delicate!
Thank you for sharing it, Mel!

Nancy S said...

How Fun! I often look at the doll house supplies at my local craft store and admire all the tiny reproductions of rugs, pictures, etc. And here you have reproduced all that miniature wonderfulness on a card. How great is that!! Thanks so much for sharing this with us.

Becky V. said...

Thanks Mel, for another creative idea and tutorial. (BTW, I like the smaller pics)

Anonymous said...

I just LOVE the things you do!! You can bend the rules all you like... it just turns out fascinating in the end.

Swedie

Anonymous said...

WOWZER girl!! What a fabulous tutorial!! Thanks so much for that!! I love your fun scenery you've created with the beautiful papers and fun pictures!! How cool!! TFS!

Mada said...

So glad to see you back - you rule-bender, you! :D

Before I started reading your post I just KNEW that "Home Sweet Home" is 'miniature' stitching. You never lower your standards Miss Mel. I bow to you. :)

Your awesome rug brings back memories of secondary school, when we learned how to make persian rugs and weaved at them for two years. I think I can still make one if I had the stuff.

Yours is a fabulous card, with tons of details and oozing with creativity. Nothing new, eh? :)

Many hugs,
Mada

P.S. Regarding the size of your tutorial photos... I like them as they are. I always click on them and admire the big picture. ;)

Tonniece said...

OMG woman, you knock me over with your creativness. Love everything about this mini scene.

Happy monday

Anonymous said...

Amazing! You have such an eye and creativity with paper (and more)!

Bonnie said...

Oh my WORD Mel!! I love your cute little living room!! and yes, you are a little sneak with your turquoise!!

Sue from Oregon said...

Hey Cheater girl...love this great scene that you made and the funny descriptions that come along with it all! I love the little touches of turquoise you snuck in! So much detail for such a little card...how fun!

Libby Hickson said...

This is soooo adorable!! Wow I think it would take me three days to make this card, and another two to write up this detailed tutorial post. YOU AMAZE ME!!!

Michelle B. AKA JustPaintingAround said...

AWESOME! Woo Hoo! You've got me all fired up with ideas again! The rug and wainscotting are FABULOUS ideas for me as I mostly stamp scenes. Thanks for sharing!

PS: The pic size was fine for me. I was able to click on them and really zoom in if I wanted to see more. Thanks!

Siri Fjørtoft, kaBoks said...

What a great card! I love it! ANd the rug? How did u come up with that? Just marvelous :-)

Siri

BeckyBeanie said...

Oh my! I have only been introduced to your blog today and you are awesome!!! The pics for tuts are perfect, I love the way you can click on them for larger pics. I am about to subscribe to this wonderful site!!!!!! Thank you!!

Michelle B. AKA JustPaintingAround said...

OK, I'm back to show you my first rug. Thanks for the inspiration! Here it is:

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/1296552?cat=500&ppuser=158949

Maria said...

Wow, I love that Persian rug. . .a lot of work but the results are fantastic. Gosh Mel. . you are such a detailed oriented person.

Hey too cool that you shrunk the images down to the little bitty size and you were still able to emboss and color them. I don't know if you watch CSI but it reminds me a bit of the episodes with the minature model killer. LOL! She made all these tiny models so perfectly. . not that you're like the killer but you have the skill to create such pretty minature picture frames!

Sorry for the rambling!! This is what happens close to 3:00 in the morning.

Love your card as always and thank you for the fabulous tutorial!!

Maria

Angie Tieman said...

Wow! Another one! Can't believe the cool little rug and room scene! You achieved such great perspective!

Neasa said...

Just wonderful as always! I used to do cross-stitch so have LOADS of thread hanging around unused. Thanks for the ideas! (If I have any turquoise I'll save it for you!!!) x