Thursday, April 16, 2009

Haute Couture Miss Anya appearing at Paper Garden Projects ;o)



This was such a fun set to make. I've developed a real thing for Greeting Farm stamps lately. I got a variety of them from Paper Garden Projects & can't wait to play with them and share the results with you.




New Greeting Farm Stamps in the store at Paper Garden Projects and this schtuff with the Miss Anyas:

-1- French embroidered blouse
-2- Wee 3D Shopping bag details: (Tissue paper & embroidery thread handles)
-3- An ultra easy belt fold
-4- Embossing computer printed sentiments & hand drawn elements on patterned paper
-5- Custom coloured gems (with Copic markers)



The Stamps:

I'm having a riot with these Miss Anya stamps; they're such a delight to colour! You hafta luv deeply etched rubber & they come in a set of 3 with cling foam already on them:

-1-

Stitch a French embroidered blouse:




  • an image
  • fine needle
  • thread (and a matching colour of marker)
  • double-sided tape
These little Miss Anyas are so fun to colour & paper piece and it was even more of a blast to add other 3D bits!

To knot Miss Anya's blouse for a touch of haute couture, stampin' style:



Step 1)
Add marker dots (in the colour you'd like to sew) to Miss Anya's blouse



Step 2)
Pierce holes to add knot details.

To work a small area without tearing the paper:

-->Use a sturdy enough cardstock. This is Neenah White LUV that stuff madly
-->Use a fine needle (to pierce & stitch)
-->If you are cutting out your image: sew first; cut later



Step 3) Tie knots (and go back down the hole to finish.) Repeat for all the knots & finish by adhering the end at the back of the image with double-sided tape.

-2
-

Add 3D shopping bag details:



I've been wanting to stick wee tissue paper pieces in a shopping bag for ages, strange huh? Embroidery thread handles were way too fun to make too.




Step 1) Cut a wee piece of Vellum paper & score lines on it to help create an accordion fold



Step 2) Cut a slit in the top of the bag



Step 3) Add the little vellum fan in the slit & adhere on the back of Miss Anya



Step 1) Knot & stitch on handles for the little shopping bags. hehehe mini is so fun. :O)

-3-

Create an easy belt fold:




  • One little piece of cardstock (about 1 1/2 inches by 9 for this 5 1/2 inch square card)
  • Strong adhesive (like Oh so Sticky tape)
  • Scor-Pal
This is a really really easy way to make a different fold, especially if you want something different with a plain card as an afterthought. Just add a piece of cardstock folded & adhered to the back of your card:



To make the belt fold:

1) Cut cardstock to the size you like. This is 1 1/2 inches by 9 for a 5 1/2 inch square card
2) Score where you want the fold. (I scored at 5 2/8 inches for the section at the back)
3) Embellish the belt
4) Adhere it on the back of your card with nice & strong adhesive

I like this because the belt buckle gives you a place to put the sentiment & embellishments without permanently covering up all that beading (or your favourite patterned paper, etc...

Optional bits to collage it:
-4a-

Emboss doodles on patterned paper:



Hand drawn elements can add so much to your cards and embossing them can really make them look polished (you can even add them to patterned paper!) It's easier than it might seem:

Step 1) Brush a little gesso onto patterned paper & let it dry (happens nice & quickly)
Step 2) Draw onto your paper with a water-based marker. I use Stampin' Up!'s Stamp'n'write marker. The ink stays wet long enough to...
Step 3) Sprinkle with embossing powder. I use clear detail e.p. mostly
Step 4) Heat the e.p. with a heat gun

Doodled Vine: The leaves in this have a black outline but they're shaded in with green SU marker. (Just do the heat-embossing in stages: heat the black outline & go back in with the colours.) It's amazing how much variation you can get in the colour by layering them as well: light green & then a shadow of dark... WAY too much fun to be legal.

please note: the embossing is necessary to set the Stampin' Up! markers when the paper is treated with gesso (otherwise it will be smudgy-messy.)


  • You can water down the gesso so that more of your patterned paper will show.
  • Pencil sketch first to get your design laid out before markering (though pencil will be hard to erase from gesso)
  • Don't like to draw? You can stamp on the gesso paper & colour in & emboss the markers or
  • Print your design from the computer & go over it with the marker, then emboss and colour etc...
-4b-

Emboss computer printed sentiments:




  • Patterned paper
  • Gesso & Paintbrush
  • Printer
Step 1) Cut patterned paper to a size that fit in your printer
Step 2) Create your sentiment in a text editing program (like word)
Step 3) Brush gesso onto patterned paper & let it dry
Step 4) Have heat-embossing supplies ready & Print onto your gesso paper The ink stays wet long enough to...
Step 5) Quickly sprinkle with embossing powder & Heat the e.p. with a heat gun


(Gesso)


Gesso is my very best friend, LOL. It's an artist's primer, but it can be so much more...Lots of gesso info & techniques here


-5-

(Colouring gems with Copic markers)

I love these sweet gem flowers & this is a nifty trick if you want to make your own custom coloured gems. Colour them with Copic Markers.



It usually seems to require a deeper shade of marker to get the desired shade of gem since the colour pales with application.

Supplies:


Images: Miss Anya stamps
Colouring: a blend of Watercolour pencils & Copic Markers Gesso & SU markers
Cardstock: Neenah White cardstock (great for Copics) Black for sky line Vellum Paper
Patterned papers: (Basic Grey-Lily Kate Wisteria) Retired SU Christmas paper.
Schtuff: Gem flowers, Black & opalescent purple seed beads, white, black & green embroidery thread
Tools: Paper piercer, needle, Cuttlebug & embossing folder (Perfectly Paisley), Oh so Sticky tape, Paper piercer & ruler, Scor-Pal.

The city skyline pieces were cut using a Cricut Expression & the Plantin cartridge that came with it.



To try & colour Miss Anya with a little more oomph, I looked to the gorgeous colouring skillz of Marlene. The way she colours is amazing! Check out her supremely sweet Miss Anya here.


See you Saturday.
Hope you have a gorgeous weekend!


...........

P.S. Cathy has adorable Anya cards here & here and Tracy has been working paper piecing magic here (part 1 & part 2) & linking up free Digis here too!'

and Dustin Pike's sweet free digital images are rockin' my world. WOW! Cute!


22 comments:

Nancy said...

Mel, you are sooo clever:O) This set is adorable, no match. I love your tutorials, gives many ideas, good inspiration, THANKS.

Hugs from Nancy in Norway.

Marilyn said...

You are AMAZING!!!
This is a WOW-ZA creation.
I am so floored by your talent and your down-to-earth personality.
Thank you for letting us come visit and play each day. Marilyn

Unknown said...

Now can you say WOW???

Mel you constantly outdo yourself. I'm amazed by your creativity. LOVE IT!!!

Theresa Momber said...

Holy Shmokes! You always amaze me with your attention to detail and your incredible ability to give such in depth instruction. Gorgeous coloring! I love these!

Erum Tasneem said...

wow!

Anonymous said...

Mel... unbelievable AGAIN! You are such an artist and thank you for teaching us so try such beautiful ideas.

Anita said...

Mel,
You amaze me. All the details are so fantastic. Thanks for all the tips and ways to do embellishments.

jules p said...

You are so smart. Man! You just blow me away with your creative ideas and tips. Thanks for sharing them!

Kim said...

This is just amazing!! The colors are so striking it immediately draws your attention and then you get to the detail and holy cow! Love it to death!

Elena said...

Wow! That is terrific, Mel! The blouse you created for Anya is fantastic! And your idea with shooping bags is so cool!
Wow! You are the BEST! Thank you for sharing it!!!

Etha said...

oh gosh all these little neat details again :) each project of yours is like a work of art! love how you colored her hair, the highlights are super!!

Maria said...

Oh my gosh, Mel!! You did wonders with that Anya image. .. I just love all the fine details that you did with the image!! Such a fantastic card! That dp is awesome too! I love the dps that you use for your cards. . .the colors and designs are pretty! I want to try to tone down my cards because I seem to use a lot of pinks on my cards and so out there sometimes!! LOL!

Thanks for all the information that you provide on your posts!

Hope you have a fantastic weekend!

Maria

Anonymous said...

WOW... I've just re-attached by lower jaw... This is stunning!! Love the AMAZING details that you put into a card/project! Your colouring is incredible - love it. Also love the knots that you did on her top-sooo cute! I must have sat this morning for several minutes after zooming in and just moved around looking at all the special touches you have done here. Congratulations on scoring a Cricuit!!! What do you talk ... undeserving???? CRAZY TALK!!!!!
Thrilled to admire your creations!
Beth Greco

Jennifer Scull said...

this is just so stinkin' cute! and as fun as your french knots are on this and your other project, my momma learned real fast that I can't sew to save my life. wish I could because it looks so precious on these projects.

I wanted to tell you that I just love your digi downloads! I made another card using your wild roses this time. thank you so much for offering these to us to play with! you are so kind! :)
have a great weekend!

Kerry said...

WOW! OMGosh! You are amazing! I am speechless after seeing the tutorial, all the details. WOW!
Totally LOVE it!

Anonymous said...

This is one of the most amazing cards I have ever seen! Love it!
Andrea

Elizabeth *^..^* said...

OkAY, FINE! I have to have this set! You completely sold me on it. AWESOME projects!!

Cathrine said...

Awesome work Mel - the tissue paper is brilliant!

Kim Etherington said...

I LOVE retail therapy. Best thing around. Cute cute card. I'll have to go check them out at PG. I love the little tissues in the bags. :o)

Emily said...

How freakin' cute is this??? You are awesome Mel! I love your tutorial and thank you for the links to more Gesso stuff. I never heard of that before, but I'm definitely going to check it out. I love the textured effects on your samples. I'm so happy I found your blog. I'm lovin' getting lost in it. There is so much to see and learn!

Kim R. said...

OMG!!!! You are so talented. Your work is beyond AMAZING!!!

image coloring said...

What a stunning card!! And those colors work so well together. Thanks.

Regards,
picture colouring