Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Cuttlebug Challenge Blog (new(?) 'bug techniques & folder stuff)

Does texture make you feel all giddy?



Messing about with unpredictable textures gives me such a thrill!

The Cuttlebug embossing texture on this bookmark is...

mel_mccarthy_Cuttlebug_Challenge_#66 bookmark (2)

...all painted up to grace a pocket card:

mel_mccarthy_Cuttlebug_Challenge_#66 Bookmark pocket card

Don't you just adore paint?

This acrylic paint Cuttlebug technique has me ultra excited about sharing with you today, because it's supremely satisfying!!! LOL It's a tad messy (YAY paint!) but no brushes to clean, so it's relatively fast and easy.

It also gives you some new options to suit the newest styles of Provocraft folders (which have a lot more scenes to colour and treat with painty texture.)
I hope you'll like it....

All you need is:
  • Your favourite Cuttlebug supplies
  • Your usual colouring supplies (Copics or ink or whatever)
  • and a bit of white acrylic paint or gesso




1...Cuttlebug Challenge Blog: Be Inspired Wednesday #65
2...project dimensions
3...materials list
4...assembling & embellishing stuff for this pocket front card
5...bookmark--Cuttlebug Acrylic Paint Fresco technique (works with gesso too)
6...cheap tricks: cutting up stamps & DIY tassels on the cheap

-1-

Cuttlebug Challenge Blog

This is for the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog's Be Inspired Wednesday #66

OOPSY! Somehow, I missed the fact that this challenge was supposed to have red as the main colour, but I did get the pocket & Asian embossing folder part in there. Thankfully, part of my New Year's resolution is to not keep berating myself about my frequent little mess-ups. (It's all those paint fumes... No no no... I know...really, secretly the colour turquoise is conspiring to take over my brain! Yeah, that's the ticket!) ;o)



-2-

  • Main card (a normal side-fold card): 5" wide x 6-1/2" high
  • Top embossed section (lanterns) 4-3/4" x 3-3/8"
  • Bottom Pocket (stamped with branch in blossom) 5" wide x 3-2/8"
  • Bookmark (Geisha figure) 6-3/8" x 2-1/2"
-3-

Other supplies:
  • Sewing: paper piercer, needle, thread, seed beads
  • Tassels (made from embroidery thread & a button)
  • Cardstock: Medium & light turquoise and cream coloured
  • Embossing: Versamark; clear & white embossing powder; heat gun
  • Stamps: Tranquility from ISC
-4-

...assemble the pocket card

Link

Step 1) Make the top lantern piece:

A) Cut a piece of cardstock to measure 4-3/4" x 3-3/8"
B) Pressure emboss it in the Cuttlebug (or Big Shot or what-have-you)
C) Swipe white acrylic paint on (or gesso) using a scrap of cardstock to spread it
D) Sponge inks on (used here, Distress ink mix: Antique Linen; Peeled Paint; Broken China)

A subtle amount of ink gives you a soft antiqued fresco look:
1b Cuttlebug folder acrylic paint & ink wash mel stampz

E) Pierce & Stitch it, if you like...



Step 2) Adhere the lantern piece to a card:

A) Cut a piece of cardstock to measure 10" x 6-1/2"
B) Score at 5 inch point (in the middle)
C) Stick the embossed piece on the top of it

(The card will be 5" wide x 6-1/2" high when folded)



Step 3) Finish the card:

A) Cut & stamp a section of coloured cardstock I used medium turquoise to measure 5" wide x 3-2/8".
B) Add a button tassel.

Please see "cheap tricks" below for details on the stamped branch image & button tassel.

-5-

the bookmark
Cuttlebug Acrylic Paint Fresco technique



This works with gesso too & if you don't have copics you might like to try paint washed on or other markers. I just find Copics bleed out less with the paint.



Step 1) Emboss, colour, & cover the image in white acrylic paint

A) Cut a piece of cream cardstock to measure 6-3/8" x 2-1/2"
B) Emboss it with a Cuttlebug folder to create an image you'll want to colour
C) Colour it with pale Copics (C3 Frost Blue; Cool Gray No3, B00; YG91 Putty) No need to have perfect colouring. To be honest this look pretty ICKy until the next step, when paint went on...
D) Swipe the entire surface with a light coating of acrylic paint



Step 2) Paint an ink wash around it. (This is an mix of water & River Rock reinker)

The paint resists & gives you a neato antique texture:


You can touch up small areas with white paint on a brush, if you like.



Step 3) Pierce & stitch around the image (I added beads at the top)



Step 4) Add a tassel & finish the back of the bookmark... by sandwiching the tassel between the image & a backing piece of cardstock the same size as the image.

-6-

Cutting up stamps & DIY tassels on the cheap



This blooming branch is stamped using the stamp set Tranquility from ISC (Innovative Stamp Creations.) I cut apart the flowers (just trimming between the image of the rubber stamp, so that it's easy to get all kinds of natural and various flower shapes. Of course, cutting up stamps is nothing new, but maybe it's a good trick for beginners? :o)

The flowers are embossed in clear & white embossing powders. The leaves are coloured with a New Leaf Copic marker. The branch is stamped & then shaded with a Dark Bark Copic marker.

The centers of the flowers have knots:




and that's it:
(Click photos to enlarge them in Blogger if you like)

Thanks for visiting! If you try this out,
I hope you have as much fun as I did, :o)



32 comments:

mekei said...

thanks for telling us how to get that look.

Helen Royce said...

Thanks a lot!!!

Anonymous said...

good day Mel you always do so much work to make your beautiful things.love lady

Anonymous said...

Hi mel..
Your whole post just makes me `giddy` I love love your card those tassles are fab!!!boy Im gonna have fun with my tassles from now on!!!!TFI
have a fab week:)xxx

Nadia said...

Great! Thanks!

csroyal said...

So cool, Mel!! Can't wait to get messy!!

Holly Young said...

oh I love the look that the paint gives this; it's so soft! Fabulous little flowers too with the knotted centers!
LOL, those pesky little colors and their conspiracies!

Elaine A said...

Mel -

Fabulous! Love the whole antique look and what a great project. Thank you for sharing with us.

Elaine Allen

America said...

PURE GORGEOUSNESS, awesome tutorial! beautiful work!

Vina said...

Wow Mel, your projects are gorgeous..as always but I really love the look of this paint technique! Thank you for sharing your creative genius with us!
Take care

Lorraine said...

amazing, you are so talented, always wonderful word to look at Hugs x

Tatanky said...

You are truly an artist...this is beautiful

Dawn said...

awesome as usual! I'm not a lover of Asian... but you could change me! fab job kiddo, just fab!

Anonymous said...

I feel like I always say it..but I always mean it...THANK YOU and beautiful. You really have a way and just have such amazing detail in your work!

Shantaie said...

Mel, I love your paint technique,especaily the paint wash after the image was painted..that is fab!!
You are a super star!

Jaymerz said...

OH MY FABULOUS. Thanks for all the instruction, I can't wait to try a few of the techniques.

amy said...

Love it!

Vladuška said...

I just adore your blog. I know I don't leave any comments but that doesn't mean that I don't admire your work every time. This project is gorgeous, you have such a feeling for this. Always something new and very creative.

Flowers said...

Nice blog. gorgeous cards, I think you worked perfectly with the color combo!. Gorgeous colourwork on your images as always.

Mari said...

Beautiful Mel! **LOVE** that bookmark! Think I'll maybe try to make one of my own.... :)

Deb said...

That is just awesome! I love working with paint, so thanks for that great technique.

Corie said...

Mel, this is an absolute work of art -- should be framed and hung on a wall in a gallery!!

Margaret McDonald said...

very nice.
did you get your parcel?
Auntie-wishing she didn't have to go to work!

Linda said...

Leave it to you to develop great ideas! Thanks for the instructions. Love it!

Elena said...

Absolutely stunning! Love all the texture you created! It's a real piece of art! Really like the blossoms and knots you added in the center!
Thank you so much for sharing how you made it!

June Houck said...

Ha! I did not know that trick about cutting your stamp...the acrylic paint flowers on the blue pocket really pop. This is soooooo pretty, Mel!

Etha said...

This is awesome, you achieved a look that makes the images appear to be carved in white sand stone, so cool!

Pinklady50 said...

Fantastic work of art! Amazing attention to detail and such effective techniques. I learned more than one new thing here and now I'm anxious to try them out. Thank you for your generous tutorial.

Gayathri said...

Fabulous work of art! Awesome attention to detail and such beautiful effective techniques. I learned more new thing form here and now I'm anxious to try them out. Thank you for your awesome tutorial.Keep blogging. Thanks.

liannallama said...

wow! Stunning and amazing! Thanks for sharing your techniques--I adore the colors, textures and theme this week!

Unknown said...

Thanks Mel, you're a super star! :)

Jazzy said...

Mel,
After seeing this beautiful bookmark that you created, I promptly bought the Asian folders.
Thanks for enabling me!