Ethereal Winter card created for Chocolate Baroque

 

Good morning. Here is another of my recent show samples using the lovely Winter Dawn stamp from Chocolate Baroque. This time I tried a bit of parchment craft. I am still a learner at this technique. I would of liked more time to get the embossing and highlights a little better (it’s always a rush for the posting deadline when making TV show samples). I also ran out of time to snip out the frame so simply straight trimmed around it. However, I was reasonably pleased with the results. I added some subtle sparkle too with fine glitter – difficult to see in the photo.

Materials:

• Winter Dawn stamp
• Seasonal Journey and Seasonal Elements stencils
• A5 card blank, black card, parchment
• StazOn Inkpad (Opaque White)
• Pergamano sticky ink, mapping pen and extra fine glitter (crystal)
• Ribbon and small brads (black)
• Groovi plate (Claritystamp) to create scalloped frame
• Embossing tools and foam mat

How it was done:

1. The image was stamped onto the parchment with white ink.
2. Working from the back I used an embossing tool and the Seasonal Elements stencil to emboss the twiggy branches. I also used the crescent moon shape, turning the stencil to create a full circle outline for the moon. On a separate piece of parchment I embossed the outline of the sentiment using the Seasonal Journey stencil.
3. Again working on the back, I added white highlights with embossing tools. Working slowly, gradually stretching the parchment and building up the intensity of the white embossing. It can get a little confusing when doing this as usually you are adding darker shading to images on white paper. Here you are adding the white highlights – the deepest ‘shaded’ areas are left untouched.
4. I used the Clarity Groovi system to emboss the banner outlines and create a frame around the image. This could be done manually but it is simply so easy using the Groovi plates.
5. The image and sentiment were mounted onto black card using small brads, then this was glued to the card front. I added a ribbon and bow to ‘anchor’ the design.
6. Finally …. I just had to do it …. I added some sparkle using sticky ink and extra fine glitter. Parchment doesn’t like getting wet. The Sticky Ink works really well and you can get extra fine detail using a mapping pen – so it doesn’t overpower and spoil the delicate parchment effect.

Floral Parchment card created for Chocolate Baroque Colour Challenge 35

Good morning. Today I am sharing another of my samples for the recent shows on Hochanda. I had so much fun with these stamps and this time I chose to create a Spring themed floral card.

I have just started experimenting with the world of parchment. I hope that you like my effort. My picot snipping needs a little more practice – tee hee.

This one also perfectly fits the Chocolate Baroque Colour Challenge this month too.

 

Materials:

• Spring Fairy Collection (March)
• 9 X 21cm white card blank, pearlescent purple card, parchment
• Parchment embossing template to create the frame and scalloped border (Groovi system from Claritystamp)
• Parchment scoring and embossing tools
• Parchment 2 needle pricking tool and snips
• StazOn (Opaque White)
• Alcohol markers (greens and purple)
• Organza ribbon (purple)
• Stickles glitter glue (Star Dust)
• Perga Glue

How to make it:

1. Stamp the flower on parchment with white StazOn. Turn the image over and working on the back emboss over the stamped outlines using a fine embossing tool and mat. Add highlights using larger embossing ball tools.
2. Again working on the back, add colour using alcohol ink pens.
3. Using an embossing template add a scalloped frame around the image. I used the Groovi system which is really easy to use. The Groovi plates come with etched designs which are just the right depth to easily emboss using fine tipped embossing tools. I used a scalloped square design plate, extending the design to create the rectangle.
4. Now working from the front use the twin needle piercing tool to pierce around the outside of the embossed scallop frame.

Lace Edged Parchment Card created with Tattered Lace Best of 2016 Brother ScanNCut USB

Today I am sharing some instructions, as promised, for my latest TV show samples created for Create & Craft TV and the Brother ScanNCut.

This one is created by embossing on parchment. I have then done a little hand embossing to add some whitework ‘shading’, and some colour with alcohol pens. I love this new feature of the ScanNCut.

This one is another fairly simple make using the Brother ScanNCut USB, Best of 2016 from Tattered Lace (cutting files in FCM format). A fabulous set of files that sold out very quickly. This has to be my favourite set yet. Well worth grabbing a copy when it returns.

Materials:

• Tattered Lace Brother ScanNCut USB 8 – Best of 2016
• 1.5mm embossing tool, embossing tool holder and mat
• Butterfly Garden strip embossing folder (Tattered Lace)
• Hand embossing tool approx. 3mm and parchment embossing mat
• A5 card blank, parchment and card (purple)
• Alcohol markers (light green, brown and pink)
• Pergamano sticky ink
• Extra fine glitter (white/clear) and PVA pearls (Vintage Plum)

How to make it:

1. Load the Lace Edged Rectangle 2 design. Delete all but the outer frame and resize to approx. 6.38 inches high. Load the bow from the All Tied Up set. Cut from purple card. Settings will depend on your card thickness and density (I used speed 5, pressure 1, standard blade depth 5.5).
2. Load the Lace Edged Rectangle 2 frame again, group all the elements together and resize to fit inside your cut purple mat (approx. 6.34 inches high).
3. Next load the Cherry Blossom design. Resize, flip and rotate it to fit inside the Lace Edged design. Using one of the built in machine fonts write the sentiment. Finally group everything together and mirror flip it ready for embossing. You need to do this a designs are always embossed on the back of the parchment.
4. Load the parchment and emboss the design using the 1.5mm ball tool. Again settings will vary depending on the brand of parchment that you use. I used a pressure of -4 and speed 1. If desired emboss again on a higher pressure (-2) to get whiter results (do not unload the mat until fully finished). Note: I rubbed over the parchment with a used tumble dryer sheet before embossing – it helps the tool to glide better.
5. Hand emboss on the back of the design to add ‘whitework’ shading. Add some colour with alcohol pens. It could be cut out using pricking tools and traditional Parchment techniques. I used scissors to cut around the outer embossed line.
6. Note: I find it tricky to cut the parchment on the machine after embossing as it doesn’t stick down well or lay flat on the cutting mat. Probably it would be best to cut out the parchment first, then place on the embossing mat and scan in the mat to work out where to place the embossing design. Not tried this but you would need to leave a bit of extra room around the edge so that the tool doesn’t directly hit or get caught on the embossing mat or edge of the parchment. I need to experiment a bit.
7. Cut the small plain butterfly from parchment (Essential Butterflies) and emboss the texture with the embossing folder. Colour lightly on the back.
8. Glue the parchment to the backing mat using tiny dots of glue behind the flower centres (where it will not show through). Glue to the card front and stick on the bow. I added some little vellum ‘waste’ cut flowers to hide a couple of small tears in my parchment. Glue down the butterfly body leaving the wings free for shaping.
9. Finally finish with glitter (using Pergamano sticky ink) and PVA pearls. Note: sticky ink is not as wet as PVA glue which can cause curling of the parchment.

Floral Card created with Brother ScanNCut embossing on parchment

Good morning. I have just been playing with the new embossing kit for the Brother ScanNCut. I love it. I made this for one of my lovely crafting friends.

Have you seen the deal on the ScanNCut CM900 at the moment? Create & Craft Club members get a 20% discount. FAB price and includes lots of extras including luxury card bundle.

Materials:

• ScanNCut CM300 machine
• ScanNCut Embossing Starter Kit
• Design activation card for ScanNCut (included in starter kit)
• ScanNCut Canvas web App
• ScanNCut standard mat
• Parchment (Create & Craft)
• 8 X 8 inch white card blank (Lynda Chapman)
• 7.5 X 7.5 inch pink patterned paper (DCWV Floral Stack)
• Floral corner punch (EK Tools Eden set)
• Pergamano Pricking tools (scallop and 2 pin)
• Approx. 3mm ball hand embossing tool
• Alcohol ink markers (light green and pink)
• Used tumble drier sheet
• Pergaglue and acrylic glue
• Pergamano mapping pen and sticky ink
• Fine crystal glitter
• Parchment embossing and pricking mat
• Pergamano snips

How it was done:

Screen shot of the design on ScanNCut Canvas:

1. I activated the embossing designs in ScanNCut canvas (from the activation card included in the embossing starter kit). I created a new project and loaded designs to the mat: floral spray (LE-A06) and Text (LE_D03) line embossing designs, and the border from the basic shapes. I copied and pasted the floral spray and arranged the designs on the mat and downloaded to a USB stick.
2. I loaded onto the machine, grouped the designs and adjusted the size to approx. 7 inches square to fit my card blank.
3. I attached my embossing mat to a new standard tack mat. Note: take care when sticking down – avoid creating air bubbles. When I first tried the embossing my parchment ripped. When I check it was where I had large air bubbles beneath my mat. It was a little tricky to peel off again. I was worried that it was stretching as I pulled it off the mat but it soon regained it’s shape ok. When finished I left the embossing mat in place before covering and storing for future use.
4. I then embossed the design using speed set at 1 and pressure at -2 with the smallest embossing tool. I rubbed over the parchment with the tumble drier sheet before embossing (this helps the ball tool to glide more easily). Without unloading the mat I repeated using a pressure of -1. I was delighted with the results.
5. I repeated embossing the floral sprays for cutting out and decoupage.
6. I then manually embossed on the back with a ball tool to add a little shading to the leaves and flowers.
7. I coloured the leaves and flowers on the back with alcohol pens to add some subtle colour.
8. I pierced around the outside of the frame using the scallop piercing tool (from the front), and around the extra flowers with the twin piercing tool, ready to cut out.
9. I cut around the frame and extra flowers using Pergamano snips. I am a parchment novice and really struggle with getting a neat little picot snip. I know the theory but I guess practice will make perfect. Tip: With handle end overhanging the waste side (i.e. the bit you want to trim away) put the scissor points into 2 adjacent holes. Careful not to go too deep (definitely one of my problems) – you snip using the very tips of the scissors. Lower the scissors so that they are angled flat to the parchment, twist slightly and snip.
10. I outlined my card blank with green alcohol pen, punched the corners of my decorative paper and glued down. The parchment was glued down using Pergaglue – a tiny dot on the frame borders and behind the flower centres.
11. I then lightly shaped the flowers, added a little more pink alcohol pen around the snipped edges, and glued in place.
12. I using the mapping pen and sticky ink to draw over the lettering and flower centres, then added fine glitter for a bit of sparkle. I added dots of Pergaglue onto the frame borders and glittered. This dried to give little 3D glittery ‘gems’.