Embossed Poinsettia Box

I'm honored to be the guest designer today at Anything But a Card.  I recently received an incredibly generous prize package of Lindy's Stamp Gang loot from them and I have had a blast playing with all the inks, powders, and micas.  This is some seriously fun stuff!

Today's poinsettia box uses both the Starburst Sprays and the micas.  There's a lot of details to tell you about on this project, so bear with me on the length of this post.  I promise it's cool and most likely something you haven't tried!

The Box Details:

• This now elegant Christmas box started life as the top portion of a LaChoy chow mein can.  I love recycling / repurposing what would otherwise just be consider junk!  I chose this particular can out of the stash because it's short and wide and perfect for a little trinket / candy box.  I should also note that the top was removed using a can opener that only cuts the seal, not the metal, leaving a safe edge on the lid.
• After cleaning my can, I embossed metal duct tape using the Sizzix Basic Grey Flowers embossing folder.  I aligned this on the base of the can and cut off the excess with a craft knife.
• The top has rings like most canned food cans, so I cut a cardboard circle to fit within the rim using my Cricut.  This circle was also covered in embossed metal tape before adhering to the lid.
• I then colored all the metal tape with Alcohol inks.  Mostly Cranberry and Red Pepper, with a little Silver, Gold, and Mushroom thrown in.  I pounced the inks on with a felt blending tool.
• To finish the rims, I busted out my new Vintaj Patinas.  These are so awesome!  I was expecting an Alcohol Ink-type consistency and application, but these are much, much thicker and you apply them with a brush.  It was so fast and easy to achieve the gorgeous gold leaf-like rims.  It's mostly Victorian Gold, with just a hint of Nouveau Silver added here and there.

• The final coat on the outside of the box was an application of Lindy's Stamp Gang Micas mixed in Future Floor Polish (now called Pledge® Premium Floor Finish with Future® Shine).  I used the Burnished Golden Leaf mica and it, along with the floor polish, really gave a lovely, shiny finish to the embossed metal.
• The inside of the box is finished off with a cardboard circle and a pretty frame / word art from The Graphics Fairy.  I again just didn't want to see the rings on the bottom of the can.  It's a nice touch too, that the inside of the can is glossy white.

The Poinsettia Details:

• The poinsettia is cut from scraps of red and green patterned papers using The Creative Pointe's "Poinsettia" SVG file.  I have loved this file for a long time...probably because I LOVE poinsettias...and will be wearing it out making these three-dimensional beauties!  When selecting your papers, be sure to use your darkest paper for the bottom and work to your lightest for the top.  This will give it the best dimension.

• After the pieces were cut, I embossed each layer of the blossom with a different pattern.  The bottom has the same Basic Grey Flowers embossing I used on the box, the middle layer is Birds & Swirls, and the top is Tim Holtz Damask.

• Then things got really, really, REALLY inky!!  I started with LSG Starburst Sprays, then added some Distress Inks, and finished things off with the floor polish / mica combination.  I absolutely love the effect of the floor polish on paper!  This allowed me to shape the petals and the polish adds just enough stiffness to lock the shape in place.  It also gives them a wonderful shine.  (I have been polishing everything but my floor since making this box!  LOL!)
• The leaves were done exactly the same except that I used the TH Cracked embossing folder.
• Each layer was added to the box lid with Pop Up Glue Dots to create even more dimension.
• The center was topped off with a brass snowflake charm.

Whew!  That's a lot of details!  Thanks for sticking with me.  I hope you've been inspired and have found a little nugget in there to spark a project of your own.

Challenges:
The Graphics Fairy:  Brag Monday #163
Southern Girls Challenge: #57 - Christmas
Little Red Wagon: Challenge #159 - Texturize It!

Supplies:
Patterned Paper:	My Mind’s Eye Lost & Found ‘Union Square’; scraps
SVG:	The Creative Pointe ‘Poinsettia’
Image:	The Graphics Fairy ‘Stunning Silhouette Frame – Christmas’
Inks:	Distress Ink ‘Barn Door’, ‘Walnut Ink’; Alcohol Ink ‘Cranberry’, ‘Red Pepper’, ‘Silver Mixative’, ‘Gold Mixative’, ‘Mushroom’, ‘Blending Solution’; Vintaj Patina ‘Victorian Gold’, ‘Nouveau Silver’; Lindy’s Stamp Gang Starburst Sprays ‘Ponderosa Pines Olive’, ‘Bougainvilles Fuchsia’, ‘Rhododendron Red Rose’, ‘Autumn Maple Crimson’
Embellishments:	A Charming Place charm ‘snowflake’; LSG micas ‘Oak Leaf Olive’, ‘Terra Cotta’, ‘Burnish Golden Leaf’; metal duct tape
Tools:	Sizzix Texture Boutique; embossing folders ‘Tim Holtz Damask’, ‘Cuttlebug Birds & Swirls’, ‘Sizzix Basic Grey Flowers’; Sure-Cuts-A-Lot; Cricut Expression; heat gun; Future Floor Polish; felt and foam ink blenders; Glue Dots; Glossy Accents; paint brush
Misc:	Recycled metal can

Technique: Embedded Embossing

Back in February, Vintage Page Designs introduced me to a technique called "embedded embossing".  This is a great technique for using up scraps.  And as you know, this paper squirrel is always trying to use up her scraps...keeps me from cutting into a new piece of "good" paper...the horror!  J

The Details:
The technique is as simple as 1-2-3.

1. Use your favorite punch on some coordinating scraps.  
2. Adhere the scraps to a piece of cardstock in whatever pattern you wish (I went with a random placement).  
3. Emboss the cardstock with the embossing folder of your choice.  Generally, the tighter the embossing pattern, the better the result.

Here, I used a Swiss Dot pattern:

And on this card, I used the more open Birds & Swirls pattern.  

Even though it's a more open design, I still like the result:

Challenges:
Craft Your Passion: Challenge #108 - Lots of Texture
Always Crafting: Creative Monday Challenge #7 - Anything Goes
Love to Create: Challenge #13 - Flowers & Buttons
Fashionable Stamping Challenges: Challenge #20 - Embossing

Supplies:
Cardstock:	Papertrey Ink ‘Aqua Mist’; Stampin’ Up! ‘Confetti White’
Patterned Paper:	My Mind’s Eye Lost & Found ‘Market Street’ scraps
Stamps:	SU! ‘Warmest Regards’
Inks:	StazOn ‘Jet Black’
Embellishments:	Darice flowers; buttons; ribbon
Tools:	Cuttlebug embossing folders ‘Birds & Swirls’, ‘Swiss Dot’; Sizzix Texture Boutique; Stamp-a-ma-jig; Zots; SU! punch

Technique: Background Paper Refresh!

If you've been paper crafting for a while, you probably have several sheets and scraps of background paper that you just don't like anymore.  You know the ones...you bought them early on or got them as part of a package and the colors or patterns aren't your style anymore.  There is a way to refresh these and bring them back into favor with Tim Holtz texture fades and a variety of ink applications.

I dug in my stash and selected five papers that I usually avoid.  As you see, they're pretty dated:

And turned them into five that I want to use!

The Details:

•  Cracked Lace
• Embossed with 'Cracked' texture fade
• Starting from center of "crack", applied Stormy Sky, Broken China, Peeled Paint, and Tattered Rose Distress Inks with a foam blending tool
• Then, over the top of the colors, applied Tea Dye for depth and to blend everything together
• What a pretty background this would be for a "grungy" wedding card...not so lacy anymore!

•  Purple Ledger Page
• Embossed with 'Collage' texture fade
• Rubbed SU! Basic Black pad directly onto the paper in a variety of directions, trying to only hit the embossed areas.
• I love how this one turned out...great for Halloween!

• Regal Roses
• Embossed with 'Regal Flourishes' texture fade
• Vintage Photo DI applied all over with a foam ink blending tool, then additional layers of Vintage Photo applied in only one direction to add depth to the "bottom" of the flourishes
• Crushed Olive DI also applied in one direction with a heavier application in random areas
• Oh so subtle and romantic now and the pearls have virtually disappeared...what a great background for a vintage lady image!

• Chic Checkerboard 
• Embossed with 'Retro Circles' texture fade
• Peeled Paint DI pounced on with a foam ink blending tool
• Be sure to alternate the direction of the blending tool as you pounce so that if you do get a hard edge it is randomly placed
• I bought this paper EONS ago to make Easter cards and still have this scrap left...I just keep avoiding it.  But look at it now!  All steampunky and grown up!

 Trellis Dot Matrix

• Embossed with 'Dot Matrix' texture fade (backwards! oh well, I ran with it!)
• Dragged Old Paper DI pad down the paper in one direction for a streaky effect
• This one's my least favorite, but it is still a lot better than the original!

Here's a birthday card that I made for one of my brothers-in-law using this technique:

Okay, I know you all have papers you don't like anymore, so get embossing and inking! 

Techniques: Playing with UTEE

I set out today to see what Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel (UTEE) could do...or, I guess, what I could do with UTEE!  This patriotic tag is one big experiment in playing with UTEE.

The Details:

• First, I stamped the stars in Versamark onto a manila folder tag, coated them in clear UTEE, and heated from underneath until the UTEE was melted.
• I then laid the tag on my work surface and reheated each star from above and stamped various images into the melted UTEE.  Leave the stamp in the UTEE until relatively cool.  Note:  I used all red rubber stamps...not sure if this technique is appropriate for clear stamps.
• Once all the stars were texturized, I dragged Stormy Sky and Barn Door Distress ink pads down the tag to color the background.  I then sprayed the tag with water from a mini mister and let the colors bleed a bit before wiping the tag with a baby wipe in the same direction as the stripes. 
• Next, I randomly stamped the text in Vintage Photo DI.
• To bring out the stamped texture in the stars, I daubed Sandal Alcohol ink on each star with a felt applicator pad and then wiped it off with a paper towel.  This removes the alcohol ink from just the surface and leaves the stamped areas colored in.  Wiping off the alcohol ink also dulls the finish of the UTEE, which I really liked for this tag since it's pretty distressed looking.

This star was stamped with handwriting, others were stamped
with polka dots and checkerboard patterns.

The checkerboard star was created by placing replacement screening
into the melted UTEE and using an acrylic block to "stamp" it.

• After my stars were finished, I stamped Tim Holtz's three gentlemen over the top using StazOn Timber Brown.  Since StazOn is a permanent ink, it stamps right over the top of the UTEE.  I love how you see the pattern and shape of the stars through the men.

• After the base was complete, the rest was just embellishing with crepe paper, ribbons, letters, and trinkets, including these alcohol ink and glossy accent-distressed letters.

So there's three UTEE techniques in one tag:

1. UTEE as a mask
2. Stamping into UTEE
3. Coloring UTEE with alcohol inks

I hope this inspires you to do some UTEE playing of your own!


Supplies:
Paper: manila tag; PTI cardstock ‘Kraft’
Stamps: Tim Holtz ‘Curious Possibility’; SU! ‘Itty Bitty Backgrounds’, ‘Botanicals’; PSX
Inks: Distress Ink ‘Barn Door’, ‘Stormy Sky’, ‘Vintage Photo’, ‘Old Paper’; StazOn ‘Timber Brown’; Versamark; Alcohol Ink ‘Sandal’
Embellishments: metal letters; crepe paper; crochet lace ribbon; PTI Baker’s Twine; Recollections rhinestones; TH mini paper clip; TH star; ribbon; glossy accents; staples
Tools: UTEE; heat gun; tweezers; stapler;
Misc: replacement screening

Challenge Entry: Cracked Glass Technique

So I did some shopping on Friday night after work [insert sheepish grin here].  I tell myself that I'm not going to buy anything else until I use up some of the things I already have.  Hard to do when you're a craft supply hoarder.  I didn't buy any paper, so I guess that's a step!  But I did buy ribbon...it was on clearance...my usual excuse...that or it was on sale, or I liked it... 

The reason for my guilty confession is that I did buy some things that I will be showcasing in upcoming projects.  The first is Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel (UTEE).  I didn't really need it...I could have made do with the embossing powder I own, but I was in that type of mood...dangerous to the wallet!  Another reason for my confession is that I know you all understand!  :-)

I bought the UTEE to participate in Papertrey Ink's Make It Monday #17:  Cracked Glass Technique.  I made two cards using the technique and I'm sharing both of them today.  The first is my actual challenge entry.

Heather Nichols has a great video tutorial for this techique.  It's really easy.  The hardest part is working faster than the UTEE can cool, but you can always reheat with the heat gun. 

Just a tip, start small...no bigger than 2" square for your first go at this. 

The second card was just me playing around to create more of a batik effect.

Floral Card Supplies:
Paper: PTI card stock ‘Dark Chocolate’, ‘Stamper’s Select White’; scrap background paper
Stamps: PTI ‘With Sympathy’
Inks: StazOn ‘Timber Brown’; Distress Ink ‘Vintage Photo’, ‘Old Paper’, ‘Broken China’; Versamark; Martha Stewart craft markers
Embellishments: PTI rustic button twine; buttons
Tools: Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel; heat gun; foam ink blending tool

Batik Card Supplies:
Paper: PTI card stock ‘Dark Chocolate’, ‘Kraft’; scrap background paper
Stamps: PTI ‘With Sympathy’
Inks: Distress Ink ‘Vintage Photo’, ‘Broken China’; Versamark
Embellishments: PTI rustic button twine
Tools: Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel; heat gun; foam ink blending tool; foam tape

Technique: Mod Podge Image Transfer

The Graphics Fairy led me to the tutorial for this amazing technique HERE at Distressed Decor and I just had to try it.  This was my first attempt and I will be incorporating this into more projects for sure.   

The Details:

• I had this wooden bowl in my stash and thought it would make an interesting "nest" with the help of the Graphics Fairy image.
• First, I painted just the inside and edges of the bowl Wedgewood Green (all paint colors listed are Delta acrylic).
• Next, I dry brushed on Burnt Umber and Raw Linen for a nice distressed look. 
• Using an old toothbrush and slightly watered down Raw Linen, I added some speckling by raking my thumb along the bristles so that the paint flies off the brush in small droplets.  This is messy, make sure to set your piece in a cardboard box to prevent over spray.  (I do it in my laundry tub, then just rinse the paint away.)
• After the paint was completely dry, I followed the tutorial for applying the image with Mod Podge.
• Once the image was transferred and the paper removed, I applied four additional coats of Mod Podge to the inside of the bowl.  Because I used a concave bowl, my image wrinkled a bit, so I used the several layers of Mod Podge to fill in and create a smooth finish.
• I wanted the outside of the bowl to keep its natural wood grain, so I just rubbed on black antiquing gel as a stain and used the Mod Podge as a sealer.

Isn't it cute?  I'm going to use it on my bedroom dresser to hold my watch and other trinkets.  Have fun creating with this great technique...the possibilities are endless!

Technique: DI Watercoloring

Back in February, I took the "Painted Petals" workshop at Archivers and want to share a great technique from that class.  It's a fast and easy way to make it look like you're a watercolor master!  Back in my own studio, I realized that the only stamps that I have that will work are tiny...inchies.  So, undeterred, I decided to make mini gift cards.  There are plenty of times when I send the actual card ahead of time and just need a basic "to/from" card on the gift itself.

The Details:

• The key to this technique is to use a stamp with a negative image (where the background is the solid stamped part).  
• Emboss the image with white embossing powder, then color in with Distress Inks using a water pen.  I recommend using a high-quality embossing powder like Zing! to ensure good cover and adhesion.

• The cards measure 2-1/2" square.  These are a great way to experiment with new techniques and also to use up your scraps!
• Because the embossed areas define the image and keep you "in the lines", you can watercolor quickly with the end result looking like it took hours and some mad watercolor skills! 

Here are the two cards made at the Archivers' class; these stamped images are much larger scale:

Supplies:

Paper:  PTI cardstock 'Kraft'; SU! cardstock 'Ultrasmooth White'; K&Co
Stamps:  SU! 'Mostly Flowers'
Inks:  Top Boss embossing pad; Distress Inks 'Peeled Paint', 'Tattered Rose'
Embellishments:  ribbon
Tools:  Zing! white embossing powder; heat gun; water pen; adhesive; foam tape

For My Mom - Layering Technique

My mom loves to sew and is an incredible quilter.  She made many of our clothes when we were kids...until she went back to work when I started school.  When I saw the "girl with pattern and dress form" image on Graphics Fairy, I knew it was perfect for my mom.  Then, while touring Hobby Lobby yesterday, I found this lovely ruler twill tape (on sale!)...it was all coming together!

The Details:

In addition to the sewing image and new twill tape, I was also inspired to try my hand at a technique highlighted by Julie over at A Vintage Chic.  The layering she did was so detailed, but I decided I'd start with something pretty easy!

• I used two images to create the layers, but depending on your image and how detailed you want to get, you could use several images.
• The images are colored identically using SU! watercolor pencils and a water pen.
• From left to right:  complete image (base), background arm/pattern, forground girl/arm/pattern

• The first layer is the whole image.
• Second layer is the background arm / pattern.  I glued the piece to a scrap of cardboard (from a cereal box...recycling!) and attached it to the base image.  I didn't want this image to be too defined from the base.
• At this point, I distressed all the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink using a foam blending tool.

• Third layer is the girl with foreground arm / pattern.  I glued this piece to a scrap of cardboard and attached it to the base image using foam tape.  The foam tape adds extra thickness and dimension to this layer. 
• I distressed all the edges of the third layer with Vintage Photo DI. 

The card is finished off with a SU! hand-stitched background stamp in Tattered Rose DI, layers of ruffled crepe paper and K&Co. floral pattern paper, the ruler twill tape (of course!), button, ribbon, and Papertrey Ink baker's twine.