Stamping Scrapping - Scrap Frame

Well, another Wednesday in October means another Stamping Scrapping project/tutorial.  

The story behind this idea - my niece's birthday was back in September and I had a lot of cute photos I wanted to show off.  Although I love photography, I am not a scrapper, and I wanted a way to show a lot of smaller photos without going the scrapbook page route.  One day I printed out a sheet of of wallet size photos - 9 to a page - and was wondering what I could do with it.  Then I saw this unmounted wood frame that I had bought at a craft store and the idea popped into my head.  A Scrap Frame for the wall.  Now Abigail can put this on a shelf and always be able to look at it. 

And, since I love to mount or layer photos, the Card Creator dies work perfectly!!

Supplies Used:

Card Creator A2 Matting Basics Set A

Card Creator A2 Matting Basics Set B

Square Wood Frame from Local Craft Store 

2 sheets of cardstock in 2 different colors (I used purple and green)

Double Sided Tape/Score Tape

Pop Dots or 3D Foam 

Wallet size photos (8 or 9) 

Acrylic paint to match one of your paper colors

Step by Step:

1.  Since the sides and inside of the frame might be visible after the photos are glued down, I applied a quick coat or two of green acrylic paint to the edges of the frame, and around the inside square.  

2.  Taking some of the smaller sized dies from both Sets A and Sets B, I layered them around the frame to see what would work best.  Your project might look different since you might not be using a square frame.

3.  Using the dies you chose, cut pieces of scrap xerox paper with your die cut machine so that you can lay them around the frame to get the look that you want.  I played around with the pieces until I got the look I wanted.

4.  For this frame, I cut and embossed the 4th largest die from Set A for the 4 corner purple pieces, as my base piece.  For the green pieces, I cut and embossed the 5th largest of the dies, also from Set A.  This is one step down from the die used for the purple pieces.  (Do not glue anything down until later in the tutorial).

Note:  since you are using two different dies, you can cut them each at the same time to save you time.

5.  To make the next layer, I switched the colors.  I cut and embossed the 4th largest die from Set B for the green pieces that will layer on top of the purple pieces, and I cut and embossed the 5th largest die from Set B that will layer on top of the green pieces.  

Then, using double sided tape, I glued each of the top layers to each of the corresponding bottom layers.

6.  Now that I know how many horizontal and vertical photos I will need, I printed a sheet of wallet size photos to use in the frame.  Then I cut them apart to use in the die cut machine.

Note:  I am not a Photoshop person.  The program I use for these photos is Picasa.  It's a free photo organizer/editing program from Google.  If you do not use it, I highly recommend you download it (for free) from http://picasa.google.com/  The easiest program to use for the home user and you can print photos in many different sizes.

7.  Next I took each of the photos and placed them around the frame until I figured out which photo I wanted where.  For the photos that are to be mounted on the green layer of cardstock, I cut and embossed the 5th largest die from Set A (this is the same die that you used to cut the green pieces in Step 4, above.  For the photos to be mounted on the purple pieces, I cut and embossed the 2nd smallest die (not the smallest die, but one up) from Set A.  

Using double sided tape, glue the photos to its corresponding layer.

8.  Adhere some glue to the frame and lay the corner piece.  Then do the other 3 corners.

9.  Cut 3D foam strips or use pop dots and place as shown below.  Then adhere the other photos so that they are a bit 3D above the photos glued to the frame.

10.  You're done.  Put on a mantle or a shelf and show it off to the world.  

Another Idea - for this frame, below, I used black and white cardstock.  I also screwed some hooks to the top corners of the frame, put a piece of ribbon through it, to hang on a wall.

Stamping Scrapping - "Joy" Home Decor Frame

Hello everyone.  I've been sick with the flu for the past few days but am finally feeling better to get this blog post done.  Today's project is a great way to use the Card Creator dies but NOT on a card.  This is a home decor frame.  It's very easy to make and very affordable.  Frames like the one used in this project are available everyone for very little money - check IKEA, your local Dollar stores, etc.  Even your local craft stores have these for very little money (make sure you use a coupon!!). 

Supplies Used:

Card Creator A2 Matting Basics Set A

Card Creator A2 Matting Basics Set B

Stampendous Aged Gold Embossing Enamel 

Grand Calibur Die Cut Machine 

Joy Image by Inkadinkado No. 94601-X

Holly Border from the Christmas Borders set under the Dylusions line by Ranger

Frame 5"x 7" with mat 

Piece of chipboard 5" x 7" - if it did not come with the frame

Black cardstock

Red cardstock

White cardstock

Heat Gun

Clear embossing ink pad 

Gold Embossing Powder - I used Zing Gold Metallic Finish but you can also use the WOW Embossing Powder in Pale Gold

Pine Green Ink Pad by Marvy.  Other great colors to use are Memento Bamboo Leaves, Memento Cottage Ivy,  or Memento Northern Pine.

Double Sided Tape

Xmas Red Stickles or Viva Decor Glitter Liner in Ruby

Step by Step:

1.  Using your Grand Calibur or other die cut machine, cut and emboss a piece of black cardstock using the largest of the Set A dies; cut and emboss a piece of red cardstock using the largest of the Set B dies, and cut a piece of white cardstock using the 2nd largest die of the Set B set.  You want that beautiful embossed edge on each of these pieces.

2.  Ink up your image with the clear embossing ink, stamp in the center of the white cardstock, and heat emboss with the Gold embossing powder.  (Note: you do not want to use the Stampendous Embossing Enamel here as the power is too thick for such a detailed image.  Use regular embossing powder).

3.  Stamp the Holly border image around the Joy image using a dark green ink pad.  If need be, cover your Joy image with a piece of scrap paper or a large sticky note and overstamp the holly image.

4.  Color the Holly leaves in the Tombow No. 195 (Green) and the berries with Tombow No. 885 (Red) - or use your own colors and/or markers, colored pencils, etc.

5.  Adhere the red cardstock to the piece of black cardstock.  Then adhere the white stamped cardstock to the red cardstock.  Set aside.

Now to emboss the mat.  It's so easy!!  I do not emboss the whole mat at once.  I work in sections.  I like using the enamel here because it gives an aged look with the black and gold mixed in.  It also spreads thicker when heat set.  If you feel you missed spots, after the enamel dries, add more clear embossing ink and then more enamel and re-heat set until you get the look you want.  Also, if your mat is beveled on the inside, don't worry about that section as the cardstock will cover it.

If your frame did not come with a mat, cut a piece of chipboard to 5" x 7" and emboss the edges up to the area that the black cardstock will cover.

6.  Using your clear embossing ink pad, ink up a portion of the mat, cover with the Stampendous Aged Gold Enamel, remove the excess back into the jar, and then heat set.

7.  Then do the next section.  The enamel will just melt together without leaving any seams.   

8.  Adhere the 3 layers of cardstock to the center of your mat, covering the opening.  I use heavy duty double sided tape on the back.  

9.  Because some of the tape was showing in the back, I cut a piece of black cardstock to cover the back side.

10.  Adhere the Xmas Red Stickles or Viva Decor Ruby Glitter Liner on the berries.  Allow to dry.

11.  Remove the glass from the frame and insert your mat in place of it.  Put the back of the frame back on and show off on your mantle or give to someone that deserves it!!

Stamping Scrapping - Layered Noel Card With Card Creator Dies

Today's tutorial is very easy to do.  And it really works best with a large image or background stamp with lots of detail.  

My apologies for using an image that I believe is retired.  But I really love this image and have wanted to make this card for a long time.  

Supplies Used:

Holiday Pear Collage by Rubber Stampede 

Spellbinders Card Creator Dies - A2 MATTING BASICS A

Spellbinders Card Creator Dies - A2 MATTING BASICS B

Grand Calibur Machine by Spellbinders

Red Cardstock

White Cardstock for stamped images (I used X-Press Blending Sheets)

White Cardstock for card base - 8 1/4" x 5 3/8" folded in half

Black Ink Pad - I used a Versafine Onyx Black Ink Pad but you can use Ranger Black Archival or Memento Tuxedo Black also.  

Wink of Stella Glitter Markers in Light Green, Green, and Gold

Tombow Red Marker No. 885

Viva Decor Ruby Glitter Liner

Double Sided Tape

Step by Step:

1.  Stamp your image 3 times on white cardstock.  I used Versafine in Onyx Black but you can use any ink pad.  But, if you are planning to use copics to color, make sure the ink pad you use a Memento or Marvy ink pad.

2.  If you used a full sheet of cardstock as I did, cut them apart as below so that you will be able to put them through your die cut machine.

3.  Using your die cut machine, cut and emboss the 3 largest dies from the Matting Basics A set with red cardstock.

4.  Cut and emboss each of the images using the 3 largest dies from from Matting Basics B set.  Lay the largest die over one of the images, cut and emboss.  Then take the 2nd largest die and lay it over the medium size image.  Cut and emboss.  Last, take the 3rd largest die and cut and emboss the smallest image.  You will lose more and more of the image as you cut them.

Largest die from Set B on the one of the images.

2nd largest die on the next image.

Embossing all 3 at the same time using the Grand Calibur by Spellbinders.

The way your card is going to be layered is: largest red piece, then largest image, then medium red piece, then medium image, then smallest red piece, then smallest image.  

But, before you start to put down the layers, you need to color in the images.  I used the Wink of Stella Glitter Markers.  I love these markers.  They are very affordable, the glitter goes on beautifully and they are perfect for this image.

Because of the way these dies work, we know that there is a 1/8" difference between each of the layers.  And because you embossed each of the pieces, there is a 1/8" embossed border around each of the pieces.  You will need to color any part of the image that is sitting in this 1/8" embossed border.

Coloring in only on about 1/8" inside the image.

Remember that a piece of red cardstock will be layered in the center of both the large and medium stamped images.  After you color, you can lay the corresponding piece of red cardstock on top of the piece you just colored to make sure you did not leave any areas undone.

The layer of red cardstock will cover the image where it  was not colored.

The smallest image will need to be colored in fully as there is no red layer on top of it.

Smallest image (also your top image) colored in full.

5.  Adhere the largest piece of the red cardstock to the card front using double sided tape or a glue of your choice.

Largest red cardstock glued to card front.

6.  Then adhere the largest stamped image to the red cardstock.  You will start to now build your layers.

Largest image glued to red cardstock on card front.

7.  Then glue the medium red cardstock to the largest image.

8.  Glue medium image to red cardstock.

9.  Glue smallest red cardstock to medium image.

10.  Glue smallest image (the one fully colored) to the smallest red cardstock.

11.  I applied some Ruby Glitter Liner to the berries on the holly branch.  You can also use red glitter or stickles.

Ruby Glitter Liner on berries.

Your finished card.

12.  Make sure you sign the back of your card and send it to someone!!