Leaf Collage Card with UTEE Panel

Here's a card that I made with a similar UTEE panel. The card itself is embossed on one side with the Cuttlebug script folder and inked with copper ink.
The foil panel was also embossed with the same folder and then altered with alcohol inks in terracotta and cranberry.

UTEE Encapsulated Collage

I promised to post this project for Lisa on Trimcraft who wants to know what you can do with UTEE (Ultra Thick Embossing Powder).
Although this is quite an advanced technique that I have devised, it's actually really easy when you know how. It just requires a little patience.
The collage was inspired by some glass pieces with leaves embedded in them that I saw in a gift shop whilst visiting Corfe Castle last month.
Here's what you do to make it:

1. Cut a piece of mountboard to the required size. Turn it to the white reverse and rub with 2 or 3 toning inks.
2. Stamp on leaves in first light green and then a darker green. Stamp on a different leaf in copper. Finally stamp on script at random in dark green ink. Allow to dry.
3. Ink the entire panel with clear embossing ink and emboss with ordinary clear powder. Repeat this once more.
4. Stamp further leaves on beige parchment paper and emboss with copper powder. Sponge with Adirondack dye inks in Butterscotch, Terracotta and Cranberry for an Autumn look.
5. Cut the leaves out and arrange in a pattern on your panel. Stick on one leaf with a glue stick and set the others aside. Again cover the entire panel including the leaf with clear ink and sprinkle with UTEE. Heat to melt the powder. Repeat this step twice more with the remaining leaves in your chosen arrangement.
6. I have also added gold flakes for interest. To do this, add them with the last leaf, after you have put the clear ink on.

Recycled ATCs

Not a lot of stamping here but I decided to post the ATCs that I made for Larrie's altered/found art recycling technique swap as recycling is close to my heart and there will be more coming soon as a lot of my stash to re-use is much too big for ATCs.

South Stamp Show 16 May

Last weekend we had the South Stamp Show here in Worthing. It is organised by my friend Helen Jones who is married to Chris Jones of the Hobby Art rubber stamp company. Chris's sister Jenny is a regular on Create & Craft TV at the moment and a few of the cards that I have made with Hobby Art stamps have actually appeared with Jenny.

I met up with some of the members of the Stamping, Scrapbooking and Papercraft Guild (SSP Guild) at the show for a good natter and some ATC swapping. It's really great to meet people face to face when you've only talked online. I've put a photo here that was very kindly taken with my camera by Becky's lovely hubby. In the photo from left to right are Alison, Becky, Mickie and me. I'm hoping to meet up again at the Newbury show in July. Hopefully see you soon ladies!

Acrylic Resist Canvas

I decided to experiment a bit more with the technique and used it on a canvas board which I find a lot easier to use if you want to stamp on it. As the canvas board is sturdy, you don't get the dippy bit in the middle that is hard to stamp on.
I painted the canvas with 2 coats of white gesso first and then with a coat of cream acrylic paint. I stamped a rose design from a Paper Inspirations clear set all over in the Ranger embossing ink and then added a little pink and then gold embossing powder in places before coating the piece with the Satin Pearl powder. This gave the roses a slightly different look. I then painted baby blue acrylic paint over the top and when dry, removed the paint as before with baby wipes.
I mounted a photo of my mother on gold card which was first embossed with a border design on one side, using my Cuttlebug. I cut a piece of fabric larger than the mounted photo and stamped the roses all round the edges in dusky pink ink. When it was dry, I stitched beads in the centre of some of the roses.
I finished my canvas off with braids and fabric roses. I added a gold heart to the photo which was embossed and stamped into. This is because my lovely Mum did have a heart of gold as she always put others before herself and would do anything to help anyone.

Acrylic Resist Projects

I made quite a few sample pieces of the acrylic resist technique to try out different colour combinations and stamps. I was glad I did as I got a few surprises. The most surprising was the dark brown paint used under dusky pink paint. To my astonishment, the embossing turned a rich blue colour! It looks great though, so I set myself the challenge of making cards from all my samples.
There are quite a few! So keep on scrolling for the instructions on how to make the paper-but beware-it's addictive!

Acrylic Resist Technique

This easy technique produces a paper with the look of slightly shabby wallpaper, depending on the type of stamp you use. You need to use quite a thick card of around 300gsm so that the paint does not buckle your finished paper.
Here's how to make it:

Step 1
Cut a piece of card to the required size and then paint it with your chosen base colour ( this is the colour which will show through the embossing and should ideally be light or dark. I chose peach.

Step 2
I chose to use one of the Laura Ashley Connemara stamps. Stamp your chosen image all over the painted card with clear embossing ink. I used the Ranger Distress embossing ink because it's very juicy and stays wet for ages. Emboss the images with Satin Pearl powder for a lovely pearly sheen. This powder is translucent so the underneath colour shows through.

Step 3
Paint over the top with your chosen contrast paint colour. I used cranberry red. Don't worry if the paint doesn't quite cover your embossing-some paints are a bit more glaze like. Allow the paint to dry.

Step 4
Use a baby wipe (easiest) or a damp paper towel to remove the paint from the embossed areas. You can remove as much or as little as you like, leaving more paint for a shabby, grungy effect. Your paper is now ready to use.

Millefiori Recycling

I made some more atcs using the back of a lined pad that I found on my daughter's desk yesterday. As it was grey board, I painted it with 2 coats of gesso first and then used the Millefiori technique on it. As the resulting surface is a slightly different texture, the floral stamping has a slightly softer look.
The background card has been stamped with a border design in black ink and then embossed with the Cuttlebug Paisley folder. The butterfly was stamped and embossed, then painted with H20s.
These will also be up for swapping a bit later on.

ATCS With Millefiori Background

Here are some atcs I made with my technique. I got quite carried away trying out different colour combinations! These will be on the Trimcraft forum later available for swapping.

Millefiori Stamping Technique

I chose to call this stamping technique Millefiori which is Italian for 1000 flowers as the resulting paper looks like lots of tiny flowers.
The background is made using Dauber Duos which are tiny double ended ink pads made for detail inking of stamps. I've had mine for a while and as I'm trying not to buy too much at the moment, decided to see if I could think of another use for them. Millefiori technique is the result.

Step 1
To make an atc background cut a piece of white card measuring 2.5 x 3.5 inches. I chose a yellow/orange duo. Dab spots of yellow ink at random over your card to produce a spotted effect.

Step 2
Dab spots of orange ink in the white spaces, dabbing some lightly so that there are only a few spaces left.

Step 3
Choose a small flower stamp-mine is from a Rubber Stamp Tapestry set and stamp at random in a darker ink colour.

Step 4
Using an even smaller flower, stamp in between the larger flowers in a medium coloured ink. You can add as many images as you like until you're happy with the effect. You now have your background paper.

 You can create this paper on a much larger scale simply by using slightly larger floral stamps to make a lovely background paper for a card or to stamp on a die cut.

Enjoy!
Fliss xx