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Adhesives

October 15, 2016

Stuck On You - A Look At My Favorite Adhesives

Welcome back everyone! It’s Carissa here with you today. For the Ellen Hutson LLC October newsletter, I really wanted to give you a good look at my favorite adhesives. I’m going to walk you through how I use these adhesives and my favorite applications for each one.

Stuck On You-1

When I talk about adhesives, I generally talk about to categories, wet adhesives and dry adhesives. Dry adhesives give an instant bond and include things like tape runners, specialty tapes, foam adhesives and Stick It. Wet adhesives usually have a little open time, meaning they don’t bond instantaneously, and include things like glue, glue pens, Matte Medium and Glossy Accents.

I’m going to walk you through all of my favorites in the video below, but I wanted to include a few quick notes about each of these adhesives here.

Scotch ATG- This tape runner adhesive is one of my favorites. It gives an instant bond. It’s best for things like paper to paper applications. The instant bond is firm and permanent from the get go, so it’s not very forgiving if you have to reposition things. The refills are huge, (36 yards to be exact) so you can craft your little heart way without having to stop to refill. These large refills are also very economical, about 3 cents per foot. The general purpose refills are not acid free, so you scrappers out there may want to keep that in mind. It can also be a little bulky and heavy, so it’s not ideal for travel.

Tombow Stamp Runner- I go back and forth between the Tombow Stamp Runner and the ATG. I like both of them. The compact size of the Stamp Runner makes it a great option for an on the go crafter. The adhesive comes out in a dot pattern on your paper. This adhesive, also great for paper to paper applications, gives and instant bond. Because the bond on this isn’t super strong from the get go, it’s a little more forgiving if you have to reposition your pieces on your project. However, as the adhesive sits on your project, the bond strengthens and become permanent. This adhesive is acid free. The refills are about 40 feet long and average about 10 cents per foot.

Be Creative Tape – If the Scotch ATG is considered a firm bond, then the Be Creative Tape would be considered a very firm, very permanent bond. This bond is strong and secure from the start. The Be Creative Tape comes in a variety of widths, so you can choose the width that best suits your project. This adhesive is also available in sheets for die cutting. I use this adhesive for boxes, bags and envelopes. This very firm, permanent bond is also great for glitter, microbeads, flocking and even foiling. My favorite feature of this adhesive is that you can tear it. No scissors needed to get the size you need. Just lay it down and tear it to the length you need.

Stick It Adhesive – This is by FAR my favorite adhesive for die cutting. The backer paper is super thin, making it excellent for die cutting.   I often apply large portions of this adhesive to card stock and then die cut it with intricate dies. This means my die cuts already have adhesive on the back. It’s perfect for those intricate word die cuts and other fine line die cuts. I also use this adhesive to adhere vellum. When used to adhere vellum to white card stock, you can’t see this stuff at all. It is a little more visible when attaching vellum to colored card stock, so keep that in mind. I’ll show you this in the video below. Another nice feature about this adhesive is that the bond is not permanent until you’ve really pressed it on to your project, allowing you to reposition something until it’s just right.

Scotch Foam Tape – I love my giant roll of foam tape. This adhesive can be torn to whatever size you need. Or you can use scissors to cut it down the middle to make narrow strips of foam adhesive. Just like other dry adhesives, the bond is instant. This adhesive adds dimension to your project, making it really pop. It’s a great thickness, but can be stacked up to add even more dimension. This is a must have in any crafters stash. Since there’s so much on a roll, you’ll get a lot of use out of it before it has to be replaced.

Ranger Multi Medium Matte – This wet adhesive is great for securing embellishments to your projects. This is my favorite adhesive for adhering sequins to my projects. Since this adhesive dries matte, if a little squeezes out the side of your embellishment, you won’t even notice it. If you put this adhesive on pretty thick, the open time is pretty long. You won’t get a super fast dry time with this adhesive, but you can be sure your precious embellies will be stuck for good with this one. The only thing I really wouldn’t use this for is felt. For whatever reason, it just doesn’t seem to work well with felt.

Glossy Accents – This is an adhesive and a an embellishment all in one. The high shine and loft of Glossy Accents makes it perfect for adding shine to die cut shapes, words or stamped images. It dries to a high gloss finish and adds dimension to your project. It’s also a great, strong hold adhesive, perfect for embellishments. However, be careful that you don’t add so much that it oozes out the side of your embellishments. You won’t be happy with those results because it will be really noticeable on your finished project.

For both my Ranger Multi Medium Matte and Glossy Accents, I like to add the Quilled Creations Precision Tip to my bottles. This allows me to put down tiny drops of adhesive. I highly recommend this extra little addition.

Tombow Mono Multi Glue - This glue is another great option for adding embellishments.  This glue, along with the Zig Two Way Glue pen, sets up a bit faster than the Multi Medium, while still giving you enough open time to make adjustments.  If allowed to dry completely on a surface, it will dry tacky and repositionable.  You can make your own pick up stick with this by adding a bit of this adhesive to a pencil eraser and allowing it to dry.  I recommend this glue for wood veneers, paper to paper applications and felt.  It gives a nice firm bond when used with any of these materials.  It's my favorite for adhering felt die cuts to projects.  The nozzle on this bottle can be a little wide for some applications, and can make it hard to add tiny amounts.  If you need a precision application of this glue, try squirting some out on to a craft mat and adding it to your project with a  toothpick or a scrap of card stock.

Zig Two Way Glue Pen - Just like the Tombow Mono Multi Glue, the Zig Two Way Glue Pen dries tacky and repositionable.  This glue goes on blue and dries clear.  The consistency of this glue is a little thinner than the Mono Multi Glue.  This makes it my favorite glue for adding foil accents to projects.  It's also a great adhesive for paper to paper applications.  The fine roller ball tip allows you to easily add this adhesive to the back of intricate die cuts.  It sets up really quickly, but still gives you a bit of time to scoot your piece over if needed.  While I love this for foiling and for paper to paper applications, it's not my adhesive of choice for embellishments.  This glue pen comes with three different tip choices, a roller ball, a chisel nib and a bullet nib.  You can choose which one works best for your needs...or keep all three on hand like me!

Finally, we can't talk about adhesives without talking about the Therm O Web Adhesive Eraser.  This little tool is great for erasing adhesive mistakes.  It will pull tape runner up off of your project.  It even works on some dried liquid adhesives.  It's great to have on hand.

So there you have it!  A look at my favorite adhesives and what I like to use them for.  I hope you found this video helpful for you in choosing your next adhesive.

Don't forget to watch the video below, where I'll show you all of these in action!  

Until next time, I hope you have a fabulous day!

Watch The Video

You can watch this video in HD on our YouTube channel by clicking HERE.

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Posted at 12:00 AM in Adhesives, Video | | Comments (13)

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August 15, 2015

FOILED AGAIN...


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(Click on the pics to enbiggan)

Foiling--super hot, and I am not...

Well, let me explain a little more... It's a trend I am hot for, but not hot at.  When the whole idea of foiling hand-stamped images hit the scene, I must admit, I was elated! I don't have a laser printer and the nearest FedEx/Kinko's was 20-25 min. away  Besides, who wouldn't want to achieve that gorgeous look in a hand-made card? WITH STAMPS?!  GIMME GIMME!!!

I've had a small 6" "pouch" laminator for years, and before I plunged too deep into foiling, I just bought two rolls of foil and tried the heat embossing method with my little, and "old" machine.  It does not have controls so one heat temp is all ya' get.

I burned through an entire roll of foil, various clear embossing powders of different grinds and several days trying to make it work. Yes, days. When I get fixated on something, that's what I do. But, each time, no matter what trouble-shooting strategies I tried (typing paper carrier, no carrier at all, card stock layer, finer grind of embossing powder, even sticky embossing powder!), all I got was a hot mess of embossing powder and foil. No stunning, beautifully foiled images.

Thinking that perhaps my old machine just ran waaaaay too hot for the technique, I decided to order the Royal Sovereign Laminator. But, by the time it arrived, I had moved on to other methods of foiling, and the RSL went into the closet...

I satisfied my foiling desires with all the easy methods: Double-sided sticky tapes, die cutting double-sided adhesive foam, doodling and scribbling with a Zig Two Way Glue Pen--these all worked AWESOME for me and no machine was necessary.

Still, the idea of foiling my stamped images, sans laser printer/toner, beckoned to me... I recently broke open the seal on the RSL, got out my sticky embossing powder, and decided to give it another go.

The Royal Sovereign has two temperature settings and comes in two sizes (9" and 12");  with my machine, the lowest setting didn't seem to do the job, and the higher setting yielded results similar to my experiences with my old 6" machine--the one without any temperature controls.

I tried different types/thicknesses of paper, making different carriers out of copy paper, copy paper + parchment paper, scrapbook paper + parchment paper... Switched the heat setting and tried no carrier at all... Ultimately, I just couldn't get the look I was hoping for--either the foil wouldn't stick or the embossing powder combo just spread/smooshed too much and obliterated the details...

In a last ditch attempt to see if there was any other way conceivably possible to foil my stamped images, I decided to try this, because I happened to have it:

Glue web

Cosmic Shimmer Flake & Glitter Glue.  It works very well for adhering Gilding Flakes because it remains sticky/tacky once it dries--my hope was that it would hold the foil to the paper just enough to keep it from shifting/slipping and fuse the foil to the paper surface while going through the laminator.

NOTE:  Whenever stamping with glue, be sure to wash/clean the stamps thoroughly immediately after use; it's much harder to clean off--sometimes impossible- if you leave the glue on the stamp for an extended period of time.

I usually scrub them first with Ultra Clean, and then also wash both the stamps and the acrylic mounts into a bowl of warm, soapy water, to remove any remaining residual glue. An old toothbrush works well for getting into the nooks and crannies.

My glue applicator tools get sealed in a ziploc bag and I mark them with washi tape so I know not to use them for ink. 

As you'll see on the video, I used an ink blending tool and squeezed the glue onto the foam, spreading it evenly with the nozzle tip of the glue bottle, and then pounced it onto my stamp and then pressed it to my paper surface.  I didn't worry about hurrying because I needed the glue to be completely dry so it would be tacky.

Then, I applied the foil transfer sheets, sandwiched it into a copy paper carrier and inserted into the laminator.

Through trial and error, I found that sending it through the laminator with the foil on top didn't stick nearly as well as flipping it over so the the foil was on the bottom and the card stock was on top.

Detail

The photo above is a comparison of results between using sticky embossing powder (left), and the Cosmic Shimmer Flake & Glitter Glue (right). While it's not "perfect", I was personally much happier with the results using the Glue method.

I did try foiling just with the glue, after allowing it to dry without sending it thru the laminator, but it seemed I got more even/consistent pressure, and better adhesion of the foil when I did use it.

There are several other glues that also dry "sticky/tacky" that I don't have yet but would like to try with this method, including:

I did try stamping with the Essential Glue Pad, carefully applying the foil transfer sheets and running it through the laminator.  After stamping, however, the Essentials Glue Pad didn't seem to dry tacky like the Cosmic Shimmer Glue, so I had to be very careful not to shift/move the foil sheet once I placed it over the image.  I liked this method for doing just a single small to medium sized image and working fairly quickly. It didn't work nearly as well if I was stamping the image repeatedly, across larger surfaces, like the side of my card below; the Glue Pad seemed to absorb down into the paper or dry "un-tacky" and by the time I got the whole thing ready and into the laminator, it was really hit and miss as to where the foil would actually bond to the card stock.  The Cosmic Shimmer Glue performed much better in that regard.

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For any areas that didn't get foiled, I used the Quickie Glue Pen to touch up those spots.  It goes on blue, but dries clear and you do need to be patient and allow it to dry.  And, yes, it does dry tacky so you can apply scrap pieces of foil to those areas. 

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Through all my experimenting, I ended up with a lot of leftover negative foil pieces; not wanting them to go to waste, I applied Xyron adhesive over the top of some water-colored paper scraps I had in my bin and then mounted the negative foil pieces over top, trimming off any overhang. As you can see, the watercolor shows through nicely--makes for a quick/easy card! 

Leaf trio

I used the glue method to foil this medium sized butterfly stamp in melon--I did fussy cut it after foiling, since I don't have the matching dies.

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  Web grp shot

Now that there is a 6" Minc Foiling Machine available, and it has a variety of temperatures, I'm very curious to try my glue method with it to see if I can achieve even better foiling results!

Enjoy the video here in HD on our YouTube Channel!

Thanks for joining me today!

1Julie

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July 15, 2015

Three Be-YOU-tiful Looks For The Same Die

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(click on the pics to enbiggan)

If you're anything like me, you love having different looks for the same product! The Be-YOU-tiful die is a favorite of mine because I love that the letters are joined together to create one "unit", and the lettering style itself is thicker, providing some super fun options! Each of the ideas shown could be done with any die cut word of similar styling.

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I wanted to create a bold statement with this design, but also wanted the coloring work to be quick and easy.  A large image, like this Stampendous butterfly and Distress Stains made this one of the speediest watercolor projects I have ever done--like, EVER!!! I did pre-clean this stamp to "season" it; initially, it was repelling the water-based Distress Stains.  A quick scrub with some stamp cleaner and patting it dry had it primed and ready to go.  Another large scale butterfly that would be awesome with this watercolor method is one by Tim Holtz, HERE.

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The beauty of using the Distress Stains for this watercolor method, is that the scrubby top made it easy to apply the color to the stamp surface, and there is no need to worry about spritzing the stamp with water!  The Stains have just the perfect wetness and consistency to just apply color and stamp! BOOYAH!   *fist pump*

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Stacking multiple die cuts of black card stock into the negative space before gluing the watercolored die cut layer on top, pops it up just enough to define it and yet still retain that crazy cool almost "camouflaged" look--the one that makes the person you give it to wonder just how in the world you did that... But, of course, we know the easy-peasy secret! *wink*

TIPS:

  • Layer your paper and die on top of 4 thicknesses of unused dryer sheets (I typically fold two in half and then stack them together) before running through the Big Shot and you will be able to eject the die from the paper without a pokey tool, and all the bits and pieces will also stick to the dryer sheet without getting lost.  
  • The gold foil accent dots on the butterfly card were achieved using the same method described below on the next card (Hint:  This Two Way Glue Pen is your friend and one of my most favorite tools... Just sayin'...)

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Ombré + glitter is a marvelous combo!  Here it is highlighted by a gold foil background that was created by swiping a Two Way Glue Pen, allowing the glue to dry; it will become tacky to the touch when dry and allows you to press transfer foil sheets to it--a super fun and super easy way to quickly add foil accents to your projects!  Gotta love that! 

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Be-YOU-tiful was die cut from iCraft double-sided adhesive foam; with the sticky on both sides you can mount it, and then remove the liner from the front side to add glitter or anything else that will stick!  Be sure to watch the video to see how I mounted the die cut foam piece to the card without distorting its shape--it's a lot easier to see how it's done than try to understand a written description. :)

TIPS:  

  • To apply glitter in an ombré fashion, choose 2-3 colors that blend well from one to the next, and keep your project tilted so glitter lands as much as possible on one area at a time.
  • I like to use disposable cereal bowls lined with coffee filters, one per glitter color.  It allows me to keep the glitters from cross-contaminating, and it's easy to then funnel the glitter back into the jar when I'm finished.  It also helps keep the mess at bay. Ask me how I know... *wink* 

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This final design is an example of "repeat impressions".  The die was "debossed" using the Silicone Rubber Sheet with the Big Shot multiple times across the surface of Letterpress Paper.  (Debossed = pressed down into the surface; embossed = the pattern is "reliefed" or raised from the surface)

Debossed 3

I made a thick, chipboard like embellishment by die cutting the shape 3x from Neenah Solar White 110# card stock and a pretty floral patterned paper, layering and gluing them all together.  It was then mounted over one of the debossed images.

TIPS:

  • I adore the debossed look on Letterpress Paper in particular, but you can also try watercolor paper or heavy weight card stocks; be aware that too much pressure can cause the paper surface to crack sometimes, so you will have to play with the amount of pressure/shims necessary with the type of paper you are using.
  • I did not have the Impressions pad handy, only the Silicone Rubber Sheet.  So, I had to modify my sandwich as follows for the above results:
    1. Multipurpose Platform Open to Tab 1
    2. Cutting Pad
    3. Silicone pad
    4. Paper
    5. Die
    6. Cutting Pad

You can enjoy the video in HD on our YouTube Channel HERE, and thank you for taking a moment to give it a thumbs up! 

I hope you enjoy experimenting with these different looks with your dies!

Thanks for joining me again this month! 

1Julie

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Posted at 03:00 AM in Adhesives, Dies - Cutting and Embossing, Essentials by Ellen, Glitter, Ranger Techniques, Tips and Techniques, Video, Watercoloring | | Comments (2)

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November 15, 2014

Paper Gems

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(click on the pics to enbiggan)

Geometric patterns and shapes continue to be popular, whether they are graphic and modern or feature rustic or tribal style. I must admit to falling in love with all the geometric art I've seen while out and about on the web--I can't seem to stop pinning it!

My eyes caught onto the paper gems--magnificent 3D structures, but making them "from scratch" would be challenging for someone who might falter at the math required... *chuckle*

Enter: The Triangle Score Guide, by We R Memory Keepers

Triangle-score-guideThis spiffy little score guide was developed for folks like me, who really adore the geometric trend, but not math! It's actually compatible with other brand score boards, not just their own, which is a great bonus since I own and use the Martha Stewart Score Board.

The tool comes with a little booklet, featuring project ideas and loaded with templates for a variety of geometric gemstone-like 3D shapes.  It includes paper sizes, scoring measurements, as well as construction and assembly instructions.  A visual example of each finished shape is pictured at the top of each template. But, don't ask me to pronounce their names--I bungled that pretty much every single time. *chuckle*

The finished sizes can range from about 1x1" to 4.5 x 8", depending on the paper size and template you select. The templates all begin with a square piece of paper, 6", 8" or 12", which are the most common sizes most paper crafters would have in their supplies.

I found it helpful to use solid papers; patterned papers made it very difficult to see the score lines when trying to trace out the templates. It also helped to buff the paper surface with wax paper, prior to scoring; I use a comfort grip ball tip stylus tool for scoring, and sometimes the tip can "drag" on the paper surface, which can cause the paper to shift out of place.  Waxing the paper first allows the tip to glide more smoothly.

It's a [very] good idea to read through the scoring and subsequent assembly instructions a few times prior to beginning as there are some simple but key steps that make all the difference! You know how we crafters can get--so excited to get started that we overlook a few things... I talk about them in the video, and they are also noted in the booklet.  I initially took a quick glance, and when first making some of the largest shapes with the 4" score lines from 12x12" paper, I missed some very important scoring instructions that would have saved me from ruining my project.

Granted, "it's only paper", but I don't know anyone that likes to waste an entire 12 x 12" sheet of pretty paper because they didn't read the instructions thoroughly...  I went back over the scoring instructions of those few scoring templates (specifically p. 8 and 9) and highlighted them so I wouldn't forget the next time around to make those slight adjustments. Once I got the hang of it, scoring the rest of my projects went very quickly and easily. 

Keep in mind that when using 12 x 12" paper, you will probably have to lift and move the paper and guide in one direction or the other, in order to score all the lines necessary (watch the video) and there will be some over-hang, making it hard to get a complete score line on the diagonal.  The booklet and my video both explain how to easily extend those score lines, to ensure you have a complete triangular pattern to build your project with.

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Depending on the size, these paper gems make the most fun "containers" or gift boxes--tuck trinkets, edibles or even little notes inside them! How fun would these be at each place setting on the table at your next holiday gathering or special occasion?

Various sizes and colors inside a glass jar or bowl make a splendid centerpiece, or how about a garland like this to adorn your mantlepiece?

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I mixed a combination of shapes, sizes and colors--I loved using some gold foil papers to make the smallest shapes--so shiny! Another option would be to use plain papers and then use some of the pretty metallic sprays to highlight different sides of the gems--so many possibilities!  Note: It's much easier to assemble the gems one at a time "around" the string, rather than trying to thread them on after they are fully formed.  Trust me. :)  You can slide them along the string, adjust the spacing and add more wherever you like.  I enjoyed watching TV while making the garland above, and found it to be rather therapeutic and relaxing!

You can enjoy the two-part video in HD on our YouTube Channel, and thank you for watching and subscribing! We also greatly appreciate you taking a moment to give it a thumbs up!

I hope the above inspires to try a little 3D paper "bling" and takes the mystery out of how to use this nifty little scoring tool!

1Julie

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August 15, 2014

Working with Gilding Flakes

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(click on the pics to enbiggan)

The Midas Touch. That's what you get with Cosmic Shimmer Gilding Flakes.

I have to admit, I went absolutely bananas over this stuff--there is just something about a gilded/gold leaf finish that mesmerizes... Gets me every time!!!

In this month's tutorial, I'm going to share several methods of adhering the flakes that I found worked well. Note: The Cosmic Shimmer Flake & Glitter Glue had not arrived to the shop at the time of this writing, but you can sign up for email notification when it is in stock by using the notify button next to the product in the shop. 

Is it "messy"? Yes. Is it worth it? YESSSS!!!! Because it's just too easy. And you're gonna wanna gild the world once you try it. Trust me. :)

Before working with gilding flakes, I have a few tips to share:

  • Turn off your ceiling fan and/or air conditioning, and close any open windows. Air movement can cause these delicate, lighter-than-air flakes to flurry all over the place. Ask me how I know... ;)
  • If applying adhesives/glue to stamps, have a shallow pan of soapy water handy to place the stamp into for easy cleaning up later; you do not want adhesive to dry permanently onto your stamp.
  • Cut a piece/square from a clean/brand new Rub it-Scrub it pad; you will use this to burnish the flakes into the adhesive you're using and remove the fines (excess flakes). You just want a piece large enough to hold comfortably in your hand.
  • Work on scratch paper, to catch the fines for returning to the jar; there is very little waste if you do this.
  • Be generous when placing flakes over adhesive and pat/tap them into the adhesive with your fingertips; I found patting worked better than rubbing
  • Gently burnish the patted flakes with the Rub it-Scrub it--you do not want to use a forceful scrubbing action.
  • Some flakes will get stuck in the fibers of the Rub it-Scrub it; you simply won't be able to clean them all out. I decided I would store that piece together with the jar of flakes used inside a zip lock baggie to avoid cross contamination of other colors; each jar will have its own little Rub-it Scrub it.

On all my projects, I used Summer Meadow flakes, but there are so many gorgeous color variations to choose from on my wish list!!!

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On this piece, I painted a background with Distress Paints, and when dry, I rubbed the Glue Pad direct to paper, and then applied the flakes over-top to create a distressed gilded effect. I think the Glue Pad works very well for this particular type of finish! I tried stamping with the Glue Pad and applying the flakes to the stamped image; this worked "OK", but I didn't get as much coverage of the stamped image as I had hoped. This is a matter of personal preference, however, and you might like the look you get, depending on the results you're after. :)

I really loved using the Distress Paints to create the abstract background--when they were dry, I could rub the Glue Pad right over them without fear of smearing or reactivating any of the colors beneath.

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For the above, I die cut "hello" from some Be Creative double sided sheet adhesive and applied it to the paper surface. If you don't have the sheet format of this adhesive, you can substitute the wider rolls, by applying the tape to a piece of baker's parchment paper, and then die cutting. The parchment paper acts as a release paper.

I also used strips of the 1/8" wide tape to create the pattern shown on the black base card.

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For the rustic elegant look above, I stamped the Savvy Rose Branch and Hello with Versamark ink and then embossed with "Sticky Stuff" embossing powder by JudiKins. (you could also use Ranger's Sticky Embossing Powder). After heating, this embossing powder will remain tacky and allow you to apply gilding flakes, leafing foils, glitter, flock, etc. It works wonderfully with the gilding flakes and is a great way to gild your stamp images!

The trick, as I mention in the video, with this type of embossing powder is to keep your embossing gun a little bit further away than normal, and heat the powder just until it turns from granular to shiny-wet in appearance then immediately move the tool to the next portion.  You do not want to over-heat this powder as it will harden/cure and then no longer be tacky.

 

For all the above gilding techniques, I have a two-part video tutorial that you can watch right here or in HD on YouTube, following the links below. 

YouTube Link: Cosmic Shimmer Gilding Flakes, part 1 

 

 YouTube Link: Cosmic Shimmer Gilding Flakes, part 2

 Enjoy and happy gilding! :)

1Julie

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April 16, 2014

Into The Wood

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(click on the pics to enbiggan)

The wood/woodgrain trend doesn't seem to be dropping off at all--I love the natural look and feel of real wood embellishments on my projects but sometimes, it can be fun to "dress" them up or alter them! There are TONS of fabulous wood shapes, embellishments and other alterable items that can be used! 

There are so many different techniques that you can apply, but I thought it would be fun to share some recent things I tried. I must admit, I also love that they were easy to do! I also have a video that shows the different things I played with so you can follow along that way, if you like! :)

 

(select 720p for HD quality viewing)

 

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White embossing on Real Wood sheets is a fabulous effect--just be sure to keep your heat gun a safe distance away to avoid warping! Wood veneer sheets are as thick as card stock, but they aren't designed to take high heat gun temperatures. If you do end up warping the wood, use plenty of strong-bonding adhesive over the entire back to mount it to your card base to avoid buckling.

Stamp Credits: Hero Arts "What's Up!" set, Wise Bird; Real Wood Birch (Cherry was used in the above project); Versamark Ink; Heat Gun; White Embossing Powder; Be Creative Tape; Neenah Solar White Card Stock; Corner Chomper

 

 

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Gelatos are a quick and easy away to apply creamy pigmented color directly onto wood surfaces--I didn't take the time to prime this wood veneer/shape with gesso, but if you were working on a project much larger than a card, you might do that. I tried using a water-brush to blend out the color, but I seemed to have better luck just using my finger tip!

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Stamp Credits:  Hero Arts L'Oiseau (bird), Thanks For Caring; Memento Tuxedo Black Ink; Neenah Solar White Card Stock, Bazzill Taffy Card and Gold Coins Card Stocks, Vellum Card Stock; Faber Castell Gelatos (Lemon, Green Tea), Studio Calico Lemon Lush Wood Veneers; Impression Obsession Branch Die; My Mind's Eye Charmed Enamel Dots; Stickles Golden Rod Glitter Glue

 

 

Wood_surfaces_WEB_4

Woodburning is such a beautiful artistic form. But, just the thought of me wielding a wicked hot woodburning tool is kind of scary. Ok, REALLY scary!!! Plus, I don't know that I'd be patient enough anyway. But, faux pyrography? Piece o' cake!

I used Memento Luxe Pigment Ink in Espresso Truffle and pressed a wood veneer butterfly against the inked surface. While the ink was still wet, I used a Tsukineko Brushstix to smudge the image lines to simulate that smoky woodburned look, and then heat set it.  An image with lots of detail and open line work looks AMAZING with this technique!

Wood_surfaces_WEB_7

Stamp credits: Hero Arts Flower Swirl Vine; Savvy Stamps "Hello" (from my stash); Memento Luxe Espresso Truffle Ink; Basic Grey Mon Ami 6x6 Paper Pad; Neenah Solar White Card Stock; Studio Calico Butterfly Wood Veneers; Bronze Hemp Cord Set; Mister Huey Color Mists in Warm Calico and Bazinga

 

 

Wood_surfaces_WEB_8

At first glance you might think this is cracked porcelain tile, but yes, it's a wood veneer! I first applied a thin coat of regular white embossing paste, then Distress Paint, then a thin layer of Crackle Embossing Paste--let each coat dry completely before applying the next. To enhance the cracks, I applied Walnut Distress Ink, dabbing it on top with a foam blending tool and then spritzing it with water.  

The dark walnut color seeps down into the cracks and tints them beautifully! After wiping the excess water on top away with a paper towel, I made sure the surface was completely dry, touched it up along the edges with a Wink of Stella Gold Brush Marker. When dry, I then applied a thick coating of Glossy Accents.  The Glossy Accents goes on cloudy, but becomes crystal clear when fully dry, leaving a glassy, smooth finish on top!

Wood_surfaces_WEB_8A

Studio Calico Lemon Lush Wood Veneers; Tim Holtz/Advantus Symphony Tissue Tape; White Embossing Paste, Crackle Embossing Paste; Ripe Persimmon Distress Paint; Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink; Walnut Distress Ink; Ink Blending Tool; Glossy Accents; Basic Grey Spice Market 6x6 paper Pad; Bazzill Butter Mints Card Stock; Cosmo Cricket Tinseltown Glitter Sheets

 

I hope my playtime with altering wood surfaces inspires you to try some of these ideas on your future projects!

 

1Julie

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Posted at 12:25 PM in Adhesives, Faber-Castell, Ink Pads, Ranger Techniques, Tips and Techniques | | Comments (4)

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May 15, 2013

GO FOR THE GOLD! by Julie Ebersole

Gold has been the trending metallic this year and there are so many easy ways to use it to accent your projects!

Here's a sampling of some of the items I though would be fun to play with for this article:

Products
(click on any of the pics to enbiggan)

You'll see that in some cases the designs took on a "luxe" look, and in others a softer, more subdued finish, depending on what I combined with it.

Grpshot_luxe_1

 

YOU ROCK

U_rock_1

 

U_rock_2

This card has a very posh and dramatic look, achieved by die cutting chevrons in two different widths from Be Creative Tape and applying them to plain black card stock. Stickles Dry Glitter is one of the most sparkly glitters I've ever encountered and its ultra-fine grind offers wonderful contrast to the bold black background.

U_rock_3

Die cut vellum stars are layered and stapled over the top for further embellishment to allow the glittery chevron to show through. You might not think to add sequins to a card that has such a modern masculine vibe, but these have a satin finish that compliments the overall style of the design.

Incidentally, I tried out the Kool Tak CLEAR foam adhesive squares for 3D mounting one of the sequins (normally, I use rolled up Glue Dots); I had to cut it in half to fit under the sequin because it was larger, but those things are AWESOME! I love that they're totally clear!

U_rock_4

To maintain that bold, crisp look I chose a sentiment that had a large, strong font and used Brilliance Graphite Black Ink to ensure a very rich and saturated impression--I love how "sharp" this ink looks against white.

 

WISH BIG

Wish_big_1

This card takes the same Luxe style a slightly different direction, with increased white space and the addition of another color, by way of some large glossy plastic letters in mint.

Wish_big_3

After creating a diagonal channel in the top layer, 1/4" Be Creative Tape was applied to the edges and Dark Gold Microfine Glitter was burnished overtop [see Burnished Velvet tutorial HERE]. A little forethought had to be given on this design because the word "big" needed to be stamped onto the top panel in a particular spot before it was mounted.  This layer was then 3D trimmed and mounted to a white base card, leaving a gap that exposed the patterned Washi Tape.

Wish_big_2

These plastic letters by Heidi Swapp are fantastic and I adore the color, but they are not self-adhesive so I had to think on that one for a bit. In the end, I sent them through my little Xyron because they fit in the chute (weren't too wide, and weren't too thick) and I knew the adhesive would be invisible. I will have to experiment with more ways to mount them to projects--I think you could have some fun hand-stitching them, securing them with the Tiny Attacher Tool or even brads, etc. :)

Wish_big_4

More vellum stars were added, with some left flat and applied with Xyron adhesive, and others were folded in half and then glued down with Glossy Accents in the centers so they would pop up a bit along the outer points for added interest and dimension. After adding a few gold sequins I sat on my hands... *grin* I've learned to sleep on some designs overnight; if the next morning I feel it is missing something, I can always add to it! In this case, however, I think stopping at this point was the right call. ;)

 

NEW LIFE

New_life_1

Metallics don't always have to hard and crisp; this new baby card is very gentle and dreamy... 

New_life_2
The top layer of white linen card stock was placed underneath a mask of tiny stars and lightly misted with Mister Huey's in Gold. This color of mist has lovely, warm golden toned shimmer to it.  To keep from obliterating the details of the stars, repositionable adhesive was used to keep the mask in place over the card stock and the piece was placed in a large cardboard box so I could spritz it from up high with several coats, building up the intensity of the color.  I had to spritz from a high distance to allow the mist to "float down" onto the paper; being too close caused a great deal of puddling, which then ran all over the place and ultimately looked like blobs. Not exactly the effect I was going for... Oy!

NOTE: If you're not sure of what kind of results you will get, test (Always test first; ask me how I know...!) your misting on scrap paper until you get a feel for how high up you need to be, depending on the color you're using and how intense you want the color to lay down. Be aware that if you pump hesitantly or start and stop midway, you will probably create a lot of heavy droplets whereas depressing the pump completely and with confidence will yield a much finer, more uniform mist.

  New_life_4

I even misted some scraps of white card stock (Splash & Gold Mister Huey's) and after they were dry, stamped and embossed my sentiment with gold detail embossing powder and punched the greeting out. Double punching a scrap of bright yellow card stock enabled me to create an crescent-shaped layer for my "moon".

A length of gold cord was coiled up and glued it to the back of the moon before mounting it to the card front--a fun look I've seen before but hadn't tried yet. 

This was such a unique way to create a new baby card and I loved being able to use non-baby themed stamps to pull the idea together! The strips of color on each side of the star panel were just from my scrap bin--these are perfect for creating the illusion of a more layered look.

 

SHINE ON

Shine_on_1
These wood veneer shapes acquire the look of metal charms with a coating of embossing powder, but they are soooo lightweight! 

Shine_on_3

Just press them against your Versamark/embossing pad and dip them into a jar of embossing powder.  Remove them with tweezers then place them with the embossing powder side facing upward into a shoebox lid or something similar; heat with your ebossing gun until the powder becomes shiny/melted and allow them to cool, then glue them onto your project with Glossy Accents.  (The lid will help keep them corralled and from blowing all over your desk when you're heating them. You can also use the tips of your tweezers to keep them in one spot while you're embossing.)

The Starburst image was stamped in Soft Pool to support the gold accents, but not create a totally overpowering metallic look. Before stamping the greeting right over top with Versamark, I prepped the surface with an anti-static pouch; this ensures the surface is dry and no moisture will attract stray embossing powder in unwanted areas.

Shine_on_2

The greeting was then embossed with gold detail powder and a narrow strip of metallic gold card stock was glued beneath it along the horizon line of the starburst pattern.

Grpshot_luxe_2
As you can see, it only takes a hint of gold to create a fabulous luxe look and it can be as bold and sharp or soft and subtle as you like! And, keep in mind that this applies to any metallic, including platinum, pewter, silver, copper and brass.

 

1Julie
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Posted at 12:00 AM in Adhesives, Altered Items, Dies - Cutting and Embossing, Glitter, Ink Pads, Tips and Techniques | | Comments (13) | TrackBack (0)

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March 15, 2013

Transparent Double-Stick Tape and Microfine Glitter Comparison

We now carry three different varieties of transparent double-stick tape. My curiousity got the best of me - are there differences between these manufacturers and if so what are the differences? As I thought about this project I decided I should also compare the two different microfine glitters that we carry.

Spec_tacular

When you have lots of little glitter samples one must then create a card using those samples - right?!? I have been "eyeing" these fabulous little glasses and I couldn't resist the play on words - LOL!

Spec 4

To begin I adhered three different varieties of transparent double-sided tape to a sheet of Neenah cardstock.

Each manufacturer carries different sizes - see the following:

Be Creative (Sookwang):

  • 8 1/2x11 sheets (5 sheets per pkg)
  • 115mm or 4 1/2" x 27 yard rolls (approximate measurement)
  • 65mm or 2 1/2" x 27 yard rolls (approximate measurement)
  • 40mm or 1 1/2" x 27 yard rolls (approximate measurement)
  • 25mm or 1" x 27" yard rolls (approximate measurement)
  • 15mm or .6" x 27" yard rolls (approximate measurement)
  • 12mm or 1/2" x 27" yard rolls (approximate measurement)
  • 7mm or .28" x 27" yard rolls (approximate measurement)
  • 5mm or 1/4" x 27" yard rolls (approximate measurement)
  • 3mm or 1/8" x 27" yard rolls (approximate measurement)

X-Press High Tack:

  • 8 1/2x11 sheets (25 sheets per pkg) This item is expected to arrive around April 8th.
  • 1/2" x 55 yards
  • 1/4" x 55 yards
  • 1/8" x 55 yards

Elizabeth Craft Designs Transparent Double-Sided Adhesive:

  • 8 1/2" x 11" sheets (5 sheets per pkg)
  • 6" x 6" sheets (5 sheets per pkg)
  • 5" x 12" sheets (5 sheets per pkg)

Spec 5

When I removed the backing from the tape I could see a slight difference in the coloration of the tape. As you can see from the photo the X-Press was the most transparent with the Be Creative having a very slight cream tinge and the Elizabeth Craft Designs an ever so slightly stronger cream color.

Spec 6

When applying colored opaque glitter to the different tapes there was no apparent difference between the adhesives as you can see in the photo above. The top row is Elizabeth Craft Vintage Pink and the bottom row is Glitter Ritz Pink.

There is a difference in the tape selection when applying white, warm and cool transparent glitters! As you can see from the samples the color of the tape effects the end color tone of the sample.

Glitter White

I also discovered when doing these tests that the White glitters are truly not opaque and not nearly as sparkly as the transparent cool and warm glitters. Elizabeth Crafts White Glitter is suede-like in apperance with very little sparkle. Glitter Ritz is a slightly courser grind and therefore contains a tiny amount of sheen or sparkle.

The opacity is more apparent when looking at the patterned paper samples on the right. As you can see the Glitter Ritz White is more transparent than the Elizabeth Craft Designs White and the Elizabeth Craft Designs White is cooler in tone.

Glitter Warm Cool

When comparing the cool and warm transparent glitters the difference, if any, is subtle.

Glitter Opaque

The colored opaque glitters truly are opaque as you can see in the photo above.

Following are other comparisons between the two microfine glitters we carry.

Glitter Ritz by In the Making:

  • 62 colors (includes the two transparent glitters - warm and cool highlights)
  • slightly grainer or courser texture
  • white is more transparent and slightly creamer in color

Elizabeth Craft Designs Silk Microfine Glitter:

  • 40 colors (Iincludes the two transparent glitters - warm and cool diamond. Warm and cool diamond are also available in two sizes - 1/2oz and 1oz)
  • slightly finer grit
  • white is more opaque and suede-like in appearance

Following are colors that are similar between the two lines - dye lots do vary on the glitter (Glitter Ritz color/Elizabeth Craft Designs color):

  • 31 Black/601 Basic Black
  • 1 Silver/603 Silver
  • 33 White/604 White
  • 71 Stardust/605 Antique Silver
  • 7 Cinnamon/606 Antique Gold
  • 101 Java Bean/607 Chocolate
  • 97 Latte/608 Champagne Gold
  • 90 Spice Brown/610 Copper
  • 9 Apricot/611 Rust
  • 8 Orange/613 Orange
  • 34 Fire Red/614 True Red
  • 12 Burgundy/615 Ruby
  • 19 Rose Copper/616 Peony Pink
  • 15 Fuchsia/619 Fuchsia
  • 17 Lavender/620 Lavender
  • 16 Purple/621 Amethyst
  • 44 Deep Purple/622 Blue Purple
  • 25 Canadian Blue/623 Royal Blue
  • 27 Royal Blue/624 Bluebell
  • 93 Peacock Blue/625 Sky
  • 42 Navy/627 Deep Turquoise
  • 30 Sky Blue/629 Soft Teal
  • 103 Empire Green/630 Regal Green
  • 74 Grasshopper/631 Soft Green
  • 23 Moss Green/633 Forest Green
  • 24 Chartreuse/634 Leaf Green
  • 75 Peridot/635 Spring Peridot
  • 95 Yellow/636 Yellow
  • 35 Dark Gold/638 Solar Gold
  • Warm Highlight/639 and 640 Warm Diamond
  • Cool Highlight 641 and 642 Cool Diamond

Spec 1

Print your sentiment on a sheet of copy paper and use a light box to locate the designer paper. Use washi tape to hold the designer paper in place and send through the printer again.

Spec 2

You will have a perfectly placed sentiment for your project.

Spec 7

Place strips of washi tape on a self-healing cutting pad and use the Tim Holtz design ruler (it has a metal edge) and a Fingertip Knife to cut the washi tape in half to scale it to the perfect size for a card front.

Viva Decor

Viva Decor Paper Pens allow you to create your own "enamel dots" in various sizes. If you squeeze the liquid out of the pen and allow it to dry you will achieve beautiful little pearl-like mounds. If you prefer a flatter look simply tap the bottom of your project with your finger (use a pretty snappy tap) and the mound will spread. I did notice that when the little mounds that I tapped dried they had a little dent right in the center so I will need to test this idea further, but thought I would share as it will be so fun to experiment with these!

Spec 8

Cut your "spectacles" from the pink glitter covered Neenah cardstock and add two little Viva Decor enamel dots to your glasses.

Spec Final

Use your washi tape strips to quilt your patterned paper pieces and adhere to your cardfront. If you would like this cardfront to be permanent be certain to use a permanent adhesive such as your ATG tape runner or Glue Glider.

Thank you for joining me today as we explored the different varieties of adhesive and glitter - I hope this comparison comes in handy for you as you add to your stash!
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Posted at 12:00 AM in Adhesives, Glitter, Tips and Techniques | | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: glitter comparison, Microfine Glitter, Tape comparison, Transparent Doublestick Tape

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