Friday, July 25, 2014

Celestial Duo Journals

©Michele Emerson-Roberts  2014

What fun it was to create the two tiny journals for my sisters. I think they will be a big hit for their birthdays along with the matching cards. Now to decide who gets "love" and who gets "peace"....you would have to know them to understand what a dilemma this is.... smile.


Supplies:

  • Any of the Arnold Grummer paper making kits
  • Blender, small strainer, cello sponges and soft towels, paper cutter, scissors, bone folder, ruler
  • Tan paper scraps, black paper scraps (added the word “paper”)
  • Two small composition books
  • One sheet of black 8 ½” paper  (you may have enough left from the previous week’s project)
  • Spray bottle and bleach
  • Tan thread
  • Double sided tape or PVA adhesive
  • Dies:  Memory Box Co. love and peace
  • Spellbinders Grand Calibur™ Machine
  • Punches: small sun and moon, large, medium and small Spirelli
  • Acrylic Mat Medium, sponge brush
Directions:

  1. Create one sheet of tan paper and one sheet of black paper.
  2. When the handmade papers are dry, punch one each of the large, medium and small Spirelli shapes from both tan and black paper.
  3. Die cut the words ‘love and peace’ from tan card stock scrap or handmade paper.
  4. Punch suns and moons from the handmade paper or tan card stock scrap and black paper scrap.
  5. Lay the 8 ½ x 11” black paper onto a protected surface and mist with the spray bottle of bleach. Allow the paper to dry.
  6. Cover the small composition books with the bleached black paper using the double sided tape or the PVA adhesive.
  7. Alternate and layer the Spirelli pieces and wrap with thread.
  8. Glue the sun or moon to the center.
  9. Attach one word and one Spirelli piece to the front of each of the small books.
  10. Paint several coats of Acrylic Mat Medium on the covers of the books, allow it to dry between each coat.

Friday, July 18, 2014

Celestial Duo

©Michele Emerson-Roberts  2014


My signature colors are black and tan. I love the contrast between these two neutrals. I needed two birthday cards for my sisters who are as different as night and day. It was easy to create these two perfect cards using two of my favorite molds and any of the Arnold Grummer paper making/casting kits and some scraps of paper!



Supplies:

  • Any of the Arnold Grummer paper making kits
  • Molds: CP 627 Sundance and CP 626 Moonbeam (available from AG)
  • Microwave, heat gun or a sunny window
  • Blender, small strainer, cello sponges and soft towels, paper cutter, scissors, bone folder, ruler
  • Beacon Quick Grab™ Adhesive, double sided tape
  • Scraps of tan paper (think colored junk mail, or brown paper bag, etc.)
  • 1 sheet of 12 x 12” Kraft 90# card stock (I used World Win)
  • 2 sheets of black 8 ½ x 11” paper
  • Spray bottle and bleach
  • Envelopes 6 x 6”
  • Dies: CheeryLynn Center Step card, Memory Box Co. love and peace
  • Spellbinders Grand Calibur™ Machine
  • Punches: small sun and moon

Directions:

  1. Follow the direction for paper making and casting found in any of the Arnold Grummer paper making kits or books to make slurry from the tan scraps.
  2. Cast one each of the Sundance and Moonbeam molds.
  3. Dry the castings in the microwave, with the heat tool, or place in a sunny window.
  4. Lay the black paper on a protected surface and mist with the spray bottle of bleach. Allow the paper to dry.
  5. Check the grain of the card stock to determine the layout for folding. Cut two of the center step cards from one sheet of the 12 x 12” card stock.
  6. Fold the cards and use the bone folder to get a good crease.
  7. Cut the card layers from the misted black paper. (Save the scrap for another project)
  8. Punch two each suns and moons from tan scrap.

Assemble the cards:

  1. Attach the black paper layers to the center step cards with double sided tape.
  2. Attach the Sundance and Moonbeam castings to the front of the cards with Beacon Quick Grab™ adhesive.
  3. Attach the words to the middle of the bottom section of the card and punched suns and moons to each side of the words.

Now to get busy and create small matching journals for them to tuck into their purses!

Friday, July 4, 2014

Pressed Flower “Blossom” Cards

©Michele Emerson-Roberts  2014

(2 projects)

Summer is here! It’s a perfect time to start harvesting those wildflowers or blossoms from your garden and pressing them in any of the Arnold Grummer flower presses. The presses are so easy to use and the results are wonderful. The cards created with some handmade paper and pressed flowers are a special way of preserving the memories of summer.


“and then the day came when the risk to remain tight
in a bud was more painful than the risk to blossom”
Supplies:

  • Any of the Arnold Grummer paper making kits
  • Any of the Arnold Grummer Flower Presses (take advantage of the sale this month!)
  • Microwave if using either of the Mirofleur presses
  • Flowers of your choice to press
  • Scraps of off white and dark green paper (think junk mail, etc.)
  • Blender, small strainer, cello sponges and soft towels, paper cutter, scissors, bone folder
  • Deep grape (or color to match your pressed flower) card stock 5 ½ x 8 ½” folded and envelope
  • Dies:  CheeryLynn tiny leaves
  • Spellbinders Grand Calibur™ Machine
  • ColorBox™ Chalk Warm Violet Ink pad (or color to match your flower)
  • Stamp A Mania MH7061G “Blossom” stamp: (verbiage “and then the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk to blossom
  • Beacon  ZipDry™ Adhesive
  • Double sided foam tape or foam dots
Directions:

  1. Follow the directions for paper making found in any of the Arnold Grummer paper making kits or books to create white slurry.
  2. Create one (or more) sheet of thick white handmade paper.
  3. Create a sheet of dark green paper.
  4. When the white sheet is dry, tear it into 4 pieces. (set the extra 3 pieces aside for other cards)
  5. When the dark green sheet is dry, die cut three of the tiny leaf stems. (I always cut more leaves than I need for a project and keep them on hand for future use)
  6. Follow the directions found in any of the Arnold Grummer flower presses to press flowers of your choice. (I press a number of flowers at a time so that I always have some ready)
Assemble the card:

  1. Attach the pressed blossom and tiny leaf sprigs with the Beacon ZipDry™ Adhesive.
  2. Stamp the verbiage with Chalk ink.
  3. Attach the handmade paper to the card with foam tape or foam dots.
  4. Add your special message to the inside of the card.

NOTE - Since the pressed flower is a bit fragile, I suggest placing some bubble wrap or thin foam packing over the front of the card before mailing it.

Any of the Arnold Grummer flower press kits would make a wonderful gift for your gardening friends!


Project 2

“Passion of Life” Pressed Daisy Card

Glorious summer wildflowers and garden flowers are everywhere and are ready to be picked and pressed in my Arnold Grummer flower press. Hundreds of blossoms can be dried in a short time and stored for future creations.

“There is no end… there is no beginning…
there is only the infinite Passion of Life”
Supplies:

  • Any of the Arnold Grummer paper making kits
  • Any of the Arnold Grummer Flower Presses (on sale this month!)
  • Microwave if using either of the Mirofleur presses
  • Daisy type flower
  • Scraps of off white and light green paper (think junk mail, etc.)
  • Blender, small strainer, cello sponges and soft towels, paper cutter, scissors, bone folder
  • Olive green card stock 5 ½ x 8 ½” folded and envelope
  • Die:  CheeryLynn tiny leaves
  • Spellbinders Grand Calibur™ Machine
  • ColorBox™ Pastel Olive Chalk Ink pad
  • Stamp A Mania MH7102-H “Passion of Life” stamp: (verbiage “There is no end…….. there is no beginning………there is only the infinite Passion of Life”
  • Beacon  ZipDry™ and QuickGrab™ Adhesive
  • Double sided foam tape or foam dots
  • 8-10” of 1” sheer white ribbon
  • Heat tool/gun
Directions:

  1. Follow the directions for paper making found in any of the Arnold Grummer paper making kits or books to create white slurry.
  2. Create one (or more) sheet of thick white handmade paper.
  3. Create a sheet of light green paper.
  4. When the white sheet is dry, tear it into 4 pieces. (set the extra 3 pieces aside for other cards)
  5. When the light green sheet is dry, die cut two of the tiny leaf stems. (cut more leaves than needed and keep them on hand for future projects)
  6. Follow the directions found in any of the Arnold Grummer flower presses to press flowers of your choice. (press extras to use on other projects later)
Assemble the card:

  1. Attach the pressed blossom and two tiny leaf sprigs with the Beacon ZipDry™ Adhesive.
  2. Stamp the verbiage with the Olive Pastel Chalk ink.
  3. Tie the ribbon into a tiny bow. Attach it to the stem area of the pressed flower with QuickGrab™ adhesive.
  4. Heat the ribbon for a few seconds with the heat tool to “crinkle” the ribbon.
  5. Attach the handmade paper to the card with foam tape or foam dots.
  6. Add your special message to the inside of the card.
  7. The pressed flower can be a bit fragile, so I suggest hand delivering the card or placing some bubble wrap or thin foam packing over the front of the card before mailing it.