Friday, November 27, 2015

For My Guys

©Michele Emerson-Roberts  2015


Creating cards for the guys in my life can be a challenge!  Never fear - .a few pieces of handmade paper to the rescue!

I wanted to play with some new ideas and this was the perfect place and time. If I make at least two of each card I will have one for each of the four guys birthdays…..smile. Better make some extras just in case!


 

Supplies:

  • Any of the Arnold Grummer™ paper making kits
  • A sunny window
  • Blender, small strainer, cello sponges and soft towels
  • Scraps of ivory or white paper (think junk mail, etc.)
  • Dies:  Impression Obsession #310-XX Forest & 080-N Deer Trio
  • SpellbindersTM  Grand Calibur™ Machine
  • Tan and white card stock for card bases (small card is 4 ¼ x5 ½”, large card is 5 x 7” folded)
  • Envelopes to fit cards
  • Black scraps and tan scraps for die cutting
  • WestcottTM paper trimmer & scissors
  • Scor-palTM (LOVE the new 1/8th version!)
  • BeaconTM ZipDry™ adhesive, double sided foam tape or dots
  • DecoArtTM Acrylic paints: golden yellow, olive and grass green, brown
  • Sea sponge
  • Autumn word stamp
  • Clearsnap™ Olive Chalk™ ink pad
  • Iron if you want the paper smooth

Instructions:

  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 white/ivory scraps.
  2. Create one or more sheets of medium weight white/ivory handmade paper.
  3. When the sheets of paper are dry, cut them in half.
    - For the large card: trim to 4 ½ x 6 ½”.
    - For the small card trim a ¼ sheet to 4 1/8 x 5 ¼”.
    (Save the extra pieces for other projects)
  4. Water down the acrylic paints.
  5. Use the sea sponge to dab and swirl the paints onto the handmade paper pieces. (See samples for color combos.)
  6. Allow paint to dry.
  7. Die cut the 3 deer, and one set of trees from black cardstock.
  8. Die cute a set of trees from tan scrap.
  9. Stamp the word “Autumn” with the olive Chalk ink onto a scrap of the painted paper.
  10. Cut a piece of the tan scrap a little bit larger than the stamp piece.
  11. Score and fold the cards.

Assemble the cards:

Large card:

1.      Attach the painted paper to the card front with ZipDry™ adhesive.
2.      Attach the die cut trees and deer trio to the painted paper with tiny pieces of foam tape.

Small card:

1.      Attach the painted paper to the card front with ZipDry™ adhesive.
2.      Attach the die cut trees to the painted paper with tiny pieces of foam tape.
3.      Layer the stamped word onto a tan scrap and attach to the bottom of the card.

Friday, November 20, 2015

Spooky City!!!!

©Michele Emerson-Roberts  2015


I LOVE Halloween! Creating and sending out over 50 Halloween cards every year is such fun to do. This year’s cards are really different; no pumpkins, skeletons or black cats for me, but the card still conveys the spirit of Halloween. Wonder what the ghosts and goblins who live in the imaginary city are doing to celebrate?


Supplies:

·        Any of the Arnold Grummer™ paper making kits
·        A sunny window
·        Blender, small strainer, cello sponges and soft towels
·        Scraps of ivory or white paper (think junk mail, etc.)
·        Dies: Impression ObsessionTM #339-Z Cityscape
·        SpellbindersTM Grand Calibur™ Machine
·        Black card stock for card bases (card is 4 ¼ x5 ½” folded)
·        Envelopes to fit cards
·        Black white core cardstock scraps for die cutting
·        WestcottTM paper trimmer & scissors
·        Scor-palTM (LOVE the new 1/8th version!)
·        Beacon ZipDry™ adhesive, double sided foam tape or dots
·        DecoArtTM Acrylic paints: golden yellow, black and reddish brown
·        Med. sized foam alphabet stamps
·        Sea sponge
·        Iridescent glitter
·        White sticker circle
·        Iron if you want the paper smooth
·        Sanding block

Instructions:

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 white/ivory scraps.
2.      Create one or more sheets of medium weight white/ivory handmade paper.
3.      When the sheets of paper are dry, cut them into quarter sheets.
4.      Trim a ¼ sheet to 4-1/8” x 5 1/4". (Save the extra pieces for other projects.)
5.      Water down the acrylic paints, and use the sea sponge to dab and swirl the paints onto the handmade paper pieces.
6.      Allow paint to dry.
7.      Randomly stamp some of the alphabet letters with the black paint onto the painted papers.
8.       Allow paint to dry.
9.      Die cut the two cityscape buildings from black cardstock.         
10.   Trim the die cuts to fit the card. Save the "trims"....they will be used for the back (3rd) row.
11.   Sand the buildings that you want in the front row.
12.   Sand just the top of the buildings in the second row. Do not sand the building in the third row.
13.   Attach the moon to the upper right of the painted paper.
14.   Apply a thin coat of ZipDry™ to the moon.
15.    Sprinkle on a tiny bit of glitter.
16.   Score and fold the cards.

Assemble the cards:

1.      Attach the painted paper to the card front with ZipDry™ adhesive.
2.      Layer and attach the die cut buildings to the painted paper with tiny pieces of foam tape.



Friday, November 13, 2015

Embedded Desert Landscape

©Michele Emerson-Roberts 2015


What fun! Think of all the themes/subjects that are at your finger tips! One more way of re-purposing items that would go into the trash and make beautiful art too!  What a wonderful gift this would make!


Supplies:

  • Any of the Arnold Grummer™ paper making kits
  • A sunny window
  • Blender, cello sponges and soft towels
  • Scraps of beige, tan, ivory paper (think junk mail, etc.)
  • Magazine page of your choice with torn edges
  • Beacon ZipDry™ Adhesive
  • Matt board
  • Optional: glass and frame with room for spacers – or perhaps a tabletop easel
Instructions:

  1. Follow the directions found in any of the Arnold Grummer™ paper making kits to create light tan slurry. 
  2. Create a sheet of heavy weight paper.
  3. Remove most of the water from the paper.
  4. While the sheet of paper is still damp, lay the magazine page onto the damp paper.
  5. Remove the rest of the water from the paper. The page is now embedded into the sheet of handmade paper.
  6. When the sheet of handmade paper is dry, tear the edges and mount it onto the matt board with ZipDry™ adhesive leaving a border.
  7. If you’re framing yours, make sure the glass is clean before placing it into the frame. Then attach spacers to the glass/frame, then place the art work into the frame.

Friday, November 6, 2015

It’s Fall Y’all

©Michele Emerson-Roberts 2015


I love this time of year. The leaves are turning a multitude of colors as it’s beginning to cool off a bit here in Southeastern Arizona. This is a great time to start thinking about Thanksgiving and/or Christmas cards. Today’s card would be wonderful for either holiday… just change the colors for Christmas.

I have a lot of Thanksgiving cards to send out so I had better get busy…….smile

Supplies:

  • Any of the Arnold Grummer™ paper making kits
  • Microwave , heat tool or a sunny window
  • GM H 6031 Pine Cone casting mold
  • Blender, strainer, cello sponges and soft towels
  • Scraps of off white and tan paper (think junk mail, etc.)
  • Spice in a brown color (great way to use up those outdated spices and it smells good too!)
  • Beacon QuickGrip™ Adhesive
  • Scraps of olive green handmade paper
  • Envelopes to fit cards (or make your own with the AG envelope template)
  • Scor-palTM (love the new 1/8version!)
  • SpellbindersTM  Grand Calibur
  • Die: CheeryLynnTM  B146 Pine Branches

Instructions:

  1. Follow the instructions found in any of the Arnold Grummer™ paper making kits to create a pinecone castings. (I always make extra! And did you know that you can save the slurry? Place it in a strainer and let it dry. Pop the dried slurry out of the strainer and store for future use.)
  2. Dry the casting.
  3. Make more slurry and create a sheet of heavy weight handmade paper (create more sheets if you are going to make numerous cards….. one sheet will make 2 cards.)
  4. Sprinkle the spice onto the damp paper.
  5. When the paper is dry, fold and tear it to make two pieces 5 ½ x 8 ½”.
  6. Score and fold to create two 4 ¼ x 5 ½” cards.
  7. Die cut the pine greenery from the olive green scraps.
  8. Attach 3 pine pieces to the lower right and 2 pine pieces to the upper left of the casting.
  9. Attach the casting to the front center of the card with the QuickGrip™ adhesive.