Stencils - Removing WC paint with Baby Wipes

Hey all!

I've got another stencil technique I have been playing with.  I had these Elmer's Art Crayon Sticks since I think Nolan was in Pre-school ( not doing math today - but that was forever ago ).

They work like gelatos; they are waxy,  a lipstick consistency, very blend-able, and they are water soluble.   I have no idea where you can find them to buy.  But if you have gelatos, gel sticks, or watercolor crayons, even cheap watercolors, you will get near the same effect.  See my notes below after the VIDEO :)

For the video,  I used smooth white cardstock and a stencil I digitally cut onto transparency film.  

CUTFILE:  Doily Mandala 2

For the card above, I used Ornate Butterfly Digi that I watercoloured, glittered and added gems.  Background is a Darice embossing folder.

Here are the 2 panels I made using above technique.

Things I noticed while I was playing:

- I also tried the technique with  watercolor crayons and Koi watercolors.... all work.
- Cardstock works OK.  A clay coated cardstock works better.  Watercolor paper also gives a nice effect.  Another option that I didn't try but would work is a gessoed surface.
-make sure your paint surface is dry to the touch before securing your stencil.
-use a clean part of the baby wipe each time you start on a different color of paint or you get a "halo" of the previous color on the next area.

Left - watercolor paper/crayon sticks, Middle- Koi watercolors on clay coated "stamping paper", Right-Neocolor II's on super cheapo cardstock.

In my opinion the clay coated paper and gelato-like crayon sticks "rocked":

Stencils:  Four Point Star Pattern,  Blossoms,  Whirlpool Splash

 

Have a great weekend!

:)* Fred

Stencil Rubbings

Hey all!

That fun thing you did as a youngster with a yummy smelling pack of Crayolas and paper, where you would put coins or leaves or that weathered picnic table top in the back yard under you paper and then rub over top with  crayons?  You can be all grown up and arty farty and do it with stencils!  I have been having fun making backgrounds :)

Used crayons, white prisma pencil, Four Point Star Stencil, Doodled Floral 1, Darice embossing Folders, gold cardstock, deckle scissors, and spellbinders die.

I love the dreamy smeary look.

VIDEO TIME....

Used, Whirlpool Splash Stencil cut on transparency film, and Happy Flowers Rainbow Collection flower sheets.  Eventually, I will add a sentiment in the empty space.

Here is a close up of a stencil rubbing blended with a light coloured prisma pencil.

Have a great day!
:)*  Fred

New Doodled Floral, Stencils & a TUT

Hey all! This summer is cruising by... eek!  How have you all been? :)

 I added some new files... they are at the bottom of the post.

OK I am going to say it, I am LOVING stencils, I love drawing them, and I love tweaking and experimenting with them. Modeling paste?... oh my goodness!  I love that I can use the Cutting File Stencils in different ways and even as a printable digi image ( I have more ideas and inspiration later this week :)  ).  I noticed that there must be others that like them too as I did some math... I have had 2358 downloads of the Free Stencils  as of today .... sales on the 5 latest cutting file stencils?  .... not so much... really bad $29 ( bad enough to seriously rethink this stencil making love of mine. I have to put food on the table, you know?)  Now I admit, I am mostly to blame as I have all these ideas, and I haven't shown you any of  them!  Maybe you just don't "get" what fun they are ;) So let's try to change that now LOL!

So here is something you can do with Cutting File Stencils that you CAN'T DO with bought pre-made stencils :) ( This one needs a Digital Cutting Machine)

I made 2 card fronts with one cut of the Circles Stencil.

I did a gradient wash onto an A2 card stock panel with watercolour crayons and a waterbrush. ( a red, orange and a yellow Neocolor II )

Make sure the panel is SUPER DRY before proceeding.  I used Make the Cut! software with my digital cutting machine and visual lined up/eyeballed my A2 panel on my cutting mat in the middle of the square Circles Stencil that I saw on the mat "on screen"  and added some junk card stock on each side my panel so my blade wouldn't hit bare mat.  Then I cut.  I peeled away the panel.  Leaving the negative bits on the mat... that is important.

I secured another white A2 card stock together with the cut panel with painters tape top and bottom so the panel wouldn't slip.  Now all you do is glue down each leftover piece off the mat into the holes in the panel.  I used a UHU stick for my glue.  NOTE: Take each negative circle off the mat ONE AT A TIME ...much easier to figure out where they go that way ;)

I made these 2 cards...

I embossed the cardstock underneath the watercolored stencil cut panel... looks so cool!

The image used for both cards is the new Doodled Floral 1.  The product includes the outline DIGI and 2 pre-coloured images :) 

I also added a new digital cutting file stencil set:  Four Point Star Pattern Stencils

MTC/Silhouette Studio/SVG/GSD/DXF/V-PDF/PNG

The 3 above stencils are included in the set.

.... I'll show you what I did with this stencil set tomorrow :)

And for the digital stamp lovers out there.  I am putting my stencil happy love on hold and have some new images in the works.  ... gotta put the nose to the computer screen and get 'er done!

Have a great day!

:)*  Fred

Zehra's Mini-Tutorial - Happy Flowers

Hi all!  Happy Sunday!  The sun is finally shining after 3 days of heavy rain and then snow... WOW what an April we are having! 

DT Zehra has made a flower making mini-tutoral using the Happy Flowers Digi Set and also used Ornate Butterflies  and just in time for a "FLOWER PICK ME UP" :)  This brightened my day... Awesome job, Zehra!  Please GO HERE to see the tutorial.

Card by DT Zehra

I'll be back earlier this week with some new cards and some new stencils and stencil freebies!

:)* Fred

Digi of the Week - another flower card

People, I have a tip for you today - YouTube is dangerous! LOL  I have been watching video after video on making paper flowers!!! Don't believe me? - checkout my Paper Flowers PlayList to see the videos I have bookmarked LOL!  My finger tips are rainbow stained and I am neglecting getting new designs done... cuz I'm having FUN! woohoo!

Case in point:

Here is another type of ROSE you can make.  I used the Paper Roses & Leaves Set that is on sale ( 30% OFF) until August 16 midnight EDT.  ( Check back this TUESDAY to see what our next DIGI OF THE WEEK will be ;)  )

The videos that inspired me are THIS ONE ( by JadedStudios) and THIS ONE (by  Psychomoms which uses similar technique )   After watching either of these videos, please see below for instructions on how I coloured my flower.

The Flower:
-I used 2 large and 1 medium paper rose flowers cut from a thin cardstock.
- Paint the outer edges of the petals LIBERALLY with Twinkling H2O paint ( I used Hot Cinnamon). ( Twinklers are great as they have a highly pigmented watersoluble paint AND the shimmery stuff )
-Lay the petals on your craft sheet or cardboard "spritzing box" LOL and spray the heck out of them with water in a mister.   MAGIC HAPPENS, the shimmer kind of spreads around a bit BUT the pigment really moves!
- Blast the petals with heat gun until just damp.
-Spritz the petals with a shimmery spray ( mine is water, iridescent gold powder, gum arabic for binder,  and antique linen + scattered straw reinkers  - this adds a subtle shimmer while yellowing/antiquing the flower so the white is not so stark)
-Blast with heat gun again until just damp.
-Now make roses as per videos... you need needle-nose tweezers to twist your petals.
-Center is a black dew drop and a Big Sky Flake punch with stickles on top.

The REST of the card:
If you have noticed anything about my card making is I use white and cream papers/cardstock for EVERYTHING as a base to sponge ink on, colour, print on etc.  The gold frames and swirlies were painted with Gold Lumiere paint.  The rest is pretty much distress ink in one form or another ( sponged or added to my mini misters with mica powder and sprayed on).  I sponged fired brick and scattered straw on the small printed Butterfly then spritzed with shimmer.  I brayered some Gold Encore ink on the embossed backing paper for more gold.  I LOOOVE gold  heehee.

Hope you enjoyed my flower making session :)

Fred

Digi of the Week 30% OFF Paper Roses

I have decided to start a Digi of the Week Sale.  We will be picking our favourite digi product each week and offer it at a discount. :D

This week I have chosen the  Paper Roses & Leaves Templates/SVG Set

Right now until August 16th we are taking 30% off the price :)  was $3.50 now $2.45!


Here is a card I made with this set.

 I used 2 large flowers and 1 medium flower.  Flowers were sponged with Fired Brick and Scattered Straw distress inks, Leaves are Peeled Paint. The flowers were sprayed with a homemade glitter antiquing spray ( irridescent gold pearlex, gum arabic plus a bit of scattered straw and antique linen reinker in a mini mister with water) I also tipped the edges of the petals with Hot Cinnamon twinkling H2O's.  I love the look of the flower and it is so easy to do.  I used a tutorial I found on You Tube by jannaviles.  Please check her videos out... wowsa!  Part one is HERE and Part two is HERE :)  All you need is the rounded end of a sharpie pen LOL!   I used a small flower stamen punch, lime stickles and a gem for the center.


Note:  I used the SVG cutting file in my Cricut using Make the Cut software ( can also be used with Sure Cuts Alot or even other cutting machines).  You DON"T need a cutting machine.. just a printer and a pair of scissors ;)  There are ready to print sheets and images .. use them like "stamps" or templates ( print on wrong side of paper - colour the flowers on the other side. )  Tip for template printing... you can change the black outline to another colour to coordinate with the colour of your flower.  Use a graphics editing program or see my Video Tutoral on Free PrintMaster Express.. which can easily take care of all your digi printing needs :)

Have a great day!

:)*  Fred

Paper Rose Blossom Tutorial

 Here is the Paper Rose tutorial you have been waiting forever for!  Sorry, I'm so tardy. 

 "Let Us Begin"...

Materials:
-Printed sheet of Paper Roses & Leaves Template Set OR flowers and leaves cut from the SVG version on a digital cutting machine.  Printed on a thinner white Card Stock
-work surface for inking and spritzing ( non-stick craft sheet)
-scissors
-pinking decorative scissors ( optional)
-embossing/foam/mouse pad
-embossing stylus or something round and pointy LOL
-something to curl with eg a skinny end of a paint brush
-distress inks
-sponge applicators
-white or tacky glue - I used Aleenes Fast Grab Tacky Glue
-shimmer spray ( mine is a mini mister with interference gold pearlex mixed with water and a bit of gum arabic)
-a stamen punch and glitter glue to color it; or another punch or a brad/pearl/dewdrop, anything for a flower center.

For this one I hand cut 2 large and 1 medium flower and leaves with stem.

I used a proto-type... it now is a variegated leave BUT you can still use pinking scissors to get the variegated look... or not, it is easy to hand cut.

LEAVES:

Colour the unprinted side ( "right" side) by sponging Bundled Sage distess ink.  Emboss the center line and the veins using an embossing tool/mousepad on the wrong side of the paper. Flip the leaves over and skim your sponge ( with Forest Moss -darker green ink) over the vein lines.  The veins should darken.  Use stronger pressure and ink near the center line to give the leaves more dimension.  Bend/crease the leaves along center line using your fingers and then mould the  outer edges to give them gentle curve and dimension.  Sponge the stem with either a green or brown distress ink.

FLOWERS:

Sponge all over with the lightest color of your rose ( I used Spun Sugar ).

Sponge from the center out, with a darker ink ( Aged Mahogany )- use lighter and less pressure the further to the outer edge.

Cut between the petals a quarter of the way in around all the flowers BUT, on a large and medium flower, cut all the way to the center on one of the cuts.

On the embossing pad, score lines ( maybe 4 - 6 ) down the length of each petal on the wrong side.  On you work surface, do like on the leaves and ink these these veins with your darker ink on the right side.  This step is optional but it gives a rich variegated appearance to your rose.. I just like it :)

-click to enlarge and you get a better view of the veins.

One the 2 flowers you have a cut-line to the center... on that line, glue one petal over the next petal with the tack glue.  Some people use a paper clip to clamp them together until the glue sets.  My glue was fast grab so didn't need to do this.

Curl the edges of the petals around a skewer or skinny paint brush.. whatever will work for you ;)

On your embossing pad, smush the center down a bit on the 6 petalled flower, with a big embossing stylus or eraser end of a pencil.  On your work surface, spritz it all with shimmery spray ( optional)  or paint some shimmery lines on the petals or kiss them with glitter glue or chunky glitter .

Glue ( with a generous amount of tacky glue on the bottom of flower on the pointed part) in this stack from bottom to top.. Large 6 petal flower -> Large 5 petal flower - Medium 5 petal flower ( you might want to hold the pieces together for a few minutes for it to set ).  ...then add a "stamen"... mine is a Big Sky Flake punch inked with yellow ink and stickles and a gem on top.  I glued my stamen in using silicon glue so it stuck up a bit from the center.

My card was totally coloured with distress inks.  The oval has chunky glass glitter on it (Twinklets Diamond Dust ).  The background paper was done by layering several inks on my craft sheet, spritzing with water, and sweeping the CS through it.. and drying with heat tool... then used cuttlebug and embossing folder, then brayered gold encore ink on the embossed parts.  The dark green background is various greens sponged together with a bit of aged mahogany.

Here is another leaves and stem variation from the same Roses & Leaves sheet:

NOTES:

There are so many different ways you can make flowers with this set.  There are tutorials all over the internet for paper roses.  Tim Holtz is the instigator with the  Grunge Rose.  oooh I loves that Timmy!  This will give you a realistic rose center - I have done several with this set but haven't shown yet ;)

Tim uses grunge paper that is more pliable than card stock.  But here is a tip for you to make your card stock flowers more pliable.  Run the cut flowers through a crimper several times while changing the angle you run them though with.  Then, flatten the texture using something round and smooth like the bottom of a spoon on an embossing pad.  The fibres in the paper are now more pliable. Now your flowers are less likely to tear when moulding them.

I hope you enjoyed my tutorial and it made sense LOL!

Have a great day!

:)* Fred

Passion for ProMarkers Weekend Workshop

Today I am sponsoring the Weekend Workshop at Passion for Promarkers :)

Debbie has a fabulous colouring tutorial using Smelling the Cherry Blossoms!  Go to this post to read Debbie's tutorial and leave a comment for a chance to win a $15 GC to the Fred She Said Store!

Background Stamp Tutorial and Word Art Freebie

Carol L. has a wonderful new tutorial up on her blog. She shows you how to add the Flutterby background images to a patterned paper in Word; it's a great way to make your own custom digi-papers to suit your papercrafting projects. Carol is also offering an awesome butterfly word art PNG digi-freebie. Please check it out :)

CAROL's Background Paper Tutorial in MS WORD

Everything is still up in the air here.... one day at a time. My husband's father has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. He is an awesome man and we all love him so much. The family is gathering in the area to visit and show him support and love. Saw him last night and he has been given drugs to help the pain, he is alot more comfortable now which is a blessing.

I have been cutting up paper and trying a new blossom decoupage design... it is quite pretty, but I am not sure if you decoupagers will love me or hate me... lots of tiny bits to cut LOL!

I'll try to get back to posting soon. Big hugs!

Fred.

Distress Inked Flower Tutorial

Here is a an example of using Distress Inks to colour a flower. I used "A Lovely Blossom & Butterfly" set but used it as a template, I am colouring the other side of the paper after I cut them out. Another great thing about this, you don't have to be as careful cutting out the flower and leaves... I even exaggerated the jaggyness of the petals. For this card, I also used one of Donna's awesome papers from her Designer Extreme Vol. 2 CD ( Bearly Mine Designs). I used Ranger Distress Inks Dusty Concord and Antique Linen ( and Peeled Paint on green bit). I antiqued the gold dew drops by changing the tone with a peach BIC Mark It and then dabbed on some Platinum Stickles.

Here is another example. I used some leftover leaves from Fred's Flowers V1 . Distressed Inks: Scattered Straw and Worn Lipstick. Peeled Paint on leaves.


All the examples I edged the flowers and petals with pearlescent paints.

TUTORIAL!!!! :D

I want to show you how I distress inked the flowers.


Here's my supplies:
-Scor-mat or craft sheet
-Some cut flowers and leaves - I am using a 27 lb paper, if ink shows through on other side, try draft mode on your printer.
-Distress Inks: Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Broken China, Faded Jeans
-Blending Tools and a foam pad ( or use cosmetic sponges )
-Water brush ( only used to darken the leaves ) OPTIONAL
-fantastix or style stix or a small eye makeup applicator, q-tip might work.
-Large embossing stylus( or something round like a pencil eraser), Small stylus or a skinny crochet hook or something similar.
-Foam pad or mouse pad

Please excuse the grossness of my mouse pad. ick shudder... just don't look too close. LOL


Draw/Emboss multiple lines on petals - BOTH sides.

Like so...



Dab blender tool into Shabby Shutters pad. Swirl on craft sheet or scor-mat ( shiny side) to blend into foam then apply to petals from center out - repeat to build up colour.. you may need to pick up more ink. This layer I make sure there is still white showing. Notice how the embossed lines take the ink.



NOTE: Now for the peach flower, I went over the petals the same way with another colour ( first Scattered Straw then Worn Lipstick). You can apply another color the same way. Instead, I wanted a more streaky flower so....


I have these cool foam brushes called Style Stix. I dabbed it into Broken China.


I blended off on the scor-mat then started making streaks on the petals - center out, going back over areas until the I got the look I wanted. I didn't show you but I repeated colouring the flower with the style stix using Faded Jeans.




I used the large stylus to push the center in to make the petals pop up.


I like to use my fingers to bend and pinch the petals, they are your best tool ;)



Here is one layer of the flower. You can arrange flowers however you like, just one layer, try multiple sizes and layers.


NOW ON TO the LEAVES:

I embossed the vein lines and creased down the center and bent & moulded using my fingers.




I inked with Shabby Shutters, another good colour is Peeled Paint.



I shaded the center using a darker ink... Peeled Paint.






The END.

I hope I inspired you! You could easily vary this using watercolour paints, acrylics, other inks, twinkling H2O's, the skies the limit. Have fun and .... Have a great day!

:)* Fred