Cupcake mini album - tutorial

Hello creatives,

Im back with my DT project for Lulupu, the theme this month is

Make a Mini

(Click here to read all challenge rules)

Special rules for this challenge:

1. Construct a mini, don't use a ready available album (example mdf album)

2. You can use any binding, any theme

3. Submit entries by 30 November, 2015, 11.55pm IST

The challenge winner will receive a goodie bag from Lulupu.

Ive made a cupcake shaped mini album and have a tutorial on creating the cover page and tips for decorating your albums.  Its not a long post, but hope it brightens up your day :)

Are you ready to get started? Here is how the cover came into being.

Step1: Using a template, cut out cupcake outlines from Simple Life Echo Park 6x6 papers. These are double sided, so you already have a background for the other side.

Step2: Trace only the base of the cupcake ( not the cream) onto vellum or acetate. Handstich the vellum to one of the cupcake cutouts, I forgot to click, but you'll understand what I'm talking about in a minute. Fill it up with sequins - gold, grey. Ive also added some star confetti.

Step5: Seal shut with double sided tape. This part is a bit tricky, but patience pays :) in the form of clean finishing. You will now have something like this ( minus eyelets and stickers)

Next step is to create the focal points for each page aka embellishments. This was by far the most enjoyable and time consuming part of the project.

Ive used crate paper open book 12x12 papers and the ephemera pack and they matched  the colour theme quite well. My two tips when it comes to embellishments:

1. Mix and match  whatever is in your stash.

2. Layering - Experiment with combining  different materials  - lace, vellum, chipboard, acetate
Some details- the clothespin holding the butterfly had been glittered using the fine tip zig pen, the pinwheel  is held together  with American crafts glitter brad, the big heart sticker has an action wobble below it and finally the little moments base comes from Maggi Holmes ephemera packaging.

Can you see gold tape peeking through some of the layers- totally in love with this tape.

Using the crop-a-dile, attach green eyelets to all the pages. Finally assemble all the pages. Here is a close up of the pages.

 

  

And the other side.

 

In my second post this month, I will be taking you through more details of each page.

Supplies from the Lulupu store:

Black & Gray Essentials Sequins 8mm 6g

Simple Life Echo Park Paper Pad 6"X6" 24/Pkg

Fine Tip - Zig 2-Way Glue Pen

Ranger Essentials Wonder Tape Roll 1/8

Action Wobble - Self Adhesive Springs - 12 Pack 

Gold Dotted Japenese Washi Tape

Light Gold Japanese Washi Tape

Forster Woodsies Clothespin Tiny Spring 50pc

Gold Script Japanese Washi Tape

Green Eyelets Standard 60/Pkg

Maggie Holmes Ephemera Cardstock Die-Cuts 81/Pkg

Med Glitter Brads - Metallic

 

 

 

Mixed media Card Challenge - Family + Arrow

Hello creatives,

Its been a while since I posted, so I'm very thankful for your visit today. 

Its challenge reveal day at MMCC and this month, the theme is 

FAMILY + Arrows (optional)

Instead of my usual grungy look, Ive gone bang opposite with a modern feel with the gorgeous Crate Paper Open Book collection. 

This style is totally new to me, but definitely liking it and going to experiment more with these colours, collection and style.

The background has glitter stuck on embossing paste. Lots of layers and to finish off thread and sequins. My mixed media learning through this card was using different elements - chipboard, vellum while staying away from wet medium. Not bad eh?

See you all soon and Happy countdown to Christmas!

Prima Coffee Break - Cards

Hello mateys,

How has the week been progressing for you? Its getting warmer here in Sydney, spring is in the air and in my mood. Combining my DT work for both MMCC and Lulupu this month.
Lulupu's challenge for you is to create a project with

Sparkle and Shine

There are so many products that you can use to add some shine to your projects - the good old rhinestone, sugar dots, more trendy sequins, glitter. Don't forget Heidi Swap colour shine mists, ranger perfect pearls, wink of Stella..... the list goes on.

The Mixed Media Card Challenge theme this month is friendship with an optional element of using ribbon.

Today I want to share 3 cards with you all, mixed media style of course. All of them are made with Prima Coffee Break papers, wood embellishments, stamps and medium, based on the September Prima BAP.

The background for this card was prepared using strips of torn paper, gesso, a bit of lace, stencilling using the prima bubble stencil and finally a sticker from the same collection. Watercolours were added after that and finally when everything was dry, mix glass glitter with gel medium and apply. Gel medium dries clear, meaning you can see the paint and layers underneath giving a very interesting effect.

For this card, start by applying 3d gel through prima stencil, before the gel dries, sprinkle glitter over it. You can combine two or more glitters too for more depth. Allow to dry completely, else the glitter will stick to your fingers and come off. Places where the glitter didn't stick, the 3d gel medium gives a see through embossed kind of effect.

My final card is very simple. Ive used the traditional rhinestone to add colour to an otherwise coffee coloured card. 

Thank you for visiting me today. Have a great week.

MMCC - August - Butterfly + Gold

Gmorn peeps,

 

Start of another month, MMCC has another prompt to kick start your creativity this month.

 

 

The focal point of my card is a butterfly stamp from Darkroom door. Heat embossed, coloured with mists and gold texture paste on top.

 

 

There are plenty more inspired butterflies on the MMCC Blog. Happy weekend and a heartfelt thank you for visiting me today.

Cheers,

Kripa

Kraftit with mustard

Hello friends,

After ages, I made a layout to participate in a challenge Kraft Plus. When this blog started earlier this year, I very eagerly purchased a pack of Kraft cardstock from target, but having never worked with Kraft was super scared until I saw their theme for this month.

 

No, I'm not a fan of yellow, almost never use that colour, I'm  a teal and pink gal, but I just happened to have the right photograph for a yellow/mustard background........ a hilarious photograph from another life (before kids)

 

I also have a mini tutorial today on how the background was prepared.

 

1. Clear gesso so that later on the paper doesn't soak the mists and paints. using a roller to apply gives the gesso texture which will show up on adding mists.

2. Stamping through a circle stencil with black archival ink.

3. Clear embossing paste through circle stencil. The embossing paste will resist mists, and we will be able to see the script stamping through the clear circles. 3d gel medium would do the same too.

4. When completely dry, add shades of yellow and mustard with mists, paints.

5. The next few steps I forgot to take a pic, so will just have to explain. I've image transferred with gel medium a piece of pattern paper which has leaf outlines on it. The same paper is used as a layer as can be seen in the photo. Tear strips of paper, glue it down vertically on the background, let it dry overnight and roll out the top layer with water and a sponge. There are many tutorials online for image transfer with gel medium. Go over the whole thing with gesso to seal the transfer.

Tear some pieces of printed tissue and glue with mod podge randomly. Once dry blend with white gesso. Add washi tape, more mustard, yellow with sprays, acrylic paints.

6. Mix yellow , mustard paint with gesso and apply through a stencil. Don't blend the paints fully into the gesso, so that you can see colour gradation in the stencilled design. Rub ons, stamping and more tissue decoupage for text, add glass glitter, sequins, beads in black.

 

The title is a silhouette die cut frame, heat embossed in black and wrapped around the photo.

 Layers include, mesh (from a lemon packaging), canvas with black sand stencilled through, Kraft tag with journaling and a few more scraps of paper.

 This layout took me a whole week end to end because of the drying time between each layer. Thank you Sandra and team for inspiring me to break open my Kraft cardstock pack. Thoroughly enjoyed making this for my hubby.

 

 

Christmas in July!

Hello crafty friends,

How are you all today?

I got a great deal at Spotlight a few weeks ago, Heidi Swapp Christmas embellishments were on sale. This pack has the cutest stuff - vellum die cuts, acetate snowflakes and titles. Last year, despite my best intentions, only managed a couple of Christmas cards, so this year made an early start.

For our second post this month at Lulupu, the team has decided to showcase CAS cards. CAS is definitely out of my comfort zone, but once I started, found it hard to stop. Today, I'm sharing three cards from the lot I made, hopefully managed to find a balance between CAS design and my love for mixed media art.

 

For all my cards, the background was created by using gesso + white sand texture through a stencil. Gesso ensures that the texture paste gets a bright white color on drying to match the white card stock.  

On this card, the tiniest amount of watercolors were used through a waterbrush to infuse some color before embellishing with gold stars, title and vellum snowflakes.

 

On this one, as there is a contrast already between the texture paste and kraft card stock, no paints were needed, just some embellishments. 

I usually make a few card bases together and experiment with different techniques and color combinations. One such piece of card stock was used to cut the three Christmas trees and another such piece was used to mat the card on.The words have been heat embossed with gold embossing powder after stamping with versamark watermark stamp pad.

Thank you for visiting today. 

Don't forget to visit the Lulupu blog and check more CAS cards from the rest of the team.

Cheers,

Kripa

Products used from the Lulupu store:

Essentials - Mr. Huey's Watercolor Set

Koi Water Brushes Medium

Gold Super Fine Embossing Powder 1oz Jar

Krafty Smooth Value Pack Cardstock 8.5"X11" 25/Pkg

VersaMark Watermark Stamp Pad 1

Gesso - Sakura Acrylic Tube

Heat It Craft Tool Europeon Version

 

Mixed Media Card Challenge - Blue

A new month and a new theme to playalong with on the Mixed media card challenge blog. We've decided to paint the town BLUE with an optional Vase.

 

Here is what I made, tried making a video with my iphone, but went off screen so many times, will have to try again.

The background is a piece of watercolor paper with  decoupaged flowers, texture paste, embossing and mists.

Playing alongwith
SimonSays Wednesday Challenge - Anything goes

Thinking outside the square (& rectangle)

Howdy friends? 

Been a while since I blogged or made anything really. 

Then all of a sudden this week, I feel my mojo coming back, thankfully in time for my interpretation of the challenge over at 

Lulupu - Anything but square / rectangle

Click here to read about the challenge guidelines

1. We want you to think outside the square (and rectangle)........think circle, hexagon, triangle, star, heart, butterfly so many more shapes are there.

2. Cards, tags and mini albums only

3. Make sure you submit entries by 31 July 2015 by 11:55Pm IST

Winner this month will receive a Goodie bag from the Lulupu store.

This month my interpretation with tutorial is a heart shaped mixed media card. A card is a perfect trial ground for practicing techniques, I hope those of you who haven't tried mixed media will give it a go after this.

1. Cut out the base of the card using cardstock and pattern paper that will be used to mat the inside and front of the card. All paper for this card is from Kaisercraft True Romance collection. Cutting the hearts with the Silhouette cameo was easy breezy. Distress the edges of the pattern paper hearts using Prima distress tool. Note: Don't ink the edges, the white edge will give the card a soft look.

 

Before adding any medium I usually arrange embellishments and take a photograph of what I want the card to look like. The final version of this card, looks nothing like this.

2. Randomly stamp Kaisercraft texture stamp with Versamark clear stamp pad and emboss with gold embossing powder. Go over the powder with a heat tool to set it.

3. Mix white sand texture and white embossing paste on a craft mat. Apply through a stencil and let it dry. You can speed up drying with a heat gun, but make sure you don't overheat or hold it too close and make the texture paste bubble. 

4. Time to add colour. Dilute Mr Hueys watercolour magenta onto a scrap plastic piece or palette and using a water brush apply paint little by little. Dry. Then add another wash, continue till you like the result. At this stage, the heart looked like this.

5. Stick the embellishments. Mix glass beads and glass glitter with matt multi medium or gel medium and apply randomly around the resin angel and the chipboard edges. Once it dries, add paints again if required. I added a few hints of green watercolor before adhering the title which was also designed and cut on the Silhouette Cameo.

I love this resin angel from Prima Marketing and ended up making another card..... posting it in a couple of hours. Thank you so much for visiting me today, hope it was worth your time.

Hugs,

Kripa

Let the sea, set you free - MM Canvas

Hello friends,

Im on the Lulupu blog today with a mixed media canvas for their current challenge

Summer Splash

(interpreted by me as related to beach..... sea..... anchor, ship)

For a while, Ive been wanting to create something about my favorite affirmations. One of them is the subject of my canvas today. Its very easy to get frustrated and run down by a sea of emotions resulting from the challenges life throws our way. But, if one takes a different perspective, from the same set of events/ challenges will arise inspiration, balance and inner peace. Happiness is a choice, not a result.

The final push needed came from this moodboard at Scrap Around The World which includes a similar quote.

Cant imagine making a project without my Silhouette Cameo. All the shapes - anchor, seahorse, sea weed, ship in a bottle, birds, sand dollar and a few other random shapes have all been cut with the Silhouette machine.

The background has lots of texture paste, gesso - black and white, Prima sand texture, gel medium, crackle paste and a variety of fabric, mesh, tissue paper. 

Inspired by the different background techniques shared here, Ive started building my background with paper and mesh, followed by texture paste like Rebecca. There were a dozen techniques used to create interesting texture, here is one : apply a fairly thick layer of texture paste. Stamp into it when semi dry. Remember to wash your stamp immediately. Ive stamped Kaiser craft texture stamps and Tim Holtz embossing folder to create patterns in the texture paste.

 

Our theme this month can be interpreted in many different ways. Click here to read all the details. I hope to have inspired you in someway today, look forward to seeing your take on this challenge.

Cheers,

Kripa

MMCC May Challenge : Wings + Foil(optional)

Time for another challenge at MMCC

 

WINGS + Foil (Optional)

 

For a change I made a CAS (for me) card. Three big brush strokes made with a flat brush, two small embellishments and a stamped sentiment. To give some thickness and texture, I've mixed white sand texture to acrylic paint.

 

 

 

There are many more beautiful cards on the MMCC blog created by the DT for this month's theme. Hope you play along too.

 

 

Hugs and see you soon,

Kripa

 

 

Watercolour Cards

Hello friends,

I'm on the Lulupu blog with my interpretation of

 

Lulupu Challenge #48

Watercolour Cards

Cards are not really my forte and neither are watercolours, so I was nervous at first, but both turned out to be so addictive, couldn't stop once the ideas started flowing.

Today, I have two cards and pictorials to share. The first one is my favourite technique, that I use often on mixed media layouts while creating backgrounds. The same technique turned out quite good even on a card. The base is a watercolour paper, with embossing paste applied through a stencil. Before applying any colour, ensure the base is completely dry.

 Now starts the interesting part - dab some paint onto a piece of plastic - I've used the cover of a stamp set. Press the paint side down on the watercolour paper and lightly guide the paint with your fingers. After two applications, the card looked like picture 2. Start with a small dab of dilute paint and build up layers ensuring each layer dries completely unless you want the colours to mix. The speed at which you apply the plastic, the amount of paint and water will all give different splatter effects.

 

Then I used the same magenta paint but with lesser water, giving a more intense colour. Finally some light peach. The 'hello' is also painted with several coats of the same magenta colour.To finish off the card, I've used some thread and sequins and edged the card with dilute paint using a waterbrush.

 

 

 

After this card, I decided to be a little more adventurous and step outside my comfort zone and try something new - traditional watercolour painting. The base for my experiment this time is a piece of Prima patter paper with a light coat of gesso. If you don't gesso, paper will soak the paint and it wont spread. Once completely dry, I drew some macaroons (yummy) using watercolour pencils.

 

Then using a waterbrush, went over the drawing, like magic, the lines will melt into paint and start to spread wherever your brush goes. Its so easy to clean a waterbrush too, just touch the tip to a tissue till the colour soaks off, or brush it over a scrap paper a few times till all the paint runs out. After going over all the drawings, add some shading with the same colour paints and some splatters. My favourite part was painting the creamy macaroon fillings. To finish, I tried lettering with the thinnest brush I had - this was the most challenging part of the card. As you can see, the oo in the macaroons bled out, the base wasn't completely dry.

For all those watercolour beginners (and experts 😊) out there, I hope you feel inspired to try the techniques shared by me and the other DT. There are many mediums you can use - paints, watercolour pencils, distress inks even gelatos and there is still plenty of time left to create and link your creation here.

How to : Image transfer using mod podge

My post today is a short tutorial on image transfer. Ever since I bought mod podge image transfer from the Lulupu store a few months back, I've been itching to try it out. The process is very simple:

Gather all your supplies:
1. Prints / photocopies of image : if you have a laser printout or an actual photograph, take a photo copy. The image will only transfer from a thinnish paper - photo paper is too thick. Also, remember that the transferred image will be a mirror image of the original, so if you have text or need a particular orientation, flip the image before printing.
2. Mod podge image transfer medium: comes with a foam brush for easy application.
3. Pattern paper (or canvas/ wood/ metal) onto which you want to transfer the image.
4. Mod podge matte to make the surface waterproof. Gel medium would also work for this.

Step1: Prepare the base on which you want to transfer the image. In my case, two sheets of Prima paper with a thin coat of white gesso. Once dry applied a coat of mod podge matte. This ensures the layers beneath are sealed and the surface is waterproof. (you will discover soon why waterproof surface is required)

Step 2: Cut out the image to be transferred, leaving no white edges. Apply a slightly thick and even coat of mod podge image transfer on the right side of the image. Place the medium side down on the patter paper and remove any air bubbles or crease on the paper by running. a brayer over it. This now needs to dry overnight.

Step3: Next morning, I ran a wet brush over the top of the image, let the paper soak up the water and gently rubbed over the paper with my fingers. Slowly, the paper started peeling off revealing the transferred image. Be gentle, or the paper can tear. Once all the paper is out, let it dry and give it a coat of mod podge to seal and protect.

As you can see, the transferred image isn't as bright as the original, so I touched it up using watercolour pencils and watercolours. Now I have two page dividers ready to go into my planner.

I'd love to see how you've used this product and see your creation. Also, don't forget to check out the Birthday Celebration challenge at Lulupu, there are more than the usual share of prizes to be won.

Linking this to Beyond Grey Challenges : Mixed Media - felt like this one was written just for me. Gesso, mod podge image transfer medium, paints, watercolour pencils.