Metal Album with Altered Pages

Hello everyone, and welcome back to my end of the month post.  As you know by now, we have been featuring products from this month's fabulous sponsor, MD Hobby & Craft.  The design team has made some wonderful projects for you that should really get those creative juices flowing.  And for my last post of May, I hope to continue some of that inspiration.

I knew I wanted to make a book with a metal cover, and I had a 12"x12" piece of the Lincane perforated metal sheet left.  It was a natural progression to determine that I could get two book covers (front and back) if I cut it in half (6"x12") and then in half again to make two 6"x6" covers.  (A guillotine style paper trimmer cuts through the metal sheets like butter).

Cover the three cut edges on each metal piece with silver foil tape.  I used 2" duct tape (not Duck tape) that is used to insulate heating ventilation pipes.  I cut it down to 1/2" strips and applied half of the length to each side, bending it over to cover the edge.  Now you will not be cut by the cut metal edges.

I used my Cinch binding machine to punch holes on the left side of each metal cover and all of the sheets of paper for the inside of the book.  (TIP:  If you do not have a Cinch, a Crop-a-dile hand held punch will also go through the metal.)

Select papers from both the Pretty in Pink and Vintage Blue 6x6 Glitz Paper Pads and punch holes in the sides of each piece. They are already the proper size for this  book.  Some of the pages are placed back to back, and adhered only on the bottom and side without holes, leaving the top open to serve as a pocket to hold even more tags, photos, and ephemera.  Trim 10 sheets of the Cream Cardstock 20 Pack to 6"x6" and punch holes. Save the excess card stock for making tags for the book, for future projects, or for die cutting.

If you want to make your book more interesting, you can add some of the small Coin Envelopes and tags or ephemera pieces from the Altered Art Pack, placing them in different spots throughout the book.  Print out and cut the Altered Tags collage sheet apart and place these inside some of the Glassine Envelopes and Bags.  Adhere the bags to your pages for some interactive fun.  Let your imagination run wild!

Bind the book with a large spiral binding wire, or use the wire coils that are made for the Cinch binding machine.  TIP: If you do not have a binding machine, simply punch one or two holes in each cover and page with a handheld paper punch, like a Crop-a-dile, and use binder rings to put your book together.

Emboss a small piece of the rolled aluminum sheeting with an embossing folder from the 2 Pack Embossing Folders.  Paint the metal with black paint.  Sand the paint off the high spots and add color with a Ranger Blending Tool, felt, and alcohol inks.   Die cut the piece with the Labels 16 die.  Save the outer frame piece for a future project, or use it on one of the many pages in the book.

Adhere label to center of book front on point, as shown.

Die cut a second label from a piece of the print paper and adhere to the inside front cover over the label.

Use Delicata Silver ink pad and Black StazOn ink pad to color the German Gold Backplate or Hinge, adhere to top and bottom edge of book cover, as shown.  

Color the Escutcheon Keyhole Ornate chipboard the same way and adhere with Aleene's Tacky Glue to the lower right of the cover.

Stamp the postal tag from the G45 Come Away With Me stamp set onto a Coin Envelope using the VersaFine Sepia ink pad.  Cut away the top flap and trim the sides to match the stamped tag shape.

Make some embellishments using images from any of the collage sheets listed.  Punch out an image with a 1" circle punch, glue into a Bottle Cap, and add a Clear Dome Stickers for Bottle Caps over the image to magnify and finish off the image.  You can glue them flat to any of the pages inside your book for added dimension, or punch a tiny hole in the top, add a jump ring through the hole in the bottle cap and hang it from some of the ribbon using Lightbulb Safety Pins.  

The Kaisercraft Bingo Cards can be inserted into any of the envelopes or bags, or glued directly to a page.

Decorate a library card and pocket with print papers.  

Add collage images to the library card with a quote for the inside.

The Zig 2-way Glue Pen works extremely well for adding glue to tiny and detailed paper embellishments.

I could go on and on, but I think I have given you some ideas for ways to use some of the supplies listed.  Use your imagination and run with it.

To finish off the cover, adhere some Assorted Flowers and Pen Nibs Assorted to the cover, with a butterfly image that was first fussy cut, then heat embossed with Versamark ink and clear embossing powder.  

Add brown color to the Sheer Ribbon, yellow to match your book cover, and tie to the spiral binding.  Add a key charm with a Lightbulb Safety Pins to the ribbon.

Stamp any and all of the rubber stamps I have listed on your pages, pockets, envelopes, or tags.  Color and or embellish to your heart's content.  The same goes for the collage images of your choice, adding to your pages in ways that please you.  Here are some of the pages that I have been working on.  

Left: Rubber stamped dragonfly and quote
Right:  Kaisercraft Bingo Cards and Printed Tag

Supplies:

Altered Pages:

• 6x6 Glitz Paper Pads (Pretty in Pink) (Vintage Blue)
• Cream Cardstock 20 Pack
• Coin Envelopes 10 Pack
• Glassine Envelopes and Bags
• Scroll Corners Chipboard
• Library Cards + Pockets
• Kraft Clock Faces
• Create Art collage sheet; Vintage Words collage sheet
• Tools for Artists collage sheet; Quotations collage sheet
• I Create, Therefore I Am collage sheet; Collage Backgrounds 1
• Belle Jardiniere collage sheet; Altered Tags collage sheet
• Femme le Fluer rubber stamp
• Lily Pad rubber stamp
• Honeycomb Border rubber stamp
• Muse Dragonfly stamp set
• G45 Come Away With Me stamp set
• Time on Your Side stamp set
• French Postmark rubber stamp
• Frilly Square rubber stamp
• Assorted Flowers
• Glitz Journaling Stickers
• Glitz What-Nots Embellishments Collections
• Lovely Lasses Stickers
• Valentine Angel & Roses Stickers
• Kaisercraft Bingo Card Packs
• Bottle Cap Images collage sheet
• 2 Pack Embossing Folders
• Ranger Blending Tool
• Escutcheon Keyhole Ornate chipboard
• Altered Art Pack
• German Gold Backplate or Hinge
• Lightbulb Safety Pins
• Bottle Caps, Silver or Gold 8 pack
• Clear Dome Stickers for Bottle Caps
• Pen Nibs Assorted
• Zig 2-way Glue Pen
• Aleene's Tacky Glue
• Double Side Tape Mini
• Black StazOn ink pad
• VersaFine Sepia ink pad
• Delicata Silver ink pad
• Sheer Ribbon, yellow
• Times Nouveau Frames

Other supplies:

• MD Hobby & Craft:  Lincane Perforated Aluminum Sheet; Rolled Aluminum metal sheet
• Alcohol inks (Stream, Juniper, Sunset Orange)
• Spellbinders Labels 16 die set
• Sizzix Writing Desk die set
• Vintage Photo distress ink
• Cinch binding machine
• Silver metal foil tape for duct work (hardware store)

As you can see from this rather LONG supply list, Altered Pages carries a ton of awesome products for use in your mini albums and scrapbooks.  So stop on over and check out what is available in the store.  My book is far from being complete, and I have a gazillion ideas in my head as to how I want to decorate the inside.  With so many choices, it's hard not to.  

Thanks so much to MD Hobby & Craft for allowing us to "play" with their fabulous products this month.  I have a bit of this perforated sheet left, so I am sure I will have more fun ideas for its use in the future.

And a big thanks to you for stopping by today.  

And now for some news!

• Gelatos are BACK!

All your favorite colors of Gelatos are available!   Steampunk, Metallics and great creamy color sets are ready to go!  use the coupon code EASY for a 25% discount on your total order! (excluding shipping)

• New Collage themes and topics are at Altered Pages.

Please find new collages throughout the website, browse categories to find fun and inspiration.

Yummy stuff - click here 

 And last but not least ...

• JUNE will be awesome!

The month of June is dedicated to Altered Pocket Pages with a swap and free collages!   Watch the Blog for details on how you can participate and win an Altered Pocket Pages Art Kit.  Our team will be offering inspiration for your Altered Pocket Pages. 

Have a wonderful and creative week!

Barbara

Fun with Sin City Stamps and Primary Elements

Hey there!  I hope everyone is enjoying the warmer weather, but where did May go?  Hmmm... it sure does fly by faster and faster.  But today I have a fun, steampunkish, tag tutorial I want to share.  I am using a new (to me) stamp set that I just got from Sin City Stamps using one of my favorite images, hot air balloons.  I have prepared a video tutorial to show you all the fun you can have using all of these products together.  So let's get started.

Supplies:

Sin City Stamps

• Up Up and Away rubber stamp plate
• Art Journaling with Terri Sproul 2 rubber stamp plate

ColourArte Primary Elements Artist Pigments:

• Olive Vine, Meridian Blue, Burnt Umber, Ginger Flower, Ancient Coin, Sunflower

ColourArte Radiant Rain Shimmering Mist:

• Blue Pearl

Gina's Designs Lasercut Chipboard

• Steampunk 2 Shape Set
• Word Ribbons 4

Small (2-5/8" x 5-1/4") Ivory Tags (Paper Reflections)
Clear Gesso (Liquitex)
Gum Arabic (Winsor & Newton)
Mini Mister filled with water
Black, Leaf Green Archival ink pad
Tim Holtz Ideaology Spinners w/brad
Vintage Photo distress ink pad

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope I have inspired you to try these great products.  You see how beautifully they work together, stamps, chipboard, and paints, ooh la la!

Have a wonderful, creative weekend!

Barbara

Happy Memorial Day

Hello everyone.  I hope you are all having a pleasant holiday.  I made a card to honor those who have served to protect our country and our freedoms.

This picture of soldiers waiting to board a ship reminded me of a story my father told me when he and his fellow airmen were put on the Queen Mary, being sent to fight in WWII.  The ship had been retrofitted to bunk the thousands of men being sent overseas, and I can only imagine what was going through their minds.  Some never returned, and others wondered why they made it back at all.

Again, this is just a small tribute to our military forces, but I want to express my sincerest gratitude to each and every one of you. Thank you!

Barbara

Smeared & Smudged May 2015 Member Blog Hop: Anything Goes

Hey there everyone, and thanks for stopping by.  It's been awhile since I have done a blog hop with Smeared and Smudged, so I thought I would give it a go again.  This month's challenge is ANYTHING GOES, my favorite theme.  All that is needed is a bit of imagination and some stamps, either rubber or digital. 

 I chose this cool Fairy Dragon Queen digi stamp by Norma J. Burnell that I purchased on Etsy from Fairy Tangle Art.  Isn't she beautiful?

I sized the image to 4"x6", printed on cream card stock, and colored with my Twinkling H20s.  I have provided a list of the colors used in the supplies below.  I used a tiny amount of white gesso to give some highlights to areas I felt needed it.

Next, adhere image to a piece of thin chipboard for stability.  Die cut frame from grey card stock and trim 3/8" all around the edges.  Adhere frame to 5"x7" black card.  Here is a closeup.  I tried to capture the beautiful shimmer of the Twinkling H20s, but it is so hard to do that if you are an amateur photographer, such as myself.

Supplies:

Fairy Dragon Queen digital stamp

ColourArte TwinklingH20s: Moss Green, Forest Green, Mustard Green

Sweet Lavender, Blue Ice, Mystic Blue

Dreamsicle, Sunflower, Golden Monarch

Almond Beige, Jasmine, Black Cherry

Black Micron Pen

Water brush

Cream, Grey, Black card stock

Spellbinders die:  Majestic Labels 25

Here is a list of the bloggers to make it easy for you to check out all of the awesome creations by these very talented artists.  I know inspiration awaits from each and every one of them.

May Member Blog Hop
Black Dragon 
Nan
Teresa
 Leslie Rahye
Anna 
Tit Belsoeur
 Susan R.
Maureen 
Jane
Barbara
Susan S. 
Katie
Shell
Donna 

Enjoy the rest of the blog hop, and have a fabulous weekend!

Barbara

Mixed Media: Comfort Zone Wall Plaque

Hello dear stamper friends!  This month, the talented Sin City Stamps design team have been sharing some awesome projects using those luscious products from ColourArte.  I combined their beautiful paints with some of Sin City's rubber stamps and die cut shapes.

Today I am going to share a simple but fun wall plaque.

I traced this design onto a piece of thick chipboard and cut it out.

Spread DecoArt Media Modeling Paste through Circle Collage Stencil by Terri Sproul with a spatula.

I applied the paste in three spots, that magic number.  Allow to dry.

Spread more DecoArt Media Modeling Paste through SCS Brick Wall Stencil in three spots, going off the edge of the board.

Once again, allow the paste to dry before proceeding.   You can speed drying time with a heat tool, but be careful or you could get some bubbling.

Spread more DecoArt Media Modeling Paste through a script stencil and allow to dry.

Paint entire board surface with white gesso and let dry.

Spray ColourArte's Shimmering Mists over background:  Honeydew, Ginger Peach, and Snapdragon.  Let dry.

Spray ColourArte's Shimmering Mist Honeydew over the entire background.  It gives the colors a bit of a vintage feel.

Lay out chipboard pieces onto background in a pleasing manner.  Do not glue them down yet.  This is just to give you an idea where to stamp.

Stamp flourishes and crackle background around the base with black archival ink.  Use several sizes of the flourishes to build your own flourishes and extend them.

It does not matter what color your die cuts are because you can make them your own.  First, paint each die cut with a coat of white gesso and let dry.

The chandelier was painted with ColourArte's Mediterranean Blue, edged with Nutmeg daubers.  Then, dimension was added with Peacock Liquid Pearls.

The table was painted with Nutmeg dauber, dabbing over and over, leaving specks that resemble burl wood.  Dimension was added with Platinum Pearl Liquid Pearls.

The spiral staircase was painted with the Nutmeg dauber, then Solar Gold Dauber.  More Nutmeg was added to the stairs.  Dimension was added with Platinum Pearl Liquid Pearls.

Cover the vase with Mediterranean Blue and edge with Nutmeg daubers.  Add dimension with Royal Blue Liquid Pearls.

Cover the lamp base with Mediterranean Blue and edge with Nutmeg daubers.  Cover lamp shade with Bisque Liquid Pearls, applying two coats with your finger and allowing to dry between coats.  Add dimension with Platinum Pearl Liquid Pearls.

Dab the solid butterfly with Radiant Rain Rich Cobalt, mist with water and dab excess.  Dab top cut out butterfly with Radiant Rain Mallard and edge with Radiant Rain Solar Gold.  Let dry, adhere pieces together.  Add dimension with Platinum Pearl Liquid Pearls.

Cover the dress form with Nutmeg dauber.  Use finger to dab a very light coat of the Platinum Pearl Liquid Pearls over the wire portion, and sponge Vintage Photo distress ink over the wood legs and top.  A bit of dimension was added with Platinum Pearl Liquid Pearls.

Give the frame an antique gold look by first dabbing with Vintage Photo distress stain, dry, then Radiant Rain Solar Gold dauber, dry, then Radiant Rain Nutmeg dauber, dry.

Die cut a frame using two dies sizes from the Spellbinders die set onto a piece of chipboard.

When you separate the pieces, you will have a frame and a center piece.  Save the center piece for another project.

Die cut a single piece of chipboard and tan card stock from the largest rectangle to be used as your backing piece.  Stamp sentiment onto another piece of tan card stock, center frame piece over image and trace around it with pencil.  Cut away excess card stock, as well as the letters "C" and "s", as shown.   These are the pieces you should have.  

Dab vintage photo distress stain over the chipboard frame, leaving dots of color to look like burl wood.  If you do not gesso the chipboard first, the stain will sink right into the fibers wherever it hits first, giving you these awesome color varia

Dab ColourArte's Solar Gold dabber over the top.

Lightly dab more Nutmeg dauber over the frame to give it a more vintage look.

Adhere frame over stamped card stock, allowing the letters that extend past the frame opening to be seen.  Adhere the second backing piece of chipboard to the back for stability.  Add some dimensional accents with Platinum Liquid Pearls in each corner.

Adhere all chipboard pieces to the base, as shown.  (Some of the photos show a different framed sentiment, which I ultimately changed to the current one).  Edge base with Chestnut Roan chalk ink.

I used Flower Soft™to make flowers and leaves using floral wire and glue, adhering the little flower particles to the wire.  I then inserted them into the vase in the lower left corner.

I found this little metal bird in my stash and knew I needed it to balance my piece.

Paint bird with white gesso, let dry.  Then paint with Radiant Gels Twilight and Stargazer dimensional paints.  Paint beak with Radiant Gels Emperor's Gold, and dry brush a bit over the bird's wings and tail feathers, as well as the breast.  Dot the eye with a black pen, and an even tinier dot with a white gel pen.

Here are a few more closeups.

Sin City Stamps:
Circle Collage Stencil by Terri Sproul
Brick Wall Stencil
Art Journal 3 rubber stamp plate
Sin City Wings rubber stamp plate
Around the House die cuts
In the Bedroom die cuts
Butterfly and Bee die cuts

Other:
DecoArt Media Modeling Paste
Liquitex white gesso
ColourArte Radiant Rains Mists:  Honeydew, Ginger Peach, Snapdragon
ColourArte Radiant Rains Daubers:  Mediterranean Blue, Nutmeg, Solar Gold
ColourArte Radiant Gels Dimensional Paints:  Twilight, Stargazer, Emperor's Gold
Flower Soft™(emerald green, baby pink, lavender)
Liquid Pearls Peacock, Platinum Pearl, Bisque
Vintage Photo distress ink and distress stain
Black archival ink
Chestnut Roan chalk ink
Scrap tan cardstock
Metal bird embellishment

I hope you enjoyed my rather lengthy, but picture-filled project today, and that I may have inspired you to take those die cuts and make them your own.  I think you will love how easy it is to change the look of simple shapes with gorgeous paint products from ColourArte.  With the right products, anything is possible.  Of course, the stencils are fabulous fun for adding texture, and the stamps add that extra bit of flair.

Have a wonderful week, and stay crafty, my friends!

Barbara