How to Enhance Your Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Chipboard

Hi everyone!  Barbara here today with a card project using Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts "Special Delivery" chipboard and Graphic 45 Once Upon a Springtime paper collection.  The colors in this paper are nice and soft and perfect for welcoming a cute little newborn baby.  My main focus today is sharing some fun and easy techniques for bringing your laser cut chipboard piece(s) to life. 

Make a 5"x7" top folded card using a peach colored card stock.  I cut two additional layers, each 1/4" smaller.  So the second layer measures 6-3/4" x 4-3/4", while the third layer measures 6-1/2" x 4-1/2".  The edges of each layer were heavily distressed.

Adhere each layer to the base card and set aside.

Paint Special Delivery chippie with Timeless chalk paint.   You could also use white gesso, so use whatever you have.

Dab Picket Fence distress stain (DS) over stork, and Brushed Pewter DS over "Special Delivery".  Let dry.

Color stork's beak, legs and feet with Wild Honey and Mustard Seed distress markers.  Color top of stork's head with Barn Door and Worn Lipstick distress markers.  Let dry.

Trace around the chipboard pouch, as much as you can, onto a piece of sticky back canvas.  You can also use a scrap piece of canvas without the sticky back, and just use white glue to adhere it.

Cut out sticky back canvas pouch and dry brush over it with a very tiny amount of Frayed Burlap DS that has been watered down. 

Remove adhesive backing and adhere over chipboard pouch.

Brush on a coat of white glue to stork and cover with Ivory Flower Soft.  (I did not have white Flower Soft, but you can use either color.  As always, use what you have.)  Add Baby Peach Flower soft to stork's head and add a bit over his tail feathers.  It looks funny right now, but let the glue dry and then gently brush excess flower soft away. 

Rub Tarnished Brass DS over "Special Delivery" for a vintage feel.  Fill in any areas that may need more Flower Soft.  Add a dot of Black Enamel Accents for the stork's eye.

Die cut a piece of the same peach card stock with a decorative die, such as the one I used (Timeless Heart).

Adhere to card front so that it sits centered beneath the words "Special Delivery".

Punch some leaves from a piece of the green print paper.

Adhere Special Delivery chippie, some fussy cut stamp images from the paper collection, paper flowers and craft punched leaves.

Here are a few closeups of some of the details added to the card and chipboard.

Baker's Twine tied around top of pouch

Gold Pearl 3D paint added to flower centers

Three stamp images cut from paper collection

Flower Soft added to stork, black enamel dot for eye

Supplies Used:

GSL Special Delivery
G45 Once Upon a Springtime paper collection
Spellbinders S6-126 Timeless Heart Die
Americana Timeless chalk paint
Distress Stain
  Picket Fence
  Brushed Pewter
  Frayed Burlap
  Tarnished Brass
Distress Markers
  Wild Honey
  Mustard Seed
  Worn Lipstick
  Barn Door
Ranger Black Enamel Accents
Five Leaf craft punch
Paper Flowers (Prima)
Flower Soft
  Ivory
  Baby Peach
Baker's Twine (pink & white)
Adhesive-backed Canvas (Ranger)
Gold Pearl Metallic Dimensional Paint (Jacquard)

I hope you enjoyed today's project and perhaps have been inspired to use some of your products you have laying around in your stash to further enhance your chipboard embellishments. 

As always, thanks so much for stopping by, and have a wonderful and craft-filled week!

Barbara

Mixed Media Cards - Call Me

Hi everyone!  Barbara here today on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts blog.  I don't know about you, but I absolutely love antiques and anything vintage.  When I saw these Vintage Phones, I knew they would work really well with Graphic 45's Communique paper.  So I decided to make a couple of vintage cards with them.

For the first card: 

Make a 5" x 6-1/2" folded black card for your base.  Cut script paper slightly smaller than card front, distress with black ink and adhere.  Die cut an elegant frame from black card stock and adhere to card, as shown.

 Choose your chipboard and paint each piece with black acrylic paint.  I like to do this first because it not only gives the chippies a base color, but it also seals the surface.  

Next, I began adding some extra dimension onto my telephone pieces by using the border strips from the Texture Sheets Fiesta.  I also added a strip of chipboard to each phone handle, as shown in the photo.

Paint handle and bottom of phone with Raw Sienna.  Let dry

Repeat step above using Transparent Yellow Iron Oxdie.  Let dry.

Repeat step above using Carbon Black antiquing cream.  Let dry.  Add brass metallic pasted to the phone, dial cover, and handset, as shown.  Wipe off most of the antiquing cream with a wet baby wipe or paper towel.  

Punch a 1" circle from scrap paper with a craft punch and adhere it beneath the dial cover.  

Adhere all pieces to the card front, as shown.  Lastly, dry brush a silver metallic paint over the brass areas, and distress edges with black distress ink.  Add a piece of coiled wire from the handset to the phone base to finish it off.

For card number two:

Follow the same procedure to paint the phone and put all the pieces together.   Cut the numbers apart and adhere to card front, as shown.   Use the photo as a reference.  Lastly, I added more silver and gold to the brass areas of the phone to help them stand out better against the paper background.

Supplies used:

GSL Vintage Phones

GSL Mixed Media Fragments 1 (numbers background)

GSL Texture Sheets Fiesta

Graphic 45 Communique paper collection

Spellbinders Dies: S4-445 Majesty; 

DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylic Burnt Sienna

DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylic Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide

DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylic Metallic Silver

DecoArt Media Antiquing Cream - Carbon Black

DecoArt Metallic Lustre - Burnished Brass

Black acrylic paint

Black distress ink

Foam blending tool

I hope you like my project today. I thought these would make great cards to invite your friends or family to get in touch.  But I also believe these would make great cards for any occasion, and I think they have a bit of a masculine feel, as well.  What do you think?

Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful, crafty day!

Barbara

Vintage Steampunk Card with Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts

Hi everyone!  Barbara here on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts blog.  I want to share a card today with a very masculine, steampunk feel. More birthdays are coming up in the next few months, so I actually have a recipient in mind.  Laser cut chipboard is a real pleasure to work with, and I love how they add so much dimension to a card without adding too much bulk.

For this masculine card, I used a blue card stock for the card base and the first layer is a piece of script paper cut slightly smaller, with a bit of distressing around the edges.

I chose my chipboard pieces and some paper images from the paper pad to use together.  Each piece was painted with acrylic paint, then gelatos were used to give the added color.  A silver ink pad was used to ink the pocket watch, and a gold ink pad was used to ink the key.

The pieces were added to the card front, as shown.  I computer-generated "Happy Birthday Dad!" on a scrap of matching paper and adhered the delicate frame shape  over it.  The circular paper image of the gentleman on a clock was adhered over the pocket watch.

Supplies Used:


GSL Delicate Frames and Ornaments Shape Set
GSL Miniature Shapes Set - Guy Thing
Blue card stock
Print papers and die cuts
Acrylic paint
Gelatos
Gold, Silver ink pads
Makeup sponge

I hope you have been inspired, at least a little bit, to give laser cut chipboard a go on your next card project.  You won't be disappointed, and your recipient will be so impressed.  

Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful, crafty day!

Barbara

Vintage Feminine Card with Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts

Hi everyone!  Barbara here on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts blog.  I want to share a card today with a very feminine, and a bit shabby chic, feel.  I have birthdays coming up in the next few months, so cards to send are on my mind.  Laser cut chipboard is a real pleasure to work with, and I love how they add so much dimension to a card without adding too much bulk.

I used a pink card base and print paper layer cut slightly smaller.   I painted the Flourished Frame Connie with pink acrylic paint and distressed it with gelatos.

Next step, adhere the layers, as shown, including the print post card from the paper.

I painted all pieces with a coat of acrylic paint before adding color with gelatos to give added depth and dimension to the pieces.  The perfume bottle was run through an embossing folder (just the bottle portion) and then I hit the high spots with a gold ink pad.  I also added some gold to parts of the bird cage, as well.

Next step, adhere the bird cage with the postage stamp image over the opening.

Adhere the remaining pieces to the card front, as shown.

Lastly, I added a few gem stickers to the fleur de lys, dressform, and perfume bottle top.

Supplies Used:

GSL Flourished Frame Connie
GSL Ornamental Bird Cages Shape Set
GSL Dressforms 2 Shape Set
GSL Parisian Shape Set
Pink card stock 
Print papers and die cuts (3 Birds - Estate Collection)
Embossing folder
Acrylic paint
Gelatos
Gold ink pad
Makeup sponge
Gem sticker embellishments

I hope you have been inspired, at least a little bit, to give laser cut chipboard a go on your next card project.  You won't be disappointed, and your recipient will be so impressed.  

Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful, crafty day!

Barbara

Cards to Remember with Craftwell USA and Clearsnap

Hi everyone!  Barbara here on the Craftwell Blog with some Remembrance Cards using my Craftwell eBrush, along with stamps and ink pads from our partner, Clearsnap.  

The style and theme of these are perfect for making inspirational cards for gift giving, birthday, and special occasions.  As I was making these cards, using the skyline stamp and the Remember dies, I couldn't help but think about 9-11.  But on a happier note, it would be perfect to say to someone, I remembered your birthday or anniversary, and have the Best Day Ever.   

The first card is the one that reminded me so much of 9-11, but I think I brightened it up enough with sunny colors that it is quite suitable for a birthday or any special occasion.  

Of course, I used my Cut n' Boss to die cut several of my Teresa Collins dies.  I also used her paper pad, Sweet Afternoon.

I stamped the skyline image twice, in line, onto a scrap of the yellow paper with the Pink Passion ink pad.  I embossed it with clear embossing powder, and it turned the images to a beautiful peach color.  I think the yellow paper was helping do that.  

I put some glue on the back of the Remember die and adhered it over the stamped image, as shown.  Then I cut the excess yellow paper from around the die image.

Next, I used the Teresa Collins Deco Circles embossing folder with white card stock.  These embossing folders are large enough to emboss an entire sheet of 8-1/2 x 11 paper.  What I don't use in my project today will be saved for later.

I cut a rectangle to measure 3" x 4", then cut it on the diagonal from point to point.  If you want an equilateral triangle, then cut any size square first.  I wanted this uneven triangle, however.

Now comes the fun. I love my eBrush because I get to make my own background papers (or embellishments) to match.  One triangle was colored with a combination of the pink and yellow marker.  The second triangle was simply colored with the blue marker, leaving it darker in some places for dimension.  I inked both triangles with the Gold Shine ink pad for some extra shine.  I love how it turned out.  It actually gave it a bit of a vintage feel.

When all was finished, I added my pieces to the card front, as shown in the finished photo above.

The second card was really fun and simple, too.  The papers were adhered to the card front, as shown, along with a bow and some bling.  The die cut key was cut from blue card, but inked with the Gold Shine ink pad.  You'd never know it wasn't cut from gold card.

A little tip to share:  When you cut your dies with the removable alphabet, such as these, but you want to keep them in tact, before removing the paper from the die, lay a piece of scor-tape, or any double sided adhesive with a paper liner on one side, over the back of the paper.

When you remove the label/letters from the die, the alphabet remains in tact, and you have a ready made sticker with the adhesive on the back.  Fun?

Supplies Used:

Craftwell USA eBrush
Craft well Cut n' Boss

Teresa Collins Today Project Dies
Teresa Collins Remember This Project Dies
Teresa Collins Honeycome Project Die
Teresa Collins Deco Circles embossing folder
Teresa Collins 6x6 paper pad - Sweet Afternoon

Clearsnap Skyline rubber stamp (Teresa Collins)

Clearsnap pigment ink pads Passion Pink, Gold 
Card stock - Textured White, Blue

Prismacolor Markers - Pink, True Blue, Spanish Orange
Clear embossing powder
White ribbon

There will be more fun projects featuring the Clearsnap., so make sure to check out the Craftwell Blog all month long for more inspiration from the team. 

Thanks for stopping by, and have a crafty day!