Card Making

I never realised how much fun it is to work with sticky back canvas! So many times I just reach for a piece of cardstock, but for some reason it popped into my mind to use the canvas for this note card. And I love it!!

Lots of people who use the canvas tear it, but I wasn’t feeling particularly strong so I just cut out a rectangle to use for the main design panel. Next I stamped a Hero Arts flower stamp onto the canvas using Archival ink. I knew I was going to colour in the image and so wanted to use a permanent ink, but I found the archival ink to be very faded – it could just be my ink pad, i know i have had it for quite some time. SO…to rescue the project, I stamped over the top using Black Soot distress ink. Because the stamp was a clear polymer stamp, i could stamp the image exactly over the first attempt, without the tell tale sign of a shadow. Before moving on to the colouring part, I heat set the image with a heat gun. This makes the ink set so it won’t bleed – an essential step for this technique!

I first thought of using markers, as I know Jennifer McGuire has used copic markers on canvas before with fantastic results, but as it seemed to be a day of bright ideas, I listened to my heart when it told me to pull out the ArtQuest Pearlescent paints!! Oh, aren’t they lush! I love the perfect shimmery feel it gives to the card, and seeing all those glimmery bits sit on top of the canvas reflecting the light is just way too cool!

The trick with using the paints was to remember not to paint all the way up to the line. The canvas is absorbent and as such you don’t need to bring the colour up to touch the image, but just stop slightly before – this way the canvas will do the rest itself.

After stamping the image and colouring it in, I decided to see if I could get a frayed edge just to give the whole thing a bit more texture. Using a piercing tool, I inserted the needle tip between the fibres at the edge and gently eased the last couple of fibres away. I found this was a super easy way to get a uniform look all the way around the canvas edge.

As the canvas is self adhesive, it was easy to mount unto some cardstock, and then all i had to do was create a base for the card. The feminine flowers and girly glitz made me reach for my flourish label die from spellbinders and a flourish stamp from Impression Obsession. And the ink….Mustard seed distress ink of course!

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope maybe you’ll try stamping on canvas soon too.

Products Used

Card – white, red
Sticky back canvas (Claudine Hellmuth)
Stamps – Hero arts
Distress ink – black soot, mustard seed
Impression Obsession 6 inch flourish stamp
labels nestabilities & oval nestabilites
Cuttlebug
Gems
Sharpie Markers (to colour the clear gems to coordinate with the colour scheme)
Yellow Brad
Grosgrain ribbon
ArtQuest Pearlescent paint (stargazer)
Glossy Accents (adhering gems)

This is definitely one of those weekends where I wish I could close my eyes and transport myself to another location, and it isn’t hard to guess where I would want to be…California! But it’s not the beaches i’m dreaming of, or the sunshine, or the wealth of culture, but rather the aisles and aisles of crafty goodness that will be filling the Los Angeles Conference Centre this weekend for CHA Winter 2011. The Craft and Hobby Association are once again hosting its winter conference and trade show over the next few days, from 29th Jan – 1st Feb, where our best loved manufacturers will be showcasing their products to the Industry. With over 25 Business seminars, and 50 craft technique workshops, it’s no wonder I am less than satisfied with the realistic alternative of spending this dull, rainy British weekend at home.  But nevertheless, thanks to the wonderful invention of the internet, we can all enjoy sneak peeks into the world of CHA as companies throughout the industry have been offering little glimpses into their new product releases over the last few weeks.

And where can you find these sneak peeks?. ..almost everywhere: Facebook, twitter, manufacturers websites, but I have found that the best place for a comprehensive list is Scrapbookdate.com. If you haven’t already checked out ScrapbookUpdate.com, an informative news website run by the talented newshound, Nancy Nally, then you really should jump over to check out the latest in our industry news.

So as I can’t be in California, strolling up and down the aisles of the convention, I thought that I would instead share a few links with you showcasing some of the new releases that have caught my eye. This is the pre-warning so you can close your eyes if you don’t want your bank balance to be damaged because I am sure that you will want these just as much as I do.

Echo Park : Little Girl

A bright and funky collection, perfect for summertime fun layouts. I just love those cupcakes, hearts and crowns. I particularly love the journaling cards – aren’t they just darling!

Sassafras Border Stickers from the Paper Crush collection

These look so delicious I could eat them. I love the fact that there are different styles and shapes too. I reckon these would look great on layouts, cards and lots of other projects too.

Family Dynamics Collection from Bella Blvd

Check out Bella Blvd‘s website for more peeks at their awesome new collections, but the one that catches my attention the most is most definitely this piece of patter paper called ‘Game Night’ from the Family Dynamics collection.

Making Memories – Dilly Dally collection

Although this photo doesn’t give us a detailed view of the whole collection, it certainly fills me with intrigue. The colours look fresh and exciting – perfect for Springtime and maybe even some Easter layouts. I can’t wait until the whole collection is revealed. Plus..I have a embedded love for the versatility of double sided papers!

Teresa Collins: On the Edge

I think the blue and grey colour scheme really looks so elegant and masculine. I can’t wait to get hold of this collection to make a few boy-centric cards and layouts.

Ki Memories – Puffies

Oh My! These really do take embellishments to another level. Be sure to check out the different ways that the design team have used these felt, dimensional embellies on their many projects by visiting here. I particularly love the blue star, the elephant and the Eiffel Tower…oh, and the birdie!

My Minds Eye: Stella & Rose “Hazel”

Yum! {Enough said!}

Mini Spools by Maya Road

Maya Road have done it again. Another fantastic little product that fills me full of nostalgia and inspiration. Look how tiny these little wooden spools are, and won’t they look darling wrapped with a little twine!

Studio Calico Cloud rub ons

These blue ones are most definitely my favourite. Whimsical and bright , and most certainly on my wish list.

also from Studio Calico – wood veneers

These make my heart jump because I want to paint them, cover them in pattern paper and make a mobile for the nursery. {sigh!}

‘Happily Lost’ Alpha Stickers from LillyBeeDesign

I have a thing about alphabet stickers, seriously, I really can’t get enough of them. The thought of getting 8 complete sets all on one sheet is making me feel quite giddy to be honest. The font is classical and versatile and what a great selection of colours.

Tim Holtz Distress Stains from Ranger Ink

Now that I have completed my collection of Distress Inks, I am thrilled that Ranger and Tim have released another fantastic product from for their inky collection. Distress stains can be used on paper, embellishments, wood, stickers, and basically any porous material. You can even spritz them with water to create a mottled effect.

Elementary collection by Simple Stories.

Lovely bright colours combined with neutral, earthy tones, with a dash of vintage elegance. Simply devine.

And last but not least..

Jillibeansoup – corrugated shapes

Along with a host of fabulous embellishments, the corrugated shapes have particuarly tickled my fancy. I love the houses the most- so cute!