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Saturday 12 April 2014

Sew Simple


Hello all fellow Bloggers. It was so lovely to read all your comments on my Keepsake Box last week. I appreciated each and every one of them, thank you for taking the time to leave them for me. Well I think Spring is finally starting to show itself here in Scotland at long last. We have had a couple of sunny days this week. The Daffodils are all in full bloom, Lambs are in the fields huddled next to their mums and to my delight we have a Blackbird starting to make a nest in the bushes of our garden.


I decided this week for my Guest Design spot at Cheery Lynn Designs it would be nice to show you a technique on a card using a sketch. I had been watching a demonstration on the TV and Sheena Douglass mentioned using a mix of water and glycerine for a faux leather technique, and talked about how it made the paper more pliable and didn’t cause the fibres to break down into the usual flimsy manner. Thinking cap on, I thought I would use this spritz mix in another way with my die cuts.


First of all, using a spritz bottle, mix 6 parts water to 1 part Glycerine (available at chemist/drugstore) and give it a shake before placing spritz lid on, otherwise the glycerine can clog your spritz top. I die cut my Anastasia Border out with white cardstock and inked the edges with distress. My Sweet Williams strip I distressed edges on both sides and stamped an alphabet image with Archival ink. On the reverse side of both die cuts I started to spray some of the spritz mix to dampen the paper leaving it for about 20 seconds to seep through the fibres. I then resprayed a little more to the front and the back of the paper this time. I then started to fold and crush the paper into a tight ball. Next step carefully unravel and spritz a little bit more of the mix on and repeat this process crushing the paper and unraveling. I used my heat gun to dry the unraveled paper. You will notice it starts to shrink and curl a little more at this point, be careful not to burn your paper. Applying the heat makes it dry firmer but with the Glycerine being used the paper is not brittle. Just remember the secret is to not over-soak your paper. Build it up gradually, adding the mix until your paper is wet and pliable enough to crush. As you can see this now gives your die cuts a lovely shabby vintage feel. 


With the flowers I did the same, but folded and crushed the paper from the edges towards the centre as the paper is a little more fragile here. Just before the paper was dry I placed my embossing tool into the centre to curve the middle part then carried on drying. I then built my flowers up and placed some little white washed snap on’s into the centres. 
 

The reason I called my card Sew Simple ...... I took a pen and drew little lines on my paper to give a faux stitch effect.

I do hope you feel inspired to give this a go and have a creative weekend.

Julie x

Shop at Cheery Lynn for :

B136 - Anastasia Border
DL234 - French Pastry Tiny Doily
B307 - Sweet Williams Strip
B387 - Tiny Fanciful Flourish Left and Right
B215 - Expandable Tiny Borders

Other products used :

Distress Ink Victorian Velvet, Faded Jeans and Peeled Paint.
Archival Ink Cobalt Blue.
Pion Design Topper.
Maja Design Papers.
Gesso.
Various Craft Stash Goodies. 

I wish to enter this in to :

It's All About The Vintage - Shabby Chic Challenge
That Craft Place - Buttons Challenge 
Crafty Little Fairies - Button Up Challenge
Crafty Hands Devon - Anything Goes Challenge
WLVC - Challenge 23 - Sketch


17 comments:

  1. This looks gorgeous Julie with wonderfully shabby die cuts. Very prettily assembled. Enjoy your weekend. Nicola x

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  2. oooh, what a gorgeous,shabby and beautiful card with such sweet details! Love the soft colors! Thanks for joining my challenge over at It's All About The Vintage & Beauty Challenge! Good Luck! Hugs and sunshine

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  3. Wonderful card! Thank you for joining Its all about the vintage and beauty challenge.

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  4. Wow Julie. I absolutely adore this card. You have created the most stunning vintage style card. Hugs Rita xxx

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  5. Hi Juliz, Wow this card is GORGEOUS!!! Love the Shabby Chic look to it all and love how you have done your flowers. I think I may need to get me some of that glycerine to have a go myself. So so Beautiful. Thankyou for joining us at That Craft Place. Good Luck and hope to see your wonderful creations again with us.
    Hugs Amanda (DT)

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  6. Lovely card, Hugs Liesbeth WLVC

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  7. WOW! This is stunning. A gorgeous vintage image and all your detailing looks amazing. I love how you have given the die cuts a shabby vintage feel, this is something I struggle with so I am grateful to you for sharing.
    Sue xx

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  8. That is such a great technique to use to age the die cuts, I would never have thought of that! Your card and embellishments are so beautifully 'vintaged'. Anne xx

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  9. Lovely vintage design and great card. Thanks for sharing with us at Crafty Hands Challenge.
    Cindy DT

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  10. What a great card.....gorgeous!!! Love to be here at your blog....it's been to long ago. I will try to come back sooner next time.
    Hugs Plony (WLVC)

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  11. Amazing! Beautiful! Genious! Just love it! Chrisx

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  12. This page is beautiful!! It actually looks like it is made up of fabrics!!! I 'sew' love your work hon! ;)

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  13. Wow!
    This is amazing, so beautiful!
    Thank you for joining us at It's All About the Vintage & Beauty.
    Hugs Merkku

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  14. oh, wow, it is a very beautiful creation.
    thanks for sharing with us It´s all about the Vintage and good luck.

    lg. meggi

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  15. What a gorgeous vintage look, and such pretty Spring colours. Those flowers are fabulous!
    Alison x

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  16. Interesting technique and I love the results. Stunning shabby chic card, this image is so beautiful.

    Hugz, Sandy
    Owner & Operator @ Live & Love Crafts

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  17. Absolutely stunning creation! Love the colors and sweet details!
    Thanks for joining us at It's all about the vintage and beauty! :)

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Thanks for visiting, I love to read your comments so I know you have stopped by and look forward to visiting your blog.

Julie x

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