Orchid Paper Sculpture

Have you ever heard of paper sculpture? If you Google the term, you'll find that paper sculpture runs from the simple to the extreme, and that paper artists perfect a myriad of techniques to sculpt their projects. It shouldn't have been a surprise for me to learn that QKR Stampede and Eureka Stamps have made beautiful and do-able paper sculpting projects available to us. Deb here today with paper sculpture as the topic for this week's Technique and Tutorial posting.

When you order a digi or rubber paper sculpting image from the choices at QKR or Eureka, you'll also receive a full set of instructions to complete your project. I won't repeat those instructions but, in this short post, I'll tell you what I did outside the instructions.

The Orchid was my selection, and I knew I wanted this beautiful flower to decorate the top of a small gift box. My first step was to choose two patterned cardstock sheets for the box along with a coordinating sheet in a solid color for the flower.

I trimmed my solid sheet to 8 1/2 x 11 inches to fit the printer, and printed the orchid in grey, rather than black, at 4 inches wide.

After cutting out each petal, I painted them with a Mica powder mixture (2 parts Mica, 1 part Binder, 1 part water) with red in the centres fading to a purple iridescent at the ends.

I set aside the petals to dry while I made a simple 4 inch square box and a die cut doily shape. I beaded three head pins (from my jewellery stash) to use for the stamen - looking at it now, I think it's a bit heavy and one probably would have done the trick.

I shaped the flowers with my fingers and the tools pictured. The flowers hadn't totally dried yet, and moisture made the paper more pliable and made for easier shaping. As I glued each piece, I held it in place with a small clip until the glue set.

When the flower was dry, I set it all alone - without ribbon or further embellishment to steal its thunder - on the box top.

I hope you give paper sculpting a try cause it's easier than it first looks and gives beautiful results. I completed this project in less than an hour, even with a bad chest cold hampering my thought processes and pretty much eliminating my patience - lol. I do suggest printing or stamping your image onto a scrap paper first so you can play with the construction process and get to understand how the pieces fit together before working with your good paper.

As always, after you have a good look here, you are welcome to visit my personal blog for more ideas.

Color It Up

It's Wednesday, and that's Technique and Tutorial Day again at QKR Stampede and Eureka Stamps. Deb with you today and I'll be focusing on another technique for your paper flower stash - changing their color. I'll be working with flowers available with these links at both Eureka and QKR. If you're used to seeing my post pop up on the two blogs earlier in the day, sorry about that - chest cold had me totally forgetting what day it was yesterday. If you see any errors in this post, I hope you'll be forgiving - lol.

So, I'm working today with the same purple selection of flowers today as I used in my post two weeks ago. As I mentioned then, you get a generous amount of flowers in each selection, so you can do a lot of experimenting. I've used four basic methods of coloring here: Copics, Distress Re-Inkers, Distress Pads and Smooch Spritz. Let's look at the results with each method.

I applied the Copic marker directly to the flower. Colors used here are: YR 20, 21, 23, 24.

A really easy way to add saturated color is to spritz the inside of a small baggie and add a drop or two of Distress Re-Inker. Spritz each flower with a bit of water, add them to the bag and massage till the flower is well colored. Remove the flower carefully as it will be very delicate when wet. The following photos show the results of this technique.

With this next flower, watch how the dark tips stay dark:



And with this flower, using Squeezed Lemonade, the centre goes to a perfect brown.

Fingers are getting more and more inky as I do small flowers for the centres...

For this one, I applied the Distress Ink Pad directly to the flower, then spritzed the flower with water.

And finally, I tried Smooch spray. I didn't think of this until my card was completed, so this flower is not in the bouquet.

After the flowers were completely dry, I added dots of Liquid Pearls and some glitter. Here's a close up of the results. By the way, the vase was cut with a Spellbinder Christmas ornament, run through an embossing folder, sponged with a VersaMark pad and heat embossed with clear powder. The leaves were all cut with various Spellbinders.



I hope you take the time to do more exploring here on the Eureka Blog and, when you're done, pop on over to my personal blog for more projects.

Caught in Candlelight

Deb with you today. Candlelight evokes romance, at least in my mind. And I'm told that every woman looks more beautiful by candlelight. So I definitely want more candles around me! If you love candles, too, consider this project. The results give you a soft dreamy look - very romantic. This project illustrates this week's technique for Eureka Stamps - adding images to candles. At this point, I must confess I didn't make up this technique. I read about it on the internet, but I don't know where so (sadly) I can't give proper credit. You won't believe how easy this is!



To begin, smooth a piece of tissue paper over a piece of cardstock. Fold the tissue to the back of the paper and tape it down securely.



Front





Back



If you are using a digi image, adjust the color so you print in grey scale rather than in solid black. Size the image so it will fit the size of your candle. I've used Eurekas Gladiola and Hummer sized at 5 inches high for a candle that measured 5 1/2 inches high and 9 1/2 inches around. Run the package through your printer.

If you are using a rubber stamp, just ink up your stamp with grey ink and stamp onto the tissue.

Color your image with alcohol-based markers. Below, I've used Copics:

Bird: C5, YR61/65, RV 63, 66

Flower:YG 23/25/45, YR23 and V01/04/05/06/09



Remove the tissue from the cardstock and trim. You can see that I trimmed the solid line at the bottom left corner.

Drape the issue over the candle.

Cut a piece of household wax paper larger than the size of your image. Place it over the image on the candle and wrap it tightly. Continue to hold the paper as you use your crafting heat gun to warm the wax paper and the candle surface. Heat only until the surface gets shiny and you can see the tissue being incorporated into the wax. If you heat too long, your candle will start to run, and you really don't want that. Peel the wax paper off the image. 

Hold wax paper tightly

Voila!

Decorate your candle any way you wish. I've added ribbon and some pearls from my jewellery making stash.

And, finally, The Boss offers to help with today's clean-up.

Printed Fabric Transfer Using Digital Stamps

Good Wednesday to everyone, this is Sara;)

I am here with a tutorial for you on one more way to use  your digital stamps,

Printed Fabric Transfer.

Supplies you will need:

Digital Stamp

Today I am using

Eureka Stamps 

 digi57901 Heart Background

Computer/Printer

Fabric Transfer Printer Paper,

I used the product below from Avery

 

Mainstays Flour Sack Towels

Iron and Ironing board

2 yards of ribbon trim

Fabric Glue

Scissors

Step One:  Open your digital stamp into your graphic program I use PSE10, make all the changes you desire.  For mine I used a red color stylizer.  In just a few seconds I had transformed the background image.

Step Two:  Print your image onto the transfer printer paper (per product directions). 

I chose custom print size and ticked the box Scale to fit Media.  *The original size of the background stamp is 5.94" by 7.29". 
You can see below the prompt box the open white space for the printed background.

 

 Now for the last screen before printing, you can see the digital stamp fills the entire

8 1/2" by 11" of paper and there is no more white space.

Step Three:  Cut your paper transfer to the size and dimensions you need for your project.

I used 3 3" wide strips 8 1/2" long.  I also had to cut two smaller pieces to fill in the end side of the pattern.  It took a full sheet of 8 1/2" by 11" transfer paper to complete my design.

Step Four:  Wash and Iron flat the flour sack towel.

Step Five:  Iron your your transfer pieces (per product directions).

You can see below how I used the hem of the towel for positioning my iron on transfer.

I did this step three times until I had the 3" trim transfer I desired.

Step 6:  Take your fabric trim and fabric glue and apply to the upper and lower borders of the transferred image and let it dry overnight.  You can if you wish tack it in a few places with some stitching if you so desire.

 Here is a photo of my finished towel hanging...

This was so much fun to do, I hope you give this tutorial a try.

Any questions you can email me

paschal.sara@gmail.com

Thanks for stopping by

Eureka Stamps blog today.

Even More Bodacious Backgrounds

It's that time of the week when the Eureka Stamps and QKR Stampede feature Technique and Tutorial Posts. Deb here with another look at what you can do with the fabulous Background Stamps available at Eureka.

For these projects, I chose 32101 Abstract Flower and 58401 Fern as my background stamps. I also used a phrase from the 46002 Best Wishes Werdz set and QKR's 17505 Rose.

As you might have guessed, this card uses the Fern Background and the Rose image. I stamped the background on some green SU cardstock with Distress Ink's Forest Moss. I trimmed to the stamping and mounted that panel on a darker green cardstock. I colored a white ribbon with Copics and tied it around the panel. I think that made a great background contrast for the flower.

I stamped the Rose on X-Press It Blending Card with Memento Rich Cocoa and colored it with Copics. Then it was cut with Spellbinder's Beaded Ovals and sponged with the Distress Ink. I then mounted this onto an oval cut with Spellbinders from the dark green.

All layers were mounted to my 5 3/4 inch card base. Next I added dots of liquid pearls around the rose and along the right side of the card. The design seemed to want more, so I added a small design under the background panel.

And now for the second half of today's presentation.....

Who says you have to use stamps in the way they were designed? This stamp is the Abstract Flower. But, when I looked at it from the side, I saw a bird. And who says it has to be a background? I thought it made a nice focal image. What do you think?





Anyway, the bird/flower was inked up with VersaMark, stamped on watercolor paper cut larger than I needed, and then heat embossed with silver powder. I then sponged Distress Ink in Broken China, Seedless Preserves, Peacock Feathers, and Evergreen Bough. After sponging, I spritzed the paper with a bit of water to start the magic of the Distress Inks, and let it dry.

Finishing the card was simple. I trimmed my image and mounted it on magenta card, mounted that to a piece of gray card and added a strip of ribbon. That was all adhered to a black card base cut at 5 x 7 inches. I then cut a Spellbinders Fancy Framed Tags 2 from the magenta. The Werdz greeting was stamped with VersaMark on a scrap piece of the colored water paper. Dots of liquid pearls complete the look.

That's it for me today. Remember to scope out everything there is to see on the Eureka Stamps Blog. Last week's Tutorial by Sara on Digital Coloring images with PhotoShop Elements was a doozy. And, as always, I hope you'll visit my personal blog for even more ideas I Love It.

Digital Stamp PSE10 Digital Coloring Tutorial

Hello and Welcome To Eureka Stamps.

I am Sara, today I have a tutorial for you on how to

digitally color your Digital Stamps.

I am using PSE10.

(This should also work for versions below.  However, if you are

using version 11 the tools are all there just in different places in the program window.)

You can download a trial version of PSE11 from ADOBE

If you love digital stamps and do not have photoshop now is the time to pick up version 10, you can find it at closeout prices since version 11 is now on the market.  

  I will show you how I digitally colored

the Bear With A Heart  and used him on a card for today's tutorial.

You can also pick up a freebie download I have prepared for you with this link:

Dropbox Bear With A Heart

**The digital stamps used are not included in this kit you

can pick them up 

from the

Eureka Stamps Store

with the provided links:

Bear With A Heart digi8202

and

I Hold You digi10101

Kit does include:

1 embossed heart paper

5 digi pattern papers

1 Flourished Adventure Map psd file

all digital papers are 300dpi 12" by 12" jpg files

Please pick up the kit and digital stamps so you can try this fun technique.

Kit Preview...

Are you ready for a New Adventure?

You can click on any image below and it will take you to the full size image for better viewing.

If your image is a png you can skip this next step because a png

already has a transparent background.

(I note a little blip of red on his finger, grab a small eraser when this happens and remove the color that is outside the digital stamp line.)

Your adjustment layer is the half moon shape at the bottom of your layers panel

I am going to take a minute here to explain the Layers section a bit more for those who are not familiar with the program.

After I duplicated my original image and had completed the placement into the program I went ahead and duplicated the bear with a heart layer twice,

this created three layers of the bear in the layers panel.

(the layer quantity I create depends on the complexity of the digi stamp or, how many different colors or effects I think I may use.  Each color or DP goes on a different layer.

I do on occasion break this rule of layers just depends on what I am doing, when you get used to the program you will develop your own habits. 

 For in Photoshop there are multiple ways of obtaining the same outcome.

Now the adjustment layer (after you click the half moon automatically opens onto a new layer).

Compare the screen shot from above to the one directly below.

See how the adjustment layer became the first layer?

Then note how I moved the  adjustment layer position in the layers panel.

***********

Now we can move forward with the removal of the excess adjustment layer.

Again the DP when placed creates its own layer in the layers panel

 just like I explained with the adjustment layer.

Because I colored the heart on its own layer I was now able to attach the dp to the heart layer,

when you work like this you do not need to use the eraser because the paper automatically 

snaps into the colored heart position.

I run a Mac to attach layers you move the mouse cursor to the black line between your dp layer and the colored heart layer.

Next hit the 

Option key on your keyboard, this will change your cursor into a double circle

the top circle appears black.

After this shows up you know you are in the right place so click your mouse one time.

Now the dp layer is offset and shows a down arrow pointing to the bear with the colored red heart.

This means you have successfully attached your layers.

****

In this screen shot you see how I now have merged all the layers into one,

I decided to paint the paws and small heart on this layer.

To merge layers in photoshop

move your cursor up to the very top of the program screen

 click on Layer

Move down to the options

Merge down

Merge visible

choose merge visible, now only one layer will appear in the layers panel as shown in 

the screen shot below.

Here is my finished Bear With A Heart...

Now I will show you how I used this colored digi to make a hybrid card...

In the free download you will receive a psd file called

Flourished Adventure Map

Open this in PSE

Now you have completed your card front.

Print it off onto card stock or I like to use a glossy photo paper.

Cut your mat layer

4 1/8" by 5 3/8"

Cut your card base

4 1/4" by 11"

Score Card base at 5 1/2"

Fold your card base on the score line.

Attach your mat layer.

Attach your printed card front.

I stopped there with my creation however, you can continue to embellish as you wish.

I had fun working with this little guy, hope you have enjoyed  as well.

Any questions you may have contact me at

paschal.sara@gmail.com

and I will try to answer them for you.

Don't forget to go pick up the digi stamps at the

Eureka Stamps Store.

Bear With A Heart digi8202

and

I Hold You digi10101

and your free download

Bear With A Heart