Sunday 16 November 2014

Quilt Block Gift Bag

I've made this gift bag decorated on both sides. The other item is a gift box I made on the silhouette.


I love this 'patchwork quilt' technique, it's a great way of using scraps.  I've added a link to a Silhouette cutting file on the top right of the blog. The circles and squares are sized to decorate the Docrafts Basics kraft gift bag.  I've used single sided paper for the bag, but it's even easier if you use double sided as I have in this quick demo.

You don't have to use the Silhouette file, any circle made with dies, scissors or punches will work.

Once you've cut as many circles as you need, score a square inside each circle, like so. Fold over the edges to make your squares.  If you want to use single sided paper, just glue a square of patterned paper to the wrong side of the circle before folding over.


About the Silhoeutte File : For the bag I've made cut the circles (blue lines) and squares (green lines) in 6 different Papermania 12x12 papers. If you're using single sided papers, you can ignore the red squares.  You can choose which colours to cut in Cut settings>advanced. Stick the squares to the wrong sides of the circles, score and fold.

 If you're using double sided paper, you can cut the circles (blue) and draw the score lines (red).  Ignore the green squares.  

 If you wish to sew the squares, stick the finished squares to a piece of cheap kids funky foam cut to size.  Sew across the middle of each row and each column of squares.  Stick the loose threads to the back of the foam with tape, and stick to the bag.

Finish with a few matching embellishments, add a gift tag and you're done!

Sunday 9 November 2014

Witch Way's the Party?

I love this witch digistamp from Wee Stamps, but I don't have any Halloween cards to send, so I decided to make a card with it to enter in the Simply Cards and Papercraft competition.  I wanted to make my own patterned paper and use my silhouette to make a 3-step card.  It's my favourite type of card to make at the moment.

I needed to use thick card (centura pearl) to take the distress stains I wanted to use, but I didn't want to make the card too bulky, so I decided to create false layers by masking off the necessary areas on the card.  I printed the sentiments I wanted, then drew the outlines of the layers with my silhouette, using registration marks so the machine cuts in the correct place.  I then stamped a leaf design from Inkilicious and heat embossed it with clear powder.

I then used distress stains in Picked Raspberry, Dusty Concord and Spicy Marmalade to colour over the image.  I have found you can use distress stains in the same way as the inks, if you scribble the stain onto a Splodgeaway mat (or similar) and blend it with your foam or Inkilicious Dusters before putting it on your paper.  

I removed the masks and splashed water and more stain in drips on the page, blotting with kitchen towel. I ironed the card between copy paper to remove the embossing powder.  I outlined the sentiments and blank space with a black fineliner and then cut out the layers with my trusty Silhouette.  I layered these onto black card before sticking in place inside the card blank.

I made the topper in the same way. I can't colour onto Centura Pearl, so I printed my digistamp onto Neenah cardstock and cut it our with the Silhouette. I used promarkers to colour the image, with a sakura stardust pen and some glossy accents for hilights.


I added some extra details with a paintbrush and distress stain. I had a total nightmare with my sentiment, nothing I tried looked right.  I ended up colouring some alphabet stickers with my stains, and used glitter for a bit more emphasis and texture.  Having taken a photograph I think I need to hilight the sentiment a bit more.

I added some paper flowers coloured with the same stains (they're so versatile!) and that's it!  I just need to make an envelope to fit, and I'll be finished.

It's only taken me all week!

Kate
x

Colour Chart Tags

I've made a new silhouette file to create some colour chart tags.  I previuously had one colour chart for all my pens, but I thought it might be handy to have set of tags instead.  I've punched holes in the cards for easy colour matching. It was quite theraputic colouring them all in!


You can download this cutting file if you want to make some for yourself.  There's nothing quite as satisfying as organising your stash.