Decorative Paper Workshop

Earlier this year I developed a workshop on decorative paper for the gallery. I decided to provide the participants several techniques and papers to allow them a good variety of end result papers. 

Work Surface
You need an impermeable surface onto which you will place your color.   For the class I created pieces of heavy chipboard covered with freezer paper.  I have used an acrylic plate.  I recently acquired a piece of glass which I will us from now on.  It is about 16x16 inches which allow me to make larger prints. 

Color
I used liquid acrylic ink but any liquid color would work.  My sister and I have used watercolor in the past.  A pipette or eye dropper is used to drop ink onto your work surface. Consider the opaqueness of the color which will affect your end result.

Watercolor Paper
The ink on watercolor paper is the first one my sister taught me years ago.  You lay color onto a non permeable surface then lay your watercolor onto it to produce a monotype print.  The ways to enhance this technique is to add coarse salt which repels the color and creates these star type patterns in the color.  The other is to cover the print with plastic wrap and allow it to dry.  It creates more subtle patterns in the color. 

Photo Paper
I done a lot of this type of decorative paper for the cards at the gallery. This is again a monotype print which is done with glossy photo paper.  I use the 4x6 sheets which are often provided for free with printers.  Each sheet is unique. 

Card Stock
This sample was created with wax as the resist.   The easiest way to apply wax to paper is with wax crayons.  I have collected several white crayons which will allow you to have white space on your paper once color is applies.  My sister created several clear paraffin wax crayons.  Of course colored crayons will create a different look and the color options are endless.  Consider the color combo when choosing your ink color.  The sample above used a silver metallic crayon.  It is again a monotype print with color on your work surface.

Calendars to Gallery

I brought some 4x6 Photo Calendars to the Gallery today.

Pretty Petals which is my floral one this year.

Here's my Nature one.  I got a Giant Panda photo into this one!

I brought some Fridge Calendars as well.  I made a few with French sentiments The blue one translates to All is Possible and the Lilac one translates to It takes a little to be Happy.

I am trying one with no sentiment.  The Life too Short has been popular so I put in a couple of those.

I hoping that sales will be good without a reception for my show.  There will be a big event tomorrow and a reception for the artists on Friday, Oct 5th.

Cards to the Gallery

A beautiful piece of decorative paper in blues and purples.  This is alcohol paper designed a while back.

I mounted it to a dusty grey card. 

I used a Martha Stewart butterfly punchie in grape in the top left hand corner.  I used a marker to highlight the body.

I layered the band at the bottom of the card with a please of light blue then a piece of the same decorative paper.

The french greeting is a birthday one.  It was color printed in lavendar and punched with the Stampin Up Artisan Label punch.


I have included a few photo cards as well because I have sold a few based on inventory I did last month.

A beautiful Barn Swallow!

Gorgeous Sunflower!













This is my Sunlit Rose.


This makes a great guy card.  This is a close up of a stainless steel book end that I found at the Antique Mall.


I think this photo of the Bridge at the Japanese Garden would make a great sympathy card.

I'm starting to think November and December so I have included the Red Poppy and this red berries with beautiful leaf would do Christmas.

These are headed to the Gallery Gift Shop today.

Cards to Gallery - Photos

I am delivering cards to the french Gallery today.

This is my photo of early spring growth on a Japanese Bayberry - Rose Glow branch.

The branch leads your eye through the photo to the bright burgundy leaves on the right hand side.  Nice pollen specks on the leaf adds a bit of texture to the the smooth leaves.

Alberta Rose photos are always popular around here. 

Having a bit of a bug in the center adds some interest and contrast to the center.

The leaves lead you to the pink bloom on the left.

Again, a slight diagonal presentation from bottom left hand corner.



 

I took this photo this spring.  I was so anxious for it to arrive considering the long winter we had.

I loved the beautiful curve to the leaf which frames the pussy willow very nicely.  It keeps your eye in the photo.

Lovely soft background ensures the focus is on the one furry flower bud.

Cards to Gallery

I started with this silver glitter dragonfly die cut that arrived in a card from one of my card exchange buddies.

I chose brush paper in a deep blue for the background.  It has been spattered with pearl white acrylic ink.

I chose a Pacific Point card and adhered the decorative paper leaving a small border.  I attached the dragonfly with a tiny silver brad.

I then added 5 silver flower sequins at the bottom of the card again held in place with tiny silver brads.

A great card for any occasion.

This features a bird hole in the aqua teal decorative paper.  The base was painted then I spattered it with teal acrylic ink.

I cut a hole in the paper with the Stampin Up Bird Mover & Shaper die.  I placed a piece of white card stock behind which was embossed with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder. 

I have offered birthday greetings in French and English.  The greeting printed in grey and were cut with the Stampin Up Modern Label punch.  They have 3D foam tape on the back to adhered to the card front should the user want a greeting.

This card features paste paper in a warm blue color.  I cut to it leave a small border.

I added a pearl white large star die cut made with the Sizzix Star die and placed it in the top two thirds of the card. 

I added some fiber which repeated that color tone and wrapped it around the decorative paper layer.  I then adhered the star layer to the front of a medium blue card base.

I have provided Thanks greetings in both French and English.   These have adhesive on the back which allows the user to place the greeting of their choice below the fiber.

They were again cut with the Stampin Up Modern Label punch.

Cards to Gallery

I have put some of my Spinner Art paper to use.  This is a bright and bold piece in oranges and purples. the colors are Purple Lake and Flame Orange. I cut a piece to 3.5x4.75 then cut again into 3 pieces.  I layered those only a piece of black cardstock.

I produced a three language greeting English French and Spanish in black clear embossed on vellum.  I ripped the top and bottom edges.  It was attached to the decorative paper layer with tiny black brads. This layer was then adhered to the front of a Tangerine card.

Another Spinner Art paper card with the same layout as the first.  The colors on this one are more muted and in the warm gold tones.  The colors are Raw Umber and Raw Yellow Ochre.

I produced a three language greeting English French and German in black clear embossed on vellum.  I ripped the top and bottom edges.  It was attached to the decorative paper layer with tiny black brads. This layer was then adhered to the front of a kraft card.

I decided to try this photo at the Gallery.  I`m not much of a pet person but many are so this cat card.  It is a neighborhood cat which I have seen several times on my morning walks.

It had it`s eye on something when I took the photo which resulted in this intense stare. 

I think it is a pretty cat.

CAVA Gallery - Fridge Calendars - French Quotes

I chose to make some of my Fridge Calendars with quotes in french.

This one translated says "Turn toward the sun and the shadow will be behind you."  It is a good message to keep moving forward.

I chose one of my wonderful sunflower photos to put behind the words.  The calendar comes from 2018 Printables.

I mounted the calendar on a deep golden yellow card stock.   Love it!

This one translated says "Life is made of small pleasures".  I chose a bright watercolor background for this one.

It is mounted onto Ultramarine Blue card stock. 

This one translated says "Flowers are everywhere if we take time to look for them".

I chose one of my pink cosmos photos for this one and arranged the words to leave the flower visible.  I

I chose a bright pink card stock for the backer.

CAVA Gallery - French Cards

I am dropping off cards to the gallery again today in preparation for the Miniature Show which starts on Friday, December 1st.

Here's a card that I used some of the pieces from the card club card but included alcohol ink background instead of designer paper. 

I chose an aqua card in 4.25x 11 with top fold which highlighted another color in the snowflake accent.

I added the same white grosgrain ribbon.

I adhered the greeting punched with the Stampin Up Modern Label punch. 

I chose a warm taupe card and added a bright magenta sky decorative paper.

I cut a large star from non shed gold glitter paper and placed it in the top half of the card. 

I cut the Bethlehem with the Taylored Expressions Bethlehem Border thin lit from the same gold glitter card stock.

I added a warm sand dune in the front with was created with Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distress Stain on white card stock which was ripped.  You can see that the ripped edge is a little darker because it absorbed better there.

Another card club kit into which I added some acrylic paint paper to which added some snow with pearl paint.  It was spattered with a old toothbrush rubbed on a straight edge. It was adhered to a deep red card base.

I ripped a white snow bank and adhered it even with the card bottom edge.

I added a deep red felt tree held in place with 3 tiny gold brads which look like ornaments.  A gold star sequin is placed at the top of the tree.

I chose a warm purple card base onto which I adhered a piece of bright purple paste paper.

I added a ripped snow bank of white card stock aligned to the bottom of the card.  

The silver foil reindeer was adhered above the snowbank with 3D foam tape.  It looks black due to scanning.

The greeting was color printed in Smoky Slate and punched with the Stampin Up Modern Label punch.  I punched one from the paste paper and offset it behind the greeting.  This was adhered to the card front with 3D foam tape.

I selected an aqua card base in 4.25x11 with a top fold.  I added a piece of alcohol ink background paper with blues and purples. 

I added a metallic silver ribbon across the top third of the card and tied a square knot. 

I created a snowflake accent with a deep blue, silver and silver fabric snowflakes layered and held together with a tiny shiny silver star brad.  It was adhered to the card front with 3D foam tape.

A french greeting was added in the top right hand corner in the form of a Stampin Up Modern Label Punchie.

Red Green & Gold Cards to the Gallery

I used my ink blot decorative paper in red, green and gold for this set of cards.  I cut the paper to leave a small border of the card color showing.

On this first one I added white and red silk flowers.  These are held in place with a gold brad and a gold flower sequin.










I used the paper again for these two cards.  I cut the stars with the Stars Framelits Dies Collection set  from Stampin Up. I chose to alternate the card and back star colors then added a gold glitter star over the card stock one.  The stars are held in place with a tiny red star brad. 

These were delivered to the gallery today.

Mini Show - Photos to Gallery

I'm dropping off my framed photos to the gallery today for the Miniatures Show which starts on December 1st. The art pieces must be 10 x 10 or smaller which provides customers the opportunity to purchase art at a smaller price point for the Christmas season.

I added my signature with a black Pigma Micro archival marker.

I chose this beech wood 10x10 inch frame with a white mat for my Wilson's Snipe photo which compliments the it nicely.

I chose a matte silver frame in 6 x 8 inches for this Barn Swallow photo.  He was keeping a keen eye on me when I visited the Ellis Blue Bird farm.  

A beautiful pink tulip taken at the Conservatory. I chose an 8x10 silver frame with a white mat.

This photo features a Greater Scaup which is a medium sized duck which was taken at Elk Island Park earlier this year.

I chose a 7x7 inch matte black metal frame with a generous white mat.  The black frame complements the black in the duck very nicely.

This red poppy is framed in a gun metal metal frame with a greenish granite mat.

This sunflower was placed with a medium blue mat into a 8x10 inch matte navy metal frame.

The reception will take place on Friday, December 1st!

Art Exchange Submission - Barn Swallow

The gallery is holding a Miniatures show starting December 01, 2017.  Part of the show is an exchange with artists in Winnipeg.  We are sending fifteen pieces.

I chose my barn swallow photo printed in 5x7 inches. It was mounted on a white card.  I signed it with a black marker in the left bottom corner.  I added a navy mat.  It was framed in a matte silver metal frame with glass.

I am looking forward to what the Winnipeg artists are sending our way.

Christmas Cards to the Gallery

I stamped Angelica by Stampendous onto a quarter sheet of white card stock with clear ink and gold embossed it.

I placed some dye ink onto my craft mat and spritz it with water.  I then layed my angel image onto the mat and pulled it off to reveal this wonderful background.  It was left to dry then pressed to be flat.

I trimmed it to leave a small border. I chose a blue purple card base.  I adhered the stamped layer to the front.

I printed a greeting in french and punched it out with the Stampin Up Modern Label punch.  I punched another from the card base color and cut it in half crosswise and adhered them offset on both ends.  The greeting was adhered with 3D foam tape.

The polar bear was cut with the Cricut and the Joy of the Season cartridge.  The scarf was cut separately and then adhered to the bear.

I chose a deep blue liquid acrylic background and adhered it to the medium blue card base.  I added a snowbank of white card stock cut with the Creative Memories Wavy Cutter.  The bear was adhered to the left of the card and a silver glitter star was adhered top right corner.

These were deposit to the gallery today.

Cards to Gallery - Photo Cards

This is a Tree Swallow photo which I took when I visited the Ellis Bird Farm this summer.  They were all over the place and overall cooperated with those of us with cameras.

As you can see he had his eye on me but I got a great photo.














I am happier with my photos coming back from the developer since I had a conversation with the tech in the print room.

It means I have to maintain 2 sets of photos; one in the 4x6 and another in the 3.5x5 inches.  For these photo cards I have printed 3.5 and trimmed a bit off the length.

The photos are adhered to great heavy card stock which produces a great end product.

I caught this wonderful yellow tulip at the Legislative Grounds.

This is a Greater Scaup which is medium sized diving duck.  This is a male with the great shiny head and striking yellow eye.

This was taken on my trip the Elk Island Park this summer.

Would be a great card for a guy into the outdoors.

Card to the Gallery - Decorative Paper

Using a kit from Card Club I just replaced the polka dot layer with a piece of my decorative paper layer in shades of blue. 

The decorative paper was cut to leave a small border then adhered to the card front.  I tacked down the silver glitter star in place then used a push pin to create a hole in the card front.

I remove one of the strands on the fiber just leaving the shiny one. It was wrapped onto the red star brad. The brad was inserted into the hole and the prongs pressed apart in the inside of the card. I like the lighter feel to the fiber on this card.

One of the ladies last night mentioned it could be a Christmas card. That would be great.

Another Card Club kit.  I replaced the Japanese handmade paper with my own decorative paper in greens and browns. 

I chose a dark brown card and adhered the gold square.

I wrapped the ribbon across the card front and tape the ends to the inside.  I adhered the 3.75 inch square of decorative paper over the ribbon.

I added 3 fall leaves brads onto the decorative paper.

Another Card Club kit.  I replaced the bird layer with a piece of my own alcohol ink background papers in blues and greens. 

I used the navy card with the warm gray layer adhered to the front. The background paper was adhere to the front.

I added a punched card stock flower in the Bermuda Bay behind the silk flowers and chose a brad that matched the card stock.

I added a strip of the Bermuda Bay card stock across the bottom third of the card. 

The greeting was color printed, punched with the SU Artisan Label punch then adhered over the strip with 3D foam tape.