Oldies and Goodies

Hi, Erin here today to talk a little more about using old products and new products. Last week we looked mainly at combining papers and embellishments in a mix match fashion. This week, I want to show you how to use up some older stuff, and make it new using fun new products.

I chose to dig through my rarely used chipboard, and pull out some pieces from Fancy Pants Designs. You may even have something similar in your collection.

Chipboard is one of those staple products that can always be altered to look updated and modern. Even printed pieces of chipboard can be given a new look by either peeling off the printed layer, or by recovering the print with paper or paint. In this case, I'm giving the surface of the raw chipboard new life with one of my favorite new trends; washi tape.

Any colour combo goes, you could even repeat the same pattern over and over again.  Just line each strip up side by side, and go right to the edge. You can trim off any tape that goes over.

The next step is to take your craft knife and cut out any pieces you wish to use. I chose to remove the small inner frame and shaped tags, but to leave the smaller shapes in the bottom, so it created a polaroid type frame. Cutting is very easy, as the tape is thin, and you can see the indent of the lines where you should cut.

I dug through my pile of old Christmas papers to find a paper that worked with the patterns of washi tape I used. Wouldn't you know I had a red and white polka dot that matched exactly! ( October Afternoon).

Add to that a smattering of old and new embellishments, and you've got a page that can comfortably fit in your album with this year's pages.

New embellishments used: 

Wooden Shapes : Studio Calico ( covered with Tim Holtz Platinum Distress Stain)

Alterable Chipboard Stars: Pink Paislee (Coloured with Distress Stains)

Snowflake Die Cuts: Maya Road

Friday Faves - Substitution Game!

This week for my Friday Faves - I wanted to share a page that I recently made and show some goodies from the Let's Capture Our Memories store that you could pick up to make a page similar - substituting in other similar items!

Let's begin with the page I did make. I again used some Basic Grey Clippings, Paper Cottage:

Okay, so onto the substitutions. Let's start with the background paper! If you want a smaller chevron for a background, there are a few in the store that are a perfect substitute. Like these:

Echo Park:

My Mind's Eye:

Bella Blvd:

Now, there are lots of options for this next substitution ! Here are a few to get you started.

When I created this page, I used a lot of stickers and labels from the Basic Grey line. 

Here are a few others labels like these that are way cool.

Elle's Studio

Evalicious

Jillibean Soup

 Now Alphas - who doesn't love a good alpha right?

I used some Thickers here...

but here are a few other options:

American Crafts

Basic Grey

Jillibean Soup

Simple Stories

Those are some of my faves in the store now!!

AND I know there are lots of other new faves coming our way too!

For now, check out what's new HERE or what's ON SALE

More Misting on Canvas

Hi everyone,  I hope you're not tired of hearing me talk about the fun stuff you can do with your mists and canvas. Today I have three fun variations to show you that are really easy, and give great effects. 

The first is using Chipboard shapes as masks:

 

I began each page by misting with Perfect Pearls Mist in Biscotti. I love the sparkle this gave to my base, as well as how it primed  the surface to allow the new colours I added to seep in. Try experimenting on dry canvas versus canvas misted with a light base colour or water. 

Arrange your shapes, mist, re-arrange your shapes, or remove some and add new ones, and mist again. You can keep layering and playing with colours until you reach the look you want. I used Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist (Timberline, Decadence, and Pomegranate). When all was dry, I highlighted some of the shapes using Tattered Angels Glimmer Glaze ( Sugar Cane).

The next technique uses a plastic stencil, and acrylic gesso. ( If you don't have Gesso, you can try using Acrylic paint, a heavy bodied glue, or anything that might act as a sealant on the canvas).

I just blotted the gesso through the stencil using a stiff brush. 

Once dry, I misted randomly using the same colours as above.

For the last technique , I began on a page that was already primed around the edges with gesso. I started again with the Perfect Pearls, and then added my colours randomly. while the canvas is still wet, sprinkle on some grains of salt. Try anything from fine table salt, to coarse pickling salt. The salt will attract and concentrate colour in areas surrounding it( I used a coarse sea salt). This is a fun, and relatively cheap technique to try.

To add a bit more texture, I added some Glimmer Glaze to the edges of the gesso areas (Pewter). 

It might not look like much now, but layered with photos, and embellishments, This should become a treasured keepsake. 

Have fun creating!

Erin