A Few Art Projects!

Hello!  For my projects this week I was inspired by two things:  thinking about the upcoming start of a new school year (as I seem to every year as soon as August is upon us) - particularly about students in art programs and their teachers returning to class, and the Stampin' Up! bright and happy Full Of Life 6" x 6" Designer Series Paper (item 163357).  The Full Of Life DSP is one of the Designer Series Papers from the May 2024-April 2025 Annual Catalogue that is on sale for the month of August. Until August 31, 2024, select Designer Series Papers from the Annual Catalogue will be on sale at 15% off - a great opportunity to stock up on some of your favourite Designer Series Papers!  The Redemption Period for the annual Bonus Days is also on now until August 31 - coupons earned on orders placed during July are redeemable on orders placed during August - so why not combine a coupon or two with the Designer Series Paper sale!

Just a quick summary of the basic tools and supplies I used to complete my projects this week:

• Paper Trimmer (item 152392) - for trimming paper and cardstock - can also be used for scoring;
• stylus and scoreboard (Simply Scored Scoring Tool - item 122334) - for scoring fold lines and decorative lines (handles) - to ensure crisp folds I also burnish all folded scored lines using my Bone Folder (item 102300);
• Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine (item 149653) - for all die cutting and embossing;
• Paper Snips Scissors (item 103579) - these sharp little scissors are great for trimming die cuts;
• Take Your Pick Tool (item 144107) - the paper piercer, mini spatula, and tacky putty tips are a great help for picking up and placing small die cuts and embellishments; and
• for the main adhesive, Multipurpose Liquid Glue (item 110755).  

Images were stamped on watercolour paper using Stazon Jet Black Ink (item 101406), and coloured with Classic Stampin' inks and refills mixed with a little water and applied with fine-tipped paint brushes.  

On with the projects!

To complete the artist portfolio notebook/junk journal, which closed measures 4" tall (excluding handles) x 5" wide, I used the following additional supplies:

• an 8" x 5" piece of Basic Black cardstock (item 121045) scored on the 8" side at 4" to create the base of the cover - I used a small corner rounder punch to round all four corners;
• two 4" x 5" pieces of Basic Black cardstock, all four corners rounded and then both pieces embossed using the Painted Texture 3D Folder (item 154317);
• the 2 3/8" and 1 1/2" square dies from the Stylish Shapes dies (item 159183) to cut two square frames from Basic Black cardstock.  I glued the two frames together (wrong sides together) and then cut the full frame in half to create the two handles.  I glued the handles to the outside of the front and back covers, then glued the two embossed panels to the front and back covers;

Stylish Shapes dies - 159183

• for the flap fastener - the broad and shorter of the two label dies from the Delicate Forest dies (item 162679) to cut one label from Basic Black cardstock.  I scored the label at 7/8" and 1 1/8' - the 7/8" portion of the label was glued, centered, to the back cover, and on the underside of the 1 3/8" portion of the label and to the front cover I attached the "+" and "-" of two small magnetic discs (purchased at my local scrapbooking shop);

Delicate Forest dies - 162679

• the small oval label die from the Changing Leaves dies (item 164138) to cut four labels from Basic Black cardstock - these were glued to the front and back covers below the handles;

Changing Leaves dies (also includes Hybrid Embossing Folder) - 164138

• gold cardstock from the retired Brushed Metallic Cardstock (item 153524), embossed using the retired Tasteful Textile 3D Embossing Folder (item 152718), for the letter "A" cut using the Mini Alphabet dies (item 162934), and eight circles cut using the small circle die from the Country Birdhouse dies (item 163400) - one of these circles was glued to the top and bottom of each of the labels cut using the Changing Leaves dies; and

Mini Alphabet dies - 162934

Country Birdhouse dies - 163400

• from the Full Of Life DSP I trimmed panels to fit inside the front and back covers - adding strips for pockets (glue applied to the bottom and sides only of the strips), rounding all corners.  I added the panels and pocket strips after I had sewn in the notebook pages.  For the pages I used a collection of graph papers and coffee-dyed copy paper.  I used twelve sheets of paper, trimmed to 7 1/2" x 4 3/4", and folded in half to create a total of forty-eight sheets - I used the small corner rounder punch to round all corners, and sponged all edges with Pecan Pie ink (item 161665).  I used black embroidery thread and the 3-hole pamphlet stitch (https://archiesatelier.blogspot.com/2022/02/a-few-projects-using-ranunculus-romance.html) to sew the single signature into the cover.

I cut the three dirty paint brushes and six-cake watercolour paint pan included with the notebook from watercolour paper using the following dies:

• the pencil die from the Trusty Tools dies (item 162722) for the handles of the brushes - coloured using Pecan Pie ink, Crumb Cake ink (item 147116), and Basic Gray ink (item 149165);

Trusty Tools dies - 162722

• the broom bristle die from the Potions & Spells dies (item 164141) for the paint brush bristles - trimmed, and coloured using Crumb Cake ink, Basic Beige ink (item 163806), Real Red ink (item 147084), Daffodil Delight ink (item 147094), Highland Heather Ink Refill (item 147167), and Basic Gray ink; and

Potions & Spells dies - 164141

• 7/8" circle die from the Stylish Shapes dies and the 3" x 2 3/8" rounded corner rectangle die from the Nested Essentials dies (item 161597) for the paint cakes and pan - coloured using Granny Apple Green Ink Refill (item 147163), Pumpkin Pie ink (item 147086), Highland Heather Ink Refill, Real Red Ink Refill (item 103287), Misty Moonlight ink (item 153118), Daffodil Delight Ink Refill (item 119672), Crumb Cake ink, Basic Gray ink, and Pecan Pie ink (item 161665) - additional Pecan Pie ink sponged around edges of pan. 

Nested Essentials dies - 161597

The next two projects started with three small watercolour paper pads I made (two @ 2 3/4" x 2" and one @ 3 1/2" x 2 1/2") because I needed little totes to hold them!  For each pad I cut twelve sheets of watercolour paper, holding them together with bulldog clips while I "painted" the top edge with Multipurpose Liquid Glue - the glue holds the papers together while letting the pad open easily and the individual pages to be removed without ripping other pages.  I used medium weight cardboard for the back covers (always pays to hoard the cardboard scraps!), and cardstock (Melon Mambo - item 115320; Old Olive - item 100702; and Coastal Cabana - item 131297) for the front covers.  To secure the pads to the back covers I added a little line of glue along the top back edge of the last sheet of paper in the pad.  For the cover hinges I used Basic Black cardstock (item 121045) - for the two smaller pads a 2" x 1" piece, scored on the 1" side at 1/4" and 1/2"; and for the larger pad a 2 1/2" x 1 1/8" piece, scored on the 1 1/8" side at 1/4" and 1/2".  On each pad I glued the wider portion of the Basic Black cardstock hinge to the cardboard back cover, and the 1/4" portion to the decorated cover.  To decorate the covers of the pads, in addition to panels of Full Of Life DSP, I used the following:

• for the Melon Mambo cardstock cover:  floral bouquet image from the Country Flowers stamp set (item 163405), die cut using the co-ordinating Country Flowers dies (item 163410), and coloured using Pumpkin Pie ink (item 147086), Real Red ink (item 147084), Old Olive ink (item 147090), Mossy Meadow ink (item 147111), and Misty Moonlight ink (item 153118).  I used my Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker (item 162481) to add splatters to the cover by flicking the brush tip against the marker lid;

Country Flowers dies - 163410

(available with the Country Flowers stamp set in the Country Flowers Bundle - 163411)

• for the Old Olive cardstock cover - die cuts made using the smallest rectangle die and smallest square die from, respectively, the Perennial Postage dies (item 162607) and the Stylish Shapes dies (item 159183) from scraps of watercolour paper coloured with Granny Apple Green ink (item 147095), Garden Green Ink Refill (item 102059), Daffodil Delight ink (item 147094), and Pool Party ink (item 147107); and a flower die cut made using the Country Birdhouse dies (item 163400) from watercolour paper coloured with Daffodil Delight ink.  For the flower center I added a large Lemon Lolly dot from Rainbow Adhesive-Backed Dots (item 162758); and

Perennial Postage dies - 162607

• for the Coastal Cabana cardstock cover - a matting panel trimmed from Shaded Spruce cardstock (item 146981); a paint brush image from the Trusty Tools stamp set (item 163274) die cut using the Trusty Tools dies (item 162722), and coloured using Crumb Cake ink (item 147116), Basic Gray ink (item 149165), Granny Apple Green ink (item 147095), Basic Gray and Early Espresso watercolour pencils (Watercolour Pencils-Assortment 1 - item 161700), and Granny Apple Green watercolour pencil (Watercolour Pencils-Assortment 2 - item 149014); three flowers die cut using the Country Birdhouse dies from watercolour paper coloured with Berry Burst ink (item 147143); broad double-leaf and double leaf sprig cut using, respectively, the Around The Bend dies (item 160649) and Country Birdhouse dies from watercolour paper coloured with Granny Apple Green Ink Refill (item 147163) and Garden Green Ink Refill.

Around The Bend dies - 160649

Each tote measures 2 1/2" tall (excluding handles) x 3" wide (excluding extension of sides) x 1" deep, and for the body of each tote I used an 8 1/2" x 3 1/2" piece of cardstock, scored on the 8 1/2" side at 1/2" (just down 2"), 1", 4", 4 1/2" (just down 2"), 5", and 8" (the 1/2" tab - from which I trimmed approximately 1/8" is the glue tab), and scored on the 3 1/2" side at 1" (bottom flaps),  Using a ruler and stylus I scored the diagonal lines from the bottom of the lines scored on the 8 1/2" side at 1/2" and 4 1/2" out to the bottom corners of the side panels.

I used two options for the handles:  for the handles on the first tote I used two 11" x 3/8" strips, scoring at 3/8" from each end of each handle strip to mark the portions glued to the bottom of the tote.  I glued the handles to the front and back of the tote 3/8" in from each side.  For the handles for both totes I scored twice at 1/8" intervals down the length.  For the handles for the second tote I used two 8 1/2" x 3/8" strips, using a pencil to mark a line 1 3/8" from each end of each handle strip as guidelines for gluing the handles to the inside of the front and back of the tote.  Before gluing the handle strips to the totes I used my Bone Folder to slightly curl the strips in order to help prevent creasing in the strips while being twisted around during the gluing on process.  For the front and back panels of each tote I cut the DSP panels 2 3/4" x 2 1/4"; and the Basic White Thick cardstock (item 159229) matting panels 2 7/8" x 2 3/8".

Additional supplies used to complete the first tote:

• Berry Burst cardstock (item 144243) for the tote and handles;
• flowers die cut using the Country Birdhouse dies from watercolour paper coloured using Berry Burst ink (item 147143), Pool Party ink (item 147107), and Pumpkin Pie ink (item 147086);
• double leaf sprigs die cut using the Country Birdhouse dies from watercolour paper coloured using Pool Party ink and Shaded Spruce ink (item 147088); and
• small Bubble Bath dots from Rainbow Adhesive-Backed Dots (item 162758) added to flower centers.

Additional supplies used to complete the second tote:

• Granny Apple Green cardstock (item 146990) for the tote and handles;
• long narrow label die from the Delicate Forest dies (item 162679) to cut bodies of two watercolour paint tubes from watercolour paper - I didn't worry about cutting the full labels as I rolled up the bottom edge (secured with a little bit of Multipurpose Liquid Glue); and tall bottle die from the Potions & Spells dies (item 164141) to cut caps of the two watercolour paint tubes from watercolour paper - I trimmed the tops of the bottle die cuts to fit the tops of the label die cuts.  I used Real Red Ink Refill (item 103287), Granny Apple Green Ink Refill (item 147163), Pecan Pie ink (item 161665), and Basic Gray ink (item 149165) to colour the paint tubes and caps; and
• from my stash, 3/8" "almost Granny Apple Green" and white polka dot gross grain ribbon for the handle bow.

What aspiring artist wouldn't want a pair of paint palette earrings?  I made these earrings using two charms that had been waiting a long time for just the right project!  Using the large tag die from the Greetings Of The Season dies (item 164112) I cut one tag from the Full Of Life DSP, and a backing tag from Shaded Spruce cardstock (item 146981) - gluing the two tags together with wrong sides together before making the holes to accommodate the earring hooks.  I used white baker's twine from Baker's Twine Essentials Pack (item 155475) for the double bow tied through the top of the tag.

Greetings Of The Season dies - 164112

:For these two top-fold cards (3 1/2" square and 4" square) I used Basic White Thick cardstock (item 159229) for the bases.  For the first card I used the small floral image from the Thoughtful Wishes stamp set (item 163305) - colouring with Pumpkin Pie ink (item 147086), Pool Party ink (item 147107), and Mossy Meadow ink (item 147111).  The image circle was die cut using the 2 1/8" diameter circle die from the Stylish Shapes dies (item 159183) and I used Stampin' Dimensionals (item 104430) to attach it to the DSP panel.  The DSP panel - don't forget about the "back" sides of the DSP! - was trimmed to 3 1/4" square and matted with a 3 3/8" square Basic Black cardstock (item 121045) panel.  I used the Basic Black cardstock roof inset die cuts made using the Country Birdhouse dies (item 163400) as partial frames, adding two torn strips of watercolour paper coloured with Pool Party ink and Shaded Spruce ink (item 147088) - the inked watercolour paper had been lightly spritzed with water (Stampin' Spritzers - item 126185).  I made the envelope using a full sheet of the DSP and an envelope punch board - adding a bow tied using 1/4" "almost Daffodil Delight" satin ribbon from my stash.

For the image on the second card I borrowed from my sister the stamp from her City Sights Kit (item 163885) - using Misty Moonlight ink (item 153118) and Basic Gray ink (item 149165) to colour the image, and the 2 3/8" square die from the Stylish Shapes dies (item 159183) to die cut the image square.  I trimmed the DSP panel to 3 1/4" square, matting it with a 3 1/2" square Basic White Thick cardstock panel and a 3 3/4" square Basic Black cardstock panel.  I matted the image square with a 2 1/2" square Basic Black panel - scraping all edges with the blade of my craft knife.  Before attaching the matted image square to the DSP panel with Stampin' Dimensionals I used regular black sewing thread to make several loops that I secured to the back of the matted image square with clear tape.  When I was working on this card I was daydreaming about a field trip to the big city to visit all the art galleries and museums! 

And finally . . . 

To hold a small gift or two for your favourite aspiring artist why not a paint box gift box?  Although I did not use any of the Full Of Life DSP for this project it was certainly an inspiration!  For this box, which measures 5 13/16" wide x 4 9/16" deep x 1 3/4" tall, I used the following additional supplies:

• for the base of the box an 8 1/16" x 9 5/16" piece of Basic Black cardstock (item 121045), scored at 1 3/4" on all four sides;
• for the lid a 7 3/8" x 6 1/8" piece of Basic Black cardstock, scored at 3/4" on all four sides;
• Gone Fishing dies (item 161541) to cut frame from Basic Black cardstock, frame inset pieces from watercolour paper, and large rounded corner rectangle from watercolour paper;

Gone Fishing dies - 161541

• Painted Texture 3D Embossing Folder (item 154317) to emboss the five frame inset pieces - after embossing these pieces I coloured them with the following inks applied with Blending Brushes (item 153611) and Small Blending Brushes (item 160518):  Real Red (item 147084), Pumpkin Pie (item 147086), Granny Apple Green (item 147095), Daffodil Delight (item 147094), and Misty Moonlight (item 153118); and
• four small Adhesive-Backed Textured Dots (item 163338) - two added to each of the frame's back tabs (hinges).

Unfortunately Stampin' Up! advises that the following supplies I used in my projects this week are not currently available but I have included the date Stampin' Up! expects each to again be available for ordering - hopefully some dates will be earlier than expected:

• Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine (item 149653) - yikes! - week of September 9, 2024;
• Changing Leaves dies and Hybrid Embossing Folder (item 164138) - week of September 2, 2024;
• Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker (item 162481) - week of September 16, 2024; and
• Adhesive-Backed Texture Dots (item 163338) - week of September 2, 2024.

The good news is that Stampin' Up! introduced two new all-inclusive kits to the Kits Collection this week:

• Christmas Wishes Kit (item 164401); and

• Haunted Home Kit (item 164376).

Thank you for visiting my blog!  I had a lot of fun working on my projects this week - and having a photo shoot with my mini mannequin was an extra bonus! 

If you are interested in purchasing any of the available Stampin' Up! products I have used in my projects, and you live in Canada and do not have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, please do not hesitate to visit my online store found on my website https://archiesatelier.stampinup.net/ at your convenience, or simply click under the "Shop With Me" tab on the right sidebar of my blog, which will take you directly to my website and online store.  I very much appreciate your business, and if you need any assistance please do not hesitate to contact me (lmccoyarchie@gmail.com) - I would be very pleased to be your demonstrator!  The digital version of the May 2024-April 2025 Annual Catalogue is available for you to access at your convenience on my website (https://archiesatelier.stampinup.net/).  When visiting my online store don't forget to check out all the products now available as Online Exclusives! 

Have fun creating!

Laurel

*It has come to my attention that quite often email correspondence from me is delivered to the recipient's spam or junk mail folder - if you have corresponded with me I have replied so be sure to check your spam or junk mail folder!  Thank you!! 

The best way to celebrate International Cat Day - with good friends and a nap!