Septembers Class Projects

The first project we did last night was this film strip card. This is a great "technique" for both cards and scrappages! Think of all those silly little pictures you take of your children, now you can use them in this way and be able to show more than a few without overwhelming your page. Of course, I didn't come up with this idea on my own. In fact, this card was inspired by Julia (the Queen of vintage!) here. This card is simpler than hers, but I wanted to focus on the faux filmstrip and not overwhelm on little details. I have found that if you keep it simple the novice stampers will not feel as overwhelmed and the more advanced stampers will be able to run with it. So I try to find one element to focus on for each project I teach.

For this card I used Choco Chip for the base and Apple Cider Designer Paper for two of the layers. I just LOVE the double sided papers! They just seem to simplify pulling elements together on your projects! I used the ticket corner punch on the DP layers and sponged the edges of those layers as well. Then I used my SU distresser and distressed the edges. The faux filmstrip layer is just a 5 x 2 3/8" basic black that I used the Spiral punch on each side. I used the 1 3/8" square punch to punch out the flowers and mounted them to the black. I found it much easier to do it this way than try to punch three squares perfectly straight (remember testing post, I'm a bit of a perfectionist!)

Card Recipe: Stamps: True Friend, Baroque Motifs; Ink: Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Creamy Caramel, CRAFT Chocolate Chip (stamped flowers); Paper: Chocolate Chip, Basic Black, River Rock, Apple Cider DP, Accessories: Ticket corner punch, Spiral punch, sponge, Distress tool.

For the second project I showcased Faux Brads. I had been reading about faux brads on one of my yahoo groups, (Technique Junkies to be exact) but just wasn't interested too much. I am sorry that I don't remember the name of the person that shared this version of faux brads as I deleted the email. After all, real brads are soooo easy! Why fake it??? *eyeroll*

This is why! See that blank space to the left of the sentiment? It just looks off balance to me. By this time I had all the layers securely adhered down and trust me there would be no pulling these layers apart! So what is a gal to do??? Yes, you're right, faux brads to the rescue!


Here is the finished card:

So what do you think? Do the faux brads truly finish off this card?

Another reason to use faux brads is to cut down on the thickness of the card. With the new postal regulations those little backs on the brads can add to the thickness. I just paid an extra 17 cents today to mail a card to my brother because of the brads I had used. Oh well, he's worth it! ;)

Deets on this card: I used Linen b/g to add texture to the top portion of the base layer. I used the cool Boho Friend wheel with VersaMark for the background on the Wild Wasabi layer. The I stamped the flower from True friend and punched with the 1 1/4" circle punch, punched 1 3/8" of Basic Black and adhered together. Used a 1/16th" to add the (real) brad, then layered that to a scallop punched layer. I used two mini dots to attached the flower to the card because I was overlapping uneven layers (blue & green). I stamped the sentiment and attached the blue layer to the black layer then attached both to the green layer.

Okay on to the good details! How did I do those faux brads? I used my eyelet template from my Crafter's Tool Kit and placed on my card to see where I wanted my brads to be. I used the brush tip of my SU marker to color in the circles where I wanted my faux brads. Then without moving my template I used Crystal Effects (CE) to dab onto the circles. Gently remove the template and let the CE dry really well. (I let the card sit overnight before I scanned it.) Don't use too much CE or it will look a little goofy. I think I actually used a little too much. Also, clean up your template right away, CE is water soluble and will clean up easily, but you don't want to wait too long!

Stamps: True Friend, Linen; Ink: VersaMark, Ballet Blue, Night Of Navy Marker, CRAFT Basic Black; Paper: Ballet Blue, Wild Wasabi, Basic Black; Accessories: PUNCHES: 1 1/4", 1 3/8", 1/16" Scallop Circle, Crafter's Tool Kit, Crystal Effects, BB Brad.

ETA: Oops! I forgot to share where the inspiration for this card came from! PageMaps has a section now for cards. This layout is from one of their CardMaps, (bottom row, second from right.) What a great place for some quick inspiration!