Tag Archives: tutorial

Chalkboard Technique with Doodles and Heart Punch Stencils

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ArtfulAdventures KristieSloan chalkboard techniqueChalkboard art is quite popular right now.  I’m sure you’ve seen a thing or two that lately that has the chalkboard look.  I’ve got a couple of ideas for you today.

  1. We’ll use a punch to create a stencil.
  2. We’ll create a chalkboard look for a scrapbook page.

Artful Adventures KristieSloan Punch Chalkboard Doodle SuppliesHere is more mileage we can get from that same heart punch that we’ve used for several ideas. You can use most any punch for a stencil.  You’ll need:

  • Black paper for your background
  • Your punch
  • Paper to punch and make your stencil
  • White Ink – a pigment ink will allow you to smear it well
  • Sponge for applying your ink
  • A white (or silver) pencil or pen for the detail work
After you sponge in your punched stencil with the white ink, just take your white pen or pencil and create some doodled lines!  Doodles DON’T HAVE TO BE PERFECT!  Just have fun.
Artful Adventures with KristieSloan chalkboard doodle punch
  • I first drew in simple lines that ran between the hearts.
  • Next I drew a second line and just ran back and forth over the first one.  It creates kind of a ribbon look.
  • Then I just added some curls at the ends of my lines.
  • I then added dots on my “ribbon” and at the end of the little curlicues.
There are a number of options you can consider using for your doodling.  I used the white watercolor pencil on this project.
ArtfulAdventures KristieSloan chalkboard doodle punch pens

 

Now you’ll want to make the black paper look a little more chalky so that it looks like it has been erased a few time.  Two options I like are:

  1. Lightly sponge on more white ink, using the sponge almost dry so that you don’t get too much.  You can always add more, but it’s hard to remove it!
  2. You can use an Embossing Buddy, which is meant to be used on the surface of your project before using embossing powder.  It has a slightly powdery effect which will make sure you don’t have static and have embossing powder clinging where you don’t want to emboss. Rubbing it across your black paper gives it that “chalky” appearance.  However, it is still kind of powdery, so if you are using this technique on a scrapbook page, you may want to select the inking technique.

ArtfulAdventures KristieSloan chalkboard technique with embossing buddy

At this point I added a photo to the page and added more doodles around it.  Then I added a title, and even more doodles. Then I decided I needed some more hearts, so I stenciled in a few more hearts.  Okay, I may have gone overboard, but it’s a fun page, and I enjoyed doing it!  I got a cute picture on a page, and I enjoyed myself!

Artful Adventures Chalkboard Doodle Scrapbook

Loosen up and try your hand at something new. My page isn’t perfect, but I don’t care.  In case you haven’t noticed, there are people who are enjoying quite a following creating art that isn’t perfect.  Is is NOT about the perfect!  I hope you’ll give the chalkboard technique a try and you are always welcome to share your work with us over at the Artful Adventures Facebook Group!

Chalkboard_Best-ThingsLast, but not least, here is another page I made that has a similar look.  This page was done with the February sketch layout from my friend Beth at ScrappingWonders.com.  

Use Alphabet Stickers or Die Cuts for Masking Technique

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Many of you said that you have problems finding ways to use some of the products you have in your stash.  Today’s project will show you how to use extra alphabet stickers, ribbon, and patterned paper!  I’m going to show you a masking technique to create an interesting element on a recycled project.  This project will also work if you want to use die cut letters, which is actually what I will use today.

You’ve probably heard me tell you many times that thrift stores, estate sales, and even garage sales are great places to find thing that you can alter or up cycle.  I was at the thrift store the other day and found two hinged boxes that I decided I would spruce up and use for handmade cards an envelopes, which I will probably use for gifts.

So, here is the before and after picture.

Learn to recycle a hinged tin box with patterned paper and alpha masking technique

 First, wipe down your item with rubbing alcohol to make sure it is clean and free of any dirt or oils.

Next, if the existing color on the outside rim of the lid, and the lip it closes over don’t coordinate with your choice of paper, you’ll want to recolor it. You’ll either need an alcohol ink, pigment ink, or in this case I used StazOn.  I opened the lid of the stamp pad, and squirted a few drops of the StazOn ink refill into the lid, and just used it like paint to cover the edged which would not be covered by paper.

stazon used to paint edges

StazOn ink refill in the lid of the stamp pad. Use it like paint on the rim of the lid.

Outer edge of lid painted

Paint outer edge of lid, and the lip that it will close over.

Select your paper and measure around the box for the length needed.  Measure the height of the area you will place the paper in.  This box needed 28 inches of paper to wrap around, with a height of 3.75 inches.  I was able to use a 12×12″ paper for the body; but had to use a second piece for the lid.   Place the tin upside down and trace around it for the top piece; or hold it in place and press the edges into the paper to mark where it will need to be cut.

Now, take your paper that will wrap around the body, and adhere it together for a single piece.

Next take some painters masking tape to mask off a boarder along your paper.  IMPORTANT TIP: Take the masking tape and tape it to your clothes and lift it off.  Repeat several times until you can tell the tape is still just a little bit tacky.  Be doing this, your masking tape will stick to the paper, but will easily come off the paper without ripping it!

Using painters masking tape to create border

IMPORTANT TIP: Take the masking tape and tape it to your clothes and lift it off. Repeat several times until you can tell the tape is still just a little bit tacky. Be doing this, your masking tape will stick to the paper, but will easily come off the paper!

Now we are going to put those alphabet stickers to work!  If you don’t have alphabet stickers, you can get the same effect by using die cut letters.  These were created with the Big Shot.  To use these as stickers for the masking technique, simple turn them upside down and apply non-permanent adhesive.  The 2-Way Glue Pen is perfect for this.  If the glue has a bit of a blue tint, it will bond items together.  If you let it dry, it becomes a non-permanent bond, like a sticky note.  So, that’s what you see here, the glue is drying so that I can make them removable.

alphabet stickers from die cuts

2-Way Glue Pen is perfect for making a permanent or temporary bond.  
Leaving them in the paper makes it easier to apply the adhesive.

Now apply your alphabet stickers between your two rows of masking tape.  If you are using alphabet stickers, use the same method as we used with the masking tape, before you stick them on the page.  We want to take the stickers off in a minute, so stick them on and off of your cloths or a cloth, before you stick them on the paper.  You can be as random or as planned as you want with the placement.

Alpha Stickers for masking
I used an ink pad and a sponge to apply the color. Be careful that you don’t knock the letters off the paper.  Gently sponge as much color on as you would like.  Notice that I only inked enough to add color, and left it somewhat transparent, and you can see the design of the paper still.

inking over the alphabet stickers

Ink along the length of your paper.

When your are finished inking, you can gently remove your alphas and your masked off borders.  Apply your paper to the tin!  I used Sticky Strip so that it would have a secure hold on the metal, and will be secure enough if this item is not going to see heavy action.  A few glue dots helped tack the paper in place to make it more manageable to deal with.  (If a super duper, all over hold is desired, you could use ModPodge to adhere the paper to your tin, but it will greatly increase the length of time before completion because you’ll have to wait on it to dry.)

I ran a length of ribbon around the body and added a bow.  I opted to not place anything else on the lid, although I had made a paper flower.  It just seemed that it looked best at this point without more embellishments.

hinged box projectI hope this will help you with some ideas to use your stash of supplies!  If you need something, feel free to shop my Stampin’Up! store for the items used above:

StazOn Ink Refill –  #102566

Stazon Ink Pad – #101406

Paper – “First Edition Specialty” – #121878,  digital version – #124408

2 Way Glue Pen – #100425

Stamping Sponges – #101610

Black Classic Ink Pad – #126980

Sticky Strip – #104294

Glue Dots – #103683

Black 3/8″ Ribbon – #119962

Now, get out there and have some Artful Adventures!  —Kristie

 

 

One Sheet Mini Album, Part 2 – Any Size

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I promised you I would show you how to make the One Sheet Mini-album using any size paper.  So here it is. I hope it’s not too confusing, but I think that you will get the idea and understand how you can size your pages and number of pages according to your sheet size. Disclaimers: 1.) I do not anticipate any cinematography awards for this. 2.) There is a reason I am not a hand model. If you missed the first video with the instructions, you can see it here.

During the rest of this week I’m going to share some information about some online classes and give you a chance for a special deal on those classes for the next few days. These could make some great gifts or you might like to just take advantage of them for yourself!

The first week of January will begin our series of using our supplies in different ways. Whether you’re stuck with a lot of supplies you’re just not using and have a lot on hand or you just want some ideas to use your supplies in different ways, I think you’re going to enjoy the series.

If you make some of these I hope you come over to the Artful Adventures Facebook Group and share what you’ve done we would love to see it. Speaking of the Facebook group, I hope that you will come over and join the group. It’s a group meant to share what you’re working on. I hope that we can encourage each other to try new things. Design and techniques can flow from one art to another. You can’t think of yourself as “just a scrapbooker,” or “just a stamper,” because it requires thought and design, which actually makes you a scrapbook artist, or a card designer!  What if you add in even more art techniques or types of products you use? Wouldn’t that be fun and perhaps make you feel even more creative?  Well get ready because we are going on some Artful Adventures!

One Sheet Mini-Album

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Here is a quick way to make a mini-album from just a single sheet of paper.  This episode will show you how to create the booklet from either cardstock or patterned paper.  Double sided patterned paper is my favorite for this project because you get to see both sides in different areas of your little book!

Although this sample has a definite holiday theme you can create one for any occasion, or any reason!  You can use little pictures, sayings or quotes, journaling, a tiny art journal… you get to decide!

What better way to use bits and pieces to embellish this little album, than pull from your stash!  Plus, what are you ever going to do with all that patterned paper you are “saving” for just the right project!  Come on, use one!  This IS the project a perfect piece of paper has been waiting for!  Wow, say that fast several times!  Create something fun, and then come over and join and post to our new Artful Adventures Facebook Group.

The next episode will show you how to use different sized of paper, other than a 12×12 sheet.  You will also learn how to determine the number of pages and the page sizes when creating your one sheet mini-album from any size paper!

A printable tutorial, along with 13 other great tutorials is available upon a donation to the American Heart Association through, “Scrappers Give Thanks 2012”. Hurry, it’s only available through December 25, 2012!