Happy Fall Card with Foiling

 

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. Today's card features the hot foiling technique using the Spellbinder Glimmer Machine. I tend to forget to do this technique and to use my Spellbinder Glimmer Machine. I have a tiny craft space so a lot of my crafting gadgets are put back on its box after its use. Yes, I keep this machine inside the box together with its accessorries and its other related supplies. It just helps me stay organized. Each time I have to use it, I have to get it out of the box, machine and all. 

My card is inspired by a sketch from Scrapbook & Cards as seen below.

I just changed the orientation of the panel and also the occasion, from winter to fall. Although, this sketch is recommended for a scrapbook layout, it does not mean, I cannot use it for a card, right?

I pulled out different colors of cardstock from my stash. I picked which colors I will be using for the background and for the leaves. 

I used the Trinity Stamps Autumn Rainbow Cut & Foil Die Set on this card. This set has 8 leaf foil pieces and its matching die. To make my foiling experience easy, I created a foiling template by die cutting the leaves on a carstock. 

I die cut the leaves when these dies are still unsnipped from each other. I laid this template on the Glimmer Hot Foil Plate with its corner lined with a grid on the plate. I did this before I fed this through the die cutting machine.

I positioned the leaf foiling pieces on the plate, matching the leaf foil piece with the opening of the cardstock template. You will notice on the photo that the Glimmer machine has the green light on which means it is hot. The Glimmer machine came with a magnet accessory to move the metal plates. Use this and don't get burned! You can also use a craft pick to move the metal pieces.

I carefully removed the cardstock template. I cut a cardstock big enough to cover all of the leaves. I cut the foil at the same size. I recommend this or have the foil smaller than the cardstock to prevent transferring the foil to the spacer plate. I repeated this process with the rest of the cardstock.

Once the plate blinks green, it is time to carefully remove the plate from the base and run it through the die cutting machine. 

 

I used a Sizzix machine for the foiling. Although, the foil transferred, adding a cardstock to the sandwich gave better results as you can see on the above photos. The photo on the left is foiling without an additional cardstock for a shim, and the photo on the right is foiling with an added cardstock for a shim.

Unfortunately, I have to snip the coordinating dies from each other since it is the mirror image of the foil plate that gets transferred to the paper. I matched the dies with the foiled image. To keep the arrangement of the dies intact, I applied a shelf liner on top of the dies. After running this through the die cut machine, I carefully removed the die cuts. I repositioned this on the next foiled cardstock panel. Some of the dies may not match the foiled impression but for the most part, it did. I just fixed the dies that are not on the right spot.

I die cut the burlap on a dark purple cardstock using the Honey Bee Stamps Burlap Background Honey Cuts. I trimmed a salmony-orange cardstock at 5" x 6" (A4). I rarely create this card size but making it larger than A2 prevents overcrowding of the leaves.

I positioned the burlap die cut on the A4 panel. I arranged the leaves to create a frame, just like in the sketch. I adhered the leaves to the burlap. I only used the smaller leaves.

I adhered foam adhesive to the back of the burlap, behind the leaves. Before I adhered the burlap to the salmon cardstock panel, I adhered three of the big leaves to the panel just to add some shine that will show through the burlap.

I fiddled with the sentiment. I prefer a die cut sentiment so that the intricacy of the burlap will show through. For this reason, I just want my font size to be just right. Well, my alphabet dies are either too small or too big so I did a bit of die cut surgery to create my sentiment. The original sentiment die is 'BE HAPPY.' I trimmed the E to make it into an F and an L. 

I adhered the letters to the center portion of the burlap.

I hope yo ulike today's card. Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I shared this card at

Challenge #122~Amazing Autumn

BetterPress Letter Press & Glimmer Hot Foil

 

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. It is a new month! I can't believe it is November already. It is an Anything Goes challenge at Incy Wincy Designs with an optional twist, create a Christmas Card with a Handmade Background. I used both themes on my cards for today's post.

Have you tried the BetterPress Letterpress machine by Spellbinders? This is my first time to use this machine. Just like any other new tool/machine, I have to learn the tricks in using it effectively. 

Although Spellbinders came out with inks for the BetterPress system, I used dye inks from Altenew for the inking. I used the Spellbinders BetterPress specialty cardstock (Cotton Card), which is a heavy weight cardstock (220 lb.), to do the letter press technique. 

On my first try, I did not get a bold impression. I thought it was because of the light blue ink that I used. I repeated the process and still was not getting a good impression. On my third try on re-inking and letter pressing, the cardstock shifted creating a double image of the background. Oh, well. 

On my fourth try with a new cardstockck, I added a thin cardboard as a shim on the top of the BetterPress platform. This time, the shim added extra pressure to push the inked press plate towards the heavy weight cardstock. I just discovered the right BetterPress recipe for my Sizzix machine. Doing it using a darker blue ink was easier now that I know the right BetterPress sandwich for my die cut machine.

The Pinkfresh Studio Decorative Frames Press Plate that I used for the background has a dual purpose. It can be used for both BetterPress and Glimmer Machines. I hot foiled the background on a light blue cardstock using a light blue foil. 

The Pinkfresh Studio Decorative Frames Press Plate has a coordinating die which I used to cut the frames apart. If you are going to use a full background press plate or hot foil plate, I suggest using a cardstock larger than A2. The extra space allows you to get full coverage of the background design when foiling and letter pressing. 

I tried transferring the left over design on the foil to another cardstock using the Waffle Flower Solid Hot Foil Plate. I failed on this part. I should have used a light weight, non-textured cardstock and/or I should have used a shim. 

I interchanged the frames to create a multi-colored background. With this I was able to create three cards right away. Extra cards created are always great. 

 

I created a fringed multi-layered Christmas tree on the card above. I used a fringe scissors to cut the fringes. I added impressions to the top layer of the tree and the trunk. The triangle die I used is from Honey Bee. The star was die cut using a Lawn Fawn coordinating die. I adhered blue gems to the tree. I inlaid the decorative frames, using all of the pieces including the drop negative cuts for a seamless finish.

 

For my second card, I cross stitched the Christmas tree on dark green cardstock. The Christmas tree pattern is from The Magic of Christmas to Cross Stitch by Veronique Enginger. I framed the cross stitched Christmas tree using the second to the largest frame of the decorative frames. I also removed the in-between frame cuts on this card. I embellished the tree with star sequins and gems that glow in the dark. I adhered star sequins on the top of the tree.

 

For my third card, I poked a hole on the Christmas tree. I threaded a green glitter thread through the holes. I added dash lines in between the glitter thread using a Sakura Stardust pen. I also did stitching on the trunk using a metallic embroidery floss. I added a gold glitter star on the top of the tree. I die cut the star using the same Lawn Fawn coordinating die I used on the first card. I added different colored gems to embellish the tree. 

I hope you like today's projects. Please join us in this month's challenge at Incy Wincy Design. It is a very good motivation to start working on those Holiday cards.

Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this project at

Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp IG Challenge

Scrapbook & Cards Todays FB Challenge

Remembering You, Day of the Dead Celebration Blog Hop

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. Blank Page Muse is having a Halloween and Day of the Dead Celebration Hop featuring products from Blank Page Muse and I Brake For Stamps. I am part of this hop. Please head to the BPM blog to see all the projects created by the team for this hop. There will be links to each artist's project for details.

I am featuring the I Brake For Stamps Mrs. Bones rubber stamp. I stamped her on a light weight white cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I colored the image using Faber Castell Polychromos color pencil. 

I used the Spellbinders Glimmer Machine to create the frame. I hot foiled a rose gold foil on white cardstock using the hot foil plate included with the purchase of the machine. I blended Tim Holtz Victorian Velvet Distress ink on the foiled panel. I added a touch of TH Black Soot DI on the inner circle of the oval frame. The foil resisted the ink. To restore the shine of the foil, I wiped off the ink from the foil with a dry rag. 

The hot foil plate did not come with a coordinating die. To create it into a frame, I fussy cut the frame, also cutting off the inner oval. 

I added texture to the stamped panel by embossing it using the Altenew Organic Linen 3D embossing folder. I added details to Mrs. Bones using glitter pens, glitter glue, enamel glue and gel pens. I blended TH Tea Dye DI to mute the stark white of the cardstock and give the panel a vintage look. 

I die cut the stamped panel with an oval die from Hero Arts making sure Mrs. Bones is at the center of the frame and there is some area to apply adhesive on to adhere the frame. 

To create this into a standing frame, I needed an oval shape a little bit smaller than the frame. I cut a heavy weight brown cardstock using the EK Success Curvy Cutter. Yes! A tool from past. Good thing my blade is still working since I read that replacement blades are hard to find. My mistake was not temporarily adhering my cardstock to the glass mat. When I felt some shifting while gliding the blade through the cutter, I stopped. Good thing the blade was able to make a mark on the cardstock. I used it as a guide to cut the cardstock with my scissors.  

I die cut the stand using The Stamp Market Scalloped Frame Die. I am still having problems making the frame stand but I think I am getting better as to where to adhere the stand on the back of the frame. 

Now, Mr. Bones and Mrs. Bones are remembered. Making this project reminded me of the lullaby song "Remember Me" from the movie Coco. I love that song! Listening to it reminds me of my Amang & Inang. I remember you, even though you are far away.

I hope you like today's project. Please join us in our blog hop. Cruise through the DT's projects and be inspired. Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I also have three previous blog posts with the Day of the Dead theme. Below are photos of the projects and links to the posts.

Day of the Dead Banner

Mica Pearl Watercolored Image

Day of the Dead Coffin

I am sharing this project at

Inkspirational Challenge

Anything Goes