Christmas Card Club Challenge #10- Door/Window

Well, I'm here, a week late, but my monitor giving up the ghost basically turned my PC into a giant paperweight! So, Margaret chose this theme, and she'd like to see Doors or Windows featuring on our cards. I knew exactly what I wanted to do, and also that I didn't have any door/window dies, but I did have cutting files for my Silhouette. Which was when my monitor decided it had had enough.
When my new one arrived, I cut out the Gothic Arch window, and the Glowing Candles Memory Box die. I also realised the 'stained glass window' effect I wanted was going to show through the candles, so I grabbed all the waste off my cutting table to stick back in place.
 To back the windows, I used some sheets created long ago, using the 'Caught in Crystal' technique. I've linked to my original blog post about their creation, in case you don't know the technique.
I had to wait for them to stick and flatten, as you can see some had gotten a bit curled over time.

 These were ready for attaching to the window cut outs.

And this is after they stuck and flattened out.

 Stuck them down onto 6" card bases, after matting the card front- I changed the green one later, as I didn't like the narrow border, and also realised I'd not kept track of which window went on which card, as the one I used on it had no green in it at all!

 Next stage was to add the candles in front of the window, and some yellow Liquid Pearls for the candle flame.







Final addition was a sentiment peel off.

This one shows a little of the glitter added to the window background.

WOYWW #571- The Catching Up Edition.

I am, indeed, playing catch up. I was getting a bit concerned I wouldn't make it for this weeks desk round up over at Julias place, The Stamping Ground. Because last Friday- or it may have been Thursday, who knows anymore- my PC monitor decided it was going to the great Tech graveyard. Poof! just died on me. I've been able to access the Internet on my Chromebook, but that isn't Windows based like my PC, so I can't actually access anything I'd do on my pc, and it doesn't show me any pictures on there either. So, another monitor was duly ordered from Amazon, was showing Tuesday as a delivery date, so kept my fingers crossed. And here it is! On my PC desk which is over in the corner. I didn't get any cards made for the Christmas Card Club- thats something I need to catch up with in the next few days, as this challenge was 'Windows', and I knew I didn't have a die for this, but I did have cutting files on my Silhouette. So, having got a monitor again, I've just cut out the Window shape I want to use.

I also die cut 3 Memory Box candles I want to use with them.. I haven't poked out the waste for the windows yet. I'm currently having a think about the candles- I think I'm going to need to attach the candle bodies, otherwise the window will show through.

Sorted out some acetate sheets/OHP film I've coloured with Alcohol inks, and some using the KLEAR floor polish & tissue, to back the windows with, so they'll look like stained glass.

I've also got these inked card pieces I intend to use, not sure if I'll use them for these cards or not though. Probably not.

 Not really enabling(!) but have you seen there are to be some new Distress Colours? Just sayin.😈
 And that's all my desk related stuff done.
A few of you have asked what I did with my shoulder. It's not a new injury, some of you may recall I once snapped off a corner of my shoulder blade, where the rotator cuff is joined? Believe it or not, that was back in 2012. I had it in a splint for 12 weeks, then had physio, and it did all heal. The trouble is occasionally it will become painful- and the cold & damp really upsets it. We had some cold, damp weather a couple of months ago now, and it started aching. I then spent ages using my Rotary Cutter to give my card inserts a fancy edge, and that requires quite a bit of pressure to get good clean cuts. Anyway, I obviously aggravated it no end, and it's not been happy ever since. Been resting it, occasionally putting in a sling to support it, and it's gradually returning to normal. At it's worst, it's a bit like a cross between Sciatica but going down your arm- it'll extend as far as my knuckles sometimes, or having really bashed your funny bone! So, it's been getting a lot of rest, painkilling gel & painkillers,and I do think it's a lot better than it has been. Hope you are all still staying nice & safe, and that anyone who's been ill with this blasted virus, is getting better quickly.

Caught in Crystal

Back before Christmas, I purchased a stamp from Jennie at the Artistic Stamper, by our very own Doone,(Donna Louise Rogers), which is a Green Man. I must admit, these are a particular love of mine, Green Men. I have a few around the house, and a couple of stamps already.So, my vague plan has been to stamp him onto a 'caught in crystal' background, then during this weeks WOYWW, one of the bloggers mentioned a bottle of Johnsons  'KLEAR' floor polish,which is used for this.Which prompted me to make a start. The KLEAR is very much like Glossy Accents, but for something like this a LOT cheaper. This post will go up in two parts, as having made the basic sheets, they need a while to dry.
So, what do you need ?

Tissue came in a huge pack from The Works.

 Old newspaper,
 a bottle of Johnsons 'KLEAR' floor polish
transparency sheets, or acetate
 Masking tape (any will do, mines from Poundland)

Inks - reinkers etc
Tissue paper- white is fine, I've used a couple of colours here. I've also heard of people doing this with kitchen towel & facial tissues.
Disposable gloves are a good idea!

First step is to tape your transparency sheet to a couple of layers of newspaper with the masking tape, sealing down the edges well. Now pour on some of the 'KLEAR'- you want enough to be able to spread over the whole surface, best done with your fingers, and its good idea to wear disposable gloves doing this too.

Once its spread over the surface, begin dripping an assortment of inks into it. Best to stick to only 3 or 4, or you'll end up with a muddy mess. I used Distress Re-inkers for this one, using 3 different greens and 1 brown.
I did find the DI reacted it bit strangely with the KLEAR, going a bit thick, that doesn't happen with Alcohol inks, but it still comes out fine.

Here I used red, orange & yellow Alcohol Inks.   

  



 The next step is to move your inks around in the KLEAR- fingers, paintbrush, whatever- just be careful how you mix them so it doesn't turn to an icky mess.


Next you need a piece of tissue paper slightly larger than your coloured sheet. Scrumple it up, then smooth it back out.




 

Now you lay it on top of the inky KLEAR.

Gently start to dab it down, using your fingertips- don't press too hard, or rub or push. The wet paper tears easily, although you can gently push any torn edges back together. Now you need to put it aside to dry, at least overnight. Don't try brayering/rolling over it, it will muddy all the colours together.
 WORD OF WARNING
Even though its taped to newspaper, the ink can seep through- wherever you are going to put it to dry, put plenty of newspaper underneath it. Or lay a large bin bag down and put it on top of that.

You can see here where it leaked through onto my mat.

So thats the basic idea.

The reason its called 'Caught in Crystal', is because before you place the tissue paper down, you can add inclusions- glitter, fibres, beads etc.





I'm hoping you can see I've added glitter in a few different greens to this one.

 This one I've sprinkled crystal glitter in, and I'm going to use yellow tissue on the back.





 The thing with inclusions is, if you make them too dimensional, it becomes extremely difficult to stamp on the smooth side. You can of course do your stamping first, then flip it over and do the crystal part if you want to include beads etc in the crystal. I just like to do the crystal first, as then I can choose where best to stamp my image to best effect, rather than the random effect I'd get doing it the other way.

I've used this a few times, the Christmas Angels I did were made from it and one or two cards I've done in the past have used it.

So that's Part One. I did two green sheets, and one red/yellow, so they are all on one side now drying out.


EDIT:   Okay, I'm stepping back in time from 2020, as I discovered that KLEAR had been discontinued ages ago, then while searching for an alternative, I found out it had actually been re-launched, this time under the name of PLEDGE MULTI SURFACE POLISH.
 Pic here of what you're looking for. 

I mentioned my Green Men earlier, here are a few of them:

Describe Her

A sheet of A4 white pearlescent was creased & folded and used in landscape format. A piece of black pearl paper was embossed with the Swiss Dots folder & Cuttlebug, trimmed to 6x10cm and the corners rounded. A piece of black embroidered paper was cut to the same size and rounded. Butterfly Kisses Stamp 'Tartan Background'(BK1006F) was stamped in Black Versafine onto white cardstock, trimmed and rounded. These three panels were mounted onto silver grey card leaving an equal gap between them, then the grey card cut to just fit the card front and corners rounded.

A length of black organza ribbon was wrapped around the panel and tied in a bow before being stuck down with DST across the centre of the card.  Artifacts stamp 'Describe Her' was stamped in Black onto white pearl card twice, then cut and rounded. A piece of silver vellum was cut about a centimetre larger than the words panel, corners rounded then embossed with the D'vine swirls folder. The word panel was matted onto this, then mounted across the three panels on the front of the card. 

The lady is from a set by The Glitter Girls, and is stamped in Staz-on onto acetate which has been given the 'Caught in Crystal' treatment. She was then mounted to the left side with silicone glue. The sentiment was stamped in black, and comes from an Elusive Images themeplate.

 Caught in Crystal:  This is messy, so cover your workspace with newspaper first! And wear gloves too! Take a sheet of acetate (I use OHP transparencies, from Staples) and pour a couple of tablespoons of Johnsons KLEAR floor polish onto it. Add a few drops of re-inker colours, or alcohol inks, and spread with your fingers or a spatula across the acetate.

Don't mix too much, or you will muddy the colours. If you wish you can sprinkle in some glitter, gold leaf, even seed beads, but remember the lumpier you make it, the harder it will be to get a good stamped image. You can of course stamp your images first, then flip it over and do the floor polish stuff, however this makes it harder to determine where your images colours will be. When you are happy, take a sheet of tissue paper (the sort used for gifts, not the paper hanky type) and either scrumple it up, open out and pat down onto your ink/floor polish mix, or just lay it on flat and pat down. I use any pale colour of tissue, it doesn't have to be white. Just pat down with your fingers- don't press, or you will push the colours around. Now put aside to dry- this may take a day or so, depending on temperature. If you do find it difficult to get a good stamped image, you can clean Staz-on off acetate with Staz-on cleaner & try again, and you may find it helps to put a stamping mat, or mouse-pad, underneath.