Challenge #25 - Blog Hop - "Pairs"

This unfortunately not a card for the beginner crafter as it does involve several techniques. Saying that if you want to just take a tip from here and a tip from there then please do. Even a small element from this card would embellish any crafting project.

The main image is from a fab stamp set from DYLUSIONS called TRAVELING TRAVIS. The complete set of DYLUSIONS Stamps –Ink Sprays – Stencils are available from THATS CRAFTY ON-LINE STORE.

SHOPPING LIST:
A4 Made up Card
A5 Black Card
Funky Fun Foam Pad A5 in Size
1 Soft Drinks Can [Cleaned lol] Metal Snips or a pair of Scissors your not bothered about.
Adirondack Pitch Black Ink Pad
Black Glitter Embossing Powder
Embossing Folder of your Choice
A4 That Special Touch Mask
Printed Image secured on to A4 Heavy Paper or a Light Card [Photograph printing style paper]
Selection of Alcohol Ink pens ie: Pro-Markers or Spectrum Noir
Ribbon or Anything that ‘Grungy/Steam Punky. [I used the trimmed bits from a large wool X-Stitch project lm doing]
Good Sharp Scissors.
Sanding Block as well as a little piece of metal sandpaper.
Selection of Alcohol Inks
Strong Clear Crafting Glue
Heat Gun – Embossing/Die Cutting Machine. Craft Tray – Craft Mat.
Normal items from our crafting tool box: Metal Edged Ruler, Craft Knife, Tweezers, ATG Glue Gun etc..

LETS MAKE A CARD!
We will break this project down to 3 different sections.
1. The Main Figure
2. The Tin Can.
3. The Card Base

1}. THE FIGURE.
Taking the Funky Fun Foam Pad secure onto your work surface with just a little tape. Then using the main stamp from a wonderful collection ink up generously with the Pitch Black Ink. After a few tries l found that Adirondack inks are nice and wet.

In some projects its a hindrance however in this project it was just perfect.

After the image had been stamped, place a nice layer of embossing powder. Carefully tip the excess powder back into a craft tray or what ever item your using to capture the powder. Gently tap the foam so that its all fallen off apart from what area we have stamped.

Now this next step could scare you and your thinking the foam could melt. If you don't have a heat gun that's not got a gentle setting just take the gun a little higher and just take your time. It will emboss without any problem and you will get a great stamped/embossed image if you just relax, take your time and keep an eye on the melting powder and you don't keep it on one area to long. [This goes for any form of heat embossing not just Funky Foam.]

Using the alcohol based pens gently colour in the areas that you want. You now have to put this to one side for at least overnight. The colouring lays on the layer and it will smudge. One way to help this process is just to give the coloured areas with a heat gun to help fix. You cant rush this its going to take time.

2}. METAL CAN.
If you have some metal cutters then this will help, saying that you can use a pair of old scissors. I would also recommend wearing proper gloves or use a towel to hold the can while your cutting the can. You want to remove the top and bottom. If you look closely at the can you will see a line in the design of the can that you can follow.

After you have cut the can to leave you with a length of ‘Tin’ carefully dispose of the metal that's been cut away. Pick up your metal sanding paper and go over all edges so that you remove all ‘Knicks and Jagged Edges’

When your happy with a safe length of Can Metal pick your embossing folder and run through your chosen machine. You might have to run the metal through twice so that you get all the surface embossed. Then attack the surface again with your metal sand paper. Be carefully as sometimes the metal might crease a bit to much and will be fragile. Gently remove the face of the can. Use that as the front as it gives you a depth of colour to start with.

Start to now lay colour onto the surface of the metal with your chosen Alcohol Inks. Use a straw to move the ink around the surface you ant the inks to bleed into each other giving you more colouring. When your happy place to one side and let it cure and become permanent.

3}. THE CARD BASE.
After you have printed out you backing paper secure it on to some card stock, then take the card base and run it through your A4 Embossing Machine. If you don't have a A4 machine if you secure the paper and the mask onto a firm surface by rubbing with a spoon etc. You will get something similar, however it will not be as deep. But don't let this not having a A4 machine put you off. There is a way round most things.

After the card stock has been embossed taking your sanding block and start to remove the coating/Printed Image on the surface.

Don't be to careful you want to make the surface look as if it has been around the world a few times. You now have 3 elements.

BUILDING THE CARD:


Secure the backing paper onto the base card and then trim around all edges. I used some old Canvas cutting which l coloured with some old paint samplers l had laying around.

Taking a good pair of scissors l cut out the stamped image from the Foam. Leaving a small margin all around. This when cut out l glued onto some Black Card Stock. Once again l cut around the stamped image leaving a bigger margin.

The next part was to decide where the placement would be. So laying both items on the card l can play and then when happy secure both into place.

There you have it a card made from an old drinks can and some Funky Foam!

Any questions please ask and l will do my best to get back to you a.s.a.p.