Thursday, February 28, 2019

Canvas Art Using DIY Foil Paper

Hello, Crafty Friends! It's been a while since I've been crafting. I took a short break to take care of my son had surgery on his leg. He's getting better tons better and his poor little leg is getting stronger every day. Which is just in time too! Warmer weather has been peeking its head and soon Spring will be here. And you know what that means... lots of flowers blooming!!

So, to celebrate Spring's arrival, I created this Flower Bloom Wall Art Canvas using...of all things... wait for it... Aluminum Foil!!

Yup, the same stuff you wrap your leftovers with! I used this kitchen staple and made my own DIY SHEET METAL EMBELLISHMENTS that look and feel like, well, metal!! Unlike the foiled cardstock from the craft store, which is just a thin plastic coating. 

AAANNND, it die-cuts like a dream!! 

Let me show you how...



Supplies Used
Eileen Hull Leaves Die (Sizzix)
Tim Holtz Stitched Circle Die (Sizzix)
Textured Impressions Plus Embossing Folder- Botanical Swirls(Sizzix)
16"x 20 " Canvas
Gesso (Liquitex)
Black Chalkboard Paint (Prima)
Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil
Clear drying liquid Adhesive

I started my project with a plain 16"x 20" Canvas and applied a coat of gesso. Most canvases come pre-gessoed but I like to add an additional coat anyway, it seems to help my paint go on smoother and helps spread my paint further (at least it does to me, anyway).

I zapped the canvas with a heat gun to speed up drying time.

Then, applied a layer of black chalkboard paint over the entire surface (including the sides).  Then zapped it again once more.


Here is where it gets really good...

I knew I wanted to make metal embellishments but didn't want to just run the foil through my Xyron. NOPE, it would crinkle up in a heartbeat! Even though I used HEAVY DUTY FOIL, IT still didn't have that heft and standing power that I wanted.

So, to firm things up a bit I attached the foil to 110 lb cardstock. Nice, thick, and sturdy 110 lb cardstock!

I simply ran each individual sheets through my Creative Station, peeled the film backer, and attached the sheet to the aluminum.

 When attaching sheets of adhesive start from one end and kind of roll it toward the other end. If you attach straight down you are a more likely to catch air bubbles. 

Smooth out any tiny lumps and bumps with a rubber or silicone brayer.
Look how shiny and smooth it is!! Ooooh, pretty!

Next, I cut my sheets to die-cuttable sizes. I'm saving myself a lot of tears by die-cutting all my petal pieces instead of cutting them by hand. I once hand cut 50 take out boxes for a birthday party once, um, yeah, NEVER AGAIN!!

I had bruises and calluses for weeks. My poor hands took a nasty beating! I'm so glad someone invented die-cut machines and dies! ENTER the Big Shot Machine ...

I knew I wanted "petals" but didn't have any huge petal dies. So, I used an Eileen Hull Leaves Die instead. I die-cut out the foiled sheets then cut off the little stem.


 I also knew I wanted more texture (just not the crinkly kind) to my petals. So I loaded up this HUGE Texture Impressions Plus  Botanical Swirls folder with all my little stemless leaves. This time using my Big Shot Plus machine. These embossing folders were just way too big to fit through my regular Big Shot!

 These metal sheets even emboss like a dream!! 
**SWOON**

And look how well the stitched details show up on these Tim Holtz Stitched Circle Dies! I used this die cut as the center of my bloom.

Starting from the center, I attached the petals with liquid adhesive smallest to largest and worked my way outward.


I made sure to continue even along the sides of the canvas. Anything left overhanging got a bent and tucked over the side and glue down in place. With small children in my house, I didn't want to worry about any sharp edges. So tucked away they went.

LOOK AT ALL THIS GORGEOUS TEXTURE!!
The embossing in person is absolutely STUNNING!!


HAnd here's my final piece. Already up and mounted on my wall!


I hope you enjoyed this project and it has inspired you to create a canvas piece of your own!!

Thanks for stopping in!

Until next time...
HAPPY CRAFTING!!
~Mitsyana

Monday, February 11, 2019

Cookie Love Treat Boxes

Hello, Crafty Friends!
Well, looky what happened... I'm back again with Team Xyron for another term! Woohoo, I can't say enough how much I love this company! And the timing is absolutely perfect... February, the month of LOVE and Valentine's Day is just days away! Are you ready for it? I'm totally feeling the crafty love, especially from Xyron, with these LOVE Treat Boxes that came together in a cinch with the help of my Xyron Creative Station. Let me show you how!


Supplies Used
1.5" Sticker Maker (Xyron)
Big Shot  (Sizzix)
Eileen Hull Flower Pocket Die (Sizzix)
Eileen Hull Journaling Words (Sizzix)
Eileen Hull Bookplates, Hinges, & Labels (Sizzix)
Eileen Hull Movers & Shapers- Scallop Border (Sizzix)
Minty Lace Stack (DCWV)
Pink Polka Dot Paper
White Cardstock
Clear Drying Liquid Glue
Cellophane Bags
Cookies
Twine

First, I gathered my materials. My handy-dandy and always reliable Xyron Creative Station, DCWV's Minty Lace Stack, and Eileen Hull's Flower Pocket Die (one of my all-time favorites) by Sizzix.

This entire stack of paper is absolutely gorgeous! I don't know how it stayed in my stash so long untouched and unopened!! I know... all the paper-crafting gods are looking down on me in shame right now!

I chose two different patterns of paper. Like, the holographic hearts on wood grain and the subtle minty lace background. I cut them down to 6"x 8" and 6" x 5.5". Then, ran the pieces through my just one of those patterns through my Xyron Creative Station. Essentially, just adding adhesive to half of all my paper.


Then, I adhered those pieces to the other patterned papers to create two-sided pieces. If you already have a double-sided cardsock, you can skip this part. But keep in mind, you will need a Sizzix Extended Crease Plate to get the crease lines in your cuts.

I laid the paper I wanted to be on the outside of my box face down. Then ran it through my Big Shot machine.


 I folded my die cuts along the score lines, added a clear drying glue to the tabs, then adhered the pieces together.

Look how pretty those two patterns are together!

I wanted my boxes to be clean and simple. I was gifting them to children. So, with that in mind, I steered away from adding any small embellishments onto the boxes that may become a choking hazard.  

Instead, I went for a classic scalloped border and label. I used Eileen Hull's Scallop Border Movers & Shapers die on a Movers & Shapers Shuttle to cut strips of pink polka dot patterned paper.

 For the labels, I simply die cut white cardstock using the largest longest of the labels from Eileen Hull's Bookplates, Hinges, & Labels dies. Then topped it with the word love, from the Journaling Words die set, that I die cut from more pink polka dot paper.

I ran the borders through my Xyron 1.5" Sticker Maker and attached it towards the bottom of my boxes and trimmed off any excess that was sticking off the sides. 

The labels also took a trip through my "X". Then they were placed, front and center, on each box. 

How flipping adorable is this?

But why stop there? Since I didn't go all out with bells and whistles ON the box... I thought I could jazz it up by adding something IN the box.

Like... iridescent filler and ... a couple of decadent iced and sugared shortbread cookies!
Mmmmm... Delicious!! Way better than embellies, right??

And here are my, YUMMY IN MY TUMMY, 
Cookie Love Treat Boxes...


I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!
Now, go out there and make all the things!! 
And fill them with LOVE!!
Sweet, sweet, delicious,  LOVE!!

Until Next Time...
Happy Crafting!
~Mitsyana

DISCLAIMERS
This blog is compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites, and various other topics. Even though the owner(s) of this blog receives compensation for our posts or advertisements, I always give my honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products.

The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with each manufacturer, provider, or party in question.

This blog contains affiliate links, clicking and shopping through these links helps to support and run the Up On Tippy Toes blog at no additional cost to you..***