Jo's Crafty Place: December 2018

Saturday, 29 December 2018

Transferring waste foil to card - using the negative, or plain foil

Treasures Frames and Heart - With Love

For this card I've used patterned papers from the Couture Creations Le Petit Jardin 12 x 12 paper pad and an A4 sheet of navy blue card. I've also used some additional white card to strengthen the panels cut from the patterned papers.

My card is A5 size (14.9cm x 21cm. The navy blue mat is cut to 14.5cm x 20.6cm and the patterned paper background is cut to 14cm x 20.1cm. I've gutted the centre out of the navy blue mat (leaving a 2cm border, and used that card to cut the lace strip and the flowers from.

Cut/Foil 2 of the large frame from the Treasured Frames set onto the patterned papers - one using dark blue foil, and the other using holographic silver foil. With both, add a layer of white card behind the patterned paper, so that it is cut and embossed at the same time as the patterned paper is foiled. I find it best to cut the middle out of the foil, so that foil does not adhere to the card in the centre of the frame.

Cut Iridescent Blue/Green foil a little larger than your heart die and stick it down to some navy blue card. Foil the sentiment into the centre of the foil, slide some paper or card under the foil to mask the sentiment and then use the back of the cutting die to foil a heart around the sentiment. You;ll need a thin metal shim on your GoPress and foil to do this

It's basically the same technique as shown in this video, but the cutting die is a heart instead of a fancy oval. Once you've foiled the heart, flip the die over, line it up carefully (tape in place) and die cut the heart.

Cut and foil the Key from the treasured frames set using the same foil and navy blue card. Also die cut the key from some more white card so you can add an extra layer for strength.

Use the Petit Floral Edge border die - cut twice, back to back to create the lace strip.

Place the Treasured frame foiled in silver horizontally across the other one and stick in place. Make sure you leave space at the bottom of the card for the lace strip, and stick the frames onto the card front using foam pads at the top of the card.

Stick the heart on top of the 2 frames using more foam pads, and then use foam pads to mount the key at the edge of the heart.

Stick the Petit Floral Edge border, lace strip in place across the bottom of the card.

I've foiled some of the navy blue card with the foil cut from the centre of the foil used for the Treasured Frames, and used it to make flowers. I've cut 4 each of the Evening Branch die from navy card and white card.

Arrange the flowers and Evening Branch mini die cuts at the bottom left corner of the frames, overlapping the lace panel.

Full details of how to put the elements of the card together are in the video.

Couture Creations Products Used:

CO726468 - Modern Essentials Cut, Foil and Emboss dies - Decorative Nesting Treasured Frames

CO725434 - Le Petit Jardin - LE PETIT JARDIN 12 X 12 PAPER PAD

CO725454 - Le Petit Jardin - PETIT FLORAL EDGE DIE (1PC)

CO725937 - Le Petit Jardin - EVENING BRANCH MINI DIE (1PC)

CO725289 - Anna Griffin - With Love Hotfoil stamp

CO725392 - Foil - Blue/Green Foil (iridescent finish)

CO725352 - Foil - Silver (Iridescent Finish)

CO725393 - Foil - Navy Blue (Light Iridescent Finish)

Wednesday, 19 December 2018

Primrose Layers and Bracket Frames

For this card I've used two of the cut, foil and emboss dies from the Couture Creations Modern Essentials, Bracket Frames set, and the Primrose Flower hot foil stamp from the Le Petit Jardin collection, to create both the background and the topper.

My card is A5 size (14.9cm x 21cm). I've cut a mat from some dark purple metallic card 14.4cm x 20.6cm, and then cut a piece of white card for the background 14cm x 20.2cm.

The white card is 300gsm stamping card, which I've chosen to use because I want a good card for colouring the flower after I've foiled it. I find I need a little more pressure for foiling on this card than I do when foiling of 250gsm smooth white card, so I use 3 card shims instead of my usual 2.

I've used a strong coin magnet - the type used with stamping platforms, to achieve precise positioning of the sentiment and primrose hot foil stamps. See my video for details of how to do this, if this technique is new to you.

I used some water based marker pens and a water brush to colour my flower, but you can use any water based medium as the foil will resist any water based product. I've also tried watercolor pencils, gel pens, mica water colour paints and pigment stamping inks.

For the Modern Essentials cut, foil and emboss dies, you need to use one or two thin metal shims on your GoPress and Foil - I use one metal shim with a piece of 300gsm card underneath it, but what work best for you will depend on your personal die cutting machine.

For the Bracket Frames, counting from the largest size inwards, I've used the 2nd die to cut and foil the patterned paper layer and the 4th die to cut and foil the white card.

The same primrose flower hot foil stamp is used to create the foiled decoration on the white card background - foiled in silver. I've also used the Couture Creations Anna Griffin Happy Birthday hot foil stamp to foil the sentiment. I've used purple foil to co-ordinate with the colors in the patterned paper and my colored flower on the topper.

Couture Creations Products Used:

CO725424 - Le Petit Jardin - Primrose Flower Hotfoil Stamp
CO725434 - Le Petit Jardin - LE PETIT JARDIN 12 X 12 PAPER PAD
CO726459 - Modern Essentials Cut, Foil and Emboss dies - Bracket Frames
CO725288 - Anna Griffin Hot Foil Stamps - Happy Birthday
CO726053 - Heat Activated Foil - Purple (Deep Mirror Finish)

CO725350 - Heat Activated Foil - Silver (Mirror Finish)

Wednesday, 5 December 2018

Treasured Frames Floral Toppers

Here are two design ideas for the Couture Creations Modern Essentials Treasured Frames and Bracket Frames cut, foil and emboss dies.

When using the Modern Essentials cut, foil and emboss dies I have my GoPress & Foil set up with one or two 300gsm card shims on the hot plate, and then I have a thin metal shim on top of them.

The thin metal shim is the type you use with a die cutting machine when you are cutting fabric or need extra pressure to cut very intricate dies. Any A5 size (15cm x 21cm) thin metal shim should do - but they vary a little in thickness so you might need more or less card shims underneath yours, and the number of card shims can also vary depending on your die cutting machine.

Or, you can use 2 metal shims.

I have 2 5"x7" 300gsm card shims that I keep with my thin metal shim, so they are always there ready for me to use.

My cards are A5 size (14.9cm x 21cm).

I've cut the card for the mat behind the patterned paper to 14.5cm x 20.6cm and this is the same card that I've used to make the toppers and sentiment. If you are careful, you can gut the centre of the card and have a large enough piece to make the topper, or use another piece of the same card.

I made the topper using a piece of card 13cm x 19cm as you need a little extra space around the Treasured Frame die to tape your foil and die down to the card - full details are in the videos.

Working with the blue card, I only needed one card shim under the metal shim on the GoPress & Foil, but the purple card is a heavier weight and slightly textured so I needed 2 card shims under the metal plate so that it would foil and cut properly.

First use the Treasured Frame to cut out the frame and foil its border. I find it easiest to use a craft knife to remove the center portion of the foil - see video, then lay the foil and die on the card and tape it in place. Place the die on top of the metal shim (on the GoPress & Foil) with the card being foiled on top. Allow about a minute for the die to heat up on the GoPress & Foil before rolling through your die cutting machine.

I've also figured out a great way of placing foiling in exactly the right place - such as inside the foiled edge of the Treasured Frame. Hold the decorative hot foil stamp in position with one hand and with the other place a strong magnet covered in masking tape (the sort used with stamping platforms) on the back of the card to hold the hot foil stamp in place.

On the blue version of the card, I used the Floral Wreath hot foil stamp from the Le Petit Jardin Collection to add the decoration inside the frame. I marked the centre of the frame and lined up the bottom of the hot foil stamp with the mark. To foil the other end I just turned the card around and repeated the foiling.

On the purple version I foiled the frame in exactly the same way and used the Thin Fern hot foil stamp to add the decoration inside the frame. As the centre point is offset to the left, you need to let the hot foil stamp cool down after foiling the first set of ferns and then re position it to foil the second set.

Once the foiling is completed, stick the Treasured Frame piece down on your card and add some die cut flowers and foliage to complete the topper.

To make the sentiment, cut a piece of foil a little larger than the Bracket Frame cut, foil and emboss die, and use some low tack tape to stick it in down in the centre of the piece of card.

Foil the words in the centre of the card, then slide a small scrap of card under the foil to cover most of the words - this prevents extra foil adhering to the card when the frame is foiled.

Position the Bracket Frame cut, foil and emboss die over the words and tape it down.

Set up the GoPress & Foil with your card shims and metal shim (as for the Flourish Frame) let them heat up.

Place the Bracket Frame die on the GoPress & Foil, on top of the metal shim, with the card on top. Allow it to heat for about 30 seconds and then roll through your die cutting machine.

Mount the sentiment on some foam pads to that it over laps the bottom right corner of the Flourish Frame, and add some more die cut flowers on its left to complete the card.

The videos are very detailed instructions. If you've had plenty of experience using your GoPress and Foil, then you may want to fast forward through some parts. The magnets I use are "neodymium magnets" which are very strong. They are used to hold things in place on stamping platforms. I've bought some extra ones and covered them in masking tape to make them easy to slide away from whatever they have stuck to.