Faking it!

I recently posted a card on my personal blog which I got a lot of questions about the technique I used to achieve that card. So I thougth I'd pop the instructions on here for FAKE BRAYERING and simple masking.

I started with a cuttlebug cut out of a city skyscape in black. I also have a small bat cut using the cuttlebug. I've cut a piece of very vanilla cardstock from Stampin Up to the same width as the skyscape and slightly taller. This cardstock will be the background we will be inking and masking.

To create the moon, I cut a small 1.5" circle using my Fiskars shape cutter templates. You will need to keep both the circle and the surrounding cardstock for this project. Place some double sided tape (nonpermanent) to the back of the circle and place it on your background card - double check its where your moon needs to be.

Taking a sponge (a seasponge or soft makeup sponge are ideal), apply dabs of ink to the background starting at the top edge and working your way down to halfway, then continue again with the second colour working from the bottom edge to the middle. Be sure to blend the two colours slightly at the midsection. This process will take lots of dabbing and lots of reinking your sponge. The ink will come out at its darkest colour. I've used Buckaroom blue from Stampin Up for the sky, and Wild Wasabi by Stamping Up for the horizon.

Take your 'circle' moon mask off and then place the outside template so that the moon is only showing through. Ink up your moon, again working from one side and dabbing ink inwards. One side of the moon will be darker than the other.

Apply your cuttlebug pieces over your background and there you have it - a fake brayered and masked background sky. Effective isn't it?

My original card (here) was stamped with the owl and branch, which was then masked separately by stamping onto paper and cutting the images out and sticking over the top of the card. I then followed the same technique as above, creating a mask for the moon, inking the top and bottom of the paper and then using the outside mask to do the moon. I did add more ink around the moon to give a misty feel. I used watercolour paper for that card too - just because it was on my desk at the time.

I want to see your attempts too please! I have some cuttlebug bats and skyscapes here in a little pack ready to send off with some sweet goodies for one lucky person. Leave a comment on this post and I'll draw a winner this time next week. Don't forget to tell your friends about our free classroom blog too - full of great little projects :)

Thanks Helen

Thankyou so much Helen for a great little gift idea and for doing this for Divas.

Fifth Step

9. Position your decorated frame where you like on one side of your half circle and stick it down well ... and ... THAT'S IT !!! You're all done.

Fourth Step

7. Now decorate your frame anyway you like ... I used a left over piece of the pp as a backing, I added flowers in co-ordinating colours and inked around the edges of my frame. I also added some ribbon and a tag plus the alphas.






8. Using your glue/double sided tape or Xyron, stick your ribbons along the bottom of the gift pack - both sides. Be careful at the ends, try and overlap it a little without too much thickness so it looks neat. I used a paper clip to hold the ends in place til the glue dried.

Third Step

5. Now we are going to make a mini cardboard frame - I traced around the edge of an Autumn Leaves journalling spot which is approximately 8x6cm. You can cut any shape or size you like.




6. To make your shape into a frame, you will need to cut out the middle.

7. Paint or ink your frame in a co-ordinating colour.

Second Step

2. Fold your circle in half (keep the side of the paper you want to see on the outside).

3. Fold the folded edge up approximately 1 - 1.5cm.





3. Open out the circle and you should have 3 creased lines - smooth out the original centre fold line and stand your half circle up on its base.







4. Pinching the folded edges together, carefully staple each side - this may be a little fiddly to ensure the base of your semi circle stays flat - make sure you push the edge of the original centre crease line up between the folded edges when you staple it

Welcome & First Step

Hi girls, thanks so much for joining me here. I hope you like this easy little project I've come up with for my first ever online class.

I must give credit though to a Tarisota Designer because I first saw this type of project in their gallery a while back, however I have worked out the design myself for this little gift pack.

So here we go ...

This is what you will need:

* 1 sheet d/s pp - male oriented if you are making this a fathers day gift pack

* piece of thin-ish chipboard, doesn't need to be any bigger than 4"x6" or so as you will be cutting it

* assorted flowers to co-ordinate with pp

*assorted letter stickers/alphas etc - I have used the Carolee's Creation tiny alphas plus AC Thickers

*paint and/or ink to co-ordinate with pp

*ribbons - approx 60cm of 2 co-ordinating colours

*scissors

*stapler

*d/s tape and/or glue (Power Pritt)

1. Using a dinner plate or saucepan lid etc draw the largest circle you can on your piece of patterned paper and cut it out.