More Vellum Techniques

Stamping with vellum can lead to perfectly ingenius designs. I flat-out LOVE the dolphin picture in the second example. I did something like it using a snowman on some cards I made this last Christmas. To create this effect, you'll use some appropriate stamp (something that would go with water or ice, or you could even use letters). Stamp the image at the top half of the card - onto the cardstock base. Stamp the image again on the bottom side of the vellum (stamp it and turn the vellum over after it is totally dry) to make the mirror appearance. For the dolphins, I enhanced the vellum by "painting" with the water brush using Outdoor Denim ink on the NON-STAMPED side of the vellum and, after tearing the edge of the vellum, distressing that edge with the same Outdoor Denim inkpad.

Vellum Techniques

I love using vellum on my layouts and on cards and years ago, I even taught a workshop on the techniques that can be used with it. It can be a little tricky, but I have some tricks to working with it.

• Use it as your medium for journaling. You can write on it, allowing plenty of drying time, or just print your journaling out onto it from your computer. Vellum sheets will go in most printers just like regular paper.


• Adhering vellum to your project can be the trickiest of all! If I have paper on my vellum like in the example, I'll adhere the vellum to the base using Mono-adhesive right under the paper. If there isn't any paper on the top of the vellum, I'll use another method of connecting the vellum because I just haven't found an adhesive that doesn't show through. I often use brads or eyelets in the corners or use something of the same in the middle and incorporate it into my design. As a last resort, I'll use the tiniest of dots of Liquid Glass to adhere the vellum and then put another on the top of the vellum as decoration.
  


• Make sharp random folds in it to give your artwork a stained glass effect like you can see in the example. You can even color the different sections with markers, intensifying the effect. Chalk or "paint" with a water pen dipped in ink for a more transparent look to the color. CTMH sells several stamps with a stained glass feel too them. Stamping them in black on the top of the vellum after coloring the bottom of the vellum completes the stained glass picture.

Blessing Book

Some friends at our church are moving away and I was torn as to what to do for them. One of our mutual friends suggested a blessing book like she had seen at a shower. Well, that really jazzed me! I got online and began looking up all sorts of quotation websites. I found some great ones - mainly when I "Googled" inspiration and quotation. I also found some great scriptures when I added that word to my search.

Some of them I printed directly off of my computer, but some of them I just wrote up myself using a calligraphy marker. This booklet wasn't hard to make, with 9-inch flaps. I created it by using 4 12x6 inch pieces. I scored 2 of the pieces at 3 inches and again at 9 inches. These 2 pieces I adhered to a 6 x 6 square (which makes up the back of the booklet) so that they were side by side.
Once those two pages are created, make two more exactly the same way. Adhere them directly on top of the first two pages sticking down only the 3-inch flap, side-by-side, just like before. You can see in the picture with the flowers how the flap on the back page, covered with the pink and green plaid, is sticking out on the side.

Once your book is finished, it will have 4 pages, 2 on each side of a 6 x 6 base. Each page is 6 x 6 with a 3 x 6 flap that folds out.

At this point, your 6x6 base has a back cardstock cover and two layers of side-by-side cardstocks (3 x 6 flaps). Use another 6 x 12 piece, scored at 3 and 9, to cover the base. The flaps are folded in, like the picture below and connected with ribbon, a paper strap, or cut stamps like mine shows.


Inside my base flaps, I put yet another 12 x 4 cardstock - this time scored at 4 and 8 in an accordion fold. In this last "locked" booklet, I wrote my regards as well as the poem by Robert Frost called The Road not Taken in this section.

I've seen this type of project done in Christmas paper with little elves all through it. I think it would be great for a baby book using the CTMH paper pack called "Sweet Pea" or a kid book using the new "Animal Cookies" paper pack. For mine, I used a CTMH limited edition called Key to My Heart. I never miss out on the limited editions - especially those with stamp sets included like this one. I LOVE that key and keyhole set! These papers are some of my favorites, and I wish they were still available. BUT, they are very similar to the CTMH Perfect Day papers. Woohoo!

Father's Day Gift Album

I made this up for a workshop coming up this weekend. I got the idea from our newest Idea Book.

I decorated the new 4 x 6 binder first with inks. I sponged it all over with Garden Green, then edged it and distressed the sides of it using Barn Red ink. I distressed the B&T's (from the Back Country Paper pack) with Barn Red as well.

I stamped the letters in Outdoor Denim on Barn Red cardstock and added brass brads and a piece from the new Color Dimensional Elements "Adventure" set to finish off the cover.

This is an example of the inside pages. They are all similar, although each has its own, unique layout. I sponged both sides of each page with Bamboo and edged it with Garden Green. I used both Garden Green cardstock and Back Country B&T paper to matte the pages and added pictures and note.

Each double layout holds a picture of one of my kids and a letter they wrote to their dad. I used more of the "Adventure" Color Dimensional Elements throughout the book, too. Also, to protect the pictures, I put them into envelopes from Clearbags.com. I folded them up behind the picture and adhered them using 3D sponge squares.

Even though it doesn't show, the inside of the front and back covers were set up just like the front cover. I sponged them with Garden Green and distressed them with Barn Red. I used the green B&T that looks like a wood grain for the inside decor. For the back cover, I used the tree paper, centered, over the distressing.

Graduation Album

This great book was easy to put together. Ann didn't want an actual album, but she did want to commemorate the graduation of her brother. We created this using a 12 x 12 cardstock for the back and front covers, page protectors for the inside pages, and a 12 x 4 inch cardstock as the binding for the book. We tied inexpensive tassels that she found in the fabric section of Walmart for the binding. She used a tag and some tassels that she found in the lighting section for decoration on the front.

Each page told a different piece of his journey and saved the memories of his special day. We used an old CTMH kit for this, but our new Silhouette paper package and stickease would be perfect for this project. You can easily add the school color to the pallet by adding some detail stamps to the paper and using matching cardstock as photo matting.

Layouts from Christy

This is another set of layouts from Christy. Notice the silver hinges in the layout with the wedding cake. You can actually use those hinges by cutting a slit in the page protector and threading the "lid" through the slit. I have used things like that before, however I always make the picture the base of the section - under the page protector. I let the "lid" be journaling, artwork, or souvenirs.

In the bottom layout, that issue is remedied with the use of acid-free envelopes from clearbags.com. You can add a stack of pictures to your page just by attaching the protective bags and again, cutting a slit in the page protector to let the stack pull through.

If you try one of these ideas, please share it !

Chelsea's Baby Shower Layout

Chelsea shared this layout. I think it's a great example of using invitations in your layouts. The most important aspect is to make sure you use papers that will coordinate with the invitation. The pink shade that Chelsea used doesn't exactly match the colors on the invitation, but it coordinates - it doesn't clash with the shade.

I'm not a color guru, but I've learned so much about it since I started this journey with CTMH. For instance, this pink has purple overtones. They're not obvious at all, but if you put this pink next to one with orange overtones - like a salmon color - you would see a distinctive and often unpleasant difference.

In this case, while the colors aren't exact, the shading works well together with all the pinks being of the purply variety. The brown she is using is sort of a dark chocolate and also doesn't exactly match, but goes with the brown of the invitation. Browns also have shadings, from green to orange tones. This brown is rather green in tone, but not extremely. She embellished the brown cardstock with an impression machine that did a dry-emboss pattern on it. The "Love" label is from the Cricut, I think. I have the vague impression that it was a temporary label that she planned to switch out with something else, but I may be confusing her with one of the other guests. I think, if it were me, I would stamp the "LOVE" on some of the plain brown cardstock - that hasn't been impressed - in White Daisy. I would cut it out in an oval shape and maybe even edge the oval in the white daisy as well. Then I'd further accent it by raising it on a 3D foam square.

I really like this page! It is simplicity itself, starting with a solid, brightly colored base and having no other paper than a diagonally set design sheet. The only other papers on the layout are small-print mats for the pictures. What a quick way to introduce a section of pages from a singular event!

Perfect Day Double layout!

Brandy used the Perfect Day paper to make this cute double layout.

You know, when I first started scrap-booking, my pages were generally the same: white base, photos on cardstock mattes, title, journaling or captions, and stickers - lots of stickers! How things have changed!

Brandy has used a colored base to start with (Desert Sand) and shows it as a frame on the right layout and with turned-down corners on the left layout. (BTW, did you know that the Perfect Day paper has a design on the back that will show when you bend down the corners?)

No stickers here! Just stamped images and sentiments, ribbon, a paper flower, and accents used to make the tag ties. Scrap-booking has come a LONG way!

Perfect Day layout from Brandy

This paper pack has become a favorite with my club members and retreaters. In this layout, (looks like a variation on an Imagine design?) Brandy also used some of the matching stickease. Checkout the strip on the top left corner, as well as the sentiment and circular embellishment at the bottom. (Could those be pockets??)

The details are really attended to in this layout. The paper tearing at the top is echoed at the bottom and all cut edges are distressed with inking.

This paper highlights the newest colors from CTMH: Tulip (the dark pink), Sorbet (the orangey pink), Juniper (the bluish-green), and Creme' Broulee (the creamy yellow). I can't wait to see this layout when it is complete with pictures!

Limited Edition!

This awesome Key to My Heart paper pack/stamp set is only available until February 5!

Thanks SARAH for sharing these pages! I LOVE them!

The colors are our new ones: Sorbet, Juniper, Tulip, and Creme Brulee. However, if you're seeing this AFTER 2/5/09, don't dismay! This color scheme (and close to it) is available in the Perfect Day paper pack and also some of it is available in the Unforgettable paper pack!

Layouts from Lisa

I love these layouts! The title tells it all and the pictures are great with it!.

I love the way Lisa distressed these papers. She first tore them and then edged them with a dark brown ink that matches the letters she used. She also got more than 10 pictures on her pages by using a flip stack on the bottom right of the pages. She used envelopes from Clearbags.com and cut her pictures to fit into the 4x4 spaces.

Layouts from Rhonda

Rhonda is just a proud grandma, and she got a LOT of pictures (13!) on this double layout for her daughter's baby shower.

Pages like this really focus on the pictures instead of the theme, but even with such full pages, there is still room for some incredibly cute accents! (Catch the pony on the bottom right corner!) I also love the way Rhonda tied the colors together, using two different base colors, but connecting them with accents that match the bases.

Layouts from Christy

These simple layouts were perfect for Christy when she was scrap-booking for a family event. She had a LOT of pictures and was able to get 11 of them on these pages. I love the lattice that is evident in all the pictures! It acts like a matte for the pictures and gives a unique connection between them all.

Ornaments - these can be used for all kinds of tags!

These are elegant and so simple to put together. Thanks KEVIN, for sharing them with us!

To create this, punch 20 identical circles using matching design paper mounted on cardstock (to get the desired thickness), and coordinating cardstock. For each circle, you will fold up 3 sides until they meet at the point, creating a little triangle in the center.

Once they all have their little tabs, you can begin attaching them. Five go together to create the top and another 5 make the bottom. On both of these sections, the points will go together and the side tabs are the ones that are attached. The middle section is made up of 10 circle/triangles. Half of them are sitting on bases and the other half are sitting on points (as shown in the picture). Again, the side tabs are the ones attached, but alternate the triangles with every other one pointed up and the others pointed down to make a full ring.

You can attach the middle ring to the top one by adhering the top 5 bases of the middle ring to the unattached bases (5 of them) of the top section. Then do the same to attach the bottom section to the rest of the ornament.

I suggest using a firm glue for this project - ideally, use Liquid Glass! The items that have been tried that DON'T work include Tombow Adhesive, hot glue gun, CM tape runner, and Elmer's glue. Alene's Sticky Glue might work, but the Liquid Glass from CTMH definitely does!

Layouts from Kym - Thanks!

This cute layout is contributed by a distressing queen. (She's a natural with embellishments, too; so much to learn - so little time!)

Did you catch how she burned the edges of her paper. The same type of effect can be achieved without the use of fire, btw. You have to use solid core cardstock (not white-core) and you can tear the edges then ink them with an ink that is a chocolate or a cocoa. Oh and the boot is from the "Way Out West" CTMH stamp set. She gave it some bling with Stickles.

Layouts from Lisa - THANKS!

The layouts for the next couple of weeks are from real people, they aren't artists or professionals, just gals who have a passion for their families and their scrap-books. If you use some of their ideas, please take a pic and send it in! I'd love to see your take on these designs!

Many of the layouts that were made at the retreat didn't actually use CTMH paper, although most of them used CTMH techniques and, as in this case, our wonderful scrap-booking program books. For this one, Lisa had made the layout on the right hand side and wanted to find one to go with it. She found the left had page in the Reflections book and it worked perfectly with the first page. I particularly like the way the colors work together so well, and of course Lisa's sweet baby is stinkin' cute!

Retreat Pictures

Just finished spending the weekend with an incredible group of talented ladies. The creativity was just oozing and I especially loved the way people were willing to share ideas and help each other out.

For the next several weeks, this blog will be inundated with layouts that were shared from the weekend. Some of them are CTMH layouts, some of them use CTMH products, some do both, some do neither. ALL of them served a particular purpose in the album of the creator and may end up being just what you need as you are working on your album!

My next retreat is in May. If you are interested in joining us, there are seats available at this point, but don't wait. Contact me right away!

Notebook Calendar

Okay, I spotted this in a paper crafting magazine and just had to try it! It took some time, but it ended up being fairly easy! First, I purchased an 80-page notebook that measured about 5 x 7. I taped together each 6 pages until I had 12 sections before I did any stamping or cutting.

Next, I did all the background stamping. I made a point to measure where each of the large stars were on the pages so I could put them in the same place on each sheet. That way, when I flipped the months, for instance, the large star would continue to line up even if it was in a different color. (BTW, I used Breeze, Ocean, Creme Brulee', and Sorbet ink for the background.)

After I stamped all the backgrounds (12 sheets), I cut the sections. On mine, I cut the two left sections at 1 1/2 inches wide and the two right sections at 2 inches wide. I had originally intended for the day and month to be on the left, but when I drew my cutting lines on the back of the pad, I inverted the measurements. (Ooops!)

Finally, I stamped the first section with a 1, a 2, and a 3, and left one other section blank. I tore out the remaining sections and extra pages. In the second section, I stamped 1-0 and tore out the remaining 2 sections and the extra pages. In the third sections, there were no extra sections, but I removed the extra pages and stamped the sections with the month names. In the last section, I stamped the abbreviations of the days and tore out the last 5 sections and extra papers.

I stapled a 1 x 4 inch strip to both covers of the notebook while it was inverted so it wouldn't accidentally flatten out.

"That's Amore'" Acrylic Album and Valentines

I'm holding a workshop for the hot Acrylic Albums by Close to My Heart!

This workshops uses the elegant new CTMH paper pack called "That's Amore'," along with the matching stickease, and the "Love Story" Rub-ons.

The workshop will be held on February 8 beginning at 5PM and
we'll also include 10 Valentines to use up the rest of the paper pack and stickease.

This workshop is $45 plus tax and shipping and pre-payment is due on January 23rd.

Monogram Embellishment

I started with the Dimensional Element Monogram M and cut out the a square around one of the letters. First, I inked up the chipboard top. Then, I adhered the negative image to my design paper and then I filled the empty space where the letter had been with a light coating of Liquid Glass. It takes a couple of hours to allow the Liquid Glass to dry, but it makes a great embellishment went it is through.

This paper is from the new Key to My Heart paper pack exclusively available this month (January 09). It is sold with a GIANT stamp set offering beautiful coordinating designs. You can view the whole set and even order it by clicking the link at the pictures.