Beaded Cuttlebug Embossing

Julie Imsland is hosting a technique swap on the Pennywise Yahoo Group and I was watching her work on her swap samples the other day.  It reminded me of this great tutorial on our website that I thought everyone would re-enjoy seeing. 

Beaded Cuttlebug Embossing by Julie Imsland
Creation of this technique was inspired by Julie Buhler's Cuttlebug Ink Embossing.

Supply List:
Cardstock
Pennywise Arts Clear Ultra fine Micro beads [HERE]
Pennywise Arts O'So Sticky Powder [HERE]
Soft Rubber Brayer
Encore Pigment Ink
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder
Cuttlebug
Heat Tool

Optional:
Anti Static Embossing Buddy
Small paint brush
Post It Notes

Directions:

Before you begin, carefully look at the embossing folder and decide which part of the impression you wish to bead. Look at the example of the heart medallion from the Fancy Corners set… you can choose to bead either the hearts themselves, or the background surrounding the hearts. The part of the embossing folder to be inked will be the side with the raised impression that you've chosen to bead. (It may seem a little backwards; because the raised portion will actually become the recessed portion once you've embossed the cardstock.)
It's a bit easier to bead the background of the designs, because there is usually more flat surface area and it's easier to ink. If you choose to bead the design area, you may find it easiest to place masks around the design area while inking.
Once you've decided which portion of the design you want to bead you're ready to begin.

1. Optional: Tap embossing buddy onto cardstock to reduce static on paper surface.

2. Apply ink to embossing folder.
A. For large background areas:
Roll brayer over ink pad until it is inked well.
Lay opened embossing folder on scrap paper and using brayer, completely ink desired design area.
**Note: you will only apply ink to portions of one side of the embossing folder.
B. For smaller design areas:
Mask around design area with Post It notes. Use brayer to apply ink to design area.

3. Place cardstock into embossing folder with the front side facing the inked portion of the folder. Close the embossing folder and emboss as usual in your Cuttlebug.

Turn the handle slowly and roll it through once and then without removing the stack of pads, embossing folder and spacer, reverse the direction you turn the handle and roll it back through the Cuttlebug again.

4. Carefully remove the inked/embossed cardstock from the folder, and sprinkle generously with O'So Sticky Powder. Tap off excess and return to jar.

Use a small brush if necessary to remove any stray specks of powder.

5. Heat (as you would embossing powder), just until the powder melts and turns shiny in appearance. This will activate the Sticky Powder. (You may find it is easiest to hold the cardstock with tweezers for this step.)

6. Lay the cardstock face down into a shallow tray of ultra fine micro beads. Gently press over the backside of the cardstock.

7. Gently lift the cardstock from the tray, allowing loose beads to fall into tray.

8. Heat the image once more (about 5-10 seconds to) "set" the micro beads into the Sticky Powder). Allow cardstock to cool before touching. Gently brush any remaining loose beads from the image into the tray.

9. Clean embossing folders and brayer.

Once cooled, you should be able to touch the beaded image and the beads will remain perfectly adhered.

Remember that inks and cardstock combinations may respond differently. O'So Sticky Powder is like embossing powder and in the same way, before heating may "hold" onto some ink/paper combinations better than others. I suggest testing this technique with a small piece of your desired cardstock and ink before working on something larger. You may also want to experiment with other pigment inks, embossing inks, and VersaMark along with various papers (coated, printed, textured or smooth).

Julie Imsland

Julie Imsland

The pink/blue & yellow/blue sample cards both have the stamped sentiment beaded with O'So Sticky Powder as described in Julie's Beaded Birthday technique shown [HERE].
Papers: Die Cuts With a View - DCWV
Ink: Encore Ultimate Metallic Blue by Tsukineko
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder: Stylized Flowers (by Provo Craft)
Thinking of you stamp: Unknown

Julie Imsland

Julie Imsland

Paper: Paper Adventures
Ink: Encore Ultimate Metallic Blue by Tsukineko
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder: Spots & Dots
Paper:  Shaded Blue/Green Basic Grey
Ink: Encore Ultimate Metallic Honeydew by Tsukineko
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder: Stylized Flowers

                 Julie Imsland
Paper: Memory Box Green
Ink: Encore Ultimate Metallic Honeydew by Tsukineko
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder: Stylized Flowers

                Julie Imsland
Small Pink Samples:
Paper: Paper Adventures
Ink: Encore Ultimate Metallic Pink
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder: Heart from the Fancy Corners set

Small Green Samples:
Paper: Memory Box Green
Ink: Encore Ultimate Metallic Pink
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder: Heart from the Fancy Corners set

                                           Julie Imsland
Silver Encore ink and the Stylized Flowers embossing folder were used.
The ink was carefully brayered onto the raised flowers side of the folder (which after embossing, is the negative, recessed portion of the design).

Evelyn Spikes

Evelyn Spikes

Positive and Negative Beaded Comparison
Evelyn Spikes

Evelyn Spikes

Evelyn Spikes

Evelyn Spikes

Yvonne Grimes

Yvonne Grimes

Yvonne Grimes

Yvonne Grimes

Yvonne Grimes

Yvonne Grimes

Beth Ullman

Yvonne Grimes

 

Beth Ullman

Beth Ullman

I Love A Party!

Everyone that knows me, knows how much I love a party.  It doesn’t even have to be a really big whoopdy-doopty shindig.  Just a friend or two, some good conversation, some good eats,…. that’s all it takes for me to be completely and utterly “party-fied”! 

Michele Aiello Zendejas designed this fun party hat card that has been embellished to the hilt (in Michele style) with brads, charms, paper clip, clear micro beads and embossed stamped tiles.  The purple and lime green colors make me wanna plan a party!  Oh, ya,… I almost forgot that I am!  I’m in the thick of planning the PWA party of the year, our annual shoebox retreat!  Now that’s a party to look forward to!  Wish you could all be there!  Ü

Hugs, Suzanne

The Clock Is A Conspiracy

Here is a collage I made for a friend lamenting about the clock and how it’s a conspiracy and a crime against humanity.  Brian Andreas is a very unique artist with a lot of especially great words to share.  His words are what truly inspire me.  

To create this piece I used ceiling tile as the base (about 8” square) and covered it with a plain brown paper bag.  From there I built my collage using all of the “time” theme stamps I could find, distress inks, alcohol inks, clear acrylic numbers, clock parts, upholstery tacks, micro beads and beeswax.   Here is a close up showing how the micro beads get caught in the beeswax and add lots of texture to the collage:

  I especially love working with melted beeswax because it smells so wonderful!

 

Stamp Credits: Stampers Anonymous; Hampton Art Stamps

Laugh And Live More!

We’ve all heard that laughing is good for the soul and yet, how often do we intentionally put ourselves in a place and time to make sure it happens? 

Sometimes I spontaneously laugh at a goofy thing my husband says or a funny story that a girlfriend has shared.  But when was the last time I laughed, I mean really laughed? 

Actually,… it was just this last weekend when I went on a date with my sweetie to see comedian Tim Hawkins.   And let me tell you, I haven’t felt that GOOD in a long time!  Ohmagosh I laughed.  I laughed until my throat hurt laughed.  I laughed until my sides hurt laughed.  I laughed until I thought I would wet my pants laughed.  And yep, I think I laughed hard enough that some of it even got deep down in my soul.  Ü

Tim’s website alone has enough clips to keep you laughing for about an hour and those laughs are FREE!  If you can’t recall when you last laughed so hard you thought you were going to pee in your pants, then you need to get over there and get in a good dose of Tim!  If he happens to be in your area, even better, go see him.  There is nothing like the energy of being at a live comedy show in a room full of people “LOLing”.  In that place and time I was able to laugh as hard and as loud as I felt like and not be the least bit self conscious about it.  I didn’t worry that my laugh wasn’t cute, or that it was too loud or too much.  I didn’t care, Tim was THAT funny!

And for some reason I can’t explain, that story connects in my mind to this card I made a few years ago.  It’s a shaker card with the image stamped on the acetate.  The verse down the left says “Laugh and Live More!”. 

No matter what else is going on in life, we all need to take the time to laugh and live more! 

Stamp Credits:  Paperbag Studios, Hero Arts

P.S. I have about a dozen of these completed cards for sale, if you are interested in purchasing one please contact me via email  suzanne@pennywisearts.com  Packaged with an envelope in a clear bag they are $5 each.  Blank inside.  Postage to get it to you is my treat.  Ü

Button Fairy Update!

 

Wow!  This has been a popular project!  (Yay Dee!! Thanks for the inspiration!)  I’ve had so many inquiries about it that I thought I’d better add the very basic instructions here for the masses!

HOW TO DO IT:

There are so many ways that this can be done – so feel free to change it up in any way that works for you!  I just cut a wire to about 18” in length. Use a sturdy wire, one that will hold a shape and still be flexible enough that you can weave it in and out of the buttons. Fold the wire in half and start “sewing” the buttons onto the wire weaving BOTH ends of the wire up through. This keeps the buttons from slipping off the ends of the wire – because the ends are both going to make their way up to the head.

In her photo I can see that Dee used a shorter wire (about 9”) and made a curly cue at the end to keep her buttons from falling off.  Do whatever works!

When I tried this I didn’t worry about doing it “right” I just let it flow as it felt best to me. Add buttons of any size, shape, color that pleases you and stop when you think your tail is long enough. Then just twist the ends of the wire together and trim them if needed. Shape the tail with a curl. Now it’s time to embellish your cute fairy tail! Use one of our collage sheets (Winged things are great!) for the head or take an old family photo and do one of your grandma and add feathers or rubber stamped wings so she can fly. Add ribbons, jewels, charms,… whatever you want to use to dress her up.

Here’s Dee’s original fairy again:

Here is a button fairy made by Sally Bowen!

If you make one, we’d love to add it here!!  Please send a photo!!!