How To Make Texture The Center Of Attention

Here's a sweet layout showing how I make texture the center of attention. Texture is the quirky denizen in a crafter's bag of tricks. Embossing, paste, fabric, paper layers, sequins, even foam tape adds texture. For a stunning overall effect add texture in layers, using lots of different methods.

~ Mayday Moments ~

This layout is staged on two embossed papers, the first with dry embossing the second with glitter embossing. The grey paper is from a DCWV stack, Sophisticated Neutrals. That exotic pink with yellow paisleys is from the Storyteller collection by Linda Wood.

 A hexagon embossing folder shapes a strip of wood veneer. I've been having a lovely run through my stash and realized I hadn't yet used this veneer from an old MME set, Necessities. It makes a great photo mat for this layout. 

 Helmar adhesive was my bestie throughout this process. From holding down a sheet of veneer to pinpointing sequins, all I needed was in that yellow bottle. The sequins shown here are from Spiegel Mom Scraps. They come in nifty baggies and I sort them into acrylic organizers.

 The title alpha is an old Thicker set from American Crafts. Those things never did stick well. Here I solve the problem with a bit of gold braid stitched in a triangle. To continue the theme I stapled the tiny type down.

 Here's a shot of all that lumpy, bumpy goodness thanks to foam tape. The burlap hexagons are cut with the same dies I used on the paper. I gave each fabric shape a "glint" with a couple stitches of gold braid.

 Finally, here's a shot that shows off the glitter yellow embossing on the paper. I just LOVE this collection from Linda Wood!

My scrappy sister, Sharon Fritchman posted
  Challenge YOUrself #64
and I decided to join in. You can find the details for this challenge at the highlighted link above. This month's theme is My Favorite Holiday. I love coaxing flowers out of my tiny, urban flower beds so of course I had to choose Mayday.

Scrap On!

~charity hotrum~

How to Make Woodgrain Paper with Mist

Here's a tutorial on a pair of Porthole Cards with tips on how to make wood grain paper with mist. I used two different patterned papers with similar results. The mermaids are different styles depending on the amount of time you have. Enjoy the tutorial!

~ Ahoy There ~

I started with patterned paper in blue. I needed to change the color as well as enhance the grain. I used mist in a medium and a dark brown to create the look I wanted. 

 Step 1: Paint paper with medium brown mist. Use a light layer, too much will saturate the card front.

 Step 2: Paint dark brown stripes over medium brown while it is still wet. This will help the colors meld and give the wood grain effect. If the stripes are too extreme go over the paper with the medium brown a second time.

 The original paper beside the new, wood grain effect gives you a good idea of the change. The second card front also started out blue. I gave the card a medium brown wash and let the existing wood grain shine through. Mist and a paint brush is all it takes.

 The porthole is stamped onto grey cardstock and cut out with Kreaxions Circle Cutter. I adhered it directly to the card front.

 I applied liquid adhesive and craft foam to the back of the card front then left it to dry.

 I diecut the mermaid from script patterned paper then painted on the particulars. you can see the before and after above.

 Mermaid Painting Guide

Step 1: Paint the tale leaving a curve where it meets the body.
Step 2: Paint hair in gold. Use small thin strokes.
Step 3: Paint locks of hair in dark green using medium strokes.

Step 4: Add additional locks of hair in teal using thick strokes.

 By the time my mermaid had dried my card front was also ready. I adhered the mermaid to the center of a blue card blank then added the porthole/wood grain over the top. The second card features a mermaid sticker and is much quicker to make. 

Whether you prefer the painted diva or the pre-cut sticker, this porthole card is sure to please!

Craft On!

~charity hotrum~

How To Make a Fast and Easy Hair Color Layout

This circle focused layout shows how to document hair color fast and easy. Fabulous paper, a catchy title, and of course a smattering of sequins make this layout a winning combination. Calambour provided the seashell and mermaid papers. The lovely sequin mix is courtesy of Spiegel Mom Scraps, and the title, well that's a fav Insta hashtag!

~ Mermaid Hair ~

The mermaid and seashell papers were an instant match for this photo as was the blue cardstock base. Circles represent bubbles, and focus the eye on the photo. I lightly penciled an 8" circle onto the Shell paper then got busy with punches and my Kreaxions Circle Cutter. 

 To give the cardstock bubbles a bit of pop I doodled around the inside edge. I did the same around the photo, for good measure. 

 Drip Rings, a Memory Box texture stencil, added hints of circle among the cut outs. I rubbed on Tonic Studios Nuvo Embellishment Mousse in Citrus Green and Coastal Surf. I also spritzed, painted, and splattered with Tattered Angels Chalkboard in Inchworm, Jade, and Boogie Board.

I inked the edges of some of the circle cutouts and wrapped the others in washi tape then scattered them on the layout. I even popped up a few of them with foam tape. Finally I added a smattering of Robin's Nest Dew Drops and those GORGEOUS sequins! 

SpiegelMom Scraps sells lovely themed mixes in a variety of colors and shapes.

Craft On!

~charity hotrum~

Dreamy Fantasy Collection By Calambour

Calambour's new Fantasy Collection scrapbook papers are simply dreamy! This castle galaxy pattern seems made for these photos of my girls. But no surprise there, the photos were taken at Conegliano castle in Italy. 

~ Lovely ~

 To add to the charm of the layout I fussy cut floral sprays from Calambour's Nomad collection. Prima chipboard, Pink Paislee rub-ons, and Studio Calico wood shapes embellish the photos.

Underneath it all a layer of Calambour Plaster Effect Mortar adds texture. The grainy look echos the castle walls. For this application I used an Aladdin's Screen stencil by Kite.

One last close up of the page highlights the scattering of sequins. It also shows the bright pops of striped yellow Hot Air Balloons. I just love all the uses I have found for my Pink and Main dies. 

Craft On

~charity hotrum~

Cats and Art Paintbrush Holder

Today's tutorial is a project that illustrates the lifeblood of our household...Cats and Art. Painting, drawing, sewing, scrapbooking, it all happens with a cat close by. One of my favorite photos is of my second oldest painting while a cat sleeps in her lap. I mean, if it doesn’t have cat hair in it did it even happen?

When it came to decorating a canvas paintbrush holder for my Lori, cats paws were a given. Deciding on the color scheme was MUCH harder. TatteredAngels High Impact Paint comes in 29 colors. How to choose? Who to send home without screen time? I gave up and used them all. I placed them in rainbow order from red to violet with the metallics between sets.

With the amount of colors I planned on using, the stamp would need cleaned, and cleaned well between each impression. The quickest way to do that is a wet wipe. Disinfectant wipes are harsh on acrylic and rubber so I used wipes made for skin. I did rinse the stamp with running water every 6 to 7 impressions and anytime I got too much paint on it.

Dab paint onto stamp, rather than brushing it on. Add a bit of color to the impression if the image doesn’t turn out clear.

The paw prints were super cute, but that was just the start. My daughter compared the shades of paint displayed on the canvas and chose Navy and Turquoise as her favorites.

I used 7gypsies Architextures Tall Base Swirls as a mask in the corners of the canvas holder. I trimmed them to fit and painted over them with Tattered Angels HighImpact Paint-Navy.

After using the Architextures I rinsed them and placed them back on the film. They weren’t completely free of navy paint, but they were definitely reusable.

I dabbed turquoise paint onto letter stamps and centered her name on the holder. Paw prints in the same color went on either side. Flourish bits I had cut off the corner pieces I placed under her name as a mask and painted over with turquoise paint.

Finally I punched a cat shape from cardstock and used the negative as a stencil with Navy paint. There was a lot of paint on that canvas paintbrush holder so I laid it flat to dry for a couple days.

When the project was finished the cats gave it a thorough inspection. Big Eyes decided it was acceptable and opted for a nap. If you don’t have a cat to approve your projects send them on over...he doesn’t charge for his services. :)

Stop by my Instagram for more crafty inspiration.

Scrap On!

~Charity Hotrum~

Pink and Main Paper Cactus Plant

How about a No Water/ No Kill paper cactus plant? This tutorial uses Pink and Main hot air balloon dies to make a garden for a plant lover with out a green thumb. Follow the tutorial below to assemble your own Paper Cactus Plant.

 All of my cacti are made using a set of concentric hot air balloon cutting dies from Pink and Main. After cutting out a variety of green, blue, and yellow balloons, I arranged and grouped them until they resembled cactus plants.

 The Prickly Pear Cactus assembles from the top down.
Adhere two small balloons, color side out.
Adhere small balloons to edge of medium balloon.

Top with a second medium balloon, color side out.
Use a white gel pen to add prickles.

 When your prickly pear is the right height cut a slit in the stem.

Adhere two more large balloons, color side out.

Cut a slit from the top of the balloon down to the center. 

Join slits to assemble the base of the cactus.

The Barrel Cactus is made by adhering two sets of small balloons, color side out.
Cut a slit in one pair from the top down and in the second from the stem up as shown. Remove stem of balloons with stem slit. Slide balloons together. 

 To make the main body of the barrel cactus cut four large balloons.
Trim off the sides so the balloon resembles an oblong.

Adhere small, assembled balloons to edge of oblong.
Top with a second oblong, color side out. Cut a slit from the stem up toward the center.

Adhere another set of small balloons and oblongs and cut a slit from the top down to the center.

Slide slits together, adjust as necessary.

 The Spiral Cactus is made from 8 large balloons.
Fold each balloon in half, length wise.

Adhere the right half of one balloon to the left half of another balloon.
Repeat this process till all 8 balloons are joined.

 The container is cut from printed cardboard.
I used the entire sheet of cardboard so had to measure and cut carefully. The photo below shows the details. Blue lines are cut through with a craft knife.

Cardboard is made of three layers. The orange lines of each piece are cut through the printed side and middle layer, but the back piece is left intact as shown in the second square below. This process leaves flaps of heavy paper that can be glued onto the adjoining piece to connect the sides. The bottom of the flower pot is the rectangle piece with 1" flaps and 4" center section. To cover all my scribbles I cut strips of the brown paper and glued them along the inside, top of the flower pot.

 The soil is basically a shelf of cardboard, covered with brown cardstock. The trick is to be certain the bottom and three sides of the pot are solid before adding the shelf. The shelf is held in place by the sloping sides of the pot. They don't allow the shelf to slide down.

Use the remaining piece of  4" x 6" cardboard for the shelf.
Make 1/4" flaps on either end so that the solid central piece is 4"x 5.5".
Cut a piece of brown cardstock 7.5" by 5.5". Score a 1" flap at each end of the brown cardstock. Adhere the cardboard shelf to the back of the brown cardstock, placing the flaps together.
With a craft knife, cut an X in the shelf where each plant will be placed.
Adhere the color side of the flaps to the flower pot sides, positioning shelf approximately 1/2" from the top.
Add cactus plants. Glue remaining side to flower pot. A bamboo skewer may be slid between the soil shelf and pot side to press the final flap onto the adjoining side.

This Cactus Container Garden looks great from any angle, but why stop with one? Plant yourself a garden of paper pretties that will never need watering and will ALWAYS brighten you day.

Craft On!
~Charity Hotrum~

Iridescent Peacock Feathers With Acrylic Paint

Iridescent Peacock Feathers are the feature of today's tutorial. Peacocks have been the subject for countless works of art due to their glorious plumage. Although I don't pretend to be a master painter, I can let you in on a little secret for how to get that signature peacock iridescence using a gold wash of acrylic paint.

I started with a wood model and an assortment of acrylics. I painted sample stripes of blues, greens, and browns on white cardstock. When those had dried I painted over them with stripes of metallic paint. The sheer metallics gave the colors an iridescent sheen and I had only to choose which color combinations I liked best.

For the body I choose Aqua and Blue, for the feet and beak, Brown. I painted the tail feathers in Blue, Brown, Green, Lime Green, and Antique Gold

 I carefully assembled the peacock and assigned colors to body parts. The original model planned for the eyes of the feathers to be punched out. I choose to leave them in but gave them an extra layer of paint to hold them there.

 Peacock wings, neck, and body alternate between light and dark blue. To get a similar look I painted the pieces with Aqua, let them dry, then splattered them with Blue. When those layers had dried I added a thin layer of Blue over it all.

 The base of the tail and back of the peacock I painted in Lime Green. I splattered the pieces with Brown to give the impression of multi colored feathers. A layer of Antique Gold added the iridescent look I had planned.

 The tail feathers took the longest to paint. I began with a layer of Aqua on the eye of the feathers and Lime Green on the rest. After a second layer of Aqua and Lime, I framed the eye with Brown and the outer edge of the feathers with Green. I added a dab of Blue to the center of the eye. The final layer of paint, Antique Gold, gives the tail feathers that iridescent gleam.

 I grew up with visits to Grandma's farm and her many types of fowl. Although the turkeys were my favorite, the peacocks were unmatched for beauty. I spent many long hours gathering peacock feathers from the pastures and woods. There is something so glorious about bringing in armfuls of blue and green feathers that flash gold in the sunlight.

This glorious peacock model was purchased off Amazon. The paints are from Canvas Corp Brands, and that amazing 3-D Taj Mahal was assembled by my daughter Lori.

Craft On

~charity~