Embossing Die Cuts

I know that I haven't posted in a while but it's all because of school. I moved back up to m University and started classes. So between packing for school, moving to school and starting school, I wasn't creating all that much. But I am back and here with another tutorial! I found a video by esthercraft on YouTube and she made a mini-album and she took her paper Die Cuts and embossing them. I thought to myself, "GENIUS! Why do I never think of these things?" So here is a step by step picture tutorial of what to do.

Supply Time! Here's what you'll need:
*Die cuts of your choice. I have a ridiculous stash of K&Company ones because they're on clearance after new seasons end and when I have a coupon.
*Embossing powder or enamel. I have the Melt Art one and another one that I'm not too fond of. But you live and you learn.
*Embossing Pad- If you've never embossed before, this is what keeps the enamel/powder to whatever it is that you're embossing.
*Tweezers. You'll definitely need these. Because after you heat gun your Die Cuts, those suckers are gonna be hot. (and yes, I did burn my hand last night doing one. Haha!)
*Catch all tray. I got mine for I think a dollar or two at a garage sale (They're 6.99 in Joann's!)
*Heat gun - pretty self explanatory. you need this to heat the embossing powder/enamel.

This is my ridiculous stash. Haha!!

This is my amazing tin that I keep more of my Die Cuts. Tins are my favorite way of organizing and this one is small enough to where I can put whatever I want in it and take it with me!

 Okay. So here is the process:

1. Pick your die cut! I chose this beautiful flower (I think it's a peony). 

2. Take your Die Cut and push it into your Embossing Pad to saturate it. 

 You can see how it's shiny here. 

3. Get out your catch-all tray, lay your newly inked up Die Cut and pour the enamel/powder over it. You'll want to do this a little on the quick side because you don't want the embossing ink to dry or you'll have to do it all again. 

 4. Tap off the excess from your Die Cut. (If you don't, you'll be sure to make a mess and get enamel everywhere.)

 5. Heat set it, You'll know when it's melted because there are no holes in the enamel and it becomes smooth. 

 Now. You can let it dry, dip the Die Cut in the Ink again and dip it back in the embossing powder/enamel OR while it's still hot, you can put it back in the enamel like in the video. But. I'm not too good at that so I just re-ink it and dip it again! :)

6. Repeat this process until you get the look you want. You can make it super thick or you can leave it at one coat. You may need to go back and fill in the spots that you may have no gotten the ink on (that's what happened with this flower) and I repeated this 3 times. (I like things to look thick and glassy.)

And here is the beautiful result! It looks glassy and thick. I'm happy with it! :)

I went a little crazy with them after that. As you can see here! :)

I hope you all have an amazing time doing this if you try and please please let me know if you made some and share! :) Have a great and safe Labor Day weekend. 

Introducing the Baby Book

Hello everyone! 

I'm really excited to bring this book to you because I know that not a lot of people use these in their art. But I want to bring a cheaper, repurpose-ing and creative way to art journal/scrapbook. 

Introducing.....

The Baby Book.

Ever go garage sale-ing or go into thrift stores and see mountains of baby books that parents are getting rid of because their little baby is all grown up now? Buy them!!!  Specifically, buy the ones that have thick pages, not like paper, they are specifically called "board books." They come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Some have interactive pages for kids that have windows, pockets, flaps, etc.. Buy them ALL. I am crazy to say how many I have at the moment (but half of this number is from a box of baby books my boyfriend got me from a pick-up). But I have around 40. *cringe* I know. It's nuts. But they're so amazing. 

Preparing the book: 
1. Buy the book. (heehee!)
2. Take your sandpaper (I believe all artist should have these) and sand the pages down. When you do this, this creates a "tooth" for the glue or paint to stick to. This is REALLY important. 
3. Design the pages however you want. You can make mini scrapbooks in them by just doing what you normally do in scrapbooks. Glue down that papers, add your embellishments, pockets, pictures, etc...
4. Most of them DO get very chunky when you make them as scrapbooks. But if you paint on them, They don't expand much or at all. 

Here is a book that I just finished yesterday! (by the way, I just remembered I have this thing called a SCANNER to show you my work. Hahaha derrr). 

So I hope you all take a chance and give baby books a new life! Go to your local bookstore, thrift shop, Goodwill or garage sale and rescue a baby book! Make it something brilliant. :)

I hope you all enjoyed this post and see every mistake I brilliantly made on my pages because they were scanned. LOL!!

Have a creative day!

Tracy Weinzapfel August Dare!

Yes. Right there. Loud and proud, baby. Loud. And. Proud. Haha! I did this in the wee hours of the morning today (meaning I started this at 2 a.m.) and finished it around 4. On Sunday I worked from 7:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. and drove an hour home and ended up going to be around 5. So my sleep schedule is all kinds of coco puffs (that's the phrase I use for crazy. Lol). 

Here's how I met this page with step by step instructions. I don't have pictures for this one because I was in the groove and was just going with the flow. 

I used the following materials: 

1. Piece of fiberglass (at least that's what I think it is.) or thick plastic. 

2. A printed picture of me. 

3. Hot glue gun

4. Lace 

5. Paints that really spoke to me last night. I used blues, greens and little white. 

Process: 

1. I painted the piece of plastic/fiberglass with all of my background colors first and when I turned it over, I liked how the other side looked! The colors didn't look so chalky on it they were pristine. 

2. I pasted the picture of me down onto the glass and left it alone until the end. 

3. I cut my lace into 1" strips and hot glued them down to the edges so that my picture was underneath it all. 

4. I then took out my selected acrylic paints and painted on the flowers and my quote. It says "She is clothed with strength & dignity and laughs without fear of the future." 

Subnote: I am completely obsessed with this Bible verse. I am not religious by any means but I do enjoy a great Bible verse that really speaks to me and this one does it. 

5. I took out my fine point black Faber Castell Pitt Pen and went over my lips, eyes, mouth, hair and face. Then I painted it in. It was as simple as that. I took my dark blue paint and basically just painted in the lines!

Voila! Done! I hope you all enjoyed this and I would like to thank Tracy Weinzapfel and her  August Dare to put me up to this challenge!

Happy creating!