Stamperia Patchwork Life is Good Card Folio for All Creatures Great & Small at Frilly Funkie

Hello, Friends!  Today I have a fun, funky mixed media project to share with you.  I created this Stamperia Patchwork Life is Good Card Folio for the latest challenge over on the Frilly and Funkie Blog.  We’ll take a look at it in a moment, but first let’s see what the Magnificent Maggi, our challenge hostess, has to say about the new challenge.

Challenge Theme: All Creatures Great and Small
Animals delight us in so many ways; perhaps a trip to the zoo with the kids has made you smile.  Maybe you have fur-babies that are a big part of your life.  My fur-babies are my children and hold the top spot in the hierarchy of my home!  For this challenge, create a vintage or shabby chic project that is centered around animals.  It could be your pets or a vintage photo.  Could be an animal you fear, spiders anyone???  Eeeek!!!!  No humans please, just animals on your project, otherwise anything goes.

Stamperia Patchwork Life is Good Card Folio: The Inspiration

I love animals, but severe allergies/asthma prevent me from being in contact with them.  So for this animal themed challenge, I chose my favorite species: birds.  What’s not to love? From their beautiful feathers to their cheering songs to their amazing ability to soar against the sky, birds are marvelous creatures.  The Patchwork collection from Stamperia is filled with whimsical bird images…and tea!  So you know I had to use it for this challenge.

Stamperia Patchwork fairly begs to be used in mixed media.  What can I say…I answered the call when creating this 5″ x 7″ top fold card folio.

Stamperia Patchwork Life is Good Card Folio: A Little Mixed Media Mayhem

First, use a brayer to roll an uneven coat of Antique Linen Distress Paint over the edges of a 5″ x 7 kraft card base.

This is a tip I picked up from the amazing Seth Apter.  Next, use a really cheap paintbrush to dry brush Evergreen Bough Distress Paint over the Antique Linen layer.  The idea is to end up with lots of brush strokes as you can see here.

Sadly, I forgot to take photos of the next steps in the process, as I got all involved in the act of creating.  Mea culpa!

Next, use the wood grain stencil from Tim’s Mini Layering Stencil Set 10 with Gathered Twigs Distress Ink to add another layer of texture over the brush strokes.  Then,  randomly spray the edges of the card with Distress Resist Spray.

TIP: As per Tim’s instructions, always place items in a box before you spray with Resist.  The tiny particles go everywhere and stick PERMANENTLY to anything they touch.  I have an old shipping box set aside for use as a spray box.

Stamperia Patchwork Life is Good Card Folio: Seth Apter Baked Texture

Now that you’ve sprayed the edges, sprinkle on Chunky Rust Baked Texture and heat emboss.

TIP: Heat emboss from the UNDER side of your project to prevent granules from flying all over the place.  You’re welcome.

You can see the cool effects of the Chunky Rust Baked Texture quite clearly at the top of the card.  I really wanted this card to have a lot of grungy, distressed layers.  Machine stitching, spattering, and painted distressed edges did the trick.

Stamperia Patchwork Life is Good Card Folio: Vintage Beeswax Baked Texture

I’m in love with Vintage Beeswax Baked Texture.  Here’s how I altered the bird.

• Fussy cut the bird from Stamperia Patchwork.
• Ink the edges with Gathered Twigs.
• Place the fussy cut image on a non-porous surface like your craft mat. Cover it well with an Emboss Dabber.
• Place the image in a funnel tray or clean piece of paper. (So you can save the Baked Texture Powder for another use) .  Cover it thoroughly with Vintage Beeswax Baked Texture and heat emboss.
• Let the image cool, then repeat the above step.  You end up with a beautiful, vintage gloss that looks amazing.  As a bonus, it strengthens the paper, too.
• Now, while the image is set, but still a little warm, shape it with your fingers to add dimension.  I just sort of bent the edges in toward the middle, and to my delight, the shape held.
• When it is time to adhere the bird to the card, back it with 2 or 3 layers of foam tape.  Or, be cheap like me and use waste chipboard.
• Add a thin bead of a strong liquid adhesive to the very edge of the fussy cut image.  (I use Art institute Dries Clear Glue.)
• Hold the edges of the bird against the paper until the glue takes hold.  I use a fast drying glue, so this really only takes a few second.  The foam tape in the center will give the body a lovely, rounded shape.

Stamperia Patchwork Life is Good Card Folio: Detail Shots

 

Add Grit Paste through Tim’s Stitched Stencil.  Then I brush a little Rusty Hinge Distress Stain over it to make it match all the rusty, distressed elements in the card.   After sewing the card, leave the thread long, then tuck it under this rusty index clip.

 

These Little Birdie Flowers are from the Pastel Palette.  I dry brushed them with Rusty Hinge Distress Stain and a little Antique Linen Distress Paint to age them.   The sentiment is backed with waste chipboard to add more dimension.  And everything is spattered with walnut ink.

Custom dye seam binding ribbon with Evergreen Bough, Wild Honey, and Rusty Hinge Distress Stain.

Stamperia Patchwork Life is Good Card Folio: A Peek Inside

Pockets are great…and just look at these amazing colors!

This little tea bag wallet sits in the side pocket on the top of the card.

The lower pocket is filled with a vintage silver spoon found on one of my junkin’ adventures.  Then I stitched one of the tags onto natural canvas and dressed it up with a little vintage lace and a vintage button.  And where there is tea, there must be a honey stick!

Now It’s YOUR Turn

I hope you’ll join in on this fun All Creatures Great and Small Challenge.  To do so, just link up your vintage or shabby chic animal themed project over on the Frilly and Funkie Blog before    11: 55PM EDT on Tuesday, September 25th.

The design team will pick our 4 favorite projects from all those entered.  The winning project will join us as a Guest Designer on the Frilly and Funkie Blog.  Our favorite picks will receive a badge to display proudly on their blog, too.  And everyone who plays along and follows the guideline will be entered to win a $25 shopping spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

Be sure to pop over to the Frilly and Funkie blog to see what the rest of the team has made.  I know you will be inspired!

I can’t wait to see what you make!

Thanks for stopping by!

I hope I’ve shared some tips and tricks that you can use in your own crafty adventures.  If so, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section below!

Cheerio,

kathy

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