Forget-me-not

Hello friends,

Today, I'm excited to share a project featuring Tim Holtz Palette Teal fabric from FreeSpirit. Teal is a personal favorite, and this collection did not disappoint — each fabric is absolutely gorgeous. The majority of the 10 Palette Teal designs exude a serene tranquility, but then you have 'Palette Teal Butterflies,' 'Tiles,' and 'Marble' which introduce more saturated tones. I blended both the calm and bold, incorporating pops of color from idea-ology ephemera to tie everything together. You might not immediately think orange pairs with teal, but it works perfectly here, right down to the vintage button stitched with red/orange thread. So enough talking, lets get started making!

I used 5 of the 10 Palette Teal fabrics for this project. 

Teal Collage

Teal Tiny Print

Teal Stamps

Teal Tiles

Teal Butterflies

Teal Wallpaper

Teal Marble

Teal Ephemera

Teal Tickets

Teal Map

Paint the 9 x 9 Display Panel with Evergreen Bough Distress Paint. I wanted a more sheer coverage so I painted it on, then wiped off some of the paint. When the paint was dry, I sanded it with a large sanding block to reveal more of the wood. 

While the paint was drying (before sanding), I set work on the fabric background. I chose Teal Tiny Print for the background since it's subtle and it will work perfectly with all the other fabrics and ephemera. I cut a 9 x 9" square of both the Tiny Print and cotton batting.

Then stitched them together with a random pattern of straight stitches. Once the sewing was done, I cut the piece to fit the inside of the Display Panel.

So the panel and the fabric backing are ready to go!

I just added Collage Medium to the back of the Display Panel, then added the fabric into the back. 

TIP: cover the entire back of the tray with Collage Medium so the quilted fabric will be completely secured to the panel. You will be adding metals to the fabric and you do not want the backing to flop forward once the metal is glued in place (that would not be easy to fix).

Cut a piece of the Tiles fabric large enough so you can fold the sides under and iron flat. I colored a Photobooth image for the top and added it once I cut a "frame" into the fabric. Meaning, I cut a hole in the top tile so you could see the image like a frame. At first I didn't color the image, but I took it out and colored it with Distress Crayons to reinforce the teal and orange color scheme and it was so much better. Distress Crayons are magic!

I took the whole piece to the sewing machine and stitched around the outside. To get the clump of messy thread, I pull some thread from the machine, wad it up and stitch over it a few times. I use my fingertip to add watered down brown ink to color the thread before drying iwth my heat tool.

Next up is the metals. Each of these pieces was painted with white paint (either Distress or acrylic will work), then wiped away. Once dry, I added either more paint (like the blue on the key and blue and yellow on the flower). 

I also added Walnut Stain Distress Crayon to the Sweetheart Adornment and the flower (also from the Sweetheart pack).

For the Quote Token, I chose to keep it simple and just added Picket Fence Distress Crayon.

Add the Sweetheart adornment to the tile with Collage Medium. The Quote Token has two THIN 3D Foam Squares on the back. These will keep the Quote Token in place until it can be nailed to the wood panel.

Next up is the stamps. I stitched cotton batting and a block of stamps together. The fabric has a white background so I spritzed it with Antique Linen Spray Stain to give it an aged feel. I just spritzed and dried it with my heat tool.

Each of the three stamps were cut from the block, leaving the stitching only at the top. 

I spotted this piece of ephemera from the Keepsakes Ephemera pack that worked perfectly with the color scheme. I trimmed off the edges since there is a lot going on, I didn't need more distraction. I added a scene from the Collage Fabric to a piece of Watercolor Cardstock (because it's sturdy), then added it to the frame with Scor-tape.

For the ephemera on the bottom left, I created another stitched fabric piece with the Teal Collage fabric and cotton batting. I added more Watercolor Cardstock to the back of the ephemera piece (Keepsakes) then added it to the fabric with Collage Medium. This piece is long, so it's best to put something heavy on top while it dries so the ends don't turn up like a potato chip. Just saying...

Our last piece is the Optical Lens. I used the lens as a pattern to cut the circle of fabric from the fabulous Butterflies fabric. This was easy to do because I had painted the area I wanted to cut out with Collage Medium and let it dry before cutting. It makes the fabric just stiff enough to make the cutting easier.

I added a layer of Collage Medium over the top of the fabric and added it to the glass of the Optical Lens. 

Then I adhered the painted flower to the Lens with Collage Medium. Add enough glue to let the flower sit in it. Once dry, it will be super secure and ready to add to the Display Panel.

Putting it together -

After deciding on the placement, adhere each piece with Collage Medium.

I used the Texture Hammer to add a Tack Nail to the top of the Quote Token.

Once one side is complete, add the pieces to the right side. You can choose to use 3D foam Squares behind the Souvenir Views ephemera if you want it to be raised from the background like I did. The card with the bird is from the Layers Organic ephemera pack. I glued it with Collage Medium then added Cello Tape to the edges. The small key was added with Collage Medium. If you wish, you can choose to add another Tack Nail at the top of the key.

The buttons are all vintage. I collect buttons that have the thread left in, so all I had to do was glue these down with Collage Medium. Obviously, any buttons could be used and you could either stitch them right to the fabric backing or add faux stitching and glue them on like I did.

Once that section is complete, add the stitched piece to the left side. Again, I placed something heavy on top to make sure I got complete connection to the fabric below. Once secure, I added the vintage piece of ribbon and a tiny vintage button at the top. 

Finish off with more Cello Tape. That looks so good to me!

And the last piece is the Optical Lens. Again, use Collage Medium to secure it to the background.

I decided to add a handle to the top of the Display Panel. So I added a couple Screw Heads I had previously painted with white paint to the holes at each end of the handle. Once the glue had dried I just dripped one drop of Mushroom Alcohol Ink over the top. I also used a Walnut Stain Distress Crayon over the handle itself to add some aging.

I used Collage Medium to add the handle to the top of the Panel (of course I did that with the panel standing up).

And there you go. Done deal!

I couldn't be happier with this project. I love things collected - especially things that you might not think go together. I also know you could make this with with any of the Palette colors, but Teal just has a soft spot in my heart and maybe that's why this is so special to me.

Now carry on,

paula

Palette Teal Cards

Hello friends,

I am over on the Simon Says Stamp blog today sharing three cards made with Palette Teal fabric. Each card features the beautiful Palette Teal fabric by Tim Holtz for FreeSpirit Fabrics. The three cards progress in complexity, starting with a no-sew option, one with simple stitching, and another that introduces a bit of easy quilting. The best part? They're all super doable and easily adaptable, even if you don't own a machine. All three cards were made to fit the Simon Says Stamp Slimline Envelopes in Teal. The perfect color envelope for all the Palette Teal fabrics!

Now carry on....right on over to the Simon Says Stamp blog!

Paula

Be Your Beautiful Self

Hello friends,

Can you believe it is June already? I know I can't! Time marches on whether we like it or not! With our sweet niece Ellie graduating from high school in just a few days, it seem's like a real end of an era for us. All 4 nieces and nephew will soon be in collage and far away from home. Sunday dinners will never be the same! We can't do anything about the pace of life except support and enjoy on the sidelines.

Well enough about the goings on around here, lets move on and talk about todays project! This is a sweet little book made with Folio Folders, then covered with fabric from Palette Orange (Botanical). It is truly one of my favorite fabric of the Palette Collection because of both design and the colors. Right in my wheelhouse. Botanical just goes with everything, including this little book I made. So lets get started and I'll show you how I put it together (including that cover).

I am using 3 large Folio Folders for this project (1 package). But the fun thing about this project is that you can add on as many folders as you like. So if you had two packages of Folio Folders, it could be twice as thick. Totally up to you.

I started as I always do, by spraying the folders with Antique Linen Spray Stain, then wiping it off. I sprayed both sides of each folder, drying with a heat tool between sides.

I used Distress Oxide Bundled Sage and the Ornate stamp from Stampers Anonymous to create a pattern along the inside of each folder. To get the fading top edge, add the ink to the stamp then use a wet wipe to feather the edge before stamping. Give it a spritz with water and stamp! You can practice on another piece of scrap paper before stamping the folder if you want. And remember, you only need to stamp on the inside of each folder, not the outside.

NOTE: Feathering creates a much more random, worn look that will fade away, rather than giving you a hard edge right in the middle of your page.

Choose three images from the Collage Paper pack Serendipity. Add Collage Medium to one side of the folder, then lay the Collage sheet into the glue. Press down (with clean hands), then add another layer of Collage Medium over the paper.

Create a puddle of ink to the side (gathered Twigs and water). Immediately use your finger to randomly add the ink over the glue. Once satisfied, use a paint brush to flick more ink over the glue before it dries. You can set it aside while you work on the other two or dry with a heat tool before moving on.

Add a Layer Frame from the Montage pack to the blank side of the folder. These frames have been pre-stitched so it looks like you have stitched it down but that step has been done for you! I used Scor-tape to add the frames.

I could leave the Collage Paper images alone, but I thought I would use Distress Crayons like watercolors and paint the scenes. To do this I chose a limited palette; Rustic Wilderness, Salvaged Patina, Abandoned Coral, Lumberjack Plaid, and Mustard Seed. I scribbled the crayon onto the glass Studio Mat and picked it up with a small damp paint brush.

I colored each of the Collage Paper images as well as some of the background with the Distress Crayons. I didn't want too much color but wanted to give some life to the images. This coloring was so relaxing!

Once the basic inside of each folder was complete, I lined up the folders in the order I wanted, then marked the outside so I would remember after adding the tape.

I added 1/4" Scor-tape to one side, then peeled the tape to adhere one folder to the next, while creating a pocket between the two folders. That means, don't add tape on one side edge, because that will be the opening for one of the two pockets.

When the two folders are taped together, you should be able to add a card (any kind of card) to the pocket you just created. I cut my cards from Distress Mixed Media Heavystock and repeated the stamp pattern.

So lets now start at the beginning of the book and you will be able to see the order. 

I will label each section folder 1, folder 2, and folder 3.

Folder 1

Paper Doll (Distress Crayons - Salvaged Patina, Mustard Seed and Aged Mahogany), Classic Label Stickers, Clippings, Collage Paper, Cello Sticker Tape and Postmarked stamps.

I used Thin Foam Squares under the paper doll and the black label sticker.

Clippings, Cello Sticker Tape and Number Strip.

Folder 2

Paper Doll (groups) with crayons - Mustard Seed and Salvaged Patina. Classic Label Stickers, Cello Sticker Tape and Postmarked added with a Tiny Attacher.

Here you can see the first pocket with a card in it on the left.

Clipping Stickers, Stabilo Pencil, Antiqued Gems + eyelet.

Antiqued Gem with Mushroom Alcohol Ink 

Folder 3

Number Strip and Cello Sticker Tape

Second pocket on the left with added Classic Sticker.

Paper Doll (Distress Crayon Mustard Seed and Aged Mahogany), Classic Label Stickers, Clippings, Collage Paper, Cello Sticker Tape and Postmarked stamp. Gold Mixative used for the dots in her hair.

I used Thin Foam Squares under the paper doll and the black label sticker.

Once the folders are complete, open the book so only the cover is showing. 

Cut one piece of Pallet Orange fabric - Botanical approximately 6.5 x 11" (I like a piece larger than the book so I can cut away the excess later)

Use Collage Medium to add the fabric to the cover. I did it one side at a time so the Collage Medium does not dry on you. It dries so fast!

Once fully covered, press down making sure it is adhered well to the paper below (especially along the spine).

Cut away any excess fabric with sharp scissors (Tonic Haberdashery Scissors are sharp to the tip).

Once I had everything secured - I went back and added more Collage Medium from the edge to 1/2" in (you could cover the entire cover if you wish) to stop any fraying. 

I folded the book back and forth and added more Collage Medium along the spine and let that dry.

Once the cover was secure, I wrapped a beautiful ribbon around the cover. I found this silky, satiny...and kind of grungy ribbon in my stash and I have no idea where it even came from! But I'm glad it come out of hiding today because it is just perfect!

To finish off the cover, I added more Classic Labels (that have had a dip into the ink puddle). I stamped the label in Peeled Paint Archival Ink using a phrase from the Tiny Text stamp set. WHat do you do when your phrase is too long for one sticker? stamp two stickers!

I wanted to sew the labels onto the cover but I couldn't do that at this point so I thought the next best thing is to do some faux stitching. I used my Simon Says Stamp powder tool to take away the sticky back of each sticker so I could run them through my sewing machine.

Once stitched, I added the labels to the cover with Collage Medium...and seriously, no one would ever know I didn't stitch them on!

I love this cover so much! It has my heart!

Just some extra shots of the inside!

I hope you'll give this easy folder book a go! And remember, you can add as many folders together as you wish! It's all up to you and your imagination!

Now carry on,

Paula