Happy New Year & Spring Wreath

Firstly may I wish everyone a Happy, Healthy & Prosperous 2017 !

This is also my first project of 2017, a curled paper wreath !  I started with a polystyrene wreath form which was 25cm diameter.

I chose papers which I have had for ages (DCWV - Florals 12 x 12 stack). I used only two designs in green and pink, one a pink floral and the other a green & pink stripe.  In total I used 6 sheets.

I cut the sheets into half inch strips on the paper trimmer and then curled these from the centre of a strip outwards in both directions. I used a bone folder and my thumb to do this.  When I had curled all the strips I used plain headed pins to attach the curled strips to the polystyrene form in a random fashion until the form was totally covered.

Finishing touch was to add a length of white/pink spotty ribbon with more pins.  I wondered whether to add a flourish with the word 'Spring' but decided not too.  Also this would make a great table centrepiece with a battery candle in the middle. What do you think?

Sid xx

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Structures ATC's

This set of three ATC's was done as a swap on UK STampers Forum. The subject was buildings/structures and I did a series of rather subdued,( for me) , ATC's.

All three incorporate clear adhesive tape transfers. This technique is simple, but effective and here is a summary of how to do it:

First select your image from a glossy magazine, (it must be glossy for the transfer to work), and cut out what you want roughly. Next, take a strip of the widest clear self-adhesive tape that you have and place carefully over the image without trapping air or creasing the tape before firmly rubbing over the surface of the tape to ensure an intimate bond with your image. I find it best to use the flat surface of a bone folder or alternatively the handle of your scissors to do this burnishing. When you are happy that the image is well adhered, trim it to the size, or width, of the tape that you used.

Next, get a small bowl and fill with warm tap water. Place your taped image into the water, (it will curl up), and wait for a minute or so until well wetted. Then use your fingers to rub off the wetted paper from the back of the tape. This is a bit messy but you will find that the printed paper goes into a pulp and when rubbed off leaves an image of what you covered with the tape on the sticky side of the tape. Ensure that you remove all of the paper and rinse the tape and image thoroughly before allowing to dry.

If you are lucky this image will still be adhesive and ready to apply to your surface (ATC in this case). If it is not sticky then apply a thin coat of Glossy Accents and smear over the surface before applying to your receiving surface. Again, burnish the transfer onto this surface with the edge of a bone folder or the handle of your scissors until happy that it has stuck. The image is transparent and does allow whatever is on the background to show through, so plan what you intend to do before you apply the transfer.

I used three colours of background card - lemon, peach and green - first trimmed to size, which I stamped around the edge with vintage sepia Versfine ink and a couple of border stamps from All-Night Media (48361B & 48363B) before applying the tape transfers.

The finished ATC's have words stamped on with black Stazon ink using Making Memories magnetic stamps to finish. They were edged with dark brown Colorbox chalk ink.

Hoping you like these :)

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