Guest Sandi Obertin designed and demonstrated this project.
Materials:
Rubber Nature ArtStamp rubber stamps:
star stamp AW15-4D
stamp W-2000-9-11
stamp W-2000-9-2G
stamp W-2000-9-4I
Rubber Nature ArtStamp Tool Stamps:
twist tool stamp T1-5F
angle and press tool stamp T-RN4-8C
press tool stamp T-2000 -9-1H
two 8-1/2" x 11" sheets of light and dark green card stock
white card stock
6" x 6" piece of metallic gold paper
heat tool
pigment ink
Vivid dye inks: straw, raspberry, teal, etc.
gold and copper embossing powders
24 " piece of lightweight cord or 1/8" wide ribbon
about 3' of sheer ribbon
decorative button
Glace embellishment strips
double stick tape
glue
double stick foam tape
Steps:
1. Using vivid straw dye ink, base coat star stamp. Ink the twist tool stamp with vivid raspberry dye ink. Position tool on star and give a quarter-turn twist.
2. Stamp star out and clean the star stamp (figure A). Do not clean the tool stamp.
3. Coat the star stamp with vivid teal dye ink. Position the tool and give a quarter turn twist (figure B).
4. Repeat process several times, changing base coat color of star stamp each time .
5. Repeat process several times using angle and press tool stamp.
6. Create as many stars as desired. Cut stars out; paste back-to-back on a piece of sheer ribbon and set aside (figure C).
7. Using pigment ink, stamp with W-2000-9-11 once on dark green stock. Emboss with gold embossing powder and trim around border with deckle-edge scissors, leaving a 1/16- to 1/8-inch border.
8. Special edge weaving technique: Using an art knife, cut through each non-embossed guideline that touches the outer border on all four sides. Make the cut lines approximately 3/8 inch in length. Weave Glace accent strips in and out through the cut lines on one side, keeping the strips close to the border. Adjust strips, skipping part of weave as necessary for even outcome. Trim strips once both ends have been positioned at the end of the outside border. Repeat the process on all four sides (figure D).
9. Glue the ends down. Layer onto the 6" x 6" square piece of gold paper. Trim gold border leaving a 1/16- to 1/8-inch border and set aside.
10. Stamp with stamp W-2000-9-2G on light green paper two times and emboss in gold . Cut around outer borders leaving no excess paper. Set one image aside.
11. Using an art knife, cut through all vertical non-embossed lines of the second image. Carefully cutting from top inside border to bottom inside border (figure E). Set aside for a moment.
12. Use stamp W-2000-9-2G on dark green paper with pigment ink and then emboss in copper. Cut away outer border. Position the "middle" piece next to the vertically cut gold embossed piece you set aside a moment ago. Make sure the two middle pieces are positioned in exactly the same direction.
13. Cut the copper middle piece into horizontal strips, being careful to keep the strips in order. Tip: Trimming a little of the non-embossed guideline from some of the strips will make weaving easier.
14. Weave the copper strips over and under into the gold piece (figure F) . Line up the edges at the border and glue down the ends if desired.
15. Slide Glace embellishment strips through the weaving. Adjust, clip and glue down ends if desired.
16. Cut a piece of light green paper twice the size of your mini weaving. Fold the paper in half and write or stamp a message on the top inside half. (The fold will be at the middle of the paper).
17. Position and attach the weaving to the bottom of the reverse side of the paper . Fold up. The weaving will be on the outside; the fold will be at the bottom; the message will be on the inside (figure G).
18. Put double-stick foam on the back of this folded piece, keeping the opening at the top; center and attach all to the large W-2000-9-4I stamped image. Set aside .
19. Measure 5-1/4 inches into the 8-1/2-inch side of the dark green paper and cut the paper lengthwise. You should have one piece that is 5-1/4" x 11". Fold it in half creating a 5-1/4" x 5-1/2" (high) card.
20. Using pigment ink, stamp press tool T-2000-9-1H around the card's edges to create a background design. Emboss in copper (figure H).
21. Cut the remaining 2-3/4" x 11" piece of paper in half, creating two 2-3/4" x 5-1/2" pieces. Trim each piece to 2-3/4" x 5-1/4".
22. Fold the two small pieces in half lengthwise. Then fold each side again lengthwise , creating two accordion fold pieces that look like a "W" if you look down on them (figure I). Using glue or double-stick tape, cover the outer sides of each "W" and carefully position the pieces lengthwise inside the 5-1/4" x 5-1/2" card close to each outside edge, creating an open-topped pocket (figure J). The side pieces will be approximately 1/4 inch shorter.
23. Fold a cord in half and position it down approximately 1-1/2 inches on center from the top of the pocket's back. Secure the cord loop with the double-stick tape and cover with the extra W2000-9-2G stamped image that was set aside (figure K ).
24. Center the woven artwork on the front of the pocket (figure L). Attach a decorative button to the front of the mini weaving.
25. Finish the card by filling the pocket with a string of stars or small gifts and tie the cord around the raised button.
Tip: When working with Glace' or other thin materials, you can make them rigid by backing them with a clear cold laminate.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
