Just a note…

On November 27, 2014November 27, 2014 By lindaIn Stamping, tutorial, Uncategorized11 Comments

Thanks for stopping by on this wonderful Thanksgiving day! This is my last post as guest designer for Dreamweaver Stencils this month. I enjoyed my stint this month and had so much fun playing with Dreamweaver Stencils.

The Dream Team challenge you to be especially “Thankful and Thoughtful” during this month. Link your creations with this theme in mind on the Dream It Up! blog using the Inlinkz tool and you could win the stencil of your choice. A bonus stencil of our choosing could be yours for using Dreamweaver product(s) in your artwork.

Today I want to share a technique to make another art journal background, but this time we’re going to cut it up and make mini notebooks from it that will fit in your purse or pocket! How cool is that – and just in time for gifting.

I started with Dreamweaver embossing paste, this beautiful Zen Flower Stencil and watercolor paper.

linda_neff_dreamweaver_stencils_notebook

After my paste dried I colorized the background with Ranger’s Distress Inks, dried and continued to dip and spray until the color was just as I wanted. I added more color by rubbing in some Adirondack Dye Ink using another Dreamweaver Stencil, Tapestry, that is a big favorite of mine.

After the Tapestry Stencil I used some Aqua ink and rubbed it through Dreamweaver Stencil, Vintage Decor (click here to see how I used this stencil to turn an old drawer into beautiful home decor storage).

I added some images and text with rubber stamps then more color sprays and blotting to get this final look. This turned into a beautiful art journal page but I’m still cutting it up!

The art journal page is used to cover salvaged chipboard. I connected the two by running the journal paper through my Xyron 5″ Creative Station, stuck it to the chipboard and used another journal section to cover the inside and the back cover as well.

Once the covers were covered I punched the binding holes with my Zutter. The inside pages were cut about 1/8″ smaller than the cover on both sides and bottom.

The covers are so pretty – I really enjoyed this project. I gave no thought as to how they were cut, I just cut them to a size I wanted to use. Once bound they make a perfect little stocking stuffer, thank you gift or something pretty to keep for yourself!

By the way, the Dream Team are very THANKFUL when our followers are THOUGHTFUL enough to leave us a nice comment on our posts! Here’s the “A” team lineup for this week.

Dream It Up!

Lyn Bernatovich

Louise Healy

Alison Heikkila

Kristine Reynolds

Pam Hornschu

Gill Wilson

Kristi Parker Van Doren

Link your own project using this link: An InLinkz Link-up

Super Quick and Easy!

On November 28, 2013November 27, 2013 By lindaIn home decor, Uncategorized6 Comments

Howdy! Welcome and Happy Thanksgiving. Have a piece of pumpkin pie for me – lots of whip cream!

This is my last post as Guest Designer for Dreamweaver Stencils and I’m almost embarrassed to tell you how easy this project was. But, like many of you this time of year I have more to do and not enough hours in the day so a quick and easy project is just perfect!

This is a cute little holiday decoration and I just am very pleased with the final results.

I used nothing more than an Ikea .99 cent frame, Dreamweaver Embossing Paste and the Ornate Xmas Tree stencil and just a bit of Christmas papers from the Bundled Up collection from Crate Paper.

This frame comes with two acrylic sheets that I slid out and peeled the protective layers off before taping the stencil to the acrylic sheet. I taped it so it doesn’t slide on me when I spread the embossing paste.

I spread the paste across the stencil to fill in all the tiny details of the stencil then carefully peel the tape away and lift the stencil leaving an embossed pattern on the acrylic sheets; repeat on the second acrylic sheet.

While the paste is still wet I sprinkled with a clear transparent finely ground glitter. I left it sit for an hour or so with the glitter on so the paste would set up and dry.

When the paste is dry I tapped the access glitter onto a sheet of office paper and slid back into the glitter container. Then I cut two 4X6 -inch sheets of the paper and slid the paper and the two embossed acrylic sheets into the frame – that’s it! They’re double-sided so what a great little table decoration or a piece to sit on a shelf for the holiday.

Like I said, a bit embarrassed at how quick and easy this was. It took me longer to write this post than to make this!

Make sure to visit these designers for even more great projects and tips! Now go create!

Dream It Up!

Linda Neff (Guest Designer – that’s me!)
Lea Kimmel
Louise Healy
Terrece Siddoway
Pam Hornschu
Cherylynn Moser

Old drawer gets new upcycled look

On November 14, 2013November 14, 2013 By lindaIn home decor, tutorial, Uncategorized20 Comments

I’m having a drawer-full of fun with Dreamweaver Stencils and Beacon products this month. We’re hopping every Thursday this month so be sure to visit these other designers to see some amazing projects!

Dream It Up!
Linda Neff (Guest Designer – that’s me!)
Lea Kimmel
Louise Healy
Terrece Siddoway
Wendy Jordan
Pam Hornschu
Cherylynn Moser

I’ve been experimenting with Dreamweaver Stencils and Beacon Adhesives while upcycling some pieces for our shop – Green Door Studio. I found this old drawer at an estate sale for just a few dollars. I thought it would make a cute display holder or a shelf.

After I gave it a good scrub-down and removed the handle I painted with a coat of cream paint just to give me a clean base to work with. I filled the old handle hole with wood filler and left it all to dry for an hour or so.

I pulled some old music song sheets out along with some dictionary pages to decoupage onto the front. I cut the pages to the size of the drawer front, inked the edges and adhered them with Beacon’s Fast Finish Decoupage Glue.

Once the entire front was covered in papers and dry, I was able to use my Dreamweaver Stencil LX 7022 Vintage Decor. I love this stencil! It turned out so nice. The stencil was taped in place and then Dreamweaver Embossing Paste was spread across it.

The tape is carefully lifted off all sides but one (that one is left in place to act as a hinge). The stencil is then carefully lifted to reveal a beautiful design underneath.

While the paste is drying (it takes about an hour or so) I had time to go work on another project. The other project didn’t take as long as I thought so I grabbed my heat tool and helped the paste along so I could continue with the painting. I covered the front – including the stencil – with another coat of cream paint and wiped it off with a damp cloth to expose some of the papers.

I wanted to add depth to the box so added a copper metallic glaze by Martha Stewart, really squishing it in and around the stenciled area. Using my same damp cloth, wiped most of it off until I got the look I just loved!

I sealed the entire box with a coat of wax and buffed it out. I never imagined this funky little drawer could look this good. I added a copper distressed knob to the front.