Love Stories ~ ScrapFIT Step Class

I made this Valentine for my wonderful husband, Gary. We'll be married 30 years this summer!!

I decided to try out a couple new techniques while creating this card. First, I used Shelia's fabulous technique of covering chipboard with fabric. Head on over to ScrapFIT for her wonderful tutorial. If you use this technique on one of your projects and link it at ScrapFIT, you could be selected to be the Featured FITgirl of the Month.

I also used a punch technique by Susie posted over at Scrap-Friendzy in this week's Technique Tuesdayz - something new we started this month - another opportunity to earn Girlfriend of the Month Pointz. Her tutorial can be found over at Scrap-Friendzy in the Technique Tuedsayz section. 

Techniques:

Covered Chipboard ~ Check out Shelia's tutorial at ScrapFIT. I also took this one step further and stamped the heart image onto the fabric with Archival ink before adhering it to the chipboard. Then, I stamped and embossed with glitter embossing powder the same design on my card. When the fabric covered heart was done, I adhered it over the image stamped and embossed on the card. Also I started out with a piece of plain muslin, so I spritzed it with glimmer mist to color it and let it dry before stamping. I took some inspiration from the video in Tim Holtz' February 12 Tags of 2012 to place the heart in the center of the stamped heart image. 

Patterned Strip-Pieced Border Punch ~ First I found scraps of red paper that would coordinate with my heart, and cut them into strips of different widths. Then I adhered them to the edge of a piece of thin printer paper. You want to be sure to abut the strips but NOT overlap them, as this would make them too thick to punch easily. Also be sure not to put your adhesive down where you will be punching, so you don't gum up your punch. For a photo tutorial of this technique, head over to the Technique Tuesdayz section of Scrap-Friendzy.

Inking ~ My card started out a pale cream color. I rubbed multiple colors of distress ink over the front of the card, then spritzed on water with a mini mister (any kind of mister should work). I spritzed a small area at a time and tilted the card so the pooled water would drip in different directions. I then dried it with my heat tool. My paper was a bit warped after all this, so I used an iron set on low to press it flat again. Either use a dedicated craft iron, or place a scrap of old fabric over the card so you don't transfer ink to your favorite clothing. 

Heat Embossing ~ I used two different embossing powders. For the heart image I used a black glitter powder and for the sentiment I used the aged black powder by Stampendous that has a blend of gold and black. It's amazing how these wonderful colors show up in the final image! I stamped the images with Ranger's Archival Ink, which is a slow drying ink, then sprinkled on the embossing powder right away while the ink was still wet, and used my heat tool to melt the embossing enamel. 

Glitter Ribbon ~ With my card having a distressed appearance, my ribbon looked too "pretty" so I grunged it up by squirting on some black glitter glue and rubbed it across the center of the ribbon. I did this on my craft mat and then let it dry before adhering it to the punched border strip. 

Paper

Cardstock ~ Stash

Scraps ~ Stash

Chipboard Scrap ~ Stash

Technique Products

Ribbon ~ Stash

Ranger ~ Glossy Accents

Muslin ~ Stash

Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist ~ Starfish

Zing Textile Marker ~ Green Gray

Mod Podge ~ Gloss Lustre

Ranger Distress Ink ~ Vintage Photo, Weathered Wood, Old Paper, Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain, Aged Mahogany, Black Soot, Pumice Stone

American Crafts Zing Embossing Powder ~ Glitter Black

Stampendous Embossing Enamel ~ Aged Black

Ranger Archival Ink ~ Jet Black

Studio G Glitter Glue ~ Black

Ranger Stickles ~ Black Diamond

Tools

Martha Stewart Punch Around the Page Punch ~ Topiary

Cloud 9 Design Rubber Cling Stamps ~ 8 x 6 Love Phrase

Vistual Artistry Stampers Anonymous ~ City Central

Ranger ~ Mini Mister

Martha Stewart ~ Scoring Board

Tonic Studios ~ Red handle scissors

Inkssentials ~ Blending Tool and Foam

Stampers Anonymous ~ Grid Blocks

Fiskars Craft Knife and Self-Healing Mat

ATG Tape Gun

Thanks for stopping by! I treasure your comments.

~ Blessings ~