Thrifty Thursday: using acrylic paint!

This is our first Thrifty Thursday. The idea is to share with you a technique that does NOT require new scrapbook supplies or tools, but can be done using what most of us already have at home.

Today I want to share with you how to make something look old, vintage, shabby or distressed looking. I am finishing a custom order for 2 vintage scrapbook albums for 2 brothers. Here is a sneak peak of the first album. I wanted to achieve a fun, distressed, old look without making the albums feminine at all. So I decided to use paint. White acrylic paint. I found it is the best way to make something look shabby.

Now you don't need any special tools to apply your paint. Any acrylic paint will do. Because acrylic paint is rather thick it can be very tricky to use it on rubber or acrylic stamps. They tend to get all sticky and you can't see much of the detail of the stamps, unless it is a big one or a foam stamp. That's another post.

I used two simple tools for my technique. I used water bottle caps and medicine measuring cups to make the white circles on my latest album. I also used my finger to dab the white paint around the edges of my album. I tried using a make up sponge but I liked the result of using my fingers better. I was going for a not so uniform look, more messy.



First squeeze some paint on a paper plate and spread it flat like you would icing on a cake, then use the cap and cup to start stamping. Don't worry about perfect prints, you are going for shabby, not perfect prints. You will have some circles thicker, with missing pieces to the circle, others lighter. the paint dries really quickly too.



The first photo on this post is an example of the result of this technique. The complete photos of this album and more will be on my other blog this weekend.

You can use other tools with this same technique. Try using bubble wraps, the end of pencils, a sponge, a paper crinkled into a ball or anything else you can think of and already have at home.

On the card below I smeared the edges with white paint.



Here is an example using green paint and bubble wrap.



Would love to hear about your results and your discoveries with white acrylic paint. Until next Thursday, stay thrifty and crafty. :)

Be blessed,

Tereza

How to add dimension to your scrapbook pages with Distressing techniques.

I just finished a custom order for a page layout I did last year. I have created this page 3 times... of course, not exactly the same. you will see here all the pages, in their order of creation. The last one is the one I just finished last night.







Were you able to pick up the subtle differences??

Well, I wanted to share with you how to add dimension to your pages. For this layout I used a textured cardstock base, then a patterned paper that shows behind the mats and lastly another patterned paper that goes on top. Can you see those 3 layers?

Next I tore the green patterned paper, wadded it into a ball so that it would crinkle. Do it gently so it won't tear on the inside, if the edges tear a bit, it's ok. then I smooth the paper out and glue the edges to the textured cardstock base.

After it's glued down, the center will be open so you can insert your mats or photos. I stitched all the edges, highlighted the darker leaves with a white gel pen, and added golden glitter to the orange parts of the paper. The edges of the paper was also distressed with the help of a pair of scissors. I also curled the inside of the paper.




Can you see all the dimension that that brought to the layout?

After that I worked on my chipboard flourishes. I painted them white and stamped them with distressed ink. I then layered my flowers: a mix of silk flowers and Prima flowers. I also printed out my title and poem. I added a black ribbon or lace to make the photos pop.

This is one of my favorite pages. I have kept the first one to myself and it has photos of my children gathering leaves in the front yard. The other pages went to two customers that requested them to be made again. :)

I am so glad I did. :)

I hope you enjoy the techniques and make sure you click on the pictures to see them enlarged.

Tereza

Creating new flowers using the ones you got!!

This past week I had a customer that requested some bridesmaids cards using a pear and plum color scheme. While creating different designs I inked some of the white hydrangeas I had with Dusty Concord distressing ink pad from Tim Holtz.

Here is the result...




Don't they look good?

So next time you have a need for a certain color try inking them with distressing ink. Just use a make up sponge and dab the ink and then on to the flower until you get the color saturation you are looking for. very easy. :)

I will share some more flower techniques this coming week. :)

Tereza

12x12 Custom page is DONE!!!

hi Everyone,

this is a quick post to show you the result of that custom order I had for a 12x12 scrapbook page. Be sure to click on the photos to enlarge them and see the details. :)

This is the original layout.


My customer asked me to duplicate it. Unfortunately that is just not possible for me. But I came pretty close. I painted and transformed the chipboard scrolls I had at home, and I also distressed the eyelet brads I had. Click on the colored links to learn how you can do the same.

Here is the result of the layout. After I painted the scrolls I stamped on them to complete the look I was going for. Would love to hear your comments!! thanks :)

Distressing and inking eyelets and brads!!

I am working on a new layout. Click HERE to read the post I talk about it.

So, I needed some dark distressed eyelet brad. All I had was bright colored ones. so, I used a nail filer and sanded the one I had. You will see in the photo, it is a blue one. Then I inked it with Distressed walnut ink.

In the photo, the first brad on the left is the original color, then sanded and the last one, sanded and inked. Come back to see how I used it on the layout!!



Also this is an eyelet that has a backing of a brad, so you don't need to set it. All you have to do is punch a hole and put the eyelet brad in the hole and fold the little legs behind the paper like you would a brad.

I want to make a little confession here: I have never set an eyelet. LOL

So next time you need some metal embellishments and all you have are COLOREd ones sand them. Use a nail file or sand paper, whatever you got on hands!!

Enjoy! Would love to hear your comments if any of my tips are helping you out at all!! :) Thanks.

tereza