Just add pearl

Happy Monday! Our challenge this week at Simon Says Stamp and Show is 'just add pearl'. Don't miss the gorgeous DT projects, such a great variety.

I made a little autumn accordion booklet, this is the outside:

I cut the covers from mat board and inked them with Rusty Hinge and Vintage photo. A piece of manila cardstock was coloured with Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap and Peeled Paint Distress Stain, when it was dry I embossed it with a wood pattern stamp (one of my favourite stamps) and Vintage Photo Distress Embossing powder. The calendar was stamped on cream cardstock with Archival Jet Black and smeared with Antique Linen Distress Stickles for some shine. I cut the circle frame with Sizzix Circle Framelits, making it a bit off centre. It was inked with Rusty Hinge and I added pearls all around.

The title translates 'Autumn Leaves' and was die cut with the Inside Out die, from kraft core cardstock.

 

 

I cut some branches from kraft glassine paper. Stamped and coloured two Mini Blueprint leaves (I am using the larger version on the inside), and used the Mini Tattered Leaves to die cut two leaves from vellum and stamped them with Mini Blueprint leaves.

The inspiration for the project came from the accordion fold on the inside. I really wanted to showcase these fabulous Autumn Blueprint stamps. They were painted with Liquid Pearls, which was my main angle for the pearl challenge theme. I took step-by-step photos to show you how I did this.

First, I cut a long piece of watercolour paper and stamped the three leaves and the acorn on it with Archival Jet Black ink, spacing them out evenly. You have to use a waterproof ink for this step.

Let the Archival Ink dry for a while, then paint the leaves with art masking fluid. I was happy a few months ago when I discovered that the masking fluid didn't affect the Archival Ink, because this is a really easy way of masking. Use an old paint brush when painting with masking fluid, coat it with a little bit of soap first, and wash immediately when you are finished. Let the masking fluid dry.

I wanted a fluid watercolour background and pounced Distress Stains (Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap, Peeled Paint and Forest Moss) on my craft sheet. Then I misted the paper pretty heavily with water and dragged and dipped it into the ink. This is the result. The masking fluid has protected the leaves from the ink.

Carefully rub off the masking fluid with your finger. Cool isn't it. Paper masks would most likely not have managed to withstand the amount of water used to make the background and some ink would have seeped underneath. 

Mix different autumn colours of Liquid Pearls with water, depending on how transparent you want them to be, add more water if they are too opague. Work on one leaf at a time and first paint the leaf with water, which helps the paints to blend nicely. More details and a bit of dry-brushing for texture were added later, when the first layer was dry. 

The shiny leaves and acorn look nice on the matte watercolour background, you see the shine better on this photo. Measure and score the accordion folds, then glue to the covers.

 

This is what the accordion booklet looks like folded up.

Show us your pearly projects this week and you could be the lucky one who wins a $50 gift voucher from Simon Says Stamp.

Thank you for visiting! Enjoy your week!

Anna-Karin

Supplies:

Dies: Sizzix: Inside Out Sizzlits, Mini Tattered Leaves, Circle Framelits, Holly Branch,

Stamps: Stamper's Anonymous Tim Holtz: Autumn Blueprints, Mini Blueprints, Wallpaper & Wood, Elements of Time

Ink: Ranger Archival Ink Jet Black; Distress Ink: Rusty Hinge, Vintage Photo

Stain: Distress Stain: Peeled Paint, Forest Moss, Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap

Paint: Ranger Liquid Pearls: Ruby Red, Buttercup, Pumpkin, Avocado, Chestnut, Dark Choclate, Bisque

Stickles: Ranger Antique Linen Distress Stickles

Embossing powder: Ranger Vintage Photo Distress Embossing Powder

Surfaces: Ranger manila cardstock; Tim Holtz Idea-ology kraft glassine; Core'dinations Tim Holtz kraft core cardstock; Sizzix mat board; watercolour paper; vellum

Masking Fluid: Daler & Rowney art masking fluid

Tools: Tim Holtz mini attacher; Big Shot machine