Sticky Barc: A Masculine Solution

Today’s tutorial is all about X-Press It’s newest family member Sticky Barc, which is a very fine sheet of wood, yes real wood, cut very thinly with a robust sheet of adhesive on the back.  Sticky Barc comes in two shades Cherry and White Birch, I have used the Cherry in my tutorial today the White Birch is a much lighter coloured wood, you could even mix them up on one project.  

For me the option to add wood to projects automatically speaks up for masculine cards and layouts,  I started my project today with one Sheet of Cherry Sticky Barc, cutting a 10x10cm piece for the first project, and then a series of strips for the second project.  I cut my Barc with a metal ruler and scalpel, but the Barc cuts really well on a paper trimmer as well.

This first card uses die cuts with the Sticky Barc.  You can cut Sticky Barc with all sorts of dies, I opted to use this star die today to demonstrate that even pointed cuts and thin shapes cut well.  It is best to consider the grain when cutting the sheet of wood, but the trusty X-Press It adhesive that backs the Barc keeps the wood stable.  You can cut from the face down into the Barc, or as I have done in this example, I cut from the adhesive back forward, this was primarily so that I could have the stars appear in the order that they do, as the die has the three stars on one piece of metal; but it works both ways.

Once I had cut the shapes out with the die, it was as simple as pushing out the stars and separating them, using the negative space left from the die cut as a feature that allows the background FabScraps Summer Lighthouse 2 paper to shine on through when the card is assembled.  Another great feature of Sticky Barc is that the backing sheet (to the adhesive) is applied in strips, this allows you to take pieces of the backing off at a time.  This is great as it takes the pressure off having to reveal whole sheets of the Barc at once when applying to your project.  I removed one piece of the backing paper, lined up from the bottom of the piece (where the adhesive is yet to be exposed) to get the position right, and then pressed the Barc into place.  Then it is a simple case of pulling back the remaining backing sheet to secure the rest of the Barc.

I coloured the cascading stars with a Copic Marker, the Barc takes Copic Ink really well, adding colour and allowing the texture of the wood to remain.  Stamping is also a great way to add interest and texture to the Barc, as the wood is natural in its form it does absorb the ink, so expect a little bit of blurring for your image, I think this adds a nice softness to the stamping, and once again allows the grain of the wood to remain a feature.

I added an image to the mix of stamped and cut Sticky Barc to finish off this little card.

The second card uses strips of the Sticky Barc.  The Barc is easily sectioned into strips, cut with the grain when you do this, I didn’t measure the strips just cut them at varying intervals across the piece of Barc.  I ran a Dark Brown Copic Marker along the edges of each of the strips before I started to build my background.  I have used long strips of Barc for this design, but you could also use shorter blocks, and fashion a wood wall, this would be a great way to use any “left over” Barc from other projects…. Even mixing up the two colours of Barc, or colouring the wood in different colours.

After building the background, I added an acetate tag which holds the name of the recipient of this card.  Using acetate allowed as much of the background as possible to be seen, and to remain a feature of this card.

Sticky Barc is a fabulous product, it cuts well, is easily coloured with ink, and altered with stamps.  Fashion backgrounds as I have done today, or build up flower and butterfly embellishments for your more feminine creations.

Here are the products I used in my project today:

X-Press It Stick Barc Cherry

X-Press It 6mm Double Sided Adhesive (on the card layers)

X-Press It Clear Gel (to secure the tag/button

FabScraps Summer Lighthouse 2 Paper

Until next time, I hope your creations are about to get "woody", enjoy!

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MIlkshake Chic Layout(s)

Hi everyone, Sharmaine here with not one but two layouts using the new Milkshake Chic range from FabScraps.

The first page I created was this fun one that features papers from the range as well as clear stickers and chipboard.

The first thing I did was to add some colour and texture to the funky glasses.

Then it was a simple case of mixing some X-Press It Tripletac Glue with some glitter
And smearing a generous coating to the chipboard

Once it was dry I added some FabScraps Rhinestones to the glasses

I used the Jukebox sticker on my page and backed it with some of the pattern paper.

Another tip is on how to alter the clear stickers.
Sometimes you don’t want the clear stickers to be totally clear.
So take the stickers and a piece of old book paper

Then lightly place the sticker on the paper and then lift.
The paper should stick to the back of the sticker.

You will be left with some of the text on the back of the sticker.
You should be able to rub off any text you don’t want.

I also used some of the pattern paper to create a banner

while another piece I cut around the image and placed it onto my page.

The second page I created was inspired by the piece of pattern paper that was filled with milkshakes.

Again I cut, and used, one of the images from the pattern paper.
I also ruffled the skirt on the image, to give some texture and dimension.

and the awesome chipboard milkshake (with a cherry on top!)
I left raw and placed it on top of a layer of other milkshakes
(namely a sticker and pattern paper print of milkshakes.)

The gorgeous retro colours and images definitely make you want to sit awhile in a milk bar, sipping on a milkshake and listen to the jukebox… don’t you think??
Happy creating

Sharmaine

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'Beary Cute' Canvas..

Hi everyone!!

It's Tarrah here with you today to share a layout that I recently created using some of the gorgeous and brand new FabScraps Oz 'Baby Bear' collection....I also decided to mount my layout onto a canvas for more depth..so here is how I created it...  

The papers I used for my layout canvas are:

FabScraps Oz 'Baby Bear' Story Bear 1 and

FabScraps Oz 'Baby Bear' Story Bear 2 

I distressed all the edges of the Story Bear 1 paper 

and used this is my main page, 

I used a smaller piece of the Story Bear 2 paper to 

mount my photo and some of my elements... 

Once I had trimmed and distressed the edges of the Story Bear 1 paper,

 I got out my trusty X-Press It Triple Tac and 

using a foam brush, adhered this paper to the 12' x 12' canvas..

I also used some of the FabScraps Oz Baby Bear

 Journal Pre-Cuts, choosing the 

 Baby Bear Smocking pre-cuts...

the Story Bear 1 Tag Pre Cut that I mounted on the

 matching Tag chipboard using some X-Press It Clear Gel Glue 

 and I also used the Baby Bear Story Bear Journal Pre-Cut name tag

 and adhered it to the matching name tag chipboard

 piece again using the awesome X-Press It Clear Gel Glue..

 I punched holes using a small hole punch in the band

 and cut out the label section with my stanley knife.. 

I also used two of the Pre-Cuts from the FabScraps Oz

Milkshake Chic range, choosing the Pink Soda

 Milkshake pre-cut.. 

and the pastel pink Tape Measures..

I also used the FabScraps Oz Soft Blush Roses

 in pink and I also used the Baby Bear Clear Stickers as well..

I layered two of the Blush Roses together

 and used a FabScraps Oz pearl to join them together..

I chose my title, the FabScraps Oz 'Beary Cute

' Chipboard title leaving it in its raw state..

I adhered all the Pre-Cuts to my layout with the X-Press It Glue Marker Pen

 and all the Chipboard elements I used the X-Press It Clear Gel Glue

as its a little stronger than the glue marker...  

Here are all the elements on the layout before I had completely finished...

And here is the finished canvas/layout...I added a cute little

  FabScraps Oz wooden flower button to the cluster to finish it off as well... 

Thanks so much for stopping by the X-Press It blog today, I hope you might get creative and use your X-Press It adhesives and FabScraps Oz products for your next project, we would love to see what you create, upload your project to our Facebook page or leave a link to your project here in the comments section so we can leave you some love! 

Stay tuned for more gorgeous inspiration from the design team coming up soon....

take care and happy creating....

Tarrah :)

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Rock & Roll Clock

Hi everyone and welcome to another X-Press It blog post.
Today I’m using X-Press It Adhesives with some of the brand new FabScraps products.

I was given the new Rock & Roll clock to play with.



I wanted to use it for something a little different so the first thing I did was spray the clock face with some mist and paint the “8”, which was the number I wanted to highlight on my birthday themed page, with paint and glitter.

I then cut up some strips of FabScraps papers.
And layered them on the clock, as a backing for my photo.

I then cut up the hands from the Rock & Roll clock.
I painted them and later gave them a coat of watered down Liquid Pearls (for a glossy finish).

I also used some liquid pearls to outline the FabScraps Filigree Butterflies.

It was simple easy to do and it was a nice way to add another dash of colour.

I then added some FabScraps Jelly Brads,

Some gorgeous FabScraps pearls

and added some more blue with these painted FabScraps chipboard Feet.

And the end result…
”Flamingo Cake” a birthday layout.

Products used in this project:
X-Press It Clear Gel Glue
X-Press It Glue Marker
X-Press It 6mm Double Sided Tape
X-Press It 6mm High Tack Foam Mounting Tape
FabScraps Rock & Roll Clock
FabScraps Chipboard Feet
FabScraps Shabby Chic Stone Flower paper
FabScraps Timeless Travel Filigree paper
FabScraps Victoria’s Ballet Dress paper
FabScraps Heritage Pink Floral paper
FabScraps Victoria’s Shoes paper
FabScraps Flat Back Pearls
FabScraps Jelly Brads
FabScraps Filigree Butterflies

I encourage you to look at scrap products and see if you can use them in a different way.
Thanks for visiting with X-Press It today and hope you are inspired to create.

Sharmaine

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A Mother Needs Pins & Needles

Thanks for joining us at the X- Press It Blog for another project... Today I am combining a lovely FabScraps Sewing Machine Album with some Fabby New Papers and putting them together with X-Press-It Adhesives.  I thought this would be a good Mother's Day Project.... Here is what I started with today:

I chose two different FabScraps Papers, just like a good bowl of ice-cream one is Chocolate and one is Vanilla.  They are lovely sewing themed papers and they were the basis for my colour scheme today as well... not to mention the lovely detailed front of the album was really calling out for the sewing machine to reflect a vintage model, black in all its glory!!

The Sewing Machine is coloured with a 100 Copic Marker, I used a swirling motion to get a little texture in the coverage, let's face it those antique sewing machines have a fair bit of character about them!

The next job was to adhere the papers, I did this with my trusty and never too far away TripleTac, it's just great for applying paper to chipboard, smooth and quick to dry, I just LOVE it!

Then it was time to prepare the embellishments.  I continued my theme of colouring the chipboard with Copics, adding cream twine to the thread elements, securing this with Clear Gel Glue.

The inside pages of this album have been set up to act as housing for pins and needles, I thought it would be nice to use this album instead of a pin cushion and as a mega-sized needle case... it comes together really nicely with black felt, which is simply adhered to the page with Clear Gel.  The little embellishments are also adhered with Clear Gel Glue.

I always like to leave the dressing of an album to the last, as this is what I enjoy the most, there are lots of nice little sewing element choices in the FabScraps Range, I can't wait to show you some of the others, but for today it was all about using the over-sized spool and scissors that came with the album and the Fabby Pins'n Needles Word, what a perfect fit this was for the front of the now Needle Case.

Once the elements are secured to the front, add the scissors with a piece of vintage lace to one of the D Rings to finish.

Here are the X-Press It products I used in my project today:

• X-Press It TripleTac
• X-Press It Clear Gel Glue.

Here are the FabScraps products I used in my project today:

• FabScraps Papers: Chocolate, Vanilla
• FabScraps Sewing Machine Album (including the big cotton reel and scissors on the front)
• FabScraps Sewing Set: 2 Needles, 2 Cotton Reels, Scissors 
• FabScraps Pins'n Needle word.

Thanks so much for visiting the X- Press It Blog today, I hope you have enjoyed the coming together of this project, it's great to combine FabScraps chipboard and papers and they work together so easily with the right adhesives!!

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