"Back To School" with Challenge #236 at Mo's Challenge Blog

Another new fortnight so another new challenge over at Mo's Challenge Blog! and this time we are celebrating the return to school for the kiddies!! Well not my munchkin... here in Australia we are in the MIDDLE of our school year, so it all seems a bit odd for me hearing that you guys over on the other side of the world begin a new school year in the middle of the year!! :/ all totally confusing to me.. But hey.. if it works!! :) LOL

Now when I think of school and teaching I think of creativity and out of the box thinking so I wanted to do something creative with my project this fortnight, and have a bit of fun. my first thought was a DIORAMA.. I mean common, who didn't do at least ONE diorama in school... But then I got my brand new Elizabeth Crafts "Lots of Pops" Pop Up Die, and this new die mashed with my diorama idea and TAAADDAAAAA my Card for this fortnight was created... a 3D classroom!!!

 

 I have built the classroom off and around the "shelves" that the  Elizabeth Craft Design 'Lots of Pops' die provided. It's an extremely versatile die with multiple shelves that you can decide whether you want to use or not by just popping them out or leaving them flat. I have built the desk onto the main middle shelf, elongating it's length. This die also comes includes the flags and the pole behind little "Berkeley" (the girl on the right) as well as a larger banner not seen on this card.   

 I have tried to make the outside of the card to resemble a teachers folder of satchel when closed! 

Complete with working magnetic latch to keep the pop up card closed!

 

Magnetic Latch was made from a advertising magnetic on my fridge, I cut it in half, stuck it against it self in it's strongest position (this matters, because magnets will have a direction they will or won't stick) then I used a metal punch and hammer to cut a cut out of the two while they were together.. Then just glue one side to the card and the other to a band of card going from the bottom layer of the card over the top of your card. EASY!! I decorated with buttons on the top for something to grab when opening! and to make it look like a button closure on a bag/satchel. :)

 This gorgeous little man all ready for the first day of school is called "Harvard: is is designed by the talented Mo Manning... He is available for purchase HERE!!

 This little beauty is also by Mo (of course!!) and she called "Berkeley" and is available HERE!

 The "carpet" here was grey felt!! I used the die to cut through it, and it worked perfectly!!!

 It wouldn't be a classroom without at least ONE book!! LOL.. I just folded a few strips of white paper back and forth like a fan until I had enough to make the thickness of the book. then I glued them with a hot glue gun to the red cardboard... then taking strong scissors and HACKED away one edge!! LOL until there were no signs that the paper was ever folded, and till it resembled a book shape. :) a little white picket fence distress ink marker for the front and edge of spine and TAAADAAA a book... I just had to make sure I glued it the right direction on the table, as it IS a pop up. every time it shuts, it had to close the book.. the other direction, it SMOOSHED the book. :)

  Now This is one of my favourite bits about this classroom!! The chalk board in the room is AN ACTUAL CHALKBOARD!!! YES SIR RE!! I found sheets of sticker chalkboard, so I made a chalkboard I could use...and SURE I found it's not really practical, as you can see by my SMOODGED writing, whenever you close the card, the flags wipe the chalk board writing off... but hey! I have a classroom with a book, miniature people, a desk and a REAL LIVE CHALKBOARD!!! how cares about practicality!!.  So yes.. I guess if making a card like this, you could choose to wet the chalk, which make it stick better.. a tip cafe owners use to prevent it wiping off... but at least the card is fully customisable for it's sentiment.. I have already wiped off the "Welcome Back" as I plan to use this card as a "Thank You" card for my sons teacher at the end of our school year.. (Dec) 

So there you go... There's my "Back To School" Pop up Card!!

Just to get some Perspective for you all. This card is 5x7 in size when closed... these gorgeous little kiddies!! are 6.5cm tall (2.5inch)... This little scene may look large.. but it's all VERY TINY!! and I'm so proud!! cause it's the smallest little people I have coloured... and so I'd like to give a great big shout out to my gorgeous friend and teacher Alyce Keegan from Kit and Clowder for teaching me such wonderful skills to be able to colouring in such teeny tiny little figures in such detail.. I know I still have such a way to go, but I'm so chuffed with how far I have come under your instruction... HIGHLY RECOMMEND HER CLASSES PEOPLE!!!!

Kit and Clowder!!

Now.. for the Copics I used to colour these darlings!!

Harvard:

Skin: E000, E00, E11, E21, E04, R20

Hair: C3, C5, C7, C9

Top:BLENDER, C0, C1, C3

Vest:G21, G94, G99

Pants:E71, E74, E77

Shoes:C3,, C5, C7

Books: B39, B97, B99, R59

Paper:W1, W3, W5, BLENDER

Berkeley:

Skin:E000, E00, E11, E21, E04, R20

Hair:E21, E25, E29

Top:BLENDER, C0, C1. C3, RV21, RV23, RV25

Jacket:YG00, YG21, YG23, YG25, Y15, Y17

Pants: B91, B93, B95, B99

Shoes: C1, C3, C5, RV23, RV25

Bag:E33, E71, E74, E77

Apple: R22, R24, R29

So I hope you have enjoyed my card this fortnight. I have really enjoyed having a play with my new Pop Up Die and making it. Cannot wait to see what cards you all create for the "Back To School" Challenge!!

Thanks for popping by!!

Happy Crafting

Xo

This card has been entered into the following challenges!!
Simon Wednesday Challenge Blog

TUTORIAL!: Paper-Tole Using Mo Manning's Baby Christmas Elf "Sticky"

Hi There.. My biggest apologies for this late Tuesday Tutorial!! I got a little combobulated with the conversions between Australian times and American times!! and so.. well... it's LATE!! But better late then never!!

So Today I'm going to be sharing with you a brief overview of Paper Tole. Paper Tole is the art of 3D paper creation!! It uses one image multiple times, cut out, and shaped and layered to give a 3D effect. Now there is plenty of different information on the Internet on how to do this, and PLENTY of different way to do it. This is JUST ONE!!!

Paper Tole can be a extremely complicated and fiddly craft and so I have tried my best to make this as simple as possible so that you can give it a try for yourself. :)

So this is the Card I have made!!

This GORGEOUS Little Baby Christmas Elf is called "Sticky" and is available for purchase from Mo's Digital Pencil

Ok.. Here we go on how to make this little cutie!!!

TUTORIAL!: Paper-Tole Using Mo Manning's Baby Christmas Elf "Sticky"

You Will Need!

• "Sticky" the Baby Christmas Elf which can be purchased HERE!! Printed 4 times plus 1 as a Base layer.
• Copics (or other colouring medium) *I will list my Copic colours at bottom of blog post
• Cutting Mat
• Sharp Blade  *some choose to use needle point scissors
• Embossing Mat *have seen some use mouse mat as alternative
• Stylus Medium and Small Ball  * look for something with a smooth rounded tip like a pen end as alternative
• Tweezers
• A Dark Grey/Blue Marker for Edging the paper *I've used Staedtler Mars Graphic 3000Duo
• Clear Drying Silicon
• Toothpicks
• Spellbinders Opulent Ovals Die
• Christmas Paper of Your Choice *I've used Kaiser Craft 6 1/2 Paper pad Christmas Carol 

Step 1. Print out your Digital stamp. You want to print out Sticky 5 times in total. Once on whatever you plan to have him on... that will be your BASE LAYER... and 4 more times, they can be spaced close together on one page because you'll be cutting them out anyway. :)

Step 2.

 The great thing about Paper tole, is if you plan it well, you don't have to colour the same image in 5 times!! You just need to colour in PARTS of the image in each, as the rest will be underneath the rest.
So Following this above picture ONLY colour the areas that are white for each Elf.. It may help you to label each elf with a number 1 - 4 just above there heads if you like so you know which layer you are working with at all times.

Step 3.

Now I have taken the guess work out of this for you this time, but I'll explain so you can do this for other pictures. To work out your layers and how you are going to cut them, you need to look at your picture and ask yourself what is at the very back of the picture, the furthermost back compared to everything else... for me, that would be Sticky face, because if Sticky was real, his Tummy would stick forward, his legs would stick forward, his arms ect!!.. so you now know his face is one a bottom layer!!! now with the bottom layer, your going to be gluing pieces onto this, so you'll need that to be a large layer, even though you only need a face... You then look at what kind of stick out next on the body, what is next closest to you... I kind of think of this process like dressing someone from this point on. Well He has a head, let's give him a tummy, and a Hat!!, But I'll need a way to attach the Candy cane and Pants later, so leave some of them on the tummy portion for later. This is how it works. I just work my way up the layers. Mind you, You'll often see me print out my digi in printer paper first and cut it out roughly, stick it together with blue tack to make sure it looks right if I'm unsure of a layer sequence. But like any Technique, the more you do it, the easier it gets. Soon you'll look at an image, and know straight away how to chop it up, using the least amount of prints and effort. :)
So. Using the above picture as an example, cut around the GREY SECTIONS!!! ******PLEASE NOTES****** Remember those PESKY little balls... I accidentally chopped mine off and had to do some hasty repair work!!! You can cut either with scissors, or with a Sharp blade and mat.

Step 4.

After you have cut out your pieces, I want you to take a C5 Copic marker, (or a dark grey colour for anyone else using other mediums) and colour in any remaining uncoloured stamp.  Now the reason we do this is because when you place the layers on top of each other there are tiny gaps that you see from different angles and you do not want to see white shining through, instead they will appear like shadows this way, deepening the 3D effect.

Step 5.

This next step is done for the same reasons as the last, to stop white from shining through layers. *warning.. do not use Copic markers to to this step!! and test whatever marker you are going to use on a scrap piece of similar paper on it's edge prior to doing this, as you want to make sure it doesn't bleed, you don't want to wreck your beautiful colouring at this step... you can buy Edging Marker specifically for this purpose... it's something about running a marker along the edge of paper, the paper absorbs in differently*
What you want to do here is from the back of the image run the edge of the marker felt brush tip, along the edge of the paper, to colour the edge of the paper dark grey/blue. in the picture the left side is coloured the right side is not... it makes a LOT of difference to the overall finish of your work, though a pesky irritating little step, especially with such TINEE TINY pieces!!

Step 6.

Here's where we give our little pieces dimension!! Using a embossing mat, place your pieces IMAGE SIDE DOWN!!! and move the ball stylus in a small circular motion on the image, applying slight pressure onto the paper. The paper should begin to roll up into a concave shape.

Step 7.

 Your going to push the silicon out a little bit from the end with one hand, and using a toothpick or matchstick, roll off a small blob with the other.. it takes some practice.. but YOU CAN DO IT!! :) I have heard there are glue syringes available for silicon, but I have not been able to find any as yet.. until then.. this is how my mother was taught in her Paper tole class, and how she then taught me! LOL... FUN FUN!! Make sure you have scrap paper done for the silicon part!!, and spare toothpicks for when one gets to yucky you can swap out a clean one!

Step 8.

 Assembly!! This is one Base layer!! you one Fully intact none coloured image!! or at least it should be!! go ahead and colour the base layer in C5 as well, or at the VERY LEAST the edged of it... Now this is REALLY IMPORTANT!!, As this is your base layer, if there is anything you wish to have in your background, or any die cut, you need to do it now. So it you wanted to colour the background with some copics, or distressed inks with a blending tool GO NUTS!! have a ball!!... want him in a die cut shape, die cut him now... because after he is done with his layers, you really can't do much with him. It's just tooooo fiddly. If you want to continue with replicating my card, you can just keep him on a square piece of paper!! EASY PEESY!!!

Step 9.
I'm just going to run through the assembly now with pictures! I hope they are explanation enough. Use the silicon is small amount on the back of the pieces, concentrate the silicon on those parts you want to stick out the most, so think of the face as sticking out more, the tummy stick out more, the arm, the leg ect. When laying down the pieces use your tweezers to position. The great thing about silicon is that it takes quite a bit to dry, so you have time to reposition!! So don't stress!!! Gently press with fingers, you don't want to squish the silicon between the layers to much!! You want to keep that HEIGHT!!
AND SMILE!!!! This is MEANT to be fun!! :/

TADDDDDDDDDDDAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Allow the silicon to dry completely, usually takes 24hrs, depending on glue bought. 

Now.. To Complete my card!! My Apologies, My Photos of this became corrupted :(

 Step 10.
Taking the largest Spellbinders Opulent Oval die cut a frame out of your Christmas paper off centered. Position "Sticky" within the cut frame and stick down using chosen adhesive. Adhere this to a card.
Now taking Both the largest and Second largest. Using gold foil paper, line up these dies within each other using some tape to hold them in place. Make sure you use some baking paper between the dies and foil paper if it's particularly light paper, as my first gold frame tore!! :( Run through your die cutter. Once through the die cutter you should have two usable shapes, a lovely golden frame that will be used in the card, and a solid gold center piece that can be set aside. Adhere the Gold frame to the inside edge of the spotty paper frame you have created using your chosen glue medium.
Decorate card with a simple sentiment to make the Paper tole the highlight of the card!

Well I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!
So Sorry for it's lateness *looks very shamefull!!!*

As promised!!
Copic Colours used
Skin: E000, E00, E11, E21, E04, R20
Hair: E29
Top: Blender, C0, C1 C3, YG00, YGO3, YG25, YG67
Pants: R29, R46, R59, C5
Hat: R29, R46, R59, C5,
Hat Wool: Blender C0, C1, C3, C5, C7, W1, W3, W5
CandyCane: R22, R24, R29, CO, C1, C3, Blender

Thanks for popping by. Any questions, feel free to leave me a message and I'll get back to you!!
Xo HUGS!!

Mo's Challenge Blog "GIRLS Birthday" Challenge #235

Well a new challenge has rolled around at Mo's Challenge Blog and it seems like FOREVER since the last one!! But maybe that has been because I've been holding onto this card for quite a while.. See I'll share a secret with you.. SHHHHHHHH, don't tell anyone!!!  Last month, on what WAS to be my VERY FIRST card to post on my extended Guest Position... I kinda stuffed up and did the wrong theme!. I was so excited by my card, and shared it with my fellow DT members, to be politely told.. Um.. Amanda!! It's a beautiful card!! But this Birthday theme is for BOYS!!.. Next month is for Girls!!.. So I banged my head into the wall a few times, was shown once again how to find the current themes so this mistake never happens again! put this beautiful card aside for next month... and put my feet up for that fortnight challenge!! LOL.. So I've been patiently waiting *insert pacing the floor like a crazing person because I have no patience* for this theme to come around so I could share this card with you all... And now it HERE!!!!! *dramatic big glassy eyes looking into the distance* Teeheee.. I crack me up!!

So back to the card!

This week theme is GIRLS Birthday, and I instantly knew what I wanted to do. Something PINK and Chocolaty and CUPCAKEY, with FAIRIES and FEATHERS.... and CUPCAKES!!!CUPCAKES!!!
CUPCAKES!!!CUPCAKES!!!CUPCAKES!!!CUPCAKES!!!CUPCAKES!!!CUPCAKES!!!
CUPCAKES!!!CUPCAKES!!!CUPCAKES!!!CUPCAKES!!!.....did I mention Cupcakes! :)

So this is a culmination of all of those things. :) Hope you enjoy it as much as I did making it!

 

 This GORGEOUS little Cupcake carrying Fairy is called "Birthday Fairy Lee" and is available HERE!!

 And this lucky recipient of all these SCRUMPTIOUS Cupcakes is her Sweetness "Birthday Fairy Dee" who is also available as a digital download for purchase from Mo's Digital Pencil HERE!!
I was so glad to colour this image as it allowed me to practice not only my African American skin tones with my Copics, but also attempt my very first Afro hairdo using the techniques I am learning through my wonderful online Skin and Hair class through Kit And Clowder.  I must say, I'm very pleased with the result!

 I wanted to achieve dimension in my card and foam dots just would not cut it!! So I got out the SILICON!! LOL.. As a person who does a bit of Paper-tole (a 3D paper art form) you cannot go past good ole Silicon to create layering in your cards that no amount of sticky dots will ever be able to achieve.. Only down side...this card is considerably heavier then it looks.. but I may have gone a tad overboard with the silicon... but hey. I was crafting under the influence of pain killers!!! LOL...

The layered cupcakes in the background have been fussy cut from scrapbooking paper I had... It almost seems a shame to cut it up! but I needed them!!! :)

The sentiment is of my own creation and I actually came up with the sentiment first and built the cards whole idea around it! It came about through my sisters saying that "Cake has no calories on your birthday". I used to think that was hilarious! But the image of a fairy repeatedly running back and forth to bring more and more and more cake.. a never ending supply of birthday cake... because it has NO CALORIES right!!!! just made me giggle... and so at the time, as I was actually making this card for my sister I thought she would love it... Turned out I gave her another card in the end. But I think it should apply to everyone... You can NEVER have too much cake on your Birthday!!! LOL

Card Recipe:

Digital Stamps From Mo's Digital Pencil

Birthday Fairy Lee

Birthday Fairy Dee

Copics:

Sorry guys.. In my Drug HAZE I failed to write down what I used to colour these little cuties!! :(

Spellbinders Dies: 

5 x 7 Enchanted Labels 28 S6-003

Opulent Ovals S5-160

Papers: 

Brown card stock and Brown with Pink spots from ArtWorx

Cupcake Card stock From Lincraft.  (sorry, threw out wrapper, don't know brand)

Pink Feathers from local $2 shop. 

Selley Silicon Glue from Bunnings Warehouse.

And the AMAZING TEACHINGS of Alyce Keegan From Kit and Clowder whom without I would probably STILL be throwing my Copics in fits of rage every time I attempt to use them. I cannot recommend her online classes highly enough!!

So I hope you've enjoyed my card. Thanks for popping by!!  I cannot WAIT to see your beautiful Birthday GIRL... yes.. GIRL!!! its a GIRL CARD.. don't make my mistake.. LOL.. you have been prewarned.. LOL cards over the coming fortnight. 

Happy Crafting:)

Xo