Paper, paper, PAPER!
You know how it is...creating with paper causes a pile of paper scraps...scraps of every size, shape and color.
This past week I decided that while I was organizing my cardstock and patterned paper, I would also need to organize my scraps.
I recently rearranged my craft room to include the large closet my husband George lined with deep shelves from top to bottom. I can now wheel my chair around and open the closet where everything is within easy reach. (It also keeps thing safe from Nickelback, my Maine Coon cat.)
Nick and Tinker
I purchased a couple of small, low, wire file boxes so I could keep my paper and card stock close at hand. They are now safe and accessible in the bottom of the closet.
The closet also gives me space for tons of stuff like stamps, embellishments, tools and ribbon, freeing up the wheeled drawer unit I purchased at a yard sale. I decided to use it for my scraps...perfect!
As I organized my 12 x 12 sheets of paper and card stock, I threw the scraps into the drawers. I had labeled the drawers by color, so it was so easy to organize!
Now with all my paper at hand, I will go on to the card making.
This is only one way to create a card...but for me, I find that this is usually how my cards come to be.
First, I take a focal image that I have created. I have several on my desk right now. This pear image was colored at our community Card Club, where I used watercolor pencils on watercolor paper. This morning, I was playing with my new Inktense Pencils, and added a bit to the image. The color is vivid, and really brought out the green and gold in the image.
Having my scraps organized, I pulled the green drawer. I also used the yellow drawer. After combining several scrap colors, textures and patterns, I decided on a few I liked.
Second, I needed to decide what shape I wanted to make my focal point...the pear image. I experimented with my old Coluzzle shapes by laying them over the image. Oval seemed the best choice. Laying the clear oval shape over my image, I felt I wanted to include the whole image within the oval. (If you have viewed any of my older cards, you will notice I do the "out of the box" technique quite a bit. Visit creationsofmykind.blogspot.com to see my older creations.) I cut the oval, and laid it aside.
Third, I played with the papers, layering them in different ways to see which color looked best next to the image, and which would make a great card base. I love to use black on my cards, so I pulled the black and white drawer. I decided to use the text paper, which adds some interest to the image, with its plain background. The black text scrap is actually more of a vintage blackish brown, so the card was beginning to take on a vintage feel, which I love.
I couldn't decide if I liked the plum gingham better or the textured scrap of gold, so I decided to split the background in half, and use both. The card base was decidedly plum. My design comes about as I play with my card elements...if you need help with design, use a sketch or layout.*
*Design layouts and sketched can be found in magazines or online. You might also try your hand at sketching out a design of your own before you start your card.
Before layering the papers, and in keeping with the vintage design, I distressed the edge of each piece with the inner blade of my scissors. Then, I inked the edge of the focal image and the gold paper with Distress Ink in Vintage Photo.
I layered the papers, and then realized I needed to add some interest at the top and bottom of the card face. I used my Singer and heavy duty thread to zigzag stitch.
I covered the stitching inside the card with a piece of matching paper.
After layering the papers and focal point, I wanted to add some embellishments. I decided on some Durables Artisan Studs by Close To My Heart. I finished off the card with some gingham ribbon in brown, which matched not only the embellishments in bronze and the text paper, it also matched the gingham paper!
Here is the finished card...so it goes like this:
- Focal Image
- Papers
- Design
- Embellishments
Taking the time to organize my paper really made creating fun and relaxing. Gone is the pile of mixed up paper on my desk...and when I finish creating, I just toss the leftover scraps into their respective drawers...ez clean-up!
Happy Creating!
Bev
