Love Note

I am a huge fan of handmade valentines.
 There is something so absolutely wonderful about a token of love that has been created with care, for someone special. Handmade love notes seem to be few and far between these days. Today I am sharing "love note," a piece I created with Valentines Day in mind.   

I started with Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Arch Top House Silhouettes. These chipboard pieces are so nice and sturdy. This set could be used to create three individual pieces or used in multiples, as a pair or even a trio.
 I used all three to create my piece.

Once I had an idea in mind, I looked through my stash of paper in search of something that would lend itself to being a good base to build upon. I then coated one side of the chipboard piece with collage medium and placed my paper onto the shape, centering the design. I used a brayer to make sure there were no air bubbles and that the paper was completely flat. I repeated this process for each of the three panels. After allowing the glue to dry completely, I turned the pieces over onto a cutting mat and used my Exacto knife to trim the paper around the edge of the chipboard shape.

Next, I completed this same process for the back side of each panel using a coordinating paper. I inked the edges of the pieces and inner areas of the paper with Distress Ink in brushed corduroy. 

I knew that I wanted the pieces to be "hinged" at the two interior seams when the pieces were situated side by side. Contemplating a few ideas for how I would accomplish this, I settled on using wire.

I first marked the location of each hole. Using a dremel, I drilled four holes onto each panel edge. Be sure to use a cutting mat or board beneath the piece that you are drilling through so that you don't ruin your tabletop. These holes aligned with four holes along the edge of the adjacent panel. I threaded a piece of soft wire through the holes to create an "x" at two locations along each seam.

Now it was time to add all the special details. Using the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Words & Phrases 1, I carefully removed the word "Love." I covered it with embossing ink and coated it with Ranger embossing powder in pink. Using a heat gun, I melted the embossing powder.  I repeated this step three times, giving the word a faux enameled finish. This set of Words & Phrases contains two sheets of different sentiments, and can be used in so many different ways.  

I cut a piece of pink parchment paper and using black soot archival ink, I stamped an image from the Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Nature set and allowed it to dry. I distressed the edges, inked with worn lipstick and brushed corduroy distress ink, and then spritzed with a bit of water and rumpled the paper to give it a tattered look.  

I die cut some roses out of coordinating paper using Tim Holtz Sizzix tiny tattered florals dies. These were inked along the edges and rolled into shape, then glued and set aside. I colored a Tim Holtz idea-ology paper doll with distress ink, Copic marker and distress crayons. Everything was arranged on the panels and manipulated until I was pleased with the layout. I like to play around with the embellishments before gluing everything down. That way I can make adjustments and decide if it needs additional pieces without disrupting everything.

 When I examined the piece, I decided that I wanted to increase interest by adding a few more elements and removing some others. On the first panel, I added an idea-ology sticker from the clippings collection. The sticker was inked around the edges and then layered onto a piece of chipboard that had been inked with worn lipstick distress ink. Using a charm from my stash, I cut a circle of coordinating paper inked around the edges and added the "love" rub-on to the middle. I used a mini hex-head fastener as an "attacher" and glued this onto the face of the panel. I also added a charred gold heart and a couple mini heart cutouts leftover from a different project.

 On the central panel, I decided to add a larger heart to give added height. Using the Tim Holtz Sizzix mini love struck die, I cut a heart out of thin chipboard.  I inked directly onto the chipboard with Distress Ink in worn lipstick. I then embossed around the edges with Emerald Creek charred gold embossing powder. I brushed a small amount of Ranger alcohol ink in gold onto an idea-ology pen nib and then adhered it on the heart to give the impression of an arrow. When the piece was dry, I adhered it to the top of the middle panel with a quick dry multi-purpose glue. I also added some mini hearts that I inked around the edges with brushed corduroy distress ink.

The third panel only needed a few hearts to tie it in with the other panels. I heat embossed a small and a medium heart with charred gold, and combined them with a few mini hearts.  

 Once I was satisfied with the layout, I glued everything into place and allowed it to dry.

Wishing you a love-filled February and beyond, and hoping that this inspires you to create a love note for someone special.

 ~Ann

Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts used:

Arch Top House Silhouettes

Words & Phrases 1