Father's Day Journeyman-A Peek-a-Boo-Project

My father and I had a complicated relationship but, in the end, we knew each was loved by the other. He had bipolar disorder and died in July of 2011. I never knew him in his youth and he never knew me as the artist I am today. He worked as a clerk for 25 years at one of the local foundries. He served in WWII and was stationed in Germany. He loved driving and often wished that he was a mail carrier and did not have an office job. He provided for his family doing what was necessary and had a sense of humor that was outstanding and a love of singing in the church choir I will never forget. He is the inspiration of this instillation. I love you, dad!!

 

1.  Take apart the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Truck 1, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Truck 2,Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Wander Title.

2.  Paint on the trucks in Acrylic Paint in Blue and Green Hues the other in Red Hues, and the Wander Title in Metallic Hues using a dry brush technique.  Perfection is not what we are going for here, random is our desired effect.

 

 

3.  Add Van Dyke Brown Hue paint to the tires of the GSLC trucks.

4.   Once dry randomly add matte gel varnish medium in random places on the trucks adding nutmeg and chili powder to create a rusted patina.

5.  Once you have achieved the desired look spray and seal with cheap hairspray.

6.  While they are drying search for magazine pictures of your choosing.

 7.  Measure and cut to fit inside of the frames you will be using.

8.  Seal all GSLC pieced with Matte Gel Varnish Medium.

9.  Once dry add to chosen frames they are ready for an extra special place in your home.

Some Final Thoughts.

I’ve always loved the quote by J. R. R. Tolkien that reads in part “Not all those who wander are lost”

It also states that “All that is gold does not glitter” From people looking in they would have said my relationship with my father was far from ideal, or that I was a lost soul never able to be redeemed. I grew up in a Baptist Home a strange sensitive child not fitting in the ethos and standards of our small rural country surroundings. I was teased and bullied relentlessly as a child and it was only in my senior year of high school that I found some acceptance among my athletic peers. I do not curse my childhood for it has made me the man I am today. I became a middle school teacher because I wanted to be the protector of the lost and lonely children as they wandered the hallways hoping to find a safe place to stay. I have received emails from former students telling me how I have influenced their lives, I’ve been nominated several years for Outstanding Teacher and been published as an artist in Somerset Studios.  I have a beautiful life and am a father figure to my students and a niece and a nephew. I have traveled to places in this world I could never have imagined as a country boy from rural Pennsylvania. I’ve become the man I think my father would be proud of, I see him in me when I look in the mirror, or make someone laugh, or drive down country roads, or sing joyfully, or pay the bills on time and make the most of what I have been given. I honor my father, Brady Harold Lowe by living my best life. Whenever I would go for one of my childhood walks my dad would always ask me upon returning, “So what did you see?” Let’s walk through this world with both eyes open expecting the best and never giving up on hope.  Happy Fathers Day!!

 

 

 

 

 

Supplies:  Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Truck 1, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Truck 2,Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Wander Title, Acrylic Paint-Blue and Green Hues, Red Hues, Metallic Hues,  Vann Dyke Brown Hue, Repurposed Frames used for my Misunderstood Monsters and Mysterious Creatures Alphabet, Magazine Pictures, Scissors, Nutmeg, Chili Powder, Cheap Hairspray, Matte Gel Varnish Medium

I cannot wait to see your interpretation of this project. Share it on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Craft Group Page on Facebook. I would love to see what new creations you are working on!

Masculine/fathers' day Cards by Barbara Rankin

Hi everyone!  I'm sure that, by now, you know that Father's Day is just around the corner, and if you need some ideas for those masculine type cards to make, I hope this tutorial will help inspire you.  Here are the two cards I made that I think would be suitable for any of the men in your life.

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Card 1

Card 1: Adhere a slightly smaller piece of print paper (Off to the Races) to the front of a 5"x7" kraft card.  (Optional:  Distress and ink edges before adhering to card front).

Use the 3"x4" notecard (Cigar Box Secrets) to measure the distance to cut through the 4"x6" notecard (Cigar Box Secrets).

Draw a line between the two marks with a pencil.  Punch a 1/8" circle at the sides where the lines intersect, then use a craft knife to slice the straight opening along the straight line between the two holes.  Erase pencil lines.

Place 3"x4" notecard into slot.

Turn 4"x6" notecard over and trace around 3"x4" notecard on reverse.

At this time, you can distress and ink the edges of the 4"x6" notecard only before adhering to the card front.  Note where the glue has been applied.  The pocket area needs to be free from glue.

Adhere 4"x6" notecard to lower right of card front.

Round corners of  3"x4" notecard and slip into pocket.  Make two rosettes using the red print Graphic 45 paper and adhere to upper left corner of card.  Use a pop dot to lift the smaller rosette so it will sit slightly atop the larger one.

Choose four Gears and one of the Horses to alter.  The horse was inked with Vintage Photo and Fossilized Amber Distress Oxides.  The gears were inked with Versamark ink and heat embossed with Hammered Metal (left) and Charred Gold (right).

The horse's legs were  glued to the top portion of the pocket opening on the 4"x6" notecard only, leaving the 3"x4" notecard free to move up and down.  The gears were glued to the rosettes, while two gears were layered and adhered next to the rosettes, as shown.

Pull the 3"x4" notecard out of the pocket and use a repositionable glue dot to adhere your gift card to the reverse side.

Stamp a sentiment on the front of the notecard.  I used "just for you" for this card. 

Place notecard with gift card inside pocket and send your "gift" card on it's way.

On the inside, add a scrap of the G45 paper to the inside with a border strip, and stamp "Dad" with Versamark and heat emboss with champagne embossing powder.

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Card 2

Card 2: Adhere a slightly smaller piece of print paper (Off to the Races) to the front of a 5"x6-1/2" black card.  (Optional:  Distress and ink edges before adhering to card front).

Ink Flourished Frame Valerie Square with Versamark ink and heat emboss with Burnt Copper Leaves embossing powder. 

Trace around frame onto a piece of blue print paper (Off to the Races) and cut to fit inside frame. 

Adhere to back of frame opening, then adhere both to top half of card front.

Ink Horse Head with Versamark ink and heat emboss with Charred Gold embossing powder.  Adhere to center of frame opening with foam dots.

Die cut a banner from black card stock.  Use gold rub-ons to spell out "BEST DAD".

Fold ends of banner, place foam dots in center and glue at ends, as shown.

Adhere to bottom of card beneath frame.

Since the gold letters were so bright, I added touches of gold metallic paste to some areas of the frame to brighten the frame to match.

For the inside, stamp "Happy Father's Day" with Versamark ink and champagne embossing powder.  Cut around image and adhere to a scrap of the G45 paper that has been cut slightly smaller than the front of the kraft sack (envelope).

Adhere craft sack to center of card inside, and insert your gift card.  

Supplies Used:

GSL Horses Shape Set
GSL Gears Shape Set
GSL Flourished Frame Valerie Square
Graphic 45 Off to the Races papers
Prima Cigar Box Secrets papers
Kraft card (5"x7")
Black card (5"x6-1/2")
Black card stock scrap
Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Vintage Photo)
Tim Holtz Distress Oxides (Vintage Photo, Fossilized Amber)
Tim Holtz die (Regal Crest)
Tim Holtz Gilded Alpha remnant rubs
Allure Embossing Powders (Charred Gold, Hammered Metal, Burnt Copper Leaves)
Pearlustre Champagne embossing powder
Versamark ink pad
Dad rubber stamp (Inkadinkado)
Mini Craft Sacks (2.5" x 4") (Paper Studio)
3D Foam Squares
Happy Father's Day stamp (PSX)
Just for You stamp (Hero Arts)

I hope you enjoyed the project today, and be sure to check out the GSL shop.  Another fun set to consider for your male cards is the GSL Miniatures Shape Set - Guy Thing.  It contains lots of vintage style male type laser cuts, giving you even more choices.

Thanks for stopping by, and have a great day!

Barbara

Steampunk Style Father's Day Card

Hi everyone!  Barbara here today with an ever-so-easy-to-make Father's Day card with a bit of steampunkery, providing an excellent masculine feel.  Of course, it doesn't hurt that I used the Graphic 45 Good Ol' Sport papers to make it all happen.

Distress and ink edges of 4-3/4" x 6-3/4" G45 print paper with a distressing tool and old paper distress stain.  Adhere to front of 5" x 7" kraft card.

Print collage images (train, Belle Jardiniere) and cut out.  Adhere images with extra layers of G45 paper scraps.

Stamp "Cigars" and pocket watch from the Altered Pages Mailbox Muse Time stamps onto scraps of ivory and green papers, as shown, with black ink.  Fussy cut both images.

These are the GSL chipboard pieces I chose to use on my card.  I colored each of them with various colors of Distress Stains and inks.  In the photo below, I am also showing the metal clock face and spinners that will be attached to the front of the chipboard pocket watch with a brad.  I simply centered the clock over the chipboard and punched a small hole in it.

Each piece was adhered to the front of the card, as shown in the photo at the top of this post.  The large gear was cut apart to form the gears that appear to be going off the page.  The propeller was attached to the smaller gear with a brad.

Derby hat - Frayed Burlap DS and edged with Black Soot ink

The hat band was colored with Walnut Stain DS

Old Jalopy - Walnut Stain DS, edged with Black Soot ink

Pocket Watch - Pewter DS, Old Paper DS, Rusty Hinge DS

Propeller - Pewter DS, Old Paper DS

Large and Small Gears - Tarnished Brass DS, Rusty Hinge DSr gear

To finish off the inside of the card, I printed out the "Happy Father's Day!" sentiment, added a few pieces cut from the G45 paper, and the stamped pocket watch.  I think this adds  a bit of that extra touch for the recipient.

Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Supplies Used:
Miniatures Shape Set - Guy Thing
Gears Shape Set
Propellers

Other Supplies Used:
Altered Pages: Vintage Travel collage sheet; Vintage Text Pages; Mailbox Muse Time stamp set, Cigars rubber stamp
Graphic 45 Good Ol' Sport 8x8 paper pad
Tim Holtz spinners, brads, clock face, distress inks, distress stains
Kraft card (5"x7")

I hope you enjoyed my card project today.  Using Graphic 45 papers stamps and collage images from Altered Pages, along with the fabulous Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts chipboard, makes for a fantastic looking card, don't you think?

Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful, creative weekend!

Barbara