GSL Cuts: Ornamental Birdcages Shape Set

Showing posts with label Ornamental Birdcages Shape Set. Show all posts

Thursday, June 24, 2021

Birthday Card Using a Paper Napkin and Metallic Elements

Hello everyone!
Today I am sharing my second post for June and this time, I have a birthday card to share which uses a paper napkin and some metallic embellishments, including one of the birdcages from this post.

Introduction and Card Front

This seems to be the busy time of the year for birthdays and so here is my first birthday card of the season. This one is made using a paper napkin. To use a napkin, separate the top layer from any of the other layers, usually one or two.

Then cut out the part of the napkin you want to use. I want to use the design on one quarter of the napkin, which measures 6 x 6 inches.

Adhere the napkin to a piece of 6 x 6 inch card using matte gel medium. The napkin is very fragile and easily tearable so the best way to do this is to cover the card with matte gel medium then carefully place the napkin on the top. Then to help smooth out the creases without tearing the napkin, place some tin foil or cling film over the top and smooth out the napkin with your fingers. If you do it this way, you will get a much smoother result.

Make the card base

As the card front is 6 x 6 inches, to make the card base, cut a piece of card that measures 6 x 12 inches.

Fold the card in half along the short side, then using a bone folder, crease the fold.

Glue the card front to the card base using PVA.

Gold Metallic Elements

As the napkin has a bird on it, I thought I would use one of the birdcage chipboards I heat embossed in this post. Then to accompany it, I die cut a happy birthday sentiment and heat embossed it with the same embossing powder.

Using tweezers, apply glue to the back of the happy birthday words including the tiny dot above the "i".

At this point, the birdcage can be simply glued to the front of the card but I thought the recipient might want to use the birdcage. The birdcage is gold embossed on both sides so it could be used as a bookmark or something similar.

Using gold thread, thread the birdcage through and then tie the gold thread around the card front.

Tie the thread on the inside of the card. Note: this could be done around the card front instead, before attaching the card front to the card base. That way the thread would be hidden in between the layers, but I wanted the recipient to be able to remove it easily if they wanted to.

On the outside, the birdcage can be slid up and down the front of the card.

Finishing Touches

I added some gold paint splatters to the front of the card

I edged the card with gold texture paste as a finishing touch.

And that's the finished card ready for posting!

I hope you enjoyed this short tutorial. Let me know in the comments.

Elle
Empire of the Cat

Project Recipe:

Ornamental Birdcages Shape Set D69C
white card, paper napkin, previously heat embossed birdcage, gold embossing powder, embossing ink, die cut happy birthday words, gold thread, gold paint, gold texture paste, white glue,

Thursday, February 25, 2021

Gold Metallic Embellishments Three Ways

Hi Everyone!

For my next trick I thought I would make some metallic embellishments out of these chipboard pieces:

Introduction

This post is called "Metallic Embellishments Three Ways" for a reason! To make my metallic embellishments I thought I would show you three options on how to make them:
1. Gold embossing powder
2. Gold Leaf
3. Gold metallic paint
I will go through each method one by one and then at the end compare them side by side for shininess.

Gold Embossing Method

For this method, you will need a gold metallic embossing powder and embossing ink.

Tap each of the pieces directly onto the embossing ink pad.

Shake the embossing powder onto each of the pieces

Once they are all covered in powder, carefully pick them up using tweezers or similar tool, and use a heat gun to melt the embossing powder.

Gold Metallic Paint Method

For this method you will need a gold acrylic paint and some white gesso.

Give each of the pieces a coat of white gesso and set them aside to dry for a few minutes. Work on one of the other methods meantime.

Give each piece two coats of gold acrylic paint drying in between layers.

Gold Leaf Method

For this method you will need some gold leaf (real or imitation), gold size fluid or you can also use any kind of glue that dries tacky. Drying tacky is key as the gold leaf needs something to stick to.

Cover each piece with gold size (or tacky glue) and leave to dry tacky.

Carefully take a sheet of gold leaf and lay it on top of each piece and press down with fingers or with a dry brush.

Brush off the excess gold leaf and collect it for later use.

Work slowly and carefully and it will soon be free of the excess leaf, leaving your piece shiny and ready to use.

Conclusion

So we have three sets of embellishments with a gold metallic finish, but which one is shinier?

Three gold metallic words top to bottom - embossing, gold leaf, gold paint

Three gold metallic birdcages left to right - embossing, gold leaf, gold paint

Three gold metallic stars (x 2 designs) left to right - embossing, gold leaf, gold paint

All metallic embellishments for comparison

So there we are, three sets of gold metallic embellishments using three different methods. These photos were taken at night but I think it is still clear which one is the most shiny - the gold leaf - but all three options have their benefits and uses, and they all have different costs to consider. If you want super shiny, try gold leaf; if you want texture try heat embossing; and if you want simple and probably cheapest try gold acrylic paint. If you don't like gold, try silver, copper or other metallic colours. There are endless options to add some metallic to your embellishments and into your projects!

I managed to take more photos in the daylight, what little there is right now, so here's another look at what was produced - embossed, gold leaf, metallic paint.

Which one is your favourite and why?

Hope you enjoyed this post. Till next time,

Elle
Empire of the Cat

Ingredients

Ornamental Birdcages Shape Set D69C
Chevron Words
Deco Stars D88S

Method 1
Gold Rush embossing powder
Embossing ink

Method 2
Gold Leaf (real is pricey, imitation is cheaper)
Gold size (or glue that dries tacky)

Method 3
Sunset Gold metallic paint
White gesso

Saturday, June 20, 2020

Hogsmeade Inspired Book Nook

Happy Saturday, everyone! Connie here with my interpretation of a beloved spot from the Harry Potter universe in the form of a book nook. Lots of Gypsy Soul Laser Cut pieces were used in this project, including the new GSL Book Nook Box Extra Large. Let me take you through how it was made.

Let's start with the left side wall, which houses the Three Broomsticks Tavern and Inn as well as a cute little shop of my own invention called The Owlery. All of the interior walls are papered with Recollections Brick Wall scrapbook paper. The door to the tavern is made from a GSL Rustic Door 1 to 24 which was painted with acrylic paint and given a thumbtack door knob. The vine of GSL Laser Cut Miniature Ivy next to the door is available over at Alpha Stamps.

The Owlery door is made from one of the GSL Ornamental Birdcages Shape Set with a few of the bits trimmed off before painting in order to make it more door-shaped. I found an owl image that fit perfectly in the center opening.

The door was backed with a wood grained paper and I added a little sign.

The inn sign was made from a GSL Mini Crest Sign. It comes with a key to hang it from that I set aside to use in another project. The broomsticks were made from burlap strings wrapped around a painted skewer.

Each window was made from a GSL Mini House Shadowbox 2, GSL Window Four Panel Square and GSL Square Shingles Half Scale. The window pane is a bit of parchment glued behind the the painted window frame. I painted the shingles dark blue, cut them into sections, glued them to the roof of the shadowbox then trimmed them to fit once the glue was dry.

The floral accent bit is molded paper clay.

The back wall houses my favorite Hogsmeade shop – Honeydukes! The shop display is made from GSL Rectangular Bay Window Half Scale, available over at Alpha Stamps. What I love about the Extra Large Book Nook is this bay window fits just perfectly inside.

The bay window assembles easily with a bit of tacky glue.

I had fun filling the window with giant polymer clay lollipops, jarred candy made from layering microbeads, poly clay molded owls and my favorite, a display box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans made from polymer clay.

Here's a closeup of the right side wall, which houses Madame Puddifoot's tea shop. The window above the shop's pink door houses a tiny bird's nest.

The door is made from a GSL 4 Panel Door 1 to 24. Here are all of the sections laid out prior to assembly. The door casing was painted white, the door itself a pale pink. I used an upholstery nail head for the doorknob.

Here's the beautiful tea shop window made from a GSL Ornate Double Window and painted in the same white/pale pink combo as the door. I glued the window on popsicle sticks to give it a three dimensional element.

I also wanted the upper window to have a three dimensional element so built it from a GSL Simple House Ornament and tongue depressors cut to fit it's circumference and glued in place.

Once the glue dried, I used a GSL Small Cobblestone stencil and texture paste to give a stone facade to the window. I used this same technique on the tavern's windows. Once the paste was dried, the stones were painted and the roof was shingled. I used a GSL Gothic Window Overlay over parchment for the actual window.

A bird's nest was made by gluing spiraled burlap threads. I added a few tiny feathers and some poly clay eggs to finish the look.

The street was made from a full size GSL Cobblestone stencil and more texture paste. It was important to figure out the entire layout of this project before starting it. I knew where to mask off spots for the Honeydukes window and Madame Puddifoot's wooden steps before texturing the street.