Create art with Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts

Hi all, I teach kids art classes in my home, and thought this would make a lovely addition to our work space. I started with a Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Dovetail banner. There are a few different options for these in the store. I chose to work with the "Create" banner. Of course, you could also substitute any other word you like.

 The kit comes with 3 parts for each banner section; a scalloped base, banner layer and letter. These are all cut from .030 chipboard. This is a little thinner than other kits on the store, which makes it perfect for embossing.

I coated each piece with gesso, and ran the white layers through my embossing machine, with a different pattern on each piece. 

I wanted to create a rainbow effect. I created this with varying shades of each colour using paint sprays. I just kept adding and playing with each one until I was happy with the look. The more colour I added, the more the embossed image became visible. Remember to heat set between colours. I also blotted with paper towel to get a more even look. 

I then added some metallic gold spray to each and sprinkled with fine gold glitter before heat setting. This created a cohesive look across all the pieces. 

I used simple jute to tie my pieces together. I coated the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Filigree Frames in gold silk paint, and used them to highlight some of the letters. 

I coated the letters in black gesso and left them plain. This created a stark contrast with the coloured background and made them stand out, as well as visually tying it together with the base layer. 

Finally I added a few little leaves and flowers in matching colours,  to each letter to embellish, along with a small piece of gauze for texture. The minimal embellishing allows the embossed background to remain a focus. 

Supplies used:

Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Dovetail banner

Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Filigree Frames Shape Set

Lindy's Stamp Gang paint sprays

Embossing folders-various

Jute

Paper roses and leaves

Finnabair art basics gesso

Dina Wakely black gesso

Gauze mesh

Silk paint: Sunflower

Fine gold glitter

Scary Halloween Tags by Barbara Rankin

Hi everyone! Barbara here on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts blog.  Well, Halloween is nearly here, and I have a few last minute tags you can make using the new Tim Holtz Distress Oxides (DO) and the cool chippies from GSL.

Before I ever glue anything down, I like to do what I call a "dry-fit" to check how things will look.

I decided on this placement of the String Alongs - Gothic onto each Chipboard Decorative Tags X Large.  For the two tags on the right and in the middle, I simply cut the "string" section above the hole, glued that tiny piece and then moved the rest of the string along down below the hole.

Next, I used clear gesso to prime the front and back of each tag.  I used clear gesso to "seal" the chipboard, but leaving the brownish background to add the color to.  The gesso will also keep the chipboard from acting like a sponge and sucking all the paint or color up, thereby using less paint or inks.

adding gesso to back of tags first

Next, I used the Distress Oxides with a blending tool to cover the background, as shown.  I spritzed with water and used my heat tool to dry the ink.

Then I hit the chippies and the edges with the black DO and blending tool.  I spritzed with water and used my heat tool to dry the ink.

I used a soft brush to add the green DO inside and next to the chandelier, then spritzed water droplets over the background to form these circular ripples, using my heat tool to dry it.

To intensify the colors, I used the soft brush to pick up the colors from the ink pads and brushed it randomly over the tag, blending some as I went along.  The brush allows you to get close to the chipboard and to control where you put the colors.  Spritz droplets over background again and dry with heat tool.

Cut a random shape from the Brick Wall Small, lay onto Candied Apple DO pad and, using blending tool, add color to the chipboard.  Dry with heat tool.

Lightly add Black Soot DO with blending tool, just to add dimension.

Glue pieces to left side of tag, as shown.  I also darkened the chandelier string along with Black Soot distress ink, then picked up more colors with my brush and deepened the colors where I felt it was needed.

Now that I knew I wanted to adhere pieces of texture sheets to the remaining two tags, I went ahead and glued them down before adding the colors.  I used pieces cut from the Texture Sheet Diamonds on the left tag, and pieces cut from the Chainlink 8 by 8 Inch Panel on the right tag.  I also painted the texture pieces with a coat of clear gesso to prime them, just as before.

On these two tags, I added the same Distress Oxide colors using a re-inker, a brush, and water.  I liked this technique a lot because I could get stronger colors down much quicker than I was able to achieve with the pads.  If you don't have the re-inkers, you can still pick up the colors from the ink pad, as before.

Continue adding colors with the brush and re-inkers.

Next, use blending tool to add Black Soot DO to the edges and chipboard embellishments on top of the tags.

Mist backgrounds with water and water droplets for the organic look from the Oxides and dry with heat tool.  Use brush to pick up any colors and "dry brush" any areas that you feel need improvement, such as blending or deepening colors.

Place a drop of Black Soot DO from re-inker onto craft sheet.  Use wet paint brush to make a wash and flick drops of the black over the backgrounds.  If you don't have re-inkers, just rub the pad onto the craft mat and make a wash with the ink from the pad.

Add spooky phrases to each tag.  You can computer generate them if you don't have these stickers from Tim Holtz.  Use a black pencil to shade around each sticker, and add distress oxide colors to blend in with the background.

 

Supplies Used:

GSL Chipboard Decorative Tags X Large
GSL String Alongs - Gothic
GSL Brick Wall Small
GSL Texture Sheet Diamonds
GSL Chainlink 8 by 8 Inch Panel
Distress Oxides Ink Pads & Re-inkers
  Spiced Marmalade
  Wilted Violet
  Twisted Citron
  Candied Apple
  Fossilized Amber
  Black Soot
Distress Ink - Black Soot
Blending Tools (Ranger)
Tim Holtz Halloween Clippings Stickers
Paint Brush
Water mister bottle
Wire edged ribbon

I hope you enjoyed my creepy Halloween tags, and that you will be inspired to make some for yourself with any of the laser cuts available from Gypsy Soul.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a super safe and fun Halloween!

Barbara

How to create an all-purpose greeting card in a pinch by Betsy Skagen

If you need a greeting card in a pinch, you can easily make these feather cards in almost no time. What makes them even better is the fact that they can be used for almost any occasion and any gender.

Begin by punching out a set of Simple Feathers.

I used two different methods for decorating my feathers. Both are quite easy. The first approach was to press rub-ons over the feathers. 

For the second approach I stamped red, and green distress ink onto the feathers. 

Then I simply adhered the feathers to the card and added any other decorative elements I wanted. 

As you can see, you can easily use these cards for a man or woman and just about any occasion from birthday to get well to graduation to Father's Day. I hope this little tutorial helps you out the next time you want to make a quick and easy greeting card.  -Betsy

Great Stuff

Simple Feathers

Girl Rub-on

Time Flies Rub-on

Distress Ink

Cardstock

Steampunk Halloween Art Card Set by Susan

Hello crafty friends!  I'm here today to share steampunk-y art cards made with Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts ATCs!

Do you know the difference between ATC, ACEO, and art cards?  Lemme tell you my take on all of it.  ATC is short for "Artist Trading Card".  The creation of an ATC has to follow a size rule: 2 1/2" x 3 1/2".  An ATC isn't for sale, rather made for trading with other artists.  It's a great way to collect and share original art!

ACEO is "Art Card, Editions and Originals".  Yes, that's a mouthful!  ACEOs follow the same size rule but are traditionally the sellable version of an ATC.  They can be original works or numbered limited editions.

An art card is basically an ACEO.  I'm just not fancy enough to use ACEO, y'know?

I cut paper for the front and back sides to 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches.  Using the last bits of a glue medium I painted it onto the chipboard and added the paper.  Not shown is my brayer -- I rolled it on to smooth out the glue clumps.  You can also use a ruler or anything that will flatten out the paper if needed.

Next, I used the Postage Frames to give dimension to the spooky stamps.

And that's it!  These were quick projects to make and look neat as a set.  Here's a view of the back sides.

Thanks for your visit today!

Cheers,

Susan

Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Used
ATCs - set of 3 (coming soon)
Postage Frames D79C

Other Supplies Used
Graphic 45 Steampunk Spells
Cheese cloth
Black and brown inks
Scor-Tape
Ranger Glue n Seal
TH Halloween baubles

Halloween card and treat box by Lynne

Fall is in the air, and it won't be long before the cute little princesses, dinosaurs and ghosties will be knocking on our doors in search of something sweet! I figured it was definitely time to get into the spirit of things, and a card with a matching treat box seemed pretty festive.

I used BoBunny "Burnt Orange Dot" paper (the non-dotty side) for the card base and for the box. I made the box by taking apart a mini takeout box and tracing around it; mine came out a little more square, but that was okay with me.



I inked the edges of both pieces quite heavily with Ranger Black Soot ink, rubbing it around with my finger. The chipboard witches and fence were primed in black, and the moons in antique white, then set aside to dry.

The evergreen trees were diecut in black, and the birch trees in grey. The birch trees were rubbed with Black Soot ink for a mottled look. I cut the grass by hand in black.

The witches and fence were heat-embossed with Ranger glitter embossing powder-love the sparkles!

I ran the moons through a Cuttlebug cheetah print embossing folder, and the pattern was a little more defined than I'd had in mind, so I ran them through between two flat plates to lessen the depth of the pattern. I then heat embossed them in Chablis (sorry,maker unknown-I got it at a yard sale and LOVE it!)

The "Boo!" that I attached to the treat box was painted bright purple, then brushed with a mixture of  Lindy's Magical sweet violet purple teal and a little water; the blending of colours in this product really does look magical!

Chipboard items were all attached with white glue, other than the "Boo!" which was tied on with thread. I added some bits of ribbon to the handle of the box as well, just for a little extra interest.

These projects were simple and fun to create-no complicated techniques, and you could just attach paper to an existing box rather than tracing one out to further simplify the process. Thanks so much for stopping by and may your Halloween be happy and full of sweet stuff...like chocolate!

GYPSY SOUL ITEMS USED
Spooky Shape Set
Rickety Fence with Cats

OTHER ITEMS USED

Bo Bunny paper-Burnt Orange Dot
Cuttlebug embossing folder
Ranger Black Soot ink
Ranger embossing powder-Black Sparkle
Impression Obsession Birch Tree die