2015 #1 Paper-Fabric Postcards {by Darcy, PA Signature Designer}

2015 Topic 1: Fragile Papers

Hi everyone Darcy here, joining you this evening with a post about paper fabric, using fragile papers. I love creating stuff from other stuff, mashing things together, and using ephemera for purposes other than the one it was designed for. hence I glue a lot of 'stuff' together... This theme suited me perfectly, I love fragile paper, I love all kinds of paper ephemera. (So much that I have the word 'ephemera' as a tattoo!)

What are fragile papers? well over the past fortnight I am sure you have discovered many of your own, here are a few of mine. 

Tissue papers, plain, coloured, patterned, stamped and dressmaking tissue
Book pages, English and Egyptian, painted tracing paper, music paper, origami and wrapping paper, blueprints and marbled paper
Doilies, paper napkins, shopping receipts, coffee filters tissues( yes those bank notes are tissues) moulded toilet tissue
Handmade paper - bought and homemade, silk paper, and paper containing fibres

I often make painty layered papers and patchwork papers and this is a combination of both... Paper fabric, is usually created on fabric... the clue is in the name. This creates a pretty strong and durable medium, useful for all sorts of projects. The idea of the paper being fragile, not meant for a long life, really appeals to me. I wanted to keep that fragility, but add just a little stability. So instead of using cotton fabric as my base I used 'nappy liners'.( Only those of you that ever used fabric nappies/diapers will have come across them) These too are fragile, and easily ripped, they are very thin. 

I lay one liner down and added some watery white glue, then I began to add torn pieces of my fragile papers. 

I covered the whole of the liner, overlapping many of the pieces. The thinner tissue was layered over other pieces entirely. 

To finish the sandwich, I added more watery white glue, then a sheet of plain white tissue paper. I patted this down very gently, working from the centre outwards. The paper fabric is now done and just needs to dry. I blasted mine with a heatgun, till they were no longer soggy, then put them aside to dry overnight. 

Here are 2 pieces after drying the top layer of white tissue has all but disappeared, and all those lovely bits are showing through. 

This photo shows the back, on the left you can see the piece made on a nappy liner. The piece on the right is made using cotton calico fabric. The top surfaces look identical, but you can see how very different they look on the back. The fabric one is much stiffer and stronger, the one on the liner is still very fragile. 

Now to decorate.. Using Fresco paints in lots of shades I brayered, and stencilled. I added a light layer of brayered Snowflake, and then stencilled some more. 

For this layer I gently rubbed Archival ink pads over my pieces. I just love how the ink picks up the wrinkles in the top layer of tissue paper. 

Now for some stamping. I used lots of background stamps, dots and circles and lots of text, including the German text from ESN01

ESN01

At this point I also added more pops of colour using Fibralo pens, on some pieces I coloured in stamps and on others I dripped. I love these pens so much for their drippage qualities! i also added details like the black lines, just an old credit card dipped in Little Black Dress. 

Then onto some more focal stamping, one of the images I used was the text heart from EDY01

EDY01

Then I added some glittery embossing powders over some border stamps, I loved using this one from EDY05 with a silver powder. Finally I added circles of white using an old bottle lid. 

EDY05 

These pieces had all sorts thrown at them, the more you add the stronger they become and the more interesting the layers. The eagle eyed detectives amongst you will notice there are BRAND NEW stamp images on these pieces...

Whoooaaah! Sneaky peek alert!

I know, I know, so cruel, but look carefully at this photo and you will spot more sneaks. 

Almost done, I printed off these postcard blanks onto Heavy Smoothy card, cut them out and glued one to the back of each of my painty pieces. 

The final step was to trim the edges and then take each postcard to my sewing machine and stitch around the edges. You really don't have to do this, but I think it finished them off nicely and it makes sure they aren't going to come apart. 

So many painty,inky,stampy layers... all on top of those original fragile paper layers, add in a bit of shimmer and some threads.. Be still my beating heart. 

Giveaway ( now closed)

I had a lot of painty messy fun making these postcards, and yes they are real postcards.I love that they still have the fragility of a postcard, they could easily be damaged.  I would like to share them with you. please leave a comment below and on Monday 19th 2015 (at 7pm) I will draw 6 names at random from the comments. I will then post a card to each winner, not in an envelope, but actually as a real postcard. 

Winners

10. Miriam
16. Bracken Sparkes
29. Emma Elliot
42. Miek
48. Wendy K
58. Barbara Moore

please get in touch with me, Darcy, with your postal details. 

darcydotneedles@hotmail.com

Darcy 
Art and Sole 
Twitter

We would love you to join in with challenge #1: Fragile Papers. If you are inspired by any of our guests who have blogged on this topic over this fortnight, then please join in and link up your creativity HERE. 

All links go in the draw to win a voucher to spend on products of your choice from the PaperArtsy online store. This link will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, Jan 18th 2015, winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00.