Envelope Pocket Tags with Sara Naumann products {by Victoria Wilding}

 

Hi everyone, nice to be back with you again.

Victoria here with you today.

This year on the blog, we have free rein to do a deep dive into a PaperArtsy product range of our choosing. For this post I have been exploring Sara Naumann products, many of which provide a mix of text, vintage ephemera and nature themed images. Sara’s designs call to my creative being and my love of paper projects.

Today I'm looking forward to sharing with you a project, turning envelopes into pocket tags, which hold a range of ephemera. Playing with lots of different elements in a project is a lot of fun and makes use of so many of the stamps in a set.

There’s an endless range of options with this project, from how you decorate the envelope pockets, to what ephemera you include. I kept things fun and playful, with the gel plate and simple stamping.

I decided to use two of Sara’s stamp sets, ESN21 and ESN34. The insects and birds work nicely together and the mix of stamps and text gave me lots of options for creating the ephemera.

I love a soft and dreamy colour palette, so I selected four PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Acrylics in Chalk (FF83), Haze (FF217), Powder Pink (FF220), Stardust (FF222). And I picked out stencil PS449 for some subtle background detailing, as it has some big open space in the design.

To start, I decided to add some background colour and texture to the envelopes using the gel plate. I added a layer of Stardust Fresco Finish Acrylic to the gel plate and put the stencil on top. I then pulled a print on a piece of Smoothy White Card (SCA4).

Next I added a layer of Chalk Fresco Finish Acrylic and pulled the print on an envelope.

I repeated this with another two envelopes, using a different combination of coloured Fresco Finish Acrylic (Haze then Powder Pink) and Chalk Fresco Finish Acrylic.

To finish the enveloped and create the tag appearance, I opened out the top of each one and punched a small hole, before adding a reinforcer for extra strength.

The next step was creating the ephemera to go into the envelope pocket tags. Using the card prints from the gel plate, I die cut several tags and labels in different shapes and sizes. I chose sizes which would extend out of the pocket and add extra visual interest in the finished piece.

I then used the ephemera stamps for the sets to create some labels, simply stamping the images in Archival Ink.

Next I added some of the text stamps to the tags. The quotes added larger visual details, but I also wanted some smaller background text, so I picked out stamp Mini 61 (MN61) from my stash.

I then added the bird images from ESN34 to the rounded tags and the leaves from the same set to the rectangular tags.

This is the ephemera stash complete.

Now I wanted to add some final decorative details to the envelope pocket tags. I decided to add a main focal point to the bottom of each one, stamping the images first in Archival Ink. I then used Distress Watercolor Pencils to colour the images on the stamps and print again on white card. This technique creates stamping with a watercolour effect. Once dry I fussy cut these and glued them over the top of that part of the stamped image.

I then selected some blue and green fibres and threaded these into the holes at the top of each envelope tag, and added a selection of the ephemera to the pocket.

For one final little detail I added some silver foiling to the outside edges of the envelopes.

I love how all these tiny little details transform a simple envelope into something different.

The finished envelope pocket tags are a great showcase for Sara’s designs. They invite you to look more carefully to discover new details and whilst each one is similar, they are all unique. Here are some close ups of each envelope pocket tag.

I hope you are inspired to have a go at creating your own envelope pocket tags. I’d love to see what you make, so find and tag me on socials (links below).

Until next time, wishing you a happy, creative week.

Victoria

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2022 Topic 13 : Fabric {by Victoria Wilding} with Kay Carley stamps

Hi everyone, it's Victoria with you today, and I'm here to share with you a wall art triptych using a selection of stamps designed by Kay Carley.

The best facet of mixed media art is the almost limitless interchangeability of mediums and materials. Fabric and paper is a particularly marvellous combination and there are many, many options to create with them. Creating a wall art piece with stamping on fabric has long been on my to-do list, so this topic was the perfect opportunity to finally put some of those ideas into action.

My first task was selecting a colour scheme and some stamps to incorporate in the piece. I always tend to keep to a limited colour palette and have a love of neutrals, so I decided to keep the habits of a lifetime but introduce a pop of blue and orange here and there. I selected PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics in - Eggshell (FF138), Nougat (FF39) Powder Pink (FF220), Tango (FF72), Caribbean Sea (FF94) and Slate (FF84). I also picked Kay Carley stamp sets EKC17 and EKC56 for their simple elegant floral elements.

I decided that I wanted to make three oblong strips made of a range of papers and fabric to make a triptych piece, so I started off my project by creating a series of papers. I selected some old book paper and a sheet a grid paper (containing my sons old school work!) from my paper stash and applied a layer of PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics in Eggshell (FF138) and Powder Pink (FF220) on my gel plate to knock back the text so it didn't overpower the finished piece.

 

 

I then used a piece of white paper and covered it roughly with PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics in Caribbean Sea (FF94) using a brayer.

 

I then used PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics in Tango (FF72) to add some contrast colour.

 

With the collage papers set aside to dry, I started to create the floral elements for the oblong panels. I started by stamping and embossing cherry blossom flowers using EKC56 and Distress Embossing Glaze (in Antique Linen, Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain).

I then applied some background colour to the paper blossoms using a blending brush and Distress Ink (in Faded Jeans and Vintage Photo).

  

 

Next up were the main focal points of the piece, the floral fabric elements. I tore three pieces of cotton fabric in different sizes, from a larger piece of fabric, creating rough edges. I then stamped elements from EKC17 in Distress Archival Ink (in Ground Espresso).

 

The final stage of the make was creating the background board to bring all the elements together. I wanted to create a subtle distressed effect which would give some gentle detail without detracting from the three oblong panels. For this I used an A3 piece of greyboard and started off by giving it an all over coat of PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics in Slate (FF84).

To create a distressed effect to the background, once dry I gave the grey board an overcoat of Crackle Glaze, applying it in a think coat with a palette knife.

The final step in creating a distressed effect was applying a top coat of PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics in Nougat (FF39).

 

With the back board drying, I started to assemble the three oblong panels, using the fabric and background paper pieces. I experimented with different combinations of shape and size until I had three unique panels I was happy with. For a final bit of detail I added some additional stamping using text and circular stamps from Alison Bomber (sets EAB24, EAB25, EAB26) and some Copper Guilding Flakes for a metallic accent on the coloured card.  Once assembled I added some machine stitching to secure the various elements on each panel, leaving the loose threads for some extra texture on the finished piece. The final step was attaching the paper blossoms and a hand lettered sentiment to each of the three oblong panels.

 

The project was completed by mounting the three panels on the background board, with a mini rose gold bull dog clip as a faux hanging element.

The simple floral stamping is really effective on the finished piece. The basic colour palette really helps to ensure the finished piece isn't too busy and lets all the textures from the different elements lead the eye around the board. The pop of blue and orange is just enough to help distinguish the three panels from the background. The crackle effect to the background didn't turn out as pronounced as I'd hoped and in hindsight I should have used the paint more generously on the top coat to get more pronounced crackles.

I hope this has inspired you to have a go at stamping on fabric as a different substrate. I'd love to see what you make so don't forget to share and tag me on social media.

Wishing you a happy creative week

Victoria

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