A Way With Words ModaScrap

Smiles Required – Mixed Media Card

March 26, 2017

Smiles Required – Mixed Media Card

by Judi Kauffman

When it comes to mixed media, everything is fair game. Among the tools and supplies I pulled together for today’s card are the ModaScrap Poppies die set, A Way With Words ‘Play’ die, A Way With Stencils ‘Dotty’, Prills in two of my favorite colors, half of a mailing label that originally said ‘SIGNATURE REQUIRED’, a library card from the days before computers, a small metal folder tab, an office supply store label maker, strips of Kraft brown cardstock that were next to the paper trimmer, and a scrap of sequin waste encrusted with paint.

The project began with the strips of cardstock and the library card. Though you may not have precisely the same bits and pieces, as long as you keep in mind the letter ‘H’ or a ladder you’ll be able to make your own version!

I’m going to include what I call ‘Design Strategies’ along with the instructions. This is the ‘why’ part of design; the instructions are the ‘how’ part. Beginners: I hope this is especially useful to you!

(Experienced cardmakers – scroll through the photos and head straight to the supply list.)

DESIGN STRATEGIES (notes in italics) and INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut a piece of cardstock to 4.5” x 6.5”. Cut a bunch of .5” x 7” strips of the same cardstock. (9 or 10 will suffice.) Choose your own color or stick to Kraft brown as shown.

2. Use Clear Double Sided Tape to adhere the narrow strips at wonky angles, working with a horizontal strip and then a vertical strip to create the illusion of weaving. Three of the horizontal strips are closer to the bottom, only one is angled at the top. Three of the five vertical strips are clustered toward the right side. Trim the strips at the sides of the rectangle. If you squint at the card, you’ll see the letter ‘H’ or a ladder!

3. Go over the surface with one or two dye-based inks, applied with a craft sponge. Darken the corners and edges more than the other areas. Darker edges form a visual ‘frame’.

4. Position the Dotty stencil over the rectangle and use a cosmetic sponge wedge to add reddish brown ink onto the surface. Largest dots will be at the top and bottom. Use acrylic paint if you want a stronger dot pattern.

5. Distress a library card with ink. Cut it into pieces and adhere the pieces at wonky angles so they appear to be coming out from behind the narrow strips. Trim at the edges. Note that the lighter pieces of the library card are positioned above the halfway point, the darker pieces are toward the bottom. The lighter color pulls the eye upward.

6. Die cut the word ‘Play’ from another library card. Also cut a small strip from the library card to fit into the metal tab. Note: Library cards are available in a variety of colors. I chose pale yellow. If library cards aren’t available, substitute a lined index card.

7. Die cut Poppies from bright yellow cardstock, or a color that coordinates with your version of the card. The key is to stay within the same color family, only brighter for strong contrast!

8. Add a ring of Berry Nice Prills to the center of the full-bloom Poppy, using a clear-drying glue with a fine point applicator. Brush off excess after the glue dries. Repeat with Power Outage Prills to fill the center of the Berry Nice ring. Set aside to dry. Using two colors is what Mother Nature would do if she had Prills! The bright red in the Prills was chosen to repeat the bright red in the mailing label scrap, an intentional choice – not accidental. Prills also add texture.

9. Use Clear Double Sided Tape to adhere the rectangle to a 5” x 7” side-fold Kraft brown card base and ink the edges with the same ink as used with the stencil. This keeps the background monochromatic. Or choose a card base in whatever color you prefer.

10. Complete the mixed media collage by arranging and attaching all of the elements as shown or as you prefer. Note that the stem of the Poppy at the left is tucked under the sequin waste and that the stems on both Poppies are tucked into the flourishes of the word ‘Play’ to help hold the fragile stems in place. Note that the word ‘Play’ and the stems of the Poppies reinforce the letter ‘H’ that was created with the cardstock strips.

11. Use snippets cut from Tombow Power Adhesive Tabs to hold the flower centers and the word ‘Play’ in position. Use staples to secure the sequin waste. The label maker strip is self-adhesive, as is the metal tab. Use Clear Double Sided Adhesive Tape to hold the ‘REQUIRED’ scrap. Note that the words toward the top also reinforce the horizontal bar of an imaginary letter ‘H’ or ladder and help the card from being too bottom-heavy!

12. Optional: Stencil the Dotty pattern onto a mailing envelope (not shown). Because of the tab, a slightly larger envelope is required. Omit the tab to mail in the standard envelope that comes with pre-made 5” x 7” cards.

SUPPLIES

Elizabeth Craft Designs:

ModaScrap – Lacy Poppies
A Way With Words –  Fun Play
A Way With Stencils – Dotty
Clear Double Sided Adhesive Tape
Prills in Berry Nice and Power Outage

Other –

Tombow Power Adhesive Tabs
Nonstick scissors (to cut Power Tabs)
Tombow Mono Liquid Glue
Kraft brown cardstock (or color of choice)
Dye based inks in shades of brown and teal (or colors of choice)
Ink applicator tool
Cosmetic sponge wedge
Library card
Stapler
Sequin waste
Metal tab
Label maker
Mailing label scrap (or other collage materials)

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  • Piyanki Biswas March 29, 2017 at 9:19 am

    What a cool Background. Loooved it!

  • Christine Smith March 27, 2017 at 4:58 am

    Fabulous mixed media card! Love all the elements and thank you for the tutorial! xxx

  • paulaj March 26, 2017 at 2:34 pm

    All those components are great when you put them together. I have to figure out how do do mixed media.

  • Patricia Howarth March 26, 2017 at 1:27 pm

    Hi Judi, I love this !! your compilation is fabulous, I love everything you have done on this card, and finished off with the beautiful poppies, I love it.
    Lots of love from Patricia xx

  • Arlene McClung March 26, 2017 at 12:52 pm

    I really like your colors and all the elements you’ve used. Outstanding!

  • Tona March 26, 2017 at 10:43 am

    This card is fantastic! Thanks for the inspiration.

    • judi kauffman March 26, 2017 at 1:25 pm

      Thank you! It was fun to do and very easy…

  • Jeanie March 26, 2017 at 10:26 am

    oh dear–I thought I didn’t need that poppy die–but guess I was wrong. Really fun card–and very pretty. Thanks

    • judi kauffman March 26, 2017 at 1:27 pm

      If you do get it, I think you’ll find lots of ways to enjoy the Poppies die set. I was especially pleased with how the 2 colors of Prills work in the center on the open bloom.

  • Jean marmo March 26, 2017 at 10:09 am

    So many fun layers. Love that poppy die!!

    • judi kauffman March 26, 2017 at 1:31 pm

      Thanks, Jean. Definitely lots of layers!

  • Ava March 26, 2017 at 8:52 am

    love the background. would you do you tube how to .

  • ANGELIQUE MCCULLERS-JUNE March 26, 2017 at 8:11 am

    I have not gotten into mixed media yet(a bit scared) but this will be one of my first mixed media recreation attempts. I have seen other mixed media work but for some reason this one stood out for me in a BIG WAY. I can not pin point just one thing I love about this because it’s the entire card that I love. Thank you so much for inspiring me to come out of my confort zone and also sharing this beautiful card.

    • judi kauffman March 26, 2017 at 1:39 pm

      Angelique, your note makes my day! I always hope that my projects will resonate with people. Knowing that this one is tempting you to try mixed media is one of the reasons I’ve been a teacher all these years. If you have time, look through the written text, especially the part that is slanted (italicized) font because that’s where the tips for beinners are given. The ‘why’ part of the directions, not just thw ‘how’ part.

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