Thursday, May 15, 2014

The Flora and Fauna Challenge Continues.....

It's May! The Dream Team members are challenging you this month to a "Flora and Fauna" theme! Considering most of the Dreamweaver designs incorporate these themes, you should have no problem playing along with our challenge this month! As usual, link your creations at the end of the Dream It Up! blog post.  As the challenge gets underway, you'll see thumbnails of others who are playing along as inspirations for your own creations!

Here in Michigan, the weather has been stormy and hot, although later this week it is going to cool down again.  Typical for a Michigan spring.....  The weather, however, has gotten me thinking about summer, so I thought I would share a little summer card with you.

 

I made it with metals.  As my regular followers know, I am BIG into the metals.  They are so much easier to use than they appear.  Check it out with my tutorial on the goldfish.
 
MATERIALS:
 
A Small Piece of Suede
Scissors
Manual Die Cut Machine
Sandpaper
Cotton Swabs
White Card Stock
Adhesive
 
INSTRUCTIONS:
1)  Cut the metals to just larger than the stencils:  blue for the scales and gold for the swirls and the summer stencil.
 
2)  Run the metals through the die cut machine with the metals and the rubber mat.  I have a Cuttlebug, so I used an A Plate, stencil, metal (face up), rubber mat and two B Plates.  Leave the stencils under the metals.
 
3)  Use the Teflon Tool (found in the Beginners Kit) to press in and "sharpen" the word summer.
 
3)  Use a cotton swab to add a little Pumpkin Color Solutions over parts of the gold swirls and into the word summer.  Let it dry (this should only take a minute or so).
 
4)  Sand the blue scales and the gold/orange swirls and word summer with the stencils underneath.  After you are done sanding, you can remove the stencils.
 
5)  Run the gold/orange metal through the die cut machine with the goldfish stencil.


 
 6)  Place the goldfish face down on a piece of suede and "push" the metal out with the Ball Tool (found in the beginners tool kit).

 
 You are shaping the fish.  Be sure to use the Metal Ball Tool to enhance the shape with your own flair.  I like to add some "ruffles" in the tail.

 
 7)  Once the shape is the way you like it, flip the metal back over and place on a die cut machine plate or another smooth, flat surface.  Use the small end of the Teflon Tool (found in the beginners kit) to "sharpen" areas of the fish.

 
 8)  Use the "Deer Foot" end of the Teflon Tool to flatten the outside of the fish.

 
 9)  Flip the fish back over and fill with the Mercart Filling Paste.  Let it dry.  This will take a couple of hours.  It will be hard when done.

 
 10)  When the hardener is dry, use cotton swabs and the Color Solutions to enhance the colors.

 
11)  Trim around the outside of all the metal pieces with scissors. 
 
12)  Assemble the card.

 



Thanks for stopping by.  I hope to have inspired some people to use metals.  It is reall easy and great fun!

Be sure to check out all the other "A" Team members this week--and leave us a little love! 

 

7 comments:

  1. sigh...so pretty...and makes me feel happy Laura! Your metal work is beautiful! Thank you for the step-by-step process, I learn visually so that was great!

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  2. This is amazing Laura! So beautiful and fun!

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  3. Beautiful colors and dimension, Laura!

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  4. Your tutorial is fabulous! Great card and I know what you mean about wanting summer weather! Your card says it all!

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  5. I love this card! I love the look of the metal but I don't have the tools yet. I hope to eventually get them. This card gave me a huge smile, that's what it's all about!

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  6. Love your skills with metal and color. Thanks for sharing them. You make it look so easy, I'll have to try it and visit you more often!

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