Technique of the Week: Simply Foil by Dianne Johnson

We have had a lot of requests for a technique on how to use foil without having to use a laminator. We still think that the best foiling is done with a laminator, and if you decide to go that way, they are not expensive.

But there are also lots of other ways to incorporate foil into your cards, and this technique shows one way using Scor Tape. If you use adhesive with foil, for the most part the end result is more textured than if you use heat such as a laminator. It's hard to photograph also, but still really pretty in real life.

I made three cards, and the one pictured above was the first. I chose Poppy dies 1641 Bow and String, and 1248 Fancy Celebrate for this card.

I started by taking a 6" x 6" sheet of Scor Tape adhesive and stuck it to a piece of white cardstock. I die cut each die from the adhesive covered cardstock.

I embossed a piece of Jupiter Stardream cardstock, 4" x 5.25" using a WRMK embossing folder Geometric 662688. The two die cuts were adhered to the embossed cardstock using spray adhesive on the white cardstock, and with the Scor-Tape side up.

I decided to use two colors of foil on this card, and cut pieces of Deco foil in gold and silver star. I brushed the area around the die cuts with a powder tool to be sure that they were not sticky since I didn't want foil to stick anywhere but on the die cuts.

I removed the release paper from the bow and string and pressed the foil to the adhesive with the silver star side up. I rubbed the foil to press it into the adhesive. When I peeled up the foil, it stuck to the adhesive on the die cut. I repeated the process on the Fancy Celebrate die using gold foil.

I added gold and silver sequins using Ranger Multi Medium Matte adhesive, and mounted the panel to gold Mirricard. This card was easy and fun to make, so I made two more cards.

On the next card I used the Memory Box die 99442 Elodee Bird. 

Since this is a detailed die, I thought I would try to cut it directly out of sheet Scor Tape without the cardstock. I liked the effect because you can see through the lacy bird to the background I used. However, it was harder to do with this delicate die.

For the background, I searched around in my stash for some green backgrounds I had previously made with Nuance (Spring Green and Jade). I cut a strip of one for the left side of my card, using the Die-namics MFT 482 Vertical Stitched Strips. I then cut a stitched circle to put the bird onto out of white linen cardstock, using the Die-namics MFT-849 Inside/Outside Stitched Circles.

I laid the pieces out, and mounted them to a base card with a Gold Mirricard mat. I stamped Thinking of You in the right lower corner using Magenta stamp 07.869.D. I laid the bird out facing left, but unfortunately, the way the release paper peeled off of the die cut, I had to place it facing right.

Once the die cut bird was stuck down to the card, I peeled the release paper off the top of the Scor Tape and applied Rainbow Deco foil to the exposed adhesive.

For the third card I used the Memory Box die 99599, Birdhouse Trio, and 98527 Resting Birds. I also put a strip of Scor Tape toward the bottom of the card for a strip of foil. This can be a nice touch on any card, even if nothing else is foiled.

I die cut both dies out of the adhesive covered cardstock, and applied it all over a background made with a Magenta stencil (TM221 Triangles). I mounted the panel to a mat of Stardream Copper cardstock and onto a base card of Neenah Solar White 110#.

One of the things I really liked about the Birdhouse Trio die is that the roof is made up of two parts. That means that the second strip of adhesive came off separately and I was apple to apply a different color of foil to that part. I chose the Opal foil and the effect is like snow on the roofs of the birdhouses. I can see that you could use this die to make a very pretty Christmas card. Just add a few red berries!

I hope you will try this technique. It's easy and it's fun! For more step by step photos of this technique, please visit my back porch blog here.

Our Latest Mini-Class is here!!

Come to Art 'n Soul this Saturday, June 17th, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. to learn how to make this beautiful card using alcohol inks, Yupo paper and a Poppy Stamps die. Dianne will be hosting a Mini Class and will provide everything you need to create this quick and beautiful card. The cost is $5 (cash or store credit.) While you are at the store, check out the Memory Box and Poppy Stamps open catalog. You'll receive 10% off your order of any items from the catalog through Saturday, June 17th.

This class is structured like a make and take, so come in any time from 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. You should be able to complete the card in about 30 minutes.

Lost Coast is coming!

Linda from Lost Coast will be here on Saturday, June 24 for a fun class and she is bringing a TRUNK SHOW!! Mark your calendar and come in for this fun event.

Tim Holtz Platform

The drama with the patent lawyers is still ongoing, but we are hopeful, so we have placed our order with Ranger for the Tim Holtz stamp platform. This is to reserve our place in line for when they do start shipping (see what we did there?). We are accepting unpaid pre-orders if you wish to get this mythical product through us. Tonic is still saying estimated shipping late July, but they will fill orders on a first come/first served basis. Stay tuned!

Other news:

We have sent another order to our distributor, so more Nuvo drops, Oxide inks and fun stuff is on the way! We are also placing an Imagine Crafts order, so we will have more Pico Embellishers and empty Pico bottles in stock soon.

We received our Stampendous order, so we have some Dreamweaver stencils in stock.

On that note, we are finalizing details with Lynell Harlow, co-founder of Dreamweaver Stencils for possibly 4 classes in August (August 18, 19, 20) so save the dates! More info to come next week!

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