February Flock kit

Have you played with flock. It's a whole bunch of fun and adds great texture to a layout!

Background on Flock
Add texture and a velvety feel to any project with Flock! Flock is a very fine fiber that is used to add dimension and fuzzy accenting to scrapbook, stamped, or other projects. It comes in a variety of fun colors for any of your projects. Glitter can be mixed in with the flock to create sparkly accents for a dramatic effect. Pre-mix different colors or added glitter before flocking the project. Flock can be adhered to a variety of materials simply. Use on small areas and items or large areas of patterned papers for a great effect. Used on portions of an image can make the details of the image really pop.

• Use a glue pen or glue adhesive (high tack glue works the best) to outline or fill areas you want flocked. This can be used on an already stamped image, a portion of patterned paper, or on a hand drawn image you create. Keep the amount of glue as even as possible on the surface so the flocking will adhere evenly as well and not look lumpy. Spoon the flocking powder over the glued area and tap off the excess. Press the flock lightly into the glue with your fingers. Flock can be layered with a variety of colors. Start with your darkest color first and apply the lightest color of flock last. For more dimension, create layers of flocking with the same or a different color. Flock as described above. Once dry, add another thin layer of glue to the flocking and add more flocking on top following the same procedure.
• Flocking looks wonderful with double sided stickers or images you cut from red tacky tape/sheets. Use on single sided stickers (such as flourishes) by pressing the sticky side into flocking and tapping away the excess. Use glue on the other side to adhere to your project. Thin red tacky tape can be used to create flocked stripes on a project. Flock one sticky side of the tape by pressing flock in with your fingers. The other side of the sticky tape can be adhered to the project.
• Enhance punchies by using red tape sheets (double sided adhesive sheets) on cardstock that matches your flock. Punch out your shape, Press the sticky side into the flock and tap off the excess. Peel off the release tape on the other side to adhere to your project.
• Use flocking on chipboard shapes to add dimension. Use double sided sticky tape or high tack glue. Stack layered shapes for even more effect.
• Flocked areas can be stamped using a permanent ink pad. Flock your object first. Make sure the flocking has had a chance to dry and the excess has been tapped or brushed off. Stamp your image into the surface of the flock.
• Flock your brads! Use an embossing pad, high tack glue, or sticky powder to adhere flock to the surface of the brad.

A common use for flocking powder is in a stamped project. To flock an image, the following methods are suggested:

Using a glue pad:

• Stamp the image using a pigment ink, VersaMark, or embossing pad on to your paper.
• Pour the flocking fibers over the stamped image and tap off the excess.
• Let it sit to dry. To speed up the drying process, a heating tool can be used by heating through the underside of the paper and away from the flocking (the fibers may blow off if heated from above.)

Using sticky powder:

• Stamp the image using a pigment ink, VersaMark, or embossing pad on to your paper.
• Pour sticky powder such as Heat & Stick from Stamping Up or Stamp 'N Bond embossing powder over the image. Tap off the excess powder.
• Heat the image until the powder turns to glue (starts to turn shiny.)
• Immediately sprinkle flocking powder over the image and press in lightly with your fingers.
• Let dry completely. Tap or brush off the excess flocking.

Cautions:

• If highlighting with chalk on the same project, be careful not to let the chalk near the flock. Once it settles on the flock, it is impossible to remove.
• Let dry completely before adhering to your layout.

For the project:
From the Cosmo "Gothic" paper, two of the black images are cut to flock as well as two 4" x 12" strips for the layout. Use liquid glue to fill in the black patterned areas of the cut images. Spoon flock over top, pressing flock into the glue. Brush off the excess and set images aside to dry. Print a title on "Burning Embers" cardstock using a computer and fill in lettering with glue and flock as above. Trim and ink edges as desired.

Cut two 2" x 12" strips from the "Burning Embers" cardstock. Cut the Cosmo "Ominous" paper in half into two 6" x 12" strips. Layer the "Gothic", "Ominous", and "Burning Embers" pieces onto the "MacIntosh" cardstock as shown in the layout leaving a slight margin at the top and bottom of the two pages. Mat pictures with black cardstock and assemble layout as shown. Be sure the flocked images are dry before adhering to the layout.

Tags: Flock, Scrapaholix

January Fingertip Craft Knife kit

I am much better these days at not needing the latest and greatest tools. I have bypassed many a tool that has caught my eye. When it was decided that we would be using the fingertip craft knife for January kit, I was skeptical. Boy was I wrong!

This knife is great! I remember printing on reverse and using an exacto knife to painstakingly (or do I mean painfully?) cut out the words.

Back to the fingertip craft knife. It puts control in your hands much like using a pencil. Use your hand's natural motion and weight to make cutting easier. Just loop the craft knife over your index finger for a more controlled cutting experience.

For this layout: I used the light blue cardstock as the background. I also took this great green paper by Crate paper and cut it in half with the craft knife. I took the right side piece (that I was not going to use) as a template to cut out a duplicate on the cream cardstock. I pieced together and cut a thin curve from brown cardstock to cover the seam.

From the patterned paper, I cut out several designs using the craft knife. the two large flourishes fit perfectly to make a heart and hte other pieces served as anchors on the layout. I wrote "41" on the cream cardstock and used the craft knife to cut out around it. The rest of the wording was done in marker.

The craft knife was so easy to use. There were no numb spots on my fingers and the cuts were much smoother than using a conventional craft knife. I am sold on this gadget and you will love it too!

Tags: Crate paper, Scrapaholix, Fiskars