My Rubber Therapy Blog

Another fun experience making another card

Hi Friends

Here is another card I have made with my foiling machine. 

 

 

This lovely card was made with a background paper with the music and Vintage lady on it from this site  It was a freebie sheet and there are many more there as well.  Now that being said, next photo;

 

 

 

I started by printing the sheet resized to 5 1/2 square inch.  Then printed on the laser printer all in black always.  Once printed on the paper I had already stained with Tim Holtz distress inks I used Old Paper and Tattered Rose), and freely rubbed the ink pad direct to paper to make an old looking finish on a SU whisper white.  Then came the fun time to foil it with gold (yes all colors can be used on the foil machine, as long as they are purchased from a store that sells them for that effect).  Once the cardstock was passed through the foil machine covered with another piece of paper, this is the result I got.

 

The following step was to cut the excess cardstock and fold it in half.  We get a 5 1/2 square inch card so far.  Then I designed the tag on Paint Shop Pro added a bow and wrote my note.  Again I printed this on a stained paper as stated above and foiled it.  I used some 3 dimensional glue pad. 

 

The last bit is to color the vellum paper the same way I did for the cardstock inside and out.  Let it dry and I formulated my wishes to the Birthday lady Gloria and also printed it on laser printer/foiled and voila!

 

I hope you enjoyed my newly made card with my foil machine.  Now I have to pause on the foil machine as I have to make so many cards.  Foiling is great but you also have to think about the time it consumes just to make your own designs to print.  Nothing can be foiled if it has not been printed through a laser printer. This is rule #1.  So if you are alert on any Image Editor Software, you will enjoy this new way to make cards.  This is so enjoyable, it makes me want to see how many other medias this could work with and what tools do I have in my possession can be used to come up with better ideas.  I will share all my next cards.  So keep on coming back.  Don't be shy to leave your comments, it is always so very appreciated.  It is encouraging creativity so if you want more, leave your impressions on what you see.

Have a lovely day everyone

 

 

Another card share made with the foil machine

Hi Friends

This time I am sharing another card made yet, with my new foiling machine.  This card was made for a friend in California.  She told me she loved it.  So here it is for you to enjoy with a little recipe for it.  Remember if you have any questions please do ask in the comment box and I will make sure to reply it on my next blog.

This card was so much fun to make.  I picked up my color theme first which was white and pink  plus a nice lined pattern paper.  Then I had to experiment on a thought.  I actually picked a cupcake from a peel off sheet I had with me and scanned it on a transparent sheet to my image software (Paint Shop Pro), then I made sure it was black before I would size it to desired size.  So far pretty easy, then I printed it on pink matching paper to then foil it through the machine with gold foil.  I did the same for the frame.  Next step was to add some glitter to the matting exterior of the card with some Frosted Lace Stickles. I also did that on the cupcake itself after I had cut around the design and added a white back to the cupcake to make it stand out more.  I then added some white flocking to the middle flower let it dry and added the cupcake to the card and that was that!

Here is another view of the foil effect on the card I also added some peel off Happy Birthday sticker inside the frame as you can see.

I hope you can see the very classy look this does to a card.  You can also add less or more.

My next card I will share is fully covered as I wanted to try one extreme because I try the not so much gold effect on a card.  You know, you always have the choice on how much you can add and little also goes a long way with cards.  It just depends on the theme and if you want to add die cuts to your card then you open another fun world of possibilities.

I am slowly getting to know my new machine.  So come back to see what else I have experimented on and as soon as I can understand how to add a video to this blog I will show you how I do it.

Until next blog

Have a fun day and don't ever be afraid to try new things.  It opens up more fun techniques to add to your repertoire of card making ideas.

Finally I was able to create my first....

Hi Friends

Well, I sit here happy to tell you that I was able to get my printer to work with me and I found time to make my very first card with my new foil machine.  So I am here to happily show you the results.

Here it is my very first card made with the help of a laser printer and my foil machine.  I hope the photos are clear enough so you can see how much of a terrific job it does.  Now I can explore and try different medias that fits in my laser printer.  I also wanted to mention that when printing on the laser printer it is very important to choose the High Quality setting.  My first try that I posted here earlier, was the result of using the medium setting so the black print wasn't so black.  The more black the more the FOIL sticks to your print.

Sorry about the glare in the picture but it was done on purpose so you can see how great of a goldish effect it leaves on cardstock.  I must say setting 162 on the foil machine is best for cardstock

This is the inside of the card.  I cut out a small star from the paper I used on the front of the card.  You may want to know if you own a foil machine that you can use Vellum paper without a problem the paper doesn't even curl with the heat.  162 setting was also used on the vellum.  UV/ULTRA II Translucent papers (Radiant white) smooth #02584 is what I used if you wanted to get the same quality of vellum.  It comes in a package of 250 and measures 8 1/2 X 11 inches.

I used my Paint Shop Pro 11 to get the print and font for the front and inside of the card, I used some SEI 6 X 6 inches called Moonrise it has some gold printed on some of the designs so I thought it would look appropriate with the Birthday centerpiece of the card.  I used the Spellbinder Labels 18.  I used the larger die.  I then wanted to use some golden peel off I had purchased from this friend who is going to receive this card.  I added a border on top and bottom of the card.  If you have any questions about the card and the foil machine or any other techniques please email me

Enjoy

Have a great day!

Thank Goodness it is Friday

Hi Friends

I have no photos to share today, but I just wanted to say that I had no time to practice with the foil machine yesterday.  I guess the only times I can get some real rest is when I am under the weather but not to worry it is nothing serious, just bad allergies and sore feet LOL

But I am still around and now that my blog is fixed I can write regularly and show you what I have made on a regular basis.  I hope you have a nicely pleasant organized weekend.  Ours will be filled with renovations here and there, but all fun stuff.  Yes I will also rest.

Have fun and will talk soon

Here is a small example of my foil machine work

Hi Friends

Well, as you know I received my Christmas Pressie at the end of the day yesterday and had to prepare dinner and so on, so my evening was getting thin for time to play with it after I have shockingly read the instruction book.  Mark was shocked I had taken the time to read it first.  A first! hee hee

Anyhow, I played for about an hour but my printer network was giving me strange messages so I ended up having time to try one thing. That was all so I did try to take the best pictures as I could given that foil on camera is not always an easy thing to show, but that won't stop me from trying to show you what it did for me on first try.  But this is not a done project by far.  I was just playing around getting to know my machine and the heat that must be applied to card stock is also another fun thing to figure out but I will get there.  For now here is what I made last night and will not be part of any card because I know it can look so much better than this.  So folks, do not take this example as a best piece this machine can make.  Nooooooo!  By the way it works along with a laser printer.  In order for the foil to adhere well to the ink it has to be printed by laser.  Cheap and good quality machines are available online. 

So here we go.  When I get a full project finished I will post it and explain the process so if you are curious and interested about this foil machine, stay tuned, I will show you more and explain a little bit more in details.  A friend of mine has a machine too and we are exchanging tricks between one another so we get better at this so bare with me. Please.

So basically, this is work in progress.  I am not implying that I have done the perfect first piece but it is surprisingly good considering I had no idea what temperature to set my machine at and got this result.

Because I have not printed a high quality black print for the pattern it didn't absorb the gold as much as it would have done it with really dark laser print on my card stock.  I also beleive that the quality of cardstock will make a huge difference with the gold imprint.  I must try a better quality card because this one I used was for my cutting machine which is thin and has no soft feel to it.  I like to use cheaper paper when I am practicing though.

I will post more as I go but first I have tons of cards to make so I will be a little quiet for a few days once I start making cards I try not to get distracted.

 

Have a fantastic day, smiling is contagious, try it, you'll see immediate results!

 

 

 

Pressie arrival day! It has arrived Yippee

Hi Friends

I am so excited to get my new toy today.  After unwrapping it, I will try and show you an example of what it does.  I am hoping that my camera will be able to take all of the effect it gives on a card.  But you will be the judge of it.

Since we came back from China some of you already know how busy we both have been, with finding a house and settling in at last.  But I also had to clean up and put things away we had so many boxes, I thought it would take me 6 months to get it all sorted out.  I still have the master closet to clean up as we have added to the old since we were in China and back so there are things that will go to charity when I get to it.  But I have to send a shout out to my housekeeper we had in China.  Wow, I am missing her so so much.  Unfortunately she has no computer nor would she be able to see my blog since it is blocked there.

But when I finished ironing 24 shirts for Hubby I was feeling like, I need another housekeeper so I can keep up with everything plus allowing me some time to make cards LOL.  I can't wait!  So I will have to prepare for quotes and see who will be best for our needs eventually.  It's a good thing I never have 24 shirts to iron all at once.  This was after washing all the clothes coming out of all the boxes I knew it was a moment I would have to face on a day I would feel up to it.  It was the day before Christmas that I finally got the courage to do one shirt at a time, phew!  So maintaining, will not be so drastic though.  This was all seasons shirts.

There are two projects I intend to finally finish that I have been telling you about for a while and that is to make my homemade photo studio it is big enough to take pictures of the cards I will make.  But it has very bright lights outside of a white sheet so it makes lovely true color photos.  I also am trying to put together our Video cam to send some tutorials when I finally get something that makes me say there is a tutorial excuse right there hee hee.  So in the meantime I can only do so much but this is what is on my wish list of things to do.  This list is not getting shorter LOL but it is good!

 

Come back later as I will add photos to this page and you don't want to miss it!

  Sending the picture of the machine first and then photos of what it does later.  Running out of time as usual.  But will get it done.

Click here to view more about it or go there

http://thatsscrapinc.com/about-us.aspx

 

Thank you so much for all the beautiful comments you have left me to read when I first got up this morning.  It was so nice I had such a wide smile on my face and up until now I still have it on while writing this.  You are such a precious bunch to me....thank you!  What a wonderful way to start the new year.

Enjoy your day!

I am waiting by the window making nose prints all over it LOL

Trying to catch up with what I wasn't able to post

Hi friends

Here we are into the New Year and my new pressie is still not here yet.  It should get to my door tomorrow.  So as soon as I get it and manage to understand it I will show you the machine and the link to get get yourself one if you so desire to get on board with me and other friends who has gotten that bug of a yet, new machine.  It complements the rest of my craft studio accessories and equipment so wonderfully.

With excitement, here is the moment so many of you have waited for, but before I unveil my new craft room pictures I must tell you that it is not all the way finished the way I want it so Mark and I are calling it work in progress so when I get updated corners of it I will gladly share my improvements with you.

Here we go continuing our room visit.  This is when I come in.  The first bins are for my punches (some of them) one of my Chinese furniture pieces next to it, storing all my flowers of all makes plus other neat things.  Then a book shelf storing my similar to Copic pens but these are called "Touch" 50 cents each in China.  Then a table where I store one of my IKEA drawer chests and another shelving unit sitting on the top of my IKEA table.  You will see more of it on other pictures.

Sorry the picture is not clear but you see the main area of two tables joined together for my work area.  I have an excellent view to the birds I am feeding just outside of my window, they come and say hello many times a day.  Continuing on to better photos.

Next, you can see where my PC is and my KNK cutting machine, printer and my trusty literature and magazines I am keeping preciously for neat ideas.  My chair that I had missed so much while in China.  Below the printer is where my new toy is doing to sit tomorrow.  So as soon as I have the shelf painted and looking decent I will share the whole wall with you again.  But I will show you the machine alone first.

Here you can see I have my armoire Hubby made for me 4 years ago which stores so much card stock and different papers.  It is a very simple armoire because I wanted it to look nice in whatever decor I may choose to add it to.  I have another design in mind that will eventually join this one or simply replace this one, this one will have a perfect room for it not to worry.  I have more of my punches which I have changed all the labels on since I took this picture.  My old Sizzix collection stacked in the left corner and to the right you see another shelving unit where I store all of my greeting stamps, so it is behind me and always so handy as they are all (now) put by themes.  The decoration of my room is not yet done the way I am waiting it to be.  Curtains and wall hanging is not a done deal.

Now this completes the circular tour of my unfinished craft studio.  But you are now facing the wall of the first photo I have posted on top.  Since I took those pictures I have made a few more changes to some of it.  We also have done more shelving in the closet on one side so I can't show you yet since the other side is still a big mess.  I am adding and removing as I go and again, I pick what is actual for me to use.  I will soon show you a picture of my new toy coming in tomorrow.  I will also add some cards I make with it so you can too want one and put it on your wish list.  (This clock will change LOL)

I wanted to show you some of our Christmas cards while I was taking pictures you might recognize yours in the bunch. (see my trusty little frog friend)

We are now leaving my Craft Studio where there are 5 steps at the end of this floor, a door and the rest of this hallway.  You can also see where my closet is.  Here below the cards you can see where I stored all my 168 colors of my pen "Touch" in black drawers.  It is all stored by colors.  I didn't take pictures of the restroom I have to the right hand side of the armoire.  We all know what a restroom looks like LOL.  This concludes my tour for today. 

******************

I do realize that a craft studio for any use you may need one for, will be different and should be different.  I say that because your way to work in it might be different than mine, so what works wonderfully for me might definitely not work for you.  So a craft studio is a personal environment that is made just for you according to your needs. 

Lately I was looking all over on line to see what people use to store their ink pads, paper punches, ribbons and die cuts we have learned to collect in the last few years...But I came back to realize that I will have to make my own shelving around me which carries all of the products I use the most when card making.  So I have to learn how to design plans LOL.  Not good at that since I am such a visual, I see my things there before it is drawn up.  But Hubby wants a plan LOL so I will give him plans hee hee.  So this is why I am saying it is work in progress.

We have put this room together with the furniture I already had and some of it has been added to it since we were in China.  The drawer chests are newly added and I am so much in awe with it since you can store efficiently so many different items such as glue, tapes, ink pads re-inkers, colored pencils and H2O's as well as my collection of embossing powders and Flower soft.  My acrylic stamps are also in there as well.

So my best recommendation to you if you are wanting to create a small space if it is not a complete room, I would start with a table and what has worked for me for years was to use small bookshelves around me as I was using my Cuttlebug on top of the shelves it was always the perfect height for me.  But make a selection on what you use every time you make cards.  What is it that you use all the time?  Then you want to find a way to minimize the space it is using and remember efficiency in a small space will give you a lot of neat creativity moments than if you did have your own craft studio.  Now you will be able to call it your Corner Studio which is just as good if not BETTER!

Another tid bit of trick I found out from my own collections, is that for instance if you have a load of the same like (pointing at self) a collection of paper punches...I have seen so many different displays of them over time but because I have more than I can display on the walls that I don't have, I simply store in the Office Depot or Staples stores 4 or 5 drawer see through plastic bins.  I added some labels to each drawer naming the drawer "all flowers" or 'all shapes" after doing an inventory of what I had I could tell what names I would call my drawers and one ended up being called, you guessed it...."Miscellaneous" We all have one of them.

As time goes by, our craft studios are growing and the needs are changing rapidly.  So it is wonderful to be able to always leave room for improvement and never call your craft area a done deal!

I hope it was worth all the wait and you enjoyed my Craft Studio as it was a few weeks ago and always changing.  I will add more as I go but if you find yourself having a question or two about my settings please do feel free to write and ask away I will reply as soon as I can.  Click here

Make it a fun day because this one will never come back!

Make it memorable because it is fun food for the future ahead!

Make yourself adorable because all your friends will enjoy staying in touch with you!

(A SPECIAL THANK YOU to my wonderful man for all the continuous help be brings to my life)

 

 

 

 

The day after Chrismas!

Hi Friends

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas with some bragging rights to what your pressies were. I have a few bragging rights of my own but will not spill the beans until I get the item with me and make a few cards to post for you then I will let you know what it is all about. I am sure it is not new to some of you but to me it was and I was excited the minute I was introduced to a great enabler friend of mine.

I also would love to share a blog link to one of my valuable followers, Angela is not only a great cardmaker but she is also making some bead bracelets and necklaces as well as the odd miscellaneous jewel treats. If you have a few minutes go pop in and say Hi, tell her I sent you there! http://angiescraftcabin.blogspot.com I know I enjoy each visit and now that I am back in action a little bit at a time I have the fun time to visit her blog and see what she has been up to when she becomes quiet hee hee. Did I say she is also a great online friend of many years.

If you have a blog and you are a follower of mine please send me an email with the link of your blog and I will visit it and talk about it here. It is a fun way to expand our horizons and who knows the fun ideas we can get from visiting each others blogs when one has time on her hand that is. Here is my next picture to share of my craft room: I hope you like it.

Here are a few of our outside pictures

I was hoping we could get some snow so the pictures would look more like Winter but Mother Nature decided we were not going to have more snow again at least up until today.  I hope you enjoyed these pictures and since my blog is fixed and works super well with Firefox and much faster than Internet Explorer it should be easier for me to add more blogs every day.  That's the good news to start up the New Year 2012.

 

Hi and Happy New Year everyone!

Hi Friends, I am still having problems with my blog I had a few blogs prepared ahead of time but I cannot change line or add photos yet this is why you haven't seen the photos of my new craft studio as of yet. I am about to change my internet browser because of Internet Explorer not being friendly with my blogging with it and the latest internet explorer 9 is my ennemy trying to post my blog. I hope you can read this and I will soon be back and everything will be back to normal. So hang in there I have all my material but can't post it or make paragraphs on this thing. Yes it is frustrating given the fact that I have had this blog for more than 5 years now. Ok, hang in tight I am working on it. I hope you all had a fantastic New Year and I wish you all the BEST for 2012. Hugs, Nikky