Challenge 53: Make Patterned Paper With Cardstock

Things are new and fresh here at Method Playground! We have 5 new team members who are sure to breathe new and fresh ideas into the blog, and we could not be more excited about it.

Times of change always make me look back and reflect, too. I decided that this challenge would blend the old and the new....so.....

Let's go back to our first ever challenge and do it again!

I highly encourage you to flip back and see what folks did with this challenge the first time around, but for those of you who want to get right to it, here it is:

MAKE PATTERNED PAPER WITH CARDSTOCK

That's it. Make just a small accent piece or transform a whole piece of paper into a new pattern using cardstock. The choice is yours.

As always, you have 2 weeks to submit your creations for a chance to win a RAK. (More on that later). The deadline is 12midnight e.s.t. on Sunday, November 1.

Here is what the team did:

KIMMY:

Kimmy created 2 patterned papers. For the black one she glimmer misted the colored scrap papers, punched out the butterflies and adhered them to the black glimmer misted paper in a pattern. For the white background piece, she splattered glimmer mist in coordinating colors all over the page.

HELGA:

Helga took the challenge a different way and created her patterned paper using Distress Inks, water and stamps.

AMANDA:

Amanda created the green scroll background with her Cricut. The silver cardstock in the foreground was embossed with a Cuttlebug embossing folder and then sanded (making the raised image appear to be brushed metal).

MICHELLE:

Michelle used five different techniques to create her own patterned paper swatches.

MIWAKO:

Miwako created her patterned paper by starting with a base of ivory cardstock. She used her favorite distress inks (especially Tim Holtz's tattered rose) and also stamped with acrylic paint onto the background.

JEN:
I used a small punch to punch orange circles out of cardstock, which I then glued to a piece of graph paper, making a patterned paper on top of a patterned paper.

DEBORAH:
Deborah used a mask and Maya Road mist on her background cardstock. The black cardstock has die cuts layered on top.


Now let's see what YOU can do with cardstock!

#39 - Pattern Paper Pandemonium

We all love it... patterned paper. Flowers, polka dots, ledger, script - the paper manufacturers have thought of it all, and they know just how to coordinate all those beautiful papers to give us the perfect paper lines.

But why let the manufacturers have all the fun with that mixing and matching of papers? It can be a little daunting to put "unmatching" papers together on a layout, but it can also be a whole lot of fun. So, here is my challenge to you...

Use at least 5 different patterned papers from at least 5 different manufacturers. It's that simple.

Here is what the team did:

Paloma: Paloma totally went for it and used all kinds of patterns on top of a neutral cardstock. Some papers she left in strips, some she used for some handcutting. Somehow they all work together, though. Gorgeous.

Pamela: Pamela found a way to use all those extra strips of paper that we all accumulate. Notice how the blue tones seem to clash, but when put together in small amounts they seem like they were made to go together.

Deb: Deb used a bit of everything - writing, polkas, florals. She managed to avoid the use of a "base" cardstock at all. Lovely. (Basic Grey, Pink Paislee, Sassafrass Lass, Scenic Route, Imagination Project, and Jenni Bowlin)

Brenda: Brenda used a pattern paper as her base and then added in small bits of papers to add bursts of color. Using a punch with different patterned papers is a great way to give a cohesive look. (Studio Calico, Making Memories, Pink Paislee, Chatterbox and Cosmo Cricket)

Jennifer: I kept my basic design fairly plain. First I picked a background paper and then leafed through my stash to find a patterned paper that jumped out at me (in this case, it was the yellow, red, green floral pattern from Basic Grey). I then pulled out papers that had some of those same tones in them. I used 4 punches circles of each of 5 papers for an overlapped scallop look. I cut out a square of the last to use as a place to journal.

Ok.... hope that gives you a jumping off point. The possibilities are literally endless. If you want to REALLY be brave, set out a bunch of papers, close your eyes, and choose a few to use. I think you will like the results.

You have until Sunday, March 8th at midnight EST to complete this challenge. I am doing things a little differently this time, and everyone who enters the challenge will be put into a drawing for a couple RAKS. I will randomly choose 2 winners who will get a fabulous add-on kit from Studio Calico. (PHOTOS LATER)

Please make your submissions new, although you are welcome to combine with a layout you are doing for another challenge elsewhere.

Have fun!

Challenge 32 - Paper Poking

POKE YOUR PAPER!

Ok, I could not come up with anything more clever or catchy. ;) My challenge to you this week is to use a needle to poke holes into your paper. Do it freehand, do it with a sewing machine... however you like. The result is a subtle design element that is fun and FREE.

Here is what the team did:

JEN: For my layout, I made a spiderweb with poked holes. First, I drew my web design lightly with a pencil on the cardstock. I then sewed over the lines with my sewing machine, which was not loaded with any thread. Lastly, I erased the lines. I have to say, it was really fun!

PAMELA: Pamela punched one big circle, then went back and forth from the 1st hole to the 15th, to the hole to the right of the 1st, to the hole to the left of the 15th, and repeated from there. Try it!

DEBORAH: Deborah stamped onto a scrap of vellum paper and used that as a pattern to poke holes for her snowflakes.

PALOMA: Paloma punched holes into circle rings, and she further separated the individual words with punched lines.

This challenge is being hosted my http://www.scrapperie.com/, a monthly kit club. The owner, Sandi, has graciously agreed to provide the RAK for this one - an October kit of goodies.

To take a look, go here: http://www.scrapperie.com/boutique/images/oct08ext.jpg. I used one of the October kits to make my "Widow" layout.

You have 2 weeks.... submissions are due on Sunday, November 30th at midnight. Have fun!

Paper Pleating

I love the textures that you can get from paper, in the past we have treated fabric like paper, so now we are going to treat the paper like it is fabric!
The challenge this time around is to pleat your paper. You can achieve quite a few looks by doing this, and it adds a wonderful texture to your projects!
I used the paper to make more of a deep ruffle, It made a really fun frame for one of my favorite pictures of my niece.

Jen used a double pleat that looks like a great bumpy ribbon, and the benefit is that it matches the other papers perfectly and the cost was minimal!

Here Deb used it as a beautiful pop of color to transition between the elegant diecut paper and the darling pictures of her daughter in the same color! So bright and happy but still in the vein of her theme. Such a great way to compliment the colors in your project without having to find the perfect color of ribbon, LOVE it!!!

Paloma used pleating for the bats wings, so clever! And for the colorful strip under the haunted house for a great pop of color, super fun!

Pamela pleated the papers that run down the side of her photo, and then sewed over them, which is a great way to adhere them permanently.

I will be providing a RAK that will consist of FAB new patterned papers so that you can continue to play with this technique, and a few other yummy goodies to help put it all together!

Have fun, and to be considered for the RAK, you must leave a link to your project in the blog comments.

Thanks for playing!!!!

B-

Challenge 19

Tear it up!
This challenge is about using tearing in your projects. It adds great texture and visual interest. The possibilities are literally limitless with this technique, and who doesn't like that as an option?
We are pleased that Core'dinations is sponsoring the RAK for this challenge, so some lucky player will be getting something new to tear!

For this layout, I used Core'dinations for my photo mat and tore the top, middle and bottom edges.


Deborah tore the large background patterned paper to let the background peek through and ground the layout.


Alicia tore the patterned paper along the top edge of her two page layout to create visual continuity.


Jen used tearing to fill in the wonderful shapes she had created with her sewing. This created a beautiful and texturally intriguing way to help tell her story.

All different, all the same technique, can't wait to see what you have to share!
B-

Challenge 18 - So Transparent

Transparencies - I just love them. They're quite versatile and readily available. You can find them in all sizes and shapes - 12x12 pages, 4x6 frames, and accent embellishments. Or you can make your own - run it through your printer, paint on it, stamp on it, add rub-ons. Well, you get the idea. I like to layer them on my projects, especially in minibooks.

Your challenge is to use a transparency on your layout. It can be any size - full page, embellishment, etc. -- it's up to you. You can buy a premade one or make one yourself. Just post your creation by Sunday night, May 18th to be eligible for a RAK. And it's a fitting one -- a 6x6 acrylic album from Scrapworks, and a goodie bag of clear embellies - a little Maya Road sheers, a few Heidi Swapp and some My Mind's Eye.

For my layout, I added a piece of Hambly transparency overtop one of my background papers. And so my adhesive doesn't show, I adhered the transparency to the floral Basic Grey paper only where it's covered up by my picture and paper strips.


Alicia also used some Hambly transparencies. She cut shapes out of hers and layered them under her photos.

Jen started with three 4x6 transparencies by My Mind's Eye, arranging them on her cardstock. She added all her elements on top of the transparencies.

Becky cut hers into shapes to make flowers. A fast & easy embellishment.

First Challenge!

Challenge 1: Make Your Own Patterned Paper From Cardstock

There are SO many beautiful patterned papers out there…. American Crafts, Basic Grey, My Mind’s Eye… the list goes on and on. Patterned papers add color, shape, and interest to our pages, but who says you have to leave it to the manufacturers to have all the fun designing them?

My challenge to you this first week is to make your own patterned paper out of cardstock only, and then use it on a page. (Feel free to use whatever other goodies you want on the page as well).

This can be as simple or difficult as you want to make it. Use strips of cardstock to make a stripe pattern, or cut out intricate flourishes for something more complex. It’s up to you.

Not sure where to start? How about using a punch to cut out shapes that can be repeated on your background? Maybe you have some shape stencils that you can trace onto cardstock and cut out. Like to use your computer? You can print some shapes onto the reverse side of your paper using the computer and cut them out with an exacto or scissors. For the adventurous, draw something freehand and cut it out.

Digital Play: For those of you who prefer to work in digital, go ahead and try this technique with digital cardstock!

Get creative. Have fun. Show us what you’ve got!

To get you started, here are some examples:

Jennifer: I decided to do some intricate cutting and punching to make 4 patterned papers in circle shapes. I kept the layout clean and simple to keep focus on the photo of my son and the patterns.

Deborah: Deb went a different direction and made one giant piece of patterned paper with her cardstock that would match the other papers in her layout. She cut those shapes by hand!

Becky: Becky also made her background paper with a series of punched circles. She also went a step further and added fun flower shapes.

Alicia: Alicia chose to interepret the challenge with a "tone on tone" direction. She punched out circles in the same Kraft Color as her background. She folded the circles in half, crumpled them and then punched a small hole in the center and filled the centers with Black Stickles.

Jennifer's Digital Play: I used some digital cardstock from Traci Turchin to create a simple patterned paper for this layout. Swirls and journaling spot are from Rhonna Farrer's Free Love pack (downloaded from twopeasinabucket).