Hello, crafty friends! Angenise from @thegracefulpenstudio here, and I’m excited to share this fun DIY project with you! For this project, I wanted to use a family photo that had an autumn theme to celebrate the beautiful colors of the season. Using a selection of stunning papers from Cardstock Warehouse, this project is the perfect way to add pizzazz to your memory pages and celebrate an autumn-themed page.
Supplies:
- Cardstock Warehouse cardstock paper:
- Paper Trimmer
- Cutting Machine + SVG Files
- Corner and tag punch
- Stencil with Texture Paste and palette knife Fabric Flowers
- Krylon Gold Leafing Pen
- Twine
- Gold Adhesive Frame (or frame die/svg and gold paper)
- Tim Holtz Ideology Collage Paper
- Wax stick
- Adhesives:
I began by choosing a rich autumn-inspired palette of cardstock: Mid Green Colorplan, Pitch Brown Materica, Claret Colorplan, Mist Colorplan, Acqua Materica, Terra Rossa Materica, along with White Birch Wood Veneer and Gold Diamond Print. Next, I used a cutting machine to cut the various leaves, flowers, word art, and flourishes from the Etsy listing above.
The next step was to lay out all the embellishments around the photo before adhering everything. I chose to double mat the photo onto the Acqua and Claret papers. Since I used a 4x6 photo, I used a paper trimmer for the mat - sizes 4 ¼ x 6 ¼ (Acqua) and 4 ½ x 6 ½ (Claret).
Once I decided where the photo looked best on the 12x12 Pitch Brown cardstock, I outlined it with a white Gelly Roll pen to mark the placement. I knew the collage papers would look best behind the photo. I adhered the collage papers with Bearly Art Precision Craft Glue. Next came the flourish stencil and texture paste for added dimension and mixed media to this project.
I decided to use an embossing stylus to add veins to the leaves. Next, I layered the Gold Diamond Print Glitter flourishes, then leaves on top at opposite corners. Using a tag punch on the Mist Colorplan paper, I cut two tags, then tied twine on the ends.
For the marigold florals, it was easier to transfer them to the page layout using the outer cut piece as a template. (Cricut users: Don’t forget to “attach” the layers of the marigold SVG in Design Space before cutting so the petals stay in their same position.)
Using a wax stick to lift up each piece, I added the glue to the Mist paper underneath. Once all the petals were placed, I peeled off the stencil and simply fussy cut around each flower before adhering to the layout with glue.
Next, it was time to add the photo and the remaining word art. Using a scrap piece of wood veneer paper, I used a corner punch, then hand-lettered the photo date with a Pentel fabric pen. I double-mounted foam tape behind the photo for extra dimension. Precision glue was used for “together”. Using a strip of White Birch Wood Veneer, I used scissors to cut a banner shape, then adhered a strip of Acqua cardstock before hand-lettering the word ‘Memories.' I loved using a Krylon gold leafing pen to add a bit of sparkle to the leaves and around “together” to create the illusion of dimension.
The final touch was to cut a gold frame in half and place them above and below the photo, then adhere fabric flowers inside the frame. I love the idea of showcasing this beautiful page on a book stand for a conversational piece on your coffee table when you have company! This is the perfect way to get those beautiful memories off your phone and create a tangible keepsake that’s sure to bring a smile to you and your loved ones' faces.
I hope you enjoyed joining me today and can’t wait to see what you’re inspired to make! Tag us on Facebook or Instagram, and use #cardstockwarehouse to be featured in our stories!
Happy Crafting,
Angenise
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