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Simon Hurley Solar Paste with Stencils and Distress Ink

Hello friend! It's Juliana Michaels and welcome! Thanks so much for being here! Today I'm going to share my first thoughts and how I used Simon Hurley's new Solar Paste to create a card! Simon was kind enough to gift me a set of his new paste and I had a great time playing around and creating with it. If you want to use the exact products I'm using in this video I'll have them linked down below in the description box. When you use these links it helps support me, so I really appreciate it!

Love Is Love Card by Juliana Michaels featuring Simon Hurley Solar Paste

Head on over to my YouTube channel to check it out or you can watch it below. In the video I share how I swatched the six colors of Solar Paste on both white and black cardstock. I then share how I created this card using the Solar Paste with a stencil and with Distress Ink.


SIMON HURLEY SOLAR PASTE

Before I created this card, I spent some time playing around with the paste and swatching the new colors on both white and black cardstock that I had embossed with the Tim Holtz Entangled, Numbered and Mosaic embossing folders. These colors are kind of pastel like with a shimmery iridescence that doesn't show up very well on white cardstock and it's hard to even capture the color on camera, but they do add a subtle hint of color that in person is absolutely gorgeous! When the paste is applied to black cardstock it really pops and I was absolutely smitten with how it looked on black. I also found that you can apply the paste and then add another color over it and it will cover up the previous color.

The paste is not water reactive, so once it dries it's permanent on paper. I also tested out drying it with my heat tool and had no issues with it bubbling or burning. However, I did keep the heat tool moving so as to minimize anything like that. I would certainly say that you can use your heat tool to speed up the dry time if you are impatient when it comes to things like that. 

I can also share that the paste cleans off easily when it's still wet. However, once it dries on your skin it takes a little effort, along with warm water and soap to remove. With regards to your work surface, I worked on a non-stick craft mat and the paste cleaned off of it with no problems, even after it had dried.

The next thing I tried was to add some Lunar Paste. I had a small jar of Lunar Paste in Slippery When Wet and I was curious how it compared to the Solar Paste. This is the only color I have of this paste and it is definitely much more bold in color when compared to the Solar Paste. I added it over some of the Solar Paste and I really liked the contrast it added. So if you happen to have some of the Lunar Paste colors I would think it would be fun to combine them with the Solar Paste to create some stunning backgrounds! 

For more of my testing and playing around with the Solar Paste make sure to check out my Youtube video.


SOLAR PASTE WITH STENCILS & DISTRESS INK

After testing and playing around with the Solar Paste a little, I decided to try it with a stencil and I ended up loving the background I created so that is the card I'm sharing with you here (and also in my video). So let's get into the making of this card.

I started off with a piece of black cardstock and I used Scrapbook.com Mint Tape to help hold the stencil in place. I used a palette knife to apply the paste in rainbow order. After I applied each color, I cleaned off the palette knife so I wouldn't contaminate the next color. Once I had applied each of the colors, I gently lifted off the stencil to reveal the design. I then immediately washed the stencil with soap and water. I then allowed the paste to dry (AKA used my heat tool to speed up the dry time) and then repeated this process on the other side of the card base.

After the initial stenciling, I decided I wanted a little more color above and below the already stenciled areas. So once the paste was dry, I added more of Cross My Heart (the pink color) to the bottom and top of where I had already stenciled. I did end up with a little of it seeping under the stencil, and I'm not sure if maybe I didn't dry the stencil completely after washing it and maybe that caused the issue, because this was the only time it happened. I also may have inadvertently pushed it under there when I was applying the paste.

When applying paste through a stencil it helps to go in the direction of the design. I could have used some Mint Tape to mask off the areas above and below each section to allow for this. But to be honest, I didn't want to mess with having to remove and reapply the tape for each color. So as Tim likes to say, you get what you get and you don't throw a fit!

To add some interest to the background, I used a script stamp from the Tim Holtz Tiny Toadstools Stamp Set and stamped it with Picket Fence Distress Ink. The Paste acts as a resist and this type of ink won't dry on the paste, so I used a damp rag to wipe it off. You could also use a baby wipe. The next thing I did was to grunge up the background a little by inking the edges with Lost Shadow Distress Oxide Ink.

With the background mostly completed, I moved on to embellishing the card. I die cut the letters LOVE from white cardstock using the Tim Holtz Alphanumeric Bulletin Die Set. I die cut each letter 3 times and I used Distress Collage Medium to adhere the layers. By doing this, it gives the letters some dimension. You could skip this part if you need a flat card or you could cut them once and adhere them with foam adhesive as another way to add some dimension.


Now onto the heart. For this I applied Picked Raspberry Distress Ink onto a piece of white cardstock using a foam blending brush. I then die cut the cardstock using the largest heart from the Scrapbook.com DIY Heart Pockets Die Set and because I'm not using this as a pocket I trimmed off the tabs with scissors. Next, I applied Cross My Heart Solar Paste over the inked cardstock using a palette knife and set it to the side to dry. Once it was dry, I could really see the shimmer and shine and how the color of the ink soaks into the paste and lifts the color.

To finish off the card I added some machine stitching around the outside edge and then mounted it onto a piece of white cardstock. I adhered the heart and letters using Scrapbook.com Clear Double-Sided Permanent Adhesive Roll. The final touch was the addition of the Love is love piece which I typed up using my vintage typewriter, trimmed to size and adhered using Scrapbook.com Clear Double-Sided Permanent Adhesive Roll.

And there we have it! Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed learning how I used Simon Hurley's Solar Paste to create this card.


SUPPLIES

Below you can find the products I used to create this card along with compensated affiliate links to Scrapbook.com. These links are at absolutely no cost to you. When you shop through the links below, I receive a small commission from Scrapbook.com. These links are at absolutely no cost to you and the commission I receive helps me cover the costs of my blog and other expenses, which allows me to continue to provide you with FREE inspiration and tutorials. If you want to learn more about what an affiliate link is, you can see my full affiliate and product disclosure statement here. Thank you so much for your love and support!

Check out all the new colors at Scrapbook.com

SIMON HURLEY SOLAR PASTE

Junk Journal Journey Part 4 | Junk Journal Flip Through

Hello friends! Welcome back for Part 4 of my Junk Journal Journey. If you've missed the other 3, you can find links to the videos down below.

In this video I'm sharing a flip through of my completed junk journal. You'll be able to see how I've incorporated the bits and bobs that I created in Part 3, along with how I've created other little clusters of ephemera to embellish my journal.

If you want to check out any of the supplies I'm using I have them linked down below. Using those links helps support me, so I really appreciate it!

Junk Journal Journey Part 4 | Junk Journal Flip Through by Juliana Michaels

JUNK JOURNAL JOURNEY PART 4

You can check out the video for my completed junk journal below or by click this link: Junk Journal Journey Part 4


I hope you enjoyed this flip through of my junk journal and found some inspiration you can use as you have your next creative play time!

JUNK JOURNAL JOURNEY PLAYLIST

If you are looking for the rest of my Junk Journal Journey, make sure to check out my Junk Journal Journey Playlist.

SUPPLIES 

Below you can find the products I used to create my junk journal along with compensated affiliate links to Scrapbook.com. These links are at absolutely no cost to you. When you shop through the links below, I receive a small commission from Scrapbook.com. These links are at absolutely no cost to you and the commission I receive helps me cover the costs of my blog and other expenses, which allows me to continue to provide you with FREE inspiration and tutorials. If you want to learn more about what an affiliate link is, you can see my full affiliate and product disclosure statement here. Thank you so much for your love and support!

Berry Sweet Basket 2 Ways

Today I'm sharing two cards that feature the Berry Sweet collection from Scrapbook.com and the berry basket two ways. While I created these cards and assembled the adorable strawberries and baskets I was taken down memory lane! As a child growing up in southeast Missouri, May was always strawberry month. It was also my birthday month so my Mom always made me a strawberry cake of some sort. We also grew our own strawberries and I remember the sweet joy of eating as many of them as I could without my Mom seeing me as we were picking them! Now that we've strolled down memory lane for a few, let's get into the making!

Berry Sweet Basket 2 Ways - cards by Juliana Michaels featuring Scrapbook.com Berry Sweet Die Set and Sunny Lane Florals Die Set

THANK YOU BERRY MUCH CARD | A2 Size

For my first card, I went rather traditional and used the Berry Sweet Die Set to create a berry basket filled with strawberries. I die cut the basket layers, the strawberry layers, the centers of the flowers, the leaves and the word berry from Distress Watercolor Paper. I then used ink blending brushes to apply various colors of Distress Oxide Inks to the die cuts. I die cut the flower base and shadow layer from white cardstock.

Distress Oxide Colors:
Basket - Walnut Stain and Brushed Corduroy
Strawberries - Scattered Straw, Festive Berries and Aged Mahogany
Flower centers - Fossilized Amber
Leaves - Peeled Paint and Forest Moss
Word Berry - Festive Berries

Thank you Berry Much Card by Juliana Michaels featuring Scrapbook.com Berry Sweet Die Set

After I applied the ink, I lightly spritzed all of the pieces with water using my Distress Sprayer and dried them with my heat tool. I then assembled the layers using Distress Collage Medium as my adhesive. I inked the edges of the basket with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. I added tiny dots of Chocolate Kiss Pops of Color to add detail to the flower centers.


As I assembled the berries, leaves and flowers inside the basket, I adhered them with either Distress Collage Medium or Double Sided Foam Adhesive which gives them a little bit of dimension.

The sentiment was created using stamps from the Berry Sweet Stamp Set. I stamped it with Festive Berries Distress Oxide Ink onto white cardstock and then trimmed them into small strips. All of the sentiment pieces are adhered with Double Sided Foam Strips.


The pink gingham paper behind the basket is from the Berry Sweet A2 Paper Pad. I trimmed it to 4 x 5.25 inches, inked the edges lightly with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and added some machine stitching. I then adhered it to a green plaid paper which is also from the same paper pad.


HELLO CARD | A2 Size

For the second basket, I departed from the berry theme and decided to fill it with flowers and butterflies! You might notice it also has a handle and I'll share how I created that.

Hello Card by Juliana Michaels featuring Scrapbook.com Berry Sweet and Sunny Lane Florals Die Set

This card was created in much the same way as the first card. I used the Berry Sweet Die Set for the basket and label. I used the Sunny Lane Florals Die Set for the flowers and leaves. The butterflies are from the Butterflies 2 Die Set and the sentiment is from the Thank You Sentiments II Die Set. All of the colored pieces were cut from Distress Watercolor Paper, inked with Distress Oxide Ink and spritzed with water.

Distress Oxide Colors:
Basket - Walnut Stain and Brushed Corduroy
Flowers - Kitsch Flamingo, Picked Raspberry, Festive Berries
Flower centers - Fossilized Amber
Leaves - Peeled Paint and Rustic Wilderness
Butterflies - Fossilized Amber
Word Hello - Festive Berries


The label, shadow layer for the sentiment and the flower centers were cut from white cardstock. I inked the edges of the label, flowers, butterflies and basket with Walnut Stain Distress Ink.


I adhered Hardware Heads to the label using Distress Collage Medium as my adhesive. Before adhering them, I colored them with Mushroom Alcohol Ink.


Now onto how I created the handle for the basket. I took 2 of the Scrapbook.com Nested Arches and nested them on a piece of Distress Watercolor Paper. I used a piece of Mint Tape to hold them in place so they wouldn't shift as I ran the dies through my die cutting machine.


And viola...a handle for my basket! I used two dies that were next to each other in size, but if you wanted a thicker handle you could go to the next size down.


I hope you enjoyed this bit of inspiration and seeing the Berry Sweet Basket 2 Ways! What would you fill the basket with? Strawberries? Cherries? Flowers? Or maybe something else?


SUPPLIES

Below you can find the products I used to create these card along with compensated affiliate links to Scrapbook.com. These links are at absolutely no cost to you. When you shop through the links below, I receive a small commission from Scrapbook.com. These links are at absolutely no cost to you and the commission I receive helps me cover the costs of my blog and other expenses, which allows me to continue to provide you with FREE inspiration and tutorials. If you want to learn more about what an affiliate link is, you can see my full affiliate and product disclosure statement here. Thank you so much for your love and support!

Mother's Day Card | Faux Bleach Technique

With Mother's Day coming this weekend, I wanted to create a special card for my Mom and I was inspired by Tim's recent YouTube Live where he demonstrated a faux bleach technique with colored cardstock and Distress Ink. I initially attempted his method with purple Kraft Stock, but I didn't like the results I achieved and I wanted to use the color purple since it is my Mom's favorite color. I then remembered doing this technique myself, many years ago and decided to revisit my method but with a Tim Holtz twist!

Happy Mother's Day Card by Juliana Michaels featuring Tim Holtz Floral Trims Stamp Set and Faux Bleach Technique

For those of you who are interested, I created a video showing how I created this card. However, since Mother's Day has come and gone, I decided to recreate it with a birthday theme and to switch up the color pallete. Here's a look at the card I create in the video.


Head on over to my YouTube channel to check it out or you can watch it below.



FAUX BLEACH TECHNIQUE

I began with a piece of Distress Watercolor Paper and stamped one of the images from Floral Trims onto it using Black Soot Archival Ink. I then ink blended over the stamped image using Shaded Lilac, Dusty Concord and Villainous Potion. I created a gradient from dark to light with Villainous Potion on the far left hand side, Dusty Concor in the middle and Shaded Lilac on the right.

I then took a waterbrush and removed the ink from inside the stamped image to create the faux bleach effect. I made sure to wipe off the brush frequently to prevent just moving the ink around and I used a paper towel to dab up the areas where I applied the water to help remove the ink.


Next, I took the script stamp from Exquisite and stamped just parts of it along the right hand sided using Hickory Smoke Distress Oxide Ink. I then splattered the panel with water using a brush to create small water droplets and dried the paper.

MONOPRINTING WITH STENCILS

Now for the stencil work. I took the hexagon stencil from Mini Stencils Set 55 and sprayed it with Villainous Potion Spray Stain and then a bit of water. I then placed some torn paper towels on my card front at a angle creating a mask of sorts so that only the hexagon area would apply ink to the paper and not the solid border area. I then dabbed over the stencil with a paper towel. I did this in the top left and bottom right hand corner. I then dried the ink with my heat tool.  I then inked the edges with a bit of Villainous Potion Distress Ink.


For a bit more texture and interest, I then placed the stencil back over the areas where I had done the mono print and applied Distress Translucent Crackle Paste through the stencil. I then set the paper to the side to allow the paste time to crackle and dry. You can just barely see the effect this created  in the photos, so if you'd like to see a video that really captures how it looks, make sure to pop over to my Instagram to check it out.

To embellish the card, I used the Sizzix Woodland Stems to die cut a piece of vellum. I trimmed off just a bit of the stem and then adhered it to my card using Distress Collage Medium. For the sentiment, I die cut the word happy from white cardstock that had been run through my Xyron Sticker maker before I die cut the word. I then stamped the words Mother's Day using black ink and the Scrapbook.com Celebrate Expressions Stamp Set onto white cardstock. I completed the card by adhering some clear water droplets using Glossy Accents.


Thanks for stopping by! Whether or not you're making a Mother's Day card, I hope you'll give this Faux Bleach Technique a try.

SUPPLIES FOR MOTHER'S DAY CARD

Below you can find the products I used to create this card along with compensated affiliate links to Scrapbook.com. These links are at absolutely no cost to you. When you shop through the links below, I receive a small commission from Scrapbook.com. These links are at absolutely no cost to you and the commission I receive helps me cover the costs of my blog and other expenses, which allows me to continue to provide you with FREE inspiration and tutorials. If you want to learn more about what an affiliate link is, you can see my full affiliate and product disclosure statement here. Thank you so much for your love and support!

SUPPLIES FOR BIRTHDAY CARD

Junk Journal Journey Part 3 | Tickets, Pockets, Ephemera and More

Hello friends! Welcome back for Part 3 of my Junk Journal Journey. If you've missed the other 2, you can find links to the videos down below.

During my Junk Journal Journey I took some time to make lots of bits and bobs to put into my journal. In this video I'm sharing how I created tickets, pockets, ephemera, a specimen slide, and a large specimen folder using a mix of stamps and dies. While I know a traditional junk journal uses actual recycled items, this journey for me is about the process of using the products and supplies I have.

If you want to check out any of the supplies I'm using I have them linked down below. Using those links helps support me, so I really appreciate it!

Junk Journal Journey Part 3 by Juliana Michaels featuring Tickets, Pockets, Ephemera, Specimen Slides

Now it's time to grab your favorite beverage and sit back and relax as you check out my Junk Journal Journey Part 3 video.

Junk Journal Journey Part 3


If you happened to miss Part 2 and Part 1 of my Junk Journal Journey you can check them out below.

Junk Journal Journey Part 2 

Junk Journal Journey Part 1

I hope you enjoyed the video I put together sharing about how I created some of the bits and bobs that I end up using in my junk journal. I'll be sharing a flip through of the completed junk journal soon, so stay tuned!

SUPPLIES 

Below you can find the products I used to create the tickets, pockets, ephemera, specimen slide, and  large specimen folder for my junk journal along with compensated affiliate links to Scrapbook.com. These links are at absolutely no cost to you. When you shop through the links below, I receive a small commission from Scrapbook.com. These links are at absolutely no cost to you and the commission I receive helps me cover the costs of my blog and other expenses, which allows me to continue to provide you with FREE inspiration and tutorials. If you want to learn more about what an affiliate link is, you can see my full affiliate and product disclosure statement here. Thank you so much for your love and support!

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