Fabric has never been my go-to when I'm crafting. I'm a paper girl through and through, so when Seth Apter asked if I'd like to play with his newest fabric collection, One Layer Away, my first thought was: can you even use fabric like patterned paper on a card? Turns out, you absolutely can.

Instead of sewing with it, I decided to treat the gorgeous patterns exactly like patterned paper and work them into the layers of three handmade cards. I was pleasantly surprised at how well the fabrics coordinated with my Metamorphosis collection, which made this whole process sew much fun.

Three Ways to Use Fabric on Your Cards

On the first card, I cut it into a strip to add a pop of texture without overwhelming the design. I die cut a piece of purple patterned paper from my Metamorphosis collection using the Tracks Die Set by Seth Apter and a piece of black kraftstock using the Stretchers Die Set by Seth Apter. I combined them with fussy cut Metamorphosis ephemera pieces and some of the A2 sized Metamorphosis patterned papers.

On the second, I used the fabric as a full background layer, letting the pattern set the tone for the whole piece. I then layered on some fussy cut Metamorphosis ephemera and papers along with some more die cut pieces - Stretchers Die Set by Seth Apter and Scrapbook.com Nested Labels Die Set.

On the third, I pleated the fabric before adhering it, which gave the card a whole extra layer of dimension and visual interest. To do this, I simply folded the material over onto itself several times. I then repeated the same process of layering in some of the Metamorphosis papers and ephemera. The die set I used here is the Twisters Die Set by Seth Apter.

Attaching Fabric To Paper

One question you may be asking is how I attached the fabric. I actually used Bearly Art Glue to adhere the fabric to the paper and it worked wonderfully. And you really don't need much adhesive to adhere it, so you can use a light hand when applying it.

Finishing Details

On each card, I tore the edges of the fabric to give it that distressed, well-loved feel that fits right in with my mixed media style. I also saved the leftover threads from the torn edges and layered them into the design alongside my butterflies and a set of vintage pen nibs, tying the whole "in the middle of becoming" theme together.

Along with the fabric, papers, and ephemera, I also used some of Seth's Sizzix die sets to add another layer of interest to each design. Unfortunately the dies I used on the first two cards are no longer available but here is a list of the ones I used:

• Twisters
• Tracks
• Borderlines

Bringing In the Butterflies

The butterflies, ephemera and patterned papers on these cards are part of my Metamorphosis collection, my vintage naturalist-themed digital paper collection built around the idea of embracing the journey of becoming. Pairing them with Seth's fabric patterns turned out to be an easy, natural fit, and it's a great example of how mixing in supplies you wouldn't normally reach for can push a project in a new direction.

Give It a Try

If fabric isn't usually part of your crafting stash either, I'd encourage you to give this a shot. Treating it like patterned paper is such a simple way to bring in new texture without needing to touch a sewing machine.

Supplies

Below you will find links to the supplies I used to create these cards. When you shop through these links—whether you purchase that exact item or something else entirely—you're supporting me at no extra cost to you. The commission I receive helps me cover the costs of my blog and other expenses, and allows me to continue providing you with FREE inspiration and tutorials. If you want to learn more, you can see my full affiliate and product disclosure statement here. Thank you so much for your love and support!

I'm sharing a flip through today of a junk journal I made using my Metamorphosis digital paper collection. This one has a single signature, a hard cover, and a fabric spine, and I built it using a method I learned from Natasha over at Treasure Books. Her video, "Easiest Junk Journal Ever," walks through the full build with a lot more detail and tips than I'm covering here, so if you'd like to make one yourself, I highly recommend starting with her tutorial.

You can watch Natasha's video here: Easiest Junk Journal Ever, or check out her channel at Treasure Books.

The Cover

I used papers and ephemera from Metamorphosis to build the cover, centered around a butterfly bush illustration and a vintage-style specimen tag. A simple burlap ribbon ties the whole thing together.

Inside the Journal

Once the structure was done, I filled the pages with more Metamorphosis papers and ephemera, layering in specimen tags, botanical illustrations, and a few vintage-style photographs to give it that naturalist journal feel throughout.

Watch the Flip Through

I walk through every page of this journal in the video below, talking through how each spread came together.

If you'd like to grab the papers and ephemera I used, you can find the full Metamorphosis collection in my Podia shop.

Thanks so much for flipping through this journal with me. I hope it gave you some ideas for your own projects, whether you're using Metamorphosis or just love this vintage butterfly and botanical style.

Until next time, stay crafty my friend!
Juliana

Supplies

Below you will find links to the supplies I used to create these cards. When you shop through these links—whether you purchase that exact item or something else entirely—you're supporting me at no extra cost to you. The commission I receive helps me cover the costs of my blog and other expenses, and allows me to continue providing you with FREE inspiration and tutorials. If you want to learn more, you can see my full affiliate and product disclosure statement here. Thank you so much for your love and support!

I'm back with some more inspiration using my brand new Metamorphosis digital papercrafting collection. In case you missed it, you can check out the release video and the card inspiration video using the links below. In this post, I've got an art journal page to share with you. This type of project is a bit more involved than my usual cards, so the video is a little longer than my usual as well. I recommend grabbing a coffee or your favorite beverage and giving yourself some time to sit back and enjoy watching the process.

I started with a base layer using Distress Inks in Rusty Hinge, Dusty Concord, and Uncharted Mariner, blended on with a brayer. Next, I added one of my stencil techniques on top using the same inks.

For the second stencil layer, I used Ground Espresso Distress Oxide spray instead, along with one of my favorite stencil techniques. Make sure to head over to my YouTube channel to see all the details.

Once the background was completed, I began adding some of the papers and ephemera from my Metamorphosis collection. I walk you through how I select the various pieces in the video as well.

I finished the page with a mix of Tim Holtz and 49 and Market stamps, plus white splatters using Dr. Ph. Martin's Bleedproof White to tie everything together. The stencils I used throughout are both Tim Holtz — the Grid Dot and the Deco Leaf.

Watch the Full Process

I walk through every layer of this page from start to finish in the video below, including how I built up the background and how I chose the ephemera pieces as I went.

You can also check out my Metamorphosis release video and cardmaking tutorial if you missed those. Click on the links or the images below.

Up next, I've got a junk journal project using this same collection, so keep an eye out for that one. Thanks so much for following along with this page — I hope it gives you some ideas for your own art journaling with Metamorphosis.

Until next time, stay crafty my friend!
Juliana

Supplies

Below you will find links to the supplies I used to create these cards. When you shop through these links—whether you purchase that exact item or something else entirely—you're supporting me at no extra cost to you. The commission I receive helps me cover the costs of my blog and other expenses, and allows me to continue providing you with FREE inspiration and tutorials. If you want to learn more, you can see my full affiliate and product disclosure statement here: https://www.17turtles.com/p/affiliate-and-product-disclosure.html. Thank you so much for your love and support!

I recently had the pleasure of creating a tutorial for the Ranger Ink YouTube channel, and I am so excited to share all the details with you here on the blog! The video focuses on three different ways to use Distress Crayons with stencils to create beautiful backgrounds, and today I'm walking you through how I finished off the cards with layered embellishment clusters. These cards have such a gorgeous vintage botanical vibe and I think you're going to love them!

Watch the Background Techniques on the Ranger Ink YouTube Channel

Before we dive into the finishing details, you'll want to head over to the Ranger Ink YouTube channel to watch the full background tutorial. I cover three techniques — applying Distress Crayons directly through the stencil, lifting color with a baby wipe, and monoprinting with the stencil. Each one gives you a completely different look and they're all so fun to try!

[RANGER INK VIDEO LINK] 

Stamping the Images

For the focal images, I used the Tim Holtz Botanic Collage Stamp set, stamping onto Distress Watercolor Cardstock with Black Soot Archival Ink. I stamped each image twice — once to have the individual flower and butterfly images to color and die cut, and a second time to keep the full stamped image intact for layering.

Watercoloring with Distress Crayons

To add color to the flowers and butterflies, I used Distress Crayons in Peeled Paint, Peacock Feathers, Rusty Hinge, and Fossilized Amber, with Black Soot for the butterfly bodies. I picked up the color directly from the crayon using a water brush and painted in the images. This is such a beautiful way to use the crayons — the colors blend so naturally and the watercolor cardstock handles the water beautifully.

Die Cutting the Images

Once the watercoloring was complete and dry, I cut out the individual flowers and butterflies using the coordinating die sets, available exclusively from Simon Says Stamp.

Creating the Ephemera Pieces

For additional layering pieces, I also stamped images from the Tim Holtz Field Notes Stamp set onto Distress Watercolor Cardstock using Black Soot Archival Ink, then cut them out using the coordinating die sets, also available exclusively from Simon Says Stamp.

To give both the Botanic Collage full stamped image pieces and the Field Notes ephemera pieces an aged, distressed look, I used the ink smooshing technique. I smooshed an Old Paper Distress Ink pad onto my craft mat, spritzed it with water, and then pressed the paper into the ink. After drying with my heat tool, I trimmed the pieces down to size. For even more texture, I tore some of the edges of the paper and inked the non-torn edges with Distress Ink in Walnut Stain.

Film Strips and Photo Frames

I die cut the film strips and photo frames using the Tim Holtz Vault Picture Show Die Set, cutting them from Black Kraftstock. I then lightly sanded them to create a distressed effect — such a simple step but it makes such a difference!

Sentiments

For the sentiments, I used the Tim Holtz Vault Handwritten Celebrate Die Set, cutting them from copper/rose gold metallic cardstock. The metallic finish adds a beautiful pop against all the layered textures.

I'd love to hear from you — which of the three Distress Crayon stencil techniques from the Ranger Ink video are you most excited to try? Let me know in the comments below!

Supplies

Below you will find links to the supplies I used to create these cards. When you shop through these links—whether you purchase that exact item or something else entirely—you're supporting me at no extra cost to you. The commission I receive helps me cover the costs of my blog and other expenses, and allows me to continue providing you with FREE inspiration and tutorials. If you want to learn more, you can see my full affiliate and product disclosure statement HERE. Thank you so much for your love and support!

Now that Metamorphosis is out in the world, I wanted to show you what you can actually do with it. I made four cards using the A2 size papers and ephemera from the collection, each one building on the last. Whether you're new to mixed media or you like to layer it on thick, there's a card here for you.

All four cards use the A2 size papers as the base layer. On all of them, I inked the edges of the papers and ephemera with Ground Espresso Distress Ink and added white splatters with Dr. Ph. Martin's Bleedproof White.

Card No. 1 — Keeping It Simple

This one's a good starting point if you're new to the collection or to mixed media. Just an A2 size paper as the base and two pieces of ephemera on top. Sometimes simple is all a card needs.

Card No. 2 — Adding More Layers

This card adds more ephemera on top of an A2 size paper base. In the video, I walk through how I choose which pieces to use together and how I layer them for balance — one of the questions I get asked most.

Card No. 3 — Embossing and Luster Wax

Here I used an embossing folder on one of the A2 size papers, then Sizzix Luster Wax to make that embossed design pop. I share tips for getting a clean embossed design, plus how to distress ephemera pieces with a sanding disc and Distress Ink. I also show a few different A2 paper options for the base layer.

Card No. 4 — Texture Paste for Serious Texture

This one starts with Clear Gesso on the printed A2 size paper, which helps it hold up to mixed media techniques. Once that's dry, I add texture paste through a stencil for real dimension. Same as the others, I talk through how I chose the ephemera to finish it off.

Watch the Full Tutorial

I walk through the full process for all four cards, including my tips on ephemera selection and placement, in the video below.

If you haven't grabbed the Metamorphosis collection yet, you can find it in my Podia shop. You can also read more about the story behind the collection in my Metamorphosis launch post.

Coming up next, I've got an art journal page and a junk journal project using this same collection, so keep an eye out for those. Thanks so much for reading and watching along today — I hope these cards gave you a few ideas to try with your own Metamorphosis papers.

Until next time, stay crafty my friend!
Juliana

Supplies

Below you will find links to the supplies I used to create these cards. When you shop through these links—whether you purchase that exact item or something else entirely—you're supporting me at no extra cost to you. The commission I receive helps me cover the costs of my blog and other expenses, and allows me to continue providing you with FREE inspiration and tutorials. If you want to learn more, you can see my full affiliate and product disclosure statement HERE. Thank you so much for your love and support!