Upcycled Photo Stands

I have been looking at my die cutter this time and wondering how we could achieve something great with cardboard (because I have cardboard) to display photos on shelves.

I really like those little wooden 'thingies' (sorry about the technical language!) where you slot the photo in the top and then they sit on a shelf. but there are a lot of them around and what if you want to recycle something and make the a bit different....

And, me, being me, there had to be a challenge and I wanted to make this an upcycled make too. Plus, not everyone wants to work with wood. I find it difficult actually. Don't laugh but cardboard is easier!

I have a lot of scraps of quite stiff chipboard from other things and these bits and pieces are too small to use in a larger make but too bit to throw away. You know that feeling I am sure.

So, that set me to thinking about what could be created.

Laminated photo stands! A little bit of paint and paper. And leather. And glitter fabric and....well you can see what I came up with.

And they are easy. You need a die cutter and some dies that will take the strain of some stiff materials and a dab of glue. 
I am using a Sizzix Big Shot and some cute dies which are flat on the bottom and will sit on a shelf.
If you haven't got a die cutter, don't worry. It is slower but you can find other things and cut around them. So long as the base is flat or you can make it flat, you are good to go!

This one started with a circle and then I made a flat base by cutting about a third off.

You need some chipboard or other thick cardboard (not corrugated box though. If your card is thinner, simply add more than six layers until it sits up securely.
You need a PVA glue or similar - anything which will handle paper is fine and perhaps something more specific for the leather one. I have used hot glue.
Also some paint and a brush. I have opted for DecoArt Americana Extreme Sheen metallic paint in 24 K gold.
For the fronts, choose leather scraps (available in mixed bags online) and pretty paper. I have some glitter fabric which also worked beautifully.

These little stands can actually be reversible so for example, leather goes on one side and paper on the other and then you can turn them around. It really is a versatile make - you can see what you can achieve with one simple idea and three variations.

Okay...here we go! Begin by choosing the die and then cutting 6 pieces from the cardboard....

The six pieces will be laminated together to create a shape that will stand up. You can add a couple more if it isn't stable enough.

Also cut two (one for the front and one for the back) from your leather or paper.

That leather doesn't look right....

That's better! Leather needs stitching!

Now glue the card pieces together with your PVA glue. Before you do though, this is the important part- glue the six pieces of cardboard together in two groups of three and allow them to dry with something heavy on them.
Trim the edges and make them as neat as possible and then paint the edges with a few coats of gold paint...

As you can see, no need to be über neat! You won't see these bits and it is much better to have good coverage on the edges.

Now, they will be joined to make one whole but only glue half way up this time. 
The reason for this is to provide a slot in which to put the photo.

I have put in a piece of paper so that you can see the rough idea of where the photo might go.

TIP: you can actually gently sand this chipboard to improve the edges. Do it outside though, it makes a  mess.

You can clearly see the slot for the photo once the stand is dry and the paper is removed.

They sit on a flat surface really well.

Finally, glue the leather  motif onto the front or the paper or whatever you think is nice.

The stitched leather looks much better than unstitched.

I have had some lovely Threaders Glitter fabric come across my desk just recently and I used that for one frame with great results.

The photo absolutely does not do it justice!

I love this stuff - it is everything that you want glitter fabric to be and in the UK you can get it here.

Okay and that is all there is too it! These make great gifts and stocking fillers for the upcoming you-know-what season (closer today than it was yesterday) and they sell well on craft fairs.

Off to print some photos now!
See you next time
Debs
xxx

Stamping With Acrylic Paint

Hi All!

Well it is getting closer to Christmas and I have been so busy with my day job, writing furiously for the year ahead - magazine world is such a strange place to live, that I have not had a chance to post anything remotely Christmassy! Let's do something about that right now!!

Normally when papercrafters and card makers talk about stamping, they reach for their favourite ink pad. But there is another way. Consider acrylic paints! I love DecoArt for their general versatility and now I can add stamping to the mix.

Before we begin though, I want to do the right thing and thank the wonderfully talented Andy Skinner for showing this idea. We have much for which to thank him!

So. What do we need? Firstly, we need some paints. DecoArt have litterally dozens of gorgeous colours and then they all mix together ad infinitum so the sky is literally the limit.

Next you need a stamp or two. Let's choose something Christmassy for the sake of this particular argument.

A brush is also needed and make it a flat one to make the spreading of the paint easier. I use a 3/4 flat brush. This is a really good all rounder and it makes a welcome addition to your kit. Incidentally, if you are new to painting and you are worried about choosing a brush size, they are printed on the handle and if they are not, RUN! the brush is too cheap and is a waste of your money. Buy a great brush and look after it.

You will also need a non stick sheet. These are those beige Teflon ones - everywhere at the moment. However, if you have not got access to one and you need to do this tonight, try non stick baking paper. Even waxed paper. Experiment.

The first thing to do after choosing the paint colour and the stamp is to put a pea sized amount onto the non stick matting.

Spread it out with the brush until it is very thin and even.

Coat the stamp by pressing it onto the paint and then apply it to your project. et voila! A very crisp image.

So why bother, I hear you ask? Well, this paint is lightfast and waterproof. You can use it where you cannot use ink, paints come in an almost infinite number of colours and you can mix them for more. This is without talking about the benefits of being able to stamp white or light over dark and the whole world of metallic shades. You can use paint over transparent and translucent surfaces, layer them up and it is simply another way of approaching the subject. Acrylic is waaaay cheaper too, need I go on...Have a play anyway and see how you go.

There is a small warning though. Acrylic paint dries really fast. This is both a good and a bad thing. In particular, I am talking about your brushes and stamps. Wash them immediately in water. Never leave this task because once the paint is dry, it is dry. As I said, both  a good and a bad thing!

Thank you so much for stopping by!
See you next time,

Debs
xxx