Happy Easter

Happy Easter!

 

     I know I've been lax in writing on my blog, but there have been so many changes in my life in the last few months, that blogging was at the end of my to do list. Let's see, family fun weekend in the snow, car shopping, losing my fun part-time job at Curves, switching my life style to vegan and taking calligraphy classes. Not much going at all. Ha!   You'll probably see a blog in the future on a few of these subjects now that I am back to scrapbooking and creating home décor projects.. So on that note, I have a fun Easter Project for you, today. 

 

     For the past 7 weeks, I have been learning Copperplate Calligraphy which is the very elegant form of cursive writing that you see on formal invitations or the Declaration of Independence. This beautiful form of written word is so fun to learn and you can create such beautiful projects using Copperplate; from cards or invitations to wall hangings and more.

    

  For me, creating a project that shows my calligraphy lesson is a great way to encourage practice and to use what I have learned. As I wanted to do an Easter home décor project, I decided to combine crafting and calligraphy into one project.

  
    I love using 7Gyspy's Printer Trays to create fun wall décor. So I decided to make an Easter Hanging. First I used Inca Inks Old Silver by rubbing the ink all over the frame to give it some highlights. I adhered my background papers with my 5" Xyron Sticker Maker.  I chose all sorts of wood designed  papers from Recollections "Today, Tomorrow, Forever" paper pad for the background of each shadow box in the tray.

     Then using Heartfelt Creations Floral Cross stamps and dies, I cut out a beautiful gold Cross and stamped some crosses, with a floral cross design on the inside of the cross and used my Prisma Colored Pencils to color in the flowers and then I hand cut the flowers out of the stamped cross to create floral crosses and added some tiny rhinestones from an old stash to the centers of the flowers. The lilies are also from this collection and I stamped them on colored paper, cut them out with the dies and then shaped the flowers, added pop-dots that I made  and placed the flowers in the tray.  
  
      To create the small scrolls, I took some almond colored Core paper scraps from my stash, cut them to fit the Scripture Stickers from my stash  and edged them with Java from Quick Quotes Powder Puff inks and I very lightly rubbed ink on the surface of the paper. Hold the paper with a pair of tweezers (to keep my working surface dry) I lightly sprayed the back of the paper, left it for 5-10 seconds and quickly blotted the back. Then carefully rolling the paper over a skinny paint brush, I created the scroll look I was after. After the paper had dried completely, I attached the Scripture to each scroll and using stacked pop-up dots on the back of the roll on the top of the scroll and singles on the bottom, I attached 2 Glue Dots   to the center and placed the scrolls in the opening, pressing the center flat to the board completing the scrolls.

      For the large scroll and the Rejoice box, I wrote the verse and word in Copperplate. This is about 3 weeks of practice that was fun and frustrating. After writing on different paper types, using different inks AND splattering ink, smearing ink, and forgetting the right order of the Scripture , I finally finished 3 versions of the Scripture I was working on. So again, I edged the papers in ink, sprayed the back and set the papers on the work surface and promptly smeared the writing on the first piece. On the second piece, after getting it shaped, discover that it was too big for the box. The 3^rd written verse turned out just right.

 

     To create the ends of the scroll, I took a 1/4” dowel, cut it to 6” and added a ¼ cap to the end. I inked the dowel and then using my gold ink pen, colored the ends of dowel, and lightly brushed the QQ Java Powder Puff ink over them to create an antique look. I dampened the back of the paper, blotted the excess water and rolled it around the dowel to create the scroll. On this scroll, I crinkled the edges and tore them slightly, then inked them with  QQ Powder Puff “Java” ink. After that had dried, I very lightly rubbed ink over the face of the paper to create the aged and slightly damaged look of the paper.  I added some glue dots to the back of the scroll in the center to give it a 3-dimensional look and to adhere the school to the box.
                  As you can see, it was the perfect addition to my fun Easter project.

 

A belated Happy Easter to everyone.  Till we craft again.

 

Aunt Dee