Mini Envelopes - The Wonderful World Of Papercraft

Since buying a Sizzix Bigshot recently for embossing metal I've suddenly discovered the world of dies. Dies are wonderful things you can use with your Bigshot, Cuttlebug, etc to cut out all sorts of lovely things including envelope templates. I also discovered the world of scrapbook paper. I love patterned paper and most things stationery. I used to love going into WH Smiths each year to buy my new pencil case, pens, rubbers and pencils for the start of the new school year (that was quite a long time ago!) and I still like buying stationery stuff even if I don't really need it!

I thought I'd use my Bigshot to make some mini envelopes so after trawling the internet for a suitable die and picking up a scrapbooking pad from The Range I ventured into papercraft. I've got to say it was a nice change from metal and beads and really therapeutic to do. The folding and glueing is my favourite part and I loved seeing these cute little envelopes take shape.

It then struck me that maybe I wasn't allowed to make stuff to sell from the scrapbook paper I'd used. I know a lot of companies have an angel policy but I couldn't find one for Grant Studios who created the artwork for the paper so a quick email to them and a very quick reply (on a Sunday from Australia!) and they were fine for me to sell anything I made with their paper. The issue they have is if someone claims the artwork as their own or reproduces it to sell. I also checked with the company who make My Mind's Eye scrapbook paper and they were fine about it too. So I felt slightly relieved to know I was ok to carry on.

I've just started listing the mini envelopes in my Folksy shop and I'm going to add them to my eBay shop in a couple of weeks too. I have no idea if they will sell but I like making them so hopefully they will then I can make some more!
The envelopes measure just under 3.25 inches x 2.25 inches with a pretty scalloped edge and they are just so darned cute!

I tried Fotofuze as I'd used a white background for the photos and I was really impressed with the results..........until I noticed how some of the colours had changed and no amount of editing could sort them out. Then I noticed the photos weren't as clear. Fotofuze reduces the image size (to half in my case) and that caused them to be pixelated when I used the zoom while I was trying to edit the colours. So after spending an afternoon playing around with them I went back to normal editing - they don't have the same blinding white surrounding them but at least the colours are true!

New Embossed Metal Earrings

 I posted recently about practising using my Bigshot to emboss metal and now I have some finished earrings to show!

The copper "pansy" earrings above started life as copper discs that I used a Vintaj Deco Etch folder on to create the pretty flower and petal effect. The end result with the etch folders gives a more stamped look than etched to be honest but I do like it and have bought a couple more of the etch folders since.

The petals were created using a file then the flowers were sanded and domed and the bead and earwires added. I could've used my saw to cut out the petal shapes but decided to sit in the sun and file industriously for 15 minutes instead!

Purple lampwork earrings with the same flower design

Serpentine beads with copper teardrop earrings

Embossed Copper Disc earrings

That flower design again this time in stud form!

                          

                        Embossed copper discs with czech glass beads

All soon to be listed in my Folksy and Etsy shops

                         

All Together Now!

After taking up Folksy's offer of their Plus account recently I've decided it makes sense to combine my two Folksy shops and move my handmade findings into my jewellery shop.
So..................after spending rather a long time (let's just say it was most of Saturday) copying and pasting descriptions from one shop to another, my new combined jewellery and findings shop is finished. I even relisted a load of jewellery too to get the front page of my shop looking like a jewellery shop again. I'm liking the Plus account very much!

As for the tediousness of doing it all I know Folksy are working on speeding up the listing process but dear God! At the same time as listing my findings/waiting for pages to load, I managed to a) edit 25 photos, b) use my Bigshot to cut out a load of mini envelopes and c) fold and glue most of said mini envelopes together.

Embossing Metal With My Sizzix Bigshot

I must admit up until a few weeks ago I was vaguely familiar with the name Sizzix but as to what you actually did with a "Sizzix" I was completely in the dark! That was until I stumbled across a video from Vintaj showing how you could use their embossing folders with a Bigshot to create designs on metal ("metal" - my favourite word after chocolate!)
I was really impressed and itching to have a go, I just needed a Bigshot........ I waited a few weeks then when the urge to possess one overcame me I went out debit card at the ready..............and the shop had sold out! So I trundled off to The Range on the off chance and came home clutching my own surprisingly heavy pink and black wonder machine. It sat on the dining room table for a couple of days while I waited for the embossing folders I'd ordered online to arrive then the time came to start playing!

I started with some pre-cut 24g copper hearts and the Wildflower Vines and the Butterfly Swirls Deco Embossing folders. I was really impressed with the results. The design comes out really clearly. I added some patina ink on the practice pieces above to add a bit of colour.

Next I tried a Deco Etch folder on slightly thicker gauge copper and silver. The word "Etch" doesn't really describe the finished result - I'd say it looks more like a stamped design. I love this one especially after the metal is oxidized. I left the silver unoxidized for now as it's going to be part of a pair of earrings I have planned!
I used 22g gauge for these even though Vintaj recommend using thinner gauges - oops! But I had to try as 24g is a bit thin for my jewellery. I annealed the metal first to soften it and it went through the Bigshot fine.

These were annealed 24g copper using the plastic Sizzix embossing folders - the one's you use on paper and card. The design isn't as crisp but it's not bad. These have been oxidized and cleaned up with wire wool.

More examples! The more orangy coloured one's weren't annealed (the rectangle is 20g), the discs are 22g and 20g and were annealed first. Annealing the thicker gauge metal definitely helps to get a crisper design.

Deco Emboss folder top and Deco Etch folder bottom. The rusty looking areas are the red oxides from the annealed metal - I was too impatient to pickle first!

Overall I'm really impressed. Anything that lets me add patterns to metal is a great idea as far as I'm concerned plus buying a new piece of kit always pleases me!  Photos of finished jewellery coming soon!