Tutorial Time Challenge - Pillow Top Technique

Today it was my turn to do the tutorial on the Speedy TV Tutorial Time challenge.  This is one of my favorite techniques -- Pillow Top.  I actually had a tutorial for this technique on my blog back in July of 2013.   But it also appears in the Tutorial Section of Speedy TV.  I've used this technique many times.  Here's my card for today, using one of my favorite colors and flower images.

A few weeks ago I made a similar card to this one -- but it has a few more frills on it -- sort of More is More!

I hope you'll give this technique a try -- and link your card up on Speedy TV.  You might win a free stamp set.


Card #1
Stamps:  Mark's Finest Papers - Camellia, Friends
Paper:  SU Really Rust, Mark's Finest Papers Snow Storm Smooth
Ink:  Memento Potters Clay, Ranger Distress Wild Honey
Accessories:  Copic markers, Acetate sheet, Brads

MFP Blog Hop Day 2 - Shello

July Blog Hop! 

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

 Featured July 9th - Lotus Blossoms

Featured July 10th - Shello 

Featured July 11th - Be Virtuous 

Featured July 12th - Presents

Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets! Just comment on the blogs listed below (don't forget this one) each day for more chances to win!  (You do NOT have to comment on all the blogs each day!  The names are drawn randomly!) All four winners will be announced on July 13, 2013, on the Mark's Finest Papers blog. You can go back and comment if you missed a day.  (HINT: The more you comment, the more chances you have to win; and comments on the MFP blog count twice!) The deadline for commenting is 11 PM EST on Friday, July 12, 2013.

 The special stamp set we have for you this month is:

"Dino News"

 The mini stamp set we have for you this month is

"Dragonflies"
                                                      

I think this is the cutest turtle set I've seen in a long time.  My first card also gives an example of the Pillowtop Background Technique.  The tutorial for this background is one post down.

My second card for today uses the same layout as the first, but rotated.  I used the other turtle from this set as well as the seaweed.  I found those cute little bubbles on sale at Michaels months ago, hoping that I would eventually be able to use them.  Today is the day!

As a bonus today, I have a card I made with this month's 5th set, Dino News.  Patty Penn had included it in her video this month, but in case you didn't see it there -- here it is.  I stamped, colored, and cut out two of the three whimsical dinosaurs from the set and popped them up on the center panel, on which I had stamped some grass from another MFP set, Scenic Selections.  The two sentiment panels are also popped up.

Make sure you check out the rest of the team members' creations and comment as often as you'd like.  The more you comment, the more chances you have to win a free stamp set.

Here's the Design Team:

Patty, Lois (that's me), Jane, Pat, Debbie, Kathy, Angela, Thrifty Stamper, Toni, Janine, Sue, Marilynn, Karen, Bonnie, Cathy, Pam, Kate, Shirley, An'Jenic, Marks Finest Papers, a Heinrich Co.

Pillow Top Background Tutorial

This is a relatively easy technique which makes an interesting background.  The supplies you’ll need are:

Neutral cardstock  (I used MFP Pistachio Fleck.)

Ink  (I used Tim Holtz Distress Bundled Sage.)

Sponge dauber

Piece of clear acetate  (I used some packaging from a Spellbinders die.)

STEP ONE

Lay the clear acetate diagonally across your cardstock and sponge on the ink, starting on the acetate and moving onto the cardstock.  This will make the darker color closer to the acetate.

STEP TWO

Move the acetate down about  ¾” , keeping it parallel to the previous sponged line, and sponge again.  Continue moving the acetate and sponging until you reach the bottom left-hand corner.

STEP THREE

This is the reason you have to use CLEAR acetate.  Move it about ¾” above the first sponged line and sponge again.  Because the acetate is clear, you can see your other sponged lines.

STEP FOUR

Continue moving the acetate and sponging more lines all the way to the top right-hand corner.

STEP FIVE

Rotate the acetate so that it is going in the opposite diagonal direction and sponge from upper left-hand corner to lower right-hand corner.

STEP SIX

Repeat the Steps 2, 3, and 4. 

Here is the finished background.  See how it looks like a pillowtop.

Now you can complete your card any way you wish.  Here is mine.

CCEE1239

For Sabrina's last week as hostess for the CCEE Stampers, she challenged the team to make our own designer paper, using any technique we wanted.  I saw a new (to me) technique on Stamp TV a couple of weeks ago to make designer paper that looks like a pillow top.  The results were so pretty that I decided to give it a shot.  I never actually used the piece of DP that I had created, so today is the day I'll use it.

You use a sponge dauber, ink, and a piece of clear acetate to make the ruled lines in both diagonal directions.  The clear acetate is important because, when you start, you should go diagonally from upper left corner to lower right corner.  It makes the pattern start at a central point.  Then when you move the acetate for the second line to the right, you have to cover up the original line.  If it weren't clear, you may not get the spacing even.

I wanted my little tabs of ribbon to match the colors of the leaves, so I used white ribbon and rubbed the inkpads over them until I achieved the depth of color I wanted.  The leaves are colored with Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol, a coloring medium I haven't used in a while.

We'd love for you to play along with us, so come on over to the CCEE Blog and see what the entire team has made for this challenge.  And, if you're so inclined, make a card and link it up with Mr. Linky at the bottom of the post.

Stamps:  Mark's Finest Papers - Autumn Glory

Ink:  SU Creamy Caramel; Memento Potter's Clay, Rhubarb Stalk, Bamboo Leaves

Paper:  MFP Natural Vanilla, Rusty Hinge

Accessories:  Ribbon, Prismacolor pencils, Gamsol