DESIGN OF THE DAY.........Donna Mundinger

Today we have a beautiful paper artist to focus on

Design Team Member

DONNA MUNDINGER

PRETTY GIRLS COASTERS

Gecko Galz Coquette Collage sheet from the Feb Coquette Digital Crafting Kit (only available with the subscription) 

Other: Printing Program (I use Printmaster Platinum), 4x4" travertine tiles, tissue paper, temporary adhesive (spray or tape), brush, Matte Mod Podge, water, 600 grit sand paper, felt (for back of coasters)  and matte acrylic sealer or hangers if using for wall tiles.

Choose and size Coquettes from Collage Sheet to 3 1/2" square (you may have to stretch some in one direction or the other)  Add text box sentiments, making the background of text white, rather than transparent.  Print on inexpensive regular white smooth card stock.  (I have a laser printer, I'm not sure how Mod Podge reacts with Inkjet printers.  Best to test to see if it bleeds)   Cut smooth white tissue into squares and use removable spray or tape to adhere them to the card stock (If using tape, be sure it does not cover the image anywhere).  Print again.  Trim images.

Cover tile with a medium coat of matte Mod Podge and carefully add image, smoothing any wrinkles or bubbles as best you can.  Let dry.  Add at least 3 coats of  Mod Podge to top, letting each coat dry before adding the next.  Wet sand with 600 grit sandpaper to remove any brush strokes, wiping off the milky residue with a wet paper towel.  Make sure you do not sand too deeply or you will remove any portion of the image that may have bubbled or wrinkled   Your image will appear cloudy, but will eventually dry clear.  Add more coats as needed and sand until smooth.  If using as coasters, seal with acrylic sealer.  Glue felt to the back to protect your table from scratches.  Not need to seal if just hanging as wall decoration.  Glue hanger to back of these.

Note:  I used tissue because I wanted it to appear as if the images were part of the tile.  You can see the variations of color through the images.  You may use regular copy paper which will be more opaque (and easier to smooth out without tearing) but more coats may be required.  Alternatively, use Gloss Mod Podge and sealer if desired.

GATHER YE ROSEBUDS DIGITAL CARD

All digital creation using Beautiful Borders and Feb Coquette Club Kit icons

February Answers: I guess I'd have to describe my style as eclectic.  I enjoy them all, elegant, cute, shabby, vintage, dark, you name it.  I struggle with CAS because I love to pile on the stuff and no matter what I'm doing, you're bound to see some dimension. Oh, and I love to inject some humor whenever I can.  I'm just now dabbling in all digital creations so we'll see how that goes.

Working with ephemera is new to me and I'm loving it.  I started my paper crafting, however, with a Cricut electronic die cutting machine and worked exclusively with that for several years.  Then I found digi stamps and I've amassed quite the Copic collection.  I've always loved to color.  Now the majority of my die cutting is done with a hand crank machine.  I love the Spellbinders Grand Caliber because of the large format and love the intricate dies from Spellbinders, Tattered Lace, Memory Box, Cheery Lynn etc.  And they just happen to work so well with Gecko Galz products.

I KNOW I SHOULDN'T CARD

REVENGE WALL HANGING

LOVELY TAG

PARIS WALL HANGING

Gecko Galz supplies:  Parisian Dreams Paper Pack, 6 stamps from the French Connections Digital Stamps set. 

Feb Customer Challenge Tag

Supplies

Gecko Galz :  February Coquette Club Kit Papers and Icons, Pretty Victorians Collage sheet

Other: Card Stock-Mocha and pink ,  Dies-Spellbinders Grand labels Four, Heartfelt Creations (filigree

shapes), Embellishments-White marabou trim, Prima mini roses and Say it with Pearls Flourish, 7gypsies

velvet leaves, Beige crinkle seam binding,  Tape, glue, Fun Foam (tan) and 4" wide 3M Transfer tape 

(to make colored foam for adding dimension), Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink

Use Spellbinders Label Four (3rd from the smallest die) to cut label base from mocha card stock. Leave paper in die and ink lightly inside the die with Brushed Corduroy Distress ink. Print Paper from Feb Club Kit Coquette Papers ( COU5) and use next smaller Labels Four die to cut mat.  Ink this layer the same way.  Tape or glue to base.  Cut filigree shapes from pink and glue to top and bottom of tag.

Re size and print fan from Coquette Icons, fussy cut, ink edges with Brushed Corduroy and glue or tape marabou trim on back.  Use printing program to move the word "lovely" onto the bow (both from Coquette Icons)  size, print, fussy cut and ink. Print lady from the Pretty Victorians 1 Collage sheet (top right) 3 times.  Fussy cut image as shown, ink and decoupage using foam for dimension. TIP:  I make my own colored dimensional foam using sheets of craft foam (Fun Foam) and 4" wide (3M)  transfer tape to adhere to both sides.  It can then be cut or punched to any size and virtually disappears when your project is viewed from the side.  Avoid buying foam that is already adhesive on one side.  Whatever they use loses it's stick very quickly.

Use tape and foam to adhere fan and lady to tag.  Attach seam binding to back of bow and use foam (at center point only) to pop, then attach small rose.  Cut apart pearl swirl and add to tag base.  Attach velvet leaves to top of tag with roses beneath.  Loop seam binding through top of filigree element.