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All right, my stampin' friends, I may be stretching the definition of "technique" a little this week, but here goes...this week we will be doing Shabby Chic!
What is Shabby Chic? It is a more of a style of stamping rather than a specific method. Shabby Chic includes torn edges, muted colors, and imperfections. In short, I would characterize it as making a new card look old and "distressed".
How do we make a new card look old? Lots of ways:
1) Crumpled cardstock: the easiest way to crumple a layer is to just wad it up in your hand. Some people lightly spritz it with water before crumpling it up. After wadding it up, gently unfold it and lightly smooth it out. It's ok if it tears a little. Sometimes the folds are highlighted with a gentle application of ink (sponge, DTP, your fingers).
2) Torn edges: to get a torn edge exactly where you want it, I place my fingers of my left hand where I want the tear, and tear towards me with my right hand.
Or use SU!'s tearing edge.
3) DTP or Direct to Paper: pick up your ink pad, turn it over and swipe it on the cardstock. Varying effects are achieved by varying the pressure on the ink pad. Often this is just done around the edges, or just on the ridges left by crumpling the paper.
4) Color choices: Shades of brown are popular choices for Shabby Chic. Think of all the pink and brown cards we have seen. Other colors are used as well, but typically they are muted tones.
5) Sanding: yes, sanding! Use a piece of sandpaper to rough up the cardstock or just the edges. This adds to the distressed look.
6) Curled Edges: use your fingers and/or your fingernail to gently curl up an edge or two.
7) Stapled Ribbon Flags: Fold a 3"-5" piece of ribbon in half and staple in place near the fold. Sometimes, the ribbon is distressed too by running it over a brown toned ink pad (use a sponge to hold the ribbon firmly on the ink pad as you pull on the end of the piece).
Subtle background stamping: Canvas background comes to mind! Especially when it is stamped with versamark, or tone on tone. Also, sometimes the images are not fully inked...meaning the image is not completely stamped. When I do this with Canvas, instead of using my flat hand to press the cardstock to the stamp (face up), I just use my fingertips and press on most of the cardstock, but not everywhere, or I vary the pressure as I press.
That's all the characteristics of Shabby Chic that I can think of at the moment. If I have missed something, please let me know and I will add it to the list!
Great idea Beth. I love these kind of cards but never get up the nerve to try them! I think maybe I'm afraid I won't get the look right and people will think the card is just shabby and not chic! Can't wait to try it..you have made us come up with loads of inspiration these past weeks. Thanks!
Julia, you are not the only one! I made several attempts that really did fit the shabby part but not the chic part! LOL Just start with one or two of the elements and go from there. I think the hardest part with Shabby Chic is knowing when to stop! Just have fun with it.
I love this kind of card, but really didn't know how to get started. Thanks for posting this. I don't have the capabilities to show my card, but I am going to try this. Thanks again.
I've never really known quite what "chabby chic" meant. Thanks for the explanation. I will try to play around with this and see what I can come up with tonight! (at least you don't need a heat gun to do this one! tee hee)
Yeah! This one sounds like fun - I have been wanting to venture into the "Shabby Chic" world - but once I go there, do I ever come back?
Can't do it tonight... Inside Nextel Cup, 24 and then Medium
Can't do it tomorrow night... well, maybe from 8-9, but then it's the finally of Amazing Race!
Wednesday night... Lost... but maybe afterwards... I have successfully avoided any shows after 9:00 on Wednesdays (of course there is always catchup on TiVO... UGH!)
OK, I have my goal - post by 11:00 pm on Wednesday. ;)
I had made another one that where this one says "friends" it had the saying stamp from Spring Gardens and where the flowers were it had two eyelets with string tied in between with a button on it. But of course I must have sent all of those out and didn't keep a scan :(
I managed to get one done as well. All this distressing is very distressing! I didn't know it was so hard to crumple some paper. Hope I'm getting this right...
This is way outside my comfort zone - not sure I can do this - it is SO not my style. Perhaps I'll try crinkling some cardstock/vellum and see what happens. If I have any success at all I will be sure to post - but I'm not feeling too good about this one!!
Ok, I caved. Here is one I did. I think I got the shabby part down, still working on the chic part. :( Tomorrow is another day. I can't wait to see what kinds of cards I dream of tonight. Shabby (chic) Card
I found out my cast is Eggplant Envy because after coloring the ribbon my fingers match.
__________________ Debbi~SU Demo~SCS#6378 ~My Gallery~My SUO Blog~ Mother to 6 and Grandmother to Katie- 7/31/09 & Kyle-12/6/12
Last edited by Motherof6; 05-10-2005 at 05:38 AM..
Reason: remove pending
Here is my second attempt at this. I decided to do a shabby version of a card I made yesterday. It was interesting making the card in two different styles.
1) Crumpled cardstock: the easiest way to crumple a layer is to just wad it up in your hand. Some people lightly spritz it with water before crumpling it up. After wadding it up, gently unfold it and lightly smooth it out. It's ok if it tears a little. Sometimes the folds are highlighted with a gentle application of ink (sponge, DTP, your fingers).
I have a question about the above "technique". Do you stamp your image before you crumple the paper or after?
I will explain here also. I just made this up, I don't know if this has been done before or not. I'm calling it distressed glossy. I wanted to know what would happen if you would crumple glossy cs.
I took a piece of glossy cs and crumpled it up. Flatten out and take a versamark pad and do direct-to-paper. Brayer over piece using classic ink. Wipe with tissue. I love the effect it gave doing the glossy resist with it.
__________________ Sheryl see my gallery Enter my blog
1) Crumpled cardstock: the easiest way to crumple a layer is to just wad it up in your hand. Some people lightly spritz it with water before crumpling it up. After wadding it up, gently unfold it and lightly smooth it out. It's ok if it tears a little. Sometimes the folds are highlighted with a gentle application of ink (sponge, DTP, your fingers).
I have a question about the above "technique". Do you stamp your image before you crumple the paper or after?
Thanks,
Lesley
I think it depends on what type of look you are going for. If you stamp it BEFORE you crumple you will have a complete stamped image. If you stamp it AFTER you crumple likely the stamped image won't be complete because the mountains/valleys of the crumbles won't stamp evenly.
I have a question about the above "technique". Do you stamp your image before you crumple the paper or after?
Lesley, I stamp on mine before crumpling it, but I bet it would be interesting to stamp on it after crumpling too! Try it and see which you like better.
Oh WOW WOW WOW is all I can say to all the GREAT cards I have seen so far with this challenge. I have saved each one to my computer!
And from what y'all are saying...this one really is a *challenge*. Honestly it is a challenge for me too....it is not my normal style and it does not come easy to me. But hey, that's what these weekly challenges are all about...to try new things and grow as stampers!
Ok, here is another one I made this morning for CC09 before I start my mile-long to-do list...we are moving in about 2 weeks and I am FREAKING out! I was so agitated this morning I thought I should go stamp to calm down a little....and it worked, a little at least.