Paper Gumbo: Love Letters and More

Thursday, February 9, 2006

Love Letters and More

From the LM Newsletter Archives

Product Feature: Love Letters and More

By Madeline Fox, Design Team Member

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways!

I love you thick. I love you thin. I love your versatility. I love your strength. I love you in all your colors, shapes and sizes. But I especially love you naked! AND…I love that there are so many ways to dress you up!

Yes, I’m going delirious over chipboard again. Naked chipboard! Much like a blank canvas, bare chipboard, without color or texture has endless possibilities. Products that can be altered and embellished are always a hit with scrapbookers who are forever seeking ways to customize their projects. Naked chipboard is just the answer for those wishing to create unique accents that coordinate with any color scheme.

Dressing up chipboard alphas or shapes can be as easy as brushing on a coat of paint. Acrylic paint can be applied directly out of the bottle or mixed for a completely custom color. There are numerous ways to take these painted pieces and further alter their look. Sanding to scruff up and remove some of the paint followed by a dilute coat of walnut ink will give a nice patina. Inking to define the edges is another favorite method. To add pizzazz, brush on distress marks in a contrasting color, stamp designs or apply decorative rub-ons. Dearest to my heart is the crackle finish, remarkably simple and easy to achieve, adding instant age and charm! (For best results, remember to use contrasting colors, one light and one dark, so the cracks will be easily visible.)

Don’t want to pick up a paintbrush? Another way to quickly put a finish on bare chipboard is to cover it with paper. Adhere paper, applying adhesive directly to the chipboard, careful to insure that the edges are coated sufficiently. Let dry and cut around the chipboard piece with scissors or an exacto knife. You don’t have to be too precise at this stage, because a light sanding on the edges will remove any excess paper. Just as with paint, you can sand, ink, distress, stamp, or apply rub-ons to the paper-topped chipboard for an embellishment uniquely yours.

You don’t have to stop there. Now’s the time to accessorize! Tie with fibers or ribbons. Attach brads or eyelets. Embellish with flowers, charms, or anything your heart desires. The large F monogram on the layout, Finn (and Friends), is first covered with coordinating patterned paper, sanded and inked, then accented with Prima flowers with embossed brad centers.

Ultimately, whether it’s dressed to the nines or pleasantly plain, chipboard can assume the personality of the page or project at hand. Celebrated chipboard offerings guaranteed to steal your heart:

Basic Grey Undressed Chipboard-The recipient of much love and attention, Basic Grey’s printed monogram alphabet has been dressed down and made into a quality diecut chipboard collection of 26 alphas and one symbol, measuring almost 3 inches each. A single letter R from this pack adorns my pink and black puzzle piece, making quite a statement with its crackle finish, ribbon and flower embellishments! Other BG chipboard offerings include Undressed Tags and Undressed Hardware.
Making Memories Jigsaw Alphabets-One of the first chipboard offerings on the market, Jigsaw Alphas continue to be a favorite with their unique design. Double your fun by using both the positive and negative components of these letters and numbers. Several of these alphas in different fonts are an integral part to my page, Chopsy and Lindsey’s Most Excellent Adventure. A mixture of uppercase, lowercase, thick and thin, these alphabets add a sense of fun to the title. Gameboard alphas, shapes, and tags are additional Making Memories chipboard products. Susan’s used some of the heart shapes to decorate her adorable Valentine Lunchpails, along with an assortment of Maya Road clips (see below).
Maya Road Chipboard Sets-Packaged in their signature storage tin, there are five sets of 24-36 pieces (depending on the set). Packages available include basic shapes, clips, bookplates, and chipboard blossoms. A large heart clip, painted and splattered to match the Doodlebug papers, can be seen on the layout, Pampered Pooch.
Bazzill Really Big Letters-These letters are actually “half-way” dressed! The large chipboard letters, with positive and negative elements, are covered in a white Bazzill cardstock, just waiting for a little finesse from you.
Zsiage Alphastructure-when you want to make a BIG statement, these 10-inch chipboard letters are the ones to do it. There is lots of room to play on them, too! So break out your stamps or doodle to your hearts content. You’re sure to fall in love all over again!