Tuesday, November 03, 2009

Technique Tuesdays: Making Colored Fluff and freebie

Hello everyone,
I'm starting a new series on my blog called Technique Tuesdays. I will show you how to do different techniques related to paper crafting on my blog every Tuesday. This Tuesday I am featuring how to make your own "Colored Fluff". It is similar to a product currently on the market called Flower Soft. I originally got the technique from a member of the Scal-hints yahoo group. She posted a video of this technique she found on You Tube but I don't believe I'm allowed to share the video so you'll just have to do a search if interested....or better yet keep reading and I'll show you how. My son helped me to make this stuff the first time...it's very easy and inexpensive to make!



I only had 3 colors of reinkers. I did have some distress ink pads and remembered they work well with water so I used them to color the "fluff" and will show you how below.



Now I will share with you the results of each coloring method so you can see how it works.



These are just some of the options for coloring that I have tried. You can experiment with non-distress reinkers or food coloring. The styrofoam balls are very inexpensive..they are available at many department stores. You can even add glitter to your fluff. I will tell you though I tried using my homemade glimmer mist (combining distress reinker, water and perfect pearl powder)....it didn't work very well and I had to spritz the fluff with many sprays to get any color at all..so I recommend not using your homemade glimmer mist. Oh and I got the storage containers I used at the Dollar Tree. I have also seen people use the clear acrylic containers with screw on lids that stack or come in a large acrylic box. I had good luck with rubbing the styrofoam balls against each other but some have used kitchen graters with good results too. You just need to use a dryer sheet or anti-static spray to control the static.

Now I know you're wondering what to do with all this "colored fluff" you have made. I will show you the example I made for this tut below. I have to tell you though this card looked much better in the mental image I pictured in my head then it did when I actually made it. But...it is an example of how to use the "colored fluff" so...here you go!



I mixed together, yellow, red, orange and brown colored fluff to add to my card. I used the bowl and leaves from my build a turkey file. The tag is from my tags galore file. Click below if you'd like to purchase either of these files. It's hard to tell in the photo but I also added Doodlebug flocking to the leaves. Note: Michelle the owner of Paperthreads has an amazing video on how to do flocking on her blog..here. The berries were done with dimension paint. I also added some dimensional adhesive squares. Penny Duncan has an amazing tut on how to make these "pop dots" on her blog...here.






I'd also like to share with you a card I did using the Flower Soft I purchased. This stuff is a great way to dress up a store bought card if you're in a hurry. I also added some glitter after I put on the flower soft while the glue was still wet.




My membership club has officially started. If you'd like to see a peak at the first file...an explosion box...scroll down to the previous post. If you'd like to purchase the membership click on the preview below.



Thanks so much for stopping by and letting me share this FUN technique with you. As a departing gift...I will give you a set of tags. I hope you'll stop back sometime soon. Hurry the freebie will expire approximately 24 hours! The zip file will include the AI, KNK, GSD, WPC and SVG formats. Even though this file is free I please ask that you don't share it. Send them here to download it themselves instead.



Link expired.

Have fun playing with styrofoam!
Shelly
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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

FANTASTIC job girl!!! I LOVED it!!!!! And your card.......IT'S GORGEOUS!!!! But best of all...your son is very handsome!!! ;)

Rebecca said...

What a cute, little helper you have! Thanks so much for the tutorial & freebie. I can't wait to try the fluff out on a card. Very cute!

Sue aka barracudasue said...

VERY cool, Shelly! I'm going to have to try this! LOVE the idea of making your own!

Thanks for the tutorial and the freebie! YOU ROCK!

Carol said...

Thanks for the great freebie. I came across the video tutorial a couple of days ago and plan to make some...hadn't thought of having my son help. I'll have to have him give it a try.

Carol

Caroline said...

Thanks for the tutorial and the freebie, I am looking forward to these Technique Tuesdays! cheers, caz