Saturday 23 February 2013

"Love" Banner for My Creative Scrapbook Kit Club using 7 Gypsies Banner & Basic Grey {True Love} & Lots of Prima!





Hey everyone!  Just copying and pasting my blog post for My Creative Scrapbook Kit Club up here right now.  I have been working on this every spare minute that I've had this week & am happy to say that it is finally complete.  Unfortunately I'm experiencing problems with showcasing XL photos on my blog - my template has mysteriously narrowed - so until I can sort that problem out some of the photos are a bit too teeny but scroll down & the portrait orientation ones are bigger!  Oh & you can also click on them and they'll come up bigger!!  


Helen created this banner using the February 2013 project kit, along with her leftovers from this month’s Limited Edition Kit.


She started off by misting her fabric strip using various blue, green and pink mists then cutting the piece into 7 strips, each about ¾” wide,
fraying each side as she went along.

Next step was painting up the chipboard pennants using white acrylic paint & pink, blue & lime green paint dabbers from Ranger.  She created
The texture ‘stipple’ effect using a thick stencilling paintbrush & applying the white acrylic paint generously.

She then left it to dry thoroughly overnight.


The next evening Helen tackled this project again by creating ‘mini-layouts’ on each pennant. 

She found an old family photograph & used her 2” square punch to punch out the face of each family member.

She created an additional pennant (see above centre) using corrugated cardstock as a base & tracing around one of the chipboard pennants.

She did this so that she could place herself and her 2 daughters on one side of it and her husband and 2 sons on the other side, with her “title pennant” in the centre.


She used up practically everything that came in the Project kit (which is packed full of flowers, charms, dangles & lovely chipboard).

She used her own paints, dymo tape to add everyone’s nicknames to their pennants, Liquid Pearls, doilies & corrugated cardstock in craft.


Creating each person’s personalised pennant was the funnest part!  She began by cutting 6 rectangles from the corrugated cardstock, measuring slightly smaller than the pennants. 

Then she layered up the other elements on top of it, starting with the music sheet paper provided, followed by a doily, in each case, which provided consistency and a uniform look.


Using up her many offcuts from her Limited Edition Kit {all Basic Grey ‘True Love’ papers} she layerd them up, adding swipes of gesso, lime green paint & brown ink as she went along.

She embellished each pennant with flowers, chipboard & charms, using a very strong adhesive for durability.


Time guides :-  Painting = One Hour
                       Dying fabric, cutting and fraying strips = One Hour
                       Creating each personalised pennant as you would a mini-album page = ½ hour x 7 = 3.5 hours
                       Finishing touches on each pennant (Liquid Pearls, etc) = Total ½ hour
                       Threading & knotting pennants to hold banner together = One Hour
                       Drilling up banner & final touches using glue-gun (to make sure everything is really secure) = One Hour

All in all Helen took 8 hours to create & hang this banner in her home but she is really proud of her creation & has it hanging in the bedroom passage of her home, where the whole family can enjoy and appreciate it every day.


She split this project over 3 evenings after work so it was fun & achievable, the perfect way to wind down after a long day at work.

Above is the extra pennant that she created herself, from scratch.  This is not essential to the project, she chose to add this for the sake of symmetry & to provide a place for her to add a title to her creation.


This banner looks really impressive & will have your guests going ‘WOW!” but really it’s simple if you break it down into workable stages & treat each pennant as you would a mini-album page.


Helen doesn’t like to waste so she used up all the packaging that came with the kit too!  Can you spot the Prima packaging on the pennant above?


As a final touch Helen swiped the frayed fabric holding the banner together, with white acrylic paint using a sponge (she saves hers from the inside of pill bottles!) as these make the most perfect paint applicators. 

Adding the white kept everything lovely & modern & bright.

Would you like to have fun playing with this banner project too?  If so it is still for sale in our store HERE.




26 comments:

Christy said...

This is STUNNING! I love that you made it a banner, but I am so inspired I'm going to sit and see if I can use it as inspiration for some mini album pages. PERFECTION! :)

Christy said...

This is STUNNING! I love that you made it a banner, but I am so inspired I'm going to sit and see if I can use it as inspiration for some mini album pages. PERFECTION! :)

gracescraps@gmail.com said...

What an amazing banner. Each flag is a piece of art in itself!! ~ Blessings, Tracey

http://gracescraps.blogspot.com/

Linda Eggleton said...

Wow, this is so gorgeous Helen..and such a beautiful banner to hang somewhere in your home. I love the layers upon layers on each banner..fabo work!

Alison said...

Love this Helen...where will you hang it
Alison xx

Carin McDonough said...

Wow Helen this is simply gorgeous!! Love every little detail and there is so much to look at! I really love the fabric you used to tie it together with :) You are definitely the first person to tell me I look like Amanda Seyfried, I wish lol :)

Lizzy Hill said...

Helen, this is one of the most beautiful creations I've ever seen - the amount of detail & the fiddli-ness of it would drive me BONKERS....it's just amazing...& a lovely tribute to your family, too:):):)

Gayle Price said...

Wow ! This is sooo pretty, and so detailed, just beautiful, bright and happy. I think a real 'labour of love'. Thanks for your sweet comments on my Paris pics. I felt I was always in a rush too. Travelling with husband and 2 daughters, who at times got a little impatient with me wanting to stop every 2 seconds to take , yet another photo !!! Of course I would love to go back to Paris....maybe you and I can go together and spend as long as we like just taking photos lol. My family actually left me behind one day in Prague, I was totally lost for about an hour, but it was ok, I had my camera, so was happy and eventually found my way home. xx

Sandie said...

Wowzer, Helen this is gorgeous and I adore what you created with the MCS kit - such a work of art. All the details are just amazing, so much to 'see'.

Denise van Deventer said...

Gorgeous Helen....love this banner..it is sooo stunning! The colouring and layering is just superb!!!! Awesome work girl! ;-)

Eila Sandberg said...

O-M-G Helen! this has to be one of the most gorgeous projects I have seen you create!! each and one of the pennants is magnificently thought out and beautifully executed. All of them put together as a banner is MAGNIFICENT!! Yes, you should really be proud of this labour of love!! Often having to do one bit each day over a longer period of time actually makes the creative process better as you get time for new perspectives and proper drying time and thus also the colours get truer. xoxoxo

Jasmine S said...

Wow Helen. Just stunning. So many details on each "banner piece". Love it.

FiKenward said...

I think you really went all out on this, so many yummy things to look and so much detail , stunning!

Keren Tamir said...

Omg Helen this is absolutely stunning!! One of your best projects ever!! I'm in love with this one!! Utterly in love!! Going to check it again!! Hugs!!!

yyam said...

Oh wow. Just gorgeous Helen. I love the amazing colours and layers and way to go on utilizing the packaging too. I love the idea of an individual layout for each pennant...so clever! :)

Adriana B said...

totally fabulous love all the layers, your work is so awesome :)

alexandra s.m. said...

OMG Helen! I have never seen such an incredibly beautiful and complex banner in my life!
I particularly love your way with layering and recycling some "unexpected elements"...

You are too good ;o)

sandi said...

wow Helen! This is stunning! So much gorgeous detail! Looks amazing!!!!!!!!!

Cassandra aka Scrap Savvy said...

Fun project! Fabulous details on each section! Wow!:)

Unknown said...

What a gorgeous banner..each piece is so beautifully layered..so pretty!

Julie Tucker-Wolek said...

Wowwwwwwwwww! This is gorgeous Helen!! I loveeeeeeee the colors and the layers!!!

Denise Price said...

Great home decor piece. You must love having this hanging in your hallway. I especially like the hand-dyed fabric--that's a nice touch.

I hope that _Scrap 365_ will catch on here. It's actually cheaper than some of the American scrapbooking magazines, so there is a good chance that people will be tempted to buy it. Fingers crossed...

Leonie said...

oh my this is just stunning!!! It must have taken hours.

ANUPAMA CHOUDARY said...

I am amazed at the amount of effort that must have gone into making this project! Way to Go, Helen.

Marjie Kemper said...

Oooooooooh, this is one of my Top Ten Helen Makes! Love all the building up and layering on each panel, especially how you've tucked the photos in there. This is fantabulous!

Lynette Jacobs said...

I love the banner...it must have taken forever there is so much detail there. You have really outdone yourself on this project.