Let Your Dreams Soar Frame

Hi Crafty Fiends,

It's my turn to post a tutorial on the Elizabeth Craft Designs blog today. The new ModaScrap Happy Frame and Happy Frame XL which were released in January are so much fun and versatile. These can be used for cards, frames and lots of other fun things. One of the fun things about these dies is that you can create frames any size you wish up to approximately 8 inches and can be either square or rectangular. All you need to do is cut the die cut pieces to the size you wish to make.

For my project today I decided to create a framed art piece which can be used for a child's room using the Happy Frames XL  and Vintage Hot Air Balloon Race die sets.

Here is how I created my framed art piece:

Step 1 -

• Using the Happy Frame die, die cut 4 frames from your desired paper or cardstock (ModaScrap Back To School Patterned Paper Pack used here). 

•  Note if you are using a patterned paper that has a definite direction of the pattern like the one used in the photo above, you need to think before die cutting your papers ... Looking at the photo above, note how each time one of the frames was die cut, the direction in which the frame was placed onto the patterned paper was changed prior to die cutting so that the finished frame would be have the pattern all going in the same direction. Of course using plain or an generic pattern (as I have used for my project today) is much easier to do.

• Fold each of the frames along the four score lines of each panel. Note - it is easier to fold along each fold line in a valley fold first and then fold it into a mountain fold once you have folded along each fold line.
• Place a piece of Clear Double Sided Adhesive Tape along the tab (shortest edge).
• Remove the protective backing from the adhesive and bring the other edge over and secure to the adhesive.
• Form a box shape with each of the frame panels.

Note - if you were wanting to change the size of the finished frame, you would trim the the straight edge of either two or four of the frame panels before adhering each frame panel to form a box shape.

• Arrange each of the frames to form a square (or rectangle) so that each of the pointed edges are all going in the same direction. (This is also a good time to make sure the pattern on your paper is all going the correct way if your frame has a pattern).
• Apply some adhesive to the three inner sides of the pointy end of one of the box frame pieces and place the square end of the other into it. Ensure that you have a neat corner.

• Repeat the last step until you have all four corners glued to form a frame.

Step 2 -

• Cut a piece of White Soft Finish Cardstock that 7 3/4 inches square and adhere to the back of the frame.
• Using the cloud patterned paper from the ModaScrap My Little Boy 6 x 6 Patterned Paper Pack, adhere to centre of frame.

Step 3 - 

• Using the Vintage Balloon Race die set, die cut two each of the detail balloon layers (one from white cardstock and one from colored cardstock). Color the basket and ropes of each hot air balloons using brown copic markers. 
• Cut off the rope/basket from the colored cardstock die cut pieces and adhere over the white hot air balloons.
• Die Cut the large and medium solid balloon dies using coordinating cardstock and adhere to the back of the colored hot air balloons.
• Stamp the "heart with wings" from the A Way With Words - Soar Collection Clear Stamp set directly onto the small orange hot air balloon using black ink. Color image using colored pencils. 
• Decorate all balloons with various colors of Glitter Dots.

Step 4 -

• Using the cloud die from the Adventure Edges die set, die cut a piece of White Soft Finish Cardstock so that the cloud is 6 inches long and approximately 1 1/2 inches in height. 
• Sponge the edge of the clouds using blue ink.
• Stamp the sentiment "let your dreams soar" from the  A Way With Words - Soar Collection Clear Stamp set to the centre of the cloud using Black VersaFine Ink, cover sentiment with Clear Embossing Powder and heat set. 
• Adhere the cloud to the bottom of frame using foam tape.

Step 5 - 

• Adhere the hot air balloons inside the frame using foam tape.

Step 6 - 

• Using the A Way With Words - Soar die, die cut the sentiment four times from red cardstock. Adhere each of the sentiments onto each other to form a thick sentiment.
• Adhere sentiment to lower right hand corner of frame.

Thank you for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed my tutorial.

Supplies:
Elizabeth Craft Designs:

Other:
Cardstock - Red; Yellow; Orange; Blue; Green
Inks - Black VersaFine Ink; Tumbled Glass Distress Ink
Clear Embossing Powder
Heat Gun
Copic Markers
Pencils
Foam Tape