Xyron and Core'dinations Blog Hop - Framed Halloween Subway Art

I cannot even begin to fully express how freakin' excited I am to be hopping with Core'dinations and Xyron today!  Core'dinations was the first (and only) brand of cardstock that I purchased when I started scrapbooking almost four years ago.  I loved the weight, the texture, the range of colors, the color core! I was spoiled from the beginning.  Four years later, I still have not discovered another brand that lives to the same standard of awesome that Core'dinations does.  And when you partner Core'dinations with Xyron adhesives, there are no limits to the crafting possibilities!

For this blog hop, I wanted to create some holiday home decor.  We are now committed to October and Halloween is on my mind!  Here is a decorated frame with some Halloween subway art that I created.

Supplies:  Core'dinations Cardstock; Core'dinations SandIt Tool; Patterned Paper (Bazzil - All Hallow's Eve); Adhesives (Xyron High Take Adhesive Dots, Xyron 1.5" Create-a-Sticker); EK Success Mini Pennant Punch; EK Success 2 Point Flag Punch; Spellbinders Bitty Blossoms Die; Sizzix Framelit Dies; Paper Studio Tiny Stars Embossing Folder; May Arts Ribbon; Studio Calico Mr. Huey's Shine; Ink Jet Transparency; Digital Files (Kolette Hall, Lori Whitlock); Little Yellow Bicycle Stick Pins; WRMK Floss, Target Washi Tape.

I wanted to be sure to share a couple of tips and tricks that I learned in the process of making this frame.

1.  Patterned Paper + Ink Jet Transparencies = AWESOME Framed Artwork.  I really wanted to use this file from the Silhouette Online Store and designed by Kolette Hall.  It is intended to be cut out of vinyl and I was trying to decide between cutting it out of vinyl or cardstock.  However, after my electronic die cutting machine was giving me so attitude (it does that sometimes), I started searching for another solution.  Then, like a light bulb popping out of the top of my head, and as the clouds parted to reveal magnificent rays of sunlight, it came to me.  Pure genius.  And I didn't even steal the idea from Pinterest, for realz.  TRANSPARENCIES!!!

Using my normal and amazingly boring ink jet printer, I printed the word art image onto a sheet of ink jet transparency (I use Sparco Ink Jet Transparency Film originally purchased from Amazon but I don't think they carry it anymore).  I layered that directly over some Halloween patterned paper from Bazzil All Hallow's Eve trimmed to fit inside of the frame.  Then, just like that, I created the look of vinyl with the super crisp black words without the fuss of cutting anything.  I mean, come on?  Pretty awesome, right?  And now, you can super easily change out the word art throughout the month!!!

2.  Xyron High Tack Adhesive Dots and Rolled Flowers.  The New! Xyron High Tack Adhesive Dots are perfect for making sure that your 3D paper flowers stay together.  They were also strong enough for me to directly adhere the flowers (and everything else) directly onto the frame without having to turn on the nasty glue gun!

The Core'dinations cardstock is so thick that it is perfect for making these Spellbinder Bitty Blossom flowers.  For the leaves, after cut and embossing the leaves, I used the Core'dinations SandIt Tool to add more detail and dimension to the leaves.  I really think that if you are ever going to cut and emboss anything, you NEED to use Core'dinations cardstock with the sanding block.  There is no other product that gives you such amazing results.

The beautiful color core also shines through in this pennant element along the top of the frame.  To create this effect, I embossed the Core'dinations cardstock with a stars embossing folder and then sanded with the Core'dinations SandIt Tool.

And did you see that I just covered the sides of the frame with washi tape?  Oh yeah.  Awesome.

Make sure to head over the Xyron blog to check out some seriously gorgeous projects featuring Xyron and Core'dinations.

As always, thanks so much for stopping by!