Day 23: Sunprint-Paper & Packing Tape Transfers on Decoupage Boxes

I used two different techniques for my creations today and both are cool, easy and fun. I then used the results to cover kraft paper boxes.  I wanted something really nifty because I was the lucky recipient of a big envelope of craft supplies, thanks to Scotch Brand Products and the team at 30 Days of Creativity.

I got an email about 10 days into the month from the team asking if I’d like some freebies (are you kidding? YES!) and saying they thought I was awesome!  Well, how cool is that?  In honor of PLAID DAY, the gift turned out to be from 3M and Scotch.  You know, with the little plaid label?  Good old Scotch tape.  A brand so well known, it has come to represent the product and be used  in place of the generic name, just like Kleenex, Jello and Band-aids.  Who says transparent tape, facial tissue, gelatin and bandages?

So what, you ask, was in the envelope or “creativity kit”.  Yes, Scotch tape!  Four types: magic, double-sided, packing and pop-up with a pop-up tape dispenser.   There was also three kinds of glue sticks, tacky glue, clear glue with 2-way applicator, maximum strength adhesive, an adhesive dot roller, reusable tabs for lightweight mounting, restickable shapes for mounting, photo laminating sheets and two pairs of scissors!

Now onto the projects!  I’ve been planning on doing something with Sunprints.  You make photographic type prints with special paper using sun and water.  I set out some crafting tools on the paper, exposed it to the sun for a few minutes than stopped the process with water.  They look kind of like x-rays and when dry are a beautiful rich blue.

I did a few more with ferns and other plants, jewelry and tools.   Sewing notions would make a great Sunprint.  This is a great project to do with kids and I think the prints would be wonderful framed.  I used one to cover a pencil cup and paperclip holder. I had some Kraft paper boxes and I just glued the Sunprints onto the boxes (with a handy glue stick that I happened to have on hand) and gave it a coat of decoupage medium.

When I opened my package and pawed through all the stuff I found packing tape and remembered reading about packing tape transfers.  Using packing tape and pictures from a magazine or copier or laser printer  you make little decals of the pictures but without the background paper so your image is  translucent.  Cheap and images are only as limited by what you can find to download or in a magazine.  Or copy.  Photos don’t work but copies of photos would be fine.

Once you find an image in a magazine or print it, you cut a piece of packing tape and put it over your picture.   Then you press the tape onto the picture, and burnish it with a bone folder, the back of a spoon or the edge of a ruler or letter opener.  You want to make sure all of your image is snugly sealed with tape with no bubbles or wrinkles.  Cut around your image and put it in a bowl of water.  Different tutorials gave different times for how long to soak it.  I found it was easier if it sat in the water for about 10 minutes.  Using your thumbs, gently rub the paper off of the tape, leaving your image on the clear packing tape.  Don’t scratch it though because it could take off the ink and ruin your picture.  Here is a link that shows the steps for this method: Molly Likes to Draw.

I found that it took a bit of rubbing but the paper came off eventually.  Blot the water off and you now have decals that you can glue onto a project – I used a glue stick to adhere several transferred images to a box I covered with a collage.  The large image on the left in the photo below is made with the same method but instead of packing tape I used photo laminating sheets.  I’ve read that contact paper works too, but I haven’t tested it. The printer paper came off much more easily than the glossy magazine paper.

The butterfly and key images on my collage box in the pictures above are all packing-tape transfers!

A warm thank you to the folks at 30 Days of Creativity for all the nice stuff and of course to Scotch Products.  I really am enjoying this process and it has gotten  me to stretch and strengthen my creative muscles.  I’m in wonderful company and love looking at what everyone else is producing.  I have tried things for the first time and discovered projects and mediums I want to explore further.  On the downside I’m not getting as much sleep as usual, but I have no one to blame for myself.  One more important thank you is to Rem for being so patient and supportive as I’ve turned the living room into a messy, chaotic art studio and the bedroom into an office.

As always, thank YOU for reading, responding (hint hint – love those comments), and, I hope, becoming inspired to do something creative on your own.