I have a brag book size Christmas album that calls one of Stampin' Up's red linen album's home, but it was a little plain until I jazzed it up with a big die cut snowflake as an experiment to see how our SU vinyl would work for this application. I had some help from the Stampin' Up Big Shot machine, the Snowflake #2 die, and our white vinyl "raw material" from our Decor Elements decorative vinyl line.
The vinyl comes in rolls that you can get from your Stampin' Up demonstrator or from me at the SHOP NOW link in the upper right corner. Here are the basics on how the vinyl is sold: Each package comes with two (2) 12" x 24" sheets of vinyl in
specified color, along with two (2) 12" x 24" sheets of transfer tape
to make using your vinyl pieces easy to use. Instructions for use are
included in the package.
| Item |
Product Name |
Price |
| 114334 |
Dark Gray Décor Elements Sheets |
$12.95 |
| 114335 |
White Décor Elements Sheets |
$12.95 |
| 114336 |
Kraft Décor Elements Sheets |
$12.95 |
| 114337 |
Chocolate Décor Elements Sheets |
$12.95 |
I used the Snowflake die to cut one snowflake from a piece of the White Vinyl -- just the vinyl part which has a backing on it -- you'll apply the transfer tape layer AFTER you've cut out the snowflake from the vinyl. Leave your cut snowflake semi-attached to the surrounding leftover backing paper -- and press the vinyl side against the sticky transfer tape, following the how-to's for that step that come with it.
Here's what it looks like with that cut snowflake vinyl side down and most of the leftover backing then peeled away.
Here's my snowflake ready to apply. I've peeled most of the backing paper off the design area to reveal it's stickyness -- but note that I did leave some of the paper or vinyl "tidbits" inside the snowflake's pierced points. I found it easier to peel those off after I'd rubbed the snowflake onto the album.
You can see the black plastic Decor Elements tool that used to burnish my snowflake down. This is where I had to work a little differently than when putting Decor Elements vinyl on a wall or glass -- surfaces that it sticks easily to. Linen albums are sort of an "off label" use. I found that if I peeled the transfer paper up slowly and used my fingertips to also help the snowflake peel off toward the album, then I could get it in place -- so I peeled and pressed the vinyl surface with my fingers (carefully) as I needed to smooth it in place. You could try not using the transfer tape layer at all -- and just peeling off the backing and trying to hold the snowflake taut like a sticker as you lower it in place -- just remember, the vinyl is thin and you don't want it to stick to itself so I found the transfer paper helped me place it just where I wanted it.
Once I had all the transfer tape off, I really smoothed the edges of the vinyl against the linen and I succeeded in getting a pretty good bond (remember I said this is an off label use). See those blue tidbits of backing? I just used the tip of a paper piercer and my fingernails to "pry" them out at this stage -- easier for me and not too hard, I promise. The whole process took a little time -- but was not that hard. And since the album does not takes lots of wear and tear, the snowflake is stuck good enough for me.
Here's a view before the ribbon. In case you're wondering -- yes, I could have tried cutting the snowflake from white card stock and gluing it in place or perhaps white fabric backed with an iron-on adhesive sheet that I then carefully ironed in place (carefully I said, so as not to melt any part of the album -- I have not tried this and am not sure it's a great idea so use caution is you try that!!!!)
I chose the vinyl because it will stay nice and clean and bright white! I'll let you know how my pretty experiment holds up!
