Decorated Clipboard Tutorial -- Part One

I decorated a clipboard for my daughter as a gift for finishing her Freshman year!

Edited to add a better photo of the finished front!

Supplies:

Skull & Rose stamp from "Man's Ruin" set
Rose, Rose Garland, Sentiments from "Love & Luck" set
Corner Swashes from the Lady Luck set
Clipboard from Staples
Tuxedo Black Memento Ink by Tsukineko
Permanent Black Archival Ink
Copic Markers
Stone Gray Ancient Page Ink by Tsukineko
Starlight Silver Brilliance Ink by Tsukineko
Silver Detail Embossing Powder by Ranger Industries
Chalk by Stampin' Up
Alcohol Ink, Blending Solution by Ranger Industries
Classic Crest Solar White by Neenah
Patterned Paper by Basic Grey
Silver Foil Stickers: Got at a stamp show
Flashing Tape from Home Depot
Indigo Mini font by QuicKutz
Stamp-a-Ma-Jig by EK Success
Xyron X
Decoupage Glue by EK Success (Martha Stewart)
Stylus

Instructions:
1. Diecut name, adhere diecut letters to a piece of cardstock that was cut to fit on the solid part of the clipboard, and then adhere to the metal of the clipboard where you want it.

2. Cover the clip of the clipboard with Flashing Tape, taking care to have a solid piece over the nameplate.

3. Run the point of the stylus around the outline of the letters so that they stand out. Use the stylus to add decoration (scratches, dots, dashes, grid patterns, etc.) to the rest of the clip.

4. Using the felt applicator, apply alcohol ink as desired over the the entire Flashing tape-foil covered clip of the clipboard. Add as many colors as you desire until you're happy with the result. Add black alcohol ink to the silver metal under the clip. Let dry.*

5. Take your permanent black ink pad and swipe it across the raised letters of the nameplate. Immediately wipe off the ink. Magic! The black ink removes most of the alcohol ink, leaving a silver foil name. Use a Q-tip dipped in Blending Solution to remove any traces of alcohol ink from the letters.
6. Cut a strip of patterned paper and adhere it along one side of the top of the clipboard, smooth it down, and razor off the excess. Repeat for the other side.

7. Cut a piece of white cardstock to 8 7/8" x 7". Using chalk pencils, mark a grid to determine where you want to stamp your images. I usually do this in rough form on scrap printer paper to make sure I'm happy with my placement.

8. Using your Stamp-a-Ma-Jig, stamp your images, taking care that they're all right side up. *snicker* If you do stamp one image upside down, make sure it's the last image you stamp so you get as frustrated as possible. You'll get extra points if it's a sentiment. However, if you screw up, you can play with colors to choose the one you like best. This is called the silver lining of your scowl cloud.

9. Color your images as desired.

10. Smudge gray ink as desired. Stamp corner swooshes in silver, add embossing powder, and heat emboss. Add chalk to edges to add a bit more oomph.

11. Using a black Copic markers, ink around all edges of the clipboard, going a bit onto the front and back sides of the edges.

12. Using Decoupage Glue, brush glue onto the clipboard and to the back of the stamped scene. Adhere stamped scene to the middle of the clipboard. Brush glue on the reverse of strips of patterned paper and adhere above and below the stamped scene. Roll a brayer over all papers to make sure all paper is smoothly adhered to the clipboard with no bubbles. Wipe away any excess glue.

13. Wait til the ink is dry then sand all edges of the paper. Add additional chalk or ink to the piece to make you happy. I added a touch more blue and then added some red to the blue/grayish white patterned paper to tie in the red on the foiled top.

14. Adhere the silver foil stickers to cover any seams or to add more visual interest.

*The photo of the finished front is not wonderful. It poured rain all day so my natural light was poor. I'll try to get a better photo when the sun returns.

**Be sure to use the alcohol ink before an important family function so that your fingers are totally ink-stained to the horror and disgust of your relatives.

***I finally found and will be picking up a sealant spray that won't mess up alcohol ink and Copic markers. I will be spraying this on the completed clipboard to protect it so it can be used for a long time.

If you made it this far, Kudos!

Part Two -- The back of the clipboard will be arriving soon.