What is Pergamano?

Following my recent Post, Rita, of SoulComfort blog, had to Google the answer, so I've done the same. The answer is:
Pergamano is a trade name for Parchment Craft supplies.  However the term Pergamano ('Perga', Spanish for parchment and 'Mano', Spanish for hands) is now used world wide to describe this fascinating craft.
The heavy parchment paper is a translucent grey colour, but when you pressure-emboss it (pressing on it with a small round-ended tool) on a soft surface, it becomes a satiny, opaque white.  In addition to pressure embossing, there are various painting and perforating techniques that can be applied to make a very elegant looking piece of art work.  Using perforating tools such as the flower tool, the four hole piercer and the diamond tool and grid make the parchment lace-like.  With these techniques, you can make cards, bookmarks, boxes, lamp shades and even three-dimensional flowers.

In process

So, now that my white pen has arrived, before the craft group meets tonight, I've finally finished mine, remembering to use tissue to keep my sweaty paws from marking the front.

Traced, Embossed and partly Perforated

When I tore the pin-pricked edge I realised that I had forgotten to go through both front and back together. Pity. However, not too bad for a first effort.

The Finished Card

All I have to do now is to make an insert for the words, which also strengthens the card to stand. I think I'll send it to Jean!

Instead of all-white colouring and embossing, the back of the flowers can be painted. Jean had lots of samples she had made and they are beautiful.

Have a try yourself. Mind you, one wee tip I know is that vellum in a folder run through the Cuttlebug or Big Shot or whatever, gives a very Pergamano-like effect! Shhh...

Craft Report

Sorry you didn't make it this morning, Jane, we missed your input.

We certainly did, my partner in craft.

A good start was made by my leaving my zipper case of card and Val's PG CDs at home, meaning we had to waste still more petrol (I love the petrol sign) in going back since Norman had already left.

No problems. You had left the all important card and Val's music in your study. Fancy forgetting that Alice. LOL (That is what you get for cheeking me yesterday about forgetting mine)

I used Ruthie's Media & Pastimes and Lace Hearts boards: embossing two white linen shirts.

Sounds like good material instead of card.

and one shocking cerise pink scalloped hearts, some black then graphite TVs and just now realise I didn't have time to do the black waistcoats! Ruthie - please may I borrow the board?

You may do that.

Mary actually sat down for some of the time and was busily producing as usual.

Mrs Pergamano here she comes.....showing me how good it was until she found the smaller pen was better!!

She said that I would be able to buy a 1" rolling pin in the Early Learning Centre for curling the Bookatrix shapes

Something a similar size would do the same job I think.

- Becky had embossed some of her own ready for a card. Mary isn't called the Flying Web-Searcher for nothing!

That makes her sound like a cobweb hunter....no, that was Francis yesterday.

Lynn showed us her in-production scrapbook for Gemma and we admired her young-looking Dad and the handsome Colin.

It was very impressive.

Meanwhile Val was busy with black embossed rubber-stamped flowers, filling-in with Twinkling H2Os and watercolour pencils with water-brushes.

I am glad you said filling in. At first I thought the flowers were black.

Ruthie tried plain rubber-stamping before using the pencils, but of course it smudged a teensy bit:

How kind. It smudged more than that I can tell you.

however, the result looked very promising and she was enthused to think of purchasing some.

Indeedy.

When she heard I had a spare tin she was a happy bunny. Unfortunately I forgot to give her some watercolour paper to try for a different effect.

How remiss of you. Did we run out of time or something.

Val then made peel-off on acetate multi-coloured butterflies which looked gorgeous despite them being ~ shudder ~ insects.

They are not called shudder insects but beautiful butterflies.

We were accused yet again of purloining when there was no trace of one of the metal 'badges' that everyone had been given - well, who would pinch one that said Mary on it?

Search your bags everyone, Mary has something missing again.

Val had no extra rulers in her possession, our drawers and bags were turned inside-out,

Well the bags were

when we suddenly thought of the Scrapbook - sure enough, stuck to the plastic cover was? - you've guessed it.

Lynn was trying to steal it and call herself Mary.

Looks like Mary will be needing indigestion tablets again after eating still more hoomble pie, as our Yorkshire Arthur would say.

We listened to part of the Praise Gathering 2008 rehearsals, are you prepared to come along, Jane, to support your three friends?

She will still have concussion after shopping in Glasgow and no money left.

When we left, Ruthie took one of her spontaneity turns and we whooshed off to S for Stamps for a somewhat fruitless visit: no Twinkling H2Os and the lace was extortionate.

It was hardly worth the effort. I didn’t get what I was looking for. Alice was keen to buy more boxes but I sat on her and said NO in a firm voice.

Nothing daunted we called in at Stitches where we got four different designs of lace, to experiment after watching your video (9). Who should wander in but Lynn, wondering what we were buying...We spent the grand total of £1.11...which really must have increased the profit of the new owner Paula, a graduate of the Art School and a dab hand with cutting centimetres accurately - just what we're good at - not.

Every day in every way I am getting better and better: 2.5cm = 1" so there. You should have heard Alice discussing the measurements with new owner Paula...with such expert precision - 70 centimetres please divided into three bits (so that Becky could have some) and she did it. That is what keeps her in business.

We're looking forward to your Exploding Box being demonstrated.

Keep in touch.

Love Alice

How many names have we got now?

Love Ruth

Lots...but they are all printable.

Sounds like you had a good morning.

Jane x

Lofty ideas

Hi Ruth,

Do we have a photo of Alice being pulled up into Jane’s loft ? I just can’t go there! We didn’t need a rope after all, LOL. She climbed steadily first up the ten front steps outside the house and then carefully up Jane's stairs to the top landing, not standing on the cats Buttons or Missy en route and then made the triumphant ascent into the attic . We were like kids let loose in a sweet [candy] shop. We had a very non-stressful filming time with Jane making a wonderful Glitter Lace border on a card. Simple, but so effective. Wait till you see the movie [Video 9 on our YouTube]. It was the most relaxed movie we have done, with a bit of banter now and then. Once Jane got used to the camera we just ignored it and had fun. I think you will all enjoy it. Alice then made the descent, with Jane going first with the bags, then Alice, then me. I think both our legs resembled jelly for a little while.
Hope you were successful this morning...
We were getting excited about what can be done next as Jane has such new ideas.
We had a good morning as well, just the four of us – Mary, Lynn, Rosemary and myself. Mind you, I think we made enough noise for 7.
What is new about that?
Lynn stamped and got ‘distressed’ (cards, not herself), Rosemary embossed shirts and golf bags and cut out dies on the Cuttlebug – did several things as once and got confused as to which to she was doing last and next!
No - surely not. These are called senior moments, Rosemary.
I finished off some cards – very tame!
I think it is good to finish cards and very satisfying, otherwise you end up with a box full of nearly-done. I tend to jump to something new with a casual, 'I will finish that later'...and then don’t.
And Mary helped everyone out, as usual, particularly punching out wee flowers and leaves from all the leftovers from the Cuttlebug.
That is very visual, I have to say and most unlike Mary to be economical with little bits. I hope no one took away anything that wasn’t theirs... 3 rulers, for example, Val? Remember Mags was good with “bits"?
Oh yes, and we helped Mary eat a box of truffles. She started by saying we could eat the top layer so she and Arthur could eat the bottom layer, but by 11.30 we were on to the bottom layer as well! They were very yummy – see what you missed – well perhaps it’s as well ‘cos we would have had to share them round more people and really that wouldn’t have been so good!
Ha-ha! Did Mary really think that you would stop when the top layer was finished? Pity that Alice and I were not there to help (not that I would touch them while being careful with my extras) - BUT, look at the calories we have saved. Well, I have. Alice had something to eat at Jane's that was just as bad.
What was that about ‘share and share alike’ …. Or was it ‘what’s yours is mine!’
I would go for the last one. 'Do you love anyone enough to give them your last Rolo?' -- NO!
Thanks for the wee poem about the mouse that Oscar and Alice [the cats] played with in the night...
There is a mouse inside the house
That’s running round and round the pantry
There’s is a mouse inside the house
I cannot catch the little man...
I will sing it to you when I next see you.
– I wait for the musical version. It was learned at school. Alice and Jane looked gobsmacked when I sang it to them yesterday. I am glad we all had a productive day.
Love Val
Thanks for your Blog, Val.
Love to everyone
Ruth