I wanted to create a pretty guest sign in that doubled as art for the baby nursery for one of my best friends, her nursery colours being grey and yellow, this was the perfect theme…. Bumblebees! This piece was illustrated half digital the bees , background and the pattern, half by hand, the gold foil letters and the gold lines for the abdomen of the bees. These lines were drawn in with glue and then gold foil applied after glue dries. The idea is that each guest would press their thumbprint into the gold foil lines completing the bee, signing in, and contributing to a piece of art for the baby. This baby was a girl with a “B” name so “Queen B” was fitting, but a header with “Baby to Bee” is neutral and can work with any gender!

Materials

• Epson Paper Matte
• Epson inks
• Gold Foil
• Glue

How to make it

Step 1: Create illustrations in illustrator, bee without the abdomen, to be copied and pasted in different sizes and orientations throughout. A hexagon to create a simple honeycomb pattern in the background. And create a header with a font you like with the bee theme in mind!

Step 2: Print out your artwork with a simple laser printer. I use the Epson Artisan, the colours are so rich and vibrant when paired with their paper as well.

Step 3: Foiling time! I use a fine glue pen, the Sakura pinpoint roller quickie glue to draw the lines into the abdomen area, I free hand it but you can cut an oval template to place over the space you want to make lines if you want a more precise look. Glue is light blue when wet and dries clear.

Allow the glue to dry, I would say an hour minimum, this glue becomes tacky when dry and will adhere the foil nicely when dry, if you apply foil too soon the glue will stick to the foil and not the other way around. Foiling the letters is also an option! Using the same pen, just colour in the words you want to highlight!

Step 4: Apply foil! The Heidi Swapp sample pack with a gold foil sheet is enough to cover this project you are just using minimal amounts. I prefer the sheets over loose as there is more control and less mess. Press firmly over the areas where the glue has dried work from left to right so you don't miss any areas since the glue dries clear! And voila! A cute little sign in piece!