PaperVine

Fun Office Accessories (October Afternoon)

2013-05-17T19:47:00.000+12:00

Hi Everyone

I am Guest Designing for October Afternoon this month and I will be sharing my creations here over the next few weeks.

I have been having great fun with the 9 to 5 Collection! I worked in a corporate office for many years and I have so say there was more than a touch of the Mad Men about it and I just love the imagery of the vintage office theme. I made these pieces just for me which is a real rarity - read on to see a little more about how I created them.

Craft Tools Box

This box from Kaisercraft comes as a flat packed mdf kit and measures a huge 14.5" x 6". I started by covering the edges with the 9 to 5 washi tape which makes for a fast and bright alternative to painting and then I then fully lined and covered the box in patterned papers from the collection. I suggest using a solvent based glue when creating these types of project as it dries quickly, will not warp the paper and it cleans up very easily with an adhesive eraser if it seeps from the edges. After I covered the entire piece in paper I started on the decoration.

The perfectly coordinating collection embellishments make this super easy and I started by decorating the two ends of the box - this way I get to see the pretty side wherever the box is sitting! It’s easy to layer the die cuts and stickers, and to add dimension I used foam dots to mount the various elements.

I created the “pull handle” for the top of the box by making some decorated glass tiles and mounting them onto the small wooden strip that came with the box. You can see a little tutorial showing how I did this below - these make great custom scrapbook and card embellishments

Gather up some paper, flat glass beads or tiles, Glossy Accents adhesive and a sharp knife
Spread a thin even layer of Glossy Accents onto the back of the tile
Press the tile firmly onto the paper, moving it around in small circles to get rid of any air bubbles and to ensure the thinnest layer remains
When dry, cut around the tile carefully with a sharp knife
Ta-daah! These are super quick to make
Make lots – use what you need, glue a magnet on the back of the extras and you have a great new set of fridge magnets!

Memo Pad

This started out as another plain mdf piece, and this time I inked the exposed wooden edges with Distress Ink and then used a stylized woodgrain stamp and some brown ink to create a simple woodgrain pattern.

I covered the exposed sides with paper from the collection, picking out elements I wanted to display such as this sentiment (Picture 1). I often work with my window open to I have made this handy cover to stop the tiny memo pages from blowing away (Picture 2) and this sticker was just too cute not to use on the reverse of the cover (Picture 3)

This mug came ready-made with a template sheet of paper you can use to cut and create your own photo inserts. I really wanted to use this “Shorthand” paper in one of my projects so I cut a strip to size and then added stickers to complete my office set!

Please post a comment with any questions :-)
Lowri
I am linking up this post to these websites here.

Pull-Out School Days Album (Echo Park)

2013-05-07T05:30:00.000+12:00

Hi Everyone.

I know it is Teacher Appreciation Week in the US and I thought I would share a couple of school themed projects today.

School Days Album

I made this album over a year ago and I am only now getting around to sharing it. It uses the School Days Mini Theme from Echo Park Paper, one of the Echo Park Circle Albums and some great School Stickers from SRM. Each page has a pull out section which means lots of space for photos and journaling.

This album was quite consuming and required a lot of measuring and patience - but the end result was definitely worth it.

You can either trace around the page to get the paper to fit or glue the chipboard page onto a large piece of paper and use a sharp knife to cut around the edge. I tried both ways and preferred the latter - mainly because that is the technique I always use to cover my altered projects with paper. The photo below shows the album pages facing each other with the pull-outs closed.

Treat Box and Card

This box and card are also made from the same Collection:
See all the details on the box here
See all the details on the card here.

Please post a comment with any questions :-)
Lowri
I am linking up this post to these websites here.

Mother's Day Card Ideas (Echo Park Paper)

2013-04-25T05:34:00.001+12:00

Hi Everyone

It sure has been a quiet month on the blog as I have been busy planning all kinds of exciting things! Starting tomorrow we will be taking the PaperVine Shop to the Dunkleys Craft Show and there are classes to plan, guest projects to complete - it's been a crazy time!

I have a quick idea for a card to share today - perfect for Mothers Day. It's matchbook style card that can be filled with any message you like and it would be easy to tuck a little gift card or voucher inside too.

I am not really a pink paper person, so I was a little offput when I first saw this gorgeous collection - but it was a great lesson in looking closer! This fabulously bold grey paper goes really well with the green and the bees are great bold but feminine accents too! The lovely brads are from the This and That "Graceful" Collection.

This was one of those projects that came together through a little bit of trial and error! I do love it though as it is a little more substantial than a card and would make a great keepsake if you added some photos to the pocket.

Here you can see another card made with the same collection.

The base of this card and matching envelope were created with my Cameo, using files from Lori Whitlock seen here and here. The papers and embellishments are all from Echo Park.

Pink and grey is such a lovely combination of colors - give it a try!

Please leave a comment or email me with any questions
Lowri :-)
I am linking this project up to these websites here

Paper Mini Album Tutorial - Perfect for Mother's Day!

2013-04-13T19:54:00.000+12:00

Hi Everyone

Mother's Day is coming up soon and today I am sharing a tutorial for making a mini album that would be sure to brighten up anybody's day. Maybe it's your Mother, a friend who is a Mum or just someone you know who just needs a little boost - Mother's Day is a GREAT excuse for breaking out the craft supplies!

This mini album looks perfect when presented in a vintage tin! A really economical project - this will only take a single sheet of paper plus a small strip for the cover.

Creating the book is a simple process but you need to be precise with your measuring and cutting.

Tutorial
Following the exact directions below will result in an album measuring 2" x 2.5" containing 11 double-sided pages but you can adjust the dimensions of the folds to yield an album of any size.

The starting size paper for this exact album is 10" x 12"

Score at 2" intervals along the 12" long side of the paper
Rotate paper and score at 2.5" intervals along the 10" long side of the paper
Fold at score marks to define the creases
Make cuts as shown (details in diagram below)
Begin to fold into pages, alternating pages of the book
Continue folding each page until all are complete
Leaving one page at each end, create album pages by gluing pages together
Continue gluing until all pages are complete
Cut a strip of paper 2.5" wide
Adhere one end of strip to front of book
Wrap strip around book and glue onto back
Your book is complete!

As with all projects like this - I suggest you practice on scrap paper a couple of times so you can mark lines, make notes and get a feel for how the book folds.

Detailed Cuts Diagram

I keep this little album in my bag – and the tin keeps it well protected from all the other junk that occupies the average mum’s bag (sticky stuff, pens with no lids, chocolate wrappers, half eaten apples etc!) I am sure you know someone who would love one too :-)

Please leave a comment with any questions
Lowri :-)
I am linking up this post to these websites here.

Paper Strawberries & Washi Winners!

2013-03-27T13:37:00.001+13:00

Hi Everyone

A quick post to share today to recap another project from last year that would be great for Easter PLUS I am announcing the winners of the recent Giveaways!

These paper strawberries are perfect for hiding sweeties inside, or you could make a bowlful for some colorful Easter decoration.

They are simple to make and I have made them using both a paper template and an electronic die-cutting machine - the only difference is that with the machine they are quicker to cut out!

There are a few patterns available online – try this one here which you can print onto plain cardstock for a template or if you have an electronic die-cutter – you can purchase the cutting file here. With either method it is easy to shrink or enlarge to create the size strawberries you want. I tucked some treats inside before using strong paper thread through all the holes in the petals to close. Don't worry about how it looks as you are going to be covering the top with the leaves of the strawberry.

You can decorate the top with a brad or sticker for a great finishing touch.

The decorative box was created from the Yardsticks paper and this file, but you could easily use a plain box or straw basket.

If you do all the cutting beforehand - the kids can easily make these too

Winners
Congratulations to the following 2 winners of the contest previously detailed here.

New Zealand Winner is Elaine:

International Winner is Tanya:

Congratulations ladies - please contact me here for all the details on how you can claim your prizes!

Please email me with any questions or comments.

Lowri :-)
I am linking this project up to these websites here.

Tutorial Recap (Scrapfest Hop)

2013-03-22T09:00:00.000+13:00

Hi and welcome to my stop on the Scrapfest by the Sea blog-hop. Please note that the contest previously detailed here has now closed. Winners can be seen here.

Tutorials

Here is a quick recap on a couple of tutorials I created last year. They would all make fun Easter or Spring projects. Be sure to link up a comment if you make something using one of these!

Click on the link below to go to the complete post. All of these have full color tutorials showing exactly how to re-create the projects shown - great for trying as the weather turns cold!

Paper Mache Bowl Tutorial

Stamped Icing Tutorial

Butterfly Card Tutorial

Paper Bead Tutorial

Please post a comment with any questions.

Lowri

Lollipop Flowers - Perfect for Easter! (Echo Park)

2013-03-21T10:05:00.001+13:00

Hi Everyone

Today I am sharing a fun idea to make for your kids (big kids too!) for birthday parties, fun favors or they would make great little Easter gift for someone who doesn't like chocolate!

My kids love these little lollies and these gorgeous papers from the Sweet Girl Collection from Echo Park were perfect for making these flowers.

To create the flowers I used my Cameo and this file to create the flowers. Simply cut 2 pieces from coordinating papers – making sure if you resize the cutting images that you re-size them all at the same time to keep the flowers the same sizes. I then removed two of the petals and reglued the petals to give a 3-d shape (see below)

I then put the lollipop sticks onto small wooden skewers and covered them both in washi tape to add a bit more color and disguise the join.

If you do not have a die cutting machine - NO PROBLEM! Simply search for a flower pattern online (try this one from Images by Heather M) and trace around it - then experiment with how many petals you need to remove to create the 3-d shape.

The little glass jar the flowers are standing in was fun to make too. I took a small shaker from the dollar store and put a couple of tablespoons of cheap acrylic paint into it, carefully swirled it round inside right up to the rim and then left it to dry overnight.

Please leave a comment or email me with any questions
Lowri :-)
I am linking this project up to these websites here.

Boy's Tool Box (Kaisercraft & Echo Park)

2013-03-13T11:17:00.000+13:00

Hi Everyone

I have a project to share today using the wonderful new All About a Boy Collection from Echo Park Paper. This collection has some fabulous prints as well as a complete set of embellishments including layered stickers, chipboard, brads and tape.

For the base of this project I used the new Tool Box from Kaisercraft. I used the tape from the collection to cover the edges of the product which gives a different look to painting the edges a solid color. I also used the tape to cover the inside of the sides, and then a sharp knife to remove the areas for inserting the tabs.

The colors of this collection are perfect for boys of any age - and there is such a variety in the embellishments there will be something for everyone no matter what their interests. You can see below I have used the embellishments to create a fun scene - my 6 year old is going to LOVE this for his new desk!

I have a couple more projects using this fun collection - so make sure you follow our Facebook Page to see when they are posted!

Please leave a comment or email me with any questions
Lowri :-)
I am linking this project up to these websites here.

Echo Park Collections, News & Blog Hop Winners!

2013-02-28T12:48:00.000+13:00

Hi Everyone

A super quick post to show you some more fabulous new collections coming soon from Echo Park PLUS I am announcing the two winners from the blog hop last week.

New Collections - Coming Soon

A Perfect Summer (April), Bundle of Joy - Girl (March), Bundle of Joy - Boy (March), Photo Freedom -Happy Go Lucky (April)

So many fabulous products to look forward to!

This is sadly also my last month with the Echo Park Design Team. It has been the most wonderful year - and I am looking forward to seeing what the team creates with all these wonderful releases coming soon!

Blog Hop Winners

Winner of the Echo Park Collection Kit of their choosing is:

The TWO New Zealand winners of the "About A Boy" goodies are:

Please email me here to claim your prizes :-)

Lowri

Scoot Mini Album (Echo Park)

2013-02-19T03:00:00.000+13:00

Hi Everyone

Please note that the Giveaway previously detailed her has now closed. Winners to be announced Feb 27th.

Scoot Mini Album

This album is great as a gift for someone who does not scrapbook but would still like a memory or keepsake. All the decoration is done and all they need to do is add a few photos and journalling notes.

I created the base of this album using the Spellbinders Square Swatches Dies and the technique shown below.
To create the pages I used a metal die to cut a “sandwich” of thin card (I used cereal boxes) double sided adhesive paper and patterned paper. Simply use the double sided adhesive to attach the paper to the card and run through your manual cutting machine. If you do not have a machine, just use the same method to cut rectangles with your paper trimmer.

Cut another single layer of paper with the same die and glue to the back so you have a double sided album page with both sides covered in paper. I then punched holes and used a small metal coil to bind it with my Zutter Bind-It-All.

AS you can see below - this technique forms an album that is solid - but not too bulky - think easy for Grandma to slip in her handbag!!

Please leave a comment or email me with any questions
Lowri :-)
I am linking this project up to these websites here.

Scoot Card & Tag (Echo Park) & Giveaway Winner

2013-02-12T20:22:00.000+13:00

Hi Everyone

A quick card and tag-set to share today with the latest "Scoot" Collection from Echo Park Paper. You can see the full Collection on-line here, and it is fresh, fun and perfect for little boys projects!

Scoot Card

This card was created by simply cutting a piece of 12x12 paper into a 12" x 2.5" x 6" piece as shown below, and folding in three. It's such an easy base with lots of immediate interest as the reverse of your paper shows in the middle section.

Card Base

After creating the base I used elements from the sticker sheet to create the decoration. Using foam dots is a great way to add dimension with stickers. You can de-sticky the sticker with talc first - one of my favorite tips!

Scoot Tag

This tag was really an experiment with my Silhouette Cameo. I downloaded the helicopter shape here and welded the pieces together to form the base. I then cut the individual pieces and laid them on top so they fit perfectly. The trick with this I found (after some trial and error!) is to make sure you re-size all the pieces at the same time.

These fun colors and neat stickers make it really simple to put together a unique set.

Giveaway Winner
Last week you had the chance to WIN this Scoot Collection by commenting on this post here.

There were 68 comments and the winner is:

Congratulations and please email me here to claim your prize.

Please post a comment with any questions
Lowri :-)
I am linking up this post to these websites here.

Amazing Cards by Guest Designer - Sandy Ang

2013-02-08T06:00:00.000+13:00

Hi Everyone

I am thrilled to announce another Guest Designer for the PaperVine blog today. Sandy Ang has been one of my favorite papercrafters for several years. I love her elegant and perfectly balanced style and she makes fabulous use of all her embellishments.
Please note that the Giveaway previously listed here has now closed.
Winner will be announced February 12th.

Sandy has created three gorgeous cards to share today and here she tells us a little about how she created them:

"These three cards are created using American Crafts products - mainly Amy Tangerine's collections with little bits and pieces from Dear Lizzy 5th & Frolic, Soho Garden and Chaps. They all share a common colour palette of blues, greens and browns. Each card consists of layers of pattern papers and a couple of textural elements, such as ribbons, rhinestones, chipboards and buttons, on top"

Congrats Card

Family Card

Lovely Card

Please post a comment with any questions.

Lowri :-)

Valentine Bookmark Tutorial and FREE Template

2013-02-04T21:15:00.000+13:00

Hi Everyone

Welcome to my Valentine's Bookmark tutorial. I have provided step-by step instructions below on how to create the project plus a free download svg cut file for those of you who like to use digital die-cut machines. There are also a couple of hints for Cameo users who may be new to using files not purchased in the Silhouette Store, and if you wish to hand-cut the bookmark there is also a pdf download.

Note: Please see below as to why you will need the Designer Edition of Studio to use this file and why I cannot provide it in a .studio format.

Valentines Bookmark Tutorial

SVG download - click here
PDF download - click here

Cut 3 "flower" shapes plus two full hearts for front and back cover
Score all hearts as shown. The solid line represents a score on the reverse side you will not see, and the dotted line represents a score on the front side.
Define all fold lines well and your heart will begin to take shape.
Here is a detailed shot of the score lines needed:
Push the heart together, ensuring that the front side score lines touch each other in the middle.
This is hard to explain - you just need to grab some scrap paper and give it a go!
To form the book - glue the solid heart faces of the pages together back to back.
Repeat for all your pages. The 2 complete hearts are then glued to the front and back face for additional strength.

Tips and Tricks
When you go to the link - here is where you can download the file.

Save it to your hard-drive and then open in Studio - remember to change the drop-down box to svg file type and the images will be imported into Studio.

The images are sized all ready to go at bookmark size but you can enlarge them to create a mini-album. Depending on your version of the software - you may need to go to the Cut Style Box and define the cut lines

REMEMBER - If you want to re-size - YOU MUST RE-SIZE ALL THE PIECES at the same time to keep the proportion correct.

I would love to hear about how this works out (or doesn't work out!) for you - please email me here and I will try and incorporate all feedback into creating a better tutorial. I have tried and tested all the files - and they definitely work - but please understand I am not able to offer you individual support on how to use your Cameo machine!

Note: Due to Silhouette's very restrictive licensing policy, I am not allowed to offer this as a .studio format download - I am sorry. It is my understanding you will need the Designer Edition of Studio to use .svg files, however - please email me if you have any questions :-)

Post a comment with any questions

Lowri :-)

I am linking up this post to these websites here.

CHA Releases from Echo Park and Blog Hop Winner

2013-01-30T08:27:00.000+13:00

Hi Everyone

Today I am showcasing some more of the fabulous new products you can expect to see from Echo Park in the next few months. Don't forget to scroll down too to see if you won the collection pack from last week's blog-hop. You can see who won on the Echo Park blog here.

Echo Park Collections

Click on the title to see the Full Collection
Photo Freedom Birthday Wishes, A Perfect Summer, Bundle of Joy Girl and Bundle of Joy Boy

Echo Park Mini Themes

Click on the title to see the Full Collection.
Yellow Submarine, Pretty in Pink, Red and Totally Teal

Echo Park Winner

Last week you had the chance to win an Echo Park Collection Pack by commenting on my Echo Park Blog Hop Post. Make sure to become a follower of my Facebook Page so you can find out when the next one is!

The winner of the Echo Park Collection Kit of their choosing is Jim Jams:

Please email me here to find out how you can claim your prize.

Please leave a comment or email me with any questions
Lowri :-)
I am linking this project up to these websites here.

Super Sweet Playdate Invitations (Echo Park)

2013-01-27T19:05:00.001+13:00

Hi Everyone

Today I am sharing some invitation gift bags with the Love Story Collection from Echo Park Paper. This Collection is so versatile that after Valentine’s Day, you can use it for pretty much any girls project too. This is a hybrid project as I have used elements from both the digital and paper versions of the Collection.

These bags were created using a Tim Holtz die and my Cuttlebug, but there are several templates online you could use to create your own. After cutting them out, I started the decoration by threading some matching twine through a few of the heart shaped chipboard buttons and mounted the “Forever” and “You & Me” stickers with dimensional foam to the front of the bags as well as the “Together” piece from the chipboard pack.

To create the cards inside, I took a few of the digital elements from the Elements Pack 1 and 2 and came up with a super simple print-out. I should tell you I am in no way a graphic designer and I put these together in Powerpoint! You can use any program that allows you to insert pictures or you could use a program like Photoshop to edit the pictures themselves.

On the second page of the invitation (held together by one of the brads from the Collection) is a map showing how to get to the party! Also in the bag is an assortment of pink heart shaped lollies – just what my little four year old loves!

I really wanted to use this “Best Friends” sticker – but I needed three and I wanted them a slightly different size – so once again I just printed three and cut them out by hand. I find that printing onto glossy photo paper gives a result very close to that on the actual sticker sheet.

I hope you have enjoyed this idea - I love any kind of themed paper collection, but sometimes it is hard to justify buying it for only use only - so hopefully here I have given you a good excuse!

Echo Park Winner

Last week you had a chance to win the For the Record Documented Collection. We had well over 200 entries and the winner is "Memories by Manda" - who I think is my first blog winner ever who has actually been from New Zealand!!

"Memories by Manda" - email me here to claim your prize.

Please contact me with any questions.
I am linking up this post to these websites here.
Lowri :-)

For the Record Cards by Betsy Clark DAY 3

2013-01-25T06:00:00.000+13:00

Hi Everyone
Today is the last day we are welcoming fabulous card-maker Betsy Clark to the blog. Over three days this week we have shared some cards she has created with the For The Record Documented Collection from Echo Park Paper.
Please note that the Giveaway previously listed here has now closed.
Winner can be seen here.

"The Daily News" Card

It is not often I see "vintage" style cards made with the Echo Park Collections as they are generally very clean and modern collections - but Betsy has done a fabulous job on this card.

This beautiful sleeve holds the card together and there is plenty of blank space inside to write your message as the card opens out completely. More great use of the chipboard and brads make this card a perfect treasure!

Please take a look at Betsy's blog. She has some stunning card creations and will totally inspire you with her works of art. Here are a few of my favorite cards of hers from the last few months.

Please contact me with any questions.
I am linking up this post to these websites here.
Lowri :-)

For The Record Cards by Betsy Clark DAY 2

2013-01-24T06:00:00.000+13:00

Hi Everyone

Today is the second day we are welcoming fabulous card-maker Betsy Clark to the blog. Over three days this week we will be sharing some cards she has created with the For The Record Documented Collection from Echo Park Paper.
Please note that the Giveaway previously listed here has now closed.
Winner can be seen here.

"Read All About It" Card

This beautifully shaped card was created by Betsy using one of her favorite tools - the Grand Calibur by Spellbinders. She has cleverly layered the pieces from the chipboard pack and the detailing is once again fabulous!

These colored flowers form the perfect accents and small details such the seam binding ribbon bow (which she colors with glimmermist) and rhinestones all co-ordinate perfectly with the Echo Park Collection.

"Something I Heard" Card

Betsy has used a simple but very effective layering technique to create a lot of dimension in this card. Each layer subtly adds to the overall effect and I particularly love the clean lines and use of lots of paler papers. The border punch and the ribbon bow add just the right amount of detail.

This card has so many potential uses. New Baby, Congratulations - or any time you want to send a special little note. The bright color palette is sure to brighten up the recipient's day!

Please contact me with any questions.
I am linking up this post to these websites here.
Lowri :-)

For The Record Cards by Betsy Clark DAY 1

2013-01-23T06:00:00.000+13:00

Hi Everyone

Today I am thrilled to announce we are featuring our first Guest Designer at PaperVine. Betsy Clark is an amazing card-maker, and over the next three days we will be sharing some cards she has created with the For The Record Documented Collection from Echo Park Paper.
Please note that the Giveaway previously listed here has now closed.
Winner can be seen here.

"Favorite Things" Card

This beautiful card has plenty of depth and dimension and Betsy has made great use of her Spellbinders and Cuttlebug to create the circle window and fabulous 3-dimensional flower centrepiece.

The yellow brad from the collection makes a lovely centre for the flower and I love how she has used the chevron sticker on the left hand side.

"Unforgettable" Card

This cards has some fabulous detailing including embossing and stitching. Betsy has also used several of the chipboard pieces and brads that come as part of the Collection.

The green twine threaded through the chipboard button adds a perfect finishing touch as well as some texture.
Tomorrow we will share two more cards from this lovely Collection

Please contact me with any questions.
I am linking up this post to these websites here.
Lowri :-)

Valentine's Fortune Cookies Tutorial

2013-01-22T03:00:00.000+13:00

Hi Everyone

The blog-hop and giveaway previously listed here has now closed. Winner will be announced January 29 and you can see a list of hop participants at the end of this post

Valentine's Fortune Cookies

You may have seen my idea from last year where I created a Dates Jar for the year as a Valentine's Gift, with one date to be opened on the 14th of each month. I wanted to create something similar - so I have made 12 fortune cookies - each containing a date idea and we will open one on the 14th of each month for the next year!

To create the box I used one of the files from this set by SVG Cuts and decorated it using elements from the collection. The bicycle was printed using one of the digital elements in this accompanying digital set here. The pink was too bright so I just printed in black and white! The sticker forms the prefect seal on top and a little twine adds just a little more color.

Fortune Cookie Tutorial

First of all I created the little dates to put inside the cookies. I simply printed them onto on a sheet of matte photo paper and then used some stickers from the Collection Kit to decorate them. I set these out in PowerPoint using a simple pink banner shape for the background and a matching Windows font called PlayBill.

To create the cookies following the tutorial below, I suggest using the 6x6 paper pad as the paper is a slightly lighter weight which makes it easier to form the cookie shape.

Cut circles from the paper - these are about 3 inches wide
Fold paper circle in half - make sure you have your fortune tucked inside!
Use finger to bend at the midway point
Continue to bend paper to form the cookie shape
Place a small blog of strong glue near the fold
Use a small peg or clip to hold together until glue dries

I suggest trying these out with a few scraps of paper first to get the technique right - if you are having trouble the most likely reason is your paper is too thick. Thinner paper definitely works better for these.

This is such a simple idea and really fun to make. Once you have mastered the technique you could easily use these for wedding or party favors, table decoration or packaging for a small gift.

Blog Hop Participants

Echo Park Paper: http://www.echoparkpaper.typepad.com/

Linda Auclair: http://elendae.wordpress.com/

Tamara Tripodi: http://happylifecraftywife.com/?p=2092

Lowri McNabb: http://www.papervinenz.com/

Wendy Sue Anderson: http://www.wendysueanderson.blogspot.com/

Susan Stringfellow: http://creativelysavvy.blogspot.com/

Nancy Damiano: http://www.thepaperorchard.blogspot.com/

Kandis Smith: http://www.mycreativetreasury.blogspot.com/

Laurel Seabrook: http://want2scrap.blogspot.com/

Please leave a comment or email me with any questions
Lowri :-)
I am linking this project up to these websites here.

Valentine's Treat Boxes (Echo Park Paper)

2013-01-18T22:16:00.000+13:00

Hi Everyone

Today I have some gift boxes to share made with the fabulous Love Story Collection from Echo Park Paper. These would be great for hiding around your house on Valentine’s Day, or maybe make some and fill with hand-made chocolates to give to a couple of special friends.

I have cut these boxes and the heart band on my Cameo using Lori Whitlock’s file found here. If you have a different cutting machine you can purchase the file in Lori’s store here.

The wonderful range of papers in this Collection prints offers heaps of options for contrasting pieces and the boxes are simple to put together. Just remember if you resize the file – re-size ALL the pieces at the same time to keep to keep everything in proportion.

To add a little dimension to the tops of the boxes I cut some extra heart shapes and put them together as shown below:

Cut 3 identical, symmetrical shapes shapes using a punch or die-cutter

Fold in half – using a scoring board makes it a quick and easy job

Glue “outside” faces together to form a 3-d shape

This will work with any symmetrical shape and it’s a great little technique for creating party pieces such as straw toppers and garland decorations I used a brad to add a little dimension on the center band and some of the small stickers and a couple of rhinestones to make the hearts sparkle.

Post a comment with any questions
Lowri :-)
I am linking up this post to these websites here.

52 Reasons I Love You Cards Tutorial

2013-01-08T19:40:00.002+13:00

Hi Everyone

This  is the first time this project has been published with ALL the  information you need to know about the downloads available to re-create  the "reasons" labels seen on these cards.

This project also now has its own website - with heaps of additional information, including a complete supply list and all the information on purchasing the template to create the labels.

Note: If you would like to link to, feature or re-publish this project - please see here.

Tutorial
Below you will find the tutorial showing how to make the cards. On the website you can also find a complete supply list and all the information on purchasing the template to create the labels.

Find some playing cards! These fabulous cards from Ellusionist shown here are great as they have a pre-aged Vintage look.
Scuff them up with some sandpaper to give them a used feel as well as a used look
Create a template with one of the spare cards (for example one of the Jokers)
Punch two holes in each cards using the template as a guide

 
Create your reasons labels to attach to the cards - detailed  information below. Use another Joker card to create the front cover. 
Using double sided tape and/or glue - attach the inserts to the  cards. Using glue will take longer to dry and will stiffen the cards up  adding more dimension.
Create all 52 of your reasons cards and let the glue dry
Thread onto book rings 
NOTE: I have created a FAQ page here with additional information on products used and where to buy them or you can check out the dedicated website here.


Creating the Reasons Labels
There are two templates available for purchase. This page HERE has all the information you need to make a decision regarding which is best for you

Option One - JPEG Download
$4.99 - download high quality jpeg files to be used with a program of your choice 

Option Two - POWERPOINT Download
$6.99 - download a PowerPoint presentation with placeholder text. Print ready. 

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING
You can see exactly what is included in the templates on this page here. Please read what you will receive and what you will need to do after purchasing to re-create the reasons as shown.

  If you do not want to purchase the  template - no problem! You can create your own cards.  To help you out -  here are the dimensions for the boxes I have used.  Outer red box - 6cm x 4cm   Inner cream box - 5.3cm x 3.3cm  If you want to use the same font it is called Trinigan FG and you can download it for FREE from fontspace.com.
  
FAQ Page
Check out the FAQ page if you have any questions.
Also see the 52reasonsiloveyou.com website here - or email me here.
Lowri :-)
I am linking up this post to these websites here.
Keywords: Valentine's Day, 52 Reasons I Love you, download, template, tutorial, ultimate valentine's gift!

Pickled Pear Drawers (Kaisercraft) and Echo Park Winner

2013-01-07T19:16:00.001+13:00

Hi Everyone

A quick post today to announce the winner of the Echo Park Love Story Collection and to share this little project I created using the Kaisercraft Pickled Pear Collection.

Mini Drawers

I have been working to develop a line of laser cut products here in New Zealand and they will be available soon in the PaperVine shop (more about that in the next few weeks!!) These drawers were one of the prototypes and I experimented with a few ideas here..

These little spools from Kaisercraft have been stained with Walnut Distress Stain and wrapped with a little twine. I have also used some acetate cut into a mannequin shape with a Tim Holtz die too add some texture.

These little drawer handles have been made with glass beads and small circles of paper, glued on with glossy accents. I am going to be using this technique for several projects coming soon!

The back of this set of drawers is covered with a lovely detailed piece of paper from the Pickled Pear Collection.

Winner
There were a total of 202 comments to enter the competition.
The re-drawn winner of the Love Story Collection (first winner did not contact within a week) is comment number 29 which was "Виктория Viktoriya". Please email me here to claim your prize.

Sorry for all of you that did not win - I know it's frustrating BUT we have another giveaway coming up very soon!

Post a comment with any questions
Lowri :-)
I am linking up this post to these websites here.

Valentine's Ideas - Heart Bookmark & Cards

2013-01-06T09:24:00.000+13:00

Hi Everyone
Note - the Giveaway previously detailed here has now closed. The winner can be seen here.

Last day of our Valentine's recap and more ideas to share today. Next week I will be republishing my most popular project tutorial with a new, easy to create download option PLUS I will be giving a copy or two away in time for Valentine's Day

Click on the title or picture to be taken to the complete blog post

Valentine's Bookmark Album

This post has a tutorial showing how to create this project and I will be republishing the project soon with a free download pdf and cutting file so you can make it really easily.

His and Hers Cards

Find out how I created this card using Spellbinders and why the card on the right was perfect for my husband and I!

Post a comment with any questions
Lowri :-)
I am linking up this post to these websites here.

Valentine's Ideas - Christmas Leftovers & Ribbon Card

2013-01-04T21:52:00.000+13:00

Hi Everyone

Note - the Giveaway previously detailed here has now closed. The winner can be seen here.

Day 2 of our Valentine's recap and more ideas to share today.

I love the first one as it may mean I get to use up some of the Christmas Papers strewn all over my study before I get around to packing them up in March....

Click on the title or picture to be taken to the complete blog post

Christmas Leftovers into Valentine's Treats

This post has a couple more pictures and details on how I created these Valentine's Treats using leftover Christmas Paper. Many Holiday Collections have red and white prints - so check yours before you pack them away.

Woven Ribbon Heart Card

Find out how I created this card using a home-made woven ribbon heart. I explain the technique I used to hold the ribbon pieces together.

Post a comment with any questions
Lowri :-)
I am linking up this post to these websites here.

Valentine's Ideas - 12 Dates Jar & Sweet Treats

2013-01-04T19:40:00.001+13:00

Hi Everyone

Note - the Giveaway previously detailed here has now closed. The winner can be seen here.

I hope you are well rested after the Christmas break! This time of year, many crafters turn to Valentine's Day projects. This weekend, I am re-capping a few ideas from last year - and hope they inspire you to create something for a loved one.

Click on the title or picture to be taken to the complete blog post
12 Months of Valentine's Dates

This post contains complete instructions on how to re-create this project. Every 14th of the month - open a date. You have until the next month to complete it and then you pick another!

Sweet Treats

Find out how some of those ideas you see on Pinterest are not quite as easy as they are made out to be! The kids will love it though.

Post a comment with any questions
Lowri :-)
I am linking up this post to these websites here.