Serendipity

With a little planning, you can maximize your specialty paper using the zero-waste die cutting technique

2022-04-25T10:00:00.086-07:00

What is zero-waste die cutting?

With zero-waste die cutting you use all of the pieces from your die cuts, even the negative space and the "innies." It requires a little planning ahead because you need to think about how you will use both your initial die cut as well as the leftovers.

In this short video I show you a couple tricks I have learned along the way to make this technique a little easier, especially when using intricate dies.

Here are some more examples.

I used the left-overs from this beautiful blue holographic paper

To make this card. I like this one better!

Is it a red poinsettia, or a poinsettia on red? Notice how I switched up the greetings.

I used some leaf skeleton dies to cut these leaves from a master board and some green and brown cardstock. I alternated the innies from each as inlays. I love how they turned out!

After cutting the leaves out, I didn't want to toss what was left of my master board, so I backed it with yellow cardstock and used some of the die cuts to stencil in the leaves with green chalk.

I hope this has inspired you to look at your die cuts in a different light!

Four Easy Steps to Make a Master Board

2022-04-23T20:16:00.007-07:00

What is a master board?

There are a lot of different ways to make a master board, but basically a master board is a mixed media collage that is made on a large background that is then cut down and used in smaller projects. Creating a master board is fun and can be as simple or as difficult as you want it to be. There are no rules.

Steps to make a master board

Here are the steps I took to make a master board from patterned paper scraps:

1. Cover a sheet of paper with patterned scraps

This is possibly the most time-consuming step. I used scraps that I would normally discard so some of them are quite small. This step took well over an hour.

I like to completely cover the paper. This results in many areas having multiple layers. Since the finished product is going to be cut apart, it is important to make sure that each layer is completely glued down. I've used Aleene's Tacky Glue* as well as Golden Matte Gel Medium. I recommend wearing gloves for either one to avoid sticky fingers!

2. Stamp some interesting images or shapes

Dig through your stash for some stamps with interesting shapes or images. I have a set of flourishes and filigrees that I rarely use. I thought it would be perfect for this project. I stamped them with Memento Tuxedo Black ink*, but you could use colors as well.

3. Stencils and Acrylics

Next comes the messy part. Grab some sponges, stencils and acrylic paint in multiple colors (I used purple, yellow and hot pink). Stencil several areas with different colors.

I only used one stencil this time (by Balzer Designs), but I often use two or three.

4. Heat Embossing

Wait until your project is completely dry to do this step. While you are waiting for it to dry, collect the following:

Some pretty stamps (florals, butterflies, birds, etc.)
Clear embossing ink*
Gold embossing powder*
Heat gun*
Anti-static pad*

I recommend only stamping a few images at a time, and then embossing them. It's easier to keep track of where you have stamped that way.

Once you've finished the embossing, you are done.

That was easy, wasn't it?

What can you do with a master board?

Here are just a few ideas.

They make great tags
Die cut leaves or other shapes
Use it for a card front
Make a journal cover
Make a wall-hanging.

Scrap pile challenge: Using digital images

2021-09-13T10:00:00.008-07:00

I have a confession to make. I am a clip-art junkie! I have thousands of images but do I use them? Rarely!

The third rule in my scrap pile challenge is to use things I already have and that includes digital images. Thanks to my inability to turn down anything free I have a lifetime supply of 4 x 6 photo paper so that's what I use to print clip art. The colors are so much more vibrant than when I print on cardstock.

Here are three of the cards I made using clipart I bought from PcCrafter over 10 years ago (that's how long ago they closed up shop).

I love the bright red and deep purple in this image and I repeated them in my cardstock selection.

Both the bouquet and the panel that holds the bouquet are popped up on foam tape to give the card dimension.

How can you NOT smile with this little guy staring back at you?

So stinkin' cute!

Here's another card were I used vellum to soften the background. This little squirrel was lost in the leaves until I added the torn vellum layer. I wrapped the vellum around the edges of the patterned paper and adhered it to the back so there's no adhesive showing through.

Next, I popped the squirrel and three leaves up on foam squares.

It's fall, Let's dance!

Now it's your turn. Dig into your collection of clip art and create something!

Scrap Pile Challenge: Of Scraps, Fairies and Vellum

2021-09-06T15:02:00.001-07:00

A couple weeks ago, when I was looking for something in my craft closet, I came across a box of coordinated scraps that I had set aside for who-knows-what. Rather than toss them or add them to my growing stash of "I'll use this someday" scraps, I decided to set a little challenge for myself:

The rules:

The card base is the only "new" cardstock I can cut into. Everything else has to come from existing scraps.
Use images I've already stamped and colored.
If I use printed images, they have to come from what I already own (I'm a bit of an addict)
All the patterned paper must come from the box.

Here's what I started with:

So far, I've made 14 cards and I still have enough scraps for more. For the first five cards I chose images from the Fairy Days digital stamp set from RG Studio 360.

Aren't they adorable?

The background was a little overpowering so I cut some pierced ovals from vellum and hand stitched them over the patterned paper. This softened the background and highlighted the fairies.

I used up a couple of the large labels on the next two cards as well as a strip of flocked pink paper.

Butterfly dazzles add a little sparkle.

A ladybug at the bottom left balances out the red of the apple and the fairy's shirt on the upper right.

I added a lace border and dragonfly dazzles to the final card

I had a lot of fun with this challenge. Being restricted to a small set of papers helped me focus more on the creative process since my color pallet was already decided for me.

I will be sharing the rest of the cards I made in another post. In the meantime, Take a look at your pile of scraps. What can you make with what you already have?

A Great Way To Showcase Your Photos On Your Cards

2021-04-18T19:50:00.001-07:00

Last week on the PaperWishers forum a friend posted some bay window cards. I had never seen the technique before so I had to give it a try. I thought they looked like they might be a perfect match for my photos and I was right!

After the first one, I was hooked. I have lots and lots of pictures of birds so I'll be reusing this sentiment. The feathers are from a download from 88 and Clear.

Part of the fun is coming up with sentiments to go with the pictures.

This one is from our trip to Hawaii

These cards were super easy to make and are A2 size (4.25" x 5.5"). I got measurements that work perfectly for 4x6 photos from Rachel Tessmans' YouTube tutorial here: (5) Bay Window Fold Card - YouTube

In Rachel's instructions the panels are 4 1/8" tall but 4" works just as well.

Watch Rachel's tutorial for the instructions but here are the measurements.

Score a 4 1/4" x 11" card on the long edge at:

3/8"
1 7/8"
3"
5 1/8"
5 1/2"

Cut your 4" x 6" photo into panels from left to right as follows:

Panel 1: 1 3/8"
Panel 2: 1 5/8"
Panel 3: 1 3/8"
Panel 4: 1 5/8"

Twister Card

2020-03-07T23:20:00.005-08:00

I was flipping through some old books this morning in search of some inspiration and I found it in the form of a twister card. Unfortunately, the cards were made from a kit so there were no measurements. After a little trial and error, I came up with a pattern. It's not too difficult, but there is quite a bit of measuring. Math and crafting... who knew?

Here are views of the front and back when it's laying flat.

And here's what it looks like standing up

Pretty neat, huh?

Want to know how I made it? Read on!

Instructions:

Cut a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" rectangle from Raspberry Berry cardstock
Cut a 3 3/4" x 5 1/4" rectangle from Butter Cream cardstock
Cut a 2 1/4" x 2 3/4" rectangle from Raspberry Berry cardstock

Center the second largest Journey Rectangle cutting die on the large Raspberry Berry rectangle to create the outer frame.
Layer the Raspberry Berry Frame on top of the 3/1/4" x 5 1/4" Buttercream panel so that the bottoms of the Raspberry Berry frame and Buttercream panel are aligned and the Buttercream panel is centered in the Raspberry Berry frame. The top of the Buttercream panel should extend about 1/4" above and behind the top opening in the Raspberry Berry frame.
Center the third largest (2 1/4" x 2 1/4") Journey Square on the upper portion of the Buttercream panel as shown and run it through your die cutting machine. It is very important that the square is centered horizontally.
Run it through your die cutting machine.
Cut the frame "legs" by positioning the same Journey Square die so that the top cutting edge is about 1/4" up from the bottom of the Buttercream panel.
It should look like this when you are done.

Now it's time to measure!

Measure 2 1/8" in from the left side of the Raspberry Berry frame.
Use a pencil to place a dot 1/8" above the top inside edge of the frame.
Repeat on the bottom of the Raspberry Berry frame.
Measure in 1 5/8" from the left edge of the Buttercream panel.
Make a dot 1/8" below the Center top, 1/8" above the center opening, 1/8" below the center opening and 1/8" above the bottom of the panel.
Measure 1 1/8" from the long edge of the Raspberry Berry panel and place a dot 1/8" from the top and bottom edges.
Now that all the centers are marked with a dot, cut 1/8" deep notches as shown.
Erase the dots
match up the notches on the Buttercream panel with the notches on the large Raspberry Berry Panel. as shown.
You may need to adjust the depth of the notches. Be careful not to cut them too deep.
Match the notches of the small Raspberry Berry panel with the noches on the Buttercream Panel as shown
Congratulations! You have assembled your twister card!
It should look like this when standing.

Now you are ready to decorate!

An Unlikely Combination For a Valentine

2020-01-23T21:15:00.001-08:00

What do a tree, watercolors, ribbon, snowflakes and Valentine's Day have to do with each other?

They all came up on the BINGO card challenge at the Handcrafted Greetings Forum, that's what! The challenge is to make a card with at least four out of the five items that make up a bingo.
This was a tough challenge and forced me to do a lot of thinking and planning! How was I supposed to use all that stuff on ONE card? Especially the snowflakes and hearts, then I thought to myself, "Valentine's day IS in the Winter, so it's really not too much of a stretch, but what about that tree?"

Then I remembered an old four seasons stamp set from PaperWishes and the rest was pretty easy.

I used Tin Pail in to stamp the onto a 3" x 3.5" panel cut from watercolor paper. I painted the trunk and branches with a brown watercolor pencil. After that, I re-stamped the tree using clear pigment, added some clear pigment across the bottom of the panel and embossed it with holographic embossing powder. For a little added dimension, I stamped the tree with clear pigment again and embossed it with clear embossing powder. Once that was done, I used a light blue watercolor wash for the background, then I stamped a few more snowflakes with clear pigment and embossed them with holographic embossing powder. I mounted it on a 3 1/4" x 3 3/4" Candy Applie rectangle and popped it up on a 3 7/8" x 5 3/8" Whip Cream panel. I added a gold ribbon from my stash to the bottom of the panel and popped that up on a 4" x 5" card base. I stamped the Happy Valentine's Day sentiment from the FSJ Annual Celebration stamp set onto a white tag with Candy Apple ink and mounted that on a scrap of Candy Apple cardstock and cut around it leaving a narrow border.
I think it turned out well.

Bicycle Get Well Greeting

2020-01-12T16:40:00.001-08:00

Here's a card to make for a bicycle loving friend who is feeling under the weather.

All of the items I used are from my stash and while some, like the bicycle, are no longer available, I've included links to the products I used as well as alternatives at the end of this post.

Materials List:

Paper Wishes Bicycle cutting die
Flowers from my stash
Unbranded Tree Embossing folder
Green and brown Pan Pastels from the Mother Nature set.
Blue, Whip Cream, Brush Silver, Black Licorice, Candy Apple and brown cardstock.
Double stick foam squares
Stampabilities Everyday Expressions stamp set

I cut the bicycle from red, black and brush silver cardstock and layered them starting with the silver on the bottom. I cut away the pieces of the red and black layers and glued them to the silver layer.

The tree was made with an unbranded embossing folder. I embossed it onto pale blue cardstock and colored it with Mother Nature PanPastels. The dirt path is just a strip of brown cardstock. I added some flowers to the basket, then popped the bicycle up on foam squares. I could have made punched flowers but I've had those flowers for 15 years or more. They needed to be used!

The sentiment is from Stampabilities Everyday Expressions that I picked up at Hobby Lobby last week. I think I will be using it a lot. It has over 60 words on it. I stamped it onto Whip Cream cardstock with Black Licorice ink and cut around it with my detail scissors.

My Other Passion...

2019-09-03T22:44:00.000-07:00

... is photography! Ever since I commandeered my father's old box camera when I was nine years old, I have been fascinated with photography. I remember spending hours in a dark closet practicing changing the film with an old roll so I wouldn't ruin the film I bought with my hard earned berry picking money. (Yes, I worked in the berry fields when I was nine. It was legal back then!).

OK, enough with the reminiscing. What I really want to talk about today is photo editing. Yes, that's right. Photo editing. If you want to use your photos on cards or put them in an album, there will be times when you need to edit them first.

For instance, last weekend, I went to a wildlife refuge and one of the things I shot was a really cute squirrel. No, not THAT kind of shooting! The squirrel is fine, sheesh! Anyway, I had just walked into the forest out of bright sunshine and I forgot to adjust my camera settings (I shoot mostly in manual mode). I THOUGHT I was getting some great shots, but they all turned out more or less like this.

Oh no! I can't even see the squirrel, it's just a dark blob.
Rather than give up and delete the photo, I decided to pull the raw file into Luminar 3 and see if I could salvage a passable image.
Guess what setting I adjusted first? If you guessed exposure, you guessed wrong. For a picture like this, adjusting the exposure so you can see the squirrel will blow out any bright spots including the sky.
Instead, I started with highlights and shadows. I brought the shadows all the way up to 100, It was still a little dark, so I bumped the exposure by 0.78. I also took the highlights down a tiny bit (-6) and adjusted the white and black points (-19 and -4 accordingly). I made a few more minor changes, including cropping and this is what I ended up with:

Aha! There's my furry little friend! Pretty amazing, huh?

OK, I hear you, you'r saying, "But my camera doesn't shoot in raw..." Well, don't despair. You can make similar edits to a JPG, but it will take a little more work because you'll need to do your edits in layers and "paint" your changes onto the areas you want to lighten or darken. It also will not have quite the depth of color as it would if you started with a raw file. But, still, not bad considering what I started with.

So...
1. Always remember to check your settings before shooting!
2. If at all possible, shoot in raw format so you have more options for editing your photos.
3. Even if you don't shoot in raw, you can still make substantial edits with Luminar 3

If you'd like to get a copy of Luminar 3 for yourself, please use my link:
https://skylum.grsm.io/judyh1545
If do, and purchase something, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Butterflies! Using up Old Embellishments and Papers

2019-09-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

I've been digging in my embellishment pile again. I don't remember how long ago I created this butterfly circle. It's cut from the Kaleidoscope paper collection by Hot Off The Press which has since been retired. I backed it with some pink holographic foil and layered that on top of a paper doily from my stash (both purchased from a dollar store years ago.) The background is also from my huge stash of paper.

The center is a round teabag tile from my site embellished with Pink Taffeta Stickles*. I've been playing with brush pens and that's what i used for the sentiment. I definitely need more practice!

Here's a close-up of the butterfly cut and tuck design. I created it myself. You can download the svg file from my website here: https://www.handcraftedgreetings.com/card.php?card_id=00268&page=1

I used Spellbinders' A2 Scalloped Borders One Card Creator Edged Die Set* for the border on the mat inside the card. The butterflies are from a PaperArtist set by Hot Off The Press that has been retired.

How about you? Do you have anything in your embellishment pile that's begging to be used?

*If you follow a starred (*) link and purchase products, at no additional cost to you, I will receive a small commission.

What Makes You Different...

2019-08-29T16:30:00.000-07:00

I'm really loving Spellbinders Cut in Fold in Tuck dies! The Star Dreams Etched Die* featured here is on sale right now too! After cutting the designs out, I like to ink the backs to accentuate the folds.

For this card, I started out with a 5" x 6.5" ivory card blank. I cut the large triangle from Bubble Gum cardstock* and inked the back with Sweet Berry Ink*. I mounted it on Raspberry Berry cardstock. The small center motif was cut from Sweet Berry cardstock* and inked with Rasbpberry Berry ink*.

I used the Artomology Fair Feathers Eched Dies* to cut the feathers from Hucleberry Fusion* and Lemon Drop cardstock*. The sentiments are from the Artful Affirmations stamp set by Hot Off The Press. I stamped them with Huckleberry Fusion ink* and fussy-cut around them. The card background is from an older Colorbok collection called Neutral Basics. I popped the sentiment and the center motif up on Journey Foam Squares.

That's all there is to it! What do you think?

*If you use my links to purchase any of these products, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Who Doesn't Love a Unicorn?

2019-08-18T06:48:00.001-07:00

I decided to try something different while I had my quilling kit out. I've stuck to flowers in the past, but this time I decided to try a picture and what better subject than a unicorn? I found some clip art online and used it as the base. I started out by pinning a strip around the outline of the head, then filled it in. Figuring out just HOW to fill it in was quite the learning process.

If I were to do it over, I'd change the forelock to have larger, looser curls like the mane, but overall, I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out.

Birdhouse With Quilled Flowers

2019-08-04T14:03:00.000-07:00

I was cleaning my craft room the other day and found my box of quilling papers. I also re-discovered my birdhouse cutting die. It seemed like a perfect pairing, so I got to work.

I cut the main part of the birdhouse from Pool Play cardstock* and the roof from Pumpkin Bread cardstock*. The shingles were cut using the Border Basics die set*

Most of the quilling was done using Juya quilling paper. I used 3" strips for the flower petals and leaves. The stems vary from 3" - 5". They're all very basic shapes. It had been quite a while since I had done any quilling, so they're not all consistent. Here's a closer look.

I used up most of my black strips for the "hole" in the front of the birdhouse and I made a couple skinny pegs from brown paper and stacked them for the perch under the hole.

All in all, it was a fun project and I think the resulting birdhouse is adorable. I think I will fill it with treats and give it to one of my bird loving friends.

Item List

Bird House Box cutting die*

Border Basics cutting die*

Pumpkin Bread cardstock*

Pool Play cardstock*

Juya quilling paper

Quilling tool

White glue

Quilled Creations Precision Tip Glue Applicator*

This Card May Look Difficut But It Isn't!

2019-07-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

The cut an tuck technique has come a long way since I was first introduced to it years ago. Back then it was called Lacé and it was done with a metal template and craft knife. I am so glad I no longer have to do all that intricate cutting by hand!

The die I used for this card is the Shapeabilities Puzzle Effect Etched Die*. I used it to die cut the shape from some pink patterned paper I had in my stash and I backed it with Sweet Pear cardstock*. I layered that on top of a 5" paper Doily backed with Pool Play cardstock*.

I made a 6" x 6" easel card base with Whip Cream cardstock* and covered the outside with the pink plaid paper from the Create and Bloom Prints Paper Pack*. I cut a 5.5 x 5.5 square from the other side of the same sheet of paper and used it to cover the inside of the card.

The sentiments are from the Birthday Greetings stamp set by Hot Off The Press. I stamped them on Whip Cream cardstock* using Sweet Berry ink*. I used the Shapeabilities Ribbon Banners Etched Dies* to cut the top banner and an old die from my stash for the inside label. I cut the flowers from Pool Play cardstock* and leaves from Lemon Grass cardstock* using another retired die set. I added white Party Burst Enamel Dots* to the flower centers.

Materials list

Create and Bloom Prints Paper Pack*
Shapeabilities Puzzle Effect Etched Die*
Small flowers die
Birthday Greetings stamp set (HOTP)
Shapeabilities Ribbon Banners Etched Dies*
Party Burst Enamel Dots*
Pool Play cardstock*
Lemon Grass cardstock*
Sweet Pear cardstock*
5" paper doily
Pink patterned scrapbook paper
Whip Cream cardstock*
Sweet Berry ink pad*

*This post contains affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I may be paid a small commission if you purchase items using these links - see my disclosure for details.

Thinking of You

2019-07-26T19:45:00.001-07:00

I've always liked doing cut and tuck so when I saw the round about die on closeout at Spellbinders I couldn't resist. I used it to make a die cut from Summer Days cardstock*, but before I did the folding, I inked the backside with Rich Coral ink*. I then backed it with Rich Coral cardstock* and added some Seafoam Stickles* dots to the centers of the circles.

For the background, I stamped flowers from the retired Flower Party stamp set with Summer Days ink* onto a 6.5" x 5" ivory card base.

I used the Paper Artist Viney Swirls die to cut some vines from Lemon Grass cardstock*. I used the Celebrate and Friendship Script Bundle* to cut, "thinking of you" from Summer Days cardstock* and arranged them on a tag from my stash.

Here's a close-up of the Round About die cut.

Materials Used

5" x 6.5" ivory card base

Flower Party Stamp Set

Spellbinders Shapeabilities Round About die

Paper Artist Viney Swirls die

Lemon Grass cardstock*

Summer Days cardstock*

Rich Coral cardstock*

Summer Days ink pad*

Rich Coral ink pad*

Black and White 3" x 5" tag

Celebrate and Friendship Script Bundle*

Seafoam Stickles*

*This post contains affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I may be paid a small commission if you purchase items using these links - see my disclosure for details.

Make One of These Adorable Traveler's Notebooks

2019-03-24T07:39:00.000-07:00

Oh my, I am in LOVE with the Sizzix Planner Pages and More Collection! These little notebooks are so cute and they go together really fast.

Don't you just love that embossed cover? After cutting it out of Peaches and Cream cards tock I embossed it, then I inked it with Rustic Rose ink. So pretty!

Underneath the cardstock is a sturdy cover cut from paper board. The inside is covered with scrapbook paper. Would you like to know how I did it? Here's a video tutorial:

What you will need for the Peaches and Cream notebook:

Sizzix - Planner Pages and More Collection - Bigz L Die - Pocket Traveler's Notebook*
Sizzix - Planner Pages and More Collection - Thinlits Die - Traveler's Notebook Inserts*
Paper board - a cereal box will work, but I discovered that the box my cat's food comes in is a little sturdier.
Peaches and Cream card stock*
Rustic Rose Ink Pad*)
12 x 12 sheet of coordinating scrapbook paper.
Rose Corner embossing folder by Hot off the Press (Discontinued)
Journey Craft Glue*
1 yard of elastic cording (or you could get fancy with Momenta - The Explorer Journal Collection - Journal Elastics*)

The notebook in the video is slightly different so here's the supply list for it:

Sizzix - Planner Pages and More Collection - Bigz L Die - Pocket Traveler's Notebook*
Sizzix - Planner Pages and More Collection - Thinlits Die - Traveler's Notebook Inserts*
Sizzix - Planner Pages and More Collection - Die with Stamp Set - Grace for Today*
Paper board - a cereal box will work, but I discovered that the box my cat's food comes in is a little sturdier.
Limeade Splash cardstock*
Coordinating scrapbook paper.
Journey Craft Glue*
1 yard of elastic cording (or you could get fancy with Momenta - The Explorer Journal Collection - Journal Elastics*)
Inka Gold - Silver
Pretty Plaid Embossing Folder*

Cutting it all out

Cut two covers from paper board
Cut two covers, two pockets, two tags and one pen holder from your favorite card stock.
Cut two 4.75" x 7" rectangles from the coordinating scrapbook paper

Assembly:

Glue the paper board covers together, overlapping the spine. Make sure you line up the holes.

Set the cover aside to dry

Emboss the cardstock covers using your favorite embossing folder.

Ink the embossed cover to add depth.
After the paper board cover has dried, score it on either side of the spine where the covers overlap.

Carefully crease the cover on the scorelines so that that the printed side of the paper board faces out.
Adhere the scrapbook paper to the inside of the front and back covers so that the inside edges line up with the score lines and the rest of the edges overlap the paperboard cover by about 1/2". (refer to video at 9:00)
Fold and glue the excess to the outside of the covers, clipping the corners along the curves (refer to video at 10:00 )
Adhere the cardstock covers to the front and back paper board covers but do not adhere them to the spine. (refer to video at 13:30)
Glue the outer covers together along one edge as shown in the video at 17:25.
With the inside of the notebook facing up, lace the elastic through the holes in the cover as follows (refer to video at 19:00) :

Down the the top center hole
Up through the top left hole
Down through the bottom left hole
Up through the bottom center hole
Down through the top center hole (this should be the second stitch through that hole)
Up through the top right hole
Down through the bottom right hole
Up through the bottom center hole (this should be the second stitch through that hole)

Adjust the elastic tension and tie the ends.
Using about 12 inches of elastic, pull a loop thorugh the hole in the center of the spine so that the loop is on the outside and the ends are on the inside (refer to video at 24:25)
Make sure the loop is long enough to go around the Notebook.
Tie the ends on the inside.
Adhere the pocket to the inside front cover.
Adhere the pen holder to the inside back cover.
Cut pages using the die, or cut some paper 5 1/2" high by 7" wide and score and fold at 3 1/2". If you cut your own pages, be sure to put a small notch at the top and bottom of the center fold.

*This post contains affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I may be paid a small commission if you purchase items using these links - see my disclosure for details.

Craft Room Cleanup - Ribbon Storage

2019-03-18T08:54:00.000-07:00

Over the years I've acquired quite a bit of ribbon, lace and other various types of trim. It was stored in several places around my craft room and since it was out of sight and hard to find, I haven't used it much. Today, I decided to get it organized in hopes that I might actually use it. First, I dumped out all seven drawers full into one big box.

Next, I separated out the paper ribbon and put it with my gift wrap. After that, I separated all the spools and put them together. That left me with all of the loose ribbon and there was a lot of it. So, I headed down to my computer and made some ribbon cards that I cut from cereal boxes. I added little slits between each of the notches to tuck the ends into so the ends would stay put.

For the really wide ribbon, I used heavier cardboard and hand cut them to the length of my drawers. The drawers I'm using have dividers in them, so they're perfect for this method. Putting the ribbon on cards takes a lot less room than spools, but it's not quite as easy to unroll. I seldom use more than a couple feet, so that's not a problem for me. Here's my first drawer. The last row holds a ribbon dispenser I bought several years ago. I decided to leave those ribbons alone.

The bottom drawer also holds my twine as well as some other types of trim.

I also had quite a bit of trim that was too short to wrap on a card, but not quite short enough to throw away. For those, I tied a whole bunch of loops in a piece of twine and attached the trim to the loops using a half-hitch so they will stay attached but remain easy to remove. I hung the twine on the wall next to my workstation so the ribbons are out on display as a reminder to use them. Time will tell if this experiment works!

How about you? Do you have a ribbon storage solution that works well for you?

Tales From the Junk Bin

2019-03-17T16:39:00.000-07:00

Raise your hand if you have a collection of mismatched embellishments, die cuts, labels, tags and other leftovers from the projects you've been working on. I'm guessing I'm not the only one. I used to stick them in containers and they'd eventually migrate to a drawer or a shelf somewhere. Recently, I decided that it might be a better idea to keep them in a tin on my work table. This is my current (but not only) junk bin.

Today as I was trying to figure out what to work on next, I decided to rummage through the junk bin for some inspiration. Here's what I pulled out.

Kind of a mismatched bunch, but I was determined to make something from them. The turquoise medallion and the feather* were made with dies I got from a recent order from Spellbinders. I was just trying out the dies and didn't have anything in mind when I made them, but once I was done, I couldn't just throw them away. The butterfly is from the Small Things stamp set* and is a leftover from a prior project. The background is from a pile of backgrounds I discovered yesterday when I was clearing out some of my old stash.

I chose 018, 015, 025 and 027 from my Journey Color Burst Pencils* that matched the colors in the medallion and feather to color the butterfly. I thought it needed a little red when I got done so I also did a little blending with some 02.

I'll admit the butterfly came out a bit more colorful than I intended, but I think it goes with the rest of the card. I thought the medallion didn't quite pop enough by itself so I dug through my box a little more and found a circle I had cut from Summer Days cardstock* with the Journey Circles die set* and put that behind it.

I lightly inked the edge of the background with Turbo Teal ink*. I also added some trim behind the background, you can see it peeking out on either side. I popped the butterfly and the sentiment up on Journey Foam Squares, then splattered it all with Sparkle silk and Cool Pool silk. Not bad for a card from the junk bin.

How about you? What's in your junk bin?

*This post contains affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I may be paid a small commission if you purchase items using these links - see my disclosure for details.

Scrapbooking with We R Memorykeepers Frame Punch Board

2019-03-15T23:38:00.000-07:00

Last week, I picked up the We R Memory Keepers Frame Punch Board. I'm not sure what made me do it, maybe the fact that it was on sale. As I waited for it to arrive, I was wondering if it was going to end up in my growing pile of cool but unused tools.

Today, I decided to get it out and make something with it and I have to say, I really like it. It is quite easy to use. I lost the instructions right off the bat, but that wasn't a problem. I found a video on Scrapbook.com that told me all I needed to know to get started.

Once I had the mechanics down, I reached for one of my many boxes of photos that are in need of a scrapbook home. I chose one of my niece that I took way back in 1979. The photo isn't that great because the camera wasn't either (it was a 110 instamatic) but it's all I have from that era. Since these photos are so small, I decided to scrap them on 4 x 6 bases. That way, I can just slip them into a 4x6 sleeve. This is also a great size to work with if you're intimidated by a 12 x 12 page.

First, I cropped the photo to a more appropriate size (3" x 3/3/4"), then I cut the same size rectangle from pink paper. I rounded the corners, then set the guides to 1/4" for a narrow border, punched and trimmed and presto! A perfectly sized frame. I used the paper that I cut from the middle of the frame for journaling and, do you see those cute arrows at the bottom? Those are the punch outs from another frame I made earlier. I couldn't just throw them out, could I? They're perfect! To finish it off, I added a flower and a tag.

This post contains affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I may be paid a small commission if you purchase items using these links - see my disclosure for details.

OSW 7-13: The Final Installment

2019-03-09T16:39:00.000-08:00

Well, these One Sheet Wonders certainly have been fun! Here are the final seven cards.

I had a lot of fun with this birthday cake. Once again, I dug into my hand made background stash. The large background is on watercolor paper. It's just a very simple gradient from yellow to orange. The candles were cut from another background that had splashes of reds and yellows. I managed to position the candles so the flames were more or less over the yellows. I cut the balloons from Buttercream cardstock*. I stamped, "happy birthday," on one then shaded them with Limeade Splash* and Chambray Shirt ink*. I added some Natural Journey Thread* for strings and popped the blue balloon up on Journey foam squares*.

Supply List:

6.5" x 5" Card blank

4.5" x 6" Watercolor background

3" x 4" patterned paper rectangle

3 1/4" x 4 1/4" Limeade Splash Cardstock*

Silver Jewel Border Dazzles

Paper Artist Cake, Candle and Flower cutting die

Uplift die set*

Limeade Splash ink pad*

Chambray Shirt ink pad*

Buttercream cardstock*

Chambray Shirt Cardstock*

Hammered Silver Paper

Journey Foam Squares*

Sponge Daubers*

For my next card, I used the Anchored stamp set from Maymay Made it. This one went together very quickly. Mat the 3" x 4" patterned paper rectangle on a piece of 3 1/4" x 4 1/4" piece of Chambray Shirt* cardstock. Use Journey glue to add some sand to the bottom. Stamp the sentiment on a 2 x 1 3/4" piece of Buttercream cardstock* and ink it with Chambray Shirt ink* then mat it on a 2 1/8 x 1 7/8 piece of Chambray Shirt Cardstock*. Next, stamp the anchor on Chambray Shirt Cardstock* and fussy cut around it. Layer it all on the front of the card, popping up the anchor on Journey Foam Squares*.

Supply List:
4 1/4" x 5 1/2" card base
Handmade background
Anchored stamp set
3" x 4" patterned paper
1 3/4" x 2" Buttercream cardstock*
Chambray Shirt Cardstock*
Black Licorice ink pad*
Chambray Shirt ink pad*
Sand
Journey Craft Glue*
Journey Foam Squares*
Sponge Daubers*

For the next two cards, I matted the 2 1/4" patterned paper squares on 2 1/2" Chambray Shirt Cardstock* squares. I really like this verse from Maymay's Anchored set and wanted an undersea background so I drew one with PanPastels. One thing I love about PanPastels is that they are very forgiving. If you make a mistake, you can just erase it.

Supply List:

Chambray Shirt Cardstock*

Anchored stamp set

Rich Sorbets PanPastels*

Party Pop PanPastels*

The background for this next card was made with liquid colors on photo paper. It's a fun, easy and quick technique for making backgrounds. You can find a tutorial for making them on my YouTube channel. The Sentiment is from the Your Faith is Showing stamp set and the butterfly is from the Small Things stamp set. I colored it with Journey Splash Watercolor Pencils.

Supply List:
Your Faith is Showing stamp set
Chambray Shirt Cardstock*
Small Things stamp set*
Small Things die set*
Black Licorice Ink*

Here's another card featuring a Maymay Made It stamp set. This one is Then Sings My Soul. I adhered a 2 1/4" x 5 1/4" piece of patterned paper on the bottom of this card and added a washi tape border along the top of it. I stamped the wavy music strip directly onto the card base with Black Licorice Ink*. I cut the circles from Chambray Shirt* and Whipcream cardstock*. I stamped the sentiment on the Whipcream circle and stamped a few musical notes on the patterned paper. I popped up the circles on foam squares and added them to the left side of the card front.

Supply List:

Then Sings My Soul stamp set

Chambray Shirt cardstock*

Whip Cream cardstock*

Black Licorice Ink*

Journey Circles die set*

Circle Around die set*

Well, hello! The triangles in the upper and lower corners make a perfectly sized negative space for the large hello greeting. The hello is three layers thick so it stands out nicely. I used PanPastels to shade the background

Supply List:
Huge Hello die*
Party Pop PanPastels*
Chambray Shirt cardstock*
Journey Craft Glue*

And last, but not least, Thank You for visiting my blog!

Supplies
Party Pop PanPastels*
Chambray Shirt cardstock*
Lemon Drop cardstock*
Journey Craft Glue*
Charming Thank You die set*

* denotes an affiliate link. At no additional cost to you, I may be paid a small commission if you purchase items using these links - see my disclosure for details.

OSW 5 & 6 Hugs and Sunshine

2019-03-03T10:00:00.001-08:00

Here are two more cards in my series on Jessica Taylor's One Sheet Wonder template which can be found here: https://www.inkitupwithjessica.com/how-to-make-one-sheet-wonder-cards/

These One Sheet Wonders really are helping me get my crafty mojo back. They're also helping me find ways to reduce the pile of handmade backgrounds I've been accumulating. Today's cards are simple and quick. Both use the 3" x 4" piece of patterned paper along with a background I made using shaving cream and Liquid Color. I'm not certain which colors I used, but since I'm guessing, I'm going to say Lemon Drop and Lovely Blue.

When I was cleaning my craft room last week, I found some 4" x 5 1/2" card blanks by Recollections that I bought several years ago, so I decided to use those.

I started my fifth card in this series by adhering the patterned paper to the bottom of a card base, then I cut a 2 1/2" x 4" panel from my handmade background and glued it to the top. I added a strip of washi tape between the two for a border. I used the Heart Felt die set to cut the large heart from Rich Coral cardstock and the small heart from Peaches and Cream cardstock I then used a sponge dauber to shade the small heart with Rich Coral ink. That had the effect I had hoped it would and the small heart now matches the washi hearts fairly well. I shaded the outer edge of the large heart with Raspberry Berry ink. The sentiment, which I stamped with Black Licorice ink is from the Inside & Out stamp set. I popped the small stamped heart up on foam squares and centered it on the large heart, then adhered the large heart to the front of the card. I thought the bottom of the card needed something so I added a couple little heart jewels. They are from the Fire & Ice set from Fun Stampers Journey which has been discontinued.

My sixth card started in the same way, with the patterned paper on the bottom and another panel from the same background on the top. I used Black Jewel Border Dazzles from Paper Wishes for the border between the two panels. I used the My Sunshine die set to cut the sun center from Pineapple Smoothie cardstock and the outer part of the sun from Summer Days cardstock. I inked the edges of the sun's center with Lemon Drop ink. I then popped it up on foam squares and adhered it to the sun outline.

I made the small banner using a 1" x 2 3/4" scrap of Pineapple Smoothie cardstock. The sentiment is also from the Inside & Out stamp set and is stamped with Black Licorice ink. That set is becoming one of my favorites. I matted the tag on a 1 1/4" x 3" piece of Limeade Splash cardstock. I adhered it to the front of the card, slightly below the border. I popped the sun up on foam squares and added it so the bottom just overlaps the banner. To finish it off I added a splattering of Sour Lemon Silk.

OSW 3 and 4 Bold Music

2019-02-23T15:03:00.000-08:00

Today's post is a continuation of my take on Jessica Taylor's One Sheet Wonder template which can be found here: https://www.inkitupwithjessica.com/how-to-make-one-sheet-wonder-cards/

For both cards, I used the 2" x 5 1/4 " pieces from the template. The stamp sets I chose are both retired. I bought them a couple years ago with great intentions, then never used them. Have you ever done that? I bet you have!

For this first card, I chose Life Music from Fun Stampers Journey. I stamped the guitar/tree with Pumpkin Bread* and Fresh Forest* inks. I love how they blend to make a third color.

Instructions:

Make the card base from a piece of 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" Banana Cream cardstock*
Mat the 2" x 5 1/4" patterned paper on a 2 1/8" x 5 4/8" piece of Chambray Shirt cardstock*
Cut a 2 1/2" x 3 7/8" panel from Butter Cream cardstock*
Ink the bottom half of the stamp with Pumpkin Bread ink* and the top with Fresh Forest Ink*, overlapping the inks in the middle and stamp it onto the Butter Cream panel. To make stamping easier I used Tonic Studios - Tim Holtz - Stamp Platform*
Mat the stamped panel on a piece of 2 5/8" x 4" Limeade Splash cardstock*
Splatter the card base and the stamped panel with Electric Lime Silk* and Cool Pool Silk*
Adhere the matted patterned paper strip to the left side of the card base, leaving about 1/8" border around the top, bottom and left sides.
Pop up the stamped panel on Journey Foam Squares* in the center of the card.

For my second card, I used the Be Strong ATS from Fun Stampers Journey. I have a growing pile of backgrounds that I've made using various techniques and I found a watercolor one that went well with the colors in the striped paper. I used it for the background for the lion and cat.

Instructions:

Make the card base from a piece of 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" Banana Cream cardstock*
Mat the 2" x 5 1/4" patterned paper on a 2 1/8" x 5 4/8" piece of Chambray Shirt cardstock*
Use the Fiddle Leaf Embossing Folder* to emboss the front of the card.
Adhere the pattened paper panel along the bottom edge of the card base, leaving a narrow border around the left, right and bottom edges.
Cut a 2 12" x 3" panel from your chosen background and stamp the image with Black Licorice ink.
Mat the stamped panel on a piece of 2 5/8" x 3 1/8" Limeade Splash cardstock*
Splatter the panel and card front with Electric Lime Silk* and Cool Pool Silk*
Stamp the sentiment on a small piece of Butter Cream cardstock*
Fussy cut around the outside of the sentiment and mat it on a piece of Limeade Splash cardstock*
Pop the lion and cat image up on Journey Foam Squares* and position it about 1/2" in from the right edge of the card.
Add a Journey Foam Square* to the left side of the sentiment and position it so that it overlaps the stamped panel.

* denotes an affiliate link. At no additional cost to you, I may be paid a small commission if you purchase items using these links - see my disclosure for details.

OSW 1 and 2 Get Well and Go on an Adventure!

2019-02-21T21:30:00.000-08:00

I recently stumbled across one sheet wonders. I know they've been around for a long time, but for whatever reason I overlooked them before. They're great for getting me out of a creative rut. I also like the idea of creating a whole set of cards with the same color scheme. The series I'm featuring here is based on Jessica Taylor's One Sheet Wonder, which you can find here: https://www.inkitupwithjessica.com/how-to-make-one-sheet-wonder-cards/

I chose a blue/green/yellow striped paper for my one sheet and paired it with Limeade Splash*, Banana Cream* and Chambray Shirt* card stock. I always need "guy" cards and this color combo should fit the bill.

These first two cards are made with the 4" x 5 1/4' panels from the large sheet.

I'm almost out of get well cards so for this first one, I chose the Get Well Stamp Set*. This silly chicken is bound to bring a smile.

Instructions:

Make a card base from a 5 1/2" x 8" piece of Limeade Splash cardstock*
Center and adhere the 4" x 5 1/4" striped panel on the front of the card base.
Stamp the chicken and the sentiment on a 3" x 4 1/4" Banana Cream* panel with Black Licorice ink* Color the chicken, mug and saucer with Journey Color Burst Pencils* 03, 11, 15, 21, 27, 46 and 48.
Mat the stamped panel on a 3 3/8" x 4 5/8" Limeade Splash* panel.
Wrap a piece of Whip Cream Journey Thread* around the panel and tie it in a bow.
Pop the stamped, matted panel up on Journey Foam Squares* and center it on the front of the card.

For my second card, I chose the Begin Adventure ATS* and paired it with a watercolor background I made some time ago that went well with the paper and the theme. Since this is sky-themed, I wanted a blue card base so I chose Chambray Shirt cardstock*.

Instructions:

Make a card base from a 5 1/2" x 8" piece of Chambray Shirt cardstock*.
Center and adhere the 4" x 5 1/4" striped panel on the front of the card base.
Create a background on a Color Splash Watercolor Sheet using Lovely Blue Liquid Color*.
After the background is dry, trim it to 2 7/8 x 4 1/8" (or just use Whip Cream cardstock*)
Stamp the airplane at an angle on the background panel using Black Licorice ink*
Stamp the sentiment on a 1/2" wide strip of light blue paper with Black Licorice ink*. Trim the ends.
Mat the stamped airplane panel on a 3" x 4 1/4" piece of Chambray Shirt cardstock*.
Adhere the airplane panel at an angle onto the front of the card so that the airplane wings are more or less parallel with the top edge of the card.
Curl the sentiment strip so it's wavy and pop it up on Journey Foam Squares* below the airplane.

* denotes an affiliate link. At no additional cost to you, I may be paid a small commission if you purchase items using these links - see my disclosure for details.

Some Bunny Loves You

2019-01-28T21:09:00.000-08:00

I have two cards for you today. Both of them were made with the bunny stamp from the Valentine Pals stamp set.* I also used my photo paper backgrounds for both cards. You can read more about that technique HERE..

For the first card, I used the Decorative Hearts die set* and cut the largest heart from Bubble Gum and Sweet Berry cardstock. I also cut a smaller heart from Journey Vellum using one of the hearts from the Heart-Felt die set* and stamped, "Some bunny love you" with Black Licorice ink*. Ink that has been stamped on vellum takes quite a bit longer to dry, so you may want to heat set it. After it's dry, tuck the bottom of the small heart under the design in the large heart and use a couple small spots of glue behind the lettering to secure it in place.

I stamped the bunnies for both cards on Whip Cream Card Stock * and colored them very lightly with Spectrum Noir alcohol ink pens. for each bunny, I stamped the balloons a couple times on one of my pink photo paper backgrounds, cut out the center balloon and layered it over the others using foam tape.

The green strip across the bottom of the card is the leftover piece of a watercolor background I created some time ago. I finished it off with a triple bow made from Silver Journey Thread.*

The next card is even easier.

I cut the hearts from Whip Cream* and Candy Apple* cardstock using the Heart-Felt die set.*

I cut a 1.25" x 4" strip from Rock Candy cardstock. It's a little hard to see, but I stamped the small heart from the Valentine Pals stamp set* on it repeatedly using Candy Apple ink.*

Before securing the background to the card base, I tied a pink organza ribbon around it. I finished it all off with a sprinkling of Pink World sequins.

* denotes an affiliate link. I may be paid a small commission if you purchase items using these links - see my disclosure for details.

Stormy Seas

2019-01-16T09:00:00.000-08:00

I love the Pacific coast and spend quite a bit of time there. Here is another digital layout from my January 2018 trip.

The layout is fairly simple. I used diagonal mats to create continuity. I liked the look of the rusty prongs from the Oceanside pack so I added them to the first photo. The sandy border was just what I needed for beach photos so I extended it across both pages. For a fun look, I added a sand splat to the upper right corner of the first page.

I flipped the layout for the second page and added some netting and a bird to the large photo. The sea grass and driftwood anchor the bottom left photo to the page.

Project Supply List:

Papers - Day at the Beach (CMD)
Sandy border, sand splat, rusted prongs, driftwood, tags and net - Oceanside Pack
Wave border - Summer Doodles (MMDCS)
Birds, grass and shells - Walking By the Sea (Sekada)

If you'd like to try My Memories, you can download a free trial here: http://mymemories.com/mms/my_memories_suite. If you decide to buy it, be sure to use my coupon code: STMMMS97442 to get $10 off (coupon cannot be used in combination with other discounts). You will receive a discount and at no additional cost to you, I will receive a commission.