lavender's blue

Must-Have Crafting Tools Countdown #4

2012-02-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

#4 - Rotary Paper Trimmer

Now I know that I just talked about using a cutting mat, cork-backed ruler, and Olfa utility knife to cut paper, but if you're making a lot of repetitive cuts (like for invitations or wedding stationery), a rotary paper trimmer is the way to go. It's not worth your time to have to find your guide lines and position your ruler each time, particularly if you're making the exact same cuts each time too.

Let me first introduce you to the past few paper trimmers I used before I found the one that works for me:

The very first paper trimmer I used was my dad's. He had one of these guillotine-style trimmers with the handle that swings. It definitely didn't look as cool as the one up there. It's been so long, I don't think the one he has exists anymore. I just remember it was very beige. Anyway, the swinging blade kind of freaked me out and I didn't think it made cuts as accurately as I would have liked. There was also no way of sharpening the blade after it dulled. After a while, it just started eating the paper instead of cutting it.

So when it came time to purchase my own paper trimmer, I decided I wanted one with a rotary blade. They just seem so much safer to me, and more accurate too. I headed down to my local Michaels and came home with this Making Memories paper trimmer. I was impressed with its portability, self-sharpening blade, and the magnetic ruler that you can move around.

I ended up using this paper cutter to trim ALL of my wedding stationery - invitations, programs, thank you cards, menus, everything. I think my hand just about fell off near the end.

This paper trimmer served me well for a few years, but in the end, I had a few major gripes about it:

It was hard to see the edge where you cut. If you needed a cut at a very precise spot, it was hard to line that spot up visually with where the actual blade cut the paper. Mind you, the difference was probably a few millimeters, but sometimes precision and accuracy is necessary.
I found it very hard to trim things at right angles because neither the top, bottom, nor ruler provided a straight surface for measuring from the cut line. Because it's foldable, the top and bottom plastic parts weren't completely straight. And the ruler was actually a piece of plastic glued to another strip of magnet. The glueing job wasn't great, and neither proved to be a straight enough line to make straight cuts. And when you're trying to make 90 degree cuts, after 4 not-so-perfectly-90 degree-cuts, your paper turns out looking more like a parallelogram than a rectangle. Again, the effects were minor and mostly negligible, which is why I stuck it out for so long before switching.
The "self-sharpening" blade eventually gets dull and there is no way to sharpen the blade. After about two years, this paper trimmer was no longer make crisp, effortless cuts. It still works rather well, but you have to be particular about where you apply strength.

And so after a long, solid run of three full years, I retired my Making Memories paper trimmer and finally turned to CARL.

I was looking for a paper trimmer that was more heavy-duty than even your strongest craft-quality trimmer, but I wasn't ready to invest in an industrial-strength trimmer. I knew this time that Michaels probably wasn't the best place to look, so I did most of my research online. After extensive research, I decided on the CARL DC210 rotary trimmer.

Some of my favorite things about it:

Like the Making Memories paper trimmer, it has a magnetic slider that you can move around to help position your paper. However, because it's not foldable, the top and bottom pieces are nice and straight. The magnetic strip is also held inside a plastic case, so it sits flush on the metal surface with only the clean edges showing.
It has heavy-duty blades that are also replaceable. It also comes with an extra blade when you purchase it, as well as an extra cutting mat strip that goes under the blade area.
The blade cuts right to the edge of the paper surface, making it super easy to make highly accurate cuts. Since the blade cuts to the very edge, you can easily position and gauge where your paper should go.
It claims to be able to cut through 30 sheets of 20 lb paper, 1/8" foam core, and matte board, though I've never put it to the test before.

And a few things that I wish I could change:

It has a precision rail that you lift up and press down for each cut, holding the paper securely in place. This is generally a good thing, but I just find it a little bit annoying because it requires an extra step every time I need to cut something. Granted, it does help hold my paper securely in place though.
It's quite large and unwieldy. I wish someone would make a portable paper trimmer that was still designed in a way that made perfectly accurate cuts. Those two things might be mutually exclusive though. The more moving and jostling of a piece of equipment, the more likely things can become loose and misaligned. I guess I will have to make do with a stationery trimmer. :P

I'm happy with my current CARL trimmer for now, but I can't say that I wouldn't be open to trying something new or better.

If you're in the market for a new paper trimmer, I encourage you to do a lot of research and maybe try out a few different types before you buy one, especially because they come at quite a high premium. Let me know if you've found something that works for you!

DIY Superbowl XLVI Party + Printables

2012-02-01T06:44:00.000-08:00

I'm not really a football fan, nor do I know much about the sport at all. But I'll take any opportunity to throw a party. :) So, when my husband suggested having a small Super Bowl party for his study group buddies, I said, "Sure, why not?"

I started researching the teams to find out the colors and what their logos were, and I must say I was very disappointed when I found out that both teams have the same exact team colors. That doesn't make for a very exciting party, now does it? :P

Well, I worked with what I had, and it actually looks more like a coordinated, well-matched party than a SuperBowl rivalry. I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing. Anyway, feel free to download and use for your own parties! Use both teams' printables or just cut out the one team you're rooting for if you're feeling particularly competitive. :)

*Thanks to Brands of the World and the Noun Project for the free vector files!

Invitations: Hoi + Nick

2012-01-30T06:00:00.000-08:00

When it came time to design wedding invitations for Hoi and Nick, they asked only that the invitations reflect their wedding colors: purple and pink. I remember that Hoi mentioned to me that her bouquet would include roses and calla lilies, so I decided to use that as a springboard for their invitation design. I drew some illustrations of various floral elements, and then "arranged" them in different ways for each part of their invitation suite.

Many of Hoi and Nick's relatives are Chinese-speaking. so they requested for the invitation to be bilingual. We worked together to finalize and lay out the text, and then decided the best way to present the different pieces would be to use an envelopment. The additional information cards were enclosed inside the envelopment, and after the envelopment was tied with a ribbon, it was placed in an outer envelope.

Hoi and Nick were thrilled with the final product, and hearing that from them just made my day. :)

Here are all the pieces printed and ready to be shipped to H+N, who put the invitations together themselves. And here's a look at their complete invitation suite and some details.

Must-Have Crafting Tools Countdown #6 + #5

2012-01-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

So this countdown is actually for three items...so maybe it's be more like #6, #5.5 and #5? You really use all three simultaneously and none of them work without the other two. But it didn't seem fair to take up three whole spots...and conversely, didn't seem right to cram three items into one spot! As a compromise, I decided to take up two real spots and add in a half spot. It doesn't make sense, I know. Just play along, okay? :)

#6 - Self-healing cutting mat

A cutting mat is pretty basic for anybody that likes to do crafts or sew. It helps to protect your work surface and also has guide lines that can help you as you cut. The self-healing mat hides any cut marks or lines, so it provides a nice even surface for cutting each time. You can pick these up at any Michaels or craft/art/hobby store. Don't forget to bring a coupon!

#5.5 - Xacto knife or Olfa utility knife

Throughout my first year of architecture school, I mostly stuck with an Xacto knife (pictured on left) and constantly became frustrated with its lack of control and its seemingly perpetually dull blades. And then at the end of my second year, one of my architecture buddies let me borrow her utility knife to do some basic cuts on paper. One cut, and I was hooked. I love that it feels strong and substantial in my hand, giving me the control I need to make firm, accurate cuts. I use my Olfa knife for 99% of my cutting needs now. My Xacto knife is used only on those occasions when I need a super fine point for cutting or for separating things like label paper.

#5 - Stainless steel cork-backed ruler

The cork-backed ruler is another item I picked up back in my days in architecture school. It was actually one of the items listed in my supply list that I had to buy my first week. A lot of those items now sit unused in a drawer back home, but I actually use this ruler so much that I brought it with me to Grenada. If you're cutting any type of paper stock on your cutting mat with an Xacto or Olfa knife, you have to have one of these. The corked back prevents the ruler from slipping, and the steel edge gives you a crisp guide line each time.

Each of these items work best when used in conjunction with the other two, so do try to get all three if you do a lot of cutting at home!

Welcome to Grenada!

2012-01-23T06:18:00.000-08:00

I'm happy to say that we made it safely to the island! We've spent the past two weeks just settling in and getting adjusted to life here. It's very different, to say the least, but I think knowing that we're here purposefully has helped us make the best of the situation. There are many new and strange things to get used to, but for the most part, I think we're settling in just fine. Thanks for all the prayers and positive words that have helped to support us and given us the encouragement to enter into this next stage of our lives. We are so grateful for each of you!

We arrived in Grenada on Saturday, January 7th, and spent the first week sightseeing and doing some touristy things. What I love most about traveling, though, is getting to know the local people and learning about the different ways that they live and work and play. One of my favorite things to do when I travel to a new place is to find a local grocery store/market and just walk down the aisles and marvel at the different food items and products that they have. I remember during our time in France, I was just in awe when I walked down an entire aisle devoted to cheese. I felt like I had died and gone to heaven (It was seriously that awesome. They even subdivided the aisle into different cheese types, like bries, appetizer cheeses, cooking cheeses, etc.) Anyway, I thought it'd be fun to give you a few observations that I've made thus far about this beautiful island that we now call home.

Food
Surprisingly, we've found that most of the food here is quite expensive. In fact, we've found that most things are at least as expensive as home, and sometimes are 3-4 times as much. A large part of this is because most things need to be imported into the island, so everything is marked up quite a bit. For example, a friend of ours recently purchased a single bell pepper from the grocery store the other day. Guess how much she paid? It cost $15EC, which comes out to about $6USD! Crazy ridiculous.

So local food must be much cheaper, right? Yes and no. We've found a few items - things like bananas, mangoes, papayas, and eggplants that are relatively inexpensive (less than $1/lb), but I honestly still pay less for them in the US (maybe not the papayas). I know we've been spoiled the past few years having super fresh, plentiful, affordable produce in California, so I'm slowly adjusting to the price differences. I do appreciate the farm-fresh eggs that are available every Tuesday on campus! They come out to about $3 for a dozen, but hey, it's local and organic. :P

The most commonly found meat item here is chicken, but even that is hard to find fresh. Most grocery stores carry only frozen meats, and it usually consists of about 70% chicken, 15% pork, 10% beef, and about 5% seafood. We did visit the fish market in town this weekend and were able to buy some super fresh fish that we hope will last a few meals!

If you're interested in hearing more about the food in Grenada, and well as some recipes that I'll be sharing in the future, make sure to stay up to date on the food blog that my sis and I have.

Transportation
Since we moved to the island, we've discovered that everything seems to move much slower here. Everything, that is, except the buses. These mini-buses or "reggae" buses, as some people call them (because of the reggae music that the drivers listen to, although we've heard everything from Adele to hip hop), fit anywhere from 14-20 people, depending on how many people you can cram into a row. Each row technically has 3 seats (2 stationery and 1 fold-down), but I've seen them cram 5 people into a row before. Oh, and don't worry about seat-belts for each passenger; none of the buses here have them in the back.

So the way these buses work is that each bus has a driver and a second helper whose job it is to look out for potential passengers, open/close the sliding bus door, adjust seating arrangements to maximize bus space, collect bus fares, and exchange greetings/insults with other bus drivers/helpers. As the buses wind their way through narrow, curvy roads at dangerously high speeds, they honk their horns sporadically at seemingly random times. In fact, as I've been told, a honk in Grenada can mean many things: I have space! Do you need a ride? Watch out, I'm coming around the corner! You're too slow - I'm passing you. Hello! And of course, Get out of my way!

Weather
The weather here is a balmy 80°F pretty much year-round. There are basically two seasons: wet and dry. Apparently, we're in the dry season right now, but things have been pretty wet around here. We've gotten showers almost everyday, but they mostly last between 5-15 minutes, and then get sunny again. As such, we try to keep an umbrella in our bags when we go out, and even some emergency ponchos that we were told to bring. It can be pretty warm on sunny days, but it's still quite comfortable in the shade. Particularly if that shade happens to be under a palm tree by the beach. :D The water really is incredible, as all of our friends have told us. It is this beautiful shade of turquoise, and the temperature is just warm enough that it's comfortable, but just cool enough that it's still refreshing.

Culture
We've been told that Grenadians are some of the friendliest people you'll ever meet. When you pass people in the streets, it's customary to offer a greeting. It's considered rude if you ignore someone. When we get on the buses, we try to remember to say hello and thank you to our bus drivers, and the same goes for our grocery store clerks too. When I was at the grocery store the other day, one of the workers passed by and checked if I was doing okay. I asked him about some of the local foods, and he started explaining some recipes to me. An elderly lady passed by and joined our conversation, adding in her version of the recipe. I was surprised by their friendliness and eagerness to help. Tourism is the #1 industry in Grenada, so I guess the locals are all usually very friendly and happy to meet foreigners.

As I've mentioned before, life moves at a very slow pace in Grenada. Everybody seems to be very relaxed all the time, nobody's in a hurry, and life is just super chill. Most stores and business are closed on Sunday, and banks are closed the entire weekend. Many businesses close shop quite early on the weekdays too, some even at 2 o'clock. This can get frustrating sometimes, especially with the med students who don't seem to have very many minutes to spare in their days. For me, it's been a welcome change of pace. I'm finding unusual joy and satisfaction in doing mundane tasks these days. Tasks like taking a trip to the grocery store or cooking a meal seem to take twice as long here, but I've been learning to enjoy the process.

We miss home and all our friends and family dearly, but I think we're excited for what God has in store for us these next two years.

I'll try to update frequently about our life here on this island, but I do hope to get back into craft and DIY posts too. Resources are scarce and different here, so we'll see how I can make do!

I'll leave you with a few glimpses of our life here. :)

in St. George's

hiking through the rainforest

fresh fish from the market

and Grenadian cheese!

Packed and ready to go

2012-01-06T01:56:00.000-08:00

It's 2 in the morning, and we've just about finished packing our final things for Grenada. It's finally starting to sink in that in less than 48 hours, we'll be living on a tropical island in the middle of the Caribbean Sea.

We decided not to ship anything, so here is everything that we're able to take with us - 2 large suitcases, 2 boxes, 2 carry-on suitcases, 2 backpacks, and 1 extra bag (that we're hoping we can sneak by....) filled with enough Shin Ramyun and rice paper/noodles to last us 4 months.

We're both excited and a bit apprehensive for this new stage of our lives. We know that it'll be a quite a big adjustment for the both of us, but we are grateful to be embarking on this crazy new adventure together.

See you on the other side!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T07:00:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! I'm currently in Portland celebrating the holidays with my parents and sister. It's baby E's first Christmas, so we're pulling out all the bells and whistles...even getting a real Christmas tree for the first time. :)

Here's a peek at our Christmas cards this year! I can't take credit for the design though; it's from the cool people over at Minted.

How to wrap the perfect present

2011-12-21T07:00:00.000-08:00

I've been in the midst of Christmas shopping and gift-wrapping and remembered this tutorial I wrote last year about how to wrap the perfect present. In case you need to refresh your bow-tying skills, here's where to find it!

The Story of Elijah

2011-12-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

With all of my sister's close friends and family living in various places across the country, it became very hard for us to throw her a traditional baby shower. Billy and I decided instead to invite Julie's friends and family to participate in a virtual baby shower activity.

Julie and Billy chose the name Elijah for their baby boy because of how meaningful the story has been in their life and because they hope their son will have as intimate a relationship with God as the prophet Elijah did. So Billy took the biblical account of Elijah and rewrote it into a kid's story.

Each person was assigned a line from the story and asked to re-copy the phrase in their own handwriting and to draw a quick doodle to illustrate it. After collecting all of the handwritten phrases and doodles, I scanned them all into the computer and tried to tie all the illustrations together by coloring similar elements the same color (note Elijah's blue jeans in certain illustrations and blue robes in another! :)).

I love how each person interpreted their lines differently and drew Elijah in slightly different ways. I think it's a beautiful reminder that baby Elijah, and Julie and Billy, have a wonderful community of people who all love them very much.

Must-Have Crafting Tools Countdown #7 - Bone Folder

2011-12-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

#7 - Bone Folder / Scoring Board

When you're working with paper a lot, particularly with invitations or greeting cards, a bone folder is a must! It will help you fold and crease paper so perfectly, you'll wonder how you ever lived without one. It's not entirely necessary with thinner paper stocks, like printing paper or even scrapbook paper, but when you're working with cardstock or anything thicker than 80lb, you can see a huge difference.

The way the bone folder works is that you use the point (and a ruler) to create a score mark, and then you use the smooth sides of the bone folder to help fold the page down.

I have the Martha Stewart scoring board as well, and I think it's worth the investment if you're planning on scoring in large quantities. It has pre-made indentations, so you just line up your paper and it can score super straight lines without a ruler.

source

After playing around with the bone folder/scoring board, I've developed a method that I think works best for me. See if you can tell the difference between the different methods:

1. No scoring. Folding by hand.

2. Score with bone folder. Fold inward.

3. Score with bone folder. Fold outward.

4. Score with bone folder and score board. Fold inward.

5. Score with bone folder and score board. Fold outward.

Personally, my method of choice is #5. I like the look of the crisp, clean inside and the ease and convenience of the score board. #2 is a close second, but that requires a cutting mat and a ruler.

Hoi's Bridal Shower Details

2011-12-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

I'm back with some pictures from Hoi's bridal shower today! The other bridesmaids and I had a lot of fun putting this shower together for Hoi. And I was dying for an excuse to use a giant balloon. :) Did you know you can buy them at Party City? They come in a pack though, so you'll have to purchase the pack and then ask to get them blown up. Note of warning: stay away from pointy trees. I learned this the hard way. Let's just say there were supposed to be 2 giant balloons.

Anyway, here are some detail shots from the shower. I'll follow-up in the next few weeks with some specific DIYS for items I made for the shower (penant banner, stripey straws, tissue paper flowers, ribbon lei!).

mimosa station with mango, cranberry, and pineapple juice

Hoi loves the cheese fondue from Olive Garden, so we found the recipe online and replicated it for her shower with lots of fun dippers.

for favors, we had Burt's Bees mango chapstick and fun products supplied by Johnson & Johnson (where Hoi works)

And here's a final pic of the whole group! Thanks for letting us celebrate you, Hoi!

Hoi's Bridal Shower Invitation

2011-12-08T07:00:00.001-08:00

When I think of my friend Hoi, the first thing that pops into my mind is mango! She loves all things mango (which is why I threw her a mango party in a box for her birthday), and one of her favorite things to say is, "Aloha," so when it came time to think of a theme for her bridal shower, Hawaiian/beach-themed was an obvious choice. :)

For her invitations, I tried to put an elegant spin on the usual tropical theme by combining script fonts with soft pastel colors. I threw in a touch of gold for an extra luxe feel.

Hoi's shower was just last weekend, and we had a blast! I'll share pictures soon in another post.

Must-Have Crafting Tools Countdown #8

2011-12-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

#8 - Sewing Machine

My mom and I got this little Kenmore Mini Ultra 3/4 Size sewing machine several years ago when it was on sale during Black Friday. I think it must've been $50 or something ridiculous like that. It only has 6 stitches, but honestly, I don't even use all of them!

This little guy has been faithful all these years, helping me make things like my first quilt, stuffed fabric birdies, paper garlands, scarves, and all sorts of baby stuff.

A sewing machine is perfect for whipping up handmade gifts in a few hours' time, especially when you're working with felt, as it requires no finished seams. Stitching on paper is also a nice touch for homemade cards or invitations with a cozy, DIY feel.

I don't think I could live without my sewing machine....I'm still trying to convince Dean to let me take it to the Caribbean with us. :P

The Wizard of Oz: Redesigned Book Jacket

2011-11-21T07:00:00.000-08:00

Here's another school project I've been wanting to share with you. The assignment was to pick a book that has already been published and redesign the cover. I chose to do a book jacket so I could design the inside flaps too. :)

A lot of the Wizard of Oz covers I've seen in the past incorporate ornate, decorative elements, particularly in the use of fonts. I decided to put a fresh spin on it by using a hand-drawn text style in addition to some graphics that I sketched out, scanned, and colored in Illustrator. My favorite part of the book is the little hot air balloon graphic which I put in the author section under the line, "He left this world on May 5, 1919." Teehee. :)

Must-Have Crafting Tools Countdown: #9

2011-11-18T07:00:00.000-08:00

#9 - Digital Camera

I have an awesome sister who gifted us a DSLR when we got married a couple years back, and it's one of the things that you could argue is not really a design or crafting tool, but I'm going to make a case for it.

I got my first digital camera in college when I convinced my parents that I NEEDED one for my architecture studio classes. How else was I supposed to take pictures of my intricate basswood models creating interesting shadows on the sidewalk? Really, though, I think documentation is a large component in the process of design. When you're documenting your project and looking at it through the lens of a camera, you see your project in a more objective manner. You can more clearly see all the areas in which you did well, and all the areas that needed improvement. It also helps to have a physical record of all your work once the work has been given away, tossed in the trash, or destroyed. And as you collect more work, you'll start to see your growth and development in your design style.

On the other end, a digital camera is essential in the beginning stages of a project when you're searching high and low for that perfect source of inspiration that's going to be your next big thing. Inspiration never comes when it's supposed to, so you always have to be ready to capture it immediately when you happen to come across it. A sketchbook is great, but nothing is quicker and easier than snapping a quick photo of an object that you want to keep in your inspiration bank to pull out later on.

All that being said, you definitely don't need a fancy, expensive camera to do any of this at all. Honestly, since I've gotten my iPhone, it's replaced my small digital camera that I used to keep in my purse at all times, and I hardly ever take my SLR with me anywhere anymore. I use my SLR solely for documentation and taking pics for this blog. But when I'm out and about, my iPhone serves me perfectly as a quick snap and go camera. (Btw, has anybody seen the camera on the new iPhone 4s? It's AMAZING! Plus, check out these nifty lens attachments for your camera phone!! I've been hinting to Dean about these because Christmas is coming up... :D)

For Elijah: DIY Watercolor Birth Announcements

2011-11-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

Once in a while, I'll commit to a project that ends up being just a little more than I had bargained for. What starts out as a simple, "Hey, I can do that! It'll just take me an hour or two" usually turns into my slaving away at two in the morning to finish what I started. Take, for example, the Super Mario cake I made for Dean that ended up taking me two entire days. Or our hand-letterpressed wedding invitations that took the two of us a whole day just to feed through the letterpress machine. In the end though, it's these same projects that I really pour myself into that end up being the most memorable and meaningful pieces that I make.

For my nephew Elijah's birth announcements, I wanted to create a piece that could be kept as a keepsake, not only for his parents, but for each friend and family member that received them. I decided to hand-watercolor his announcements so that each one would be unique. With some watercolor paints, paintbrushes, and painter's tape in hand, I set off to begin a project that ended up taking about two weeks. Here's the finished announcement!

And here are a few process pictures to give you an idea of how it all came together:

*Edit: For those curious about more of the process, here are a few more details on how I made the announcements.

I was experimenting with my watercolors and was intrigued with the idea of masking off areas to reveal positive/negatives spaces with paint. I played around a bit and discovered that painter's tape worked perfectly with watercolor paper (other tapes tend to stick too much and peel off paper when you remove it).

In order to cut out the shapes I wanted, I ran the tape through my Silhouette SD cutter and cut out hundreds of stars and the name "ELIJAH." For the stars, I used the actual star cut-outs to tape onto the paper, and for the name, I actually use the outlined part.

After taping everything down exactly where I wanted, I watercolored away! In order for the outlines to look crisp, make sure that your brush is damp with watercolor paint, but not sopping wet. You want it to be just wet enough to move around the page.

The funnest part, of course, was removing all the tape and seeing the shapes and words appear! I used tweezers to help make it easier to pick up all the little pieces.

Some alternative ways this could be done:

1.) A way that you could make this without a Silhouette SD is to tape the painter's tape down onto some cardstock and use a craft punch to punch out star shapes. Then, peel the painter's tape "sticker" off and use that to stick onto your watercolor paper. Of course, you could always try to use an Xacto knife to cut out stars (but I don't think I have that kind of patience!).

2.) Another way to do this might be to use pre-bought stickers at the craft store in the shapes of stars and letters. In order for them not to stick permanently to the watercolor paper, simply peel them off the sheet and stick them on your pants or shirt a couple times. They should attach to some fibers from your clothing and not be quite so sticky. Try sticking them onto the watercolor paper and make sure that they stick firmly so that paint doesn't seep through, but also make sure that they can be peeled off without taking any paper with it. (I learned this trick for "making" painter's tape/drafting tape in architecture school from one of my professors. :D)

3.) I just saw this yesterday on Pinterest, and I think it's so smart and lends itself to a lot of possibilities. Using a wax pencil, you could also draw each of the stars directly onto the paper and write out the words very carefully (or trace them). Just watercolor on top of the wax and dab lightly to pick up all the paint.

Must-Have Crafting Tools Countdown: #10

2011-11-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

It was hard, but after sifting through all my crafting and design tools, I finally managed to whittle my must-have list down to my 10 most essential items. So I'm going to start today by talking about #10! Just as a disclaimer, I'm not being sponsored by anybody or being told to endorse these products. These are simply products and tools that I've used and loved and want to share with you.

#10 - Scanner
I have a CanoScan LiDE 110 that I got for Christmas a few years ago that I absolutely love. I feel like most scanners basically do the same job getting documents and images scanned. What sets this one apart for me is the portability and the fact that it only has one cord. All I have to do is use one simple cord to connect my scanner to my laptop and that's it. No power cord to deal with! The scanner is powered by your computer, thus making it more energy efficient too. Score. I literally store this scanner in my bookshelf. It takes up less space than my Martha Stewart Encyclopedia.

I use my Scanner a lot when I'm creating custom artwork for illustrations or when I want to use specific elements of existing artwork. For example, for Cathy and Dan's invitations, I hand-sketched the peapod, scanned it into an Illustrator file, and applied stroke effects and color digitally. It's oftentimes a lot easier to work out your ideas on paper and draw it by hand than to try working on computer solely.

Stay tuned for #9 next week!

DIY Freezer Paper Stenciled Onesies

2011-11-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

I've been dying to try this technique out since I saw it floating around the blogosphere. I picked up some long-sleeved cotton onesies to whip up some cute animal print shirts for my little nephew. I found this great Animal font for free on Dafont. I love its clean animal silhouettes that are really easy to cut out, even with just an Xacto knife. For these shirts, I used the turtle and the zebra. I wasn't a fan of the whale, so I made my own in Illustrator.

Here's what you'll need:

Supplies:
Freezer paper (available by the roll at most grocery stores)
Onesies
Iron
Fabric paint
Paintbrushes
Xacto knife (or Silhouette SD cutter)

The type of fabric paint I use is the Tulip brand at Michael's. I picked up a few bottles of these in red, blue, yellow, black and white, so I could mix a variety of colors and tints.

Step 1: Print out animal silhouette and cut out shape very carefully using an Xacto knife. I used my Silhouette SD because I had some complicated shapes for my zebra. The whale and turtle would be pretty simple with the knife though! You will want to make sure your outline is as perfect as possible because that is the part you will use.

Step 2: Iron your animal templates onto the shirts with the steam setting off. Be sure to iron around all the edges and corners to create a tight seal. You don't want any paint seeping through.

Step 3: Put some cardboard inside the shirt to protect the back layer.

Step 4: Paint away! You may need a few coats if your shirt is dark, as mine are. I used about 3 coats. Wait about 5-10 minutes in between coats.

Step 5: This is the fun part! After letting dry for at least an hour (or longer if you're patient), carefully peel away the template.

Step 6: With a piece of cloth between the iron and painted image, iron over the painted image to really set the paint. Be sure not to wash the shirt for at last 24 hours.

And here's little E sporting the whale onesie. :)

Happy painting!

We're moving...

2011-11-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

source

...to the Caribbean!

Yep, it's true. Dean and I will be packing up our bags and moving in January to the tiny island of Grenada in the West Indies. Dean will be beginning medical school there at St. George's University, and I will be accompanying him. I won't be able to work while I'm there, but I'm hoping to spend that time developing this blog more and creating more printables and custom invitation designs to add to my shop.

It's quite a big change moving from Orange County to a tropical island, to say the least. We're just getting started with all the preparations, so I will be sure to keep you posted on the developments! We don't plan on shipping anything to the island, so we'll have to bring everything that we need with us in our suitcases. I've already started thinking about which of my craft and design tools I'm going to have to live without for 2 years....and it's really gotten me thinking about what items I really need (craft and otherwise).

So for all you readers out there, stay tuned for some upcoming posts where I'll be sharing my top 10 must-have crafting tools. I'm not quite sure if I'll be able to stick to 10 though...it may turn into 20.

Cup Noodles Redesigned

2011-10-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

We all have memories of eating Cup Noodles - late nights in college, lunches on the go....midnight snacks at camp. My grandma even packs a few with her to eat on the airplane when she's traveling long distances. It's no question that Cup Noodles are a super quick and cheap option for a meal. But what if they were also healthy and packaged in a way that was environmentally responsible too?

These were just some of the questions that I tried to address in my package design project for one of my classes. The redesigned Cup Noodles features environmentally friendly ecotainer cups that are 100% recyclable and the outer packaging is made entirely from post-consumer waste. The actual noodles themselves are manufactured with an air-drying process to dehydrate the noodles, rather than deep-frying them in oil to flash-dry them. They are also made with all natural, organic ingredients. The new Cup Noodles is a product that is entirely sustainable - for you, and for the earth.
P.S. I used my handy-dandy Silhouette SD to cut out those animal shapes! I felt justified knowing that I could use my Silhouette for "real" projects and not just crafts...haha.

Welcome, Elijah Eliot Wan!

2011-10-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

Today is my little nephew's one month birthday! Isn't he just a darling? I never thought that I could love someone so tiny so very, very much. My sister has been sending me pictures almost daily so I can keep up to date with all of little E's developments and all his little faces and expressions.

Of course, before Elijah arrived, I set to work sewing and making all sorts of thing to prepare for his arrival. Here are some little tote bags I made for my sis and Billy to make it easier for them to go out with their little one, similar to the ones found here.

A receiving blanket for baby

And some baby boys bibs.
And for mom, a nursing cover for feeding on the go.

Happy birthday, little guy! Auntie can't wait to meet you soon.

Type Elephant

2011-09-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

Let me introduce you to Elmer. We met in typography class last week. He loves peanuts and cheddar cheese (though he's been rather reluctant to indulge in the latter recently; he's watching his weight). He also has an affinity for beautiful fonts and smart design.

Elmer was part of an in-class exercise to create an animal using only type. The exercise helped us recognize and appreciate letters as shapes, lines, and beautiful forms.

DIY Tabbed Dividers

2011-09-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

I recently started going back to school. I'm no stranger to the school environment, but it's somewhat refreshing to be able to enter the classroom as a student rather than teacher. I'm taking some really interesting classes this semester, and I'm hoping to pick up a few new skills and learn a bit more about typography and digital illustration.

Anyhow, I was in need of some tabbed dividers for my school notebook and thought that I would go ahead and create a set for myself. I've always really disliked those yellow divider pages with the clear colored plastic holders, but there never seems to be much variety.

Here's a DIY set of tabbed dividers for you, in case you're like me. :) I've included most of the "normal" school subjects and also a few blank ones for you to fill in on your own. Happy studying!

Supplies:
Cardstock
Full-sized sheets of label paper (or regular paper + gluestick)
Single hole punch
Scissors
DIY Tabbed Divider Template

Step 1: Print out DIY Tabbed Dividers Template

Step 2: Cut out tab.

Step 3: Punch corners with a single hole punch.

Step 4: Fold in half along the printed line.

Step 5: Remove label paper (or apply glue)

Step 6: Lay tab down (stick side up) and place cardstock about 1/4 of the way on top of the tab.

Step 7: Fold tab over along pre-folded line. Press firmly.

Boys on the mind

2011-09-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

Ever since I found out my sister would be having a baby boy, I've been keeping an eye out for boy-friendly fabrics to add to my stash. Here's a few I've collected so far.

I'm particularly fond of these little guys.

A Quilt for Baby Emelia

2011-08-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are some pics of the quilt I was working on last month for baby Emelia! :) Emelia's mommy Nancy chose a delightful rainbow of bold colors for her quilt: raspberry, emerald, purple, teal, and strawberry. I especially like how the subdued brown backing brings everything together and adds some seriousness to it all. Here's to sweet dreams, late afternoon naps, and sleeping in!