Fun with Sketches

May 20, 2012 Peg R Crafts, Paper Crafts, Scrapbooking, Techniques and Mediums, Trends No Comments

By Cardmaking & Scrapbook Layout Contributor, Peg from the blog Peg’s Crafting Corner.

One of the “in” and fun thing is to use a sketch to create your layouts.   They’re  helpful when you aren’t sure just where to begin or need a little inspiration for a page. This is a simple sketch and layout I created.  The one fun thing about using sketches is that your embellishments don’t have to match the ones on the sketch the butterflies here are 2 flowers and 1 butterfly on my layout.  You can turn the elements in any direction you’d like. Card makers use sketches, too! 

The following products can be found at CreateForLess:

Once  you have the paper and embellishments to create the layout,  you will want to print out the sketch and the pictures.  First trim the pictures according to the sizes listed on the Fun with Sketches PDF.   Next, trim the background  paper (yellow Paper Accents Cardstock) to be a little larger than the pictures.  Here I left those measurements up to you because you may have a piece of patterned paper that doesn’t have a large pattern  such as the tulips in the right corner.   My background papers measured 6 ½” x 4 ¼”  for the large photo and 1 ½” x 1 ½” for the smaller ones.  Adhere to photos and the background paper to the layout using your favorite tape runner.  Be sure to keep the sketch design in mind. 

Punch 2 flowers using the Spring Flower Punch and the yellow cardstock and 1 flower from the green cardstock.  Layer the green and one yellow flower on top of the last yellow one and put the green brad through the center.  Attach the flower on the layout where you’d like it.  Remember the fun thing about using a sketch is it’s ok to put things in different places. 

Trim a piece of yellow cardstock for your “title” square that measures 2 ½” x 3″ and lay it aside.  Trim a piece of green cardstock that measures the same size.  Center it in the Fiskars Punch Everywhere as shown in the picture.

The punch is made to punch once to set the pins and then you will have to push down a second time a little harder to make the cut.

You will now have a piece that looks like this.

Place some adhesive on the back of the frame and attach it to the yellow cardstock you trimmed. 

Adhere it onto the layout and write in your message.  Notice on my layout, I turned my frame sideways.  That’s ok because I’ve still used the element of the sketch and made it my own.  Add the flower and butterfly to the layout where you’d like them and your layout is now finished. 

Be sure to use the sketch and create your own layouts!  For even more fun join the CreateForLessFacebook page and share with everyone what you have created. 

 

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Ask the Expert: Organization, Distressing Inks & More

May 14, 2012 Peg R Craft Professionals, Crafts, Scrapbooking, Techniques and Mediums 1 Comment

By Cardmaking & Scrapbook Layout Contributor, Peg from the blog Peg’s Crafting Corner.

Q1. How do I create a vintage look on a layout or card?

A1. A good starting point to achieving a vintage look is by inking the edges of your projects in a brown or sepia ink. Another easy thing to do is to distress the edges of your paper. Once you have them distressed you can ink the distressed edges or leave them alone. If you are doing any stamping on the project you can stamp the image in the brown or sepia ink to give it an old look. Using tan, yellows or brown papers, too, is another great way to achieve a worn, vintage look.

 Q2. Do you have any organization tips?

A2. CreateForLess carries a large selection of organizational and storage items for all of your craft supplies. Some of them are created to fit into your craft space to store things like small tools, ink pads, embellishments and other things in. There are some storage pieces that are designed to help you store your paper especially those 12 x 12 sheets. Don’t forget that sometimes you will want to take your supplies with you so those made with handles and divided sections are good for on the go.

 Q3. What can I use to temporarily mount unmounted stamps?

A3. Tack ‘N Peel are reusable sheets that help your rubber stamps cling to the acrylic or wood block and are the perfect answer to using those unmounted stamps. The adhesive side creates a bond between the sheet and the block which helps keep the sheet from moving and when the stamp is applied you don’t have to worry about it falling off or moving while you stamp the image.

 Q4. How do I keep the intricate pieces from sticking in my dies?

A4. The answer to this is an easy one.  Blue Painter’s Tape.  Since it’s made not to permanently stick and won’t harm surfaces it’s a great choice to use on your dies.  Simply cover the intricate areas on your dies before placing the paper over the top.  Run it through your die cut machine and once you’re done pull the tape off.  Those little pieces pop right out!

Q5. I like to use my distress inks and spritz them with water to use on things, but my paper curls up.  What can I do about that?

  

A5. The first thing is to make sure that you are not oversaturating the paper.  Watercolor paper is good to use for this technique as it is made to hold water without becoming too wet.  It is made so that when water is placed on it the water sits on the surface and doesn’t bleed the color into the fibers making them less intense and since all the liquids aren’t absorbing into the paper it doesn’t have the chance to saturate and cause the paper to curl.

 

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Monday’s Mango

May 7, 2012 Guest Blogger Crafts, Paper Crafts, Scrapbooking, Seasons, Spring, Techniques and Mediums 1 Comment

By DCWV Diary

I knew just the thing to work on this afternoon to get me out of my manic Monday…the Mango Frost Stack & Embellishments!  The colors in this stack are gorgeous…tangerine, yellows, melon pink, greens and blues. A super versatile line of stuff if you ask me!!!

I really love this line because of all of the fun embellishments that coordinate with it!! It’s like candy in my scrappy candy store :)

Used a 1 3/4 circle punch to punch out circles to fill my 12×12 page. I punched 2 circles from each pattern and got a total of 49 circles.

A great way to get the adhesive on all of these little circles, my Xyron Creatopia Machine! LOVE THIS THING!!! Had no idea all of the things it could do!!

This is how it came out of the machine, just peeled back the clear top and all had a perfect layer of adhesive.

It’s just too pretty, had a hard time covering any of it up!! This is definitely a “happy stack” :)

And here is the finished page! Just added 3 pictures and 2 embellishments. Love how different this layout feels because of the circles. It’s like making your own patterned paper!


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National Scrapbooking Day!!

May 5, 2012 Allie Contests, Crafts, Paper Crafts, Scrapbooking No Comments

It’s National Scrapbook Day! Take this day to celebrate because it’s an official Craft Holiday. Spend time with your paper stacks, embellishments and photos!

Looking to share your layouts? Enter your scrapbook layout in our Scrapbook Layout Contest to win a shopping spree! The entered layouts will be voted on by the most Likes on our Facebook page to determine the top 3 prizes. Like CreateForLess to stay in the loop!

Enjoy these creative layouts!

 

 

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The New Neapolitan Dear Lizzy Collection from American Crafts

May 3, 2012 Peg R Crafts, Paper Crafts, Scrapbooking, Techniques and Mediums No Comments

By Cardmaking & Scrapbook Layout Contributor, Peg from the blog Peg’s Crafting Corner.

The New American Crafts Neapolitan Dear Lizzy Collection is so scrumptiously fun that my imagination went wild when I received it.  I am so excited to share some of the fun new things in the line with all of you!  I know once you see it you’ll have to have it.  I heard recently the colors of this line being described as candy coated and after hearing that I knew the perfect picture I had to use to create this layout. 

Many years ago, I went to school and became a Certified Chocolatier and had this picture of one of my chocolate pieces lying around waiting to be scrapped. After hearing the comment about the colors in this paper line I knew I wanted to use it to go with this picture.  Think of all of the fun pictures that you have waiting to scrap yet and you will soon find that many of them are just waiting for the new American Crafts Neapolitan line, too! 

The New American Crafts Neapolitan Dear Lizzy Collection Used Here:

Often striped paper just isn’t the look we are wanting on a layout, but it could be and we just don’t think about it.  Turn the striped paper so the stripe runs horizontally.  This will always give your layouts a new and creative look because we often don’t think of turning a striped paper in a different direction.   The pastel stripes in the Neapolitan line make it fun to do that! 

I love the new Ruffle Paper in the line.  It can be used as a whole sheet for the background of a layout or trimmed down like I did here and used as an embellishment strip.  It is easy to use in a paper trimmer and can be trimmed as long or wide as you want it.  How fun is that? 

I used my Martha Stewart Scoring Board to score the Ruffle Paper every 1″ and then folded peaks and valleys so that it would stand up off the paper to create a raised dimensional look.  I added two strips of wet glue on 2 of the peaks and glued my picture which was adhered to the dotted paper from the Cheerful Notes sheet. 

I punched a circle from the Sparkling Smiles Vellum sheet and put one of the fun matching brads through it to create a layered look and to fill an empty spot on the layout.  I love that the paper punches so easily and the additional look that is added by using the brads in it! 

The stickers are fantastic!  There are so many different sayings and pictures to add just the right touch to any card or layout.  I had no trouble finding a saying that would work with my chocolate shoe picture.  In fact, I had trouble deciding what one to use so I included several and by adding one of the tags (you get 12 in the package) it allowed me to add more stickers.  

I can’t say how much I love the letters.  The whimsical cursive letters are perfect for titles or whatever you imagination dreams up!  The smaller foam ones add a sharp contrast to the cursive ones to make a statement.  It just doesn’t get any more fun than that! 

The new American Crafts Neapolitan Dear Lizzy line is so much fun all you will want to do is to create with it and not do anything else!

 

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Make your own Scrapbook Embellishments

May 1, 2012 Peg R Cardmaking, Crafts, Paper Crafts, Projects, Scrapbooking, Techniques and Mediums 1 Comment

By Cardmaking & Scrapbook Layout Contributor, Peg from the blog Peg’s Crafting Corner.

I have fun experimenting with different scrapbooking materials and one bad habit I have is to save the packaging from the embossing folders that I buy. One day, I came across them and decided to try making my own embellishments with the leftover packaging. I used my Cuttlebug Embossing Machine, a floral embossing folder, my favorite color of Stickles & viola

Supplies Used:

Remove the packaging from the embossing folders and cut a piece large enough to fit the folder with a pair of scissors.  Run the folder through the Cuttlebug using the “A” plate and 2 “B” plates.

This is what you will have after doing this step. 

On the reverse side, the debossed side, color in the pattern using the Glam Pink and Firefly Stickles.  Allow to it to completely dry.  If you have some areas that you missed you can go over them again to fill them in.  Use the Yellow Stickles to put a dot for the flower center on the embossed (top) side of the piece.

We often use a mat behind the photo, but I have a second way that I like to bring on the attention…by adding a frame around the picture.  Begin by measuring just the picture; not counting any border that you have left around the outside. The photos I used measured 2 7/8″ x 2 7/8″ so I cut a 3 ½” x 3″ piece of yellow cardstock.  Next, measure the photo from the edge to the side of the actual photo and then measure that on the all sides of the cardstock and connect the lines.  It will give you a frame that looks like this. 

Using the penciled in lines as your cutting guide, cut the inside of the square out using the Fiskars Fingertip Craft Knife and self healing mat.  Remove the center piece.

Adhere the photos using a tape runner and put the frames over the photos using either a dot of Tombow Mono Liquid Glue or a little tape from the tape runner on each corner.  Also, adhere the dried Stickled embellishment you created to the center of the layout using small dots of glue on the areas colored with the Stickles so it’s not seen. Let dry.   

Punch 8 butterflies using the Martha Stewart Butterfly punch and blue cardstock.  Ink the edges of 4 of them with the ink pad.  Layer the pieces to create 4 butterflies and add the True Blue Stickles to create the bodies.  Once these are dry, glue them to the corners of the frames using the Tombow Mono Liquid Glue. 

You know have a finished layout using recycled items. It’s a great way to create fun embellishments and to recycle the packaging from the tools you buy.

 

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Discovering Earth Day and Recycling

April 20, 2012 Peg R Crafts, Green Crafting, Paper Crafts, Projects, Scrapbooking, Spring No Comments

By Cardmaking & Scrapbook Layout Contributor, Peg from the blog Peg’s Crafting Corner.

April 22nd is Earth Day.  How are you celebrating this year? One part of helping the earth and celebrating Earth Day is by recycling.   I’ve done several projects this year for that day so I began thinking about what we’ve done to help the earth.  I decided to do this scrapbook layout to show some of the activities that my family has done to help celebrate.  It, also, got me to thinking about the things I use for those projects.  Are they eco friendly?  

One thing I did was to find paper that can be used on my project that is recycled. Of course, my first choice was my favorite kraft paper.  That way I can help keep it out of the landfills and create some fabulous projects with it.  Did you know that if you type in the word “recycled” in the search box at CreateForLess it gives you a large amount of items in all craft types to choose from?  Try it!  It’s fun to see what you can find to use.  I found this really cool recycled symbol done in rhinestones that I can imagine on several projects.  It could be ironed on a shirt or a piece of material and then sewn onto a layout or card. 

This year, my son wanted to plant a garden and wanted to start the seeds himself.  While looking for Earth Day activities that we are doing, I realized that he was doing one by planting a garden for us which will give us enough to use with no waste and no packaging from the stores to go to the landfill.  We have the containers for the seed starters that are plastic but we will use them again next year thus keeping them out of the trash.  Another thing I decided to grow this year was our own flowers.  This will help beautify our area and the seeds I get off these plants will be used for future plants.  We can give back to the earth by planting a tree.  They are important to the ecology in many ways and they provide us with things like shade so you can’t go wrong by planting a tree to celebrate Earth Day, 2012! 

Join the celebration this year.  Plan what your family can do to help the earth.  Start by looking for crafting supplies that are recycled and use those.  Don’t forget to scrapbook what you do because just like giving back to the earth when we plant a tree or pick up garbage, we give back to our families in the future by scrapbooking our activities. 

 Products Used:

 

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