Think Crafts Blog – Craft Ideas and Projects – CreateForLess

By General Crafts Contributor Amy, from the Blog “Mod Podge Rocks!”

I like to keep little notebooks around to capture inspiration when it strikes me.  I like to use notebooks like the one above for magazine clippings, color chips, photos or any other ideas.  This one fits neatly in my purse, and I can pop it out to record what I see for future art projects.  If you don’t have an inspiration journal, make one!  You’ll find they come very much in handy when you have an inspiration block.

To make, you’ll need to gather these supplies:

Paper Mache Book

Making Memories Vintage Findings Embellishments

Paper Accents Cardstock – 1 sheet Splash

ColorMates Cardstock – 1 sheet Smooth Ice Dust

Coredinations Cardstock – 1 sheet Vintage Sun Coral

Mod Podge Gloss

Paper Flowers – 2 coordinating

Buttons – 7 coordinating

Die cut machine, punch or scissors – whatever you have to make shapes

Clear “Bird Sing” stamp

Colorbox Brown Ink

Craft Glue

Flat Paint Brush

Scissors or Craft Knife

Ruler

Pencil

Take a sheet of cardstock and cut it to the size that will fit the front of your notebook.

Coat the front cover of your notebook with a medium layer of Mod Podge – don’t forget to cover the corners well since they are the first to dry.

Smooth your cardstock down thoroughly onto the front cover of your notebook.  You can see that I use a brayer – your hands work too, but just make sure to smooth *really* well.  Allow to dry for 15 – 20 minutes.

After the cover has dried, you are now ready to coat the top.  Give it a medium layer of Mod Podge and completely cover the front (don’t Mod Podge the inside or your pages will stick).  Allow to dry for 15 – 20 minutes.

Start adding embellishments with Mod Podge to the front of your notebook.  I always do the Mod Podge items first.  Allow to dry for 15 – 20 minutes between layers.

Lately I’ve really been enjoying clear stamps, so I used one to make an embellishment for the front of my notebook.  You’ll see that I have a small bird stamp and used brown ink on the Ice Dust cardstock.  Cut out and Mod Podge to the front of the notebook.  I also cut out my name from the Sun Coral cardstock with letter punches and then Mod Podged those to the front (please return to me!).

Use your craft glue to adhere coordinating buttons, paper flowers and whatever other embellishments float your boat.  Allow your notebook to dry for 24 hours before using.  Also consider sealing with a clear acrylic sealer if your notebook is going to touch other items in your bag or purse.  Mod Podge can get sticky, especially when hot and you want to make sure it doesn’t get damaged.

Last week our Free Stuff Friday question was What was the hardest skill for you to learn?

The winner’s comment was:

Marissa – I think if we are talking about crafting, I had the hardest time learning the traditional start of the beading stitch Ndbele/Herringbone. It took me SO many tries. I would get frustrated and my boyfriend sitting nearby said “I can’t believe you enjoy something so much that you swear at so often.” I just smiled and tried again.

Marissa will receive The 60 Minute Family Scrapbooker Kit by Autumn Leaves with 1 album, 10 page protectors, 92 adhesive embellishments, 10 glittered layout pages, 10 base pages, 10 chipboard stickers, 35 alpha stickers and an idea booklet.  Pages are pre-finished with embellishments or glitter, and the kit contains 159 pieces.

By General Crafts Contributor Amy, from the Blog “Mod Podge Rocks!”

I love capturing memories through photographs, and I particularly like interesting ways of displaying them.  Regular frames are nice, but photo memory blocks add a wonderful touch to your home décor – and you can get very crafty with them!  Consider using a photo memory block to decorate your child’s room or you desk at work.  Here’s how I made mine.

Wood Memory Block – mine is a 6″ square

FolkArt Acrylic Paint, coordinating colors – I used Lemon Custard, Hot Pink and Yellow Citron

Mod Podge Matte, 8 oz.

Scrapbook paper, 1 sheet per canvas – I used K & Company’s Berry Sweet papers

Embellishments – I used K & Company’s Berry Sweet collection, as well as a few buttons, paper flowers and rhinestones from my stash

Craft Glue

Flat Paint Brush

Craft Knife and Mat or Scissors

Ruler

Start by trimming your paper to fit the sides of your wood block.  My craft mat has a ruler guide so I was able to quickly measure and cut a 5 1/2″ square – I wanted to leave a 1/4″ border around all side of the paper so that I could see the paint.  I cut six squares out of three sheets of paper, choosing coordinating papers so that they would look good together.

Paint your block with the acrylic paint and flat paint brush.  You don’t have to paint the entire side of the block since you’ll be applying paper over it; just paint the edges.  I applied three coats to each side.  Allow to dry.

Now that your wood block is dry, apply the Mod Podge.  Use a medium layer and coat well. Apply the paper to the center of the block and smooth it down thoroughly with your fingers or a brayer.  If Mod Podge comes out the sides, that is fine – simply wipe it away with your brush.  Apply the papers to all sides of the block and allow to dry for 15 – 20 minutes. 

TIP: I applied Mod Podge to the corners and edges of my paper before smoothing down – this helps since the edges are the first thing to dry!

Next add a coat of Mod Podge on top of the paper.  Allow to dry and add a second coat, covering the whole block.  The fun part is next!

Now add the images and embellishments with craft glue.  Get creative!  I planned my picture sizes first and printed them all out before I glued anything down.  You don’t have to fill the entire block with one photo; check this finished side out:

You can also do a few photos on one side and add embellishments around them.  I had so much fun!  Here’s another finished side:

Add photos and embellishments to all sides, except for the bottom and the top (unless you want to).  Now I have something for my desk at work to remind me of my sweet dogs when they are at home and I’m in front of the computer.

Happy Friday! Kick off your weekend and enter to win this 60 Minute Family Scrapbooker Kit from Autumn Leaves.

If you have photos piling up, think you don’t have time or simply want lasting memories for your friends and family to cherish, then Autumn Leaves Scrapbooker Kits are just for you. The 60 Minute Family Scrapbooker Kit comes with 1 album, 10 page protectors, 92 adhesive embellishments, 10 glittered layout pages, 10 base pages, 10 chipboard stickers, 35 alpha stickers and an idea booklet.  Pages are pre-finished with embellishments or glitter, and the kit contains 159 pieces.

Every Friday we’re posting a giveaway on Think Crafts. All you have to do to enter is comment on the blog post answering the question of the week. We’ll pick the winners and contact them via email. One entry per person please.

Question of the Week: What was the hardest skill for you to learn?

If the comment box is not below, scroll to the top and click “comments”.

By Crafts-a lot Contributor, Mable who is an avid reader of craft blogs & magazines and has aspirations to improve her crafting skills.

I was introduced the other day to the Martha Stewart Punch Around the Page products, and it was love at first punch!  If you haven’t used them, you have got to try them.  They are great for Scrapbooks or Cards, really the possibilities are endless.

I will admit that it is a little bit intimidating at first, so I recommend trying on some scrap paper a few times until you get it down.  Start with the corner punch first and punch all four corners.  Next get out the edger, the edger punch does have guides printed on the wings which make things easy to line up.  So go for it, line things up and punch the edges.  Viola, you are done.  For free printable instructions from Martha Stewart Crafts click here.

Or if you are more a visual person, check out this handy video.

Now get one and get punching.

By Crafts-a lot Contributor, Mable who is an avid reader of craft blogs & magazines and has aspirations to improve her crafting skills.

I have this growing pile of pictures on my crafting table that I want to add to my scrapbook album. I’ve recently gotten back into scrapbooking and I have a lot of catching up to do! I took an unintentional hiatus from scrapbooking; it’s been over three years. It’s hard to keep up with crafting when you love them all!

Since my last scrapbooking session I finished college, moved to a big city, changed jobs, my parents both celebrated milestone birtdays and their 30^th wedding anniversary.  I was also in my cousin’s wedding, went to a family reunion and went on a few camping trips and beach vacations.

While I was getting supplies for my scrapbook I realized a reoccurring theme of events: Birthdays, celebrations, travel, and hobbies. Holidays and birthdays come around the same time every year, so I figured I should pick out enough to last at least this year (plus my stack of photos…)

Since I used up all my supplies during my last scrapbooking session, I got to pick out new stuff! I first picked out the Autumn Leaves 6 Minute Birthday Scrapbook Kit.

The kit contained 6 patterned pages, 20 mega stickers, 10 chipboard stickers, 5 ribbon pieces, 6 journaling panels, 35 alphabet stickers and a design idea booklet.

I also needed to get more scrapbooking adhesives. I used a glue pen to glue down the photos. It’s the first time I have used one and it works well and very easy to use without any mess or sticky fingers. I usually use double-sided tape or foam adhesives.

Birthday Scrapbook Kit Contents

What I especially liked about this kit, is once the stickers were stuck on; they were re-positional, not permanently stuck right away. Even the large photo borders. The cupcake graphics were very cute.

I also liked that everything had a sticky back, the ribbons, the borders, the fun stickers and the journaling chipboards. I loved the crown as one of the stickers as well. How perfect for a little birthday princess!

Unfortunately two of the three ribbons had been cut at odd angles. I had to cut them down to make it straight and lost some inches of my ribbon.

The paper was fun as were all of the decorations. I liked that the backgrounds were versatile and didn’t necessarily all need to be used as birthday layouts. They were fun and cheery without being overly cheesy.

My favorite layout I created wasn’t even one I used for a birthday page, it’s the “Pool Time” layout. I liked the large half circle base page with a multi-color print in it. The base brown also had a subtle design to it.

Welcome Returning Guest Blogger Julia Sandvoss, from Bo Bunny.

Time to talk about the Bo Bunny Flex Ruler

What is it? Well only the coolest thing out there! Well one of the coolest things!

Bo Bunny Flex Ruler

It’s actually a flexible, 20 inch ruler that you can bend and shape into circles, waves, swoops, curls and more. What’s also unique is you can use it to recreate your favorite edged papers as well. Just shape it along the paper edge and then you can retrace the shape onto a different paper. It holds it’s shape, making it easy for you to bend, shape and trace.

So many possibilities! Here’s two layouts and ideas for how to use the Flex Ruler…

MEOW Layout
Designer: Kristen Swain
Bo Bunny Double Dot Decaf, Double Dot Citrus, Pet Shoppe Stripe, Pet Shoppe Words, Pet Shoppe Combo Stickers, I love my Dog Stickers, Catatude Stickers, Pet Shoppe Cutouts, All Stuck Up Brilliant Blue Flowers

Designer Tip: The flex ruler is really fun to work with. If you are having trouble getting a smooth curve, try wrapping it around something round, a vase, a bucket, even your leg can make for an interesting curve ( talk about really putting yourself into your work! LOL)

Fun Waves Layout

Fun Waves Layout
Designer: Julia Sandvoss
Bo Bunny Pina Colada Popsicle, Popsicle Kisses, Bubble Gum Popsicle, Popsicle Cut Outs, Brilliant Blue Double Dot Cardstock, Dive In Cardstock Stickers, Popsicle combo Sticker, Grease Monkey Combo Sticker, Popsicle Buttons & Bling

Designer Tip: First I shaped the ruler into a wave. Then I checked to see if the size I made would work with the layout. I then traced the shape, cut out, inked and used a white colored pencils to add lines and details. I cut out a second layer of the waves from the patterend paper and used foam squares to adhere it over the same paper to give dimension. I also flipped the Pina Colada Popsicle wave paper the opposite to have the waves on top for something different.

 We’ve love to hear what you like about the Flex Ruler or show us unique ways you have used the Ruler. You might just be the lucky person to win a little Bo Bunny goodness!