Think Crafts Blog – Craft Ideas and Projects – CreateForLess

By Paper Crafts Contributor, Lauren Romano.

For those of us who have quite a bit of wall space exposed, the bottom area near the trim can seem bland and boring. Although it may seem like there’s nothing you can do about it, one of the easiest ways to brighten it up is to put some paper flowers in that space. It’s super easy to make and is the perfect project to do with kids.

What you’ll need:

• Green cardstock
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Colored cardstock
• Glitter glue
• Double-sided tape
• Mod Podge 

Step 1. To make a tulip, cut a stem and leaves from green cardstock. The bottom of it must be flat so it can line up with the trim or floor.

Step 2. Cut a tulip head from any color cardstock you wish. The head should be proportionate to the stem and leaves you made.

Step 3. Use Mod Podge to glue the tulip head to the top of the stem.

Step 4. Use green glitter glue to draw lines on the leaves to differentiate where the different leaves are and to show where the center lines are on the leaves.

Step 5. Use glitter glue that’s the same color as your tulip head to show the lines of the petals. Give all the glue ample time to dry before moving it.

Step 6. Test the double-sided tape to make sure it won’t pull the paper or paint off the wall before moving onto the next step.

Step 7. Put tape on the back of the flower, then line it up to the floor or trim.

Step 8. Make more flowers and line them up next to the first one or overlap them to make them look like a field of flowers along the trim. If you choose, you can even just put up single tulips randomly around your home. 

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

April 22^nd 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:

• Recycled Kraft Paper
• Paper Accents Cardstock in Apple Green and Lilac or their Variety Pack
• Red Cardstock
• Green Cardstock
• Martha Stewart Flower Stamp Punch
• Martha Stewart Branch Punch
• Favorite Markers- Green and Blue
• Colorbox Ink -Deep Grape
• Colorbox Ink – Mud Slide
• Indie Cricut Cart
• Cricut Machine

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

After a while we tend to start giving our layouts the same look or have the same sized pictures so they start looking like the ones we’ve done before. The same numbers of embellishments are on each one, everything is smooth on it or has only one layer to it and they become boring.  How do we change this? 

 I started thinking about the things I’ve learned and used it to create this layout.  One of the first things I was taught is it is more pleasing to the eye to have 6 to 7 items in a grouping.  If you notice in nature flowers most often have 5 or 6 of petals on them and that’s what makes them pleasing to the eye.  For the layout, I grouped 7 flowers using the Que Sera Sera Cardstock and Acetate Die Cuts by K & Co. together.  One thing to note is most packages of embellishments contain an even number of items so it is always best to buy 2 packages so you have that odd number in case you want it. 

Another way to give your layout its own personality, is to give it texture even if it’s on the paper you are using.  Here I was able to match the dots of the Watercolor Bouquet Paper Pad to the Wild Raspberry Flowers and Butterflies patterned paper (the backside of the paper is the one I used) for my layout.  I also added more texture by running my letters through the Cuttlebug using the Swiss Dots Embossing Folder which helped take away the smooth, plainness of the paper.  The background paper is already smooth so by creating a texture on the letters it will help tie it all together. 

Layering items and adding items of different sizes including pictures layered on other pieces of paper will add more of a visual effect to the layouts.  Something sticking up off the page always draws attention. A photo lifted off the paper or chipboard pieces such as the butterfly from the Abrianna Chipboard Chipbox by K & Co. are great things to use to add dimension.    

One of the most important elements to creating a scrapbook layout is color.  If the colors are inviting to the eye the more time that is spent looking it over and enjoying it.  Too many colors that don’t flow together can be too overwhelming.  A good rule to go by is to pull the colors from the photos.  There doesn’t need to be a lot of different colors in the photo, but even 2 colors that are utilized are a good starting point.  Remember that you can also choose just a couple of colors and do various hues of those colors to add interest like I did with this layout. 

Remembering these 4 simple things will help you in giving your layouts a personality of their own.

By General Crafts Contributor Mina, from the blog Mina’s Journal.

Add a touch of whimsy to your paper projects with these Pink Doodle Frames.

The Pink Doodle Frames come six to a page, and are oval in nature. They are fairly large and you can have them lined or unlined.

Pink Doodle Frames for Scrapbook Layouts

If scrapbooking is your thing, use the frames to hold your journaling for those photos that have been taken in sequence or photos covering the same theme. Looking at your photos, pick out the main points or ideas to write about and use a different Pink Doodle Frame for each.

Download Pink Doodle Frames Lined

Possible Scrapbook Themes:

Think:

• Princess
• Baby Girl
• Romantic
• Wedding
• Engagement
• Anniversary
• or just something super cute!

Download Pink Doodle Frames

Other Uses for Pink Doodle Frames

• Use the Pink Doodle Frames in the middle of homemade cards to hold that special message or verse.
• Gift Tags
• Labels for containers or books
• Thank You tags for gifts you have received
• Make a small book to hold special sayings or inspirational words

By Paper Crafts Contributor, Lauren Romano.

Decorating the table is one of the best things about throwing a picnic (other than eating of course). Rather than throwing all the napkins and utensils into their own respective holders, make it a bit more decorative by making a place setting for each person. It’s inexpensive and you can personalize it any way you wish, including writing the person’s name on the outside of it.

What you’ll need:

• Gingham scrapbook paper
• Toilet paper tube
• Embellishments
• Mod Podge
• Utensils and napkins

Step 1. Measure your gingham scrapbook paper to the size of the toilet paper tube.

Step 2. Apply Mod Podge over the outside of the tube (I used a foam brush), then wrap the paper around it. Press tight, especially around the edges so it doesn’t curl up when guests use it.

Step 3. I left my picnic utensils holder plain so you can see how it looks before you add anything onto it. You can leave it plain, but some ways you can decorate it include putting a red ribbon around the center or using a black marker to write the person’s name. An extra cute option is to purchase paper ants and glue them along the utensils holder.

Step 4. Purchase matching utensils and napkins, then place them in the utensils holder.

By General Crafts Contributor Mina, from the blog Mina’s Journal.

Bring a little of the outdoors, indoors with these Li’l Log Cabins. An easy project for a rainy day. The models come in two colors. These Li’l Log Cabins make a starting point for imaginative play. What’s your favorite craft project for rainy days?

You Will Need

• The Li’l Log Cabin Download
• Scissors
• Glue

Download Brown Li’l Log Cabin

Making the Li’l Log Cabins

• Cut along all outer lines
• Fold where indicated on the download
• Fold along the glue tab lines
• Glue the cabin together first
• Glue the roof to the cabin

 Download Yellow Li’l Log Cabin

Put the cabin on a cardboard base and add paper trees to make a papercraft scene. Cut the windows out if you like before gluing the main house piece together. Cut the door along the top and bottom and one side then fold along the other edge, so the door is a flap.

Make a street, neighborhood or town. Add small written signs to glue to the front of the cabins to denote stores like ‘Drapery’, ‘Sewing Shop’, etc.

By Paper Crafts Contributor, Lauren Romano.

Most of the time, light switch plates are fairly boring and come in only solid colors or metallic. One way to spice them up and tailor them to the room is to decorate them yourself. You’ll only need a few materials to make them look exactly the way you wish.

What you’ll need:

• Light switch plates
• Mod Podge
• Patterned paper
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Box cutter

Step 1. Choose the light switch plate you need, then pick out the patterned paper you want covering it. I opted for a vintage map from Washington.

Step 2. Flip the light switch plate face down, then trace the edges including the spaces in the center onto the back of the patterned paper.

Step 3. Cut the piece out with scissors, then use a box cutter to cut out the inside shapes so it’s easier to make an accurate cut.

Step 4. Cover the face of the switch plate with Mod Podge, then attach your piece on top smoothing it down as you go along. Give it ample time to dry.

Step 5. Cover the surface with another coat of Mod Podge, but move quickly so it doesn’t start to dry as you’re going along.

Step 6. Using Mod Podge on your finger, go along the edge to smooth down the paper.

Step 7. Give it at least a day to dry before you use it.