Birthday Card

It was my granddaughter's third birthday last Friday though we had her party on Saturday. I made her a very simple card using one of my colour warm up creations from yesterday's post.

I cut out the number 3 from the painted tag. Attached it with foam squares then went around the edge of the number using Kindy Glitz so it would stand out from the background paper.
I wrapped all her presents in brown paper (I love using it as it is so versatile). On one of the larger flat presents I added a very quick Princess collage using some foam stamps and paint.

Given the paper was going to get ripped off in a fairly short time frame I just did something really simple (but cute lol).

Colour Warm Ups

I finally sat down and did some warm ups before my crafting which turned into my crafting because I was enjoying just playing with my craft supplies.
Some things turned out better than others (way better) and some things... well lets just call them part of the learning and creative process LOL.

L-R
1 - Radiant Rain Paint Dabbers - This started off looking quite cool... then I added the brown which came out a little faster than expected... so it blobbed... learning curve LOL
2 - Radiant Rain Paint Dabbers - More brown problems though I really like the end result of the brown over the top of the pink especially how the pink shimmer shows through adding texture.
3 - Radiant Rain Paint Dabber - Layered gold, pink & brown... and once again brown overtook everything (you would think I would have learnt by now). The brown was too overpowering so I spritzed with water then dried with a scrunched tissue. Finished with spritzed gold mist. I really like the effect of adding the spritzed water to add texture and an unexpected depth of pattern. Will be trying this again!!

L-R
1 - Glimmer Glaze - Thicker lines are using the hard brush inside the cap of the bottle. The thinner lines are using a Zig Water Brush. When added thicker and darker, the glazes have a real shine to them compared to ordinary paint.
2 - Glimmer Glam (Cookies & Cream) - I bought this purely because of the name LOL. This has a beautiful delicate white pearlescent look with the specks of "chocolate" sprinkled throughout - totally delicious, almost good enough to eat!!
3 - Radiant Rain Paint Dabber, Adirondack Paint Dabber, Glimmer Mist & Homemade Mist - All kinds of bits and pieces here!!!

L-R
1 - Radiant Rain Paint Dabbers & Glimmer Mist - Dab and pull with the paint dabbers. Once dry mist. Interesting and unexpected outcome of the misting was the re-wetting of the paints caused some bleeding of the colours - quite a nice effect.
2 - Acrylic Paints & Glimmer Mist - Small blobs of 3 or 4 different colours of acrylic paint placed at intervals up and down the paper. Then disbursed using a mini spatula (credit card or the like) moved the length of the cardstock in a loose waving movement. Once dried spritz with glimmer mist. Be sure to look at tomorrow's post on the card I used this piece on.
3 - Radiant Rain Paint Dabber, Adirondack Paint Dabber, Glimmer Mist & Homemade Mist - Covered half in paint dabber, half in Radiant Rain paint dabber then misted. At first I thought all my hard work disappeared with the misting but it's grown on me and I really like the subtle textures created by this colouring.

L-R
1 - Acrylic Paints & Glimmer Mist - Create waves as above. I love these Autumn colours. This will definitely make another appearance at some stage.
2 - Acrylic Paints - Create waves as above. I love these "Mardis Gras" colours and the interesting texture they created as they blended together. Don't ask me how I did it because I'm not 100% sure. If I can recreate it, you can be sure  will share.
3 - Acrylic Paints & Glimmer Mist - Create waves as above but this time in a tight waving movement. I didn't like the end result here, the waves weren't distinct enough but I did like the texture look comparing thin layer of paint to the thicker layers of paint. Needs more experimentation.



I enjoyed not having any pressure on me to create anything in particular and lets be honest that is one of the key reasons for this warm up process. Sure the purpose of the exercise is to warm up your creative mood/thinking/process before you get into creating "proper" but it is also about freeing yourself of preconceptions, fear of making a mistake and just letting yourself just go for it in your creating.

DIY - Tags

After watching Dina's video about Warming Up before creating (part of the Creative Jump Start Video Blogs Series on Nathalie's Studio)and having seen all of Tim Holtz amazing tags I went on the hunt for luggage tags so I go give it all a go myself, instead of just using scraps of cardstock as I usually do. I was also thinking ahead for all the Tag Swaps I sign up for.


I went to Warehouse Stationery and found small tags (I think #5 size). Would you believe 5 tags for nearly $6.00 - I nearly died!!!


Being financially challenged at the moment, I decided there had to be a way to still get the same result but for considerably less money.
I was able to find cream coloured cardstock (same colour as the buff/manila luggage tags) A4 210gsm 12 sheets for $6.00. From each sheet I can get 3 #8 size tags as well as having left over strips for smaller tags, journaling blocks and the like. The equates to 36 tags per pack of cardboard - so less than $0.20 per tag - considerably cheaper than over $1.00 per tag.
The quality of the card is nice and the only other requirement was a little of my time to cut them up. The entire pack took all of 20 minutes to cut up, once I had determined the optimal cutting pattern to get the size of tags I wanted.


Ranger Products sells tags in sizes #5 and #8 - which to little ole New Zealander me meant nothing. So a little internet searching and I was able to get the sizes for each of the tags.
#5 - 2 3/8" x 4 3/4"
#8 - 3 1/8" x 6 1/4"


I am already to do some Creative Warm-ups before I start crafting over the weekend. I will share some of the results over the next few days. Be sure to come back and check out my "Exercising"!!

Inspiration Bombs 2

So recapping from my last post...
Feeling a bit funky (not in a good way)...
Lots of crafty ideas, got the MOJO (I think)...
But no idea where or why or how to start...
I'm not sure that my problem is a "Scrap Block" issue more of a needing to jump start my creative juices issues.


So I'm looking for some Inspiration Bombs!!!


Did your mother ever tell you... "If you didn't hurry up and clean up your room", "go do your homework", "wash the dishes" or any one of a hundred other things; then she threatened to put a bomb under you???


Well that's what I'm looking for... some figurative bombs to inspire my creative juices to start flowing and get my crafting going. {So poetic}


I know there are lots of ideas out there. Everyone has them. I also know there are some dated, overworked, over hashed, been around forever ideas and I also know all that not all of them work for everyone.


I've heard of...

• Scraplifting someone else's work
• Scraplifting your own work
• Taking a challenge
• Following a sketch
• Using a journalling jar
• Changing projects
• Changing scrapping style... net curtains instead of drapes... (Carrie that's for you)

But what other new, refreshing, different, inspiring ideas are out there? 

What works for you?

What has been an epic fail... and what has been an epic success?


At the start of the year I signed up for a series of free video blog classes being run by Nathalie Kalbach from Nathalie's Studio (Click on the link for free tutorials) along with a number of her incredibly creative and artistic friends. The first video in the series was by Dina Wakely from Dinastamps.

Dina talked about the warm-up process that athletes follow before they exercise, practice and compete and compares that to crafters. She posed the question... why don't we (crafters) also warm up before we create in order to get us more productive? Why don't we warm up before getting down and getting dirty (so to speak) to get us more into the mood to be creative? 


Being a proponent of "new age" things such as visualisation and motivational talking my first response was doh - why didn't I think of this? (I should also add that as a former competitive tap dancer and tap teacher... this should have been second nature to me... obviously it has been TOO LONG since I last had my tap shoes on.)


Do you warm up before you get into getting crafty?

Inspiration Bombs

I'm in a bit of a funk at the moment. Given I've recognised that and admitted it; I'm hoping that means I'm on the road to recovery or at least plateauing instead of continuing to meander along meaninglessly.
I also recognise that I need to do something about it, so the problem is now what to do.
I'm guessing and playing at self-therapy here, that in order for me to "Un-Funk" myself I need to sort out what is causing the "funkiness". I also need to find some inspirational triggers, methods, or just inspiration bombs to help me achieve this.
At the moment I have a long list of creative projects on my "TO DO" list and I dare say I'm not the only crafter who will admit to that. So I can safely say that my problem is not what to do or even how to do it, it's more of a problem of want to do it. I just don't seem to be able to decide where to even start.
It's not that I have lost my MOJO, because I do have ideas on what to do... lots of them. Designs, techniques, page layouts all ready to be tried. It's more that I have lost the impetus to even start to create.


So my lovely friendly and incredibly helpful friends, followers and blog readers... I put this question to you... how or why or where do you find the inspiration to start creating?
Are you...

• A PLANNER - You decide what you want to work on. You plan it, design it, sketch it first, come up with the colour scheme, paper selection, pick your photos, embellishments and then set about pulling everything out to create
• A DOER - You just pull out photos, tools, cardstock, patterned paper, adhesive, embellishments, paints, whatever and start creating
• A FOLLOWER - You scraplift, maybe with your own added flare or a direct copy of what you are scraplifting. You follow a sketch, a challenge with a list of requirements or instructions. You use a kit which has everything you need except consumables like adhesive and inks.
• Or are you a combination of all three of these?

Does your methodology change depending upon the project or do you like to work in one particular way so you stick with the good old tried and true?

I'd really like to get your feedback on this, so please leave a comment or a link.

Simple Stories Design Team Application

Alas I wasn't one of the lucky winner's in this competition but then given it was my first EVER Manufacturer's Design Team Application, so I'm not too distraught. I've chalked it up as learning experience and confidence booster and proof to myself that I can do it. No more putting off opportunities... now is the time to just go for it.


I'm sure the successful members of the Simple Stories will be absolutely amazing and I for one look forward to seeing what they come up with for this amazing range of products.


So here are the two projects that I created using the Simple Stories products specifically for my application.


LAYOUT - "Poppa and Me"

This is a picture of my darling Hubbie and my equally darling Granddaughter. It was taken the day of the funeral of my step children's late maternal Grandfather. This was also the day of the devastating earthquake down in Christchurch that killed so many people and destroyed so many lives.
Before the funeral we went and placed flowers on their Mother's and Great Grandmother's graves as well, to let them know we were thinking of them. Hubbie took GD for a walk (in reality he went chasing after her when she ran off). She walked down to a rubbish bin, took off one shoe, then he finally convinced her to walk back, albeit one shoe on, one shoe off.
I remember thinking how absolutely adorable they looked together.
The background is red cardstock (brand unknown), layered on are two papers from the Simple Stories "Year-ography" range. The White with words is "Blue/Newsprint" while the red is the "Red/Mini Calendar". I shaped them using two of my trusty self-cut templates then distressed inked the edges using Tim Holtz Distress Ink "Vintage Photo". I then splashed and dripped watered down gold acrylic paint to add to the shimmer on the page.
I simply embellished the page using some Rosies Paper Lace in cream which I lightly distressed with the left over gold paint and one of the 4" x 6" Sentiment blocks from the "Vertical Journaling Card Elements" patterned paper. I distressed the edges lightly with a little more gold paint to tie it with the rest of the background.
The photo I aged digitally using one of the vignette's from Photoscape.


MINI ALBUM - "Destination - Earthquake Central"

At the end of March I am heading down to my home town of Christchurch. This will be the first time I have been there since all the earthquakes started in September 2010. I wanted to create a mini album to record my first visit and the changes that I recognise from when I used to live down there.
The mini album is held together with three ring binders, so I can easily add additional pages on the go while I am down in Christchurch or after I get back to Auckland.
I used patterned pages from Simple Stories "Destinations" collection. The front and back covers are covered in Destinations - Journey patterned paper. The insert is the reverse of the burgundy. I distressed the hounds tooth pattern with Tim Holtz Distress Inks in Mustard Seed, Vintage Photo, Fired Brick and Crushed Olive. I wrapped the patterned paper around from the inside of the cover and distressed the edges. For more on this technique see here. The letters on the front are also part of the Destinations collection.
The pages are all created using various pages from the Destinations collection. Some are full size (5 1/2" x 8") while others are smaller. I also have three pages that are made from paper bags in various sizes. These all form pockets that I can put memorabilia in, journaling cards or additional pictures.
Hopefully you can see these and the fold out pages as well in some of the pictures of the album below.

Once I return from Christchurch and have added some journaling, pictures and memorabilia I will share the finished Mini to show all the pages and tags and bits and pieces.

Tutorial - Favour Bags

Welcome to my step-by-step tutorial on how to make these simple favour bags.
You will have seen them in my earlier blog post on the Valentine's favour bags I made for a swap. I was lucky enough to find a great tutorial on You Tube by LiveLoveScrap which you can view here or follow along with my step by step tutorial below.


In the video tutorial Bona (LiveLoveScrap) uses a printed waxed paper. It looks gorgeous in the video but I didn't have any and haven't actually seen any here in New Zealand, though I'm sure you can order it online from somewhere if you wanted. Instead I did a good old Kiwi "she'll be right" trick and substituted for what I did have on hand - vellum and I think you will love the end result, just as much.


Here are the finished samples from the Valentine's blog posting. I will be using different papers for the tutorial, but that will just show you the versatility of this simple design. 

Note: From one 12" x 12" sheet of cardstock you can make two of these favour bags. As we will be using double sided patterned paper, you can do one favour bag using each side of the paper and have them look completely different or with a common theme depending upon the embellishments you add.


Ingredients and Tools:

1 sheet 12" x 12" heavyweight patterned paper - I used Simple Stories Destinations "Travel Notes"
1 sheet 12" x 12" vellum or 2 sheets A4 vellum - this can be plain or printed if you so desire, though I do suggest that you ensure it coordinates with the patterned paper you have selected. Also bare in mind how much the patterned paper shows through the vellum will depend upon how transparent the vellum is.
Double sided adhesive
Decorative scissors or a border punch... you will be cutting through 2 layers of heavyweight patterned paper so consider this when choosing your punch. I killed two border punches making the Valentine's favour bags and ended up resorting to decorative scissors.
Lace, tulle and ribbons to decorate. (Lace and ribbons you need enough to wrap around both sides of the favour bag with a little over reach for finishing. Tulle - if you wish to make a hand pleated tulle ruffle, you will need enough tulle to wrap three times around the favour bag.)
Paint - Optional
Stamps - Optional
Cuttlebug - Optional
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder "Gem Flourish"
Pearls or bling
Flowers, feathers or the like to embellish
Strong glue to hold embellishments on. I recommend Helmar Tiger Grip glue as this always works for me.


Methodology:

Cut double sided patterned paper into two strips 6" x 11" making sure that any pattern runs in the right direction - the 6" is the side seam.  Cut the vellum to the same size 6" x 11" or slightly shorter if desired. (I wouldn't go any shorter than 5 1/2" x 11". 

Score each the patterened paper at 3" and 8" from one side.

Although I love the Simple Stories Destinations "Travel Notes" patterned paper I wanted to add to the scrolls to show through the vellum, so I stamped the corner scroll from the My Minds Eye "Enlightened" clear stamps pack using Adirondack Acrylic Paint Dabber - Lemonade.

Score 1/2" up from the bottom across all three panels (Take care if your pattern has a right way up)

Cut off the bottom 1/2" at the score line on both the left and right panels i.e. from the edge to the 3" score line and from the 8" score line to the far edge. This will leave you with a tab (or a tongue) hanging down from the centre panel.

Fold the two sides in along the score lines and glue or adhere these together with double sided tape. Some people like glue, I prefer tape as I'm not patient enough to wait for it to dry. Then fold up the bottom tab and adhere this to the back to form the patterned paper bag.

With the vellum, this time don't cut off the bottom tabs, leave it complete. Don't pre-score the vellum but instead wrap it around the patterned paper pocket and fold the vellum to fit around the patterned paper envelope. This will ensure you get a perfect fit every time.

Adhere the vellum together then try to slip the vellum pocket over the paper one again to double check fit. 
Carefully fold both layers of the vellum up and towards the back seam.  Adhere the two layers of the vellum pocket together along the bottom edge then adhere this in place to form the bottom of the vellum bag.

Cut or punch the upper edge of the patterned paper envelope to give it a decorative edge. 

Optional step - Remove the vellum bag and insert it between a dry embossing/texture folder and run through your die cut machine. You could also use a something like your shape boss and stylus or a stencil and light box to achieve a textured look. You could also leave the vellum plain.

Slip the vellum bag back over the top of the paper bag (Make sure both seams are at the back).

Layer your chosen lace, tulle or ribbon around the two envelopes adhering in place with double sided tape or the equivalent.

Finish off your favour bag with some bling and flowers. You might also like to add a tag with a sentiment. As I'm not sure who I will give these bags to I will leave this off for the time being and add something when I want to use them as gifts.

As mentioned you can get two bags from the one sheet of patterned paper. Below are both bags.

These are really easy to make. Once you have sorted your products and tools, you could probably make two bags in less than an hour depending upon drying time and how much decorating you choose to do to your bags.

Once completed all that is left to do is fill up the favour bags with all the goodies for the lucky recipient.