Aspiring to Creativity

Button Technique Tutorial

Hope you are having a good day so far.

I've created a little video for you because a couple of people have asked me how I can feed double string and ribbon through the hole of a button. These questions arose when I created the following cards.

This one from March (2013)... which isn't a double string pulled through one hole, but is the same concept.

I did this same technique a little differently on this recent one, which is the one I will be showing you because it's a little more challenging.

You'll notice that on the first card I fed the string through each hole creating a loop to pull through the ends. In this second card I pulled I treated each hole as one. So how could I possibly get it through? I will show you in the video how I pulled through double hemp string, double 1/8" ribbon, double 1/4" ribbon, double 3/8" ribbon, and double 5/8" ribbon (the first four I pulled through in one four hole button)

Hope this gives you some creative ideas using buttons and string or ribbon. Thank you for asking, and Happy Papercrafting!

Non-Traditonal Christmas Image - DT Christmas Card Challenge #38

It's challenge #38 over at Christmas Card Challenge this week, and the challenge is to make a Christmas card using non-traditional things/images. I decided to use an old favorite Hero Arts Flourish stamp, Winter Rose Die-Namics form MFT, and lots of velum and sparkle.

On the background piece of velum, I heat embossed the white flourish and while it was still hot, I immediately placed it onto a pre-prepared bed of glitter and pressed it down into it. Because of the heat the embossing is still soft and will accept the glitter. You have to do this right away, though, and have everything ready. Sometimes you may have to reheat to get the glitter into areas that were missed. Once you have tapped off the excess glitter, you reheat it to soften the embossing and get the glitter to stick better. Later when it has cooled you will see that when you rub your finger over it, most of the glitter says in place.

The leaves I again stamped and heat embossed in white, and then took my Spectrum Noir alcohol markers and coloured in the spaces in between. I love how the velum really softens the colours. I then fussy cut the leaves out.

After die-cutting the flowers, shaping them and assembling them, I added Star Dust Stickles around the edges and on the center stamen piece of the flower. The other die-cut piece under that I again coloured with my Spectrum Noir markers.

So this is my non-traditional Christmas card. I did have to keep the red, white and green though, especially since I used non-traditional colours last week!

Be sure to check out the Christmas Card Challenge blog to see all the DT submissions as well as all the entries! Remember, you don't have to go with non-traditional things/image, just as long as it's a Christmas Card!

Here are the links to the DT blogs so you can check out their designs.

Alanna - DT coordinator

Anne C

Anne J

Jenn

Monica

Sabrina - That's me!

Sparkle-- Owner

Hope you are inspired to try out these techniques. Thank you for stopping by to have a look at today's DT submission. Happy papercrafting!

September VIntage LO

After a Summer break, the Double Vintage Layout class is back in September with this LO at Scrapbook Parade.

Now, I have to ask you not to laugh at my writing for the title. I actually did a practice run before going ahead and writing on the layout. Guess what? I tried twice before writing on the real thing, and the second one was perfect! Not sure what happened when I wrote the third time on this one...the real one. Well, I'll figure something out. In the mean time, the layout is the important thing, and since I must get on with the next class, you have to see it.

So here are a few details.

The letters are die cut using My Favorite Things High-Rise Alphabet Upper Case Die-Namics. I used two different colours offset behind each letter.

The paper used is Kaisercraft and the flowers are from Prima's Almanac collection. They just happen to work well with the paper. I had fun using the photos from Dana's visit to Victoria this summer. I converted them to B&W to lend itself a bit better for a vintage lo.

Well, off to the next class project. Thank you for coming by to have a peek.

Happy scrapbooking!

Spectrum Noir Fun Class - Flowers

Time for another Spectrum Noir Fun class! And I'm going to be short and sweet today. Lot's of classes on the go.

For this class we'll be using JustRite Floral Vintage Labels Two stamp set, and our Spectrum Noir markers.

Here they are individually.

And...

And for those of you that would like to know which Spectrum Noir markers I used, here is my practice sheet.

I ended up changing the little flowers from purple to blue.

Thank you for checking in to have a look.

Happy colouring...& papercrafting!

Summer Photos + "Trail Mix" + Configuration Box = Wall Display

I have a fun project to share with you today. Take some of your favorite Summer photos, Bo Bunny Trail Mix collection, and a Tim Holtz configuration box set, and create a wall display of a great Summer memory to put on display and share it with everyone. You can even add some mementos, like a rock from your hike, a tiny jar of earth from a beautiful location, or sand from the beach you had so much fun at, a feather or two that was found, or whatever else you might have brought home as a keepsake. This is what I put together of my youngest son's, and girlfriend, backpacking trip to Redfish Lake in Idaho, not too far from Boise where they live.

So now I'm just going to show you a few photos of the project.

If you are wondering about the few empty boxes, I left them that way so my son and his girlfriend can add some things from their trip to them. By the way, isn't their little dog adorable!

Thank you for stopping by today!

Happy papercrafting!

Best Wishes For A Friend

This is a card I made last week for a friend. Surprise! It's not for a class or DT challenge submission! Though I must say it was inspired by a class I was working on earlier.... the chalkboard cards. My friend loves black, so I thought I might try a chalkboard card with pink ribbon. She also like big bows.

In this next photo you can see, from the side, that the "Best Wishes" is a separate piece with some white embossed flourishes under it on the black card base itself. I made two 3/4" x 1/8" slits with my ruler and craft knife to pull the 1 1/2" ribbon through.

The stamp I used is Inkadinkado Framed Expressions cling and a set of flourishes from an old set I no longer know from where it came. All in all a pretty easy card to make.

Have you tried chalkboard cards?

Thank you for stopping by today! Happy papercrafting!

Evergreens - DT Christmas Card Challenge #37

Hello everyone! Hope your summer is going well and that you are all enjoying some good weather, great family times, and finding time for relaxation as well as some private time for some papercrafting.

Another week has gone by which means it's time for the weekly Christmas Card Challenge. This week's challenge is to include evergreens on your card. Of course you can enter the challenge without them, as long as it is a Christmas card.

I decided to use non-traditional colours this week with my laser cut chipboard evergreen trees.

I'm not normally a 'glitter' girl, but when it comes to Christmas, that's an entirely different matter. You can see that I added Star Dust Stickles around the edge of the purple mat for the green which is edged with white ink and a blending tool. I also used it over the stamped sentiment and on the laser cut chipboard trees after dusting them a little with white ink on a blending tool.

Let's look at the card from the other side and have a closer look at the button detail.

You can see that I pulled natural coloured hemp cord through the top holes of the buttons and a medium purple 1/8" ribbon through the bottom button holes like I would if I were adding string through the hole of a tag. There is a trick to doing this using thread. If you would like a demo on how to do this, let me know in your comment, and I'll do a quick tutorial video for you.

Here you can see what the card looks like from the side.

Make sure to have a look at the other DT cards at Christmas Card Challenge #37, or click below to go to their blogs and see their creations.

Alanna - DT coordinator

Anne C

Anne J

Jenn

Monica

Sabrina - That's me!

Sparkle-- Owner

Thank you for joining me today, and having a peek at my card. Hope you all have a great week, and happy papercrafting!

Christmas Stars Greeting

Yes, I'm adding more Christmas class projects. Everyone here seems to plan way in advance to make things for Christmas. When you think about it, there is about 4 1/2 months left! Yikes! This class is scheduled for the beginning of October.

This project is a Christmas decor item that can be placed on the mantel, sofa table, sidebar/buffet, dining table, or in an office at home or work, can be given to someone that no longer can put a tree up, someone in a nursing home, to a friend that just loves Christmas decor, a grand-child that wants something 'Christmasy' of their own, in their own space; and list goes on and on.

You'll be surprised that there is only one photo from me today! Me, who usually has a gazillion photos! I won't keep you waiting any longer. Here it is.

Takes longer to make this than you think! I really like the wooden spools.

This is what I used to make this set.

10 1/4" x 12 " wood dowels trimmed to various sizes, 10 wood spools, Teresa Collins Christmas Cottage 6 x 6 pad (2012), My Favorite Things Star STAX Die-Namics, By The Letters Uppercase Die-Namics, Martha Stewart Alpine Snowflake punch, Spellbinder's Poinsettia, 1/2" wood buttons, 7/8" grosgrain ribbon, 7/8" jingle bells, Star Dust Stickles, Gold Stickles, Tim Holtz Brushed Corduroy ink pad and blending tool, Mini-Bowdabra & gold wire, Bazzill Kraft & Beeswax cardstocks, and a brown journaling pen.

Thank you for coming by today for a peek. I would love to know where else one could display this greeting, beside what I listed before above, so let me know.

Happy papercrafting!

More Chalkboard Fun

Last year Scrapbook Parade had their first Chalkboard Technique card class. We had so much fun, I thought it was time to have another Chalkboard class. These are the cards we'll be making.

I always show each individual card so that those taking the class here in Victoria, can have a better look. So here are the details.

This is what I used in the making of this card.

My Favorite Things Chalkboard Frame Builder Die-Namics, Flower Medley Die-Namics, and Chalkboard Greetings stamp set. I also used Tim Holtz Sizzix Woodgrain folder and Tim Holtz Brushed Corduroy ink pad on the frame. Buttercup Liquid Pearls for flower centers and random dots.

Next card...

And this is what I used to make the card with...

May Arts Burlap Ribbon (I cut off the wired edges), My Favorite Things Chalkboard Greetings stamp set, Woodgrain Fence Die-Namics, Fall Leaves die-Namics, and Tim Holtz Brushed Corduroy ink pad.

For the last card...

For this card I did a lot of colouring on the black with coloured pencils. Here are the things used in making this card.

My Favorite Things Chalkboard Greetings stamp set, Sweet Roses stamp set and Roses and Leaves Die-Namics, Jumbo Fishtail Banner STAX Die-Namics, coloured pencil crayons, and a white Gelly Roll pen for the borders.

I white embossed the flowers and leaves, die cut them with the coordinating Die-Namics, and then had fun colouring them in and arrange them.

That's it for this card class. Look out for a Christmas Chalkboard class a couple of months down the road.

Thank you for stopping by to have a peek. Happy papercrafting!

Sketch - DT Christmas Card Challenge #36

The challenge this week at Christmas Card Challenge #36 is a sketch! Of course as long as you are making a Christmas card, you can enter the challenge.

I turned the sketch and made this...

Here is the sketch (to the left). I used gold metallic Bazzill cardstock to mat
everything, and gold embossing powder for the three kings. I even used the gold embossing powder on the gold star's sentiment! The wisemen stamp is from Inkadinkadoo and is one I haven't used until now.

I rather like how it all turned out. I used lighter shades of blue for the banners, again matting them on gold.

In the next two photos you can better see the banners and all the layers popped up.

Just love those blues! Blue goes well with either gold or silver and since I tend to use silver more with blue this is something different for me.

Hop on over to the challenge blog and check out the other DT cards or go to their blogs by clicking on the links below. Play with us too, and see what you create using the sketch. Oh, and being the first challenge of the month, there's a prize for a winner!

Alanna - DT coordinator

Anne C

Anne J

Jenn

Monica

Sabrina - That's me!

Sparkle-- Owner

Thank you for checking in today!