Upcycling packing material: Mini album!


Happy Wednesday everyone,

Mini albums are a great way of documenting special events or travel stories. The paper craft stores are filled with different blank mini albums, and they come in various shapes, sizes and materials.
This time I wanted to create my own blank mini album. Materials were super cheap: The pages of this mini album are upcycled plastic packing material.

Here’s a list of materials I used:

• Big Shot Machine (655268
• Sizzix Bigz XL Die - Card Fronts, Bracket & Ticket (657529)
• Sizzix Framelits Die Set 6PK w/Stamps - Leaves (657917)
• Clear packing material (e.g. from Sizzix Framelits dies)
• Small photos
• Patterned paper (Basic Grey: Curio. 6x6 paper pad)
• Cream cardstock (for journaling)
• Alpha stickers (the girl’s paperie: tinsel & twig)
• Rub-ons (Basic Grey: Ambrosia)
• Pattern stamp (Stampendous)
• Black ink (StazOn)
• Buttons, washi tape, lace
• Glue (Tacky Glue)
• Hole punch
• Two-sided tape
• Three book rings

My mini album has five pages. Four of them I cut with Bigz die ‘Card Fronts, Bracket ‘ and for the back cover I simply cut a 16.5 cm x 11.5 cm rectangle. I piled the book pages in such way that the width of the pages varied revealing nicely the bracket pattern of each page.

I did not want to cover the pages completely with patterned papers but left clear areas on each page. The nice thing about acrylic albums is the fact that the elements on following pages underneath are visible. However, this also makes working with clear pages a nice challenge: When you are placing elements on one page you need to think how they appear on the back and how they are visible through the album.

You can decorate the clear mini album in various ways: Stamping with StazOn ink works perfectly and rub-ons are simple to use, too.  For additional embellishments I used some buttons and lace I had in my stash, and simply glued them down on the pages.

 

When the pages were finished I made three holes with a hole punch to each page and attached the pages together with small book rings.
I hope this inspires you to start creating your own mini book. I’m sure material perfect for upcycling will be easy to find!

Have a nice week
Love,

 

B&W card with Embossing Diffusers


Happy Wednesday everyone,

This week I wanted to show you a card I made using an Embossing Diffuser. Embossing Diffusers are plates with round or oval shaped windows / insets. They are really easy to use: When you are building your embossing sandwich you simply replace the upper plate with a diffuser plate. Those areas of the embossing folder that are in direct contact with the diffuser plate will be embossed, and the inset area will remain smooth. How cool is that!

For more information on the Embossing Diffusers can be read here.

 

Here’s a list of materials I used:

• Big Shot Machine (655268
• Sizzix Accessory - Embossing Diffuser 3PK, Set #1 (657945)
• Sizzix Textured Impressions Embossing Folders 2PK - Circle Frame & Rosemary Set (657714)
• Sizzix Framelits Die Set 5PK w/Stamps - Butterflies #4 (658290)
• Sizzix Framelits Die Set 5PK - Frames, Decorative #2 (657938)
• White rectangle card base (14 cm x 11.5 cm)
• Black, white and red cardstock
• Black Distress ink (Black Soot). Ink applicator
• Satin ribbon
• Sentiment stamp
• Red embroidery yarn
• White acrylic paint
• Red dewdrops or small beads
• Glue, two-sided tape

The first step was to take a piece of white cardstock and emboss it using a diffuser plate with round inset. I highlighted the embossed images by inking the surface with black stamping ink.

Then I took took a round mask, punched stitching holes around the smooth center and stitched simple back stitches around the circle. The center appeared a bit too dark so I brightened it with dabbing white acrylic paint through a round stencil on it.

When the card front was finished I mat it on black cardstock and attached to the card front with two-sided tape. As decoration I used stamped and die cut butterflies (I love the butterfly kit by Paula Pascual!) and a black decorative frame. As last step I stamped a sentiment text on the painted circle (StazOn ink works fine on acrylic paint) and glued a few red dewdrops in all corners.

Done!

I wish you a nice week.

Love,

Cardmaking: Trifold card in red and blue



Happy Wednesday everyone,

I love colours. Especially during dark and rainy autumn days I like to work with patterned papers with rich and vivid colours. I enjoy challenging myself to use colour combinations out of my own comfort zone, and experimenting with different tints, shades and tones is always a lot of fun. However, strong basic colours are also a great source of inspiration. Primary colours, blue and red, inspired me to make these simple trifold cards:

Here’s a list of materials I used:

• Big Shot Machine (655268
• Sizzix Textured Impressions Embossing Folders 4PK - Peacock Vine Set  (657819)
• Sizzix Framelits Die Set 6PK w/Stamps - Banners (658289)
• White, red and blue cardstock
• Bone folder, craft knife
• Distress inks: Faded  Jeans (blue); Fired Brick (red). Ink applicator
• Red and blue embroidery yarn
• Glue, two-sided tape, 3D foam stickers

These cards are really quick and easy to make:

First I cut a rectangle sized 15 cm x 30 cm from white cardstock, and scored, cut and folded it (see template below).

 

 

 Then I cut 13 rectangle panels of blue and red cardstock: For each card you need 3 large panels (9,5 cm x 6,5 cm), 2 mid-sized panels (3,5 cm x 9,5 cm) and 8 small panels (4,5 cm x 3,5 cm).  Then I took one of the small folders in Peacock vine set and embossed 10 pieces of white cardstock with it. Using an ink applicator I inked the embossed images and cut them to a size slightly smaller than the red and blue panels. I attached the rectangle shaped inked images to the red and blue rectangles and adhere to the card base panels with two-sided tape.

The banners I stamped on white cardstock and then die-cut with the matching die. I punched small holes in the banner corners and pulled a piece of embroidery yarn through the corners. Before attaching the banners to the card with 3D foam stickers I made tiny knots to the yarn ends. I fixed the knots with a tiny drop of glue.

For the middle banner I printed the sentiment text on white cardstock and die-cut the image with my BigShot. After the middle banner was adhered to the card base my trifold card was finished!

 

Which basic colours will inspire you this week?

I wish you a nice week.
Love,

Layout: Up! with embossed background image

 
Happy Wednesday everyone,
 
I’m a big fan of scrapbooking and cardmaking sketches. Very often I start working on a scrapbooking layout by browsing through sketches on the internet. Sometimes I follow the sketch very closely and sometimes I just pick up pieces here and there. And quite often it happens that the outcome does not resemble the sketch at all. I just used it to get myself in the creative mood  :).

This layout was made using a sketch I found at Basic Grey blog.

On my layout I placed the vertical centerpiece a bit lower, put the photo on the left side and removed the journaling tags. Also title positioning was a bit different. But you can still recognize this sketch when looking at my layout, right? 

 
Here’s a list of materials I used:

• Big Shot Machine (655268
• Sizzix Textured Impressions Embossing Folders 2PK - Psychedelic Dreams Set  (657820)
• Sizzix Movers & Shapers Magnetic Die Set 2PK - Mini Sewing Room Set  (657487)
• Patterned papers: BasicGrey Picadilly collection (layout background).
  Echo Park Paper: Sweet Day – Lovely Chevron
• White cardstock; tiny piece of green cardstock
• Distress inks: Peeled Paint; Tumbled Glass. Ink applicator
• Green spray mist
• White acrylic paint, paint dabber (Adirondack)
• Alpha stickers: AC Thickers: Sunny
• Blue flower-shaped brads
• Small piece of light blue canvas
• Lace, washi tape, masking tape
• Baker’s twine
• Tacky glue, two-sided tape, 3D foam stickers

Using both folders in the Textured Impressions set I started by embossing the flower images on white cardstock. I inked the large flower images with green and blue Distress inks and embellished them with blue flower-shaped brads. The other embossed flower images were inked and then cut into 2 cm wide strips. Those were going to be used for the vertical picture panel background.

The background paper needed a bit darker tone so I sprayed it with green mist. When the mist was dry I mixed white acrylic paint with water, put dots of wet paint on the background edge and tilted the paper vertically. This created a nice paint dripping effect on the background.  When the paint was dry I added some more white paint on the background with a paint dabber. And white acrylic paint was also used for the background bubbles; I used a mist bottle cap for stamping the tiny circles. 

I like cutting embellishments out of patterned paper and the chevron pattern was just perfect for this purpose. The same pattern was used for the center piece and for the dragonfly. This patterned paper is really versatile, don’t you think!

 

For the dragonfly I cut a diamond shape out of green cardstock and then a slightly smaller diamond of light blue canvas. Those two were attached together by machine sewing with a straight stitch. Before adhering the dragonfly (with 3D foam stickers) I wrapped a piece of twine around the spool and glued the rest of the ribbon on the background. Gluing a ribbon on cardstock is done easiest by first drawing the path on the cardstock with liquid glue and then placing the ribbon on the glue. When working with glue and a ribbon try to keep your fingers clean, as the ribbon will very easily stick to the glue on your fingers and attaching the ribbon on the cardstock will get tricky!

The background patterned paper was a bit thin so I decided to attach it on a sheet of white cardstock. Before adhering I trimmed the edges a bit for creating a 0,5 cm white border around the page.  When the layout was finished I was very happy about the outcome. The embossed and inked flower panel gives a nice touch to the page, don’t you think? 

I wish you a nice week. 
Love,

Girly felt flowers

Happy Wednesday everyone,
 
Last weekend, when cleaning the bathroom drawers I came across an old headband my daughter had not used in a long time.  If I remember correctly she got it with a children’s magazine and wore it a while until the tiny roses started dropping off.  Instead of throwing it away I decided to pimp it up using small leftover pieces of felt, some satin ribbon and my BigShot. I completed the girly set with two hair clips I decorated with die-cut felt flowers. And my daughter just loves them all!

 

 
Here’s a list of materials I used:

• Big Shot Machine (655268
• Sizzix Bigz Die - Tattered Florals (656640)
• Sizzix Bigz Die - Flowers, 3-D (656545)
• Sizzix Bigz Die - Wheelbarrow & Flowers (657698)
• Small pieces of felt
• Satin ribbon
• Buttons
• Old headband and hair clips
• Two-sided tape
• Tacky glue

First, I removed the satin flowers from the old headband, unwrapped the pink ribbon and replaced it with new green satin. 

I used two-sided tape for holding the new ribbon in place while wrapping which proved out to work just fine. Using a small piece of yellow felt I die-cut a 3D spiral flower. Starting from the outer edge I rolled the flower, turned it around and glued the bottom with Tacky Glue. Leafs were die-cut from green felt (mid-sized ‘Tattered Florals’ flower) and glued to the flower with Tacky Glue. I finished the flower by sewing a button in the flower center and attaching it to the headband with a few stitches.


Decorating the hair clips was just as quick and simple: First I die-cut two red flowers and two white wheels with ‘Wheelbarrow & Flowers’ die. Then I stitched two yellow buttons on the flowers and attached the flower to the wheel with a few stitches. For attaching the flowers to the clips I used Tacky Glue and my girly hair decoration set was finished!

 

I wish you a nice and inspiring week. 

Love,

Step card with a vintage feeling

Happy Wednesday everyone,

Last weekend I had the most amazing time: I had the pleasure to attend Scraptastic 2012 event in Gent, Belgium! What a busy weekend it was as I ended up taking seven workshops during Friday-Sunday. But enjoyed every minute of it!

I was also very happy to meet our super talented Anna Dabrowska. I attended one of her workshops and got truly inspired by the grungy mix-media style she was teaching. I will tell you more about the event later this week in my blog.

Inspired by Anna’s fabulous vintage style I created a simple step card using the beautiful embossing folder, Bird & Birdcage’. Here’s a list of materials I used:

• Big Shot Machine (655268)
• Sizzix Textured Impressions Embossing Folders 2PK - Bird & Birdcage Set  (657825)
• Sizzix On the Edge Die - Brackets (656625)
• Old book pages
• Square card blank (15x15 cm), dark brown
• Piece of craft colour cardstock
• White non-textured cardstock (220g printing paper)
• Manila tag
• Distress inks: Gathered Twigs; Black Soot. Ink blending tool / sponge
• Sentiment stamp (Tim Holtz)
• Lace
• Patterned paper: DCWV Tattered Time Stack
• 3D foam stickers
• Two-sided tape, glue

I started by cutting and scoring the card base (look at the template below for instructions).

Then I embossed the bird and birdcage images with my BigShot and continued with inking the embossined images with brown Distress ink. I cut the images out around the edges and inked the edges with black Distress.

 

 

 

Then I made a base card for the birdcage: I took a page from an old book and crumpled it into a small ball. When inking the straightened book page with brown ink the folds got a darker shade and gave a nice effect on the page. I then cut a rectangle of craft cardstock and mat the inked book page on the card. The birdcage was attached on the card using 3D foam stickers.

 

 

 

 

Other three panels I covered with patterned paper. I stamped the sentiment on the manila tag and attached on the front panel with two-sided tape. I glued the bird on the second fold on the right and finished the card with a die-cut craft cardstock strip I adhered on the card front. So easy and fun to make!

 

 

 

 

I hope you will have a nice week.

 

Love,