celebrate CREATIVITY in all its forms

Wordplay

For the past few months I've been working to organize my new crafts area and while the progress has been slow, it has at least been steady. 

I recently added some wall decor to the space to incorporate some more personal identity into the area and I think you'll enjoy seeing how these fun letters were created.    

     

The words resemble hand painted letttering but they're actually made out of vinyl and they're super easy to make.

The wall signage was made using a digital craft cutter, which allows you to cut out various images as well as any true type font. 

After installing the requisite software program onto your personal computer, plug the digital cutter device into an available serial port on your computer.

The vinyl used to make the lettering comes on a roll like this and is available at most scrapbooking stores or on-line.

Since just about any true type font can be used, there are loads of lettering choices.  Simply open the digital cutter workspace screen in your computer and enter the desired letter or text. 

For the letters "CREATIVITY", I had to print them individually to get the size I wanted for each.

        

After typing the letter or word in the computer, simply load a piece of the adhesive vinyl adhesive into the digital cutter which receives the letter or image from the computer screen and cuts it out.

The vinyl has a backing which protects the adhesive.  After the cutter creates the shape or letter, the backing of the vinyl is peeled off just like contact paper.

If you have a lengthy word, you may need to spread it out to get a better perspective on how it might work on the wall.

 

Note:  The instructions on the Adhesive Vinyl roll specify that a special transfer paper is also needed to help adhere the letters to a wall surface.  While transfer paper may be needed for some projects, I did not need it for this.

After the letters are cut, peel the letters off the backing slowly.  Take extra care during this step because the letters are quite fragile and the vinyl tears very easily. 

To prepare for letter placement, determine the center of the wall area.  I think it's a good idea to select the letter that sits at the very center of the word and make that,the first letter you adhere over your pre-determined center wall mark.

Once that center letter is in place, start adhering the letters on either side working from the center outward.  This makes for a more symmetrical placement of the word.  If any letter in the lineup is slightly skewed, it's easy enough to lift it off the wall and re-position it for a more perfect alignment.

Once the main word is positioned in the desired location, just add to what you've started with additional words or decorative elements. 

For the subtitle "in all its forms", I used a true type font called Susie's Hand.  This is one of my favorite fonts and I use it quite often for journaling blocks in scrapbooking pages and projects.  It's also the same font used in my blog banner title.

Susie's Hand is a free font that you can download from the Internet if you click here.

Don't discard the large pieces of vinyl sheet scraps because the leftovers can also be used for lots of smaller images and lettering projects. 

I used scraps and this heart-shaped hand punch to add a touch of whimsy above the letter "i" in CREATIVITY.

 

I thought a few green flourishes would add some additional balance to my wall project and also break up the dominant pink in the lettering. 

These flourishes are also created by the digital cutter.

 

Just play around with the additional pieces to find the arrangement that works best. 

I suspect this pink and green color combination may be especially sweet to all my Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority sisters out there. 

This wall art is completely removable and it's no problem to peel the letters or flourishes from the wall without any damage to the surface.

There are so many wonderful ways wall letters can be used to add to your home decor, especially with some of the pretty cursive or script-like fonts that are available. 

By the way, for those of you who have inquired lately about the progress of my Belfry, you can see at least one corner is slowly coming together.  

I still have lots I want to do in this attic space but it's nice to see the room less cluttered and finally taking shape.

Meanwhile, if you're thinking about vinyl lettering for your wall consider the following ideas;  greetings in an arched entryway, words on the instep of hardwood stairs, labels for large glass storage jars, names of favorite authors on a home library wall, a phrase or nickname over a baby's crib or some playful words and shapes in a child's play area. 

The possibilities for Wordplay are endless.

Monkey Business

There's nothing like the smell of freshly baked bread throughout the house.  When that bread is banana bread, that's even better.

These mini banana bread loaves are not only delicious but with a special finishing touch, this particular bread can also help raise a lot of "dough". 

       

It's that time of year again when students, parents and volunteers scramble to bake, create and make all kinds of goods to be sold for worthy scholastic causes.  Yes, it's time for THE ANNUAL SCHOOL FUNDRAISER. 

I enjoy working on fund-raising efforts because it typically turns out to be a nice creative outlet for me.  I've taken on my share of school projects in the past too, a few of which you can see here and here.

This year I supervised the Oglesby home-based banana bread production line.  I also had the good fortune to snag a dedicated, hard working, all-volunteer staff.

There are a ton of delicious recipes for banana bread.  I personally love banana bread with nuts, but with so many childhood nut allergies these days we played it safe and stuck with a favorite no-nuts recipe we found in this fun cookbook for kids.

Cameron and Jordy are eager beavers when it comes to things like this.  I suspect any kid would love being let loose in the kitchen to get their hands dirty with flour and bananas. 

Of course, I'm still working on getting these two to enjoy kitchen cleanup just as much.  Wish me luck on that one.

 

We wanted to wow potential buyers with our product,  so we decided to spice up the packaging by attaching handmade recipe cards to the bread baggies.

It never hurts to incorporate a little craftiness into the picture and this little monkey die cut is adorable and just right for this project. 

A die is a metal plate that contains a raised image or lettering that is used in conjunction with a press tool like the one shown in the photo below.

The metal plate is topped with a square of colored cardstock and then the two pieces are fed through the special press.

As the metal plate and cardstock come through the other end of the press tool, the pressure cuts the image into the paper and a die cut of the image or letters is created.

 

Repeat this step several times.  It's a good idea to target specific portions of the image with smaller pieces of colored cardstock to get the exact monkey part you need as you go.  This avoids cutting monkey parts in colors you don't need which would waste a lot of cardstock.

Once all the monkey pieces have been cut, separate the various cardstock pieces into like-shapes.  Then, put your volunteer staff to work assembling everything.

OK, I just had to throw in this photo of my little monkey-boy.  Jordy has the most adorable smile complete with irresistable dimples and a few missing teeth. 

Meanwhile, I think you can tell that this mini-assembly line is the perfect project for little hands. 

    

Decorative craft chalk (found at most crafts stores) is an easy way to add some depth to the die cuts.  Plain die cuts typically look pretty flat so when you introduce a bit of chalk into the picture it really helps the image come alive. 

After chalking the monkey shapes, adhere them to cut cardstock.

     

You can see how much nicer the cards look with the chalk-shading on the monkey parts and along the edges of the card. 

Pull out the label maker to make the ID's and a corner-rounder punch gives the cards nice curved edges.

        

By the way you don't always have to glue down every part of the die cut image.  I decided not to adhere the monkey tail to the card and I think leaving it loose and free-flowing adds a cute dimension to the project.

Another tip: Make the recipe cards well in advance of the fund raising date so you won't get jammed up making bread and cards at the same time the night before.  We made these cards several weeks before we actually needed them and it was nice to have them finished early and ready to attach to the bread.

     

The addition of the banana bread recipe (or just the ingredients) on the back of the card helps bake sale browsers know exactly what's inside the bread before they buy it.  That can be very useful information to many families, especially those with allergies in-house.

Print the information from your computer, cut it down to size, round the corners and use double sided tape or glue to adhere the recipe to the back of the card. 

      

Be sure to use the strong twist ties that come with the mini bake sale bags to seal the bag tightly so the bread stays fresh.  The mini bags with twist ties are available at most crafts stores that sell baking accessories.

A pretty ribbon is a nice way to finish off the packaging.  I love this green and white polka dot and the ribbon also conceals that boring twist tie.

Finally, add a strip of double-sided tape (not glue) on the bottom of the card to adhere the recipe card to the back end of the bread baggies.

If you tape the card so that the bottom of the cardstock is level with the bottom of the bread, that will help the card stand up straight for display.

Once the bake sale buyer has devoured the bread, they'll have this cute little card to hang onto for future reference.  This banana bread would look great on any bake sale table from any direction. 

I really think presentation is just as important as content.

We baked and packaged two-dozen loaves and I think an attractive offering like this is a great way to draw greater interest to any bake sale item.  

Huge thanks and hugs go my little volunteers for pitching in every step of the way.

         

By the way, I suggest you bake a few extra banana bread loaves to serve at home. 

When your young helpers have finished their monkey business, I think you can guess what they're going to want to bite into.

Hang Papers, Not Clothes

When you have a stack of papers sitting on your desk, sometimes a paper clip just won't do. 

In cases like this, consider using a more decorative clip to not only bundle those loose papers, but also add a touch of crafty elegance to your desktop.

 

This is another super easy project that requires minimal supplies.  Start with plain wooden clothes pins that can be found at just about any craft store. 

Clothes pins are super versatile for a variety of cute projects.  I'll share some additional fun creations using clothes pins later in an upcoming post.

For this project you'll also need some patterned paper.  I used 12 X 12 sheets for this project but any size paper will work because you don't need a very large amount to completely cover the small wooden pins. 

You'll also need a fluid overall crafts adhesive, like some Mod Podge or a similar decoupage-like product.

 

Carefully slide the metal hinge off of the wooden pins.  You may need to give the hinge a good tug.  Take care during this step because sometimes the hinge can pop off quickly and trust me the sharp ends do not feel good if they stab your finger.

At the same time, try not to bend the hinge out of its original shape as you tug it off the wood.

Cut the patterned paper into small strips to completely cover the front with some overhang to cover the sides.  A slight overhang is important to prevent a visible paper seam on the top of the finished clip.

Coat the wooden pin in decoupage material or Modge Podge and then apply the paper strip directly onto the pin.  Generously coat all areas of the paper strip as you simultaneously apply it to the wood pin.

I found it easier to simply use my fingers to spread the decoupage material.  This way I can feel the various small indentations in the wooden pin.  Smooth the patterned paper with your fingers to cover the entire pin. 

It is a bit messy but I think it's the best way to ensure all the wood areas are completely and smoothly covered.

Set covered pins aside to dry completely.  A paper plate with a elevated edge makes a perfect drying station for this step.  

  

Once the pins are completely dry, carefully reattach the metal hinge.  I actually found this to be the most difficult part of this project because that hinge is really tight.  You need to pull the hinge apart enough to slide it back on the wood-but not pull it apart so much that you pull it out of the original firm metal shape. 

It helps to have an original pin nearby so you can clearly see how the hinge needs to be realigned to fit properly onto the decorated pins and into the proper indentations in the wood.

You can also slightly sand the edges of the finished pins with a craft file to give the project a more distressed, aged appearance if that suits you.

    

I think these pins are so pretty and they can be used like large decorative paper clips for various papers, important notes or dare I say, those dreaded tax papers.  Yes, tax season is not that far off-but pardon me for digressing.  

I think a small box of these clips along with some matching stationary would make a lovely gift for that special writer in your life. 

If you make a few for yourself, just remember-hang papers, not clothes.

  

Good Enough to Eat (almost)

I think just about everyone has a sweet tooth when it comes to cupcakes.  This colorful dessert is the perfect recipe.  These cupcakes are fun, super easy to make and they look delicious. 

However, this is one batch of sweet treats that I don't recommend you actually take a bite into.

These confections are actually for fun display only, and are made out of easy-to-find materials in addition to a few colorful scrapbooking supplies.

It's so much fun to see just how creative you can get with the decorations as you can see in the fun photo below.  These curly-cues were made from small strips of patterned paper and curled the old fashioned way-with a pencil edge.

This is another project that requires minimal supplies.  You'll need some Styrofoam balls and cones, some assorted food coloring, assorted acrylic craft paint, a putty knife and one gallon of lightweight spackling which can be picked up from any hardware store.

Start by creating the cupcake shapes.  Cut the Styrofoam ball in half using a large kitchen knife.  Also cut the lower portion of the Styrofoam cone to desired size to form the base of the cupcake.

Don't worry if you have difficulty cutting a perfectly flat slice in the Styrofoam.  Use sandpaper or a crafter's file to shave the excess Styrofoam so that the surfaces are even and fit flat together.

Now for the frosting.  This is where the drywall spackling comes in.  Spackling is generally used to fill in holes for drywall repair.  It dries very hard and can be sanded down on just about any surface.

It's also perfect for this project because spackling has a smooth, creamy texture as you can see in the photo below.  Spackling is easy to work with and has the same consistency as frosting.  It's also water soluble so it's a breeze to clean up.

To make the frosting, transfer between 1-2 cups of spackling to a smaller container.  Add one tiny drop of food coloring for color and then mix well.  The more food coloring you use the darker the end result, so start off with the tiniest possible drop first.

If the color is still darker than you want, just add more plain spackling to lighten it up.  Hmmm, looks good enough to taste, doesn't it? 

Use a putty knife to apply the spackling directly onto the Styrofoam.  I initially used a screwdriver in the bottom of the Styrofoam to hold it firm while applying the frosting, but the cupcake kept twisting around with every dollop of frosting. 

I found a dinner fork stuck through the bottom works best, because the prongs in the fork hold the ball firmly in place and prevents shifting during the application of the frosting.

Set your frosted half-balls on a paper plate to dry completely overnight.  The colored spackling will typically darken a tad during the drying and hardening period.  Keep that in mind if you're trying to achieve a particular shade.

Warning: Please keep these out of the reach of small children who may be tempted to taste them because of the realistic looking appearance.

After the spackling has completely dried and hardened (at least 24 hours), paint the bottom of the half-ball and the bottom of the cupcake base a matching color.  Acrylic craft paint is fine for this step. 

The matching paint will help conceal the exposed white Styrofoam and help everything blend in.

Now it's time to decorate your cupcake base which is made up of the Styrofoam cone that was cut.  Measure the height of your Styrofoam cone and cut a strip of patterned paper slightly wider than that measurement.

I used this crimper by Fiskars to give the paper strip the vertical ridges that you typically see on cupcake tins.  I've had this crimper for years and it's always great finding a new use for an old tool or supply.

Just feed the paper through the metal rods, squeeze the handle at the same time and turn the orange knob on the side.  The paper comes through the top of the paper with these wonderful ridges. 

 

Use a hot glue gun to adhere the crinkled strip to the Styrofoam base.  Then just embellish to your heart's content.  For this base, blue ribbon and matching sticker letters add a festive touch.

Adhere the top portion to the bottom using hot glue.  Then decorate the top of the cupcake as you please. 

I used matching pearl scrapbooking brads on top.  Since the colored spackling is hard at this point, you can use a paper piercer to create a tiny hole in the areas you want to add brads.  Apply a small amount of hot gun glue to the tip of the brad and stick the brad right into the hole.

     

Here's a closer look at the embellished pink cupcake.  I love how delicious that frosting looks.  Ahem, I mean how yummy that spackling looks.

     

You can rummage through your scrapbook stash for lots of creative ways to decorate your cupcake tops.  The possibilities are as fun as they are endless.

This butterfly topper was fussy-cut out of patterned paper.  I curled tiny strips of craft wire for the antennae.

Use a tiny drop of hot glue to secure the antennae to the underside of the butterfly and then hot glue the butterfly body to the top of the cupcake.

These yummy-looking cupcakes were on display a few weeks ago at the annual  National Craft and Hobby Association convention and trade show in Chicago.  The event brings manufacturers and retailers together from all over the country to preview and order the latest and greatest in scrapbooking and crafting products.

I was one of several artists asked to create a few original cupcakes and other projects for the Chatterbox booth.  

Meanwhile, this is certainly a project you can try at home and with supervision it would also be a great project for youngsters. 

You can use these cupcakes as party favors, decorative table items or just create a few for the fun of it on a rainy day. 

Just looking at these cupcakes makes my mouth water.   They certainly look good enough to eat.   Remember, no tasting-or you could end up talking to a dentist instead.      

Spring Has Sprung

Isn't everyone ready for Spring?  I know I am.  Officially, the date on the calandar tells us that Spring has finally arrived.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we're finally done with additional snowfall in my neck of the woods.  Of course, around here you never know what else Mother Nature has in store.

Even though temps in the Chicago area are still chilly, I think my latest project suggests the season will soon be on the brink of full bloom.

This is another super easy project that will take you no time at all to complete.  Just start with a wooden vase like the one in the photo below.  This one is already pre-treated so you don't have to do anything to prepare it ahead of time for decorating.

I obviously have a thing for green polka dots these days.  Remember the Amy Butler purse I posted a few weeks ago? 

Well, green is one of my favorite colors and this particular patterned paper is so fresh and fun.  This paper from Bo Bunny's Summer Picnic line just screams SPRING.

Just lay the vase down over the wrong side of the patterned paper and trace the outline of the vase.  You'll need to do this four times-one for each side of the vase.  Mark your outlines as close together on the paper to maximize available space and get as many outlines as you can out of one sheet.

After tracing the vase outline, cut each pattern out.  While I decided to cover the entire vase in the same patterned paper, this would also look great covered with alternating coordinating patterned paper too. 

Before attaching the outlines to the wooden vase, I added some stitching to the paper outlines with my sewing machine.  Just sew along the side of the paper about 1/4-inch for a little extra detail.

I usually add some machine stitching to my scrapbook pages and paper crafting projects.  Stitching really adds nice texture to any paper project and is really a nice subtle finishing touch too. 

Just remember to never run your machine needle over any kind of tape or adhesive.  If the needle hits adhesive it runs the risk carrying glue down into your sewing machine internal parts and this could potentially gum up the machinery and cause damage to your machine.

At this point just adhere the paper cutouts to the wooden vase.   Line up the outlines to fit each side of the vase.  I used a glue stick because it's thick, not messy and provides really good coverage for this project.

Once all four patterned paper outlines have been adhered to the wooden vase, you may want to add some rubber stamp ink along the edge.  Edging gives the project a nice aged finish and it also helps to blend and conceal the edges of the patterned paper along the seams.

Edging is a great technique to apply to scrapbook layout and page elements too.

 

Now for the really fun part.  Just decorate to your heart's content.  I decided on lots of colorful embellishments like flowers, buttons, brads, a little bling here and there along with frilly ribbon for flower stems. 

Like I said, I'm in the mood for Spring and this certainly fits the bill.

Here's a list of the products I used for this project.  Wooden vase: Prima. Patterned paper: Bo Bunny.  Flowers: Chatterbox, Prima.  Ribbon: Anna Griffin, Rhinestones: Heidi Swapp, buttons: Foofla, Brads: Accent Depot, Cactus Pink, Sticker letters: 3 Bugs in a Rug, Cardstock words: My Mind's Eye.

This is a good time to let you know about a craft inspiration blog I know about.  Carla at Thriftin' and Crafting will be hosting a monthly inspiration challenge on her blog to not only to get your creative juices flowing but also to share fun projects with fellow crafters.  You can find out more about her latest inspiration project if you click here.

Meantime, I just love the fun colors in my vase project which only took about ninety minutes to complete.  This was also a great way to use lots of product that I already had on hand. 

Of course, I can't wait until everything outdoors actually looks this green and wonderfully colorful.  Yes, it's been a long winter alright and finally Spring has sprung.

Waste Not Want Not

We've all heard the saying waste not want not, right?  Well, that's a popular saying that takes on new meaning with this next project.  I made this little dressform on a bit of a whim. 

I was surprisingly inspired by an everyday item that might have otherwise been tossed in the waste basket. 

It's always a treat to turn trash into a small treasure.

Allow me to back up a bit and start from the beginning.  This project was set into motion after my good friend Beena gave me these four pretty little vintage-looking jars in the photo below. 

Beena is also a scrapping buddy who knows I love to store my craft supplies in unusual containers.  These jars are simply perfect.  I love them and already have one of them filled with colorful crafting buttons.

Anyway, the beautiful jars were wrapped in this equally pretty tissue paper.   Of course, because I love all things toile, I simply could not bring it upon myself to throw away the pretty black and white print or the complementary checkered tissue.  I was sure I could come up with something to do with it. 

See how a crafter's mind works? 

This is another really easy project that will take you almost no time at all to complete.  You only need a few other supplies including some decoupage finish, a few wooden dowels, a wooden base and paper mache' dressforms. 

In addition to the supplies (which can be picked up at any craft store), you'll need a craft drill with a bit the size of the wooden dowel.

Painting the paper mache' dress form is entirely optional.  However, I decided to cover it with ivory acrylic paint because I wasn't quite sure how transparent the tissue paper might become once it came in contact with the decoupage finish.  Better safe than sorry.

Next step is to apply small torn pieces of the tissue paper all over the dressform.  This toile pattern was so easy to work with and I didn't have to be precise about paper placement.  It all just blended together really well.  That's the beauty of toile.

Using smaller pieces of tissue around the curved areas of the dressform will help the paper lay flat.  However, you may need to smooth the paper down with your finger to ensure there are no wrinkles in the application.

Apply the same technique to cover your wooden dowel as well as the platform base.  If the base has ridges, you may need to set aside your foam brush and use your fingers to smooth the paper and decoupage finish on.  This way you can make sure that the ridges actually show through the paper neatly.

Use your drill to put a hole into the bottom center of the dressform.  Make sure the bit size is correct size.   If you're not sure, it's better to start off with a drill hole that's too small at first than a hole too large.  You just want to make sure the hole is not too large for the dowel to have a nice snug fit.

Drill the same size hole in the center of your platform base.  Even with a snug dowel-fit, you should also apply a small amount of wood glue inside of the dressform hole, as well as on the tip of the other end of the dowel to help the dowel stay in place longterm.

Every pretty girl needs a string of pearls and this lovely lady is no different when it comes to getting a stand of her own.  I think the jewelry adds the perfect finishing touch.

I'm pleased with the way this turned out, especially considering it was a spur-of-the moment project.  I'm sure my friend Beena, had no idea when she handed me the pretty ceramic jars that she was actually giving me more gifts than one.  Thanks Beena!

Meanwhile, the next time you get ready to toss out that pretty printed tissue paper, you may want to think twice and consider the possibilities.  Remember, waste not want not.

Resolutions Anyone?

When it comes to New Year's resolutions, I've got plenty of them. Of course the hard part is sticking to them.  I'm sure I am certainly not alone on that one.  The scrapbooking project below is not only about resolutions but it's also about having a little creative fun with them too.

Each one of the six squares in this scrapbook page contains a different resolution which is artfully concealed under each square.  This is a really easy project and the steps can also be applied to many other paper crafts.

 

You can use cardboard from just about any source.  These squares were cut from the 12 X 12 plain cardboard that was attached to the bottom of a stack of cardstock.  The squares in this project each measure about 3-1/4 width X 3-1/2 inches in height. 

Each of the six squares in this project features a different patterned paper.  I also added various stickers, flowers, metal pieces and stamps.  There are so many different kinds of pattern papers and embellishments on the market it just makes a project like this even more fun. 

After you cut your cardboard square down to your desired size, simply adhere various patterned paper to the square and then you can begin attaching a few fun embellishments.  I think adding a little rubber stamp ink around the edges of the card also gives it a nice aged appearance. 

In addition to patterned paper and various embellishments, I decorated the front of each square using a clear packing tape image transfer technique.  It's the same technique that I used in the tag book project that I shared here several weeks ago.

If you click the tag book link above, you'll see my easy tutorial for this fun image transfer technique which creates a transparent sticker from an original photo.

Also click here for another example of how this technique can be used.

After decorating each square you'll need to compose your corresponding journaling making sure your paragraphs do not exceed the dimensions of the square it will be placed under.  I created each of my journaling blocks right on the computer, printed them out and then cut the copy down to size. 

The font I used for this journaling is called Papyrus and it's always been one of my favorites.

After cutting the journaling square down to size, you may also want to edge the journaling cards with a little rubber stamp ink too.  I love the look that edging gives a project and in this case it helps keep that vintage look consistent.  Set your journaling squares aside until after you've secured each of your cardboard squares to the layout.

Once you've finished decorating your cardboard squares, just line them up on your 12 X 12 background paper and secure each one using a metal hinge. Once your hinges are in place, simply adhere each journaling card under the corresponding cardboard square. Trim the journaling card as needed to make sure it's completely concealed under the decorated cardboard square.

Small metal fasteners are attached to the side of each card to secure it in place. Because the hinges, fasteners and the cardboard squares add so much weight to the page, I strengthened the whole layout by adding a piece of 12 X 12 cardboard to the back of the project.  The brads for the hinges and fasteners should be pushed through all layers including the extra cardboard backing.

I love using chipboard letters because they're so versatile.  If you're not familiar with chipboard, it looks like plain cardboard and comes in all kinds of shapes and letters. In this case I just painted the chipboard letters purple to correspond with the ribbon strip that I sewed directly onto the patterned paper.

If you decide to use ribbon like this across the entire page, you may want to secure the ribbon first with a very tiny strip of double sided tape down the center of the ribbon.  This will hold the ribbon in place while you do your machine stitching.  Just remember to always keep your stitching on either side of the center strip of adhesive. 

Never sew your machine needle over any type of glue or tape because the needle can carry small pieces of adhesive down into the machine's internal mechanism and gum it up, potentially causing serious damage to your sewing machine.

I used the packing tape image transfer technique on the outside of each cardboard square, and then used the original photograph on the inside of the card.   The photo below shows what the layout looks like with several of the cardboard squares lifted up to reveal the hidden journaling. 

Hidden journaling is a great way to add a little surprise to your scrapbook layout and the technique can also free up valuable space on a scrapbook page to include more photos.

One of the things I like about this layout is that it actually includes a few pictures of me for a change. Now, that's a rare page indeed.  Since I'm typically the one behind the camera in my household, there aren't as many pictures of me to scrapbook. 

Of course, thanks to my kids there are quite a few pictures of yours truly in hair rollers.  Why do kids do that?

This "resolutions" layout appeared in the April 2007 issue of Memory Makers magazine as part of an article I wrote on hidden journaling entitled Hidden Treasure.  I'll talk more about hiding your journaling on your scrapbook pages later and I'll share some other fun examples in an upcoming post.

Until next time, good luck with all of your crafting efforts as well as sticking with all your 2008 New Year's resolutions.

You've Been Tagged

Looking for a twist on scrapbooking?   How about a tag book?  For those times when you may not be in the mood to scrap an entire page, why not consider scrapping a little booklet instead?  This tag book is just perfect if you want to create a fun photo keepsake that won't take a lot of time to complete. 

As we approach the holidays, you may also want to try this super easy project to add a little something extra to that special gift.

A while back, I made this little tag book as a gift to my twin sister, Paula.  It's a delightful project to consider this time of year. When you open up the booklet it's like a little mini scapbook page inside with four individual panels to decorate as you please.  This project took about 90-minutes to complete.  That's no time at all and I love the finished look.

Here's what the tag book looks like from the back when opened up. Of course you can always add more embellishments to the back side.  However, in this case I just didn't want to cover up the pretty vintage paper, so I kept my additional elements to a minimum and confined to the first and last quarter panels only.

To make your own tag book, start with one piece of your favorite 12 X 12 patterned paper. This will be the paper that represents the outside of your tag book.  You'll also need a second sheet of 12 X 12 plain paper for the inside of the book.  Put both sheets together and cut down to desired size of the tag. I cut mine about 6 inches X 12 inches.

With both pieces together, fold one end over to line up with the opposite end.  Next, fold the first half side turning it back toward the initial fold.  Turn over and fold the other side in the same way.  This will give you the accordian-style tag book.

Once you have your folds in place, clip both ends at the top right and left corners at an angle to create the tag shape.  At this point adhere both pieces of paper together using double sided tape or glue. In this case, I chose to stitch all the way around the booklet for a more finished look.  Hole punch the top center of each quadrant for the ribbon.

Thread assorted ribbon through the holes you just punched and then embellish the tag book to your heart's content.  Since this project is likely to get handled quite a bit, you may want to apply a clear sealant over any rubons you use.  This should prevent the rubons from wearing off over time.

The transparent effect below which appears on the front and back of this tag book, was created using a packaging tape image transfer technique that's easy to duplicate.  Read further for the step-by-step instructions for this great application.

First, copy a small photograph onto regular printer paper.  It's important to copy your image.  Do not print the picture out.  Apply a small strip of clear packaging tape over the copied photo.  Then, rub the entire taped image using a bone burnisher.  A bone burnisher is a nice tool to have in your stash, but if you don't have one, a popcicle stick or spoon will also do the trick here.  Take your time and make sure you thoroughly rub all areas of the tape to ensure the image will tranfer completely.

After a good burnishing, run the taped image under warm water as in the photo below. Soak both sides of the image thoroughly.  The warm water will loosen the paper and cause it to slide right off the clear packing tape.

Once the paper peels away from the tape you'll be left with the transferred image on the packing tape.  Also, because the adhesive from the tape will not wash away, you'll have an instant transparent sticker from a favorite photo.  Don't forget to let your new sticker dry (face down) before applying to your project. 

Your new personalized sticker will have a wonderful effect on your project if you place it over patterned paper.  I have some other great projects using this fun packing tape technique that I'll share later in a different post.

Now, getting back to the tag project, you can also stitch a couple of pieces of ribbon into the seam to use as a tie-back to hold the tag book in place.  Carefully measure both pieces of ribbon first to make sure it will fit all the way around the tag book with room for a bow, before actually sewing it into the seam.

These tag books can be tailored for any occasion too.  Here is another example below with a baby theme.  Instead of using ribbon, try a few colorful buttons in the center of each quarter panel. Wouldn't this be great to go along with a baby shower gift?  You could decorate the inside of tag book with pictures of the mom-to-be.

I love the soft colors of the lavandar ribbon and matching patterned paper in the tag book below. I used the same packing tape technique on the front of this book too.  On the inside, I used pre-printed stickers to decorate the panels. The stickers were already inscribed with beautiful quotes so it fit nicely with the overall wedding theme.

These tags are also perfect for the holidays.  The 12 X 12 patterned paper that was used for the tag book below had red on the top half of the paper and the wonderful ornaments on the bottom half. I simply cropped most of the red out when cutting the paper down to size to keep the focus on the decorative ornaments. 

For this tag book, I attached my ribbon with these little metal brads. If you use brads, you'll want to conceal the prongs on the other side.  To do that, I simply cut little paper squares and angled them in a diamond shape on the inside to hide the metal ends perfectly.

As you can see, this is a really easy and versatile project. These little tag books can be customized to fit any theme or occasion.  You can add pictures and embellishments on the inside or even leave the quadrants blank for your own personal sentiments in your prettiest handwriting.  How special would that be?

These tag books can be attached to a gift box, or used as a stand alone gift.  Of course they also make nice memory keepsakes to keep for yourself. 

In the interest of full disclosure, I must add one quick warning here.  The folding for these tag books is so fast and fun, you may not be able to stop at making just one.  Trust me, it's pretty addictive and the possibilities are endless.

What Time is It?

I've always loved the beautiful over sized, vintage-looking clocks that are featured in various mail order catalogs like Ballard Designs. However, I never really thought about making one myself. When I came upon a clock making class offering at Windy City Scrapbooking (one of my favorite local scrapbook stores), I jumped at the chance to create my own timepiece. Want to create your own timeless treasure? Take a look at the simple steps below.

Of course you need a blank clock face, but beyond that you'll only need a minimum of supplies. This 18" X 18" face is made by Provo Craft and all the required mechanical elements are included in the box. You'll also need 4-sheets of 12 X12 patterned paper, coordinating paint, a sponge brush, an ultra thin paintbrush and a small piece of fine grade sandpaper, as well as a small jar of Modge Podge which is an all-in-one, water-based sealer and adhesive.

The first thing you want to do is line up your 4-sheets of patterned paper into one large square. Pay close attention to the shading created when you put the papers together, because different paper placement will give you a different overall look. After you've determined your paper placement, tape all four papers together from the back, to create one large square. I selected sheets from the Perhaps collection by Basic Grey. This particular sheet is called Daphne. I love the vintage look of this paper and the dainty white butterfly stamps throughout the design.

Paint the outside edge of the undressed clock face a coordinating color. I initially painted this part tan but later changed it to a dark brown. You'll see why the darker color works better further down in this post. Next step is to place the taped pieces of patterned paper face down. Trace the shape of the clock onto the back side of the paper and then cut out the circular shape.

Line your cut circle up onto the clock face paying close attention to where your pattern falls, as it relates to the embedded numbers in the clock face. Apply the Mod Podge to one half of the project at a time.  Once you have your patterned paper adhered, smooth out all the bubbles. I used a rubber roller to help with this step.

Then sand the outside edges of the clock to smooth out the cut edge of the paper. This will also give the project a little hint of distressing around the edges. It's a nice look, especially if your patterned paper selection already looks a little distressed.

The next step is also the most time consuming. You have to feel around with your fingertips to find the indented numerals and other areas that are now hidden under the patterned paper. It's a little hard to find the indented areas because of the thickness of the paper. Once you find the them, use a pointed edge to punch the paper through the surface, exposing the indented details. In this case that includes the two circles which frame the clock face as well as the Roman numerals. The numerals were the hardest to locate with my fingertips. Once these elements are all punched out, use your fine tip paintbrush to paint the areas you have now revealed.

I decided to use dark brown paint to fill in the indented areas so the color would stand out well against the fair colored paper. This is also the point where I realized that the outside edge of the clock would look better if was the same coordinating dark brown color.

Finally, I added the simple message, "use time well", to finish the project off. The brown script letter stickers are also from Basic Grey from their new Mellow line.  Add several layers of Modge Podge over the entire finished project allowing each application to dry before adding the next. This will also secure the letter stickers so they won't shift over time.

The clock hands that come in the packaging are black. Depending on the colors in your patterned paper selection, you may want to paint the hands. I slightly brushed the black metal with a little brown paint just to add a more rustic look.

Major thanks to Windy City's talented instructor Danette Schellhouse who walked me through this great project.  While I wasn't able to complete this clock in one sitting, I did finish it up at home over two days, which allowed for multiple applications of sealant as well as adequate drying time.

It's a fun and simple project that doesn't require any particular skill other than patience and a steady pencil grip for carving out those indented details to be painted.

All in all, I'd say it was time well spent. Tick tock!