Paper Crafting Tip #46: Group Your Photos Together

Have you ever wondered how some scrapbookers manage to fit a bunch of photos on a page without making it look crowded or cluttered?  It's actually very easy to do.  The key is to group all of your photos on a single mat and arrange them symmetrically on your page. 

As you can see in my "Lucky" layout here, I have grouped four photos on a single background (or mat) sheet of paper.  I usually use a solid-colored cardstock for this technique, but the pattern on this pink paper is very small and looks just fine.  You will also notice that I've tried to keep my spacing and borders fairly consistent.  I've even left room for some journaling. 

This arrangement provides ample space for my title and some embellishments.  Here I've used the new Hello Cupcake set by TAC.  This is a simple overall design that is fast and easy to do.  Have fun!

Incorporating Stamps Into Your Scrapbook Layout

Last month I held a scrapbooking workshop at my house.  It was my largest workshop yet, with 8 people in attendance.  We created a birthday layout that incorporated papers and stamps from The Angel Company (TAC), along with additional papers and embellishments.  One of the techniques I taught was the concept of creating a visual triangle with embellishments.  In this case, the stamps create the triangle that leads the eye around the entire layout.  It's a very effective technique that adds movement and interest to your layout.  Give it a try on your next layout.  Happy scrapping and stamping!

 

Paper Crafting Tip #45: Create a non-standard-sized scrapbook layout

I usually scrapbook in 12 x 12 size, but I also like to try other sizes for variety.  A few years ago, my husband gave me a Hallmark scrapbook for Mother's Day.  It's a 9 x 12 size and is proving to be very challenging when it comes to designing my layouts.  There isn't as much room as there is on a 12 x 12, yet this size isn't as confining as an 8 1/2 x 11 page can sometimes be.  It's a very interesting size to work with.  Below are layouts from our trip to a dude ranch this past summer.  I was able to fit quite a few photos on each page.  So give it a try!  Create a layout that is a different size for you.  I'd love to see what you come up with.  Who knows?  I might even post it here on my blog.  Happy crafting!





 

Paper Crafting Tip #44: Use Pre-Made Layouts

I never thought I would do this, but I did and I love it!  A new scrapbooking buddy of mine gave me a scrapbook calendar for Christmas.  It's made by Hallmark, and it's a 12 x 12 calendar with pre-made pages.  You just add your photos, journaling, and additional embellishments.  Since this calendar is an additional, ongoing project for the entire year, having pre-made layouts works really well for me.  I don't feel as if it's a burden, another project I feel pressured to complete and keep up-to-date.  Plus, the calendar gives me a place to showcase my favorite recent photos.  I created this page in about an hour; and in between, I helped Haley with her layout.  (I'll be posting that later on.  It's adorable, and she's a natural scrapbooker!)  I highly recommend using pre-made layouts and customizing them so that they reflect your personality and creativity.  It's not "cheating."  Think of it as relieving some of the stress we scrapbookers sometimes encounter when deciding on the overall design and layout of our pages.  Happy scrapping and stamping!

Paper Crafting Tip #43: Ten crafting tips that will save you money

During the holiday season, we're all looking for ways to save some money.  Here are 10 crafting tips for using things you already have around the house.

1.  Instead of buying those waxy sticks to pick up and place rhinestones and other small objects, look around the house for stray crayons.  They work like a charm!

2.  Don't buy one of those small irons to iron your ribbon.  Just rub it over a warm lightbulb.  Remember to make sure the bulb isn't dusty, and BE CAREFUL - IT'S HOT! This works well with satin and grosgrain ribbon.  I wouldn't try organdy or gauzy ribbon; it might melt.

3.  Save the backings from your stickers and Xyron to use as waxed paper when you're using glue, paint, embossing powder, or glitter.

4.  If you have a Cricut, don't throw away your worn-out mats.  Spray them with repositionable spray adhesive to freshen them up.  Just remember to use masking tape around the edges so that the part that goes through the rollers doesn't get sticky.

5.  Another use for the worn-out Cricut mats:  Once they get to the point where they can't be refreshed anymore, use them to hold small objects while you're painting them.  I've used them to hold buttons while I painted them.  They have just enough tack to hold the objects in place temporarily.

6.  If you don't want to spend money on Christmas/Holiday stamp sets, try using stamps that you already have.  For example, cirlces make great ornaments, squares make wonderful packages, and a bit of holiday ribbon can spruce up an otherwise tired flower stamp.

7.  Along the same lines as Tip # 6:  Use simple shapes cut with your die cut machine to make holiday cards.  Circles, squares, ovals, and other shapes can easily be transformed into ornaments, boxes, flowers, etc.  Use your imagination!

8.  Make your own tags.  If you don't have a die cut machine, you can use punches or your paper trimmer to cut squares and rectangles.  Punch a hole, tie some string or ribbon, and you're good to go.

9.  Instead of buying new stamp sets with phrases and greetings that you will use only once or twice, use your computer to print them out.  This is also a great way to get a lot of card greetings done in only a few minutes.  Yeah, I think it's "cheating" too, but no one else has to know, right?  (I won't tell.)

10.  Get together with your friends and swap crafting stuff.  That leftover Halloween orange ribbon might be just the thing she needs to finish a layout or card, and those Valentine's Day buttons might add the perfect touch to your project.

I hope you find these useful.  They work for me, and I hope they work for you too.  Happy Crafting!

Paper Crafting Tip #42: Scrapbook a favorite childhood toy.

This is another layout in my book about me.  I love
how it turned out, and my children are enjoying reading about my
childhood and seeing me as a very little girl.

Is there a particular toy from your childhood that holds special memories for you?  Do you have a picture of yourself with that toy?  This layout was a lot of fun for me.  Give it a try.  I think it will be a lot of fun for you, too.

Paper:  Pop Star by Rusty Pickle
Title:  Vixen by QuicKutz
Bottom Border:  Martha Stewart punch, Ranger Adirondack spray dyes
Markers:  Bic Mark-It
Journaling Card:  Printed from Simple Scrapbooks website
Other:  Glitter, 3-D flower stickers

Paper Crafting Tip #41: Use your diecut machine to make an Autumn Leaves Wreath

My daughter and I made this lovely wreath with leaves that I cut with my Cricut and Big Kick machines.  After I cut and embossed the leaves, we chalked them and glued them onto a cardboard wreath I had made from a cereal box.  Just trace a large bowl and a smaller bowl onto the cardboard and cut out.  I used tacky glue, and it worked great.

Paper Crafting Tip #40: Use your black and white photos.

Because I was born in the '60s, I have lots of childhood pictures of myself as a very little girl that are in black and white.  Sometimes we get intimidated by these photos, or we can't figure out how to use them on our layouts.  Many scrapbookers think that they have to use vintage or muted colors with these photos.  Well, I'll let you in on a little secret.  I really don't like the vintage, heritage, or "shabby chic" look that became popular when I first started scrapbooking.  I don't like muted, washed-out colors.  I like bright, vibrant papers and embellishments.

You can use these lively colors with your black and white photos.  In fact, the photos stand out beautifully when you do.  Here are some layouts I've done with my photos.  The first one is from several months back, and it's a traditional layout, with everything "cut and pasted" together (my favorite way to scrapbook).  The second layout is digital.  Although it's not something I do a lot, I do enjoy creating a digital layout once in a while. 

Have fun with those "old" photos!

  

Paper Crafting Tip #38: Easy Photo Corners

Sorry it's been so long since my last post.  Life has been crazy, and I've been sick, but I'm back!

Here's a quick little photo corner how-to:

1.  Punch or cut out a square. (1-2 inches is usually a good size to start with, but you can play around
     with the size once you get the hang of it.)

2.  Cut the square in half diagonally, so that you have two triangles.

3.  Line up the triangles so they match back-to-back.

4.  Cut a strip off the long edge.  The width of the strip that you cut will determine the width of the photo
     corners.

5.  Now, align the edges so that they form a corner. 

6.  Adhere to your page, and you're done!

Here is one of the layouts I made using this technique.  If you have any questions, please email or post a comment.  Enjoy!

 

Paper Crafting Tip #37: Title Tip

 

I have a great tip for you that is sure to make your titles more fun and
interesting.  Instead of using just one font for your titles, try using
2 or 3.  In this layout, I used stamps (Hero Arts) for the main title
and diecuts (Cricut) for the supporting title.  Each font is different
and adds a fun touch to the layout.  If your title is more serious, you
can choose other appropriate fonts.  Serious does not mean boring.  Try
this tip, and add some spice to your next layout.  Happy Crafting!

Paper Crafting Tip #36: Create a Title Page for Your Scrapbook

I like to have title pages in my scrapbooks.  They set the tone for the pages that follow and serve as an introduction to the album.  Sometimes I create the title page before I begin an album, and sometimes I create it later on.  I made the title page here after I finished the first layout in the album, but I knew what I was going to do before I even started the first layout.  This is the title page for our second Favorite Holidays album, and it follows the same design as the one in the first volume.  I made all of the diecuts, including the letters, with my Cricut. 

Give it a try!  Happy Crafting!

Paper Crafting Tip #35: Believe in Yourself

This week's tip is more of a self-confidence booster, rather than an actual paper crafting tip.  Last night I read some posts on a forum that made me happy that I don't participate in swaps there.  The thread was all about how people get upset and even angry when other swap members' cards don't meet "their" standards. 

I've been hosting card swaps for years, and I welcome and encourage swappers of all levels.  In fact, I encourage beginners to join, because they can learn so much from others.  And even the most experienced stamper can learn something from a beginner, whether it be color combinations, layout, or simply an appreciation for the effort and work that person put into making the card.  

I had to stop reading the thread, because it was making me angry.  How dare people criticize others because they aren't "good enough" for their elite group?  If they want to be in a swap with only "professional" stampers, then that is the kind of swap group they should join.

Most of the people who attend my workshops and join my swaps start as beginners.  They build their confidence through practice, learning new techniques, and learning from each other.  They learn to believe in themselves and in their own unique talents. 

There is enough stress in our lives, without having to worry about whether or not we can live up to others' standards with our crafting.  So this week, make an effort to have fun with your crafting.  Believe in yourself, enjoy what you're doing, and don't worry about being "good enough" for anyone else.  Happy Crafting!

Paper Crafting Tip #33: Limit Your Embellishments

When I first started scrapbooking, things were much simpler.  Choosing embellishments was pretty easy, because you had much less to choose from.  Now, there are so many embellishments on the market that it can be very difficult to choose what to use on your layouts.  Well, I have a very simple solution:  limit your embellishments to 3 or 4 different types of items.  For example, on this layout, I decided to use flowers, ribbon, and eyelets/brads.  Not only did that save me time, but it also forced me to be more creative with what I was using.  You do have to stick to your choices, though; because, if you second-guess yourself, that defeats the purpose of limiting your choices in the first place. 

Give it a try.  I think you'll be happy with the sense of freedom you will get when you make things so much easier on yourself.  See you next week.  Happy Crafting!

Paper Crafting Tip #32: Take a Break from the Message Boards

If you're like me, you belong to several message boards.  Although I visit only 3 of them daily (I'm a moderator and on the Design Team for one), there was a time - not so long ago - when they took up a lot of my time.  It's easy to get involved in the "drama," or try to keep up with every new gadget or paper collection that seems to appear almost daily.  However, I've come to several conclusions about these message boards, and I've realized that my time can be better spent working on my projects.

1.  Since the information I'll receive about what's new and hot in scrapbooking and stamping will be the same no matter which message board I visit, I can limit myself to 2 or 3 and still not miss out on all the info.

2.  I don't have time for all the drama.  I read the subject lines of the posts and can usually skip at least half of them because they are really not important.  Especially the ones that start," So, what are you doing today" or "Guess What?"  I don't want to guess, and I really don't need to know what everyone is doing.

3.  I don't have to download and print out every tutorial that is posted or watch every video that is made.  To be perfectly honest, although some of them are quite good and well-thought-out, many of them are thrown together just so that the people who have made them can say, "Look, I can make tutorials and videos."

4.  I don't waste my time uploading my layouts and cards to online galleries.  Scanning, stitching, and resizing my images so that they will fit within the confines of some online galleries takes a lot of time.  On many larger message boards, these posts remain for mere minutes before they are pushed off the first page in the gallery, only to be buried under everyone else's.  And I don't know about you; but after all the work I go through to scan, stitch, etc., not only would I like them to stay around for awhile, but a comment or 2 would be appreciated as well.  It still boggles my mind how over 200 people can view a layout or card, yet not even one person can take the time to post a simple comment.

5.  Avoid getting too personally involved on the forums.  I've made the mistake of feeling so comfortable on some message boards that I've actually given my honest opinions when people have asked for them.  Now, I don't mean that I've trashed someone's layout or post.  I would never, ever do that.  I can always find something nice to say about someone's hard work, and I don't "flame."  I mean the people who ask how you really feel about something they've said or done.  For example:  "Let me know if I hurt your feelings, or if you feel slighted, because that really isn't what I wanted to do."  They really don't want to know your honest opinions or feelings.  They just want you to alleviate their feelings of guilt or make them feel better about the decisions they've made.

6.  Finally, set a timer for the number of minutes you want to devote to message boards, and stick to it.

I know I might sound a little harsh, but I've heard so many crafters say that they have no time to scrapbook or stamp anymore.  Maybe it's because we are spending too much time on message boards and not enough time creating.  Message boards, like all things in life, have their place.  I've learned so much from other crafters on message boards, and I've had a lot of fun sometimes.  But I've also spent a lot of time and hard work on some forums, only to fall victim to favoritism and the terrible crime of "not being popular or famous."  Remember, too much of anything isn't good for you.  Now stop reading my blog, and go create something!  :)

Paper Crafting Tip #31: Try Some Scallops! They're good for you!

No, not the kind you eat!  I mean the kind you create with punches, die cut machines, and scissors.  Scalloped edges are all the rage right now; and, while I don't consider myself a very trendy person, once in a while, something comes along (or is revived) that really catches my eye and inspires me to try something new.  Whether I'm using my new Threading Water punch by Fiskars or creating embellishments and borders with my Cricut Design Studio, I just can't resist scallops. 

I made this card for a 3-year-old girl's birthday. The dot stamps are by Hero Arts, the
sundress stamp is by Impression Obsession, and the Happy Birthday is TAC. The
ribbon is by May Arts.  I used my Threading Water punch to make the scallops.

I'd love to see what you create!  Post a comment AND send me a scan/photo of your scalloped creation, and I will enter your name in a drawing for a little surprise gift from me.  Remember, you must post a comment AND send me a jpeg of your creation in order to be eligible for the prize.  Have fun, and HAPPY CRAFTING!

*All entries must be received by May 31 (2008!).

Paper Crafting Tip # 29: Journal around a layout.

This week's Try It Tuesday challenge is to journal around the perimeter
of your layout.  Another option is to journal around individual
photos.  This is a great way to fit more photos on a layout.  Tip:  A
white gel or Souffle pen works great on dark paper.  TRY IT!

Paper Crafting Tip # 27: Make Faux Chipboard

Hi
there!  This week's Try It Tuesday Challenge is to make faux
chipboard.  It's so easy!  Just punch/die cut a shape or letter out of
cardstock 3 or 4 times.  Use the heaviest cardstock your punch/die cut
machine will take.  Glue the shapes together, and you will have a
"chipboard" accent or letter.  For these circles,  I stamped the
images with Palette Noir Black ink and colored the images with
watercolor pencils.  Then I punched them out with my circle punch.
After that, I punched circles out of heavy cardstock and glued 2 of
these under the circle images.  You can't tell the difference, even in
real life!  TRY IT!

---

Paper Crafting Tip # 26: Cut out your stamped images.

With all the great stamps that are available now, it's sometimes hard to decide just what to do with them.  Here's an oldie but a goodie.  Try cutting out the stamped image and then attaching it to a card/layout.  If you pop them up with a little foam tape, they really stand out. 

On the card below, I used stamps by Hero Arts, pigment inks, a dye ink for the background, and velvet paper for the stems and leaves.  The leaves were made with heart punches cut in half.

TRY IT!

Remember, you can email me if you want some suggestions for TAC stamps that work great with this technique!

Paper Crafting Tip # 24: Make a Mini Gift Card

Here is this week's Try It Tuesday Challenge that I have going on at Scrapbook Queens

Wondering what to do with those scraps that you have left over from a
layout or regular card?  You know, the ones that are too big to throw
away but too small to make standard size card?  Try making a mini
card.  These are so quick and easy, you'll be searching your scraps to
make them. 

Cut
a piece of cardstock to 3" x 6".  Fold in half so that it is 3" x 3".
Cut or punch a scrap of patterned paper to 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" (or whatever
size you'd like, as long as it's a square).  Layer on top of card.
Adhere a flower or other embellishment. Add some finishing touches.
You're done!    TRY IT!

Please post your comments and projects.  I'd love to see what you come up with!  Happy crafting!

Paper Crafting Tip #20: Glitter Star Ornaments

Here's an easy ornament that can also be used as a package topper.  You
have to play a little bit to get the cone shape right.  Look carefully
at the photos in the directions, and you'll see how to form it
correctly.  If you place the cones at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00 on
the circle, and then fill in the rest, you will get a more uniform
looking star shape.  Glitter Star Ornaments

 

Merry Christmas to All!