It's All About the Daubers!

Yes, I said daubers! You know those funny little things to add color to the edges of things? First, I'd like to share an organizational tip with you. I use daubers with many different colors and had a difficult time knowing which dauber went with which color ink. So many of the blues look similar. So with my Cropidile and some jewelry tags, I marked which color was used.
Thread the jewelry tag through the hole and Voila! You now know which color goes with each dauber!


How about using those daubers with a mask? I used a Tim Holtz spider web mask found in Noel's Ghost Story kit.

When you peel the mask off, it looks like this!


Stick the mask on the paper of your choice. I used a patterned paper by Making Memories, also found in Noel's Ghost Story kit.


I used Going Gray for this.....

With inked up dauber spread, dab ink around the mask.


Peel off the mask and this is what you have! Cool huh?

This is what I created!


One more suggestion on using those daubers. Use them to make clouds! I bought this stencil eons ago and use it a lot! You could create your own using heavy card stock or tag board. Just lay the cloud template and dauber white ink around the edges.


This is a sample of the effect you would get! Experiment a bit with this to get the look you want! Who knew daubers could be so fun?!

The Weathered Metal Look

I developed this technique a few years ago as a design team member of FiberScraps.After using their inks in all ways possible, I started to run out of ideas of how to use them in new ways. Just experimenting one day, I came up with the idea to use it as an additional step in embossing. I loved the old-weathered metal effect it created when the ink was applied to the embossing. In this tutorial, I used gold powder, but experiment with silver and copper. They all look really neat!

To get started you will need:

Heat Embossing Gun

Versa Mark Watermark Stamp

Chipboard (any piece)

Embossing Powder (any metallic color)

Walnut Ink (Any non-spray kind will work, I prefer Fiber Scraps Tintz)

1.) Select your chipboard piece and firmly press into the watermark stamp, creating a nice sticky side to adhere the embossing powder.

2.) Pour a good amount of embossing powder over the chipboard and gently remove from powder.

3.) Using your heat embossing gun, start heating up the embossing powder. Just when the powder starts melting onto the chipboard, remove the heat.4.) Using the walnut ink, dab the ink onto the chipboard piece creating little drops of ink around the piece.
5.) Using your heat gun, begin applying more heat to the chipboard piece. Heat until the drops of ink begin to "burn" into the chipboard. (Make sure you are in a well-ventilated area, as this tends to create a burned smell temporarily) 6.) Apply heat until you are satisfied with the look and texture of your piece. Allow to cool and use on any project! As you can see here, I used this technique on 2 pieces of chipboard from the Memory Lane kit to adorn my page titled, "Sing"

Purse Box Tutorial

I saw this adorable project a while back on someone's blog, so I knew I just had to try it with the Homeroom kit!

First, you'll need to gather your supplies:

One solid piece of cardstock cut 2 1/2" x 2 1/2".
One piece of patterned paper cut 8" x 3"
One scalloped strip of patterned paper cut approx 8" x 1/2"


To make the little cardstock square into a box base, score lines 1/2 inch in around the whole square. Then score on the corners where the lines meet (see diagram).
I just scored by putting my square in a trimmer and running my scissors over the places I needed to score.
Fold in all the edges.
Then adhere using super sticky tape, glue dots, or whatever your strong adhesive of choice is. ;)

Line one long edge and one short edge of the long rectangle of patterned paper with adhesive. Make sure this is the side you don't want on the outside of the bag.
Place your little box on one adhesive lined edge of the paper.
And start rolling it along, making sure that it's sticking really well to the paper.
Wrap the paper all the way around the box, and the adhere the edges together. If you have any little edges folding up like I did, just go back with a mini glue dot to make sure it sticks down.
Wrap the scalloped strip along the bottom edge in the same way.
Here's what the inside of the box looks like. How cute to fill up with candy!!!
To make the handles, I punched two small circles:
Then folded them in half and punch a hole through them.
Adhere to the top, and tie some ribbon through them to hold it shut! Add whatever embellishments you would like to the bag... a tag... whatever!
This whole bag took me MAYBE 15 minutes to make. Super easy and makes an adorable treat bag for someone special!

the Winner is.......

lucky #7.... 7 comments and number 7 wins....
woo hooo... ANGEL email me your snail mail addy to
greta.adams@gmail.com along with the letter you would like on the tag (if any)

Happy Sunday!

A Quick Make-n-Take

This week i was going to do a video tutorial on this make and take but the hubby has not been home. grrrr.... and i doubt any of you would want to see my 6 year old filming it so with that being said we will have to do the ole traditional way..

We will be making a book bag tag. School is back in session and so why not do something cool and unique for them or with them.
My 6 year old made his with little guidance so maybe this can be a family project.

let's get started:

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

cropodile or small hole punch
1 or 2 pieces of coordinating ribbon
solid color cardstock
a piece of patterned paper
stapler
a laminator OR self laminating pouches
ink pad
letter stickers or rub on's

NOTE: this is a great thing to use up some scraps


i suggest you cut your tags out mine are
big tag: 2.5 wide x 4.25 long and the small is 1.25 w x 2.5 long...
ink the edges if you choose and then laminate every piece. This will ensure that it can hold up to the wear and tear that a book bag takes plus the weather as well as give it some dimension.


Gather your materials you want to use so you have everything right there with you...this will only take about 10 minutes tops to make...

Here i am showing you how to cut your own tag. i just learned this a little while back and i can't beleive iw as doing all that racing a tag and then cutting...grrrr!!! call me slow...LOL so anyway for those of you that don't know you just take your cardstock and fold it over but don't fold to hard to make a crease in your paper and then snip the corners.


once you have your tags cut out ink the edges...i use the cats eye chalk ink because i love it the best but any ink will work...heck paint will even work...

get your laminating pouch out and put your pieces in there
run through your machine. let the pouch sit after laminating a minute so it can cool and harden.
Then cut your pieces out add glue dots and put everything down add your ring and VOILA!

YOUR DONE.. EASY PEASY!! now you may have noticed i left off the letter sticker...why you ask? because like always i am going to RAK this away to one lucky commenter and who ever wins it can pick the letter out and i will put it on and drop it in the snail mail...

Here are 2 more examples:

i did this one

My 6 year old did this one... i helped him staple his ribbon though...he is quite accident prone


YOU HAVE UNTIL FRIDAY SEPT 20, 2008 at 6 PM CST to comment on this post and i will draw a winner using the random # generator to pull a winner and announce it FRIDAY NIGHT... good luck girls and happy tag making

Ideas for Attaching Transparencies to Your Layout

I have had this photo in my file for a long time (Click to see larger). I have no idea who created it since a friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend passed it on to me. :D But I think it is a great sample board of ideas and I wanted to share it with you here!



Use one of the ideas on your Hambly transparency included in your kit! Or combine a few of them like I did in the sample below.

Here I have combined three of the ideas together. I hid the adhesive under my photo, used the brad from the black flower to keep the right side in place, and then I also added some stitching to two of the corners.



Supplies Used: Noel Mignon Homeroom Kit; thread and Bobunny brad from my stash, sketch by Janelle Richmond