Project Tutorial - Altered Tote Bags

Supply List:
(3) Small canvas tote bags (Club Scrap)
Patterned cardstock (Club Scrap)
Rubberstamps (Club Scrap)
Orange Inkpad
Pinot Noir Black inkpad (Superior)
Mat board
Acrylic paint
Bottle cap embellishment
Ribbon (Club Scrap)
Flowers (Prima, Club Scrap, and stash)
Brads (stash)
Glue Dots
Decoupage medium (Modge Podge)

Tools needed:

Seam ripper
Scissors
Tooth brush or foam brush
Hot glue gun & glue sticks

Instructions:

1. Take each tote bag, and carefully rip the seam out on both sides of each bag, on all three totes. This will give you an open bag that lays flat.

2. Cut the bag in half at the very bottom, creating (2) one sided bags.

3. Cut your mat board to 5.25x5.25 inches.

4. Take your mat board and place at the very top edge of the tote bag. Using a hot glue gun, put a bead of glue along one edge of the mat board and adhere to the top edge of the tote bag, centering it. Then glue the folded edges of the bag (the part that was part of the seam) to the mat board on both sides and bottom edge. Repeat on the other 5 pieces of the tote bags.

5. Using a tooth brush (or foam brush) apply acrylic paint to all the edges of the bags as well as the handle, this will give it a little bit of a distressed look. Let dry.

6. To create ‘hinges’ cut (10) pieces of cardstock 2in x 5in. Fold each in half. Using a foam paint brush, paint the two ends of the hinges (leave about 3/4th of an inch without) with modge podge and adhere to the back side of the tote bags. You will put two hinges between each set of bags. Repeat this on all the totes, until you have all six totes adhered to one another, creating an accordion of totes.

7. Decorate your pages as you see fit. You can stamp your title, add flowers, ribbons, and other embellishments along with your photos.

8. As the last step, you will want to hide your hinges, any ribbon ends, or other unslightly items visible on the backside. Cut 6 pieces of cardstock roughly 5.25in x 5.25in. Ink edges and stamp various images to decorate or use pattern paper. Using modge podge cover the backside of the cardstock and adhere to the back side of the totes.

Hope you enjoy this fun little project.

Debbie Weller
DebDuzScrappin.com

Scrapbooking 201: Soda Tab Buckles

Soda Tab Buckles

Supply List:

Tabs off of pop can
Tweezers
Embossing ink
Embossing powder
Heat Gun
Hammer
Nail file or sand paper

1. Remove tab from old pop can. Clean it. Hammer down any sharp pieces with hammer.
2. Rough up the surface a little bit with a nail file or some sandpaper.
3. Use the tweezers and hold the tab, cover HALF of the tab with the embossing ink and then dip into embossing powder.
4. Use heat gun and heat the powder until melted.
5. Repeat on other half of tab.
6. Repeat steps 3-5 to get a more finished look. You can also use UTEE if you prefer.
7. Let cool and slip onto your ribbon.

Mini Album - Graduated Paper Bag Book

Here is a fun twist on a paper bag book. I decided to take the paper bags and off set them by one inch, creating a "taller" version of a bag book.

Supply List:
6 paper bags (Club Scrap)
Distressed inks (Tim Holtz)
Water in spritzer
Waxed thread
Beading needle
Beads (Bistro Beads via Club Scrap)
Craft Iron
Hole punch
Ruler
Bone folder
Embellishments

1. Crumple and ink 6 paper bags with distressed inks, spritz with water.
2. Iron bags dry and flat with craft iron.
3. Fold bags in half. (I glued the pages together, leaving the opening on the outer front side of each bag – but is optional depending on number of pages needed)
4. Take one paper bag and punch a hole ½ inch from the bottom along the fold mark, continue to punch holes up the seam of the bag at 1 inch marks. Repeat on all bags.
5. Cut front and back covers 6 inch x 11 ½ inch.
6. Using a bone folder, score a line 1 inch from one side of front and back cover and fold over, this will give a double strength of binding.
7. Punch holes following the same pattern, ½ inch from bottom then 1 inch apart and so on.
8. When you start stitching the seam, begin at the top front side of cover – leaving 4-5 inches or so of thread (you will tie off at the end and then bead with this extra).
9. Begin stitching the front cover, inside pages, and back cover together ensuring to add one bag at a time, giving a graduated look to the pages.
10. Be sure to add beads before proceeding with each set of stitches.
11. Once you get to the bottom, come around the back side and start back up the book to the top, adding beads as you go.
12. Once you end up at the top, tie off the two ends and add in extra fibers, then beads and tie off with a bell at the end.
13. Cut some tags for pages and stamp title – staple to add them onto the tags.
14. Embellish as desired.

Good luck and have fun!!
Debbie Weller
DebDuzScrappin.com

Scrapbooking 201: Shrink Plastic aka Shrinky Dinks

Shrink Plastic

Shrink plastic comes in a variety of colors now. The most common is clear, white, and black. Shrink plastic shrinks differently, so be sure and read your package to get an idea of how much it will shrink for you.

This is how I do it, I use the heat gun method, but you could use the oven.

Supply list

Shrink plastic
Tweezers
Heat gun or oven
Sand paper
Various rubberstamps
Various inks
Chalks
Hole punch (optional)
Jump ring (optional)

1. Rubberstamp image using Stazon ink on the glossy side of the shrink plastic (or you can sand the glossy side and use other inks). Let dry.
2. Cut out image.
3. Color in image using chalks on unglossy side of plastic.
4. Punch hole now if you plan on putting on a jump ring. Add jump ring now.
5. Hold the plastic by the jump ring with the tweezers and use your heat gun. The plastic will curl all up and eventually lay back down. If it doesn’t go completely flat, you can use a flat surface (like a small wood block – back of wooden rubberstamp, etc) to quickly flatten it out. Let cool and you are done.

There is a number of fun things to do with Shrink plastic, here are just a few:

1. Rubberstamp on shrink plastic and then cut out the image or word. Shrink and it will
2. Cut tags and rubberstamp a different letter on each tag, shrink and make a cute title.
3. Great little accent for cards.
4. Make your own charms for shaker boxes
5. Makes fun jewelry.

Mini Album - Coffee Filter Book

This is a very creative idea for making an album. There are numerous variations for creating one, and at the bottom have provided some of the other ideas I am aware of.... Most all materials shown in this project are from Club Scrap.

Supply List
Pattern paper
Mat board or similiar
Flat V shaped coffee filters (Melitta type)
Modge podge/book binding glue
Bone folder
Rubberstamps
Inks
Ribbon
Red line tape adhesive
Embellishments

You will need to determine the number of pages you’d like your book to be, in each filter, you can cut a page to fit into the filter.

Notes:

~Please make note that some filters are not exactly symmetrical so you must keep track of which way your filter is facing and keep it the same way when stamping and assembling

~When stamping, inks may bleed through to other side, you may want to put a scratch piece of paper inside the filter when stamping.

Instructions:

To Create front and back covers:

1. First you need to create two patterns, one for the mat board, and one for the cover that will go over the mat board. Take one of the filters to use as a pattern. You trace around the filter making a pattern about a ¼ in larger (all the way around) than the filter, this will be the mat board pattern. Repeat tracing around filter at ½ in – ¾ in larger, this will be the cover over the mat board. Cut out both patterns.
2. Using mat board pattern, cut 2 from mat board – one for front and one for back.
3. Using cover pattern, cut 2 from patterned paper.
4. Take one of the mat boards and put a thin layer of modge podge on one side, lay down onto the back side of the pattern paper cover, hold flat while it adheres and dries a bit. Set aside, repeat with other cover.
5. Using bone folder, run it along all four edges of the mat board, putting a small crease in the pattern paper. This will make the folding over easier. Repeat on other cover.
6. On the four corners, you need to clip off the corners. Then you need to cut some small slits in the pattern paper just up to the mat board, around the curved side of the filter, I would recommend like 10 slits or so spread out across the whole top, so that when we adhere it will not bunch up or bubble. This is very similar to the technique using in sewing around arm holes and such.
7. Apply modge podge to the 4 flaps and fold over adhering to mat board.
8. Using a filter as a pattern once again, cut another piece of pattern paper and adhere using modge podge to the inside/backside of both covers, to give the covers a finished appearance.
9. Embellish covers as desired.

To create “filter” pages:

1. Take filters, and rubberstamp various designs in various colors all over front and back of filters.
2. Take filter and place in front of you in the V shape, opening at top, adhere filters together by running a strip of red line tape in the very center from the top to the bottom leaving about a ½ inch space not adhered at bottom.
3. Now adhere pages inside the front and back covers using modge podge. Let dry.

To create page inserts:

1. You need to create another pattern. Take a coffee filter and trace around it on scratch paper. Now take your filter and measure in how far the seam is on the filter on both sides and base of filter. Take that measurement and apply it to your pattern. Cut the pattern out.
2. Take a piece of pattern paper twice the size of your filter pattern, fold it in half, so that filter completely fits on the folded paper. Using your new pattern, place it on the fold of that pattern paper and trim out. Now you will have a folding insert to put inside your pages. Repeat for as many pages you have in your book.
3. Staple various ribbon from the top of the page inserts for a fun look.

Alternatives and other fun ideas:

1. You can bind using a hole punch and ribbon or metal rings at the base rather than gluing pages together
2. You can bind by hand stitching coffee filters together as an alternative as well
3. Instead of modge podge for creating cover – you could laminate the front and back covers
4. Instead of covering mat board cover with paper, just paint it with acrylic paints

Good luck and have fun!!
Debbie Weller
DebDuzScrappin.com

Scrapbooking 201: Shaker Boxes

Shaker Boxes

These are fun little additions to any page or card. They take a bit of patience as you may get seed beads all over the place, and will be working with small bits of tape and such. But the end product is fun. I recommend starting with something simple like a square. You may also want to buy a pre-made “kit” for a shaker, to get the basic idea how one is put together.

What is a Shaker box?

A "shaker" box is something like a child's rattle. It is a decorated embellishment for a scrapbook which has a clear plastic top through which one can see loose items inside. When shaken, it makes a rattling sound. This is a wonderful way to add a special little zip to your scrapbook layouts - they can be cute or elegant!

I will quickly run through making a basic square shaker box. Once you master it, then you can try creating different shapes.

Supplies needed:

(2) 3in x 3in Cardstock
(1) 2 ¾ in x 2 ¾ in piece of acetate (use can use transparencies or even cut up a page protector)
Double sided stick tape/tape runner
Double sided FOAM tape
various rubberstamps
various inks

1. Rubberstamp as desired on one or both of the 3x3 in cardstock. Keeping in mind that one will be the frame and the other will be what you see thru the window (so the image should be smaller than 2in x 2in or at least centered based on those measurements). I always like to stamp on my back piece so that there would always be something in the window to look at even if the shaker stuff was all in one corner or at the bottom.
2. Cutting the window. Take one of the pieces of cardstock and cut a square 2in x 2in in the center.
3. Tape acetate to the top piece of cardstock for the window (on the underside, i.e. NOT the side with your rubberstamping) Take good care you can't see your tape through the window front. I always use a tape runner and put the tape on the cardstock side, then place the acetate onto the tape. Clean your acetate if you happen to get fingerprints on it.
4. Now flip the window so you have the backside of the window up. Place small strips of double sided FOAM tape all round the window opening, ensuring there are NO gaps in between the tape (beads will sneak out little holes, so you are building a sort of little well to hold them in right now). DO NOT and I repeat DO NOT remove the protection from the foam tape yet. Note: if you are using bigger filling – you can do two layers of foam tape to allow more gap to hold your beads and such.
5. Fill the little well with seed beads and/or confetti. You can also use tiny buttons, punchies or charms too.
6. Once your well is filled, very carefully remove the protection of the foam tape and the back side piece of cardstock, ensuring that if you have a rubberstamped image, that it is going to show through the window opening.

Now that you have mastered squares, you can do rectangles, hearts, circles...the ideas are endless! You can make pretty much any shape, just make sure you leave enough on the frame to cover the double sided foam tape you will use to add the space for the items inside the shaker.

Project Tutorial - Altered AOL/Cigar Tin

This was a fun little project I did for my dad for Father's day this year. My brother supplied me with a bunch of these old tins that were just thick enough to hold a mini fold out album. You may have some of these tins laying around that AOL sent you in the past or I have heard that you can pick them up at Walmart, Target, etc on an end cap in the music section of the store (I have had no luck finding them myself there). I did find a bunch of cigar tins at a yard sale - so keep your eyes peeled. Most all materials shown in this project are from Club Scrap.

Supply List
attern paper
Modge Podge
Ribbons/Fibers
Tags
Rubberstamps
Ink
Embellishments
Acrylic Paint
Foam paint brush
Glue dots

Instructions:

1. I first painted black paint all over the tin where there was words and pictures and such. Let dry.
2. Cut a piece of pattern paper the size of the front and back of the tin.
3. For this step you will need to do the front, once done and dry, then do the back of tin. Using a paint brush apply a coat of modge podge and place the cut paper onto it, then apply another coat of modge podge over the paper. Let dry. You can add additional pieces of paper applying more modge podge over each layer. Let dry. Add embellishments to front cover as desired.
4. Measure and cut a piece of pattern paper to fit in the inside front. Decorate as desired and attach using glue dots.
5. Measure the inside back width and times by 4. Cut a piece of paper to that size, you may need to piece a couple of pages together depending on the size needed. Score fold lines and fold into an accordion to fit into the tin. Decorate and embellish pages with fairly flat embellishments.
6. Rubberstamp and ink edges as desired.
7. Adhere to back of inside tin using glue dots.

Here is another version of one I made for my hubby for Father's Day:

Good luck and have fun!!
Debbie Weller
DebDuzScrappin.com

Scrapabooking 201: Bottlecap Embellishments

Bottle caps

These are a fun new item on the market. When I first used a bottle cap – it was way too fat for my scrapbook. I have found a couple of ideas and tips that have helped make these more scrapbook friendly for me. I have not worked with ‘used’ bottle caps much so this applies to the brand new unused bottle caps:

1. You can buy lots of bottle caps for cheap from your local home brew shop or making even a distributor in the area. Of course, there are lots of places online to get them too as well as the actual scrapbook store (LSS). The home brew shops prices will be a lot cheaper than the LSS.
2. You can flatten your bottle caps completely flat using a regular old hammer and a very firm surface – like a concrete floor or cutting board. Keep in mind the bottle cap may leave little dimples in the cutting board, may even stick to the cutting board. You may want to put down a scrap piece of cardstock and then hammer the bottle cap flat.
3. You can half flatten your bottle caps by using a rubber mallet and a hard surface. Another way is to use your Sizzix machine with the new attachment for using Sizzlets, works like a charm. Make sure you have the attachment on correctly, I do recommend you put a scrap piece of cardstock on both sides of your bottle cap, so that you minimize the dimpling on the surface of your attachment and to keep the bottle cap from “sticking” into the cutting mat. It can be hard to pry out.
4. Once they are flattened, you can cut circles and create words, titles, accents, etc. If they are the half flattened ones, you can add some glossy accents and add some tiny beads or charms for a cool little accent.

Mini Album - Purse album

”Purse” Scrapbook
This gorgeous project comes straight from Club Scrap’s Bistro Stamp Kit. The kit comes with all the materials including cardstock, mat board, ribbon, closures, and instructions to create this gorgeous purse that holds a perfect little accordion scrapbook for toting with you anywhere you go.

I am attaching detailed photos of the embellishments I added, what the back side looks like, along with the purse opened and album extended. I additionally added some flowers, black gems, a few beads, and glitter glued some of the rubberstamped images.

Mini Album - Accordion Book

Accordion Book

This is a fun project, and a great gift item. There is various ways to make these books, so I will just share with you the way I normally create it. You can also add in or take out pages to fit your project, just so long as you have an odd number of pages.

List of Supplies:

A - (2) pieces 5 ¾ in x 5 ¾ in Mat Board (inside front/back cover)
B - (2) pieces 6 ½ in x 6 ½ in pattern paper (for covering up mat board)
C - (2) pieces 5 ½ in x 5 ½ in pattern paper (for covering up back side of mat board pieces)
D - (3) pieces 5 ½ in x 5 ½ in cardstock (for pages)
E - (2) pieces 5 ½ in x 2 in cardstock (for hinges)
Modge podge
Paint brush (I use foam)
Adhesive (tape runner or tabs)
Ribbon (to tie book closed)

To make this easier for me, I will refer to the pieces above as A, B, C, D, etc…

1. Take the two pieces of mat board and put a layer of modge podge. Center onto B piece of pattern paper. Flip over and put modge podge on the edges that are overlapped. Then fold the edges over and hold for a few seconds while the modge podge starts to set up. Do this on both pieces. Sit aside to let dry.
2. Take E pieces and bend in half lengthwise, so you have two 1 in long pieces folded together. These are the hinges. So take two D pieces and adhere the E piece to hinge the two D pieces together. Repeat with the third D piece and the last E piece. Now you have one long accordion section.
3. At this point, do any rubberstamping you like and I also take my ink pad and ink all of the edges of each page, front and back. You can use the ink pad itself using the ‘direct to paper’ method or use a sponge to apply a softer look of edging.
4. I also ink all of the edges of the two covers now.
5. Now we will attach the accordion section to the front and back covers. (Note: If you want a ribbon to tie the book together, here is where you would slip it in, in between the mat board covers and the accordion section) I use modge podge for this since it will hold stronger. So spread the modge podge on to the last page of the accordion section and carefully center onto the unfinished side of the front cover. Now close up the book and repeat adding the back cover. It is a bit of challenge so just do it carefully and don’t add too much modge podge because it can get messy.
6. Now to finish off the covers, take the C pieces and cover the front and back covers, where the accordion section is glued to the mat boards. This will cover up all of the rest of the mat board and seams. I use modge podge for this too. Apply it to the C pieces then adhere.
7. Let the project dry and then you can add photos.

Have fun!
Debbie Weller
A.K.A. DebDuzScrappin

Scrapbooking 201: Paper Clay Accents

PAPER CLAY
Not sure but this seems like a passing phase. It was real popular there for a short while. You can buy the paper clay in small packages in many colors. If they do not have the color you like, buy white and add a little paint to your clay to create what ever color you want, or paint the final item.

Note: It is fairly easy to work with when you first get it out of the package, but it starts to harden as it dries, so be sure and work with a small amount at a time and keep the unused part covered with a moist towel or sealed in an airtight plastic bag. If it does start to harden while working with it, you can add a tiny bit of water to soften it back up.

It is very easy to use, just pinch off a piece and try:

1. molding into what every shape you like
2. using a mold – there are a number of plastic or rubbery molds for sale
3. flatten with a roller and rubberstamp a design
4. roll flat with roller and use mini cookie cutters to cut shapes
5. Some folks run it thru their pasta machines (dedicated craft machine)
6. Once you let the item dry, you can paint. Spray paint is fast and easy.
7. Try using metallic rub-ons for a fun effect.
8. You can rubberstamp in alphabet letters and make clay titles, cut around the word with a knife, you could even make scrabble like tiles.

Mini Album - Piano Hinge Gate Fold Album

This is the December 2005 Club Stamp kit. The pages of the album came pre-cut, scored, you just bend, and insert the skewers. The kit includes 5 skewers, so you will need to add one additional one to make my Gate fold version.

Supplies:
Club Stamp Piano Hinge kit (includes 5 bamboo skewers, precut album pages, fibers)
1 additional bamboo skewer
Rubberstamps
Black ink
Versamark ink
Gold embossing powder
Brads
Modge podge

Instructions:

1. Follow instructions in kit to create 2 small sets of piano hinges. I used 3 precut pages and 3 bamboo skewers for each side, but you could easily make a larger album and use 6 precut pages and 3 bamboo skewers for each side.
2. At this point, I put the two books together putting every other page over one another. I then determined which pages I wanted to overlap, or match up and trimmed some in a large circle, others in a triangular pattern, and the front where they meet in the middle.
3. Once I got everything cut, I determined how I wanted to embellish pages. I rubberstamped in black ink on the white and cream colored cardstocks, ink all edges. On the black cardstock, I used the versamark ink and embossed images in gold. I also ran the versamark pad along the edges and embossed with gold. I
4. On the front cover, I punched two small circles and attached to the front with brads, added a ribbon, and this becomes the closure.
5. Once you have the two sets made, pages cut to your liking, embellished as desired, adhere the last two pages together with modge podge.
6. You can then trim off the sharp tips of the skewers.

Good luck and have fun!!

Debbie Weller
DebDuzScrappin.com

Scrapbooking 201: Distressed tags

Distressed Tags

Supply List:

Office supply tags (any size)
Tim Holtz’s Distressed inks
Spritzer bottle filled with water
Craft iron
Craft pad

1. Take the tag and crumple up. Uncrumple and recrumple more. Do this a number of times so there is lots of crinkles in it. Then flatten back out.
2. Place the tags on the craft pad. Take your distress ink pad, remove lid, and flip it up side down. Rub the ink pad all over the tag, inking all of the ‘mountains’ or creases. Don’t worry if it looks too dark, it will be ok.
3. Do this step where a little water won’t mess up anything else you are working on. Once you have most of the mountains inked, spritz the tag with lots of water, like 5 or 6 squirts. The water and ink will float down into the ‘valleys’ and pool up – that is fine.
4. Now get out that craft iron and iron your tags flat – this will flatten them back out and dry them at the same time. Oh these turn out wonderful.

Tim Holtz’s Distressed Inks Color combination suggestions:

·Weathered Wood and walnut stain
·Antique Linen and Vintage Photo
·Peeled Paint and Vintage Photo (jungle)
·Mustard Seed and Tea Dye
·Fired Brick and Black Soot

Mini Album - Flip Up Square Album

The sample I did up is just blank, but you could put photos, or make it into a greeting card of sorts. Might be a nice little gifts for Mother’s day or Father’s day, not too big, but big enough for a few pictures, and some journaling.

Supplies:

(2) mat boards 6 ¼ x 6 ¼
(2) Painted Desert red 8 ½ x 8 ½ pattern paper (to cover mat boards)
(2) Painted Desert green 6 x 6 pattern paper (inside cover)
(1) Painted Desert orange 12 x 12 pattern paper (fold up page)
(1) Painted Desert blue 1 x 12 paper (for closure)
(1) Painted Desert blue 1 x 6 paper (for closure)
Painted Desert cut out
Scraps for matting cut out
Staples
Paper flowers
Brads
Modge Podge

Instructions:

1. To create front and back covers, cover the two pieces of mat board with modge podge and red pattern paper. Let dry.
2. Adhere the green 6 x 6 sheets to the inside covers using modge podge. Let dry.
3. That the orange pattern paper, score a line top to bottom and left to right at the 6 inch mark.
4. Determine where the bottom of the orange paper is going to be, once determined, score 2 more lines, from the center to the upper right and upper left hand corners of the paper. Also cut a line from the center to the bottom of the whole piece.
5. Fold the card stock in half. Take a circle punch and place it in the very center of the cardstock on the fold, and punch a half circle. This will create a whole circle when you open it back up and lay it flat.
6. Now you need to trim off a ¼ in. from each side of the cut opening (at the bottom). Cut from the bottom border, up to the punched circle along the cut line. This allows room for attaching to the covers and still lay flat when opened.
7. Adhere using modge podge the bottom left corner of orange paper to the front cover, and the bottom right corner to the back corner. Let dry.
8. To close the album, fold on the score lines creating a mountain, valley, mountain pattern.
9. To create closure, you need a strip 1 inch wide and 13 inches long, since the cardstock is only 12 inches long, you need to piece two strips together. I stapled the two strips together for added strength. I then triple matted a cut out, embellished, and added to the closure.

Good luck and have fun!!

Debbie Weller
DebDuzScrappin.com

Scrapbooking 201: Home-made Rub-on’s

Home-made Rub-on’s

These are cool and fun to make. Now they are not as snazzy as the ‘real’ ones, but they seem to work pretty well in a pinch.

Supply list:

-Ink Jet printer (not lazer jet)
-Acetate or Transparency sheets
-Popsicle stick or bone folder

1. Use your software to create your rub-on word or image.
2. Now you need to print it out backwards, so that when you transfer it back to your final paper, it will be printed out forwards. To do this, it will be different for all printers, but generally you go to >File >Print >Properties >Advanced and look for a “mirror” option. May take a little looking through all the tabs, but is hopefully there for you.
3. Now just print out your words onto the acetate. If you mess up – just run it under tap water and the ink will wash right off and you can try again.
4. Next – you can do this two different ways, try them both and see which you like better. You can either set the acetate aside and let it dry for 20 minutes and then proceed or just go right ahead and use it now, while wet. If wet, you just have to be real careful not to smear it when laying it down onto your layout. They seem to work equally well for me.
5. Once done, you can rinse your acetate under tap water and dry, reuse whenever you like.

Mini Album - "Stampbord" album

Supplies:

Stampbord Album kit: Club Scrap
Hole punch
Rubberstamps
Inks
Needle

Instructions:
The Stampbord kit from Club Scrap includes the stampbord, the tools, the pages for the album along with the binding pieces and tape.

1. Once you get your kit, it is very simple really. I used 4 colors of chalk inks in my project, light blue, dark blue, pink and purple. I just inked (using cotton balls) the entire stampbord in various spots with the various colors.
2. Then I used black ink and stamped my images.
3. Using the tool in the kit, I was able to very easily scrap away just a bit of the clay on the board, thus removing the color and leaving it white. If you remove too much you will see brown, which is the base from which the stampbord is created on. If you mess up an image or such, you can 'erase' the image using the steel wool included in the kit and start over. I basically removed bits and pieces just highlighting certain areas in the images.
4. Once your front and back stampbord is completed, you take one of the black binding pieces and bind with the binding tape for both pieces.
5. Now you stack the back, 5 pages, a binding piece, 5 more pages, etc until you reach the top.
6. Then you use the sheer ribbon in the kit to bind the whole album together, there are instructions in the kit to assist you with this step.

Good luck and have fun!!

Debbie Weller
DebDuzScrappin.com

Mini Album - Squash Book

Squash Book

This creates a unique mini scrapbook. All rubberstamps used in this project are from Club Scrap (www.clubscrap.com)

Supplies needed:

(3) 5.5 in x 5.5 in pieces of cardstock
(2) 5.75 in x 5.75 in pieces of mat board
(2) 6in x 6 in pieces of pattern paper
(1) 5in x 5 in piece of Acetate/transparency or page protector
Modge Podge
Foam tape
Various inks
Various rubberstamps
Ribbon
Beads for shaker box

1. Take the three sheets of cardstock and fold in half (now you have a score line half way), open up and fold the opposite direction (now you have a 2nd score mark making and + in the center of the square).
2. Now make one corner to corner fold. So now you will have one score line from one corner to the other corner.
3. Repeat on other two sheets of cardstock.
4. Do any rubberstamping, inking, etc at this point. On the first square leave one corner blank, on the middle square decorate all 4 squares, and on the last square, leave one undecorated square.
5. Now take your three sheets and over lap the middle onto the first and third pieces covering the undecorated squares. Adhere together – I used glue tabs.
6. Now fold up the book. The triangle sections fold up or down. The first and third sections fold up and the middle section folds down. It is a little tricky, but once you get it, be sure and use a bone folder or Popsicle stick to make sure the creases are good, so that the book easily folds back to that shape.
7. Cover back side mat board with pattern paper and modge podge.
8. Put modge podge onto the back cover of the the book itself, add ribbon here if you intend on having a ribbon closure, and place in center of back mat board cover.
9. For shaker box front, I used an exacto knife and cut out a window. I then covered the mat board with the pattern paper and adhering with modge podge. Cut an X in the window to wrap the pattern paper down through the window and adhere to back side of mat board.
10. Adhere acetate down to window. Run strips of foam tape around window, making a small well for the seed beads. I did two strips to allow for more space in my window for bigger beads and such.
11. Add the beads, remove the backing of the foam tape, and adhere to your book front.
12. Be sure and let the modge podge dry before you play too much with the book. I place it under some heavy books to dry flat.
13. Now you should be able to tie it shut and vola’ a squash book. Now you can add photos, decorative papers, sentiments, etc.

Good luck and have fun!
Debbie Weller
a.k.a. DebDuzScrappin

Scrapbooking 201: Make your own Transparencies

Transparency Overlays

These are not cheap to buy already made up. But they are rather easy to make. Now I believe they have two kinds of transparencies, one meant for ink jet printers and one meant for laser jet printers. Make sure you get the one appropriate for you printer. I think either of these can be obtained at your local office supply store, like Staples, Office Max, etc.

Once you have the transparency, all you have to do is get into your software and create the look you are going for and print it out, very very simple. Make sure if you are using an ink jet to allow it to completely dry before touching – or it will smear. Also read the box, there may be a ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ side to your transparency. Oh and one more thing, when you print, you can choose on your print settings that you are printing on a transparency and it will distribute the appropriate amount of ink.

Mini Album - Tag Book

This is a little tougher to describe in writing, I did do up a diagram, so hopefully that will help a bit. All rubberstamps and twist ties on this project are from Club Scrap.

Supplies:
(3) 8.5 x 11 sheets of paper
(12) small tags (2.5 x 3.75)
Ranger’s distressed inks
Fine mist squirt bottle with water
Assorted rubberstamps
Assorted inks
Fibers/Ribbons
Embellishments (Stickers, etc)
Craft iron

I highly recommend you work on a surface that can get a little dirty. Ink will go all over the place when wet, so please keep that in mind.

1. The first thing you need to do is rubberstamp your designs all over both sides of each of the three sheets of 8.5x 11 paper. I did various images in 3-4 color coordinating inks. Ink edges of both sides of the paper.

2. Follow the below diagram to fold the 3 sections of the tag book. Repeat on all three sheets.

3. Once you have your three sheets done, you may want to ink all the edges of your sheets and rubberstamp some sentiments on the pages.

4. Then you will want to attach the 3 sections together. Use fibers or ribbons to tie the middles all together, now you have a little book, all ready for some tags.

5. Get your tags. Crump them put, you can unfold and recrump. Unfold and use the direct ink pad method using the Distressed inks. This means run the pad of the inkpad directly onto the tags, hitting the peaks, repeat on all tags, both sides. I used 3-4 different distressed inks, to give a variety of looks to my tags.

6. Once inked, spray 3-4 squirts of water onto the tags, you will see the water and colors floating about, this is what you want. Flip tags and spray again. Repeat on all tags. Don’t worry if colors mix or get on another tag…it is all good – they will look great!

7. Once wet, get out that craft iron and iron the tags flat, this will dry them at the same time.

8. Embellish the tags with photos and stickers, whatever you like.

9. Add some ribbon or twist ties to the top of each tag.

Good luck with this one, a little more challenging, but great when completed.

Debbie Weller
a.k.a. Deb Duz Scrappin’

Scrapbooking 201: Scrapper's Block

Stop Scrapper’s Block

I think we’ve all had it at one time or another, the Scrapper’s Block. What is Scrapper’s block? It is the phrase generally used when you are stuck, you can’t think of what to scrap, or perhaps your desire to scrap has disappeared. Well there are a few of ways to get beyond that frustrating Scrapper’s Block, and I am here to show you a few different ways I tackle it….

1. Re-organize your scrapbook supplies

This is what works for me 99% of the time. Once I start re-organizing, cleaning, and thinning out my supplies, I get the bug to scrap again. When I start going through my supplies, I run into a lot of items I had forgotten I had ever bought. I start remembering projects I had envisioned when I had first bought the supplies. I find things I had put away and lost track of once again. I also enjoy the feel of a nice clean tidy work area, so I think finding all these goodies again and having a spiffy clean area to work in, just re-energizes me and makes me want to scrap again.

2. Join a message board or yahoogroup.

There are tons of online message boards and yahoogroups all dedicated specifically to scrapbooking. Just visiting online with other scrapbookers can re-energize you to start scrapping again. Beyond the general socializing, most of these groups run weekly, monthly and sometimes yearly scrapbooking challenges. Many of the online stores, like Croppin’ Paradise for example, have online message boards with contests you can enter and not only would you have a specific challenge to scrapbook, you would also have the opportunity win some great prizes. I have also heard of online crops, I haven’t had a chance to participate in one yet, but it sounds like they run a bunch of contest, challenges, etc that could really get you a scrappin’ away.

3. Create a Scrapper’s Block Jar.

Find a small jar (or a box), cut out these ideas below, and whenever you hit a scrappers block, pull out one of these ideas at a time and try to incorporate it into your scrapping. Take these ideas on as your own personal challenge, have fun with them. These can also be great ideas for new scrappers looking for ideas on things that can be scrapped.

IDEAS FOR USING DIFFERENT PRODUCTS, TECHNIQUES, JOURNALING/TITLING IDEAS:

-Use a paper doll or the sizzix doll diecut, don’t have either of those, improvise. Cut a circle for head, triangle/rectangle for body and add legs/arms, use a pen to detail
-Use only cardstock on a layout, if it is too bland, use rubber or foam stamps to create a background, tear and chalk or ink edges, weave the CS to mix & match colors, etc
-Journal in your own handwriting, if you don’t like your writing, find a creative way to hide it, in a tag behind a photo, a journal box that flips open, under a photo that flips up, etc
-Use glitter/glitter pen or stickles on a layout, use it to accent diecuts, stickers, punchies, etc.
-Use a black background (can be black printed paper) accent with red, white or dark purple
-Mix template letters for a title, try using the negative of the cut out letter.
-Use alphabet rubber or foam stamps, instead of ink try acrylic paints
-Use only scrap pieces of paper from your stash except for the background paper
-Pick key words in your journaling to highlight in a larger font
-Use a specialty paper on your layout (cork, metallic, diamond dust, Mulberry, etc)
-Use bright & bold colors for a layout, great for summer photos or birthday party photos
-Embellish various letters in your title with brads, eyelets, or doodles
-Use letter stickers, diecut letters, or rub-ons
-Mix patterned papers; Use at least 3 different patterned papers in the same layout
-Create a handwritten title
-Use flowers somewhere on your layout (diecuts, fabric flowers, silk flowers, punches, etc)
-Make a pocket page. Great for holding celebration cards, kids artwork, momentos, or brochures
-Turn on the TV, use the first words uttered on the TVin your layout
-Use decorative scissors
-Use crumpled or creased paper on a layout. Try crumpling, inking “mountains” and flattening back out.
-Journal on vellum over a photo
-Use stickers creatively; try sanding, inking or painting them; or make a scene w/stickers
-Make a monochromatic layout ; meaning use at least 3 shades of the same color, can be cardstock or pattern paper
-Hand cut out the letters for a title using an xacto knife/tiny scissors; use mirror print on PC
-Cut images from patterned paper to use as an embellishment
-Try your hand at sanding your pattern paper
-Journal 2 different points of view for each photo
-Use a game piece (puzzle pieces, scrabble, cards, etc) in a layout
-Print a photo on watercolor paper, tear and chalk edges
-Use single word adjectives to describe the person in a photo
-Use a decorative punch; do punch art
-Do a vellum overlay over a photo; or try printing our photo onto a piece of vellum.
-Use colored pencils or markers on your title
-Use beads (you can glue directly onto paper, or string them, get creative)
-Incorporate the use rubber stamps on a layout
-Use die-cut letters for a title
-Use fabric for background, or mats, try cutting out flowers or other diecut images out of it.
-Do paper weaving or folding, try your hand at origami, or iris folding on a layout
-Use a quote on a layout
-Use magic mesh, try embossing it with gold or silver even.
-Use multiple circles or ovals in various sizes on a layout
-Cut a title from cursive font
-Use ready-made frame, border, title on a layout. If it is too *whatever* - sand and ink it up.
-Use a lot of photos, try creating a layout using 10 photos, think creatively to accomplish this.
-Incorporate the name of a television show into the title
-Use a paper crimper, try inking the humps for a fun distressed look. Stamp an image onto a piece of paper, then crimp, then ink edges, gives it a sort of an oriental look.
-Write a letter to the person in the layout
-Use the name of a book for a title
-Use something you received in a swap, never done a swap – join a online group and give it a try.
-Use colored pens or markers somewhere on your layout
-Place the page title vertically
-Use a diecut creatively; try sanding, painting, inking, chalking, add glossy accents, glitter, beads, etc
-Make a quilt page
-Print title on vellum and attach to layout using brads, eyelets, or sew it on
-Use photo corners, can be punched, metal, etc. If they are a boring color – change the color, ink or paint em’
-Create a black and white layout
-Dangle something from a letter in the title using (wire, raffia, string)
-Use a keepsake pocket or vellum envelope. If you don’t own an already made on – make one there are lots of templates free for download online.
-Use stencils as part of your title or journaling.
-Use the title only to explain your pictures - no journaling
-Use something stringy…fibers, ribbon, lace, wire, twine, or raffia. Make a frame, weave behind the title, border, or hang something from them.
-Do a color-blocking layout
-Do hidden journaling, Journal under a lift up photo or on a tag behind a photo
-Use something from nature, doesn’t have to be real, a stamped image, a diecut or punch
-Crop a picture in a circle or oval
-Use the name of a song for a title
-Use all pastel colored paper in a layout.
-Use only patterned paper
-Use a poem on a layout
-Use eyelets, brads or buttons
-Dangle tags from photo mat
-Journal using a list
-Use dried, pressed flowers/leaves, pick up some silk flowers from the craft store
-Make and use a shaker box
-Use a computer-generated title
-Use pop dots to create a 3D effect on an embellishment
-Make and use a paper piecing
-Use the word love in the title
-Use the last thing you bought
-Use only red, white, and blue
-Use a prayer or bible verse
-Use a photo mat, if you normally single mat, try a double or triple mat on a photo or two in your LO
-Do quilling on a page
-Machine sew or hand stitch a title
-Use a charm
-Use only scrap papers from stash
-Put title letters on individual tags
-Use a template of any kind, could be an envelope, a tag, a shape, or alphabets for a title, etc
-Machine sew on a layout
-Journal on a photo mat
-Incorporate the use of plaid paper into your layout.
-Embellish the four corners of a layout
-Use a photo for a template letters
-Use clay
-Wet or Dry emboss on a layout
-Create a Shaker box title
-Use a new to you tool; check out what your LSS carries or perhaps your friends at a crop
-Make a shadow box layout with foam core
-Use foam stamps and paint to create title
-Use bugs (dragonfly, butterfly, lady bugs, etc) on a layout, can be diecuts, punches, stickers, etc
-Hand stitch or cross-stitch on a layout
-Use rubberstamps to create title
-Find a fun item in your hubby’s toolbox to use as an embellishment
-Do a paper-tearing layout; tear the photo edges; tear a paper piecing and use it
-Use a pre-made title, if you don’t like it – try sanding and ink to change the look of it somewhat
-Use glossy accents, try creating page pebbles, fill a bottle cap and add beads and such, add to diecuts, etc.
-Use a brayer and create a unique one of a kind background
-Use various different letter stickers to create your title

IDEAS FOR DIFFERENT LAYOUTS:

Print a photo on vellum
Use a panoramic photo on LO
Create a fall layout
Use a 5x7 or larger picture on a layout
Create a vacation or dream vacation layout
Scrap a holiday in non-traditional colors
Take a layout you've created that you love, and recreate it with different colors and theme
Create a layout using photo edited photos, like color tinting, black and white, etc
Create a layout based on a single word (like love, art, passion, inspiration, determination, etc)
Create a school related layout
Create a winter or snow layout
Create a house and home layout
Scrap a family tradition
Create a spring or garden layout
Create a church activity layout
Create an animal layout (zoo, pets, and could be people)
Scrap a food related event (cooking, picnic, restaurant)
Scrap a toy related layout (big boys, kids, dogs)
Create a “In Remembrance” of layout
Create a layout w/out pictures (must have journaling)
Create a holiday or other celebration layout
Create a heritage layout
Scrap a patriotic page
Scrap a sports event or game
Create a career layout
Scrap a current event
Create a summer layout
Create a before & after layout (remodel, make over, diet, pregnancy)
CASE a layout-meaning copy and steal everything - use the same colors and techniques
Use photos from different time periods (to show change or similarity over time)
Scrap an accomplishment - yours or family
Create a like father like son or like mother like daughter layout.
Convert an 8 ½ x 11 page to a 12x12 layout
Create a “back in time” layout
Create a nautical layout; something water related (beach, pool, pond, lake, bathtub, rainstorm, or squirt gun)
Create a “All me” layout using your pictures of you doing what you do whether housework, hobbies, etc

Mini Album - 12x12 Fold out

12x12 fold-out album

Supply List:

Patterned paper (Club Scrap)
Decorative Chipboard (Club Scrap)
Ribbon (Club Scrap)
Stickers (Club Scrap)
Adirondack Ink pad (Ranger Industries)
Ultimate Crafter’s Pick Glue
Decoupage medium (Modge Podge)
Mat board (for covers)

Tools needed:
Scoring tool
Bone folder
Foam paint brush

Instructions:

1. Score lines at 2 inches and then at 7 inches going one direction, then rotate paper and score every 3 inches (3 inch, 6 inch, and 9 inch).

2. Fold on all score lines, use bone folder to re-inforce fold line, and unfold.

3. Ink all edges and fold lines.

4. To fold album closed, start by folding the top 2 inch flap down, then fold the
bottom 5 inch flap up.

5. Using bone folder, score cardstock along all edges of the matboard.

6. Fold on the score lines and reinforce folds using your bone folder.

7. Put a thin coat of modge podge onto flaps and fold over to adhere to the matboard. Hold in place until adhesive holds firmly.

8. Once you have both covers made, it is time to attach them. Starting with the front cover, put a thin coat of modge podge on the front page and center onto back side of front matboard cover. Press firmly to ensure a good hold.

9. On the back cover, paint a thin coat of modge podge onto the surface of the paper and attach a piece of ribbon. Now attach the back matboard cover. Hold all in place for a little while while the glue sets.

10. Once dry you can open back up and cut pieces to for the back (un-patterned) side of the cardstock, ink edges, and adhere with modge podge. You can also decorate with stickers, and stamped images.

11. Finish by tying closed and adding decorative chipboard pieces, adhere with Crafter’s Pick adhesive.

Good luck!!!

Scrapbooking 201: Stenciling

Ideas for using Stencils

Stencils are all the rage right now. And it's no wonder. They are a fun and easy way to creatively embellish a page and can be used in such a variety of ways.

Several scrapbook manufacturers make stencils, including some wonderful products by
Chatterbox and Autumn Leaves to name just a few. You can also find blank stencils in a variety of sizes in the office supply section of many stores. You can also create your own stencils using various different fonts you can download for free off of the internet.

There is so many ways to decorate and use stencils:

1. Use for the title of your layout
2. Use to form a key word in your title
3. Use a single stencil for the first letter of a title
4. Use as an initial letter on a page to signify the name of the subject in the layout
5. Layer paper behind the open area of the stencil.
6. Layer ribbons behind the open area of the stencil
7. Rubberstamp on a piece of cardstock to place in the open area of the stencil
8. Staple short pieces of ribbon to it
9. Add brads
10. Add eyelets
11. Hang charms, tags, beads from it
12. Rubberstamp images or words on the stencil
13. Emboss edges of stencil.
14. Ink edges of stencil
15. Don’t throw out the negative part of the stencil, as it can be used as a stencil as well. Just place the stencil pieces onto a square piece of cardstock or pattern paper.
16. Create a shaker box.
17. Cover a blank stencil with pattern paper, fabric, magic mesh, or handmade paper.
18. Brayer using a rainbow ink pad.
19. Run through a xyron and cover with microbeads, gold leafing, glitter, or sand.
20. Paint with acrylic paints and crackle medium for a fun look
21. Wrap wire, ribbons, cording, tulle, DMC floss, waxed threads, fibers, or yarns around it.
22. Apply Ultra Thick Embossing (UTEE) powder, stamp onto it, then crack for a fun effect.
23. Use in a collage on an altered paint can, clip board, altoid tin, paper bag book, coin folder, etc.
24. Try adding to a greeting card as an embellishment; try using it on a gate fold card, or perhaps hinged with an opening to the inside of the card.

Good luck and have fun!
Debbie Weller

Scrapbooking 201: Stenciling

Ideas for using Stencils

Stencils are all the rage right now. And it's no wonder. They are a fun and easy way to creatively embellish a page and can be used in such a variety of ways.

Several scrapbook manufacturers make stencils, including some wonderful products by
Chatterbox and Autumn Leaves to name just a few. You can also find blank stencils in a variety of sizes in the office supply section of many stores. You can also create your own stencils using various different fonts you can download for free off of the internet.

There is so many ways to decorate and use stencils:

1. Use for the title of your layout
2. Use to form a key word in your title
3. Use a single stencil for the first letter of a title
4. Use as an initial letter on a page to signify the name of the subject in the layout
5. Layer paper behind the open area of the stencil.
6. Layer ribbons behind the open area of the stencil
7. Rubberstamp on a piece of cardstock to place in the open area of the stencil
8. Staple short pieces of ribbon to it
9. Add brads
10. Add eyelets
11. Hang charms, tags, beads from it
12. Rubberstamp images or words on the stencil
13. Emboss edges of stencil.
14. Ink edges of stencil
15. Don’t throw out the negative part of the stencil, as it can be used as a stencil as well. Just place the stencil pieces onto a square piece of cardstock or pattern paper.
16. Create a shaker box.
17. Cover a blank stencil with pattern paper, fabric, magic mesh, or handmade paper.
18. Brayer using a rainbow ink pad.
19. Run through a xyron and cover with microbeads, gold leafing, glitter, or sand.
20. Paint with acrylic paints and crackle medium for a fun look
21. Wrap wire, ribbons, cording, tulle, DMC floss, waxed threads, fibers, or yarns around it.
22. Apply Ultra Thick Embossing (UTEE) powder, stamp onto it, then crack for a fun effect.
23. Use in a collage on an altered paint can, clip board, altoid tin, paper bag book, coin folder, etc.
24. Try adding to a greeting card as an embellishment; try using it on a gate fold card, or perhaps hinged with an opening to the inside of the card.

Good luck and have fun!
Debbie Weller

Project Tutorial - Rubberstamped Glazed Tiles

Rubberstamped Glazed Tiles
Coasters, hot plates, and magnets

You can buy the glazed tiles in the following 3 sizes: 2in x 2in for magnets; 4in x 4in for coasters; or even 6in x 6in for a hot plate. If you buy the 2x2 ones at Home Depot – they come in a sheet of tiles, I think 6 each by 6 each, you have to cut them apart and trim off the adhesive. Note: these are the glazed or shiny tiles. Also when working with alcohol inks, be sure and seal them if you think you will be cleaning the item with windex, as that will wash the alcohol ink away. Most all rubberstamps in project shown are from Club Scrap.

Supplies needed:

Glazed tiles (Home Depot or the like)
Ranger’s Alcohol inks (come in bottles only not pads)
Ranger’s blending solution (optional)
Applicator
Stazon Ink
Brilliance Ink
Various rubberstamps
Magnets (if making fridge magnets)
Cork or Felt feet/backing (if making the hot plate or coasters)
High quality Permanent glue
Polycrylic clear finish sealer

1. I used Ranger’s Alcohol inks. I put a small amount on a piece of felt attached by Velcro to the end of an old wooden rubberstamp. Now Tim Holtz said you could use anything you want like a cosmetic sponge, etc but with the felt you use less of the inks (making them last longer). I just picked my colors and put it on the felt (doesn’t take much, you can always add more) and then dabbed it all over the tiles. Then to lighten, I used Ranger’s blending solution and rubbed that around a little. Then I set aside to dry a bit. Now if you really wanna see this in action get Tim Holtz’s DVD “An Altered Journey” he makes a some great projects included using the alcohol inks. Now I just picked 2-3 inks like cranberry/raisin, espresso/eggplant, pesto/lettuce, or eggplant/cranberry. They dry very quickly – so easy to use and specifically used on glossy stuff like dominoes, tiles, metals – which to me are such a fun surface to work on…
2. Once dry I used Stazon Ink in black for the basic main image. Set aside to dry.
3. Once dry I used Brillance in platinum, gold, and copper to rubberstamp the word image and then ink all of the edges of the magnets, to sort of give them a framed look. You could also trim using a foil (copper, gold, silver) pen.
4. Now I think you can heat set this all with just a heat tool, but since I was making so many of them, I just piled them all in the oven, 300 degrees, for 30 minutes. They dried nicely. No smearing etc.
5. Seal with the spray fixative. Let dry
6. At this point you would either add the magnets or cork/felt feet. I used the roll of magnetic tape and cut two small strips for each magnet and peeled off the adhesive and used E6000 to adhere. I don’t think the adhesive that comes on the magnet with uphold. We did one at a SU party ages ago and within a week the magnet was on my floor. You can also you the round magnets if you prefer over the cut strips. I also used the E6000 with the felt feet just for added strength.

Good luck and have fun!
Debbie Weller
a.k.a. DebDuzScrappin

Scrapbooking 201: Handstitching

A Stitch in Time

I have done a lot of different needle & thread hobbies in my lifetime including sewing, cross-stitching, embroidery, and knitting. I enjoyed each of these hobbies and was thrilled to find out I could incorporate some of these techniques into my scrapbooking. It’s a very portable technique and embroidery floss comes in every color and shade imaginable. The floss is cheap and very easy to find (craft stores, walmart, etc). It's amazing how much dimension and interest they can add to your pages without adding too much bulk.

Tools & Supply List:

* Needles
* Paper piercer or thumbtack
* Needle threader
* Floss – (note: I will refer to floss generally, but you can use ribbon, hemp, fibers, wire, etc as well)
* Pencil or disappearing ink pen
* Tracing paper (optional)

Getting Started

1. Map out your page. Decide where everything is going.

2. Draw your design. You can either pencil (or use disappearing ink pen) the design directly onto the page, or use tracing paper. If you use pencil you will need to erase your lines later.

3. Once you have the design in place, create your holes. To do this, lay your page on a soft but firm surface like a mouse pad. Using a pin, needle, paper piercer or thumbtack, poke holes along the line of your design. Hole spacing should be about 1/8th inch apart generally.

4. Stitch it. Before you stitch, erase any pencil marks. Next thread your needle using a needle threader if necessary. Stitch away (see “Stitching techniques” below)

5. Fill in the design, if need be. If the image needs more color, you can color with chalks, inks, markers, or colored pencils.

General Stitching Tips

* It's good to have a variety of needles and different sizes on hand. Try to find ones with a large eye opening. Nothing is more aggravating than trying to thread a really small opening. A general sewing needle will do for stitching most items by hand.
* Keep things simple. If you overdo it, it will (1) take too much time and (2) overshadow the photos.
* If you aren’t an artist by nature, find your design elsewhere. The internet is a great source for designs, so are coloring books, templates, stickers, and rubberstamps. Use a light box to trace any designs you want.
* You should only stitch on cardstock, regular weight papers do not hold up to the manipulation as well as the cardstock will.

* Use acid free tape or photo tabs to secure items like floss to the back of the page.

Stitching Techniques
While there are many different types of stitches that can be used on scrapbook pages, two that I will focus on are the running stitch and cross stitch.

Back stitch - This is the easiest stitch to work. It can be used either right to left or up and down. Remember to keep stitch lengths the same size for a more uniform look. Start from the back of the page. Come up through hole B and down through hole A. Next, go up through hole C, and down through hold B. Go up again through hole D, and down through hole C, and so on…. Use this formula to stitch up/down, diagonally, or side-to-side.

Cross stitch - This stitch looks just as it sounds. It is a basic "X" type stitch. All bottom stitches should go in one direction, and all top stitches should go in the opposite direction.

Ideas, Ideas, Ideas…
Now that you know the basics of stitching on your pages, here are some fun ideas:

* Embellish die cuts, punchies, or cut outs.
* Stitch around a title, photo or journaling block to create a border.
* Try your hand at creative lettering and titles
* Attach a title or journaling block to your page.
* Use a couple of different colors of floss at one time
* Create a spider web
* Try printing out a title off the computer and stitch over it for a unique handmade look. Also try highlighting just one word in a title or journaling block by stitching over it.
* Create flowers, snowflakes, stars, or raindrops
* Sew buttons, charms, and beads directly to your paper or add them to the thread while you are stitching.
* Sew a pocket on a tag.
* Follow a Cross-stitch pattern
* Stitch shapes (circles, squares, etc.) directly onto your page to make your own background paper.
* Sew or stitch a pocket on your page to hold memorabilia, hidden journaling, Christmas cards, etc.
* Create borders around a page, journaling, or photos
* Add stitching to a baseball and baseball mitt die cut
* Stitch the route you took onto a map and attach to page
* Stitch Making Memories tin tiles on your pages. They come with holes already in the metal, so all you have to do is stitch over them. Try cutting one in half and using it as a photo corner.
* Tear strips of paper and use fiber to connect them back together.
* Add a few beads here and there when stitching.

Storing floss, ribbons, and fibers
Consider storing your floss and fibers in a plastic, divided craft box. Wind them around floss bobbins and this will keep your items clean, organized and ready when you get the urge to stitch something.

Now that you are equipped with the tools and knowledge of how to stitch on your pages, go ahead and give it a try! This simple technique can add so much interest and texture to your pages that you'll want to try it on everything! There are so many creative ways to use this versatile technique.

Have fun and good luck!
Debbie Weller
DebDuzScrappin'

Project Tutorial - "Planner" Box

"Planner" Altered Index Card Box

Supplies:

Pattern paper
File box (holds 5x8 index cards)
Modge Podge (MP)
Foam paint brush
Silk flowers
Brad
Crafter’s Pick glue
Foam stamps
Acrylic paint

1. Measure you file box and cut pattern paper to fit.
2. Apply a coat of MP to file box, add pattern paper. Hold paper firmly to box for a few seconds, while the MP sets up.
3. Once it sets up a few minutes, add another coat of MP over top of the paper. Let dry.
4. Repeat until the entire box is covered with pattern paper.
5. Using foam brush, paint acrylic paint onto the face of the foam stamps and stamp “Planner” on the front of the box. Using decorative foam stamps, stamp additional decorative images around the box.
6. Using a brad, create a layer silk flower and attach to box using crafter’s pick glue.
7. Use a 5in x 8in index card as a template to cut cardstock and create pages for inside the box.
8. I used MS Word (using word art) to create the “month” tabs, I created the words so that they would fit perfectly in my circle punch, and punched them out. I created two sets of each month, one for the front side of the card, and one for the backside. I then ran all the punched circles through my Xyron to make them sticky and added them to my cards.
9. On one side of my divider cards, I put a plain mat for a photo and then a decorative tag. On the other side I put a calendar. You can download different versions of calendars on Microsoft’s website under templates.
10. I then created two more cards for each month, one for “Birthdays/Anniversaries” and one for “To do list”. I still wanted lines on them, so I cut an original lined index card down to fit on the blue cardstock. I then embellished all of the cards with flowers and brads and such.

Other fun options: Try doing a “Card Keeper” box. You can create a side for the ‘months’ and one side by ‘type of card’ like birthdays, thank you’s, congratulations, anniversaries, blank, thinking of you, etc. Creating it with two sides, allows you to change your mind and/or give it as a gift where they can chose how they like to store their cards. If your box is large enough, you could do both.

Good luck and have fun!!
Debbie Weller
DebDuzScrappin.com

Scrapbooking 201: Sewing

Sew Much Fun

Getting Started
One of the most important things in getting started stitching on your pages, is to have the tools and supplies needed on hand. Here is what you will need:

* Sewing Machine
* Sewing Machine manual
* Needles
* Thread

If you don’t own a sewing machine, borrow a friends and give it a try, then you will know if sewing is for you or not. If it works great for you, then perhaps you can invest in your own machine. You can buy small sewing machines specifically designed for use in scrapbooking at your local scrapbook store (around $20 or so) or just use a standard sewing machine. I use a standard sewing machine, but keep in mind they are not real portable for attending crops.

1. Now that you have the machine out, plug it in, and get it ready to go. (See your manual)
2. If you have never sewn before, be sure and read your sewing machine manual to get an idea of how to operate it.
3. Make sure you have enough thread on your bobbin before beginning to sew. If you run out of thread, you will have small holes that may be difficult to conceal.
4. Practice on a scrap piece of paper first to get the feel of sewing on paper.
5. Now that you have practiced, it is time for the real thing. I generally recommend using a small amount of adhesive (with the exception of vellum/transparencies) on the back of the item I intend on sewing to help keep it in place as I sew on it.
6. Sew away. When you come to the end of your stitch you have some options. If you want to avoid ‘tying a knot’ at the end of a stitch, you can just sew back and forth at the end of the stitch. Or I simply stop sewing and wrap the ends of the threads over to the back side (if I am at and edge) and tape (using acid free tape) to the back. You can also just clip the end of the thread on top down at the paper and tape the back side, it should help keep it from unraveling. Once in a page protector you shouldn’t have an issue with them unraveling.

General Sewing Tips

* Always use caution while your fingers are around the needle, so not to sew yourself. Also if you sew too quickly there is a chance your needle might break, so just be cautious.
* Avoid sewing through more than 3 pieces of cardstock.
* If you intend on sewing a design, use a pencil or disappearing ink to draw the lines you intend to follow while sewing.
* If you intend on tearing the edges of your paper, I recommend sewing first (leaving room to tear) and then tear secondly.

Stitching Options
Most all machines have the common “straight stitch” and the “Zig Zag stitch.” Some machines can do wavy stitching and more, just grab that sewing machine manual and see what is available on your machine. You should also be able to change the length and width of the stitch, so just play around with your machine a little and try out different looks.

Now that you have the actual stitching down, remember you can use all sorts of colors of thread. Don’t know if you have been to the fabric store lately, but there are a huge variety of colors, even metallic and textured threads.

Sew What?
So what exactly can a person sew onto your scrapbook page? You can sew a lot of things on your page beyond just a piece of pattern paper to cardstock; here is a list of possibilities:

* Transparencies & vellum
* Ribbon, fibers, twill, rickrack, zippers, fabric accents
* Die cuts, punchies, wallies, paper piecings
* Jean or paper pockets, or envelopes
* Journaling blocks, poems, quotes
* Flowers (create your own design by sewing and tearing edges of paper)
* Borders, Photo mats, Title blocks
* Designs (like stems on flowers with leaves, movement lines for a bug, general swirls, etc)
* Straw, mesh, netting, or fabric paper

Even More Ideas…
Ok so we’ve sewn some paper…Have you ever wished you had more surface area on a scrapbook page? Well with the use of a sewing machine and some page protectors, you can sew on some flaps to your main page protector and allow for this to happen. You can create page extensions off to the side, or perhaps a flap from the top or bottom of your page protector. Here is how to accomplish the task:

1. Complete your layout first. Figure out what size of a flap or extension you need. NOTE: be sure to consider how your layout will look both open and closed.
2. Place your extension or flap piece into a page protector and line it up with the base page protector.
3. Temporarily secure the two protectors together with removable tape.
4. Remove the actual artwork from the top protector, so that you don’t accidentally sew into it.
5. Use a zipper foot to stitch the page protectors together, it is narrow, creating less of a drag on the page protector and providing more control over the needle.
6. Sew slowly and sew a line as straight as you can. NOTE: Be sure to allow for ample space along the edge.
7. Cut away the excess sheet protector

You can also create interactive flaps using vellum, cardstock, pattern paper, etc. Create windows in your flaps for even more fun. Making a small album and you need custom sized page protectors? Create your own by cutting down the full sizes and stitching them to the newly needed size.

So whether you are an expert seamstress already or just enjoy the look sewing adds to a scrapbook layout, you will be creating great, quick, and easy layouts in no time for your album. So now the biggest challenge: go find that old sewing machine, dig it out, and dust it off!! Good luck and have fun!!

Project Tutorial - Cigar Box

“Road Trip” Altered Cigar Box

This is the project from July's Club Stamp kit and the papers, rubberstamps, and embellishments from the Club Scrap’s Road Kit....it is an altered Cigar box that I made into a set of "frames" of sorts...

Supply List

Wooden Cigar box (& accessories – they all come in the kit from Club Stamp)
Acrylic Paint (two colors)
Crackle Medium (Craft store)
Bottle caps (Club Scrap)
Beads (Club Scrap)
Glossy Accents (Ranger)
Ribbon
Rubberstamps (Club Scrap
Pesto & Oregano Adirondack Inks (Ranger)
Stazon Ink, black
Distress Inks, Vintage Photo
Alcohol inks, Pesto & Oregano & applicator (Ranger)
Prima Milk Bottle Flowers
Mini brads (Endless Designs)
License Plate & Keys (Club Scrap)
Scrabble alphabet pieces (Club Scrap)
Crafter’s Pick glue
Modge Podge

So here are the basic steps I took:

1. Paint whole cigar box with brown acrylic paint. Let dry in between flipping.

2. Paint whole box with Crackle medium. Let dry in between flipping.
3. Paint whole box with cream paint. This takes a little practice, you want to do this step fairly quick, if you paint over it after it has started to crack you will lose the crackle look. So paint one section at a time and fairly quickly in not too hot of a location (the warmer the faster it starts to dry and crack)
4. Add beads to the metal handle and install on top of box. Add ribbons.
5. Rubberstamp "FUN" using black stazon ink onto the flat side of 3 bottle caps, let dry – flatten (you can use a rubber mallet or a sizzix machine with the sizzlets attachment), fill with glossy accents and beads. Let dry. Attach to top of box below handle using Crafter’s Pick glue.
6. Rubberstamp various words/images onto white tissue paper and decoupage onto box in various places. Add cardstock and photos as desired to inside of box.
7. I decoupaged a map I printed onto cream cardstock onto back.
8. I embellished the box with some keys and the "U R HERE" license plate - I turned these all greenish using alcohol inks.
9. On the front, I rubberstamped directly onto the front of box and added Prima Milk Bottle flowers in various spots, also glued on some scrabble pieces for part of the title.
10. I put a coat of modge podge over everything to sort of seal it all in.

Good luck and have fun!!

Debbie Weller
DebDuzScrappin.com