June's Scrapbook Class 2-13-12

Every month for the last few months, I've been taking a scrapbook class at the Cherry Tree Shop in Beaumont, CA.  The instructor June Maher.  She is awesome and I don't know how she comes up with the things she does.  She puts a boatload of technique or paper piecing in each layout.  This time is was technique.  I was at a crop last Thursday and was finally able to add some old pictures I found while organizing.  These pictures are from my daughter's prom back in high school.  She now has children of her own.  In fact, her son just turned 17 last week.  UGH!  where does the time go.  Anyway, I just had to share:

The papers are Bo Bunny's Enchanted.  All the edges of the papers are distressed adding dimension to the layouts.  A Martha Stewart punch was used for the scalloped black mat.  Two peacock feathers were clipped and used on the left.  The angel was cut from cricut.  She was actually the tooth fairy but looks beautiful here.  Flowers and baby breath are from Michaels.  So, when you shop, look at all the aisles, not just the scrapbook section.  Enchanted was cut from a separate piece of paper and pop-dotted on the page.  These pages were perfect for these shots.  I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

Let's Scrap 3-7-12

Every Wednesday, Let's Scrap posts a new sketch for you to use.  They also give away great prizes so, if you are not a member hop on over there and join.  Prizes are all random so take advantage of a good thing.  Anyway, here is my 2-page layout based on Wednesday's sketch.

I'm trying to scrap my older pictures as well as keeping current.  This layout called for 9 pictures.  Four of the pictures are 3 x 3, three of them are 4 x 6 and the last two are 4 x 4.5.  The rest of it you just have to figure out....so for the left side, I knew I wanted to have a 1/4" base under my 3 x 3 pictures and 1/4"  between them.  I also wanted some room at the top of my pictures so I cut a green sheet 7 3/8 x 5 1/4 for my title background. And a checked piece 4 1/2 by 6 1/2 for the left picture.  I used Cricut Joys of the Season for the Merry Christmas title and shadow.  I had some Christmas ribbon and border stickers from my stash that I used under the title.  On the right side, I did the same type of calculations and cut the green background for my title at 3 x 6.  I used Cricut Don Juan font and shadow for the numbers.  A little more of my Christmas ribbon and border stickers completed the right title.  I then cut a checked mat 5 1/2 x 6 3/4.  The sketch called for journaling here, but sadly, I couldn't remember my feelings from 1993 so I used Jolee stickers to balance the page.  The papers are from the Provo Craft Christmas Slab III.  It's fun going back and scrapping my older pictures.  I still put out a lot of the same decorations.  But, the garbage pile is for the grandkids....Yea!

I WON - Pink Paislee!!

Early February, I joined a blog hop with Pink Paislee and Epiphany Craft..They picked me from the Day 2 posts.  Yipee!  I just love Pink Paislee and Epiphany Craft.  And, together they rock.  Here is a picture of my winnings....so cool!

Lots of Vintage and lots of Mist-A-Bles.  Just my style.  Can't wait to dig in.  Color me Happy!

Let's Scrap Blog Around the World Day 14

This is the last day for me on the Let's Scrap Leap Around the World Blog Hop....here are the last 5 of the 50 cards I made this month.  Whew.  This was a lot of fun and I'm going to miss going on the site everyday.  So let's begin:

Card 46 is made with glitter and stickers.  On the flower sticker, you take off a section at a time and add the glitter from dark to light.  So, I took off all the sections of the dark green first...then glittered that...next the brown, etc.  You use double sided glue sheets and they are heavy duty so the glitter just shines.  This technique uses little glitter, but you will have it all over you for a couple of days and all over your craft room for weeks.  I just love this glitter and play with it as often as I can.

Card 47 uses the same vinyl stickers as card 46, but this time I didn't glitter it in.  I placed the sticker on a piece of acetate and filled in the back with alcohol ink.  The papers and ribbon are from my stash.

Card 48 uses scrap paper and a stamp from Outlines.  Take a moment to check them out.  I love their stamps and they are so original and clever in showing you how to use them...a lot of layering.  Here I colored the hearts and flowers with alcohol ink.  I made 3 stamps of the heart and layered it with pop dots.  I added liquid glass in the center of the flowers and liquid pearls all over the heart.

I make cards and send them to the troops through Mothers Cookies - a group of women that send out packages every single month.  These cards go to the troops for their use.  Something to write in and send home.  I used sizzix dies to cut the flower and pocket, a Close To My Heart stamp for the stitching and a wood stamp I had for the sentiment.  Stickles were used to add a little bling to the flowers.

My last card is a card I made for my mother.  I used the masking technique.  First I stamped the House Mouse onto the paper.  Then I covered it with another image of the same stamp and cut out.  Then I stamped the Close To My Heart band-aid all over the card...then filled in the spaces with another CTMH stamp.  I used water color pencils to color the mice and hearts.  I finished this card by using my black writer to write the words Get W....on the mouse's tail.

Alcohol Ink Tutorial

I was asked to put a tutorial together on Alcohol Inks.  This is by no means a complete review of everything Alcohol Inks can do.  It is a starter tutorial only.  Supplies:

Well the first thing on your supply list will be Alcohol Inks.  These are Tim Holtz Ranger.  You will also need their blending solution.  The blending solution is the key to alcohol inks.  It blends, lightens and removes the color from the alcohol inks.  I also have a stamp with loop tape so the felt sticks to it.  I cut the felt to fit the stamp.  You will also see 4 x 4 sheets of glossy paper....this is not glossy photo paper but a clay coated paper. When I play, I cut my sheets 4 x 4 so I can see what spot I want to stamp.  I'm using a piece of acetate and archival ink.  Archival Ink is an oil base and won't smear on the alcohol inks.  All of these supplies can be purchased at most craft supplies stores.  I got all of my from Michael's using my 40% coupons.  Cover your work surface with a craft mat.  These inks do stain.

Choose a couple of colors you want to start with....remember we are playing so there are no wrong choices.  I chose latte and caramel.  First the latte.  I put 4 small dots on my felt.  I held the nib of the alcohol ink for 2 seconds each...very fast.

Next I added a few dots of caramel.  Noticed I alternated the dots....think random.

I then added some blending solution.  The same random technique and the 2 second rule apply when adding the blending solution.  Notice how the colors begin to blend together.

Then dab...dab...dab all over the paper....notice how the you can see through the alcohol inks....pretty.  Cover the entire paper.  Have a pen handy and write on the back the colors you used so you have a sample the next time you want to stamp.

Here I took the same two colors and held the stamp on my paper and swirled the stamp over and over...same colors...just different.

If your colors are two dark...just add more blending solution...if you want to add more color, just put some on your felt and dab away.  You can also add blending solution directly to your paper.  Try different colors.

Here are four or five different colors with the blending solution already on my new felt.  DAB...DAB...DAB

Remember, if you want a lot of a certain color, add more dots of that color to your felt....if you want less of a color, add less dots.  You can also stamp on acetate and many other mediums.

Here I applied alcohol ink directly to a piece of acetate...I used the same felt that I used above and DAB...DAB...DAB

The colors and blending solution that I already had on my felt helped to blend my colors on the acetate.  Really, that's all there is to it.  Dot...Dot...Dot...Dab...Dab...Dab

I stamped an image on my papers and acetate.  Archival ink takes awhile to dry so set it aside or use a heat tool to dry it faster.  I let mine sit overnight only because I was tired and went to bed.  When I use acetate, I sometimes cover it with tissue paper so you can't see the glue when you put your project together.  Just paint Mod Podge all over the dried image and put your crumbled tissue paper over it....after it's dry, cut your tissue paper to match the size of your acetate.

You can use regular cardstock with alcohol inks.  Because it's absorbent, it will take more ink to cover your paper.  When you use regular cardstock, you can use regular dye base ink.  Clean your work surface by spilling a little blending solution on your stains and wipe with a dry disposable cloth.  If you get any stain on your clothes, the blending solution will take it off.  Keep in mind that it is alcohol based and is flammable until it dries...15 - 20 minutes.  Well, I hope you had some fun.  If you have any questions, please email me at scrappinvall@yahoo.com. I'll be glad to answer any that I can.  Tim Holtz also has a couple U-Tube videos that you can watch.

Let's Scrap Blog Around the World Day 13

Well I have been asked to go over step by step the use of alcohol inks so tomorrow I will be spending the day playing to come up with some good pictures.  Today, is all about the Let's Scrap Leap Around the World Blog and I have 5 more cards to post.

I turned sketch 41 on it's side and decided that the layering looked like steps so I made this three step card from a 5 1/4" x 10 1/2" piece of double sided cardstock.  I first scored 3/4" on each of the long sides then I turned my paper and scored at 2 5/8", 5 1/4", 7", 8 5/8" and 9 1/2". I took my x-acto knife and cut on the 3/4" scoreline from the 2 5/8" score to the 9 1/2" score line and did my valley and mountain folds.  The stamp and the sentiment are CTMH and the flowers are from Heartfelt Creations.  I stamped them in 3 colors to match my paper, cut them out and cupped the petals using my 8 mm McGill stylus.   Then I pop-dotted them to the steps of the card.  My flower lady was colored with copic markers to match the paper.

The hardest part about this sketch was the measurement of each piece.  I visualized this 6" x 6" card in quarters, then started with the 1" x 3" piece in the lower right hand side and worked from there.  I used all pink scraps.  One - the sketch was in pink and Two - pink is my favorite color.  After I figured out all the dimensions, I reduced them by 1/16" on each side so you could see the black.   The sentiment is another CTMH stamp.

Card 43 I made the day I was playing with my Ranger alcohol inks. This is caramel and latte on plain white cardstock.  It really uses a lot of ink.  The stamp and sentiment are mounted wood block stamps and I'm no longer sure where I got them.  The flourish is a sizzix die.  The bottle layer piece is pop-dotted.

This card uses Close To My Heart paper and stamps.  Well the girl and the hearts are CTMH.  The sentiment is a block stamp.  I used 3 heart eyelets to complete the simple detail.

I turned sketch 45 into a waterfall card.  You pull the ribbon at the bottom down and the scallops flip up and slide under the horizontal strip until you see the last sentiment.  This was fun to make.  Later this week, I will give you all the details and add some additional pictures so you can make this card yourself.   For basics, it is a 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" card.  I used my marvy scalloped punch and oval punch to make the 4 sentiments.  The CTMH ribbon is tied at the bottom and I used an extra circle to reinforce the paper.


Well I have 5 cards left before the end of the month.  It's been fun making so many cards and my house has suffered.  I'll be glad to get back to scrapbooking.

Let's Scrap 2-15-12

Well this week's sketch is a card but for me I could see scrapbook layout.  And, I had the perfect pictures.  Take a look.

In this layout, I used DCWV papers.  I pulled out my cricut and used the Straight to the Nest cartridge for the flower border.  Then I popped in the Elegant Edges to make the shelf.  For the name tag, I used 2 Marvy punches and ran some paper through my printer.  The ribbon is from Michaels.  She sure is a cutie and I can't wait to get more of her album completed.