Using Scrapbook Trends Over the Years (Sunburst)

Hi all! It's Pam here sharing a post about how I used a technique over the years and how it changed and evolved. I am going to call it the "sunburst" technique. It is super popular right now companies using the technique and such. I love the final results of this... I adore it maybe because it reminds me of sunny days!! We all probably need more those huh?

I am going to start way back in 2006. I it is still odd I have been scrapping for so long. It seems like I just started a few years ago. Well this page from 2006 utilizes the sunburst technique. I cut out negative space for the sun and used very, very old DCWV paper and those fabulous old transparent stars from Heidi Swapp! Remember those??? Here I also accented my page with DCWV chipboard pieces and those fun rub-on sticches. I wish wish I still had those!! Notice how the photo cut to include a place for the "sun."

Our next stop in my scrapping history is 2008. This page is actually a scraplift of one of my page from two years earlier, but I like this version better. This is more like a star burst, but utilizes the same technique. On this page you can see that I extended the stars out to the very edges of this page. I *think* Cloud 9 made this paper and stickers. This is one of my most favorite collections of all time with the lime greens, khakis, and blues. :) That was also when I used to hoard Heidi Swap chipboard pieces! LOL.

My next page on the tour is from 2009. This is more like a true sunburst page is monochromatic. I don't know if you can see it but the photos are sitting on a cut out cloud. The papers, stickers, and dots are from Pebbles, aren't they fun?? For this page and the remainder of the pages, I used my ruler to measure and create my design. BTW you can download the free digital layered template for free here: http://www.4shared.com/file/209056384/4ff2eda1/pc_sunshine_template.html for all of the digi scrappers who want to make this design!

In 2010,  I created this page about visiting the butterfly garden. Again I used mostly products from Pebbles. I loved this spring line so much. The stitching added a cool look to each sunburst and don't you still love the butterflies by Jenni Bowlin? Those another product favorite!!!

Here is sort of another take on the sunburst look from 2010. I actually cropped the photos to fit inside the rays. This page is one of my favorites. I love all of the fall elements to it. I can't remember what companies make what, but I know a few are by Crate Paper. Again, I used my ruler exclusively to measure those rays.

Here is my very latest sunburst effect page. I created this page the other day and it utilizes the multicolor sunburst patterns that are very popular right now. I loveeeee a paper by Simple Stories which inspired my design. I have that paper, but I am afraid to use it, because than it will be gone. You know what I mean right??? LOL. I used almost all My Minds Eye Paper and embellishments. I love their newest released, don't you?

Thanks for taking this tour over time with me. If you have used a similar technique over the years, send me an email at scrappingpam73@yahoo and I will feature you!!! Have a great weekend!!

Just Paper/Stamps from my Stash

Hi it's Lesley here. I spotted a 'Close to the Heart' design that I liked and have based this layout on that.  The way I have done it is by using what I had in my stash, including digging out all my very old 'flower' stamps and cut around them rather than buying embellishments.  I even made the bow from a template I created myself and have included the dimensions for that in case you are interested in doing the same.  I loved the idea of the paper bow because it means I no longer have to worry about searching for matching ribbon.  To finish it off and keep the page free of added embellishment, I added Glossy Accents to the stamped flowers, and used Distress Markers along the outside edges of coloured paper strips.

 

A close up picture of the finished bow

The dimensions for creating the bow template are:

Cut a shape which measures, 4 1/2 cm across the middle, continue along keeping it at that depth for 7cm, then taper down till the end measurement is only 2cm.

The easiest way to do this is to draw a straight line downways on your paper which measures 4 1/2cm, then through the centre of that I drew another line which measured 14cm (7cm each side of centre). At the outside ends on the 14cm line I then drew a line which measured 1cm above and 1cm below end of the line.  That gives you your guide to taper down to the 2 ends which measure 2cm each.

Cut out around outside line and fold over in the middle which is the widest part.  You make 2 of these with the most narrow parts joining together in the centre as shown in following pictures.

 

 

 The centre strip measures 3cm across and 6cm down.  place this (printed side down) on table, then sit the 2 folded pieces with narrow part's touching each other, down on the centre of this strip and glue them to bottom strip as shown is attached picture.  Fold the edges of small strip over each other and again, glue in place.  Your bow when turned over, should look like the following picture.

 

 

All that's left to do then is to cut your 2 strips to form the tags of the bow.  These, like the bow, can of course be any measurement you wish depending on the size of the finished bow you desire, but my measurements for this particular one are: 1cm across the top part that sits under the bow, tapering out to 2cm at the end when you cut your V shape out, and the total length is 8cm.  

That is it, I do apologise for my lack of a template but hope the 'old style' measurement system helps you create your bow.

 

 

Altered Photo Frame with Graphic 45

Another great use for your scrapbooking supplies is to make custom picture frames.  Think of it as creating a 3D scrapbook layout.

I created this frame as a birthday present for my husband.  I started out with a picture frame that I picked up at a craft store.  The frame can hold an 8x10 photo. I placed a mat in it that would surround a 5x7 photo.

This photo of us was snapped while we were on vacation in Hawaii, and I just love it.  I printed it out at 5"x7".  The papers that I chose are Graphic 45 Tropical Travelogue. I wanted a tropical feel, and the vintage look to these papers really gave the project a lasting, classic look.

I traced the mat onto two of the papers, then cut them. I adhere them to the mat.  I set the photo and mat in the frame under the glass.

I then created all the details for the frame design.  The roses and rosette were made using this tutorial.  I also made the small flowers (I'll need to do a tutorial for those soon!).  The leaves, parrot and small yellow flowers were fussy cut from some of the Graphic 45 papers.

The palm trees were created using coordinating cardstock. I cut the trees using my Silhouette Cameo and then paper pieced them together.

All of these details were adhered on top of the glass. This gave the frame some really great dimension.  Some items are adhered using double sided foam adhesive. Some I even doubled up the foam adhesive to give it extra depth.

You can get a feel for some of the layering looking down into the base of the palm trees in the image above.

Next time you're looking for a way to preserve a special photo, think 3D. Create a one-of-a-kind, personal photo frame.

Baby Shower Diaper Cake

Hi everyone! It's Cathy here to share a little something I made my niece's baby shower. While I wanted to make something for her baby shower, I also wanted to walk through the baby aisle shopping for really cute stuff.  My kids are grown and it's fun to look at all those tiny little outfits for a change!

I also wanted the gift to be useful.  So I got out my craft supplies and made up this diaper cake for her.  Can you guess that she is having a boy?  After visiting her registry list, I saw that she had selected things with monkeys and lions on them. So I made sure to include them in both the items I picked up from the store as well as to create some cute accents for the cake.  I scored the jackpot when I found the ribbon with the monkey face on it!

The useful part to the cake is not just the diapers, bibs, socks, toys etc. The paper crafted items can also be used.  I created the 3D crib and baby carriage to be used as decor in the babies room.

The paper pieced animals can be used in the baby book or scrapbook, or even placed in frames for the walls of the babies room.

I didn't take photos of the step by step construction of the cake. But I used the basic diaper cake construction. I rolled all the diapers and secured each with a small rubber band.  I cut a piece of foam board into a circle as the base and glued lace to the edge.  I then placed a bottle of baby powder in the center and started surrounding it with diapers. The lowest level has three rings of diapers standing up encircling the bottle.  The next layer has 2 and the top layer is just one ring of diapers.


I wrapped the bottom layer with a baby blanket.  Each layer then got wrapped with the two ribbons, a large blue and the monkey face ribbon on top of that.  I tucked the bibs and socks into different layers.  Attached the paper pieced characters.  To secure the stroller and crib, I used sewing straight pins.  I tucked some pacifiers into the crib.

To top off the diaper cake, I tucked a monkey toy in the center of the top layer.  I created a card using the words Sweet Baby. I attached the card to a wooden dowel and careful inserted it behind the monkey toy, down into the center of the cake for added stability.

Using Silhouette Print & Cut to Create Cards

Happy Thursday to you!  Cathy here. I'm going to be showing you a card I made using the print & cut feature of the Silhouette Cameo.  This works on the Silhouette SD as well.  I've only had my Cameo for a short while and I am falling in love with it deeper and deeper every time I use it!

One of the best features to it is that you can "print & cut" just about anything! OK - well that's one of the features I like best!!  Today I'm going to show how to use digital papers with Silhouette shapes to create a spectacular Father's Day card.

The digi papers that I am using are from the designer Wishing well Creations.
P365: Solids (Volume 2)

and Back to Basics Paper

These 2 packs of paper are some of my favorite "go to" supplies in my stash, especially for hybrid crafting.

Using the Silhouette software, set up a file and open the shapes needed to create your card. Resize if needed to fit the size card you are making. For this card I used shapes:

tool_bench_C01154_17986 by SnapDragon Snippettes

simple_tools_C01152_17986 by SnapDragon Snippettes
simple_tools_C01153_17986 by SnapDragon Snippettes
2_label_shapes_C00974_20509 by Lori Whitlock

Turn on the registration marks since you will be printing and cutting. Be certain that your design is not touching the hash marked area around the registration marks.  Those marks need to be clear so that the Silhouette laser can read them to know where to line up the cut with the printed items.  Here is what my design looks like at this point:

Now comes the really cool, fun part.  You can use your digital papers to "color" or fill the shapes that you cut.  You don't even have to open the paper file. Simply locate the paper that you want to use on your hard drive (using Windows Explorer or "my computer"). Click on it with your mouse to make it active, now drag the paper file onto the Silhouette workspace and hover over the shape that you want to fill. When you see the shape fill in with the paper, release the mouse. That's it. Easy-peasy, huh? Here is what it looks like as I started to fill in the shapes with digital papers:

Continue to fill each shape with the papers of your choice. You can even use digital stamps to add a sentiment to your card. The "Happy Father's Day" is a .png file from a set of sentiments by Krisi's Kreations (they have recently been retired).  Here is what my ready to print and cut design looks like:

Now in your Silhouette software you select "Send to Silhouette". It will ask if you want to print it, say yes. Select the appropriate printer and set the print properties (paper size, type etc). Print out the design.  The registration marks will print in the 3 corners of the paper.  Place the paper on the carrier mat as shown in the Silhouette software, and load it into your Silhouette.  In the software, press "continue to cut" and select to "detect registration marks automatically".  The machine will move the paper through and the head will read the registration marks.  Once this process is completed successfully, be certain your cut settings are appropriate for the type of paper you are using, and click "cut".  

You can also set up a file in the Silhouette software to cut the base for the card.  Now you will have all the pieces you need to assemble your card, and you didn't have to worry about having the right color of cardstock on hand! Simply use your digi stash and create "hybrid" instead!

I used some silver inks to enhance the tools. I distressed the tool bench with some brown and orange inks, and used brads to "hang" the tools on the pegboard.

I hope this helps you make even better use of your Silhouette cutting machine!