Creating Cards by Heather!

Today I thought I'd talk about card making. Are you intimidated by cards, not sure where to begin or can't get the design to click? I used to hate making cards. I pretty much threw out any card I tried to make. But I wanted to create beautiful cards for friends and family so I decided to study some cardmakers that I admired to see if I could find the secret to great cardmaking. Now I love to make cards, mostly simple style but I love to have a stockpile to select from for special occasions.

Here are a few things that I discovered: anyone can do it - it just takes a little care and time.

1. It takes me as much time to design and create a card as it does a page. Pages are basically mini layouts. They turn out better if you think about the design elements, papers and embellies - use your best.

2. It's all in the details. Adding techniques like embossing, doodling, stitches, bows, bling really adds to the card. Clustering and layering make for great cards too. Don't forget your punches or stamps either. Pop dots make a card "pop!"

Here's a few examples:

for this card I embossed some cardstock and inked it, stitched around the edge and added a button,rounded the corner



in this card I just punched an edge, added a rubon, handcut butterfly from patterned paper and bling



this one is just embossed CS and rub-ons and a doodle down the edge



some corrugated CS, paper scraps and leftover stencil from some chipboard, some tulle



a bit more detailed with shaped card, chipboard frame, sentiment printed and added, flowers, tags



3. Using different shapes really helps a card stand out. They're really not much more difficult than regular cards. There's lot of free templates available (Pam has tons of beautiful ones right here)

Here's a card I made from the recent flower template. I dampened the edged and curled them up and also curled the paper in the center of the flower. I added a rubon sentiment and a 3-D butterfly





4. Get inspiration from other card makers. There are lots of sketch blogs and I love to check out the many versions of cards created from one sketch.
Here are some of my favorite places to visit

2 sketches 4 you http://2sketches4you.blogspot.com/
caardvarks http://caardvarks.blogspot.com/
CPS http://cardpositioningsystems.blogspot.com/
Homespun with Heart http://danielleflanders.blogspot.com/
Dannis Doodles http://www.dannisdoodles.typepad.com/
Dougnat Diaries http://dougnat.blogspot.com/

5. Scraplift a favorite card.

6. Use a card kit to start out - pieces are precut and all you need to do is put them together. Usually they include items that you wouldn't necessarily buy yourself. I actually have 5 unique card sets available right now on my blog and a giveaway.

7. Browse the web for fun sentiments- I love to do dog cards with "have a GRRReat birthday" or "just be-paws"

8. Don't be put off by other amazing cards. There are cards that I totally admire but they're just not my style so I stick to what suits me. Have fun and try out different styles.

GIVEAWAY

This week I am giving away a card set on my blog and I also have 5 card kits available for sale. You can check it out here at http://scrappininak.wordpress.com/2010/04/30/happy-mail/



Last word of advice, have fun - the joy is in the giving and seeing someones face light up when they see that you've spent time creating something beautiful and heartfelt just for them.


(CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HEATHER)

Introducing Our Featured Artist for May 7!

Happy Friday and I am glad you came back to see who our featured artist is! Today, I am featuring a scrapbooker that I have known for a while on scrapbook.com (I meet a lot of great people on there, you should check it out if you haven't already)! She has SUCH a cool style!! I love how unique every one of her pages is. To know what I am talking about, check out her gallery here. I am so happy to be able to feature her today! Get ready for some major inspiration today from her :) Now, let's go to know Heather ...



I am so excited and thrilled that Pam has asked me to contribute to her blog and humbled to be among so many awesome artists.

I am originally from Northern Ireland and now live in Alaska so I've lived in two of the most beautiful spots in the world. Dan and I have been married for 13 years and we have tween son Nathan, almost 12 (who is totally camera phobic) and a daughter Lauren, almost 10 (who immediately swings into pose mood when a camera appears). We have two beautiful Chesapeake Bay retrievers and 3 cats (though we'd love more). We love to travel, hike and fish (well, I love to read while they fish). I also love to take photographs,play raquetball and cycle.

I've been scrapping for about 6 years. I mainly paper scrap but dabble a little in digital and love to make cards. I guess I'm a bit of a rebel since I really try not to follow trends too closely and really like to make my pages look a little bit different from the norm. However, I do have a hard time totally breaking loose for freestyle. I love to focus on the photos and add a little journaling. My favorite style is bold and graphic , my fav techniques are photo editing and stitching, I love to cluster large groups of one embellishment to make a statement. I find it very hard to turn down a challenge and I get inspiration from the nature around me, my kids and all the wonderful scrapping websites that I visit.

Don't forget to visit Heather's gallery here: Scrapping_in_AK
And her fabulous blog: http://scrappininak.wordpress.com/

Check back in a few for some COOl ideas :)

Fabric Rose Tutorial

Cut 12" long and 3" wide piece of fabric...



Fold in half long ways and sew 1/4"from edge...



Pull up bobbin side of threads to gather...



Punch a 1 1/2" circle of paper and add pop dots...



Wrap the fabric around starting from the outside and tucking the raw edges
under to hide them as you go...



The finished look...

Designer Showcase: Mother's Day Projects!

It's almost Mother's Day! :)

Today I am sharing contributor's projects that are gifts, cards, or layouts for Mother's Day!

Heather created this beautiful project that you can fit a gift card inside. What a cool idea and it's decorated so pretty!



Sarah created two things. The first is a layout about her mom and how she feels about her! The second is a beautiful card she gave to her mom last year!! What fabulous projects!




Nancy created this next beautiful project! The first image is an amazing brag book! The second image is a tin that she decorated and put her brag book in that. Such a neat idea!




Lydia created this page about her Mother's Day! I love how she scrapped this. The green background is perfect and she used negative space so well!!



Cathy created the next few projects! The first is a beautiful pendant for a gift! It is so pretty, I would love to wear one of these. The next two cards are some beautiful cards for Mother's Day!





Delaina made these next two amazing cards!! They are both so pretty and any mom would love to get them ;)




Cindy created this last fabulous page. It is all about motherhood! This design is wonderful and the journaling is neat going down the side like that.


I hope you are inspired to create some projects for Mother's Day. Do you want to share your Mother's Day projects with readers? Send me an email at scrappingpam73@yahoo.com and I will feature your page!

Creating a Banner Tutorial

Banners are all the rage this season in scrapbooking. You see them on layouts, you see them in home decor, and you see them as mini albums. It seems they are everywhere, with many manufacturers creating products to help you create banners for all purposes.

In this layout I used a chipboard banner from Maya Road to add interest to my title.



And here, I have used a Jenni Bowlin Sticker banner to highlight the title.



But, banners aren’t just for layouts. You often find them in home decor as well. To celebrate my daughter’s birthday I made this.



This banner was much easier to make then you would think. There are many products out there, both in canvas and chipboard that will help you build a banner. But for this project I simply made the banner with some patterned paper and cardstock scraps.

I began by cutting scraps of paper into triangles. I made each triangle 3 ½ x 4 ½ inches. You will need the number of triangles as you want pennants in your banner.



In order to do this, I drew an X 3 ½ inches from the edge of the paper, then drew a line 4 ½ inches down from the top of the paper. I measured in 1 ¾ inches to find the center point (1/2 of 3 ½ is 1 ¾). Then, I just connect the dots. Once you do the first triangle, you can use it as a template for the others.




I then mounted each pennant onto a piece of white cardstock. This helped give the paper weight while adding another paper for a decorative edge.


I used my scallop scissors to make the decorative edge, using my pennant as a line to follow.



I embellished each pennant with a flower, some ribbon and a letter.




And on the end letters added some stick pins




From there, it is just poking holes in the end of each banner and stringing the pennants together.




I hope you have fun with your next banner.

Hugs.

Nancy

A New Die Cut Template + Reader's Pages!

Hey everyone, today I am sharing a new flower template and two fabulous reader's pages!

This first template is for you to use to make your own die cut background paper on your page. I made both a Photoshop File and a JPEG file for both digital and traditional scrappers! The template is using an older flower template which I made smaller and duplicated all the way around. You can see the original post here.

This is the page I made with it first. I used the JPEG version and printed it off at about 11" by 11". I cut the background shape in green and then cut some of the flower petals in different patterned papers by GCD Homespun Chic.


Here is the JPEG version of the template! Learn how to print it in a larger size than your printer for The Print Shop here Photoshop Elements here.


Next is the digital layered template. Download and use clipping mask to use on this. You can learn how to use clipping masks on my templates here. Click on link below to download the file.

http://www.4shared.com/photo/btS_Rm1g/pc_flowers_template.html


_________________________


Next up is two reader's pages!

This first beautiful page is by Michelle. She used my Easter Sketch (click here to see original post) and scrapped some great pictures! Isn't it neat how she used so many great patterned papers as rows? I love it!! Here is Michelle blog so make sure check it out: http://www.momma-paparazzi.blogspot.com/



Next, we have a page by Alia! She did an amazing job using Heidi S.'s shopping bag template (you can see it here). I am loving how colorful and fun this is!! It really pops! Great way to make a 8.5" by 11" as well! You can visit Alia's gallery here: Alia M



Thanks Alia and Michelle for submitting your neat pages!

Would you like to be featured on this blog? Simply use one of the templates, techniques or other ideas on this blog. Send me an email at scrappingpam73@yahoo.com and I will feature you projects!!

My New Templates for NSD!!

Hi everyone I made some new templates for Creating Keepsakes for National Scrapbook Day! I made a new butterfly template and a car paper piecing pattern!


You can download them here!!