Bling It On!!

That's right, this post is all about the bling!! Glitter, Distress Stickles, Glimmer Mist & Sharpie. That's right....Sharpie!! We all have those don't we? Have you ever thought of using them to add some bling to your layouts or other projects? No, you say? I think I just might be able to change your mind.

But first, here's the layout I just made. See if you can spot the Sharpie.

Yes, there's definitely glitter on the title, and a bit of Glimmer Mist on the lace......

And there's definitely Distress Stickles on the butterfly & the leaves.........

Still can't see the Sharpie?

How about now? No? Need a hint? Take a look at the rhinestones. That's right, the rhinestones! Okay, let me explain.

Whenever I decide to purchase rhinestones, I don't know what color to buy. Let me back up. I don't normally shop for products with an end result in mind. I usually make my purchases based on appeal first, cost second & availability last. So, I never know what color flower, rhinestone, lace, etc I need before I sit down to scrap.

Needless to say, I rarely have the right color of everything I need, for any given project. One great reason why I love my Cuttlebug & Cricut so much, is that I can make anything in any color!! Especially flowers and leaves!! I also purchase lace in white or off-white, so I can tint it with Glimmer Mist or my home-made version of it. Distress Stickles is also great to have on hand, although I don't have many colors. I can still add some sparkle to any layout with the Rock Candy, as the color underneath will show through.

So, what does this have to do with a Sharpie? Well.......I have started purchasing clear rhinestones, including flourishes, this way I can color co-ordinate them with any layout or project I might have in mind!!

Now do you see it? If you're still unsure, here's a peek at some flourishes that I have started to color for another project......

Sorry, bad picture. Very cloudy today, the lights aren't helping, and the flash is giving off too much glare. As I was saying, take your Sharpie and color each individual stone......no, it doesn't take very long!! Don't like the color? Go over it with another color, and it will remove the first color you used, providing that it's not too dark. It takes no time to dry, so you can color, wait about 30 seconds, and apply it to your project.

I'm sure you're wondering if you can use other markers......yes, you can. As long as your marker is not water-based, it will work!!! And the best part of this, is that you are not limited to the 'in' colors or whatever color your local craft store may carry!!

Try it out for yourself, you'll love this idea. And stay tuned in for another great 'bling it on' idea. I'm testing something else!!

Happy blinging!!
Lynne

Crafty & Frugal Storage Jars

You want to beautify your craft space, but you don’t want to spend your hard earned dollars on storage. I’m with you on that one…….given the choice; I would rather buy scrappy goodies than the containers to put it in!!

Here’s my take on the fancy & expensive jars you can buy, to store your buttons, bling, pins, etc.


I used condiment jars. I won’t mention the brand, but suffice it to say that Cheez might have something to do with it!! But you can use any jar that has a lid. Large or small, the process is the same. It’s just the measurements that will be different.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Paper or fabric
• Edge punches
• Quick dry glue
• Scissors
• Twine, yarn, etc
• Embellies of your choice

Begin by choosing your papers, and trimming them to size width wise. Keep in mind that when you punch the edges, you’ll lose some of the width.


Once you’ve chosen which punch you want to use, go ahead and punch one or both sides of the long edges. Don’t worry about the length, we will trim that later. I did both sides on this sample.


Now take you widest strip of paper, and wrap it around your jar. Once you are happy with the placement, trim the length, so that your paper overlaps about 1 inch. Re-wrap the paper around the jar, and holding it tightly, you can glue it in place. Don’t worry about adhering the paper to the glass, it will stay put.

You can now add a second smaller strip over top, by following the same procedures as above. I chose to add a third piece.

Note: Although I didn’t mention this in the materials needed, I used spray paint on the lid.
However, you could use fabric or paper to cover it.

Now wrap your twine or yarn around your jar several times, and tie off at the front. The backside is where your paper overlaps.

You can embellish the jar even further, by adding flowers, buttons, or anything else. Just glue to the front of the jar.
Here are a few more containers that I made. I used lace on the jar at the farthest right, to get a different look.

This project is simple, fun & easy to do. You’ll save money by using scraps & you’ll feel better about re-purposing a common household item!!

Thanks for looking and happy crafting!!


Lynne

Fun & Funky Two Pager Layout

Hi everyone!!! When was the last time you did a two-page layout? It's been a while for me!! Actually, I think that it's been at least a year, maybe longer. Why? It's faster & easier to do singles, and I don't have to purchase two of everything!!!

This past Christmas we did a family photo shoot, which was very 'un-posed'... okay, it had to be, my grand-son Mason, just didn't want to co-operate!!! So we ended up with some very funny and impromptu pictures. I have been scrapping them a little at a time, and will probably put them in their own album when I am finished.

While going through the pics, I ran across two that I wanted to use together. But, the pics were too big to put on a single page, so I decided that I would do a 2 page layout. Well, wouldn't you know that I didn't have doubles of any paper that was appropriate!

What to do... easy, pick two color co-ordinated papers from the same company, in this case Sassafras Lass. Both papers have the same colors, but they are very different. One has a bold rainbow and the other is very soft & feminine. This didn't matter to me, because all I had to do was use the same color & style of embellishments.

I chose the same ribbons, buttons, flowers & vintage children's book pages and/or a variation of style, but the same color. Here's a closeup of the two pages, side-by-side:

I first laid down a page from a vintage Richard Scarry children's book, to ground each photo. The page on the left, got a brighter & more colorful vintage book page, to compensate for the lack of bright colors on the background paper. Then I added the fancy strip, from the bottom of 2 different Sassafrass Lass papers & the wild zebra ribbon to the bottom edge.

Next, I layered my buttons & embellies on top, and made an arrow shape. The purpose of the arrow, was to highlight each parent, as one loved by my grand-son. Because the arrows are pointing at different levels, and to each parent, it gives the illusion of a cicle..... a family circle!! I didn't want to interrupt that flow, by adding large 'names', so I chose the Tiny Type alphas stickers to write Mom & Dad, right on the pictures.

Then I set off to find & make flowers....all kinds of flowers, bright & beautiful. I used bits & pieces from my stash for the hand-made flowers. I also made a point of making each main flower exactly the same. Again, this is to re-inforce, that the two pages are together. Here's a closeup of the left page:

And a closeup of the right page:

Once the main flowers were in place, I just kept adding & layering flowers, both hand-made and purchased (K & Company Handmade Mini Floral Accents). I also tucked in some chipboard pieces and bits of fibers among the blooms.

I added my sentiment to the bottom of the right page. It says "Some people make the world special just by being in it!" I got this quote from a Cosmo Cricket strip that I was going to use on the layout, but it was too big. I decided to write it in the journaling box instead.

Almost forgot to tell you about my title!!! Here's a closeup:

I pounced Tim Holtz Alcohol Inks on the backside of Heidi Swapp ghost letters in two shades of red & a bit of blue. Once dry, I glued the letters (face up) to a vintage dictionary page. Let set and trimmed around the letters. To give a bit more dimension, I added some arrow rubons on two letters.

As you can see, you don't 'need' doubles of everything to do a 2-page layout!!! But if you want some consistency & co-ordination, then pick a few items to double up on. Just make sure you use on both pages, and you'll have yourself a very fun & funky two page spread!!!

Enjoy & thanks for looking,

Lynne

Add some oomph to Polaroid shots

Do you have some old pics laying around? Well, of course you do!!! How about some Polaroid shots? Are you wondering what you can do with them? Well, let me help you with that!!

You can definitely scrap them!!

A few days ago, I was looking for a particular picture (which I didn't find!), and I ran across these two Polaroids of my daughter Ashley. My son Kevin (the photographer) took these about three years ago. I had them on my bulletin board, but when I lost my scrap room to my DS & DIL, I put them in photo boxes. I totally forgot about them, and I never really thought about scrapping them....... that is until now!

One edge of most Polaroid pics are usually wider. It doesn't make for a pretty frame!! And it's not like you can cut into the pic to remove it. But you can always cover it!!

You can add some pretty papers, or flowers or die-cuts or anything else you like to cover it!! I chose to add bits of paper from K&Company and some black ribbon for this. I layered my pics on a bingo card (K&Co) and a die-cut (CC) and placed them over gorgeous Cosmo Cricket paper.

Then I started playing with misc. die-cuts (K&Co) and Prima flowers. I layered all of these on a piece of pink lace.

The large green flower is rolled fabric, glued to a white felt circle. I misted the whole thing with home-made glitter spray, and added a large black rhinestone brad to the center. I also misted the medium sized black flower, and added Distress Stickles to the pink inner petal. I used a Martha Stewart punch on the K&Co paper for the smallest petal, and then added a small brad to hold it together.

The fancy flourish is an acrylic die-cut from K&Co. I layered it over a piece of Prima packaging (the colors were perfect!), and I cut around the edge, and glued the pieces together. Then I strategically added some Martha Stewart black pearls to help define it a bit more. A few more diecuts, buttons, ribbon, lace (misted), & sentiment, and there you have it!! No one would ever think that these pics were Polaroids!!

So, if you have any Polaroids, try it out. You might just like the results!!

Home-Made Glitter Spray Recipe

You will need the following:

• Small spray bottle, travel size is best
• Rubbing Alcohol
• Alcohol Inks
• Perfect Pearls or Pearl Ex powders.

Open your spray bottle and pour rubbing alcohol into it, filling it about 3/4 of the way up.
Add three to five drops (you can use more to get a deeper color) of alcohol ink, in your choice of color.
I used two different greens to get the color I wanted.
Add about 1/2 teaspoon of pearl powder into bottle. Replace cap, and shake sideways!!!

Tip: If you shake it in an up and down motion, the pearl powders will clog the little tube in the sprayer make sure to always shake sideways!

This is definitely not an exact science. Okay, maybe for some of you!! LOL!! Just experiment with different colors of ink & pearl powders. You'll be amazed at the results!!! And you'll save lots of $$$.

Tip: Do NOT cut into Polaroid pictures!!! There is a chemical inside them, that will release on your pages. Definitely not good for your layouts or for you. I believe that these chemicals can be toxic. As long as you are careful & don't cut them, you can use these pictures for any layout.

Hope you enjoyed this project as much as I did making it!!

Love ya,

Lynne

Somebunny Loves You

Hi everyone!!! If you are anything like me, you buy scrappy stuff that you like. No biggie right? Well, have you ever made a scrappy purchase, got home, admired it, looked for a way to use it, couldn't find one, put the item aside, finally moved it into a storage container, and there it’s been ever since? Cause no matter how hard you tried, you just couldn’t find a use for it? Well, I’ve got a de-stash project for you!!

Part of my strategy for this layout, was to use some of those ‘unwanted’ items that have been in my stash for a long time. As gorgeous as those die-cut flowers (K&Company) are, I haven’t had the opportunity to do anything with them because, my family is mainly guys!!! And when I do girl LOs, I try to really ramp up the flowers with dimension. So….. these die-cuts have gone totally unused! And as it turns out, they match the papers beautifully!!!

When I first saw these SEI papers from their ‘Pastiche’ collection, I fell in love with them. Gorgeous papers that can be used for boys, girls & even adult layouts & cards, or anything else your little heart desires! That’s when I knew that I could use this bunny paper for a pic from our last family photo shoot. No, they're not all bunny or Easter papers!!! Check out the flowers that I made from papers out of the same collection.

The flowers were made by punching medium & large circles, and then inking the edges. I used pop dots between the staggered layers for more dimension, and then glued some buttons on top with Distress Stickles.
The leaves were cut with the Cricut and Plantin Schoolbook cartridge. I curled them a bit and added more stickles as veining. I wanted the die-cuts to have a bit of dimension to them, so I added dots & outlines with Dimensional Pearls (Ranger), and layered everything on top of strips of ribbon & scrap papers.
I framed the picture with corrugated cardboard (see tip), and layered both over more SEI paper. Then I added a chipboard bunny & flower in opposing corners. For the title, I printed my own, cut the strips & inked the edges. The orange clock was another product that I needed to de-stash; I just added a brad to the center.

So, check out your stash…..you’re likely to find some beautiful products that you haven’t used yet! Who knows, they might just be a perfect match for those gorgeous papers you just bought!!

Tip: Make your own ‘naked’ cardboard. Just cut a piece from a box, in the size that you want, or slightly larger. Lay cardboard on protected surface and using a spray bottle with water in it, spray on one side only (don’t overdo it, as the other side will come unglued as well). Let sit for a minute and then peel the top layer off. You can remove as much or as little as you want. Then you can paint, distress or leave as is for your project.

Tip: I purchased my Alpha Thickers on sale, but they were not a color that I liked or would use. So I spray painted them with a hammered finish paint from Krylon.

Thanks for looking!
Lynne

Crazy Good ~ Stacked Rose Flower Tutorial

Hi everyone!!! I’m Lynne, and I am a new DT here at Posh Designs Scrapbook Store, and this is my first post & project for you!!! You can read more about me here!!!

This pic is of my daughter Ashley & her husband Mike. Of course, they are ‘posing’ for the camera…with my son Daniel helping them out a bit. My oldest son Kevin, took the picture, and all of them ended up goofing off in front of the camera!!

Lots of layering, layering, & more layering on this layout. Love that look!! All papers were also inked with Tim Holtz Distress Inks in Worn Lipstick and Walnut Stain. You can see a bit of green ribbon (from my stash) poking out (which is more layering) from under the blue cardstock. The ‘stacked rose’ is easy to make. I have added a short tutorial at the end of this post.

I utilized my Cricut & Storybook cartridge to cut the flourishes & the heart, from Tim Holtz Grunge Paper. Then I used Walnut Stain Distress Ink on top to match the colors of the papers.
I have used a variety of papers, including K&Co, Graphic 45, My Mind’s Eye & cardstock from SEI. Die cuts are from K&Co and Basic Grey. The brad is Pink Paisley, and the Alphas are also from K&Co. Punch is from Martha Stewart.

Stacked Rose Tutorial

Materials Needed:

• Double sided paper or cardstock (thin papers will not work well)
• Glue
• Scissors
• Latex gloves (trust me!!)
• Distress Inks in your color choice
• Cosmetic sponge
• Skewer

Please note that I already had the layout completed when I decided to do a tutorial. The paper I used for tutorial is a different, but will still give the same effect.

1. You will need to cut 5 blossoms from your paper, 3 large, 3 medium and 1 small. I used my Cricut & Plantin Schoolbook cartridge, but you can use any other die cutting machine & dies, or hand cut your blossoms. Just remember that each ‘blossom’ must have six petals.

2. Ink the edges of your blossoms…you only need to do this on one side, the ink will seep into the other side of your paper.

3. Now you can start cutting your blossoms. From 2 large & 2 Medium blossoms, cut apart into 3 sections, so that each section has 2 petals on it. Do not cut the smallest blossom.

4. Decide which side of paper that you want to see more of. I chose to have the lightest side as my main color, and the brightest as my ‘pop’. Once you start curling, keep the light side up, and that way your brightest color will just peek out, and give you that pop that you need. You will use your skewer (or toothpick) to curl the petals. Just place skewer on the edge of each petal & curl inward, repeat for second petal, always curling in towards the center.

5. You should now have these blossoms: 1 large uncut, 1 medium uncut & 1 small uncut blossom, as well as 6 large two petal sections and 6 medium two petal sections.

6. Now you will begin gluing. I used Aleene’s Tacky glue, but you can use any glue that works for you. Place a ring of glue around the center of large blossom, and start adding your curled petals to it. Stagger the petals, so that they cover the ‘empty’ space of large blossom.

7. Repeat #6 for medium blossom.

8. Let dry if needed. And then add another circle of glue to the center of the largest blossom. Stack your medium blossom on top, being sure to center.

9. Place your brad in the smallest blossom.

10. Attach smallest blossom to stack. Unless you are using long-legged brads, you will need to squish your stacked blossoms to be able to fold the brad legs. The up-side to doing this is it gives your flower a more natural look.

Tip: Don’t throw out your leftover bits of paper!! Once I am done cutting my pieces, I cut off any large pieces of paper, to put in my stash. Then I punch (Martha Stewart) butterflies or hearts from the rest of the paper. I use these little punched bits on many projects, and would rather utilize the leftovers from my die cutting than use another full sheet of paper for this. I now have a very good selection of colors to choose from!!!

I hope you've enjoyed today project and rose flower tutorial, thanks for stopping by!

Lynne