Summer BBQ Windmills

Let’s get fired up for a summer project!

 

Usually when I think of a pinwheel, I think of a little kid enjoying a colorful spinning toy and a summer breeze. But I wanted something a little tastier, a little saucier, a little more lively for my summer barbeque centerpiece…yet still cute and simple, like the pinwheels from my childhood.

 

So I whipped up these super scrapped Summer Windmills in a Tin Pail. I thought they would be a great way to dress up tables at the ole’ family BBQ this year.

 

They are easy as pie to make using trace and cut Pinwheel and Star templates. Start by tracing a pattern onto paper. Choose stars and stripes paper for a patriotic look, barbeque-themed paper for all your backyard parties or even glow-in-the-dark paper and stickers for nighttime Independence Day fun.

 

Then cut out the traced template and crease according to the fold guidelines on the template. Attach some wooden craft sticks for handles and you’ve got yourself a real firecracker of a craft! For complete instructions, click here.

I hope this project sparks creativity and ignites your senses! Happy 4^th of July my star-spangled readers!

 

Your friend,

Remarkable Ribbons

Hello my fellow scrap fanatics!

I have some fantastic news. My latest and greatest 15-page summer vacations scrapbook is all done! I finally got the very last page scrapped this past weekend. Now of course I’m showing it off to anyone and everyone. I’m sure my mail carrier enjoyed taking a peek, right?

There were a few motifs that I tried to continue throughout the book: yellow, circles and ribbon. I made sure to pull in at least one of these elements on each page. The book’s look turned out cohesive and so put together! But I did realize a few things while trying to pull this off.

First, there is so much cute yellow paper out there! Second, a circle punch was the best investment I made. I used that thing over and over. And third, if you try to use ribbon on every page, you will be forced to come up with some pretty creative techniques! I thought I’d share a few of my faves.

Ribbon Techniques

• Layer it
• Punch it
• Add stickers
• Stamp it
• Emboss it
• Add rub-ons
• Make a border
• Make a bow
• Weave it
• Stitch it
• Bejewel it
• Brad on a flower
• Staple it on in v’s
• Attach it to binder rings
• Wrap chipboard
• Add a bookmark to the biding
• Fringe it

And the pièce de résistance of my ribbon treatments: Using a We R Memory Keepers® Crop-A-Dile II Big Bite, I grommeted yellow ribbon every 3/4”. Then I weaved in a white ribbon through the grommets. Nothing says you love ribbon like a ribboned ribbon! 

Now I have to go visit my hairdresser…she hasn’t seen my scrapbook yet! 

Your friend,
Mary

A Taste of Summer

Summertime is really starting to heat up! One of my favorite no-guilt treats is an ice-cold popsicle, straight out of the freezer. But what’s even better than a chilly cherry treat to beat the summer heat? Maybe a scrapbook page that’s sure to add a little sizzle to your summer. 

Here’s what you’ll need to create your own “Hello Summer” Finished Page:

• Summer Breeze Paper Kit
• Summer Breeze Embossed Flowers
• Seasonal Chipboards
• Monochromatic Blue Buttons
• Stitched Rickrack On Spools
• Spring Brads

A few tips to get the creative juices flowing:

• Affix buttons and ice cream treat cut-outs using a combination of Glue Dots® and Pop-Up Glue Dots®.
• Paint “hello” and “summer” using acrylic paint in teal and yellow.
• Create the circles using orange brads. First, trace a round object in pencil. Then, working around the photo and chipboard letter, make marks at equal equivalents around the circle. Use a We R Memory Keepers® Crop-A-Dile II Big Bite to punch holes at each mark, then erase pencil marks. Finish by poking brads through each hole and bending tabs flat to the page. 
• Ever have an eraser take off more than just the pencil marks? Try using a Kneaded Rubber eraser. It won’t leave behind any streaks on paper.
• Cut colorful strips of paper using fancy edge scissors and paper cutters. Then layer them onto the page along with hot pink rackrack.

Take a delicious bite of summer fun with this too-cute page!

Your friend,
Mary

Handyman Pail Project

There are a few things my father taught me. Number one, never cross the street without looking both ways. Number two, never cut a steak until it has rested for 10 minutes. And finally, anything and everything can be fixed with Duct Tape®.

I took his sage advice when I fixed up this special Father's Day Pail. I think you’ll find this project a fast and simple way to show how much you care.

To start, wrap a tin paint can with dad’s miracle fixer, Duct Tape®. Add ribbon to the handle and a frame with your favorite photo of dad. Plus and minus brads look like screw heads when attached to the top of the tin. Here’s a new way to use brads when it’s difficult to punch a hole: remove the brad tabs and then attach them with mini Glue Dots®.

Fill the finished decked out painter’s can with some of Dad’s favorites, like wrapped chocolate chip cookies, a new set of pliers or even a cold, frosty beverage! Your world’s best dad will one happy papa!

Your friend,

Mary

P.S. – Did you see us in the May/June edition of Scrapbooks Etc.?  Our Family Printed Transparencies were featured!

A Scrapper’s Fairy Tale

Scrapbooker, scrapbooker, let down your hair! After this merry tale, you’ll know everything about being a damsel who can distress with the best of ‘em!

 

Distressing is a fast and popular method for marring the edge or surface of a page element to add a bit of interest. If you want an antiqued, Old World, shabby chic or country look, distressing is the way to go. You can turn any old frog into Prince Charming!

Pieces to Distress

• Paper edges
• Bindings/Book spines
• Chipboard embellishments
• Photo edges
• Vellum

 

Forest of Tools

• Course sandpaper (40-130 Grit)
• Medium sandpaper (120-150 Grit)
• Fine sandpaper (180-240 Grit)
• Nail files
• Emery boards
• Fine cheese graters
• Razor blades
• Scissor edges
• Thread cutter pendants
• Pumice stones
• Steel wool
• BasicGrey™ File Set

 

10 Charming Tips & Tricks

1. Distress in phases. Make several light passes to better control the effect.
2. Use course sandpaper to remove paint or make a bold statement.
3. Use finer sandpaper on photo edges or to lightly distress.
4. After distressing, ink edges with brown or black to make it look antique.
5. Tear edges instead of distressing for a complementary effect.
6. Try tea staining first! Dip paper edges into a cooled cup of tea and allow to dry. Then distress as normal.
7. Fold paper and then distress the folded edge. Unfold and repeat in random patterns to age a background instantly.
8. Sand the entire surface of vellum to darken it.
9. Stabilize the piece you are distressing by holding it along the edge of a clear stamp block.
10. Smooth the edges of paper-covered chipboard with fine sandpaper or a nail file.

 

With this easy method, you’ll get a storybook ending in no time at all!

 

Your fairy scrapmother,

Mary

 

Glorious Goals Album

Kick around this album idea for the soccer fan in your life!

My experience with soccer is limited, I’ll admit. (Unless of course you count the 4^th grade P.E. class where everyone just huddled around the ball, trying to kick it towards the orange cones at one end of the gymnasium.) But for all those fans out there, this Soccer Ball Album will make their goal-scoring heart pitter patter.

I started with the soccer ball chipboard album and covered each page with alternating white, green and yellow paper. Then I embellished with ribbons, brads, stickers and stamps. I added the team name “Gladiators” using various fonts and various mediums… rub-ons, stickers and stamps.

Oh, and the cover is super easy to create! It’s embossed, so all you have to do is fill in the lines. I used markers to outline everything and then filled in with acrylic paint. But you could always add pictures of your MVP inside each polygon!

Now you can document all the winning moments for your super soccer players, whether they score major points, or just huddle around the ball. 

Your friend,

Mary

Ink it up

Grab your pigment pads and try these three new methods for inking!

1. Create a colorful image outline

First, apply a rub-on image or sticker, then ink over the image entirely. Allow to dry. Next, remove the sticker or using Scotch tape, remove the rub-on image. What’s left is an outlined and inked image! Tape off the edges to create a perfect square or go just go free form.

2. Ink up flowers and ribbons

Use ink to stamp page elements like ribbons and flowers, or ink just the edges for an naturally-aged look.

3. Make faux leather

Tear off small pieces of masking tape and layer them onto a sheet of paper. The more rough edges, the better. Then ink the masking tape, rubbing off any excess. Crumble the entire sheet of paper and then lay flat. Get the leather-look in no time flat!

Go ahead and give these new methods a try.   You might just be inspired to invent your own new ways to use classic materials!

Your friend,
Mary

Father’s Day “You’re the Best” Vest Card

He taught you how to grill the perfect steak, he’ll kill any creepy crawly without fear, he’ll come help you change a flat tire even after he reminded you to put air in it, he gives the best hugs and tells the funniest jokes. He’s Dad!

Father’s Day is coming up, so now’s the time to scrap your own “You’re the Best” Vest Card for the occasion! This handmade sentiment is the perfect way to remind those special guys that we really do appreciate all the hard work and constant love they provide.

Start with the vest card set and then embellish with patterned papers. Try a hound’s tooth-patterned paper, polka dots or stripes. Then add buttons, pockets or even a watch chain. Don’t forget to add a “Happy Father’s Day” stamp to the inside. I found if I use a dye ink the stamped image will dry quickly – no smudges!

Easy for kids to customize and great for scrapbookers, too! These cards are really quick to put together, so you can show your appreciation to dads, uncles, grandpas and father figures alike.  Outfit all the guys this June 21st with this wonderful handmade card, and they might not mind so much the next time you call one of them to fix your flat tire…in the rain. 

Aren’t dads great? 

Your friend,
Mary

Family Background

Benjamin Franklin once said, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." Well if that’s true, then this method for creating the Family Card background is completely off its rocker!

You can use a stamp you’ve inked up who–knows–how–many times to create something entirely unexpected… a custom background using inexpensive cardstock and a bit of creativity.

Start with plain cardstock and choose an ink color (this works for cards, scrapbook pages and other projects, too). I started with teal paper and used a contrasting blue ink for the circle background and stamped text.

Paper/Ink Variations:
1.    Try using similar ink and paper colors for a subtle tone-on-tone look. 
2.    Use clear embossing ink and powder to create a raised tone-on-tone effect.
3.    Watermark inks will produce subtle stamp designs.
4.    Use pigment ink pads in contrasting colors to make the design really pop.
5.    Experiment with metallic inks for a shimmery look.

Now for my favorite part… picking the stamp! I picked two sizes of a circular stamp with a scalloped edge. Stamp randomly for a modern look (I don’t mind if you steal my design one bit). Create stripes by using a small stamp in vertical or horizontal lines across your paper. Make polka dots. Try turning your stamp 90 degrees each time for a random pattern.

This is a method you can use time and time again and achieve different results each time.   Now that’s not so crazy, is it?

Your friend,
Mary

Swap Soirée

Okay, okay, I have a confession. I’ve been meaning to get this off my chest for quite some time, and I’ve finally mustered up the courage to tell you a deep, dark secret about myself.

So here goes… I don’t like stickers all that much.

Don’t get me wrong, I love to use letter stickers and I can’t say no to word stickers, border stickers or stickers that match a paper pack. But I could do with fewer stickers of “stuff”, like that hamburger sticker I’ve held onto for years.

However, I’ve found that my friends and family totally disagree with me. So when I come across those few embellishments that I just can’t find a use for, a few stickers left on a page or a huge pack of brads where I only needed a few colors, I swap them with my sticker-loving buddies!

If you’re bored with embellishments, why not throw a big swap party and invite all your scrap-loving friends? Everyone can bring used supplies and all the bits and pieces they haven’t found a use for, and then let the swap begin! There’s only one rule to follow: take only as much as you brought.

Here’s how you can really get the party started! Let each guest scrap a plain white paper treat bag and then set out assorted “scrap treats” to take home. It makes the perfect goody bag filler for your swap party!

Now that you know my secret, I hope you won’t use it as a sticking point!

Your friend,
Mary