Paper craft book cover & cute little tag

I covered a plain A5 hardcover book as seen in Gina K's stamp tv technique: http://stamptv.ning.com/video/journal-and-pen-set-part-1

And this came out so cute just wanted to share. We had some trouble with our dog getting out last night while we were out and the neighbours helped put him away. I popped the tag on top of a box of easter eggs. (Sorry for the dog-hassle):

More layout ideas from Mojo Monday

I just LOVE coming across more ideas for beautiful cards. And to be inspired by very creative people.  Here is another blogger website that provides layouts. Note that on the right-hand side, when you go to the different years and months you'll see the different layouts listed.

http://mojomonday.blogspot.com/

Freebies: Paper Crafts Mag

I just LOVE coming across really, really great freebies.

http://www.papercraftsmag.com/sentiments/index.html

They not only have sentiments for download but also templates for shaped cards, e.g. dresses, lampshades etc.

What is really nice is that they have templates for cards and containers specifically for gift cards. These days most of the large retailers have gift cards instead of certificates and this is a nice way to present them to the receiver.

Another short-cut: cheaper way to shade your cut-outs

In many of the Gina K videos (this video is a good example: http://stamptv.ning.com/video/sketch-spotlight-stvsksp18) she uses a sponge-applicator with distress inks to give the inside of the cut-outs a subtle shade. This makes the image in the middle appear sharper and the whole cut-out is not as stark against any other backing shapes.

NOTE: "Dies" refer to the cutting templates used in 'die-cutting machines' such as the Spellbinder and the Cuttlebug (which I invested in).

While your shape is still in the 'die' after cutting (with or without embossing - that's another story), you turn it around with the image facing you. Now here is my cheaper version:

Instead of using sponge applicators you can use tissue paper or gauze to get different effects. Just wrap them around your finger. I'm also using cheaper pale chalk-based inks named VersaMagic Multi-surface Chalk Ink (the dew-drop size). They look like this: http://www.scrap-a-doodles.co.za/productimage.php?product_id=3729

I have the following colors: Sage (greenish), Pixie Dust (pinkish), Aspen Mist (blueish) and Thatched Straw (yellowish).

So all you do is wrap either tissue or gauze (I'm still going to experiment with other alternatives) around your finger, dab onto the ink sponge and dab once on a scrap piece of paper to get that extra bit off first. Then you either gently WIPE around the inside edge of where the die meets the paper OR for a very nice textured look, you PRESS down with the gauze, going around the shape.

Here is what it looks like:

TISSUE (before taking it out of the die):

GAUZE:

April birthday cards

First Cuttlebug & Nestabilities card

The Cuttlebug had arrived safe and sound and after ordering the necessary adapter (C) plate to use with Spellbinder's Nestabilities, we were ready to rock and cut yesterday. I ordered the petite ovals and petite scalloped ovals with the Cuttlebug and used the scalloped edge for the tree's cutout. I used the 'embossing' method to give some texture to the edge. See close-up below. This video shows it beautifully: http://stamptv.ning.com/video/nestabilities-in-your Here is my card - (For some reason "blogger" keeps turning this pic sideways)

Workaround the acrylic block

These days you get stamps mounted on clear plastic which is great since it saves a lot of space the wood-mounted ones would take up. This was a new discovery for me and then I found out you need some type of "acrylic block" to mount these on before you can use them. This video explains it very well: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIuUiPZD5Ag I figured this out after I bought a clear stamp but didn't have an acrylic block. What to do until you can get one? Use a glass! I had a round, flat-based glass that had the right surface area for the stamp to fit on: This is the view through the glass. You can see perfectly where to position the stamp on your paper:

Easy as pie.

Oh Baby

Layout used: #49 http://cleanandsimplestamping.blogspot.com/search/label/Fall-%20To%20Layout%2049

See Cheapskate technique for putting together the background. Table coloured light green and the stripy part is from digital scrapbook paper inserted as image and resized. Sentiment from digital sentiments downloaded. Embellishment bought at http://www.flowerspot.co.za