Farm Fun & Dimensional Cards (October Afternoon)

Hi Everyone 

Today I have three “dimensional” cards to share using the Farm Girl Collection from October Afternoon. One of the things I love about the October Afternoon Collections is the versatility of their papers. The patterns and prints are always varied, sophisticated and offer opportunities for everyone, no matter what their style. I hope these cards demonstrate the versatility of this lovely collection.

“My Favorite” Side-Step Card

I have used my Cameo to create the base for this card using this file here – but there are several free templates on online you can use to handcut very quickly. Once you have the base created, it is easy to add the decorative elements. I have used dimensional dots to mount some pieces as this really gives the card a lift without adding too much bulk. Layer the pieces you want to build up some color and if you want the card to fit into a standard envelope – do not make any element stand higher than the tallest panel.

I love these little chickens and the strip of words from the Miscellany Pack adds a splash of color along the bottom.

“Just for You” Centre Step Card

Once again I have cut the base using my Cameo and this file – but again great templates are available online. The key to making this style of clean and simple card is to try and get perfectly aligned layers. They don’t work well unless everything is perfectly lined up with even margins, and it’s simple to do. Just take your time and use a repositionable adhesive, so if it’s not quite right the first time – you get a second crack!

This type of all-purpose card is great to have on hand for when you need a card at short notice. This Collection lends itself to making projects for those who appreciate hand-made items, cards and gifts.

“For my Friend” Swing Card

This is one of my absolute favorite style of cards – and it really impresses non-crafty people too! The cutting file for the base can be found here. This is more of a masculine style card which I made to showcase the versatility of the collection – which at first glance might not seem suitable to more grown-up projects – but the papers really are truly beautiful.

This little piece from the Chip ‘n Stick pack was my favorite – I just love the vintage style imagery of the tomatoes and they match the gorgeous stained woodgrain print so well.

All of these cards fold completely flat for easy mailing. They also will fit in a standard size envelope – and let’s face it – no-one like paying more for postage than they have to!

Please post a comment with any questions :-)
Lowri
I am linking up this post to these websites here. 

Father's Day Treat Boxes (October Afternoon)

Hi Everyone

These little treat boxes were created from the Midway Collection from October Afternoon. Father's Day is coming up and these make a great little last minute gift/wrapping idea.

Dad’s Treat Boxes

To demonstrate how versatile this fun collection is – I have used a couple of bits and pieces to make these fun Father’s Day treat boxes. They both contain a gift voucher to a wine boutique for my husband and Father-in-Law (hope they don’t read this blog!)

I have cut the boxes using my cuttlebug and this great Sizzix die and then used some of the Sew Fun Banners and Tin Pins to decorate. Fun, simple and a great way to use up some of your leftovers too.

Please post a comment with any questions :-)
Lowri
I am linking up this post to these websites here.

Midway Mini Album (October Afternoon)

Hi Everyone

Today I am sharing some more projects I created for October Afternoon and this week I have been busy using the Midway Collection. This fun and bright Collection was perfect for creating this mini-album and I have used some very informal cell phone pictures taken on a day-trip to the carnival! 

Midway Mini Album

I have created this album from scratch using my Cameo and two die-cutting files from Lori Whitlock (found here and here). The album can be created by hand (search online for accordion fold binding) but using a digital cutter makes light work of a lot of the measuring and all of the cutting!

I have chosen to make all of the inserts out of envelopes and tags – but the cutting files offer a number of options which are all included with the download. I also scaled down all the cutting files by 65% before I started as I wanted my album to be smaller. Just remember to scale all elements in the same proportion – otherwise they will not fit together 

The picture above shows a couple of details from the album cover. I cut a slit in the hat and slotted a couple of stickers into the cut. One of my favorite tips is to use talc to remove the stickiness from the back of stickers – which basically turns them into die cuts and lets you play around with placement without fearing you will stick them in the wrong place! The little camera button is my favorite embellishment of all – I could have used 10 of them in this project alone!

This album has a simple construction and is held together by the accordion fold spine. There is a detailed instructional video on YouTube which guides you through the process and each set of two fold is held together with eyelets (see Pictures 1 & 2 above). I chose to reinforce the covers with chipboard but you do not need this step. Each “page” is slotted into the spine and you can choose to glue them in. I found they were a tight fit without gluing and I like being able to pull the envelopes out to look at too, so mine were not glued in (see Pictures 3 & 4 above).

This picture above shows the envelopes and tag inserts in more detail. 

The tags and envelopes are simply decorated with several elements from the collection including the Word Stickers, Brads and Tid Bits.

There are so many fabulous design details in this collection – I know that I am going to use every scrap of this one over a few years to come as my kids grow up!

Please post a comment with any questions :-)
Lowri
I am linking up this post to these websites here.

Fun Office Accessories (October Afternoon)

Hi Everyone

I am Guest Designing for October Afternoon this month and I will be sharing my creations here over the next few weeks.

I have been having great fun with the 9 to 5 Collection! I worked in a corporate office for many years and I have so say there was more than a touch of the Mad Men about it and I just love the imagery of the vintage office theme. I made these pieces just for me which is a real rarity - read on to see a little more about how I created them.

Craft Tools Box

This box from Kaisercraft comes as a flat packed mdf kit and measures a huge 14.5" x 6". I started by covering the edges with the 9 to 5 washi tape which makes for a fast and bright alternative to painting and then I then fully lined and covered the box in patterned papers from the collection. I suggest using a solvent based glue when creating these types of project as it dries quickly, will not warp the paper and it cleans up very easily with an adhesive eraser if it seeps from the edges. After I covered the entire piece in paper I started on the decoration.

The perfectly coordinating collection embellishments make this super easy and I started by decorating the two ends of the box - this way I get to see the pretty side wherever the box is sitting! It’s easy to layer the die cuts and stickers, and to add dimension I used foam dots to mount the various elements.

I created the “pull handle” for the top of the box by making some decorated glass tiles and mounting them onto the small wooden strip that came with the box. You can see a little tutorial showing how I did this below - these make great custom scrapbook and card embellishments

1. Gather up some paper, flat glass beads or tiles, Glossy Accents adhesive and a sharp knife
2. Spread a thin even layer of Glossy Accents onto the back of the tile
3. Press the tile firmly onto the paper, moving it around in small circles to get rid of any air bubbles and to ensure the thinnest layer remains
4. When dry, cut around the tile carefully with a sharp knife
5. Ta-daah! These are super quick to make
6. Make lots – use what you need, glue a magnet on the back of the extras and you have a great new set of fridge magnets!

Memo Pad

This started out as another plain mdf piece, and this time I inked the exposed wooden edges with Distress Ink and then used a stylized woodgrain stamp and some brown ink to create a simple woodgrain pattern.

I covered the exposed sides with paper from the collection, picking out elements I wanted to display such as this sentiment (Picture 1). I often work with my window open to I have made this handy cover to stop the tiny memo pages from blowing away (Picture 2) and this sticker was just too cute not to use on the reverse of the cover (Picture 3)

This mug came ready-made with a template sheet of paper you can use to cut and create your own photo inserts. I really wanted to use this “Shorthand” paper in one of my projects so I cut a strip to size and then added stickers to complete my office set!

Please post a comment with any questions :-)
Lowri
I am linking up this post to these websites here.

Pull-Out School Days Album (Echo Park)

Hi Everyone.

I know it is Teacher Appreciation Week in the US and I thought I would share a couple of school themed projects today.

School Days Album

I made this album over a year ago and I am only now getting around to sharing it. It uses the School Days Mini Theme from Echo Park Paper, one of the Echo Park Circle Albums and some great School Stickers from SRM. Each page has a pull out section which means lots of space for photos and journaling.

This album was quite consuming and required a lot of measuring and patience - but the end result was definitely worth it.

You can either trace around the page to get the paper to fit or glue the chipboard page onto a large piece of paper and use a sharp knife to cut around the edge. I tried both ways and preferred the latter - mainly because that is the technique I always use to cover my altered projects with paper. The photo below shows the album pages facing each other with the pull-outs closed.

Treat Box and Card

This box and card are also made from the same Collection:
See all the details on the box here 
See all the details on the card here.

Please post a comment with any questions :-)
Lowri
I am linking up this post to these websites here.

Mother's Day Card Ideas (Echo Park Paper)

Hi Everyone

It sure has been a quiet month on the blog as I have been busy planning all kinds of exciting things! Starting tomorrow we will be taking the PaperVine Shop to the Dunkleys Craft Show and there are classes to plan, guest projects to complete - it's been a crazy time!

I have a quick idea for a card to share today - perfect for Mothers Day. It's matchbook style card that can be filled with any message you like and it would be easy to tuck a little gift card or voucher inside too.

I am not really a pink paper person, so I was a little offput when I first saw this gorgeous collection - but it was a great lesson in looking closer! This fabulously bold grey paper goes really well with the green and the bees are great bold but feminine accents too! The lovely brads are from the This and That "Graceful" Collection.

 

This was one of those projects that came together through a little bit of trial and error! I do love it though as it is a little more substantial than a card and would make a great keepsake if you added some photos to the pocket.

Here you can see another card made with the same collection.

The base of this card and matching envelope were created with my Cameo, using files from Lori Whitlock seen here and here. The papers and embellishments are all from Echo Park.

Pink and grey is such a lovely combination of colors - give it a try!

Please leave a comment or email me with any questions
Lowri :-)
I am linking this project up to these websites here

Paper Mini Album Tutorial - Perfect for Mother's Day!

Hi Everyone

Mother's Day is coming up soon and today I am sharing a tutorial for making a mini album that would be sure to brighten up anybody's day. Maybe it's your Mother, a friend who is a Mum or just someone you know who just needs a little boost - Mother's Day is a GREAT excuse for breaking out the craft supplies!

This mini album looks perfect when presented in a vintage tin! A really economical project - this will only take a single sheet of paper plus a small strip for the cover.

Creating the book is a simple process but you need to be precise with your measuring and cutting.

Tutorial
Following the exact directions below will result in an album measuring 2" x 2.5" containing 11 double-sided pages but you can adjust the dimensions of the folds to yield an album of any size.

The starting size paper for this exact album is 10" x 12"

1. Score at 2" intervals along the 12" long side of the paper
2. Rotate paper and score at 2.5" intervals along the 10" long side of the paper
3. Fold at score marks to define the creases
4. Make cuts as shown (details in diagram below)
5. Begin to fold into pages, alternating pages of the book
6. Continue folding each page until all are complete
7. Leaving one page at each end, create album pages by gluing pages together
8. Continue gluing until all pages are complete
9. Cut a strip of paper 2.5" wide
10. Adhere one end of strip to front of book
11. Wrap strip around book and glue onto back
12. Your book is complete!

As with all projects like this - I suggest you practice on scrap paper a couple of times so you can mark lines, make notes and get a feel for how the book folds.

Detailed Cuts Diagram

I keep this little album in my bag – and the tin keeps it well protected from all the other junk that occupies the average mum’s bag (sticky stuff, pens with no lids, chocolate wrappers, half eaten apples etc!) I am sure you know someone who would love one too :-)

Please leave a comment with any questions
Lowri :-)

I am linking up this post to these websites here.

Paper Strawberries & Washi Winners!

Hi Everyone

A quick post to share today to recap another project from last year that would be great for Easter PLUS I am announcing the winners of the recent Giveaways!

These paper strawberries are perfect for hiding sweeties inside, or you could make a bowlful for some colorful Easter decoration.

They are simple to make and I have made them using both a paper template and an electronic die-cutting machine - the only difference is that with the machine they are quicker to cut out!

There are a few patterns available online – try this one here which you can print onto plain cardstock for a template or if you have an electronic die-cutter – you can purchase the cutting file here.  With either method it is easy to shrink or enlarge to create the size strawberries you want. I tucked some treats inside before using strong paper thread through all the holes in the petals to close. Don't worry about how it looks as you are going to be covering the top with the leaves of the strawberry.

You can decorate the top with a brad or sticker for a great finishing touch.

The decorative box was created from the Yardsticks paper and this file, but you could easily use a plain box or straw basket.

If you do all the cutting beforehand - the kids can easily make these too

Winners
Congratulations to the following 2 winners of the contest previously detailed here. 

New Zealand Winner is Elaine:

International Winner is Tanya:

Congratulations ladies - please contact me here for all the details on how you can claim your prizes!

Please email me with any questions or comments.

Lowri :-)
I am linking this project up to these websites here.

Tutorial Recap (Scrapfest Hop)

Hi and welcome to my stop on the Scrapfest by the Sea blog-hop. Please note that the contest previously detailed here has now closed. Winners can be seen here.

Tutorials

Here is a quick recap on a couple of tutorials I created last year. They would all make fun Easter or Spring projects. Be sure to link up a comment if you make something using one of these!

Click on the link below to go to the complete post. All of these have full color tutorials showing exactly how to re-create the projects shown - great for trying as the weather turns cold!

Paper Mache Bowl Tutorial

Stamped Icing Tutorial

Butterfly Card Tutorial

Paper Bead Tutorial

Please post a comment with any questions.

Lowri

Lollipop Flowers - Perfect for Easter! (Echo Park)

Hi Everyone

Today I am sharing a fun idea to make for your kids (big kids too!) for birthday parties, fun favors or they would make great little Easter gift for someone who doesn't like chocolate!

My kids love these little lollies and these gorgeous papers from the Sweet Girl Collection from Echo Park were perfect for making these flowers.

To create the flowers I used my Cameo and this file to create the flowers. Simply cut 2 pieces from coordinating papers – making sure if you resize the cutting images that you re-size them all at the same time to keep the flowers the same sizes. I then removed two of the petals and reglued the petals to give a 3-d shape (see below)

I then put the lollipop sticks onto small wooden skewers and covered them both in washi tape to add a bit more color and disguise the join.

If you do not have a die cutting machine - NO PROBLEM! Simply search for a flower pattern online (try this one from Images by Heather M) and trace around it - then experiment with how many petals you need to remove to create the 3-d shape.

The little glass jar the flowers are standing in was fun to make too. I took a small shaker from the dollar store and put a couple of tablespoons of cheap acrylic paint into it, carefully swirled it round inside right up to the rim and then left it to dry overnight.

Please leave a comment or email me with any questions
Lowri :-)
I am linking this project up to these websites here.