Scrapbooking 101: Pleated Cardstock Strip

Though it’s a day late, here’s my tutorial for making a pleated cardstock strip.  These would look pretty on a scrapbook page, card, or other papercraft project.  Unlike many other embellishments, pleated cardstock strips add a little dimension without a lot of cost.  

1) Start with a strip of cardstock.  Mine measures 1-1/2 x 12 inches.  You’ll need several of these if you intend to run a pleat completely across a 12x12 page. Start making the pleats at one end of the cardstock by simply folding the cardstock inward on itself.  You can vary the intervals & angles of the folds for a messier look or keep them even for a classier look.

2)  Here’s your finished strip.  Repeat the process for additional strips if necessary.

3) Optional: If you want your pleats to lay flat, use adhesive at the folds to keep them adhered together.  Normal adhesive probably works just fine for cardstock & patterned paper, but since I’m using our extra heavy metallic brushed silver cardstock, I used small pieces of sticky strip between the folds to keep them flat permanently.   

4) Now you’ll want to adhere the pleated cardstock strips to your scrapbook page.  Apply a line (or two) of sticky strip across the entire area where you want you strip placed.  Make sure your strip is wide enough to cover the sticky strip completely. 

5)  Peel off the plastic backing from the sticky strip.  Now start by aligning one end of your cardstock strip to the edge of your scrapbook page.  Slowly lower the strip and press it onto the stricky strip for a good hold, working across the page. 

6) After you get your first strip placed, align the edge of a second strip where you left off.  Repeat as needed. 

7)  Here’s a look at the finished strip.

8) For variation, try:

• using patterned paper instead of plain cardstock
• vary the direction that your pleats face (rather than all facing one way)
• adding staples to random folds
• using ribbon instead of cardstock

For more Scrapbooking 101 posts, check out the links in my left sidebar.

Thanks for fluttering by!

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Princess Mia

Here is one of my latest 12x12 scrapbook pages featuring photos of my daughter Mia in a sparkly costume & princess crown several years ago.  Like most girls, she changed her clothes many times each day and often came out of her room wearing an ensemble such as this.  Such sweet memories! 

The journaling on the page reads:

Ever since you were a little girl, you have loved to play dress-up.  You are definitely a girly-girl and we wouldn’t want it any other way!

Check back tomorrow for a tutorial on how to make a pleated cardstock strip like I used below.

Stamp sets: princess time; Inks: whisper white, silver encore; Cardstock: orchid opulence, pixie pink, whisper white, vellum, brushed silver; Embellishments: silver brads; Tools: big shot, scallop circle #2 bigz die, cutting pads, scallop edge punch, spring flower bouquet punch; Other: sticky strip, silver gel pen

Thanks for fluttering by! 

Monkey of a Birthday

We celebrated my son’s 5th birthday on Monday.  Since he’s our little Monkey-Man, I had to make a card that was fitting.  For my 3x6 card, I chose colors to match the wrapping paper for his presents: kraft, chocolate chip, pumpkin pie, green galore, & gable green.  Not normally a color combo I would have come up with on my own, but I think they look great together and the colors are perfect for masculine cards.  What do you think?

The designer paper is from our Welcome Neighbors Designer Series Paper pad (Sale-a-bration brochure) and the monkey is from our Fox & Friends stamp set(Occasions mini catalog).  I used a retired wheel to make it look like jungle vines on the gable green cardstock.    

Stamp sets: family phrases, fox & friends, leaf prints wheel; Inks: chocolate chip, versamark; Cardstock: kraft, pumpkin pie, green galore, gable green, whisper white, welcome neighbor DSP pad; Embellishments: natural hemp twine, standard wheel handle

Scrapbooking 101: Faux Photo Turns with the Medium Jewelry Tag Punch

I love finding new ways to use our punches other than the obvious.  Besides making cute little tags, our new Medium Jewelry Tag Punch is perfect for making faux photo turns on your paper projects, especially on scrapbook pages.  What’s a photo turn, you ask?  They are small pieces of metal hardware used to attach photos, tags, and more by way of a brad.  Here’s a visual of the real thing (minus the brad):

Now here’s a faux photo turn made from cardstock die-cut with our Medium Jewelry Tag Punch.  I used a paper piercer to poke a hold in the round end and then inserted a brad just like with the real thing.  I love how I can make photo turns in any color to coordinate with my page or card.  For a more realistic look, try this with some of our metallic cardstock and/or clear emboss colored cardstock so that it’s shiny. 

My page features photos of Mia in her cowgirl outfit nearly 5 years ago.  She was crazy about horses then, so I splurged a little and bought her this adorable hand-made vest & skirt on eBay.  Needless to say, she loved it! 

Stamps: schoolbook serif alphabet; Inks: basic black, whisper white; Cardstock: basic black, ruby red, more mustard, whisper white; Embellishments: vintage brads, primary colors simply scrappin’ kit; Tools: medium jewelry tag punch

For more Scrapbooking 101 posts, see my left sidebar.  Thanks for fluttering by!

Well Scripted Happy Birthday

I designed this card for my friend and coworker, Jeannie, to be signed by everyone at work.  She is a nature-lover and I knew she would love it.

I stamped the large flower image on the white cardstock first (main image) and then stamped it again on a piece of scrap paper.  This card using the masking technique.  First, I cut out the scrap flower and placed it on top of my main image to serve as a mask.  After inking the vine image in So Saffron ink, I stamped it all around the main flower, which was masked to prevent it from being covered with ink.  Then I removed the mask and stamped the 2 leaf images.  The center of the button is threaded with “faux thread” (a thin strip of cardstock). 

Stamp sets: vintage vogue, well scripted; Inks: rose red, so saffron, old olive; Cardstock: so saffron, old olive, whisper white, welcome neighbor DSP pad; Embellishments: rose red 1/4” grosgrain ribbon, rich regals button

Thanks for fluttering by!

Blog Banner Change

Well it was time for another blog banner change.  Leave me a little love (aka comments) if you like it!  Our My Digital Studio software sure rocks – I love being able to change my banner as often as I like for free!

Rolled Spiral Roses Tutorial

I saw this technique quite awhile back but unfortunately I can’t relocate the original source to give proper credit.  Anyhow, I love these rolled spiral roses and thought I’d share them with you.

For this card, I used Stacey’s Color Inspiration Challenge #17.  The colors seemed elegant and wedding-ish (is that a word?!!) to me, so I plan to give this card to a friend of mine who just got engaged.  The Well Scripted stamp set fits perfectly with the theme of the card.  See below for a tutorial. 

 

Stamp sets: simple friendship, well scripted; Inks: chocolate chip, going gray; Cardstock: going gray, very vanilla, so saffron, more mustard; Other: glue dot 

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Rolled Spiral Roses

1) Start with a scrap of cardstock measuring roughly 4x4 inches.  Draw a spiral on your paper with a pencil. 

The more loops you make, the more “innards” your flower will have.  This was my first attempt at a quick freehand spiral….if I were to do it again, I’d fill the entire scrap with the spiral. Oh, and don’t bother trying to keep your spiral loops evenly spaced as it won’t look as natural.  Though my spiral is pretty noticeable for photo purposes, you should draw yours lightly so that the pencil lines aren’t as evident when you erase them. 

2)  Cut out your spiral shape.

3) Press your spiral shape flat and erase the pencil lines. 

4) Start rolling the spiral at the outer tip.  Continue rolling until you get to the inside of the spiral.  Note: ignore the red ink stain on my thumb! 

5) Place a glue dot on the inside bottom of the rose and press the rolled upper piece down to keep everything in place.  Use a large glue dot for larger roses or a regular glue dot for smaller roses.

6) Here’s the finished rose.

Options: create smaller or larger roses using spirals cut from various size scraps of cardstock.  The smaller roses on my card were cut from a 2x2 piece.

Spiral Confetti: for a tutorial on how to make the spiral confetti on my card, see THIS POST.

Thanks for fluttering by!

Scrapbooking 101: What, No Title? and Use Your Photos to Guide Your Colors

What, No Title?

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t always need to put a title on your scrapbook page.  {I know…SHOCK!}  I too am guilty of using titles probably more than I should, but sometimes it’s good to let the pictures speak for themselves.  On my page below, I wanted the pictures to be the focus of the page….a title would have been too distracting.  And the journaling and embellishments simply help to solidify the theme of the page (in this case….LOVE).  The result is often stunning simplicity.  Try it on your next page and put the focus where it should be….on your pictures!

Use Your Photos to Guide Your Colors

Besides illustrating the beauty of omitting a title when appropriate, this page is the perfect example of using your photos to guide the colors on your page.  Never in a million years would I have paired these 3 colors together: taken with teal, barely banana, and real red.  But this unusual color combo works because the pictures help bring them together.  Add in a small amount of a neutral color like whisper white or very vanilla and you will often, but not always, end up with a winning combination.

Stamp set: the more the merrier; Inks: taken with teal, real red, barely banana; Cardstock: taken with teal, real red, barely banana, whisper white; Embellishments: whisper white organza ribbon; Tools: paper piercer, mat pack, heart to heart punch

Tag-Filled Round Button Box

How do I love thee?……let me count the ways!  For Valentine’s Day this year, I wanted to give my husband something a little more special than a card.  So here’s what I came up with.  I re-purposed a Stampin’ Up! round button box and filled it with a bunch of tags stating the various reasons why I love him.  He was very touched and loved my little gift. 

I’ve included the directions below in case you’d like to make something similar.  I could see doing a set of tags for your kids or other loved ones and using each tag as a “coupon” good for a free car wash or to get out of chores for a night, etc.  Or perhaps creating an I Spy game for long car rides.  Or even writing the letters of the alphabet on the tags to help your young child learn the alphabet.  The possibilities are endless.       

Stamp set: love owl-ways; Inks: real red, chocolate chip, old olive, close to cocoa; Cardstock: real red, chocolate chip, old olive, whisper white; Embellishments: old olive wide grosgrain ribbon; Tools: circle scissors plus, modern label punch

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Tag-Filled Button Box Tutorial

1) Start with an empty Stampin’ Up! round button box.  You’ll want to peel off the parts of the label that extend over the sides of the box.  You don’t have to remove the label off the top center as you’ll be covering it up.

2) Cut 3 circles using the Circle Scissors Plus or other circle-cutting tool.

• Two 2-1/4” circles
• One 2” circle  

3) Adhere one of the larger circles to the top of the lid.  You can then use the smaller circle to create a layered look (shown below in Step 6).  Just be sure to do any stamping on the layers before you adhere them to the lid.

4) Now adhere the other larger circle to the bottom of the lid.  This hides the label on the bottom side. 

5) Fill the box with tags created with our modern label punch (or similar punch).

6) Place the lid on top of the box and tie wide grosgrain ribbon around it to keep it secured.  Just slide the ribbon off the back to access the contents of the box.  Finish decorating your box as desired. 

Tara’s March Weight Loss Group Cleanse

Want to lose roughly 10-15 lbs in March?*

I am going to be leading a weight loss group cleanse in March and I’d love for you to join us!  I’m offering personal coaching on the Isagenix 30-day Cleansing and Fat Burning system, our most efficient and cost-effective weight loss program.  The System alone is amazing, but when you combine it with personal coaching and the support of a group, it’s even better!  

Note: this is a cellular-level cleanse, NOT a colon cleanse.  You will not have to sit by your toilet!

Not sure?  Here are some before/after photos of me and some adopted Isagenix friends (& spouse) who have been using Isagenix products:

Me:

Lia:

Regan:Kelvin: 

You can participate no matter where you live since the coaching will be done by way of emails, my Facebook group, and/or phone calls.  I’m currently setup to do business in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico…..if you live in another country and want to participate, please email me and I’ll see about getting setup for business there.   

I am experiencing such an amazing transformation with Isagenix and I’d love nothing more than to help you achieve the same.  The group cleanse starts March 1st, but you will need to order your 30-day System by February 23rd so it arrives in time.

For more details, leave your contact information in the boxes at the bottom of THIS PAGE. 

To sign up and order your products, follow the directions HERE.

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*Results may vary.

Love Owl-Ways Simple Valentine

For Valentine’s Day this year, my husband and I were fortunate enough to get a rare, romantic overnight away while my mom watched the kids.  We did some shopping, had dinner with friends, and enjoyed a quiet night (and morning) at the hotel.  By the way, I highly recommend trying Priceline’s Name Your Own Price….we scored an awesome deal on a 3-star hotel ($36 for a fabulous $150+ room).  Hope you all had a wonderful Valentine’s Day!  I’d love to hear how you celebrated so feel free to leave a comment!

I realized shortly before traveling to our home town this weekend that I hadn’t yet stamped a Valentine’s Day card for my mom.  So, I scrambled down to my craft room and whipped out this simple yet elegant card in mere minutes.  I love the 3x6 card with the opening to the right, rather than on the bottom, and the rounded outer corners.  Goes to show that less is sometimes more!

This card features a Chocolate Chip 1/4” Sending Love Epoxy Brad from the Occasions mini.  Love them! 

Stamp set: love owl-ways; Inks: chocolate chip, close to cocoa, pretty in pink; Cardstock: whisper white, pretty in pink; Embellishments: chocolate chip 1/4” sending love epoxy brad, pretty in pink taffeta ribbon; Tools: word window punch, small corner rounder