Creative Grids Multi-size 45° & 90° Triangle Ruler Tutorial

For my Jitterbug quilt class, it was recommended that we buy the Creative Grids Multi-size 45° & 90° Triangle Ruler.  It was either buy that or make half square triangles by cutting 2-7/8" squares.  Yuck!  So I bought it (and I love quilting rulers that make life easier anyways)!

Here is a picture of the ruler:

We have only used the 45 degree triangle side so far.  Here's how you do it:

1.  Cut (2) 2-1/2" strips of fabric the full width and place them on top of each other.

2.  Press them together so they do not move as much while cutting.

3.  Square off the end by lining the top edge with the little white dotted line above 45 and lining the bottom edge with the solid black line reading 2.

4.  Cut first triangle.

Pin together

5.  Flip the ruler and cut next triangle.  Continue until the whole strip is cut.

6.  Chain piece them together sewing along the diagonal cut beginning in the corner where the point is missing.

7.  Press the triangles closed with dark side facing up.

8.  Open each one and press to form the squares.

9.  Cut off dog ears and separate.

10.  Done!!!

Make Your Own Buttons

Hello my blogging friends! I am back from my vacation in Maine. Unfortunately, I ran out of scheduled posts for my blog. Sorry! I am hoping to get some computer time tonight to post some more.

In the meantime, I can across a very interesting thread on SCS about making your own buttons. I love buttons!! I never seem to have the right size, shape or color since I recently began my collection. Check this out:

Make Your Own Buttons

I cannot wait to try making some of these for myself! If you are looking for more comments, here is the link to the SCS thread. The blog is originally in German so I used Google translate to translate it into English.

Have fun making your own buttons!!!

Cuttlebug Embossing Folders vs. Spellbinders Impressabilities

This is my second posting for today. Please scroll down to see the first one!

I made a suggestion to my LSS, Life's Memories and More, to start carrying Spellbinders Impressabilities. She already carries Nestabilities and these Impressabilities are great! So I offered to make samples for her store to show her customers the difference between them and the Cuttlebug embossing folder.

Here is a card using the Cuttlebug embossing folder:


I used Textile Texture because the store owner, Tanya, likes this folder but has a difficult time using it.

Here is a close up for you to see the texture:


Now, here is the same card in a different color using the Spellbinders Impressabilities:


I used the Flower one as this background. When I ran it through my Cuttlebug I used this sandwich:

Plate A, Plate C, Impressabilities Template, Cardstock, Embossing Mat, Plate B

This was a little too thick and I was afraid that I was going to break off the handle. I think that next time I will replace the Plate C with another Plate B and shim it if necessary.

Here is a close up on this card:


I hope that I was able to show you the difference in the textures of these two products!!

Supplies:
Stamps: Unity - Fresh Beginnings (April 2009 KOM)
Paper and Ink: Rose Red (1st Card) and Apricot Appeal (2nd Card)

JustRite Stamps - What to Buy?

I have had some stamping friends comment on my work with JustRite Stamps. They love the flexibility of them but they do not know where to begin purchasing them. So I hope this will help everyone!

Here is how JustRite Stamps work. They use a grid system on the wooden stamper and the centers, borders and letters have "feet" that snap into these grooves.

All of the stamps are colored coded so you can easily see what items will work with what stamper. Read this entry from JustRite Stamper's blog for more information.

Now that you understand how they work, you need to decide what fits your style. I wanted to be able to monogram and to use them as short cuts for sentiments on my cards. So I got the Big Occasions set.

This set gives you 10 different borders and centers for several occasions. I also like the borders to use for monogramming. This set does not include a wooden stamper, so here are your options for purchasing one:

1) You could buy the 1-5/8" Circle stamper, or

2) You could buy the 2" Circle Stamper.

The 2" circle stamper comes with the bonus 15 point font and a 2" center for this stamper. The 2" circle stamper will give you the option to buy 2" and 1-5/8" centers and borders in the future. The 2" circle stamper has two borders, the inside one for your 1-5/8" borders and an outer one which you can use the 15 point font on or your 2" borders. I have both because the 2" circle stamper was just introduced this spring. But if I was starting over, I would only have the 2" circle stamper.

Now as for cutting them out, the 1-3/4" SU circle punch is perfect for the 1-5/8" images (center & border as one item), but cutting out bigger items, you can use your circle nestabilities or bigger punches.

Next, I would look into purchasing a full font set. All of the font sets come with a 95 point font (good for single letter monograms), a 50 point font (good for 3 letter monograms and sentiments) and a 25 point font (good for sentiments). With the exception of the 95 point font, the other sizes have multiple letters, numbers, punctuations and flourishes to help spell things out. I personally would not bother to buy the separate lower case font sets because you can just use the 50 point letters as your uppercase letters and 25 point font letters as your lowercase letters for your sentiments or scrapbook titles.

If you are looking to just do monograms, then any font will work. Otherwise, if you are planning to use them to spell out names and sentiments, I would refrain from the Special Occasions and Trompe font. Although they are very pretty, when the letters are together it is very difficult to read them. I prefer the Times Roman, Brayton and Curlz fonts.

If you are planning on creating your own sentiments, I would invest in the Harmony Rectangular Stamper Set.

This just gives you more room to work with than just the center of the wooden stamper.

Here are some other items that work with the 1-5/8" wooden stamper: Damask 1-Letter Border, From the Desk of/Library of/ Kitchen of Borders, Wedding Stamp Ensemble, What's Cooking Borders & Centers and Favorite Occasions Borders & Centers. Remember, all these items can be used in the 2" wooden stamper too!

Plus, they have another small font, Small Letter Set, it is 6 points and is really tiny but it comes with tweezers to help you use them. I use these letters all the time, they are worth the money!

Also, if you decide to get the 2" circle stamper, here are some more options for this one: Celebration Demi Phrases, Girl Time Borders & Centers and Just a Little Caffeine.

Now if I have not overwhelmed everyone, there are other stamper sizes and shapes. For circles, there are 1-3/8", 2-5/16" (this size is retiring but is on sale under Dollar Store), 2-3/8" and 3-1/4". The centers of the 2-5/16" sets can be used in the new 2-3/8" stamper. For ovals, there are Oval I, Oval II which are retiring too and are on sale in the Dollar Store. If you decide to buy something that is retiring, just be sure to either get the set that includes the wooden stamper or buy it separately.

If you want some more examples that use JustRite Stamper, check out their blog, the gallery in their store or their gallery on SCS.

All these items can be purchased directly from JustRite Stampers using the links that I provided from above. There are other companies that carry these products, such as Stamper's Dream, but they may not have all the items and they do not have the deals from the Dollar Store area.

I hope I have helped to make purchasing JustRite Stamps easier for everyone. Once you receive your first purchase, you will wonder how you ever lived without them!

Accordion Folder Tutorial

I received a requests for a tutorial on how to make an accoridon folder. I first saw one on these when I received it in my reveal box from my big sister, Dawnmercedes, during Round #3 2008 of Divine Secret Sisters through SCS. I loved it so much that I made one for my 13 year old niece for Christmas and filled it with fun images for her to color for her cards. So here goes!

Supplies Needed:

• Adhesive
• Paper Trimmer
• Scor-Pal (or Scoring Blade for Paper Trimmer)
• 5 Square Backed A2 Envelopes (I got mine from Papertry Ink!)
• 6 x 11 Piece of Card Stock
• Coordinating Patterned Paper
• Scrap of White Card Stock
• Scrap of Coordinating Card Stock
• Adhesive Velcro Circles
• Nestabilities - Classic and Scalloped, the largest size of each from the small set, to be used in a die cutting machine (i.e. Cuttlebug). If you do not own any Nestabilities, cut two rectangles using your paper trimmer to have a layered look.

Step 1
Cut the squares of white and coordinating card stock using your Nestabilities and die cutting machine.

Step 2

Stamp your image onto the white rectangle piece of card stock. Using your adhesive, attach the image to the scalloped piece of coordinating card stock.


Step 3

Take the 6 x 11 piece of card stock, holding it the long way, and score it at 3 1/2, 3 3/4, 8 1/2 and 8 3/4. Fold on the scored lines and crease it.

Step 4

Using your patterned paper, cut one piece of 5 3/4 x 2 1/2 and another piece of 5 3/4 x 3 1/4. Using your adhesive, attach them to the inside of the scored card stock on the top and bottom sections.

Step 5

Take the envelopes and fold the flaps backwards, as shown.

Step 6

Adhere the back of envelope #1 to the front of envelope #2 making sure to line up the edges. Continue until all five envelopes are attached.

Step 7

Adhere the flap of the last envelope to its back.

Step 8

Adhere the stack of envelopes onto the middle part of the scored card stock so that the shorter part of the scored card stock is at the top. Be sure that the opening of the envelopes is facing out.

Step 9

Using a scrap of coordinating card stock, cut a 1 x 6 strip. Using a scrap of patterned paper, cut a 1/2 x 6 strip. Adhere the patterned paper on top of the card stock.


Fold up the accordion folder, adhere the strip to the bottom of the front flap. Stamp the bottom right hand corner of the accordion folder, if desired.

Step 10

Adhere the framed stamped image to the front of the folder. Only apply your adhesive to the top part of the image so the accordion folder can open.

Step 11

Using the Velcro circle, peel off one side the Velcro and place it on the back of the stamped image. Place the other part of the Velcro on top of it so the adhesive backing is facing out. Close the accordion folder and press on the velcro to adhere the circle to the front.

Step 12

Your project is finished. Fill the envelopes with stamped images or other items to give as a gift.

Supplies:
Stamps: Eastern Blooms
Paper: GP White, Cameo Coral, River Rock, Ginger Blossom DP
Ink: Cameo Coral, Old Olive

Prismacolor Pencil Tutorial

At the request of my new coloring friend Janet, ormond on SCS, here is a tutorial on how to color using Prismacolor pencils.

Here's everything you need to get started:


A stamped image (High Hopes - Huggable Hank) in permanent ink (Archival Jet Black used here), Prismacolor pencils, pencil sharpener, blending stumps, sandpaper block, baby oil and a container with a piece of felt in it to add the baby oil to.

Step 1

I colored the main part of Hank with Apple Green. Make sure to color him completely as the color does not spread like it does when you use watercolor pencils.

Step 2

Using your blending stump, dab it into the container to pick up a little bit of baby oil. In a circular motion, go over the entire colored image. Go back to the container to get more baby oil as needed to help you blend better.

Notice the blended look above Hank's belly, that is where I have blended. You can still see the pencil lines in the places that I have not. Here is Hank after his whole body has been blended:

Step 3

Using Dark Green, add color to the areas that you want shaded. On Hank, I have outlined his head, nose, lip, body, belly and feet.

Step 4

Using your blending stumps, go over the Dark Green lines, pulling the darker color towards the inside lighter color. If it is not dark enough after you have blended it, use your pencil to add more color and re-blend to achieve the desired look.

Step 5

Using Canary Yellow, color in the wings. When using lighter colors, it is hard to tell if you colored in all the area as well as if you blended all of it.

Step 6

Using Orange, color in the top part of the wings and color over the lines on the wings to add color and depth to them.

Blend until you like the look of the wings.

Step 7

Color in the finger and toe nails using Cream and color in the horns using Beige. I personally do not shade these areas since they are too small.

Step 8

Using Cool Gray 50%, outline along the bottom of Hank to form a shadow where he is standing. Blend the color away from the image, spreading the color outwards.

Step 9

Here is your finished image.

I hope you will know try this technique. It is so much fun! It makes you feel like a kid again to enjoy coloring.

If you are looking for a place to purchase these supplies, check out Dick Blick. You can get your Prismacolor pencils, blending stumps, sandpaper blocks and pencil sharpener directly from them at reasonable prices and with quick delivery.