In Touch

The Many Ways To Use Sizzix Jewelry Dies

Sizzix Original Jewelry Dies are so versatile! You can use them together with your papercrafting supplies to create jewelry and embellishments to use on your cardfronts or scrapbook pages --- there are so many possibilities!!!

 

The Original Medium Dies are thick steel-rule construction dies, similar to the Tim Holtz dies in depth, but measuring approximately 2 3/4" x 4 1/2" in size. These dies are designed to cut through chipboard, grungeboard, Clearly for Art and plastic materials, fun foam, fabric magnet, vellum, sandpaper, metallic foils, Shimmer Sheetz and more. 

 

Today I wanted to share how you can create metallic-look jewelry by simply using Inkssentials Foil together with Craft-a-Board. Remove the backing from the Inkssentials Foil and apply to both sides (front and back) of a piece of Craft-a-Board that is cut to the same size.

 

Cut out the jewelry pieces by sending this through your die cut machine. I adore my Vagabond as there is no cranking necessary, but the Big Shot & Cuttlebug work great as well ;-D

 

Craft-a-Board is the perfect choice for use with embossing folders. It is thick enough to be sturdy and hold it's shape and yet thin enough that the impression from embossing folders is incredible!

At this point you could alter the color of the foil with alcohol inks, but that is another lesson for the near future :-D

Tim's new drill press is perfect for adding a teeny, tiny hole in which to place jump rings in the earring drop. Again, the Craft-a-Board shape is sturdy enough to create these awesome earrings and yet is SO lightweight that you will not even notice these earrings when you wear them.

Art Parts, Clearly for Art Blackout is another product that works WONDERFULLY with these dies.

TIP: Use the Concave Round Nose Pliers and 24 gauge wire to help you create perfectly shaped loops, allowing you to customize the predesigned bead lengths we carry.

 

The necklace was created using an altered Vintage Groove Silk and Shell Combo Strand. By simply snipping the thread that holds the shells together I was easily able to create two custom lengths of beads. It was fun to create a fashionable assymetrical piece by adding a Maya Road Golden Yellow Ruffle Blossom to one side.

The earrings were embellished with Jenni Bowlin Pearl Charms.

Vintage Inspired Netting was sandwiched between two coordinating patterns from the Out of Print paper pad. Using a small bow created from the ribbon we send in our thank you notes I then hung the focal point jewelry piece like a piece of wall art. This piece could then be removed and turned into a pendant piece as well.

I hope this inspires you to continue to meld your jewelry making supplies together with your papercrafting goodies! To be able to create wearable gifts is so much fun!!!

 

paper: Craft-a-Board, Basic Grey 6x6 Out of Print Paper Pad, Memory Box Squash Notecard

accessories: Sizzix Originals Dies: Frame & Pendant #2 and Oval Frame, Bird & Pendant; Inkssentials Metal Foil Tape, Clearly for Art Blackout, Vintage Groove: Silk and Shell Strand Combo, Earring Wires, Silver Clasps and Jump Rings; Webster's Pages Vintage Inspired Netting, Maya Road Golden Yellow Ruffle Blossom, 24 Gauge Beading Wire, Concave Round Nose Pliers

Easter Lily Cake Box, Video with Susan Tierney Cockburn and Ellen Hutson

How many of you are passionate about flowers and/or gardening? How many of you can no longer garden the way that you once did? It has been too many years now since I have been able to climb all over my hillside gardening. Before my hip injury I was passionate about my flowers and covered my hillside in beautiful perennials. Some still remain, but they are not in the same "shape" as they once were, so perhaps this is the reason paper flowers appeal to me so much. I can make these in my craft room without squatting AND at any time of the year :-D

One of my greatest blessings in life has been the friendship and bond I have had the good fortune of developing with Susan! It is such an honor to have her join me for today's lesson in paper flower making. Susan has pioneered the art of paper flower making for the past 15 years. Her work is such an inspiration and it is always so much fun to collaborate with her on projects!!!

 

This beautiful cake box is the project we worked on together for this month's newsletter. We hope that you enjoy the video we created to share with you today and that it empowers you to give flower making a try. In this video Susan will teach you how to create the beautiful lilies showcased above and below, sharing many wonderful tips throughout. Please grab your favorite drink and settle in for this 45 minute class with Susan as she shares many of the fabulous techniques she has innovated to bring this art form to us.

 

Please note: To view the video please click on this link --- Easter Lily Cake Box Video. If you do not see controls for the video, change the size of your viewing window to a narrower width and the controls will appear.

Step-by-step written instructions for creating beautiful lilies are included in Susan's first book The Paper Garden. I cannot begin to tell you how helpful her books have been to me as I learn to create beautiful blooms! If you are a visual learner like me you will also find this book a wealth of information.

CREATING THE CAKE BOX

Now that you know how to make the flowers for this project I am going to share just a few basics regarding the construction of the cake box.

I prefer to attach my decorative paper to the Craft-a-Board before die cutting the pieces using the 3-D Cake Box Die. By affixing the paper to the Craft-a-Board with Be Creative (Sookwang) tape I am assured that I will have a perfectly covered project.

To create today's project I used Lilybee's 12x12 paper. For the scalloped top and base I applied decorative paper to both sides of the Craft-a-Board before die cutting. 

For the cake sides, decorative paper was applied to only one side of the Craft-a-Board. Being careful to position the paper so that the decorative side is cut all the way through, and the Craft-a-Board only scored, is important. To do this place the paper, decorative side to the die, and then send the die through your Vagabond or Big Shot using the crease pad. This will give pieces as shown above and below.

Carefully bend each piece along the score line before attaching them together to get a more uniform look.

 

You will also need to cut and score three pieces of cardstock to hold the cake pieces together. Using a strong adhesive affix the cardstock to the die cut pieces on the back or Craft-a-Board side as shown above.

 

Attach each piece one at a time.

 

When you have all three pieces attached, form the piece into a circle, affixing the last edge.

 

Next you will need to attach the base - the piece with the four tabs. I find it easiest to insert this piece from the top. Push it down through the center until it is firmly positioned in the bottom of the circular piece. Using a pair of needle nose tweezers insert a Glue Dot behind each of the flaps and affix these to the cake tube.

To adhere the scalloped top and base I prefer to use Ultimate Glue. The base is easy to affix due to the large surface you will be attaching it to. Apply Ultimate Glue to the base of the cake and position the scalloped piece holding it in place for a few seconds until you feel it is firmly in place. The cap or top is a little trickier. I run Ultimate Glue all the way around the top of the circular form and then position the scalloped top in place. The glue allows you to move it slightly until you have it in the desired position, then hold it for a few seconds until the glue grabs hold. Allow to dry for at least 30 minutes before continuing your work on the base.
 

To add interest to my cake base I attached a strip of white silk ribbon and then added pearls to either side of it. I also ran a strip of pearls around the top.

I wanted to include just a few close-up photos of the finished project so that you could better see the detail on these beautiful Easter blooms. 

The lily was one of Susan's first punch designs back in 2006. Sadly there are others who have taken Susan's work and called it their own, but the truth of the matter is that these designs, the techniques and wording, are copywritten by Susan --- I am so proud and honored to share her designs with you. With Easter right around the corner and spring knocking at our doors it has been a thrill to be able to share this beauty with all of you. Thank you so much for joining us!

We also have something special to give to you today! Leave a comment below for a chance to win an autographed copy of The Paper Garden, as well as the three punches used to create these beauties! You have until midnight Sunday, April 17th to leave your comment and be eligible for this random drawing.

 

 
ink: Copic Markers -YG00, YG63, YG95, YR14, Y15, Y17

paper: Lilybee Designs 12x12 Picket Fence and Stationery Designer Paper, Craft-a-Board

accessories: Punch Bunch punches - Mega Lily, Large Alta Flake, Mega Big Sky Flake, Small Caladium Leaf, Small Birch Leaf; Punch Bunch Papercrafting Tools and Magnum Power Punch Aid; The Paper Garden, Sizzix 3-D Cake Box Die, Faber-Castell PITT Pastel Pencils - #104 and #170, Flower Soft - Earth, Toffee, Russet Red, Sunshine Yellow; 12" strip White Pearls, 1/4" White Silk Ribbon, Be Creative (Sookwang) 4 1/2" Tape or Sheets, The Ultimate Glue

Valentine Alcohol Ink Agates

Alcohol ink --- what can you do with it? It was so much fun to once again experiment and do some "research" for today's project.

Copic and Ranger both have awesome alcohol inks! Many of you have asked why it is that I do not carry the Ranger Alcohol inks - my answer is quite simple - space and dollars. Oh to have a larger warehouse and more money - then I wouldn't have to make hard choices - LOL! 

Being a huge fan of the Copic markers it made the most sense to me that we carry the Various Ink refills for the markers. This allows you to get the best value for your dollar. You can use the refills for your markers, BUT also for numerous techniques! Please do not hesitate to use these same techniques with either ink. You can also read a comparison study that I did a few years back here. 

 

The technique that I am going to share with you today is one that resembles agates. Once again I must give Tim credit for teaching me to get inky and experiment. We did a technique at Ranger U that got me going with this experiment, but for some reason my sample looked nothing like this. So "cheers" to continued learning and experimentation!

 

Agate photo and information

I googled to find some pictures of agates to share with you. I was wowed by the beautiful colors I discovered with this search and I hope that they inspire you.

 

To begin I decided to create a monochromatic agate.

 

Begin  by placing dots of alcohol ink, together with one drop of metallic mixatif (in this case I used Pearl), on to a felt applicator tool pad as shown above. As you can see I utilized more of the lighter tone, with just a couple of drops of the darker version of the color.

Then blot the applicator, using a twisting motion, on glossy white paper. It is important that you use glossy cardstock for this technique. The coated surface of the glossy cardstock allows the alcohol to "move" before drying. Regular cardstock will absorb the alcohol in a completely different manner.

Next add more various ink blending solution to the felt pad and repeat, adding color to the glossy paper surface with a twisting motion.

 

Your surface can look so many different ways, but I wanted it to be fairly uniform for this project.
 

Next I placed some various ink blending solution into a refill container. The large bottles have a large opening and you can destroy your project if not careful. These empty refill bottles have an opening that allows you to disperse one drop at a time.

Drip the various ink blending fluid on to your prepared surface and allow it to dry.

As you can see the blending fluid pushes the colors of the inks you have used in an outwards motion. As it does so it forms the look of an agate.

 

I also wanted to shared a multi-colored version to give you the courage to experiment. Using Basic Grey's Hopscotch line as my inspiration I selected colors that coordinated with the paper. As you can see I placed more drops of the red because I wanted this to be my dominant color, then a few drops of the accent color - in this case yellow, and only one drop of the strongest ocean color.

Mixing colors can be tricky. If you end up selecting complimentary colors (colors on the opposite sides of the color wheel) you can end up with a nice "brown" project, but if you do not overwork the colors on your glossy cardstock you can end up with a beautiful result. I recommend that when you first begin that you select colors that are next to one another on the color wheel (analogous colors) for best results, but do not be afraid to use complimentary colors as you experiment and learn.

 

As you can see the colors ended up to be very intriguing. The look above was achieved with a slight "twisting" motion as I created the base color.

 

Once the color is mixed on the alcohol filled felt pad you can create unusual effects by simply stamping in a straight down motion. Once again experimentation is the key to having fun and to learning!!! By simply adding various ink blending solution to the felt pad you can rejuvenate the colors, push the colors towards the edge of the felt pad and so much more.

 

Not only can you drip various ink blending solution on to your surface, but you can also drip other alcohol ink colors as shown above. The first, light circles are created using BG11. Allow the ink to spread and dry. As you can see these complimentary colors begin to neutralize or dull the saturation of the other color. Then add the next darker color, BG13.

If you use your Heat It tool to dry the liquid more quickly you can control how far it spreads. I would love for you to just play and try different combinations as you experiment with these alcohol ink agates.

 

So now what? You have a pile of backgrounds. Well... try using a Hero Arts background as Tami Hartley did in this post she shared in the CLASSroom - Scrap Drawer Rescue OR give the following a try.

Make certain that the ink is dry. Next use an anti-static puff on the surface of the paper to eliminate the problem of embossing powder sticking to the project in spots you don't want it to.

Then stamp your image using Distress Embossing ink and applied embossing powder. 

 

In this instance I used Opaque White to create a lacey look. As you can see this Ribbon Heart is beautiful.
 

When I added it to my project I felt it needed just a little more color. It was easy to come back in with my coordinating Copic marker and add just a hint of color to the ribbon heart. I followed the natural pattern that was left when creating my background and then just amped up the ocean and yellow colors in a couple of areas, especially around the edges to make the white embossing pop. 

 

Next I used my first agate sample with the new Lockhart Lace Heart. LOVE the delicacy of this vintage lacey image!
 

The final sample was created using a small corner of the first agate sample and Espresso embossing powder. Little white flowers were added with the white Opaque pen.
 

To finish off this scrumptious Valentine ensemble I used the new Sizzix Cupcake Holders, my favorite rosette die, a few more punched out Alcohol Ink Agate Hearts and the oh so fun Hopscotch patterned papers.

Simply adhere your favorite decorative paper to Craft-a-Board using Be Creative tape sheets or the 4 1/2" width before cutting and you will have the sturdiest, cleanest looking finished project!

TIP: To vary the size of your rosettes, simply cut the finished rosette length shorter in both length and width. Make certain to cut the base between the dotted lines on solid paper so that your rosette stays together. :-D

It was so much fun creating this delicious Valentine treat using these agate backgrounds! As always my message once again is enjoy the creative process and don't be afraid to experiment :-D 
 
stamps: Lockhart Stamps: Lace Heart, Ribbon Heart, IB Chintz Heart, IB Candy Heart

ink: Distress Embossing Ink, Copic Various Ink Refills - R22, R24, Y11, BG13, Copic Various Ink Blending Solution, Pearl Metallic Mixative

paper: Glossy Cardstock, Craft-a-Board, Basic Grey Hopscotch 6x6, Hopscotch Paper Pack, Memory Box cardstock - Begonia, Peony and Bayou

accessories: Sizzix Cupcake Holder, Be Creative (Sookwang) 4 1/2" Tape, Rosette Die, Basic Grey Glazed Hopscotch Brads, Adirondack Espresso Embossing Powder, Judikins White Opaque Embossing Powder, Ranger White Opaque Pen, White Inchie+ Squares, Basic Grey Buttons, Alcohol Ink Felt Applicator

Back to School & Cutting Basics by Julia Stainton

For some school has already started and for others, we have another few wonderful weeks of summer.This time of year brings busy shopping trips, nervous and excited children, a fresh start, a return to routine and the last beautiful days of summer. I have always enjoyed getting ready for back to school as a child and as a mother. There's something about fresh new books and pencils, sneakers and art supplies.

Lately I been creating a few fun back to school projects that you can use now or throughout the year. They are great for kids to take to school, or give to your favorite teacher. I hope you'll get inspired to create a basic bound notebook, thank you card, fridge magnet and glittered pen.

While the kids are going back to school, the instructor in me is coming out and I'll be sharing some very basic cutting tips throughout this newsletter. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to recently help out a scrapbooking event and did a lot of helping out with the paper trimmer. I know this may be basic for some but for those just starting out in paper crafting, the proper cutting techniques will make your project much more professional looking.

Everyone can always use a personalized notebook whether you create this for your child or his teacher or even for yourself. This is a super simple project and it's a great place to start with cutting basics. When paper crafting your projects will only be as good as your tools. Dull blades and uneven cuts really tell on a design and a poor paper trimmer can make the best designer frustrated. I love using a guillotine style paper trimmer for the cleanest cuts.

The Tonic Paper Trimmer is my go to tool and I've been thrilled with the initial investment. The blade sharpens itself with each cut saving me money in not having to purchase replacement blades and it always gives clean precise cuts.

Whether you use this paper trimmer or any other, the first thing you should note is to place your paper squarely at the top edge when cutting. This will prevent the paper from shifting and get you a perfect 90­­° angled cut. I know this is something that most know but I bring it up as there are crafters who have never been taught this. Essential.

Make sure you press down on the safety bar to prevent shifting.

On any paper trimmer you will find a ruler or grid to help you measure your paper for cutting. I like to cut in precise measurements as it makes matting and layering easier and reduces waste. When cutting small strips of paper you can cut down to one inch. The smaller you trim the more difficult it may be to keep the paper from shifting.
 
 

When cutting small strips I like to use a little math and cut in the reverse. If the paper is 12x12 inches and I want a 1 inch strip I place the edge of the paper at 11 inches to get a perfect one inch strip with no shifting.

One of the things I like best about the Tonic Paper Trimmer is it's ability to cut through more than just patterned paper and cardstock. Craft-a-Board and chipboard as well transparencies and specialty paper cut perfectly and easily. For the altered notebook project I've created it by cutting two pieces of Craft-a-Board to 4 x 6 inches in size. After covering the covers with patterned paper and adding white cardstock for writing on, the notebook was bound with the Bind it All.

 

Another of my favorite cutting tools is the Tonic Non-Stick Scissors. I love how easily they cut paper, ribbon and transparencies as well as many other products and the non-stick coating is wonderful for not gumming up with adhesive. These scissors are also amazing for cutting out unmounted rubber stamps.Here I've used them to trim the paper from around the chipboard.

 

Any additional paper that was too tight to trim off is easily sanded away with the Basic Grey Precision File Set.

 

Supplies: Craft-a-Board, Bind it All by Zutter, Oliver Paper pack by Basic Grey, Buck Naked Alpha Buttons by Cosmo Cricket, Tim Holtz Hinge Clip and Ruler Ribbon by Advantus, Farmer's Market Twine

You can never have too many thank you notes and this one can be used for anyone but I like to think it's particularly suitable for a teacher. There are so many office supply products out there and they all look great on school themed designs.

When creating you may often find that your layers are not 100% lining up. Even a millimeter off will look less than wonderful. The Tonic Paper Trimmer is fabulous for trimming off those tiny increments of paper that a sliding blade trimmer would make a mess of.

 

See how tiny a strip I was able to trim off to get a perfectly clean edge?

For my sentiment on this card I used the Basic Grey stickers that are included in the Oliver Paper Pack. Giving the first letter a bit of pizazz is easy by matting it with black cardstock to make it stand out. The EK Success Titanium Blade Scissors are another favorite of mine and they are great for precision cutting. I keep these scissors just for paper as I want to maintain their fine cutting abilities.

 

Here's the T after it has been cut out. These scissors are also fabulous for paper piecing and other fine detail work.
 

To highlight the remaining letters I traced them with a 0.3 Copic Multiliner pen.

 

Supplies: Oliver paper pack by Basic Grey, black cardstock, Copic Multiliner,  Tiny Attacher & Mini Paper Clips by Advantus, Kraft Library Cards by Maya Road, Binding Edge Punch by EK Success, Basics Kraft Small Details by Basic Grey

With back to school comes the never ending cycle of papers and notes and things to keep a track of. This sweet little Inchie+ is a magnet that will attach to your fridge and keep those notes under control. If you have a large family, create these with your kids and personalize them with their names.

To create this magnet simply stamp the Inchie+ and then embellish as desired. The hinge clip is attached with a brad and a Basic Grey magnet adheres to the back.

Supplies: Inchie+ Squares, Tiny Type by Cosmo Cricket, Cling Ledger Stamp by Hero Arts, Game Spinner,  Tiny Attacher & Hinge Clip by Advantus, Crop-a-dile by We R Memory Keepers, magnet, Sepia Archival Ink and Tumbled Glass Distress Ink by Ranger, Large Magnetic Snap by Basic Grey

Finally with the myriad of pens and pencils at school make yours stand out and keep it from wandering off. I think I'll be making more of these as I'd like one for my purse, my daughter has claimed this one and I'd like to give a couple out as teacher's gifts. This pen is an altered Copic Multiliner and if you've never used them for writing, you're missing out.

The Tonic Paper Trimmer easily cuts this sheet of Wonder Tape. I used 1.5 x 3.5" for the barrel and 1.5 x 1" for the cap. The clip on the cap is removable and can be reattached after altering.

 

After peeling off one of the adhesive papers, roll around barrel of the pen. Apply glitter as with the Burnished Velvet technique that you can find here in last month's In Touch Newsletter.

I've used  the beautiful Peacock Blue and Regal Red glitters by Glitter Ritz for this project.

Have fun getting ready for back to school and I hope you've had a little fun yourself, learning with this tutorial today. Thanks for stopping by and happy creating!

Craft-a-Board Uses and Techniques by Sharon Harnist

 

Today I'll be showing you a few different uses for Ellen Hutson's Craft-a-Board (CAB).  It's a wonderfully diverse soft white material (similar to chipboard) that is sturdy enough to use as a base for a photo album, making your own delicate paper flowers, or creating a piece of artwork.

For this project, I chose different sizes and shapes of Nestabilities dies to create the graduated pages for a mini album about all the beautiful flowers we saw on our trip to Disney last year.  I began by die cutting Craft-a-Board, coordinating Basic Grey Infuse papers, and my photos.

 

Yes, your low-profile chemically-etched dies (such as Spellbinders) in larger, less-intricate, simpler shapes, will usually cut through most layers of the CAB just fine.  You may have to make more than one pass through your die cutting machine and/or shim a little bit, in order to get a good clean cut.  You also may have to finish cutting a few areas by snipping them with your scissors, but for this album, I only had to do that in just a few spots.

 

For the back cover of the album, I stamped Picotage Print backgrounder with Memento Rich Cocoa ink directly onto the CAB and colored it with these Copic markers:

 

The CAB takes the ink and markers beautifully, without any bleeding!  You also get great results with shading and using the Copic Colorless Blender to remove color.

Next, I started assembling the album using a liquid glue to adhere the papers and photos to the CAB.  Everything I've tried adheres beautifully to the CAB -- no problems with anything peeling away from it.

 

Quite by accident, I discovered CAB will split into layers when you want it to.  Simply bend back a corner and it will usually split into even layers:

 

If you don't get even layers (about 2 layers on each half), simply fan the corner a little with your fingernail and you should be able to see more layers and be able to divide it evenly:

 

It usually peels apart very evenly and has a wonderful texture on the inside, similar to hand-made paper!  The fewer layers of CAB cut very easily with the lower profile dies -- no problems whatsoever, and it embosses beautifully:

For the flower on the front cover of my album, I used Spellbinders Flower Creations die to cut the flower pieces and then just enhanced the natural color with a little Ranger Antique Linen Distress ink and a sponge dauber:

 

The flower center was colored directly with Copic G40.  The green flower petals were airbrushed with Copic's Airbrush System and Copic YG63 Sketch marker (using the broad tip gives a more even coverage) and then speckled (by using the brush tip) with YG95:

 

As you can see, the CAB also takes airbrushing beautifully.  Imagine all the custom colors of flowers you can now create, to match your projects perfectly! 

Here are the inside pages of the album . . . pages 2 and 3:

 

(Above photo) - The largest die of the Large set of Scalloped Rectangle Nestabilities was used to create the front cover and also used to cut the page 2 photo (left).  The largest die of the Small set of Scalloped Circle Nestabilities was used to cut page 3 (right) and a smaller die in the small set was used to cut the photo.

 

In the close-up view of page 3 above, you can see the shapes of the pages a little better.  On the interior Circle and Labels One pages, I trimmed the bound side straight so the album pages would open better.  My Crop-O-Dile easily punched holes through two pages at once so I could tie ribbon through them, to bind the album.

 

The amethyst flower on page 4 (left, next to the word "Poppies") is also CAB cut with the Flower Creations die and airbrushed with Copic V17, V06 and custom lighter Y21.  Page 5 (right) has a rose flower airbrushed with Copic R85, with Island Blossom Dew Drops used for the center and as accents on the "Pansies" title.  Spellbinders Labels One die was used to cut this page and the photo.  Here's a single view of this page, so you can see the nice shape of it:

 

You can also see how I trimmed this page straight on the left side.  Notice the edges of the previous pages on the left side of the photo -- you can see what a nice base the CAB makes for an album!  You can also see the lovely dimension the CAB flowers have, too.

 

Page 6 (left) is just my silly girls posing in a floral photo board with cut-outs for their heads!  Page 7 (right) has a strip of patterned paper on the right edge, just so the album would maintain a consistent look when it's viewed closed.  The largest of the Large set of Scalloped Square Nestabilities was used for this back page. 

And here's how that back cover, stamped and colored, turned out.  The soft white color of the CAB maintains Copic's vibrant, rich colors:

 

This holiday framed artwork that was featured in the December newsletter, also used CAB:

 

I embossed the original thickness of CAB with the Holly Cuttlebug embossing folder and then used Copic markers to color directly and airbrush the yellow background.  The Festive Stocking is a Spellbinders die that also cut and embossed CAB very well:

 

I hope this gives you just a few ideas on uses for this fabulous product . . . we can't wait to see what you create with it!

Christmas Recipe Mini Album by Debbie Olson

Have you started thinking about your holiday baking yet?  I'm serving Thanksgiving Dinner here, so I've been thinking lately about what I'm planning to cook. While looking for some of our traditional family recipes, it occurred to me that I really should have them stored together in a mini album. I have expansion plans for this album, but right now it contains just three sweet-treat recipes. I thought I'd share this idea with you in case you might enjoy making one too. If you would like to see a larger picture, click on the picture.

I started by die-cutting four curved rectangle shapes from Craft-a-Board with the largest die. The die basically cut cleanly through my Craft-a-board; I used a craft knife in a couple of places where the board was not completely cut through. Next I stamped, then die-cut eight curved rectangles from Memory Box cardstock in assorted colors: Dill, Holly Berry, and Willow. I chose these stamps: the Polka Dots backgrounder with white Brilliance ink on the Dill cardstock, the Fine Houndstooth Scrapblock with Adirondack Oregano ink on Willow cardstock, and the Perfect Plaid Scrapblock with Adirondack Cranberry ink on Holly Berry cardstock.  I covered the back and the front of each piece of Craft-a-Board with the stamped backgrounds.

Next, I trimmed the tops of all five of the covered boards to make it simpler to bind the edge.( I set up my Carl Cutter with a stop in place so that all of the pieces would have the same amount trimmed off of the top.) I inked all of the edges with some Antique Linen Distress ink, then sanded the edges to reveal parts of the white core. Why both? I wanted my little album to look like it had been in the family for long enough for the pages to darken a bit around the edges and wear on the edges too.

 

I used a Bind It All to punch four holes in each side; I set a stop so that they would all be the same--a great feature on the new pink BIA's! (Of course, you can use the blue one if you have it; you would just need be careful to be sure that you punched in the same amount from each edge. After getting my four boards punched, I was ready to start decorating my book. The first order of business was to choose and format some recipes! I'm attaching a page of four recipes here, in case someone wants them. You can print out this pdf version, then trim to 3" x 5" cards. Just a little note about one of the recipes: if the coconut bars are too sweet for you, you can leave out at least 1/2 lb of the powdered sugar and add extra coconut to keep it the right consistency. Download christmas_recipesdolson.pdf

I started with the cover: I knew that I wanted to use some of the Kim Hughes images, so I wanted a whimsical type to work with those images. You can obviously use stamped letters, rub-ons--whatever you have. I chose to use my Cricut (which has been needing to see some action) along with the Opposites Attract cartridge. I did a bit of tweaking to pull the cursive letters closer together, then cut my letters and attached them to the front cover. I added some clear and red Stickles to the letters after they were in place to give them some pizazz. For the image, I chose a snowman from Heart Warmers and colored him with Copic markers (C-1, R24, R29, Y68). I trimmed carefully around him, then attached him and applied red Stickles to his heart. For the snow, I die-cut another curved rectangle from white cardstock, then cut it in curves and stitched the edges of the curves before gluing them in place on the bottom edge.

For the first spread I chose old faithful, the fudge recipe. Another image from Heart Warmers, the trees, was colored with Copic markers (G82, G94, G99, R22, R24, R29, E35). I made a snowbank similar to the one on the front cover and added a picture--easy! The felt snowflake was from a packet found here.

 

English Toffee is another favorite around here, but, as with fudge, I need two versions--a nutty and a non-nutty version. I used a little hinge clip to hold my list of who likes which version. The "yummy stuff" image is from the Baked with Love set, cut with a Tags trio die. I snipped the end off and rounded its corners by hand to get the tag short enough.

 

Finally, the last spread (for now, at least) was reserved for one of my husband's favorites, coconut bars. After having fresh, moist, homemade ones, the bought ones aren't quite as appealing! I made a whole batch of these tonight just so I could get a picture. . . but he's not complaining. ;-) The "kiss the cook" sentiment is from the Baked with Love set.  I added a few Dew Drops to the top of the recipe for a dash of color, as well as ribbon and button.

My Merry Cherry Cheesecake album spread isn't finished yet; I still need to make some and take a picture. It's included on the pdf recipe sheet as well though. I'd love to see a link if you make your own Recipe Mini Album!  Thanks for visiting.

Debbie Olson, for the In Touch Newsletter

apple inchie notebook

Today's post will show step-by-step instructions for creating a versatile notebook gift with a few gift-giving options!

Ellen's store carries a new product called Craft-a-Board.  It's basically professional chipboard at a great price - twelve (12) thick sheets in a soft white color for $9.99.  Overall size of each sheet is approximately 9 1/2"w x 13 1/2"h x 1/8"d.  Try embossing, stamping, piercing or binding it.  I used my Cuttlebug with the Craft-a-Board and it die cuts both Nestabilities and Cuttlebug dies (it's thick - repeat the sandwich feeding process about 3-4 times to ensure a clean cut). 

Craft-a-Board is sturdy - so sturdy that it will outlast the 5x8 lined notepad a few times over.  So we are going to create a notebook to house a 5x8 lined notepad that can be replaced with a new one when needed.

First - coloring.  Using the Lockhart IB Apple and IB Ruler stamp on a White Inchie Square using a Palette Noir pad.  Shade the apple, then stamp the apple again onto a piece of Cotton Candy (all paper is Memory Box) cardstock scrap.

Using Copic markers color in the apples. I made two - you'll see what I did with the other one later in the post!  Cut out these apples and adhere to the stamped Inchie Squares using foam dimensionals.

Add the positive part of Basic Grey magnets to the back of the Inchie Squares.  Here I've created a few more Inchies - you'll see why later in the post!

Next:  the Craft-a-Board notebook base.  I used this template to score and cut.  Use a piece of scrap cardstock to create the pocket, according to the template.

Add velcro dots to the back of the 5x8 notepad, so it can be changed out as needed.  Tip:  press the hook and loops together on the back of the 5x8 notepad, then press onto the Craft-a-Board as outlined in the template.  This way the loop part and hook part of the velcro will be aligned.  Immediately remove the notepad and using the velcro location on the back of the 5x8 notepad, add velcro to the back of a few more 5x8 lined notepads to give along with the finished notebook.

When the 5x8 notepad is in place the notebook inside will look like this.

Next:  the cover.  Using Memory Box Sugar Collection I created a front for the notebook.  It's basically a card layout just bigger!  Stamped Lockhart's IB Ruler image four times on a piece of black cardstock using white ink, but before mounting, I adhered the negative of a Basic Grey snap (the Inchie Squares all have positive magnets) so the magnet is hidden from view - and now allows the attachment of an Inchie Square!

Use additional negative magnets from Basic Grey and decorate the inside of the notebook - add and store additional Inchies!  Change them out with your mood!

For the notebook closure, a strip of Memory Box Sugar was adhered to the inside front flap/pocket.  One part of a Basic Grey magnetic snap set was placed on the closure, the other on the notebook back.

If you did not want to add magnets to the inside of the notebook, you could always give them and store them in any little metal tin!

Hope this inspires you to create a lasting notebook suitable for multitudes on your gift lists!

supplies:  Inchie Products, Mona Lisa stamps, Copic Markers, Memory Box paper, Krylon pens, Craft-a-Board and a wide selection of Lockhart Stamp Company images - all available at Ellen Hutson, LLC.