Showing posts with label wood veneers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wood veneers. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

DIY // Shaker Cards

Included in a pen pal booklet I did, I made a shaker card. Today, I'll show you my process in how I make them!

Materials needed: project life sheet protectors (I used the sheet protectors from the mini albums), fillers (sequins, confetti, small wood veneer pieces or chip board), scissors/trimmer, and a sewing machine.



First, take the sheet protector and trim them down. Whats nice about this is that you know that if you sew inside the original lines, these shaker cards will fit perfectly in any project life sheet protectors.



Then, you fill the shaker card with whatever you please, but try not to make it too bulky. Here I used a combination of sequins, and wood veneer stars, all from Studio Calico. Making confetti out of left over scraps is also perfect for this. Also threw in a tag with a quote on one side and a stamped image on the other.



Last part is sewing inside the original sheet protector lines on all four sides. (or just on the sides that are open)



And this is a bonus step - if you want to add any glitter, before you sew your last side closed, you can add a little (or a lot ;) lol)



No sewing machine, you say? No problem! This is easily remedied a couple of ways.

One way to have a no-sew pocket is to use washi tape to seal the ends. Another way to have a no-sew pocket is to use paper scraps, fold them over the edges, and either use a glue runner or a mini attacher/stapler to seal the shaker card closed.



And that's it! What's fun about shaker cards is that you can get really creative with the filling, and its a great way to use scraps and confetti made from hole punches! You can also find other ways to create a no-sew shaker card here, on the Studio Calico blog.



*note: I am not a design member or endorsed by Studio Calico, I just really love their products, and I always get ideas from their blog and community, so I'm just giving credit where credit is due, haha. ;)

Monday, April 14, 2014

Project Life // Embellishments

As I was introduced to project life, my eyes were also opened to all the new things that were out there. There were classic embellishments that were re-imagined, and there were embellishments that I never even heard of before until now. Here are a list of things I use and things I've seen on many project life spreads.

Embellishments!


Enamel Dots // These little dots come in all sizes and basic shapes (but you will mostly see them as dots) and adds that pop of color and 3D element easily since they already have adhesive on the back.

Enamel Dots


Sequins // Before, the only way I would ever think of sequins is with clothes. Now, they are used to add that little sumthin sumthin, or pop of color, similar to enamel dots. You can see me use a lot of sequins in my spread to also make it more cohesive. Another reason why I love sequins is that you can get a lot for less money.

Sequins


Wood Veneers // These come in all shapes, sizes, and also in alphas. I love the look of these on layouts, it adds a fun detail without taking too much attention away from other elements, like photos. For the most part I like to keep them "naked", but I have seen them painted, inked, or even embossed. The one thing about these though, is that most of the time I have to bust out the tacky glue to adhere these to my PL cards, otherwise I would just use glue dots or my mini attacher.

Wood Veneer


Chipboard // Most of the time, you will see chipboard shapes as stickers which makes it really easy to add another 3D design element to your spreads. They come in all sorts of designs and

Chipboard


Cork // This is newer type of embellishment that I would like to play around with more. I have seen many people buy cork sheets and make shapes using die cuts or even with their silhouette. I have also seen others stamp on cork pieces and they look so cute. Most of the time cork shapes come without an adhesive backing, but I use glue dots or my tiny attacher and it works just fine.

Cork


Cut Files/Die Cuts // I also want to play around with cut files more. I love how I've seen many others use them, but I haven't really had the chance to get to experiment with these. I don't have a die cut machine, but I do have a Silhouette Cameo. Aside from shapes and letters you can cut out, I've seen many people create their own PL cards with cut files. Also with the Silhouette, you have the design studio where you can basically cut anything you create in the program. It's another part of project life I need to explore more of.

Cut Files


Stamping // Stamping has been around forever in the paper craft industry, but now they have so much more than traditional wood block stamps. Cling stamps and roller stamps for example are becoming more popular in the scrap booking/project life world. They add some nice dimension or little phrase/date that your card might need.

Stamping


Paper Clips // This again, is not something new, but something old; re-imagined. There are so many colors and shapes that have come out that can add that extra 3D element you're looking for.

Paper Clips


Stitching // Hand-stitching is now easier with stencil kits and embroidery tools. Some also use their sewing machine to help attach other elements or just to give it that little something extra and that shabby chic feel.

Hand Stitching on a photo


Flair // This is another embellishment I haven't had much of a chance to play around with, but I do like the way it looks when I use it on a card. These are fun because they add that 3D element and they can have fun sayings or designs on them.

Flair


Do you embellish your pages or do you keep it simple? Which are your new favorites? There's so much more to explore, so many options to choose from, I love it.