Friday, December 18, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Key to my Heart Album
This is the last day to buy this paper and it's only $5.00 for a pack of 22 sheets. If I haven't told you enough, this is my favorite paper and I know if you buy some in the clearance sale today you will love it plus you can't beat that price.
Here's my website where you can get it today. http://barbraotten.myctmh.com
I've bought 11 packs of it myself. To show it off here's an album I made to send out to my relatives in California.
Here's my website where you can get it today. http://barbraotten.myctmh.com
I've bought 11 packs of it myself. To show it off here's an album I made to send out to my relatives in California.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Felicity card
January is National Papercrafting Month and to celebrate Close to my Heart is offering a beautiful paper and stamp set. I had a chance to play with it for the first time this week and wanted to share the card I made with you. To get this paper and stamp set you simply have to buy $60 worth of stamps or spend $125 in any products and you can have it for FREE!
You'll need to get your trimmer out cause I really went crazy with the layering on this one.
Colonial white cardstock - card base, 5 1/2 by 8 1/2, folded in half
Cocoa cardstock - 5 1/2 by 4 1/4
Plaid pattern paper - 2 by 5 1/2
Autumn Terracotta cardstock - 2 by 5 1/2
Cocoa cardstock - 3 1/4 by 3 1/4
Autumn Terracotta cardstock - 3 by 3
Cocoa cardstock - 1 3/4 by 1 3/4
Colonial white cardstock - 1 1/2 by 1 1/2
Distress all pieces with cocoa ink and a foam tool. Attach the plaid strip towards the top of the large cocoa cardstock piece 1/8 inch from top and sides.
If you like you can emboss the long autumn terracotta strip like I did with my cuddlebug but you don't have to. Attach it flush with the plaid strip.
Glue a coordinating ribbon across the center of the card front and attach in back.
Attach the small colonial white cardstock piece to the small cocoa piece and then stamp Happy Birthday or any other sentiment on the white and tie a knot in a ribbon and glue down. I used the Happy Birthday from the brand new Piece of Cake stamp of the month for February. You'll be able to see this in the new catalog that comes out January 1st.
Stamp the swirls from the Felicity stamp set in autumn terracotta ink onto the autumn terracotta 3 by 3 piece. This leaves a nice monochromatic background that won't detract from the flowers you are going to add to it. Glue it to the cocoa mat and attach to the card about 1/2 inch from top and left side. Add the Happy Birthday piece as shown, you may pop it up with popdots but remember this could cost you more if you are mailing it.
On some scrap colonial white paper stamp the flower from the stamp set first in autumn terracotta ink then roll just the edges in the barn red ink. Stamp three images on your paper, then cut them out.
Using pop dots (if you like) stick the three flowers as shown over the autumn terracotta stamped piece. Glue the whole card front to your card base and add an envelope! See, so simple and yet gorgeous!
You'll need to get your trimmer out cause I really went crazy with the layering on this one. Colonial white cardstock - card base, 5 1/2 by 8 1/2, folded in half
Cocoa cardstock - 5 1/2 by 4 1/4
Plaid pattern paper - 2 by 5 1/2
Autumn Terracotta cardstock - 2 by 5 1/2
Cocoa cardstock - 3 1/4 by 3 1/4
Autumn Terracotta cardstock - 3 by 3
Cocoa cardstock - 1 3/4 by 1 3/4
Colonial white cardstock - 1 1/2 by 1 1/2
Distress all pieces with cocoa ink and a foam tool. Attach the plaid strip towards the top of the large cocoa cardstock piece 1/8 inch from top and sides.
If you like you can emboss the long autumn terracotta strip like I did with my cuddlebug but you don't have to. Attach it flush with the plaid strip.
Glue a coordinating ribbon across the center of the card front and attach in back.
Attach the small colonial white cardstock piece to the small cocoa piece and then stamp Happy Birthday or any other sentiment on the white and tie a knot in a ribbon and glue down. I used the Happy Birthday from the brand new Piece of Cake stamp of the month for February. You'll be able to see this in the new catalog that comes out January 1st.
Stamp the swirls from the Felicity stamp set in autumn terracotta ink onto the autumn terracotta 3 by 3 piece. This leaves a nice monochromatic background that won't detract from the flowers you are going to add to it. Glue it to the cocoa mat and attach to the card about 1/2 inch from top and left side. Add the Happy Birthday piece as shown, you may pop it up with popdots but remember this could cost you more if you are mailing it.
On some scrap colonial white paper stamp the flower from the stamp set first in autumn terracotta ink then roll just the edges in the barn red ink. Stamp three images on your paper, then cut them out. 
Using pop dots (if you like) stick the three flowers as shown over the autumn terracotta stamped piece. Glue the whole card front to your card base and add an envelope! See, so simple and yet gorgeous!
'Morning everyone!
Time sure is flying towards Christmas. Consequently I'm a little busier than usual and have not put up as many new gifts as I wanted. I have a party tomorrow and a team meeting right after that so I've been busy getting ready for that and making my own Christmas gifts. Thursday I will be able to post some with tutorials so please keep checking!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
The Beatles really knew what they were talking about
I was listening to my ipod today and REALLY listened to the lyrics this time and heard this...."and in the end, the love you take, is equal to the love you make." Wow, pretty powerful, huh? That's going on my next layout.
Friday, December 11, 2009
How to decorate a paint can
Several years ago I decorated a paint can for every female member of my family and filled it with a present for Christmas. The cans turned out so pretty but, you know, you do it once and you can't give that same gift again so I haven't had a chance to make one lately. I put together one this morning to show you all one of my absolute favorite ways to wrap a gift. This is a very basic can decoration, you can see at the bottom of this post some of my more elaborate cans. Once you put one together you can let your imagination go wild and really get creative. I've found the cheapest place to buy these empty paint cans is the hardware store and places like Lowe's and Home Depot. Try not to pay more than $3.00 or you're paying too much. This particular can I won at a crop and it didn't come with a top so I just went with that but you can even decorate the top and hang a decorated can opener from the handle.
The biggest obstacle on a can is the knobs for the handle. Remove the handle (it takes a twist to pull it out and to put it back in later).
Measure your can for exact inches but my can here was just under 7 1/4 inches tall and I cut two pieces of matching paper 11 inches long (by 7 1/4) so they would wrap around easily. You will need a circle punch. Lay one paper against the can as if you were attaching it and estimate where the knob will meet with the paper then punch a hole in the paper in that area. Then take your second piece of paper (11 by 7 1/4) and lay it exactly on top of the first and punch an identical hole.
Back when I used to make these my best option for sticking the paper onto the can was double sided tape. Since these don't need to be archival you can use that or glue dots will work. Tombow might work okay but I used it on mine to attach paper to paper instead of to the metal. Wrap the tape pretty close to the top edge and bottom edge and then several strips around the rest of the can, you do not have to cover every bit of the can.
Here around the knob you need to leave a space but still keep the tape close to where you think the hole will lie.
The nice thing about the can is it has two perfectly straight lines to place your paper in between. Line up your paper and SLOWLY lay it down making sure the hole fits around the knob. You want to move slow so that you can keep from having air bubbles and wrinkles. That tape will stick well so there won't be a ton of chances to get this right so be careful.
Once you're attached the first piece of paper, start the second lining the hole up with the knob then keep it straight all the way around. Once you get to the end, let the papers overlap and put on your adhesive right on the edge so it lays very flat. The seams barely show, especially if you use stripes like I did.
Cut 2 pieces of coordinating paper 11 by 4 inches. Wrap it around about an inch up from the bottom. I actually found it more difficult to put this piece on than attaching the big papers to the can. Again, if you use stripes it's easier to line up everything together but it's up to you. I have found that the papers that work best on these cans are the ones that are too "loud" for your regular layouts. This is a much more subdued pattern than I normally use.
Cut another 2 pieces 3 inches by 11 and wrap them around the center of the last strips. I actually meant to cut this so these stripes go the opposite way but didn't so I just went with the stripes exactly the same as the other paper. Now is the time to decorate. You can stamp on little circles and attach them around the can or you can do buttons all along the edge like I did. It's up to you. Attach buttons with glue dots, great way to use up extra buttons.
I added a big ribbon and a used tombow all around the top edge to keep it in place.
This next step is up to you. I like to decorate the handle, if you like this look put the handle back on and cut a bunch of coordinating ribbons and mesh about 4-5 inches long (you can always trim later). Just tie them on, one knot only, about 20 or so.
You can keep the handle up or let it drop to the side.
For this particular "topless" can I was able to really show off the tissue paper. Imagine this with a loaf of homebaked bread or some cooking utensils or art supplies.
Depending on the paper you use you could fill your can with toys or fishing supplies or even tools.
Here are a variety of cans I've made in the past. See how I've attached a tag with the recipient's name and used those old "quotable quotes" vellum embellishments to decorate the front.
You can really decorate over the top on these and imagine how they can be then again used by the recipient as a gift wrap again or as a decoration in their home.
If you use a top you can close it tightly and just attach a paint can opener to it with a ribbon. Most paint stores will give you these for free.
Make sure you decorate the top if you use one.
Here I used muslin cloth for the "ribbons" since I wanted a really homey look for a wonderful teacher. I would love to see your artwork if anyone tries one of these.
The biggest obstacle on a can is the knobs for the handle. Remove the handle (it takes a twist to pull it out and to put it back in later).
Measure your can for exact inches but my can here was just under 7 1/4 inches tall and I cut two pieces of matching paper 11 inches long (by 7 1/4) so they would wrap around easily. You will need a circle punch. Lay one paper against the can as if you were attaching it and estimate where the knob will meet with the paper then punch a hole in the paper in that area. Then take your second piece of paper (11 by 7 1/4) and lay it exactly on top of the first and punch an identical hole.
Back when I used to make these my best option for sticking the paper onto the can was double sided tape. Since these don't need to be archival you can use that or glue dots will work. Tombow might work okay but I used it on mine to attach paper to paper instead of to the metal. Wrap the tape pretty close to the top edge and bottom edge and then several strips around the rest of the can, you do not have to cover every bit of the can.
Here around the knob you need to leave a space but still keep the tape close to where you think the hole will lie.
The nice thing about the can is it has two perfectly straight lines to place your paper in between. Line up your paper and SLOWLY lay it down making sure the hole fits around the knob. You want to move slow so that you can keep from having air bubbles and wrinkles. That tape will stick well so there won't be a ton of chances to get this right so be careful.
Once you're attached the first piece of paper, start the second lining the hole up with the knob then keep it straight all the way around. Once you get to the end, let the papers overlap and put on your adhesive right on the edge so it lays very flat. The seams barely show, especially if you use stripes like I did.
Cut 2 pieces of coordinating paper 11 by 4 inches. Wrap it around about an inch up from the bottom. I actually found it more difficult to put this piece on than attaching the big papers to the can. Again, if you use stripes it's easier to line up everything together but it's up to you. I have found that the papers that work best on these cans are the ones that are too "loud" for your regular layouts. This is a much more subdued pattern than I normally use.
Cut another 2 pieces 3 inches by 11 and wrap them around the center of the last strips. I actually meant to cut this so these stripes go the opposite way but didn't so I just went with the stripes exactly the same as the other paper. Now is the time to decorate. You can stamp on little circles and attach them around the can or you can do buttons all along the edge like I did. It's up to you. Attach buttons with glue dots, great way to use up extra buttons.
I added a big ribbon and a used tombow all around the top edge to keep it in place.
This next step is up to you. I like to decorate the handle, if you like this look put the handle back on and cut a bunch of coordinating ribbons and mesh about 4-5 inches long (you can always trim later). Just tie them on, one knot only, about 20 or so.
You can keep the handle up or let it drop to the side.
For this particular "topless" can I was able to really show off the tissue paper. Imagine this with a loaf of homebaked bread or some cooking utensils or art supplies.
Depending on the paper you use you could fill your can with toys or fishing supplies or even tools.
Here are a variety of cans I've made in the past. See how I've attached a tag with the recipient's name and used those old "quotable quotes" vellum embellishments to decorate the front.
You can really decorate over the top on these and imagine how they can be then again used by the recipient as a gift wrap again or as a decoration in their home.
If you use a top you can close it tightly and just attach a paint can opener to it with a ribbon. Most paint stores will give you these for free.
Make sure you decorate the top if you use one.
Here I used muslin cloth for the "ribbons" since I wanted a really homey look for a wonderful teacher. I would love to see your artwork if anyone tries one of these.
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