SANTA TIPS

What to buy a paper crafter

Hey! Psssst! Hey you over there!

Is your loved one, significant other into paper crafting, scrapbooking and card making? They are! Well, we need to have a conversation!

Are you stumped as to what to get the crafty person on your Christmas list? Craft stores and departments can be a foreign land for some people so here is a little help.

There are 2 items that ever paper crafter needs. Paper, of course, and scissors! You can buy all sorts of different papers. They usually come in 2 different sizes 12 x 12 and 8.5 x 11. Decorative papers also come in smaller sizes most of the time 6 x 6 pads. The pads are a great thing to get as it allows many different combinations and the papers are designed to go together. The prices vary as much as the designs. Rest assured though a nice pack of designer or speciality paper would not be unwelcomed under the tree. Scissors are another thing that paper crafters need more than one of. There are small ones for the fine delicate jobs and larger ones for the big cuts. Many crafters have different pairs for specific jobs such as cutting ribbon. Oh! Ribbon! What a great stocking stuffer. You can actually put it in the gift instead of around it. Although most crafters will keep the ribbons on the gifts and the paper too!

Another thing that crafters like to store a variety off are embellishments, that would be anything from brads and buttons to small flowers and chipboard shapes. Things used to fancy up a project.

If you are looking for a larger "special" gift, one suggestion may be a portable light studio. The studio folds almost flat it stores small lights and a cameral tripod. When the studio is unfolded it would fit on a kitchen table and is a box with dark sides and a top that you put your card or project in to take a picture of it for posting on the net, for blogs or crafting groups.

Another big gift would be an embosser or die cut machine. These range from small to very large in size as well as price. The newest machine of this type is the Provo Craft Cricut Imagine which actually prints the image in colour first then makes the die cut. The Imagine retails for about $599. If you are looking for something more affordable there is the Cuttlebug, a hand cranked die cut and embossing tool and a great place to start.

Other wonderful gift additions to any crafters space would be lighting, anything from a good desk lamp to help with colouring to a nice set of track lights. Storage is also precious to a crafter. Small bottles are good for buttons and bows, racks are good for ribbons and there are some great modular units specially for paper and supplies available at most craft stores.

You will always find the staff at most craft stores very helpful. If there is a favourite store where your crafter goes you might want to check it out they may have a few ideas for you too!

PREPARING FOR CHRISTMAS – THE GIFT OF ORGANIZATION

When was the Christmas Party again? What gifts have are bought so far? Who is left on my list? Where is that recipe for Auntie Joan's Christmas Cookies?

Question after question the closer you get to Christmas. Well, here is a great way to have all the answers (or at least most of them)! They can also become a Christmas gift as well. What a great idea for a Secret Santa present.

You can make many different types of organizers. Large, small, complicated or very simple – Just keep in mind the person for whom you are making it. You can check out craft magazines, libraries, local craft shops, friends or do a trusty internet search.

Here are two examples of organizers to help you get ready for Christmas. The first is a simple and very convenient pad for your shopping lists, paired with a matching pen and homemade ornament to make a great gift set. These were made by Karen Gladney and giving to her daughter's teachers (and some lucky friends) last year. The planner is made from cardstock, decorative paper, and stamps. When you open it there is a pad of lined paper for your Christmas planning. The matching pen is made by stamping your design on your paper and rolling it up to fit into the barrel of your pen. You can add extra sparkle with micro beads or glitter. The ornament, which makes a beautiful gift all on it's own, is made clear acetate or transparency which is cut to fit inside the clear blub. It is stamped with Stazon Ink which is a great ink for glossy surfaces and fabric. The stamp is coloured in with Sharpies, also great for glossy surfaces. The work of art is then rolled up, put into the bulb and voila! A beautiful gift!

The second organizer is designed for the person who needs everything written down to keep track of it. There are a lot of us out there! It is made with 8 pieces of cardstock for the pages, diagonally cut size 10 envelopes for the lists. Each envelope is measured 3.5 inches in from either end and then cut on the diagonal. Just remember to do three envelopes opposite from each other so you end up with right and left sides. The front and each page was then finished off with stamps and embossing. There are three envelopes in the back for receipts. The pages are all bound together with a Bind-it-all which is a small home binding machine but you can use O-rings or ribbon as well.

Colouring your world

Adding interest an dimension to your projects

Our lives are very colourful - green trees, blue sky, red, yellow and white houses. Take all these beautiful hues and add them to your scrapbook pages and greeting cards!

There are many ways to apply colour to your paper craft projects. One easy and enjoyable way is to colour in your stamped images. You can use crayons, paints, watercolour pencils, gel pens, markers or many other mediums.
 
Currently, many crafters and artists make their images come to life using Copic Markers. These very high quality makers are available at local scrapbooking and rubber stamp stores as well as online. These are definitely not a child's marker and were originally created 25 years ago with the professional designer in mind. Over the last ten years, they have gained popularity with Menga artists and paper crafters. These non-toxic alcohol based markers are available in 334 colours and provide guaranteed colour consistency. They are refillable, have replaceable nibs that are guaranteed not to dry out for three years.

They come in two types: the Sketch marker and the less expensive Chio makers. Most crafters prefer the Sketch markers. They have a round square shape that is easy to manipulate. You can use either the paintbrush like tip or the chisel tip depending on what you are colouring. When applying colour, no matter what you are using, the basic method is the same. Start with your lightest colour and then graduate to darker ones to add shading. You can use a white marker to add highlights on your finished work.

The stamped image is your guide by following where the ink is heavier, showing you where you would use the darker colours. If you are using Copic markers, choose a gradient of colours that are about two colours apart, this will allow for easy shading. The markers also have a colourless blender marker, which is useful for picking up colour if you go outside the lines! It can also be used to lighten an area by pressing it lightly on your work, then just colour off the tip of the marker on a piece of scrap paper to clean it. Larger images are the best to start with as they give you more room to manipulate your colours. You do not have to colour in the whole image either, you can add touches of colour here and there as an accent.

Once you get used to colouring and develop a style of your own there are many different techniques that you can use. Many stores and companies offer classes to help you get started and find new ways of doing things. You can also find many tutorials on line. The important thing is to be fearless in your exploration and always remember that every piece of paper has two sides! If you do something, you do not like just flip it over! For more information and on line content go to http://www.just2crafty.blogspot.com.

Cold Season Stamps in Hot Weather

Cool off your Summer Days with A-MUSE-A-PALOOZA

 
It is time to think Halloween and Christmas! No, this isn't a joke... if you're a crafter. Crafters are usually months ahead of the game when it comes to holidays. By July, most crafters are finished up with preparations for summer weddings and birthdays and have moved on to the next occasion. In the same vein July is when the majority of stamp and paper-crafting companies introduce their fall and winter line-up so we're all prepared for fall and winter holidays.


At The Paperie this means it is time for A-Muse-A-Palooza! What fun! It's a paper crafting celebration that takes place throughout a full week which features the newest and most anticipated products from A Muse. This is The Paperie's second year participating in the exclusive unveiling event.


There will be lots of chances to participate in the Card Classes and Make 'n Takes. Registration for all classes and Make 'n Takes will be accepted on a first come-first served basis as space is limited so be sure to sign up in advance! A Make 'n Take is a convenient opportunity to make and item with materials provided, and then you get to take it home.

The celebrations begin with the A Muse holiday stamp debut on Saturday, July 10 at 9am. You can be one of the first stampers in North America to own the newest A Muse Holiday and Halloween stamps from the 2010 collection. There will also be mini muffins and complimentary Starbucks coffee.


This year The Paperie even has their own official A Muse instructor, Meghan Fahey!(The cards featured here are some of her wonderful creations) Last October Chris and Janna, owners of The Paperie, sent Meghan to Seattle for official instructor training and she was accepted into the A Muse creative team as a Certified A Muse Artstamps Instructor.


All week long, there will be an A-Muse-A-Palooza Raffle. Customers will receive one raffle ticket for each A Muse stamp you purchase. On Saturday, there will be a draw for the Grand Prize, which is an A Muse goodie bag valued at $50! Create an A Muse card using at least one stamp from the new Holiday releases and you enter to win a $50 gift certificate to spend on A Muse product! Drop off your entry to the store or upload it to The Paperie's Facebook Fan Page before July 16 at 11:55pm. A random winner will be chosen on July 17 at 4:30pm.


For a full schedule of events contact The Paperie at726-5323 or go to http://thepaperie.wordpress.com

For additional on-line content go to http://www.just2crafty.blogspot.com.

Happy to Me!

My son turns 26 and two cards!

"Happy to me!" was my son's greeting the morning of his birthday for many years. Of course, now he is past the quarter century mark and much more grown up. Memories of that phrase and the wonderful happy smile that accompanied it still bring a smile to my face though. 


I made two special cards for my boy this year.

The first is the one from Clarence, my brother in law. Of course, it is coloured with Copic Markers! It has become my new addiction and there is a stack of coloured panels in my desk drawer just waiting to become cards
.

The stamp is from High Hopes. I just love this little boy, called Sunday's Best - he looks so impish! The paper is Basic Grey as are the lines of paper ribbon in the corners. It was the first time I had used paper ribbon and I really liked the ease of use.

The sentiment is from the A Muse clear stamp set "Mainly Men." 

That is the set I used from my card for Joshua. I also used Basic Grey DP as well as the paper ribbon on for this card. I used the paper piecing technique for tie and the coffee cup to match with the background and give a bit of continuity to the card. The briefcase, laptop and shirt and tie are all on pop dots as is the "Son" in the centre which is actually on double layered pop dots to raise it a little higher. It is difficult to see though in the picture!


Hope you like the cards!

My First Card with Copic Markers!

Copics are definitely addictive!

I starting coloring with my Copic Markers and I just can't put them down! I have so many images ready for cards I don't know where to start!
Well, at first I didnt' know where to start!
So...Here is my first Copic colored image! I am in love with my markers.  The ease of applications is amazing and the blending is such fun! I have found out that I need to round out my colors a bit more, mainly to add some brown or earth tones.  I knew the minute I touched the tip to the paper that they were worth the money.  the colors are uniformed and vibrant.  They blend well and the colorless blender is just a miracle worker! Great when I color outside the lines...which of course I never do!
The stamp is from High Hopes which I bought at Scrappin' Great Deals.
The layout I used was last weeks CPS challenge.  The first one I have ever done and must say I am very happy that I did!  
As usual the Paper is from the Paper Company all but the card stock that the image is on, that is white Bazzill card stock which was recommended to me by Meghan at The Paperie as the best paper to use for Copic markers.  Thanks Meghan! Once again you were so right!
The sun and the lower butterfly were stamped separately and added to the card with pop dots. I was very tempted to add a bow but didn't want to take away from the main image.

So, how do you think I did with my first attempt at coloring with Copic Markers?

I Have to Bragg!!!

I Finally Have Some Copic Markers!!!

Ok, I have wanted these ever since they first appeared on cards at SplitCoast Stampers!

I always had problems budgeting such an indulgance in our household budget. So last year when I started writing for Current Magazine I had the thought of my Copics in the back of my mind. The payments I make with Current goes to me. . . and I must admit...mostly to stamping supplies with the occasional dinner out thrown in for good measure.

Yesterday I finally did it! I went and got my Copic Sketch Markers. I am so happy that The Paperie is carrying them now!

The funny thing is, I figured that I would come right home and start coloring! But I am hesitant...I think I wanted them for so long that now I am half afraid that I won't be able to do them justice! Silly hay?!?

Most of last night was spent on You Tube watching every Copic tutorial I could find! So now I will give it a go! Hopefully you will see my first Copic Marker creation here tomorrow!

Wedding Congratulations

RSVP Addition

My son Josh is standing at one of his best friends weddings in July. He had to send back the RSVP and wanted to include a card of congratulations for it. He brought me the card and the envelope so I could make one to fit the card. I also went a step further and matched the card to the RSVP card. I didn't include a picture of the RSVP card though as it has her name and info on it and I didn't think that would be quite right!

I used the Sketch Challenge from Splitcoast Stampers for the layout, and stuck with black and white as those were the colors of the RSVP card. The main panel is a cuttlebug embossing folder; textile. It is mounted on a black photo mat that I took from a random wedding mat pad. I like the texture of it and thought it would go well with the embossing. The cross piece is made of the same paper. The salutation comes from my Best Wishes and Blooms set by Unity Stamp Company.
As finishing touches. I added rows of pearls to the top, centre and bottom and then to the flowers on the cuttlebug panel. The ribbon and bow are the final touch to the outside.
The inside liner is embossed with the same design and a ribbon added to unify the card. The pearls and stamps were both bought at The Paperie.

Always Good To Be The Baby Of the Family!

Happy 61st Donna!

My oldest sister, Donna turned 61 on May 29th! Now when one of my siblings has a birthday, it's a happy day for me, because I am the baby of the family and will always be the youngest!
I look at it as redemption for all the younger years when I was "too young to come too" or "too young to understand" or heard the all to common "Do we have to take her, Mom?!?"

Here is the card that I made for Donna. I actually got to participate in Splitcoast Stampers Monday Technique Challenge for last week with this card. Their challenge was to create a card using the black magic technique. You can find a tutorial for the technique here. In the Video you will notice that she uses water colour pencils.
I actually used my Stampin' Up's Water Color Wonder Crayons - Bold Brights. First I stamped and heat embossed the images using white embossing powder. Then I applied several coats of white paint to the design and let that dry over night, once that was dry I applied the colored layers. The layers are punched with an ek success slim boarder punch. The stamps are the Best Wishes and Blooms set from the Unity Stamp Company . Both of these items were purchased at The Paperie. To finish off the card I embossed the sentiment and added some ribbon as well as another flower that I cut out after I painted it and popped it up with dimensionals.
The inside is done with an insert I cut with my Cricut and added a matching ribbon to tie the whole design together.
Donna was thrilled with the card and actually is planning to bring it home and frame it! Now is that a compliment or what

Add a Personal Touch to Your Wedding

Handmade Invitations and Accessories

By Debby Winters

Spring and summer are the seasons of white taffeta dresses, wedding veils, bouquets and fruitcake covered in fondant!

If you are one of the many brides to be that are planning your very own memorable walk down the aisle, then you are probably in the throes of confused organization as you pull all the integral parts together to create that magical day.

One way to give your wedding a very personal touch is to create your own wedding invitations and wedding favours. It has become a very popular pre-plannng event for the bride and her party to get together and make these all-important components.

Drawing upon books, magazines, the internet, local scrapbooking and card making stores or clubs can all work as resources and inspiration.

You can book the workshop workspace at The Paperie's for your event where you and your team will have access to their tools such as the AccuCut as well as the staff's expertise to help guide you with your creations.

Once you have an idea then you can go about gathering the necessary supplies. You will need cardstock, envelopes, adhesives and any embellishments you may wish to incorporate. You can hand stamp your invitations and accessories or you can print them from a computer. It is advised that you always start with making one invitation first. You may find that you actually make several samples before you decide on the final design that you want to go with. Another thing to keep in mind is the size of the invitation and if you can buy ready made envelopes to fit them.

Meghan from The Paperie created the beautiful invitation set shown. They are very elegant yet clean and uncomplicated to allow for ease of production.

The invitation enclosure was created with an AccuCut template in The Paperie's workshop. The invitation measures 5" x 7" and the RSVP is a 3.5" x 5" card.

The band around the invitation imprinted with the bride and grooms name and wedding date adds a beautiful and sophisticated personal touch.

Other personal touches you may wish to make would be the menus, place cards, table numbers and favour boxes. The favour box shown is also made with an AccuCut template and compliments the flower blossoms on the invitations and other materials.

For that final personal touch you can make your wedding programs and thank you cards. The church programs are made with the same print as the invitations but mounted on brown card stock with an added ribbon. All card stock used is from Bazzill and is available at The Paperie.

If making your own invitations feels like much too daunting a task, you can also have your invitations made for you by the experts at The Paperie and you will be able to maintain creative control.

For more information visit http://www.thepaperie.ca or call The Paperie at 726-5323. For additional content visit http://www.just2crafty.blogspot.com.

Writer's note: Special thanks to Meghan at The Paperie....not only did she make all these beautiful items, she also took the great pictrues!

Happy Birthday to Karen!

Owlways Nice to See You!

This is a card that I made for my lifetime long friend Karen. We began a tradition many years ago of making each others Birthday Cakes. It was actually Karen that got me into making cards! Thanks my friend!

Here she is about to blow out her candles. Look at the light from all those candles and that is just about half! There were no where near enough for all her years. I figure if I stop aging she will catch up in a few more birthdays!

The birthday card is made with Martha Stewart Card stock. the weight of this card stock makes it The great for cards. All stamps used come from The Paperie.

The background panel is stamped with Hero Arts Old Letter Writing stamp in Versamark and then embossed in gold. The owls are one of Hero Arts Sparkles sets which are small sets of clear stamps with sparkle gems included.

The owls are stamped in memento ink then colored with colored pencils that are blended with Goo Gone using a Q-Tip. As a final touch I added Martha Stewart turquoise glitter to the flowers, wings and leaves.

The images were then cut out and adhered to the card front and gem sparkles were added to the flower centers. The small the tree branch and flowers were adhered using my Xyron sticker maker and the small out is affixed with pop dots for dimension as the the larger owl. I doubled up on the pop dots for him to make him a layer above the smaller owl. As a crowning touch I added a chocolate colored ribbon and bow to tie in the main card color.

Hope you like it! and Again Happy Birthday my friend.

Quick and Easy...or should that be Quack and Easy!

Duck, Duck, Goose!

Those three words always bring a smile to my face along with memories of sitting in a circle with my friends waiting to become the all-powerful goose!!!
Here is a quick and fun card I made for my 6 year old Godson to take to a birthday party. It illustrates all the basic fundimentals of cardmaking. There is the base of the card which is from the paper company which is half a 8.5 and 11 sheet cut in half and folded. I turned the card lengthwise as it fit with the layout the best. The designer paper is "Dad's Socks" By Bella Blvd which I bought at The Paperie. Then I used a beige piece of card stock that I embossed with the argyle embossing folder from Provo craft with my Cuttlebug. For the image layer I used a Limited Edition Basic Grey set, Duck Duck Goose! that I purchased at The Paperie. It was one of those sets that you want the minute you lay eyes on it! The duck stamp was stamped twice and then the goose to make Duck Duck Goose! of course! Then each of the stamps was repeated on a separate sheet of white card stock I colored the heads cut them out and placed pop dots on the back and stuck them in the matching place to give the figures some dimension. Hope you like the card!

Make Something For The Mailbox

Handmade Cards Still In Fashion
In the age of electronics, email, Facebook and Twitter the homemade card still has a very special place. Clicking on send and receive will never match the feeling of reaching into your mailbox and pulling out an envelope containing a greeting that was made just for you. It may be a simple card made by a child in kindergarten or an elaborate layered and hand coloured work of art made by a friend or relative. They both mean the same thing, somebody thought enough about you to make you something special and remember you for whatever reason.

There are many websites you can check out to get ideas on cards to make and all sorts of different techniques that can be used but the most important thing is to start small and simple. As you learn more your cards will grow. No matter how fancy you may get with practice there will always be a place for the quick, simple card.

Every card, like many projects, starts with a blank sheet of paper which you cut and fold into the desired shape. Most cards are made from a sheet of 8.5” by 11” cardstock, cut in half width-wise producing two pieces that are 8.5” by 5.5” and then folded to create a card measuring 5.5” by 4.25”. Sets of blank cards and envelopes are also available, which help eliminate this step. Now that you have your card ready you can design the front by making a panel that you would adhere to the folded card or just decorate the base layer. It is up to you! If you’re a little unsure how to proceed, The Paperie offers classes each month where you make a couple of cards that you can take home while learning techniques and being introduced to all the materials available for card making. You can also check out their blog at thepaperie.wordpress.com where there’s great inspiration for card making.

The cards shown here are made by the staff at The Paperie (mostly Meghan) and illustrate how beautiful and simple a card can be. The wedding, cupcake and boat card are all made with stamps from Amuse. The wedding card has a white base and then the panel layered with graduated and contrasting coloured squares, making the main image stand out. The bride and groom are stamped on and the dress has glitter added for effect. The Cupcake card has a cut out square in the middle and is stamped with Amuse’s cupcake builder clear stamp set. The cupcake image is coloured and then a smaller stamp from the set is used to make the background. Curling Waves and Sailboat are two the stamps used for the you float my boat card, both images are cut out, then layered directly on the card front.

The other two cards are made with heat embossing techniques, which you would surely learn at The Paperie’s classes. The stamps used are from Hero Arts and are Poppy Background and Silhouette Grass.

All stamps and materials are available at The Paperie. For more information visit http://www.thepaperie.ca or call them at 709-726-5323. For additional content visit

http://www.just2crafty.blogspot.com.

I Have My Own Column!!!!

The following is the article to run in my Craft Column in Current Magazine, a local bi-weekly entertainment and events publication. I have been writing for Current for several months but have just recently started the Craft Column. Read and enjoy!

March 19th - April 2nd, 2010 CURRENT | Page 9
Just2Crafty
Using Die Cuts In Your Projects
Versatile Medium for Pages and Cards
By Debby Winters

Any paper project starts with a blank page whether it is a folded card or a scrapbook page. It’s what you fill that space with that makes it your own and expresses your artistry. One approach is to use die cuts; pieces of designer paper or cardstock cut in shapes that can highlight your
focal point or become your focal point. If creating a scrapbook page then the photos should be the focus.



In a card you can have a stamped image, sentiment or a die cut shape as focal examples.
When adding die cuts to your collection you there are many different machines that you can choose from in a variety of sizes and prices. However, if you want the versatility of die cuts without the expense or taking up valuable craft space local craft stores often have a machine that you can use.The Paperie, 36 Pippy Place has the AccuCut System available in their workshop. It’s an easy way to add variety and spice to layouts. The system consists of the AccuCut machine, dies (which are the medium that cuts the paper into a desired shape) and cutting mats. The machine is extremely easy to use, after picking out the shape and paper, just place it in the machine. First the die, then your paper, covered with the cutting mat which allows easy movement of the die “sandwich” through the machine. Once everything’s in place you crank the handle and the "sandwich” passes under a pressure applying barrel forcing the blades of the die up into the paper and cuts out your shape.


The AccuCut allows you to cut a variety of materials from fabric to chipboard, if it can lay flat you can probably cut a shape out of it. The Paperie has a wide variety of dies, including several alphabets, many basic and dedicated shapes as well as dies for making mini albums and other novelties. With the AccuCut you can also do multiple cuts at once. This is time saving if working on a project like a birthday, anniversary or wedding. The ways to use each die are only limited by your own imagination. For instance, the “tree without leaves” die can be used as part of a layout, or on its own.
You can add anything to its branches using the other dies at The Paperie. Maybe hearts for a wedding or Valentine’s, coloured leaves for fall, Easter eggs in spring, even pictures of your family members.

The benefit of using The Paperie’s AccuCut doesn’t stop with a wide variety of dies to choose from but also you can choose from their wide range of designer papers and card stock.
Their friendly and informed staff is there to assist as well. So, let your imagination be your guide and create “Your Story, Your Way” at The Paperie. For more information visit www.thepaperie.ca