The Resourceful Paper Crafter

Here are someways to save money while being able to create stunning paper crafts.

1. Clearance-Every season stores change their inventory to meet the themes of the season. This is the perfect time to find and purchase clearance items that you need, like, or want to try using without breaking the bank.

2. Remodels-Every five years Wal-mart remodels their stores. This is the perfect time to find items marked down. Recently Wal-mart decided to cut back their Fabric and Craft department. Many items are being clearanced out because there is no shelf space for them.

3. Clubs and Groups- Join online groups and clubs that offer discounts on items you are interested in. Borders, Michaels, Jo-Ann's, and A.C. Moores all offer e-mail clubs that are free.

4. Coupons-Check out your Sunday paper for coupons. Sunday papers are the thickest with coupons and information because that is the day most people buy and read the paper.

5. Swap Shops-That's right "dump pickin.'" Many town dumps now have a "Swap Shop" where you can place items you don't need or want for others to have free. Often these are items that did not sell during yard/garage sales. I have found unfinished furniture in my local swap shop.

6. Yard and Garage Sales-Everyone has things they don't want any more or the item just needs a little fixing up (i.e. fresh paint). Yard and Garage Sales are a great place to find items like furniture, glasswares, yard, fabric, stamps, and more.

7. Gifts-Someone in the family just had a birthday and gifts came in bags with tissue paper. Save the tissue paper and use it instead of Mulberry paper to give your paper crafts texture.

8. Crops-Arrange crops with fellow scrappers and card makers. have each person RSVP with a different tool (i.e. Sally brings her Cricut and cartridges, Ruth brings her punches, Jane brings her Making Memories Tool-kit, etc.) and share them. One sugestion if you plan on using Sally's Cricut bring your own mats and save them for next time you all get together. Rotate who brings what or have Croppers sign-up like a pot-luck.

9. Buying online-Websites often give discounts if your purchase over a set dollar amount or even free shipping. Try Amazon, E-Bay, and other sites for these types of discounts.

10. "Slitly Used"-I love the slitly used aspect of Amazon's website. I have been able to purchase books and materials for fractions of the "New" price. For example, a college textbook that costs $150 was $35 "slitly used" and the book was like brand new.

11. Saving-Saving wrapping paper that you liked from a gift recieved or clasp envelopes from the mail can also be used for other projects and organization

Twilight Lay out Part 2

Materials: use the same materials as Twilight Lay out Part 1

Instructions:
1. mount 6x6 piece of stripe paper and paisley paper to bottom of 12x12 black card stock.
2. mount 2.5x12 piece of stripe paper to black cardstock a quarter inch down from top of page
3. mount 2x12 piece of paisley paper on bottom edge of strip stripe.
4. mount .5x12 piece of deep red cardstock on bottom edge of paisley stripe.
5. mount 4.5x6.5 deep red photo mat a half inch down from top and half inch in from right side of page.
6. mount 4.5x6.5 deep red photo mat in lower left side of page, half inch in from left edge and bottom of page.
7. create a journaling box by mounting a 2.5x3 piece of cream paper on to a 3x3.5 piece of deep red paper and adhere to page in top left corner about an inch down from top and 1.5 inches in from left edge.
8. Add two 4x6 photos and enjoy

Twilight Lay-out

~Twilight Layout~

materials: black 12x12 paper, cream 11x11 paper, 2x12 strip of paisley and vertical stripes, 2.5x12 strip of flower/leaf print paper, dark green cardstock, black cardstock, dark red card stock, Cricut with Doodlecharms and Tear Drop, Cricut mats, vellum, flat and dimentional adhesives,

How-to:
1. Using DoodleCharms cut a 3.5 green apple, cut a 3.5 red apple with the shift key pressed on the Cricut machine.
2. Place a small scrap of vellum between apple layers over the shine cut out. Adhere the three layers together, apply dimentional adhesive to the back and set a side.
3. Cut title "Twilight" using Tear Drop at 1.5 on the Cricut using red. Create shadow of the letters using black. Adhere layers together and set a side.
4. Adhere cream card stock to center of black 12x12 card stock.
5. Adhere stripe strip about a half inch from the bottom of the cream paper horizontal to the lay-out.
6. Adhere Paisley strip on one edge of the flower/leaf strip. Adhere layers to the left edge vertically on the 12x12 page.
7. Cut two 2.5x2.5 pieces and one 5.5x7.5 piece of dark red card stock. Apply adhesive to the backs.
8. Adhere 5.5x7.5 cardstock half an inch down from the top of the cream cardstock and centered horizonatally and the two 2.5x2.5 cardstock to the left of the 5.5x7.5 cardstock.
9. Adhere apple to the right edge of the stripe strip
10. Apply title "Twilight" to the space between stripe strip and 5.5x7.5 photo mat.
11. Add pictures and display.

Color Choice

What color goes with what color? What will look good with this paper?

Age old questions, hopefully this blog will help.

Primary Colors--are the basic colors from which all other colors are made. The primary colors are blue, red and yellow.

Secondary Colors--are the three colors that are made by mixing two primary colors. The secondary colors are purple, orange and green.

Monocromatic Color--is using various shades and tints of the same color. For example, monocromatic scale of purple would be lt purple to purple to dk purple.

Complementary Colors--are the two colors that are across from each other on a color wheel. Red complements green. Blue complements orange. Yellow complements purple.

If you have a paper that is rich in color try using a cardstock that is one of the lesser used colors in the paper.

For more information on color relationships check out this website:

http://www.worqx.com/color/combinations.htm

Embossing with Powder

So you've decided to do a little research about embossing...well good for you! Embossing can give that unique and perfect last touch to any project.

Below you will find my tips for embossing; however feel free to experiment and find what works best for you.

Tip #1- Find the Right Ink--

Finding the right ink can make all the difference in a project that works or a project that doesn't. You want an ink that will stay wet long enough for you to apply the powder or glitter that you want. I use the VersaMark ink pad and pen for all my embossing projects; because it's clear enough that when you emboss with a light colored powder like white you won't see it (the ink) through the powder.

Tip #2-The Right Image and the Right Powder--

The more detailed the design the finer your powder should be. Use a powder that compliments your project. Don't be afraid to experiement on a model of your project first.

Tip #3-Heating the Image--Finding the Right Tool

I found that heat guns are best (they cost around $20-$25) but a hair drier (as cheap as $10) will do the job too.

Tip #4-Stamping and Powdering the Image--

Choose your stamp, powder and paper. If you are planning to cut the paper smaller once you have stamped and embossed, save your self the fustration and cut first. (For example cut out the star first then stamp and emboss it)

Ink the stamp...place it on the desired spot on the paper...press image firmly...remove stamp...dust ink with desired powder (don't be afraid to pour a good amount of powder on the image)...shake the paper gently to move the powder all over the ink...tap extra powder of the paper on to a scrap piece of paper so that you can put the extra back in the jar...using your heating tool heat the image.

Tip #5-Heating the Image--How?

When you use your heating tool (heat gun or hair drier) to emboss an image start at one end and using a sweeping motion about two inches from the paper more across the image.

Tip #6-HELP! My Paper is Curling--

If the paper your image is stamped on is curling when you heat or it is scorching try any of the following;

-heat the image from under neath using a pair of tweezers to hold the paper (don't burn your fingers)

-place the image stamped paper in a small box lined with tin foil...using the heating gun heat the tin foil...this allows the whole image to be heated at one time...kind of like when you cook a roast.

Tip #7-My paper is has static. Or The extra powder won't come off the paper.

Take a dryer sheet and rub it across your paper before you stamp...hey dryer sheets are good for lots of things.

Tip #8-My image is missing spots of powder. What should I do?

-Make sure your stamp is clean before begining the project

-Stamp the image on the ink pad more than usual, two to four times

-You inked, inked, inked and still missing spots? Try using a finer powder

Under Construction

Good Morning!

Currently my blog Blu_Butterfly Creations is under construction. My goal is to have this site up and running over the course of the next few weeks. Please check back often as things will change and expand.