Monday, June 30, 2008

How to make labels for your craft

Transfer method

You will need

Label_tut_6




  • Word Processor/Graphic editor to design your logo


  • Strip of fabric ( I'm using ribbons for this tutorial)


  • Iron


  • 1 Sheet of Iron on transfers ( I've used Rymans)


  • Inkjet printer


  • Your creative head


Design your Logo

I use Corel Paint Shop Pro to design my logo. For this tutorial I've used Microsoft Word as most people have this word processor.



  1. For a step by step guide on creating your logo using Microsoft Word try this


  2. This is an important step for this method. Once you are happy with your logo, group your images together then flip your design to create a mirror image. Here's a step by step guide on how to group images


  3. To flip the images make a copy of your original image(now grouped). Highlight the copied image.On the drawing toolbar, click on draw, then click on rotate or flip then on flip horizontal. Here's a picture of my logos before and after I flipped it Label_tut_3_2





Print your Logo

  1. Highlight your flipped image and on the drop down menu click on copy.



  2. On the menu bar Click on Tools. On the drop down menu highlight Letters and Mailings. From the sub menu click on Envelopes and Labels. You should get something like this Label_tut_1_2







  3. Click on options and you will get this Label_tut_2




  4. From the label products menu choose a template. I've chosen the Avery Standard and 8460 address. Play around with this until you find a label that works for your design


  5. Click ok and it should take you back to the screen in step 2. Now click on New Document and a new screen will open. If there are no grid lines showing on the menu bar click on Table and on the drop down menu click on Show Gridlines


  6. Right click your mouse and an image of your logo should appear on the document. Move the image into the boxes. repeat this process until you have filled all the boxes.Play around with the position of the images and adjust the box height and width until you are happy with the positioning.You can make the image smaller or bigger by left clicking on the image and dragging any of the circles.


  7. Once you are happy, print your images directly on to the transfer sheet( Follow manufacturers instructions)


Transfer image to Fabric



  1. Cut your printed logos into strips like this Label_tut_7




  2. Iron the strips on to your chosen fabric (Follow manufacturers instructions)


  3. You should now have something like this Label_tut_4_2







  4. Cut to your required length. I've used a pinking scissors for a decorative edge.


sew your label on to your lovely craft or use fabric glue. I also use studs both to secure and to add an extra bling to my labels Label_tut_5




This is quick and easy once you've got the hang of it and the results can be really pretty. The disadvantage of this method is that it will wear off with time and you cant iron it once the image is transferred.



in part 2 there's a tutorial on how to make labels using another method. Hope you enjoyed this one. if you found it useful or you need me to explain any of the steps drop me a line.



Iron- on Adhesive method



You will need



Labels_part_2









  • Word Processor/Graphic editor to design your logo


  • fabric measuring 8 1/4" x 11 3/4" ( Size of A4 paper) I am using plain old cotton for mine


  • Iron- on Adhesive( I've used Therm o Web, Heat n Bond purchased from John Lewis Uk)


  • Iron


  • Inkjet Printer


  • Your creative head


Design your Logo



  1. Follow step 1 and 2 in this post to design your label but don't flip your finished image. Group your images together so you have one completed image


Prepare Fabric for printing



  1. Cut the iron- on adhesive thingy (Therm o web, Heat n Bond) to the same size as the fabric (A4 paper) and then follow the manufacturers instructions for bonding it to your fabric. ( Don't peel of the backing paper yet)


Tut_part_2



The one on the right is the iron adhesive cut to size ( It comes in the pack as one strip 17" x1.25 yards) Ps it doesn't usually arrive this ruffled I've ruffled it to show the difference as its the same colour as my fabric.



Part_2



and this is it ironed on and bonded.



Print your Logo



  1. Follow steps 1 - 6 under Print your logo in this post ( Ignore the bit about flipping your image)


  2. Put the bonded fabric in your printer and print your design. ( if your fabric is thick you may need to give it a bit of a helping hand )


Label_part_2_logo



This is what it looks like printed out.



I leave the backing paper on and cut the labels to the size and shape as needed.



Once you cut to the size and shape, peel of the backing paper and iron on to your bag/craft.( Follow manufacturers instructions) You can also sew it on.



Blog_logo



...and this is the label on my craft-y bag



Blog_bag



and the label belongs to this bag



This is the method I use for my labels. You can sew it, its washable and you can iron it. I suspect there's a lot more creativity to come out of it yet.



A bit about Therm o Web.



I think this is an American product. I did buy mine from John Lewis (UK) a while ago. I went back for more recently and they had sold out.



I've done a search on the web for UK based suppliers and so far have found this web site. Somewhere on the site it does say they are trade suppliers but I haven't checked it out yet.



If you do know of a shop either on line or bricks and mortar selling this product please let me know.

Hope you found this tutorial useful. If you did I'd love to hear from you.

Oge

x

A note from Julie :

Thank you Oge for a great tutorial

Please check out Oge's fantastic site HERE it is FAB!!

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Continuous Cuttlebug Embossing - Tutorial & card

After being asked many times how to create a continuous background using the Cuttlebug A2 folders I thought I would show you how I do it. One thing to bear in mind is that it will only work with repeated patterns, and word folders just won't cut the mustard with this technique



I started with a 14x14 cm tent fold card


Wrap the cuttle bug folder around the card, this card is a tent fold card so I am wrapping the folder with the closed edge of the folder at the bottom of the card.


Next run this though the Cuttlebug.



You can see that only part of the card is embossed



Next move the embossing folder across the card to emboss the other side matching up the dots by overlapping the folder over the already embossed dots.


Then run this through the Cuttlebug.



You can see from where the arrow is pointing that the folder has flattened some of the embossing, this is easily fixed as shown in the next step.




Match up the pattern by wrapping the folder around the card where you first started being careful to match up the embossed parts, this can be easily seen through the folder as it is transparent.
Once you have matched up the folder run your finger down on top of where the flattened embossing was, this will easily pop back up as it has already been embossed once.




as you can see no gaps can be seen




& there we have it, the finished card




A note from Julie
Wow Jak it's as if you know that I've just bought a cuttlebug!!
Thanks for another brilliant tutorial and for showing us your beautiful card
Everyone go and check out Jak's amazing blog HERE she is so talented!

Friday, June 27, 2008

Masterboard Tutorial

A masterboard is a canvas which is created -- through stamping in this case -- and can then be used to create cards, altered art or any number of other projects. Since I am looking for ways to create cards quickly and economically, this is my tutorial on how to make a masterboard that will work well for that purpose.


Here is the completed masterboard I created for this tutorial.




I am starting with an 8-1/2 x 11 sheet of River Rock cardstock by StampinUp. You can certainly adapt this to a 12 x 12 sheet as well.



The stamps I chose for this project are all clear stamps by Prima except for the quote which is by StampinUp.


My preference is to use stamps that represent a theme and therefore will mesh well together. I find on the size paper I am using smaller stamps work well. I like to pick out some that will branch out such as my flower, some that are smaller to fill in empty spots such as my little bird, and also a word or quote as I like text on my masterboards.


I also look at the stamps as I am picking them out asking myself how they'll look if a portion of them is cut off or if placed on an angle.


I start with my larger stamps. In this case the flowering branch will take up the most room so I place that radomly on my paper.



It's very important to remember to stamp off the page as you apply every stamp. This will give you the most use of your masterboard as you start to cut it up.



My bird is also a larger stamp so that is the one I apply next. Your masterboard will flow better if you start stamping over images right away. Connect your images to each other while still trying to cover up your space.



My next stamp is a circle of text although it's made to be blurred. I just thought at this point the masterboard needed a shape rather than an image.


So far I've chosen three complementary ink colors -- cranberry, turquoise and moss green. I see that my moss green ends up looking quite like the turquoise. May be because of my shade of cardstock. But I'm satisfied with the way it's coming along.



I usually like to add something that is embossed on my masterboard. It really helps set the piece off. Since I've used pigment inks up to this point, I have to make sure to heat set all my inks before I start embossing. If possible, it's a good idea to use dye inks up to the point you want to emboss an image. Too often I've found myself with a whole piece of paper that is attracting the embossing powder.


I decide to gold emboss my birdcage. I am filling in a lot of the empty spaces with this stamp as I know it's the last of the larger stamps I will use. I make sure even with this one to stamp off the page.




I then add my quote -- using only the top half of the stamp in this case. I stamp over images previously stamped.



My last step is to fill in any big blank areas with my little black bird. Since I'll be using every bit of this canvas for my cards, I don't want any blank space standing out.


At this point you can just use the original to make your cards or make a color copy and save the original. I've used my original here to make these quick cards -- because I know I'll be making another masterboard soon!

A note from Julie

Thank you so much for a fantastic tutorial Louise

Click HERE which will take you to Louise's brilliant 'Kard Krazy' blog

If you create your own masterboard using Louise's tutorial please leave a comment with a link to your creation :)

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Anywhere Punches Decorative Accents

Here is a really, really easy technique that can look quite nice on the right card or scrapbook page. I recently used this on a card I had in a swap and one of the ladies who received it asked me how it was done so I thought I'd demonstrate it here.

For this technique you will need the following: anywhere hole punch with three or more sized hole punches, a hard surface to punch on, a hammer, a piece of cardstock and a constrasting piece of cardstock or paper, an adhesive eraser, a pencil and eraser, adhesive. You probably have an anywhere hole punch in your tool arsenal from the days when eyelets were all the rage and before there was the Cropadile. My set is from Making Memories and it came with three interchangeable heads in different sizes. You will also probably want to have a tool for poking out the pieces of paper that get into the punch heads. You can use a piercing tool if you have one.

On your cardstock you will need to draw some wavy lines or whatever design you would prefer. Make sure the lines are quite faint because you will want to erase them at the end. Then place your cardstock on a hard surface for punching.





Place your anywhere hole punch near the start of one of the lines. I usually like to start with the smallest punch and then go from there. Use your hammer to tap down hard on the punch and voila!






You have the first hole done.








Line up the hole punch along the line next to the first hole. Make sure they are one or two millimeters apart because the hole will spread slightly when it is punched and you don't want to punch into the existing hole.





Continue along in this manner, varying the size of the hole punch as you "trace over" the line you've drawn. The pattern you lay down is completely up to you - do whatever looks good to you. I tend to not use the same size punch for more than three holes in a row. As you go along remember to periodically clean out the heads of the hole punches or the paper will get compacted up inside them and will be difficult to remove.



When you are finished you will have "drawn" your lines with the hole punches, giving you a nice pattern to use on a card. When you have punched all the holes, you can go back over your pencil lines with an eraser to remove them.





You may be wondering why I don't draw the lines on the back of the card so I don't have to worry about erasing the pencil lines. While you can do this, I personally don't like the look of the punched holes from the back. They tend to bevel a bit and the back isn't as smooth in appearance as the front.




Adhere your punched cardstock over a contrasting piece of paper so the other cardstock shows through the holes and you're done! Some nice ways to use this technique are as stems for flowers or strings for balloons. You can also use it to write out words. You could use just one size of punch for a different look as well.




Here's a simple card I made using this technique.

Supplies: Paper (Bazzill, SU!, My Minds Eye), Ribbon (Offray), Stamps (SU!), Ink (Versa, SU!), Embossing Powder, anywhere hole punch.

A note from Julie

Brilliant Tutorial Lisa Thank you

Go and check out Lisa's Blog HERE to see other lovely creations

If you create something using Lisa's Tutorial please leave a comment with a link so that we can come and see :)

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Double Accordion Album


DOUBLE ACCORDION ALBUM
by Vicki Hook

Supplies:
(4) 4” x 4” cardstock
(2) 3 3/4” x 9 3/4” cardstock
(2) 3 3/4” x 6 1/2” cardstock
(10) 3 1/4” x 2 1/2” cardstock OR tags, circles, etc.
(2) 4” square chipboard coasters
Scor-Pal
Bind-It-All & 5/8” O-wire
Adhesive, ribbon, stamps, ink, etc.

Directions:
1. Score both 9 ¾” long cardstocks at 3” and 6” using the Scor-Pal. Fold accordion style (mountain, valley, mountain)

2. Score both 6 1/2” long cardstocks at 1/2” and 3 1/2”. Fold accordion style.
3. Adhere the 1/2” sections of the step #2 cardstocks to the back of the 3” sections of step #1 cardstocks. (See the picture above how they overlap in the back.) You should now have two long accordion folded pieces that are 15 3/4” long. Each piece will have one end section that is longer than the other sections.
4. Cover the front and back of both coasters with the 4” x 4” cardstock pieces and adhesive.

5. Using the Bind-It-All, punch holes in one side of each coaster as well as the longer end section of each accordion folded piece.

6. Assemble the album with 5/8” O-wire. The longer end section of the accordion pieces will be next to the coasters and the folded parts will face each other in the middle. So this album will open in the middle and you pull the accordions out to the sides, one to the left and one to the right.



Tootles!

A note from Julie
Thank you Vicki this is great!! Go and check out Vicki's blog HERE folks and remember if you create your own accordion album using Vicki's tutorial please let us have a link so that we can come and admire x

Saturday, June 21, 2008

No Tools Flower

Well . . . . . no specialist tools anyway. I thought I would show you how you can make the flower on this card using only a few simple items that most people will possess. Click on any of the pictures for a larger view.


Here are the items I used:
  • Back of a mouse mat
  • Scrap of printer paper
  • PVA glue
  • Teaspoon
  • Pencil
  • Coloured Pencil
  • Darning Needle
  • Scissors


Cut three strips of paper approx. 17cmx3cm (6.5"x1.25"). They don't need to be perfect - just roughly cut. Fold each piece in half down its length as with the left hand piece here.


Cut out a half petal shape from the creased side. My petal is about 3.5cm (1.25") long.


Take your cut out petal and move it up the piece of folded paper and place it against the crease as shown. Hold in place whilst you use it as a template to cut out the next petal. This is to help get the petals approximately the same. Repeat this until you have cut out 12 petals altogether. Make sure that you use the first petal that you cut each time as your template. Otherwise your petals might get larger and larger as you go along.


I hold the petal and folded paper like this in my right hand and tap them on the table to quickly align the creases. It's then quick and easy to transfer to being held in my left hand on the crease, so that I can cut. I don't put the scissors down between each cut as this also is quicker.





Now cut out two rough little circles. These are about 1.5cm (0.5") in diameter. You are allowed to use a circle punch if you have one, but I am sticking to my promise of no specialist tools! To cut these circles I folded a small square in quarters and then cut a quarter circle shape at the corner where all the creases meet. Put a little pencil dot at the centre.





Place a small blob of glue on a scrap of paper. Touch the tip of the petal to the blob - you are only aiming to get a tiny spot on the petal tip.





Stick the tip of the petal about halfway between the pencil dot and the edge of the circle. Stick another petal opposite as shown. Then stick four more petals on the circle - spacing them out evenly between the first two.





Repeat with the second circle and remaining 6 petals so that you have two flower layers like this.



Placing the arrangement on a scrap of paper to protect your desk top, draw lines with the coloured pencil from the inner tip of the petal towards the outer tip. Just over half way looks good - but it is a matter of preference. Make the lines fan out slightly and draw each one with a quick flicking sort of movement - gives better results as the end of the line tapers out with this movement. Don't try and be too neat and even. The length of the lines needs to vary a little. Hold the flower steady with your finger in the centre just on the base of the petal you are working on.



Here are the two layers with their completed lines. Set them aside for the glue to dry completely. This is important for the shaping later on. You cannot shape wet paper.





Whilst the flower layers are drying, make the centre. To do this, cut narrow strip of paper about 20cm (8") long and roughly 0.75cm (0.25") wide. Colour in both sides of the strip with the coloured pencil. As you can see - only rough colouring is required. Then cut a fringe along one long edge across about half the width of the strip. How fine a fringe is up to you and your patience to cut it! My cuts are a couple of mm/sixteenth of an inch apart.





Take your darning needle and starting with the very end of the strip roll the paper around the needle. Start off by winding tightly, but once it's going you can loosen up a bit as you are aiming for a slightly scruffy loose-ish roll. It can be tricky to get it going - so patience is required!





When the whole length is rolled up, slide the paper off the needle and make sure that it is a fairly open coil. Then put a tiny spot of pva on the end and stick it down - hold for a few moments whilst it sets enough to let go without it popping off.




Here is a view from the top of the finished coil to show what you are aiming for.





Place the coil flat on the table, with the cut edges uppermost. Place your thumb in the centre to steady it, and use the end of the teaspoon handle to spread the fringes out and down. Keep going round and round, pulling more out from the centre as you go.





It will look a bit like this when it's all fanned out. Set it aside.





Now take your teaspoon and hold it like this. The important thing is that the handle has to have a completely straight edge, and be a flat, thin handle. If you don't have this shape of handle, then try a thin cross head screwdriver. Get a good firm grip with the bowl of the spoon held in your hand, and your index finger on the edge of the handle.





Top view of the grip. Also shows what I mean about a flat, thin handle.





Place your mouse mat at the edge of the table, and the flower near the edge of the mat. Hold the spoon handle at right angles to the surface - so that the edge of it only is in contact - and the length of it is parallel to the centre crease of one of the petals, and at the right hand edge of it. (If you are left handed you will need to start at the left edge of the petal. The entire thin edge of the handle must be flat on the petal/mat - which is why the mat needs to be at the edge of the table - to make room for your hand below the table top level.




Now the motion you are going to make is like spreading butter. Move the handle across the petal from one side to the other, keeping it parallel with the centre crease the whole time. Apply a bit of downwards pressure. Takes a bit of practice, but is easy and quick once you get the hang of it. Steady the flower with your other hand (mine is on the camera, but would normally be on the petal). As you move the handle across, the petal will curl up behind it. The more pressure you use, the more the petal will curl. If it curls too much, then gently push the edges back down a bit with your fingers. If it does not curl enough, go back over it with the spoon handle with slightly more pressure.


Curl all the petals in the same way, turning the flower each time so that you bring the petal you are working on into the same spot to get a convenient angle to use the spoon handle.




Here are both flowers with all the petals curled.





If your pencil has a 'wrong' end that is smooth and rounded like this one, it is ideal for embossing. If not, then try the wrong end of a Bic type pen, or a gel pen cap. Place it at the base of one of the petals. Now press a little, and draw an imaginary circle around the base of all the petals. Go round two or three times. Again, the harder you press the more the petals will pop up. If they pop up more than you like, then gently spread them back down again with your fingers. If less, then go around again with slightly more pressure. Do this on both layers.




Side view to show the petals popped up.





Place a tiny spot of glue in the centre of one of your layers. Place the other layer on top, arranging it so that the petals fall in the gaps of the one below. Make sure that it is reasonably centred, and then press down in the middle to stick firmly. With the pva you do have a few moments working time to adjust the position.




With the two layers stuck together, spread a thin layer of glue in a circle in the middle of the top layer. Place your fringed flower middle on top of the glue, and when you are happy with its position, press it down to secure. At this stage you can rearrange the fringing if you need/want to improve its appearance.




Ta -da!! One 'No Tools Flower'.





You can of course cut your petals in different shapes. Here is a flower I made by cutting a rounded top petal. I used paper from an envelope that I received in the mail the other day, and brushed the outer edges of the petals and the fringed centre with a gold ink pad. Sorry the picture's not too good - by the time I had finished this flower, I had run out of decent daylight to take the picture. But at least you can see the general idea.

A note from Julie:~ Another fantastic flower tutorial from Joanne and isn't the final card stunning!

I am pleased to say that Joanne is a regular contributor to this blog so keep checking back for more brilliant Tutorials from her.

Go and check out Joanne's fantastic 'Mainly Flowers' Blog HERE