Since Tara’s challenge this week is all about stitching, I thought some tips about sewing on your pages would be appropriate.

• Don’t have a sewing machine, no problem! Poke holes evenly using a ruler as a guide and connect all the dots using a pen for faux stitching.
• When using your sewing machine, dial the tension down to zero so the thread doesn’t rip through the paper.
• Test your sewing machine BEFORE you use it on a scrap piece of cardstock.
• Tape the ends of your threads on the back of your page so they don’t pull through to the front of your page.
• Use a set of stamps or rub-ons that look like stitches to get that sewn look.
• Not enough adhesive in your stash, sew on your papers instead of gluing things down.
• Use you sewing machine without thread and make dotted patterns as a page design element.
• Do not reverse your sewing machine at the start or finish of your stitching. This will cause the thread to punch unnecessary holes that may cause your paper to tear more easily.
• Sew all your page elements before you put on any 3D elements like flowers and brads. You break your needle or worse, your machine if you were to run them over accidently.

Happy stitching!!!

I have often heard complaints from my fellow scrapbookers about how much they love the look of glossy photo paper and yet hate the finger prints that seem to appear. Unfortunately, getting fingerprints and smudges are unavoidable when handling glossy photo paper. There are a few things you can do to minimize them.

1. Purchase photo paper that have a perforated extension. This allows you to grip the photo and lift it without getting any prints on the photo. This is great for when you are transferring your photos from the printer to a work surface. Once your photo is dry just tear at the perfection. HP makes special perferated photo paper and I use it all the time.

2. You can do the obvious and start buying matte photo paper. This type of paper is much more forgiving when it comes to fingerprints and smudges.

3. Purchase a lint free cloth like one you would use to clean eyeglasses or CD’s/DVD’s. This is wonderful for wiping away the fingerprints. Just make sure that the cloth is dry and that you do not apply too much pressure. This is a fantastic solution to the fingerprint issue and I have done it several times.

If you have any tips or techniques you would like to share with us please email me at thynner5@yahoo.ca and put “CCAS Blog Tips” in the subject line. Everytime you do you will be entered into the monthly draw.

~Tara~

Here are some great inking and tips from Ally that I wanted to share today:

To remove ink from your acrylic blocks, use a damp Mr. Clean “Magic Eraser” sponge.  Works at removing any permanent ink like magic!!
Store your ink pads upside down to ensure the top of your ink pads stay saturated and ready to use.
Store your mini chalk ink and mini ink squares in a bead organizer box.  You can stack 2 pads per divided section.
Clean your stamps using baby wipes.  I cut mine up in small squares and stick them in a snack size Ziploc bag for easy storage at your desk.

Thanks Ally for sharing these amazing tips with us!

If you have any tips or techniques you would like to share with us please email me at thynner5@yahoo.ca and put “CCAS Blog Tips” in the subject line. Everytime you do you will be entered into the monthly draw.

~Tara~

Today’s tips are all about using paint.

The lovely Claudia left this wonderful tip on the blog yesterday that I wanted to share:

I use disposable paint edging pads to clean my rubber stamps. They are very inexpensive so when they get dirty you can just throw them away. They are available anywhere paint is sold.
Claudia

Great stamping tip Claudia!

Now…. some tips when using paint:

• Use an empty egg carton as a paint tray.  When you are done, just throw it away.
• Make your own overlays using paint and transparency paper bought from your local supply store.  A quick and easy project.  If you make a boo-boo, just wipe it away and start again.
• Add a small swipe of paint to brighten up your flower tips or buttons or chipboard elements.
• Store your foam paint brushes in a Ziploc bag, labeled with the paint colour and store in the freezer.  You’ll always have a paint brush ready to go with that specific colour.
• Paint your brads to get the desired colour to match your page.  Why not use up those yellow or odd colour brads you’ll never use.
• Create your own Magic Mesh by painting drywall tape from the hardware store.  And yes… it’s acid free!
• Purchase a large foam sheet or a craft mat from the dollar store to place under your painted projects.  Makes for an easy clean up of your craft area; wash and dry and you’re done.
• Use the caps from your milk cartons or pop bottles as paint holders.  You can even wash them and use it again… and again… and again. A great way to create and recycle!

Please email your tips to Tara at: thynner5@yahoo.ca and put “CCAS Blog Tips” in the subject line. You could also link it to us here on the blog.All tips and creations will earn you a ballot into the Monthly Blog Draw! Good Luck.

I have been searching the Resource section of ther site for some cool tips and came accross this one by Melissa Kuber that I wanted to share with you.

 The Organized Scrapper: Your Projects

With summer fast approaching I’m finding it difficult to keep up with my scrapbooking. With the beautiful weather we’ve been having lately it’s hard to stay indoors.
Lately I’ve been trying to keep my projects more organized so that when I do find the time to work on them I can get right into it without having to hunt for this and that.
One tool that I’ve started to use is a project binder. Which is just a regular binder with some clear plastic page protectors. In each page protector I keep all of the things that are inspiring me for a particular layout, my photos, a sketch, some journaling, a color scheme, whatever I have. So then when it comes time to work on the layout. I’m already have part of it finished. I can just get right into creating.

Another thing that I have been using lately is the “4 piles approach” which I read about in an issue of Creating Keepsakes a couple of months ago. It’s a simple way to divide your photos into four categories:
1. Photos that are ready for your page, that require no extra work.

2. Photos that could use a bit of cropping.

3. Photos that need a lot of cropping.

4. Photos that won’t likely make it to a layout unless there are no other choices. Maybe the photo isn’t perfect, but may be able to be used in the future.
When I’ve divided my photos into the piles, I sometimes will do my cropping ahead of time. That way the photos are ready when I start my layout.
With a little bit of planning, I’m finding my scrapbooking a lot more efficient. So I’m able to get a lot more accomplished when that creative mood strikes.

If you have any tips or techniques you would like to share with us please email me at thynner5@yahoo.ca and put “CCAS Blog Tips” in the subject line. Everytime you do you will be entered into the monthly draw.

~Tara~

Today’s tips are all about PHOTO CORNERS…

• Create your own photo corners and recycle, too, but cutting off the corners of used envelopes. Make them as large or small as you like, and make them match your project using ink, paint, or stamps.
• Ribbon Photo Corners: Select a ribbon and cut to a little more than double it’s width. Fold the top corners to the bottom center. Iron it and place it on your page with an adhesive.
• Use your deco scissors (edged scissors like Fiskars) to cut a 1.5 inch square in half and make your own photo corners with different edges.
• A lot times you might want to keep pictures removable but find the plastic or paper photo corners detract from the layout. You can hide these photo corners behind other embellishments such as buttons, to keep them from view. Simply attach the button to the photo corner before hand, perhaps with glue dots, then attach the photo corner to the page. Just make sure that the adhesive you use to attach the embellishments doesn’t run over the top of the photo corner. This way you can add embellishments that might better suit your page, yet still keep your photos free.
• To store all your metal photo corners , brads and small embellishments, use a divided pill box. You can find them in your dollar stores nowadays!
• There are many photo corner sticker designs on the market: try Heidi Swapp and 7Gypsies to start.

So the next time your looking for some ways to dress up the corners of your photos, don’t forget the “photo corner”.

I found these great tips at the Resource section of the site. You can find all sort of wonderful scrappy information there. be sure to chekc it out when you have some time!

Storing Favourite Layouts

When you are stumped as to what your next layout will look like, it is a great idea to flip through a magazine or checkout online galleries and look at layouts that other people have created.
The question though is how do you organize the layouts that you see and really like, but can’t use as inspiration at that time.
When you are looking at online galleries, it is a good idea to save the images of the layouts to your computer in a file that you can then review when you are looking for inspiration or a layout to scraplift.
If you keep all of your magazines, you can flag the pages you would like to look at again, or attach a sticky note to the front of the magazine with a note about the layout to make it quicker to refer to them again.
If you are discarding the magazine, pull out the page and place it in a three ring binder in a page protector. You can then make a note on a sticky note reminding yourself what it is about the layout that inspires you.
Another option to consider is to scan the layouts you like from magazines, and then print out both the scanned images and the images you saved from online galleries on 4×6 photo paper. You can then store the images in a recipe card box, or punch holes in the upper corner and put them on a binder ring for future reference.

Remember that everytime you complete a challenge on the site, send in a tip, technique or tutorial, or use a font, you earn a ballot for the draw! Just send them to me at thynner5@yahoo.ca and put CCAS Blog in the subject line.

~Tara~

It is time to catch up form our awesome NSD Blog Crop!!

This week’s tip was submitted to me by Jo-ann:

Jo-ann was searching for an easy and inexpensive way to store her paper kits. She came up with this awesome idea:

“I was browsing around and came across this awesome idea for hanging paper!  Lucky me had 2 of these hangers on hand so I stuck my kits on them!”

“Now that garage sales are on anyone can probably find these hangers for almost nothing! Neat eh?”

Yep…. I sure think so Jo-ann! Thanks for sharing this with us. It is an awesome way to keep those paper kits up and away from my girls when I am inbetween projects!

Jo-ann has earned herself a ballot for this week’s Monthly Blog Prize Draw. If you have forgotten what awesome prize pack is up for grabs with all the activities over the weekend, here is a reminder: Sneak Peek

Remember that everytime you complete a challenge on the site, send in a tip, technique or tutorial, or use a font, you earn a ballot for the draw! Just send them to me at thynner5@yahoo.ca and put CCAS Blog in the subject line.

Tomorrow I will post the Wordy Wednesday challenge!

~Tara~

Here are a few tips about using ribbons, fibers and things….

1. DO use floss threaders to get larger ribbons and those crazy fibers through smaller holes works like a charm. You can get them at your local dollar store.

2. DO cut it at an angle and pull the point through and trim.

3. DO wrap tape around it for a firmer end.

4. DO dip in liquid glue and roll for a firm tip to thread through.

5. DO use a tapestry needle.

6. DON’T lick it! Any part that touches your project will sure to age quickly causing discoloration spots. Not to mention all the bacteria that’s in your mouth! If you have to lick it then be sure to use a mouth rinse before hand! LOL!7.  Don’t have the right colour of fiber to match your project? You can chalk, ink or paint fibers the colors you want. They’ll match perfectly.

8.  Use clear finger nail polish or fray stop on the end of ribbons for that non-frayed look!!

9.  When trying to thread a hard object like a button, use a needle threader and place it through the button holes, slide your thread through the wire and pull the needle thread wire out.  Voila!  Your button hole is threaded!

10. Adhere the ends of your ribbon or fiber on the back of your pages by using the leftover sticky paper pieces between all those stickers you have in your stash.

If you would like a chance to win this month’s Blog Prize then complete any challenge, send in a tip or technique or use one of the Friday fonts on a layout or card. Send your images of your projects to Tara at: thynner5@yahoo.ca and put “CCAS Blog” in the subject line.

Here is a quick and easy tip for everyone today.

If you would like a fun alternative to journaling on regular cardstock why not print it out on a transparency? If you place it on patterned paper and you can’t really see your journaling then pull out your paint. Put a small dab of paint on your palette. Dip your brush in and brush it off on some paper before painting on the transparency. This will get rid of the excess paint. Then dry brush on backside of your transparency. It is better to put it on a little at a time and layer as needed than to put on too much.

Remember that when you are printing on transparencies to change the paper setting on your printer. It is also good to print on the rough side of the transparency as well. This will make the drying time minimal.

Here is a layout I did using Lucy Chesna’s April sketch: My Sketch World

I also incorporated this into my Day 1 Sisterhood of Scrap Challenge for thier online crop: Sisterhood of Scrap

If you decide to try this paint technique then you will eligible for this month’s blog draw. Please send your creations to: thynner5@yahoo.ca and put “CCAS Blog Challenge” in the title. You can also send in those tips to earn a ballot for the draw.

~Tara~