I found these great Card Making Tips in the Resources section. They were submitted by Kate

Beginning Card Making Tips 

• It can save you a lot of time to buy pre-scored or folded cards (and yes, they do even make them in square sizes). This will obviously cost you more money than just making the card base out of cardstock yourself, but it can be a real time savings. AND you can buy packs of them that also come with envelopes, so you don’t have to worry about finding the right size of envelopes for them.

• When designing for quantities: keep things simple - don’t do things that require several steps. For instance, I tend to avoid heat embossing if I’m making more than 15 cards (unless it’s for something special like a wedding and I have lots of time to do it!), because of all the steps involved in the process. (If you do want to do heat embossing, do it in steps like in my first suggestion) I also avoid things like rub-ons and dry embossing, because they tend to take a lot of time to do.
• Things that work GREAT for making quantities of cards: punches, colored staples (glue can be annoying if you have to leave a lot of time to dry), stickers, decorative edged scissors or punches, and rubber stamps.

• Avoid tying bows with ribbon, because they can charge you extra for mailing something with a bump. Instead, consider just stapling ribbon down, or weaving it through slots.

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.

Howdy all! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

Today is Monday…. Challenge day!!!

Today’s Monday challenge is all about alphabets and stamping! I what to see you use your alphabets a little bit differently than normal. I what to see you trace them for your title!

Some methods of tracing alphas include:

• applying your masking letters and tracing them
• using your chipboard letters and tracing them
• using those older alphabet stencils and tracing the outlines
• using your letter negatives and tracing them!

Not only do I want to see your alphabet tracing, I also want to see some stamping! In my page example below I stamped the simple “written” part of my page back ground.

So let’s see them! You have only a few more days to complete any of the January challenges posted on the blog to be eligible to win a prize from me this month!

~ Ally ~

We will be starting every week  on the blog with a challenge!! I hope you are inspired to create a page this week using my challenge.

This week’s challenge involves stamping! I want you to use a stamp at least once on your layout. I also would like to see some chipboard. I love… love chipboard.

Here is my layout of Paige. I used some Gel-a-tins stamps. I love this new alpha set. It is so pretty and so versatile. I used my Crafter’s Workshop Template to create the scallop border. Add a great photo and some patterned paper and voila!

I would love to feature your creations on the blog. Please email me your layout or card based on this week’s challenge to be featured on the blog. My email address is:  thynner5@yahoo.ca . Be sure to put “blog challenge” in the subject line. 

~Tara~