Archive for Thursdays Tutorials

Photo Weaving

I was reading a number of tips and tricks for Scrapbooking and card making and found one that I thought was really interesting and somewhat unique.

Did you know that you can create a 3-dimensional look by weaving your photos. Yes, I did say weaving, you know just like you used to do in kindergarten with the strips of coloered paper. OK, maybe not exactly like but in general, the same type of concept.

Here are the materials and/or tools you need to use this technique:

  • Two copies of the photo or image.
  • Paper cutter, scissors or Exacto knife.
  • Ruler and straightedge.
  • Chalk or soft lead pencil for marking

Here are the steps to create a weaved photo:

Start with 2 copies of the same picture. You will will be cutting each picture into strips. One will be cut into horizontal strips and the other will be cut into vertical strips.

  1. On the backside of the first photo, draw evenly spaced vertical lines.
  2. Cut along these lines.
  3. On the other photograph draw evenly spaced horizontal lines.
  4. Cut along these lines.
  5. Then weave alternating horizontal and vertical strips and put the image or photo back together.

Start your weaving from the center of the image or photo and work outwards. This will keep the shape of the image or photo’s integrity intact.

I typically ensure that my photos are as close to exactly the same size as possible. I mark off where I am going to cut on the backside of each copy using a soft leaded pencil and I barely leave a mark. I like to use evenly (and even measured) distances between the lines that I draw. Sometimes, I am not so exact and just use the markings on my paper cutter.

After cutting the photos into the strips I weave the horizontal strips with the vertical strips to complete my creation. I tap the strips into place using my fingernail. Once all the pieces are in, I flip over my weaving and tighten the strips by tapping them all again from top to bottom and then from left to right. I do occasionally have to adjust a strip or two to make the image look right.

If your edges don’t quite line up exactly after weaving your photo, trim each side using a paper cutter to get a crisp and clean look.

Once I have the weaved image, I glue it down on some sort of matting. This also helps to keep the weaving from coming undone. Be sure to adhere the strips that come out from the top side too if you have only glued down backside around the edges.

Another technique that I found unique is to print your image on two different colors of paper. It give the image a dramatic effect once they are weaved together.

This process is awesome on scrapbook pages and handmade cards. Placing your weaved image or photo onto an artsy styled background can present an abstract appearance. Placing it onto a solid background creates a clean and simple image or photo that is already naturally highlighted by the technique itself.

Mini Album in an Envelope

By Jen Walker

I am going to show you how to make a quick mini album in an envelope. You can make it very simple or embellish it.

To get started, you will need:

  • 1 sheets of 12×12 cardstock for the envelope
  • 1 or more sheets of cardstock for the mini album
  • (1)a stapler or (2)hole punch and ribbon or (3) needle and embroidery floss
  • a small sticker or embellishment (about 2×2 or smaller)

Choose which cardstock will be for the envelope.

Here is a template that gives you an idea of the cuts and folds we will be making to create the envelope.



The cardstock to be used for the envelope needs to be creased every 4 inches in both directions with the folds going towards the inside (wrong side) of the envelope. The red will be the outside of the envelope.

Once you have all the folds done, you need to remove the corner pieces.


Next you will need to make the page into an envelope. To do this, there are a few cuts you need to make.

Before you start to make these cuts, be sure to lightly label one flap as A so that you are sure you are making the cuts in the correct places.

The first cut is to flap D. You need to remove 1/2 inch off the edge so that when you fold it inside the envelope it still closes flat.

The next cut is to flap E to make the closure for the envelope. Cut 2 inches off the flap and then mark the centre point of the remaining rectangle. Draw a line to the corner of that flap to create a triangle.


On flap A, you will now need to create a slit for the triangle on flap E to tuck into. Flip the cardstock over and fold A down and E up.

About 1 inch up from the bottom edge of flap A, you will want to mark a point on either side of flap E to show where you will need to cut a slit. The slit should be about 1/4 inch wider than the flap E at both sides. Draw a line and then cut the slit.

This is where the flap E will tuck into for closing the envelope


You will now need to cut a piece of cardstock to 3.5x.3.5 inches. This piece will be adhered to flap A to hide the slit and flap E when it is closed.

When you attach this piece, be sure not to put the adhesive all the way around or you will not be able to tuck in flap E for closure.


Once you have adhered this piece, decorate it. This will be the cover of your envelope.

This is a good time to decorate the other side of the envelope as well (flap C) if you are going to use brads or eyelets or anything else that goes through the cardstock.


Here is the other side of the envelope. The picture turned out terrible. Sorry.



You are now ready to create the mini album. The pages of the mini album at 3.5×7 inches. You can use up to about 6 pages for your mini album, but if you put more than that, the envelope will be a struggle to keep closed.


I chose to secure the album using staples. You can also use a hole punch on the edge with a ribbon tie, or you can hand stitch the pages together to make the album.


The mini album will now be attached to the inside of flap C.

Your envelope is now completed. You can close it by folding flap D, then B, then A and tucking E under the hiding cardstock.

Felt Mini Album

You will need:

  • 1 piece of felt (more if you would like to use some to embellish your album)
  • A double sleeve photo album
  • Sewing machine
  • Embroidery floss
  • Pattern paper, embellishments, buttons etc.
  • Photos

Step One:

You will need to cut a few pages out of your photo album. It won’t ruin your album if you just cut them out with your exacto knife. I used three and I find that it worked really well. You can add more if you wish. It’s really important that the pages of your photo album look like this with one photo sleeve on top and one on the bottom, because you will fold it over to make your album. These photo sleeves will become the page protectors for your album.

Further explanation: You need to take a few pages from a photo album (The ones where you slip the photos into the plastic sleeves) to use as the page protectors for your album. I think you can pick these little photo albums up at the dollar store if you don’t want to cut one out of one of your albums. I just had one on hand so I took a few pages out of it. Just using your exacto knife you just cut the pages out the same way you would if you were taking a page out of a magazine, just an example.

Step Two:

Lay your page protectors over a piece of felt. Leaving about 1cm of an edge around your entire page protector sheet. Trace and cut.

Step Three:

Secure the felt and page protectors together with paper clips. This will keep your album from moving around while you sew it.

Step Four:

Using a sewing machine, sew a straight line down the spine of your book. I went over mine a couple of times for extra support.

Step Five:

Trim off any stray threads. Now your book is ready to embellish any way you wish. This is the fun part!!

I chose to stitch around the edge of my book by hand, just to give the edge a more finished look.

Then I cut a circle from felt using a different color. I attached it with a little bit of adhesive (to hold it still) Then I hand stitched around the circle.

The rhinestone monogram I used is an iron on.

Now you can fill your book! Either with just photos, or by making 4×6 size layouts.

By Melissa

*Originally posted January 2007

Chipboard Wall Hanging

Hi everyone. Welcome to my Chipboard Wall Hanging Tutorial. I hope you enjoy taking this little tutorial. If you have any questions just post them in the thread or email them to me.

Supplies I used (available at WeScrap): Chipboard, 3 Patterened Papers, cutting System, coordinating cardstock, cropadile or hole punch setter, eyelets, embellishments, rub-ons, ribbon

1. Cut the chipboard into 3 squares measuring 6X6 inches. Cut the coordinating cardstock the same.

2. Adhere the cardstock to the chipboard and ink and/or sand the edges.

3. Cut out the patterened paper and adhere them onto your squares.

4. Measure in 1 ½ inches in from the edges of two of the squares and ½ from the top or bottom edge. Mark it with a pencil and poke your holes.

5. On the other square (bottom square), only do the top edge. Do not poke holes in the bottom.

6. Cut four 4 inch strips of ribbon and pull through the eyelets. Adjust the length to your liking and adhere or knot the ribbon on the back.

7. Cut a 6 inch ribbon for the very top holes. Pull through and either adhere or knot this as well.

8. Now your Chipboard Wall Hanging is ready to embellish and add your photos to.

I hope you enjoyed trying this project.

Thanks for looking!