Archive for Tuesdays tips

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.

Scrapbooking with Kids

Today’s tip is a simple one. Include your children when you scrap even if it is just for a few moments. You will nurture a love of arts and crafts and you may find you learn something as well.

My girls love to sit down and help me out. They love to punch paper and ink as well. Whenever I pull out the paints for my layout I pull out some extra brushes and paper and let the girls create their own masterpieces. This gives us quality Mommy and Daughter time. Otherwise I would be locked in my scraproom and they will be watching tv.

I have a bunch of Copic Markers and I was staring at them the other day wondering when and how I was going to begin using them. I was concentrating so hard until I looked over at Emmy sitting on the opposite table just smiling and coloring away on her paper. Not a care in the world but to color in a horse. I took a deep breath and dove in. It is important to relax and not over think what you are doing. Become child-like and enjoy the process.

The other day Paige sat down and made me this amazing bear that she glued to a stick. I plan on using it on my next scrappy creation. You will be surprised at their imagination. Nurture it and watch it grow. Create together at least once a week.

~Tara~

Inking Small Spaces

When you go to ink your letters or chipboard, don’t forget to get into the small spaces between! It is relatively easy to do and makes the project look finished.

You can do this by using several everyday items that are found in your bathroom. I tend to keep some Q-Tips in my scraproom now to use to get into the crevices. If you moisten the Q-Tip just a little bit it can make the ink look smoother and you can avoid the dark edges. (Alot of the times, I like it dark and grungy!)

When I want a softer ink look on my project, I reach for the makeup sponges. The small triangle sponges that you find at the makeup isle in your local drugstore. I just rip a small piece of it off and use it to apply my ink. It always gives such a nice, soft effect.

Finally, for those tiny holes in your alphas grab a handy dandy toothpick. Just roll it in some ink and poke it through the little hole. Voila!

How to Attach a Transparency or Acrylic

Use a fine tip glue pen or tiny glue dots and place the adhesive behind printed letters or other darker printed elements on the transparency. I am a big fan of Glossy Accents by Ranger and tend to use this lot for transparencies and acrylic items.

Use adhesive such as photo tabs, double sided tape, liquid adhesive, etc if there is going to be an area of the transparency that will be covered by a photo or embellishment. Just be sure to apply your adhesive directly under the portion of the transparency or acrylic that will be covered.

Other popular ways to attach transparencies include brads, eyelets, snaps, clips, buttons, staples, photo turns, nail heads, and stitching.

Beginning Card Making Tips from Kate

  • When making quantities, I find it easiest to work in stages: do all the cutting for all the cards first, then do all the stamping, then all the glueing, etc. In other words, don’t completely make one card and then the next, and then the next, etc. It just seems to be faster to do them in steps.
  • 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 you would like to share please email them to me at thynner5@yahoo.ca to earn a ballot for this months prize.

~Tara~