Clowning Around

My little Jessica (right) and her friend, playing dress up. They make such cute clowns, not the scary kind.

A quote for the day....

"I think of myself as an intelligent, sensitive human being with the soul of a clown which always forces me to blow it at the most important moments."
Jim Morrison of The Doors

Well said, Jim. Looks like you and I have something in common.

Stick It! (Perfect Edge-to-Edge Adhesive)

If you're a papercrafter, you've got an arsenal of adhesives. Dots, strips, runners, foam, single and double sided, brush-on, squirt-on, rub-on. Choosing the perfect adhesive for the job means the difference between a well done project and something that is, um.... not so well done.

Today I'd like to share my secret for success when covering chipboard, or whenever you want a strong, edge-to-edge adhesive.

What's edge-to-edge mean, and why do you want it? When you are creating an item that will be handled quite a bit, like a mini album, and you are covering the item with paper or cardstock, the adhesive needs to be applied all the way to the edges of your paper/cardstock. This is especially true of the base layer - the paper that attaches to the chipboard. And even more so when the paper/cardstock is cut exactly to size on the chipboard. This prevents lifting of your base layer, which can happen by accident when the viewer is handling your project.

For edge-to-edge application, I recommend a liquid adhesive such as Bonding Memories glue by CTMH, or a brush-on glue such as Mod Podge. You can also use a strong holding glue stick (do not use school glue, it is a weak bond).

Do you ever get glue onto the front of your paper when you're trying to apply it to the back? Here's a GREAT tip, and it's "green" too. Recycle those old magazines and sales catalogs by using them as a working surface for your gluing projects.

Use a clean page every time you have a new item to glue. Work from front to back (or back to front) of your magazine, turning a new page over each time you get glue onto a page. This gives you a fresh, clean working surface for each piece, and when you've used the entire magazine you can toss it in the recycle bin. It will be one big glued together magazine, but it will have served you well.

Start by brushing your glue onto the center of your paper. You'll want to work quickly, so the glue doesn't dry. By brushing onto the center first, you'll leave the outside edges for the last, so you're guaranteed those important edges stay nice and wet until you stick them down.

Brush out any streaks until you have a smooth, even layer. See the brushstrokes in the photo above? That's bad.

Now that's better. Nice and smooth, and still shiny because it's wet. Work quickly people! If I can do it with a brush in one hand and a camera in the other, you can too.

Next, go around all the outer edges of the paper. By saving the edges for last, the glue will be fresh and guaranteed to stick with no dry spots. This applies for all liquid or stick glues. Quickly pick up your paper and position it onto your project, sealing by rubbing with your hands to make good contact with the chipboard. Give extra attention to the edges.

Now my magazine has glue on the left side page (above), I use the right side page for the next items that I want to glue. Continue on, just flipping the page when you need a fresh workspace.

Clean, tidy project, and by gosh it's going to stick!

Grrrr! Computer Troubles

My poor computer has come down with a nasty bug and it's in the hospital today. It never fails, when I'm all fired up to do some serious blogging and video production, my computer throws a temper tantrum and decides to throw in the towel.

I'm still going to keep up my challenge to blog (almost) everyday, so wish me luck. I'm forced to use our family laptop, which means I have to get in line for my computer time. In this family, that's a loooooong line.

A look back: my first video

Can you believe I made my very first youtube video more than four years ago? My youngest daughter Jessica is now 9 years old, she was so little in this video!


I've gotten a lot better in my filmmaking since then, but I still love this video. It was such fun to make!

Easy Peasy Spring Centerpieces

Need a quick centerpiece or a springtime decoration for your home? This is so easy, you’ll want to make more than one!

I created these for Creative University, they were used as centerpieces in the dining hall, and given away at the end of the event.

 
Use a wide-mouth canning jar (it’s easier to get the items inside, but you can use any jar, even an old mayonnaise jar). The lids on my jar were brand new and a bit too shiny for me, so I sprayed them down with a coat of hammered finish spray paint by Krylon. Place a handful of river rocks in the bottom, and add a glob of green florist moss.

Add a couple artificial butterflies to your jar. I used white feather butterflies found in the wedding section of Michael’s crafts store. I sprayed the butterflies with Lindy’s Stamp Gang starburst sprays to customize their colors. I also added a spray of artificial leaves and berries. I think it would also look nice if you used a twiggy branch, if you have one.

Add the lid, wrap and tie with hemp and you’re done! For an extra touch, I added a hand-made charm.

You can also use mushroom birds and little plastic eggs in place of your butterflies.

Happy spring!

Butterfly Friends

I’m still working my way through the Beautiful Friendship stamp set and Stella Paper pack. I like to say that any stamps I own are going to get multiple uses and become old friends by the time I tire of them.

This time, I used the medallion stamp as a border, stamping just a portion along the right side. I also used the same stamp on the large butterfly, centering the medallion over the wings and embossing in gold.

I love how the circular pattern on the medallion stamp works so well on the butterfly wings.

Here’s a tip to get your butterfly wings to pop up on your card, even after mailing: fold the butterfly and use a strong liquid glue (like Liquid Glass) to attach just the fold the card, leaving the wings completely free. Once the glue dries, cut a itsy-bitsy-teensy-weensy piece of foam tape, lift the wings and slip the piece of foam under, getting it as close to the center of the body as possible. This will give the most “lift” to the wing, but also allow it to flatten for mailing.

Spring Fling Linky Party

I’m ready for spring, how about you? Flowers, pastels, butterflies and bumblebees. I’ve got a few cards I’m still working on and can’t wait to show them off soon.

You can win a $25 gift certificate just by showing off your artwork on the Lindy’s Stamp Gang Blog! Get your friends to visit and vote on your creation, the most “likes” wins!

To enter and learn more, go the the Lindy’s Stamp Gang Blog.

Altered tea cup pincushion by Ivett Carillo, LSG design team.