Step-by-step Birthday Card by Ingeborg Dijkstra

Today I want to show you a step-by-step birthday card, which can be used for the birthday of a a child, a man or a woman. I like having cards ready to go for whenever I need one quickly. Next week I will show you some more generic birthday cards. I used papers from the Imaginisce collection called Birthday Bash. Did you know that all these products are now 50% off in Tan's store? You can pick up some great bargains!

I started by cutting a 12" x 12" piece of teal cardstock (now only $ 0.48!) in half. This will be my base for two square cards; the one I made today and one I will show you next week.

I cut a strip of the brown paper with the candles (Imaginisce Birthday Bash, Wish Big from $ 1.80 now only $ 0.90) to go across the card at the bottom. I cut a smaller strip of patterned paper (Imaginisce Birthday Bash, Confetti) to go on the left side:

Instead of stamping a stentiment I decided to use Microsoft Publisher and create my own page with so called Birthday B's. I matched the colours of the B and the writing with the Imaginisce collection. This is what my A4- sized paper looked like:

Feel free to right-click and save this image and use it for yourself! I cut one 'B' and used foam squares to stick it on the card. I carefully punched the letters 'h-a-p-p-y' out of another sheet of paper (Imaginisce Birthday Bash, Surprise) using a small round punch. The punches are now 45% off, which makes for good bargains too!

I drew a 'flame' on a scrap piece of orange cardstock and added it to the card. I finished by punching a present out of the other side of the Surprise paper. Happy birthday!

Card sketch and step-by-step - Nicky Amber

Here's a quick card sketch and easy step-by-step card for you to try...

Scrap N Craft with T still have some AMAZING SPECIALS on at the moment, here are examples of some card making materials and the savings you can make:

• blank card  (currently 40% off card making supplies)
• cardstock  (currently 40% off cardstock)
• patterned paper  (currently 50% off patterned paper)
• ribbon  (currently 40% off ribbon)
• embellishments  (generally around 40% off all embellishments)
• rub-ons  (45% off rub-ons)
• stamps  (40% off stamps)
• alpha stickers  (40% off stickers)
• flowers  (45% off flowers)
• punches  (45% off punches)

CARD STEP-BY-STEP
Step 1.  Take a blank card (or make your own from cardstock).  Cut and attach some patterned paper slightly smaller than your card.

Step 2.  Cut a thin strip of paper (or use ribbon) and attach it along the bottom of the card.

Step 3.  I have added a sentiment to the oval shape.  To do this you could hand write it, use a sentiment stamp or alpha stickers.

Step 4.  Add a small embellishment to the oval shape.

Remember sketches are just a guide so feel free to change it up a bit, it doesn't have to be exactly as shown...eg. flip the sketch around, use different shapes etc...

Happy creating...

nic...xxxooo

Recipe Card Swap - by Sue Smith

Hi again everyone! How is your new year going? Happy, creative and productive I hope!

Have you ever participated in a recipe card swap? These are lots of fun and a great way to build up your recipe collection with tried and true recipes from friends.....and combine them with scrapbooking as well!

If you haven't been part of one of these and you're wondering what it's all about, it's simply a matter of getting together with a scrapbooking forum group, or your local crop group, and getting together a bunch of scrapbookers who want to participate.

Once you know how many people are going to take part, you then make a recipe card for each person on that list....eg 10 people on the list of participants (including yourself) and you make 10 recipe cards. Each person's contributions are then gathered or sent to the co-ordinator of the swap who collates all the cards, so that each person ends up with one recipe card from each participant.

The standard size for these cards is usually 5" x 7" landscape and can be single or double-sided. They usually include a photo (but not essential) and of course the recipe with added scrapbooking embellishments.

Here is a card I did recently for just such a swap. The front of the card....



Products used for these cards include....

* Black Cardstock
* Kraft Cardstock
* Black gel pen
* Versacolor Ink spots
* Ruby Rock-It Summerhouse Collection - 'Tropic'

Here is a close-up of the title which I cut using a Pazzles Inspiration Die-Cutter.....



And the back....



I can't wait to see what recipes I get back with this swap :)

Happy scrapping until next week.....and DON"T FORGET.....EVERYTHING is on special at Scrap 'N' Craft With T, so head on over and GRAB A BARGAIN!!!!

Mixed Media - another attempt by Tanyah Payne

Hello everyone to a New year and hope everyone has enjoyed their holidays and able to do some crafting over your break.

I want to share with you another box I have created using the score pal and have decorated the front having a play with mixed media goodies..

Here is a close up of the box..

Products used are:

• Cardstock
• Making Memories Paint
• Glimmer Mist
• Maya Mist
• Petaloo butterflies
• Prima Flowers
• Maya Road leaf Pin
• Prima say it in pearls
• Viva - Croco transparent crackle
• Medical Mesh

Come and Check out these products and more all on SALE at the moment! http://www.scrapncraftwitht.com.au


Here are some very quick cards to share.... hope you find some inspiration and want to create some too!

Hope i have inspired you and want to create lots!....
enjoy and thanks for poping by.
We love it when you comment and say hi so please do...
Have a fab Saturday everyone !
luv tanXx

Care free - NO patterned paper

I LOVE  patterned paper - I use it all of the time  so I thought I would challenge  myself to  do a layout with NO paper - JUST cardstock!  For this layout you will need
Kraft cardstock
coloured cardstock
Paint dabber
Glimmermist ( or paint)
flower
mesh
lace
string

1.  Use the Kraft cardstock as your base
2. Using the Paint dabber -  dab  splodges across your cardstock.
3.  Take the glimmermist - I have selected a dark colour - take the nozzle out and using the hose end -  splatter some  glimmer mist  across the page.  Let dry
4. Take the pink cardstock and cut to 8.5 x 5.  Cut in half and run both pieces through the  cuttlebug.
5.Adhere the pink cardstock to the lower right side of your Kraft Cardstock
6. Take lace and pinkmesh and adhere across embossed  cardstock and a small piece  at top left hand corner
7. Select photo - I have used a 6 x 4 portrait photo.
8.  Take string and tie across  whole of  page...adhere at back of page
9. Adhere flower sprays
10. Doodle outer edge of cardstock and also the pink  embossed cardstock
11. Add title and any journalling

have fun and get  creative  with cardstock!!!

Quick card using Ruby Rockit papers

After seeing Sue's wonderful layout yesterday I was inspired to use up some of my Ruby Rockit papers to make a quick card.

I have used the following materials:

•  Ruby Rockit papers  summerhouse collection 
• Sticky back canvas
• Card blank
• Cardstock
• Script stamp
• Adirondack Tim Holtz Color Wash
• Embossing powder
• Distress Stickles
• Punch

I had made the butterfly earlier in the week by playing around with some sticky back canvas.

I diecut a butterfly shape, then stamped the canvas using a script stamp inked with versamark then embossed.  Using a mini-mister, I wet the canvas then sprayed on some Color Wash.  I wet it first so the two colours would bleed into each other a bit.
When dry, I added some Distress Stickles.

.
 I have used a border punch to give the edge some definition, fussy cut a flourish from the Ruby Rockit paper and added one of my favourite verses.

All done...very simple...xxxooo

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and all the best for the New Year.

nic...xxxooo

Ruby Rockit Paper - A layout by Sue Smith

Happy 2011 everyone! May you all be mega-productive and creative with your scrapping this year!

Today's layout is one I made with Ruby Rockit - The Summerhouse Range 'Journal'. This range of papers (as are ALL papers) are currently 50% off at Tanyah's store so make sure you jump in a grab a bargain while you can!



With this layout I worked with the pattern that was on the paper, and found some plain papers which matched and toned with the colours already on the paper to create mats for the photos, and also different-width strips which I arranged vertically behind the photos, edging each strip with a black Sharpie pen.

The photo mats edges were inked with VersaColor Ink in 'Pacific'.

The title was done with American Crafts Thickers Rockabye Foam Stickers which I outlined and inlined with a black pen and then inked from the bottom edge with Versa Color Ink in 'Bark'.


I used this same ink on the edges of the whole layout as well.

The mesh ribbon used is May Arts Mesh ribbon in 'Teal'.

Until next Monday, happy scrapping everyone! xxx

New Year Card - by Annie Zorzo

Welcome everyone to 2011.  I sincerely hope this year has already started well for you and will continue to bring you lots of laughter and happiness.  This year is a year of big change in our family as we have lots of new adventures and new additions that await us.  It is also with some sadness that some wonderful things come to an end in 2011, like Scrap n Craft with T.  Tanyah, along with past and present design team members have been inspiring you for some time now and we hope we've made an impression on your creative journey.  Remember Tanyah is still selling off her stock at massively reduced prices, so if you missed some Boxing Day sales - head on over to Scrap n Craft with T now to snap up a few scrapping bargains.

For the first project of the new year, with some of us still suffering from the massive Christmas and New Year festivities, I thought I would create another simple one for you.  Seriously, those who have seen my blog entries know I am not a self-proclaimed card marker...but this time I'm actually pretty happy with it!! (2011 the year of surprises LOL).  As New Year invariably has some sort of firework display, I've made a card with some firework starbursts. 

For this weeks project, you'll need some:
- Black Cardstock
- Alpha Stickers
- White Gel pen
- Bright multi-coloured Scrap Paper - I've used October Afternoon Farm Fresh Hay Barn
- Glimmermist

To make the card:
1. Cut your card stock to 8.5 x 5.5" and score along the middle
2. Using alpha stickers, use your sentiment letters and position in place. 
3. Using a White Gel Pen, trace around them.  Once the pen is dry and won't smudge, remove the stickers.  You can reuse them on another project!
4. Go over the letter outline again making a jaggered fuzzy outline - similar to what you would see with a sparkler.
5. Cut a 2.5x 2" strip of scrap paper
6. Cut narrow 2mm fringe strips of paper down to one end, leaving about 2mm from cutting all the way through.
7. Using a thin needle, twist the paper around the need from cut end to secured end
8. Repeat for all fringe strips
NOTE:  Doesn't matter if they are uneven (as no two starburst are the same) or if the fringing breaks off
9. Once you have some done, tear off about 8 fringes, positioned the secured end in a circle so the fringing comes out in all circular directions.  If only a few have broken off, stick them down individually or in what-ever grouping you have.  It really doesn't matter.
10. Stick down and repeat creating a number of 'Firework starbursts'

11. Once you've finished all your starbursts, spray the front of the card with Glimmermist to create the little lighting flashing in the sky from the fading fireworks.

12. Put a New Year message inside the card and your done.

I apologise for the lack of quality in the photos - the ones I took during the day are not loading for some reason.  I'm continuing to have problems with my working but suffering camera after the waterlogging incident!  But you can see where I was going with this card.  Hope you like it - enjoy making some firework starbursts for your own projects and continue to be fabulously creative in 2011.

Using digital stamps by Ingeborg Dijkstra

I recently discoverd so called 'digital stamps'. I know, I know ... I am a bit of a slow learner with some things, because some of you have probably discovered these years ago.

I have bought a number of digital stamps, but there are also quite a few free digital stamps for you to download. One of my favourite places to look for digital stamps is Raindrops Echo Designs by Ann Vento. I downloaded the images and sentiments that I liked and put them in a publisher file. This is what my document looked like:

This is what my digital stamps looked like when printed on Kraft Cardstock:

This is what Ann writes about her free files:

'Thanks for taking an interest in the free files (digital stamps and/or sentiments, SVG, SCUT files, etc.) that I offer on my blog. The files that I've created using Inkscape/SCAL software can be used with SCAL as cutting files for your Cricut. The digital stamps/sentiments are usually created with royalty-free clipart and/or fonts; you can print out these digital stamps like others that you may have. You are free do whatever you like with them, but the only thing I ask is that if you use or share them in any way, you link back to this blog. I would really appreciate it, as I have put a lot of time and effort into making these files :) Other than that, enjoy, and I would LOVE to see how you've used them!'

So ... back to the card. I started with a piece of kraft cardstock 12" x 6" and folded it to make a 6" square. I cut a piece of paper (Master from the Upstairs Downstair Collection) slightly smaller to fit neatly onto the square card.

I added a few pieces of a small Bible, which I bought in a thrift shop to use on my cards and layouts. I also cut out one of the digital stamps and put it in the middle of the card. I added a piece of cotton lace too:

I also cut one of the 'digital bingo cards'. I made some 'rolls' out of the Bible pages and stamped a few swirls on a transparency with black Stazon ink. I added a circle piece of chipboard too:

I finally cut one of the digital butterflies and added it in the top right corner. Done!

Gorgeous Teresea Collins papers

As a Mum to lots of boys I am always on the hunt for cool  papers  for boys and  I love this Teresa Collins  range.  For this layout  you will need

Teresa Collins CELEBRATE  papers
Paper  string ribbon
buttons
orange ricrac
Kaiser rubons
Jenny Bowlin chipboard buttons

1.  Use the Teresa Collins Celebrate  paper as the base
2. Spray  glimmermist on background.  I have also taken off the lid  and  dropped some larger  droplets   as well.

3.  Cut "Celebrate definitions" to 5 " x 11". Distress edges.
4.  Cut the Star paper  to 4 and a half inches x 7 inches.  Distress edges . We will be using the text  side.
5. Tear a 1 inch strip of the banner paper .  We will be using the brown spotted side.Trim to 11 and a half inches.  This will sit in underneath the text paper.
6. Cut out some stars
7. Tie red twine around the text paper before adhering.
8. From the Banner paper cut 2 rows of triangles.  I have trimmed one lot of triangles down so it can sit on top of the other - looking  like a  double layer - I have  curled the smaller top one before adhering.

9. Run orange ricrac down from bottom of photo to right hand side of layout
10. Adhere random buttons and stars
11. Take Kaiser rubons for title.
12.  Adhere  Jenny Bowlin chipboard  button

13. Add journalling.

Thanks for looking!!

Quick card using Rub n Buff - Nicky Amber

Rub n buff is a wax base metallic finish that can be used for decorating or antiquing wood, plaster, pottery, metal, leather, or gessoed surfaces. All you need to do is rub on and buff to a beautiful luster.

I have used some rub n buff to make a quick card.

I have inked this chipboard shape black and then rubbed some Rub n Buff over the top in some places to simulate a rusted finish.

For the butterflies... I embossed some black cardstock with an embossing folder, punched out with a butterfly punch and then rubbed some Rub n Buff over the top of the raised part. 

This product gives a wonderful metallic shine to your project.  It has many applications (scrapping and non-scrapping)...  I have seen it used for things such as giving picture frames and wooden moulding a nice metallic sheen.    It can also be used on metal, clay and other surfaces and with items including masks and templates.



Don't forget that all items in store have been reduced to clear so go and bag yourself a bargain....or two.

Happy creating...xxxooo

Patterned Bokeh - a photography technique by Sue Smith

I hope you all have had a fabulous Christmas, and have taken lots of pics to be scrapped. There is something so magical and wonderful about Christmas lights, and this year I was inspired to try something different with my camera by altering the bokeh effect.

If you are not aware of the term 'bokeh', it refers to the blurred background images in photos which become quite pronounced with a shallow depth of field (the area within the photo that is in focus), particularly when you use a wide-angle, macro or telephoto lens.

I had lots of fun experimenting with this effect by creating masks to sit over the front of my telephoto lens in different shapes, which then made all the little blurred light images echo the cut-out shape on the mask. Confused yet? Let me show you what I did....

First of all, I used my small die-cutters to cut shapes in black cardstock....



I then attached this to a circle of cardstock the exact size of my lens and attached a straight strip of cardstock around the circumference of the circle like so....



This mask is then slipped over the front of your lens and can be held in place with blutack if you want it totally secure.

Now the fun begins....

Here are the Christmas lights I worked with taking an ordinary photo first....



The same lights taken out of focus (you need to set your lens to manual focus instead of auto for this).....



Now I applied the masks I made, and here is the effect you get with the star mask....



the heart mask....



and the musical note mask....



Isn't that an amazing effect?

You can then use that effect in your photo as a background with your subject matter in focus and the patterned bokeh behind. This first photo is taken without any mask....



Then with the star mask....



...and the heart mask....



To achieve this effect properly, your 'in-focus' subject matter does need to be a fair distance from the lights, so that the lights stay out of focus. This does take quite a bit of experimenting to get the best and most dramatic effect, but it's lots of fun and very much worth the effort.

Here are a couple of other images taken with the star mask and a second set of lights and different camera settings....





I hope you have enjoyed this as much as I did preparing it, and that you might be inspired to give it a go yourself.

See you next Monday in 2011! Happy New Year! xxx