Southern Scraps

I'm back to share the fruits of my labor thus far. I've got to take a break and cook supper, but I hope to do a little more before bedtime. I've gotten a few cards done today and checked in on some blog candy, challenges, and such. I hope you've gotten a chance to play and enter some contests for prizes and I hope you win! I made this card today for the sketch challenge at Splitcoaststampers. Here's the sketch. I made this one for this week's sketch at 2Sketches4U . I just discovered this blog this week and I love it. I had one of the tags leftover from a few years back. I made another one to go with it for the card. I did some stitching and chalking. I wish I always had time to put more into cards like this. Lastly, here's a card I will be sending to Mission Soldier Support .

Here's a great tutorial from splitcoaststampers for a gate fold card. And here's a Halloween card I made from this tutorial.

The coloring on this card was done with the chalkboard technique. The tutorial for this can be found here . Some things to note: You definitely want a solid image. Your chalk is sticking to the ink. An image that is an outline will be impossible to color on dark cardstock. Also, I did wait for my ink to dry. It seemed to be smearing when I started applying the chalk while the ink was wet. The stamp used here is by Inkadinkado. Here's a close up of the image.

Do you like the look of stitching on your paper projects, but don't have a machine or don't feel like messing with threading a needle? Then this technique is for you. You need: 1. A Ruler 2. A paper piercer or large needle ( here's one by Making Memor ies) 3. Mat ( here's one by Fiskars) Lay your project on your mat and punch holes evenly spaced by using your ruler to line them up and space them. Once you've punched your holes, "connect" them with a marker or pen. This detailing looks great on the finished project!

I'm actually posting another Technique Thursday. The card below (it's listed in my shop ) was made with a technique called crayon resist. Using glossy paper and a white crayon, you can really make images pop! I had fun with this. Tutorials on this cool technique can be found at splitcoast stampers and hero arts .

It has been awhile since I've posted a technique. I've been busy working on my scrapbooks. I've also purchased film negative strip protectors and binders for them and I'm organizing all of my photos into boxes by month and year and putting the negatives into the binder. As I go, I'm pulling out sets of photos that need to be scrapped. I'm getting about 1 to 2 layouts done per week and that is a major accomplishment since I only completed about 3 layouts and a mini book last year. Here's a glimpse of my latest layout and a quick how-to for this title. While fancy, expensive die cut machines make the work a lot easier, this goes to show you don't have to have them to make great accents. 1. I printed the work Christmas on olive cardstock using the font GE Signature Script, 72 pt. (If you love fonts, I'd suggest joining this group- fontpacks You'll get emails full of fonts.) Cutter Bee Scissors Scrapbook.com 2. I cut out the word as one piece using ...

I love to "alter" things with my papers and scrap supplies. This week I have been working on an altered paint can that will be filled with goodies for a baby shower gift. Here's a quick tutorial for doing this with scrapbook paper. Supplies: Gallon paint can (clean and empty) 2 sheets coordinating 12x12 patterned scrapbook paper. Adhesive (Decoupage medium or a xyron ) Ribbon, stickers, embellishments 1 inch circle punch 1. Cut your paper 10.5 in in length and whatever width you desire. My top piece is 4 in. and the bottom is 3.75. Cutting them the same length will allow your seams to match on each side. This length allows for a slight overlap but you can still line up the seams. 2. In order to cut around the handles on each side, use a circle punch and cut out half of a circle. Measure down from the top of the can to find the appropriate place. 3. Apply decoupage medium or run pieces of paper through xyron. Adhere to can. Also cut a circle for the top and adhere. I used ...

On a lighter note (from my previous post) today is National Chocolate Chip Day. Well... it's not a "National" Holiday as it has no Congressional proclamation but nonetheless, a chocolate chip is certainly worthy of celebrating. The vast majority of my well used recipes involve a chocolate chip- cookies, cakes, muffins. MMM.. and don't forget chocolate chip pancakes and trail mixes. Oh, and how about a handful of plain chocolate chips for snacking? (I've found evidence of my hubby doing this when he has a sweet craving.) How about celebrating chocolate chip day by sharing with a friend? Cookie mixes in a jar are always a nice gift. For this recipe (from craftbits.com) you will need a jar that holds around 1 quart or 1.130 litres. If your jar is airtight add the ingredients directly otherwise place them into an airtight or ziplock bag and attach the recipe card instructions. Jar Ingredients: 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 cup white sugar ...

Mother's Day is tomorrow. Did you get Mom a card? Or will you be putting one together at the last minute? Here's some inspiration for you if you need it. I made this one for my mother-in-law. If you don't have photo corners on hand, don't sweat it. Here's a tutorial for the notched kind. http://www.scrapfriends.us/articles/photo_corners.html

Coca-cola was invented May 8, 1886, in Atlanta, Georgia. Learn more about its history here . May 8 is National Coke Day. Coke has become not only a drink, but a whole collectible thing. Items and items of Coke paraphernalia exist for the collecting. There are even Coke scrapbooking items. Take a look at this altered clipboard I received a couple of years ago in a swap. Isn't it cute? It adorns my scrapbook room. Speaking of altered clip boards, here are a couple of tutorials for making your own. http://www.scrapjazz.com/topics/Techniques/Altered_Art/423.php http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/ee/index.php/resources/tutorials/altered_clipboard/

Today's tip is one that crafters of all types are good at- REPURPOSING - We paper crafters tend to call this "altered" art and some of us will modge podge and embellish anything we can get our hands on. Seriously, many items can be used for another purpose once they have fulfilled their original purpose. Cereal boxes can be cut, covered and used as magazine holders. Altoid tins and General Coffees containers can become gift boxes. Old CD's become scrapbooks or ornaments. The list can go on and on. Here are some links to some neat repurposing crafts and tutorials I've found on the net. A turntable caddy made out of pill bottles http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/dc_furnishings_other/article/0,1793,HGTV_3433_1378755,00.html Notebooks from scrap paper http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.3a0656639de62ad593598e10d373a0a0/?vgnextoid=b97041a967557110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default Denim supply organizer http://www.allfreecrafts.com/sewing/denim-o...

No cards or project by me this week. But I would like to turn your attention to this great tutorial for a wax paper resist technique at Splitcoaststampers. http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/waxpaperresist.php I haven't tried it yet, but it looks amazing. Here's a beautiful card from splitcoaststampers member "crooked river" using this technique. Today's quote: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. unknown

Don't forget about the Mother's Day promo at etsy . Mom deserves the very best! No techniques this week. I will share the measurements and steps to this very simple card I made for hubby's coworker. I don't have very many masculine stamps so I used clip art from PCCrafter. This is the artwork of Dwight Kirkland from a set called Father's Day. 1. Open clip art in your graphics program (Print Shop, Adobe Photoshop elements, etc.) and size as desired. This piece is approximately 2 in. x 3 in. Print and cut out. 2. Cut mustard card stock to fit card front. Mine is 6 1/2 x 5 in. 3. Cut a strip of olive card stock 6 1/2 in long and about an inch wide. Trim one edge with wavy decorative scissors. 4. Cut striped paper 2 1/4 wide by 6 1/2 long. Adhere to edge of olive strip. 5. Adhere to mustard piece and adhere to card front. 6. Mount cut out clip art image with foam squares. 7. Stamp sentiment in brown ink in lower right hand corner. Quick and easy. I liked this layout so...

This week's technique is one that requires no special tools and anyone can do this. The above layout (please excuse the poor scan, it was my first attempt at scanning a 12 x12 layout and stitching it together in my photo software) features many torn edges that add texture to the layout. The photo mat was torn and the edges were rolled. To tear paper for your project you can grab it and rip by hand or use a ruler and tear along the edge of the ruler if you want a neater edge. Thick double sided card stock, like the vintage collection paper from Making Memories above, works best with the paper tearing technique, as you get an exposed white edge. Whether you tear towards you or away from you will dictate which side your white edge is on. Tearing towards you with your right hand will result in the edge on the right hand side of a piece and tearing towards you with the left hand gives you an exposed edge on the left side of a piece. You can also make paper tearing easier by wetting a s...

It's Thursday and I don't have a particular technique to share this week. I just couldn't get it together, so I'm sharing just a tidbit about using sketches for inspiration. If you don't know where to begin in designing a card or layout, there is a wealth of inspiration in sketches. I use them all the time. This week I was doing some surfing and found this wonderful blog by Maria Bell . Actually there is more than one blog by her. I used this sketch she posted to create a card. Here's my card: The great thing about sketches is that you can use the same one to create another card with a different look. I used this same sketch for this card. Different papers and a different placement of the embellishments creates a whole new card. Find some sketches and see how many ways you can use the same one. There are some links here on my blog for sketches. Have fun. Oh, and you can look for these cards to go on sale in my shop soon!

I made some Easter cards for my family this week. This one is a variation of the one in my shop. Here's another one. (Sorry about the blurred photo. The card was already sealed up to mail before I realized the pic was bad.) Here is a quick tutorial for making the trifold card. Supplies: Egg stamp Bunny Stamp ( Inkadinkado ) Happy Easter Stamp ( Inkadinkado ) yellow cardstock white cardstock brush markers primary colors ( Marvy Uchida ) ink 1. Make trifold card from yellow cardstock. Start with a 5 1/2" x 8 1/2 inch sheet of cardstock. Score and fold 2 1/4" from one end and 2" from the other end. 2. Stamp egg four times on white cardstock. Color with markers. 3. Trim and mat to bottom third of card front (2 1/4 piece). 4. Stamp bunny on white cardstock. Color. Cut out. 5. Adhere bunny to bottom edge of top third so that he extends below the bottom third inside. 6. Stamp Happy Easter on top third of card.

button - (but'n) n. 1. A disk shaped fastener used to join two parts of a garment, or for decoration. 2. A versatile craft embellishment. As a child, I loved to sift through my grandmother's buttons, many of them vintage. Today I love to use them on cards and crafts. Let's examine some ways to use them. I used buttons to create a border on these cards . A button became a flower center on this tag Many other crafters and fellow etsians use buttons in their work or to create whole pieces. Marymarsh uses fabric covered buttons in her hair accessories as does CoutureBrewToo Strings of buttons become earrings by liasaun1 and by nakedtile MichellesCharmWorld makes bracelets out of buttons and Crazy Dreams Studio makes these bracelets Aren't these just so cool and fun? Ambika has accented a purse with buttons and if accessoire aren't your thing, how about the button eyes on this adorable monster by Tizzalicious These are just a few ways buttons are used in cr...