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Category Archives: Tutorials

It’s all in the stance

07 Thursday May 2015

Posted by Sara in ScrapBook, Tutorials

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

photographing layouts, Scrapbook Layout, Tutorial

From time to time I get questions regarding how I shoot my LO’s to make them square. I have a pretty very low-tech set-up around here so I thought I’d take today to share. Trust me, if I can do it, so can you!

First up, here’s my photo booth:

lucky - setupYup. That’s my kitchen floor. I’m lucky in that it has square tiles to help with keeping everything straight. In the morning, all the light comes through here so I just open the back door and voila! Good lighting! On the rare occasion I shoot in late afternoon I take my LO’s to the living room at the front of the house. The hardwood floor gives me straight lines to use as a guide and the light is perfect there. Better than the kitchen but 90% of the time I need to take pics in the morning (because I’m slack and don’t think about it in time to do it the day before – truth. Total slacker.).

The trick to getting a straight photo, and thus, a square picture, is your stance:

lucky - stanceGabe was nice enough to take this picture for me. He thought it was pretty funny that I wanted a picture of me like this!

Basically, stand right over the LO, and shoot straight down. Most cameras have guidelines you can line up with the edges of your project but if yours doesn’t, just eyeball it. You can usually easily tell if the sides are square of if they taper off at the top. The problem most people tell me they have is that the pictures of their LO’s are narrower at the top than the bottom – that simply means you aren’t directly over the LO, you’re getting the “tapering into the distance” effect.

Also, to get the best quality picture, shoot at the highest resolution you can and get as close to the item you’re photographing as you can. Here’s the picture I took, straight out of the camera (SOOC). All that means is there’s been no editing, no cropping. If this was film, this would be the picture I got back from the developer:

lucky - SOOCSee? Very little left to crop and generally square and true. It’s not exact, of course, but once I edited for white balance and cropped (I use Photoshop Elements 11), I lost very little of the actual LO:

luckyYou can see the white is a little brighter, as are the colours, but with good lighting coming in from the door, it was pretty good to begin with. It’s always better to have good lighting to start with than to try and fudge it too much.

This page was made for a LO tag I did with a bunch of friends. I love these because it’s so much fun to see how it changes as it’s passed from person to person. If you’ve never done this before it’s a simple concept – one person makes a LO and shows it to the next person who scraplifts it. They then show their own LO, but not the original, to the next person in line who scraplifts that, and so on until you’re all done. The difference from the first to the last LO’s are always amazing! If you don’t have a group of friends close by, there are groups online who do this as well. Since you only need a picture, participants can be anywhere in the world!

Hmmmm, maybe I should start one here!

Moving on….

Lots of dimension with foam adhesive, wood veneer, roughed up edges, and layers:

lucky - dimension clusterAnd texture with doily elements and drywall tape (love that stuff!):

lucky -embellie clusterSo that’s it, you too can take straight and square pictures, I promise! And you can always ask if you have any questions or if I just completely confused you! 🙂

Cheers!

S.

P.S. Don’t forget about Photo Crush, the FREE class over at Simple Scrapper! It starts on the 11th and you don’t want to miss out!

photo crush

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Just Cuz…

03 Friday Apr 2015

Posted by Sara in Guest Post, Mixed Media, Tutorials

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Mixed media, Scrapbook Layout, Tutorial

Edit: The post is up now!

When I first started blogging I used to do a weekly series called Tuesday Techniques. I loved it but it was super time-consuming and I just couldn’t keep up. So they stopped. However, those posts are still my most visited and pinned, by far and that’s why this post should make many of you very happy. 🙂

06 - title and embellies

Sam, Brittany, and Sarah from DIY Just Cuz contacted me a little bit ago to ask if I’d consider doing a guest post for their Scrapbook Series. And then they gave me free rein, as long as I stuck to a current trend, or tip and tricks post. Seriously??? How could I turn that awesomeness down?

So head on over to DIY Just Cuz and check out my step by step tutorial for watercolour backgrounds. Then go take a look at the rest of their blog, it’s a ton of fun!

Cheers!

S.

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Scrapbook Steals | Hidden Journaling

05 Wednesday Mar 2014

Posted by Sara in Scrapbook Steals, Tutorials

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Journaling, Scrapbook Steals, Tutorial

I’ve got another How To-sday post up at the Scrapbook Steals blog – go check it out and let me know what you think!

wadingS.

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Fussy Cutting | Scrapbook Steals

17 Tuesday Dec 2013

Posted by Sara in Scrapbook Steals, Techniques, Tutorials

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

fussy cutting, Scrapbook Steals, Tutorial

scrapbook steals

I love fussy cutting! I love cutting out all those little tiny shapes and building something up. I know, most of you think I’m crazy – but I’m going to show you how to do it and not hate it!

Go check out the Scrapbook Steals Blog for my post full of tips and techniques!

3

S.

Related articles
  • Distress Ink Backgrounds | Scrapbook Steals (sarathings.com)
  • Welcome Scrapbook Steals Blog Hoppers! (paperandmusings.wordpress.com)

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Something exciting!

11 Wednesday Dec 2013

Posted by Sara in Mixed Media, This & That, Tutorials

≈ 15 Comments

Tags

Guest Post, Ronda Palazzari

Several months ago I received a twitter message from Ronda Palazzari. And it was just a little bit exciting for me – I love her! I was over the moon when she asked if she could feature one of my projects on a blog post of work using her Crafter’s Workshop stencils. Would I mind, she asked?

Um… NO! You just go ahead and like my work Ms. Palazzari, I’m totally ok with that!

And then, a while later, she asked again! And this time my friend Cathie was featured too. 🙂

So when Ronda asked me to email her about a question,I didn’t think much of it. Until I read said email – three or four times to get over my shock!

She asked me to use her stencils and do a step by step Christmas project as a guest blog post! What!?!?! She likes me, she really likes me!

Excited might be an understatement…

So, long story longer, I did a guest post. And it’s live today.

Want to see what this turned out like?

rp canvas

And how about a larger view of this?

rp ornament

Go check it out and then come back and tell me what you think! Hope you enjoy them!

S.

Related articles
  • November Stencil Round Up & Winner (rondapalazzari.typepad.com)
  • Guest Blogger: Miriam Pranter (rondapalazzari.typepad.com)
  • Guest Blogger: Sanna Lippert (rondapalazzari.typepad.com)

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Handprint Advent Tree

02 Monday Dec 2013

Posted by Sara in Family, Kid's Crafts, Tutorials

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

Advent calendar, Christmas, Crafts

Well, it’s the beginning of December and around here that means the beginning of Christmas crafts! We did a fun and easy one today that included some paint – always a winner with little kiddies!

First, I painted everyone’s hands green and stamped them on watercolour paper to make trees. I definitely recommend Tempera paints for this, they easily wash off surfaces, clothes, and skin!

advent tree - hand prints

Once the trees were done everyone got a paintbrush and were told to paint a bunch of colours without mixing them into mud – and they actually did it! Mud colour is the norm around here for some reason…

Although the paints dry quickly, a lot of water was flowing on these so I gave them a quick blast with my heat gun to speed up the process. Then, with “help”, I punched 1″ and 3/4″ circles from the paper to make ornaments.I also cut a star from some of the yellow painted sections. All in all, we had 23 circles and one star per child which they then stuck to a sheet of glue dots. We started with this:

advent tree - big thighs hannah

and this:

advent tree - big thighs gabe

And ended up with these:

advent tree - decorations hannah

And these:

advent tree - decorations Gabe

And now we’re all ready for the countdown! Since today is the second they got to pick out and stick on two ornaments, saving the star until Christmas Eve.

advent tree - finished

Cute, hey? He insisted on making a funny face – no way was I getting a reasonable picture out of him today!

There’s still plenty of time to make your own – it might even be fun for the whole family to have trees!

S.

Related articles
  • Handprint wreath (activities4kidz.wordpress.com)
  • Advent Tree: Completed Tree – First day of Advent (makingandcreating.wordpress.com)
  • Easy handprint Christmas wreath for kids (nurturestore.co.uk)

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Gelli Plate Printing |Guest Post: Karen

26 Tuesday Nov 2013

Posted by Sara in Guest Post, Mixed Media, ScrapBook, Tutorials

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

GelliPlate, Guest Post, Mixed media, Scrapbook Layout

I’m on vacation for a few days to visit my brother and his lovely (and pregnant!) wife. While I’m away some of my favourite local artists and bloggers have agreed to do posts for you! Today, Karen shares her newfound love of the Gelli Arts Gel Printing Plate. Enjoy!

                                                                            

I was honoured when Sara asked me to guest post for her blog while she is vacationing. Hope you are having a great time Sara!

Last week, I bought a Gelli Arts Gel Printing Plate and I have been having a blast learning and experimenting with different kinds of prints. I have created lots of fun backgrounds for art journal pages, but I was even more delighted when I realized the great backgrounds I could make for my scrapbook pages!

Today I am sharing my very first gel print scrapbook layout. Hooray!

For my print I used two colours of Silks Acrylic Glaze- Watermelon Mist and Carmen.

First I did a very simple layer of Watermelon Mist (pink). I just spread the glaze on the plate, put the paper on and pulled it off.

1

For my second layer, I spread on some Carmen (red). I pressed down a stencil and while the stencil was on the plate I used a roller dots stamp over the plate for extra texture.

2

Then I lifted the stencil before applying the paper.

3

Here’s what it looks like after the pull! Love it!

4

What a great base for a page right?! Next I chose some paper from the Simple Stories I {Heart} Summer line, which I just love, by the way. And once I added a few embellishments it was done.

5

So it’s official – I am in love with the Gelli Plate! How about you?!

Karen

You can check out more of my stuff on my blog at http://sitscrapandrelax.wordpress.com

Related articles
  • Create Daily: Gelli Arts Monoprinting (rondapalazzari.typepad.com)
  • Brother ScanNCut: Gelli Prints (balzerdesigns.typepad.com)
  • Round prints on a rectangle Gelli Plate (scrappystickyinkymess.wordpress.com)

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Pan Pastels | Guest Post: Tanya

22 Friday Nov 2013

Posted by Sara in Guest Post, Mixed Media, Tutorials

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Guest Post, Mixed media, PanPastel

I’m on vacation for a few days to visit my brother and his lovely (and pregnant!) wife. While I’m away some of my favourite local artists and bloggers have agreed to do posts for you! Today, Tanya shares her love and amazing use of PanPastels. Enjoy!

                                                                          

I’m excited to guest blog for Sara and share my new favorite thing – pan pastels! I’ve been eyeing them for ages, but resisted buying until I took a class at The Paperie by Cathie Reed. After that, I had no choice but to buy them, I was hooked. I love to make backgrounds for projects with pan pastels.

You can read more about pan pastels here.

The first project is so simple and fast to make and you just need one pan pastel – that’s right – just one, so if you are interested in experimenting with them, you don’t need to spend a lot to try it out.

1

Gather your supplies. Here is a list of what I used:

  • Ultramarine blue pan pastel and sofft sponge
  • Spectra fix
  • Bristol paper (You can use whatever you have on hand, this was the closest for me to grab)
  • Stamps
  • Versa mark
  • tape
  • Some embellishments (of course!)

Cut your paper to the size of the card you want to make. Gently swipe the sponge over the pan pastel two to three times and color in the paper with swiping motions, like using a paint brush. If you have loose pastel powder on the surface of the pan pastel, then you are using too much pressure when swiping up the color.

2

Once you have it all colored in and at the shade you like, ink up your stamp with versa mark and stamp. It won’t be very visible. Add some more pan pastel. Ta da – the magic happens!

3

You then have to spray it with a fixative so it will set. I like the spray spectra fix, safe and no odor. It takes about 1-2 minutes for it to evaporate and dry.

Add your sentiment stamp, embellishments and adhere it to a card base. Easy peasy, you are done.

4

This technique would work fabulously on a 12x 12 layout or canvas.

The next background I want to show you is on a canvas. For this project I used:

  • Canvas
  • Tissue paper
  • Cheese cloth
  • Matte multi-medium
  • Various papers ( I used cut up gift wrap that looked like tickets)
  • Gesso
  • Pan pastels and sofft sponges
  • Fixative spray

5

I crumpled up some plain white tissue paper and adhered it on the canvas with the multi medium. I did the same with the cheese cloth and paper. Remember to put the multi medium under and over what you are putting on the canvas.

6

Once that was dry, I put a thin coat of gesso over the whole canvas with a paint brush. The gesso helps the pan pastels go on so smooth and tones down your paper colors a little.

7

That layer dries much more quickly than the multi medium. Now you are ready to add the color goodness of pan pastels.

8

I used ultramarine blue shade all over the canvas the same way I did the paper for the card.

I love how the texture of the tissue paper:

9

and cheese cloth:

10

picks up the color.

I then sprayed with the fixative and once it was dry, I added more color. This time I used phthalo blue to shade and paynes grey for the edges. Of course, I sprayed with the fixative again.

11

Now you have a great background complete. I will admit, I did have a lot of backgrounds done on canvas, but I used them all up at the retreat. It seems so much faster to work on a canvas without having to do the background prep.

This is what I did with this background:

12

That’s all folks, and thanks for letting me share my new love, Sara!

Tanya

Related articles
  • so many ways to be inspired… (donnadowney.typepad.com)
  • Pan Pastels (itsacreativeworld.typepad.com)
  • The Grass is Greener Where You Water It or…PanPastel Metallics (nathaliesstudio.com)

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Distress Ink Backgrounds | Scrapbook Steals

12 Tuesday Nov 2013

Posted by Sara in Scrapbook Steals, Techniques, Tutorials

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Distress Ink, Scrapbook Steals, Tutorial

Remember back when I used to do a Tuesday Technique? They were fun, right?

Well, I didn’t have time to keep doing those each week but luckily for you, Scrapbook Steals does one each and every Tuesday on their blog!designteam-fallwinter

Today, and once every month, I’ll be the How To-sday blogger over there and today is my first post – Distress Ink backgrounds.

photo 7

Go take a look and try it out – fun times will ensue, I promise!

S.

 

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Boo!

18 Friday Oct 2013

Posted by Sara in Family, Kid's Crafts, This & That, Tutorials

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

ghost craft, Halloween

We had a bit of Halloween fun around here yesterday. Molly was home from school because of a PD Day for the teachers and I needed something fun and easy to do that would satisfy the age range I have around here during the day.

I went with ghosts.

Super simple and I had all the stuff on hand, or rather, I made it up based on what I had on hand!

DSC_9296

Styrofoam cups, black permanent marker, string, white tissue paper, glue stick, and a wooden skewer to poke holes.

First, we drew faces:

DSC_9304

Then I poked a hole in the top of each cup:

DSC_9305

I tied a knot in the string and poked it through the hole from the inside out (with some “help”):

DSC_9307

Glue stick around the inside edge:

DSC_9309

And the kiddies stuck on the strips of tissue:

ghosts

Aren’t they fun?

DSC_9277

The kiddies had a blast making them:

DSC_9300Next up…. pumpkins? Or footprint ghosts? Any suggestions?

S.

 

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