Sketch Template Series, Part 4

Today's post is our 4th and final sketch in our sketch template series.  Today's cards are all about threes --- so triple the fun.  Let's get right to it.  

This is a really great sketch and easily inspires a lot of creative ideas.  It would look good with a vertical orientation, too.

Notice how Jenn changed the orientation of the top layer a bit.  I love the little baker's twine bow at the end of the ribbon.

 

For my card, I used the same DSP and broke out my bottle caps.  This one has been smashed.  To see how to easily smash them, click here.

I let the natural design of the DSP become the 3 images from the sketch.  Then I highlighted one by attaching it inside the bottle cap.  

Here's another way you could use this design, similar yet fresh and new.

All 3 of these cards show creative use of ribbon, also.  Ribbon can be a wonderful way to add a quick and beautiful accent to your card creations.

For Lynn's card, she stamped the poppies, colored them in and then used circle punches to accent the 3 pieces.  This is an excellent example of a fresh take on a large stamp.  I love the look.  I'm sorry I didn't get close-ups of Lynn's cards.  I was clicking away quickly as she was preparing to leave the meeting and I didn't want to hold her up.

Notice that Lynn did not use any ribbon or embellishments.  Because of the busy design in the background paper, I don't think she needed anything else.  Her design lets your eyes rest where they should --- on the 3 focal pieces.

That concludes the cards and templates that we have made so far.  We're still waiting for out-of-state people to have a chance to do theirs.

Our Team meets again next week and I already have a plan for continuing our little card sketch templates project.  At our next meeting, everyone will be bringing 1 sketch template with them --- one they've found that they really like or one that they've designed themselves.  Using new products from my pre-order, we will each make our version of a card from each of the templates.  

The project will continue on into June when we will each bring back 1 of the cards we made in May AND a stepped-up version of the same card.  This is really a fun project.

If you'd like to learn more about becoming a part of my Inkin' in the Land of Lincoln team, just say the word.  You're welcome to come to one of my Team Meetings and learn what it's all about.

So now I'd really love to hear from you.

• Did you try one of the sketch templates?
• Which one did you try?
• Which sketch template do you like the best?

Have a great day and... you know the drill... go stamp something!

Sketch Template Series, Part 2

Are you up for another great sketch template?  Here we go for today's sketch #2 of our Team project.

I have several cards today, using this template.  You may notice that we are keeping these simple.  Our goal is to share that you can make great cards without them being overly complicated.  While it's fun to make a super fancy card with all the bells and whistles, the reality is that we don't have time to make every card be this way.  You may also notice that it is incredibly fun to make a simple card that looks really great.  It is very rewarding.

Sketch #2 has a border down the front, rather than covering all the front of the card.  Notice how Jenn used a cute little scallop border tucked into one side of the card.  This card showcases the pinwheel die, which works so well with the Sunshine and Sprinkles DSP.

This is a card I made from the Dude, You're Welcome Kit.  I'll be sharing more of these cards soon.  I also used the little 'speckled' stamp from the Paper Pumpkin Welcome Kit.  I just love that stamp!

This card showcases the Tea for Two DSP and the Oh, Hello stamp set.  I stamped over the En Francais background and then cut the layers out with our framelits.

I cut the embossed layer a little shorter for this card, to show how you can vary the design.  You could also change the card to a landscape orientation. 

So there you have it.  Some great cards that look great and feel great to make!  Have you tried a template sketch yet to jump-start your creativity?  Get going now and have a super day!

A Pinwheels Layout

This is our second layout we made at our Scraps and Prayers Class.  I used the same template as with the bottle caps layout here.

I've used a larger circle punch to create a scalloped edging.  I added a couple of strips of DSP with a ruffled ribbon over them, for layered interest.  The little pinwheel sizzlit makes a really cute pinwheel for embellishment.

Remember, when you're working on several layouts, or stuck on a design, try using the same layout as with another project and changing it up some to create a whole new look, like I did here.  It's really fun and does stimulate your creativity.

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or click on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.

Circles and Bottle Caps / Bottle Cap Mini Tutorial

Today is all about circles and bottle caps --- one of our layouts from my Scraps and Prayers Class and a mini tutorial on using our wonderful bottle caps.

Here we go:

This layout is all about circles, even using punched circles for a scalloped edging effect. 

For this layout, I chose to make each page basically the same but a mirror image of the opposite side.

Here's a close-up of the bottle cap.  I used our 1" circle punch to punch out a whale from the design like you see in the circle to its left.  I love these little whales!  You may notice that I've flattened the bottle caps.  I didn't want the page protector to be ruined by the bulk or sharper edges of a bottle cap sticking up in my album.

Here's how you flatten the bottle caps.  It's really super easy!

So, there you have it.  I hope you'll try flattening some bottle caps of your own.  It is almost addictive because it's so easy and so much fun.  Isn't that the way with all our projects, though?  I think so!

In a few days, I'll post the second layout we also made, using the same layout template.  Be sure to come back soon to check it out.  Now, go scrap something.

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or click on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.

2 Little Mini Albums

In addition to our banner, we made a little mini album at our last Hostess Scrapbook Club.  I made 2 DSP versions, to show you the potential for these.

I had some retired gift bags left over from a previous Stampin' Up! catalog, so I used those.  You could use most any kind of little paper bag.  I've made lots of them using paper lunch bags and punched an entire row of holes along the spine and then added lots of ribbons to coordinate with the papers.  For these little albums for club, I just punched 2 holes and then added a little CS piece for the spine.

Here's how you go about making a paper bag album:

Choose the paper bags you'd like to use.  I think 5 works well for this project, but you could use a few more if you'd like to do so.
Using your grid paper, mark your holes.  Punch 2 or 3 bags at a time, using the Crop-A-Dile.

Choose your papers and your ribbons.  NO... I did not use these ribbons with these papers.  The ribbons are for one of my bags and the papers were for the albums for club members.  I didn't want you to think I'd lost it:)
Your measurements for your papers and your little spine piece of CS are based on the size of your paper bags.

These are the sizes I used for my pages --- 3 1/4 X 5 1/2" DSP or CS.  If you want to stamp on the inside pages, then use a very light DSP background, such as First Edition, or cover every page with DSP and attach stamped embellishments.  The CS for the spine is a 3 1/2" square.
I scored it at 1 1/2" and again at 2" and then marked the holes and punched them, to line up with the holes in the paper bags.

When you make a mini album using paper bags, you create a natural pocket in between each page.  You can cut CS pieces and add tabs to them, using these --- 1 per pocket --- to add further stamped images and photos.  You can add stamped images and embellishments to every page.  If you make a mini album for a vacation trip, you can add tickets and mementos inside the pockets.  The possibilities are endless.

I used a 12" piece of ribbon for the tie, to hold the mini album together.
Optional:  Add a second sprig of ribbon in a coordinating color.

Close-ups:

 

Now I stopped at this point and sent everyone off to add the finishing touches to their own albums, following their own path of creativity.    

Here is an old album I made using paper lunch bags.  I cut them down slightly, so they'd be more of a square.  This one has a lot of pages.  

Another option:

If you don't want to use paper bags, then just use CS pieces, cut to the size you'd like for your pages.  Attach them together the same as I did my paper bag album and embellish them to your heart's content.  You won't have the option of having pockets with pull-out pieces, so you'll just add your photos directly onto your pages.  You can make a mini album be pretty much whatever you can dream up! 

So... start dreaming and then go create!!!  Let me know what you come up with for your mini album!   

Come back soon and see my next posts:  more calendars, more wreaths...   lots of fun waiting for you!

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or click on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.

Bundle Up -- with a Quilt Card!

We're having a very cold day here so I thought it would be a great time to play with some quilt cards.  Here are the 2 cards I just made and a little tutorial for making them.

Card 1:

Card 1 Close-up:

Card 2:

Card 2 Close-up:

...and here's how to do it:  

Would you like to see more quilting?  Click here... and here.... and here.... and another photo:

This set was made with last year's Sale-A-Bration DSP and ribbon.  I love when you can coordinate things!

So now, it's your turn.  Make a quilt and stay warm!