TIPS AND TECHNIQUES

STRIP FLOWERS

So simple.  Cut 4 strips of DSP 1/8 x 6".  On each strip glue ends to center.  You will end up with 4 pieces that have loops on each side.  Lay each one on top of the other, glueing as you go along, until a flower is formed.  Place a button in the middle and DONE!! 

GLITTER MESS

So you decided to glitter some cards and now there's glitter all over the table...no worries!  I find that if you take one of those floor dusting sheets from the Swifer floor duster it picks all the glitter up super quick.  From the very very fine to the chunkier flakes, it sticks right to the sheet.  I now keep a box in my desk drawer for easy access.  Give it a try.  You'll be surprised how quickly you can clean up your mess.

GRUNGE FLOWERS

Making your own flowers is really a quick and easy task.  This technique allows you to have perfectly coordinating flowers to your cards.  Previously I did a spring card using some freebie Archivers paper pack but the card needed something so here's what I did.

First I punched out two 2" circles and one 1 1/2" circle.  Slightly mist with water and then scrunch them up.  They will look like a mess but trust me in the end they're really cute

Next layer (alternating color) each circle and glue with tacky glue.  You can also attach these together with a brad if you prefer.  For some of my other easy flowers I do use brads because they need that extra middle but these seem to look fine just glued together.  I then add some glitter glue called Twinkles with a brush for added bling.  Use glue dots to attach to card.  Here's my finished one and one I attached to that card that needed something. 

 Simple!!!

SQUARE CARDS

Love the designs and layouts of Square cards?  So do I but then there's the extra postage dilemma, though I don't always have an issue with that.  It seems my post office can't decide if I'm going to be charged extra or not.  Anyway...the way to avoid it is to just change up the card a bit.  If you like the design of a specific (lets say 4.25 x 4.25) card measure your paper to be 4.25 x 9.5 score at 4.25 and you now have a 4.25 x 5.5 .  This gives you the look of a square card on the let side with just a little strip extra on the right for embellishments.  If you check out my post on Winter cards I did just that.  And like I said no extra postage!

PAPER BRADS

Make brads that match your card without the bulk by punching a circle from same designer paper.  Cup it using a large style and add some glossy accents to top for it to hold its shape.

HOMEMADE BAKERS TWINE

Have any of you tried to duplicate those striped colored bakers twine?  Your suppose to use cotton crochet thread and sharpie markers.  Well.....I tried and hated the results.  First no matter how you wind the thread on a piece of plastic or wooden ruler the stripping is so uneven.  Then if you add more pressure and allow the marker to stay on each line your trying to make the marker bleeds right into the white parts you wanted to keep white.  My advise.....spend the few dollars and invest in the real stuff.  You really don't use much with cardmaking and at least you'll have even looking twine.  Someone else suggested to me to maybe try incorporating embroidery floss onto the white crochet cotton but by the time you buy all the stuff you need it would be quite pricy.  So use your coupons and buy the real deal.