Celebrate Freedom Blog Hop Day 3

This blog hop runs from July 1st through July 4th. If you are coming from Lisa's Blog you’re on the right track. If you just joined us, you can go back to the beginning  HERE and hop along with us.We’ve had so much fun creating this hop, and we have a wonderful line up with some oh-so-talented creators. You will see some lovely projects having to do with celebrating freedom and the 4th of July theme and have a chance to win some blog candy along the way, including some grand prizes which are being sponsored by Lisa from Honeybearz Designs and she is the first blog on the hop. 

In order to be eligible for the grand prizes you must leave a comment on every blog in the hop and become followers to all the ladies in the hop also. Be sure to come back everyday between July 1st and July 4th because all blogs in this hop will post a new project each day. Lisa from Honeybearz Designs will be picking the grand prize winners from all the comments left throughout the 4 days. 

Here is a list of the complete lineup for this hop

Lisa: http://honeybearzdesigns2011.blogspot.com/
Janet: www.createatdreamscrapbooks.blogspot.com <----Here
Deborah: http://www.scrappingmamma.net/
Theresa: www.thescrapbookingqueen.com
Lisa: http://handmadewithlove-lisa.blogspot.com/
Gina: http://californiascrappin-gcinderella21.blogspot.com/
Lisa: http://bitbythecricutbug.blogspot.com/
Tricia: http://lshdesigns.blogspot.com/
April: www.curlsngrins.blogspot.com
Jennifer: www.craftycardgallery.blogspot.com
Cherie: www.gracefulcardmakers.blogspot.com
Kristy: www.scraptasticalkreations.blogspot.com

Honeybearz Designs

www.honeybearzdesigns2011.blogspot.com

Now on to my project for you today =D 

Make your own Paper Pinwheel

Pinwheel Pinwheel Spinning Around. Look At My Pinwheel and See What I found. If you were born in the late '70's early '80's, you might remember the tune to this song from Nickelodeon on a show called "Pinwheel." Well truth is...I can't stand the song but it was stuck in my head when I was making these lol!!! 

Supplies you will need:

2 sheets of double-sided cardstock

buttons, paper flower or other embellishment for the center

2 1/8"-3/16" eyelets (you will also need some eyelet pliers, they usually come with a hole punch attached that you will also need)

wire, 18 gauge

wood bead 1/2"-5/8" in diameter or plastic beads work fine too

18"wood dowel, 5/16"-3/8" in diameter (also a drill to make hole)

ribbon for dowel

craft glue

1. First thing you might want to do is drill a hole in the dowel.

2. Download the svg and scut files for this pinwheel over at Paper Pastime's Blog HERE
3. Cut out the circle in the center of the pinwheel pattern or use a 1" circle hole punch. You will need two circles cut from the cardstock. Punch a hole at the center of one circle.
4. Place the 2 cut out pinwheels together face up to where they are locked with spokes on top.

5. Attach the eyelet at the center to hold them together. I tried using a Crop-a-dile and gave up as it was squishing my eyelet too much so I would try using the regular eyelet setter
6. You need to bring each spoke to the center, one a time, attaching them.Both eyelets should be centered if it's done correctly. You need them to be centered so that the wire can easily go through both holes to form a straight line.
7. You can use your craft glue to attach ribbon around the dowel.

8. Take your wire and cut about a 12" piece. Bend the wire about 3/8" from the end.

11. Slide the hold-punched cirle onto the bent end of the wire. Then glue the other circle on top so that the bent end of the wire is no longer showing.

12. Cut out flowers for the center and glue them on top of the circle and then add your button in the center.

13. Slide the flower pinwheel through the other end of the wire until it reaches the spindle.

14.Add the wooden or plastic bead. Slide the wire through the hole of the wooden dowel. Leave some space between the bead and dowel so that the pinwheel will have room to spin.

15. Finally, wrap the remaining wire around the top of the dowel tightly.

Over at Hello My Name is Heather's blog she provided the step by step instructions and diagrams as a pdf download...included is a printable template to cut out the pinwheel if you don't have a cutting machine...

check it out HERE

Another great tutorial and a cut file for a different look take a look HERE 
Thank you for hopping by! I will be offering blog candy at the end of the hop so all you need to do is leave a comment each day on my posts and become a follower =D Easy Peasy! I will reveal the blog candy in tomorrow's post. Now you are hopping along over to Deborah's blog to see what amazing Celebration project she has in store for you today!

Stacey's Birthday Ribbon and Rhinestones Blog Hop Last Day

Stacey's Birthday Ribbon and Rhinestones Blog Hop

Last Day

I want to thank EVERYONE for all the wonderful comments you have left for me along this hop...I smile HUGE when I read them and I really really appreciate it =D Today is the last day of this hop and I have in store for you a really fun tutorial for making your own party blowers...these are just adorable and you have to give one a whirl =D Here we go!!!

1. Stacey ~  http://CreatingACraftyLife.blogspot.com/

2. Kim ~ http://rickettscricuts.blogspot.com/

3. Gina ~ http://californiascrappin-gcinderella21.blogspot.com/

4. Janet ~ http://createatdreamscrapbooks.blogspot.com/

5. Tanya ~  http://ScrappyScavenger.blogspot.com/

6. Brie~ http://vintage53.blogspot.com/

7. Cathie~ http://cathiescafe-scraphappy.blogspot.com/

8. Nicole ~ http://creationsbymommy.com/

9. Kristy ~ http://www.scraptasticalkreations.blogspot.com/

10. Martha~ http://pattisscrapingtime.blogspot.com/

11. Haidee~ http://created2bunique.blogspot.com/

12. Zoe ~ http://www.CraftyX.blogspot.com/

13. Kristal~ http://www.gettingcricky.com/

14. Raven~ http://www.love4stamps.blogspot.com/

15. Jess~ http://www.kinderstampo.com/

16.Deb~ http://craftydeb-ddscrafts.blogspot.com/

17. Esmeralda ~ http://noahsarktwobytwo.blogspot.com/

18. Karle ~ http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1890631198460&set=a.1890626638346.104027.1621905895&type=1&theater

Here is the party blower I created...are these cute or what??

Let's walk through the steps =D

Step one:

Cut a piece of DSP to 2 1/2 x 12 inches.Score lengthwise at 1″ and 2″,  leaving an 1/2 inch flap.

Step two:

Apply sticky strip or thin double sided tape to length of 1/2 inch flap and along bottom edge. It is important to not have any gaps. Fold closed as shown 

Step three:

Roll blower around pencil starting from bottom edge.  Tie rubber band or string around the blower and leave for 24 hours so that the shape holds.

Step Four:

Cut a piece of cardstock 2 1/2 inch by 1 1/2 inch.  Roll into a cylinder and apply sticky tape. Insert the cylinder into the blower opening and wrap seal with tape. It needs to be a tight fit. You can also put ribbon around the tape to conceal it if it shows. 

YAY!! We made party blowers =D and now to show you some blog candy I have in store for you...tomorrow I will be selecting a random winner through Random.org for a lucky follower who left comments to win these stickles! Winner will receive THREE bottles of Crystal Stickles

Happy Creating!!

 Your next stop on the hop is Tanya go over and see her amazing project she has in store for you along the way! 

ATC Tutorial and Free Cut File- Join the LSHD Swap!

Little Scraps of Heaven Designs has a swap happening right now with trading Artist Trading Cards or ATCs. I have never created one of these before and was excited to try them out. I researched all about ATC's and wanted to share with you what I have learned and also share a free cutting file I made to make them so much easier to make for you! I found out ATC's are also known as a "fantastic mini" 


First of all, the most important rule is that all ATCs should be exactly 3.5 x 2.5″ in size. This is the trickiest part – getting them sized exact. So down below on this post you will find a free cutting file that can fit 12 of these ATC on one 12x12 mat for you. I have included another file for a inner mat that is sized at 3.25x2.25. So what exactly are Artist Trading Cards all about? Here are the key points:

 ATCs can be portrait or landscape 

ATCs are to be traded and collected, never sold

They must measure 2½” x 3½” 

The back should include your name (signature), the date it was created, and the title of the card.  

Here are some ideas on how to embellish your fantastic mini's:

*Buttons, flatbacks,beads

*floral soft

*Journaling strips

*Ribbons and fiber

*Coins or stamps

*UTEE, paint, stickles

*Using embossing folders

*Clock faces

*Ink and Stamping

*Fabric

*Paper piecings =D

Whatever your imagination takes you that you can add that will fit on this fantastic mini.So now you know all there is to know about producing an ATC. Fairly easy – right? So head on over to the Little Scraps of Heaven Facebook

fanpage  HERE and sign up for this fun swap and share what you create =D

Here is my very first ATC cards:

I used Little Scraps of Heaven's Fairy Bear single pattern that can

be found HERE

For this ATC card I used the little bird piecing from Little Scraps of Heaven's

Storybook Series "Little Red Riding Hood" that can be found

HERE

Papers used is "Once Upon a Springtime" by Graphic 45

I created this free file for the ATC template that I used with the 

rounded corners:

ATC Inner Mat SCUT file: Download

ATC Base SCUT file: Download

ATC base SVG file: Download

Tear Bear Instructions and Pattern

I've been asked by several to post instructions on how to make those adorable Tear bears, how to use the tear bear brush and for a pattern to use. So Here we go: 

ITEMS NEEDED

Mulberry paper (handmade paper makes the fuzziest bears!) 

Black cardstock

Pencil

Tracing paper or you can even use the Spellbinders Oval templates to trace out

your bear with a pencil =D

Cardstock for pattern tracing

Scissors

Glue ( tombo glue works the best and this and it just takes a little) 

Chalk

Fluff Brush (you can buy these at Home Depot)

Black pen .005 fine tip

White paint pen (The best is the Uniball Signo white gel pen)

Fine paintbrush or Q-tips or eye shadow applicator ( Dollar stores are cheapest!)

Water

Round or Oval punches (Best is the Friskars oval hand punch)

Foam tape

Prep Patterns:

 Cut out patterns and trace them onto chipboard or cardstock using tracing paper. You can enlarge or reduce the patterns to suit your project.
 Cut out chipboard/cardstock.
 Label the backside of each piece in pencil so you can keep them straight
 I keep all my pattern pieces and a picture in a ziplock baggie to help make it quick to find.



Prep Paper:

 Trace each pattern piece in pencil on the backside of your paper.
 I like to label each piece so I know what piece goes with what bear.
 Leave at least 1/3 inch between patterns. This allows more room for tearing & more “fur”.  It is much easier to do an entire sheet at one time than it is to do a bear at a time.

 Ready For Tearing:

Tip: First it is important for you to know that in order for your bear to be fluffy you need to add more than one layer of Mulberry paper. I layer mine in fours.

Using a paint brush or Q- tip (I use the H2O pen sold at Michaels craft store)   thoroughly wet the lines you have traced, making sure the paper is wet through.  Begin to go around the outside edge of your traced patterns. I like to go over it once and move on to the next. This will allow the 

water to soak in. I usually do 3-4 pieces before going back over them. The outline should be visible from the other side. If you get too much water-don’t panic. It will dry!

Tear It:

Carefully pull the mulberry paper apart along the trace lines. Set piece aside to dry and continue with the rest of your patterns. If you are in a hurry, blow them dry with a hairdryer! 

Now you are ready to fluff ‘em up! Use your “fluff brush” and brush from the center out, working  towards the outer edge. Do this on each part of the bear. The fibers will come off on the brush-don’t worry! You can brush side to side or in circles.

Now brush the paper in the opposite direction. When brushing the hair back to it’s original direction work very gently.

Your bear should now be fluffy! Remember to add layers. Also be careful not to brush too much or you will soon run out of paper. You don’t need a lot of pressure on the brush when fluffing.

Stick it:

Trace/punch eyes and noses. Use the Uniball white paint pen to highlight on the black paper. You can also write directly on the dry mulberry paper (eyebrows, mouth, freckles) with your .005 zig pen. Play with your pieces and once you decide how you like it, apply your adhesive. If you are
using separate paws, I suggest waiting to glue them on until you are ready to place them on your scrapbook page. I like to use 3D glue dots for my muzzles to add depth. Apply your face to your bear.  For gluing the eyes and noses I use the Glue Dots mini dots

Embellish it:


You are ready for chalk! I like to use a slightly darker color around the edges.The cat's eye Chestnut Roan is one that I like to use. After there is a distinct darker edge, I blend towards the center. You can apply pink on the ears & “blush”. You can even make the paw marks on their feet. 

Have fun with them! Apply to your cards or scrapbook pages.Here is a pattern that you can right click and save the picture. Enlarge or make your bear your desired sized and print out.

Digital Scrapbooking Basics #2 Tutorial Using Digital Templates

I was asked to show, step by step, how to create a digital scrapbooking layout using a Digital Layout Template. The cool thing about digital templates is that they are designed by experienced scrapbookers and you can add multiply photos in different sizes and its all nicely laid out. Once you learn how it will be easy to make a nice layout that put together well, very quickly. I will be demonstrating this tutorial in  Photoshop Elements again and for those who are using the regular Photoshop it will be the same steps and for those who are using Paint Shop Pro will have to use their method of cutting and copying backgrounds out of a shape and Digital Image Pro users will have to use the fill with photo method. Perhaps, another day I'll demonstrate those as well. 

The layout template that I am going to use for this tutorial looks like this:

I will be using digital papers and embellishments that I found as freebies

and you can download them too:

found a cute kit: HERE

Ok so now I have opened up my Photoshop Elements and have created a new 

12x12 white background with 300 dpi....I open the file with this unzipped template we just downloaded and I use the move tool to drag it from the "photo bin" onto my white blank background.

Photoshop automatically creates a new layer and so if you look in the layer palette (at the right hand corner), you will see the original white background layer and the template layer. The template layer is highlighted, indicating that this layer is active. If you are using Paint Shop Pro, you have to copy and paste your template into your new document. Digital Image Pro users don't do it this way at all, but they use the Insert File from computer command to get the template into their layout.

The next thing I am going to work on is creating a layout background with some Easter pattern paper so I am choosing two papers from this kit:

and

Using the move tool, I slide the paper on top of my layout like a curtain =D You can grab the selection marks and stretch it out to cover the whole template on your layout. 

so now my layout template is  UNDERNEATH the paper that I want to cut out. If you will look at your layer's palette. You will see the template shape and see that it is underneath the paper

To cut it out, I am going to use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + G (Mac users use Command + G). Hit the two keys at the same time. This works for both Photoshop and Photoshop Elements. If you happen to have Photoshop CS2, though, you have to hit Ctrl + Alt + G at the same time, as Adobe changed the command slightly. Another way to do it is use the "long way" which is to go to Layer > Create Clipping Mask.

Now I'm going to add my pictures of my boys doing their egg hunt. So what I do after I have opened all the pictures I want to use on my layout...they will be shown in the "photo bin" at the bottom. Selecting the "move tool" take your mouse and grab one of the pictures and drag it over the mat again like a curtain covering it up...

we are going to do the same action as before shortcut Ctrl + G

So after I have done each photo mat the same way adding my photo and then punching it out like a paper punch =D with Ctrl + G I added my title using a font I had installed on Photoshop Elements and these paper piecings from Little Scraps of Heaven

Bunny pulling a basket: HERE

Bunny with basket is from the Easter bunny collection: HERE

The digital eggs and flowers came with this free kit mentioned at the beginning of this post. So here is my finished digital layout: