July Kit Video with Lisa Dickinson

The July kits are in the store and ready for your summer scrapping! To give you a peek at the kits and get you motivated to start creating, I've put together this video that features the contents of the Papercrafting Kit and my process for creating a layout with it.  Enjoy!

      

For more kit inspiration, check out the Design Team Gallery and don't forget to grab your kit and add-ons in the Mercantile Store!

Jenni Bowlin + Fiskars = Happiness

Hi and Happy Wednesday!

This month, Jenni Bowlin is teaming up with Fiskars!  What a wonderful and happy combination!

I would like to share a short/quick view of how I created this super easy way to use your favorite Fiskars Paper Trimmer and your favorite JBS kit paper.

1.  Cut several strips of paper.  Mine are all approx. 1/4 in in width, but I didn't pay close attention when I was cutting, so some are wider and narrower than 1/4.  Embrace imperfection.  :)

 

(by the way, this Fiskar ProCision Rotary Trimmer is AMAZING!  It cuts like 'butta')

2.  Weave the strips of paper.  

Quick tip:  Weave your strips of paper on top of a piece of cardstock.  Hold it together with strips of washi tape on each end of each strip.    

3.  Since my shape was a circle, I traced the circle on top of my weaved strips and stitched in place.  This ensured that the strips were secure and would not move once placed on my layout.

4.  Trim up any 'extra' pieces and place behind your die cut shape.

And here's the finished layout!

This layout is very special to me. My oldest just graduated from Otterbein College, Magna Cum Laude, with a degree in Music Education. I am so very proud of him and his accomplishments. He is really a star in my eyes!

Thanks for stopping by today!  I hope you have a wonderful week!

Playing with Gesso, stencils, alpha stickers and spray mist.

Hello and Happy Monday!

Tina here today with a layout I created using bits & pieces of the March Papercrafting kit, the March Artisan Add On kit, and the March Mini Album kit. I added some gesso, stencils, alpha stickers and spray mist to create a fun and unique background.

To create my 'one of a kind' squares for my background, I started by randomly placing stickers on a piece of scrap chipboard.

Then, using one of Dina Wakley's FABBO stencils, I applied clear gesso to the letters and chipboard.

After this was dry, I sprayed several shades of yellow spray mist on the letters and chipboard and randomly cut into squares.  I lightly patted (removed) some of the spray mist to reveal the chipboard underneath.

Before I stitched the squares to the base layer, I used the exclusive stencil from the Papercrafting kit to add more texture and depth to the background.

And here is the finished layout and several more close-ups.

Next time you want to create an interesting background for your project, or create a 'one of a kind' look, try using some gesso, a stencil (or two), some alpha stickers, and spray mist.

Don't forget to check out our latest challenge - CALVINBALL 2013!   There is still plenty of time to play along!

Thank you for stopping by!  I hope you have a great week!

Video Tutorial by Kerry Lynn Yeary

This month it's Kerry Lynn Yeary's turn to put the spotlight on our JBS Mercantile Exclusives. Watch how she puts a little painted pizzazz to this month's stamp and stencil . . .

Amazing Mini Tutorial by Betsy Sammarco!

I used this method to create my “Down on the Farm” mini album using the Mercantile June Papercrafting kit and Atrium Add-on.

A video illustrating how to make this mini-album can be found on youtube at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZYu3ahRd7c

How to make the 9-square Haven Mini Album

This mini album is made from one piece of Haven Mini Pattern Cardstock. These directions will show you how to score, fold, cut, and re-fold a single sheet of cardstock to make an adorable mini album with a cover, back cover, 6 interior pages, and 2 pockets for tags.

Directions:
1. Place the sheet in front of you so the B-side of the Haven Mini Pattern cardstock is facing up. This is the side that will form the mini album.
2. Cut off the bottom name strip.

3. Score along the 9 mini paper designs. Fold along the score lines to make nice creases.

4. Make 2 small cuts as shown.

5. Holding the B-side towards you, fold the bottom row of squares underneath and to the back of the cardstock.

6. Fold the middle row in on itself so the “Album” page is in front to form your cover.

7. Fold the remaining 2 pieces towards you to form a back cover. The page you fold last will become the back cover of the album.

8. Fold the back cover down behind the album.

You now need to adhere pages together to form the front pocket and back cover:

9. Glue the right side of the front cover together so you form a top-loading pocket.

10. The second page has a pocket already and no gluing is necessary.

11. The Dictionary patterned page can be adhered to the page behind it.

12. The back pages are glued together so you have one back cover (made of 3 squares).

You now have the base of a mini album created from a single 12x12 piece of cardstock. Have fun adding photos, tags, and embellishments!

Modeling with Dina Wakley!

You're going to LOVE this one! We'll just let Dina speak for herself here. :)

P.S. The July Papercrafting Kit containing this butterfly stencil is currently sold out. There is a slight possibility of a return on one or two. If you are interested in getting on a waiting list for it, you can contact us HERE.

Stamping and Beyond: Lollipop Bouquet

After playing around with the new Jenni Bowlin Stamps, I decided to dress up some little lollipops with the stamped images and create a “bouquet”, a fun project for kids to make at a birthday party! Or they could be used as thank you gifts, or even just a display on a birthday table!I started with Jenni Bowlin’s 3” x 3” Seal stamp and used a Lemon Drops Ink Pad. It was stamped onto white cardstock and cut out. Then I snipped a little piece out of the image.

Next, I folded the two ends of the seal stamp together and attached with a Glue Dot. This creates a cone shape that will form around the lollipop better than a flat image. I poked a hole in the center where the lollipop will go.

Then I stamped the solid image of the 3” x 3” Blue Ribbon stamp onto white cardstock with Chewing Gum Ink, and then topped it with the outline stamp in Cough Syrup Ink. I cut it out and poked a hole in the center. (I didn't stamp the tails of the Blue Ribbon, just the circle.)

These two finished stamped images were layered together and a lollipop poked down through the hole. I used a Family Tree paper to cut the green polkadot leaves and attached them under the lollipop flower.

If your lollipop is flat like the one below, you can adhere the flower underneath it and add a 3” x 3” Butterfly stamp like I did here. I topped it with a Yellow Rhinestone Bow embellishment.

I used a $1 small wooden box from the craft store and wrapped it with red ribbon. The bottom is filled with foam to hold the lollipops. I cut an egg shaped foam in half that I had in my craft box and adhered it to the bottom. You will need to adhere it, because the lollipops are heavy and tend to want to fall over.

Now just poke the dressed-up lollies into the foam!

You can also cover the center of the stamped image with a 2” circle cut from patterned paper like this one.

If you use these for display on a table, you can punch some extra patterned paper circles to sprinkle on the table and add more stamped butterflies scattered around for an extra fun touch!

Danielle Flanders

Jumbo Toilet Paper Roll Misting

Doris here. While I was doing a little more creating with the May Kits in preparation for gallery updates tomorrow, I thought to take a few in progress shots so you all could see how this background came together.

Some of you may remember my toilet paper roll misting layout from last month. Well, I had so much fun with that one that I thought to get some of the industrial sized toilet paper rolls from school (I'm a high school teacher by day) and give it another whirl. I think it was even more fun the second time around.

This time I aligned four rolls down the side and first swirled a bit of gesso inside each roll with a foam brush. This made a nice loose white circle.

Then I alternated misting colors into each barrel. This first round I used chewing gum, lemon drops, and stick candy. I misted a lot trying to get the color dark enough on the kraft cardstock. Since I had so much liquid on there I thought it would be fun to let the ink run down the page, so I tilted the cardstock to vertical and blew on my droplets to get them to run faster. I guess I was in a hurry. I then decided the chewing gum and lemon drops were still too faint, so i remisted with half and half stick candy/lemon drops on two of the circles and half and half chewing gum/cough syrup on the pink circles. I was more satisfied with these results.

I then misted some spice tin behind where I intended for my photos to go and blew on the droplets to make them run down the page once again.

And finally, while the gesso was still wet, I sprinkled on a little yellow glitter. This is really such fun! It's total playtime. :)