Scrapper's Edge Blog

30-Day Creativity Challenge starts January 2nd

If you're like most, you start each New Year with all sorts of goals. For crafters, those goals often include learning new skills or simply just spending more time being creative.

We want to help kick-start your creativity in the New Year. We're offering a fun, 30-Day Challenge for our private Facebook Group, Scrapper's Edge Paper Crafters. CLICK HERE to visit our private page and join the group.

This is how it will work . . . 

• Every day there will be a new creative challenge posted. Complete the challenge and post a picture of your creation under that challenge post. (in the comments section)
  
  
• Complete a few or as many of the challenges that you want to. For every challenge you complete, you'll be entered into a drawing.
  
  
• At the conclusion of the thirty days, there will be a random drawing for a $25 Scrapper's Edge Gift Card.
  
  
• Prizes will be awarded every week for people who post pictures of their creations AND who comment on others' creations.

This is meant to be fun!  You're not only encouraged to participate by completing the challenges, but we also want you to be inspired by others' creations. And, please be encouraging . . .  make positive comments on others' creations as well.

We had several people suggest this Challenge. And, we love creative suggestions.  We hope you can join the fun!

 

 

 

 

Our Fourth and Final "All About Me" Challenge

 

It's time for our Fourth and Final "All About Me" challenge.

 

Share something that you're good at! Let your talent shine!

 

Whether you choose to create a collage, journal page, scrapbook page, or something else entirely is completely up to you! Take a picture of your creation and share it in the comments below. You're also welcome to share it on our Paper Crafter's Facebook Page.

 

We hope you've enjoyed the challenges this month.

Introducing Our First All About Me Challenge - Get to Know Yourself

Are you ready to get creative and express who you are? Our first challenge of the All About Me Challenge is a great way to do just that! You'll start by printing out the provided page. Once you have it in hand, cut out the square provided and place it on a scrapbook page, journal page or even a poster board. Here's a 3-page printable pdf file:   Download Feb All About Me Challenge Week 1 

The grid looks like this:

Next, take some time to think about words that describe you. What words come to mind when you think about yourself? Are you brave? Loyal? Creative? Funny? Compassionate? In the rectangles provided, write down words that you think best describe you.

If you're having trouble deciding or need some inspiration, we've provided a list of descriptive wordss. You can use these words or come up with your own. It's totally up to you! It's on Page 2 of the download. 

Once you have all of your words written down, you're done! Feel free to place your words wherever you like on the scrapbook page, journal page or poster board. You can also get creative and use cutouts, magazine clippings, stickers, and more to make your page look unique and interesting.

Here's a sample to get your creativity going:

If you'd like to share, post a picture in the comments below. If you're a member of our Paper Crafters Facebook Group, you're encouraged to post it there as well. Click here to go to our Facebook Group.

We can't wait to see what you come up with for the All About Me Challenge! Have fun and be creative!

Show a little Self Love during our "All About Me" Challenge

Happy February and welcome to Self-Love February! Scrapbookers, this is the perfect opportunity to take some time for yourself and document your life. We often focus on recording memories for our loved ones, but forget about taking the time to document ourselves. Self-documenting is an important part of self-love, allowing you to look back and appreciate your journey.

Whether you like to scrapbook or journal, this All About Me challenge will be a rewarding experience.

This month, why not challenge yourself to document you? It's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, but taking a moment to document yourself can help you appreciate who you are and where you have been. Self-documenting can be as simple as writing a few lines about your day, or as elaborate as creating a scrapbook page about yourself.

 

We have a special challenge this month to encourage you to document yourself. Every week, we will have a new challenge that focuses on self-documenting.

Documenting yourself can be a great way to appreciate your journey, and make sure your memories are preserved for years to come. We hope you'll join us for this month's challenge and take some time for yourself!

Look for the challenges every Saturday here on our Blog or join our private Facebook Group. Click here to join our Paper Crafters Facebook Group.

Get your Creative Juices Flowing with a 30-Day Creativity Challenge

Crafting is an incredibly rewarding activity that helps to stimulate creativity and imagination. Completing a 30-Day Creativity Challenge can be a great way to hone your skills, expand your creativity, and create something truly unique.

On our private Facebook Group, Scrapper's Edge Paper Crafters, we just kicked off the year with a 30-Day Challenge and the feedback was terrific!  Each day members were prompted with challenges like these:

Here are just a few of the benefits of taking on a 30-Day Creativity Challenge:

• Improved Creativity and Imagination: Crafting projects require you to come up with creative ideas and solutions. Working on a project for 30 days can help you to think more creatively and push yourself to come up with unique ideas.
  
  
• Develop New Crafting Skills: Taking on a 30-day creativity challenge can help you to develop new skills, such as painting, knitting, or sculpting. Working on a project for a longer period of time can help you to master new techniques and create something that you can be proud of.
  
  
• Stress Relief: Crafting can be incredibly relaxing, and it can also help to reduce stress. Working on a long-term project can give you something to focus on and help you to take a break from everyday stressors.
  
  
• Sense of Accomplishment: Completing a 30-day creativity challenge can give you a sense of accomplishment and pride. Seeing your project come to life over the course of the challenge can be incredibly satisfying.

Here's the list of the 30 Challenges our Facebook Group just completed:

1. Decorate an envelope.
2. Draw a picture using only shapes.
3. Make a collage out of things in your recycle bin.
4. Write a word several times on a piece of paper using different colors each time.
5. Write down an inspiring quote and doodle around the words.
6. Scribble on a piece of paper then color in some of the spaces with pencils, pen or paint.
7. Use a piece of patterned paper on a card, planner page, journal page or scrapbook page.
8. Paint a flower.
9. Use rubber stamps to create a border around the edges of a piece of cardstock.
10. Make something using a picture.
11. Create something using your favorite color.
12. Use a paper clip on a card, journal page, or scrapbook page.
13. Spritz a piece of cardstock with water then drop paint or ink on it.
14. Trace around a common household tool and color or paint within the lines.
15. Use a stencil and ink to create a card or art journal page.
16. Decorate the front of a card using Q-tips dipped in paint or ink.
17. Create something and add a little sparkle.
18. Paint on a paper towel.
19. Decorate a tag.
20. Apply sticky notes on a page and draw, doodle, or paint around them then remove the sticky notes.
21. Create something featuring a heart.
22. Use a button on something you create.
23. Create a border using paper and a round hole punch or paper piercer.
24. Draw something without lifting your pen or pencil from the paper.
25. Make a card or art journal page inspired by nature.
26. Stitch on paper.
27. Create something to hang on a wall.
28. Use ribbon on something you create.
29. Tear paper and ink or paint the edges.
30. Trace your hand on a piece of paper then paint or doodle within the lines.

If you would like to download this 30-Day Challenge as a FREE printable PDF, click here.

 

If you'd like to join our Paper Crafters Facebook Group, click here.

 

Taking on a 30 day crafting creativity challenge can be a great way to improve your crafting skills, reduce stress, and have something to show for your efforts. So, why not give it a try? It’s sure to be an enjoyable and rewarding experience.

Use Card Sketches for Creative Inspiration

Do you ever sit down to create cards and get stuck? It happens!  Sometimes the creative juices don't flow freely. 

One thing you can do is reference Card Sketches. One great place to find them is on the Page Maps website. The website includes both card sketches and scrapbook page sketches. And, they include finished pictures of cards next to some of the sketches.

For our Halloween Cardmaking Class this month, we featured card sketches that I designed.  Check it out:

These are the sample cards that were created using these sketches:

Besides using Card Sketches, another tip is to use patterned papers from the same line. For example, the cards shown above are from the "Thirty-One" Collection from Prima. Both a 6"x6" Paper Pad and Ephemera Pack were used along with a few solid cardstock. 

I hope this provided a little Creative Inspiration in your day.  Happy Cardmaking!

 

--Sondra

 

 

Distress to Impress Slimline Halloween Cards

 

If you know me, you know I LOVE using Ranger Distress inks. As in, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them. I like the regular Distress inks, the Oxide Distress inks . . . I do not discriminate.

Here are two Halloween cards I created using Distress inks that I'd like to share with you:

The slimline card style has been very popular lately so I decided to create these cards in that style. Basically, slimline cards are long and fit into a standard #10 envelope, often called a business envelope. 

The dimensions for the card base and black mat are:

• White Linen Card Base:  8¾”x8” folded to 8¾”x4”
• Black Cardstock: 8¾”x3¾”

The striped piece on the left card and the white piece on the right card can be cut using PinkFresh Studio's dies:  Slim Fancy Diagonal Stripes & Slim Stitched Scallop Circles Panel.

The black diecut shapes were cut using the following Sizzix/Tim Holtz die sets: Ghost Town and Frightful Things.

 

Now, for the instructions:

LEFT CARD (Diagonal Stripes)

• Place diagonal background die-cut on a non-stick craft sheet. Blend ink as desired over die-cut using Ink Applicator, Foam, and Distress Ink pads.
  Ink pads used in sample:  Spiced Marmalade, Peeled Paint & Seedless Preserves
  
  
• Place a haunted house die-cut onto white smooth cardstock. Use a pencil to trace around the house. Cut slightly INSIDE the lines with scissors. Repeat with each haunted house. Blend ink onto white cut pieces desired colors to show through as windows using Ink Applicator, Foam, and Distress Ink pads.
  Ink pads used in sample:  Mustard Seed & Spiced Marmalade
  
  
• Place cat die-cut onto white smooth cardstock. Use a pencil to trace around the cat’s head. Cut slightly INSIDE the lines with scissors. Blend ink onto white pieces desired color to show through as eyes using Ink Applicator, Foam, and Distress Ink pads.
  Ink pads used in sample:  Crushed Olive
  
  
• Stamp desired sentiment onto white smooth cardstock using Black Archival ink pad, cut to the desired size, ink edges with any Distress ink color, and mat with black cardstock.
  
  
• Assemble card as shown or as desired. It’s your card; you can design the elements however you’d like!

 

RIGHT CARD (Scallop Circles)

• Place three white round punched shapes on a non-stick craft sheet. Blend ink as desired over die-cut using Ink Applicator, Foam, and Distress Ink pads.  These will be placed behind scalloped circles so you may want them to look like the ink is flowing from one to another as in the sample above.
  Ink pads used in sample:  Spiced Marmalade, Peeled Paint & Seedless Preserves

• Place cat die-cut onto white smooth cardstock. Use a pencil to trace around the cat’s head. Cut slightly INSIDE the lines with scissors. Blend ink onto white pieces desired color to show through as eyes using Ink Applicator, Foam, and Distress Ink pads.
  Ink pads used in sample:  Crushed Olive

• Place ghost die-cut onto white smooth cardstock. Use a pencil to trace around the ghost’s head. Cut slightly INSIDE the lines with scissors. Blend ink onto white pieces desired color to show through as eyes and mouth using Ink Applicator, Foam, and Distress Ink pads.
  Ink pads used in sample:  Squeezed Lemonade

• Stamp desired sentiment onto white smooth cardstock using Black Archival ink pad, cut to the desired size, and ink edges with any Distress ink color.

• Assemble card as shown or as desired. Remember, it’s your card; you can design the elements however you’d like!

I hope this post provides a little creative inspiration for you. 

Happy cardmaking!

-Sondra

 

How to Mix & Match Patterned Papers

 

It can be a challenge to mix and match patterned papers when creating scrapbooking pages. No matter what, we need to ensure that our pictures are THE FOCAL POINT of all of our pages. I'm sure you've seen pages where the pictures get lost with all the patterned papers and embellishments. Sometimes it's as if people forget why they're scrapbooking . . . to preserve their pictures and memories!  (Oh, and to enjoy the creative process too!)

Pictured are samples from one of our recent workshops:

Here are some tips for mixing and matching patterned papers:

• Use patterned papers from one coordinating line, like the Simple Stories “Kate & Ash” line shown here. This ensures that all the colors will work well together. You can purchase the papers individually or in kits. The kits make scrapbooking really easy and often they include embellishments that you can use on your pages.
  
  
• Mix different size patterns together, such as one large patterned and two or more smaller patterns.
  
  
• Try to use at least one of the same papers on each page of a two-page layout. This helps tie the pages together and look more cohesive.
  
  
• Include a similar element on both pages of a two-page layout to strengthen the cohesiveness. Examples of this in these two-page layout shown above are the stripe through the lower portion of the pages.
  
  
• Mat your photos on one or two colors of solid-colored cardstock. Use cardstock that matches one or more of the colors in the patterned paper. This will help the make your pictures the focus of your pages.

 

I hope these tips are helpful. If you want to check out our Scrapbooking Page Kits, CLICK HERE!  We also have paper collections without embellishments; to check them out CLICK HERE!

Happy Crafting!

Sondra

 

Here's a FREE Printable

In the spirit of our fun, Virtual Crop, we've created a FREE PRINTABLE for you.

We'd love for you to print it out and create something with it. You could use it on cards, scrapbook pages, journal pages, artist trading cards .  . . and more!  The dashed lines are cutting guidelines.

Just RIGHT CLICK on it to download it and print any size you'd like. 

 

We look forward to seeing your creations!!!

 

Easy and Fun Christmas Cards

 

Need to make Christmas cards but don't want them to look all the same? Don't want to spend time designing multiple cards? Last night we hosted a Christmas Card Workshop and would like to share how simple AND FUN it can be to make multiple cards at a time using the same layout but switching the patterned papers and colors of the elements.

Here's a sample of the cards we made:

While the basic layout is the same, these are the things we changed:

• Patterned Paper
• Rubber Stamp
• Sentiment Color (we heat embossed but you could simply stamp with ink)
• Punched Cardstock Colors

Here are the measurements:

• Card Base:  8½”x5½” folded in half
• Patterned Paper:  4”x5” cut in diagonal using one side for top of card and other side for bottom of card
• Circle for Sentiment:  3¼”
• Circle for Mat:  3¾”

And, now, for the basic steps:

• Fold Card base in half.
• Cut patterned paper diagonally and mount on card as shown.
• Punch branches out of cardstock. (6 for each card)
• Heat emboss sentiment on white circled cardstock.
• Mount sentiment onto circle mat.
• Adhere/layer branches and sentiment as shown.

The products featured in this workshop include:

• Pink & Fresh “Holiday Vibes” 6"x6" paper pad
• White Linen Cardstock (for card bases)
• EK Success Branch Punch
• Avery Elle “Comfort & Joy” stamp set
• Circle dies (If you don't have a die cutting system, a circle cutter will work!)
• Embossing Powders
• Embossing Ink Pad or Versamark Pad
• Tidy Tray
• Heat Gun

I've included links to our website for products we have in stock currently! Just click on the colored words above.

Sure, these are Christmas cards but the same basic layout could easily be adapted to other occasions. With this basic layout it is easy to create your own assembly line so you can get your cards done quick and efficiently. And, best of all, this is a wonderful way to use patterned paper scraps.

Best wishes for a healthy and happy holiday season filled with many memories!

 

--Sondra

 

 

Coloring eyes with Copic markers!

 

Coloring eyes with Copic markers is easier than it may appear. Honestly, the most difficult thing is finding good stamped images to color. Most of the images that we color as Crafters include very small eyes that don't allow for much detail.

Here are the basic steps that work well for me:

• Identify the part of the eye (pupil, iris, white, highlight).
• Pick at least 3 colors (light, medium, dark).
• Color the iris with the lightest color.
• Color with medium color starting at the top and flicking down, leaving the bottom area light.
• Color with darkest shade at top of the eye and flick down. Use the medium and darkest colors around edges.
• Use the medium color to blend the dark and medium. Use light color to blend light and medium.
• If needed use black Copic to fill in pupil.
• If desired use 0 to lighten lower iris where highlight is desired.

Note: Copic markers do not have super fine tips so it’s difficult to get all the variation in color and the lines you may desire. You may want to experiment with using colored pencils over your Copics to achieve more color variation.

This sample sheet shows some of the color combinations that I've experimented with:

Here's a blank page you can practice with. Print it on the cardstock you use to color with. I prefer the Neenah Clasic Crest Avon Brilliant White 80# cardstock. 

In the recent class I taught on this topic we had fun coloring some "funky" cards. Here's the samples:

Whether you're drawing your images, stamping images or printing downloaded creations, experiment and have fun! And, for all your Copic markers supplies, stop by and see us at Scrapper's Edge!