My technique is about making your own journalling spots. I Love buying stamps and the premade ones like MM and HS journaling spots, but sometimes you need one to suit your Lo that you are doing or you just run out of them at night time and you really really want to finish that LO…

So my tips are…
1. Use existing chipboard or areas in your LO and /or just draw lines with a ruler. In one of my examples I have used a chipboard circle and then used journalling strips inside…

I’ve also used chipboard frames/cricut cut ones or two brackets and just drawn the lines.

2. I use anything in my stash/kitchen to use as templates for journalling spots like

a glass or a jar because it has bobbly bits on the bottom which could be used as a stamp.

I even use paint to highlight my journalling spot.

3. I also use punches or use chipboard as a template and then I doodle to finish off.

4. The other thing I do with journalling spots is that I often have layers covering some of it. So I will make 2 journalling spots and position it loosely on the LO I’m working on and sketch where the layers overlap. In this way I can be sure of whether my journalling will fit on the journalling spot. This is a good idea even if you don’t have layers overlapping. In my example to the right…

The vertical line is the edge of my photo overlapping and the other circle is another journalling spot layered over the top of the other.

So have a go at making your own Journalling spots girls!

Delys

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Ok ladies for this weeks Technique I thought I would talk about buttons, I love buttons and there are so many ways you can use them on a page I thought I would just share some pictures and ways to attach them to your page.

Here is just a couple of tools you will need to attach buttons to your page, an awl and a cork board, needle and thread. Or if your not attaching them by thread glue dots or double-sided tape.

Step 1. position your button where you want it to be, making sure your cork board in underneath where the buttons is to go, using your awl poke a hole through the card or patterned paper, using the holes in the button as a guide, do this for all the buttons you would like stitched down.

Step 2. Take your needle and thread, putting a knot in the end of thread so it does not pull through the hole in paper and attach as desired, you can thread the button on so its like it would be on a shirt or have the knot on the topside of button.

Another way you can attach buttons is by using double-sided tape or glue dots.

In the above picture is a hand made flower and I have stitched a button to the centre of it, you ad buttons just about anywhere they are very handy items to have in any scrappers stash.

Here are a couple of pictures of some of my layouts using buttons

I have to admit it, I love to distress & sanding is a quick way to alter the appearance of your work. Sanding is a simple way to add texture & interest but can also soften the look of paper & also highlight a focus point in your photos. You don’t need any specific type of sandpaper, just swipe some from the shed, or if need be head down to the hardware store & grab yourself a pack, experiment with different grades depending on what look you want to achieve, you can also use emery boards, sanding blocks or a small file. You can also buy a large range of sanding tools & products that are made specifly for scrapbooking.

There are very few layouts of mine that don’t include something that has been sanded, it be the edge of a photo, a chipboard covered shape or even the paper. Here are a few ideas for you to try at home yourself!! Have fun.

SCRUNCHING METHOD – Paper

This is a fun way to add texture to you paper & it will also change its appearance. Scrunching the paper creates creases, when you sand the paper you are removing the top layer & exposing the core of the paper. Simply scruch your paper into a ball, or fold to get a more uniform finish. Unscrunch & gently pull back into shape, lay paper flat onto matt & lightly rub all over with sandpaper until your happy with the look.

ADDING A BORDER TO YOUR PAPER

Place you paper down on your matt (or table as I used but not recommended if it’s a good one!) & over hang paper over the edge of the matt. Gently fold your paper down over the edge & sand to reveal the paper core creating a border. You can also place your paper over a decorative plate, round edge of a table or any surface with an embossed pattern & sand in the same way to reveal a pattern on your paper.

An even easier way to create a border is by simply sanding along the outside edge of the paper with sandpaper.

SANDING PHOTOS

Sanding on your photos removes the colour & reveals the clean white core, try this first with a photo off-cut until you happy with the results.

SANDING PHOTO EDGES

Lay your photo down on a flat matt & rub a small piece of sandpaper down the outer edge of your photo.

This is done in the same way as you would if it were paper, you can add decorative corners to photos too.

CREATING A FOCAL POINT

Sometimes when you crop a photo you can’t remove all of the excess from the background. You can create a focal point in your photos by sanding around the image in the picture that you want to highlight. Working with a small piece of sandpaper, slowly rub around the image to remove the colour. This is also a good way to remove black/dead space in photos.

Hope you enjoyed this technique, HAPPY SANDING

:0) KylieJ

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This week I am going to share with you some great techniques for using RIBBONS on your layouts and projects. Ribbons add such great texture and pizaaz to a LO and their uses are endless. I regularly incorporate the use of ribbons on my LO’s and today I will share with you 3 techniques that I use regularly.

RIBBON SCRUNCH

Requirements: Ribbon, Stapler, Double Sided Tape, Scissors.

• Firstly, choose a ribbon/s that co-ordinate with your LO colour scheme.
• Attach double sided tape to the entire back of the strip/s of ribbon chosen.
• Remove backing from the double sided tape and adhere the ribbon to your project/LO by folding and overlapping the ribbon.
• You will notice that where the ribbon has been overlapped, a staple is required to secure the ribbon flat to the cardstock.
• Alternately, one could use some machine or hand stitching instead of staples.
• Build up the decorative ribbon scrunch by adding another co-ordinating ribbon ontop of the ribbon already used.

The next technique is super simple to re-create, and look especially cute on LO’s where flower embies are a must.

RIBBON FLOWER STEMS:

Requirements: Ribbon, Scissors, Double Sided Tape, patterned cardstock, button.

• Select 2 pieces of ribbon.
• Adhere double sided tape to the entire back of the strip of ribbon that will be used as your flower stem.
• Cut a smaller piece of co-ordinating ribbon.
• Remove backing from the double sided tape and tie the smaller piece of ribbon around the middle of the larger ribbon strip.
• Adhere the ribbon strip to your LO/project.
• Create flowers out of cardstock, or utilise a blossom from your stash.
• Add a button centre to the flower and then secure the flower on top of the ribbon flower stem with adhesive.

Lastly I will instruct you how to create your own Ribbon Flowers. This can be a fiddly process, but definalty worth all the effort.

RIBBON FLOWERS:

Requirements: approx 35-40cm ribbon, scissors, needle & thread, button.

• Select 35-40cm of ribbon.
• Have a needle threaded and knotted at the end ready to use.
• Wrap the ribbon strip around your 3 middle fingers, ensuring that you are holding onto the end of ribbon securely…. (see pic)

• When all of the ribbon has been wrapped around your fingers, using your other hand, secure the middle of the wrapped up ribbon with your thumb and index finger.

• With the threaded needle, push through the centre of the ribbon, but only so that the needle is 1/2 way through the ribbon.

• Whilst the needle is in this position, seperate the layers of the ribbon by pulling them out from each other and create a flower formation.
• When you are happy with the shape your flower, pull the needle completely through the ribbon and continue to stitch in place.
• Finish off by adding a button centre.

Are you like me and have metal frames, photo corners and words that have been sitting in the bottom of your stash for ages because you?ve gone off them or they are no longer trendy to use?

Well dig them out and I shall share with you are few easy techniques to jazz them up.

You?ll need some white gesso, a hammer, paint, baby wipes or a damp cloth and if you have it some metallic rubons, otherwise us a different coloured paint.

To jazz up a metal word, trot yourself, your hammer and the word out into the garden. Look for a fairly flat but not too smooth, hard surface such as a rock. Place your word on the rock, face down.

Now hit it with your hammer. The metal will become pitted and the edges of some of the letters may become a little misshapen. Continue hammering it until you are happy with the new look.

Now go back inside and using your finger paint the front of the word with white gesso, ensuring the coating is quite thin as you don?t want it to fill in the dents you?ve made. When dry apply a light coat of paint or metallic rubons with you finger, again ensuring the dents don?t fill. Hey Presto!! Now you have your jazzed up word ready to apply to your layout.

To jazz up these pewters frames, we are going to follow a similar method but not distress them with a hammer.

Apply a coating of white gesso with your finger. Make sure that some goes into the pattern on the frame, but doesn?t fill it. Using a damp cloth or baby wipes, rub off the excess so that only the gesso in the pattern remains. When dry, apply paint in the same manner, paying special attention to the patterned parts once again. Wipe off excess inn smooth areas. When the paint has dried, apply white gesso again, concentrating on the smooth areas. When dry, apply metallic rubons or a different coloured paint with your finger. Now you have a coloured co-ordinated frame to add to your layout or OTP item.

Both these methods are quick and easy and are the perfect way to distress metal items in readiness for your layout.

I hope you have fun experimenting with these.