The rising cost of scrapbook supplies is something you are likely to hear come up in conversation with any group of scrapbook enthusiasts. I always stop the conversation when it heads in this direction though, and remind everyone that the cost of scrapbooking does not have to be a budget breaker, and that it really is an affordable hobby. It might take a bit of ingenuity on the scrappers part, but the quality and uniqueness of ones layouts do not even need to be diminished just because of budget restraints.
Consider the amount of supplies that the average scrapper already owns. Scrapbooking can be addictive and it is commonplace to walk into one persons scrap area, or open up their tote of supplies, and discover enough supplies to keep that scrapper in pages for years to come, even if they never bought another single embellishment or piece of paper. I have been in some scrap rooms, mind you owned by a single scrapbooker, and felt as if I had walked into a dream store that I had just discovered. Sure, they might run out of adhesives, or some other consumable, but for the few dollars to replace those, no other money need be spent for a long, and I mean very long time to come. This is so common actually, that it is ordinary to see no buying threads on online groups, where someone will post to see how many layouts they can accomplish before they need to buy anything new or replace something that has been used up.
In addition, for those of us who do not have that many supplies, scrapping within a tight budget is still possible. Consider some of what we might have already in our homes, and other places, that we overlook when it comes to thinking about using on layouts.
Other craft supplies
As someone who crochets, cross-stitches, paints, and does a myriad of other crafts depending on the season and what I am in the mood to do, I actually have tidbits of various craft items tucked away in drawers and closets. I now try to look through these when I need something before I run out and buy. Fabric from your sewing supplies is always a beautiful addition to a layout, or even sewing directly onto the paper itself.
Household
I cannot even begin to count the times I have found that perfect little whatever it is amidst my junk drawer mess, or found the perfect embellishment within my husband's tool shop. Do be careful about things being acid free, etc., but when in doubt, I just try to use the item creatively. For example, I wanted to use a couple very think metal spacers on a layout, and I was concerned about rust. To make it not such an issue, I made sure to adhere them away from the photos that I used.
Second Hand Stores
I have purchased everything from bottles filled with buttons to my newest acquisition, a Spiro graph, at a local second hand shop. Prices are always rock bottom, and not knowing what you might find can really get your creativity flowing when you do discover something. For example, I had never really given any thought to using a Spiro graph to make embellishments or to decorate backgrounds until I saw one sitting on a shelf with a mass of other toys. The minute I saw it though, my mind started filling with all sorts of ideas.
Desk
From paperclips to index cards, your desk is a wealth of scrapping supplies just waiting to be put to use multitasking for both work and imaginative fun. I actually keep a small glass candle cup on the back of my desk, and whenever I come across something that I think I might use, I toss it in it.
Your Own Photographs
How often have you looked through your stash of photos or files of them on your computer, and passed over a photograph as being nice, but not scrap worthy. What if you printed it and used it for a background, or cut it into strips to use as a border for another photo or phrase. For example, I had about a dozen photos of a beautiful sunset from a weekend getaway. After I scrapped the weekend getaway, I kept looking past the remaining photos. Then one day, when I was working on another layout that had very little color, and could not find much to sue to liven it up, I remembered the extra sunsets. I ended up taking two of them, and cutting them into strips to frame both the picture and a small phrase. It both livened up the layout, at no additional cost to me, and used up something that would have likely just sat in my photo folder forever, unused. To use a photo as a background image, just scan in to your computer, and in a graphics program, adjust the size of it to fill the sheet of paper that it will be printed on. You can even lower the opacity of it, or change the colors, even alter it to black and white or sepia tones for example. If you do not have a graphics program, there are free ones available online. A favorite of mine is Picasa that is put out by Google.
Be inventive and consider the possibility of almost anything you come across in your daily tasks. Some of the most ordinary items make some of the most awesome scrap supplies. It just takes some artistic creativity to recognize them sometimes!
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Carving Pumpkins this Fall
For many people, carving pumpkins is a link to the past, to their childhood when times were simpler. Whether carving one, or a couple dozen of them, there are things you can do to make it an enjoyable activity, and possibly even help you turn out jack-o-lantern artworks that will have the neighbors, kids and adults alike, spouting wows as they go by your orange glowing masterpieces.
This year, pumpkins are not as widely available as in years past, due to weather conditions that have greatly affected the crops overall. To help combat this, shop early, to afford yourself a good selection of pumpkins to choose from.
I like to look for those pumpkins that are both oddly shaped and a few that are typical, evenly round pumpkins. Depending on what sort of carving or face I have in mind, will often determine the overall shape I am in search of. In addition, if you plan to line a walkway with them, or place your finished creation in any place that it will not be able to be propped up or against something else, you will also need to look for those that have a somewhat natural flat spot towards the bottom, so that they will sit easily without toppling over.
Once you have chosen the perfect pumpkin for what you have in mind, bring them home. Next, decide where you are going to actually carve them at, keeping in mind that the actual cutting and digging out the guts will bring with it some mess, so choose someplace that you can easily clean up. For the actual cleaning, begin with the exterior of them before you do any actual marking or cutting. If you have a soft-sided old brush, lightly brush away any debris that might be on your future piece of artwork. If you absolutely must, you can take a damp washcloth and wipe the surface clean, but be sure to dry the exterior at this point, avoiding leaving the surface overly damp for any length of time, as this will only hasten the possibility of mold.
The top of the pumpkin should be cut first, so that you can clean the interior of the pumpkin out. Be sure to cut the top large enough to easily scoop out the insides, and if you plan to bake the seeds, have a bowl or other container at the ready to store them in. Clean the inside as thoroughly as you can, leaving as little to none of the threads and other guts as possible. The more of this left behind, the quicker the pumpkin will rot. We always use to say that the cleaner the house, the longer it would stand.
Once you have your design idea ready, you can either trace directly on the exterior of the pumpkin with a pen or marker, apply a transfer to follow, or just jump right in and freehand cut. If you have never tried this last suggestion, I highly recommend giving it a go. Some of my best designs throughout the years have been the result of those times I have just started cutting with nothing more than a very loose idea of what I want the finished jack-o-lantern to look like.
Transfers are a great way to create very intricate designs, and you may discover designs such as a cat sitting on the shoulder of a witch, to moons shining brightly over the initials RIP on a gravestone. These can often be found at the local grocery or five and dime type store. Some craft stores might also carry such items. If cute is more your style choices, cut out the word BOO! On the other hand, create a smiling but tooth missing pumpkin. Just about any design that is even remotely Halloween or Fall related, from traditional to off the wall, can be altered to work as a jack-o-lantern design.
When you have finished carving your masterpiece or whole entourage of them if that is more your thing, add a simple votive candle if the pumpkin is going to be located in a safe place, or insert a battery operated flame made specifically for lighting up pumpkins and other decorative items.
This year, pumpkins are not as widely available as in years past, due to weather conditions that have greatly affected the crops overall. To help combat this, shop early, to afford yourself a good selection of pumpkins to choose from.
I like to look for those pumpkins that are both oddly shaped and a few that are typical, evenly round pumpkins. Depending on what sort of carving or face I have in mind, will often determine the overall shape I am in search of. In addition, if you plan to line a walkway with them, or place your finished creation in any place that it will not be able to be propped up or against something else, you will also need to look for those that have a somewhat natural flat spot towards the bottom, so that they will sit easily without toppling over.
Once you have chosen the perfect pumpkin for what you have in mind, bring them home. Next, decide where you are going to actually carve them at, keeping in mind that the actual cutting and digging out the guts will bring with it some mess, so choose someplace that you can easily clean up. For the actual cleaning, begin with the exterior of them before you do any actual marking or cutting. If you have a soft-sided old brush, lightly brush away any debris that might be on your future piece of artwork. If you absolutely must, you can take a damp washcloth and wipe the surface clean, but be sure to dry the exterior at this point, avoiding leaving the surface overly damp for any length of time, as this will only hasten the possibility of mold.
The top of the pumpkin should be cut first, so that you can clean the interior of the pumpkin out. Be sure to cut the top large enough to easily scoop out the insides, and if you plan to bake the seeds, have a bowl or other container at the ready to store them in. Clean the inside as thoroughly as you can, leaving as little to none of the threads and other guts as possible. The more of this left behind, the quicker the pumpkin will rot. We always use to say that the cleaner the house, the longer it would stand.
Once you have your design idea ready, you can either trace directly on the exterior of the pumpkin with a pen or marker, apply a transfer to follow, or just jump right in and freehand cut. If you have never tried this last suggestion, I highly recommend giving it a go. Some of my best designs throughout the years have been the result of those times I have just started cutting with nothing more than a very loose idea of what I want the finished jack-o-lantern to look like.
Transfers are a great way to create very intricate designs, and you may discover designs such as a cat sitting on the shoulder of a witch, to moons shining brightly over the initials RIP on a gravestone. These can often be found at the local grocery or five and dime type store. Some craft stores might also carry such items. If cute is more your style choices, cut out the word BOO! On the other hand, create a smiling but tooth missing pumpkin. Just about any design that is even remotely Halloween or Fall related, from traditional to off the wall, can be altered to work as a jack-o-lantern design.
When you have finished carving your masterpiece or whole entourage of them if that is more your thing, add a simple votive candle if the pumpkin is going to be located in a safe place, or insert a battery operated flame made specifically for lighting up pumpkins and other decorative items.
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Making Memory Frames
I craft year round, but when fall opens the doorway to winter, I spend even more time creating than I do during the warmer spring and summer months. Part of it is the simple fact that I live rurally, and when the snow flies, the last thing I want to do is shovel a path to the car and drive to town on icy roads. Finding something constructive to do inside where I can watch the snow fall and keep my fingers from becoming frostbitten is high on my list.
One of my newest and favorite hobbies is working with memory glass and miniature frames. The Ranger Ink Company has created a complete line of various sized glass with matching frames that are easy to turn into miniature masterpieces. The glass, originally microscope slides I have been told, are pre-finished with rounded edges, and fit simply and easily into frames that are also sold by the same company.
What you put in the frames is what is so much fun though! I actually paint miniature portraits to encase in them, but your imagination is really your only limit. If it can be slid between the two pieces of microscope glass, and still allow the glass to fit in the frame, go for it! Pretty pieces of scrap sized scrapbook paper, photographs, dried flowers, or greenery, even collectible bits of ephemera. Do keep whatever you use as flat as can be. Inserting thick objects just will not work, especially as you go to insert the pieces of glass and contents into the frames. Keep it thin, and keep it flat is the best advice you can follow when creating your own memory frames.
Each framed piece can be done single sided or double sided, all depending on what you plan to do with the finished piece. For example, if you are creating an ornament, you might want to place pretty scraps of Christmas paper on one side, and a snapshot of a loved one on the other side. If you are making a keepsake necklace, and you have two kids, then put one on each side. I paint a portrait for one side, and then back it with a slip of pretty scrap paper that will match the colors in my painting, or I have been known to paint each side, so no matter which way you flip the frame, you are looking at a portrait. You can do the same with whatever you choose to put in them. One sided, or two sided, they look great.
Assembling the frames around the glass slides is very simple. Each frame has a simple to open strip that slides through a pre cut notch in one side of the frame. The strip is easily bent up and slid either into or out of the slit. Once the strip is out, you carefully fold open the sides of the frame and insert the two layers of glass and whatever it is you are inserting between the glasses. Next, close the frame ever so carefully back around the glass slides and contents. Slide the strip back through the slit and fold down. If you do not close it tightly, the frame will be a tad bit loose and this is not good. You want to be sure that you bend the strip down as tight as you can.
Once the frame is complete, you can then choose to use them as a necklace, ornament, or even as a fun addition to your keychain. If you want to create a necklace, they can be hung from a traditional chain, from colored ribbon that coordinates with whatever you have placed into the frame, or even on necklace cording sold in your craft store. For a keychain, finish them off with a simple key ring. Ornaments are easily made with a bit of yarn or ribbon. The only limits to what you put into them, or how you display them once they are finished, is only the boundary of your own imagination and creativity. If you have been wondering what to give that hard to buy for person this upcoming holiday season, be sure to check out the Ranger Ink Company memory slides and frames.
One of my newest and favorite hobbies is working with memory glass and miniature frames. The Ranger Ink Company has created a complete line of various sized glass with matching frames that are easy to turn into miniature masterpieces. The glass, originally microscope slides I have been told, are pre-finished with rounded edges, and fit simply and easily into frames that are also sold by the same company.
What you put in the frames is what is so much fun though! I actually paint miniature portraits to encase in them, but your imagination is really your only limit. If it can be slid between the two pieces of microscope glass, and still allow the glass to fit in the frame, go for it! Pretty pieces of scrap sized scrapbook paper, photographs, dried flowers, or greenery, even collectible bits of ephemera. Do keep whatever you use as flat as can be. Inserting thick objects just will not work, especially as you go to insert the pieces of glass and contents into the frames. Keep it thin, and keep it flat is the best advice you can follow when creating your own memory frames.
Each framed piece can be done single sided or double sided, all depending on what you plan to do with the finished piece. For example, if you are creating an ornament, you might want to place pretty scraps of Christmas paper on one side, and a snapshot of a loved one on the other side. If you are making a keepsake necklace, and you have two kids, then put one on each side. I paint a portrait for one side, and then back it with a slip of pretty scrap paper that will match the colors in my painting, or I have been known to paint each side, so no matter which way you flip the frame, you are looking at a portrait. You can do the same with whatever you choose to put in them. One sided, or two sided, they look great.
Assembling the frames around the glass slides is very simple. Each frame has a simple to open strip that slides through a pre cut notch in one side of the frame. The strip is easily bent up and slid either into or out of the slit. Once the strip is out, you carefully fold open the sides of the frame and insert the two layers of glass and whatever it is you are inserting between the glasses. Next, close the frame ever so carefully back around the glass slides and contents. Slide the strip back through the slit and fold down. If you do not close it tightly, the frame will be a tad bit loose and this is not good. You want to be sure that you bend the strip down as tight as you can.
Once the frame is complete, you can then choose to use them as a necklace, ornament, or even as a fun addition to your keychain. If you want to create a necklace, they can be hung from a traditional chain, from colored ribbon that coordinates with whatever you have placed into the frame, or even on necklace cording sold in your craft store. For a keychain, finish them off with a simple key ring. Ornaments are easily made with a bit of yarn or ribbon. The only limits to what you put into them, or how you display them once they are finished, is only the boundary of your own imagination and creativity. If you have been wondering what to give that hard to buy for person this upcoming holiday season, be sure to check out the Ranger Ink Company memory slides and frames.
Monday, January 01, 2007
Joining the Lionel Club
Okay so last year at this time, what with all the hoopla surrounding the movie The Polar Express, my husband and I decided that this Christmas we would buy our son his very own model train set. He's only three years old, so this would be something that we would supervise, with the idea that we would buy him a new car for the train every Christmas.
So I started researching train sets. My father actually owns the Lionel Polar Express train set so I thought, why not check out Lionel? I had no idea what I was in for. What an array of styles, it was all so confusing to me. And I had no idea that a starter set would run me in excess of two hundred dollars. Maybe a high-quality train set wasn't such a good idea after all.
But after researching it a bit, I came to the conclusion that it would indeed be a good investment. What little boy doesn't love trains, after all? And a maintained Lionel set can last a lifetime. I checked around and even took my son to a local museum that features a huge 0-gauge train display every Christmas. That display runs just about every Lionel make you can think of. I decided, because me kids are so young, to go with something festive and fun. I checked our local Allied Hobbies shop at the mall and came out with a reduced price North Pole Central set. It came with Christmas-themed cars and a box car that plays 12 Christmas carols. The front light works, a whistle blows and smoke comes out of the top (if you add the smoke fluid, which we did). My son (and daughter) were thrilled when my husband and I presented the train set to them tow days before Christmas (we figured why let Santa get all the credit).
I started checking out the Lionel website and became engrossed in all of the cool accessories that you can buy. I have my eye on a Christmas tree farm, but it's 60 bucks. Obviously, this train thing can get pretty expensive.
A quick check on eBay will show you that Lionel trains are very collectible-- and big business. A part of me wants to buy The Polar Express set, as I know it will be highly sought after once it's sold out. It's a pricey one though, at nearly 300 dollars. But if you're looking for hard to find pieces or an old piece from back when you were a kid, eBay is a great place to check, as are antique stores. But authorized Lionel train dealers are really the best place to look, as the salespeople are knowledgeable and can really help to guide you.
So how will we expand our family's train set? Well for starters, I may invest in the North Pole Central expansion pack. It comes with the maintenance supplies, which we'll need to buy anyway, plus several more Christmas-themed cars and a train station accessory. It costs a little over a hundred dollars but it seems to be a good deal.
After that, I may buy some other types of cars or maybe another complete set that isn't holiday-themed. A few contenders are the Santa Fe Railroad and the Pennsylvania Flyer. At the very least we'll buy a new car and some additional pieces of track. My husband also thinks we should join the Lionel train club. The membership is inexpensive, I think it's around 20 dollars a year, and you get newsletters and catalogs and it generally keeps you in the loop as to what's going on in Lionel world. The Lionel train website is also very informative, with pages on how to buy a train, the different types, etc.
I think trains sets look best when they're fully accessorized. I plan to buy some houses, lampposts and other things to make a little village for our train set. And although we just packed up our dear train set yesterday, boxed it up like it was nice and new, we'll probably dust it off again before next Christmas rolls around. The look on my son's face when that train goes round and round the track is something that is priceless to me-- and I just can't wait 365 days to see it again.
So I started researching train sets. My father actually owns the Lionel Polar Express train set so I thought, why not check out Lionel? I had no idea what I was in for. What an array of styles, it was all so confusing to me. And I had no idea that a starter set would run me in excess of two hundred dollars. Maybe a high-quality train set wasn't such a good idea after all.
But after researching it a bit, I came to the conclusion that it would indeed be a good investment. What little boy doesn't love trains, after all? And a maintained Lionel set can last a lifetime. I checked around and even took my son to a local museum that features a huge 0-gauge train display every Christmas. That display runs just about every Lionel make you can think of. I decided, because me kids are so young, to go with something festive and fun. I checked our local Allied Hobbies shop at the mall and came out with a reduced price North Pole Central set. It came with Christmas-themed cars and a box car that plays 12 Christmas carols. The front light works, a whistle blows and smoke comes out of the top (if you add the smoke fluid, which we did). My son (and daughter) were thrilled when my husband and I presented the train set to them tow days before Christmas (we figured why let Santa get all the credit).
I started checking out the Lionel website and became engrossed in all of the cool accessories that you can buy. I have my eye on a Christmas tree farm, but it's 60 bucks. Obviously, this train thing can get pretty expensive.
A quick check on eBay will show you that Lionel trains are very collectible-- and big business. A part of me wants to buy The Polar Express set, as I know it will be highly sought after once it's sold out. It's a pricey one though, at nearly 300 dollars. But if you're looking for hard to find pieces or an old piece from back when you were a kid, eBay is a great place to check, as are antique stores. But authorized Lionel train dealers are really the best place to look, as the salespeople are knowledgeable and can really help to guide you.
So how will we expand our family's train set? Well for starters, I may invest in the North Pole Central expansion pack. It comes with the maintenance supplies, which we'll need to buy anyway, plus several more Christmas-themed cars and a train station accessory. It costs a little over a hundred dollars but it seems to be a good deal.
After that, I may buy some other types of cars or maybe another complete set that isn't holiday-themed. A few contenders are the Santa Fe Railroad and the Pennsylvania Flyer. At the very least we'll buy a new car and some additional pieces of track. My husband also thinks we should join the Lionel train club. The membership is inexpensive, I think it's around 20 dollars a year, and you get newsletters and catalogs and it generally keeps you in the loop as to what's going on in Lionel world. The Lionel train website is also very informative, with pages on how to buy a train, the different types, etc.
I think trains sets look best when they're fully accessorized. I plan to buy some houses, lampposts and other things to make a little village for our train set. And although we just packed up our dear train set yesterday, boxed it up like it was nice and new, we'll probably dust it off again before next Christmas rolls around. The look on my son's face when that train goes round and round the track is something that is priceless to me-- and I just can't wait 365 days to see it again.
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