Your Life is Your Journey Paper Collage

It's been awhile since I have been doing anything crafty, sad to say.  But lately, wanting to get back into the swing of things, I sat down to put something together.  Here is my newest paper-collage creation. I call it "Your Life is Your Journey".  Please enjoy!

 You can find this collage for sale at  www.dakotacrafts.etsy.com

Be Yourself

I wanted to share a cute little wall-hanging that I was dying to try out.  I got the idea straight out of the 2012 Spring/Summer Catalog..which you can view here.

Project Idea (pg. 14)  See it there with the gals stamped on it?:

I took the idea and then changed it up a little based on what supplies I already had on hand.  I used the CTMH stamp set that I already had in my collection called, "Be Yourself" which is similar to the one in the project, but not the exact one.  I LOVE this set!  But the new one in the 2012 catalog is comparable (and the one used in the project idea above) and is called "Fashionita" You can find it on page 17 of the catalog here:

Don't you just LOVE it?!

My frame was smaller and so I switched it out all the way around, but what a fun time!  Hope you enjoy!

If you would like a copy of the 2012 Spring/Summer Catalog "in hand", please contact me via email at dakotacc@juno.com or leave a comment below!

Bathroom Cuteness..With a few tips on making collages

Okay, so if you are tuning in to see how my craft area is coming along, don't even bother...I have been up to much more fun things!   I *will* continue on my craft area....um...soon, but today I am going to share with you a project that I am making for my bathroom.   My bathroom was originally a leaf/woodsy decor, but that is changing, apparently, due to a rug that I am making with a rose design (I don't know where else to put it) and this image:

Isn't she adorable?  I thank 2nd Time Around at: www.misskym.etsty.com  for this precious little gal.  I couldn't resist putting her in my own bathroom!

To start.....

What I did first, and what I always do, is tear the edges around my image.  You do not have to do this.  I have seen many a collage in which the artist did not tear, but rather cut the image out.  And it looks good!  I just always end up tearing my edges.  I am a natural 'tear-er', I guess. 

When you tear edges and are making a 'vintage-inspired' piece, you need to 'ink the edges' as well:

Again, this is my personal opinion, but it gives it that extra-aged look.  Next....paper scraps!  We now know why I have a ton of paper scraps that don't make it to the garbage.  I can't seem to throw them away...for reasons such as this!

 Again, ink the edges:

Now, as you can see in the photo, to ink my edges this time, I simply used normal brown scrapbooking ink and a sponge.  This is fine, but note: Any sealer that you use on your project will cause your ink to change color.  A far better choice is Stazon ink.  It does not discolor when adding sealer and glue.  I will show you an example later on.


Next, I took my canvas and painted the edges.   I have learned from experience that painting first is much easier than painting edges later, so try to make that decision ahead of time as to whether you need to paint or not.  However, it isn't horribly painful to do afterwards, so if you are like me and change your mind two hundred times for any minor decision, don't fret!  It can be done, but painting first is just smarter and easier in the long-run.  I used a copper color paint...and then sponged over it for an aged look:

 Then, glue your image to your board:

Then, you simply find doo-dads and different items to add.  

Here is a tip.  This is important.  If you are going to work with printed off images, you have to seal everything.  If you don't, the mod podge, glue, or whatever you are working with will smear your image...unless you are only gluing the back.   

This beautiful image and the other one on my collage, along with the scrabble piece images are  from www.phenomenon1859.etsy.com.  

(Amazing seller with awesome customer service!)

I use a spray sealer to seal my images.  You can find spray sealer in Matte or Glossy.  At this time, I am using Mod Podge spray.  Do I like it?  It's okay.  It isn't my favorite and the smell is horrendous (seriously, I don't think it could get any worse), but it works fine.  Spray outdoors or in a box that you have set up for spraying in.  

Okay, so here is my piece as it is left right now hanging on my wall.  I have decided that the scrabble piece squares at the top right will be replaced with real scrabble pieces to give it more texture.  But I love those little image pieces!  They look 'real enough' for now. A person could actually use those and a-fix them to blank wood pieces for that 'real' scrabble piece affect as well!  I will also probably add a metal heart charm and/or maybe change out the stamped circles for buttons.  Not sure yet...we will see.  So many things that you can do!

I told you that I would give you an example of using scrapbook ink vs. Stazon ink.  As I said before, it is wise to use a more permanent ink like Stazon ink when using sealer, glue, etc.  This is for the same reason that you spray images....So they don't bleed or change color on you.  

If you remember, I used regular scrapbooking ink, apparently at the time I had forgotten my own tip, as I realized that when I sprayed the stamped images...  the ink turned green.   So now my circles, instead of brown, are green.  I also had not spray sealed my rose paper scrap that I had inked the edges on...and the edges of that greened also.  This is why you should always spray everything at the beginning of your project, so you don't forget anything as I did, especially if you are going to work on it for awhile, put it away, and then finish it at a later time.  On this piece, I don't mind too much as they look fine matched with the green in the lovely gals gown, but on other pieces, this would have to be a re-do for sure.  Just another tip to keep in mind!


So in a nutshell:


*Ink edges for a nice vintage-effect.  Scrapbooking ink is fine, but Stazon is better if you are going to seal or glue the top of your image.


*Mod Podge or another made-for-collage glue works much better than school glue.


*Paint edges before applying the fun stuff.


*Spray ALL images...digital and stamped...with spray sealer before gluing onto collage or your images will bleed and/or the ink will discolor.


*Spray all of your images at once, if possible, because you may forget to spray some if you walk away and finish your project at a later time.


*Above all, have fun!  

More pics of my altered art box....

I am working on the sides of the box now.  I am pleased with the way it has been coming along.

More to come!  Stop back by to see how it comes out!

Altered Art Box

Okay, so I am working on something that I have wanted to do for a very long time.  Since I am a professional procrastinator, "someday" always seems to take quite awhile to arrive...and finally the "Someday I am going to do something with the cute little cigar boxes" arrived!   


I decided to post some pics as I go along.  Hopefully I will finish my project without messing up more than I already have.  But I guess that is the great thing about these projects...If you 'mess' up, you can always just..well,  alter it!


I have already started the top of my box because I couldn't wait.  You can see the pics here.  The top isn't finished, but partially done.  So far there is only one aspect that I am not happy with...but hopefully by the time I am finished, I will make peace with it...;)

 Isn't this a gorgeous gal in this vintage image?  As soon as I can remember the site from which I printed it from, I will post it here (it's on my other computer which isn't running at the moment).  I appreciate this photo so much, I think credit is due from where I received it for free.

 Side of box.  It is only painted right now...but not for long!  Check back in to see progress...:)

These are so much fun to make!  Find old cigar boxes (usually only for sale) or one similar, add some papers, your favorite image, and little doo-dads here and there.  Try it out!

Distressing Technique

Okay, so here is an ink to paper distressing technique that some of you may not be familiar with.  It is pretty neat...especially in scrapbook frames that you first distress and then place a photo in the center.

Here it is shown on a piece of scrap paper:

 It is very simple actually.  Pick up the paper that you want to distress in one hand.  Pick up your ink pad in the other and turn it over to face the paper.

Now lightly swipe the ink pad over the paper.  You can swipe it one way and then the opposite direction to give a criss-cross effect.

These little ink pads shown below are actually great for this as they are so easy to hold and work with when doing a technique like this.

Here is a photo of a tag that has been distressed using this method:

I hope you enjoyed this quick tutorial.  Thanks for visiting and join me again soon for a new technique or project idea!

Cute Little Blue Jean Cards

So, I have a Blue Jeans Stamp Set from Close To My Heart.  I wanted to put it to use.  It would make for a great scrapbook layout, but I decided to make some cute little tags or cards.  What I ended up with is sort of a....tag card!  See it here:

Here is how I did it:

First, I stamped the image of the pocket on cardstock:

Next, I cut it out, and then cut out another piece of cardstock of the same shape:
                                                                                    

The backside of the second piece should be stamped 'jeans' also, but you need to sort of 'wing' it and match it up as close as possible as the sides aren't symmetrical and so it is a tad off on the backside; but, seriously, close enough to do well:

Then, take the two pocket pieces and "brad" them together.  If you do the awesome scrapbook stitching, then that would be great also!  But, here I am just using the brads.  I think they work swell:

If you were to put in a card or tag such as the heart below, then brads on each corner would be sufficient (even though the one pictured has the fifth one in at the bottom):

 

But to do the skinnier tags like I am doing, you need to have that fifth brad in place.  Otherwise the card or tag will slip out the bottom.

I then took a manilla tag and traced it so that it was like two of them side-by-side.  This was so that I could make a "tag-shaped" card.  The idea is that you cut around the double-tag shape but leave the middle (between the two) uncut. This is so I can fold there to make it a card.  Do I make sense?  See photo...:)

 

Then I hole-punched two holes on either side at top.  This will be to string the cute ribbon through at the end.

 

I inked the sides of the tag/card to give depth/texture/color....whatever you think it adds!

Next, I took a heart stamp from the Love Language Stamp Set by Close To My Heart and stamped the image to the front of the card.  This time, I was a little lazy and so used the same stamp block that I had already been using.  Too big for the stamp, but used it anyway.  I recommend normally using the proper sized block as it really is easier to handle.  I love smaller blocks when I can use them, but as I said....laziness out won this time.

Isn't it a pretty stamp?

Again, finished project below:

Other variations:

Or with Sassy String looped tag-style:

See them on Etsy.com HERE!

If you want to see my NEW Online Home Gathering for Close To My Heart check it out HERE!