A New Venture Begins

For so many years now creating and crafting has been a huge part of my life.  From making things that are given away, or things to be used personally or around the house, to designs for publications, I enjoy everything about the creative craft industry.  My interests are wide when it comes to crafting.  From sewing, quilting, stamping, paper making, jewelry making, metal work, woodwork and several other mediums, most of my time is spend enjoying the creative process and always willing to share them with others.

Much of the fun I have had for over ten years, is having had the opportunity to work with a number of different manufacturers in various ways.  Recently I was thrilled to become a member of a design team for Deflecto.  They are one of the leading manufacturers of storage products, art frames and vinyl magnetic sheets in the office market.  Use this link to the Deflecto page related to crafts: http://www.deflecto.com/craft/ - Use this link to all the Deflecto Pinterest boards: http://www.pinterest.com/deflecto/ - to get some idea of the products available and their uses.

The designers that have been chosen will be sharing ideas with a variety of the Deflecto products on their Facebook pages, in blogs that they write and on a Pinterest board.  We will be showing photos of how we have incorporated some of the products in our own workspaces and homes.  Plus ideas on how to refashion the products for a variety of purposes.  These ideas are meant to help others in creative ways to use these specific products.  Organization is a main goal for  me in my workspace. It's not to say that my space is always "neat and tidy" - far from it when there a numerous projects in the works.  Hopefully, what I share will be a help to others no matter what type of space they work within.

Here are five ideas to share now with some of the frames they have available.  There will be a few others at a later date.  On this blog, I will be writing posts to give more information and simple instructions and tips of how I will be using some of the products and how I redesigned them for different looks.

Open this link to see a variety of other ideas by a number of other designers:

http://new.inlinkz.com//luwpview.php?id=440395" title="click to view in an external page.">An InLinkz Link-up

Arnold Grummer's Papermaking - Memory Book

An option for themes this month is a "vacation summer memory book". My idea was to create a small book using various leftover handmade papers that I processed and went unused.

This small booklet could be used for snapshots of special summer moments or to layer in hand written notes for remembrance.

Each of the pages are different as the photos show:
(NOTE: The front cover is made from a sheet similar to page 1 and it's look changes entirely with the wax added.)

Page 1-Embedded paper  resin shards

Page 2-Texturized sheet

Page 3-Recycled scraps

Page 4-Colored pulp painted edge

Page 5-More recycled scrap papers

Page 6-Recycled from scraps

Back Cover-Extra thick sheet made from scraps

A sheet of handmade paper, with resin covered dictionary pages that are embedded into the sheet, was used for the front cover.  Wanting to make the cover take on a different look, I coated the paper with melted beeswax.  The coating of wax gives the paper an interesting look and texture.  Once it is coated, the paper was heated with a heat tool.  Work on a safe surface covered with a heat resistant craft sheet. A rubber stamp was prepared with ink and set aside.  After heating the waxed cover and while the wax is still slightly soft, quickly press the prepared stamp into the cover, using good pressure.  Black Distress Paint was applied over the image, then wiped with paper towel to remove paint from the raised area.  (NOTE: if needed repeat the paint application and wiping.) If desired add some bronze Rub N Buff and finish by brushing some Perfect Pearls in any choice of color.

Two holes are punched into the left binding edge of each of the pages and two covers.  Lace ribbons through the holes and form a bow.. For a little extra embellishment glue a strip of any lace and finish off with a bit of bling.

A 20% discount on a purchase from the Arnold Grummer website for an order is available - use this code on the order AUG20.

Designer Craft Connection - Crafting With School Supplies

Walking through most stores these days there are displays of school supplies every where.  This month the group's theme is - crafting with school supplies.  Here is what I selected to work with:

This project began with two different folders, one plastic colored folder (yellow) and one  glossy, heavy paper folder.  Each of these were cut apart.  The paper folder pieces were cut slightly smaller then the other plastic folder pieces.  Use double faced tape along one edge of the paper pieces and adhere onto the inside of each of the plastic folder pieces.  NOTE: The yellow plastic folder used, had an inside pocket on both front and back that were left in place.  Using two different types of decorative washi tapes, wrap randomly around the front and back covers in any desired way.  Any tape that goes over the inside pocket area can be cut open with an X-acto knife.

Run washi tape along the left edge, on both sides of the front and back cover.  Mark the left edge for holes to place the binding rings by using the rulers.  Punch the three holes.

Place a length of 1/4" double sided adhesive tape along the left edge and place the ruler over the edge, matching the holes.  Place the binding rings through the holes. Add paper pages with matching, punched holes along the edge onto the binding rings.  A small square base was cut from foamcore for a frame.  Wrap the foamcore frame with washi tape.  Cut pencils into lengths to fit the front of the frame.  Glue onto the top of frame.  Use a scrap of the plastic or paper folder to place a back onto the frame to hold a photo. Adhere the photo frame to the front cover.  Die-cut letters and numbers from a sheet of duct tape and place onto cover.

This "school" related, personalized scrapbook can be used to write in, draw in and add any mementos of the school year.