It's a Creative World

Note Holders

Hi Everyone,
This is my first post as part of the Design Team here, hopefully my note holders will inspire you to give it a go :)
I use these all the time on my fridge at home and to hold paperwork together in drawers.

 

All you need is some household wooden pegs, scraps of paper, adhesive, magnet and embellishments.

Cut the scrap paper to the approx size of the peg and adhere using pva glue, you can trim the edges with a craft knife. Do this on both sides.

Using a file, gently file each edge to give them a distressed look.

I then used some decoupage medium over the papers to give them a little more protection, you can also use modge podge for this.

Using your chosen embellishment adhere on with pva glue.

If you are turning your pegs in magnets adhere with pva glue on the chosen side and leave to dry.

Voila, really simple but cute note holders

Deanne x
 

Administrative Error

No post today :( due to an administrative error on my part.

Normal service will resume tomorrow :)

Caz

xx

Plain skirt embellished

Hello, Eleanor here.

You probably know by now of my love of charity shops, or op-shops as we have called them, since my eldest sister emigrated to Australia 20 years ago. It means 'opportunity shop' as it gives opportunites for
a) raising money for charity by the sale of gifted items
b) those on low income to purchase clothing and household items at good prices
c) recycling

I recently couldn't resist a white linen skirt, label Monsoon, for the bargain price of £1.

Whilst I knew I wouldn't wear it as plain as it was:

I already I had an idea in my mind of how to embellish it. I found a butterfly template in 2 sizes, here.
I cut the template from acetate packaging, and drew around it using red or blue biro straight onto the wrong side of remnants and patchwork pieces of cotton fabric. I used biro because it flows well, and I cut slightly inside the biro line, discarding the marked pieces.

I then laid out the butterflies on the skirt, 20 in total, all different patterns, and when I was happy with the positioning, I pinned, then tacked them in place. 

You may remember that I recently learnt that if your sewing machine has a slow stitch, this is easy to control for simple applique, and deals well with curves, for even if you just make one stitch, raise the presser foot, adjust direction minutely, lower presser foot, and make another stitch, and repeat, it is STILL quicker than hand stitching. (I do love hand stitching, I have to say, but not when it's 20 butterflies)
Anyway, on these butterflies, a stitch or 2 here or there out of place didn't matter, because I wanted to leave a slight border, which, when washed would fluff up a little and give a softer effect to the wing edges.
At this point I have stitched just inside the butterfly outlines with my slow straight stitch:

and here I have added a zigzag body and straight stitch antennae:

I then gave the skirt a wash, and you can see after just one wash, the beginnings of fluffing (as yet unironed):

All that was needed was a quick press and skirt transformed:

Now I can pick out any one of the colours for a simple top and I'm good to go.

Garden Party anyone?

Bye for now.

PS. Due to internet issues, Project 2009 post for August will be next Saturday :)

Mini Book using laminated off cuts and card.

Hello, my name is Debbie, (although I am also known as rainbow_poppy.)

This is my first project for Its a Creative World, I love making mini books and using things that other people consider to be rubbish.

A few weeks ago after finishing a pile of laminating and trimming off the ends, I asked whether anyone wanted to use the off cuts. When the response was "chuck them in the bin" I decided to recycle them and made an acetate style book. I chose blue to match my son's new hairstyle and decided to make a mini book on his hair styles from the last 17 years.

I cut out a variety of shapes using a shape cutter, but you could use any template, shapes or die cutters to do this. I also used a piece of navy card and cut approximately half the shapes in clear laminate and half in card.

I then layered the pages so smaller pages were at the front and they got gradually larger. 

Once I was happy with the layout I punched two holes so I could clip the book together with two book rings, and then drew around the edge of each page with a permanent metallic blue pen.
 

Then I put the pages back together again and started on the front cover. I used Sharpies or permanent pens, I wrote the outline of the title on the front and then coloured in on the reverse to get a neater edge.

I made sure that all of my photos for the laminated pages were the same size so I could put a photo either side, I did the same with the punched embellishment.

I used the navy card stock and a little of orange off cuts to add embellishments to the book, I added the photos and wrote the journalling in the same metallic pen used for the edges of each page.

Stamp Layering and a bit of grunge!

I went WILD with my stamps on this card for my grown up niece! I counted that I'd used 6 stamps!!

First of all I stamped the Kraft card with my Hero Arts Woodgrain stamp S5208 

Next I stamped over the top with a darker shade of purple ink with my Raindrop Hero Arts stamp S5101

I stamped the beautiful Heart Flourish (Hero Arts K5153) straight on to the card with Brown Distress Ink.

I stamped out Circle the Month (H4413) by Hero Arts on a separate piece of Kraft cardstock, distressed the edges with brown ink, mounted it on brown cardstock and added it to the card.

I used a couple of Bombshell stamps - again stamped separately then coloured with markers. Both stamps were from the Love & Luck set. I added them to the card with silicon glue to add depth.

Gooseneck is a fabulous stamp by Stampotique and available in at least two stores in this country now!

I coloured her in using ProMarkers and Copic Ciao Markers- cut her out and mounted her onto the card using silicon glue for a raised effect!

Get those stamps out and have a play, layering creates lots of texture and you create a one of a kind background for your cards!

Have fun crafting!

GlitteryKatie X

Jazzing up your stationery....

Hi from Di

I spent a few hours last weekend addressing my stationery needs for my new job in Durban. Have to tell you that I am compulsive about buying pens pencils filing systems. I cannot resist a stationery store!

 

For the folders I just decorated the spine of some cheap arch lever files:

 

 

 

Then some cheap and cheerful small notebooks :

 

 

Had to decorate my post-it notes as well:

 

 

I then made some litle tubs for my pencils, highlighters and clips:

 

I started with a little prototype to determine how best to make the bottom of my tub. I used grungeboard for the tubs cos it  bends so beautifully, and finally just added a few strips of pp at the top and bottom. Voila Viola we are done

 

I could not resist using up one last sheet of PP to make the 'one page mini album'  - LOL not sure what I will use this for!!!

Woo Hoo - this was such fun and sooo easy. Bet your school going kids would love to try this!

Thanks for visiting IACW and love from Di

Decorated Boxes

Hi

This is Karen (Scrapdolly) here with my first ever IACW DT project.

 

I hope that you enjoy it and have a go at making some decorated boxes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a remodel of our bedroom and I wanted pretty things to coordinate with the new colour scheme and it is always SO much more fun to make your own.

 

The two boxes I decorated were very cheap and ripe for decorating. The first, the hexagonal box, was made of balsa wood with a hinged lid. The second, the little chest, was papier mache board.

 

Let’s deal with the hexagonal box first.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I used acrylic paints to paint the box, inside and out, mixing the colours I wanted.

 

It takes several coats of paint to base coat it and, if you are impatient like me, use a hairdryer to dry each coat thoroughly before moving on to the next. As the box is wood you need to sand it lightly between coats.

 

Once it was all painted I then sponged it with various shades of cream and blue to give it a bit of definition.

 

 

 

 

 

I inked the edges with white Brilliance ink to give it a more worn look.

 

 

I wanted the stamping to be very faded and delicate in keeping with a worn feel so I used a light brown ink to stamp the flourish round the sides and to stamp the design on the lid.

 

I used liquid pearls in a platinum colour round the lid and added thin cream rik rak round the centre as well.

 

I finished it off with a flower and gem stone brad.

 

 

 

 

 

The small chest was painted in the same way using acrylic paints, but you don’t need to sand this one down between coats.

 

I wanted a different effect on this box – a light splattering.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I use a stippling brush, but an old toothbrush will work just as well.

 

Cover the area with newspaper and use a cocktail stick or a scorer or similar to rub across the brush to flick and splatter the paint drops onto the box.

 

Not only does this give a nice effect, but it is very satisfying as well.

I used the same platinum liquid pearls to look like studs along the chest and some cream dots along the edge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I stamped the word ‘enjoy’ on card, added eyelets and then tied this round the box with ribbon.

I stamped a butterfly twice on cream card, painted it to coordinate, and then stuck them back to back. I curled the wings slightly and then added him to the box with a foam pad.

 

 

 

 

 

Both boxes were really simple, but coordinate perfectly with the room and give that handmade touch.

 

I hope you have a go at decorating some for yourself and cant wait to see them.

 

Have fun!

Dolly

x

 

Keeping inspiration handy

Like most of us crafters I have so many magazines that I want to keep because they have some card making or scrapbooking ideas and techniques that I like and fancy using one day (when I get around to it!). Unfortunately this has led to a huge stack of magazines lying around and I've decided that now is the time to be ruthless and get rid of ones I won't use.

For the first time ever I have been through all my old magazines and cut out articles I wanted to keep! The problem then was "what do I do with them?"

The answer came in the form of some very cheap (a bargain at the time) SEI 8" x 8" albums. I stuck all my cut-out articles on to the white backing in the page protectors

 

 

I can then write any notes or extra ideas on the white paper backing.

How about you? Do you keep all your magazines, give them away, sell them or get nifty with the scissors and cut out articles? If you do snip out things where do you put them?

Jo x

A Re-Vamped Album (with no sewing required)

Hiya, Claire here, just wanted to share this with you all...

I bought this little pink 8x8 album when I started scrapping & have never used it so, in the attempt to use up old stuff before buying new I decided to give it a face lift with some courduroy & some UHU glue. I took the album to pieces then cut two pieces of fabric big enough to wrap around the outside of the album leaving just over an inch of fabric to attach it to the the album. ( I didnt measure I just laid the album cover on the fabric & got busy with the scissors.)

 

I glued on edge of fabric to the side of the album that folds & held in place whilst the glue dried, then I folded in the corners & glued those down too

 

Then I folded over the the remaining edges & glued those down & held them in place with some clips whilst they dried (this bit reminded me of hospital corners when making a bed) When this dries you can punch the holes needed to reassemble the album with a Crop-a-Dile or any other hole punch that will go through fabric.

 

To make the spine I cut a strip of fabric (shown larger here for the photos) just over 2 inches by just over 8 inches, to stop the fabric fraying, I slightly turned over the edge of the fabric & glued it down. Line this up with the album & punch the 4 holes that will hold the screws to re- assemble the album.

TIP: if your going to use page expanders on a post bound album, expand the album first otherwise the spine will be too small.

 

I covered the inside with a rectangle of fabric - again just glued down & re punched the holes covered by the inside fabric & then I glued on some ribbon to hide the joins in the fabric

 

You can now re-assemble the album in this order, back cover, place the right hand holes on the spine fabric onto the posts of the album, insert page protectors onto the posts, then fold over spine & put the left hand holes onto the post... you may need an extra pair of hands at this point ( I could have used them) put your front cover back on & screw posts together - et Voila - one covered album. Now I said no sewing required ... it isn't but I used it for decoration... I cut 2 birdie templates onto card...

 

& then drew around them onto felt, to create these little fellas. The branches were made from ribbon that I ruched as I sewed, the leaves were cut from felt using a Sizzix Machine & Jungle Leaves Die. I stuffed the birds with some wadding & handstitched the lot to the album... so now I just need some 8x8 pages to go in it.

 

Really hope you like this & enjoyed reading.

I'll be back soon with other crafty bits but in the meantime take care

Claire xxx

Rain, rain go away

Hello, Joy here again.

How did it get to August already?  Did anyone let the weather know it is summer yet?  I decided to come up with a project for my girls to do when they say "what are we doing today?" 

I found this little idea for a bag a long time ago but have adapted it to include some embroidery.

1. You don't need a pattern, just a sheet of A4 paper.

Cut around the paper with pinking shears. This saves time by allowing you not to hem everything. I have used a lightweight calico.

 

2. Fold the calico in half. Tuck a piece of A4 paper between the two layers to stop the ink leaking through while you stamp your image. I have used Build-a-Bloom from Banana Frog.

 

3. Gradually build up the flower.

 

4. Embroider over the stamped image. If you use the dotty petal you can follow the dots. I used the very easy backstitch with 3 strands of embroidery thread.

 

5. Use different colours.

 

6. Dust down sewing machine.

 

7. Stitch up both sides stopping approx. 1" from the top.

 

8. I used bracelets for the handles. All these for £1 at Primark. Think of all the bags I can make now!  I got some funky rattan ones as well.

 

9. Handstitch - with a running stitch - the top edge of the fabric over the bracelet, gathering the fabric as you go. Finish securely as it will get lots of wear and tear.

 

10. Ta-dah! Gorgeous little bag.  I added some ribbon to jazz it up a bit. I am thinking of doing some to contain Christmas presents.  But how cute would these be for new baby pressies, with some little socks in them. Have a look in your stamp stash for some ideas.

 

You could also use patterned fabric. I have some nice Cath Kidson fabric that will look good with the rattan bracelets.

Have fun. I would love to see what you come up with.  My girls are going to get busy tomorrow.  I now need to come up with something masculine for my boys. Duncan has requested something for his growing colour pencil collection. 

Enjoy August. I hope the sun is shining in your corner of the world.

xxxx