Paper Flowers

Flowers can be the perfect touch on a scrapbooking layout.  I've bought my fair share of cute crafting flowers over the years, always paying more than I should.  

Still, I'd find myself struggling to match the exact shade of the embellishment with my background paper.  That problem is solved.

You can make beautiful flowers out of any paper pattern that you like.  

The crafty gals at Captured Moments taught me how to make my own flowers.  Start by punching out three paper circles, each slightly bigger than the next.  

Crinkle the edges of each circle with your fingers.  Use your thumb and forefinger to hold the center of the paper in place.  It is important that the edges are bent and wrinkled enough to break up the fibers in your paper.  Eventually, start to shape your circle, with portions raised and lowered, to give the flower dimension.  

Once you're done crinkling, ink the edges of your flowers to add a subtle coloring.  Layer the circles with the largest piece in the back and the smallest up front.  Use a brad or button to hold the pieces together.  Then, add leaves using the same crinkle method.  Cut roughly the shape of a leaf, crinkle it, and glue it down.  Voila!!  You have a handmade flower with any paper pattern you like.  If you want to see the full page layout the girls from Captured Moments created, using this flower, scroll down the the next blog post.

Bookmark D.I.Y.

 I love to curl up with a good book. In fact, I think that's just about all I've been doing lately because the weather here in upstate New York is miserable. It's cold, snowy and downright nasty. What better way to cope than to warm up with some blankets and dig into an adventure? I love real books. I'm not sure how I would do with an E-reader. I kind of like turning the pages and smelling the books. It's an experience. Another way to show my books some love is to make a bookmark to go with it. This is so easy- really, I'm not sure if you'll think I'm corny for actually spelling out the directions- but here it goes!

Go to your ribbon stash and find a pretty ribbon. You can cut it at about 12 inches. Then raid your jewelry stash. I found a cute little heart charm and a wonderful little funky bead. You thread an embellishment on each end of your ribbon and tie it off. I tied the bead in on both ends- but left my little heart with one end open. It's not moving. Then you put it in your book and away you go. There are also little clasps that you can put at the end of a ribbon that allows you to dangle a charm from- but in this case- I wanted to make a quickie one. I hope you like it! Happy reading!

DIY Embellishments

One thing I've learned about scrapbooking over the years is that any embellishment I make myself is better than the crazy expensive stickers you buy in the store.  I've also learned I really can make more than I think...even a rickshaw.  Final lesson:  Use real scraps.

I had gathered lots of items during my trip to China...even the rippled cardboard that the hotel used to store our toiletries in the bathroom.  I took every piece, knowing the texture would work well in a layout.  In this spread, I decided to cut up that cardboard to make the road for my Rickshaw ride.  There is nothing like using actual scraps  for your scrapbook, right?  Now, when I show people this page I say...that's what the hotel used to package my toothbrush!!  I just cut it up and made a winding path.

I really wanted a big rickshaw on one full side of the layout.  There is no such embellishment for sale in the craft store.  I was on my own and that was kind of exciting.  I used pictures of the actual rickshaws to guide me, so mine would match the pictures.  At first, I had made everything with paper...but it didn't pop.  Instead, I put real fabric on the roof...just like the real rickshaw.  Much better.  Then, I added the runner's handles...using chopsticks from my trip that I chopped down to the right size. The first thing people say is..."Oh wow...those are chopsticks...very cool.  Are those from China?"  Yup.  I found bamboo circles for my wheel and made the spokes out of chopstick pieces.  The whole embellishment really jumps off the page...and it is handmade.  I love my China album.  I'll show you another page Friday.