I am not left-handed

Pop-up 2torial: Father's Day Card using two Pop-up Dies

It's time for another Pop-up 2torial! And by "2" I really just mean "less than 3", as you will see by this video, which clocks in at 2:43! Heh.

This Father's Day card was inspired (naturally) by my Dad. We took lots of cross-country road trips as kids and had lots of adventures. 

The new SEI Mayberry collection was absolutely perfect for this card! I scoured the word-search paper looking for "Dad" and I found it! I circled it with a red pencil and then added the Route 66 sign and a "Dad-esque" button. I let the button cover the word "eats" so it looks like it says "The Good Dad". (I'm still patting myself on the back for that one!) The gears are an On the Edge die and the background paper is Bazzill glazed cardstock.

Watching the video is the best way to understand how I combined the two pop-up dies to get all the platforms I would need for my pop-up scene. So go ahead . . .scroll back up and watch it . . . it's less than 3 minutes . . . I'll wait . . .

Next I turned my attention to the jalopy. I wanted to create the effect of wood paneling on the sides, so I die cut the car first in black cardstock and then again in thin wood. I noticed that the window pieces that fell out were the right size for paneling, so I used scraps of wood over just the window-portion of the die to create extra panels. I used inks and stains to weather the wood, and the fender pieces are embossed with clear powder. The silver centers of the wheels are old nailheads from my stash and the headlights are clear rhinestones.

Here are the major supplies used in the card. I didn't list the minors (stash items), like nailheads, rhinestones, a computer-printed greeting, crimp beads, silver cardstock, white cardstock, inks and stains.

Sizzix 657130 Scalloped Circle Insert Sizzix 657131 Zig Zag Pop-up Sizzix 657792 Flagpole w/Lantern & Sign Sizzlit Strip Sizzix TH Jalopy Sizzix TH Steampunk On the Edge Xyron X adhesive Xyron Mega Runner SEI Mayberry Collection Creative Imaginations Real Wood Bazzill Glazed Stripe Cardstock Bazzill Black Cardstock The Twinery Baker's Twine

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Pop-up 2torial: Graduation Card using Flip-up Flower Die

This week has been full of filming and editing beginner Sizzix videos, and since my room was (the area within camera range anyway) all tidied up, I thought I would also film a quick tutorial for a pop-up card.

My idea is to limit myself to 2 minutes (ish) videos to be able to explain the technique. If you recall, I filmed six 90-second videos last year and those were blazing fast! I figured adding an additional 30 seconds (ish) would give me a luxurious amount of time but . . . not so much!

Here's the video and then you can scroll down for pictures, a supply list and more detailed instructions for a couple of the steps that I had to leave out of the video (so I didn't have to figure out a new catchy title using the number 3! Heh!)

 

The dies I am featuring in the video are the Bigz Flip-up Flower and the Celebrate Sizzlit set. Both of these dies have how-to videos which are viewable on the product pages when you click those links.

The idea for this card is to use the mechanism of the Flip-up Flower to animate something else. In this case, I cut a 3x3 square of lightweight black chipboard and added a mini tassel to the front using a decorative brad. The tassel was in my stash from years ago, so I found an alternate source to put in the supply list.

When you pull the tab, the graduation cap will flip up:

The video tutorial shows the technique for making the shadow effect with the Celebrate word, but I wasn't able to include how I stamped the "congrats" label for inside, so here are some quick instructions for that:

1. Die cut the label shape from the Celebrate Sizzlit set.
2. Stamp the word "congrats" in the graduate's darker school color in the center of the label. Clean the stamp well.
3. Stamp the "congrats" word all over the rest of the label, staggering the locations, using a clear watermark ink.
4. Brush the piece with chalk on a cotton ball. The chalk will stick to the watermark ink and bring out the word pattern. Choose a chalk color that corresponds to the graduate's lighter school color.

Roll a bill (or check) tightly and make a band of cardstock in the center to act as a diploma. Use a mini glue dot under the cardstock to hold it to the card. The graduate can slide the money out of the tube to remove it.

A personal message can be written inside the card itself. One nice thing about the Flip-up Flower die is that it is a pull tab pop-up, meaning it does not need to be built inside a card fold - it can be put anywhere on the project, including the front.

Supplies:

Not Pictured: The Stamps of Life "congrats" stamp - banners4all

Sizzix 657132 Flip-up Flower Sizzix 657127 Celebrate Set TH On the Edge Ornate Grad Card Supplies - Scrapbook.com

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Graduation Pop-up Card (Pop 'n Cuts)

It's really hard to believe that my friend Gretchen has a daughter old enough to be graduating from high school, but it's true! We received Kenna's announcement in the mail the other day.

I just returned from a wonderful teaching trip to Minnesota. I got to hang out for several days with my dear friend Eileen Hull, plus teach a couple of classes, plus see my sister, Julie, and her family, plus win some money in the casino, plus visit several cool scrapbook stores . . . all good stuff!

I spotted the new Dylusions stamps from Dyan Reaveley while shopping at Scrapbooks, Too, and just had to get the Birds on a Wire set. I knew Dyan's stamps would mix just perfectly with my new Birds on a Wire Sizzlit strip (shipping to stores in just a couple of weeks, ya'll!) 

So here's what I came up with for Kenna's graduation card:

Here is the inside of the card:

Here is a side view:

And a close-up of one of the 3D flowers, made with the Hello Sizzlit Set:

Here is a basic tutorial for making this card:

Start by die cutting two Birds on a Wire Sizzlit strips - the first from clear plastic (I like Bazzill's thin plastic sheets for this) and the second from thin white chipboard. Before removing the Birds from the white chipboard, stamp them with a font stamp and black ink. Use alcohol inks on the clear Birds, mixing a couple of colors to get the desired effect.

Run the finished colored bird strip through the Xyron "X" machine to add adhesive all over the backs of the birds. Stick them to the white stamped birds, offsetting them slightly for a shadow effect. Use white and black Sharpie markers to make the eyes.

Now it's time to make the fun pop-up card using the new Pop 'n Cuts A2 Card Base (shipping the first week of June, 2012) and the Circle Magnetic shape.

Put the Circle Label Pop 'n Cuts insert inside the Pop 'n Cuts base and slide it until it touches the edge of the opening as shown above. Add the Circle Magnetic Shape above the insert. Lay the patterned paper over the die and run it through a Sizzix Big Shot or Vagabond die cutting machine.

Work the four folds to create the pop-up shape. Notice that the Circle hole is actually two pieces - a scalloped circle is nested inside the solid circle. We won't need either piece for this card, but I just thought I would mention it. 

The Pop 'n Cuts A2 Card Base die can also be used to cut the backing card. Carefully remove the insert and do not shift the circle magnetic shape at all! (Important!) Cover the die with a contrasting paper and run it back through the Sizzix Big Shot or Vagabond die cutting machine. 

This will cut the backing card with the hole in the exact same spot as the pop-up card.

Line up the backing card over the pop-up card and use a tape runner to stick them together, avoiding all the pop-up areas with the adhesive.

To make the 3D flowers, use the flowers Sizzlit from the Hello Sizzlit set. It cuts four flowers at a time. Spritz the four flowers with water, stack them (use double-sided paper and alternate which color is up) and pierce a hole in the center. Add a mini-brad through the center of the stack. Crumple and shape the flowers into a 3D design and then allow to dry (or blast with a heat gun if you're impatient)

I added a section of the Birds on a Wire to the pop-up so that one bird would be perfectly framed in the circle when the card is closed. I mixed in some stamped birds and stamped hats and used letter stickers for the greeting. I hung a key charm from my stash off the pop-up.

You can see the entire Pop 'n Cuts collection and watch videos on them here: Pop 'n Cuts. Look for them in stores the first part of June, 2012!

Congratulations on your graduation, Kenna! 

Here are some picture links for the primary supplies used:

Sizzix 657802 Pop 'n Cuts Base Kit Sizzix 657795 Movers & Shapers Star & Circle Sizzix 657791 Birds on a Wire Sizzlit Strip Sizzix 657788 Hello Sizzlits Set Tim Holtz Regal Crest Dylusions Birds on a Wire Stamps Lily Bee Alpha Stickers Basic Grey Storyteller Paper Xyron Mega Runner Xyron X adhesive

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Mothers Day Class - VIP & Scrapbook Gallery, Rochester, MN

Once again, I've commanded the Kitting Room (er, Dining Room) for preparations!

Eileen Hull and I are heading up to Minnesota next week to teach at a trade show and will start our adventures in Rochester teaching a class at VIP & Scrapbook Gallery.

Here are the particulars from VIP's newsletter:

All Seasons With Sizzix! Join Sizzix licensed artists Eileen Hull and Karen Burniston in this class featuring products from both of their collections. In the first half of class, Karen will teach a double-page spread with a Seasons theme. Four cards open on the layout to reveal pop-up trees, each tree decorated for the specific season. Your handout will include instructions for altering page protectors so the layout can be easily opened in an album. The second half of class will be taught by Eileen Hull, the designer of Scoreboard dies. This hands-on gift card holder project will give you the opportunity to die cut mat board and emboss it. You'll also learn how to create a 3D flower using one of Eileen's layered flower dies. Don't miss the opportunity to learn from the designers and have all your Sizzix questions answered!  Treat yourself to this great opportunity! 2 nationally known designers at V.I.P., Sunday, May 13th, 1pm to 4pm  3 jam packed hours, dessert and You ~ only $35  Registration Required-Call Soon!

Location

Our store is conveniently located in the

TJ MAXX Plaza at
1300 Salem Road SW (not far from Apache Mall)
Rochester, MN 55902
(507) 281-2031

Here are photos of the class projects. I will teach the Seasons Layout, which is a double-page spread with four pop-up trees decorated for each season. 

Please bring these tools/supplies to class:

• Scissors & Trimmer (trimmer probably won't be needed, unless we need to square something up)
• Paper adhesive (tape runner or glue - whatever you like)
• Fine Line glue pen (for scrolls and small pieces)
• Glue Dots (mini or regular)
• Strong Adhesive (tacky tape or Scor tape)
• Bone Folder
• Sanding Block
• Needle Nosed Pliers for jump rings

Eileen will take the second half of class to teach a Gift Card Holder:

Eileen has information on her projects posted on her blog here. Her What to Bring list is as follows:

• Craft Knife
• Stencil 
• Inks- aqua, green, deep pink and brown
• Blending tools for each color
• Spray Adhesive

Please come join us for an afternoon of fun projects and dessert! It's Mother's Day . . . treat yourself!

CLASS: Note to Self Mini-Album (with pop-up)

This Saturday, May 5th (National Scrapbooking Day!) I will be teaching a class at Scrapp'n Savvy in Spring, Texas. Because of NSD, we're going to offer just one class, in the morning, from 10:30 - 1 pm. There may be two spots left - there were the other day - so contact the store if you are interested.

Last month I was brainstorming with Karrie and Leslie about what to do for the mini-album class and Leslie showed me the Echo Park "Note to Self" collection. As soon as I saw the viewfinder image I knew that it would be perfect to use with the Photo Wheel die! 

The front cover of the album features the Photo Wheel, styled to look like a viewfinder, with space for eight small photos.

A couple of things to know about my classes:

1. If ink isn't critically necessary, then I don't use it on my class sample. I always like to show a "clean" version of the project for my students who are not crazy about inked edges. You are always welcome (encouraged even!) to bring inks and blending tools to class and grunge the heck out of your project. As I like to say . . . it's your project, not my project!
2. Everything is always pre-cut for class, but I give you a detailed handout showing you all the cuts I made, so if you want to reproduce the album again (maybe in a different color scheme?) you have everything you need to do so.
3. We often run over on time, so please plan your afternoon accordingly. (No 2 pm matinee, 'k?)

Here are photos of the interior spreads of the album. Best part - the chipboard color is the perfect gray to match the collection colors, meaning we don't have to paint the chipboard! (WHOO-HOO!) 

I love the Echo Park "Note to Self" collection because between the stickers and papers, there are captions and borders and everything you need to make the album for almost any subject! I chose to make the album about my son Karl, but it does not need to be a boy - the collection is universal.

As you see above, you'll have plenty of room in this album (pages are just under 6x10) for photos and journaling.

The final spread has the pop-up in it, the Gift Card Holder die, used as a billboard.  

Here are the items you should bring to class:

• Scissors and Trimmer
• Favorite adhesive to adhere paper to chipboard (I like a tape runner w/refill, but some people like glue for this)
• Liquid glue - for gluing down the rickrack
• Strong adhesive - I recommend having some tacky or scor-tape for the pop-up. Also bring some mini-glue dots.
• Crop-a-Dile or Big Bite - you'll need to punch the holes back into the album, so don't forget this!
• Regular 0.25" corner rounder - you can do this by hand, but a corner rounder is your friend!
• Paper piercer
• Optional: inks & blending tools for inking edges. I recommend a dark brown or charcoal gray.

All photos and journaling can be done at home - no need to bring to class, but if you're staying for the crop and want to finish up this album, most of my photos are 3x4 (so I could fit two on a 4x6 canvas) and the one on the Billboard is 3.25" x 2". (If you buy the die, you can cut your photo into the billboard's bracketed label shape instead, so you'll want a 4x3 if you're doing it that way) The Photo Wheel requires 8 one-inch square photos. You can use a 1" square punch to reduce the photos, or, if you're handy with photo-editing software, you can shrink them on the computer and print them all out on a 4x6 paper.

Hope to see you Saturday!

Pop-up Card: Don't invite the gnomes!

Yesterday I thought a lot about my brother-in-law, Karl, who would have celebrated his 37th birthday. Sadly, we lost Karl at the age of 20 in a car accident. My son, Karl, never knew his uncle and namesake. 

Karl always liked my sick humor cards. The last card that he received from me was a rubber stamped depiction of the phrase "It's all fun and games until somebody loses an eye!" complete with an eyeball rolling across the floor and a kid with a bloody eye socket.

Good times!

I'm sure it was Karl's influence that caused me to look at my adorable new Gnome Sweet Gnome rubber stamp set from Lawn Fawn and immediately visualize those gnomes going rogue . . .

Happy Birthday, Karl! We miss you!

 

Supply Links:

InLinkz.com

In other news, I'm quite excited to be a student at True Scrap 3 this weekend! There is still time to sign up! Here is the link:

Pop-up Mothers Day Card using Print2Cut

Yes, yes, I fell off the face of the earth again. I know. It happens.

Too frequently.

*sigh*

I've been working on a fun project involving a corporate client and some custom pop-ups. It's really cool, actually, and I wouldn't have been able to achieve the same level of professionalism without a handy assist from my Sizzix eclips machine with eCal software, and the Print2Cut feature.

Since I am unable to share any photos of the corporate work, I thought I would share my new Print2Cut skills by cutting out some amazing digital art from Allison Strine.

Allison's vivid collage-y ladybirds, which can be purchased on jewelry, cards, art prints, magnets, etc. through her Etsy shop, are also available as digital collage sheets. In the past, I would have had to fussy cut the images using detail scissors, but not any more!

Thanks to Print2Cut, I can let the eclips cut out my collage elements perfectly! In this case, I used two birds from the Sweet Tweet Collage Sheet cut out using Print2Cut and then adhered to my pop-up die, (Scalloped Circle Pop-up, cut from clear) the Inchie Love Sheet for the front of the card, and, for the greeting, the Inchie Alphabet Collage Sheet.
 

If you are interested in my method for using Print2Cut with detailed JPEG's like this, then here is a video where you can watch me do it.

One thing to note - my way is not the only way. It may not even be the best way, but it works, so I'm going with it. There are other ways to get your cut layer for intricate images like this. If you have image editing software like Photoshop (or Elements) then you can pull a copy of your image into that software, fill it with solid black, and then import the black image into eCal and the onboard trace will give you a perfect outline without all the extra goop in the middle.

However, for the purposes of this tutorial, I challenged myself to do it all in eCal and not rely on any other software. 

  

EDITED TO ADD: Oooh! I just got an excellent tip from Kevin at Sizzix to use the "Style/Blackout" option on the Shadow Layer and then I can skip the break apart step. Brilliant! Love Print2Cut!

The card itself is a 6x12 strip of white cardstock, folded in half. A printed section of the Love collage sheet is glued to the front of the card.

Inside, I cut two 5.75" squares of patterned paper for the interior panels and then cut my Scalloped Circle Pop-up die from thin clear plastic so it wouldn't be visible. The collage elements are attached to the tiers of the pop-up and a few flowers were sprinkled in the background. Thanks to Allison Strine and Print2Cut, this Mother's Day card was a cinch!

Here are my supply links for the card. 

Sizzix 657130 Scalloped Circle Insert Sizzix eclips w/eCal software Sizzix Big Shot machine Allison Strine Sweet Tweet Collage Sheet Allison Strine Love Inchie Collage Sheet Allison Strine Inchie Alpha Collage Sheet Basic Grey Indian Summer "Cordovan" paper Petaloo Flora Doodles Jeweled Flowers Grafix thin plastic Bazzill White Cardstock

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CLASS: Pop-up Layouts - Seasons & For the Record

Next Saturday, April 7th, 2012, is my monthly teaching date at Scrapp'n Savvy, in Spring, TX. My regular students know that we rotate between mini-albums, cards and layout classes, but note that we are swapping the album and cards this quarter so the May class will be a mini-album and the June class will be cards using the new Pop 'n Cuts dies.

Normally in the Layout classes I design two double-page spreads and we do one half of each of them as the class project and you receive instructions and a shopping list if you want to turn them into spreads.

For the first layout, For the Record, we will do just that - you will complete the pop-up page (right page) in class and will get instructions for the left page. (Hint - you're getting all the paper and stickers in your class kit, so your shopping list for this one is just a piece of cardstock for the background, one for the mat, and some optional rhinestones)

The pop-up bird is not a die. It is a template. However, for the class kits I'm cutting it for you on my Sizzix eclips machine, so you won't have to cut it! You'll receive a paper template as a take-home and if you buy an eclips through Scrapp'n Savvy, you also get the digital cut file! 

The second layout was also supposed to be half, but I didn't like the look of all four cards opening on one page, and I also didn't like the idea of teaching only half the seasons, so you will complete this entire spread in class:

I will show you how to alter your page protectors so all four cards can open in your album. Bring two page protectors with you if you want to do this in class.

Here is how the spread looks with all four cards open:

I made a Seasons layout like this about 3 years ago using one of my first pop-up dies, the tree, which is now retired. To revive this look, I have turned to one of my current AVAILABLE NOW pop-up dies, the Scalloped Circle pop-up insert. The trees were cut on my eclips machine and will be pre-cut for the class kits. You will receive a paper template in class, but if you buy an eclips through Scrapp'n Savvy, you also get the cut files! 

Here are some detail shots of the project:

WHAT TO BRING:

• Scissors
• Trimmer
• Tape Runner & Fine line glue pen
• Strong adhesive like tacky tape or Scor tape, plus mini-glue dots
• Ranger Blending Tool and black ink (for bird's back)
• Sanding Block or sandpaper
• Mini-stapler and staples (Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher is my favorite!)
• Bone Folder
• Pencil & ruler
• Needle-nosed pliers to work with jump rings
• Optional: (3) page protectors, craft knife and cutting mat

There are two class sessions next Saturday and I'm not sure how many spots are available, so call Scrapp'n Savvy if you are interested.

Pretty Spring-themed Birthday Pop-up Card

My mother's birthday is the first day of Spring, so I made her a belated birthday card in pretty Spring colors.

I did one of my favorite things - combining Sizzix dies from Eileen Hull with a couple from my collection.

 

To create the card front & back pieces, I used the Scoreboard Caddy die. (All of the supplies are linked at the bottom of this post) I cut two caddy pieces from matboard and then ran them through the Flower Textured Impressions folder. I inked the front with Weathered Wood distress ink and then thought it was too dark, so I brushed white paint over it. I cut a medium Fringed Flower from Echo Park "A Country Drive" paper and layered stickers and a rhinestone in the center of the die cut flower. I also added the "Make a Wish!" sticker from the sticker sheet. 

For the inside of the card, I first needed to make the card itself. I cut a 4x12 strip of patterned paper, folded it in half, and put the piece over the Caddy die so that the fold in the paper was close to (but not touching) the bottom edge of the Caddy. After running it through my Big Shot, I was left with a caddy-shaped card, hinged in the middle. I glued my matboard pieces to the front and back of the paper and voila! - a caddy-shaped card! A little ink around the edges and I was all ready to add some pop-up fun! 

I love the Floating Frames pop-up die because it looks complicated, but is single-piece construction with just a few back-and-forth folds. I have video instructions for this die linked at the bottom of this post.

I first cut my Floating Frames from patterned paper and folded it in the usual manner. Then, because it was too tall to fit in my card, I laid the folded Floating Frames piece over the Caddy die to cut the height. (Alternately, I could have just lopped the top off with a pair of scissors, but the die saved me any measuring)

The Celebrate Sizzlit set has the perfectly-sized decoration piece for the Floating Frames die, so I used that to cut the decorative panels. A few stickers from the sticker sheets completed the decoration. I added tiny rhinestone eyes to the bee sticker and a black rhinestone to the bird. One thing to note is that when using stickers floating on a pop-up, you must first remove the stickiness so they don't stick your pop-up together when folded flat. I backed the bee with paper and the bird with matboard.

Need some additional Spring inspiration? Visit Eileen's Blog to find links to a bunch of projects. She's also doing a giveaway of one of her dies! Whoot!

Supplies:

Sizzix Scoreboard Caddy Die	Sizzix Flower & Wreath TI folder set	Sizzix Flower, Fringed	Sizzix 657129 Floating Frames
Sizzix 657127 Celebrate Set	Sizzix Matboard	Echo Park "A Country Drive" Collection	Distress Ink - Weathered Wood

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Here are the video instructions for the Floating Frames die:

 

Sizzix Pop 'n Cuts with Magnetic Movers & Shapers Pieces

I am just home from The Collins Rep Group's Spring trade show in Boston and had a marvelous time! The Collins Group really knows how to put on a fabulous show, and I definitely appreciated the clear schedule, convenient workshop storage room, letting the vendors break for lunch and that yummy dessert bar! I just love it when shows run smoothly!

I also love any chance to go to a show and be surrounded by so many creative people. It was wonderful to spend some time with retailers, reps, manufacturers and especially the Sizzix team, which included new Design Team and Community Coordinator, Tammy Tutterow, plus sales manager Cheri Kimball and eClips queen, Jill Tarayao.

At the show I taught a class and make n' take on my upcoming release, Pop 'n Cuts. These dies will be available at your local retailers in early June at the latest. 

Make sure you check out a super cool card made by Gretchen Schmidt being featured on the Sizzix Blog today.

In my Pop 'n Cuts class, we made a project using one of the companion Movers & Shapers pieces to cut a decorative star-shaped hole in the dinosaur card along with an orange label-shaped piece to change the color of the label front.

Here is a video to explain this technique:

 

The card being constructed in the video is this one:

Supply links:

Not pictured: label maker, fishing line, glitter, ink, white cardstock (wings)

Sizzix 657802 Pop 'n Cuts Base Kit

Sizzix 657793 Movers & Shapers Heart & Wing

Basic Grey Second Edition Paper

7 Gypsies Mini keys

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And just for kicks I also thought I would include a Vennish diagram of how Pop 'n Cuts all coordinates: