Sara's Blogtag:blog.paperwishes.com,2010:/sara//42010-03-05T21:13:27ZMovable Type 3.33Darlene’s Easel Cardtag:blog.paperwishes.com,2010:/sara//4.1932010-03-05T21:07:11Z2010-03-05T21:13:27ZPaper Wisher Darlene Pusakulich emailed me recently show me a card she made for her son-in-law’s birthday. Isn’t it gorgeous? I was really intrigued with the easel technique and Darlene was kind enough to let me share her instructions and...Sara Naumannhttp://www.paperwishes.comPaper Wisher Darlene Pusakulich emailed me recently show me a card she made for her son-in-law’s birthday. Isn’t it gorgeous? I was really intrigued with the easel technique and Darlene was kind enough to let me share her instructions and design here with you!
Supplies:
Cut white cardstock 12”x6” – this is the base of card. Cut a 6”x6” piece of white cardstock for the card front.
Making the base: Score the base at 6” and at 3”. Prefold the score lines.
Cut two 6”x6 squares of Masculine stripe paper. Using one of the squares, attach two big brads at 1 ½” from left and right edges and 3 ½” from bottom. Adhere this square to the bottom edge of the base.
Attach a tag onto dark blue glimmer paper and stamp “Birthday Wishes”. Place the tag under the brads at an angle.
Signature label: Cut a 2”x4” piece of white paper and stamp a birthday cake and “Happy Birthday”. Color in the cakes. You can also ink the edges. Place on the base above the big brads.
Making the card front: Trace and cut the diamond fold onto a (2”x6”) piece of dark blue glimmer paper. I used the design on the bottom right hand corner of the template and I traced only 9 long lines and 9 short lines to fit the card.
After you finished folding the diamond fold, weave a brown ribbon through the folds. Secure the ribbon ends to the back of the stripe paper. I placed these metal accents over the top and bottom edge of ribbon to give it masculine look.
Adhere the blue paper ½ “ from the left side of the stripe paper. Layer a large brown flower, medium blue flower and a small white flower and attach to the stripe paper with a small brown brad.
Adhere a rectangle masculine tag under the flower and stamp “Happy Birthday”.
Attach the decorated striped paper to the 6” white cardstock. Adhere the bottom 3” of the decorated card front to the top 3” of the base. This now will be the front of the card that will stand up like an easel. The two big brads will hold the card up.
I added amber crystals to each corner of the blue paper, two crystals on the right side of card front and two crystals on the bottom corners of the base. I also added crystals on the tags and one on the brown brad of the flower.
NOTE: This card will be a 6” card when folded…for the envelope, I used the Enveloper to make a 7” square envelope to fit this card. (Paper 11” using G & G on the enveloper.)
You can make an Easel card any size you want, just make sure your easel base will measure two times the height of the card front.
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Guess Who I Met?tag:blog.paperwishes.com,2010:/sara//4.1922010-02-26T23:13:40Z2010-02-26T23:15:08ZGuess who I got a chance to meet up with this month? Yep, that’s our Fab, the fabulous Message Board resident and overall HOTP fan. Since I had a bit of time in London after doing the Create & Craft...Sara Naumannhttp://www.paperwishes.comGuess who I got a chance to meet up with this month? Yep, that’s our Fab, the fabulous Message Board resident and overall HOTP fan. Since I had a bit of time in London after doing the Create & Craft show, I was able to meet Fab and Vince in person…it’s so much fun to sit down with a coffee and chat with someone you’ve known for ages via email!
Thanks, Fab and Vince for meeting me…and helping with my suitcases full of crafting supplies!]]>
3-D Pop-Up Templatetag:blog.paperwishes.com,2010:/sara//4.1912010-02-19T20:31:26Z2010-02-19T22:04:58ZLove making pop-up cards? This template makes it so easy to get unique pop-up designs on your handmade cards. Even better? We’ve discovered a couple of tricks that make the template even easier to use. Tess created a super-helpful video,...Sara Naumannhttp://www.paperwishes.comLove making pop-up cards? This template makes it so easy to get unique pop-up designs on your handmade cards.
Even better? We’ve discovered a couple of tricks that make the template even easier to use. Tess created a super-helpful video, which you can watch just by clicking here.
And here are a couple more tips—some of which Tess also covered, but good to have in print too!
Tip #1: Make sure your paper is large enough to accommodate the pattern on the template, and give enough space around the pattern for you to glue it into your card.
Tip #2: You’ll notice there are fold lines marked on the template—there are also other areas of the shape that are NOT fold lines. After you remove the template from your paper, go ahead and fill in those parts of the line. The only untraced areas should correspond with the FOLD markings on the template.
Tip #3: The heart, star and butterfly all work exactly the same; the cake and the present are the same format.
For the heart, star and butterfly: Fold your paper in half with the colored side to the colored side. You can cut the shapes (going through both layers of paper) with scissors. Keep the paper folded as you cut!! (Otherwise you’ll have lots of nice shapes but no pop-up!)
For the cake and present: Place your paper patterned side down on your work surface when you trace. Your paper will be flat when you cut. You’ll need a craft knife and ruler for these cuts—but they’re all straight lines so it’s easy. You’ll cut only the vertical lines and fold only the horizontal lines.
Tip #4: It’s much much much MUCH easier to do any of the folding if you score the lines beforehand. I use a stylus to score the cake and present fold lines, and for the butterfly, heart and star I just fold the pieces back and forth before opening the paper.
Tip #5: The pop-ups work best with regular-weight scrapbooking paper or lightweight cardstock. Very thick cardstock isn’t the best idea as it can break when folded.
Tip #6: As with any template, test out on a piece of scrap paper first!
Enjoy!]]>
Printing on Tagstag:blog.paperwishes.com,2010:/sara//4.1902010-02-12T20:18:36Z2010-02-12T20:33:47ZI’m mad about this CD! Because it was part of the Pick of the Day on Create & Craft this week, I got a chance to really play around with it and discover all kinds of cool things you can...Sara Naumannhttp://www.paperwishes.comI’m mad about this CD!
Because it was part of the Pick of the Day on Create & Craft this week, I got a chance to really play around with it and discover all kinds of cool things you can do to create your own customized tag art.
One thing you can do is computer-journal your own messages onto the tags before printing them. Susan and Tess gave me some great pointers on this so I thought I’d pass them on to you!
After you open the CD, save the book you want onto your desktop, then open a Word document.
Select your tag, use the select tool to draw a box around the tag, then let go and it will highlight. Then simply copy and paste your tag into your document.
For the text box, go to “Insert” at the top of your screen and click on “text box”. It will appear where you click outside the tag, and won’t look like a box yet; and you can drag it over the tag and size it there by dragging the corners or sides out or back. When you have the desired size of box, type your words inside it. You can center it and choose fonts as normal in Word.
Now double click on the corner of the text box and a “format text box window” will come up. At “Fill color”, select “no fill”. Choose “No line” for the “Line color”. Close that window.
Print your tag!
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Attention UK crafters!tag:blog.paperwishes.com,2010:/sara//4.1892010-02-05T23:11:41Z2010-02-05T23:13:36ZGet ready, UK crafters…we’re gearing up for a Pick of the Day on Create & Craft next week! Tune in to see the new Springtime Papercraft Extravaganza on Wednesday, Feb 10 and Thursday Feb 11. I’ll be on at these...Sara Naumannhttp://www.paperwishes.comGet ready, UK crafters…we’re gearing up for a Pick of the Day on Create & Craft next week! Tune in to see the new Springtime Papercraft Extravaganza on Wednesday, Feb 10 and Thursday Feb 11. I’ll be on at these times:
Wednesday, February 10 at 9:00pm (launch!), again at 11:00pm
Thursday, February 11 at 8:00am, 10:00, 1:00pm, 4:00pm and last chance at 7:00pm
As you can see, getting organized for 7 hours of live demos is no easy feat (especially for someone with a small apartment). The kits you see trailing their way down my hallway are just some of the demos I’ve got planned.
The small black ears you see belong to my assistant, whose contribution so far has only been a cursory glance every now and then, when she’s awake. She snores like crazy though, so it’s good for a laugh.
Occasionally she musters up enough energy to move down the hallway to lie on one of the kits. This one is close to the heater in the bathroom so she’s in perfect comfort.
I know, I know, I’m writing about the cat…but this project is so big I haven’t been out of the house for a week and frankly I’m starting to get craft overload. I’ve seen the UPS man more frequently than I’ve seen anyone else. And since Keith is out of town, it’s just me and the cat. (I really do need to get out.)
And….if you live in Oregon (or Washington!) stop by and see the HOTP booth at the Creating Keepsakes Convention this weekend—in Portland Feb 5-6 at the Oregon Convention Center! Paulette won’t be there this time, but Stan will (ask him for a demo!).]]>
Something New from Katie!tag:blog.paperwishes.com,2010:/sara//4.1882010-01-29T17:58:22Z2010-01-29T17:59:19ZMy friend Katie Hacker is the person responsible (in a good way!) for my addiction to beading and jewelry making. She’s written several beading books for Hot Off The Press, teaches workshops around the country, and presents “Beading Lessons” on...Sara Naumannhttp://www.paperwishes.com
Katie’s Jewelry Personal Shopper. This is a monthly kit, delivered to your door—it’s basically like taking a class with Katie. Each month you’ll get materials to make a necklace and matching earrings, and sometimes a bracelet too; in addition, you’ll have complete project ideas and instructions, as well as Katie’s hints and tips. Even better, you’ll learn tons of techniques like stamping on pateras, making loops, easy crimping and more.
Plus…I’ve had a peek at some of the designs in the kit and they are GORGEOUS! Perfect for spicing up your own wardrobe, or to give as gifts.
Want to learn more? Just click here to find out about Katie’s new kit from Personal Shopper!
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Come See Us!tag:blog.paperwishes.com,2010:/sara//4.1872010-01-21T18:19:10Z2010-01-21T18:21:32ZWhat are you doing this weekend? If you live near Anaheim, California, please stop by the Paper Wishes booth (#508) at the CHA Craft SuperShow! The show is on from January 22-23 at the Anaheim Convention Center, and it will...Sara Naumannhttp://www.paperwishes.comWhat are you doing this weekend? If you live near Anaheim, California, please stop by the Paper Wishes booth (#508) at the CHA Craft SuperShow! The show is on from January 22-23 at the Anaheim Convention Center, and it will be packed with tons of great crafting supplies, from all your favorite companies.
Even better? You can save $5 on the admission price with our coupon. Just go to www.CraftSuperShow.com and click on Tickets under the Show Info tab. Enter CRAFT19 as the discount promotion code and continue with the registration process. You’ll get an e-voucher by email. Just print it out and bring a copy with you to the show.
Doors open Friday, January 22 at 12:00 and stay open until 8:00pm. Saturday the show is from 10:00-6:00, giving you plenty of time for demos, shopping, fun and excitement. Enjoy!
Please do stop by—Paper Wishes is at booth #508!
And don’t forget—you could win a $100 Paper Wishes shopping spree by entering our Little Prints & Patterns contest. Click here to find out more!]]>
Contest! Contest! Contest! (And Craft SuperShow!)tag:blog.paperwishes.com,2010:/sara//4.1862010-01-15T21:59:33Z2010-01-15T22:07:08ZThis is a silly question, I know…but would you like to win a $100 gift certificate to Paper Wishes? Here’s your chance! Not only will the winner of our Little Prints & Patterns Contest win a $100 shopping spree, he...Sara Naumannhttp://www.paperwishes.com
This is a silly question, I know…but would you like to win a $100 gift certificate to Paper Wishes?
Here’s your chance!
Not only will the winner of our Little Prints & Patterns Contest win a $100 shopping spree, he or she will also have the winning project featured on the Paper Wishes home page!
So here’s the scoop: Make a card, scrapbook page, tag, Surface—any kind of paper crafted project—using the new Little Prints & Patterns collection, then upload a photo of your project by February 1, 2010.
You could take home one of four $25 Paper Wishes gift certificates, or the grand prize of a $100 shopping spree!
I really hope you’ll join us—I’m so excited to see what you all create! For more info, just click here.
Good luck to everyone!
COME SEE US! Do you live in Southern California? Then come see us at the CHA Craft SuperShow January 22-23 at the Anaheim Convention Center! Click here for more info]]>
Congratulations & New Contest!tag:blog.paperwishes.com,2010:/sara//4.1852010-01-08T20:23:53Z2010-01-08T20:29:18ZThanks to everyone who emailed to tell me why you shop at Paper Wishes. The responses were terrific (my email in-box was VERY full!) and we really appreciate your comments. It all helps us to do a better job serving...Sara Naumannhttp://www.paperwishes.com
Mix Your Messages and Vintage Ladies.
Enjoy your stamps, ladies—and thanks for participating!
CONTEST ALERT! Want to win a $100 shopping spree on Paper Wishes? Then come play with us!
Here’s the scoop: Make a card, scrapbook page, tag, Surface—any kind of paper crafted project—using the new Little Prints & Patterns collection, then upload a photo of your project by February 1, 2010.
You could take home one of four $25 Paper Wishes gift certificates, or the grand prize of a $100 shopping spree!
Even better? All five winners will have their project posted on the Paper Wishes home page! For more info, just click here. Hope to see what you create!
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Happy New Year!tag:blog.paperwishes.com,2009:/sara//4.1842009-12-31T23:37:14Z2009-12-31T23:40:36ZHappy New Year! After a great visit to Oregon for Christmas, I am back in Amsterdam…along with my globe-trotting cat Beanie, who’s been living with my parents for the past couple of years. International feline travel is not for the...Sara Naumannhttp://www.paperwishes.comAfter what felt like the longest flight of all time, Beanie was delivered to me in the baggage claim area by a kindly porter who stated the obvious: “This one is not so happy”. She was doing her signature wail which, when translated, means: “Call the Humane Society, I’m DYING!” After 14 hours in her special kennel, I can’t say I blame her. We needed to get home urgently.
I got a luggage cart—the kind you push—and we dashed through the airport, Beanie screaming like a banshee and me gasping, “it’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay” as people scurried out of our way. (With the exception of that jet-lagged businessman who was a fraction too slow...sorry about running into you, but did you not hear us coming?) Out into the brisk cold morning and straight to the taxi; our driver was sympathetic as Beanie wailed the entire 20-minute journey, pausing only to wolf down a few Tender Moments Whisker Lickin’s. (Ironically, the Tender Moments Whisker Lickin’s package claims it’s “so savory, your cat won’t want the moment to end”. Trust me, we all wanted the moment to end.)
Once home, Beanie forgave me with remarkable speed, emerging from her kennel with a furious expression that quickly changed to, “Oh, is that Salmon Feast?” She’s spent the week inspecting the apartment as thoroughly as if she herself were considering renting it. She loves the bedroom closet, the couch and the stairs; she dislikes the children across the street and the snow covering the garden.
I am 100%--no, make that 1000%--sure she will never, ever go near that kennel again. But it’s sure good to be back together.]]>
Merry Christmas!tag:blog.paperwishes.com,2009:/sara//4.1832009-12-24T22:48:47Z2009-12-24T22:50:47ZBest wishes to you all for a very Merry Christmas—and a happy New Year! Patterned paper from Cardmaker’s Ultimate Christmas Creative Pack, brown and cream cardstock, Dazzles™ border, tree cut from vintage paper and outlined with Caran d’Ache wax crayon....Sara Naumannhttp://www.paperwishes.comBest wishes to you all for a very Merry Christmas—and a happy New Year!
Patterned paper from Cardmaker’s Ultimate Christmas Creative Pack, brown and cream cardstock, Dazzles™ border, tree cut from vintage paper and outlined with Caran d’Ache wax crayon. (Could also use chalk or ink)
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New Tea Bag Folding CDtag:blog.paperwishes.com,2009:/sara//4.1822009-12-18T22:47:15Z2009-12-19T00:16:14ZA couple of years ago, I got REALLY into tea bag folding. You know how it is, when you discover a “new” (okay, new for you) craft and can’t seem to stop doing it? That was tea bag folding for...Sara Naumannhttp://www.paperwishes.comA couple of years ago, I got REALLY into tea bag folding. You know how it is, when you discover a “new” (okay, new for you) craft and can’t seem to stop doing it? That was tea bag folding for me. The biggest kick was that I could make a card with a tea bag folded focal point and it would absolutely amaze the person I gave it to…pretty cool, especially since a tea bag folded embellishment really doesn’t take much time at all.
Some of you will be very familiar with this European papercraft…and for some, it will be totally new. The best part is that whether it’s new to you or not, it’s a great classic craft and one I think deserves a revival, so I thought I’d post up a few quick steps on how to do it.
First, you’ll need tea bag squares. You can sometimes buy them by the sheet, or get them on this new CD—on the CD, you just print out your sheet of tea bag squares, cut them out (a paper trimmer makes it easy) and fold several of them the same way. You’ll need about 8 of these folded squares. Then you’ll place them side by side to create a medallion embellishment perfect for a card focal or scrapbook page accent.
One of the most popular folds is the kite fold. See how easy it is here, and what a gorgeous result you get!
So why is it called Tea Bag Folding? Created by Tiny van der Plas in Holland, this craft originated when she was in need of a card and while thinking, began folding a tea bag envelope that was on the table. Necessity is the mother of invention, is it not? (And trust the Dutch to do it beautifully!)]]>
Woven Startag:blog.paperwishes.com,2009:/sara//4.1812009-12-11T23:44:23Z2009-12-11T23:47:03ZThank you for making last week’s Christmas Gift Giving Week of Webisodes such a success! It turns out the Woven Star is one of the most popular projects of the week (I think it’s gorgeous!). I got a question from...Sara Naumannhttp://www.paperwishes.com
Question: I love the woven star and I am confused about how to use the pattern to trace the cut lines. I finally used my paper trimmer and stylus to mark them. I was successful at this but wished many times that I had a template made out of template material with grooves to do the tracing. Since I am not sure how I will store these stars I know I will be making them again next year and would like to be able to trace them easier. —Naomi
Susan’s Answer: There are several ways to do this, including what you did with the paper trimmer and stylus, which is also a good creative solution!
One way is to place the pattern over your folded paper, then place a piece of transfer paper (you can purchase this at office supply or craft stores) between the pattern and the folded paper, and anchor it with sticky notes. Use a pencil and ruler to trace over the lines on the pattern, which will be transferred onto your folded paper. Then remove the pattern and transfer paper and cut the lines. Erase any excess marks from the transfer material as needed.
Another way is to trace the pattern onto tracing paper using a pencil. Now, flip the traced pattern (on the tracing paper) over, and go over the lines again with your pencil (you will be tracing over the lines on the back). Flip the traced pattern over again so it is right side up. Now place the traced pattern over your folded paper, anchored with a sticky note. Trace over the lines with a pencil and ruler as needed. The pattern will be transferred to your paper—this eliminates the need for transfer paper—it works the same way.
A third way, and my favorite: Make several copies of the pattern so you have one for each folded paper you will cut for the star. Use sticky notes to anchor each pattern to the folded paper, or if using glimmer, it works well to just use a light dab of glue stick to hold one corner of the pattern in place without it adhering too tight. Now cut on the lines, through the copy of the pattern and the folded paper or glimmer. Remove the pattern.
Thanks, Susan—for making it that much easier to create the woven star!]]>
Thoughts for Shaunatag:blog.paperwishes.com,2009:/sara//4.1802009-12-07T17:17:54Z2009-12-07T17:19:13ZAs many of you know, my friend and HOTP designer Shauna Berglund-Immel has been battling cancer for several years now. (And if you knew Shauna in person, you’ll know that she fought this with every bit of strength and energy...Sara Naumannhttp://www.paperwishes.com
As many of you know, my friend and HOTP designer Shauna Berglund-Immel has been battling cancer for several years now. (And if you knew Shauna in person, you’ll know that she fought this with every bit of strength and energy she had—the same way she gave her strength and energy to just about everything she did.)
Shauna passed away peacefully on December 3. She was an amazing designer, a good friend and one tough cookie. Please join me and keep Shauna and her family in your thoughts. She will be missed!
Rest in peace, Shauna. The world has lost you but Heaven is a little bit brighter.
Settling Intag:blog.paperwishes.com,2009:/sara//4.1792009-12-04T22:35:44Z2009-12-04T22:39:17ZI can’t believe we’re already into December… Well, I actually can believe it—since this calorie-inducing stand is up literally one block from our new apartment. I have a terrible weakness when it comes to oliebollen, which are a bit like...Sara Naumannhttp://www.paperwishes.comSince the oliebollen stand is so close, I can even get my treats home quickly enough to enjoy with some hot chocolate.
By the way, a round metal canister just like this one will indeed set off all the bells and whistles at Heathrow’s security screening. And then you will have to prove it’s actually cocoa mix while everyone else in line listens to you. Lesson learned.
Last weekend I spent the most luxurious Sunday making Christmas cards. Miraculously, I am early this year, and yesterday even went to the post office to get my postage stamps. I’m not quite sure how I managed to get ahead of the game this season but that’s okay, I’ll roll with it.
(I won’t show you the rest of my craft room since it’s is a complete disaster.)
And for the rest of the place—we love it. Even these stairs, which I fell down literally two days after moving in. (Socks + wood stairs + not paying attention…) But the neighborhood is quiet, the neighbors are nice (lots of kids around here!) and we have two parks within easy walking and biking distance.
We’re also blessedly close to my latest discovery—a real burrito joint! This might not seem like the most exciting thing, but I love Mexican food, which is practically non-existent around here. I’ve already been twice. Call it a little taste of home, sandwiched between the Middle Eastern grocery and the American bagel shop, right here in Amsterdam!
PS. If you’re in the Netherlands or Belgium, I hope you have a gelukkig Sinterklaasavond! ]]>
Paper Wisher Darlene Pusakulich emailed me recently show me a card she made for her son-in-law’s birthday. Isn’t it gorgeous? I was really intrigued with the easel technique and Darlene was kind enough to let me share her instructions and design here with you!
Supplies:
Guess who I got a chance to meet up with this month? Yep, that’s our Fab, the fabulous Message Board resident and overall HOTP fan. Since I had a bit of time in London after doing the Create & Craft show, I was able to meet Fab and Vince in person…it’s so much fun to sit down with a coffee and chat with someone you’ve known for ages via email!
Thanks, Fab and Vince for meeting me…and helping with my suitcases full of crafting supplies!]]>
Get ready, UK crafters…we’re gearing up for a Pick of the Day on Create & Craft next week! Tune in to see the new Springtime Papercraft Extravaganza on Wednesday, Feb 10 and Thursday Feb 11. I’ll be on at these times:
What are you doing this weekend? If you live near Anaheim, California, please stop by the Paper Wishes booth (#508) at the CHA Craft SuperShow! The show is on from January 22-23 at the Anaheim Convention Center, and it will be packed with tons of great crafting supplies, from all your favorite companies.
Even better? You can save $5 on the admission price with our coupon. Just go to www.CraftSuperShow.com and click on Tickets under the Show Info tab. Enter CRAFT19 as the discount promotion code and continue with the registration process. You’ll get an e-voucher by email. Just print it out and bring a copy with you to the show.
Doors open Friday, January 22 at 12:00 and stay open until 8:00pm. Saturday the show is from 10:00-6:00, giving you plenty of time for demos, shopping, fun and excitement. Enjoy!
Please do stop by—Paper Wishes is at booth #508!
And don’t forget—you could win a $100 Paper Wishes shopping spree by entering our Little Prints & Patterns contest. Click here to find out more!]]>
After what felt like the longest flight of all time, Beanie was delivered to me in the baggage claim area by a kindly porter who stated the obvious: “This one is not so happy”. She was doing her signature wail which, when translated, means: “Call the Humane Society, I’m DYING!” After 14 hours in her special kennel, I can’t say I blame her. We needed to get home urgently.
I got a luggage cart—the kind you push—and we dashed through the airport, Beanie screaming like a banshee and me gasping, “it’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay” as people scurried out of our way. (With the exception of that jet-lagged businessman who was a fraction too slow...sorry about running into you, but did you not hear us coming?) Out into the brisk cold morning and straight to the taxi; our driver was sympathetic as Beanie wailed the entire 20-minute journey, pausing only to wolf down a few Tender Moments Whisker Lickin’s. (Ironically, the Tender Moments Whisker Lickin’s package claims it’s “so savory, your cat won’t want the moment to end”. Trust me, we all wanted the moment to end.)
Best wishes to you all for a very Merry Christmas—and a happy New Year!
Patterned paper from Cardmaker’s Ultimate Christmas Creative Pack, brown and cream cardstock, Dazzles™ border, tree cut from vintage paper and outlined with Caran d’Ache wax crayon. (Could also use chalk or ink)
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Since the oliebollen stand is so close, I can even get my treats home quickly enough to enjoy with some hot chocolate.
