Faux Tearing, It’s Fun!

Here is a nifty little trick that will save you money on paper and postage. You can get the look of layered torn paper with an old magazine and a couple of ink pads.

The green paper is craftily applied ink!

Here’s how:

You'll need ink pads and an old magazine

First lay your card (or Scrapbook page) on an old magazine. then tear a sheet out of the magazine in half, the rougher the better and place it over your card. The part you see is the part that will be the “torn layer”.

Using the torn page as a mask, rub ink the card working from lightest to darkest

Rub ink pads over the exposed card holding the magazine in place. *note: I used Whispers inks for this project. They are dye based and the pad is spongy so the look is nice and soft. If you are using Stampin up (or felt like pads) it is best to apply the ink with a brayer or cosmetic wedge. I like the Whispers pads because you don’t waste ink (the brayer method will use more ink), you won’t have a brayer to clean afterward AND you can get a caddy of 30 ink pads for $20 with your 50% off coupon at AC Moore!

shift back the page and ink a bit

Shift the top paper back a bit to expose a little bare card and lightly brush it with the ink pad.

re-adjust the paper and stamp

Re-Adjust the paper and Stamp on a design if you wish. I used the Lace Flower stamp from The Rubber Cafe.

Antique with brown, Amazing!

Rub on some brown ink if desired. Wasn’t that fun?

Try this on your Christmas card this year, it’s quick, fun and easy! It’s a good idea to buy re-inkers for your ink pads, you can find them on line or do what I do, the next time you are invited to a Stampin Up party buy ink to match the pads you have. Yes you can re-ink your pads with different brands and you can mix colors so you don’t need to buy every color. Just remember to use dye based ink on dye ink pads, and pigment on pigment pads. You can also use re-inkers to re ink your Brush tip markers…More money saved. If you want to learn how to make your own pigment and embossing ink click here.

Thanks for stopping by and happy crafting (and inking too!)

Lindsay

Vintage postcard freebie!

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…Alright I admit it’s a  stretch even in my part of the world where we have been know to Trick or Treat in the snow! But I love making holiday cards and if you craft you know you need a head start. Here is one vintage inspired card I have made:

I used papers by Autumn Leaves, Buttons form Dress it Up, Stamps by The Rubber Cafe and copyright-free images from the Memories of a Lifetime book/CD series.

Here is a sheet of vintage postcards for you:

Click link below to dowload

Download it here.

I printed out lots of images and have been creating like crazy with them. I like to print them on sticker paper and cut them out with deckle edge scissors for more vintage charm, you could also print them small and cut them out with stamp edge scissors to make faux postage embellishments!

Have fun with your vintage images, leave me a link if you make something with them, I’d love to see it!

Til next time Happy crafting!

Lindsay

Convert a .PNG to a .SVG file…works for .JPG too!

Huh? OK we are getting a bit techie today but I swear this is easy! I get many emails form my fabulous blog readers on how to convert jpg and png files to svg files so they can cut them on the Cricut. Not that I don’t LOVE the emails, I thought it would be easier to explain it here with pictures because it is so easy. Expect to say “duh!” before this post is over. Don’t worry, I did not forget my non SCAL/Cricut readers you can do this project “old school” with paper and scissors and you digi-scrappers can play as well!. You will need Sure Cuts a Lot (SCAL) Software, a Cricut and a free program called Inkscape for this tutorail.

Here is what my 4 year old daughter made with what I cut:

Ooh-La-La, a fancy mask!

Here are the free png mask files I used for this project. They are a freebie from Digi-Designer Meredith Fenwick and you can grab them on her blog here. Don’t forget to leave some love if you download, a simple thanks will do and it is sure to make her day!

Halloween mask freebie by Merdith Fenwick

A note about converting files. The files still belong to the original creator, that means you cannot share them or sell them without permission. This is for personal use only, otherwise I would just give you the files I made but that would be uncool since these freebies promote the designers business and drive traffic to their blogs. Yes, I’m a total square…OK I’m off the soapbox 🙂

Step 1. Find a file you want to convert (simple is best like a coloring book page or png file with a transparent background). Open that file in Inkscape.

open the file in Inkscape, select the mask.

Click the arrow in the upper left column, then click on your graphic.

In the “Path” menu choose “Trace bitmap”

Click "path" then "trace bitmap"

A box pops up, click update, and you will hopefully see your graphic. Click “OK” and close the box by clicking the “x” in the upper right hand corner.

A window appears, click update and you see your graphic, click OK then "x"

Save the file as a .svg then you can import it to SCAL. * this is important, you don’t open a svg file in SCAL you need to choose “import”.

Open SCAL, click"file" then "import SVG" and select your file.

Yay! There it is just like magic! resize as needed.

That is all there is to it. I you have a multi-colored image you can use a graphics program like Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro to separate everything with the “magic Wand” tool first then cut and paste them in a new document before opening it in inkscape…I think you can even do that in inksape but I haven’t tried (if it ain’t broke why fix it!). Have fun and if you have trouble leave me a comment and I’ll see what I can do…feel free to comment if you are successful too…I like the success stories!

I’m gonna cut a bunch of these for my kids classes, they had a ball decorating these and it will be so much easier than cutting them by hand! Honestly, I can’t wait to make some myself!

Thanks for sitting through this long post. Until tomorrow, Happy Crafting!

Lindsay

Simply Ir{resist}able!

Want to do something fun with you stash of Rub-On transfers? Well here is something: Apply them to watercolor paper or white cardstock then paint over them with watercolors! You can also stamp with clear pigment ink, emboss in clear and paint over that too…so much fun how can you resist?

Stamps by the rubber cafe, talk about irresistible!

The lovely stamps used here (Framed Heart and Scroll Border) are from The Rubber Cafe. I used Elmers Paintastics to paint over the rub-on and to “ink” the scroll boarder. Paintastics can be found in the kids isle of your craft store, there cheap and the are wonderful, the paint is in the brush and you can refil them or fill them with plain water when you are done for a waterbrush…recycling, got to love that!

Have a great weekend and happy crating!

Lindsay

Faux Bandanna Technique

I was perusing the latest issue of Crafts ‘n Things when I saw a cool new technique called Faux Bandanna. I guess it’s been around a while but it’s new to me and maybe you too so I thought I’d share:

The center Square uses the faux bandanna technique

Here is how you do it! First stamp your design in black.

Gather your supplies

stamp randomly in black

Then add highlights and doodles with a white gel pen. /you can doodle with black too.

Image by The Rubber Cafe

see the two side by side. It has a “wild west” or “Down Home” feel to it. Perfect for a Barb-B-Q invite or a farm scrapbook page.

Sorry I can’t show you the completed card I did with the right panel, it’s under consideration at a magazine. Thanks for stopping by and happy crafting!

Coffee Filter Inspiration Book

This project of mine appeared in the July 2008 issue of Scrapbook News & Review and I thought I share with you how to make it. It is filled with Inspirational quotes and there are blank tags in the pockets for quotes I wish to add later.

Coffee Filter Inspiration Book by Lindsay Weirich 2008

You will need: 1 sheet of pattern paper (I used Autumn leaves), 1 scrap card stock (for making the tags), cone style coffee filters, a binder clip, ribbon, stamps (Inque Boutique), ink (close to cocoa: Stampin Up) and alphabet stickers. I printed all of my quotes on vellum and staples them to the pages. Just remember not to staple the coffee filter shut or you will not be able to use the pockets the filter makes.

How-To: Stamp on the coffee filters. Attaches quotes or simply write them on. Fold the pattern paper in half and trace the coffee filter keeping the small end on the fold. cut out. Assemble your book and bind with the clip. Decorate the cover. Attach ribbons to the clip. Now wasn’t that easy? Here are a few more shots of the book’s pages:

Inside cover

a 2 page spread

back inside cover

Thanks for stopping by! Until next time Happy Crafting!

Yummy Vegan Indian food…or is it Pakistani?

There is a lovely Pakistani restaurant I love to visit they has the most scrumptious s food. I’ve tried to find recipes for what they make but it never turns out right. Well tonight I tried to remember how it tasted and I hit the Jackpot! I am a reluctant Gourmet…I’d starve if I didn’t have a family to feed because I hate to bother with cooking then cleaning up after myself but this was so worth it! Doesn’t it look good?

Naan, Curried tofu, chickpeas, veggies and rice!

The Naan (flat bread) will take the longest because it has to do the bread thing but no worries, it’s easy with a bread machine. I even used some of the dough to make “pigs in blankets” for my non veg kids who couldn’t handle the spicy curry. Put these ingredients in your bread machine in this order and press the dough cycle:

1 cup water

1/3 cup soymilk (you can use water or cow’s milk too)

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons salt (it keeps the dough from rising much)

1/2  teaspoon each of garlic powder and cumin

4 1/2 cups bread flour

1 1/2 teaspoon (half a packet) baking yeast *frugal tip: Buy your yeast and spices from the bulk bins at a health food store, they cost 90% less!

Turn on the bead maker on the dough cycle, after an hour you can take the dough out (you can leave it there longer if you need to) and shape it into 8 balls, flatten them, cover them with a clean dry dishtowel and let them rise for 30 minutes. I let them rise on the large griddle I plan to cook them on. Remove them from the griddle and heat up the well-oiled griddle on med-high heat. Roll out each dough ball to 6″-8″ in diameter or 1/4″ thick. Thinner is better. Cook them about 4 minutes on each side. They will have dark brown speckles when done. Sprinkle with salt.

Here is the recipe for the Spicy curry Veggies with Chickpeas. You can start this after you put the above ingredients in the bread machine. The longer it simmers the better it gets!

1/4 cup canola oil ( yes it is a lot but it is so worth it, don’t skimp on the oil or the spices will burn your tongue off. Remember if you use less oil use less spice!)

1 cup diced carrots

1 can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can corn (all cans are the standard 15 oz variety)

1 package of Extra firm tofu (the kind sold packed in water, not in a cardboard box) * pressed and diced

2 tablespoons Garam Masala (I like it spicy so start with 1 and go from there)

Salt to taste

Put all of that in a pot and let it simmer for an hour. I said it was easy!

While that is cooking put 1 cup of rice and 2 cups of water in a 2 quart (covered) glass dish and cook in the microwave on high for 5 minutes, then on medium for 15 minutes. If your dish is too small it will overflow, no biggie.

Serve the rice, curry and bread together. You can scoop up the rice and veggies with the bread, very tasty! Make sure you have plenty to drink nearby in case it gets too spicy!

I’ll have a fun craft technique to share tomorrow, until then Happy Crafting..and cooking!

Happy mail for me…Freebies for you!

Last week I put myself on a voluntary “craft spending freeze”, There have been do may 40% off sales and 55% off coupon floating around it was making my head spin and i was LOOKING for stuff to buy! Stop the insanity! So until Chrismas I will not buy a single craft supply unless it is for a paid assignment. Any you my lovely blog friends can bust my chops if i do! So as soon as I declare that I get my new The Rubber Cafe stamps in the mail, I won some scrappy prizes over at Ready, Set, Create!,  and yesterday my sweet friend Jennifer sent me a big honkin package of pink scrappin supplies, she doesn’t like pink son one gals trash….Thanks Jen!

There has been some nice freebies floating around that you may like:

digital Freebies Friday Freebie

My Scrap Chick Friday freebie SVG Files

*Both of the above sites have weekly freebies so check back or sign up for their newsletters and they will remind you!

More SVG goodies, check out the tea box and card from Paper Scissors Ink:

And Dan’s cute ornaments:

And for you hybrid girls Sis TV has three sets of cute cute tags.

One last thing this blog has some goodies too but it takes a while to load due to all the bells and whistles. It’s worth the wait because there are some nice freebies and great digi-inspiration too!

Have a great Sunday and happy crafting!

Let’s Recycle!

OK I had fun today with this challenge…As part of the Rubber Cafe Design Team I was challenged to create a card using the color teal, something recycled, dimensional foam tape and of course their stamps. Easy Peasy! I usually tend to work with “warmer” colors like orange and pink so teal would be fun and as of recycling I saves some cute clear gift bags form my girls birthday party that I die cutted (is that even a word?) and added to the front. I white embossed the Framed Heart stamp then colored the back with Bic Mark-its and sharpies. Since Vellum is non porous other markers may not dry. So I wouldn’t have to worry about adhesive showing I stitched all of my translucent elements down.

Stamps: The Rubber Cafe, Paper: My Minds Eye, Color: Bic Mark its, Sharpies

I stamped a flat clear button and colored the back with sharpies as well.

Recycled gift bag leaves and stamped button

Here is a quick version where I didn’t color the vellum.

And now for a quickie!

Other than the translucent gift bags I also recycled beads form a tiera that my puppy chewed up…don’t get mad, get the camera (It’s now my mantra!) 🙂

Chewed up tiara (not making this stuff up folks!), gift bag flowers and markers

I used all of my new Rubber Cafe stamps on these projects: Lace Flower, Paisley Border, Framed Heart and From the Heart.

Have fun recycling and Happy Crafting!