Author: Erin S.

Inspiration to get more done, Mixed Media Art

Accordion House Scrapbook Layout – Inspired by Somerset Studio Magazine

Erin S.

Today I am reviewing the March-April 2017 back issue of Somerset Studio Magazine from Stampington & Company and then creating an “accordion house scrapbook layout” inspired by that issue. Somerset Studio features the art of paper and mixed media, and it is FULL of inspiration! Special thanks to Stampington & Company for sending me this issue of Somerset Studio to review!

Purchase this issue HERE:
Somerset Studio March/April 2017 – $9.99
from: Stampington & Company

*this post contains affiliate links*

The March-April 2017 issue of Somerset Studio is 144 pages of inspiration, including amazing photography, detailed project descriptions and full product lists. A full year’s subscription includes six issues, and even the back issues are trendy and motivating. There’s just something about relaxing with a magazine, actually turning the pages, and looking at good-quality photography that proves to be cathartic. Even if you’re not into mixed media, your tour through the pages of Somerset Studio would seem like walking through an art exhibit.

Each issue includes Artist Papers, which are specially designed tear-out papers perfect for cardmaking, scrapbooking or other papercrafts. These Artist Papers have a smooth, lightly glossed feel, and are sized at 8-1/2″ x 11″ (perfect for running through your printer)! Each issue also includes project templates and easy-to-follow instructions for creating something new. For my inspiration, however, I left the Artist Papers and the project template intact, and created a project of my own. I was inspired by two featured contributions to Somerset Studio, both of which had a “house and home” theme.

So, I found a pile of mixed media papers I had made a while back, and let my imagination go! Watch the complete magazine review and process video HERE:

First I used Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive to attach 2 mixed media pieces together accordion-style.

Next, I used more Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive to glue more mixed media paper on the back of my little accordion. I scored and folded them firmly (however I wanted… no particular pattern or measurement). Then, I used a Stabilo All Marking Pencil — Black to draw guidelines for myself before I trimmed out little rooftops. The Stabilo All Marking Pencil — Black at this stage will be handy in creating the look I want later on.

I punched out little squares for windows, and trimmed and glued little triangles for rooftops. All of this was solely based on my imagination and my own mixed media papers I had created months earlier (but hadn’t used yet). I adhered everything down with the Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive.

When I was happy with both sides of the accordion house, I used a water pen and a baby wipe to drag against the marks made by the Stabilo All Marking Pencil — Black. This is no ordinary pencil! It smudges, smears and drags, and it writes on plastic, glass, metal… almost anything you can think of! MUCH better than a marker for achieving the look on this project that I had in mind. I outlined my doors and windows as desired.


Stabilo All Marking Pencil — Black
from: Stampington & Company

I used Ranger Ink – Tim Holtz – Distress Crayons – Set 2 an old cross-stitching stencil from my stash to create little houses on a sturdy piece of cardstock.

Also, I wanted the top corners of my cardstock to be torn at an angle (to accent the angle of the rooftops), but I also wanted the torn corners to reveal a surprise patterned paper underneath. ALL of the cardstock was pulled from my personal stash.

Prima – Finnabair – Art Basics – 3D Matte Gel – 8 Ounces works great to adhere heavy things on all sorts of surfaces, so I used that to adhere my accordion houses to my scrapbook page.

Behind the houses, I adhered a large black torn piece of journaling paper from my stash. I accented the edges with some inexpensive white matte acrylic paint (dragged over the page with a palette knife), and found adhesive letters from my stash to add a title to the page.


Prima – Finnabair – Art Basics – 3D Matte Gel – 8 Ounces

This would be so cute as a first page of a family album! You could add little pictures inside the windows and rooftops of the fold-out houses. You could tell stories about a special house on the journaling section. I enjoyed this layout so much, and I was SO inspired by the Somerset Studio Magazine!

If you were inspired, check out Stampington & Company for all their publications! And don’t forget to LIKE and FOLLOW the Sandpaper Road Blog!

Featured Manufacturer, Greeting Cards

Lighthouse Card Using Creek Bank Creations stamps & dies

Erin S.

Today I am making a lighthouse card with the Lighthouse stamp set and slim stitched rectangle dies by Creek Bank Creations. The dies caught my eye first because they are considerably longer than a standard A2-sized card. In fact, these stitched rectangle dies accommodate cards created to fit inside a regular #10 business envelope! And the long lighthouse stamp set fits perfectly!
You can purchase the lighthouse stamp and slim-stitched rectangle die set HERE:
Creek Bank Creations Lighthouse Stamp Set
Creek Bank Creations Slim Stitched Rectangle Die Set

Watch the a video of the complete process:

I quickly realized that in order to use the LARGEST slim stitched rectangle die to create my card base (the dies measure approximately 9” x 3.75” down to 6.5” x 1.25”) , I would need my Sizzix Extended Platform and my Sizzix Extended Cutting Pads. The “regular” sized platform and pads included with the Sizzix Big Shot would not be large enough to accommodate the largest slim stitched rectangle die, but they would work just fine for all the other nesting slim stitched dies.

Using a stamping platform works great on this stamp set because it is so large. I use the Tim Holtz Stamping Platform, and I love it! I also used Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers for coloring. Here is a breakdown of my color choices for this project:
Reds: CR8, CR11, DR7, CR7;
Light Gray Accents: IG1;
Lighthouse Top: IG10;
Balcony/Gate: EB2;
House Bottom: EB2, GB8;
Roof: TN7, TN8, EB2;
Sun: CT3, EB2, OR1;
Water: TB2, TB1, BT1;
Stone: IG1, IG4, IG5, IG2;
Grass: LG3, CG2, LG5, GT2, BT1.

For my stamping ink, I used Memento Tuxedo Black Ink for the lighthouse and Ranger Archival ink in Coffee for the sentiment. I used Stampin’ Up! ink in So Saffron to stamp a nautical background image on a piece of So Saffron cardstock for a background for my sentiment. Then, I die cut the sentiment and the yellow background with a scalloped oval die from my stash and mounted it up with some dimensional fun foam, using my Scotch  Advanced Tape Glider.
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I realized that I had a white gap at the bottom of the image, so I hand-tied a triple bow with some ribbon from my stash, wrapped a small piece of ribbon around the white cardstock, and secured it in the back with 2 ZOTS Adhesive Dots. Then, I adhered the bow to the front with another ZOTS Adhesive Dots

I added some Ranger Distress Ink along the sides of the card and some Nuvo Crystal Drops in Simply White for finishing touches.

As a special thank you for visiting the blog today, feel free to use Sandpaper Road’s affiliate links for discount prices on craft products used in this project!

Sizzix Big Shot Starter Kit – Inspired by David Tutera – Machine, Cutting Pads, Multipurpose Platform, Paper, Stamps and Dies – 26 Piece Set Amazon’s Choice!

Sizzix – Big Shot Pro Machine Only with Standard Accessories – White and Gray – $299.99
Retail Price: $350.00
You Save: $50.01
from: Scrapbook.com

Sizzix – Adapter Pad, Extended – For Big Shot Pro Machine Only – $26.99
Retail Price: $30.00
You Save: $3.01
from: Scrapbook.com

Sizzix – Big Shot Pro Accessory – Cutting Pad – Extended, 1 Pair – $53.99
Retail Price: $60.00
You Save: $6.01
from: Scrapbook.com

Tim Holtz Stamping Platform


Tsukineko Memento Dye Ink Pad – Tuxedo Black – $4.76
Retail Price: $5.29
You Save: $0.53
from: Blitsy

Nuvo Crystal Drops


Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad – Vintage Photo – $5.39
Retail Price: $5.99
You Save: $0.60
from: Blitsy

Archival Ink Pad #0 – Coffee – $5.39
Retail Price: $5.99
You Save: $0.60
from: Blitsy

ZOTS Adhesive Dots

Darice 106-118 40/Pack Foam Sheets, 6 by 9-Inch, Assorted

3M Scotch Advanced Tape Glider & Tape – Pink – $24.29
Retail Price: $26.99
You Save: $2.70
from: Blitsy

Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers – Reds – Pack of 6 – $10.79
Retail Price: $11.99
You Save: $1.20
from: Blitsy

Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers – Blues – Pack of 6 – $10.79
Retail Price: $11.99
You Save: $1.20
from: Blitsy

Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers – Greens – Pack of 6 – $10.79
Retail Price: $11.99
You Save: $1.20
from: Blitsy

Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers – Cool Grays – Pack of 6 – $10.79
Retail Price: $11.99
You Save: $1.20
from: Blitsy

Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers – Essentials – Pack of 6 – $10.79
Retail Price: $11.99
You Save: $1.20
from: Blitsy

Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers – Browns – Pack of 6 – $10.79
Retail Price: $11.99
You Save: $1.20
from: Blitsy

Featured Manufacturer, Mixed Media Art

Altered Altoid Tin Using Brutus Monroe Surface Sprays

Erin S.

Today I am playing with Surface Sprays from Brutus Monroe, testing out their ability to alter metal. I love altering metal tins, and glass jars and all sorts of interesting mediums.Snapshot_127

*This post contains affiliate links*

First, I removed the lid of the tin using a butter knife. Snapshot_116Then, I lightly sanded the lid. I used Prima – Finnabair – Art Basics – 3D Matte Gel – 8 Ounces to adhere various plastic and metal pieces to the lid. This gel is PERFECT for mixed media projects because it holds heavy objects onto all types of surfaces and dries totally clear.


View the full process video HERE:

After the gel dried, I placed the lid in an old scrap plastic tray (to keep my area clean!) and sprayed the Brutus Monroe Surface Sprays. For this project, I used the colors “Oz”, “Phone Book”, and “Wagon”.

Snapshot_120Snapshot_121

After drying, I tapped just the stem of the “Phone Book” (yellow) spray bottle here and there on the lid and sprayed it with water to encourage the yellow to move. Snapshot_123Snapshot_124

When that was fully dry, added paint spatter with white matte acrylic paint. Then, I used more Prima – Finnabair – Art Basics – 3D Matte Gel – 8 Ounces to adhere my “final touch” metal embellishments to the surface, and returned the lid of the tin to the base. The results were amazing!

Check out https://www.brutusmonroe.com for a complete catalog of all their UNIQUE surface sprays and inks (plus MUCH MORE)!logo_550x
As a “thank you” for visiting the Sandpaper Road blog, you can take advantage of Sandpaper Road’s affiliate discount HERE:


Prima – Finnabair – Art Basics – 3D Matte Gel – 8 Ounces – $11.69
Retail Price: $13.00
You Save: $1.31
from: Scrapbook.com

 

Craft Outfitting, Inspiration to get more done

What is Craft Outfitting™?

Erin S.

Craft Outfitting™ can help you transfer awesome projects out of your mind and onto the paper or surface, even when you don’t know where to start. Craft Outfitting™ helps you create “that look” you see in craft magazines and online, but still leaves room for your own creativity and design. And best of all, there are no kits to purchase or supplies to have shipped — Craft Outfitting™ uses YOUR OWN SUPPLIES!

With Craft Outfitting™, you will simultaneously give your mind a creative rest AND a creative recharge. How is this possible? Use your personal craft stash as your “closet”. Then, based on the “outfit” you choose, select a few pieces of cardstock and a few tools and follow a series of step-by-step instructions. In a few hours, you will have completed a series of 12″x12″ SCRAPBOOK PAGES and several A2-SIZED GREETING CARDS all IN ONE SITTING!

Here’s how it works: I used the The FREE SAMPLE pattern below to make two (12″x12″) layouts, five (8″x8″) layouts and six (A2) top-folding cards. I wanted to work on my oldest son’s sports album, so I chose basketball-themed paper (several sheets according to the pattern). The pattern let me relax at my craft table and follow simple instructions to create lots of projects at once. I made TWO (12″x12″) layouts:

I also made FIVE (8″x8″) layouts:

And, I also made SIX cards:

When I followed the pattern, I was in control of the paper I chose and the embellishments I chose. I could have made these projects any way I wanted, for any occasion I wanted.

Check out the same exact “outfit” using different paper. I made TWO (12″x12″) layouts:

I made FIVE (8″x8″) layouts:

And I made SIX cards:

Same exact pattern. ONE SITTING. Different paper. Different embellishments. No subscription kits. No fancy tools. Just you and your stash and one Craft Outfitting™ pattern. Imagine if you did the pattern again with holiday paper, baby paper, wedding paper! Imagine graduation paper, school years paper, beach vacation paper! Think of the possibilities using cat or dog paper, Halloween paper, winter paper, spring flower paper… anything you have in your stash already will FINALLY get used!

How is Craft Outfitting™ different from a layout sketch or challenge? First of all, a layout sketch always begins with the sketch, the picture of the end result. Craft Outfitting™ always starts with the materials, the papers you are in the mood to work with. Secondly, with a layout sketch, you pull papers and supplies and end up with one project. With Craft Outfitting™, you pull papers and supplies and end up with several projects! Finally, a layout sketch requires you to try to figure out as you go how to achieve the end result, but with Craft Outfitting™, you just follow the instructions and almost like magic, the projects appear! Then you can really use your creativity to make those projects fit YOUR occasions.

Sandpaper Road offers Craft Outfitting™ patterns for purchase. Visit sandpaperroad.com and click the SHOP button or click HERE: SHOP Craft Outfitting™ by Sandpaper Road

What will you get with your purchase? Your purchase includes ONE easy-to-follow, downloadable, printable pattern with step-by-step instructions to create several projects in one sitting (with over 50 full-color photos to accompany the steps), plus a private link to a companion video tutorial which walks you through the pattern every step of the way. Once you purchase a pattern, you can watch the video again and again. You can also print or download the pattern (with the full-color photos) to take to a crop (especially handy if your crop location’s WiFi is spotty or unreliable).

The above pattern is only a short sample of what you will make with a Craft Outfitting™ pattern. Typically, Craft Outfitting™ patterns yield FOUR (12″x12″) layouts and TWELVE (A2, top-folding) cards. Imagine… with FIVE patterns, you will be able to make a 20-page (12″x12″) album and 60 cards in no time! Plus, you can use the patterns again and again for different holidays, seasons and occasions!

STILL NOT SURE? Give it a try! Check out this PRINT-FRIENDLY FREE SAMPLE Craft Outfitting™ PATTERN by Sandpaper Road HERE: Craft.Outfitting.FREE SAMPLE PATTERN.A.1.print.friendly.version

VIEW the FREE companion video on YouTube HERE: Craft Outfitting™ FREE SAMPLE VIDEO

This FREE sample pattern gives you a place to use your shape-cutting scissors that you may have had for a while. If you are new to scrapbooking and want some inexpensive shape-cutting scissors, click the photo to take advantage of Sandpaper Road’s affiliate deal with Amazon (no code needed):
Need a great deal on Adhesive Tape Runners? Take advantage of Sandpaper Road’s affiliate deal with Therm O Web Products! No coupon code needed!

Craft Outfitting, Use What You Have

Sample Layouts Created From DIY Scrapbooking Kits

Erin S.

Making your own scrapbooking and cardmaking kit with the Sandpaper Road Formula™ not only saves you money, but it saves you time, as well. Plus, it’s easy and foolproof! Just pull a few sheets of cardstock according to the formula, and you’re ready to go! You have everything you need to make base layouts for several 12″x12″ scrapbook pages and and several A2-sized, top-folding cards (all in one sitting)!

CLICK HERE for a link to making your own DIY Scrapbooking and Cardmaking kit using the Sandpaper Road Formula™! Don’t worry, it’s free (for real).

Today, though, I want to share the projects I made with one of the kits. First, I made my kit by pulling patterned paper and cardstock according to the Sandpaper Road Formula™.

CLICK HERE to view the formula. It’s super easy! You literally just pull sheets of paper you already have in your stash. It’s how you choose the pattern ARRANGEMENT that makes the formula unique.

After I made my kit, I made 4 scrapbook pages (12″ x 12″) and 6 top-folding, A2-sized cards, all in one sitting (I chose to add the photos to my pages later). The stamps I used are from Issue 51 of Creative Stamping Magazine. I used Memento Tuxedo Black stamping ink and Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers for coloring the stamped images.

Watch the complete “show and tell video” here:

LAYOUT 1:

LAYOUT 2 (double-page spread):

LAYOUT 3:

CARDS (I made 6 cards total, but I since I made 2 identical cards with the hedgehog stamp, I only will show one image of that design):

SPECIAL NOTES: I added a stamped image of a top hat to the hedgehog using The “Crazy Things” (CMS237#) stamp set from Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous. After I made the 6 cards and 4 scrapbook pages, I still had a few decent-sized pieces left from my kit, so I pulled a piece of cardstock I had gel-printed a few weeks earlier to use as a base and I made an additional 12″ x 12″ page.

I still had some big pieces from the kit, so I pulled ANOTHER piece of previously-gel-printed cardstock and made ANOTHER 12″ x 12″ page. On this page, I added Prima Marketing Art Alchemy-Sparks-Butterfly Spells Acrylic Paint and also flowers from my stash. This scrapbook page will hold four 4″ x 4″ photos.

PRODUCTS USED are pictured below (NOTE: the patterned paper and 12″ x 12″ cardstock were from my personal craft stash. The products below are additional items I used):

*This post contains affiliate links*

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