Continuous Cuttlebug Embossing - Tutorial & card

After being asked many times how to create a continuous background using the Cuttlebug A2 folders I thought I would show you how I do it. One thing to bear in mind is that it will only work with repeated patterns, and word folders just won't cut the mustard with this technique

I started with a 14x14 cm tent fold card

Wrap the cuttle bug folder around the card, this card is a tent fold card so I am wrapping the folder with the closed edge of the folder at the bottom of the card.

Next run this though the Cuttlebug.

You can see that only part of the card is embossed

Next move the embossing folder across the card to emboss the other side matching up the dots by overlapping the folder over the already embossed dots.

Then run this through the Cuttlebug.

You can see from where the arrow is pointing that the folder has flattened some of the embossing, this is easily fixed as shown in the next step.

Match up the pattern by wrapping the folder around the card where you first started being careful to match up the embossed parts, this can be easily seen through the folder as it is transparent.
Once you have matched up the folder run your finger down on top of where the flattened embossing was, this will easily pop back up as it has already been embossed once.

as you can see no gaps can be seen

& there we have it, the finished card

A note from Julie

Wow Jak it's as if you know that I've just bought a cuttlebug!!

Thanks for another brilliant tutorial and for showing us your beautiful card

Everyone go and check out Jak's amazing blog HERE she is so talented!

Masterboard Tutorial

A masterboard is a canvas which is created -- through stamping in this case -- and can then be used to create cards, altered art or any number of other projects. Since I am looking for ways to create cards quickly and economically, this is my tutorial on how to make a masterboard that will work well for that purpose.

Here is the completed masterboard I created for this tutorial.

I am starting with an 8-1/2 x 11 sheet of River Rock cardstock by StampinUp. You can certainly adapt this to a 12 x 12 sheet as well.

The stamps I chose for this project are all clear stamps by Prima except for the quote which is by StampinUp.

My preference is to use stamps that represent a theme and therefore will mesh well together. I find on the size paper I am using smaller stamps work well. I like to pick out some that will branch out such as my flower, some that are smaller to fill in empty spots such as my little bird, and also a word or quote as I like text on my masterboards.

I also look at the stamps as I am picking them out asking myself how they'll look if a portion of them is cut off or if placed on an angle.

I start with my larger stamps. In this case the flowering branch will take up the most room so I place that radomly on my paper.

It's very important to remember to stamp off the page as you apply every stamp. This will give you the most use of your masterboard as you start to cut it up.

My bird is also a larger stamp so that is the one I apply next. Your masterboard will flow better if you start stamping over images right away. Connect your images to each other while still trying to cover up your space.

My next stamp is a circle of text although it's made to be blurred. I just thought at this point the masterboard needed a shape rather than an image.

So far I've chosen three complementary ink colors -- cranberry, turquoise and moss green. I see that my moss green ends up looking quite like the turquoise. May be because of my shade of cardstock. But I'm satisfied with the way it's coming along.

I usually like to add something that is embossed on my masterboard. It really helps set the piece off. Since I've used pigment inks up to this point, I have to make sure to heat set all my inks before I start embossing. If possible, it's a good idea to use dye inks up to the point you want to emboss an image. Too often I've found myself with a whole piece of paper that is attracting the embossing powder.

I decide to gold emboss my birdcage. I am filling in a lot of the empty spaces with this stamp as I know it's the last of the larger stamps I will use. I make sure even with this one to stamp off the page.

I then add my quote -- using only the top half of the stamp in this case. I stamp over images previously stamped.

My last step is to fill in any big blank areas with my little black bird. Since I'll be using every bit of this canvas for my cards, I don't want any blank space standing out.

At this point you can just use the original to make your cards or make a color copy and save the original. I've used my original here to make these quick cards -- because I know I'll be making another masterboard soon!

A note from Julie

Thank you so much for a fantastic tutorial Louise

Click HERE which will take you to Louise's brilliant 'Kard Krazy' blog

If you create your own masterboard using Louise's tutorial please leave a comment with a link to your creation :)

Anywhere Punches Decorative Accents

Here is a really, really easy technique that can look quite nice on the right card or scrapbook page. I recently used this on a card I had in a swap and one of the ladies who received it asked me how it was done so I thought I'd demonstrate it here.

For this technique you will need the following: anywhere hole punch with three or more sized hole punches, a hard surface to punch on, a hammer, a piece of cardstock and a constrasting piece of cardstock or paper, an adhesive eraser, a pencil and eraser, adhesive. You probably have an anywhere hole punch in your tool arsenal from the days when eyelets were all the rage and before there was the Cropadile. My set is from Making Memories and it came with three interchangeable heads in different sizes. You will also probably want to have a tool for poking out the pieces of paper that get into the punch heads. You can use a piercing tool if you have one.

On your cardstock you will need to draw some wavy lines or whatever design you would prefer. Make sure the lines are quite faint because you will want to erase them at the end. Then place your cardstock on a hard surface for punching.

Place your anywhere hole punch near the start of one of the lines. I usually like to start with the smallest punch and then go from there. Use your hammer to tap down hard on the punch and voila!

You have the first hole done.

Line up the hole punch along the line next to the first hole. Make sure they are one or two millimeters apart because the hole will spread slightly when it is punched and you don't want to punch into the existing hole.

Continue along in this manner, varying the size of the hole punch as you "trace over" the line you've drawn. The pattern you lay down is completely up to you - do whatever looks good to you. I tend to not use the same size punch for more than three holes in a row. As you go along remember to periodically clean out the heads of the hole punches or the paper will get compacted up inside them and will be difficult to remove.

When you are finished you will have "drawn" your lines with the hole punches, giving you a nice pattern to use on a card. When you have punched all the holes, you can go back over your pencil lines with an eraser to remove them.

You may be wondering why I don't draw the lines on the back of the card so I don't have to worry about erasing the pencil lines. While you can do this, I personally don't like the look of the punched holes from the back. They tend to bevel a bit and the back isn't as smooth in appearance as the front.

Adhere your punched cardstock over a contrasting piece of paper so the other cardstock shows through the holes and you're done! Some nice ways to use this technique are as stems for flowers or strings for balloons. You can also use it to write out words. You could use just one size of punch for a different look as well.

Here's a simple card I made using this technique.

Supplies: Paper (Bazzill, SU!, My Minds Eye), Ribbon (Offray), Stamps (SU!), Ink (Versa, SU!), Embossing Powder, anywhere hole punch.

A note from Julie

Brilliant Tutorial Lisa Thank you

Go and check out Lisa's Blog HERE to see other lovely creations

If you create something using Lisa's Tutorial please leave a comment with a link so that we can come and see :)

Double Accordion Album

DOUBLE ACCORDION ALBUM
by Vicki Hook

Supplies:
(4) 4” x 4” cardstock
(2) 3 3/4” x 9 3/4” cardstock
(2) 3 3/4” x 6 1/2” cardstock
(10) 3 1/4” x 2 1/2” cardstock OR tags, circles, etc.
(2) 4” square chipboard coasters
Scor-Pal
Bind-It-All & 5/8” O-wire
Adhesive, ribbon, stamps, ink, etc.

Directions:
1. Score both 9 ¾” long cardstocks at 3” and 6” using the Scor-Pal. Fold accordion style (mountain, valley, mountain)

2. Score both 6 1/2” long cardstocks at 1/2” and 3 1/2”. Fold accordion style.
3. Adhere the 1/2” sections of the step #2 cardstocks to the back of the 3” sections of step #1 cardstocks. (See the picture above how they overlap in the back.) You should now have two long accordion folded pieces that are 15 3/4” long. Each piece will have one end section that is longer than the other sections.
4. Cover the front and back of both coasters with the 4” x 4” cardstock pieces and adhesive.

5. Using the Bind-It-All, punch holes in one side of each coaster as well as the longer end section of each accordion folded piece.

6. Assemble the album with 5/8” O-wire. The longer end section of the accordion pieces will be next to the coasters and the folded parts will face each other in the middle. So this album will open in the middle and you pull the accordions out to the sides, one to the left and one to the right.



Tootles!

A note from Julie Thank you Vicki this is great!! Go and check out Vicki's blog HERE folks and remember if you create your own accordion album using Vicki's tutorial please let us have a link so that we can come and admire x