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Monday, January 23, 2012

AUTHENTIQUE TUTORIAL: Free Bird Coasters

Hello Authentique fans! Heather here with a simple tutorial for making some pretty cute coasters using Authentique Free Bird

To start, you are going to need your tiles (I chose 4" untreated stone tiles just from my local hardware store), ModPodge or other crafting medium, spray Shellac, a spongey applicator or brush, felt, contact or rubber cement and your papers (I chose to use the Blush and Delight Nest FBN001). You'll also need some basic papercrafting tools.

To start, I cut my papers down to 3 3/4". I know that my tiles were 4", but they sloped down a bit on the edges, and this just made the most sense, as the paper wouldn't peel off the edges if it was slightly smaller.

Also, because of the tiles that I chose, and the fact that I didn't want the edges to peel or pull up, used my corner rounder on all of the squares.

A nice covering of ModPodge on the tiles themselves (untreated stone sucks some of the glue up...) so you may find that you need more than you think.

And placing all of the lovely papers on top of the stone tiles. Another generous helping of ModPodge finishes them all off for the time being. 

If you want to embellish them at all, after the first coat is dry, use some paper elements to add some interest, and ModPodge those to the coaster. 

While the glue is drying, I just used scissors to cut out my felt pieces. They are slightly smaller than the 4", and I rounded the corners slightly (FYI: corner edgers don't help with felt). Again this is to prevent the edges from pulling up. I used contact cement for this, but you could probably use most glues or epoxies that aren't water based.

Here is the bottom of the finished tile!! Now it won't scratch the furniture. If you wanted to not deal with felt, you could also use those felt squares or circles that they have at hardware stores instead. 

When the layers of ModPodge had dried, I used the spray Shellac on them to protect the paper. I probably will put a few layers of this on. I don't suggest using these right away... Give them a week or two to properly dry. If you choose to only ModPodge them, I suggest waiting a few weeks, just to make sure that you don't ruin all of your hard work. 

And the finalized tiles with all of the lovely Blush Free Bird. I purposefully chose to have two patterns and two solids, but did use all four of the papers (FBS101, FBS 102, FBS103, FBS104). I really love how lovely these all ended up, and cannot wait to give these away as a cute Valentine's gift. 

In fact, I even wrapped them up with some parchment paper and twine, so that one of the butterflies peeked through. And created a cute little tag out of the scraps with another butterfly to reflect the ones in the package.

Of course I hate crafting alone, so my wonderful and most dear friend Venetia created her own tiles using the same Nest as I did, although choosing to use the Delight Series instead (FBS110, FBS111). Hers ended up being just as lovely, though very different.

I hope this inspires you to find new ways to use Free Bird and your other favorite Authentique lines!! 

Supplies Used: 
Free Bird Nest Collections:  Blush FBS101, FBS 102, FBS103, FBS104 & Delight 110, 111
Additional Supplies Coasters: stone tiles, ModPodge, spray Shellac, contact cement, felt, butterfly punch 
Additional Supplies Tag: butterfly punch, AC glitter and rose ribbon, brad, Office Depot paperclip, Twinery Twine, parchment paper

Saturday, January 21, 2012

What I Did During My Many Snow Days...

In the Great Northwest, we don't get much snow. When we do get snow, it can cause some great havoc in our area. What most people don't really get about PNW snow, is that our ground is warmer (causing it to melt, then freeze...!), and we have the craziest hills all over the darn place. Not little, gently sloping hills, BIG hills. The kind that you are amazed when see people running or riding bikes all the way. Not only are there hills all around, there are these crazy overpasses that are forever freezing. All in all... It snowed 7" overnight. So we stayed home. I crafted. A lot. Here's a ton of cards that I made.
Rather than post them individually, I thought it would just be easier to collage them. I also was able to catch up on three of Kristy Lee's Mid-Week Mojo's from www.scrapbooksteals.com. Heck yes!

Okay, just FYI, the first of the MWM's is actually a great sketch by guest sketcher Charity Becker. Charity has a great style that is completely her own. And this sketch was fun to create!!
Garnet 4
 
Splash: Remember When... We Went To Idaho

And the two that lovely Kristy Lee designed: 
Garnet 5
 Friends


Garnet 6
Sweet Like Sugar

Now this isn't all that I did... I'll have to post the rest later. Although, there was a lot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer watching as well. <3

PS. I think I'm going to restart my 100 project challenge. I snagged a couple of deals and steals, so with these items and the five additional cards that are already enveloped up,  I'm up to 26/100!!

Thursday, January 19, 2012

A Fistfull of Cards...

 Congrats baby card
Congrats: Teacher of the Year 2012
 This is Not a Goodbye Card, this is an I'll See You Soon Card
 62 is Beautiful
 Personalized Halloween candy tubes
Congrats baby card

Saturday, January 14, 2012

A Year's Worth of Images...

I've not been good with blogging as of late. Few things... We are expecting baby #2, the family has been battling various sicknesses, lots of work and lots of family events. Some exciting things, and some not so.

We're super excited about the new baby, but of course being pregnant also means being tired. Anywhoo... Here is one of the two calendars that I made for the going-to-be-grandparents-again.

In order, from January-December (I left July-December open for pics with both kiddos...)

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

AUTHENTIQUE PAPER: A Splendid-ly Different Mini

Hello lovely Authentique fans, Heather here. I am bringing to you today a variation on the "mini book" idea. This is actually a manilla folder (turquoise) that has simply been folded. I took the bottom of an open manilla folder, and folded it up four inches. Then decorated! 
I really loved how the Splendid Foundations paper was long enough to cover the entire folder in one piece. It made for the perfect background to all of the mini pages and photos.
Each section has a slot for a photograph that is mounted onto a 4x7" piece of Splendid, and has a space for decoration on the front of the pocket. The edges are also stitched with floss, so that the pockets are "closed".
The Headlines made for the perfect heading for a cute photo of Baby Isla and Daddy.
And the bingo card style of Richness lent itself to another great title.
Using the Petite Type made for a nice little heading. And a few details of the fronts of the pockets...
Here is the folder without all of the photos. See how the Foundations paper cover the folder so well!
And all of the photos mounted on the various papers. You could even swap out the photos if you used temporary glue!
I hope you enjoyed seeing another variation on the mini-book idea. I know that I am going to enjoy displaying this "mini", and remember the baby my toddler once was.

Supplies Used: 
Authentique Splendid Collection: Foundations, Brilliance, Majesty, Richness, Delight, Renown, Magnificence, Tabloids, Headlines (back), Petite Type (circle and square)
Additional Supplies: AC This to That, AC floral ribbon, DMC floss, Office Depot turquoise manilla folder, butterfly punch

Monday, January 9, 2012

Come Play with Authentique's Sketch Challenge!



It has been SOOO long since I posted. Part of my New Year's resolution is to craft more often, and actually get posting again. I think the dark, dark weather has been getting me down... Along with a nasty bout of illness. Colds and flu begone!
I'm back to crafting. I ended up creating 24 layouts for my parents and in-laws yearly photo calendars. I know! Seriously!! I probably should snap photos of each page and post them, as to not let any of my readers think that I wasn't crafting the past few weeks away. Although since I wasn't making anything for myself, I kind of feel that I wasn't really making much at all, so maybe the photos will prove to me that I was working hard. Anyway, I digress...

Here are January's Authentique sketches! I loved the card version, as it made for a super cute card that I am sending to CHA for Authentique's booth. Both images use my favorite Authentique line: Gathering.



  I really hope that you play along. Look for some projects using Authentique's new lines soon!!!