Laminator Workshop

 Hello Crafters

I have been preparing for a “Using Your Laminator for your Crafting” workshop

I managed to list 10 makes for the laminating machine as I really enjoy using the machine to  finish my projects. The list is below:

1. Laminating sleeves to keep your dies tidy  
2. Laminating pouches for your paperwork. 
3. Laminated purses for giving money or gift cards 
4. Laminating one side of your paper to make journal covers
5. Laminating one side of your papers to make tags
6. Laminating gift boxes and bags
7. Use your scrap pieces from your laminating to make clear lids for your boxes or put them through your embossing folders to make pretty tops for your boxes that look like glass finish 
8. Use your scrap pieces to make handles for your gift bags that look like handbags etc 
9. Put napkins into your laminating pouches and either laminate completely or laminate one side for an ethereal look to the project
10. Make your own stencils

Many of these ideas I have used before and shown on the blog but I will try to show a few new items I have made and hope to inspire you to use your machine at home.

Item 3 - 3 gift folders

Here we have 2 made with straight popper closures and on the third I have cut out a matching butterfly and added it to the popper when securing it so that the tab is decorated.

Item 4 Journal Covers 

Here I have used a piece of the Boho Bouquets paper and laminated it to make a Journal cover that is more durable.

9 Using napkins to laminate for your projects

Here we have 3 napkin projects 

A poppy folder 

Manipulated napkin panels to make the width to make a box

Seashells napkins laminated with Matt laminating sheet - one side only -

So here we have a taster of just some of the projects that can be made with laminated papers.

I hope they have inspired you to try your own.

If you want to see some videos of laminating project I would recommend Positively Papercraft on YouTube as her video’s inspired me, 

Happy Crafting

Dee

Upcycling Christmas Cards

 Hi Crafters

Yes it is that time again, time to start getting ready for the great Christmas makes.

I was thinking about half term and the opportunity to make cards with the children ready for them to give out at Christmas, preparing some items in the half term will take some of the load off later. With that in mind I came across a box of 4 x 4 cards that I had bought in the sales last year.

The box had 30 cards with red envelopes and I think cost me just 99p, at this time of year you may well be able to find them in the discount shops as they put out the Christmas stock. 

The cards although perfectly good for general use if you have no crafting ambitions, were not for me, but the 30 envelopes alone were worth more than the 99p, and was the main reason for purchasing the box. I can make my own 4 x 4 cards and have the perfect envelopes. So what to do with the cards from the box.

Well here are my ideas:

1. Gift Tags - simply punch a hole in the top and add some pretty ribbon I used one bunch of 8 tags an added some Christmas colour ribbon.

2.  Photo Mini-Book - I took a group of 8 cards and glue the back page of 7 to the next card. 

The cards are then folded to concertina 

 

Leave one card to decorate the box you make to hold the photo mini-book

Use the card to draw around to make the box shape. Add 1cm line on all 6 sides and then another 1cm line outside the first line. Cut around the outside lines to make the base of the box, and score the first line. Cut down to the first line on each of the six sides and glue the tabs down to make the base box. Repeat for the lid but make the first lines 1/8th” off the card base, so this makes the lid lightly larger.

The last item I made was a banner. First I cut off the back of the cards, then I punched two holes in the top and simply slipped ribbon through the holes spacing the card evenly along the ribbon.

This would jolly up any plain wall space

Well here are some ideas to get you started. Would love to see any of your makes.

Happy Crafting 

Dee

Super Quick card for you to make

 Hi Crafters

I have been away a couple of week but I am back now and today I have a great card that can be made quickly and with items you already have in your craft room.

I chose a fairy theme but you could use flowers or for men a motorbike or train would look good in this format. Next choose the size card you want to make, I made mine A5 as it was the quickest and simplest card to make. Ideally a stamp and die combo is best but you can use any stamps and fussy cut the images.

Cut apiece of A4 smooth card 13cm x 19cm too work on. (Adjust this to fit your finished card size). 

I made the mistake of using a linen card which did not give me such a smooth finish 

First take a circle or oval die which will give you an aperture 4-6” and cut it out on a piece of scrap card as we are going to use the aperture not the shape 

I used a circle as it was the right size and cut it out on a piece of craft card I had in my scrap box. I will keep the circle for another project.

Next lay the stencil piece over your working card 

Now on the inside of your aperture use inks or chalks to build up a layer of colour around the edge, You can do this all around but I prefer the look with a gap at the right side of the aperture .Continue to build up the colour with less in the centre fading to nothing in the centre. 

The with black ink or a darker in to the one just applied add your image to the right side of the aperture. 

I stamped some star dust to the shaded left side and put my fairy to the right, and as I had a die to match my fairy I cut my fairy out again and layered it. 

I then added a greeting to the top of the card outside the circle image and then backed the work card onto a piece of blue card 14cm x 20cm to add a trim 

I could imagine this on cream card with yellow shading and a dark brown or black train through the right side, 

Back soon with more makes. 

Dee