From 2014-2016 I chronicled my crafty endeavors on the site Adventures-in-Making. I’ve selected a few of those DIY’s, Recipes, and other posts to share on the site.
A while back my friend Susan made a bunch of simple paper flowers that found a home on a shelf in my store.
Every few weeks a kid would ask me about the flowers, and I would give them one and tell them to take it home and try to figure out how to make their own. Without fail the kid would stare at the flower until it was time to leave, and I could see the parents trying to work out what materials they needed to make it happen.
Sometimes they asked me to demonstrate, but mostly I just loved the idea that I had inspired a kiddo to use their imagination and ingenuity to make something fun.
I think this is a great project to do with kids of all ages, and you just need a few simple supplies to make it happen.
Supplies
• Scrap Paper – Anything from text weight paper, to light weight card stock will work. Big pieces will make big flowers, small pieces will make small flowers. Susan used some old book pages for her flowers, you could use wrapping paper, catalog pages, or anything really!
• Scissors
• Your favorite glue – I used Aleene’s Tacky Glue but Elmer’s would also work.
Step 1
Cut an oval out of your piece of paper. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but try to keep the corners rounded.
Step 2
Starting from one side, cut the oval into a spiral. You should have a pointed end on the outside, and a rounded end on the other.
Step 3
Take the pointed end, and fold it down toward the center of the spiral.
Step 4
Starting at that fold, begin rolling the paper into a flower shape.
Step 5
When you get to the center portion of the spiral, tighten the bloom up by twisting the paper around the folded piece.
Step 6
Hold the bloom in your hand, and apply a drop of glue to the folded portion you started the flower with, then
fold it over and hold it for a few seconds until the glue holds.
The whole process takes a couple of minutes, and gives you a lovely simple flower to brighten up your day. You can put them in a basket, like I did, hang them like a mobile, or decorate a table with them. They don’t fade, and the possibilities are endless!
So make a bunch and send us a picture of your creation for the DIY Craft Challenge this month! Or share your favorite flower craft.
From 2014-2016 I chronicled my crafty endeavors on the site Adventures-in-Making. I’ve selected a few of those DIY’s, Recipes, and other posts to share on the site.
I’ve been in a major cleaning and organization mood, so most of my projects have been focused on “using up” materials I have around. One giant project used a bin full of old printed t-shirts (I’ll show you when I’m done!) and I ended up with so many colorful t-shirt scraps that I over-ran my rag box. I decided it was a perfect time to combine those scraps, and the May DIY Challenge theme to make some simple jersey flowers.
After playing with the fabric for a day or two, I came up with two basic flower-making methods that you can use to make a whole army of blossoms.
• Shredding scissors, or other decorative edging scissors
• Straight pins
• Buttons
• Felt for leaves and backing. I used wide grosgrain ribbon.
• Pin-backs, bobby pins, or other clips to attach to the back
• Fabric Paints, or floss, or other decorating tools.
The Stitch & Draw-up Method
This is by far the quickest way I made flowers, and was also especially useful for adding details to the center of other flowers, or for making the smallest simplest bonus blooms to add to a flower bunch. The template includes two example petal shapes to play with, and a feathered shape that I used for a center detail. It works with basically any shape you want to use, though, so be sure to try your own ideas for rows of petals.
Step One
Cut the template shape out of a piece of jersey. (This is from the arm of a t-shirt.)
Then stitch a loose line starting close to one edge and ending close to the other.
Step Two
Put a stitch through the end you started on, to pull it into a ring.
Step Three
Pull both ends of the thread to gather the fabric into a round shape. Make sure the extra puckered fabric from below your stitch line if on one side of the flower.
Step Four
Take a couple more stitches through the puckered side of the flower (which will be the back side, tie your favorite knot, and cut the thread.
Step Five
Flip the flower over and add a button or other decoration. You can also stitch a clip or pin to the back side. I put a button in the center of this one by stitching through the middle of the bloom,
and added a couple of leaf-shaped pieces and a piece of ribbon to the back, by stitching them through the back of the petal.
Voila, a quick simple flower that I can use on a package, as a pin, or in my hair. (Or all of the above.)
The Pinch & Piece Method
This method takes a little more work, but I loved the way it makes a fuller and more complicated flower shape. I’ve given you four petal shapes to try on the template– each with a different number of petals per flower– but you can try all sorts of shapes for different results.
Step One
Cut the indicated number of petal pieces out of jersey material. For this flower, I also used the “Center Detail” piece from the other template page to create a fuzzy center for my flower (shown above in dark purple.)
Step Two
Stitch a loose line across the middle of each the petal (shown as a dotted line on the template) starting close to one edge and ending close to the other.
Put a stitch through the end you started on, and pull to gather the fabric.
Step Three
Bend the petal piece in half, and put a stitch in the fold. Then do the same to each petal to connect them all together. Tighten them together, and tie a knot at the first petal.
Step Four
Wrap your thread between each petal section to draw the center together and fluff the petals out. Then stitch through the back of the flower, & tie off the thread using your favorite knot. For the center on this flower, I used the “Stitch and Draw-up” method on my dark purple center detail piece, and then sewed through it and the center of my bloom. I attached a leaf shape and a piece of ribbon to the back like my first flower, and used that to bobby pin it in my hair.
I’ve started flipping through my flower books for inspiration, and I love the flexibility and the whimsy of using old t-shirts like this.
Soft, sweet, flowers.
Remember that if you do this or any other flower project, send us a picture to enter the May DIY Craft Challenge.
From 2014-2016 I chronicled my crafty endeavors on the site Adventures-in-Making. I’ve selected a few of those DIY’s, Recipes, and other posts to share on the site.
The sun has made a couple of appearances, and when the sun comes out all I want to do is make paper. Why fight it? I’m always in a crafty mood so it makes sense to craft! Making paper and cards is one of my absolute favorite past times so I would never want to miss an opportunity to do so. I came across some of these gift ideas for card makers the other day and I couldn’t get the idea out of my head so I told myself that as soon as it was sunny, I would make some paper for my cards, and that’s exactly what I’m doing.
I decided to take the opportunity to make a bunch of plantable heart cards, using flower seeds and a simple pour-over paper making method (instead of my usual dip method featured here and here.) The pour-over method uses paper scraps and things that you probably have around the house; making this an awesome, kid-friendly, activity for a sunny afternoon.
Pour-over Paper Making Supplies
• Shredded scrap paper Mix your favorite color and white paper for the best results. You can use a shredder, scissors, or your hands to tear the paper into manageable bits.
• Smallish flower seeds I felt several packets of seeds before settling on a combination of chamomile, viola, and alyssum seeds. You can also give it a cooking theme by using tiny herb seeds.
• A “Deckle”- This will be the template for your sheet of paper. I used an inexpensive, wood, heart-shaped picture frame that I picked up at the craft store.
• 2 screens, slightly larger than your deckle- I used small pieces of window screen material from the hardware store. I have also had some luck with sheer curtain material and other porous fabrics.
• A blender
• A large bowl (or two)
• A wire cooling rack for support
• A rectangular cake pan to catch the runoff.
• A sponge or absorbent rag
• A couple of flat absorbent rags larger than your intended paper size.
Step 1: Making Paper Pulp
To make the pulp for your paper, first soak the shredded paper in water for a little bit. Typically I will dunk them all in water while I’m getting all my supplies together. Once they are saturated put a handful into your blender, with about twice that amount of water.
Then pulse your blender to pulverize the paper pulp. (If you feel like your blender is having trouble, add more water to your mix. The paper pulp quickly becomes thick sludge that’s harder to cut through. It’s better to err on the side of too much water.) When your mix is starting to look like a disgusting smoothie, open it up and take a look at the mix. I like to stop when the mix is a little bit chunky, but mostly liquified.
Step 2: Preparing your Mould
Stack the cooling rack, screen, and deckle on top of your cake pan. This is where you’ll be pouring your pulp in a minute.
Step 3: Mixing in the wildflower seeds.
Transfer your pulp from the blender to a pouring bowl. You will be using several batches of pulp, so pour just a little bit of your flower seed into the bowl and stir gently with your fingers.
Step 4: Pouring the Pulp
Slowly pour your pulp mixture into the deckle. The water from the pulp will run through the screen and leave you with saturated paper fibers in the shape of your deckle.
Fill the space completely by pouring, and (if needed) gently pushing the pulp into the corners of the frame with your finger.
Very gently, lift the deckle directly up towards the ceiling. (A note: One of the best parts about paper-making is that almost any mess up can be fixed by dumping the sheet back into the pulpy water, breaking it up with your hand, and starting over again. So if your shape doesn’t look right, or your get a tear or a bubble, just dump it back in and try again!) You will have a nice pile of wet paper mess.
Step 5: Drying the Paper
The final bits are all about drying the paper. Although much of the water falls through while you’re pouring, the fibers hold on to a lot of moisture. First, place your second piece of screen on top of the pulp and absorb as much of the water as you can by pressing gently with a sponge. This will flatten the pulp into something that looks more like a sheet of paper. (You can wring the sponge out into your pulp bowl, and dump the excess water in there that runs into your cake pan.)
The sheet is still delicate at this point.
Transfer it to a flat absorbent rag by flipping the whole screen onto the rag, and gently peeling back just the screen.
Next, place another rag on top, and press the paper gently with your fingers or a rolling-pin. You should start to see water in the shape of your card.
Use the same flipping method to transfer your sheet onto a surface that it can remain on to air dry. (I like to cover my dining table with bath towels.) Once you’re done making paper, you can dump the remaining pulp and water outside.
See! Paper!An army of plantable paper hearts!
Usually the paper will dry overnight, but may take a little more time in a damp or cold room. Once they are completely dry, you can decorate them however you please.
Since Mother’s Day is coming up, I decided to use one of my sheets as a card. I used the seed packets as inspiration and wrote a little message on the back, including directions for planting the card.
When you’re ready to toss out this card, plant it instead! It has a mix of viola, alyssum, and chamomile seeds– just cover with a little soil, water, and you might find yourself with a few new blooms.
Since every card needs an envelope, I decided to make a simple one from a paper grocery bag.
Simple Envelope Supplies
• A paper bag
• Your handmade paper deckle
• A Pencil
• A Ruler
• Scissors or craft knife
• Glue
Step 1
Open up the paper bag by cutting until you have a flat sheet. Place the deckle in the center and trace the inside with your pencil.
Step 2
To make your envelope guide, draw a box around your deckle shape, leaving about a quarter of an inch of space on each side. Extend the lines out from the box (as shown above).
Step 3
Cut the corner portions out of the form you drew, leaving a plus sign shape with your heart-shape in the center. Fold along each of the straight lines, and trim the flaps so that they overlap about a half an inch.
Step 4
Fold in one of the side flaps, then apply glue to the other side flap, fold it over, and do the same with the bottom flap.
You should have the perfect envelope for your card! Just slip it in, seal the last flap and send it to somebody special. (Remember that oddly shaped envelopes require more postage. Check with your post office for more details.)
I’m really happy with the way my card turned out, and glad that I was able to come up with another way to recycle materials I had already.
Now I have a nice stack of paper hearts packed full of flower seeds- what should I do with the rest of them?
From 2014-2016 I chronicled my crafty endeavors on the site Adventures-in-Making. I’ve selected a few of those DIY’s, Recipes, and other posts to share on the site.
I love the look of etched glass, but I try not to use my dremel on anything too delicate. When I rediscovered this awesome Window Film I knew exactly the project I wanted to do.
Want to make you own?
Supplies
• Etched Glass Window Film: The version linked here uses water to cling to glass, which makes it repositionable, removable, and amazing.
• A printout of the letter you want to use.
• Transfer paper (or any other means of getting the design on the backer)
• A craft knife
• A frame with glass or plexiglass
First cut off a small piece of the film, remove the backer, and set aside. Lay your letter template on top of the backer with a piece of transfer paper in the middle. Hold your stack firmly and trace all the way around the letter.
When you have your design on the backer, reattach the film by smoothing it down with your thumbnail until it it well attached. Using the template lines you can see through the film, cut the design out carefully with a craft knife, then remove the backer.
Follow the instructions included with your film to attach it to the frame’s glass. (I put a thin layer of water down on the glass, laid the letter down, and used my nail to smooth out all the bubbles.)
Voila! Quick and easy “etched” decoration for your picture frame.
From 2014-2016 I chronicled my crafty endeavors on the site Adventures-in-Making. I’ve selected a few of those DIY’s, Recipes, and other posts to share on the site.
Valentine’s Day has always been one of my favorite holidays, probably because I’m a big mush at heart. I like to think of it as the Thanksgiving for love– a chance to tell the people you love how special they are, and how much they mean to you.
This year I thought I’d turn all those ideas into a keepsake– a Love Letter Book that two people can pass back and forth until it is filled with compliments, thanks, and well wishes. It’s a perfect activity for kids or adults, and needs only a couple of basic supplies (and the free templates included below.)
Supplies
• A few sheets of colored card stock or scrapbook paper for your covers.
• A printer, and some basic text weight paper for your inside pages
• A pair of scissors
• A ruler
• A pencil (preferably a mechanical one, you’ll see why.)
• The template pages below
There are a couple of ways to transfer the template onto your card stock. You can print directly on the card stock (if your printer is up to that), cut out the template form and trace it onto the card stock, or (as I have done here) use transfer paper to transfer the lines to the paper you will use for your cover.
First I lined up the transfer paper under my template and over my card stock…
Then traced the outside lines with my pencil.
You can see that I also made a mark where the dotted line was on my template.
Using that mark, I used a the end of a mechanical pencil (lead retracted) to put a score line into my card stock. That will make for a better fold.
If you aren’t familiar with scoring- it’s a basic process that pushes down the fibers of the paper, and encourages the paper to fold on that mark. Since I am folding diagonally across a sheet of card stock, the score line makes a big difference.
After I have scored both sides of the cover, I use the smooth end of the pencil to burnish (flatten) the fold.
I then used the Page Template to cut out a total of 12 hearts, folded them in half, and made two stacks of 6. These will be the inside pages of our two halves of my heart book.
I took one stack and lined it up with the fold on one side of my cover.
I made a tiny snip in the bottom fold of the cover and pages to secure my string.
I cut two pieces of string/ribbon, 12″ each, and wrapped one around the cover and pages on each side, following the fold.
Then I tied the string firmly in a knot at the top of each heart, binding the heart books together, and leaving me enough extra sting to tie the book closed.
Once you close the pages and tie the book up you have a lovely two-part book to decorate and fill with love.
You can write all the things you admire about your best friend, your sister, your daughter…
and if you’re lucky you’ll read something just as special in the other half of the book.
Because Valentine’s Day isn’t just for romantic love- it’s time to show your appreciation of all the people around you.
But hey, if your Valentine is more of the romantic variety, that’s okay too.
From 2014-2016 I chronicled my crafty endeavors on the site Adventures-in-Making. I’ve selected a few of those DIY’s, Recipes, and other posts to share on the site.
Most of their flowers use crepe paper, but I decided to try out a basic fringed flower with catalog pages that I had nearby to make multicolored, Nearly Free Fringe Flowers. (I usually use instruction books like this for inspiration and reference rather than following their tutorials.)
They were quick and easy, and I like the edgier look of the printed paper (compared to the bright soft dyed flowers I usually make.)
Supplies
• Fringe or Shredding Scissors – You could also fringe with regular scissors, but where’s the fun in that?
• Colorful Catalog pages from the recycling bin
• Regular Scissors
• Floral Wire
• Wire Cutters
• Floral Tape
OPTIONAL – Some sort of base. I used a baby food jar and a square of fabric or paper.
Droopy Flowers
I cut one catalog page into a 4″-5″ strip, then folded that strip in half. (I tried to choose pages that were heavy with one color on the front and back, so that the flower had a more consistent coloring.)
I used the fringing scissors to cut towards the fold, and left about 1/4 inch of the fold uncut.
I then cut a length of wire (about 24″) and folded it half gently to leave a little loop of wire at the top.
Starting at one end, I began to wrap my fringed strip of paper around the loop…
pulling it tight as I went.
Once I rolled the whole thing up, I secured the bottom of the paper with floral tape.
(A word on floral tape- if you haven’t worked with it before, it can be a little tricky. Most typed only become sticky when they are stretched, which means as you wrap it around the stem, you will want to pull it taut. If you’re having trouble, cut the tape and try holding it a different way. I typically hold the roll of tape in my left hand, and pull it firmly while spinning the flower stem in my right hand. Also, not all brands of floral tape are created alike. this one was a recommendation from a flower pro.)
I kept wrapping the stem all the way to the bottom, and voila…
a droopy paper flower! (Instructions for the base to follow.)
Puffball Flowers
To make the fluffier flowers, I started much the same way, with a 4″-5″ strip of paper. Again I fringed it, leaving a little uncut in the center.
I left the strip unfolded, and rolled it up.
Once it was completely rolled, I secured the center with a length of wire (Approx. 24″). I twisted the wire to tighten it around the paper roll.
Then I fluffed up the paper to make a poof, and wrapped the whole stem in floral tape.
I happened to have a few clean baby food jars around, so I used them as a base. I just cut a square of fabric (or wet paper) and pulled it firmly up around the jar and flower. Then I secured the top with wire.
They turned out very whimsical, and I won’t feel bad about tossing them when it’s time to dust.
I especially like the way they look with these pieces by Kate Endle.
From 2014-2016 I chronicled my crafty endeavors on the site Adventures-in-Making. I’ve selected a few of those DIY’s, Recipes, and other posts to share on the site.
My Christmas list is getting kinda boring. Well, not boring to me, but maybe to anyone who wants to get me something other than a book (on making stuff) or a tool (to make stuff with.)
Also called “Fringe Scissors” in the crafting/scrapbooking community, these suckers are basically 5 pairs of scissors bolted together. Practically, they can be used to shred documents (without using an electric shredder). Less practically you can (and will) turn anything…
into confetti.
I got them for the ability to fringe paper quickly and consistently for my crafty projects. (Example coming soon.)
Things to love
• It’s pretty easy to get a consistent fringe by eye.
• Turns colorful trash paper into a craft supply!
• Gives you more control than a paper shredder. Plus it’s smaller, quieter and easier to store. (I’ll be using these to shred paper for paper making.)
• They seem pretty heavy duty, and the blades line up almost perfectly.
• The sense of power you get from using 5 sets of scissor blades at once. Also, Edward Scissorhands themed imagination trips.
Things to Hate
• They do seem to get plugged up pretty easily. Most of the pieces can be pushed out by closing the scissors all the way, but a few will have to be pulled out with your little fingers.
• Cutting with 5 sets of scissor blades takes as much force as cutting with five pairs of scissors. My hands got tired pretty quickly. They are also pretty heavy to hold in your delicate artist hands for a long period of time.
All in all, they are a hit! I love having another multifunctional compact tool to use, and I’ve already got another tutorial headed your way.
From 2014-2016 I chronicled my crafty endeavors on the site Adventures-in-Making. I’ve selected a few of those DIY’s, Recipes, and other posts to share on the site.
I’m not usually one for New Years Resolutions, because I feel like the best resolutions are the ones you come up with throughout the year- the little pep-talks you have to encourage yourself to look at challenges as possibilities.
But if there’s a good time to put all those thoughts together into one big life plan, New Year may be it. So here’s a list of my goals.
Keep Moving Forward
Sometimes it is so much easier to stand still and let the world settle around me. It’s easier to watch TV than try out new tools, which is a blessing and a curse. Of course, we all need some time to relax and watch television, but we need to find a balance between watching our favorite shows and being creative. Currently, adults don’t actually watch that much television on average when compared to other age groups, according to infinitydish.com (to see the cable tv statistics click here). However, I can sometimes spend a few hours watching my favorite shows, so I need to find that balance. It’s easier to be disappointed with the things you’ve already done than be excited about the things you’re going to do next. But if you stagnate and let life become a series of routines then you will stop seeing the possibilities to grow and explore.
So I’m going to let go of 2014. I’ll remember the good, and sweep away the bad. It’s a new year after all.
Do It Quick and Cheap First
Sometimes the ideas come at me in droves, and it’s tempting to go out and buy every tool or supply I could possibly need. But then I’ve invested money and time in a project that might or might not work out. So I’m going to try to do things on a small scale first. Low pressure and low investment to judge how much enjoyment I’ll get out of a project before I take a bigger leap.
Find New Ways to Save Money at Home
New Year is a great time to reflect on your outgoings and to try to find areas where you can cut costs. For example, a friend of ours recently switched home insurance providers and was able to make a big saving. After comparing a few different insurers and policies online, she decided to get home insurance through simply insurance. Comparison websites are a great place to start when it comes to finding the insurance you need at the best possible price. Home insurance is essential if you want to look after your property, so I must take a look too to see if we can get a more affordable home insurance deal.
Look for Challenges
To keep the ideas from drying up, I’m going to seek out challenges and chances to let my brain run. I’ll keep looking at my trash as a source of art supplies, and seek outside inspiration. (If you’re looking for some help on the inspiration front- join our DIY Craft Challenge.) Rather than buying something, I’ll try to make it first.
Cork Robots. Definitely weird.
Try something weird
I’m going to try to do more projects outside of my normal wheelhouse. I’ll use materials I’m less comfortable with, make things that are more whimsical than practical, and just generally try new things.
Cut Back the Pressure
The pressure to make something (especially to make something “good”) can get so overwhelming that I get the maker’s version of writer’s block. So this year I’m going to practice what I preach and give myself a break whenever I feel like I need it.
Have More Craft Couseling Sessions
Also known as a PARTY. I’m going to try to have more craft parties with my friends, and do all sorts of things I might not do otherwise. I love being surrounded by other people with the drive to make stuff. (Our craft parties take all different forms, but my favorite have always been the ones where everyone brings something to work on, and shares with the group. Like nail polishin’.)
Don’t be a Craft Hoarder
I love to collect tools and supplies– and that can be a problem when my collections get overwhelming. So this year, I’m going to use minimalism as an inspiration to make more (and make faster.) If I don’t use something in a reasonable amount of time, I’m going to get rid of it. That way I’ve either done something, or I have space to put the next thing I DO make. (Sound familiar?)
Look at Everything
I get overwhelmed by what’s going on in my life. (If I say “I’m just so busy” one more time…) Sometimes that means I start living a more internal life, and stop noticing the beautiful things around me. It’s easier, but it’s not sustainable. This year I want to do more looking. Looking at the weird plants in my yard, looking at the work of artists and crafters– just generally seeing more.
Pay it Forward
Finally, I want to keep building a creative community that embraces our need to make, build, problem solve, prettify… you get the drift. I want to help everyone see the creativity in their lives, and chase away the little voice that says “you can’t do it”. (Because you can. I know it.)
I’m sure I’ll have a million other little rules for myself this year, but I think this is a good start.
What are your plans for 2015?
From 2014-2016 I chronicled my crafty endeavors on the site Adventures-in-Making. I’ve selected a few of those DIY’s, Recipes, and other posts to share on the site.
After I had everything inked up for the hand printed wrapping paper, I looked over at the ink brayer and decided I wasn’t done printing. The 3″ surface of the brayer seemed perfect for decorating smaller surfaces and decorating gift bags.
For this design, I used the same basic shapes- lines and circles- but on a smaller scale.
Supplies I used
• 3″ Ink Brayer like this one
• Packaging Tape
• A piece of craft foam
• A hole punch
• Block or relief printing Ink- I used oil-based relief ink from Daniel Smith, in white. Speedball inks should work well too. (Make sure to read the cleanup instructions when you’re choosing an ink.)
• A smooth piece of glass or ceramic to spread ,my ink out on. (I used an old fridge shelf.)
• Plain gift bags, boxes, and everything else you can get your hands on. (Cats are off-limits.)
Since my brayer was doing double duty for this project, I made sure I rolled out a good amount of ink out on my glass palate. Then I cleaned the brayer with soap and water and dried it thoroughly.
Didn’t clean the brayer too well. But so what!?
Since I was going to be working with smaller pieces, I began by wrapping the brayer with packaging tape– sticky side out. This allowed me to stick small pieces of foam to the roller without fuss.I used two shapes to form my pattern- short strips and dots. I cut the craft foam into strips with a knife and put the pieces to the side, then
punched small holes out with two sizes of hole punches.
I cut and tore small pieces off the foam strip, and placed them in a kind of branchy pattern, decorating the ends with foam dots. The pieces stuck easily to the packaging tape making the whole thing easy peasy.
To ink up the design, I ran it back and forth across the ink palate until the foam was coated.
I tried a couple of different ways of decorating the gift bags, and settled on a basic “stripe” of design across the sides. The small pattern was a lot of fun to work with, and made a nice complement to the larger paper pattern.
The whole printing experience was such a joy. I printed everything I could get my hands on, and still want to do more. It’s such a simple way to make a gift really special.
and it’s so darn fun!!
What are you doing? Go print some gift wrap…
and send me photos.
From 2014-2016 I chronicled my crafty endeavors on the site Adventures-in-Making. I’ve selected a few of those DIY’s, Recipes, and other posts to share on the site.
For some reason I can’t quite master gift wrapping. I get the folding and the taping; but when it comes time to add bows or other decoration, everything just sort of unravels. (Literally, at times.)
So I discovered a trick- if you start with something unique and eye-catching, no one will ever notice your mistakes.
This year I decided to print a whole line of gift wrapping options– paper, bags, and boxes– for myself and for the store. It was easier (and much more satisfying) than I expected, and I ended up printing happily for a whole day.
I thought I would share the craft happiness by showing you two of the methods I used to turn basic kraft/craft stuff into something I love to look at.
First off, let’s talk great big, bold, wrapping paper…
Supplies I used
• Rolling pin
• Contact Paper to wrap around, and protect the rolling pin
• Craft Foam sheets and Craft Foam Stickers
• Double Stick Tape
• Block or relief printing Ink- I used oil-based relief ink from Daniel Smith, in white. Speedball inks should work well too. (Make sure to read the cleanup instructions when you’re choosing an ink.)
• A smooth piece of glass or ceramic to spread ,my ink out on. (I used an old fridge shelf.)
• A Brayer like this one.
• Plain kraft butcher paper.
To build a pattern like this one…
First I wrapped my rolling pin in contact paper to protect it from the stickers and double stick tape goo. I smoothed out as many air bubbles as I could, before trimming it to fit. (This is a very forgiving project.)
Since I had decided I wanted to make a pattern with lines in it, I used a piece of scrap paper to draw guide lines all the way around the pin.
I used the craft foam sticked first. This set included a whole bunch of sports ball shapes. I placed the circular balls along the guide lines I had drawn (randomly spaced)
Next I wanted to have thin lines of craft foam to place between the circles. To give them a sticker-like back I laid out several lines of double stick tape, before…
using my craft knife to trim them into strips.
I then placed these strips along the guide lines, and trimmed them where they met up with the circles.
I didn’t cover all of my guide lines because I wanted to add a little randomness into my pattern.
Once I had the pin covered with the design I wanted to print, I laid out a strip of ink on my glass and smoothed it out with my brayer. (Shown here half smoothed.) Once the ink was smeared out on the glass, I rolled the pin through the ink several times to make sure all of my pattern was coated. Then I did a test print on a scrap piece of paper by slowly rolling my design from one end to the other.
At this point I decided that I wanted to add more lines to my design. One of the nice things about this method is that you can add or subtract pieces as you go.
All inked up.
Once I was happy with the design, I went crazy. I tore sheets of kraft butcher paper into large squares (approximately 24″x24″). I inked up the roller, rolled the design all the way across the paper, reinked, shifted to the edge of my design and printed again. Since I was working with a randomish pattern of lines, the paper turned out great and was lots of fun to wrap with.
Tricks and Tips
• Pick a pattern idea that has some randomness to it. You will probably end up a little uneven, so it’s best to embrace the “handmade” look of it.
• If it looks like your roller is applying ink to your paper where you don’t have foam, consider adding another foam shape there to push your roller away from the paper. It will print, but that’s okay.
• If there’s no contact paper handy, you can cover the rolling pin with a pieces of card stock instead. Just tape it down with masking tape.
Things to Try
• Put a couple of colors of ink out on the glass and combine them to get a more tie-dye or ombre look.
• You can embed designs into the craft foam by simply drawing on it with a pencil or pen. I was too excited with the look of the solid shapes to try that with this project, but I plan to try it soon!
• This would be a great project to try with kids. Just grab a couple of sets of craft foam stickers from your local craft store (mine came from Michaels) and let them go to town!
Next I’ll show you how I made a smaller print to use on gift bags and boxes; but in the meantime, try this out.
I knew exactly the project I wanted to do.
could do, I started brainstorming, and pulled out my handy dandy paper flower book. (
)
like this one.
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