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Instead of buying expensive brads have you tried making your own? Buy a bag of ordinary brass office brads. Holding the legs with tweezers, press them into a Versafine pad, then into embossing powder, and heat with a heat gun. Voila - super shiny coloured brads for a fraction of the cost.
I have used the same technique on my (dollar store) pearls! Works great
I love the styrofoam idea. I am "stealing" it. Thanks for sharing.
I buy lots of tin cans, jars, etc from thrift stores too. I am always repurposing jars and cans in my home.
I have a scrap box I keep all my die cuts, bits and bobs and other what nots in. I am always digging through that box to make things. I would be lost without that box. I was looking through my box tonight and find the cutest owls, dinosaurs and sea creature that I either printed out or made a die cut. I was like "Ooooh treasures!"
Curious: how would you use the colored Styrofoam on cards?
I stock up on envelopes by going to local stores the day after a holiday. If I time it right, I will run into the stores greeting card manufacturer's representative. Just by asking, they will usually give you the envelopes that they are pulling. They just throw them away. I also have been given the card dividers which are made out of a nice weight cardstock. This is a nice way to stock up on envelopes of all sizes and colors...for FREE! After Easter and Mother's Day you tend to get a lot of pastel colored ones...after Christmas there are a lot of metallic, green and red envelopes along with traditional white and ivory ones. So if you are ever shopping the day after a holiday, it is worth stopping by the greeting card section to see if the card rep is there.
I stock up on envelopes by going to local stores the day after a holiday. If I time it right, I will run into the stores greeting card manufacturer's representative.
Funny you say that, the hallmark I was at the other day in Toronto, sells these left-over envelopes for 20/$1 (not a bad price, I guess - but free is always better )
This is in Toronto.. They are called "pearl halves demi-perles"
Will have to pay closer attentions - and I recently got 27 envelopes from the Hallmark rep. at Wal-mart - super nice lady - for free. A couple are larger then I use but I figured I could always find some use.
__________________ What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday? Author Unknown. Karla
The larger envelopes are great for sorting and storing fussy cuts, masks and other small items. Also I will match the card size to the envelope (usually it is the other way around) and make extra large cards for my Grandchildren. I usually will get hundreds of envelopes from the rep, and I donate some to the local Lioness group who put together packages for our troops serving overseas. Sometimes they have crafters who make cards but don't or can't include envelopes.
needed a (make do) solution for this:
When I use glitter on my cards, I see it falling through all the time. Is there something I can use to "seal" it.
Also, I need something to sharpen my punches. Any solutions?
If glitter wasn't so pretty, I wouldn't use it for that reason. Everytime I do, it is all over the house---not just in my craft room. Ends up in the basket where I store my cards and all over my face! (Sometimes, even my DH's face!) Have never heard of anything that will seal it without changing the look, so I will be watching this site. However, you can sharpen punches by punching continuously through heavy duty foil wrap. Sometimes punches get tiny nicks in them that can't be fixed this way and they may be a loss. If a punch sticks, do the same with waxed paper. HTH
Talking about dollar (pound stores over here) stores, I got some little vials of tiny beads from mine yesterday. What they call 'caviar' beads for nail art, and they had packs with tiny acrylic gemstones/ half pearls etc in as well. The beads came in a pack of 10 vials of assorted colours. So try where they have any nail art stuff.
As for sealing glitter in, I have done it by putting clear embossing fluid over the top, clear UTEE,then heat embossing.
Talking about dollar (pound stores over here) stores, I got some little vials of tiny beads from mine yesterday. What they call 'caviar' beads for nail art, and they had packs with tiny acrylic gemstones/ half pearls etc in as well. The beads came in a pack of 10 vials of assorted colours. So try where they have any nail art stuff.
As for sealing glitter in, I have done it by putting clear embossing fluid over the top, clear UTEE,then heat embossing. Attachment 272757
Very Pretty, I'm going to give this a try myself.
__________________ I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. PhiL. 4:13
I have drawn lines and simple flourishes with a fine Zig glue pen, embossing powder (while glue still wet) and the heat gun and that has worked out well. I'm a messy embosser so I tend not to do it with stamps, now it's time to expand to glue dots it seems lol
Can someone direct me to the original post that talked about coloured styrofoam?
Thank you.
Go to the search box at the top left of this page, type in "Colored Styrofoam," click on the "show posts" circle and it will take you to the discussion that began with using grated styrofoam to substitute for Flower Soft. The question was how to color it so one could have colored Flower Soft. Sorry, but I don't know how to link you there directly---I'm computer illiterate!
Wow - where to start? Nothing gets thrown away in our house without someone saying "do you want this for your card-making?" - and usually I do!
I love Card Candy - those little bags of card circles that look like brads without the legs - you can buy them in loads of scrumptious colours. Last time I was in the shop I was advised to buy white and colour them with my Copics - that way you can match them exactly to your card. Works brilliantly. Ok, each bag costs the same - but you don't need to buy so many different colours thus saving your pennies (or cents)!.
Ok, I'll bite, what is card candy and where do you buy it? I've never heard of it before. :confused:
needed a (make do) solution for this:
When I use glitter on my cards, I see it falling through all the time. Is there something I can use to "seal" it.
I usually mix some embossing powder and glitter together in a separate jar. Depending on how much glitter you mix your image will be very subtle or blinged to death. By mixing it this way I don't have the stuff all over the place because my furry helper can smell glitter a mile away and usually runs to help!
You can make your own Candi dots by punching CS with a small circle punch or one of those little hand held punches that make a 1/4" punched circle. Put the punched circle on a soft mat and, using a stylus, start making small circles on the dot until it starts to cup. If you want to use patterned paper you may have to adhere it to CS first to give it more thickness. Adhere to your card with little foam dots or with Crystal Effects.
I saw on Wendy Russell's "She's Crafty" show to use a glitter glue that matches the color of your glitter, so if some falls off, it won't make much difference. Of course, then she spread clear resin over the top of that, so I guess the clear UTEE would work in place of the resin!
You can make your own Candi dots by punching CS with a small circle punch or one of those little hand held punches that make a 1/4" punched circle. Put the punched circle on a soft mat and, using a stylus, start making small circles on the dot until it starts to cup. If you want to use patterned paper you may have to adhere it to CS first to give it more thickness. Adhere to your card with little foam dots or with Crystal Effects.
Ever get tired punching dots? My punch buddy is my best friend! :cool: Worth all the money I paid for it or would have paid for it if I hadn't gotten it for Christmas!
I am planning to sit down and make some fancy embellishment items ahead of time for later use on cards and my craft show items. I am hoping to use up some of my leftover bits & pieces of ribbon.
Ohhhhhh! And I recently scored hundreds of buttons at a flea market sale. Two HUGE bags for $30..all mixed. It was such fun perusing and sorting them into smaller colour-coded bags. Ended up costing about 3cents each.
Thank you everyone. I am really touched. I know it means a lot to my DS. He was declared legally blind when he was a little boy. He did have some vision. Poor kid had to wear thick glasses. I made sure they were stylin. The doctors said when he hit puberty there might be improvement. We had to wait until late teens but he did get better and even got a driver's license. His eyes deteriorated quickly in the last few weeks. There is nothing the doctors can do.
He's in a really great place. We always thought this could happen so we prepared him. I have friends who are blind that have taken our son under their wings. I am so grateful to them. They know the schools and programs that can take him. They are both successful in their chosen fields. I know he will have a full life. He was my little nightmare kid. One of his friends said he was a nightmare friend too, lol. He worked really hard in the last couple of years to turn his life around.
No make do things from me. :( I am dong a lot of sketching. I am doing a lot of polymer clay work right now. It's just cute Kawaii things. I am going to start some resin pieces. I have polymer clay make do's I guess.
My thoughts, prayers and love are there for you DeeAnn. I cried reading your post..I can relate to the extreme insecurity and feeling like I lost the ground beneath me. I am very glad he has you and he is reaching out.
I'm the gal that wrote to you about my experience with eye loss and the transplants etc. I wish I could help you but all I can do is send you my love, prayers and extend an ear if you ever need one. I know it is a tough time but believe me, time is a healer but only after emotions, disappointments, angers etc are expressed, validated and excepted. You are an amazing mother to be there for him as you have been. I wish you and your family calm and peaceful waters ahead. This may feel like a storm but hang in there. It is like the poem "footprints"
Many hugs,
Jasmine
__________________ I have fallen hook, line and stamper and i can't get out..nor do i want to!
That reminded me - security envelopes! You know when you get a bank statement or other piece of mail with confidential information. the inside of those envelopes is patterned to make them impossible to read through. It's usually a blue or grey print - useful for backgrounds, especially on masculine cards!
I have been doing this alot lately as there are dozens of "security patterns", and if you run them thru a copy machine using the pattern as the original and a colored paper or cardstock as your copy paper.....the combinations are endless and the tiny patterns are wonderful !
I scored a bunch of new cardstock and patterned paper at JoAnns last weekend. I guess they are bringing in some new designs. The old ones were clearance for 10 cents each.
I know we are not supposed to "buy new" but this will help.
I bought some patterns I don't normally buy and plan to make some pinwheels with my Tim Holtz die out of them.
Wow! pages and pages of great suggestions!! I have not read through every single page...yet. But I will add my tiny suggestion just in case no one has offered it yet. I love the look of opaque ink spray like Mr. Huey's but can't afford them so I make my own from pigment ink reinkers and water. It does take more drops of ink than the sheer sprays but still so much cheaper than a whole bottle.
My sister sent me this picture of a sponge dauber case. Can I find something to substitute for it? I've looked at plastic pill dispenser boxes, but they weren't deep enough to hold my collection.
I've purchased envies at liquidation stores and at thrift stores in bundles. Never have I gotten them free unless someone gifted me with them.
I've not had much success with the foil and wax paper to fix punches. I wonder if WD-40 would slick them up so they moved easier. I've sprayed WD-40 on creaky joints on recliner chairs & it worked like a charm. I sprayed the moving parts until they were soaked, moved them a few times & then wiped off the excess with a paper towel. I've heard that an aluminum drink can sharpens punches, but since I don't have much hand strength, I haven't tried it. I usually get frustrated with punches and toss them. I prefer dies now, if I can find what I want.
Lindsay has improved my grandmother's recipe for the gelli printing plate = her recipe is now =
7 packets of gelatin (6 tablespoons)
1 cup alcohol mixed with 1/2 cup glycerin (room temp.)
then add 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Let glycerin dissolve, stir till well mixed and then pour into a shallow pan to set. Can be melted again in the microwave if torn & reset.
I have used WD40 on punches, it works great just make sure to punch it out a few times on scrap paper until there is no more oil residue;) I saw those cases at the stamp show, also ACmoore sells the same exact cases filled with small alphabet or icon stamps for $10, and I think an empty case was that price at the show. The daubers that fit in the mare rather tiny so I would not hold my homemade ones, I use an old stampin up clamshell box for my homemade bottlecap daubers and it works great.
[QUOTE=Rush'd Lady;20204060]My sister sent me this picture of a sponge dauber case. Can I find something to substitute for it? I've looked at plastic pill dispenser boxes, but they weren't deep enough to hold my collection.
Rush'd Lady
I found them online (not really making do, but cost $8.99). I will try to attach the site, but I'm not sure how to do it, so it was at Scrapbook.com and was a Gary M. Burlin & Co product. Gary M. Burlin and Co. - Sponge Dauber Storage Box
I found one at our local $tore. I don't know what it was for but there are 18 sections and each section holds 2 daubers. Cost a whole $1.50!!! Yikes! LOL On second thought it was in the sewing section so it was probably meant for embroidery floss.
This is probably a totally silly suggestion for this thread, but here's something that works for me.
I love companies that have a shopping cart feature that will let you store stuff in a cart for a month. For some weird reason, I love to put my wish list stuff in a cart and leave it there. Then, after a month, it's so easy to look back and say "Wow, I really didn't need that stuff after all. I only thought I had to have it because it was new and I was so inspired by the new release design team samples".
It's a mental trick, but it does save me a ton of money. It makes me really think about purchases before I click the "submit order" button.
This is probably a totally silly suggestion for this thread, but here's something that works for me.
I love companies that have a shopping cart feature that will let you store stuff in a cart for a month. For some weird reason, I love to put my wish list stuff in a cart and leave it there. Then, after a month, it's so easy to look back and say "Wow, I really didn't need that stuff after all. I only thought I had to have it because it was new and I was so inspired by the new release design team samples".
It's a mental trick, but it does save me a ton of money. It makes me really think about purchases before I click the "submit order" button.
Your post made me smile. I do this in regular stores, like Target. I will put some pants or a top in my shopping cart and walk around the store. Sometimes , I will fall "out of love" and put it back where I got it before I make it to the checkout.
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
Your post made me smile. I do this in regular stores, like Target. I will put some pants or a top in my shopping cart and walk around the store. Sometimes , I will fall "out of love" and put it back where I got it before I make it to the checkout.
That is too funny because I do that at Target, too!
