Rosettes

Rosettes are not new to paper crafting, but I have found a fondness for them, especially since I started using the ScorPal to score the "seams".  I have also started to use my hot glue gun to help make the glueing process quicker.  

Rosettes are versatile and great fillers for scrapbook pages, cards, mini-albums, and even home decor.  While I was as the National Stationary Show last week, I spotted a few companies selling the rosettes pre-scored.  They were beautiful, but you can make your own customized rosette with ease.  

The red, white, and blue one I made consists of 6 pieces of 6"x12" card stock.   Each strip of card stock is scored at 1" increments.  Five strips was almost enough, but the paper pulled just a little bit too much.  

Don't forget you can use a border punch on the outside potion of your rosette too.  The border punch adds a nice element to the rosette.

You can score at any increment you want depending on how deep you want your fold.  

If you are using a glue gun, you will have to work quickly, because the glue dries fast, but it holds great.

1.  Score your paper at the increment that you want.  Ensure you score at at that measurement the length of the strip.

2.  Cut into the strip width that you desire.  For the Red, White, and blue rosette above, I used 6" x 12" paper for the blue and 3"x12" for the red portion. 

3.  Fold where the score marks are, accordion style.  Add the adhesive to one of end of each strip.  I used Scor-TAdape, so it would show up on the picture, but you can use your adhesive/tape runner.

4.  Adhere the ends with adhesive to an strip that has no adhesive.  The fold up should fit over the fold up that you are attaching to. 

5. Adhere the last loose end to the beginning of the first paper strip.  You should have a circle at this point.  You can also see in this picture, where the ends meet to get a better idea of how to adhere the ends to each other.

6.  Gather the paper towards the inside center, and push down the center part.  The opposite side will flair out to make the rosette.  If you do this a couple of times, it makes the glue process a bit easier.  The paper shapes easier after it has been formed into the rosette a few times.

7.  Apply a generous amount of hot glue to a scratch piece of card stock.  You need to work fast.  The scratch paper should be half the size of the width of your rosette.  For example, for a 3" strip, you will end up with approximately a 6" wide rosette, make the scratch piece approximately 3"x 3".

8. Quickly assemble the rosette over the hot glue (don't burn yourself on the glue).  You should have a few seconds to shape your rosette.  If you feel like the rosette is not attached to the scrap piece of paper, turn it over, and add more glue to the scrap piece of paper that is facing the rosette side.  Hold in place, don't burn yourself.  

9.  I fill in the center of the rosette with additional hot glue.  If you do this, it takes a little while for the hot glue to set because it is pretty thick in the center.

Back side of the rosette.

10.  You can place an embellishment, sticker, label, etc. over the whole where the center meets in the front of the rosette.  I sprayed the red, white, and blue one with some silver glitter.  I also added some ribbon with a hot glue gun to the back side of the rosette to be used for a wall decoration.

Here are a few more samples.

Out of the Box with Alcohol Inks

   Do you watch YouTube video tutorials?  Lately, I have been addicted to watching tutorials on YouTube, and I found some fun techniques with alcohol inks.  I have a few bottles of Ranger Ink's Adirondack's Alcohol inks, but have been intimidated by those little bottles of concentrated colors.  After watching a few videos, I gathered up the courage to use the inks on a project that did NOT INCLUDE PAPER.  I have seen that Mason Jars are also a huge fade right now, and I am decorating the store window for summer.  I brainstormed, and came up with an idea.  I wanted to use the alcohol ink on glass, so I picked up a couple of glass jars.

Here's what I created.  

What do you think?  It was super simple to make, and would be a great tea light candle holder (without the lid of course).

Here are the tools I used to produce this project:

• Mason jar
• Bag of assorted sea shells
• Fishing net
• Thick twined jute
• Ranger Ink Adirondack- Sailboat color
• Ranger Ink Blending tool with felt attachment
• Ranger Ink Glossy Accents.
• Glue Gun (my new bestie)
• Sand from the craft store

Process:

1. Put a few dots of the color on the blending tool that has the felt piece attached to it.  
2. Tab the ink on the glass jar to transfer the color.  I did not put the blue towards the bottom where the sand was (long messy lesson learned there).
3. Repeat adding ink to the felt, then to the jar until the blue is as deep as you want it.
4. Spread the Glossy Accents on the bottom section of the jar, but not on the actually bottom (flat piece) of the jar.  
5. After the lower section of the jar is covered in Glossy Accents, coat with the sand.  (This will stay wet for at least 4 hours, you can add more Glossy Accents and sand if you see holes or want it a bit thicker.)
6. Cut a piece of the fish net, wrap around the jar.  Trim netting to fit the jar.
7. Add a small dot of glue from glue gun behind a few of the fish netting knots.  Only glue a few knots at a time.  If you add too much glue, it will harden up before you can press it to the glass.
8. With the glue gun add your sea shells to the jar over/under the fish netting.
9. Add some of the glue from the glue gun to the bottom of the lid.  Wrap the jute around the lid.  You can spiral if you want, but I cut at the end where they beginning met the end, and repeated the steps.
10. On the very top you can add glue as you wind the jute in a circle covering the top.

Happy Crafting

Happy Mother's Day

I hope everyone's day is fabulous.  

We are spending the day at or house.  I cleaned most of the morning, took advantage of closing the store.   I am looking forward to a BBQ this afternoon with some family.  I have to remember to take at least two pictures of today.  I will need them for a scrapbook layout.  Do you take pictures with your family on Mother's Day?  

What did everyone else do?  Please share.

I also want to post the winner of the Mother word album.

CONGRATULATIONS to Cheri!!   

She is the winner of the Mother word album is Cheri.  Cheri, please email me to arrange for pick up of the album.  

Check back at some point this week.  I hope to have a layout with direction posted.  

Enjoy the day!

Welcome

It is time for me to once again start blogging.  I realize not everyone is on a social media forum such as Facebook, Instagram, or Vine, and I have been looking for a way to communicate with everyone.  I was also looking for an avenue that will allow me to keep you up to date and provide some FREEBIES.

Just in time for Mother's Day!

Here is your chance to enter and win the Mother word album pictured below.

How to enter:

• Share on this blog thread, one trait you and your mother share.
• Must be posted by 12pm EST 5/10/2014.
• Random winner will be selected and posted by 5pm EST on 5/11/2014.
• Important--winner must email or contact Andrea no later than 12pm EST on 5/18/2014 to claim word album.
• One entry per person.

I will continue to add links, recommendations, and helpful information over the next couple of months.