A spring card and faux button tutorial

Ready for spring to arrive? So are we!

STM Senior Designer Barb Prendergast  is getting in the spring mode with this cute card. She used the Maggie Holmes collection by Crate Paper in the 6 x 6 pad ($5.99) along with Worldwin cardstock (.59 a sheet) and finished with Creative Imaginations sheer ribbon (.39 a yard). She cut her latticed border with a Martha Stewart by EK Success punch.

Have you ever wondered how Barb gets those buttons that match her projects? She makes them from the scraps from her project! Here's how:

FAUX BUTTON TECHNIQUE


1.  Gather your materials:
     patterned paper scrap
     colored cardstock scrap (I used Worldwin Cascada because it's sturdy)
     additional cardstock scraps (these won't show, so any color will do)
     Pioneer gluestick
     Creative Imaginations sheer ribbon or May Arts sheer natural burlap twine

     Martha Stewart by EK Success circle punch and scalloped circle punch
     Paper piercer, sharp skewer or large darning needle
     Distress Ink by Ranger Industries or ColorBox Cat's Eye Pigment Brush Pad (optional)

2.  Punch a circle from your patterned paper, and a scalloped circle from colored cardstock. Punch one to three circles from  cardstock (these will be used for extra thickness and will not show on your finished button, so any color will do). Ink the outside edge of your button if you wish.

3.  With the gluestick, adhere the patterned paper circle to top of colored cardstock scalloped circle.

4.  Using the paper piercer, needle or skewer, punch two button holes, making sure to go through both layers. You may need to push the piercer through the holes (push down, then come back up through hole) to make them large enough for your twine or ribbon. Make sure button holes are about 3/8 inch apart and centered on your button, so the holes don't rip through when you add the ribbon.

5.  Thread the ribbon through the button holes and tie in bow or knot at the top. Last of all, glue one or more of your remaining cardstock circles onto the back. One will give you a smooth back, which makes adhering to your project easier. Additional circles will add extra dimension to your button so it will really "stand out" on your finished project.

She added one faux button, backed with three thin cardstock circles, to this past project:

She added two buttons, each backed with only one additional cardstock circle for easier mailing, to this little card:

We hope you enjoyed this tutorial for quick and EASY accents using your scraps! Visit Scrap That Moment today for more fun ideas and inspiration from the STM designers.

Send some sunshine!

Tired of snow and ice? Winter blues got a hold on you? Make and send a little sunshine!

STM Designer Chris Pozzi created this bright and cheery "Thinking of You" card. She used so many fun techniques that she wanted to share them with you! She used Ranger inks and Stickles glitter glue glue, Our Daily Bread stamps, and a fun template from The Crafter's Workshop. "Don't be afraid to try this at home!" Chris says. "This card shows my first attempts at trying a few of these techniques."

Materials:
Tim Holtz Distress Inks by Ranger: Scattered Straw and Rusty Hinge *
Tim Holtz Distress Markers by Ranger: Tea Dye, Wild Honey, Pine Needles *
Ranger Stickles glitter glue: Assorted colors
Ranger ink blending tool and pads
Ranger Ink (any archival ink will work)
Our Daily Bread stamps: Butterfly and Butterfly Corner
The Crafter's Workshop mini template: Mini Bricks
Worldwin cardstock for card image base
Printed paper for background (Chris used Studio Calico)
Folded card made from Worldwin cardstock

Other supplies:
Koi mini brush; acrylic block; ink daubers; adhesives


Step 1:
Stamp Butterfly Corner onto your cardstock base ; then stamp it again onto a piece of scratch paper. Stamp the Butterfly onto a piece of the same cardstock as your base.

Step 2:
Fussy-cut out the Butterfly stamped image that you made on the cardstock. Then cut out the Butterfly Corner image that you stamped on your scrap paper.

Step 3:
Place the cut-out Butterfly Corner image over the top of the stamped image on your card base. (By covering the stamped image with this scratch-paper image, you are protecting it from getting inked during the masking technique below)

Place the Brick template over the card base. Using the ink blending tool, rub the ink over the brick template. This does NOT have to be perfect! The more color variations you get into the ink, the more realistic your bricks will look. NOTE: BE SURE TO HOLD THE TEMPLATE to keep it from slipping. Depending on the size of your card base, you may have to move the template down to finish the background. Just line up the brick spaces with your previous inking to keep the pattern going.

Step 4:
Using daubers and inks, color the Butterfly image on your card and the cut-out butterfly.

Step 5:
Using the Tea Dye distress marker, lightly color the centers of all the flowers in your card image.

Step 6:
Using the Wild Honey distress marker, color a swatch of color onto your acrylic block.

Using your water brush, pick up a little bit of ink from the block and "paint" the flower petals. Chris then cleaned her block and used the Rusty Hinge ink and water brush to accent the petals. (Note: the water brush is self cleaning) Since she didn't have a Rusty Hinge market (yet *wink*) she stamped the ink pad directly onto the acrylic block.

Then she repeated the same technique with the Pine Needles marker to color in the foliage areas of her stamped image. REMEMBER: This is a watercolor technique, and the image should look a little washed out, like a watercolor.

Step 7:

Fold the cut-out stamped butterfly in the middle and attach it to the card base, adhering it in the center of the butterfly only (so its wings are raised). Using Stickles, highlight the butterfly and flowers as desired. Trim and mat the image onto background paper and then onto the front of your card. 

 Want to make your own card using these techniques? You'll find what you need at Scrap That Moment, open Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the heart of beautiful downtown Princeton. Lynette Daniel, STM's owner, holds a card class the first Saturday of each month, where she teaches these and other fun techniques. Call ahead for class times and to reserve your space.

Happy scrapping!