Creative Chalk Techniques - Part 2

Hello! It's Wednesday again, and this week that means another creative chalk technique! For this one, you will need cardstock, a dry-embossing template & stylus, VersaMark ink (or other clear, embossing ink), cotton balls, cotton swabs, or sponges (however you prefer to apply your chalk), and chalk.

The first step is to dry emboss your design into your cardstock. (It's easier to do this if you have a light source behind it so you can see the template under your cardstock. I used a portable light box, but you can also use a sunny window.)

Next, gently run the VersaMark ink pad over the raised parts of your embossed image. The goal is to not get the ink on the un-raised parts, so use a light touch.

Now you can use any number of colors of chalk to make your image "pop". I applied mine with a cotton ball, and used three different colors of yellow & orange.

Again, a light touch is key, so as to avoid as much chalk as you can on the un-raised surface. If you feel the need to erase, a white eraser works great. I did a little erasing around the outside edge of my design.

That's all there is to it! Use the design as is, or cut it out, as I did, and use it on a card or scrapbook page. As with all chalk art, you will want to seal the image with a finishing spray/sealer before using it on your project.

Be sure to come back next week for the third and final installment of "Creative Chalk Techniques"! I created a gorgeous Mother's Day card that I can't wait for you to see!

Creative Chalk Techniques - Part 1

So, when is the last time you broke out your chalks? If you're anything like me, you're thinking, "Well, my kids used their sidewalk chalk over the summer...". But, no, those aren't the chalks I am talking about. I am referring to the chalks that you may have in your craft stash - buried beneath glitter and glue sticks - that you may have used to color stamped images to get a soft, pastel look. It's been years since I've even thought about using mine! Then I came across the "Dear Go-to Gals" column in the March/April issue of Paper Crafts Magazine, which answers a reader's question regarding tips and hints on how to use chalks. I was so intrigued that I decided to try some of these techniques myself. I tried three different techniques, so I am going to post them over the next three weeks.

The first one is my favorite, and honestly, when I saw it in the magazine, I didn't believe it would work! Here's what you'll need for this technique: one color of chalk, a cotton ball, VersaMark ink (or any clear embossing ink), and a stamp (as well as cardstock, which is not pictured).

The first step is to use the cotton ball to apply chalk (I am using dark green) to the entire surface of your cardstock:

Next, stamp your image onto the cardstock using the VersaMark ink:

Then, simply chalk-up your cotton ball again - with the same color chalk as before - and rub it over the stamped image:

Voila! Like magic, the image appears - dark, crisp & clean! I did the exact same thing with a sentiment in the upper left corner, then used it to make this finished card:

How gorgeous is that?! I absolutely love this technique, and can't wait to use it again!

So dig out those chalks and try this. I would LOVE to see what you come up with! Check back next week for another cool chalk technique!

Cricut® Craft Room - How Fun!

Last week, I posted a video from Close To My Heart on using the Cricut® Craft Room software with your Cricut cartridges. I had not used the Craft Room software before, so I decided to download it and play a little. I know that there are many more fun and creative things you can use this software for, but here are just a few that I discovered while using CTMH's "Art Philosophy" and "Artiste" cartridges.

1) You can make borders longer without making them wider.

I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to be able to do this. If you are familiar with cutting borders on the Cricut, you know that if you want your border to be 1/2" wide, the corresponding length will usually be short. If you want a 1/2" border that covers the width of a 5 1/2" card, you're out of luck. Cutting the border to the length will increase the width as well, so your 5 1/2" border may be 1" wide or more. Enter Cricut Craft Room. Simply drag the shape you want onto your "mat", set the width size, copy & paste, then place the new shape next to the first one on the mat. (In order for the shapes to cut as one piece, make sure the ends are overlapping slightly.) The program will ask if you want to "weld" the pieces - and the answer is yes! You can see from the image above, the piece that I got when I set my size to cut at 1/2", then the piece I got when I copied and pasted a second one beside it - much better! Now it will span the width of my card and I'll still have the same cute, little scallops.

2) You can remove holes from tags to form a solid shape.

OK, this may not seem like a big deal, but there have been so many times when I have been looking for "just the right shape" to stamp an image or sentiment onto, and when I find it, it's a tag...with a hole cut in the top. But now you can simply remove the hole in Craft Room and cut your shape (read how below). Wonderful!

3) You can make a solid shape into a frame as well as the reverse.

The possibilities are endless with this one. See the perfect shape but you need it to be a frame? No problem! Just copy the shape, make it a little smaller than the original, place it on top of the original, and "weld". The second shape will cut out of the first shape, leaving a frame. The same holds true if you see just the shape you've been looking for, but it's in the form of a frame. Just click on the green "Hide Contour" button that's just below your shape on the mat. Click on the area you want to delete (its outline will turn red), and click "Exit". That area will not be gone and will not cut (use this same procedure for removing the holes from tags).

4) You can cut shapes, or windows, into cards or into other shapes.

Here's an ampersand that I placed onto a heart and welded. How cute will this be between two names or between "you" and "me"?!

This last one is a card that was cut on the Cricut with three additional heart cuts added to the front. I just placed one, then copied and pasted it twice, changing the size each time. The heart-shaped "windows" give a small peek at the pink interior of the card.

I'm sure I have only scratched the surface of this fun & versatile software. I encourage you to try it out yourself, then leave a comment on what fun things you were able to do! Happy playing!

More Cricut® Inspiration!

Close To My Heart has just posted this really cool video showing lots of fun ways to use the Cricut Artiste & Art Philosophy cartridges. Take a look!

Cricut® Craft Room

You know, in the far recesses of my mind, I knew this software (Cricut Craft Room) was out there, but it never really occurred to me download and use it. I can't believe what I've been missing! I just LOVE the fact that you can cut a shape out of the center of another shape - do you know how many times I've wished I could do that?!? And all this time all I had to do was download this FREE software and hook my Cricut up to my computer. Well, I am going to need some time to play with this, so I will do just that and post my creations next week. In the meantime, please enjoy this video from Close To My Heart on using the Cricut Craft Room software. Happy designing!

Hot Cocoa Kit

OK, I know this is unprecedented - three blog posts in as many days. But, I really wanted to share the instructions on how to make this adorable hot cocoa kit that I found online. I was able to duplicate this one almost perfectly with the supplies I already had from Close To My Heart. Here is hers (outside & inside), followed by mine:

It's a cool gift...sooooo...the first person to leave a comment under this post on my blog will WIN it! All yours - cocoa, mallow bits, and all! I hope after watching the instruction video (below!!), you will be inspired to make your own! Be sure to send me a picture of any variations you come up with!

Canvas Art

OK - I know it's not Wednesday, and I just posted yesterday, but this video was just released by Close To My Heart on how to use the new "Workshops on the Go Canvas Art Kit" featured on page 23 of the Spring-Summer 2013 Idea Book. Give it a watch! Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day!