Showing posts with label Handmade. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Handmade. Show all posts

DIY Easy Romantic Handmade Valentine's Day Cards 2014 Ideas

Whip up cute and creative cards for Valentine's Day . You'll love these ideas to try in 2014! I hope you find the perfect idea for your special someone. .... Enjoy it !!!!


Design by Jennifer McGuire : Mount matted patterned paper on the card front. Add a matted square of pink cardstock and a silk flower accent. Stamp a message on white cardstock and cut into a circle shape. Mat and mount in the flower center.


Design by Tracy Kyle : Align strips of patterned paper on the card front, leaving a thin margin between them. Add ribbon, acrylic charms, and paper flowers. Use decorative scissors to cut a scalloped edge along the right side.


Design by Cathy Blackstone : Stitch together two pieces of black cardstock to form the card base. Cut pink paper to fit the front and ink the edges. Lightly tack down the ribbon and machine-stitch in place. Add a rub-on message and adhere to the card front.


Design by Nia Reddy : Don't hide your feelings -- make a clear statement with a see-through pocket for embellishments. Cut a plastic slide holder into pieces, and attach a strip of pockets to the front of a card. Fill the pockets with punched hearts and stickers, and add a clever title that plays off the transparent look.


Design by Nia Reddy : Use type to create a card that makes a graphic statement and can be reproduced in mere minutes. Fill a text box with color in your word-processing program, and vary the size and color of your type. Print on cardstock, and accent with a punched heart.


Design by Nia Reddy : Give a simple card a sensual feel with elements cut from fabric. Snip a swatch of bold-print fabric and stitch it to the card front. Add a heart cut from velvet, and attach a printed tag with a color brad.


Design by Cathy Blackstone : Start with a purchased card base and some fun pink fabric to craft a simple and sweet card. Mount a swatch of fabric on the front panel, and add a square of cardstock with a decorative edge. A stamped "XO," a heart cut from cardstock, and coordinating accents bring it all together.


Design by Erica Hernandez : Hand-cut a heart-shape window in the card front using a die cut or dingbat font as a template. Back the window with a printed transparency -- make your own or buy one -- and frame with strips of cardstock and nailheads.


Design by Erica Hernandez : Use children's art as the focal point of a handmade card. Adhere the art resize using a color copier or a scanner and image editing software if needed and add computer printed text for a design that's easy to mass produce. A fun patterned bow finishes the look.


Design by Erica Hernandez : Create a custom accent with your computer that can be used time and again. Layer text and images in your editing software and print the finished piece on photo paper for a slick finish. Add a length of printed ribbon to cover the seam where the two colors of cardstock meet.


Design by Patricia Anderson : Chipboard letters and a large heart cut from leather-finish paper work together to form a card with a sophisticated look. Stamp coated chipboard letters with Staz On ink (it won't smear on coated surfaces). Rub on flourishes add an elegant finishing touch.


Design by Patricia Anderson : Use pages intended as mini-book inserts to create an original card. Join the pages with ribbon, and accent the blank sheets with soft curves of patterned paper. Purchased chipboard phrases spell out the sentiment, and a shaped chipboard piece packed with a stamped transparency is a simple graphic.


Design by Patricia Anderson : Create a card with visual depth by punching a window in the center and backing it with a piece of transparency. Stamp on the clear film, or use a preprinted version for more interest. A soft curve cut into the patterned paper and simple machine stitching around the edges add oomph.

2014 Romantic Handmade Valentine's Day Cards Ideas

Whip up cute and creative cards for Valentine's Day . You'll love these ideas to try in 2014! I hope you find the perfect idea for your special someone. .... Enjoy it !!!!


Design by Lisa Spangler : Lisa tied a ribbon around the front of her card base to ground the design, then layered cardstock, patterned paper, and a decorative label over the ribbon to create a focal point.
Editor's Tip: Look for embellishments that coordinate with your patterned paper and title, like the cherries on this card.
SOURCES: Cardstock, stamp: Hero Arts. Patterned paper: Cosmo Cricket. Ribbon: May Arts. Ink: Tsukineko. Pen: Copic (red, brown, green), Sakura of America (black). Glitter glue: Ranger Industries. Embossing tool: Cuttlebug by Provo Craft


Design by Tracy Kyle : Tracy used patterned paper printed with sweet sentiments to create a colorful background on this Valentine's Day card. She dotted the "i" of her greeting with a heart for a seasonal touch. Editor's Tip: Tracy added subtle interest to her card by placing a heart of rhinestones behind her card sentiment. For an opposite effect, punch small holes in a shape on your card front, letting the inside of the card show through.
SOURCES: Patterned paper: Scenic Route Paper Co. Stickers: Li'l Davis Designs (letters), Making Memories (red heart). Gems: Heidi Swapp.


Design by Lisa Storms : To create this clever card, Lisa embossed a wood-grain pattern on brown cardstock, then inked the edges to help the texture stand out. She added a die cut, piece of patterned paper, and stickers to simply embellish the greeting.
Editor's Tip: Missing a letter or punctuation mark? Use your creativity to cut one from another sticker. Lisa snipped a piece from a "P" to make her quirky question mark.
SOURCES: Cardstock: WorldWin Papers. Patterned paper: BoBunny Press. Stickers: BasicGrey (bird), Die Cuts With A View ("you be mine?"), Heidi Grace Designs ("wood"). Die cuts: My Mind's Eye. Punch, texture plate: Fiskars.


Design by Tracy Kyle : A die cut tree branch grounds a script-letter sentiment on Tracy's glittery valentine. Nontraditional colors create a modern look.
Editor's Tip: Look for heart-shape embellishments, like the button Tracy added to her card, for subtle reminders of the season.
SOURCES: Patterned paper: Making Memories. Die-cutting tool: Cricut by Provo Craft. Stickers, buttons: Doodlebug Design


Design by Tracy Kyle : A simple owl piecing gives Tracy's card a cute, trendy look. She covered the character in hearts and placed it on heart-pattern paper to play up the holiday theme.
Editor's Tip: Rather than spelling out your sentiment, choose a symbolic way to share your greeting. Tracy let her valentine know what's on her mind by filling a thought bubble with a chipboard heart.
SOURCES: Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper. Patterned paper: Heidi Grace Designs. Glitter paper: Doodlebug Design. Chipboard accent: Scrapworks. Eyes: Westrim Crafts. Embossing plate: Sizzix. Die-cutting tool: Cricut. Punch: EK Success.


Design by Lisa Spangler : Lisa layered strips of patterned paper and stitches to create dimension on her valentine. A ribbon bow tied around the card front coupled with a thread tie at the front of her button accent complete the design.
Editor's Tip: Turn notebook paper on its side and use the rough edge to create a decorative border on your Valentine's Day card, as Lisa did here.
SOURCES: Cardstock, stamps: Hero Arts. Patterned paper: Little Yellow Bicycle. Die-cutting tool: Cuttlebug by Provo Craft. Ribbon: Jo-Ann Stores. Ink: Tsukineko. Punch: EK Success.


Design by Lisa Spangler : Lisa created her card base from half cardstock, half patterned paper. She completed the design with a large die-cut frame. The decorative edges add whimsy to a simple rectangle card.
Editor's Tip: Hide the seam of two papers coming together with a decorative ribbon, like Lisa did here. SOURCES: Cardstock, gems, stamps: Hero Arts. Patterned paper: Little Yellow Bicycle. Die-cutting tool: QuicKutz (large frame), Spellbinders (small frame). Ribbon: Making Memories. Ink: Memories (red), Ranger Industries (distress), Tsukineko (black). Pens: Copic. Glitter glue: Ranger Industries.


Design by Lisa Spangler : Make your valentine sparkle by embellishing with gems, as Lisa did. Rhinestones placed in a line draw attention to her greeting and a trio of jewel hearts adds color and dimension.
Editor's Tip: Get a special handmade feel by using notebook paper as a base and adding simple sayings in a typewriter font. (You can change the opacity of your text in image-editing software to get the faded look.) SOURCES: Cardstock, gems, stamps: Hero Arts. Patterned paper: Little Yellow Bicycle. Ribbon: American Crafts. Ink: Stewart Superior (pink) Tsukineko (brown). Pens: Copic. Punch: EK Success.


Design by Tracy Kyle : Use a circle cutter or template to cut circles from patterned paper and adhere to the folded cardstock base. Cut coordinating border strips from cardstock; add ribbons and a printed tag. SOURCES: Cardstock: National Cardstock. Patterned paper: Daisy D's Paper Co. (floral), Anna Griffin (paisley), and The Paper Company (collage). Circle Coluzzle template: Provo Craft. Tag: Making Memories.


Design by Tracy Kyle : Fold cardstock for the card base and add strips of black. Attach flower-shape tags with decorative brads and ribbon. Add a metal sentiment charm.
SOURCES: Flower-shape tags: Autumn Leaves. Ribbon: May Arts. Brads and metal word: Making Memories.


Design by Cathy Blackstone : Cut a heart from fabric and adhere it to the cream cardstock. Ink the cardstock edges and zigzag-stitch the cardstock to the card front. Stamp a message and heart tags; attach as shown.
SOURCES: Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper. Rubber stamps: Hero Arts. Stamp ink: Nick Bantock for Ranger Industries (brown) and Clearsnap (pink).


Design by Candi Gershon : Attach patterned paper and vellum to the card front with mini brads. Wrap a length of ribbon around the front panel and secure matted letters with adhesive dots. Add paper flowers and cover the ribbon ends inside the card with pink cardstock.
SOURCES: Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper. Patterned paper: SEI. Printed vellum: American Crafts. Punch-out letters: Mustard Moon. Brads: Lasting Impressions for Paper.


Design by Candi Gershon : Cut patterned paper to fit the folded card front. Add a library card pocket. Attach a computer-printed message to the pocket and insert a handwritten library card adorned with stickers and a ribbon. Stamp hearts on the cardstock, cut them out, and mount.
SOURCES: Patterned paper and letter stickers: Me and My Big Ideas. Computer font: Miss Priss downloaded off the Internet. Card pocket: Kopp Designs. Library card: Boxer Scrapbooks Productions. Rubber stamps: Stampin? Up! (large heart) and PSX (little heart). Stamp ink: Close To My Heart.


Design by Jennifer McGuire : Attach cardstock to the folded card front and add a swatch of coordinating fabric. Add a square of textured cardstock, more fabric, and a small silver charm adorned with ribbon.
SOURCES: Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper. Textured paper: The Jennifer Collection. Heart charm: Hap's Memories.


Design by Jennifer McGuire : Mount a piece of dark pink cardstock on the front of a folded card and stamp the heart pattern with white ink. Cut light pink cardstock into a curving corner shape and attach. Cover the curve with threaded buttons and paper flowers and add rub-on sentiment.
SOURCES: Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper. Rub-ons: Autumn Leaves. Rubber stamps: Hero Arts. Stamp ink: Tsukineko.

creative Home With Handmade Touches 2013 Decorating Ideas :House Toursfrom BHG

This homeowner gets creative with fabric leftovers, paper scraps, and bits of everyday ephemera to craft a designer look for less.



Casual & Colorful
The homeowner hired a couple of carpenter friends to fashion built in bookshelves (an expenditure she could afford thanks to her thrifty accessories and DIY ottoman). The inexpensive lamp base is topped with an old drum shade recovered in scrap fabric.
DIY Tip: Crown molding stained a rich dark brown frames a door size mirror that leans against the wall.


Make a Ruffle Pillow
A cinch to stitch in an hour, this pretty pillow requires less than a yard of fabric.
Gather materials: 1/2 yard of solid-color cotton quilting fabric (44 inches wide), 1/4 yard quilting cotton in four different fabrics (for ruffles), sewing machine, thread to match fabrics, pins, 16-inch pillow form.

1. Cut the solid-color fabric into three pieces: a 17x17-inch front and two 10x17-inch back pieces. Cut the four ruffle fabrics into 2½x35-inch strips. You need nine of these.

2. Turn the 10x17-inch pieces wrong side up. Fold one of the 17-inch edges over 1/4 inch, then again 1/2 inch. Iron folds. Do this with one side of each piece. (This will be your finished edge and the opening to slip your pillow form into the sham.)

3. On each fabric strip, sew a gather stitch 1/4 inch from one long edge. Gather to be 17 inches long. Pin a gather strip onto the right side of the front piece, positioning it 5/8 inch up from the bottom. Sew, following the line of the gather stitch. Continue pinning and sewing on strips to within 3/8 inch of the top of the front piece.

4. Finish sewing the pillow sham. Lay the front piece ruffle side up and the back pieces right side down so they overlap slightly. Pin the outer edges and sew the pillow together with a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Turn right side out, iron, and stuff the pillow form into the sham. Finish by hand-stitching the opening closed.


Wall Art That Wows
In the living room, inexpensive frames around scraps of wallpaper embellish the mantel.
DIY Tip: Try fabric, wrapping paper, or even linens for another twist on this budget friendly artwork.


TV Time
To combat the cold, electronic look of her TV, the homeowner found an ornate frame that fit the room's feel. After applying molding to the back of the frame to add depth, she nestled her TV inside the frame, bringing together the entire aesthetic of the room.


Bowled Over
This papier-mache bowl cost pennies to create and provides the perfect catchall for living room stuff. Under the bowl, a piece of scrap wallpaper lines a simple retail tray.

Make It: Papier Mache Bowl

1. Cut or tear strips of magazine, newspaper, wallpaper, etc. Old blueprints were used here.

2. Make papier mache mixture: Stir together 1 part white glue with 1 part water.

3. Coat paper strips in the glue mixture and form over a bowl covered in plastic wrap. Apply two to four layers of paper. Let dry.

4. Remove plastic wrap and bowl. Use fine grit sandpaper to smooth the edges for a finished look.


The homeowner replaced dated, '80s era green marble around the fireplace with an affordable glass mosaic tile from modwalls.com. The green marble found a new home as a walkway in her garden.

DIY Tip: A downed sycamore in the homeowner's neighborhood became fireplace art. Corral cut logs with colorful fabric strips and you have an instant art piece.


Too Cute Kitchen
The homeowner stapled fabric scraps to canvas stretchers from the crafts store to fashion wall art. To protect her plaster walls, she used 3M Command mounting strips to hang each piece. Below the art display is the dining room table she and her mom repainted. A close look reveals lingering bits of blue paint. Fabric scraps make colorful coasters or an abstract table runner (see next slide for how to make your own).


Make a Rag Rug Doily
A basic coiling technique is all it takes to turn skinny strips of fabric into a striking take on a doily.

1. Cut or tear scrap fabric into thin strips. Roll them up bandana-style and coil into tight circles. Pin, then loosely stitch the coils together.
2. Customize! One circle works as a coaster. A few stitched together make a sweet centerpiece.



You'd never guess this handsome buffet was once a baby's changing table. The homeowner whipped out her old standby  a can of matte black spray paint and updated its icky yellow color to something much more mod. Replacing the hardware completed the look. The purple-tone art above is a wallpaper sample wrapped around scrap board. A blooming bouquet of paper flowers creates dinner party ambiance and never wilts .




Be Our Guest
The homeowner uses leftover and remnant wallpaper to add fresh personality and seasonality to her guest bedroom. She cuts three equal size lengths of wallpaper, then simply hands them from bulldog clips. The bedside chair has been recycled countless times with spray paint and fabric scraps.

DIY Easy Handmade Christmas Stockings 2013 Ideas from HGTV

No mantel? No sewing skills? No problem! These unique handmade Christmas stockings will inspire you to think outside the sock.


Instead of a traditional Christmas stocking, try making these fun, vintage grain sack inspired "stocking sacks" from Marian Parsons. With draw strings and custom painting, these sacks are cute and functional. Use them in lieu of stockings, as a stand-in for wrapping paper or as a personalized hostess or teacher gift.


These burlap coffee sack stockings have an effortless, vintage vibe. Sprigs of greenery peeking out of the top feel fresh and also hide the treasures inside from prying eyes.


Don't toss that old sweater. Instead, repurpose it as custom stockings for the entire family. This project requires no sewing machine or knitting needles and can easily be completed in an afternoon. (That's our Christmas gift to you!)


Give your holiday mantel a high-fashion makeover with custom leather Christmas stockings. Wouldn't these tanned beauties be so appropriate for a rustic industrial holiday?


Rate My Space user QuincyRN had the clever idea to repurpose cowboy boots as stockings for a dose of Southwestern charm.


These handmade plywood stockings from blogger Erin Loechner reflect a Scandinavian aesthetic and the wood subtly warms up the white mantel. Best of all? They're magnetic, so they can be removed and filled with ease.


Give your holiday decorations a playful twist by swapping out traditional Christmas stockings for metal pails painted with fun, bright colors. Who said stockings had to be made of fabric anyway?