Digital Scrapbooking Help

Hi, I'm Jill from Women Who Do It All.  Today I have fun tutorial for anyone who likes digital scrapbooking.  If you get sick of the freebies out there and don't want to pay for more, start making your own background papers!  Here are a couple of my favorites that I've created lately.  If you like them feel free to click on them and then right click to save it to your computer. 

Ready to create your own?  Here's How (Using Photoshop):

Create a new document: 2 inches x 2 inches, 300 ppi.

Fill the square with a design.  Typically you start by choosing a color and using the paint bucket tool to add a background color.  From there you can draw in a design (which I have done and being no artist, it can still turn out!) or using the custom shape tool (which is what I did below). 

Don't have many custom shapes?  Lady Oak is a great place to download loads of free custom shapes!  I typically like to place my shapes randomly.  If you do place them in a tidy order like I did below, make sure to put them closer to the edges otherwise your finished product will end up boxy, as you'll see in the end.

Now, go into the edit menu and define a new pattern.

Now you're done with the 2x2 image, you can save it if you want, I usually don't.  Open a new image that's 12x12, also 300 ppi.

Once you have your new document open, go to "edit", "fill" and choose the new pattern  you just saved.  Voila!  You've got a 12x12 scrapbooking page.  Now we'll just add some finishing touches.

To do that, go into the texture tool and play around!  I almost always add a canvas or burlap texture to make it look like actual paper, but often I find other fun effects in there that add nice touches.  It's fun to play around with!

Once you're happy with your finished product just save it as a jpeg and you're good to go!

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I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and that you'll stop by and visit me at Women Who Do It All!  I am having a Spring Mantel Linky Party starting today and going all month so come link up your spring mantel.  Thanks to Becky for having me as a guest here at Liberate Creativity.



Giveaway Winner & Introduction of Jeanette Lim

Congrats to Fit Moms Fit Kids for winning our giveaway! I will email you for the details.


As for our details of the giveaway....


Jeanette Lim from "Big Little Felt Universe" was kind enough to offer her book to us as a giveaway! Her book has published in the United States this week. Check out her book on Amazon.com and check out her Etsy site here.

Truly....check out Jeanette's Etsy site...it's AMAZING! I've never seen felt food products so incredible! Seriously! It's worth your time to check out her products, really!!! Check it out here!

Hutch Renovation

Okay, first off.....have you entered the weekly giveaway? If not, go here, leave a comment about what you're grateful for today and then come back to read this post. The giveaway ends TODAY, so do it! Go ahead, I'll wait.


I'm addicted to garage sales. I get a rush from map questing the Saturday morning sales, diet coke in hand and finding the good deals! Last summer I came across this gem for $5.00....

Did I mention $5.00!!!!! It was love at first site! It had to be mine, and with $5.00 as the price It wasn't even fair to haggle. The seller was over the moon that someone appreciated this beauty and shared with me that it sat in his mother's kitchen throughout his entire childhood. This was meant to be mine! And so, I brought her home and named her Hazel. 

Weekly Giveaway Hint

Have you entered our giveaway yet? Check it out here!

Here's your second hint for our super secret givewaway....

I have never "felt" so hungry in my life after staring at this giveaway item!

Photo courtesy of www.voorsphotography.com

To enter, go to the Giveaway page here and post a comment of what you're most grateful for today. Don't forget the deadline is TOMORROW!!!

Ottoman Repair (The Finale)

Did you stay awake all night in the anticipation of the big reveal today? No? Well that's just rude, but I'm not sensitive, so no worries!


So, here's what I did to make my ottoman pleasing to the eye and even more functional.


Level: Intermediate
Topic: Furniture
Time to complete project: Expect 1-4 hours


I cut away the tear of the ottoman into a square.

Then, I whipped out my handy dandy staple gun and got busy stapling all of the leather to the wood trim (don't worry about perfection, just make sure the staples aren't sticking up)

Happy Birthday Wilsonator!

My Wilson turns 1 today! Oh that little boy makes my heart literally swell. I feel privileged to be his mommy. For this reason, let's do a GIVEAWAY! Of course, you have to scroll through my photos to show off my beautiful miracle before I tell you more! 

 Photograph courtesy of Bob Voors Photography

Seriously??!! I recognize mommies are completely unbiased when it comes to their kids, but look at this baby! He cannot stop smiling! I have truly been blessed with both of my boys.
Okay, Becky, pull it together - now for the things that everyone else cares about....
What are we giving away???!!! Wouldn't you like to know! We're going to do what we like to say in our a family, a "super secret fun adventure!"


All you have to do is comment at this post and let me know what you're thankful for today. Easy-peasy, right?! Exactly! Entries will be accepted until Friday, March 4th. I will give a few hints throughout the week as to the giveaway. Secrets are sort of fun, right?!


-Becky


First Hint.....

Ottoman Repair (Part 1)

This is my leather chair and ottoman. Not really that comfy, but it gets the job done. Initially I bought the chair thinking it was a recliner; however I quickly realized it was not (I'm pretty quick, I know!). At any rate the matching ottoman joined our family later that year and it's been a nice addition to our family.

How to Make an Earring Display Card

Julianne, from Made By Jewls has stopped by to offer a great and easy tutorial on how to make cardstock diplay cases for earrings (or any jewelry for that matter!). What a great way to make a gift more personlized or begin selling your pieces! Also, be sure to check out Juilianne's Etsy shop here

Level: Beginner

Time: Less than an hour

Topic: Accessories

Hello, I'm Julianne from Made By Jewls! I've had a lot of people ask me how I make my earring cards and so I've decided to do a tutorial. It's really easy. Here's what you need to get started...

a rubber stamp with your logo on it. (I did my design in Illustrator and then had it made into a stamp at http://www.rubberstamps.net/. There are other companies that make stamps like vistaprint and make sure to check out your local companies because you may get a better deal)

an ink pad. I used black, but you can use whatever color you want

scissors, a paper punch (this will make your cards the shape and size you want), and cardstock (I used an oatmeal color but you can use any color you want or even patterned paper!)

Okay, now I'm going to show you how to make your cards.

Place your stamp on the ink pad

 

Then press the stamp on your paper and repeat the process until your paper is full. Make sure you leave about a 1/4 inch space between each one so it'll be easier to cut them out.

  

Now you're going to cut them out with your paper punch. I turned my punch upside down when I was cutting them so I could see what I was doing.

 

Continue using your punch to cut the rest of your cards out of the paper.

 

Use your scissors to cut away some of the left over paper on the outside so you can get to the ones in the middle of the page.

 

Once they're all cut out, you just need to poke holes in them (if you're using them for earrings) and then you're done! Enjoy you're new cards, I bet they look awesome!

 

You don't have to make your cards look like mine, get creative and make them your own! Of course you can use a circle if you want, but you could also use a rectangle, square, heart, etc.

I've seen some really creative cards out there...

like this one from Allora Handmade

 or these by Emily Sparks

Let me know if you have any questions, would like me to whip up a logo/stamp design for you in Illustrator, or even to show me the cards you made! I really would LOVE to see what you come up with! Have fun!

And the Winner Is....

Congrats to Cheryl G. - you are the winner of this awesome book by Jenny Wilding Cardon at The Wild Cards   - I will email the winner for a mailing address. Be sure to check us out daily for our posts and more giveaways coming up!


-Becky

Broken Ghost Couture Q&A

Please welcom, Jana from  Broken Ghost Couture
We're pleased to have her with us to offer some wonderful answers to the creativity inspired within!

Q: Tell us a bit about yourself.

A: I live in Calgary, Canada and am a wife and mother of 2 teenage boys. I have been designing clothing for about 4 years and am self taught. I have done quite a bit of sewing in my life, but designing pieces without working with a pattern is something I have learned to do in more recent years.

The Inaguration Cardigan

Wanna see some talent? Get ready to be awed by our guest bloggers today! Shwin & Shwin have had me addicted to their site since I first laid eyes! I would marry their talent if I could and their sweetness is divine! Cross our fingers that they'll come back to visit us more than once because one time is certainly not enough!
Check it out!

Level: Intermediate
Topic: Sewing, Clothing, Children
Tiime to complete project: Expect 1-4 hours


We are so excited to do our first post of Liberate Creativity! In honor of Presidents Day we thought it would be fit to share our Inauguration Cardi with you! The perfect little cardigan for any age, that adds a little sophistication to any outfit.
Want to make on too? Great let's get started! First with the pattern:



Bandana Apron

Steph from Somewhat Simple has been kind enough to offer a super funky and fun tutorial to make an unforgettable apron! I adore the idea of making simple aprons to match my outfit! LOVES! Make sure to check her entire site out at www.somewhatsimple.com (after you read this tutorial of course!). Happy weekend to all!

Level: Beginner

Topic: Clothing, Accessories, Sewing

Time to complete project: Expect 1 hour or less

I saw this idea on Martha Stewart. 

Not only is this the easiest thing you will ever make, it is super cute and will come in handy!

There are a ton of cute aprons out there (it seems like a new trend or something!) and I have made some and love them, but I wanted something a bit different than the full-body ones I have hanging in my pantry- something I could wear while entertaining that wouldn't cover up the outfit I chose very carefully to wear to the party. After all, what's the point in looking cute at a party if you have an apron covering your clothes, right? Enter "half-apron" and better yet, make it coordinating and matching to my party outfit and suddenly it all seems perfect!

Items Needed:

Bandanna- standard size is about 22 inches square

Ribbon- enough to fit around your waist and tie a bow from behind. Make sure you burn the edges of your ribbon to keep them from fraying.

Straight pins- unless you are better than me and can sew a straight line without using them.

Directions:

Step 1: Measure to find the center of your ribbon and place it on the center of your bandanna. If your bandanna has any words on it, like "Made in China", you might choose to cover those up with your ribbon.  Pin your ribbon to secure, then continue pinning along the length of the bandanna in the center of your ribbon.

Step 2: Sew both the top and bottom of your ribbon in a straight line. If you have a cute color thread, you might want to pick a cute stitch and do this along the ribbon for added detail. My thread was clear, so I just kept it straight since you wont be able to see it anyway.

Step 3: Oh wait, youre done! There is no step 3!!! Maybe step 3 will be "Throw a Dinner Party!" and use your new apron!

I love the idea of making these for each holiday too- bandannas come in every color, so you could make a black one with orange ribbon for Halloween, a brown one for Thanksgiving, a red and green for Christmas... seriously, do you need me to name all the holidays and their coordinating colors? Quit reading and start creating!!!

Stephanie Dulgarian

somewhatsimple.com

Giveaway from Jenny at The Wild Cards

I'm completely stoked! Jenny from The Wild Cards has offered a giveaway to our Liberate Creativity readers! Hot Off the Press, her book, ReSew: Turn Thrift-Store Finds into Fabulous Designs  is a trendy funky book that is now available for sale on Amazon.com. Because Jenny loves you all so much, she's giving away a copy! What a great way to get inspired.  Check out the video (below), and check out The Wild Cards  site and then (of course), enter this fun giveaway!

How to enter to win ReSew: Turn Thrift-Store Finds into Fabulous Designs by Jenny Wilding Cardon

1. Visit The Wild Cards site, and "Follow" them
2. "Follow" Liberate Creativity
3. Comment below and share with us something you have at home that you would love to repurpose, even if you don't know what the creation is  to become! (Include your email address so I can contact the winner).

(The rest is optional and just gives you extra entries!)
-Earn an extra entry if you Tweet about this giveaway (Click Tweet link below this post)
-Earn an extra entry if you "Like" us on Facebook here

Giveaway ends at midnight on Monday, February 21st. Winner will be chosen at random. Will ship to U.S. residents and Canada.

Making Girl Slips

• Level: Intermediate (you need to be able to sew a zigzag stitch and backstitch)
• Topic: Children, Clothing
• Time to complete project: Expect 1 hour or less!

i there, creative folks!  My name is Chris, and I write a blog called Pickup Some Creativity.  I have many sewing and crafty tutorials, free templates/patterns, and fun ideas to help spark your own creativity.  I also host a monthly series called Sewing 101 to encourage new sewists to jump in and try something that brings me a lot of joy.  I love the crafty blogging community, and appreciate all the fun things I have learned from so many others.
Today I am sharing a simple project that was important to me as a mom of two girls.  I cannot find slips for my girls anywhere!  I want them to be modest and for their dresses not to stick to their tights.  The other day, I found a ladies' slip at Goodwill, and I had a "lightbulb moment".  The result is this tutorial.

Shower Curtain Becomes Kitchen Curtain

So, my kitchen curtains looked ridiculously drab....

Okay, maybe not that bad....but still!

I came across some amazing pieces at TJ Maxx and FELL IN LOVE!!!!! MAJOR LOVE!

Do you have a TJ Maxx in your area…uh…go there, now. Go ahead, I’ll wait..... 

The thing about this store is that you have to have patience, and NO CHILDREN with you…did you hear me, NO CHILDREN! No joke, with my husband in the car with the kids it took me TEN MINUTES to come upon these gems…..10 MINUTES!!!! If you don’t have kids then just keep reading this tutorial….if you do, bask in the gloriousness with me….I FOUND THESE GEMS IN 10 MINUTES!!!!

Okay, at any rate, so here’s what I found…..a black & white shower curtain and a lime green curtain panel.  I have recently been inspired to change up the look in my kitchen. I’m not a country-esk type of gal, but my kitchen says otherwise…did you see the fake photo above....exactly!.

So I decided buying a shower curtain (72x72”) and a 1 panel curatain would do the trick!