"Tie-Dyed" Eggs (Literally)

Ok I know that Easter is long gone. But, when you're blog hopping you sometimes find cool stuff after the fact. And you mean to remember it for next year, but then you never do. Or if you are like me you remember it but then can't find it. Aka... I'm still trying in vein to locate a layout I saw about being an internet junkie. The person's hands were tied together with the cord of a computer mouse and there was a thought bubble coming out of the person's head with internet jargon. If you know the layout I'm talking about or even something similar let me know. If it's the one I'm looking for I'll send you a RAK. But I digress.

So I started blog hopping and ended up at Our Best Bites (see previous post) and there I found these truly unique colored eggs. They were colored by wrapping eggs in men's silk ties. Aren't they just the cat's pajamas! So very beautiful! And truly unique! Click here for the link to Our Best Bites where full instructions are posted as well as a downloadable pdf.

Quilled Snowflake

A year or two ago a took a quilling class at my LSS. My first impression of all things quilled (Keep in mind that this was based on all those super cute quilled embellishments that were showing up in the scrapbook stores left and right at the time.) was that it was really hard and complicated to do. Well at my first and "only" quilling class I discovered that quilling is actually really, really easy. All you basically do is roll a little strip of paper into a circle and then glue the end of it. Easy peasy right. Not so much for me. You have to have good hand eye coordination. And ummm... actually be able to see what you are doing. And lastly you need to have patience. I tried it. I didn't have the patience for it. So I am really impressed when people create things like this.

I showed it to my dd. She took the quilling class with me. And she liked it! She has the patience for this and for all things teenie, tiny. She actually collects little bits of this and that that she finds. So it is right up her alley. I'm hoping this picture will inspire her to make me one. And if she is willing to give it a go, I might - I just might try to make my own. Anyway if you want to try your hand at making one of these, here's the blog I found the tutorial on.

Fiskars Threading Water Tutorial

I am always on the lookout for cool new ideas, tutorials and inspiring ideas. And with so many scrapbookers having blogs these days the ideas and inspiration is endless. Unfortunately, I'll often see some really great idea or tutorial and then forget where I found it. Most often when I am blog hopping. I'll start at blog "A" which then links me to blog "B" and then before you know it 30 mins have past and I have no idea how I ended up where I am. And that is the case today. I was blog hopping and found this great tutorial by Virginia on how to round corners with the Fiskars Threading Water punch. Look at her perfect scallop square above. You can read her tutorial here. She does a great job explain how to get nice looking scallop corners. I love that scrapbookers are always willing to share their tips and tricks.

Make an Embossing Buddy

Did you know you can make your own anti-static embossing buddy pouch for basically FREE! Yep, you read that right! Well you can! All you need is a scrap of thin fabric and a tablespoon or so of cornstarch or cornstarch based baby powder.

Embossing Buddy Pouch Directions...
#1) Cut a small rectangle of thin fabric. Mine was like 6 x 3.
#2) Fold the fabric in half to make a square and sew up two of the sides. Basically you are making a square pouch.
#3) Now turn it right side out.
#4 Optional - but you know that you want to because you are just sooo darn creative. Besides it add a fun personnal touch! Stamp or doodle a design on your pouch. Or maybe your name (wink).
#5) Fill with a tablespoon of corn starch.
#6) Stitch the open end closed.
#7) That's it. You are done. And it took you all of what 5 minutes! Okay maybe not. It took me that long just to decide what I wanted on the outside of mine. But still you get the idea.

How to use it it.... Rub your embossing buddy on paper before you heat emboss and it will keep the embossing powder from sticking where it shouldn’t. Yep! You read that right.

It also works good when you are printing on vellum. (It helps to keep the ink from smearing - not like I've ever done that or anything.) Just don't go crazy with it on vellum/paper you are running for your printer because I imagine too much of it might be bad for your printer and clog the print heads or something.

I've also heard, that used drier sheets can be used to help with the static cling when embossing, but I haven't tried that yet as I don't use dry sheets w/ my laundry. But if you do, you may want to give them a try.