What I learned in Summer School is... Click image to enlarge It's been a long, hot summer filled with great projects in our Summer School. Guests and Design Team members shared techniques and ideas that were inspiring, so how will you utilize the ideas in your crafting? We've asked several of the design team members to share with us today a project inspired by one of the previous summer school lessons - here's what they've created. Difficulty rating
Instructions (Print version) Designer: Kelly Purkey
project inspired by: Susan Weinorth - Fabric Scraps on Your Layout (http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/projects/t_fabriclayoutscrap.aspx) As soon as I saw Susan's bright, colorful layout I wanted to scraplift it! Her idea of using your favorite fabric scraps on a layout was so much fun and a great way to use up those little pieces of fabric I can't bear to throw away. I love how she stitched right over top of the fabric to create grids using white thread. I wanted to try it on my own page but include more photos of my amazing friends. I took the idea of a grid design and incorporated a large photo and some smaller ones as well.
Like Susan, I used a clear acrylic ruler and Fiskars Rotary Trimmer to cut small pieces of fabric for the page. I set all the pieces plus the photos down onto the background of the layout, getting things into place. After adhering down the fabric with just a little bit of glue, I stitched through them with my sewing machine. I also added my own touch by including some hearts punched with Fiskars That's Amore M squeeze punch. Two scallop circles punched with Fiskars Seal of Approval XL were perfect for the title block. I love the look of the unfinished edges of the fabric with the straight lines of the grid. Thanks for the awesome inspiration as always, Susan!
Designer: Kendra McCracken
Inspired by: May Flaum http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/projects/t_rubonhoop.aspx and Lisa Damrosch http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/projects/t_lisadamrosch.aspx
I can't believe Fiskars Summer School is over! But I'm happy to say I learned a few things from the projects that were shared by others. My assignment for this last class was to show a project using a technique I learned from one of the other classes. I couldn't narrow it down to just one so I've created an altered canvas which was inspired by Lisa Damrosch's paper weaving layout and May Flaum's fabric + rub ons.
Using the Leave it to Weaver Border Punch, I gleaned inspiration from Lisa's paper-woven layout. I cut and punched 8 strips (2 each of 4 patterns) of patterned paper 3/4" wide by 8" high. Instead of weaving paper through my strips as Lisa did, I wove 1/2" strips of fabric. I then stitched the strips together using a zig-zag stitch on my sewing machine, making sure to somewhat line up the squares in each strip. Not something I stressed over but I made sure they were pretty close.
To create the checkerboard pattern, once I had all the strips sewn together, I used my Rotary Desktop Trimmer to cut between each row of squares and arranged the strips so my square was now checkerboard pattern instead of long strips and stitched them together with a zig-zag stitch.
To complete the canvas, I stitched all my elements from the previous steps to a piece of background paper and added details including flower stems made from scraps of fabric, leaves punched using the Medium Mint Condition Squeeze Punch, and borders around the checkerboard pattern using the Effervescence Border Punch. The final step was to adhere the entire piece to a canvas using Mod Podge (any strong liquid adhesive will work) and attach a framed quotation printed on old book paper using brads.
Take a look back through the projects from Fiskars Summer School and create something by putting your own twist on a technique or two!
http://susanweinroth.typepad.com
Inspired by: Caroline Ikeji http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/projects/t_cutie0809.aspx
I loved the way that Caroline used hand embroidery to embellish shapes punched from a variety of different Fiskars squeeze punches. The texture and detail that the embroidery floss added in her project was stunning to me! And so, I decided to take her cute little concept, and adapt it to fit my own style, and ended up creating cute custom accents perfect for a card.
To start, I created my embroidered accents by punching an XL and L scallop circle shape from cardstock. Layer and adhere, then punch a M round n round circle shape and adhere to the center of your “flower”. Use your pencil to mark a spot in the middle and then “radius” points around the inside edge of the circle punch. Use a paper piercer to pre-pierce holes. Thread a large eye needle with embroidery floss and then create your stitching, securing behind flower with a small piece of tape. Fold and score card – adhere patterned paper to top and cardstock to bottom and striped paper to middle. Corner round the top right corner of card. Stamp greeting using Fiskars stamp and stamp block onto strip of cardstock, embellish with rhinestones and then adhere to card bottom with foam strips. Adhere embroidered flower embellishments to side of card using foam adhesive.
For this final Summer School assignment I chose Stacey Kingman to be my inspiration. In my opinion she is the epitome of a great card designer and has oodles of great tips and ideas that inspire me again and again. In Stacey’s class she mentioned a key point that stuck with me – start with a basic card design and let your tools do the work to add detail and texture. She’s absolutely right! Too often, I struggle with my everyday cards because I’m trying to “reinvent the wheel”. But creating a fresh card design for every greeting card I need, can at times be frustrating and time consuming as well. So I took her advice when I put together these three cards. I created a basic grid design that included 4 accents at each corner and the sentiment placed in the center. From there, I applied it in slightly different ways for each card and used my tools to add detail and design.
The first card - “YOU ROCK!” - is a super simple 5 minute card that can be put together in a snap. I just used my trimmer to cut the 2” squares and the 4.5” and 5” background squares. Then I used the Extra Large Twinkle Twinkle Squeeze Punch on paper that contrasted with the background and used the Medium Round ‘n Round Squeeze Punch on cardstock with the printed sentiment. Adhere the pieces and you’re done!
For the second card – “Thank YOU!” - I moved away from the grid design but placed my accents in the same arrangement with the sentiment in the center of a Seal of Approval scalloped circle and 4 floral accents at each corner. But with this card, I followed Stacey’s tip about layering, layering, layering! I layered multiple circles with the Round ‘n Round Squeeze Punches and the Circle Pop Up Punch to create the posies as well as layering the Medium and Large Mint Condition leaves. And I added a bit more detail by including the Scalloped Sentiment Border Punch strip on the left.
With the third card – “merci” – again I used the same basic design on a 5”W x 7”H card with the corners rounded using the ½” Round the Bend Squeeze Punch. Before punching the circles for this card with the Extra Large Round ‘n Round Squeeze Punch, I textured the pattern paper with the Netting Texture Plate and the Stylus. I arranged my circles on the card front and layered the Large and Extra Large Oopsie Daisy Squeeze Punch shapes. For the flower centers I punched 2 Pop Up Punch circles from teal and black. I adhered the teal first and then added the black which I had Hand Punched (1/16” and 1/8”) small circles on one side. I stamped my sentiment with Heidi Grace Designs’ Thank You “merci” stamp then used the Medium Round ‘n Round Squeeze Punch and adhered it to the center circle. I also added more detail to this card by layering my border accent with a combination of the Scalloped Blade of my Desktop Rotary Trimmer and the Apron Lace Border Punch. What I walked away with from with Stacey’s Summer School card class is that I don’t need to work so hard to create great cards! You’d think I’d know that but it seems I sometimes forget this concept…lol! And with the variety of tools Fiskars offers I can add tons of detail and texture to basic designs that will make each one of my projects unique and fresh. So thank you, Stacey!!!
Designer: Katrina Simeck
In the spirit of living “greener,” I’m always looking for ways to use every little bit of my crafting supplies…looking for way to recycle bits & pieces. Susan’s summer school project on using fabric scraps was the perfect inspiration for using up little pieces of leftover fabrics! I created these two simple cards using cardstock, paper scraps, fabric scraps, and (of course!) Fiskars tools. They’re a thrifty alternative to purchasing cards, and are so easy to put together.
The “for you” card features a denim pocket…the perfect size for slipping in a gift card. To make this card, I trimmed a piece of cardstock using my 12in Portable Timmer, then rounded the top corners with Fiskars Round the Bend corner punch. To ensure that I cut a square pocket, I used a Square template & chalk to trace on the wrong side of the fabric. I sewed the pocket onto cardstock using the zig-zag setting on my machine. I then added a cardstock heart (punched with Fiskars Funky Love squeeze punch) with foam adhesive. Adhere the pocket piece to a cardstock base, add letter stickers, a fun brad…and you’re done!
A simple notecard is super-cute dressed up with a fabric ruffle. First, I punched one edge of a piece of cardstock using Fiskars Threading Water border punch. I trimmed a piece of fabric with Fiskars Pinking shears (to help prevent fraying), ensuring that the piece was longer than my cardstock. As I sewed the fabric to the cardstock, I carefully “bunched” the fabric to create a ruffle. In keeping with the scallop/ruffle theme, I punched a scalloped circle using Fiskars Seal of Approval squeeze punch, and added a rub-on sentiment. Add to a cardstock base, and you’re ready to brighten someone’s day! Thanks for the inspiration Susan!
You can view all of the previous summer school projects here: http://fiskarscrafts.com/projects/c_summerschool.aspx |
