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July 8, 2010

$$Frugal Friday Tip$$


Here is Ren-Yi's contribution for the July brad/eyelet challenge & Frugal Friday tip (all in one). She said, "When I saw the theme to the next SOS challenge, I was coming up with usual way I use eyelets and brads: center of flowers, adding a few in a row to add extra bling, adding them to ribbon, etc. But I wanted to do something different. So here I was going "Think Think Think" like Pooh bear. So while crafting on a different project, which included cutting out a cloud, I had my a-hah moment. Clouds are like "thought bubbles," which require little bubbles, but little bubbles remind me of "air bubbles," which led to fishies swimming. Totally logical, right? ;) Here are a couple of fun, *planned* elements to the card:
* Embossed the kraft card stock and inked the raised parts with a stamp pad (a technique I spied off on the very talented
blog of Claire from Waltzingmouse Stamps) to create water and waves
* Used wavy ribbon to represent water waves, which also breaks the area of embossed and non-embossed card stock up well.
* Used Swiss Dots Bazzill paper since "bubbles and dots" where kind of a theme.
* Frugal Friday Tip: Use your existing sentiments to make a better & punnier one. If you recognized the font or sentiment, you are probably thinking
Papertrey Ink's Mega Mixed Messages. But if you don't recall a "Best Fishes" sentiments in the set, I say "Look otherwise!" *wink wink* "Father" and "Wishes" in "Best Wishes" are of the same font type and same font size. So yep, through masking and careful placement of the stamp, one can create a new sentiment. Tada! This does not always work, but always look for opportunities. Remember this card? I isolated the "N" from a sentiment that ends with an "N" (e.g. "Good Man" or "Have Fun") to write out "Well Done 'N Good Luck." Gotta get as much mileage out of your stamps, right?
And then there are the usual unplanned mistakes and how to "recover" hack:
* Used a Crop-A-Dile to punch out the holes and fasten the eyelets. Does anyone ever remember there is a guard? Duh. I had already glued down Mr. Fishy and the holes to punch out the air bubbles were absolutely no where near Mr. Fishy. Oops. So i had to relocate Mr. Fishy a little more to the left. Good thing when I adhere I don't push and attach everything down, until everything is placed where I want it.
* Mr. Fishy was drawn as a sketch on the scrap piece in an inked pen (my pencil was hijacked!), only he was too large. Oops. No big deal, turn the card stock around and start again ;) My Recycling 101, #1 Rule: if there is an "Oops", use the other side ;)
* So, remember the Frugal Friday tip? My third "Oops" and "I should have practiced." Sometimes concepts are just better in theory and need to be tested out first. The "F" was placed significantly lower, and it was not recoverable. Which brings me to my My Recycling, Rule #2: Cover up. So, now you can guess why there is a sentiment matted onto Swiss Dotted Bazzill paper. Shhh - don't tell anyone, it'll be our secret, yes?
* After (to my absolute relief) of kinda nailing my punny sentiment, I realized it stamped the sentiment crooked but cut out the card stock straight. Duh. Sigh. Groan. I was planning on aligning the matted sentiment parallel to the edge of the card, but it was so obviously crooked. So, if you tilt the sentiment in the direction it was crookedly stamped (in my case, i stamped it slanting upward and I tilted the whole matted sentiment upward), it's less noticeable. So you'll keep that secret, too, right?
Hope some of these hacks were helpful. Do you have other creative brad and eyelet uses? If so, bring 'em on before July 31st. A guest design spot is at stake, and let me tell you I had a ball with these ladies. Thanks SOS for a chance to play with ya'll and be a July Guest Designer."

9 comments:

  1. great tips...love your "oops"'s... It's so funny because I didn't notice any of them until you pointed them out....but I know if it was my project, I'd have the same "ooops" stories as you. Funny how we look at our own work with closer scrutiny!!

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  2. Great tips! Fun Frugal Friday tip to really stretch those stamps!

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  3. Love your tips for this week. The fish is just too cute and I love the inked embossed waves. Makes me want a cuttlebug.

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  4. Great take on the challenge - and thanks for the tips on getting more use out of stamps! You do a great job of covering your oops!

    Thanks for sharing!

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  5. The gem "bubbles" are so cute! You are way creative girl!

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  6. I love the water on this card! Isn't it nice when after all those struggles it all comes out in the end!

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  7. Joni Parker - i'm still figuring things out in the stamping world and find it a shame that i would have to start over or throw something out ;) so just chronicling my struggles and my exit strategies :)

    Belinda - thanks. i learn from the best ;)

    Emeraldvalkyrie - the cuttlebug is absolutely wonderful. i was introduced to it by a friend and could not let go of it. I have a Big Kick (same thing) just larger platform, and they seem to work across the board with other companies. Oh - another frugal tip - get a 40% off Michael's store coupon and go get it :)

    Scrap Our Stash Challenge - trying to think of other ways to use a stamp other than the intended use is always a way to break the creative boundaries. thanks for letting me play :)

    CreativeChretin - thank you for the kind words.

    Wendy K. - a finished card always ends with a breathe of relief, that's for sure. thanks for the encouragement.

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  8. Ren-Yi....I hope you didn't think I was being mean or teasing with my comment..actually quite the opposite. I was just saying that I'm glad you shared your "oops"...I think we all do it...and it's sometimes nice to hear that others do it tooo and as you described it..their "exit" strategy!! I'm so glad that you did! I love your projects...you're doing a fab job ... I'd have had no idea you were "new" to stamping. I'm so glad you are participating with us and I look foward to seeign more of your work!!

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  9. Joni Parker - oh no! not at all. i didn't read it that way. i have enjoyed all your encouraging comments and it's been fun to hear that people like my "oops" moments.

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