FAME AT LAST - CRAFTS BEAUTIFUL ARTICLE

I got my issue of Crafts Beautiful magazine this morning (Sept. issue) and it's got my Ask The Expert article in!




It's on page 94, just in case you needed to know that, lol.

There's also a nice little feature on my altered book ATC holder - the full instructions on how to make it are here in a little Slide gallery, or if you prefer your instructions static, they are on my website.


Fame at last, hey?








And another piece of exciting news: my stamp design for BladeRubber Stamps has been chosen for the cover freebie for Craft Stamper's November issue!

It just doesn't get better than this!

BREE'S TUTORIALS

Bree has made two brilliant little video tutorials, which I just had to share with you!

Copyright Bree at Bree's Corner of the World

The first one is on making gift tags - these are the nicest I've seen anywhere!

Not only do they look great, but they only need scraps of paper (those last little bits you couldn't bear to throw away) and there's a nifty bit of recycling, too. Plus an opportunity to use your Cuttlebugs etc!

Here are Bree's measurements for the tags:

• Plastic 4-1/2" long and 2 -3/4" wide
• Matting paper 4" long and 2 -1/4" wide
• Folded paper 7 -1/2" long and 2" wide
• Insert paper 3-1/2" long and 1-3/4" wide

This Word Book would adapt to any word you wish to make.

Bree prints the letters off on her computer - but the easy way would be to use a chipboard letter to trace around, or a die cut (I'm lazy). And she shows the best method for covering the letters - instead of cutting round the letters, she FILES them!

Do check out her blog for more great ideas!

NEW STAMPS, 6 CARDS, 2 PROJECTS

Thank Heavens tag trio. Copyright Susie Jefferson.

I got my sample cards back from Craft Stamper (Blade Rubber commissioned me to do the stamps for the reader offer).

So I thought you might like to see what I did with just these two plates.

These two are with the 50s Alphabet & poodle plate.

Copyright Susie Jefferson











And these are with the Thank Heavens plate - very scrapbookish.

I couldn't decide whether the card was better with or without the baby photostrip (a black&white transparency, mounted over the cream card so it looks sepia). Here are both versions:


Sunday Best. Copyright Susie Jefferson











The cartouche was tinted directly with an ink pad, and the images were hand tinted.The gold edging borders are peeloffs!

And another scrapbook-style image (aren't I adorable?) using the Caught in Crystal technique.

Thank Heavens for Very Little Girls. Copyright Susie Jefferson









Here's how I made this one:

• Here I used pearlised pink card, stamping the Thank Heavens cartouche over and over again (with black Brilliance ink) to create a background.
  
• I used the Caught in Crystal technique for the baby (printed onto acetate on an inkjet printer) using Brilliance and Distress inks on the tissue, then holographic glitter. This was mounted to more pearlised pink card with pop dots (to allow for the crushed tissue papers) then layered to navy blue, and old fashioned gold photo corners.
  
• The paper flowers were glued with Art Glitter System clear glue (using their fine nozzle) and I added diamante stones in the centres.
  
• Finally, I stamped So Pretty on the same pearlised pink card, using in black ink, and embossing with clear powder. It was trimmed down and layered to navy blue to match with the main image - then mounted on pink polka dot ribbon.
  
• The cartouche was also stamped on pearlised pink card in black ink, embossed in clear then cut out and mounted on top of the flowers, using pop dots for dimension.

Using the Thank Heavens plate again, but with more of a vintage feel...

So Pretty Copyright Susie Jefferson

Torn edges, lots of pretty flowers for a pretty lady! Note the brads and the photo corner...










Thank Heavens tag trio. Copyright Susie Jefferson

Here's how I made this:

• I used 3 connected tags to make a little concertina booklet (you're seeing it flat now, as it was scanned). Again, I have stamped randomly with the Thank Heavens cartouche (on backs of tags as well) in dark blue, then scuffed the ink pad round all edges (folding the tags back on themselves).
  
• Torn dictionary text was glued randomly and the images stamped on cream card using black ink and embossing with clear powder. These were then hand coloured, trimmed down and ink applied to the edges of the card to emphasise them.
• The cartouche was also stamped and embossed, then tinted directly with an ink pad (Versacolour's Opera Pink, which I think is a fabulous colour). I cut this out (minus the scrolls) and mounted it with pop dots over one of the random stampings - you can just see the dimension this gives.
  
• To finish, I added more paper flowers and diamante stones, and snippets of ribbon were threaded through the tag holes, fastened with ordinary staples.

Hope you like these!

MUSIC WIDGETS SLOW YOUR BLOG DOWN

Copyright-free image from Art-e-Zine

Music – on your blog. A controversial subject…

So many people like to have music widgets on their blogs – but be careful!
These are one of the worst offenders when it comes to slowing down the loading time of your blog – which means you may well lose your more impatient readers.
In fact, PlayList has copyright issues, so will hang up a visitor’s screen (and block them from going anywhere else, or even deleting your blog) for 5 whole minutes – or more! I know this for a fact, as it keeps saying I (being from the UK) cannot view or play their (US) content. Can you imagine how frustrating this is?
HOW TO SET PLAYLIST
Sneaky Momma has a great post on this (so I won't repeat the same info) showing exactly how to set your PlayList player to only play when people click on it – so no more hung screens, and no more getting blasted with music when you aren’t expecting it (when looking at blogs in the middle of the night because you can’t sleep etc).
I’m trying out Mixpod on my Blogger blogs, and it also has a setting so that the music will only play when you WANT to hear it.
HOW TO SET MIXPOD PLAYLISTS
1. CREATE
Go to MixPod > Create New Playlist > Select Music Playlist Skins (big selection, from cute to geeky)
Click Create A Playlist and choose your music (use the + button to add the music)
2. CUSTOMISE
Click Customise – you’ll see two tabs, one is Colour (so you can customise the colour of your playlist skin) and the other one is the important one: Settings

In Settings, you’ll see 4 choices

Autoplay – click NO and the player will only play if people tell it to. This is the magic bit that speeds your blog right up, and stops hanging screens etc.
Shuffle – Again, a simple Yes or No choice. I like Shuffle myself. Or No makes the playlist play in the order you chose.
Loop – Yes or No – so do you want it to play continuously, or just play your list one time and stop.
Privacy – you can choose to keep your list private, so only people looking at your blog will see it – or you can make the list public so everyone on MixPod can see it too, and download it if they think your choices are mega-cool.
3. SAVE PLAYLIST
Give your playlist a name, and click on up to 3 boxes to categorise it (Latin, Soundtracks, Dance etc etc) and also tag it if you wish (moody music, breakup etc etc)
4. SAVE
Click the green Get The Code Button. This takes you to a page where you select your format (Facebook, Bebo etc) and you’ll see the embed code in the box (or you can choose to Post To Another Site, ie: straight to your blog etc, which is the one to choose for WordPress).
If choosing the embed code (you’ll create your own html box to put it in) you need to right-click and select Save All – this saves scrolling! Then paste the code into the box (HTML/JavaCode box on Blogger).

You’re done!

So be nice folks, and set your playlists NOT to play unless people want to listen to them.

GREAT LINKS FOR CRAFTERS & D.I.Y-ers

Copyright-free image from Tack-o-Rama

Hi gang
I just wanted to mention a couple of great links I found, for all of you who like to tackle a little D.I.Y.
First is Lara Berch, who has a blog and a website - and great how-to pix for tons of projects from beds, sideboards and wall art... right through to collage!
Then there's Nancy at La Chambre Rose, whose tutorials include everything from prettyifying and converting armoires into home offices, through to making your own decorations (stars etc). You'll need to scroll down or look in her tag cloud (right-hand sidebar). There's also good computer advice too.
How about Ashley at Make It and Love It? This one has tutorials for fabric-covered light switches, hooded baby towels, hair clips etc.
Finally, Becca at Blue Cricket Design, who shows how to cut down a man's shirt to make the lovelist dress for a little girl, plus silhouettes on cavas, just to name a few projects.
Do go and take a look - happy crafting, whatever your interest!

NEW AT BLADE RUBBER STAMPS

Magazine ad copyright
Craft Stamper
Stamp images & card samples copyright Susie Jefferson


New Blade Rubber Stamp designs!

These are my latest stamp designs for BladeRubber Stamps, and you are seeing them for the first time here!

I hadn't realised the magazine was even out yet (bought mine yesterday) and there the stamps were... I have to say I was thrilled...

CLASSES TILL CHRISTMAS

Here's the new list of classes Blade Rubber is offering - right through till Christmas! Fuller details of the classes I am teaching are here.

FAVICON TUTORIAL

I have put a tutorial on how to change that boring little icon in your address bar (the favicon) to one that suits YOUR blog.

It's on my Computery page, along with lots of other bloggy stuff like adding tag clouds, blogger buttons, making your own email buttons etc. Just look for the links in the sidebar.

ALCOHOL INK & MEMORY GLASS TUTORIAL

Those wonderful people at Ranger have just released a new video!

This one uses frosted Memory Glass - so you not only get a tutorial using frosted glass (works with slides too) but you also have a new technique for alcohol inks. It's also a resist technique.

So you get three brilliant techniques all in one quick demonstration.

Now go forth and create some little mini masterpieces!

TUTORIAL ON ETSY

So many people ask me about bookbinding, and I can physically only teach so many in person - so I am pleased to announce I have posted my first tutorial for sale on Etsy!

It's a nice easy bookbinding one, for those who haven't made a book before: it's just two holes, with a scored cover, and perfect as a little album, brag book, scrapbook, journal or sketchbook. Great to make for yourself, or to give as a present, or to make for sale.

This format is the easiest to start with, and it has a hidden binding as well (no knots showing).

I'm charging a huge $5.00 for it, as it's only 10 pages long and A4 size (a downloadable .pdf which can also be printed) with my hand-drawn step-by-step illustrations plus lots of photos.

My idea is to do lots of affordable little modules, so instead of paying a huge amount for a huge ebook-sized tutorial, you can buy just what interests you.

I finally got a decent camera, so now can really get going on the tutorials! I am really excited about this, so fingers crossed. I'll be very interested to hear your comments.


Talking of Japanese stab-bound albums, I have also put the Fairy Album and the Wedding Album onto Etsy for sale.


I'll be following up with some smaller, less expensive ones (I know these aren't cheap, but there is a lot of work in them, plus very expensive ingredients)!

FREE DOWNLOADABLE MAGAZINE!

Scrapbook & Cards Today has just launched their latest edition - and are allowing you to download the new Summer issue FREE!

This Canadian magazine in .pdf format, which means you can read it on screen, or save it to your hard drive. Aren't they wonderful! Lots of new ideas, and a very classy presentation: clean, clear and colourful.

If you go to the website you'll notice a bonus article (right sidebar) on colour theory, which you'll find very helpful.

Hope you enjoy it!