Using Circles to Create a Filmstrip and Dimensional Flower - Scrapbooking with Punches and Die-Cuts Lesson 1

Lesson 1: Using Circles to Create a Filmstrip and Dimensional Flower

Supplies:
Alphabet stickers (for title)
Chipboard button and ribbon/twine (or something else to use for a flower center)
Circles punches: 1”, 1.5”, 2.75” (use similar sized punches or use circle templates
Crop-A-Dile which has a 3/16” punch OR standard size hole punch - 0.25”
Filmstrip templates (provided for this class)
Glue stick (recommended) or other adhesive
Hot glue gun (or very strong glue)
Journaling pen
Patterned paper
Pen or pencil
Printer (If you don’t have one, I’ll show you how to create a filmstrip without a printer.)
Ribbon, trim or twine
Scrap paper
Solid card stock in carious colors

If not using filmstrip template (ie: no printer), you will need black cardstock, white
card stock and a standard sized hole punch (see “alternative filmstrip” tutorial)

Doily (optional)
Foam dots/squares (optional)
Journaling sticker (optional)
Heating tool (optional)
Mist (optional)
Vellum (optional)

You can also view this tutorial on YouTube HERE!

Step One: Print out the filmstrip template on 8.5” x 11” white card stock. If NOT using template (you don’t have a printer), refer to the “Alternative Filmstrip” tutorial. Cut out both filmstrips. If needed, cut your photos down to size so that they fit inside the filmstrip. (There will be slight measurement variations depending on your printer so measure the height of the white strip to determine the measurement for your photo’s height to be able to fit inside the filmstrip.) You can leave the filmstrip holes alone or punch them out with either a standard sized hole punch or a Crop-A-Dile. Use the proper filmstrip template that corresponds to the hole punch you are using.
To put together a continuous filmstrip measuring 12” across, you will glue the two pieces so that they overlap in the middle. Add glue to the areas of the two filmstrip pieces that overlap to create a long filmstrip piece. Make sure the holes match up when they overlap. Also, the filmstrip should be slightly longer than 12” (if you’ve punched holes in your filmstrip). You will cut off the excess later. Glue your photos to the strip. Set aside your filmstrip.

Step Two: This step is optional if using a doily. You could also cut out the large circle on one of the templates provided in substitution. Mist your doily with yellow mist (or any mist that coordinates with your layout). Allow to dry or use a heating tool to dry the doily. Once dry, cut it down the middle.

Step Three: To create the dimensional flower, use the 2.75” punch to punch a circle from scrap cardstock. Take a 1.5” punch and punch out six circles from patterned or solid cardstock for use as flower petals. Take a 1.5” circle and place the pen/pencil in the middle. Fold the ends upward so that the circle folds into a taco. This will create a dip in the middle of your circle. Next, position your pen so that it runs perpendicular to the middle fold you just made. Curl the edge of the circle over the pen/pencil and curl the edge under. These steps will add texture to your flower petals. Do this for all six 1.5” circles.

Step Four: Add glue to the middle of the 2.75” circle. Take the 1.5” circles and glue them on the outside edges of the large circle. Make sure the curled edges are positioned outward before gluing them down onto the large circle. Glue the 1.5” all around the large 2.75” circle so that it looks like flower petals. Flip the flower over to assist your in repositioning the petals evenly. Use firm pressure with your fingers to slide the petals so that they are evenly spaced around the large circle. Once you’re happy with the placement of the petals. Press down firmly on the middle of the flower. Set aside.

Step Five: Punch a 1.5” circle from scrap paper. Punch out six 1” circles to use as petals. Add glue to the middle of the 1.5” circle. Add texture to the 1” flower petals with a pen/pencil as explained in Step Four. Glue the flower petals to the 1.5” circle. Re-position petals if needed.

Step Six: Glue the smaller flower to the larger flower you created in Step Four. For added dimension, use adhesive foam. Press firmly around the flower so that all layers are secure. Add a flower center to your dimensional flower. I used a chipboard button and tied a ribbon in the middle of it to create one. If you do not have a pre-made chipboard button, follow instructions below.
To create a faux button/flower center: Punch a 1” circle from some coordinating card stock. Punch two smaller holes in the center with either a standard sized hole punch or a Crop-A-Dile. Tie some twine or ribbon through the holes. Add to the center of the flower you just created.

Step Seven: Position the doily pieces as shown in the sketch. Glue them down. Glue down the filmstrip and your photos and trim the overhanging edge if you have one. Glue on the dimensional flower to the top left hand corner of the layout.

All Aboard by Maureen Esquillo-Kao Supplies Cardstock: Recollections; Patterned Paper: Cosmo Cricket; Alphabet Stickers: American Crafts, Jenni Bowlin; Journaling Sticker: Jenni Bowlin; Mist: Maya Road; Circle Punches: EK Success, Fiskars; Other: Chipboard button, ribbon, doily, bingo piece, vellum; Filmstrip Template created by Maureen Esquillo-Kao

Step Eight: Add your title to the top left hand corner, next to the flower. Add journaling to the bottom right hand corner of your layout. You may have a place to journal on in the center of the doily. Add a journaling sticker if more journaling space is needed. Embellish your layout further if you desire. Now it’s complete!

To create a filmstrip photo mat, here's a tutorial:

HERE'S A FREE PRINTABLE TEMPLATE TOO

Enjoy, and thanks for watching!

It goes in Circles...Circle Card Tutorial

A Little Something by Maureen Esquillo-Kao Cardstock: Bazzill; Patterned Paper: October Afternoon; Stamps: Stampin Up; Ink: Tsukineko; Liquid Pearls: Ranger; Circle Punches: EK Success, Fiskars

This card tutorial was featured in the May 2012 issue of Scrapbook News and Review Magazine.  We were covering some design principals when creating and I came up with this quick tutorial.

Circle Cluster Card

Embellishment placement is easier than you may think.  If you keep in mind two concepts, you can create eye-pleasing embellishment arrangements on your projects.  First, remember that arrangements generally look better with odd numbers.  So, a minimum of three elements put together are more visually appealing than two or four element groupings.  The second concept to keep in mind is balance.  Balance out your elements/embellishments on your project.  The following tutorial will show you how I created a card with these two concepts in mind.

Supplies

Solid cardstock

Circle patterned cardstock

Cardstock in 3 shades that coordinate with patterned cardstock

3 circle stamps in 3 sizes

3 circle punches in 3 sizes, large enough to punch out each stamped circle

Foam dots

Craft or pigment ink in coordinating colors

Liquid Pearls (optional)

Step One:  Stamp 3 circle images on 3 different color cardstock.  Choose shades that are not too dark for pigment ink to show on.  Punch out each stamped image with a punch large enough to fit the image (or slightly larger).  The point is to have 3 different sizes of circles.  Odd numbered groupings of elements look best together.

Step Two:  Stamp a greeting on the left side of the largest circle.  Note:  If you choose a stamp that does not have an empty space in it like this one, just stamp your image on another piece of cardstock and glue to the left side of your circle.

Step Three:  Arrange your circles so that they are centered on your card, but also create a balanced cluster in the center.  Glue down the larges circle when you've decided on placement of your circle cluster.  I balanced out the large blue circle on the left side with the two smaller circles.  The orange circle is placed in the middle but slightly below the yellow circle (positioned to the right).  Play with your shapes/elements and re-position them until you find an arrangement that appeals to you.

Step Four:  To add dimension to my card, I popped up the two smaller circles with foam dots.  The yellow circle was popped up with one layer of foam and the orange circle was popped up with 2 layers of foam so that it would be slightly higher than the yellow circle.  Note: I decided to add some liquid pearls to the orange circle. Again, I kept in mind odd numbers and balance when adding the liquid pearls. I decided on a grouping of 5 with varying sizes of dots, slightly positioned towards the middle of my embellishment cluster. Grouping the liquid pearls at the top left side of the orange circle seemed to balance the cluster well.

I use LOTS of die-cuts and punches in my scrappy creations.  So much so that I've created a class around it!  In Scrapbooking with Punches and Die-Cuts we cover some design tips and tricks.  It's got tons of sketches and I show you how I complete 9 scrapbook layouts using many fun techniques to employ basic die-cut shapes like circles, squares and hearts!

So check it out!  The Bundle includes them all and soon I'll be releasing them separately into each shape so you can choose to purchase the class in segments ;)

I'll let you know when it's released!  Right now I'm focusing on my Halloween Class.  Would love it it you'd spread the word!  

GO HERE for a sample class video if you want a peek into the class!  Tootles!