Today I will show you a quick and easy way to make your own personalized Wall Canvas.

The supplies I used were…

A canvas, matte photo paper, scissors, ModPodge, Black craft paint, paintbrush, distress ink, some ribbon, glue gun, edge distress tool or sandpaper.

The digi supplies were…

Photo Editing program, I use PSE8, a printer, the Sideliners Word Art Set by Jan Hosford and the Fabrications Classic paper pack by Quirky Twerp.

The first thing you need to do is measure your canvas, then open a new file in your photo editing program that is the same size as you canvas. Design your creation with your word art and some digi papers. I put a few pictures on mine too. Then print it out on your matte photo paper. If it doesn’t fit quite perfectly just trim it down a little.

Then you want to distress the edges of it a little bit, use and edge distressing tool or some sandpaper and rub it all around the edges. Then take your distress ink and rub it all over the edges too. Like this…

Then put a coat of Mod Podge all over the top of of it to seal it. Let it dry.

While that is drying take some craft paint and paint the edges of your canvas, like this…

When both the paint on the canvas and the ModPodge on your paper is dry you will attach the paper to the canvas with some more ModPodge. Just put the ModPodge all over the canvas with your paintbrush, lay the paper on top of that and press down real good, smooth out any air bubbles. I turned mine over so I could get it nice and flat and rub any bubbles out. Like this….

You will have this…

Now add some ribbons to jazz it up a bit, I put some little pieces of ribbon on the corners, wrapped a piece all around the edges and used another piece for a hanger. You are done! Hang it on your wall and enjoy!

Today I have an embellishment idea and a gift bag project using printable fabric to show you.

SUPPLIES

• PhotoFabric 100% Cotton Twill Roll
• INK JET PRINTER/INK
• DIGITAL BACKGROUNDS/ELEMENTS – I USED THE FOLLOWING: BUTTONS – [Jenna's] Day at the Zoo Kit, Bohemian Rhapsody Scrapbook Pack; GIFT BAG- Fancy Bags Template Set, Fru Fru the Kit
• COVER BUTTONS (You can also use an I TOP Brad maker for these if you have one)
• EMBROIDERY FLOSS, NEEDLE, THREAD, FABRIC GLUE, BRADS, EYELETS, CROPADILE (or eyelet setter), 1/8th
• INCH HOLE PUNCH

There are several types of printable fabric including cotton, and silk, I have chosen the cotton twill for these projects because of the nice texture and weight.  It is available in both iron on and plain.  For these projects make sure to get the plain, paper backed fabric NOT iron-on.

BUTTONS

Buttons for covering are available in a variety of sizes and can be found in both flat and bubble shapes. Since you have the ability to make your digital elements any size you want you can customize them to fit your project.

I like to plan ahead to conserve my fabric so I will assemble the elements I will be using for several projects in photoshop on an 8.5X11 in page.  I make a variety of sizes around the size of my button and then print them off on paper so that I can compare the design on the size of the button.  You may want the design to roll over the edges of the button or just lay on the surface – you will see this further on down in my pics. Once I know what I want I will then go ahead and print them on the fabric sheet.

I think they really retain their color and design well on this brand of fabric and you can see the nice texture.

There is a circle guide on the back of the button container that shows the size of the circle necessary to cover the button.  This was used to cut around my element. The fabric’s paper backing was peeled off.

This is the key to getting a nice, flat, professional looking button.  Don’t panic if you don’t do much sewing, this is real easy, just run a plain in and out stitch along the edge of the circle. The color of thread doesn’t matter as it will be covered up.

Place the top of the button into the circle and pull the thread to gather it around the button. Turn it over and adjust the image as necessary to center it.  Knot the thread and cut off the excess.

Snap the back of the button into place, sometimes this can take a little muscle or the help of a spool of thread (see the back of the button box).  If you want a flat look on your project, the shank of the button can be clipped off with a pair of wire cutters.

You can get different looks by adjusting the size of the image around the button. They can be used on cards, scrapbooks, and lots of sewing projects.  Wouldn’t that lion look cute on a pair of kid’s overalls?

GIFT BAG

It is so nice to make your own gift bags and this is a way to make one that is a bit more long lasting than the paper ones.

Using the Fancy Bags Template and digi paper I made the bag just as I would if I were making it out of paper but printed it on the fabric sheet.  If you need some tips on how to use templates and digi paper check out THIS post.

The template was cut out and the paper backing removed.

An iron was used to press the fabric at the fold lines of the template.

Fabric glue was used to assemble the bag as per the template instructions.

You can use a bit of fray check along the edges to prevent the fabric from fraying or you can add a little embroidery as I did.

A Cropadile was used to add a couple eyelets to the flap.

A ribbon was attached to the inner part of the bag and aligned with the eyelets. I sewed the ribbon but it could be glued as well. Set the bag aside for a few minutes to make  a flower embellishment.

I printed out some flower from the FRU FRU kit on the fabric in a few different sizes.

Using the layers of the flower as a guide, several different layers were cut.  Holes were punched in the center and the layers assembled.

And a brad was placed through the center.  Fray check could again be used on the edges but I liked the shabby look and furthered it by crumbling the petals in my hand.

The flower/brad was threaded through a hole in the flap and the ribbon was pulled through the eyelets and tied.

Check back on Wednesday for Part 2, when I will show you an inexpensive way to make some digital fabric wall art.

Thanks so much for stopping by, have a good one!

I knew that our teachers would appreciate gift cards to be able to choose something for themselves.  But, I wanted the gift cards to still be personalized and pretty!  Are you looking for a last-minute way to dress up those teacher gift cards? Here’s what I did…

First, I looked in my stash to see what thank you cards I had already made!  You could even skip the card and add a handwritten note on the inside of the gift card enclosure, or tie a tag to the ribbon once it’s wrapped up.  Then I made some coordinating gift card holders using Jan Hosford’s Hybrid Helpers and two gorgeous kits: Sweet Memories by Nicole and Dani and Calm and Content by Kellie Mize.

I opened up all my files in Photoshop Elements and copied over the gift card template twice onto a new document:

Step 1

Next, I opened a second new document and fill half with a coordinated paper from each kit to print as the backside.

I used Red River Paper’s Polar Matte Double Sided paper to print, which is a great paper for hybrid projects. 

The only tricky part here was making sure I had put the paper back into the printer the right way, so the correct coordinated paper would print in the right place (ask me how I know!!). 

Step 2

The great part about this style of enclosure is that you don’t need to add any adhesive if you don’t want, as the top flap folds in to keep it closed.

I added my gift cards and tied a ribbon around each. Easy-peasy!

This enclosure is sized perfectly for gift cards and makes a beautiful presentation, and I love that the inside is matched for a pretty surprise when you open it!

And here’s the finished project:

As a mom of three small children, I’m always looking for a fun and easy craft to do with my girls. I have seen the handprint flower craft several times, but I thought I’d add a little elegance with some beautiful digital papers and see what we could do.

Want to give this a try? Here’s our supply list:

Digital paper (I used papers from Fru Fru by Mari Koegelenberg and Jan Hosford)
plastic drinking straws (I used green and yellow)
small hole punch
tape

Yummy, right?

Here’s our final product. My girls are excited to have this as our centerpiece for the dinner table.

Ready to get started?

First, I printed one of the green papers from Fru Fru on both sides of a piece of paper. On another piece of paper, I printed the creamy/yellow paper on one side and the pale pink on the other side. This would be the “flower” paper.

Next, I traced my middle daughter’s handprint on one side of the paper I’d chosen for the flowers. I think that this works best if you have them hold their fingers fairly close together rather than spread out. I also drew a pair of leaves for each flower on the green paper. I made the center between both leaves wide enough so that I could punch a hole in the center. Cut out your pieces.

Using a pencil, I curl each finger of the hand piece. Start at the hand part of the finger and roll the paper across the pencil so that your flower petal curls out.

Punch a hole in the center of the leaf piece and use the same curling technique with the leaf, starting at the center of the leaf and working towards the end.

Now you will curl the flower piece around the green straw, using tape to secure it.

Now slide the leaf piece onto the bottom of the straw.

Next, you will cut a small piece of the yellow straw. On one end, cut 4 slits in it, spaced evenly so that the end of the straw is cut into 4 sections. Now use your pencil or the closed edge of the scissors and curl the straw pieces out.

Then cut a slit in the other end of the straw so that you can stick it into the green bit of straw that’s poking up through your flower.

Then I just took my flowers and stuck them into a piece of green floral block to position them. Voila! Cute and easy table centerpiece!

Supplies:

Heart of Thankfulness by Sugarplum Paperie

Hybrid Helper – Gifting by Jan Hosford

1 x pillow box template printed out with lowered opacity as cutting guide

1 x 4 1/4″x 11″ cardstock for card base

various patterned paper printouts

stamps (I used Hero Arts clear stamps for sentiments)

Distress Inks (I used them to ink paper edges and to stamp my sentiments)

double sided tapes (or your favorite adhesives)

Glue Dots (for adhering buttons and paper flowers)

paper flowers (mine are from Hero Arts)

buttons (from Papertrey Ink)

twine

paper distresser (or you can use a pair of opened scissors, just be careful when you use them!)

Glossy Accents (I used them on the little hearts to make them shine!)

How to:

1. Cut out the pillow box shape and score all the fold lines using the template printout as your guide.

2. Ink all the paper edges using Distress Inks and a foam applicator. Distress all the paper edges using the paper distresser except for the pillow box piece.

3. Assemble the pillow box using your favorite adhesives then set aside.

4. Glue the card front patterned paper piece on the folded card base. Stamp the sentiments on the printouts.

5. After tying the twine on the paper pieces, place and adhere them to the card and the pillow box.

6. String twine through the buttons and tie knots in the front then glue them on the paper flowers.

7. Place and glue down the paper flowers then cut out the heart then glue on the card and the pillow box.

8. Apply Glossy Accents to the hearts and let dry.

Here is the finished card.

Here is the finished pillow box.

Please feel free to ask if you have any questions. I know that I am not a good “explainer”… =) I will help you as much as I can if you have any questions.

Supplies used:
Perpetual Calendar Templates by Jan Hosford

Limitless – Open Sky by The Digichick Designers  (or consider Limitless – the Collection to get Open Sky PLUS Daydreamer!)

Photoshop (Jan’s templates come with photoshop files)

Epson Premium Matte Paper

Boxboard or cardboard

Cutting tool of choice

Glue stick or your adhesive of choice

Binder Rings

Crop-a-Dile or heavy duty hole punch.  You can punch multiple layers with the Crop-a-Dile which makes this project go quickly.

OR – Bind-it-All or other binding tool.  (Santa forgot mine at the north pole this year….)

Ribbon – I used approximately 45″ (I prefer long ribbons!!)

Optional – stamping ink that coordinates with your cover paper and sponge for application

HOW TO:

1) Create a cover and calendar pages in Photoshop/Photoshop Elements with your background papers and decorative elements.  FOR THE COVER:  I simply printed out the designed paper onto 8.5″ x 11″ paper and created a title on one (keeping within 4.25″ so it wouldn’t get cut off later!).  FOR THE MONTHS:  Jan’s Perpetual Calendar template has all the necessary numbers/names and lines, you simply make the appropriate title and numbers visible for each month.

I was thrifty and chose to double side print, so each sheet of paper has a total of 4 months, front & back – only 3 printed sheets!  After much brain work, I figured out this formation to make sure that my months lined up correctly:

Sheet 1 front: January, March     Sheet 1 back  April, February

Sheet 2 front May, July     Sheet 2 back August, June

Sheet 3 front  September, November   Sheet 3 back December, October

(of course the other part of the brainwork is remembering how to insert the paper so you don’t print over top of your work).  Clear as mud?!

The easier way, of course, is to just do 2 months per sheet and not bother with double side printing….

2) Next, cut out the months.  I left a margin along the top of my pages to allow for binding.  Jan’s template does have a binding margin layer so you could work that into your print out if you prefer.  I liked having extra room at the top of my print outs.

3) Create the cover.   I used a piece of cardboard that comes in the back of paper packs…  I cut it to 4.25″ x 11″ (basically, in half lengthwise).  I also cut my cover print outs to 4.25″ x 11″.  I coated the cardboard with glue stick; you could use whatever adhesive of choice you have.

4) For the back cover, I enclosed the ribbon inside the paper – so I laid the ribbon down first.

5) I then laid my decorative paper over top.  I adhered another piece of paper on the other side of the cardboard and did the same for the front cover (but didn’t bother with the ribbon).

6) I like to ink the edges of my work to make it look more finished.  For the cover, it makes a big difference due to the layers.  In the above photo, the top cover edge is not inked, while the bottom layer edge is….just to illustrate my point.  I apply the ink with a sponge which makes coverage quick and easy.

7) Prepping for hole punching.  I used my Crop-a-Dile which can punch through multiple layers (I LOVE this tool!).  I lined up all my pages and covers.  Since my pages are smaller than the covers, I left a bit of a border at the top.

I punched the hole through all layers at once.  If you don’t have a Crop-a-Dile, you could use a regular hole punch, but you’ll have to do one layer at a time.  If you have a Bind-it-All, you could use that instead!

9)  I then clipped my binder rings through the holes.  Done!!

The finished calendar – closed

The finished calendar – open.  The ribbon can be tied to hold the covers in place so it becomes an easel for the pages.  You could also choose to hang the calendar on a wall instead.

I hope that you get the chance to create your own birthday calendar – if you do, be sure to post them in the Digichick Gallery so we can all admire it!

Let’s get started.
What you will need:
A cute digi kit with some Nativity Story people I used All is Calm by, Jan Hosford (or any characters that you would like to use)
A printer and Photo Editing Program I use PSE
Some magnetic paper, you can get the kind that fits right in the printer for and even easier project
Scissors, Sanding Block, Distress ink, Mod Podge

The first step is to open all of your digital elements in you photo editing program. All you really need to do is resize the figures to fit on whatever size magnet paper you have. I had a sheet of magnetic paper that was 10×12 so I resized all my figures and dragged them into a new file that was 10×12 to be sure they’d all fit on my magnetic paper…then, since my printer is 8.5×11, I fit them onto 2 pieces of 8.5×11 paper and printed them out on matte photo paper. Here they are:

Then cut out your figures leaving a little bit of the white paper around the edges, like this.

Then I stuck them onto the sticky side of the magnetic paper:

The next part will take a little time. You just need to cut out all your little people. Get your self some pointy small scissors and sit in a comfy spot and start cutting. Great time to watch a little tv while you cut. If you want to be picky like me you can sand and ink your edges too. It just gives them a nice finished look, like this:

You can call them done now if you want, but if you have kids like mine, they might need a little bit of protection. So get out the Mod Podge, lay them all out on a non stick surface and brush them all with the Mod Podge, making sure to get it all around the edges, like this.

Close up…

It will dry nice and clear.
When they are all nice and dry pull them off the nonstick surface. You might have to pick or sand a little bit of the Mod Podge around the edges, but after that, you are done! Time to play!

Today I have a little project for you using the AMAZING templates of Miss Kelleigh Ratzlaff!   Today I used her Perfectly Square Template set.  Now, you will notice from the preview (you need to follow that link), that there are only TWO templates in the kit.    From my photo below, you will notice that I have a tower of three boxes to make my candy corn!

Let me show you how I did it, it’s really VERY easy…..

When I hit the print button – here is the screen I get – I assume you will get something similar…I have circled where you need to change your settings.

And since I know you can’t really see that, here’s a close up…

I used the lines only document that Kelleigh includes and printed my digital papers – in this case for Jan Hosford’s Brew Ha Ha kit onto the opposite side.  I started with the 2.5″ box.  The yellow box was printed at full size.  The orange box was printed at 85% (as per the screen shot) and the white box was printed at 70%.  It made a perfect candy corn tower.

Here’s my tower with a little more decoration.  I didn’t go overboard, as I assume somebody is just going to tear it apart to get to the candy inside!  The best part about these boxes is they are easy to reclose!

Then, I tried a different form of decoration – these little tags/flair are also from the Brew Ha Ha kit…

Now – of course, while sizing these boxes, I did play around a little so I had a “leftover” box.  So for this box, which is printed at 92.5%, I used Mari Koegelenberg’s Monsters In the Closet kit.  The little ghost tag comes once again from Jan Hosford’s Brew Ha Ha kit.

And that’s all for me!  I can’t wait to see what you create!

Now I KNOW you have a digital kit or two *wink* and, combined with shrink plastic made especially for ink jet printers, we can print out and have custom embellishments for our hybrid projects in seconds!

First some supplies:

Grafix Ink Jet Shrink Film

Digital kits from The Digichick Boutique:

Where your Heart Is by Jan Hosford

Beginnings by Kelley Mickus

Every Life has A Story Ch. 1

Tools: scissors, hole punch, punches, heat gun

I printed out different images to test with my tools.  All tools pictured will work to cut or punch the shrink film.

You will want to remember to punch a hole in anything you need holes in (to make a charm or a button, etc) BEFORE you shrink the image.  Remember that everything reduces by 50% or more so start over-sized and anticipate that it will get smaller.  I have hand written digital image sizes on the sheet for reference.

Let’s shrink, shall we?

There are oven baking instructions on the shrink film package, but, if you have a heat gun in your bag of tools, I highly recommend it.  I like being able to individually control the shrinking of each item.  I also use a metal tool to hold my shrink film in place while I melt it.  Be sure to use a heat safe surface for this task.

Keep a flat bottomed water glass handy to set on the shrunken embellishment once heating is complete to flatten the image out.  Or, if you want your item to have curve to it, you have a few seconds to shape it once it is melted to its final size.  Handle carefully as it will be quite hot.

A before and after shot.  This is also a good time to note that it is a good idea to leave yourself room for trial and error when working with shrink plastic.  As you can see, my red clock is a bit on the lopsided side of things and I also held my heat gun a little close and scorched my clock!  That in mind, heat your item from the back side and keep your heat gun approximately4-6″inches from the item while moving it continuously. 

My happy little bits and pieces!  Let’s put a couple right to work…

The heart button tied with real embroidery floss and the new custom house embellishment look great paired with a digital background using papers and elements from Where the Heart Is and a fence line punch from Martha Stewart.

I hope you had fun seeing one way to take your digital elements and papers to another level…literally!  Thanks so much for stopping by the Hybrid Chick today!

For this project I used the following supplies

• lunch sack 10 1/2 x 5 1/4 x 3 1/4
• clothespins
• Brew HA HA digital kit by Jan Hosford
• double sided tape
• glue
• ruler
• pencil
• black Stazon ink
• ribbon
• sponge
• transparency sheet
• Sizzix Big Kick
• Nestabilities scallop rectangles
• 7 x 5 1/4 cardstock
• sewing
• Stampin’ Up! stamp set Web Wishes
• Studio G clear stamp set
• chipboard
• rhinestones
• HP Premium Presentation Paper

I first measured my sack and created specific sizes to fit it on the front and flap of the sack.  I printed them out on HP Premium Presentation Paper and cut them out.  To create a window in the sack I used my Sizzix and the scalloped rectangle nestability.

Then I cut a rectangle in the lunch sack slightly larger than the black star paper.

Now cut out a piece of transparency sheet slightly larger than the rectangle in the lunch sack.  Use Stazon ink to stamp image on transparency and apply double sided tape on to the transparency and tape to inside of bag.

Sponge edges of remaining paper with ink.  Fold long strip of paper, sew and glue to sack.  Cut out chipboard and glue paper.  Stamp image on smaller paper and glue to chipboard.  Trace the shape of the clothespin on wrong side of paper and cut out, stamp and glue to clothespin.  Add ribbon to top of clothespin.  Score flap of sack at 1 inch and 2 inches.  Then glue papers to flap and add rhinestones and clothespin to top of sack.

To make a platform for your treats in the sack score a 7 x 5 1/4 piece  of card stock at 1 inch on all sides. Slit on the score lines on both sides and glue according to the pictures below.

Insert to inside of your treat bag and add some yummy goodies!