Bride Dress and Groom Tuxedo Party Favor Boxes

Please follow my new blog, Paper Zen, to see my new die cut patterns!

Printable Quilled Invite

Please follow my new blog, Paper Zen, to see my latest quilling and die cutting paths.

Printable quilled thank you card and envelope

Dear Crafting Creatures readers, I want to say thank you!

I started this blog years ago with my friends to inspire each other with our projects. I’ve been the only one adding to it for some time, and the name Crafting Creatures doesn’t suit my new direction. I will continue blogging in my spare time, but now it means more to me than a hobby. I’m taking my paper on new paths and I really hope you’ll follow me there, as I will not be updating this blog anymore.

My new blog is Paper Zen, which describes both how tranquil I feel when working with paper, and the enlightenment I hope my work gives others.

I’m indebted to you, kind reader, for giving me wonderfully encouraging words to keep going. To return your enthusiasm, I’d like to give you my quilled Thank You card and matching envelope. It’ll be for sale in my Etsy shop afterwards, so grab it now by visiting Paper Zen!

Happy Father’s Day (3D die cut card)

My dad wears a ratty, tattered vest and even though I’ve given him new ones, he still keeps wearing the old one anyway. He doesn’t wear a bow tie, but I think he’ll get a kick out of this card anyway.

I’ve been experimenting in the realm of “printables” and this is made of 3 pieces – the bow tie, shirt, and vest, cut from 1 sheet of letter-size paper on 80lb cover stock. It was fun to shade the bow tie and give it a sense of 3D while really giving a 3D shape. Details in the buttons and stitching was a cinch to print. It helps keep the vest flaps down when the card is closed. I’ve written my message under the shirt, which is removable.

Somehow I quite like the back as well simply for its minimalism. He’s a man of little words, so I’ll see what kind of reaction I get during tonight’s dinner.

If you’d like to cut this card by hand, I’m selling a “printable” and “cuttable” file on Etsy.

Monster Bookmark – Free Die Cut (SVG, DXF, PDF)

I’m showing Ann Martin’s book, All Things Paper, to family and friends, and as I flip to my project in I realized I could simplify my life with a bookmark.

There are many wonderful monster ones out there but I wanted ear flaps so they stuck out for easy finding. I added a dash of color in the eyes, so some quick marker strokes were all that was needed before gluing down the triangular flap.

Download a free compressed file containing SVG, DXF, and PDF files for personal use. Please leave me a comment if you have some time – I love hearing if you’re inspired to make something.

Mysterious Stationery Box, All Things Paper

Open, says me! I can finally open up and share more about my Mysterious Stationery Box, which was included in Ann Martin’s wonderful book, All Things Paper. Being the eagle-eyed blogger she is, Ann was able to call upon creatives all around the world who work with paper, and showcase just how versatile paper can be.

My project is based on a common Japanese box (Karakuri Bako), which is traditionally made of wood and fabric to hold jewelry in evenly divided compartments. The mystery behind it is how the lid is double-hinged, allowing it to reveal the main compartment (above), and the smaller side compartments (below).

I make the lid stay closed snugly by gluing panels that just friction-fit within the compartment. I shot a video showing how it works that I hope Tuttle will show it soon on their site. This isn’t the first time making this box – actually I made it as my grad project while attending Emily Carr College so many years ago. I didn’t have money to buy the best materials back then, so when Ann asked me to create this project, I have to admit I was eager to re-do it with proper materials.

Lineco Binder Board did exactly as advertised. Lineco’s board scared me at first because after applying glue to most of the surface, it did bow, but flattened itself out as it dried (I used to apply Lineco glue to matte board, then pile on phone books and wait overnight).

In the photo below I’m protecting the compartment with scrap paper while applying glue to a tab with a brush, another splurge since college and one that I was so pleased with because it allowed me to control the amount of glue better than spreading with a credit card. The Japanese patterned paper is made by hand and I was assured it will not tear even with repeated use because of its long fibers.

This project can be daunting for beginners, but I hope it inspires you to look at paper as a strong structural component to your creations.

Another project in this book that caught my eye immediately was Allison Patrick’s Phone Book Letter Holder. I love how she’s given the diminished Yellow Pages a new life. Simple yet stylish, using materials around the house – my favorite combo.Want to win your own book? Simply visit Ann’s giveaway post!

Flights of Fancy – My Favorite Pop-ups

I’ve always wanted to make a pop-up book – not design one, because my mind doesn’t think this way – but I’ve always wanted to see how the mechanism worked just for the sheer magic of minimalism at its finest.

This swallow is a design by Jessica Tice-Gilbert who makes the most wonderful “how to” video that takes away any intimidation of making pop-ups. The wing rotates!

So when Paper Poet‘s Meet Up Group theme was Birds of a Feather, I interpreted it loosely and chose to make pop-ups I’ve admired over the years.

1) I used paper I had on hand. I had a stack of pre-cut metallic pearl colored card stock which I scored into an accordion fold for the spine. The inner page elements are all cut from Daiso’s colored paper, which was perfect for colors and thickness.

2) I loved how inkjet printing on it still allowed the metallic sheen to come through, as if the blue itself was metallic.

3) The message of hopeful love is so obvious and engaging in Mari Kumada’s Pop-Up Valentine.

4) Robert Sabuda’s Bird comes flying out of its house.

5) The Angel by Robert Sabuda always evokes an “ahh” from my readers.

6) Even though most didn’t think this dove silhouette qualified as a pop-up, I love it for it’s minimalism and how it evokes a quiet peace for me. It’s an invitation for Christian Blanken by Agitprop.

7) I thought the Ark by Robert Sabuda could be seen as flying the high seas, but anyway, I just loved how all the animals are on different planes yet it’s all one sheet of paper.

8) I made line drawing outlines of each page and added credits to my book. I’m so grateful to all these amazing designers for sharing their work. I loved making my small version of their world.

If you haven’t tried making your own pop-up book, I hope you’ll be inspired by these examples.

3D Coffee Cake Birthday Card

This was a par-boiled idea, but I was making espresso the other day and realized the grounds are quite fine, so of course I thought of flocking. I have a birthday for a guy coming up and he loves coffee (it’s not as easy for me to make cards for guys for some reason). I thought of making a coffee cake and covering my cake with grounds, then topping it with real whole coffee beans.

I tried using double sided tape, but the grounds (unused) wouldn’t stay on. The glue holds an amazingly thick layer of grounds when I did a test. So I put down light blue vinyl on the cake where I didn’t want coffee. Unfortunately the glue stayed on the vinyl too. So I had to apply the glue carefully before dousing with grounds. It’s a good thing I used brown paper so any bare patches blend in.

 

Now that it’s done, it makes me think of a chocolate mocha cake – plus it’s like scratch and sniff sticker, except no scratching is needed!

3D Cake – Daisy Birthday Card

Ever get those birthday cakes topped with plastic signage? I kind of wanted to replicate that for this birthday girl’s card. I stacked the words 4 times out of card stock to make my own chipboard, just like I did for the LOVE sculpture. This time I made the top layer out of a lighter green so when it’s viewed from the side, it gives another dimension – just a little something different. I stuck foam squares near the top so they stick up, then glued the bottom part behind the daisies.

Her fave color is yellow and since my original cake was too short to let me go nuts on the decorating,  I made it twice as tall. I always place my elements on my card to assess the spacing before gluing permanently. Although I thought everything was well placed, it ended up being lower than I intended when I stood back. So I added the fireworks I used on my Mickey Mouse project to fill the top. I feel like I overdid that too, but ah well, I’ll live.

PS, here’s a teaser image for my next post, where I’ll explain how I made the stamens in the middle – yes, it’s paper!

Shaping Die Punch Flowers

Before buying my Silhouette SD digital die cutter, I bought die punches like these. I toyed with giving them away, but now I’m really happy I didn’t.

I shudder to waste paper scraps and want to use every inch of it before tossing it out (see my post on How to Use up Scrap paper). Using these die punches was easier and faster than trying to register the exact placement needed on my Silhouette. However, I still used the Silhouette to cut my cherry blossoms (middle punch) because I wanted the cup the petals more readily.

Top left: If using a cherry blossom die punch, snip in between the petals to make them easier for cupping.

Top right: This blossom is cut from my die cutter – see the deeper gaps between petals? I used a burnisher and rubbed the petals against a mouse pad. For those who have a digital die cutter, here is the cherry blossom I made in SVG and DXF or PDF format.

Bottom left: Continue rubbing into the center to make a small bud.

Bottom right: If you want the blossom to stay open, flip it over and poke a smaller burnisher into the middle, then add dots with a felt marker to represent the stamens.

I then used them to decorate this 3D cake card.

3D Cake Card with Punched Flowers

My sister in law is always well-dressed, so put together. She is feminine without being girly. I  wanted to give her a 3D birthday cake card that expressed that (I hadn’t chosen my greeting yet when I took this photo).

I had so much fun making these flowers after being inspired by Michelle‘s version. After stepping back I worried I had gone too far and overdid it, but I think I’m just not used to so much adornment, being a tomboy at heart.

I cut some 1/8″ quilling strips in half which made them more pliable as I decorated the cake. This let me strew blossoms in a more random way. I used a white felt marker to dot some stamens in the middle of the blossoms.

I dipped the blossoms into Aleene’s Tacky Glue and they held fast when applied to the cake. I didn’t have to sit there and wait around. I’ll be showing how I shaped the blossoms in a following post soon.

Folded Lucky Stars Tutorial

For years I used to carry a small tin case with travel scissors and paper. I would fold stars on the bus, waiting rooms, dark movie theaters, and while having conversations with people because folding was like breathing. To give a jar filled with 365 stars to someone showed you thought of them every day of the year. I’ve lost count after a thousand stars but always enjoyed seeing their expression. I’ve decorated greeting cards, the outside of jars, even Christmas trees with them – is it a wonder I used them in my wedding invitations?

There are many tutorials online for folding Lucky Stars but while teaching others how to make it, I’ve learned their number one mistake is creasing the first folds too much. By the time you reach the end and are ready to “puff”, the star is apt to squish to one side rather than separate into it’s 3D glory. Notice how it’s gently folded in place but not sharply creased? If you haven’t had success in the past, please try again with this small change and let me know if it made a difference for you.

I also like to fold around a string as I go, to make a bracelet or a garland of stars. The easiest material to use is ribbons because the width is ready to go and they’re oh-so-shiny.

To see my step-by-step tutorial, please visit my guest post on Ann Martin’s blog, All Things Paper. If you haven’t seen Ann’s work before, prepare to lose a few hours exploring her site. Her wedding certificates are simply exquisite as they enhance the newlyweds’ choice of theme. Any time a beginner quiller asks me for basic steps, I always point them to Ann’s Basic Tutorials because she really pays attention to the nuances and helps people realize quilling is not as hard as it looks. Her  paper projects (check out her washi Easter egg tutorial) entice you to try different techniques and materials.

Ann also interviews paper artists around the world, showcasing their work and highlighting the subtleties. As if her plate isn’t already full scouring the web and offering up the best eye candy, she has also authored a book of the same title, All Things Paper, which is like a hard copy of her popular site – but contains nothing you’ve seen yet. Not only does Ann have uber-human attention to detail, she also has a way with words, describing steps as if painting a picture – the best kind of tutorial maker out there. Thank you for being you, Ann.

3D Cake Collection

I’m quite excited to offer these 3D paper cakes, easily customizable for a birthday, wedding, or anniversary in my Etsy store.

Here’s an example of a single layer chocolate cake with white circles icing (I used white vinyl). I’ve seen many examples of polka dotted icing on cakes, and thought it would great to have a matching background.

Add a second layer of cake on top and some swooshes to make a classic celebratory statement. I designed a subtle backdrop pattern made of diamonds and left a blank plaque above for whatever occasion you need.

My favorite has to be the 3-tier cake. Somehow the more tiers it has, the more fun it is. I decorated it with ribbon and matched the background using a scalloped edge. The chocolate shavings on top were made of quilling paper, but you can just as easily use any brown paper with 1/8″ width.

What cake would be complete without a cake box? I used some scrap plastic left over from some packaging and glued it with Scotch Quick Dry glue. I also added some easy-open tabs so you won’t have to struggle prying open a well-fitted box. All the cards are 5×7 inches.

Michelle of MichelleMyBelle Creations made an awesome purple cake with flowers, sequins, and textured backgrounds. I like how she added a bow to the stand which makes it more dimensional.

Please let me know what you think in the comments section!

Happy birthday 3D paper cake

Wishing our niece a happy birthday with a bubbly cake. She was into pink for years and now that she’s on the brink of becoming a teenager, I thought I’d give one last shout-out to pinkness. Somehow the years of coloring with her made me really aware how well pink and purple go so well together.

The purple confetti and curls on top were made of quilling paper. The text is cut from vinyl. Everything else was cut with my Silhouette die cutter. I designed the 3D cake pattern months ago but got sidelined with a huge project, so I’m relieved to finally re-visit this in time to use it myself.

All Things Paper: 20 Unique Projects from Leading Paper Crafters, Artists, and Designers by Ann Martin

DON’T stop the presses! I can hardly wait to see this book in person (in another 3 months).

It’s still being printed so I can’t show you anything more, but when you see my project I hope you think the wait is worth the mystery. I’m honored to join some very prestigious paper-ists, amassed by the well accomplished, all-seeing Ann Martin of All Things Paper.

So I can’t tell you what I made, but no one said I can’t say what it isn’t. It isn’t anything I’ve shown here before. Like I said – a “mystery”! Bah! It’s no fun when no one else is in on the punny humor. Please bear with me – I’m excited by this milestone, my 2nd publication piece.

The book is available for pre-order on Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/All-Things-Paper-Projects-Designers/dp/080484366X

Quilled Thank You Cards (3 of 8)

This is obviously a variation of Card 1. The deeper colors were the client’s first choice, but we had to swap it out because it took away from the main piece. It was also too large compared to the overall design. Sometimes with quilling, I can’t tell until it’s all done.

I’m very thankful my hubby cooks (so much better than I can), and didn’t mind taking on all our meals, prepping, and clean up so I could focus solely on this project.

Quilled Thank You Cards (1 of 8)

I hope everyone’s new year has had an auspicious start. I’ve been sitting on some wonderful news since mid-December that I’m still not allowed to share for yet another few weeks. So until then I’m just going to leak out a few items so I don’t burst. These are quilled items I couldn’t use in the final design, so made them into Thank You cards. I’ll be posting more in the month to come, until I can finally reveal the full design.

I’d like to thank my hubby for letting me peruse the aisles of Daiso, an Asian version of a dollar store, for an hour and a half. His patience has no bounds – even though I test those bounds often. Anyway, here’s a little gem I found that was perfect for my cards to make a floating message. Pre-cut foam squares (336 small and 84 large) for just $2.

3D Cake Card

Here’s an idea I’ve been toying with – a paper 3D cake. I love the feel ribbon instantly gives to cakes. The chocolate shavings screamed to be made out of quilling strips. The platter/stand is cut from metallic green card stock. I even made a cake box to protect it, since it’ll get crushed in an envelope.

Each tier is made separately in case they need to be varying paper stocks representing different flavors. This 3-tier cake is obviously for a wedding, but take away the top 2 and there’ll be more room for a message for birthdays or anniversaries.

Discovering Craftsy

I love my Etsy store… but it doesn’t allow immediate downloads – not ideal for different time zones.

I’ve since discovered Craftsy, a DIY craft site on steroids. You can showcase your finished projects, watch online crafting tutorials, and download templates/instructions (free and paid) on the spot. I am even able to upload all my free patterns so everything can be viewed in one area.

Currently Craftsy stores sell PDF files, so only my quilling patterns can be offered with immediate gratification. I’ll keep looking for a cost effective solution to offer my digital die cut patterns, but until then, be prepared to lose hours exploring Craftsy – consider yourself warned.

  

DIY Tracing Light Table

I needed to trace something and instead of taping it against the window, I realized our acrylic cook book stand was simply perfect. I lay it down on it’s side and placed my lamp along the “bottom”. Who can resist a 2 for 1 deal?

 

Heart Inspired Bunting

This is my first die cut paper banner / bunting / pennant design. A much anticipated little girl is expected this Valentine’s Day, and I wanted the shape of her shower’s banner to be reminiscent of a heart but not be quite that obvious. I also tried to keep some dynamic movement by having the overlapping shapes show thick and thin areas – not just a straight outline.

I’ve always felt ribbon is akin to a backup singer – to support the lead and not steal the show. To give all the emphasis on the lettering, I ensured the ribbon is easily threaded through loops on the back layer so one doesn’t see the supporting holes.

The three shapes (pink, green, white) are cut from 8.5″x11″ paper. The three layers are aligned using a jig so no eyeballing is needed. The lettering (not included) is Adobe Caslon at 410 pt. I can’t remember the brand name of ribbon, but it’s a sheer lime green and I got it from Michael’s.

Part 5 (and final installation) of my Valentine Collection in my Etsy store.

3D Paper Ball with Hearts and Arrows

Beware of Cupid’s shooting arrows! It was a great discovery my first time to use an ink pad on the edges of my paper ball decorations to add dimension. I realized dragging the ink pad across the arrow would make it appear as if Cupid had just let it fly, especially when it caught on the edges.

Version 1 is easy to put together since it’s a single sheet of paper. Simply use beading wire, fishing line, or string to thread from the bottom hole, then thread each arc at the top. A rolled paper straw in the middle keeps the ball fully inflated. A scalloped circle finishes the top and bottom and the beads are optional. Version 2 allows you to combine two different papers, of course.

Part 4 of upcoming Valentine collection on my Etsy store.

Valentine Hearts Gift Box

Classic cube with overlapping scallop-edged hearts. Simple and quick to make, this box can also be used for weddings or anniversaries. Who says Valentine’s Day is just one day of the year?

Part 2 of upcoming Valentine’s Day collection, soon to be offered in my store.

Paint a White Christmas

Need snow? Paint yourself a winter wonderland. Daiso sells pearlescent white paint for $2 in a small tube. Use a fine brush, load it up, and let the paint scrape against the edges of your craft project (in this case a party favor box).

Try to make it look like natural snow drift by painting from one direction (so don’t coat every edge).

This triangular party favor box is sold on Etsy, along with other dinner party paper decor. Half-moon shaped flaps are on both ends to allow easy access to your stocking stuffer. Perfectly size for biscotti treats.

Xmas Dinner Setting

I’ve admired wine charms but can’t remember what color I am halfway thru the night. So I’ve made my own and left space for names. Matching gift tags? But of course!

Enlarge by 150% and they’re suitable for mugs too.

For placecards, I’ve made pop up scenes of favorite winter wonderland moments. I’ve just listed on Etsy now – a little late for the season but better than waiting till next year!