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Posts Tagged ‘creativity prompt’

Card Inspiration | Absolutely Wonderful

Monday, September 24th, 2012

Card by creativity Prompt

I am taking another class from Jennifer McGuire and Kristina Werner. This time I’m taking ‘Kick Start’, which is all about boosting your creativity.

I don’t want to reveal any inside secrets… but Jennifer shares a tip (which involves a post it note and new products) that helps to come up with creative ideas to use new products. This post-it secret also helps in pruning your shopping cart, while shopping…

Anyhow, I used it with my new Absolutely die-cut (designed by Kristina Werner for Simon Says Stamp) and came up with the idea to use two die cuts on one panel so I can have both a negative and a positive impression of a word. The different shadows the words cast are really interesting.

I lined up both dies on my cardstock panel and ran it through my Cuttlebug. I prevented movement by temporarily sticking the dies to the cardstock with removable tape.

Side note: I looked for a word with no repeating letters to go with ‘absolutely’ and ‘wonderful’ won… – It isn’t necessary as I could use place holders for repeating letters and run them through the Cuttlebug a couple times.

To spruce the card up a little bit I used some washi tape stripes, an embroidery floss and a button.

SUPER simple, but I really love the clean and simple result.

How about you, what do you think?

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I added a few other alphabet dies at the end, to give you some more options 🙂
I used the one by Papertrey Ink that I bought a while back.

JM-S2 | Signs
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Just $3.00 per package.
6 stickers in each package.
Each sticker measures approximately ¾â€ by ¾â€.

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Happy New Year!!!

Monday, September 17th, 2012

Happy New Year Card

To all my Jewish readers and friends – Happy New Year!

May you have a sweet and wonderful year.

To all my readers of all religions and beliefs – Have a good one and enjoy each day to the fullest!

My Process

To make it I cut a bunch of squares from a 6″ by 6″ paper pad and cut each square in half to make a triangle. Then I stacked all the triangles together and instead of machine-stitch them, I laid a line of liquid glue in the middle and wrapped twine a few times around it, then I threaded the loose ends through a button and tied them into a bow. I looked for a “Happy New Year” stamp in my stash but didn’t find one so I used mini letter stickers instead.

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Creative Jumpstarts || 7 Creative Things To Do When You Feel Uninspired

Wednesday, August 29th, 2012

Seven Creative Jumpstarts

If you like it

I often find myself wanting to do something creative but feeling a bit uninspired, as if I’ve lost my creative mojo. I know I want to experiment with new products or to try new techniques but I can’t think of a solid idea for a specific project.

On these occasions I try to make mini, one-step projects that are still creative but do not require any pre-planning.

Many times these itsy bitsy pieces spark my creative spirit and bring back my mojo. On other times, I still have something I can use later on, when I have a solid idea but less time…

Here are some of the stuff I do:

Watercolor Stamped BackgroundsWatercolor stamped backgrounds.
I love the watercolor look that seems to appear everywhere on the creative-web-sphere. The thing is that watercoloring takes time, even for the most basic applications (such as mine). For one thing, post cleanup is required. Plus you have to get water and blotting paper and special watercolor paper…

Do you see my point?

Therefore, I find these inspiration-twilight-zones perfect for a mini watercolor project. Simply stamp a background stamp with a water-resistant ink (such as Stazon) on watercolor paper and color away. Later you can use it as an element on a page or a card. Add some black details with a broad-tip pen for a bolder look.


Stamp and cut.Stamp and cut.
This one is a spin on watercoloring a stamped piece, for times you don’t feel motivated to break out the watercolors, water, brushes, etc.

For that mini micro project you only need one ink pad, some cute, easy-to-cut stamps and any paper.

When I shop for new stamps I always think of images I can stamp, cut and stow for later use… When the time comes to make an actual card, scrapbook layout, mini album or even to wrap up a gift – you would LOVE to have that stash of pre-cut images to use in a snap.

After all, by the time you get really inspired, you want to use your precious time for designing cool stuff, not on technicalities, right!?


Sew random paper stripsSew random paper strips.
This creative jumpstart performs a double duty: (1) It’s easy and does not require ANY pre-planning; (b) It’s an AWESOME way to use your scraps and if you are anything like me, you have a ton of them.

I am not very good with the sewing machine (= that’s the understatement of the year). That humble stack of randomly sewn pieces is the combined effort of several mini-sewing-sessions, with months apart… Having said that, I really love the machine-stitched look. I think that it adds a new dimension and texture to any project, not to mention a more finished look.

The great thing about machine stitched elements is that you can’t tell when they were carefully sewn on the project or added later as an afterthought… Which is why I think it’s so great to simply stitch random pieces of paper together. The time will come when those sewn panels and pockets and strips will perform their duty, honorably, on a future project.

Make your own journaling spots.Make your own journaling spots.
This is another great example of something small that you can do that gives you an opportunity to experiment with different techniques and stamps and can be very useful in the future.

Either punch or die-cut your journaling spots in advance or stamp them first and cut around the stamp image. Then simply play with them => Add distress inks and stains, mist them, stamp on them, doodle, use letter and word stickers on them.

Just have fun and experiment and get as messy or as tidy as you want.

Finally, store them with the rest of your stash for later use.


Cut pre-made journaling spots.Cut pre-made journaling spots.
OR you can simply print one of my MANY free printable journaling spots, cut them and stash them in an old strawberries container, just like I do… [see picture on the left]

You may also use cuter and more tightly closed containers, if you so wish.

I’m not sure I should say so myself…, but they are so useful. I almost always use a piece on every scrapbooking project I make.

Having these ready-to-go pieces is making it much easier to use them. I don’t think I would ever start searching my file folders for a specific journaling labels set, then printing it and cutting it – all just for a specific journaling spot on a specific page of a specific project. I don’t think so.

Pre-stamp cards.Pre-stamp cards.
I am notorious for buying stamps just because they look cute. I admit it. I used to get them and not be exactly sure what to do with them. Oops.

That was before I decided to simply use them. Duh. I just stamp them on plain card-bases and set it aside until my creative mojo strikes or until I need a quick card and have no time to make it. Whichever comes first. Guess what comes first more often…

Sometimes I just add the cute image to the card base (as you can see on the right) and sometimes I stamp on a 5½” panel that I can add to a card later (as you can see on the left), with or without foam adhesive. Sometimes I also add Stickles, because I’m feeling extra sassy…, but shhh, please don’t tell.

It was very smart of me to use a limited edition stamp set that isn’t available anymore…

Die cut and stamp.Die cut and stamp.
To finish up, I have another spin on the stamp-and-cut suggestion. Wait for it… it’s a die-cut-and-stamp suggestion. Did I tell you how ‘smart’ I am feeling today? Oh, I just did. Okay.

Many brands offer combinations of stamp sets with matching dies. These are perfect for creating mini professionally-looking embellishments that you can use in so many different ways and on so many different projects. You only need a one-time investment in the dies and stamps set and that’s it. Each additional die-cut embellishment you create is practically free.

Make as many as you need, at any color combination you love at the moment or that suits your stash of paper/cardstock/printed photos…

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Do you have other suggestions for creative jumpstarts that need no pre-planning, just some free creative time? If you do, please share in the comments section below!

Unleashing The Creative Child Within You
Back when we were kids creativity came naturally to us. Everything was possible and our prolific imagination was the only limit we knew.
Through the years we have grown apart from our inner creative child and along with that – have lost our pristine and utter joy of creation.

In this e-book I will pave your way back to your inner creative child, brick by brick.

“Unleashing The Creative Child Within You” will explain why you became distant from your core creativity and will reveal the secret to getting it back.

With exercises designed specifically to help you find the inner child within you, regain its confidence and unleash it – you are bound to get your mojo back faster than you think.

Get “Unleashing The Creative Child Within You” for your Kindle
for only $4.99.

You can read the Kindle book on Kindle devices, on your smart phones or on your PC or MAC.

Monochrome Texture Technique Highlight

Wednesday, June 27th, 2012


Monochrome Texture Technique Highlight

A lot of you commented and liked the monochromatic texture on the cover of my most recent travel mini album.

I am a great believer in giving credit where credit is due and in this case the credit belongs to my talented friend, Alexandra.

I was thinking about using a modeling paste with my stencils for a while but didn’t do anything about it UNTIL I saw this AMAZING page and technique highlight by Alexandra on creating your own background with masks. In this tutorial Alexandra created a gorgeous white on white texture using a modeling paste and one of Studio Calico’s masks.

After seeing how striking the result is I had to give it a go too.

Here is how I did it:

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[Click on the image to find the product at Simon Says Stamp]

Liquitex MODELING PASTEBlack acrylic - Claudine Hellmuth Studio PAINTThe Crafter's Workshop MINI HERRINGBONE 6 x 6 Template

Maya Road DEBORAH MINI CHIPBOARD AlphabetTombow MONO MULTI Liquid Glue

How-To

Title

  1. Paint raw chipboard letters the same color of your background. Use a few thin layers of paint and let dry completely between layers, rather than slather on a thick layer of paint. Make sure to paint the sides of the letters as well to avoid the raw chipboard’s color peeking through.
  2. Let dry completely. Thin layers get completely dry very quickly.
  3. Adhere to your cover with a strong liquid adhesive that dries clear. Again, use minimal amount of glue. Just dot it a few times rather than applying thick lines of glue to avoid spilling.

Textured Pattern

  1. Affix the template to your background with a repositionable tape, such as painter’s tape or a washi tape.
  2. Mix the modeling paste with acrylic paint to create the same color as your background – skip this step if your are working on a white background.
  3. Apply a layer of the paste-paint mix with a spatula to make sure it spreads evenly on top of the template. Make sure that you apply pressure only vertically so you won’t accidentally push the paint underneath the template and mess up your pattern. If you don’t have a spatula you can use an old credit card or a plastic ID card. I’ve got a lifetime supply of fake credit cards from all the spam mail we receive in our mail box daily…
  4. If you want to create an imperfect pattern, mask off some of the template with the same low-tac tape you used to affix the template. Skip this step if you only wish to mimmic the template, as is.
  5. Remove the template carefully and let it dry completely.
  6. Marvel at your beautiful textured pattern. [Oops. Obviously this step is optional]

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Are you going to give this technique a go? Have you ever tried it? I would love to hear about your experience and any suggestion you may have!

JM-S2 | Signs
Bring life to your projects with handmade epoxy stickers.

Just $3.00 per package.
6 stickers in each package.
Each sticker measures approximately ¾â€ by ¾â€.





Video Tutorial: How To Make A Doily Brush In Photoshop

Thursday, January 5th, 2012

Many people ask me how I make my printables.

My answer is: one layer at a time…

This is how you work with Photoshop.

You start thinking in layers.

I try to come up with shapes and styles and then, by trial and error, I create these on photoshop with the shape tools and all the masks and filters Photoshop has to offer.

Then I add other layers with lines, graph paper, patterns and brushes…

Today I wanted to share how I make one of these brushes I am talking about – a doily brush.

The same technique works with any other flat object. Lace trimmings? Why, yes!

So, without further ado:


[Go here to watch on YouTube and while there, please rate, comment and subscribe.]

I hope it was helpful and that you’ve enjoyed my tutorial.

Make Your Own Planner 2012
Check out Creativity Prompt’s unique self paced workshop: “Make Your Own Planner”. In this workshop you will make a beautiful handmade planner for 2012. Not only will you get the planner kit for instant download, but you will also get a high resolution video tutorial as well as printable instructions to guide you on each step of the way. Either treat yourself or get it to create wonderful gifts for your family and friends.
Join now – for only $12


Unleashing The Creative Child Within You
Back when we were kids creativity came naturally to us. Everything was possible and our prolific imagination was the only limit we knew.
Through the years we have grown apart from our inner creative child and along with that – have lost our pristine and utter joy of creation.

In this e-book I will pave your way back to your inner creative child, brick by brick.

“Unleashing The Creative Child Within You” will explain why you became distant from your core creativity and will reveal the secret to getting it back.

With exercises designed specifically to help you find the inner child within you, regain its confidence and unleash it – you are bound to get your mojo back faster than you think.

Get “Unleashing The Creative Child Within You” for your Kindle
for only $4.99.

You can read the Kindle book on Kindle devices, on your smart phones or on your PC or MAC.

Video Tutorial: How To Manipulate Your PDF Printables

Wednesday, January 4th, 2012

Many of you asked how to resize or recolor the printables I am sharing with you.

I have posted a written step-by-step tutorial before, but there’s nothing better than seeing what I actually do – I am a visual learner too…

So I have made a video tutorial for you guys and I hope that answers all your questions.


[Go here to watch on YouTube and while there, please rate, comment and subscribe.]

Make Your Own Planner 2012
Check out Creativity Prompt’s unique self paced workshop: “Make Your Own Planner”. In this workshop you will make a beautiful handmade planner for 2012. Not only will you get the planner kit for instant download, but you will also get a high resolution video tutorial as well as printable instructions to guide you on each step of the way. Either treat yourself or get it to create wonderful gifts for your family and friends.
Join now – for only $12


Unleashing The Creative Child Within You
Back when we were kids creativity came naturally to us. Everything was possible and our prolific imagination was the only limit we knew.
Through the years we have grown apart from our inner creative child and along with that – have lost our pristine and utter joy of creation.

In this e-book I will pave your way back to your inner creative child, brick by brick.

“Unleashing The Creative Child Within You” will explain why you became distant from your core creativity and will reveal the secret to getting it back.

With exercises designed specifically to help you find the inner child within you, regain its confidence and unleash it – you are bound to get your mojo back faster than you think.

Get “Unleashing The Creative Child Within You” for your Kindle
for only $4.99.

You can read the Kindle book on Kindle devices, on your smart phones or on your PC or MAC.

The One And Only

Thursday, August 4th, 2011

The One And Only Layout

My husband has quite a unique personality.
Another reason why I love him so much.

When you ask him something you never know what kind of answer to expect.
And after he leaves a room, you never know what you’ll find there.
I decided to record those funny quirks so I’ll always remember him by it.

To do that I took a few screen shots of our Google chat, our main line of communication while he’s at work.

In those chats you can find one of his accurate but useless answers,
(“when will you come home” “when I’ll get there”)

one of his funny answers
(“we need to eat dinner early today” “So start working on that” “but I don’t have my pots and pans with me…”)

and a snapshot of something only he manages to do – leaving the sofa with one slipper on it and one on the floor…

I love him.

Supply

Unleashing The Creative Child Within You
Back when we were kids creativity came naturally to us. Everything was possible and our prolific imagination was the only limit we knew.
Through the years we have grown apart from our inner creative child and along with that – have lost our pristine and utter joy of creation.

In this e-book I will pave your way back to your inner creative child, brick by brick.

“Unleashing The Creative Child Within You” will explain why you became distant from your core creativity and will reveal the secret to getting it back.

With exercises designed specifically to help you find the inner child within you, regain its confidence and unleash it – you are bound to get your mojo back faster than you think.

Your inner creative child wants to come out and play, so click here to get “Unleashing The Creative Child Within You” now.

Spiced Hot Chocolate

Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011

Spiced Hot Chocolate

A while back I documented a new tradition we started at home.
A very sweet and rather scrumptious one.
[Check out the link for the recipes]
Each evening we drank a cup of hot chocolate and had a slice of cheesecake.
Nowadays, we still eat that light cheesecake quite often, but not every night.
And my husband neglected the daily hot chocolate altogether.
However, I still drink hot chocolate every single day
and I enjoy it very much.

In the layout you can see how there is no equality in our house when it comes to hot chocolate.
I get the big HUGE mug!

In this layout I tried to convey the warmth of the hot chocolate and spices with “comfy” patterns and a lot of colors.

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Make Your Own Planner Workshop
This year you can really make your dream come true!

“Capture Your Dream” workshop is a self-paced, six weeks long workshop, that will walk you through a journey of capturing your biggest dream and making it come true.

In the process of making your dream happen – with lots of inspiration and guided self-exploration, you will also create a mixed media mini album from scratch and learn many tips and techniques – including some photography pointers that will add character to your photos and will help you take better pictures of your projects.

The workshop includes 30 printable PDF lessons with step-by-step pictures and instructions as well as several printable templates you may use in other projects too.

I am confident you will enjoy it and find it helpful so I also offer full money back guarantee while the workshop lasts.

Sock Of The Day

Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011

Sock Of The Day

My feet get cold in the winter.
I like warm feet.
Thus I wear socks.
Very colorful socks.
That is all.

What makes you feel at home? What warms you up during winter and what keeps you cool during summer?

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Make Your Own Planner Workshop
Check out Creativity Prompt’s self paced workshop: “Capture Your Dream”. In this workshop you will capture, follow and make your dream come true as well as document your journey in a fabulous mixed media mini album.

Just A Perfect Day

Monday, August 1st, 2011

Just A Perfect Day Layout

There are a million and one reasons why I love my husband so much.
This is one of them.

Last December we were trying to figure out our goals for 2011.
To get me into the New-Year’s mood, my husband told me to envision what would be a perfect day for me.
He told me that I should get down to the littlest of details and start from the moment I wake up.
So I went on and on, trying to see this perfect day in my mind’s eye.

The following day, I woke up and my husband was fussing at the kitchen.
I asked him what was going on but he told me to sit still and steer clear of the kitchen.
After about 30 minutes he called me and on the table waited the perfect breakfast.
The same one I envisioned the day before.
(or a close version thereof)
made with what we had at hand.
He even tried to make “specials” by mixing the peanut butter and jelly in a bowl and also mixing some sun-dried tomatoes with cream cheese, a-la-tapas…

I couldn’t believe my own eyes.
My husband whose recipe for a fried egg is: “Avital, I want a fried egg”,
initiated and executed all of that.

He wanted to teach me a lesson.
A lesson very well taught:

The road to making your dreams come true,
the alleyway to the perfect day,
exists.

All you have to do is take what you have at hand and go get it.

Lesson learned.

Supply

Share

How does your perfect day look like? Please leave a comment and share.

Make Your Own Planner Workshop
Check out Creativity Prompt’s self paced workshop: “Capture Your Dream”. In this workshop you will capture, follow and make your dream come true as well as document your journey in a fabulous mixed media mini album.