October Afternoon

Bring Your Own Sunshine | Guest Designer: Heather Leopard

Heather Leopard here to say that I have had an amazing month guesting here on the October Afternoon blog but before I say goodbye, I have a fun layout and process video to share using the Saturday Mornings collection. 

If you know me, you know that I have a fondness for creating visual backgrounds for my base pages. Sometimes it's piecing itty bitty pieces together and sometimes it's a little more free-flowing, like today. I used a mix of scrap papers and 3x4 journal cards create the background and then meshed up some fun circles along the horizontal and vertical axises for a fun visual twist.

I share a tip in the video below for cutting a photo into a perfect circle when you don't have a punch or die that fits perfectly. I used it for last week's hexagon photo and explained it in the video as I cut the circle photo for this layout.

This little girl definitely sparkles and shines wherever she goes so I thought it only fitting to title this "She brings her own Sunshine". I chose to focus only on the gorgeous blues and yellows (with a small bit of brown) from the Saturday Mornings collection help accentuate the story.

So there you have it, my final layout as guest designer.  Please STAY TUNED below and check out how this layout came together, relatively fast and easy.  And do tell me, do I have a Texas accent?  I don't think I do even though I've lived here all my life.

Oh and I'd love to connect with you on Instagram @heatherleopard or on my blog!

 

Thanks October Afternoon for having me this month. I had way too much fun creating with your fabulous collections. 

 

 

ETA: Thank you so much Heather, for sharing your time and your talents here with October Afternoon this month! It was a pleasure having you join us! 

Tuesday Tutorial: Make your own mixed media embellishments

Hi everyone, Mou here with a tutorial today about making your own mixed media style embellishments.

Here's a layout in which I used my home made embellishments.

I am using the Public Library Clear Stamp set along with some bare chipboard I have had in my stash for a long time. If you don't have something similar, you can always cut your own chipboard shapes from packaging materials.

Apply a thin coat of white gesso to prime your chipboard pieces.

I colored my shapes with Gelatos colors. Feel free to use any paints, markers, etc. you like.

Add some texture to the pieces using Whipped Spackle or another modeling paste or texture medium. Be sure not to make the surfaces too uneven as that it will make stamping on them harder.

Once the medium dries, stamp images from the Public Library Clear Stamp set using a permanent ink like Archival Ink, StazOn, etc.

Here are some close-ups of my layout using these embellishments.

Hope you enjoyed today's tutorial and thanks for stopping by!

Tuesday Tutorial: Attaching Tags to Bows

Hey everyone! Roree here with today's Tuesday Tutorial.

Let me start by saying, today's tutorial isn't so much a tutorial as it is a tip or a trick. I tend to create in the moment. I add things, take them away, add them back until they seem to work. Sometimes this causes me to have do things in multiple steps rather than in a simple step or two. But after spending so much time on a project I usually don't want to start from scratch, so I come up with creative ways to attach things after the fact.

Here is a card I created using the new Public Library collection:

I added lots of little bits and pieces to my card, including the ribbon from the Miscellany pack.

After adding the bow to my card, I decided that it really would look better with a tag underneath. Since I didn't want to re-tie the bow, I got creative.

First, I added a hole to the top of a Sew Fun Banners pennant die cut.

I snipped the hole at the top (sort of in an upside down V shape) so it was open. Doing it this way gave me a little more wiggle room to get it over the ribbon, yet it still has the look of being closed after I attached it.

Then, I just slid it over the ribbon on the underside of the bow.

Voila! The tag is attached and you can't even tell that it was added after the fact!

Hope this tip/trick helps. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Tuesday Tutorial: Faux Letterpress

Happy Tuesday!  I hope you are having a great day :)

I'm excited to be here with a fun and easy tutorial to share with you guys.  Essentially it's a faux letterpress look.  I don't have a fancy letterpress machine, but what I do have is a slew of embossing folders I've collected over the years, and a bunch of colorful inks.

My absolute most used, favorite embossing folder is this medium polka dot one that I will use today.  I paired it with some pretty blue Distress ink, and a blue patterned paper from the Girl talk Daily Flash line.

This is so easy to do!  All you do is rub your inkpad over the raised part of the embossing folder before you stick your paper in and run it through your machine.  If you want a clean look then be extra careful when swiping your inkpad across the folder.  You can see in my image below I got some ink on the other part of the folder, but that's okay because I wanted a more inky, splotchy look.  You will get the best clean look with a pigment inkpad since it will "stick" to the folder better exactly where you want it.

After running it through my machine you can see how the ink has colored all the indented parts of the embossing, just like a letterpress would do.

As I said, it's such an easy and fun technique.  All you need to do is wipe your embossing folder clean when you are done.

Here is the card I made with the embossed polkadot panel.  The rest of the supplies I used are also from the Girl Talk line.

Thanks so much for stopping by today, I hope you will share you creations in the October Afternoon Flickr Gallery!

Laura :)

Tuesday tutorial: Quick and simple bookmark

Hi everyone! Alex here today bringing you this week's tutorial. 

It's probably going to take me longer to write this post than it took me to actually make the bookmark I am going to share with you. It's super easy. All you need is the following: 2 Public Library tin pins, the ribbon from the Public Library Miscellany pack, piece of patterned paper (I used one from the 8x8 pad) and a 1" circle punch. 

To start with, iron the ribbon to get rid of the folds and cut it to the size you want to use. I almost always read paperbacks and I chose to use 11'' of the ribbon. Punch out two 1'' circles from the patterned paper of your choice. 

I used glossy accent to put my bookmark together, but I guess any liquid glue/sealer would work fine. Put some on the back of a tin pin, put one end of the ribbon over it and add some more glossy accent on top of it. Close it with the paper circle.

Now do the same with the other end of the ribbon and you are done :-)

I told you it was quick and simple!

This is how it looks like inside the book.

I hope you enjoyed this little tutorial of mine.

Btw, I looooove Game of Thrones! :-)

Thanks for stopping by!

//Alex

Tuesday Tutorial: Embrace the Clutter

Happy July, everyone! I don't know about the rest of you, but I (Vivian) am in the midst of our busiest summer ever, juggling work, the kids' camp schedules that change from week to week, travel, and catching up with friends we haven't seen in a while because, well, spring was busy!

Enter clutter. Something has had to give this summer, and I've chosen to ignore the things that pile up on the dining room table. (Don't worry, I'm still attacking the clutter, just less frequently than usual.)

For today's tutorial, we are going to look at clutter in two different ways...and embrace it! First, the layout, and then the discussion of clutter...

 

 

Clutter, Part I:

Take photos of your clutter. Don't stage it, don't rearrange it, just document it. On the day I took the photo in the layout above, I was struck not by the messiness of the clutter, but by the story the clutter told. It's not a stunning photo, it's not particularly well-composed, but it's real. I tend to pull my best photos (from a photography-as-art standpoint) and use those on my layouts. Here, however, I took a step back and let the story lead.

Clutter, Part II:

Embellish with clutter. I've already dispensed with the idea that clutter = mess, so let's look at the dictionary definition (from Merriam-Webster) to help us understand what clutter might mean in a design sense: to fill or cover (something) with many things. See? Clutter does not equal mess, just space that is filled. October Afternoon's Public Library collection, featured on this layout, includes several patterned papers that fit the dictionary definition, interpreted through the lens of design. In our effort to embrace clutter, let's add to the clutter! One of my favorite techniques is taking a cluttered (remember, we are using this term in its positive sense!) patterned paper, like the Children's Section patterned paper I used on my layout, and adding embellishments on top of it. It's fun to play around with doing that in two different ways.

First, at the top of the layout, I largely added embellishments that matched the patterned paper in tone and sheen (the bird die-cut circle, the "discover" sticker, and the "weekend photos," "favorite," and "recorded" die cuts):

 

 

Second, at the bottom of the layout, I mismatched the tone or sheen of the embellishments (the heart sticker and the "my story" chipboard). These two embellishments create balance on the layout, with the heart sticker's sheen balancing the sheen of the spider tin pin at the top, and the pink of the chipboard embellishment balancing the pop of pink in the patterned paper above the photo.

 

 

So, don't de-clutter, embrace or add to the clutter to tell your story! All you clutterers out there, please share your work with us in the October Afternoon Flickr gallery so we can admire it.

 

 

 

Tuesday Tutorial: Triangle Layout

Hey October Afternoon fans! It's Mandy here with this weeks Tuesday tutorial. I decided to create this week's tutorial after receiving many requests asking about the "California Love" triangle layout I made back in March for a sketch challenge. Here is the layout to refresh y'all's memory.

I will warn you now this layout takes a bit longer than I normally like to spend on a layout and a bit more patience. Let's get started. 

 

When You Wake Tell Me A Story  by. Mandy Koeppen 

Here's a look at the supplies I started with:

I used 2 pieces of cardstock, 2 pieces of scraps(for triangle patterns), pattern paper, alphas, chipboard, stamps, ink pad, foam squares, sewing machine, adhesive, and photos.

STEP 1

Trace or freehand cut triangle on the backside of 1 piece of your cardstock. You'll want to use a craft knife to cut your triangles from the cardstock. Don't forget to label your triangle this will come in handy later on. 

STEP 2

Once you have the triangle you want cut out grab you other piece of cardstock. This will be your backer cardstock. Line the 2 cardstock pieces up. Using a pencil lightly trace 2 of the triangles. 1 will be for your stamped image the other will be for the letters or embellishments. 

STEP 3

Once you have decided where and how many photos you will use on your layout grab the triangles that where the photos will be placed and cut around the photos. I adhere my photos to the back of the top layer of cardstock so I leave a 1/4 inch on the side of the photo as you can see below.  Then adhere to layout. 

 

STEP 4

Stamps!!! Grab your October Afternoon stamps, clear block, & triangle pattern.I place the Triangle pattern under the block so I know right where to place my images. Always do a test before stamping on your layout just to make sure all the images are going to be where you want. Once you have the triangle stamped don't forget to erase your pencil marks. 

Here is what my layout looks like up to this point. 

STEP 5

Adhere chipboard alpha or images to a triangle.

 

STEP 6 

Grab different pattern papers and 2 triangles. You will cut the pattern paper into the same exact size as the triangles. As you can see the amount of triangle you need to cut will vary on how many photos you use on the layout. For the tutorial I used only 1 photo so I had 2 pattern papers on the top layer and 1 on the bottom. Adhere to the top layer of cardstock. 

STEP 7

Adhere the pattern paper triangle and stitch around each of the triangle with a sewing machine or by hand. 

STEP 8

Place foam adhesive squares randomly on the back of the top layer of cardstock. I also put washi tape over the thread after sewing. 

STEP 9 (no photo)

Line the 2 piece of cardstock up adhere together. Make sure you have all those pesky backings off the foam squares. 

STEP 10

Add title and embellish layout. 

 I hope y'all have enjoyed this tutorial. I've had a great time creating this layout with the new Public Library line. If you have any questions please let me know. Have a nice day! ~Mandy 

 

Tuesday Tutorial: Circle Punch Flower

Hey guys, it's Laura Craigie here with a new Tuesday tutorial for you! :)

I was making leaves the other day with my circle punch and it dawned on me that they would make great petals for a flower too, and I decided to give it a try, and captured the process for you with my camera.

I'll start with my finished card so you can see the flower in action.

And here is a side shot to view the dimension.

 Now on to the tutorial!

Here are the supplies you will need, patterned paper, a circle punch, a hole punch, and a large brad to hold the flower together.

First thing is to punch out 6 circles out of patterned paper using your punch.

Next you want to take your punch and push the circle back into it until you see a petal shape, and then punch it out.  Don't worry if they are not identical in size, it only adds to the whimsy if they aren't perfectly sized.  You will be able to get three petals out of one circle for a total of 18.

An optional step, but one I think adds so much interest, is to quickly ink the edges of the petal in a coordinating color.

Next line up the petals and using a hole punch, punch a hole into the bottom end of each petal.  I was able to punch through half the petals at once with my hole punch.

Choose the brad you want to use as a flower center, and insert it through the punched hole in all the petals.

Your last step is to fan out the petals and move them around until it's pleasing to your eye.  I don't think there is a wrong way to do it, just shuffle them around till it looks right.

And that is it, a very quick, and easy circle punch flower.  

Thanks so much for stopping by today, and if you make one of these flowers be sure to share it in our Flickr gallery so we can all see.

Happy Tuesday!

-Laura :)

Tuesday Tutorial: Summer Reading Journal

This summer I plan on making my way through stacks of books that have accumulated during the school year, when what I read is pretty much limited to what I am teaching. It takes me such a long time to read a "me" book during the school year, since there is so much competition for my attention and so many claims to my time, but when summer rolls around, I am forever with my nose in a book -- a book that is just for me. 

As you might imagine, being a bookworm means that I have fallen hard for October Afternoon's Public Library collection. Today, I'll share with you how I used it to create a summer reading journal. 

I started by gathering my supplies, including stamps and a few sheets of patterned paper from the Public Library collection. 

I trimmed several sheets of white cardstock to 10.5" x 8.25" and folded them to create the inner pages. I trimmed a sheet of "Reference Section" patterned paper slightly larger, since it would serve as the cover. 

On a 7.5" x 5" sheet of "Story Time" patterned paper, I added a dollop of modeling paste and smoothed it over the page with an old credit card.  

I then stamped over the paste using the "Alphabetical Order" stamps. What I love about stamping in modeling paste is the texture that results; however. modeling paste can take a little while to dry, so I usually help along the process with a heat tool. 

When the paste was relatively dry, I repeatedly stamped over the top and bottom of the page using some Public Library clear stamps. 

I then misted over the entire page, alternating among greens and blues, periodically tilting the page to allow the colors to run. Using a paper towel, I dabbed lightly at the page, softening and blending the colors.

After the page dried (once again helped by the heat tool), I stitched the entire page onto the journal cover. 

To bind the journal pages together, I added strips of washi tape to the creases of each page. 

All summer long, I'll add to the journal as I make my way through the stacks. I've already finished one entry! 

Thanks for stopping by today!  Happy reading! 

-- Jill 

 

 

Tuesday Tutorial: A Quick & Easy Stamped Background

Hey everyone! Roree here.

I have something to share with you all today. I am NOT a stamper. There... I said it. It is not some startling revelation I have made, just a fact. The problem with that statement is I love stamps. I collect them with full intentions of learning how to stamp, trying cool stamping techniques, but I just never follow through. I have so many of OA's wonderful stamp sets, but sadly I rarely ever use them. But today I am taking a step towards my dream of someday adding stamping to my list of crafting credits and I am creating a card with a quick and easy stamped background. Will you come along on my journey?

First, my supplies:

I started off with the Dude stamp set from the Daily Flash All Boy collection, an ink pad, and a panel of paper.

OA has put together a wonderful arrangement of stamps, so why mess things up? I inked the stamps directly in the package.

Then, I placed the stamp set on my paper panel:

And because I collect stamps but not all of the supplies needed to use them, I had to search through my supplies for something large and flat to press the stamps as evenly as possible. The spacer block from my Cricut Cuttlebug machine worked quite nicely!

After removing the spacer block and the stamps, here is what I was left with:

A beautiful stamped background! Now I know... some of the images aren't solid, but I wasn't expecting perfection. I am just happy I got all of the images on the paper. And I do like the way it turned out. It's just a practice panel anyway. Practice makes perfect, right?

After several more attempts, I put my practice to the test and added the stamped images to some patterned paper, added some fun embellishments, and came up with this fun card:

I just love the stamped images against the patterned background. The pattern helps take the eye away from any slight imperfections in my stamping. So does the stitching.

And the awesome embellishments from Daily Flash dress the card up and hide some of the spots in the middle where I didn't get an even pressure.

All in all, I say it was a success. And it was pretty easy too. I think you will all be seeing a little more stamping on my projects in the future. **fingers crossed that I keep it up**

Thanks so much for stopping by!