Love Crafts, but new to Crafting!

Another post after my unplanned hiatus over at the blog. It's unfair sometimes. :( I get so occupied with work and home committments now that I don't get time to jot down my own ideas or thoughts.. let alone blog posts to eleborate my random musings or observations. I have a couple of blog posts pending, I have my material ready but need to compile it together.

The post today is exactly what it says, Love Crafts but new to Crafting!

You may wonder what sparked me to post this today, it's actually something that we need doses of now and then to remind us of what works and what doesn't. I sometimes ask my friends about what works in a layout and what doesn't.. I even try to research and learn more about color and design in my spare time.

I'm not the crafting queen, and my words are not set in stone, so if you have anything to add to these, points, share em :) A background for some who may wonder, I have 4 years of professional design training and almost 10 years of paper crafting experience in the U.S., Pakistan and now Hong Kong... I felt I could share what some of you could benefit from. InshaAllah x

When I began paper crafting, I didn't have all the fancy stuff. (tools, punches, inks, stamps, die cut systems and so forth). I just had a flair to make something and make it look awesome. (even though several attempts were epic fails.)

In the last year specifically, I have observed an improvement in the work I produce, be it in composition, detail or overall effort. You could say it's evolving. And I wanted to share some tips on how you can apply that to see your work evolve, too! :)

• If it came out of the box, it doesn't mean you 'assemble it' and pass it off as 'crafting'. What I mean to implore here is we often get hold of kits and 'card in a box' or 'album in a box'... what we don't realize is when they say 'it's everything you need to create'... it means you use it as a platform, and make the most of your skills to add to it. Don't leave things 'raw'. ie... take a floral background, and use a red border punch to embellish it. Why? Any other person that gets hold of that background or that punch, is going to be able to do the same. What's your input? Have you composed it? Have you added personalized details? Did you get your hands dirty to paint, ink or create a dimensional flower?

• Make your work your own. It is very easy to see a color combination you like, with a product you like, and a request to create the same thing. Rule number one, politely hold your ground and clarify that the work requested belongs to someone else, and you would love to create something based on the same idea, ie floral, vintage and so forth but would not replicate the same colors on the same product.

• Inspiration versus copy. Be confident in your own piece of work. Like someone's idea? execute it in a way that the piece looks like it's your own individual concept, your own aesthetic.

• Don't stuff every 'color' on the planet onto one canvas. IF not done tastefully, it will look like a colorful mess. (in not so nice terms)

• I know it's tempting, but just because you're doing an album, don't force a vintage key into it. If your palette is bright bold hues or delicate pastels and you're not careful in placement of your embellishments, that key is going to be smack in your vision and will look off from the rest of your project, despite the ohmg, look at that KEY syndrome.

• The thing with stamping, embossing, glittered accents, metal embellishments and bling. These 5 are a lethal combination when used and applied the right way. You want them to blend as a theme, as one, and not look like a bit of everything, just because you wanted to. Know when to use them, and when to skip. While the effort is no doubt commendable, it may look too gaudy or over done.

• Less is more. Work on creating layouts and compositions to help you develop a form of story telling, that moves your eye, and motivates admirers to look closely at your work. The simplest of detail can be most impactful when piecing together your projects. Don't scatter bits and bobbles everywhere to confuse the person.

• Binding, do I go for jute, ribbon, rings, or spirals?
  If it's a formal affair, avoid using spirals. If you opt for rings, camouflage them with delicate trims and ornate laces. If you want to opt for a natural feel and have managed to blend in eclectic elements, opt for jute. Be careful, as jute and spirals, if used incorrectly can make a fab project look floppy. Ribbons are great for almost any occasion. Be selective about which ones you use, if you use stiff ones or those that are too 'shiny', they may throw off your beautified craft piece within seconds. I personally use the binding rings because they work with formal and fun projects. They look solid enough and don't remind me of a school notebook or something I picked up from the photocopier. (no offense to others, I've got gorgeous journals bound with spirals and I love them to bits.. handcrafted just look different when used with spirals)

• All that glitters is not gold. While most people look at the sight of glitter and fall to uber appreciation, if used in excessive amounts, can look tacky. Control your glitter urges folks, accent it with a line, a smaller embellishment, as glitter stands out!  You don't want it to over power the rest of your layout. :)

• Compose, compose, compose. Don't let your work float everywhere. Make it look grounded with a visual experience. If you like working with straight lines, do wonders with them. If you like asymmetry, don't make things float everywhere.

• Proportions are vital when doing albums and cards. You don't want two large flowers and one small one. Try balancing one large flower with two smaller ones, or with one small or medium. It makes a big difference.

• Lost in Space. Keepsakes are intended for 'keeping' for the 'sake of memories' for most. If you have created or crafted an album, especially a mini. Make sure you leave room for photos and text and don't centralize your embellishments. Mini albums are smaller in size, and have less room for photos and journaling to start with. If you have large embellishments, it may look pretty, but would defeat the purpose and practicality of being an 'album'.

• Hand written. If you feel like incorporating your handwriting in a project, try not to let it float or look like a sloppy note you'd pass in class. Take a minute to draw a line with a scale to write on the line. If your cursive isn't the most exciting, don't go for it, print it instead.

• First Love. Don't fall in love with your work. Be pleased when you put together something you put your heart into, but never fall in love with it. Because that's going to stop you from doing better or striving harder. Which will stump your growth and grooming as a crafter or artist.

Hope these little bits and pieces of information strike a chord and help you rethink your projects and help you for amazing future ones. I have yet to share some amazing work by Pakistani Crafters from our Craft Month Celebrations. You'll see some talent from simplest of pieces when I do :)

I often tell my students, that when you have the eye to appreciate something beautiful, your admiration shows your aesthetics are pretty awesome! So never tell yourself you're not very good at being creative ;)

Much Love.
Smile Sunshine!
 

Distressing Technique: Age and Old

Everyone asks me about how to age paper... to give that old vintage look... corroded, distressed. This tutorial shows you how with water color and your paper.

I have this I'm going to be distressing...

Dab your paint brush in some water...

Take it to the tray, brush out excess water back and forth, I prefer this over tissue paper, as tissues take in way too much.

I start making my color now.. I want a tea stain look.

I mix the mustard, the rust and the brown.

Taking in some more water there...

Mixing it there.

Trying to wear out excess... you won't want to blot your paper completely!

Going to run the brush over...

gently..

you see the edges?

a little more here.

Now the 'torn' distress look.

Begin tearing off the edge of your paper/scrap do it in a way only the first layer of paper comes apart.

I did it all around.

Distressing it

Voila :)

Instead of Watercolor, you can try these alternatives:

- Peanut Butter. YES! Peanut butter, smooth on some peanut butter over the edges of your paper to give it the stained and aged feel. The only draw back is, you'll be inviting fungus and ants.

- Lemon Juice and a candle... Take a cotton ball, dab it in a bit of lemon juice. Distress the edges or area you want to age. Light a candle. Over the flame, gently 'toast' your paper, keep it about 1.5-2 inches above the flame to prevent flames to your paper. You'll see the lemon juice will begin to colorize into a caramel tone.. works wonders :) If you want to 'burn' the edges, hold the paper edges at an angle, close enough so that the flame begins to add soot to the edges and they turn auburn/black. Don't over do it, you'll end up setting your studio on fire!

Instead of tearing the edges, you can try this:

- Dampen your sheet of paper in water, by gently blotting it in a tray or plate. When the paper begins to dry, take a tooth brush and begin brushing against the edges. You'll achieve a fuzzy look. :)

- Instead of blotting the paper in the tray with water, you can take a spray gun. Dampen your paper, and begin brushing away the edges for the distressed look :D