Custom Transparencies

Occasionally I come up with an incredibly cool idea, this being one of these times. I know how in demand transparencies are for paper crafters, I also know how much we hoard them (there's one doily transparency I just can't bear to use because I love it so much). Sometimes you can't even find a transparency that will fit the project you're working on, but you desperately wish there was one... So i came up with a solution using a couple of things I found in my house.

My mom used to teach at university, but when she left I got all of her old materials she didn't need anymore. This included a whole stack of overhead sheets meant to print notes on. Basically they're clear sheets, one side is smooth and one side is a little grainy so the ink sticks. Using these, and a printer/computer and a couple of old stamps, you can make your own transparencies for scrapbooking or cardmaking. So here's how I did it...

Step1) Stamp the images you want onto a plain white piece of paper, then scan it onto your computer.

Step2) Transfer the images onto an editing program (I used Photoshop Elements, but you can definitely even use word and open the image into a Word Publishing Layout). Remove the white background and darken the stamped image as dark as it can get (unless you're wanting a colour image, then just shift the hue to whatever colour you want)

 Step3) Build the transparency image you want. I used 3 different stamps in mine, a happy birthday stamp, a frame stamp (I cut out the middle where there were lines for journalling) and a small flourish stamp for the corners.

Step 4) Print out your image on a sheet of white printer paper to see exactly where it will print, then tape your piece of overhead sheet on top, making sure the rough side is facing upwards. Feed the paper back into the printer, making sure when it prints out, the image will print directly over the image you printed previously.

Step5) Print again. This time your printer will print on the overhead sheet. 

Step 6) Taadaa! A fancy home-made transparency!

I'll post a couple of projects later where I've used this technique.

Expeditions

Sometimes it's kind of difficult balancing my want of taking photography with the necessity of schoolwork. Also, it's difficult that I live so far from my friends and my brother hates me taking pictures of him. So usually I'm just stuck taking pictures of flowers. You can get some gorgeous pictures of flowers but there's only so many things to do with them. I've always wanted to try portrait photography. I know I don't have much training or experience capturing people, and I'm kind of just an awkward photographer in general, but luckily my best friends are willing to fool around with me and get some awesome pictures taken. So here is my second... maybe third attempt at taking portraits. Hopefully you like them, because I know I do :)

And these three were actually taken by my friends :)

I love the lack of focus here, but I'll have to get around to teaching them MF

Crayola Hearts

Pinterest, like many other ladies (and some guys!) my new addiction. The amount of inspiration I find every day is incredible. One of these projects has caught many peoples attention just because how unusual and fun this project is. If any of you have Pinterest, you will definitely recognize the "crayon melting on canvas" that EVERYONE seems to have pinned. 

I was inspired by this picture, just because it was different from the rest and I hadn't thought of placing my crayons in a shape before heating.

This is how you do it!

 Glue your crayons on a canvas with hot glue. You can keep the paper on, or take it off, whatever your preference is. Then all you need to do if heat the crayons with a blow dryer or heat gun (I used an embossing gun because it was hotter and directed the wax better) and tilt the canvas and let the wax run! Make sure you've covered your work surface with something, this can get super messy.

And here's my finished product!

Looking back at November

Finally finished a page that should have been done back in November. I actually really like how this one turned out

Could anyone tell that I totally overuse the Pink and Blue colour combination? Definitely my favorite.

Inspired by this page by Kelly Purkey

So the past few days of break have been wonderful. I've spent time with family and friends, both of which I miss a ton right now. However it is super nice to have a day all to myself since the last time that happened was... almost five months ago? University sucks up a huge amount of time but I can truthfully say that I love it, no matter how difficult it gets. (exam week is a different story altogether though) One thing I love about breaks though is how much you look forward to them, because when you finally get one it feels so much better sitting around doing nothing for a day or two than sitting around all the time. But I have a  lot of reading to catch up on, so I better get to that!

Christmas Time Is Here!

A couple pictures from my Christmas tree, purposefully left it on the incandescent light WB setting with flash because I liked the blue wintery look.

Can you tell I love reindeer and stars? Thats exactly what my tree is going to be decorated with when I get my own; Reindeer, stars and snowflakes.

Another new page, started and finished on my last day of exams. I definitely put this one off for months just because I didn't have the time to justify crafting rather than sleeping. Finally I'm on Christmas break though, exams are over, and I have 3 whole weeks of free time, so I can't wait to get to all the stuff I haven't been able to do all year.

Pinterest... Again

Just a couple more random pinterest pictures... I'm definitely hooked.

Definitely tried this out today, it's called a waterfall braid. Can't wait till my hair is longer so i can try it like this and curly.

From here

This is completely amazing, I love the colors. I wonder how long it took to make?

From here

If i guy ever sent me this, I would definitely laugh, but he would also be the coolest guy ever.

from here (website is hilarious by the way)

At the moment this incredibly applies to me.

From here

So I guess it's best to just always be happy :)

From here

From here

I definitely need to start remembering these, both of them are important.

From here and here

Gingerbread

My two best friends came over last weekend and we had a girls night filled with painting our nails,  gossip (of course) and baking cookies!

Making the icing from scratch!

A plate of our decorated cookies :)

K+C+R (that's us!)

Rachel being lazy and watching me do all the work haha

My brother's cookie sandwich. Don't know how he's going to eat it...

Celebrity Status?

So a while ago, before I had graduated from the Junior Achievement program, they asked me to be in their new ad campaign. I thought it would be fun and it was an easy way to get everyone off my back who kept telling me I should be a model since I'm so tall.

Fast forward to this week and all of a sudden I'm getting messages from people telling me pictures of me are hanging in their school. One of them was kind enough to take a picture so I could see...

 I kind of really want one of these for myself! Haha

Can I get a life sized one?

Seriously.