inside our summer 2012 issue

We’re having a party! This issue of Paper Creations celebrates our 8th anniversary and is filled with some pretty fun stuff that you can enjoy creating all summer long. Always on the menu are great card ideas, but we always try to feature new appetizers like our wonderful feature article on alcohol markers and making your own unique jewelry from Scrabble tiles. And, we prepared three spectacular desserts that are really yummy!

Giveaways galore! Giveaways this issue include Spectrum Noir Alcohol markers with case and instructional DVD, Xyron Mega Runner (weekly winners!), and Spellbinder dye templates. Don’t miss out on a chance to win these great products!

Can't find this Issue in a store by you? Not to worry.
You can order it online here!

projects

Hello

Patterned papers and other elements selected are largely responsible for setting the tone of handmade cards. It’s not only these choices, however, but their placement that determines a certain mood or theme. Mini florals, dots, and checks do a fine job of creating a country feeling, but their strategic, “not so tidy” arrangement makes this card reflect the freshness and informal beauty of a countryside garden.

Fishy Kisses

Swimming in warm coral and ocean turquoise patterned papers, this sweet card is awash with summer colors and imagery.

Summer Love

Every season is the perfect season to say “I love you.” The summer love cards shown here are tenderly expressed with ocean blue, creamy sand, and coral patterned papers. Sea foam green rhinestones and buttons add the perfect finishing touches.

Garden Bunny Cards

These sweet bunny cards are quick and easy to make, as all the cutting has already been done for you. Simply press out the layers and adhere.

Bright Garden Collection

The cards featured here make liberal use of glitter to add sparkling flair to selected imagery. A random sprinkling of flowers and detailed outlining around geometric shapes lends additional pop.

Seasonal Cards

It takes time to think of an idea, then more time to conceptualize it, and sometimes, even more time is needed to execute it. So here’s an idea worth considering. Once you have perfected your idea (and while you’re working on it), think ahead and tweak the concept slightly to fit other seasonal occasions. Designer Kendra Sand did just that with the three cards featured here, changing the color themes, patterned paper, and embellishments. We just love the results!

Thank You Cards

A colorful garden of flowers and a pocketful of sentiment strips perfectly enrich two small words that mean so much.

Nothing Tastes as Good...

Hard work and commitment should never go unrewarded. The card shown here gives well-deserved praise to all those whose determination will pay off big time on the beaches this summer!

Winning Sentiments

As you can see from the cards featured here, using colored markers is a fun and easy way to both personalize and add a ton of punch to your artwork.

Oh Happy Day

Summer checks and dots happily pair up to create this sunny greeting card.

Balloon Boy

Perhaps he just won his first sack race, or maybe it was the egg toss at the town’s summer festival. It doesn’t matter which he won, as experiencing success is a wonderful thing at any age!

So Berry Sweet

You don’t have to be a berry lover to enjoy this sweet card and the adorable berry boxes. Fill the boxes with mini treats as an extra-special surprise.

Sunny Days Collection

These charmers are bursting with “fresh from the garden” appeal. Sunshine yellow and tomato red patterned papers are perfect playmates for summertime imagery and sweet sentiments.

Tropical Flower Cards

Quick and easy to make, these lush floral all-occasion cards take full advantage of wonderfully colored patterned papers. Intense ocean blues contrast with rich rainforest greens and jewel-like corals, providing endless choices for exotic combinations. The flowers were die-cut, layered, and then crowned with a jeweled center.

It’s A Boy

It’s always a star-studded day when a new baby enters a family’s life. This card announces the wee one with celebratory words and images.

Computer Cards

If you’ve never heard of or used “Wordle,” you’re in for a world of fun. All you have to do is visit www.wordle.net/create and provide as many words or word combinations that you desire in the box provided. Then click on “go” and your text appears in an interesting arrangement that you can further tweak with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. The images you create are yours with which to do whatever you choose…save them or print them out and use them for cards like the ones featured here to share with your friends.

Let’s Celebrate

This little firecracker of a bear glows with personality and charm. Overlapping matted squares and rectangles make for lively placement, while Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers provide an explosion of color that makes this sweet card really pop.

Hope Your Day is Happy

Muted shades of red patterned paper set the tone for this charming card. A fine line of blue runs through the plaid patterned paper and is subtly accented by the denim flower crowned with a white button and bow.

Americana Flag Cards

A collector of primitive things for many years, I’ve always loved anything distressed, antiqued, or grunged – they hold real appeal for me. I must admit that I had to stop myself from getting too carried away, but if you’re into vintage Americana, you’ll understand what I mean. The best part about making the cards featured here was that I had a chance to just play and to experiment with a bunch of techniques that take a little more time than I usually have available. I’m not planning to mail these cards out to anyone this holiday. Rather, I intend to use them with other flag decorations I display to celebrate July 4th.

features

Say it with Color – Alcohol Marker Basics

Using colored markers to personalize and customize paper crafting projects is rapidly becoming more and more popular. We asked designer and instructor Sharon Harnist to share her knowledge of working with Copic Markers with us, and she generously provided the informative and inspirational article below for all who want to express their creativity in new ways.

Dazzling Duos

Die cuts provide endless possibilities for customizing your cards. Shown here are some great ideas for using familiar shapes in both traditional and nontraditional applications. Liz created her cards from classic heart and scallop circle shapes and adds her own special touch by incorporating hand-stitched stems and leaves. Robbie used the same shapes, but layers them to effectively create “fluttering” wings for a charming ladybug and humble bumblebee. Combining assorted die cuts makes it possible to create some really cute little critters!

Scrabble Tile Jewelry and Other Fun Stuff

“I love the idea of incorporating my own stash of papers and stamps to make wearable art like necklaces, rings, and hairpins, and decoratively useful things like magnets or paper clips. Scrabble® tiles fit the bill for both of these ideas to a “t”!

Floral Bridal Set

Sumptuous rose sprays in cocoa and white on a soft blue background were the inspiration for creating this simple yet elegant bridal ensemble.

Summer Baby Gift Set

Sugar and spice and everything nice is the best description for this darling gift set to welcome the new baby!

Stars and Stripes Pinwheels

Festive and fun, you can always count on pinwheels to add a bright splash of color to any celebratory event. The pinwheels shown here are dressed in stars and stripes and filled with candy, making the perfect patriotic display for a July 4th party. Create a bunch to decorate your buffet table or to hand out to your guests as a “thank you for coming” favor.

America Banner

Glittered letters, translucent red buttons, and upholstery webbing team up to create this patriotic banner to celebrate the 4th of July.

Rethink and Reuse

Albums for Inchies and ATCs... Mix and match those partially used alphabet sheets and orphaned chipboard letters to decorate albums for storing Artist Trading Cards.

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