Tell a story with stickers.

It has been quite a while since I blew the dust off this blog.

Recently I have been watching videos about making your own embellishments for cards, scrapbook layouts, artist trading cards, and just to have a stash of things you like and will use.  And, as usual, I got sidetracked in my room as I began hunting through my sticker stash to create embellishments.

I’ve made three tags, over the last few days, using my stickers from 2005 and an old 2013 Atlas.

Road trip tags using stickers. Front

Road trip tags using old maps. Back

The “Process” video at the end of this post will show you how I made the center tag.  The same steps have been used for all three of them.  Each with a little bit of something different but the theme remains the same.

The tag I made today is about a stop necessary on any road trip.  Getting gas and all the other important things that get done at a gas station.

This is one of those creations that starts out with promise and quickly ends up going in the dumper.  I did NOT like what I had created.

This was too much of a mess for my liking.

Cut out all the stickers and start over.

I went to my computer and typed out the words I had originally hand written.  I have a Xyron Sticker Maker.  I cut the printer paper down to a size sufficient to be fed through the Xyron then cut the pieces out.

Used my computer to create the phrases.

My Xyron Sticker Maker is ideal for this.

Cut the paper down to size and feed through.

So easy and it creates the sticky back automatically.

I like this now!

Get all my phrases cut out.

I spent a little time for placement of my new stickers.  Before I attached them I cut them down to better word strips.  After attaching them to the tag, with an additional bit of glue, I drew around them with a black micro pen.

Placement tryout. Change things around before they are applied.

Now that looks so much better!

I even saved the old truck I stamped from the Stampers Anonymous “The Journey” stamp set.   The truck went on the back of the tag as part of the map feature.

Back of tag is complete.

Here is the “Process” video if you want to see how to create  your own tags featuring the stickers you have in your stash.  Enjoy your creative time.

Leslie

Budget friendly Christmas presents from your local hardware store.

My thoughts have been centered around the hardware store recently.  Oh the wonders one can find in a store dedicated to destruction and reconstruction.  Take a little trip through the hardware store for supplies to make Christmas presents.

If you don’t have a “Big Box” hardware store in your area you might have to check out your local flooring center for today’s project idea.  I got my supplies from my local Lowe’s Home Improvement Center.

Lowe’s Home Improvement Center

Coasters are used in many homes to protect the furniture tops from beverage mishaps.  Heat rings from a hot mug of coffee, water rings left behind when iced beverages drip condensation.  You can find plenty of coasters at your local stores.  Wood, fiber, ceramic, porcelain.  Some with inspirational phrases, colors, graphic designs, and even some you can personalize with your photos.

The price range of this decor item varies.  Cheap and inexpensive to quality with a high end price tag.  Most coasters I have seen in stores come in a set of four.

For this project, I have selected four porcelain tiles that measure 4″ x 4″.  The tile costs were 17 cents a piece.  The felt protective feet came in a set of 20 for $2.97.  If you have Mod Podge glue, or something similar, in your craft supplies this project will cost you less that $5 for one of a kind gift giving.

Altered porcelain tiles

I used one of the last few papers from my DCWV Mariposa paper collection on these tiles.  My supply of Mod Podge was seriously depleted.  I went to my Michaels craft store to purchase more and found a formulation that is “Dishwasher Safe”.  This Mod Podge dries completely with no sticky or tacky feel after fully curing.  I don’t, as a general rule, use Mod Podge because of that one problem I have with it.  Living in a humid area this glue tends to be tacky for a long time before it fully cures.  Sometimes even weeks after project completion.

The Mod Podge set me back $9 and I had to purchase another tube of E-6000 which was an additional $5.  These two products will have a long shelf life in my craft room and will be used on other projects in the future so the cost can be spread out over the years.

I used the E-6000 to adhere the felt feet on the back of the tiles.  This is to ensure no furniture damage will occur when moving or stacking the tile coasters on table tops.  If you would like to have a full tutorial on making these tile coasters, I have a video for you.

Leslie