Category Archive for: ‘DIY Toolbox’
How To Perfectly Place Rubber Stamp Images
One of the most-commented upon projects this year, the Chevron Invitation Suite, left many of you wondering how to get the chevron design perfectly – and consistently – stamped on your own invitations. Though I’d like to say that I’m JUST THAT AWESOME at stamping, that’s totally not the case.
I simply use dark magic.
Well, no, that’s not really true.
The secret to rubber stamp placement perfection is this doohickey:
It’s the unfortunately-named “Stamp-a-ma-jig” from Stampin’ Up!, a nifty tool that helps position rubber stamps. There are other stamp positioners on the market, by the way, and they all cost under $14.00. Some are L-shaped or differently-shaped. I prefer the T-type like the Stampin’ Up! one because that’s what I learned on.
What It Is: The stamp positioner is a 2-piece tool that consists of a sheet of a reusable plastic and a T-square type bar.
Why You Need It: Wood-mounted rubber stamps, the kind you can’t see through, are often not registered properly on the block. What this means is that the image on the top of the block that shows you what the image is does not match the placement of the actual stamp on the block. They’re sometimes crooked or off by a few millimeters. If you’re going to do any kind of rubber stamping that requires precision placement – especially with stamps that have typography, geometrical/horizontal/repeating patterns – a stamp positioner will save you a lot of frustration and wasted card stock. I’ve had mine for about 12 years and can’t imagine doing any kind of precision project without it.
How To Use It:
1. Place the T-square on your table and then place the clear plastic sheet flush so that two side are flush with the side of the jig and that the corner of the plastic fits snugly in the corn of in the corner of the “t”.
2. Ink up a stamp as you normally would.
3. Using the edges of the stamp jig as a guide, press the stamp firmly down on the plastic and lift it straight up. Be careful not to move the jig or the plastic here. If you do, simply wipe the ink off the plastic and try it again.
4. The resulting stamped plastic can now be used as a template for everything you stamp with this image. Pro Tip: If you’re using a light ink for your projects, it probably won’t show up on the plastic. Just use a black ink or a dark ink on the plastic so it’ll be easier to position the image.
5. For example, this piece of card stock needs some stamped chevron love on the top 2/3 of the paper. I’ve placed the stamped plastic on top of the card stock, positioning it so that the edges of chevron stop on the right-hand side of the paper.
6. Once I like the positioning, I carefully align the jig/t-square thing to the top and side edge of the stamped plastic. It’s important in this step not to bump the plastic or the paper, otherwise all alignment will get messed up. Don’t worry if you actually DO bump things out of alignment; it happens. Just reposition and try it again.
7. Once everything looks aligned, carefully remove the plastic.
8. Ink up your stamp and align it in the jig. Press down to stamp the image on the card stock the lift up the stamp.
9. Voila! Perfectly-aligned image!
When you’re done with the project, the stamp positioner can be wiped clean with any stamp cleaner or oftentimes just soap and water.
Embossed Invitations With A Die Cutting Machine
When it comes to invitations, almost anyone with a computer, word processing program, and a printer can create simple-but-lovely invitations on the cheap. Honestly, if you’ve worked with MS Word – even for just a few days – you’ve already got basic invitation-making skills. But what do you do when you want to take a basic home-printed invitation and turn it into something more refined?
What often separates DIY invitations from what professional stationers create usually comes down to two things:
1. Quality of materials
2. Attention to detail
Today, I’m going to show you how using high quality card card stock from our friends at CutCardStock.com, a manual die-cutting machine, and an embossing folder can turn an invitation from simple to gorgeous with just a little bit of effort. The addition of the embossed layers adds depth, texture, and a beautiful design that are sure “wow” your invitees.
If you’ve never used a die-cutting machine before, oh, you’re in for some fun! Die-cutting machines are used in crafting (especially scrapbooking and card-making) to cut words, letters, and shapes out of different materials like paper, cork, soft metals, cardboard, and fabric. They do this by squeezing the material and a die (a sharp metal sheet with a design on it) together through the machine. The machines usually have a platform of some sort along with various thicknesses of heavy-duty plastic plates that form a sandwich around the dies and materials so that the maximum amount of pressure is placed on the die as it moves through the machine. These things help give clean and even cuts.
What’s really cool about die cutting machines is that many companies are offering embossing folders. Instead of cutting paper, embossing folders press a design into heavy papers and card stocks. It’s kind of like letterpress and, yes, you can create letterpress-like projects in a manual die-cutting machine. (We’ll do that another day. I promise!)
The Supply List
1 piece of 5″ x 7″ card stock in Curious Metallic INK (navy) from CutCardStock.com
1 piece of 4″ x 6″ Esse Pearlized card stock in Latte from CutCardStock.com
1 piece of 1″ x 11 1/2″ card stock in Curious Metallic Olive from CutCardStock.com (not shown above), scored at 3 1/2″ from either end
Big Shot Die Cutting Machine by Sizzix
Cricut Cuttlebug Embossing Folder “Acanthus” Pattern with both the 5″x 7″ folder and the 1″ x 7″ folder
Glue dots
1/4″ wide grosgain ribbon, blue color
Instructions
1. The first part of this project is the easiest: create your invitation. In Microsoft Word, create a 4″ x 6″ invitation and print it onto Esse Pearlized card stock. Set the invitation wording pages aside.
2. It’s embossing time! For me, this is the fun part. I love embossing because it’s easy and it provides impatient me with instant gratification. To get started, place a piece of 5″ x 7″ Curious Metallic INK card stock in the center of the embossing folder. The Cuttlebug embossing folders are hinged, so you just flip up the top, drop your paper in, and flip down the top.
3. Note: Each embossing machine manufacturer (and model) is different so the directions might be slightly different for the one you’re using. All die machines manufacturers will have a recommended “sandwich” of plates that should be used with their machine and an embossing folder. For the Big Shot, I used Platform Tab 1, a plate, the closed embossing folder, then another plate. 
4. Using the handle, roll the sandwich through the die machine. If you’ve got the right sandwich combination, you should feel some resistance as you turn the handle. It’ll feel tight and that’s good. A tight fit will mean a strong impression.
Half-way through the machine!
5. You might want to sit down now because you are going to swoon over the beautiful card stock you just made. Look at the detail here: the design is evenly pressed into the paper. There are no buckles or missed spots. This is a keeper for sure.
6. Since the 11 1/2″ long by 1″ wide piece is too long for both the machine and 1″ x 7″ embossing folder, we’ll just emboss the two front flaps of the belly band. You’ll need to do each side individually by placing one side of the belly band into the embossing folder, just to the first fold. Close the folder; the un-embossed section will stick out of the folder and the machine as it goes through. Send the sandwich through the machine. Repeat for the other side.
Lining up the belly band, just until the first 3 1/2″ fold
7. Final assembly! Using glue dots, adhere the invitation wording sheet to the front of the INK (blue) embossed card stock, centering it left-to-right and top-to-bottom. Add the belly band, securing it on the back of the INK (blue) card stock layer and folder it around the front of the card. Secure one side of the belly band flap over the the other with a glue dot. Wrap a length of 1/4″ wide grosgrain ribbon around the belly band and tie it in a bow.
Glue dots are used to keep the belly band in place on the back of the invitation
Close-up of the embossed details
8. And it all comes together:
COST BREAKDOWN:
Blue card stock (1/2 sheet) 0.25
Latte card stock (1/2 sheet) 0.10
Green card stock (1/8 sheet) 0.10
Ribbon (1 ft.) 0.20
Glue dots 0.02
————-
$0.67 for consumables plus…
Embossing folder 9.00
Die cutting machine 60.00
Review: Brother Labeling System
The key to a successful DIY wedding is organization. The sooner you get yourself organized, the smoother your wedding planning experience will be. I am evangelical about organization and will tell you this over and over again on this blog. Staying organized will save your sanity and make your life so much easier. And who doesn’t want easy these days?
One of the tools I recommend to help you get your stuff together is the Brother PT-1290 Home and Office Labeling System. Labels are a godsend when you have piles of craft and wedding stuff everywhere. What can you do with a labeler?
- Create a wedding binder/organizer
- Label boxes of craft supplies and wedding materials
- Mark craft supplies with their corresponding step in the assembly process
- Make labels for favors
- Add an address label to important things (video camera, iPod) in case they get lost at the wedding
I’m currently using mine to keep my craft supplies for book #3 in order. It’s been fantastic though there is a bit of a learning curve. Beware that the tape cartridges are only 4′ long (I think) so have extra on hand if you’re going to be printing a lot. The unit takes 6 AAA batteries (not included) and there’s no AC power adapter so that’s a bummer.
Manufacturer: Brother
Model: PT-1290
Retail: $40.00
Key Features:
An easy-view 15-character LCD display, typewriter style keyboard and Auto Tape Detection feature that automatically recognizes the size of the installed tape cassette and adjusts the text to fit the label width. A dedicated “Deco Mode” key gives you easy access to 15, unique pre-designed label formats for creating decorative labels – including professional layouts that accommodate 2 rows of text. Easily switch between 2 fonts – with the touch of a button. Use the built-in memory to store up to 9 of your most frequently used labels.
Prints labels up to 1/2″ wide on durable, “TZ” laminated tape – perfect for both indoor and outdoor use. Operates on 6 “AAA” batteries or optional AC adapter (neither included).
With its great-looking design and array of features, the PT-1290 is a perfect handheld solution for virtually any home office.
* 15 Deco Mode Patterns to create extra-stylish and decorative labels
* 2 Professional Fonts
* Prints labels up to 1/2″ wide on laminated indoor/outdoor “TZ” series tapes
* Easy-view, 15-character LCD display
* Professional Deco Mode layouts accommodate two rows of text
* Prints 1 or 2 lines of crisp text
* 6 Auto Formats and 7 Framing Options
* Built-in memory, saves up to 9 of your favorite labels
* Automatically adjusts text size based on tape width
* Uses 6 “AAA” batteries or optional AC adapter (neither included)
{Disclosure: Brother provided me with a sample of this product for the purpose of review.}
Review: Glue Glider Pro
As a professional crafter, I go through miles of double-sided tape each year. While there are a multitude of brands and types on the market, there are very few that I keep in my toolkit. My go-to adhesive for bulk paper craft projects like invites and programs is the Glue Glider Pro from GlueArts.
You all know the tape dispensers used for packing tape, right? This operates in a similar way but it’s designed for crafting and not packaging.
Here’s how it works: You pop in a cartridge of adhesive [Glue Arts offers 4 types of varying tac (stickiness) from repositionable to "this thing'll never move again"] and use the applicator gun to roll the 1/4″ wide adhesive wherever you want it. Simple, right?
There are other tape guns on the market but I like this one because it’s lightweight and compact – 2 things you’ll really be thankful for after putting together 300 pieces of layered cardstock, I tell ya! At $14.99 for the dispenser this is a steal. The replacement cartridges are around $9.00 for 58 feet of adhesive. The replacement cartridges can be found online or in many big box craft stores. I am delighted to report that the adhesives from GlueArts are absolutely fantastic. In thousands of pieces I’ve put together NONE have failed (re: come unglued). Besides my beloved red line tape, I don’t think I’ve ever been able to say that about any double-sided tape I’ve ever used. 5 out of 5 stars!
Be sure to check out GlueArts’ Specials page for product discounts on bulk purchases.
AC Moore has a great demo of the Glue Glider Pro on YouTube:
Review: Cricut Cake
Seldom does a craft tool surprise and delight me as much as the Cricut Cake by Provo Craft has managed to do. The Cricut Cake, for those of you who are unfamiliar, is a food-safe electronic die cutting machine that’s designed to be used for cake decorating.
In January I got to see the Cricut Cake in action at the Craft and Hobby Association trade show. I was impressed by the demos and the sample cake displays (below) and immediately thought this machine would be a (cliche alert!) game-changer in the cake decorating world.
With a $400 (retail) price tag, I was concerned that the casual home cake decorator would be able to utilize this machine to her best advantage. Is it easy enough for a newbie crafter and cake decorator? How difficult is it to maintain? How good is the quality? Is it cost-effective? Can it do more than just fondant?
In early June I was privileged to receive a Cricut Cake for review purposes. I’ve been playing with it as much as I can in my free time and have to say that I LOVE THIS MACHINE and it warrants my highest recommendation but not without some caveats.
First, the Cricut Cake is easy to use. The process goes something like this:
- Plug in the machine. Turn it on.
- Insert a design cartridge.
- Select the design and size you want.
- Place a fondant sheet onto the mat. Insert mat into the feeder.
- Press a button to make a cut.
- The Cricut Cake operates a bit like a printer but instead of printing, there’s a blade inside that’s cutting the material you send through the feeder.
- The mat comes out of the feeder. Peel away the fondant to reveal your cut designs.
(From the January CHA show 2010 + OhMyCrafts)
The Cricut Cake works marvelously with Provo Craft’s fondant sheets. Every cut I’ve made with the Cricut brand sheets has come out perfect – except in the case of operator error. The Cricut frosting sheets cost around $14.00 for a 3 pack. They’re not super cheap but you’re paying for the convenience here and it’s worth it if you’ve not worked with rolled fondant before. It’s worth noting that the sheets come in white, pastels, and primary colors.
While the Cricut Cake is easy to operate, there is a learning curve when getting started. I found myself futzing quite a bit with the pressure settings and learning the basic functions before I got the hang of it. I went through quite a bit of the frosting sheets and other materials in the first day. All in all, that wasn’t a big deal for me but if you don’t have patience for fidgeting with gadgets this may not be for you.
The highlight of the Cricut Cake is that it cuts more than the frosting sheets. I’ve cut tortillas (diyToddler totally enjoyed his super special quesadillas, thankyouverymuch), fondant, gum paste, and fruit roll ups (didn’t work well for me). What really excites me is being able to cut sugar cookie dough. I love making cookies with the Cricut Cake!
I found that rolling out my own fondant to be tricky. Getting uniform thickness is important so that the blade cuts through the design. It’s best to have an X-acto knife on hand for extracting pieces and finishing cuts that don’t go through.
Somewhat of a downside is that the Cricut Cake is limited by the designs available on the Cricut cartridges so you can’t really go wild with custom design. The good news is that the Cake can use any of the Cricut cartridges and there are a lot. In addition to the ones designed specifically for the Cake, there are dozens and dozens originally meant for paper crafting. The selection is quite extensive with themes that’ll appeal to most. Even better news is that Martha Stewart Crafts has teamed up with Provo Craft to release their own line of cartridges exclusively through HSN. Martha’s cartridges are around $70. Regular Cricut cartridges vary widely in price though you can find them in the $25 range if you shop online.
Martha Stewart Crafts Cricut Elegant Cake Cartridge Preview
I need to note that the Cricut Cake is to be used for food ONLY. While the paper craft cartridges work in this machine, it is not meant to be used for paper or anything non-edible for food safety reasons. This is also the reason why fondant and foodstuff should never, ever be used in regular die cutting machines (including the Cricut Expression, the paper crafting sister machine of the Cake).
Machine maintenance is a breeze. The removable parts are dishwasher safe and were relatively easy to clean. I say relatively because anything that comes in contact with fondant and sugary stuff will require some effort to clean up no matter how you work with it.
Final Notes:
This machine is awesome and works exactly as it should. I found it to be very well-made as is my experience with most Provo Craft products. (I’ve purchased a Cricut Expression, Cuttlebug, and Yudu in the past. Love ‘em and they’re all working great.)
The operating costs of the Cricut Cake (frosting sheets, cartridges, the machine itself) make it a luxury purchase unless the user does a lot of cake and sugar cookie baking throughout the year. If you’re thinking of splurging for one for just your wedding cake, it may not be the best budget-friendly option. If that’s not a concern, then I highly recommend it for someone who wants to get hands on with some cake decorating.
I’ll be sharing some of the DIY goodness I’ve made with the Cricut Cake soon!
Essential Tools For DIY Cakes
Before you commit to going for your DIY cake dream, let’s look at the essential tools you’ll need. Remember to budget for all of the tools & equipment you’ll need to buy. It adds up quickly!
- A working oven. (D’uh!)
- An oven thermometer. Why? Many, many ovens are not calibrated which means that temperature inside the oven is quite often different from what’s on the dial (or digital read out). Cakes require proper temp settings otherwise you’ll get a burnt outside and runny inside.
- A mixer. I prefer stand mixers (KitchenAid rocks) because they can handle heavier and more abundant batters than hand held mixers.
- A rubber or silicon scraper to get all of the batter out of the mixing bowl.
- Mixing bowls.
- Whisk.
- Wire cooling racks. You’ll need to let your cakes cool before frosting and decorating. A wire rack allows full air circulation under and around the cake.
- Measuring cups for wet and dry ingredients.
- Measuring spoons for wet and dry ingredients.
- A long, serrated knife or cake leveler tool to level the cake.
- An offset spatula for frosting.
- Cake pans.
- Parchment paper to line cake pans.
- Pastry bag and tips for decorating.
- Rolling pin (for fondant, gumpaste, or marzipan).
- Fondant smoothing tool and/or brayer (if working with fondant).
- Non-stick mat (fondant).
- Cutters, molds (for fondant).
- Timer.
- Bamboo skewers or toothpicks to poke cake to check for doneness.
- Oven mitts.
- Refrigerator space to store the cake(s).
- Plastic wrap and/or aluminum foil.
- Cardboard cake boards.
- A box or way to transport the cake from kitchen to venue.
Let’s Stay In Touch
The DIY Bride Books
Our Delightful Sponsors
