Tutorials

sarah + abraham cupcake topper tutorial

Sunday, September 5, 2010

sarah + abraham cupcake toppers featuring olliegraphic illustrations

I recently began offering cupcake toppers, a new product that I’d been thinking about for quite a while but couldn’t quite figure out what materials to use and the best way to assemble them. I’m so grateful to Stacy at InkSpot Workshop for answering all my questions along the way. I love how they turned out!

I decided to take some pictures of the process so that I could share it with OMHG readers. The pictures below are slightly different than what I finally ended up offering (stickers on card stock circles), but the process is pretty much the same.

1. Print your design on card stock paper and cut the sheet into 2.125″ strips.

2. For a scalloped edge, I like to use the Fiskars Scalloped Squeeze Punch.

3. For a straight edge, I like the Fiskars Large Circle Punch.

4. Apply a line of Elmer’s School Glue (or a similar glue) from the middle to the bottom of each circle.

5. Set the top of each lollipop stick into the glue and press it into place.

6. Allow the glue to dry completely. For one-sided cupcake toppers, that’s it – you’re done!

7. For two-sided toppers, apply glue to the lollipop stick.

8. Place another card stock circle onto the glue.

9. For toppers with a scalloped edge, you may need to adjust the second circle slightly to get the scalloped borders to line up with each other. Once it’s in place, allow the glue to dry completely.

Papernstitch Tutorial: Quick & Easy Modern Vase

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

by Brittni of papernstitch

I was laying in bed one night trying to get some sleep, and this idea came to me for an easy, patterned vase. It’s simple….use a pair of baby/infant tights for an instant patterned look. Of course, this idea could be used on any existing vase, but if you are looking for more of a project, I’ve got one for you…

Using some inexpensive votives, you can create a modern vase like mine for under $5. Note: I used several three pack sets of votives from IKEA by C Halskov/H Dalsgaard. I couldn’t find them on IKEA’s site. But the ones I used are these without a candle inside them. Anything that is the same basic shape would work just fine.

Materials: Votive Candles, Heavy Duty Glue, Scissors, Infant size tights (the smaller the better) or leggings

Step by Step: {click image above for larger view of step by step} 1. Gather materials and clean votives so there is no dirt or debris. This will help the glue stick. 2. Glue two votive bottoms together with a thick bead of glue. Wait to dry. 3. Next, glue the top of a third votive to the top of one of the glued votives. Wait to dry. 4. Now its time to grab the tights. Cut the tights in half as close to the middle seam as possible, so the legs are separated. 5. Pull the tight leg over the finished piece, with the closed toe at the bottom and the tights opening at the top. *If you are using footless tights (like the ones I used for the striped vase) it doesn’t matter which way they are put on. 6. Cut off the excess at the top of the opening, leaving about a half inch to an inch to tuck back in. 7. Use your heavy duty glue again to glue down the extra trim to the inside of your votive. 8. Add short stem flowers and water. And you’re done.

Extra Tip: If you’re having a hard time finding a patterned tight that you like, go for a solid color instead. And before you cover over your newly made vase, use a drawing pen or non-bleed markers to create your own pattern by drawing it yourself, right onto the tights. Just stick a piece of cardboard into the leg first, so its stretched a little when you draw and it doesn’t bleed through to the other side. I used this technique for the smaller vase in the photos, and I like how it turned out. Very easy.

For more ideas for quick and easy projects, click here to visit the tutorials page filled with more than 30 diy’s.

tutorial: making personalized notepads

Thursday, August 5, 2010

by Sara Tams of sarah + abraham

personalized notepads by sarah + abraham

I began offering personalized notepads at the end of 2008, and they quickly became my best selling product. In fact, my teacher notepads and a note from mom notepads are currently the #1 and #2 most popular items on my website.

If you’re not already familiar with how to make your own notepads, I bet you’ll be surprised to learn how easy they are to make!

notepad tutorial

1. First I cut an 8.5″ x 11″ chipboard pad into fourths for the backs of the notepads.

2. Next I stamp the back of each chipboard sheet with my sarah + abraham stamp.

3. I print the design 4-per-page on 8.5″ x 11″ paper and cut those into fourths.

notepad tutorial

4. I stack 42 sheets of paper on top of each chipboard sheet, and then I stack all of the notepads together. I tap each side of the stack of notepads onto the table one or two times, always ending with the top end of the notepads before setting them at the edge of the table to be glued.

5. I had considered buying a padding press like this one, but I never got around to it. So here I am, hundreds of notepads later, still using heavy boxes or books to weigh the pads down (which has actually been working just fine!). Next I brush on two coats of padding compound, letting it dry completely between coats.

6. Once the final coat is dry I gently peel apart the notepads and package each set in a clear plastic sleeve.

A few additional tips:

I sell 40-page notepads, so I always make each notepad using at least 42 sheets in case I need to remove the top one or two sheets. Sometimes excess glue will build up on the top sheet, or some of the chipboard sheet will stick to the top page of the notepad below it.
Always double-check that you’re gluing the correct ends of the notepads. It’s so frustrating to print, cut, and glue an entire set of notepads (or multiple sets of notepads!) only to realize when the second coat of glue is dry that you’ve glued the bottom end. I’m embarrassed to admit that’s happened to me on more than one occasion!
Be sure to line up the edge of the notepads as close to the edge of the table as possible, and also line up your weight as close to the edge of the notepads as you can. Use as little glue as possible so you have very thin coats of glue. Both of these things will help prevent the glued end of the notepads from getting “wavy”.
I haven’t been able to find padding compound online in a smaller quantity than 1 quart (which will last for several hundred notepads), so I buy lots of small plastic bottles from a craft store to split it up into (they’re similar in size to travel shampoo bottles).

First I cut an 8.5″ x 11″ chipboard sheet into fourths for the backs of the notepads (my notepads measure 4.25″ x 5.5″).

Tutorial: Felt Flower Embellishments

Monday, August 2, 2010

by Jessika Hepburn, O Happy Day Handmade

Flowers are blooming all over the city and summer still feels like it is in full swing. Here is a great, fast and beautiful project suitable for making with children that I originally shared on the Nurtured blog after creating them for a spring themed window display. Since then I have made thousands! These felt flowers are lovely embellishments for hair bands, brooches, shoes, room decor-anything really. Making them perfect for a last minute handmade gift. Slide one onto a bobby pin for a quick accessory to match your outfit or secure to a pin for a corsage that won’t wilt.

What You Will Need:

-1 Sheet of wool felt in any colour I use the Mercurius felt from Nurtured
-Embroidery floss/cotton thread
-Scissors
-Needle
-Piece of scrap paper for template
-Fabric pencil/marker

Step 1: Trace and cut out a petal shape from a scrap piece of paper in whatever size you want- I like to do at least 3 or 4 different sized flowers from small to large.

Step 2: Using your template trace 5 petals onto your felt for each flower and then cut them out carefully.

Step 3: Cut a foot long piece of floss/thread and tie both ends together with a knot.

Step 4: Pinch the petal between thumb and forefinger and thread onto the needle passing through both sides of the petal.

Step 5: Repeat until all five petals are strung on the thread.

Step 6: Tie both ends of the thread together tightly.

7. Arrange the petals gently until the flower looks like the ones above and you are finished. If you plan to make a garland like the one below from my Etsy shop be prepared to cut out over a hundred petals!

Glass Magnet Tutorial

Thursday, April 22, 2010

by Stacy Altiery of InkSpot Workshop

Hello Everyone! Ready to get some sticky fingers? Well roll up your sleeves because we’re getting ready to make those cute glass magnets you see everywhere. Or, instead of gluing magnets to the backs of your tiles, try bails (the little things that allow your glass tile to hang from a chain), and make an adorable pendant. All supplies listed below can be found on Etsy.

(read more…)

Sprucing Up Your Product Photography with Photoshop

Friday, March 12, 2010

by Edyta Szyszlo of Edyta Szyszlo Photography

Hello all! I’m so excited to be a part of Oh My! Handmade Goodness! We know how important visuals are to properly market products, so I’m here to help make your product photography that much better! Several months ago, Sara contacted me looking for some Photoshop tips for her paper goods product photography. Here’s a general how-to process to spruce things up in Photoshop. (read more…)

Tutorial: monogram pillow

Friday, March 5, 2010

by Crystal Johnsen of Little Bit Funky

For the first tutorial here at Oh My! Handmade Goodness, I’m going to show you how to make a cute monogram pillow.

You will need:

* card stock

* fabric

* Wonder Under

* stuffing for the pillow

* a sewing machine

(read more…)