Looking for new ideas for your next craft project?
Whether you want to create a personalised card for your loved one or make a unique scrapbook to cherish forever, check out these seven great tips from Serif, the makers of CraftArtist, on how to get inspiration.

Reminisce with photos

When looking at old photographs, we always feel the memories flooding back and often think of small but meaningful conversations or actions from the past. Take note of these little gems, as they can result in a truly emotional scrapbook or photobook. Great for bringing out at family occasions! You might also want to use some of the old photos and mix them with new snaps.

Visit an arts & craft fair

Here is a perfect excuse to escape the house on Sunday! Check out all the stalls, from jewellery and beading to card-making and papercrafts, at your local craft fair. You are bound to leave with some unique ideas – whether it’s new colour combinations or materials you had never even thought of using. Also chat to the exhibitors – ask them where they get their inspiration from and share your ideas.

Read a book or magazine

We have access to so many fantastic crafting books and magazines nowadays. Many are packed with invaluable ideas, tips and designs that can help even the less-creative person have their light bulb moment. Buy some magazines or a book (or hire from your local library if you don’t want to part with cash). A story, photo or even an advert could be just the inspiration you need for a superb craft project.

Examine old projects

You don’t really want to make a craft project that looks the same as the last one, but looking back can help ignite some ideas on what NOT to do. Could it have been better? What was missing? Maybe you want to recycle some old bits and mix them with new ones. If you are new to crafting,
check out other people’s scrapbook and card designs – what would you do differently?

Spring clean your home

Who said cleaning wasn’t fun? Tidy up the spare room, clear out the garage or put your wardrobe in order. Whatever place you choose to spring clean, you may find items that will spark memories or ideas. Even better, you could find some objects to use for your project such as an old photo or love note.

Surf the web and forums

With most households having access to the internet, it makes perfect sense to scour the web for inspiration. Visit crafting websites
and forums such as http://www.daisytrail.com/ – a social crafting community site and the home of CraftArtist. Also, make the most of search engines. Type in what sort of project you’re trying to make and see what articles or galleries jump out at you.

Cheat (sort of!)

If you still need a helping hand, there are fantastic software programs for creating unique and personalised craft projects. With CraftArtist Platinum there are hundreds of pre-made templates included that you can easily personalise and make your own. There are designs for everything from weddings and babies to holidays and Christmas!

For more information, visit http://www.craftartist.com/.

Scrapbook Magazine #56

The latest edition of Scrapbook Magazine features:

• Inspirational ideas for creating scrap layouts using your favourite Hollywood blockbusters.
• Make the most of your household waste by eco-scrapping with designer Fiona Beckman.
• An Off The Page guide to revamping your canvas bag – scrapper style!
• Lindsey Hopkins has an essential guide to making use of all of your summer snaps, with photo projects for notebooks, organisers and postcards.
• Plus two Coffee Breaks from Kitty Krafts & Just Scrapbooking, a pull-out-and-keep scrap-tastic activity pack, the readers’ gallery and much, much more!

The latest edition of Scrapbook Magazine is on sale 30^th June and comes with a free Nitwit Collections paperpack!

Materials…

• Core’dinations cardstock
• Corrugated cardstock
• G45 Domestic Goddess patterned paper
• Papermania alphabet stickers
• Dovecraft brads
• Chipboard frame and border
• Buttons
• Journaling spot
• Ribbon
• Thread
• Raffia
• Tim Holtz
• Distress Inkpads
• Photo corner

Tools…

• Martha Stewart border punch
• Sizzix embossing folder
• Large embossing stylus
• Sandpaper

To create…

1 Lay the cardstock face down onto the bottom layer of an embossing folder and emboss using a stylus.  Repeat randomly on a couple of other areas, turn the cardstock over and sand the embossed areas and edges of the cardstock.

2 Cut one large corner from a sheet of patterned paper and adhere to the right-hand side of your layout.

3 Matt your photograph onto corrugated cardstock, fold a short length of ribbon and tuck it underneath one corner.  Affix to the right-hand side of the page.

4 Cut a strip of corrugated cardstock and some scrap white paper to the same width as the page.
Punch a lace pattern along the white strip and attach beneath the lower edge of the corrugated cardstock.  Adhere both to the page underneath the photograph.

5 Stitch around the edges of the layout using white thread and add two strips of knotted ribbon in the top-right corner.

6 Colour a chipboard frame using an inkpad and attach a journaling spot behind it.  Fix foam pads to the back and tie a piece of raffia in one end of the corrugated cardstock along with the chipboard border piece.

7 Matt the letters onto patterned paper, trim and attach to the corrugated strip using foam pads. Add brads, buttons and a photo corner.

Project by Helen Salthouse from Scrapbook Magazine issue 53

My Paper Warehouse is holding a free craft event!

The event is for cardmakers, stampers and scrapbookers and promises to showcase products from Personal Impressions, Flowersoft and Woodware.  Many expert demonstrators including Clare Rowland, Jane Gill, Melanie Heaton, Esther Grundy, Lindsey Mason and Lesley Blamire will be on hand to show you all the latest tips and techniques in the biz.

It all takes place on Saturday 20^th August, between 10am and 4pm at Westmorland Business Park, Kendal, LA9 6NP.

Entry is free and so is the parking!

For further details about My Paper Warehouse: http://mypaperwarehouse.co.uk/

Materials…

• Bazzill Basics cardstock
• Tim Holtz Lost and Found paper stack, game spinners, sprocket gears, timepieces, filmstrip ribbon, Distress Inkpads and Crackle paint
• Plain chipboard for die-cutting
• Cork scrabble letters
• Recycled broken chain
• Gold Viva Inka Metal Gloss paint

Tools…

• Sizzix Big Shot with Bigz Gears and Ticket die

To create…

1 Tear and distress patterned paper panels and attach to your backing card.

2 Die-cut gears and tickets from chipboard and colour using inks and paints.  Set aside to dry.

3 Position ribbon across the torn papers and metal and adhere the die-cut embellishments in the top-right hand corner of the page as shown.

4 Layer your photo off-centre on a panel of distressed paper, overlapping the paper panels and die-cut tickets.

5 Arrange the other coloured die-cuts, including the metal embellishments, to the right of the photo.

6 Position your title letters to finish.

Project by Cleo Jarvis from Scrapbook Magazine issue 54

Materials…

• Black, white, orange, purple and green Inspire Me Papers cardstock
• Cardboard
• My Mind’s Eye patterned paper
• Acetate/shrink plastic
• Small black buttons
• Ribbon
• Black inkpad
• Hole punch
• Sizzix Big Shot
• Bigz Tim Holtz Ornate die (656626)
• Originals Phrase, Boo large die (655559), Originals Pumpkin Toy large die (655561), Originals Count Dracula large die (655558)
• Bigz Phrase, Sweet with skull and top hat die (655568), Graveyard set small dies (655551), Bigz Circles die (656333)
• Textured Impressions Halloween set #2 embossing folders (655849)

To create…

To create your pages…

1 Cut 14x20cm pieces of cardboard and cover with patterned papers. Trim each layer so that they get gradually smaller from back to front.

2 Die-cut the end of each page using the Ornate die.

3 Add four holes along the straight edge of each layer for binding.

Cover…

1 Cut the ‘Boo’ phrase from white, green and purple cardstock.

2 Ink the edges of the letters you wish to use and affix to the cover.

3 Glue around three edges of a 10cm square panel of black paper and affix to the back of your front cover. This will be the pocket for your pull-out Dracula.

To make Dracula…

1 Die-cut Dracula from black, green, purple and white cardstock and assemble the pieces.

2 From the Sizzlits Graveyard set, cut two crucifixes. Glue one to the back of your Dracula head and the second over the top of the first with a foam pad. This will act as a little handle to help you pull Dracula out of the pocket.

Project by Stacey Rogers for Sizzix. Originally published in Scrapbook Magazine issue 50.

Materials…

• Core’dinations cardstock
• Inspire Me Papers cardstock
• My Mind’s Eye patterned paper
• Tracing paper
• Clear acetate Black chipboard
• White foam packaging
• Bat stickers
• Brads Eyelets
• Key chain
• Buttons
• Wooden bead
• Leather
• Tilda fabric
• Ribbon
• Natural twine
• Self-adhesive pearls Inkpads  White highlighter pen
• Dressmaker’s pinwheel Corner punch
• Sanding block
• Sandpaper
• Sizzix Big Shot
• Bigz Pro Layered Brackets album die (656593)
• Bigz XL Flip-Flop card die (656533)
• Originals Ornate Frame Back die (656046)
• Bigz Swirl #3 decorative accent die (656529)
• Originals Phrase, Dream die (656565)
• Dots & Flowers Textured Impressions embossing folders (55838)

To create…

Charm…

1 Die-cut a small circle from black chipboard and a pumpkin from orange and green Core’dinations cardstock.

2 Print the phrase ‘Trick or Treat’ and trim to a rectangle. Add texture to a small piece of black Core’dinations card with the dots embossing folder, trim to a rectangle and mount the printed phrase on top.

3 Assemble the pieces, inserting a black eyelet and adding a bat sticker as shown. Tie ribbon through the eyelet and leave a good length so you can attach it to the mini book later.

Spine binding…

1 Die-cut the two vertical edges of the spine binding from leather, ensuring your finished pieces measure approximately 6x14cm.

2 Insert six eyelets along the front and six holes along the back. Use a silver inkpad to highlight the edges and set aside until later.

Cover…

1 Die-cut the cover page from black chipboard to create a finished size of 12x14cm. Cut a second cover page from black Core’dinations cardstock and add texture. Distress using a sanding block, ink around the edges and adhere to the face of the cover board. Add an eyelet along the right-hand edge.

2 Print a Halloween rhyme onto white cardstock and ink the edges. Matt onto orange cardstock and attach to the cover, finishing with a bat sticker.

3 Mount a pumpkin photo onto white cardstock at an angle as shown and ink the edges. Attach to the cover.

4 Print your title onto white cardstock, ink the edges and matt onto green cardstock. Attach to the cover adding a bat sticker for detail.

Finishing touches…

1 Once all your pages have been decorated, wrap the spine binding around the sections and tie through each eyelet with ribbon.

Project by Sarah-Charlotte Baker for Sizzix. Originally published in Scrapbook Magazine issue 50.

Materials…

• Black, white, orange and black spots Inspire Me Papers cardstock
• Silver and green glitter card
• Photo paper
• Acetate/shrink plastic
• Eyelets
• Ribbon
• Orange and red inkpads
• Black pen
• Crop-A-Dile
• Sizzix Big Shot,
• Bigz Tim Holtz Ornate die (656626), Bats #3 die (656741), Pumpkins #3 die (656749) and Phrase, Trick or Treat die (656757)

To create…

For the cover…

1 Die-cut the title phrase from white cardstock to form a base, then again from different papers and layer together. Cut two squares at angles to stick under the phrase letters as shown.

2 Die-cut the edge of a photo or image using the Ornate die. Cut two bats from glitter card and attach with foam pads.

3 Assemble the front page, using a Crop-A-Dile to punch your binding holes. Attach eyelets.

Page 1…

1 Die-cut the edge of an acetate sheet with the Ornate die, ink the edges and bind as per the front page.

2 Print the phrase ‘Penny or’ onto photo paper, ink the edges, layer onto cardstock and attach along with your first photo.

3 Die-cut two pumpkins, ink the edges and attach.

Page 3…

1 Die-cut white and black spotty cradstock using the Ornate die and bind as per the front page.

2 Print the phrase ‘a sweet’ onto photo paper, cut to size and ink the edges. Attach along with the rest of your photos, adding faux stitching detail with a black pen.

3 Tie ribbon through each of the eyelets to finish.

Project by Fiona Williams for Sizzix. Originally published in Scrapbook Magazine issue 50