Origin of Paper Flowers - Guest Post

Paper flowers can be anything from a beautiful hobby to a way of active meditation depending on how you want to see them. Traditionally believed to be either of Egyptian or Chinese origin they have been around ever since different types of paper existed. For the most part they say paper flowers were invented as an art two-thousand years ago! As a part of a religious offering tradition where they were placed in water. In time however the focus shifted from tradition and more toward a way of active meditation. They were eventually recognized as one of the four arts a true Highborn Chinese man must master. The way the classic Chinese paper flowers were made was to emphasize the victory of order, light and good over the forces of chaos, darkness and evil. With the Emperor literally believed to be the representation of heavenly authority on Earth this was understandably the focus of their flower art. The colors involved and the positions of the composition conveyed a specific message. The Chinese created a number of other incredible paper crafts such as lanterns which are incredibly complex and difficult. Later on in Victorian times European women began making flowers out of paper when the regular flowers were out of season. But what we'll cover here is the more popular Japanese paper crafts making of origami and kirigami. Kirigami is commonly mistaken for origami by those who are unfamiliar with the entirety of the concept, however the difference lies mostly in a single fact – cutting.

Kirigami comes from (kiri) which means “cut” and (gami) which means paper as the word is written in hiragana. Sometimes the Japanese even use the term kirie instead to signify the cutting involved in the process.

As an art form origami originate in 17th century Japan and its origins are somewhat shrouded in mystery since there have been many forms of paper craft around the world. It would be logical to assume that the roots of the art come from China because of the long tradition of paper flower folding there, however there is very little evidence to prove that the roots of origami lie in China because of the fact that very few of the ancient origami have been preserved. The very nature of origami is one of fragility and beauty that hardly lasts centuries.

One of the most beautiful moments about making origami is the fact that despite having a few basic folds when combined they can become so much more. There are a number of relatively simple ways of making origami or kirigami varieties of flowers without too much effort either by regular folding or cutting or through wet folding techniques. Some true masters of the art live in Japan and other countries with people like Akira Yoshisawa, Makoto Yamaguchi, and Toshikazu Kawasaki who was famous for his Kawasaki rose. There are many westerners whose work also helped popularize the art such as the late Robert Harbin and Eric Joisel in the UK and France and thanks to these pioneers and the masters in Japan today origami flowers are something even you can make with ease as there are many tutorials and videos around the web explaining everything in detail.

The article has been submitted by: http://www.flowersbypost.org.uk/ 


 

Guest Post - Memories by Christine

Thank you, Maryanne, for having me over again! I'm Christine over at MBC Scrapbooking. This month, we are celebrating Christmas in July! Stop by all month long to link up your holiday-related memories, crafts, DIY gifts, and recipes!


I LOOOOOOVE working with canvases. It's so much fun to create a layout on something I can hang on a wall or sit up on a frame (much durable than paper!) Here are some of my favorites- hope you are inspired!
I custom-designed this Christmas canvas for Katie over at Katie's Nesting Spot last year as a prize for one of Maryanne's online crops. I included her family picture in the middle before sending it off:)
To get the frame effect, use the back of the canvas . I lined the inside with black felt and red cardstock, then framed the outside with scrapbooking paper and embellishments.

Speaking of Christmas, here's another canvas I did last year. I folded paper around the canvas and Mod Podge-ed all the way around. The glossy finish is beautiful- it looks like a fancy wrapped gift! Add a few buttons, ribbons, and cardstock, and all it needs is a fun quote or picture for the center.

Here's another wrapped canvas I made, only with fabric. I fastened a snapshot of my friend's three beautiful daughters to the cardstock in the middle.  This one was a lot of fun to make, and the 3D effect from the flower is awesome!

And finally, here is one of my most favorite projects so far this summer- my very first subway art! (It was featured here on Scrappy Gifts last month!)

Thanks for reading, and thanks again for having me, Maryanne! Have a wonderful day!
Love,
C:)

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Fabulous work Christine! I love that one you made for Katie!

Free Printable and Guest Post from Memories by Christine!

Hi Scrappy Gifts readers!
I'm Christine over at MBC Scrapbooking. Maryanne was my first-ever bloggy friend, and we are even from the same hometown. What a small world! I have learned so much from her and enjoy her sweet tutorials and giveaways she has so generously contributed to my blog.  BTW, her online crops are awesome! Be sure to stop by next month's- you won't be disappointed, and you'll leave truly inspired:)
Lately, I've been into digital scrapbooking (although I do consider myself a paper crafter at heart;), and seeing as we just finished up wedding month over at my blog, I have a free printable for you that's love-inspired:)

I used a verse that was read during our wedding to make it. If the heart and rings look familiar, the images are from my MBC button for June:) I just altered everything a bit on my digital program:)
You can print out the freebie here. Enjoy, and have fun embellishing a cute frame or canvas to place this in! I bet Maryanne can offer some great tips- or just stop by her store, of course:)
Thanks for having me, Maryanne! Please keep MBC in mind all through July as we link up Christmas projects- I'd love to have you!
Love,
C:)

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Isn't she so sweet! Thanks for the beautiful printable! Be sure to check her out for her Christmas in July! There will be another giveaway from me over there sometime this month!

Guest Post from Memories by Christine

Hello! Christine from MBC Scrapbooking here with an easy paper craft that will make a fabulous gift and/or make your own life a lot easier:)

I found this grocery list idea over at Infarrantly Creative last winter, but as I'm strictly a paper crafting gal and not so much a "tools and drill bits" kind of gal, I fashioned my own clipboard- no tools needed!


I embellished a magnetic chip clip (so it will stick on the fridge;) with two types of ribbon and some paper cutouts.


The base of the clipboard is part of a cereal box covered in scrapbooking paper.


A few extra flower cutouts finish out the back of the clipboard.


Remember, just print out 26 copies of the file- there are two on each page so you'll have a year's worth of premade grocery lists!
If you like this concept, I have a free printable for household chores- print out 26 and you are set for the year as well! Check it out here:)
Thank you, Maryanne, and congratulations on your beautiful new addition to your family. I hope you guys are getting some rest and lots of snuggles in.
Love,
C:)

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Thanks so much Christine! Love that you just used a chip clip and some cereal box cardboard! How inexpensive and super cute!!

Guest Post from Born-Again Crafter

Lyssa from Born-Again Crafter is sharing a very informative post today. So excited to get to know more about these products. Be sure to check out and link up to her Scrapbook Sundays or other fun linky parties!

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SILHOUETTE VS. eCRAFT
So after 5 years of owning and using a Cricut Expressions Electronic Cutting machine, it has died.  It was a sad day...sad sad day.  I used that baby religiously.  All my LOs had something from it.  It was a great machine.

But now that my options are open, I want to see what is out there to weigh my options because of course, I am getting another one...right, husband? 

So I've been researching and doing my homework.

I decided to look at 2 more popular cutters that fell in my price range, The Silhouette & the eCraft by Craftwell.
Here's what I found:

My first opponent: 

Silhouette Electronic Cutter, retails $299.99:

The Silhouette SD from Silhouette America is a digital cutting tool for personal use that cuts many materials. It connects to your computer just like a printer, but instead of printing designs it cuts them with a small blade. With the machine connected to your computer, you'll get access to all of the fonts on your PC plus the thousands of cuttable designs. The Silhouette is a digital cutting tool can also use pens to draw. These pens are called sketch pens. Similar to the functioning of a home printer, it cuts paper and other materials like cardstock, adhesive vinyl, heat transfer material, rhinestone templates and other specialty media with a blade instead of printing onto it. The creative possibilities are endless with the Silhouette SD

 

What Can it Cut?

Paper and cardstock

Adhesive vinyl

Fabric

Heat transfer material

Rhinestone templates

Specialty media

And the competition:

eCraft by Craftwell, retails around $299.99

Craftwell is proud to bring you eCraft...
The first and only electronic cutter that allows you to cut without a mat.  Its ease of use combined with advanced technology makes the eCraft the perfect cutting system for all consumers- beginner to expert. It is ideal for scrapbooking, banners, paper crafting, card making, fashion designing, home decor, and so much more.  The eCraft's unique design and paper feeder system make it easy to cut materials automatically, without the use of a cutting mat. Use the Paper Tray to stack multiple sheets at a time, or use the Roller to cut 12" by ANY length.

The eCraft is ultra slim, and its lightweight design and onboard storage compartment let you take it anywhere. Use it on its own with SD Image Cards, or attached to a computer with the eCraftshop Design Software that comes in the box! With the large selection of fonts, shapes and designs, anyone can be an expert in minutes. Making great looking projects has never been easier!

• 3 ways to feed paper: from the front, the paper tray, and the roller. (no more messy cutting mats)
• Handles materials up to 12" wide by ANY length
• Draws and cuts without changing from a blade to a pen
• 2.8" backlit LCD display for easy navigation and image selection
• Works off of easy-to-store SD Image Cards, with hundreds of shapes to choose from
• No computer required, but eCraftshop Design Software included for greater versatility.
• Adjustable pressure settings for kiss-cutting (vinyl) and multi-cutting (thicker materials)
• Clear Cut Indicator lights up when the blade cuts all the way through your material
• Pause button allows you to adjust the pressure setting mid-cut (less mistakes = less paper wasted

What can it cut?

Paper (standard, flocked, glitter, magnet, adhesive backed), card stock, vellum, vinyl, felt, organza, silk, cotton fabrics, grunge paper, grunge board, wood veneers, chipboard, Fun Foam, and many other materials under 1mm thick. Want to decorate cake or cookies?...no need to buy a separate machine. Use the eCraft to cut Lucks Edible Image Food Decoration Sheets and easily add edible designs to cupcakes, cookies and much more!

Well, quite the comparison!

This was harder than I thought!

So let's break this down to pros & cons:

Silhouette:

Pros: 

Cuts all types of materials

Connects to computer for endless cutting options

Use pens to draw as well!

Unlimited Creations!

Cons:

No catridges, dependant to computer

must have a mat to cut.

ECraft:

Pros:

No Mat!

Cuts all types of materials

pen & blade is same so you don't have to switch them out

Endless length to cut.

No computer required, uses SD images cards
Comes in pretty colors :)

Cons:

software needed for personalization

Hmmm, after sorting through those pros & cons, I think I have my choice.

I'm leaning towards the eCraft.  And my main influence is the No Mats!  Having the Cricut for 5 years, that's what bothered me the most.  If I needed to do something, I had to make sure I had a mat that was sticky enough for the job.  If not, I had to run to the store and spend $15 for more mats!  It got really annoying to keep throwing money out like that.  They do SD images cards which is similar to the Cricut's cartridges but they aren't as expensive and they have MANY more options!

But I want to ask you guys, Do you have a Personal Electronic Cutter?

Which one do you use?

Which one would you want?

My research continues....

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Thanks so much Lyssa for sharing! I've been dying for a Silhouette, but maybe I'll have to look into the eCraft more.

Guest Post - Using a Scrapbook to Party Plan

Planning Your Party Using A Scrap Book


Scrap books are not only a really fun way to document memories and projects; they can also be really useful tools for planning anything from a wedding through to a party. So how do you go about using a scrap book to plan something? The idea behind this is to use a scrap book to collate potential ideas and themes from anything that catches your attention. From that you should have a pretty good batch of initial ideas which you can then develop further.

Read Some Magazines

One of the first steps towards creating your scrap book is to start looking for things that grab you eye. A great place to start is with magazines as they are often full of images and the latest trends. Flicking through a printed magazine is also much more inspiring than just looking online; I’m not sure about you but I still like to read something physical. If you’re planning a party then there are loads of potential magazines to look at, and don’t feel like to have to stick to party based publications. The wider your scope the more ideas you’ll find.

Get Online

Of course, the internet is the perfect place to find inspiration. I would suggest starting with some simple Google searches and taking a look through the image results to see what comes up. As an example, I typed ‘wacky cakes’ into Google and it came up with thousands of really interesting cake designs. Just type in whatever you’re looking for preceded by something like ‘crazy’, fun’, ‘silly’ and you’re sure to find some amusing ideas.

Look Elsewhere For Inspiration

Don’t just try to look for things in the usual places, ideas can come from anywhere. Try and keep your eyes peeled for anything that could spark an interesting thought. Often when walking round town I’ll see something that gives me an idea which can then be added to the scrap book. Or how about when you wake up in the middle of the night with the best idea in the world? Quickly jot it down and see if it’s any good in the morning!

The Result

The end result should be a collection of ideas from the realistic to the downright crazy. When you have a full variety of ideas in front of you, it’s much easier to plan something individual and unique. Next time you’re stuck for party ideas, have a go at creating a scrap book and see what happens. If nothing else, it’s great fun for everyone!

This post was written by Pink Heaven, a one stop shop for partyware and gifts for girls.


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Thanks so much for this clever idea! I think this would be really useful for wedding planning - totally reminds me of the movie, The Wedding Planner. I know some people do this too when planning their dream homes. So much fun! Plus I think this would be really great to do with a child for his/her birthday party. Then add to the scrapbook with the actual party.

Guest Post - Crafting and Creativity

I'm so excited to have Sarah from Crafting and Creativity over here today! She has a fabulous blog with lots of cute ideas that inspire me!

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I'm excited to be posting here at Scrappy Gifts today. Maryanne is one talented gal!
I'm Sarah and I blog over at Crafting and Creativity. I have been married to a great guy for over 5 years. We have 2 children. Our son is 3 and our daughter is 10 months.



 
I love to get crafty! I like to sew, make things for our home, make paper crafts, paint things, and record our memories by scrapbooking! I started scrapbooking when I was 15, but I have loved to cut and glue paper since... well as far back as I can remember.
Today I am going to share a layout with you that has a bunch of simple techniques that I love incorporating into my scrapbook pages...



I started out by lightly splattering pink paint onto my white paper.



Then I used this bracket-shaped mask to add some color onto one side. (Masks are so fun to play around with and can be used dozens of times!)



I applied the pink ink using this sponge applicator. (I also like using glitter mists, chalk, paint, etc with masks to jazz up plain paper.)

Then I used this charcoal ink and a dot mask over top.

And then I had a bit of fun using a bunch of stamps with black ink in that area:

I inked the edges with a pink ink pad and then used an edge distresser all the way around.

I matted my picture (which I had sanded the edges of) onto some coordinating pink paper. I added my embellishments and stamped on my title to finish the page off.

I really enjoy the process of making pages like this. It's fun to play around and make it up as I go sometimes! :)

Here are some other pages I have made recently...


Come on over to Crafting and Creativity and see my other scrapbook pages, cards, and a whole bunch of other crafty things!
Thanks so much to Maryanne for swapping today!
:)

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I love so many of her layouts so how great it is to see her creative juices flowing in each step. Love all the stencils and techniques she used. I'll definitely have to try some new things when I do another layout! Thanks Sarah!

You can go check her blog for a tutorial on my bow holders I made last week!

Guest Post and January 2011 Online Crop Prize- Jessica's Craft Shaque

Hi everyone! JessicasCraftShaque here! I am a mother of 5 who has the beautiful opportunity to stay at home with my children everyday. And how great is it, that I am able to take some time out for myself to do the things I love....crafting! I am currently designing custom layouts for those who want to display their cherished memories, but don't have the time to put an album together.

I have also started a line of miniature albums (chipboard and paper bag). I am able to accept custom orders if you have a specific color scheme, or specific theme (i.e. baby on board, our wedding, son, daughter, pet, etc.) you prefer.

I work mostly with 12 X 12 layouts, but I can also do 8 1/2 X 11 albums as well. I use only high quality, photo safe materials.
Please take a moment to check my site, Jessica's Craft Shaque.

Happy Crafting
Jessica Shelton

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Thanks so much Jessica! Her layouts are so cute! I really love the ones she's made for Valentine's Day.

She is also going to be giving away One Free 12x12 Premade 2 page Layout OR One Free Premade Mini Photo Album. Valued at $13 or less. Includes Free Shipping. This giveaway will be going on my January Online Crop at my Blog Frog Community next weekend starting Thursday, January 27- Monday, January 31st!

Guest Blogger - Scrappy Photo Frames Tutorial

Winner of the CSN Giveaway:  #75 Rich and Mallory

following CSN on twitter

@malloryrobinson

Mallory1031 at **********
Entry #1

I'll be e-mailing you with your certificate code!

Now I'm excited to introduce Lisa, our guest blogger today with a tutorial to make an adorable photo frame!

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Scrappy Photo Frames: Personalized Gifts and Home Accents

If you hoard scrapbooking supplies like I do, then you probably have most of what you’ll need to create this crafty gift or simple room accent. Beyond the typical scrapbooking odds and ends, all you’ll need is a wooden photo frame – choose any size that appeals to you and manipulate picture sizes to match. It’s easy to digitally change the size of a photo and print it at a drugstore, so don’t hesitate to grab a large frame if you want a bolder effect. Just to make sure you’re not missing any items you might want to use on this project, here’s a list of what you’ll need:

• 1 wooden photo frame
• At least 2 sheets of coordinating scrapbook paper
• •Pencil
• Ruler
• Scissors
• 2 sponge brushes
• Decoupage glue and sealant
• Decorative elements: try buttons, scrapbook paper cutouts, stickers, letters, self-adhesive gems/rhinestones, and anything else you might want to use

How to Customize Your Frame
1. Make sure you remove all the packaging and any stickers from the frame, checking for a clean and smooth surface. You may want to use a small square of sandpaper to rub away any roughness or splintered wood, depending on the condition of your frame. Gently blow on the frame to get rid of any loose particles.

2. Decide on your scrapbook paper theme. Choose one design for the outside of the frame and one for the mat. You might also use the same mat paper to cut out decorative pieces to attach to the frame, or you can choose a third design for this purpose. Once you’ve picked out the paper for the outside of the frame, use the pencil to trace the outline of the frame onto the paper. Now, measure the width of the frame using the ruler and add a border of that width to the inner and outer edges of the frame tracing. This will allow you to cover the edges of your frame with paper, creating a seamless look.

3. Cut out the frame shape from the paper and snip the corners of the border so you’ll be able to fold the edges around the sides of the frame.

4. Use a sponge brush to cover the frame (including the sides) in decoupage glue, then gently lay the paper frame shape on top. Use the pencil or another object with a flat edge to smooth out any bubbles or wrinkles. Make sure the sides of the frame are covered, then trim away any excess paper.

5. With the front of the frame facing down, lay a flat heavy object (like a book) on top and let it dry.

6. Once you’re sure that the glue is dry, you can add any paper cutouts or flat decorations you might want to use. Let this glue dry completely as well.

7. Cover the entire frame in decoupage sealant, using the other sponge brush, and let it dry.

8. Add any other decorative elements, such as buttons or rhinestones, and let the glue dry.

9. Cut out a square of scrapbook paper to fit the inside of the frame (this will be the mat). Decide how much of a border you’d like, then measure it with the ruler and cut it out. For the inside edge of the mat, you can use scissors with decorative edges for an even more creative effect.

10. Resize your photo to fit inside the mat and print it if you have a good printer; otherwise, you can use your local drugstore for a reasonable price. Insert the photo and give away your scrappy frame or enjoy it in your own home.

Bio: Lisa Shoreland is currently a resident blogger at Go college, where recently she's been researching nursing scholarships and blogging about student life. In her spare time, she enjoys creative writing and hogging her boyfriend’s PlayStation 3. To keep her sanity she enjoys practicing martial arts and bringing home abandon animals.

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Thanks so much Lisa! Great tutorial and adorable frame! It reminds me of a Valentine frame I made earlier this week. I'll be showing mine on Scrappy Saturdays!

Guest Post - Pinkapotamus

Don't forget to enter my Blog Design Giveaway! Ends December 20th! LOW ENTRIES.
Now for a fabulous guest post from Amie at Pinkapotamus!

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Hi Scrappy Gifts fans... Pinkapotamus here!  I am sooo excited to be swapping with Maryanne today... she is just amazing!  I am loving all of her scrappy ideas especially... her Scrappy Magnetic Canvas memo board.

Speaking of Memo Boards here is a tutorial on how to make a Scrappy Butterfly French Memo Board!  Its sooo shabby chic!  Hope you like it!

First I started with the memo board. It is a plain one with an unfinished wood frame. 

I taped the board so as not to get paint on the fabric and then painted the border pink.

Then I used a cereal box to make myself a template of butterflies in different sizes.  I cut them out of heavy doublesided scrapbook paper. 

I picked out the letters in my case.. Kailey Madison, and then folded each of the butterflies so that they would look like they were in flight.  I glued only the middle of the butterflies to the board.

  

I painted the letters to match the butterflies and glued them onto the board.

If you are loving shabby chic like I am right now, here are a few more shabby chic ideas for a little girls room!

The first is made with scrapbook paper and ribbon on canvas.

The second is made with a wood fence, scrapbook paper and ribbon on canvas also.

And who can resist a little girls name plaque?

Hope you stop by and visit me at

http://www.pinkapotamus.blogspot.com/

And don't forget to link up your crafty ideas at my Pink Hippo Party every Monday!

I look forward to seeing you soon!

Love,

Pinkapotamus!

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SO cute!!! I love butterflies especially how she made them look like they were in flight. I love her coordinating canvases too. Check out her site; she also has a really cute Snowman Countdown.