Stickiemail: Aug ATC & Wood Letter Template (with a little tutorial)

Hello crafters! What have you been creative with recently? Today I would like to share some ATCs I had done for Aug ATC Swap in a local facebook group. For those new to ATCs, they are artist trading cards which measures 2.5" x 3.5". Small but they pack a whole lot of details.

I have been swapping for around 3 years now. What I enjoy through the swaps is to receive another crafter's creation. I like the surprises I get when I see other's impression of the theme. 

For the August swap, theme was Singapore. Of course, this was also the month we Singaporeans celebrate our nation's 51st birthday!

Here was what I have created for the swap.

Oh yes, I drew that merlion multiple times on different pattern papers and cut them out in pieces. Then i re-arranged them to different cards. I love that the merlion becomes so colorful! I also prepared some red card bases and die-cut the array of houses and alphas "Home". 

I am also using a mini heart wood veneer on each of the card. With so many small pieces lying around, I must really say that my 3" Xyron is a life saver! It helps to consolidate all those smaller pieces on 1 sticker sheet, so they will never go missing! Of course, it also serves a main purpose of giving full sticky coverage to my die-cuts or wood veneers and I never have to worry about them falling apart when they reach to the recipient. I love especially to use this with my finer die cuts, like the alphas and the houses. Trust me, I really don't have such angelic fingers for such fine adhesive work. Ha!

Yes, you can pass wood veneers through the 3" Xyron. Gosh, I was so excited to run my veneers through! 

Now that my ATCs were all done, it is time to pack them for the host, who will distribute all the ATCs to the respective recipients.

I must say, snail mail is still my kind of thing! I like to make envelopes and mail them to recipients, since I always like to receive a pretty mail myself. Here, I have prepared a pattern paper, a vellum and my favorite letter template from Stickiemail! This wood letter template comes in large and small sizes, and I am using the large one today. 

Making the envelope was easy, just trace! This size was just the right size for all my ATCs!

Now with 1 outer envelope and one inner envelope, I can go ahead to fit all these together!

Wondering how I get 2 envelopes with slightly different size from one wood letter template? Yes the vellum envelope is slightly larger than the pattern paper envelope. The trick is in the way you trace from the template.

When you are tracing from your template, slant your pencil like what you see from the above template. This results in a slightly wider envelope! This way, you can also layer 2 envelopes together, creating a safer snail mail for your handmade items!

Viola! That's my trick to expand the use of the wood letter template!

Now it's ready, packed and mailed to my recipient! Hope you enjoyed the walk through my envelope process today!

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SS DT: 12x12 Layouts | New Hairstyle, New Look

Hi crafters! I'm on the Simple Stories blog today with 2 layouts using Posh collection. This collection simply took my breath away! The colors and theme rhymes with my new hairstyle!

I have had long hair for at least 10 years now. Through the years, I've changed some styles in between, but my hair was always below my shoulders. Before I made the dive to cut my hair really short, my hair length was at my waist.

Here's how much I really cut off. (possibly more since the hair stylist had to do some trimming). Yes. That is quite a move!

Therefore, I decided to document this journey with the Posh collection! It's the best collection to go with the new look!

For my first layout "Sparkle", I added some stitches to the background of this layout. I found that it added another layer to the entire layout, and helps to enhance the pattern papers on top of them.

I also like to use basic shapes on layouts to highlight the beautiful pattern papers in the collection! Basic shapes are ever lasting details which you can add to layouts but not overbearing them.

To add some fun details, I added some simple machine stitch on each triangle to outline it. Not only does it further define the triangle shape, it also helps to create focus for the embellishments on top of it! Here I have used elements from the bits and pieces pack. I must say, this pack packs a POW! Totally in love with every single piece!

Don't forget to add some journaling to your layout! I realised that I have already forgotten much details on earlier layouts which I had not done any journaling. It is always good to document and highlight it with pretty embellishments!

There are so many useful and pretty elements in this bits and pieces pack! It was a breeze working on this layout!

A little more detail on the stitching and my favorite element in this layout - the chipboard "sparkle". Well, as the word says so indeed! I love that shine of foil! It gives a subdued shine, good enough not to steal the limelight of my photo! It is the perfect piece!

For the next layout, I had to document the start of my new look and the support from my husband. While creating this layout, I started thinking about the support from my husband and the fact that he was my pillar in times of good or bad. Then I decided to create a vertical background where the vertical strip denotes pillar and timeline. It might sound wierd, but i get ideas like that to start my layout!

I had a lot of fun with the decorating, you can say I was spoilt for choices!

I did not have to look too hard to find the title, the 4x4 & 4x6 Vertical Journaling elements was sitting right in front of me with the exact title I needed! Some fussy cutting, and then sewing it onto the layout. Then, just because I am in love with the foiled elements, i decided to add another just below my title! The foil "today" is from the Posh - Bits & Pieces pack too!

Seriously, I am having too much fun with the foiled embellishments. Here are some more from the bits and pieces pack! The chipboard stickers have also foiled bits, like the heart I have used below.

Throughout the layout, I have also added some stitching to the "pillar" to create some added interest.

Using the chipboard frame from Life in Color collection for my main photo together with the pretty POSH elements!



This bird element is perfect! I wanted to give it a glow so I went ahead to do some fussy cutting on the 3x4 Journaling Card elements. It is the one with the word shine. I decided to save the word for future use, but just using the lines to create a glow for a beautiful element!

Similarly, i added the glow to Winston! Did you participate in the earlier naming contest in Simple Stories instagram? Winston is such an apt name for it, and I am so fond of it!

I have also layered another 3x4 Journaling Card element here. It is so simple to add layers with the journaling cards!

So there! I hope you have enjoyed the walk through of these 2 layouts and hope they inspire you to do something creative!

For those residing in Singapore, Simple Stories is available at Made With Love! :)

 Visit Simple Stories for more inspirations!

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MWL Workshops: Documented Journey (Sept 2016 ~)

Hello! Time just wheezes past fast, isn't it? We are now in the month of September, and I am holding a new book binding workshop at Made With Love! Learn how to make full use of your tools and die cuts to bind!

Description: Long stitch binding has always been a pretty and well used stitch in book binding. This time, we will make use of templates to help construct this journal and sew! Work together with embossing techniques to showcase a faux metal look to complete the journal in style! Come join Stacy in a fun packed class to make this journal and document your most precious memories!

Techniques Learnt: Long Stitch Binding, Journal Construction, embossing

More details of the class time slots are below. Do take note that there are limited classes and kits available. Don't miss out!