Tutorial Tuesday: Bags, Tags, and Boxes
Hello, Everyone and Happy Tuesday! Tgmousechick Kim here, with the first Sugarplum Tutorial Tuesday post of 2009. We’re playing off the “Bags, Tags, and Boxes” alliteration. Good things come in small packages, they say. I say the small thing is all the better if it comes in a pretty package. Today’s tutorial is designed to show you what’s out there to create pretty packaging with a hybrid twist.
Digital Templates:
Digital templates work in the same manner as digital page templates. Many designers include a number of formats, including layered tiff or psd files, or a series of pngs. Simply open the papers you want to use, use a clipping mask over the template, and embellish:
Then, print, cut out , and assemble! For this box I used the Chilled Wine collab:
And here is an embellished box I made using the Fancy Box templates by my hybrid colleague, Kelleigh Ratzlaff (also available at The DigiChick). This box was made with Nicole’s fabulous new collab with Flergs, called First Kiss of Spring:
After assembly, I added a couple of hybrid touches: I enhanced the glitter accents using Stickles glitter glue, and a ribbon tie.
Die Cuts:
Die cuts can be made from traditional die cut machines (available at many local scrapbook stores or some schools), or cut from electronic die cutters (Cricut, Wishblade, or Klik N Kut to name just a few). The Cricut has a cartridge that cuts a variety of boxes and tags, and design files for the other systems are available free or for a fee from a number of sites (my site of choice for my Silhouette is Paper Threads). Cutting treat bags from my Silhouette revealed my favorite hybrid trick—printing paper myself allows me to make custom double-sided paper (in my example using papers from the Plumberry Teacakes kit, with a recolored green paper). When cutting a file like the treat box, printing both sides of the paper creates a polished look.
Once the paper is printed, place the paper on the cutting mat, pull up the box (or tag) to cut, and let the blade do all of the work! Many images also include the score lines, so folding and assembling is so easy! (Just click on these to enlarge.)
Printables:
Another option for box templates is to explore the internet for printable templates. These can be easy to use—the template can be printed on one side of your paper, and the patterned paper on the other. For a project like my cube box or an envelope, the template side is on the inside and won’t be seen, so score lines aren’t a big deal. Still, I made the lines less obvious by turning down the opacity of the layer—anywhere from 20%-50%—just enough to remain a guide to follow. There are a couple of sites I like to visit for free printable templates:
My cube box uses the template from Package Tech, using one of the floral papers from Flirty Skirty:
The procedure is similar to the previous projects—print the template, flip the paper and print the patterned paper, cut out the image, and assemble. Isn’t that simple?!
You can see that there are quite a few options for cube boxes. My cube box template actually evolved from the printable project, since I thought it would be wonderful to create a box with different sides, but it would be difficult to try to piece without a template. If you want to create a box that uses only one paper, then a printable is a great way to go! If you want a little more design flexibility, the template might be a worthwhile upgrade.
Finally, I’ll include a couple of tag designs—these tags use A Golden Afternoon and Tag Templates from PageMaps:
Tags can give a finishing touch to packages and bags—either blank or with a simple “To/From” added. These tags are designed digitally, with all of the paper layering done before printing. I added my usual real life finishes: ribbon, brads, and flowers.
The gift-giving season may have just passed, but there are still plenty of opportunities to give a pretty gift! Projects like these add flair to a birthday gift, a Valentine’s treat, or a wedding or baby shower favor. These projects can be completed with minimal supplies on hand, and in a short amount of time (all of my projects were completed in a couple of hours after my children are in bed). You might want to resolve to give a prettier gift this year!
Here’s a way to get your resolution off to a great start—I talked Nicole into letting me give you a freebie!!! I paired my hybrid cube box template (the collection is available at Scrap Matters) with one of her newer kits—The Sweetest Thing mini kit that was part of her December Grab Bag. I think this kit will be perfect for Valentines next month, so I’m whetting your appetite with this treat box:
You can grab your goodie here: The Sweetest Thing Hybrid Cube Box
Happy New Year! And Happy Crafting in 2009!
The Scrap Pink Challenge!
Happy Friday, everyone! Kim here with this week’s Blog Challenge.
This weekend, some of the local scrapbook stores in Central Ohio are hosting Scrap Pink crops, in order to raise money for Breast Cancer Research. I thought I’d carry this theme over to the Hybrid/Digital realm as well. So, here is your Scrap Pink challenge!
The rules are super simple: the primary color for your project is pink. You can use any shade of pink: mauve, watermelon, blush, whatever you like. Just remember that pink can be used effectively for masculine themes, too! Since I’m a member of Nicole’s hybrid creative team, I created a paper bag mini album for my project:
I took my DD, Natalie, to a Skate for Hope event over Labor Day weekend. The show featured local figure skaters as well as some United States and International skating celebrities, including Emily Hughes, Rachel Flatt, Parker Pennnington, Olympic Gold Medalists Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin, and current US pairs champions Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker. All of these skaters earned their spot by raising money for Breast Cancer research. I am so inspired to dust off my skates and train for the show next year!
I quickly made the album before the show, so I would have somewhere to keep the photos. On a lark, we brought the album with us, and we managed to get some autographs! I’m so excited that Natalie will have such a cool keepsake from her first skating show.
Here are some more of the pages- I’m delighted with how easy this album came together! All of the digital products are from Sugarplum Paperie: papers from the Grapefruit and Lemon Twist kits, the Bleached Cardstock paper pack, and Rainbow Flavored Canvas paper pack. The alpha is also from the Twist Collection, and the Glitter Stars are from Glitzy Bits. I used the flexibility of digital to scale down the papers down to 4.75” square. I also used my Bind It All to punch the binding, even though I didn’t bind it with a coil.
I made some tags for the album as well (they can be tucked into the pockets created by folding paper bags). I simply printed a sheet of patterned paper onto cardstock and cut the tags with my Sizzix die cutter.
I had originally intended skaters to sign those, but hey, beggars can’t be choosers! I may use the tags for another project.
The fine print: this challenge is open between Friday, September 26 and Thursday night, October 2nd. Upload your layout or project to the gallery of your choice and add the link when you comment. On Friday, October 3rd, I’m going to let my DD pick a winner (it’s her birthday!), and we’ll send you a code for a gift card to Sugarplum Paperie! Yippee! So, break out your supplies this weekend, and scrap about a woman who means a lot to you. Make a hybrid card for a friend who needs a lift. Share your stories of hope and courage—just don’t forget to bring the pink!
