“From owl of us” card, a faux thread tutorial & the winners of the Fun and Fast Notes workshop planner

Today I thought I’d share with you a pretty easy card I created using Stampin’ Up!’s Owl Together Now stamp set – of course I added my current favourite accessory (can you guess? *LOL*). Since someone asked me yesterday what exactly I mean by creating a faux thread look with my buttons I decided to share a quick tutorial with you. 

Once you’ve selected the buttons you are going to use on your project, you then need to cut a very thin sliver of CS in colors matching your buttons.  You are also going to need mini glue dots.

Insert your thread into your button as shown in the picture to the left.  One of the things that you need to keep in mind when you are working with cardstock slivers is that they are very fragile – you cannot handle them in the same way that you handle thread.  When using a needle and thread you would poke the needle & thread up through one hole and then bring it down through the other hole, pulling your thread as you go.  If you try to do the same with your CS you’ll end up breaking it.  That’s why, as you can see from the picture I insert both ends from the top and then gently pull it downwards until it’s snug against the button. Now whatever you do, do NOT trim the ends of the CS sliver yet.  That will come in a moment.

Once you have pulled the CS through the holes as far as they go, flip your button over so that you are looking at the back, hold the CS slivers apart and then stick a mini glue dot onto the button, in between the two CS slivers.

Once your mini glue dot is in place, carefully trim the ends of the CS sliver and stick them to the mini glue dot – make sure they don’t overlap in any way otherwise they will add too much extra bulk when you are ready to place your button on your project.

That’s all there is to it!  Pretty easy don’t you think?  The biggest advantage to creating a faux thread look is that your “thread” always coordinates with your buttons.  While you could leave your buttons without thread (i.e. “naked”) I find that they look unfinished that way, that’s why if I have the time, I’ll create faux thread.  The other advantage is that you don’t have to go out and buy all sorts of threads.  And if you’re wondering whether or not it takes much more time then the traditional way, not really.  With needle and thread you have to get your thread, cut it, thread it through the needle, thread your button and then tie it off at the back.  So all in all, it’s about the same investment of time.

Here’s the recipe for the card:

1. Mat a 4″ x 5 1/4″ piece of Designer Paper (DP) from Stampin’ Up!’s Tall Tales collection onto a 4 1/8″ x 5 3/8″ piece of Old Olive CS.
2. Take a 4 1/4″ x 11″ piece of Chocolate Chip CS – fold it in half with a bone folder to create the card base.  Center and mat the Old Olive CS (with the Tall Tales DP) onto the card front.  Set aside for a moment.
3. Stamp three owls from the Owl Together Now stamp set onto watercolor paper (I use Stampin’ Up!’s which is 140 lb weight) in Basic Brown ink.
4. Color in the owls using an aqua-painter and the following Classic inks: Creamy Caramel, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip and So Saffron.  Cut out the owls with a pair of paper snips (cut them out close to the line – you do NOT want to leave a small border of white around them). Set them aside for a moment.
5. Stamp the branch from the Owl Together Now stamp set onto a 2 1/4″ x 3 1/2″ piece of Whisper White CS.  Color in the leaves with a blender pen and Old Olive Classic ink and the branch with a blender pen and Close to Cocoa Classic ink.  Stamp a greeting underneath the branch in the bottom left corner of the Whisper White CS piece in Chocolate Chip Classic ink.
6. Mount the owls onto the branch using a Stampin’ Dimensional for each.  Mat the image piece onto a 2 1/2″ x 3 3/4″ piece of Chocolate Chip CS. Set aside for a moment.
7. Take a 2″ x 4″ strip of Old Olive CS and scallop one 4″ side with the Scallop Edge punch.  Mat a 1 1/2″ x 4″ piece of Tall Tales DP on top of the Old Olive CS strip so that only the scallops show to the left edge of the DP.  Stick this onto your card front. Stick the matted image piece to your card front.
8. Take three buttons and create faux thread as per the tutorial above using slivers of coordinating CS.
9. Mount the buttons onto the card front using mini glue dots. 
10. Cut a 4″ x 5 1/4″ piece of Whisper White CS, center and mat it to the inside of the card – this will be the piece you use to write on – you can stamp and color it if desired.  You’re done!

All supplies used are Stampin’ Up!. You’ll find a full supply list at the end of this post. 

Okay, now as promised I’m going to announce the winners of the Fast and Fun Notes Workshop Planner.  This was a blog give-away for Stampin’ Up! demonstrators only.  If you’re not a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator don’t worry because I’ll be announcing some secret comment patrol winners next week and I’ll be having another give-away open to EVERYONE fairly soon.

And the winners are……

1. Laura
August 2nd, 2009 at 11:14 am  
Another great project!

2. Janet
August 3rd, 2009 at 10:19 am
I too love everything you put together for us. You have absolutely stunning ideas each month and my customers LOVE to make your projects. Thanks for your inspirational ideas.

3. Kathy McDowell
August 1st, 2009 at 9:47 pm
What a great planner! I would love to win this. I love pulling out the older set to jazz it up a bit! Thanks much for the chance to win!

4. Cindy Vernon
August 1st, 2009 at 11:56 am
I would love to win this and use my fun and fast notes.

5. Yvonne Metz
August 1st, 2009 at 1:10 pm  
Another great ws Planner! I LOVE your Class planner and KNOW I will absolutley LOVE these too! I have this stamp set and LOVE it…

Thanks for all you do!

 If your name was drawn, please email me at andrea@demotodemo.com and put “Workshop Planner Blog Winner” in the subject line.  If you already purchased this planner then you can choose any one of our digital planners instead (either class, workshop or Simply Scrappin’ Kit planner).  Thanks to everyone who participated!

Click Here to Order your Stampin’ Up! Products Online 24/7! (Canada Only)

Inks: Chocolate Chip Classic Ink (100908), Creamy Caramel Classic ink (103220), Close to Cocoa Classic ink (103139), So Saffron Classic ink (105213), Basic Brown Classic ink (104315)
Paper: Whisper White CS (100730), Old Olive CS (100702), Chocolate Chip CS (102128), Tall Tales DP (115678), So Saffron CS (105118)
Accessories: Playground Designer Buttons (116313), Button Latte (114333), Mini Glue Dots (103683), Stamp-a-ma-jig (101049), Scallop Edge Punch (112091), Bone Folder (102300), Aqua Painter (103954), Blender Pens (102845), Stampin’ Dimensionals (104430)