Is spring taking forever to reach your corner of the world? Perhaps these lovely paper flowers could get you by until the real version arrives….
Tutorial and photo from Jeffrey Rudell on CraftStylish (August ‘08).
P.S. Have paper flowers down cold and looking for a more ambitious project? Check out this amazing chandelier that Jeffrey Rudell created for a Christmas window at Tiffany & Co!
Long ago, before I became distracted with little details like weddings and babies, Two Wishes began as a craft blog. The “little distractions” have killed my crafting time, but I regularly save wonderful tutorials that sit, growing cobwebs, in my bookmark folders.
Enter Tutorial Tuesdays. Each week I will share a different tutorial in the hope that you can use it. (And if you do, please do email or blog about your final results — we’d love to see them!)
For our first Tutorial Tuesday, it seems fitting to share my own small tutorial — for Magazine Bowls. What follows is a Two Wishes re-post from June 2007:
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1. First, gather lots of colorful magazine pages. You’ll be folding the pages into strips, so you’re really only interested in the strip of color that shows — roughly two inches on the clean (as opposed to torn) edge of the page.
2. Fold each page horizontally into roughly equal strips. I usually fold the strips about 1 1/2” wide. I use a glue stick to glue down the outside edge so that the strip is compact and easier to work with later in the process. (This is either a brilliant development on my part or an enormous waste of time and energy; I haven’t figured that out.) There’s variation in this process between different crafters. Some roll diagonally. Others cut their strips to equal widths rather than folding. I believe folding horizontally is easiest, and I’m all about the easy. Here’s a small stack of finished strips:
3. When you’ve got dozens of finished strips, start rolling them into a coil. I usually glue-stick the entire length of my first 4 or 5 strips for extra stability because you want them to stay in a tight, smooth roll. (But, again, maybe I just need to justify my purchase of that 12-pack of glue sticks!) After that, you’ll start in with the Scotch tape. Use a piece of clear tape to attach the end of each strip to the next in one long “snake.” It’s often easiest to make a long snake of 10-12 strips in your lap and then add them to the coil all at once, rather than adding each strip to the coil as you go. Meanwhile I keep a rubber band around the coil to ensure it’s tightly rolled when I’m not working with it. Your coil will end up looking like a big coaster or trivet:
4. To make your big coil into a 3-dimensional bowl or pot, place your thumbs into the center of the coil and pull up on the sides with your fingers. The sides will “telescope” upwards until you wind up with a pot shape. This part is fun! You can keep sliding the slats around until you find what works best for you. Sometimes it helps to use an existing pot or bowl as a guide for shape.
Once you find the shape you like, pull out your ModPodge and give the pot a few coats to keep it intact and give it strength. And you’re done! Here’s my new pot, still held together with its rubber band, waiting for ModPodge. It’s being kept company by a couple of completed pots destined as a gift for a friend. The pots make great gifts because they’re natural containers for chocolate or cookies or beauty products, baby gifts, or whatnot.
My favorite part of magazine bowls is always the view from the top:
Have you ever made magazine bowls? Have you seen similar products in stores?
Wedding planning often challenges us to undertake projects we’ve never tried. Whatever their past career experience, engaged couples suddenly find themselves acting as event planners, stylists, graphic artists, personal shoppers, and many other things all rolled into one. Sometimes, taking on these new projects leads us to discover latent talents we never knew we had.
And other times? Well….
Meet our wedding invitations!
Embarrassing as it is to show off a disaster (especially in light of some of the super-fabulous Gocco projects by other Bees), I thought our mistakes might be useful to illustrate a few Gocco tips:
- Yes, that is a red smudge in the upper-left corner. TIP: Don’t touch your prints when they’re wet. They smear really easily! (On a related note, if you have 4 cats, you might want to put them in another room….)
- The Gocco has a 3 1/2 x 5 inch print screen. You can make larger prints if you do multiple runs because, for instance, you can print the top half of a page with one screen and the bottom half of the page with a second screen. I budgeted two screens for this print — one for the red and blue and the other for the black. But I totally failed to notice that the black parts on the lanterns were about 4 1/2 inches wide — in other words, larger than the screen size!
We could have printed all the black parts if we’d done a 3rd run for just the lanterns, positioning the screen horizontally to catch all the lantern bits. But we didn’t have enough screens/bulbs OR enough patience for a 3rd run. Instead, I wound up going back to fill in each print with black pen. TIPS: Buy more bulbs and screens than you think you need. And carefully plan your print runs in light of the Gocco’s size limitations.
- Yes, the text lines are off-kilter. Because our paper size was larger than what we were printing, we weren’t able to line up the print so that we could just stick the blank paper in the upper-left corner of the print pad. The blank paper had to go a bit over the top of the pad, and a bit to the side. And sometimes the paper didn’t stay where we put it, and other times we didn’t quite succeed in the line-up.
Thank heavens for my PG-11, which has a print registration plate that helps you align multiple print runs. Rather than guessing where your new print run will land, you can print onto the clear plastic registration plate and see through that to move your previously-printed paper until both print runs are perfectly aligned. TIPS: Whenever possible, line up your print pad and inked screen in such a way that you can just stick your blank paper into the upper-left corner of the print pad. It saves much hassle. And consider a PG-11 if you’re going to do a lot of complicated prints; it really does make a difference.
- There’s a spot in the “When we exchange marriage vows” line that’s pale because our ink was running out. It was easy to get into a printing rhythm and forget to check the prints for ink quality. TIP: Especially when you’re printing a lot of text, be sure to keep an eye on your ink levels. (And if you do get bare spots, a little black pen again does wonders as fill-in….)
- I loved this font (Algerian) when we designed the invite on the computer screen. But once Gocco’d, it didn’t look as good as simpler fonts. TIP: Stick with un-fussy fonts for best effect.
I was also very worried about the colors, but luckily they looked MUCH better when mounted on red accent paper and blue pocketfolds.
Stay tuned for the final product!
What wedding-project-creation disasters have you had? Did you learn anything useful to serve as a warning to others???
It’s here! It’s here! After many months of waiting (more on THAT below), I finally have a new Gocco in hand!
I have wanted one of these babies since reading about them in the very first issue of Craft magazine. At the time, though, the company had stopped making Goccos, and even if you picked up a used version there was no guarantee of future supplies. I’ve already seen the supply chain cut off for one of my hobbies, and the resulting feeding frenzy was a pricey nightmare. Plus, the expense was hard to justify for just a hobby….
But then, along came wedding invitations! And the company started production of new Goccos. And life seemed rosy. I went on Ebay and purchased a PG-11 for the amazing price of $117 after shipping.
Unfortunately, it never showed. I waited and waited, getting more and more jealous every time someone on Weddingbee mentioned Gocco. I emailed the seller multiple times, asking about the tracking and insurance. No answer. Finally, I turned to Ebay’s Dispute Resolution (Item Not Received) process, only to learn that the dispute must be opened within 60 days of purchase and I’d missed the cutoff. Thank heavens for my first rule of expensive and/or international Ebay purchases — always pay with a credit card. I contacted my card company, and hopefully will receive a refund through the chargeback process.
Meanwhile, I researched all the available purchase options and once again decided Ebay was my best bet. But this time, I went with a long-established seller with 100% positive feedback! For those of you who are considering Goccos of your own (and I know you’re out there!), here’s what I learned in the purchase process:
- Most Goccos for sale are the basic model, called PG-5 (formerly B6). Rarely, you come across a PG-11 (formerly PG-10), which is the same size but makes for easier multi-color prints. There’s also the PG-Arts (formerly B5), which makes bigger prints but is MUCH more expensive.
- Ebay generally has the lowest prices, even if you factor in roughly $45 express shipping from Japan. I paid $175, after shipping, for a brand-new PG-11 from seller PrintAddict. In contrast, PG-6s run roughly $145 after shipping. You can also find Goccos on Etsy from sellers like feltcafe, PrintAddictJapan (same as my Ebay seller), and alittlegoodness.
- If you’d prefer to order from the US, one excellent source is Northwood Studios. They had the PG-11 and a basic kit of supplies for roughly $250 after shipping. If you factor in the cost of supplies, this was only about $25 more than what I paid on Ebay. But I’m cheap, and I also wanted to pick my exact ink colors rather than relying on the basic kit. I did order all my start-up supplies (ink, extra bulbs, masters, etc.) from Northwood, and they had excellent customer service. A good list of other US suppliers is available on SaveGocco.
- Looking for more information or tutorials? In additional to all you’ll find on Weddingbee (link goes to a comprehensive list of posts), there’s a huge set of links here.
Now … to figure out what exactly to print. Invitations are hard!
Based on the amount of discussion on the boards, it seems there’s a lot of interest in Gocco out there. Do you plan to use a Gocco for your invitations or other wedding items?
Of my 20+ magazine subscriptions (no comments, please!!), one of my favorite drop-everything-and-read titles is Blueprint, from the Martha Stewart empire. And Mrs. Strawberry’s recent Blueprint post reminded me of something from the Nov/Dec issue that I’ve been meaning to share with you all:
I love the draping of this skirt and think it would make a beautiful bridesmaid skirt. Or, really, a beautiful skirt for any special event — holiday parties, rehearsal dinner, you-name-it…. And, believe it or not, it’s extremely easy to make one yourself!
Here are the instructions (from the Blueprint website):
Skirt How-To
1. Buy 2 to 2 1/2 yards of 60-inch wide silk taffeta.
2. Finish the edges by folding them over and securing with iron-on Stitch Witchery ($2 for 20 yards at amazon.com) or by using a sewing machine.
3. Hold one corner of fabric against your left hip, then wrap the fabric twice around your body.
4. Grab a small handful of fabric about 6 inches in from the corner you just wrapped around your body and double-knot it to the corner you’re holding against your hip.
5. Adjust the skirt so the draped portion is in the back.
And that’s it! You’re done! (Just promise me you’ll eat when wearing your skirt. I was shocked that my beloved Blueprint would use such an obviously unhealthy model….)
This week, I have been playing around with one of the world’s easiest DIY projects. We may or may not use it in our wedding, but it’s something that easily could be worked into reception decor in many ways….
The project was inspired by something I read a few years ago in dear, departed Budget Living magazine. According to Budget Living, you can approximate the look of antique mercury glass simply by spraying Krylon Looking Glass paint on the inside of a glass vase. I tore out the article and have always meant to give it a try, but I was stymied by my complete failure to find Krylon Looking Glass anywhere that sold spray paint.
First I tried the project with ordinary silver spray paint. The results were nice, but a bit flat. So, I finally gave up and ordered the real Krylon Looking Glass off the Internet. All it took was a few coats of the real thing, and I had a beautifully shiny creation!
My ordinary-paint creation is on the right and my Looking Glass vase on the left. It’s difficult to tell the difference here, particularly given the less-than-stellar photos, but in real life, the plain version is flat silver and the Looking Glass version is shiny and beautiful:
These flowers are fake, of course. Looking Glass has to be sprayed inside the glass to work properly, so this particular method wouldn’t work with flowers that need water. However, any other type of spray paint can be sprayed on the outside of the vase.
While I was at the art supply site, I also picked up some Krylon 18K Gold Plate:
Of the four looks I tried, my favorite may be simple white. This would look especially interesting with ribbed or textured glass, for a Jonathan Adler-like effect:
Simple glass vases in every size and shape go for 50 cents – $2 at my local thrift store. Cans of basic spray paint sell for as little as 99 cents — the price I paid at Home Depot for the white version. Even the most ritzy spray paint, like the 12 modern, party-ready colors in Maine Cottage Spray Paint, runs less than $20 per can and would cover lots and lots of glass…. And, not counting drying time, the project takes 10 minutes at the most!
Overall, these painted vases could form the basis for lovely centerpieces, often in the exact colors you desire, and at a truly budget price.
Secret confession time: I subscribe to over 20 magazines. (It was extremely dangerous for me to learn that you can get ultra-cheap subscriptions to popular mags through Ebay.) When I’m done with them, most go to a second reader that I found through Freecycle and then hopefully go on to recycling. But with that many magazines passing through my hands each month, I’m always interested in creative uses for the magazines themselves.
Enter magazine bowls! I’m far from the first person to have discovered these bowls. I learned to make them through a tutorial over on Craftster. But even that tutorial was inspired by products that have been sold in stores for a long time. Generally, artists in developing nations use traditional bamboo-weaving techniques with recycled newspapers to create bowls like the spare black-and-white newspaper beauties from Hip & Zen or this more colorful “Confetti” version from The Friends of the Seattle Public Library:
I’m also rather enamored with a confetti paper frame I recently came across in an online store called Zanisa:
A version of these items can be created from magazine pages at home. It’s a time-consuming process, but quite easy and relaxing to work on while you’re watching TV. There are four basic steps.
1. First, gather lots of colorful magazine pages! You’ll be folding the pages into strips, so you’re really only interested in the strip of color that will end up showing — roughly two inches on the clean (as opposed to torn) edge of the page. I tend to make my bowls along color lines (browns, reds, black-and-white, etc.), while other people believe the more colors, the better!
2. Second, fold each page horizontally into roughly equal strips. I usually fold the strips about 1 1/2” wide. I use a glue stick to attach the outside edge of the strip so that the strip is compact and easier to work with later in the process. (This is either a brilliant development on my part or an enormous waste of time and energy; I haven’t been able to figure that one out.) There’s a lot of variation in this process between different crafters. Some people roll diagonally, as I believe was described in the original Craftster tutorial linked above. Others cut their strips to equal widths rather than folding. I chose my process because I believe that folding horizontally is easiest, and I’m all about the easy. Here’s what a small stack of finished strips looks like:
3. When you’ve got dozens of finished strips, start rolling them into a coil. I usually glue-stick my first 4 or 5 strips for extra stability because you want them to stay in a tight, smooth roll. (But, again, maybe I just need to justify my purchase of that 12-pack of glue sticks!) After that, you’ll start in with the Scotch tape. Use a piece of clear tape to attach each strip to the next in one long “snake.” Note that, once you have your base started, I find it’s often easiest to make a long snake of 10-12 strips in your lap and then add them to the coil all at once, rather than adding each strip to the coil as you go. It’s easier to work in a strip than on a round surface. Meanwhile I keep a rubber band around the coil to ensure it’s tightly rolled even when I’m not working with it. Your coil will end up looking like a big coaster or trivet:
4. To make your big coil into a 3-dimensional bowl or pot, place your thumbs into the center of the coil, and pull upward on the sides with your fingers. The sides will “telescope” upwards until you wind up with a pot shape. This part is fun! You can keep sliding the slats around until you find what works best for you. I often require quite a bit of arranging and rearranging until I find a shape that’s not lopsided but not too boringly perfect…. Sometimes it helps to use an existing pot or bowl as a guide. This particular magazine bowl is intended as a new home for a fake plant with a broken pot, so I popped the plant inside to be sure it would fit — not something you want to find out afterward!
Once you find the shape you like, pull out your trusty ModPodge and give the pot a few coats to keep it intact and give it strength. And you’re done! Here’s my new pot, still held together with its rubber band, waiting for ModPodge. It’s being kept company by a couple of completed pots destined as a gift for a friend. The pots make great gifts because they’re natural containers for chocolate or cookies or beauty products, baby gifts, or whatnot….
My favorite part of magazine bowls is always the view from the top:
