Baby Name, The Girl Edition

Spring seems to bring a bunch of new babies which means that we will be trying to find just the right baby gift. Custom name pictures are mucho dinero in the pricey gift shops but you can reproduce them with the help of a light box.

Materials:

frame

mat

watercolor paper

pencil

watercolor pencils (or paints)

fine black ink pen

Tools:

light box (see older posts for instructions on how to make one)

This was done in Photoshop, but any word processing program should work as well.

First, open a new document. As this frame is 8x10 with a 5x7 mat opening, the document was 5x7. Write the child's name and find an appropriate font. This font is Davida BT, chosen for its curvy lines and broad letters. Size it to fit and print.

Next put the printed copy on the light box and place the watercolor paper over it. Center everything with the mat. With a pencil, lightly trace the name onto the watercolor paper.
Take the watercolor paper off the light box and draw simple vines, flowers and leaves over the letters, erasing stray lines.
Scribble the watercolor pencils (these are crayola ones available everywhere)on a scrap of paper. Dip a small brush into water, hydrate the paints and lightly fill in the leaves, vines and flowers. Go back and fill in the letter shapes. Use a darker concentration of the blue paint around the edges of the letters to give dimension. With a black ink pen (I used a roller ball pen from my office, but a fine felt tip marker would do as well) outline the various flowers, vines and leaves as well as the letters.

Tips:

Don't stress too much about the imperfections such as colors that stray a bit beyond the outlines. This gives a handmade look, which is the point after all.

Baby Name, The Boy Edition

It's nice to make handmade gifts for babies and this one is so personal.

Materials:

8 x 10" frame

8 x 10" mat with 5x7" opening

watercolor paper

pencil

watercolor pencils (or paints)

black ink pen

Tools:

light box (see older posts for instructions on how to make one)

Open a new document 5x7 inch in Photoshop. Any word processing program should work as well. Type the baby's name, find an appropriate font and size it to fit. This font is called Rockwell. Print it out, place it on the light box and cover it with the watercolor paper. Center it with the mat then trace the letters lightly with a pencil.

Scribble the watercolor pencils on a scrap piece of paper and wet them with a brush. Fill in the letters with blocks of colors, varying the sizes of the filled in areas.
Outline the letters and the various blocks of color with a black pen, then fill in the color blocks with stripes, zig zags, circles, etc.
Tips:

If the letters need a bit more emphasis, outline them with a thicker pen.

Don't stress at the imperfections, they lend a handmade look to this gift.

Light Box Embossing

 This light box is used for tracing. You can do some pretty neat embossing with it as well.
Materials:

card stock (or heavy weight paper)

brass stencil

Tools:

light box

stylus

Place the stencil on top of the light box and cover it with the front side of the paper.

Turn on the light box.

Trace around the stencil with the stylus

Turn the paper over.

Admire

Tips:

Don't limit yourself just to brass stencils, you can use plastic or paper stencils or make your own using card stock and punches. Cut freeform shapes from any heavy paper and use as well.

Use a small crochet hook or inkless ball point pen instead of a stylus.

Rub the back of the paper with waxed paper to help the stylus glide better.

Ten Dollar Light Box

There is no need to buy an expensive light box if you will only use it once in a while. This one should be $10 or less.

Materials:

shallow storage container with a rigid white lid

string of lights (miniature lights will do also)
Cut a hole out of the side of the box. Thread the plug through the hole. If you heat the plastic with a heat gun before you cut the hole, it will cut more easily and won't crack.

Plug in the lights and voila!

Tips:

The advantage of this light box is that you can store all your stencils and materials in it when you are between projects 

Real Cheap (Maybe Free) Light Box

Make yourself a very cheap light box with items you probably already own.

Materials:

small cardboard box

small flashlight

two matching picture frames

white paper

Remove the glass from one frame and the backing from another. Sandwich the paper between the two pieces of glass and place them back into one of the frames. Bend the fasteners back in place or use tape to secure the glass into the frame.
Turn on a flashlight and put in the cardboard box. Put the frame on top then sit back and count the money you saved. 

Anaglyphs

There are several 3-D movies coming out soon. I thought it would be fun to use Photoshop to turn photos into anaglyphs, the professional word for 3-D. You will need those special red and blue glasses. You can buy a pair from a comic book store or you can go online. I buy mine at  http://www.rainbowsymphony.com/ but you can google "anaglyph glasses" and find many hits. You can also make your own glasses which I will show you in the next post.

Let's begin

Duplicate photo so that you have the same photo in 2 layers, one on top of the other.

Chose "difference"blending mode on the top layer.

Use the move tool on the top layer.

Nudge about 5 clicks on the right arrow of your keyboard.

It should look like this:
Return the blending mode to "normal".

Remove the blue and green from the top layer and the red from the bottom.

To do this:

Go to LEVELS>CHANNEL

On the top layer change the channel to Green and make both output levels "0".

On the same layer change the channel to Blue and make both output levels "0".

On the bottom layer change the channel to Red and make both output levels "0"

The top layer should be red and the bottom green.

Highlight the top layer.

Change the blending mode to "screen".

Put on your 3-D glasses and enjoy.
This tutorial assumes you know how to work in Photoshop. It's easy to learn from videos on youtube or by googling "Photoshop tutorials". 

3-D Glasses

If you can't find any 3-D glasses to buy locally and want them RIGHT NOW, you can make your own. 

Materials:

card stock

thin plastic 

red and blue permanent markers

scotch tape

glue stick

Tools:

scissors

large hole punch

Cut out a nose notch in the middle of the short end of a piece of index paper. Punch out the 2 eye holes. Fold over the paper above the eyes.

Cut off the rest of the paper and cut out the second nose notch. Line up the eyes and punch out the matching holes. 
Cut two pieces of plastic a bit larger than the eye holes. This plastic is from a package holding greeting cards.
Color them with the markers. You may have to do several layers for a smooth coat. Tape the plastic pieces over the holes (inside the glasses). Smear glue on the inside side without the pieces of plastic. Fold over and press to adhere the two sides. 

Tips:

Use blue and red cellophane instead of plastic.

If you use cellophane, you may have to use 2 layers of each for strong enough color.   

Game Board Art

This is so easy that it isn't even a tutorial but it just might be something you've never considered. I needed some artwork to fill a tight space; behind the headboard of a murphy bed. Game boards are colorful, fun, cheap and very flat. You can use double-stick velcro to hang them up, especially if you don't plan on playing with them again. Otherwise, use my favorite mini binder clips. Tap a small brad at the bottom of the board if you think they might slip out of the clips. I've had these in place for over a year and they haven't moved in spite of several openings and closings of the bed.   

Wire Sculpture/ Bulletin Board

I saw this in a magazine a few years ago. It was a sculpture over the fireplace in a very modern house. Ever the practical one, I thought it would make an interesting bulletin board over my desk.

Materials:

Chair or table

rebar wire

newspaper

masking tape

binder clips

Turn furniture upside down.

Wrap newspaper around the legs.

Secure with tape.

Wrap the wire around and between the legs

Weave the wire over and under to knit it together.
Gently pull the wire off the furniture legs. Flatten with your hands. Hang and attach items with small black binder clips.

Tips:

Rebar wire is steel and will rust. To protect your wall, you may wish to use clear spray paint on it. 

Conversation Heart

I discovered this for Valentine's Day. Try it! Conversation Heart.

Valentine Spinner

I have a thing for spinners so I thought it would be fun to make one for Valentine's Day. What is Valentine's Day without those conversation hearts? Time to combine the two.

Materials:

circle from heavy paper (pizza or cake circle, chip board, wooden shape from craft store)

piece of copy paper

acrylic paints

brad

key

small washers

Tools:

scissors

pencil

japanese screw punch (or large nail)

paint brush

alphabet stamps

black permanent markers

Trace circle onto copy paper and cut out. Fold in half several times until you have 8 pieces of the pie. Place on top of the circle and mark the center and each pie piece. With a straight edge, outline each pie piece. Either draw freeform heart lobes or trace around the acrylic bottle. 

Carefully fill in the individual hearts with pastel acrylic paint, then place red and purple paint on a folded piece of paper towel. 

Stamp the alphabet stamps into the towel paint (test on a clean part of the towel) and spell out words on each heart. Don't worry if they don't come out perfectly as the words on the candies are imperfect also.

Outline the hearts with a fine black marker and fill in the negative spaces outside of the hearts with a broader marker.

Punch a hole in the middle with a japanese screw punch or a large nail. Thread a small washer onto a brad, add the key (key to your heart?) and a few more washers. Thread the brad through the hole, add another washer and fold over the ends of the brad

 

Upholstered Olives

This is a great appetizer; easy to make and not too filling. Looks good too.

1 stick of butter

2 cups cheese

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp. salt

jar of green olives with pimento

Blend all but olives in the food processor.
Drain olives on paper towel. Pinch off a small amount of dough and wrap it around olive. Roll in your hands till the dough is smooth and covers the olive completely; no cracks.
Bake in 400 degree oven for 12-15 minutes till lightly brown.

May be made ahead and frozen either cooked or raw.