Helmar Creative Team

Weaving Wonders

Remember paper weaving?  Ha - I think it was the first "cool technique" I ever learned waaaaaay back when.  Photo weaving was actually the first class I taught as well, so although it's fallen by the wayside a bit and been replaced by newer and more exciting techniques, I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for weaving.  While playing around with some of my Helmar products one day, it hit me - a super easy way to combine the old technique of weaving with some of today's more advanced tricks!  

A lot of people (myself included!) got frustrated when weaving paper because you'd have to find a way to finish the edges attractively and not have it come apart either while you were working or after you had spent all that time carefully tucking all the pieces together.  I usually add bits of adhesive here and there while I'm working, but this time I took it a step further and this step opened up a whole new world of possibilities!  

For this particular pendant, I wove very narrow (I believe about 1/8 inch - it's not even marked on my trimmer, just where my bar comes down to steady the paper) strips of paper to a size about an inch larger than the pendant blank I was going to put it on.  Then leaving the edges rough, I coated both sides (allowing it to dry after each side) with Helmar Acrylic Sealer.  When it was dry, the result was still just as thin, yet completely stabilized!  It can be cut, diecut, punched, and oh yes, it can even be embossed!  

    

It was easy to then trim the piece to approximately the right size for my pendant base, add a dab of Helmar Premium Craft Glue to hold it in place and use an Xacto knife to trim it to perfection.  Then a very thin coat of a glossy coating (because the Acrylic Sealer is not glossy itself although it does also come in a fabulous Antique tint as well!) and I have a totally unique pendant.  See, another use for those scraps!  

Check back and I'll be sharing another project that includes some woven, punched flowers made with the same technique.  I'd love to see you try this - if you do, don't forget to let us know!  

Supply list:

Helmar Acrylic Sealer

Helmar Premium Craft Glue

Prima patterned papers

Plaid pendant blank

Glossy Accents

Happy Crafting!

Jenna Franklin

DT Member

450 & V2 on Acrylic!

I absolutely love using Helmar's 450 Quick Dry Adhesive and V2 Vellum Adhesive on Acrylic! I used the V2 to attach some of the alphas and glitter. Everything else was attached by using Helmar's 450 to Prima's Build-A-Book gated mini album.

Open:

 

On this "base" page I sprayed the V2 on just the right bottom corner. I didn't want to over do the glitter! I let it sit for 5 minutes. Then I applied the alphas. I applied the alphas first so I knew they would not fall off. Then I applied Stampendous fine glitter - my fav!! Voila! Those alphas aren't going ANYWHERE and it's surrounded by a sea of fun glitter ;)

 

Products used:
450 Quick Dry Adhesive

V2 Vellum Adhesive

Stampendous Fine Glitter

Ranger Stickles

Prima Build-A-Book, Papers, Rhinestones, Flowers, Voila, Ribbon, Transparencies, Alphas, Brads

 

Scrap On!

Becky Teichmiller, Helmar USA Design Team Member

Look who's using Helmar Adhesives

You may not know this, but the Helmar "Mystery Spotters" are out in full force, scouring the 'net and hopping the blogs to find out just who is using Helmar Adhesives on their projects so that we can feature them here on the Helmar Blog....

Today I happened upon the blog of Sue in Australia, and I just love the project that she posted using Helmar Liquid Scrapdots. Go check out Sue's Blog and leave her some luv ; )

Helmar is heading to CHA in Florida - Booth #1413

Helmar is taking the show on the road!  Please stop by and visit us at CHA Summer in Florida!  We will be making a fun Aussie Foods Mini Book. 
                         
                         
                         
                         
                       

Don't forget to come by every day to register for our daily giveaway.  Must be present to win. 
CHA Summer - Booth #1413.

Tracy Weinzapfel Burgos, Design Team Coordinator

More Dream Street Goodness :)

The whole DT is having a blast using our "Dream Street Papers" - can you tell? Nothing brings back the ol' "Mojo" like fabulous scrapbook paper!

I started scrapping when my youngest was 2 and my oldest was 5. I tend to try to scrap the current photos now, and then go back and scrap the baby photos here and there. One reason is because I don't want to fall behind, and I figure if I stay on top of the "now" photos, then I'll never have to catch up on more then just the first few years that I missed....at least that's my excuse. The truth is, I very seldom see "baby" paper that I like enough to actually use.

Imagine my delight when I discovered the "Lullaby"collection by Dana Miron. The collection is beautiful, and those gals at DSP are smart - they made the papers double sided, and mixed the colors so you can use the collection for baby girls, baby boys, or no babies at all. Love it!

 

This is my little Annie at 9 months. What a face, huh? I decided to make my own embellishments for this one, so I used one of the DSP rubons on a piece of white Worldwinn Cardstock (my favorite), then I punched it out with a scalloped punch, and attached it to my page with Helmar Liquid Scrapdots. I outlined it with some Stickles and that's all there is too it. I use the Helmar Adhesive Runner to put my page together, and the Premium Craft Glue to cover my chipboard piece. I can't take credit for the gorgeous butterfly - the great minds at Prima came up with that one ;)

Until next time,

Marci

Life is but a dream....

at least it is for me when I get to use these scrumptious "Dream Street Papers"! This month I officially became a US Citizen! Pretty exciting stuff...definitely a day worth documenting. I decided to keep with this months "Patriotic" theme of Red, White & Blue, and what better papers to use than the "MJ" collection by Lara Ellingson? They're so perfect for "American Pride" pages and they need very little embellishing, if any.

The one thing I really did want to use on this page was my "Sprinkles" Thickers. I love the look, but the adhesive that they put on them is just the worst! You know what I'm talking about too - we've all got the thickers that have fallen off our pages and are now resting in the bottom of our page protectors. A glue stick just won't do the trick for those, and most bottled glues are too thick and messy. That's why I love Helmar Premium Craft Glue - it's clear, thin, and dries super fast. Its perfect for applying your thickers and other "self adhesive" (wink, wink) chipboard pieces that really don't stick.

 

Look for Helmar Premium Craft Glue at your local Scrapbook store....and if they don't sell it, tell them that you MUST have it ;)

Until next time,

Marci

We have a winner!

Wow, what an amazing response we had to our "Red, White & Glue" Giveaway! Thank you all for being so enthusiastic about our wonderful products.

Congratulations to our winner....

"I go through so much adhesive it would be wonderful to get some for free! Thank you so much for the chance!"

Posted by: DarLinda | July 10, 2009 at 09:52 AM

Darlina, please email your address and info to Tracy so she can get your prize out to you in the mail. I hope you enjoy your goodies :)

Bridal Shower gift

Have you ever been invited to a bridal shower and wanted to give an unique gift for the bride-to-be?  I'm like that. Always wanting to give something different or something that will mean more than what she registered for. 

I had a bridal shower to go to this past weekend and had no clue what I was going to give until my sister came to the rescue. She asked my mom and I if we wanted to go in on "Mixes in a Jar" basket for the bride-to-be. She picked out all the mixes that she would put together, I had the job of making labels for the jars and mom had the job of finding a basket and maybe a few odds and ends to add in the basket. My sister also asked me how we should add the directions for each mix to each jar. I had just bought little lift the flap books at a garage sale and said they would make a great "Mixes in a Jar" recipe booklet. That way the bride-to-be would always have the recipes on how to recreate the mixes for gifts plus how to finish the mixes.

I decided to use Dream Street Papersand picked the Forever Family by Kelly Shults design paper which also has coordinating rub ons. I cut the little book apart and attached the papers using Helmar 450 Quick Dry Adhesive.  After the glue had dried, I sanded all the edges of the pages.

    All the pages covered and sanded.


  This is how much the book grew from just adding another layer of paper to each side of the pages! (yes, that's really the book I covered. I happen to get two of the same at the garage sale.)

After sanding them all, I then took Tim Holtz's distress ink to the edges of the pages, bringing the ink onto the paper just a little. My 9yr old daughter, Allie, typed all the recipes into wordpad for me and I brought them into Adobe Indesign to fit them to the size, text, etc that I wanted.  I printed the recipes onto vanilla cardstock and then using Helmar Quick Fix Adhesive, layered them onto brown cardstock. I also rounded the corners of each recipe/layer with a corner rounder punch. After I had all the recipes and the title page on, I punched a hole for the ring.

 The cover and pages 1-6. The flowers and butterflies are the rub-ons.

pages 7-14, butterfly & flowers are the rub-ons.

pages 15-20 and the back of the booklet. I loved that bird rub-on so I had to added it to the booklet. The design on page 16, flower and vine/flowers (last page) are all rub-ons.

I loved the Rub-Ons. They went on so easy. I basically used my finger to rub them all on. They really made the booklet and everyone that looked at the booklet at the shower was impressed that they were rub-ons. So impressed so that a few want me to make the booklet for them!

As for the tags for the jars, I used Spellbinder nestibilities scallop oval, brown cardstock and vanilla cardstock. I used the computer again to get my text the size and font I wanted. The layers were assembled using Helmar Quick Fix Adhesive. I then punched holes and tied the labels to the jars using blue ribbon.

  All the mixes with labels and the booklet.

And here is the completed gift in the basket that my mom bought with some other odd and ends stuck in.

It was a big hit at the shower and I hope it has given you an idea for those bridal showers you may have to attend but want to give that gift that will bring all the "ooohhhs" and "ahhhhhs".

Supplies used:

Helmar 450 Quick Dry Adhesive
Helmar Quick Fix Adhesive
Dream Street Papers- Forever Family by Kelly Shults and coordinating rub-ons
Children's board book
cardstock
Computer generated text

Have a great week!

Amber Hillman
Helmar USA Design Team member

It's Christmas in July...

It’s Christmas in July!  Here’s a project for those who like to start making gifts early.  A Cigar Box is transformed into a Christmas Keepsake Box using Helmar Adhesives and Pink Paislee Papers.  Pink Paislee has a beautiful line called Mistaletoe & Co. using the color blue along with the traditional red we are accustomed to.  Once you complete the box, fill it with cards, photos or mementos.  

 

  

 

Supplies Used:

Helmar Acid Free Glue

Helmar Antique Acrylic Sealer

Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots

Helmar Premium Craft Glue

Pink Paislee Mistletoe & Co.

ColorBox Ink

K & Company Stickers

Nicole Classic Beads

Instructions:

1.      Measure the top, and inside dimensions of the cigar box

2.      Cut Pink Paislee Mistletoe & Co. papers accordingly, distress the edges of the papers with coordinating ink colors and adhere to the box using Helmar Acid Free Glue.

3.      Apply Helmar Antique Acrylic Sealer to the box lid to protect it from wear.   

4.      Use Helmar Antique Acrylic Sealer on the Pink Paislee Postcard and a festive sticker.  Once it is dry, use Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots to embellish and adhere it to the lid.   

5.      The sides of the box could have been covered with papers but I liked the original wood carving on the box so I left it alone.  If you decide to cover the sides of your box with papers, just repeat Steps 2 & 3. 

6.      When the box is dry, flip it over and add beads for the feet with Helmar Premium Craft Glue.

Congratulations!  You have one gift completed for the holidays.  I hope you feel inspired to get a jumpstart on the upcoming holidays.    

Tish Treadaway, Helmar USA Design Team Member

Three cheers for the Red, White and Glue!

Happy 4th of July all! We have a fun giveaway for you this month - I know alot of you are anxious to get your hands on our Liquid Scrapdots, so this month we're giving you the opportunity to snatch some up. Our giveaway includes a Helmar Adhesive Runner, a pack of 2 refills, a tube of Scrapdots, and a set of "Small Greetings" stamps from Helmar Preferred Partner, myStampBOX!  

 

You have two chances to win this month - first, leave a comment here on the blog saying that you want to win, and second, go and leave a comment on my blog . Could we make it any easier?

Good luck, and Happy Scrapping ;)

Marci