Tag Archives: Tutorials

Shake that Snow Globe

Shake that Snow Globe
Shake that Snow Globe

Just to shake things up a bit, I diverged from my usual art and made this cute holiday greeting shaker card. It reminds me of vintage snow globes, and it was a fun and easy project.

Visit Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts blog  to see the tutorial or just follow below. Read the rest of this entry

Miniature Santa heads up the chimney on Christmas Eve

Miniature Santa heads up the chimney on Christmas Eve
Miniature Santa heads up the chimney on Christmas Eve

 

It is late Christmas Eve and miniature Santa is heading up the chimney. Read the rest of this entry

Melt hearts with upcycled snowmen

Melt hearts with upcycled snowmen
Melt hearts with upcycled snowmen

Christmas is the perfect time for upcycling objects. Vintage salt shakers, sandbakel tins and wooden spools are ideal for creating adorable snowmen (and women!). Add in glittery snowflakes and things get really chill.

Sorry I am so flaky that I simply cannot resist a few snowmen puns. You will just have to roll with it.

 

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Create your own mixed media elements

Create your own mixed media elements
Create your own mixed media elements

Let’s face it, thousands upon thousands of crafters, myself included, use the same mass-produced decorative elements in their projects. However, there is another option. If you don’t want your art to feature the same materials hordes of other artists are using, you can easily create your own elements. Art-Journal-Embellishments--by-Betsy-Skagen-0037-2

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Sled into Solstice with your crafting

Sled into Solstice with your crafting
Sled into Solstice with your crafting

Chubby-cheeked sledders in a glistening snow-covered countryside is my nod to the December 21 Winter’s Solstice. You can learn how to craft this miniature vintage holiday scene by following the step-by-step tutorial or visiting this featured project at Gypsy Soul

Winter-Solstice-Sledding--by-Betsy-Skagen-0015 Read the rest of this entry

Make a miniature witch’s steamer trunk for Halloween

Make a miniature witch’s steamer trunk for Halloween
Make a miniature witch’s steamer trunk for Halloween

Brooms, hats, potions, and spells–ever wonder where witches keep all the necessities for hair-raising fun on Halloween?

Well one witch stores her goods in this miniature steamer trunk.

Witch-trunk-by-Betsy-Skagen-0054

Featuring a spooky spider latch and faux leather exterior, this trunk includes many tiny accessories.

Witch-trunk-by-Betsy-Skagen-0013

Miniature witch books, charms, bottles of potions, herbs, witch stockings and more. Read the rest of this entry

Expanding Christmas Journal Part 2

Expanding Christmas Journal Part 2
Expanding Christmas Journal Part 2

This Expanding Christmas Journal is brimming with tags, magnetic enclosures and deep pockets so that you can store almost unlimited Christmas memories, photos, ideas or recipes.

GSL-Christmas-Journal-by-Betsy-Skagen-0113

Because the tutorial for the Expanding Christmas Journal is so detailed, I decided to break it up into two parts. In case you have not seen Part 1 of the tutorial at Gypsy Soul to learn how to create the album base and the surprise fold-outs,I thought I would first provide a recap of the book. If you have already seen Part 1, then continue below for the rest of the tutorial. Read the rest of this entry

Create an all encompassing storage system

Create an all encompassing storage system
Create an all encompassing storage system

Desk-set--by-Betsy-Skagen-0073

My crafting often turns me into somewhat of a hermit. It is easy for me to spend days in my studio–especially during less pleasant months–and only venture out in the world to run errands.

I fill my studio with fun vintage items that remind me to enjoy life outside my little corner of the world. When I created this organizer storage unit for my studio I used it as an opportunity to remind myself both of travel adventures and vintage treasures I had yet to discover.

If you want to learn how to make this storage unit, please check out my tutorial. Read the rest of this entry

Add dimension to handmade cards

Add dimension to handmade cards

Thank-you-card-by-Betsy-Skagen-0026

It is SaturYAY! The perfect day for rebuilding my stash of handcrafted greeting cards. One way I make my cards stand out from those purchased at a store is by adding dimension with layers. Read the rest of this entry

Brighten up your laundry room by making these retro signs

Brighten up your laundry room by making these retro signs
Brighten up your laundry room by making these retro signs

 

GSL-Retro-Laundry-by-Betsy-Skagen-407

Two of my favorite things in the world are mid-century graphics and snarky humor. I recently combined them to make one of my least favorite things in this world–doing laundry–a little more fun.  Read the rest of this entry