Here's the post you {may} have been waiting for -- my "Snappy Bag" tutorial. I'm so excited to share this pattern and tutorial with you. In no time at all you can whip up one of these mini-pouches for someone you love! Last week I introduced my version of this little bag that has a carpenter's metal tape measure in the top casing that forms a "hinge" that snaps open and shut! These would be perfect little bags {filled with delectables} for someone you love on Valentine's Day. Please remember the little printer icon at the bottom of this post that enables you to print {with ease} this tutorial! Materials needed: Bag front: 6 1/2" x 8" cotton fabric Bag lining (& casing for measuring tape): 6 1/2" x 12" contrasting cotton fabric Ruffles: Two 2" x 12" strips of same (or other) contrasting cotton fabric Interfacing: 5 3/4" x 8" fusible fleece interfacing Two 5" lengths of 3/4" wide metal measuring tape Thread Finished bag: 5 1/2" wide x 4" high Directions: 1. On the bag front pencil a line one inch away from each short end... (see below) 2. Center fusible fleece to wrong side of bag front and adhere it to the fabric. (The fusible fleece does not cover the seam allowance on the bag front. This ensures a less bulky side seam on the bag.) 3. Fold the 2" x 12" strips (ruffles) in half lengthwise and press. On the unfinished edge of the strip run a basting stitch 1/4" from the edge. Gather. {If you are unsure how to gather fabric, go here for a demo.} 4. Pin your gathered ruffle to the bag front. Place the edge of the gathered fabric along the penciled line on the bag front... 5. Sew ruffles to bag front 1/8" from unfinished ruffle edge. Remove basting. 6. On bag lining fold over short sides about 3/8" and press. Center the bag front on the bag lining wrong sides together. Pin. 7. Stitch 1/4" from unfinished edge of bag front and lining between the ruffles. (see below) This will make stitching of the sides easier. 8. Fold the bag lining over the bag front and the unfinished edge of the ruffles and stitch 1/8" from folded edge of lining. This will create the casing for the measuring tape... 9. (Optional) Here's where I get a little picky, but it I won't apologize because it makes for a professional looking bag. In the photos below, can you see where the side edges of the fabric are a little uneven in the top photo. The bag front doesn't meet the lining perfectly. In the bottom photo (below) the edges of the bag have been trimmed evenly. To cut these edges straight I take off about 1/8" with my rotary cutter. I know, I know....I'm a bit of a perfectionista. Geesh. 10. Fold the bag in half right sides (bag front) together. Your lining will be on the outside (see below)... On one side only stitch 3/8" from the edge. Trim and zig-zag edge. (Put the bag aside, and don't stitch the other side yet!) 11. Are you up for a little carpentry work? Now you get to dismantle a tape measure... It's fun. Undo the screws on the side of a measuring tape and take it apart. Be careful as you are doing this as the tape measure can "explode" when released from it's confining metal cover. Put a sturdy piece of scotch tape on the end of the measuring tape to keep it wound... 12. Now find the crummiest set of scissors you have in your house, because after you've used them on the measuring tape they are never going to cut well again. Cut two 5" pieces off the metal measuring tape, round the corners, and tape the ends with masking tape so the sharp edges don't rip your fabric... 13. This part is very important... Now slip those little measuring tapes into the casings at the top of the bag. The number side of the measuring tapes need to be facing toward the lining (or the inside) of the bag as in the photo below. (Note one tape is facing 'up' and the other facing 'down' because they need to be facing the lining on each side.) 14. When you have those little tapes shoved all the way inside the casing, pin the sides together and sew 3/8" from the edge of the fabric. Trim and zig-zag the seam. 15. Turn right side out and press! Yay!!! You're done! Just think of the possibilities... Enjoy! If this tutorial was helpful, please take the time to leave a comment below. Your comments give me the encouragement to continue creating! Also, please remember the little printer icon at the bottom of this post that enables you to print {with ease} this tutorial! 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I recently bought a large lot of empty Altoid and various other tin containers. Forty-one tins for $3.00... how could I not buy them? I also bought myself a Sizzix Big Kick for my upcoming birthday month.. which actually starts next month. But why procrastinate right? Of course along with the Big Kick... I had to buy a bunch of embossing folders which would be ideal to use on the tops of all those tins I had just bought. Hmmmmm that $3.00 investment in those tins just cost a heck of a lot more. *wink* The first thing I did to repurpose the tins was to spray paint the containers silver, this gave every tin a nice uniform look. Plus, the silver would go perfect with the metal tape I was planning on using. Here are the tins with the embossed lids without any distressing. Super caute! Here are the Altoid tins after I distressed them with paint. I used black and copper acrylic paint to give the metal an old aged patina. They never photograph as nice as they look in person. I used mostly Darice embossing folders... and a few Tim Holtz folders too. I am loving the Big Kick machine I bought! Oh.My.Goodness. I've got the embossing down... now I am looking forward to die cutting and finding other uses for the machine as well. So far this has been the best birthday gift I've gotten this year--- and my birthdaymonth doesn't start until next month! *wink* This week, I am eagerly awaiting a shipment of die cuts that I just bid on and won off of Ebay. lol... don't judge me. *wink* big hugs,

I carry a notebook in my purse. It's useful for drawing, writing down notes, or simply keeping myself entertained. I like to decorate my notebooks -- why not carry some art with you? Usually I simply doodle or paint on them. Today, I decided to go for **fabulous** and decorated my new notebook with embossed metal tape. It's easy and the results are fab! Watch the video for the how-to: Moleskine - Extra Small Craft Foam Adhesive Backed Foil Sheets 4.25x5.5 6x6 Striped Flower Circle Orange Stick Aleene's Quick Dry Tacky Glue Golden Gel Medium Fiskars Amplify Scissors Perfect Pearls...

Browse our gallery for inspiration on metal embossing art, Paverpol, and mixed media art. We also create custom and functional art.

Learn a new medium — embossing on metal foil tape — using minimal investment in tools and supplies. Create GORGEOUS metallic tiles with super cool grungy, antiqued look.

I saw this card online and just had to try it!! LOVE how it turned out. I purchased metal tape that has a sticky back from the local hardware store. You can find it with the duck tape. It's very thin metal and works great for embossing Stamp Set: Cross My Heart (126580 W 126582 C, page 26 Spring Catalog) Card Stock: Pacific Point; Metal Tape Ink: Pacific Point Big Shot Embossing Folders: Chevron (127749, page 189); Argyle (127750, page 189); Flower Garden (123113, page 189); Manhatten Flower (114517, page 189); Delicate Designs (127023, page 188) The tape comes on...

Having bought 3 rolls of metal tape a long time ago, I sometimes find a need to play with it. I didn't want a huge project, so I made a simple tag. I cut a tag shape out of chipboard to which I simply glued chipboard letters to. While the glue was drying, I used my paper cutter, to cut the metal tape into random size squares. I then just willy-nilly started sticking the metal tape onto the tag covering the tag and chipboard letters completely. I even covered the backside of the tag as well. Next, I burnished the metal tape around each letter being careful not to break through the tape. I used nail polish remover to remove the red logo on the metal tape. Once that was finished, I took a regular ol' pen and started poking holes along each edge of the squares of metal tape giving it the appearance of being riveted together. Lastly, I painted black paint onto the tag and using a facecloth, rubbed it into the crevices to give it a time worn appearance. I used gray vintage seam binding to finish off the tag. Easy peasy~

Learn a new medium — embossing on metal foil tape — using minimal investment in tools and supplies. Create GORGEOUS metallic tiles with super cool grungy, antiqued look.

Ever see a craft online that you just HAVE to try right now? That was the case when my friend Renee sent me this video on using metal tape for mixed media scrapbooking art: [video link] And in case you can't watch that where you are, here's Rachel's finished product: SO COOL. The best part is all you really need is metal tape, something to put it on, and a little craft paint - so you might already have everything you need in the garage, like I did: I decided to test this out on a little cardboard gift box, since I'm not really into scrapbooking or paper art. I had a set of plastic clock numbers left over from... something... so I grabbed a couple of those to give my box lid that fun embossed look: THE ANSWER. :) I also added a few squares of that drywall seam tape to the corners, since John had a roll on hand. In retrospect, though, I don't think I would have used it - or at least not symmetrically. (I reeeeally struggle with making things look random. Symmetry is a cruel mistress, you guys.) Of course, you can put all kinds of things under the metal tape for the embossed look: papercraft silhouettes, letters, thin metal gears or charms, or heck, you could even write out some words using hot glue for a messy, hand-written look. SO MANY FUN OPTIONS. I started by covering my numbers with a large square of metal tape, and then used my fingers and a plastic clay tool to help push the tape down: If you use a tool, be careful not to scratch the tape with the tool's plastic seams. (Heed my voice of experience on that one...) Next it was just a matter of covering the whole box with squares and random strips: This tape is actually pretty durable, but I pressed a little too hard between the numbers and ripped a small hole. OOPS. Not to worry, though: the paint will cover that later. Now the fun part: adding "rivets": I used that plastic tool to press the points in, but a toothpick or pencil point would work just as well. When you're done adding all the texture you want, brush on a layer of flat black craft paint, making sure to get in all the cracks and rivet holes: ... then immediately wipe the paint off again with a dry paper towel. (If the paint sticks or starts to dry too fast, use a little water. It also helps to work in small sections.) Here's a comparison of the finished lid to the un-painted bottom: Pretty cool, right? And now, the finished box! To make my numbers really stand out, I stippled more black paint around the edges with a stiff brush. Here's the finished side: I love that this looks like metal... because it IS metal. Can't wait to do more projects with it! (The tape is so thin my box lid still fits fine, btw, and it doesn't scratch the bottom half.) At this point you could add some rust-orange paint in spots, or use the Rub n' Buff stuff Rachel did in her video, but I kinda like it just grungy silver: Oh! And here's what my friend Renee did: She cut the letters using her Cricut machine. Brilliant. I especially love her sides, though; those riveted strips really sell the whole look. Keep in mind this metal tape is extremely easy to scratch, scar, and bend, so if you want to use it to cover boxes or books or other items, make sure they're decorative things that aren't handled much. (I'm currently eying everything in my house, trying to decide what I'll cover next. Ha!) You can also help camouflage future dents and dings by really beating up your tape before painting it: the more blackened texture there is, the less likely you are to notice new scratches. I hope this inspires some of you! Happy crafting! (And if you try this, be sure to share a pic on the Epbot FB page, so the rest of us can see!) Update: The metal tape I'm using here is also called metal repair/aluminum foil tape, and I found some at Wal-Mart for only $7.50 a roll. Hope that helps! ***** Come see ALL of my craft projects on one page, right here!

Embossed aluminum is pretty much the ultimate labeling material. Without wanting to be morbid, there is a reason why military services around the world choose it for personnel identification tags. Secured with mechanical fasteners, instead of adhesives, an embossed aluminum label will stand up for years against water, extremes of heat and cold, prolonged direct sunlight, and any organic solvent you care to throw at it. This is a true "industrial-grade" labeling tool, and if you can snag a used one for a reasonable price, you can expect a lifetime of use from it.

Tired of the tape disappearing while you wrap gifts? This handy little tape dispenser clips onto the edge of your tabletop or desk to stay in one spot and allows you to tear off a strip of tape one-handed with ease.

Hi everyone! Today I'd like to share with you a tutorial I did for Paper Craft Planet's Tutorial Monday! Since I love the look of metal, I thought I'd demonstrate two embossing techniques for metal sheets: dry and heat embossing. Use this technique to add pizzazz to cards, or attach to a wooden or metal skewer to decorate a garden or pot! Here are the basic supplies you’ll need for dry and heat embossing on metal: • Soda Can (flattened) or Metal Crafting Sheet • Static Free Embossing Buddy • Watermark Ink • Heat Gun • Stylus – Fine and Broad Tips • Embossing Powder • Stamp • Cushioned Mat PREPARE SODA CAN: If you don’t have metal crafting sheet handy, try using a flattened soda can. For this you’ll need an empty and washed soda can, utility scissors and/or a crafting blade. To remove the top and bottom of can, punch a hole right below the top curved area and cut around until the top is completely cut off. Cut down side of can and continue to cut at the lower curved area until you have a rectangle piece. Be very careful with the sharp edges. To flatten sheet, slide piece against corner of table or cover sheet with paper and press with warm iron. HEAT EMBOSSING: Rub static free embossing buddy over metal sheet. Stamp image onto metal sheet with a watermark ink. Pour embossing powder over stamped image and shake excess off. Use heat gun to begin melting embossing powder; do not overheat. DRY EMBOSSING: Place sheet on top of cushioned mat. Apply firm pressure on the outside edge of image with the fine tipped stylus. Trace other areas within the image for added emphasis. No need to trace every line! Turn sheet over. Apply pressure “inside” the traced areas (see yellow marks) with the broad tipped stylus. Tip: Anything with a smooth rounded tip, like hairbrush, marker cap, etc., can be used in place of the broad tipped stylus. Color image as desired with alcohol inks and/or alcohol markers. That’s it! Now you’re ready to add this embossed metal to your project. Have fun creating! Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day! PROJECT SUPPLIES: Stamp: Friends Til the End (PTI) Paper: Black, Pool Party (SU!), Strawberry Kisses (Prima Marketing) Inks: VersaMark, Copic® Markers, Stickles (Ranger) Other: Frame-able Cutting File (Creations by AR), Scor-Pal Tape, Seam Binding Ribbon (SU!), Vintage Brad (SU!), Crochet Thread, Dimensional Adhesive

When I asked my friends for juice concentrate lids a couple of years ago in a Facebook post I got only one response. My friend Lyne, an organic farmer in New Brunswick and also the Queen of recycl…

Learn a new medium — embossing on metal foil tape — using minimal investment in tools and supplies. Create GORGEOUS metallic tiles with super cool grungy, antiqued look.

The adhesive tape is attached to a paper film. We recommend that you cut one meter sections and apply it to your hoop separating the adhesive film from the paper gradually. For longer life it is recommended to apply transparent adhesive tape over the coloured adhesive tape. The shade of the adhesive tape’s colour may differ slightly depending on the production batch.

Diese neue Reihe der berühmten Masking Tapes aus Japan strahlt durch seine perlmuttartige Oberfläche besonders schön und verzaubert dein Bastelprojekt garantiert.

If you're new to Art Journal Every Day, there is a short introduction here. All of the previous posts can be found archived here. There is a flickr group for sharing right here. Remember, it's just ten minutes of nourishing your creative self every day! No need to finish anything or even like it. If you've done some art journaling this week and you've blogged about it, or put it on flickr, please leave a link in the linky list at the end of this post. Thanks! Happy Halloween! No tricks today, just treats! ;) As you'll recall, last week...

I have been doing and teaching Metal Embossing for about 15 years. For years I only did the traditional techniques until I started to inco...

Learn a new medium — embossing on metal foil tape — using minimal investment in tools and supplies. Create GORGEOUS metallic tiles with super cool grungy, antiqued look.