If you've ever come home from a craft show with a bag full of things you didn't strictly need and felt completely at peace about it, this video will feel familiar. I hadn't been to a paper craft show since 2019, and when I finally went back, I wanted to treat myself — so I did. This video covers the haul, honest first impressions of everything I bought, and two little projects I made on the spot using almost nothing but what came home in that bag.
What we cover
A walk through everything I picked up at the show — embossing folders, die-cut packs, inks, a ribbon bow maker, spray and paint, and a couple of glues — with prices in Australian dollars and real reactions, including a few small regrets. Then two projects: an embossed and collaged envelope, and a full mini journal made almost entirely from the new purchases, bound with a three-hole pamphlet stitch and embellished inside using the die cuts and cardstock from the haul.
What you'll learn
How to use an embossing folder on envelopes — run the envelope through the folder, then decide whether you prefer the raised side or the recessed side facing out (I went with the recessed side and preferred it). A light pass of brown ink over the embossed surface makes the texture pop.
How a ribbon bow maker (four-pillar ribbon frame) works, including:
- Single bow — thread ribbon through the frame following the basic layout; the result holds its shape without any fussing
- Double bow — possible on the same tool, though I'd recommend finding a tutorial for that one before you attempt it; mine came out passable but not quite right
Why I reach for permanent, waterproof inks for stamped images — specifically StazOn and similar acid-free permanent inks. If you're going to go over a stamped image with watercolour, glue, or any wet medium, a non-waterproof ink will bleed. A permanent ink won't. I learned this the hard way when glue seeped through a piece of fabric onto a stamped image underneath and smudged it.
How distress oxide ink compares to StazOn for edge inking — both work, but they behave differently. Distress oxide gives a softer, more textured edge. StazOn (or similar permanent inks) are sharper and cleaner. For inking page edges, the smudge risk doesn't really matter — but for anything that'll get wet, you want the permanent one.
What gold gloss spray does on paper — and where it works best — the Ranger gold gloss spray gives a fine speckled gold effect. It reads beautifully on dark or black paper. On tea-dyed paper it's subtler, but still visible. Worth knowing before you use it on a page you've already spent time on.
How to make a mini journal from a die-cut pack, including:
- Selecting pieces from the pack for the cover — layering die cuts on a decorated base, using an embossed piece from your stash to make busy background elements read more clearly
- Nine folded signatures giving 36 pages
- Using a vellum sheet as the first page
- Binding with a three-hole pamphlet stitch and embroidery floss
How to embellish the inside of a mini journal using only the materials from one pack — cutting up cardstock pieces from the haul pack to make tuck spots, pockets, and corner embellishments; clipping in an envelope as a pocket page; using die cuts from the eclectic book sparingly so they tie into the vintage-shabby-chic feel without overwhelming it.
What Couture Creations All Purpose Art Glue is actually like to use — fast-drying, clear, narrow tip, easy application. Comparable to Art Glitter Glue in behaviour, noticeably cheaper. The speed is the main thing to know: it grabs in seconds, so if you need to reposition something even slightly, you have to move fast.
Tips & gotchas
Waterproof inks are worth it for anything that'll get wet. If you stamp an image and then go over it with watercolour, decoupage medium, or even a wet glue, a non-waterproof ink will bleed and smudge. Permanent, waterproof inks like StazOn won't. For inking page edges it doesn't matter much — but for stamped images, especially on fabric, it matters a lot.
Clean your spray bottle thoroughly after every use. If you're making your own version of the gold gloss spray by mixing acrylic gold paint with water, that mix will clog a spray bottle if you leave it. Rinse it out completely each time, or just budget for replacing bottles.
Work fast with quick-drying glue — and mean it. The Couture Creations glue dries in seconds. I tried to nudge a die cut a few millimetres after gluing it down and couldn't. If you need to position something precisely, either place it dry first and mark it, or commit to your placement before the glue touches the surface.
If your ink blending sponge is old, check it before you use it. After a few years of use, the foam starts to break down and little bits flake off onto your work — and those bits have ink on them, so if you set your project down on one it'll smudge the page. I replaced my blending tool partly for this reason. What I found is that the newer, bigger sponge I bought from the show started flaking almost immediately, which the old ones never did early on — so brand and quality of the sponge material genuinely varies.
Gold spray on dark paper, not light. The gold gloss effect is much more visible on dark or black backgrounds than on tea-dyed or cream paper. If you want that gold speckle to read clearly, put it somewhere it has contrast to work against.
The envelope technique from this video pairs naturally with the journal interior work too; clip one in as a pocket page and it earns its place rather than sitting in a drawer. I still have that gold paint to try, and I'm curious what it'll do layered over some of the embossed pieces — that'll be in an upcoming video.
