Janet Trieschman – Page 3 – Try It – Like It

Free Vintage School Ephemera

Add a touch of vintage classroom charm to your crafting with this free Vintage School Ephemera printable.

This month I am excited to be participating in a back to school themed blog hop. I created a Vintage School Ephemera page for paper crafting filled with nostalgic school-inspired elements. From library cards and hall passes to classic labels and vintage classroom imagery, this printable captures the charm of a bygone era. I love the aged colors, retro typography, and timeless look of these elements, making them perfect for junk journals, scrapbook layouts, handmade cards, tags, and all kinds of creative paper crafting projects.

Grab the free School themed PDF here: [School]

More free printables at the bottom of this post.

My go-to printer brand for years has been HP. I also use their ink supply service where I pay a monthly fee and they send me ink cartridges as needed. It comes out to be a lot less money this way and I don’t have to keep track because they do all the tracking for me. The HP Envy Inspire is a great-priced machine that will produce beautiful prints.

If you are looking for a great crafting-weight paper for printables, I have a new favorite. It is double sided matte photo paper by Koala. It is heavier than copier paper but not quite as heavy as cardstock. It is a great medium weight for layering, folding, and more! They have different weights, I have been using the 48lb double sided photo paper for printables. It is available on Amazon.

And I found a new sticker paper I really like. It is A-Sub. It comes in Glossy Sticker and Matte Photo Sticker, 25 or 55 sheets. You can find it at Amazon.

You can easily turn clip art images into magnets using Printable Magnets Sheets from Cricut.

Blog Hop:

Be sure to continue through the printable blog hop to discover even more amazing free back to school-themed printables from other talented creators.

Artsy-Fartsy Mama	Back to School Coloring Bookmarks
Laura’s Crafty Life	Lunchbox Notes
Smiling Colors	back to school coloring pages
The Benson Street	First Day of School Flags
The Crafty Blog Stalker	About My First Day Of School
Try it – Like it – Create it	Vintage School Ephemera

Vintage Materials Tag

Craft with authentic vintage materials for paper crafting.

For this week’s tag, I’m working with materials from Betty’s Bits and Bobs, specifically pieces from a Mid-Century Modern package. What makes these collections especially fun to work with is that the contents are made up of authentic pieces from the past. While each package follows the same general theme, no two will be exactly alike, giving every project its own unique bit of history and vintage character.

Please visit Betty’s Bits and Bobs to see where to purchase.

I added a few additional elements from my own stash to complement the Mid-Century ephemera, incorporating coordinating papers and mediums to build layers of color, texture, and interest. Mixing these newer materials with the authentic vintage pieces helped bring everything together while still allowing the original ephemera to remain the focus of the tag.

Video Tutorial:

Suggested Materials:

Links are Affiliates AZ – Amazon, SSS – Simon Says Stamps, SB – Scrapbook, O – Other

Art Glitter Glue Shop at: AZ	Glassboard Shop at: AZ \| O	Heidi Swapp Color Swap Shop at: AZ	Nori Paste Shop at: AZ
Scrapbook Scissors Shop at: SB

Faux Enamel Die Cut Words

See how I transformed simple die-cut words into glossy, dimensional sentiments with layers of Emerald Creek embossing powder.

I had an idea and wanted to see if I could emboss die-cut words using Emerald Creek embossing powders. Sometimes the best projects begin as a simple experiment, and I was curious to see whether the embossing powder would adhere well to the intricate shapes of the die cuts.

The results were a complete success! After a few layers of embossing powder and heat embossing, the words developed a smooth, glossy finish that closely resembles enamel. The rich color and shine add a beautiful dimensional element to the project, making the sentiments stand out while providing a professional-looking finish. This is definitely a technique I will be using again on future cards and mixed media projects.

After die cutting the word from white cardstock, I applied ink directly to the die-cut piece and then coated it with embossing powder. Once heated, I repeated the process several times, building up multiple layers of embossing powder to create a thicker, smoother finish. Each layer added more depth and shine until the final result had a beautiful glossy appearance that closely resembled enamel.

Video Tutorial:

Once I had the technique figured out, it was easy to repeat the process using different embossing powder colors. Each color produced its own unique enamel-like finish, allowing me to create coordinating sentiments for a variety of projects. The glossy, dimensional effect remained consistent across the different shades, making this a versatile technique that can be customized to suit almost any color palette or design style.

Suggested Materials:

Links are Affiliates AZ – Amazon, SSS – Simon Says Stamps, SB – Scrapbook, O – Other

Jingle Bell Card and Decor DIY

See how one simple jingle bell design became both a festive handmade card and a wooden décor piece.

Christmas in July is in full swing, and I’m excited to be participating in a festive craft hop! Inspired by the classic image of a jingle bell, I created two different projects that capture the spirit of the season—a handmade greeting card and a wooden holiday décor. The simple bell design works beautifully across multiple crafting mediums, making it a versatile motif for Christmas creations.

For the greeting card, I paired the jingle bell with layered papers to create a cheerful design that’s perfect for holiday giving. I also transformed the same image into a wooden décor piece, using it as the focal point for a project that can be displayed throughout the Christmas season. It’s always fun to see how a single design can inspire completely different finished projects while maintaining a cohesive holiday theme.

The files I used to cut out the pieces are available on Etsy at: [Jingle Bell]

Both of these projects relied heavily on my favorite crafting tools. The card elements were cut with my Cricut Maker, while the wooden décor was created using my “new-to-me” WeCreat laser. It’s always exciting to see how different cutting tools can bring the same design to life in unique ways, whether working with cardstock or wood.

I used a similar color palette for both projects. For the card I cut shapes from paper from CutCardStock, and the wood pieces were painted with DecoArt paints.

Video Tutorial:

Suggested Materials:

American Crafts Shop at: O	Emerald Creek Shop at: O	Glassboard Shop at: AZ \| O	Ranger Heat Tool Shop at: AZ
Tweezers Shop at: AZ	Word Dies Shop at: AZ

Links are Affiliates AZ – Amazon, SSS – Simon Says Stamps, SB – Scrapbook, O – Other

Art Glitter Glue Shop at: AZ	Beacon 527 Shop at: AZ	Cut Cardstock Shop at: O	DecoEarth Shop at: AZ
Fabri-tac Shop at: AZ	Foam Tape Shop at: AZ	Glassboard Shop at: AZ \| O	Gwen Studios at Walmart Shop at: O
Non-Stick Scissors Shop at: AZ	Paper Trimmer Shop at: AZ	tape runner – small Shop at: AZ	We Creat Laser Shop at: AZ

Finished Projects:

Do you have a favorite? Let me know in the comments which project was your favorite or which one you are going to try.

Free Printable Medallions

This week’s FREE printable is here! Download a page of 1-inch vintage medallions.

This week’s free printable features a page of 1-inch vintage-style circular medallions, perfect for adding a nostalgic touch to your paper crafting projects. Use them as seals, embellishments, tags, journal accents, cupcake toppers, stickers, or layered focal points on handmade cards and scrapbook layouts. Simply download, print, and start creating!

Link at the bottom of the page!

And I found a new sticker paper I really like. It is A-Sub. It comes in Glossy Sticker and Matte Photo Sticker, 25 or 55 sheets. You can find it at Amazon.

You can easily turn clip art images into magnets using Printable Magnets Sheets from Cricut.

And if you want to print your own Washi tape, consider trying this Adhesive Printable Washi Tapethat is semi-transparent and printable.

Grab the free printable here: [Medallions PDF]

Create-it Link Party #456

It’s time to share your creative posts with Create-it Link Party.

Last week Steph Creates Things shared Three Easy Candle Jar Ideas for Cozy Porch Décor. While easy to create, I love that these would be easy to swap out for different seasons. Check out her post here: Three Easy Candle Jar Ideas for Cozy Porch Décor.

Weekly Features are now being shared in the Pinterest Create-it Link Party Board. You can see them all here: [Create-it Link Party on Pinterest]

On to the Party

This is a great opportunity to showcase your latest blog post, recipe, craft tutorial, or any other creative project you’ve been working on! We love seeing the incredible ideas from our community.

To keep things fun and organized, we have a few simple rules to ensure the party runs smoothly. Happy sharing!

Here are a few simple rules:

Link to a specific post, not your homepage.
Link up something YOU made/wrote/created.
Giveaways, other link parties, or business links are not accepted.
Don’t link and run. Try to visit at least one link and show them some love. You may make a new friend.

Learn How Easy it is to Stencil Swipe

Discover this fun stencil swipe technique that turns your stencils into stamps.

This week’s tag tutorial features a fun stencil swipe technique that creates a one-of-a-kind background. Instead of applying color through the stencil, the color is swiped directly onto the stencil itself and then transferred to the tag. The result is a beautifully layered design with soft, organic patterns that are different every time you create it.

After creating the inked background, I layered stamped tissue paper over the surface to add even more depth and visual interest. The delicate blue butterflies coordinate beautifully with the inked background, while the translucent tissue allows the colorful layers underneath to remain visible, creating a soft, dimensional effect.

Video Tutorial:

The close-up image above highlights the beautiful visual texture created with this technique. The transferred ink produces subtle variations in color and pattern, while the layered tissue paper adds another level of depth, resulting in a rich, artistic background that is full of character.

Suggested Materials:

Links are Affiliates AZ – Amazon, SSS – Simon Says Stamps, SB – Scrapbook, O – Other

Glassboard Shop at: AZ \| O	Interference Ink Shop at: AZ	Nori Paste Shop at: AZ	Paper Trimmer Shop at: AZ
Ranger Heat Tool Shop at: AZ	Scrapbook Scissors Shop at: SB	Spray Bottles Shop at: AZ	Sticker Paper Shop at: AZ

If you are interested in the DIY tutorials for the tissue stamping and ribbon making they are listed below:

DIY Ribbon tutorial: https://youtu.be/2T-Vv9t–sc

DIY stamped tissue: https://youtu.be/kVGrjQMEM40

Free Moon Themed Ephemera

Add a little celestial magic to your next project! Download this week’s FREE Moon-Themed Ephemera PDF.

Across cultures and throughout history, the moon has symbolized hope, renewal, dreams, and guidance. Whether you’re creating greeting cards, junk journals, scrapbook layouts, or mixed media projects, this free printable PDF is a beautiful way to add celestial charm to your crafting. Download these moon-themed ephemera pieces and let your creativity shine with a touch of lunar inspiration.

Link at the bottom of the page!

And I found a new sticker paper I really like. It is A-Sub. It comes in Glossy Sticker and Matte Photo Sticker, 25 or 55 sheets. You can find it at Amazon.

You can easily turn clip art images into magnets using Printable Magnets Sheets from Cricut.

And if you want to print your own Washi tape, consider trying this Adhesive Printable Washi Tapethat is semi-transparent and printable.

Grab the free printable here: [Moon PDF]

Looking Sharp SVG and Back to School Pun SVG Hop

Head back to school in style! Download the “Looking Sharp!” pencil SVG.

Whether you’re a teacher decorating the classroom or a student getting ready for a new school year, this fun Looking Sharp! free SVG is a perfect addition to your back-to-school projects. Featuring a cheerful pencil design, it’s ideal for creating t-shirts, tote bags, classroom signs, mugs, notebooks, and more. Download this free SVG and add a little extra creativity to your back-to-school crafting!

Not sure what Cricut tools you need or should use? Check out this post – What tools to Buy.

Need to know about the different vinyl products available? You can learn all about it at About Cricut Vinyl.

Need a printable heat setting chart? You can download this one free: [heatguide]

Are you confused about the different colors of mats? This article will clear it all up for you. Which Mat Do I Use?

Grab the free SVG and PNG file here: [Sharp]

SVG Hop Images:

My fellow SVG creators are joining me in a fun hop featuring Back to School Pun SVG files! Each design is free to download and perfect for adding a special touch to your projects. Explore the variety below and get inspired!

Artsy-Fartsy Mama	Punctuation Matters	https://www.artsyfartsymama.com/2026/07/punctuation-matters-svg.html
Flowingcreek	Sharp Minds Start Here	https://www.flowingcreek.com/sharp-minds-start-here-free-back-to-school-svg/
Gina C. Creates	All Booked Up Layered Banner	https://ginaccreates.com/free-back-to-school-svg-roundup/
Harper N Co	Punctuation Saves Lives	https://harpernco.com/free-back-to-school-svg-files/
Kiy’s Craftroom	Sloth’more	https://kiyscraftroom.com/?p=4202
Main Road Digital Creations	Get to the Point	https://mainroaddigitalcreations.com/free-back-to-school-svg/
Sunshine and Munchkins	Weapons of Math Destruction	https://sunshineandmunchkins.com/weapons-of-math-destruction-free-back-to-school-svg/
Try It – Like It – Create It	Looking Sharp!	https://tryit-likeit.com/looking-sharp-svg-and-back-to-school-pun-svg-hop/

Create-it Link Party #455

Come join in on the fun at Create-it Link Party.

This week I am attending Craft Utopia so no feature; sorry, but I didn’t want to miss the link party. Wait till you see the great materials and projects I have been experiencing and learning about.

Weekly Features are now being shared in the Pinterest Create-it Link Party Board. You can see them all here: [Create-it Link Party on Pinterest]

On to the Party

To keep things fun and organized, we have a few simple rules to ensure the party runs smoothly. Happy sharing!

Here are a few simple rules:

Link to a specific post, not your homepage.
Link up something YOU made/wrote/created.
Giveaways, other link parties, or business links are not accepted.
Don’t link and run. Try to visit at least one link and show them some love. You may make a new friend.