Friday, November 30, 2012

Creative Crew challenges for December!



This month, the Splitcoast Creative Crew holiday focus is on comfort packaging!  Anything to do with gifting sweet treats to friends and family, including the craft boxes and Sizzix dies found in the catty.  The above "gift wrapped" box is one of the kraft boxes offered on p. 161 of the catty.  The card below can also be used as a gift enclosure. The background paper was made by color embossing the flat side of the Petals A Plenty embossing folder with Marina Mist ink, then running it through the Big Shot.


All products are SU!, unless otherwise noted.



Gift Box:

Stamps:  Creatively Yours, Ornament Keepsakes

Paper:  Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, Be of Good Cheer dsp

Ink:  Gumball Green, Cherry Cobbler

Accessories:  Kraft boxes, Big Shot, Holiday Ornaments framelits, Labels framelits, Punch Pack, buttons, Linen thread, Cherry Cobbler seam binding, Cherry Cobbler tulle ribbon, ultrafine galaxy glitter


Snow Much Fun card:

Stamps:  Snow Much Fun, Creatively Yours

Paper:  Rose Red, White, Marina Mist

Ink:  Black, Marina Mist, Baja Breeze, Primrose Petals, Pink Pirouette, Gumball Green, Pear Pizzazz, Pretty in Pink, Tangerine Tango, Calypso Coral

Accessories:  Big Shot, Petals A Plenty embossing folder, Labels framelits, Rhinestone jewels, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, Aquapainter, Dimensionals, Rose Red seam binding, Baja Breeze pleated satin ribbon

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

November issue of the Paper Crafter Sampler!




The holiday issue of the Sampler is here.  Time to get your winter crafting underway.  The "Merry & Bright" issue contains an aray of winter projects.  Find creative gift wraps, Religious luminaries, ornaments and of course, holiday greetings.  Free with this month's subscription is the template for a gorgeous yule log box!

Below you can see a preview of my card for this month's Sampler.  I hope that you like it!



Thursday, November 8, 2012

Christmas Lodge



Here is another card for this month's Creative Crew Challenge over at Splitcoast Stampers.  Once again, I'm doing the glitter, glam and glitz focus using the silver glimmer paper (sponged around the edges with Midnight Muse) and loads of Dazzling Diamonds glitter on the roof if the house, the yard and on the evergreen garland to the upper left.

Eileen B. asked for instructions over at SC, so here they go!  A fyi word: I use liquid glue (Aleen's) for just about everything but ribbon.  My cards are heavy and they just fall apart using Tombo or any other tape runner.  I also don't measure anything, so you'll have to work off your eye...

1) Central image:  Stamp the house on white cs with Basic Black ink.  Watercolor the image starting with Riding Hood Red on all parts of the clapboard siding.  Look at your image and decide where the light would hit the house and add shadows with Cherry Cobbler and Chocolate Chip. Add warm light in the windows with Daffodil Delight and add shadows to the windows where appropriate with More Mustard.  Using a white gel pen, carefully accent the window trim and highlights to the siding.  Remember where you decided that the light would hit the house when you do this!  Add shadows to the roof, the porch railings and to the trellis work beneath the porch with Crumb Cake.  Watercolor the trees with Lucky Limeade and Garden Green and the porch steps with Crumb Cake, Creamy Caramel, Close to Cocoa and Chocolate Chip.   Add Dazzling Diamonds glitter to the roof and ground with a ballpoint-tip glue pen.  Sponge the edges very lightly with Midnight Muse ink.

Cut central layer out by using a sticky note to position the third smallest Label framelit around the watercolored image and run through the Big Shot.

2)  Garland: Watercolor the greenery with Lucky Limeade, Garden Green with touches of Close to Cocoa.  Watercolor the birds, starting by using Creamy Caramel and Close to Cocoa.  Highlight the breast with a touch of Rose Red and the wings/tailfeathers with Baja Breeze and Not Quite Navy.  Add glitter and cut out.

3)  Layer the central image:  Cut out two more Labels framelits from Midnight Muse using the same third smallest die.  Cut one label in half horizontally and the the in half vertically (make two cuts, cutting out the top and bottom points).  Carefully glue the layers to the back of your central image, creating a neat and even layer.  Use binder clips to hold the pieces in place until the glue dries.

4)  Add the garland to the upper left corner of your central image with liquid glue.  Use a few little cut pieces of Dimensionals to "hold up" the outer edge of the garland.

5)  Silver Glimmer paper:  Cut out a rectangle of silver glimmer paper to float the central image on.  If I'm forced to measure, the glimmer paper is about 4 1/4" x 3". Lightly sponge Midnight Muse ink around the edges of the silver glimmer paper. Layer the glimmer paper on Midnight Muse.  Add four aged copper brads to the corners.

6)  Framed Tulips layer:  Place a piece of white cs in the Framed Tulips folder and run it through the Big Shot.  Trim to the outer edges and layer with Midnight Muse.

7)  Midnight Muse pattern from the In-Color Print Pack:  Rough measurements 6 1/8" x 4 7/8".  (Again, I cut my cs by what looks good when I work up a card -- my cards are rarely a standard size.  I mark where I want to cut with a pencil, then cut it.  I adhere to the layering piece, then cut around it to create the layer.)    Layer with Midnight Muse and add copper brads to all four corners.

8)  Put layers together:   Adhere the Framed Tulips layer to the center of the dsp layer.  Add the glimmer paper layer to that.  Set aside.

Take about an 8" piece of Cherry Cobbler waffled satin ribbon and run your Tombo down it.  Taking a piece of Midnight Muse stitch satin ribbon, adhere it so that just a little edge shows above the Cherry cobbler ribbon, layering it.  Add another strip of Tombo down the back and add another piece of Midnight Muse, this time making sure that the Cherry Cobbler has a layer of Midnight Muse showing above and below the Cherry Cobbler ribbon.  Adhere across the center of your layers and adhere the ends around the back.

Back the central image with Dimensionals and float that image above the glimmer paper layer AND above the layered ribbons.  Add strips of pearls along the center of the ribbons.  Be sure to use a thin line of liquid glue before you add the pearls -- the mini glue dots on the back of the pearls won't hold.

Believe it or not, you're almost done!!

9)  Taking a whole sheet of Cherry Cobbler, fold it in half top-to-bottom.  Decide how much of the Cherry Cobbler cs you want to show and adhere your finished work below the fold.  Secure with binder clips until the glue dries and trim to your finished card size.

See?  A total piece of cake!!!

**************************************************

All products used are SU!, unless otherwise noted.


Stamps:  Christmas Lodge

Paper:  White, Cherry Cobbler, Midnight Muse, In-Color Print pack dsp

Ink:  Black, Bashful Blue, Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy, Rose Red, Riding Hood Red, Cherry Cobbler, Creamy Caramel, Crumb Cake, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Early Espresso, Daffodil Delight, More Mustard, Lucky Limeade, Garden Green

Accessories:  Big Shot, Labels framelits, Framed Tulips folder, brads, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, Midnight Muse stitched satin ribbon, Cherry Cobbler waffle satin ribbon, Pearl Jewels, sponges, Aquapainter, Dimensionals, white gel pen

Furry Friends



I made this up as a birthday card for one of my daughters' friends.  I really miss this Everyday Enchantment dsp!  It's one of my all time favorites.


All products are SU!, unless otherwise noted.


Stamps:  Furry Friends, Itty Bitty Banners 

Paper:  Calypso Coral, Pear Pizzazz, Soft Suede, Vanilla, Everyday Enchantment dsp

Ink:  Black, Creamy Caramel, Soft Suede, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Regal Rose, Calypso Coral, Pear Pizzazz, Garden Green

Accessories:  Bigt Shot, Labels framelits, Bitty Banner framelits, brads, Ticket-Corner punch,  Photo-Corner punch, Rhinestone jewels, Soft Suede 3/8" taffeta ribbon, Calypso Coral 1/8" organdy ribbon, Certainly Celery seam binding, Dimensionals, sponges, aquapainter

Friday, November 2, 2012

Watercolor Winter!




Here is another sample that I worked up for the SCS November Creative Crew challenges.  Once again, predictably, I totally went for the challenge that involved glitz, glitter and glamour.  You can't see it from this photo, but there is Dazzling Diamonds glitter on the pine needles and pine cones.  It's much prettier IRL, generally, than it appears in this photo.


All products are SU!, unless otherwise noted.


Stamps: Watercolor Winter, Greetings of the Season

Paper:  Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke, Early Espresso, Festival of Prints dsp

Ink:  Lucky Limeade, Always Artichoke, Cherry Cobbler, Creamy Caramel, Early Espresso

Accessories:  Big Shot, Apothecary Accents framelits, Ticket-Corner punch, Photo-Corner punch, brads, Cherry Cobbler seam binding, Early Espresso satin waffle ribbon, Cherry Cobbler satin waffle ribbon, Dimensionals, sponges, Basic Pearl Jewels

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Ornament Keepsakes



This month, the Creative Crew challenges were all about glittery, glitz and the holidays!  I used the Ornament Keepsakes set and the Holiday Ornaments framelits to make these cute 3D embellishments for my card.  The sentiment is from Snowflake Soiree.


All products used are SU!, unless otherwise noted.


Stamps:  Ornament Keepsakes, Snowflake Soiree

Paper:  Gumball Green, White, Real Red, Early Espresso, Champagne Glimmer paper, Candlelight Christmas dsp

Ink:  Real Red, Gumball Green, Early Espresso

Accessories:  Big Shot, Holiday Ornaments framelits, Apothecary Accents framelits, brads, Basic Pearl jewels, Basic Rhinestone jewels, Dimensionals, Ticket-Corner punch, Photo-Corner punch, gold ultra-fine Galaxy glitter

Stampin' Up! Holiday Mini 3D ornament tutorial





I wanted to make this ornament off the cover of the SU! Holiday Mini the first time I saw it.  I looked around for a tutorial, but didn't find one that worked for me so I made my own.  I hope that you enjoy it!  The SU! ornament looks like it's one-sided, but I wanted something that was 3D all the way around so that I could hang it without a backside.

Okay, to start with you need: 


30 of the large Lucky Limeade ornaments -- 6 per ornament; 5 assembled ornaments
30 of the small Cherry Cobbler ornaments -- 3 per ornament; 10 assembled ornaments
10 6" lengths of linen thread 
20 3" pieces of Cherry Cobbler tulle
2 2" strips from the Candlelight Christmas dsp
2 large "crystal" buttons
2 jumbo pearls
liquid glue
hot glue gun
silicon craft mat
Lucky Limeade and Cherry Cobbler ink
Ornament Framelits
Ornament Keepsakes set
Vanilla cs and Candlelight Christmas dsp



Assemble all 5 of the Lucky Limeade ornaments and all 10 of the Cherry Cobbler, using liquid glue.  Sorry, but I didn't take photos of the finished ornaments before I started gluing my fingers together with hot glue.  The Lucky Limeade ornaments are 360 3D; the Cherry Cobbler ones are 180 3D, i.e. they lay flat on your work surface.With hot glue, attach the 5 Lucky Limeade ornaments together by their ends.






Taking the pieces of tulle, fold them in half so that the scalloped edges 
are together, then softly roll the tulle into a cone. Hot glue each cone into the "side" compartments of each ornament (the front compartment will be empty).










Put a dot of hot glue on the silicon pad.  Take one 6" piece of linen thread, wrap it so that it forms 2 loops, then press the ends of the loops (with the cut ends) into the hot glue.  Repeat with the other pieces.  Peel each set of loops off the silicon and glue into each of the open compartments.









Taking your 2" strip of dsp, run it through the Big Shot using the Rosette die on the picket fence side.  Trim it so that it's 1" wide.  Fold on the score lines and turn into a rosette.  It helped to put a big dot of hot glue on the silicon mat and press the rosette into it until it cools/holds.









Add the large cut crystal button and the jumbo pearl to the top of the rosette, then adhere the rosette to the ornament body.










Put hot glue all over the end of each Cherry Cobbler ornament and insert between the Lucky Limeade ornaments, but under the rosette.  Rinse/repeat for the other side.  Add another double loop of linen thread for a hanger.

Snowy Owl




Here is an adorable little owl for one of this months' Creative Crew challenges!  This month glitter, glam and glitz holidays are the theme.  Anything that sparkles goes!

I punched out the various pieces of the owl using the Owl punch.  His little shirt-front and heart were punched from Silver and Red Glimmer paper and his wings, punched out using the 3/4" Circle punch and cut in half, have Dazzling Diamonds glitter on the edges.  The white background was run through the Big Shot using the Northern Flurry folder, then picked out with more Dazzling Diamonds glitter.  Mr. Owl's hat and bunch of holly was from the Owl Occasions set.  I cut tiny pieces of Silver Glimmer paper to fit the trim on the hat to add extra bling.


All products used were SU!, unless otherwise noted.


Stamps:  Owl Occasions

Paper:  White, Cherry Cobbler, Gumball Green, Early Espresso, Black, Calypso Coral, Snow Festival dsp, Red & Silver Glimmer paper

Ink:  Early Espresso, Real Red, Gumball Green

Accessories:  Big Shot, Northern Flurry Textured Impressions folder, Window Frames framelits, Owl punch, Ticket-Corner punch, Modern Label punch, brads, Gumball Green stitched satin ribbon, Cherry Cobbler waffle satin ribbon, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, Googlie Eyes, sponges, Dimensionals

Peace on Earth!




Here is another card that fulfills the Holiday glitter, glam or glitz challenge for this months' Creative Crew --  I think that this is one of the most fun and festive cards that I've ever made!  When I saw that you could color silver Glimmer paper, I knew that I wanted to use the little skater kid from Wonderful Winterland and make her a "skating pond".  I cut out her "pond" from silver Glimmer paper, cut it with the Large Oval punch, then sponged the edges with Marina Mist. Also, you can't see it, but the trees from Evergreen are heavily dusted with Dazzling Diamonds glitter.

The sky was sponged using Bashful Blue, Marina Mist and Wisteria Wonder and a single star cut from the gold Glimmer paper is hung there.


All products used are SU!, unless otherwise noted.


Stamps:  Evergreen, Wonderful Winterland

Paper:  Wisteria Wonder, White, Marina Mist, Silver & Gold Glimmer paper

Ink:  Black, Blush Blossom, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Rose Red, Bashful Blue, Marina Mist, Wisteria Wonder, Elegant Eggplant, Old Olive, Always Artichoke, Early Espresso, Daffodil Delight

Accessories:  Basic Pearl Jewels, sponges, Aquapainter, Dimensionals, Dazzling Diamonds glitter