Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Botanical Tea Lattice Window Card

a Cut at Home Design Team Project 


As you know if you read my last DT post I have a new box of goodies I've been drooling over.  There were lots of new Spellbinders dies (thank you Cut At Home!!)  So I put four of them to good use on the card above.  Do you like it?  I'm loving the new Graphic 45 Botanical Tea Collection, that's the paper I used for the die cuts along with this yummy rose solid from Core'dinations.

I started with the Spellbinders Divine Eloquence and used two of the dies to cut the frame with an opening.  Next I used the Spellbinders Labels 36 to cut the opening in the card base (check out my video below it will show your step-by-step how to cut and assemble the card).  By the way the card is a basic A2 size, 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" when folded and on this one I used a cream colored cardstock.


Using the Spellbinders Expandable Pattern die, Crisscross, I cut and trimmed a piece of the rose color solid to fit the frame and glued the two together.  To pop it off the card base I used foam squares cut into small pieces, you just need to make sure that the foam doesn't show through on the inside.  


Here's a look at the inside where I used a piece cut from the Divine Eloquence die  and then used the small die in the Spellbinders Die D-Lites Outrageous Butterfly to finish off the straight edges top and bottom. Now tell me would you know this isn't how it was suppose to look??  The sticker with the bird on it is from the paper Collection as well.


To finish the front I cut the butterfly from the Outrageous Butterfly and covered it with the clear Wink of Stella, if you do this on a paper towel before you place it on the card it's so much easier you don't have to worry about getting it where you don't want it.  I used clear glue dots, the real small ones to adhere the butterfly to the card, I didn't want them to show on the inside.  To give the butterfly that floating look I stacked three glue dots together and placed them under the body and curled the right side under. The final touch was adding the teardrop pearl for the butterfly body and a few flat back pearls inside and out.

Check out my video to see the start to finish and as usual an additional card made from the scraps left over on my desk.  Thanks for watching, I'd love if you'd subscribe and leave a comment!  
Patti





Supplies


Saturday, February 22, 2014

Marriage of Convenience

Several months ago many of you shared in my construction of a mini album I made for young friend who's graduating from High School This year.  You can see the complete blog post here - Prima Engraver Masculine Mini.


Then again a couple of weeks ago I shared a tag I'd completed for 
Papercrafter 45's Tag Challenge, that was lots of fun!


Well today I'd like to share how I've married the two together to 
finish off the mini and find a perfect home for my tag.


Looks as if the two of them were meant to be, don't you think?


I've made a few changes from the original tag, 
I added the Tim Holtz Stencil numbers, 
taken away the wooden number 5 
and added a few more gears here and there.


I thought the zero needed a little zing.


Thanks for coming by today, I hope you liked the way I married these two together.
                                                                                                                                   Patti




Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Tiny Gift Jar Boxes


Well I just love when Christmas comes more than once a year!  That's what I felt like a few days ago when I got a box from the Cut at Home store with lots of yummy goodness inside.  Bundled together were a set of dies and embossing folders from Sizzix and an idea sheet on how to make these darling gift boxes.  They measure about 2" wide x 3"high x 1 1/4" deep.


I used Graphic 45's new Botanical Tea collection of papers to cover the boxes, sandwiched between the outside and inside paper is a layer of medium weight black chipboard.  The chipboard creates a sturdy base for the box.


These little gems are the perfect size to hold a gift card like I've shown above or a couple of bags of tea in the blue box.  You could also use them as baby or wedding shower favors or to give someone just a little boost on a rainy day, adding a few truffles on the inside might do the trick.


Included in my bundle was the Sizzix BigZ Die for this 3-D Ribbon and bow.  This is the perfect size not only for these boxes but I can see them being just the perfect little something on some of my mini pages or cards.  The spoon has been covered with a foil I had on hand, it's sticky on one side and waxed paper on the other, you can find something similar in your local hardware store or simply use heavy duty foil glued on the chipboard.  The finishing touch here was to run it through the Sizzix embossing folder Corner and Flower Vine.  It gives the handle that decorative embossed look.

Check out my video for a start to finish and additional photos.   I hope you'll give these little gift boxes a try and I'd love to see what you've created, drop me a note and let me see!

Thanks for stopping by!  Patti

Supplies from my Stash included black medium weight chipboard, hot glue gun, Aleene's Tacky Glue, bling, ribbon, tulle



Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

Tracy from TracysTreasures YouTube recently had a video celebrating her four year anniversary on YouTube and her blog.  Below is a photo of one of the prize packages she was giving away.  Well YES, of course I entered and Tracy shot me off an email tonight telling me I'm a winner!!  How cool is this!


Check out Tracy's blog and if you don't already know her now is the perfect time to become one of her subbies, she's a real sweetheart!  Thanks again Tracy, I'll be looking forward to that package from Canada!!


Saturday, February 15, 2014

Paper Doll Beauties


Remember when you were little and you cut out paper dolls?  Well it's been eons for me until I bought Julie Nutting's Collage Couture Book that takes you step-by-step on the how tos of making paper dolls. When I joined Beverly's design team for The Piece by Piece and saw the piece of pink tutu lace she included I knew I was finally going to utilize the instructions in this book!  I can't tell you how much fun I've had the past few days designing and clothing my little fashion statements.  They took me back to carefree days and the joy of just playing and having fun.  After all isn't that what adult crafting is suppose to be about too?  Don't be telling me that you can't draw, been there done that, and lo and behold I can do it, so can you!

I made the doll on the right first, she was my 'let's see if I can do this doll'.  I was sold after that, she's gorgeous, well in my humble opinion she's gorgeous, what doll wouldn't be with a skirt made out of that Venise lace from Bev's store.  

I added two other laces one for the bodice and then just a snippet of the Flat Embroidered lace for the cummerbund.  Adding the purple spray of Candy Gems completed the waste and headpiece.  I took all the little gold strand bits left from the sprays and wound them to make her jewerly, the headband, arm band, necklace and anklet.  Here shoes are just Diamond stickles with a single crystal bling.  Yes, my inner child was having one heck of a time!  Her hair is Brownstone Martha Stewart Glitter Glue.  I don't do faces so left her with just a dab of pink cheeks.
The dolls were drawn onto a grid of several pieces of cardstock glued together.  For the white and purple dolls I think it's 3 or 4 layers which is perfect if you're going to make a card like I did here.  

On the pink tutu doll I tried a piece of medium weight chipboard to see if I could cut the curves with my craft-knife.  It wasn't as difficult as I thought. Recently I'd watched a video and the crafter was cutting chipboard and  I remembered a hint from her that said cut with medium steady pressure several times instead of trying to cut through in one single swish.  That worked perfectly.  



The bases are covered with dictionary paper.  I went to the local used paperback book store and bought one for $3.00 (oh to have the old ones that I had when I was a kid, sigh).  I wanted a book that had yellowish colored pages with a nice weight to the paper, which this did but I added Vintage Photo distress ink anyway to give it an even older look to the body.   I used Aleene's Collage Podge to adhere the dictionary paper to the doll, it sticks well and allows you move-ability time.  With dictionary paper (or any worded paper) it's fun to find words that will mean something when they show.  On the white doll the word Fashion is predominant and her it's fashion.


You can see the differences in body thickness and the look with the lace choices and colors.  The purplish/blue doll on the card was white lace died with Lindy's Love at First Bite Lavender and Frosted Forget-Me-Nots.

Check out my video, I'll share many more photos and a complete start to finish of how I made the pink tutu doll.  If you are in the vicinity of Bev's California store Julie is going to be teaching a Paper Doll Book class on March 1st.  Oh how I'd love to go!  So if you're nearby don't miss this opportunity to have a class with the master paper doll creator.



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Have fun crafting!!  I hope you'll become a follower and leave a comment, they are most welcome and always appreciated!!

Patti

Supplies 
Julie Nutting's Collage Coutour from Amazon

from my Stash: Stickles in Diamond and Cotton Candy Pink, Martha Stewart Glitter Glue in Ebony and Brownstone, Webster's pink sparkler, Lindy's Stamp Gang Sprays  in Frosted Forget me Knot and Love at First Sight Lavender, Glossy Accents, Beacon Fabri-Tac, Prima Crystals, Prima Fairy Rhymes Paper, Aleene's Collage Podge, Dictionary Paper, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Vintage Photo, Copic Markers R11 and RV13

from TPBP Etsy shop:

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Papercrafter45 Tag Challenge

I'm not sure if you're familiar with Papercrafer45?  She's a fantastic YouTuber who shares her creative talent with all of us.  In January she offered us a challenge to create a tag from a kit of goodies she would supply.  You simply needed to submit your name and email to her and she'd decide on 12 crafters to receive her challenge tag supplies.  Well I was one of them!!!

I got my bag of goodies and had until the 13th of February, yep today, to submit two photos of my tag to her and she'd present them via YouTube to all her subbies.

This is what she sent us


And these were the rules - Each participant received a Challenge Kit containing the supplies shown above.  You were to create using your own style and design but you had to use a minimum of 2 items from the kit on your tag.  The only additions I added to those supplied were the cogs and gears that I'd cut from my Cricut, and some metal ones I had in my crafty drawers and I swapped the black clothespin out for a natural colored one.

This is what I created






You can also check out her Pinterest Board to see the other eleven creations.  It's always amazing that crafters can be given the same set of supplies and instructions and each come up with a totally different take on it, isn't that the absolute fun of creating???

I don't know if Papercrafter45 and her trusty companion Sock Monkey are planning any more of these challenge during the year but if they do add your name to the list and see if you're selected to receive a kit!  It's super fun and you'll enjoy seeing how the others use the same supplies you have.

Check out Papercrafter45's YouTube channel and be inspired by all the fantastic tutorials she shares. She and Sock Monkey have a fantastic way of presenting information in a clear, concise, easy to understand way!

Shortly I'll be showing you what I did with my tag so keep a look out!

Here's the video showcasing each submission 





Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Filigree Cross Sympathy Cards


a Cut at Home Design Team Project


Unfortunately at some time or another we are all in the need of a Sympathy card and using this Spellbinders Die D-Lites Filigree Cross die creates a beautiful card to fill the need.  The die is two pieces the outer, which cuts the aperture in the front of the cards and the filigree which creates the beautifully intricate filigrees when you use the two dies together.


I'm almost positive that the recipient of this card will love that I left the cross loose on the inside and made into a removable bookmark keepsake.  I layered not only the die cut but several layers behind for stability and then used several coats of Mod Podge front and back to give it a sturdy feel.  Using my Crop a Dile I punched a hole in the top and added fibers that complimented the colors of my decorative paper (which is from Prima's Fairy Rhymes Collection, Secret Garden).  

By using the cross this way it presented two problems, one when removed from the card the inside was pretty blank when you looked through the cross from the front.  To alleviate this I cut another cross (with the filigree in the middle) to use as a stencil and pounced my Tim Holtz Spun Sugar Distress Ink through it.  Pulling the ink from the cross outwards to the edges gave the cross a radiant look.   

The next problem was I didn't want to adhere the cross down but it wouldn't just stay put so when I adhered the inside sentiment (an old Stampin' Up Sympathy set) I glued a metal piece across the top and then glued all three sides down and across the top leaving only a small opening on the left to slip the bottom of the cross into and keep it in place.  


You can see it peeking at you in the photo above.


Here's a glimpse of the second card, you'll see it made start to finish on the video, but I wanted to give you a close up of how beautifully these dies cut and emboss!  Join me now on the video as I show you how I created the cards and give a few more photos for inspiration.

I think this card, with sentiments changed, would be a perfect Easter card for that special someone on your card giving list.



Supplies: