Saturday, January 30, 2010

Crimped Flower Tutorial

A little while ago I came upon a crimped flower tutorial.  I tried it once, but didn't get mine to turn out like the one I saw (I can't remember where it was now).  I decided to try and make my own flower.....you can decide if I succeeded...
I was pretty pleased with my creation, and decided to make another one.  Here is a tutorial of sorts...just in case you're interested in making one yourself.
Step 1: I used my Martha Stewart lace punch along the edge of an eleven inch piece of paper and cut a strip 1 inch wide when finished.

Step 2: I ran the punched strip through my paper crimper, ran my ink pad lightly over the top, and punched a 2 inch circle to assemble the flower on.
Step 3: I attached the crimped strip to the edge of the 2 inch circle. To do this you have to "smoosh" it together some.
Step 4: Using my nestabilities I cut three circles --- 1 3/4 in.---1 1/4 in. ---3/4 in.   I ran each of these through my paper crimper and inked the tops of these as well.
Step 5: I layered the punched circles to form the center of the flower.  Before attaching to the flower I placed a square dimensional in the center of the flower.
Step 6: I free-hand cut two leaves, crimped them and attached to the back of the flower. (You can also ink the tops of these if you like.)
Other supplies used (besides those mentioned above):
  • Swiss Dots Embossing Folder
  • Tag Die Cut - Provo Craft
  • My Friends Stamp -- Studio G
  • Floral Borders -- Stampology
  • White/Black Embossing Powder
  • Versa Mark Ink Pad
If you happen to make one of these --- I'd like to see it....leave me a comment and a link to your creation!

    Tuesday, January 26, 2010

    Two Heart Animals

    With Valentines Day right around the corner I thought I'd share these heart animals I made to take (as a sample) to a Valentine Making Party tomorrow with some of my friends and their children.
    They are made entirely of hearts (except the dog's eyes).
    Their face is a large scalloped heart - turned upside-down.
    Tongues are hearts turned upside down.
    Noses - hearts.
    Ears - one medium heart cut in half on the dog and....
    ....two small hearts point-side-up on the cat.
    Very simple and easy!  Cute enough to give as they are OR put them on a card and embellish!

    Monday, January 25, 2010

    Brad Sorting

    My current project is going to be a while in the making (if it's to turn out right). So I thought I'd share my newly re-organized brad collection. 
    My frugal friend would be proud of me today -- as I prepared to pitch an empty box (once full of Figis Mini Petits Fours - a gift from a friend at Christmas) an idea occurred to me.
    All those little "pockets" (that once contained yummy little cakes) would make great homes for my brad collection.  So I dumped my mini drawer of brads on the counter and got busy.  Half and hour later (with the help of my 7 year old) the project was complete.  I may start using brads more.......now that I don't have to dig through the whole pile of them to find what I'm looking for!

    Saturday, January 23, 2010

    Fold out Stationary Box

    I've seen these on Split Coast Stampers by the dozen, but they looked a bit complicated to make.  After finding a tutorial on how to make them (on Split Coast as well --- though I love their tutorials this one had me overwhelmed because it has so many details), I remained firm in my opinion that it was too much work! THEN I found another tutorial -- this one with LOTS of pictures, and decided to give it a whirl.  I'm glad I did for two reasons -- Reason #1 It turns out beautiful... Reason #2 It's not as hard as it looks.  Here's the link to the pictorial tutorial --- I must add that there is one mistake in her measurements.  When you get to PART B Stationary Box Shelves- STEP 1 She says to cut out a piece of cardstock 8.5 inches by 4.25 inches.    I did this and found it to be too big for the box.  The actual measurement is 8 inches by 4.25 inches.  Otherwise I found the tutorial to be wonderful and easy to follow.
    Here are the pics of the one I finally completed!
    The Stationary Box -- With Lid on
    Take the lid off and it falls open to reveal....
    Stationary Box -- DSP - Pear Wine Sorbet/Sorbet Villa (Cloud 9 Design)---Cardstock- White/Pink--- Punch - Martha Stewart Lace Border Punch---Stamp - Tall Watercolor Flower (Hampton Art)--- Nestabilities - Small Scallop/Circle ---Pink Ribbon---Embossing Powder - Blushing Pink---- Ink - Versa Mark
    Details of those stamped/embossed flowers
    Inside there are Five A2 cards, Three "love notes," three tags, post it note holder, stamp holder, and one green pencil



    The A2 Card ---DSP - Pear Wine Sorbet/Sorbet Villa (Cloud 9 Design) ---Stamp - Tall Watercolor Flower (Hampton Art) ---Embossing Folder - Birds and Blooms ---Cardstock- White/Pink--- Small sewing machine --- Embossing Powder - Blushing Pink --- Ink - Versa Mark --- Dew Drop - Homemade
    Love Note --- DSP - Pear Wine Sorbet/Sorbet Villa (Cloud 9 Design)---Cardstock- White/Pink --- Punch - Martha Stewart Heart Border ---Stamps - Heart (Craft Smart), Vine Heart (Penny Black Inc.) ---Embossing Powder - Blushing Pink - Instructions found here


     Tag ---DSP - Pear Wine Sorbet/Sorbet Villa (Cloud 9 Design)---Cardstock- White/Pink --- Punch - Martha Stewart Heart Border / Small Flower Punch/  Hole Punch--- Pink Ribbon --- Double embossed using Silver Embossing powder - while still hot sprinkle on Blushing Pink Embossing powder and reheat ---Stamp - To/From (Stamp Affair )

    Wednesday, January 20, 2010

    Another Card Set

    I finished another set of cards to give as a gift later this year.  You know how it is.....once you make something and get the hang of it --- it usually goes faster the next time.  This set went a lot faster, especially since I made the cards simple and all alike.
    Here's the box
    Here are the cards inside the box
    Supplies:
    • Martha Stewart Paper -- Flourish (colors...Rosewater, Endive, Ice Water, Sea Shell Pink, Snowflake, Sweet Pea)
    • Textile Embossing Folder (used on entire card front)
    • Brown Ribbon
    • Vintage Pictures from here
    • Brown/Black Card stock (matted pictures on and made belly band on box)
    • Small ribbon roses (I found a whole bag of these at a thrift store last year for 99 cents.  Each bunch of 12 had a price tag of 99 cents and was from Boscovs)
    • Flower made using this technique (again)

    Monday, January 18, 2010

    Card/Stationary Set

    I've been working on this project for some time.  Been wanting to make some card or stationary sets to give as gifts --- here's the first completed one. I started with the box and color scheme.  Next up I assembled the flowers that appear on the front of each card --- from there I created six cards -- all in the Olive Green/Striped Green/Black color scheme.  It was a lot of fun making these cards and once I got started it went fairly quickly.  Half the battle for me is deciding the color scheme/paper/embellishments I want to use on a card --- since these were to be matching cards all that was left to do was decide how to rearrange the aforementioned to make each card slightly different.
    So here it is --- My first Boxed Set of Cards for the year!

    The Box that houses the cards
    There are six cards and six envelopes in this box

    The three horizontal cards (click for a closer view)
    Inside these three looks like this


    The three vertical cards (click for a closer view)


    Inside these three the view is this
    The envelopes are as follows

    Supplies:
    • Olive Green/Black/White Cardstock
    • Day Dream Believer (Striped paper) - Heidi Grace Designs
    • Box Template from here
    • Dictionary Page + Button (to make flower on box) - tutorial here
    • Scallop Nestabilities (on flower)
    • Martha Stewart Lace Punch & Heart Border Punch
    • Fiskars Flower Border Punch
    • Fleur De Lis Border Punch
    • Misc. Border punch with no name or company logo on it
    • Die Cut Flower - Provo Craft
    • Embossing Folders --- Swirls, Swiss Dots, Textile, Script, and I can't remember the names for the other two
    • Flower Punch (Punch Bunch)
    • Snowflake Punch (flower centers) - Armanda
    • Sentiments - Birds Cards and two original
    • Stamps on envelopes -- Swirls (Studio G), Small Gerber Daisy (Stampabilities), and Flowers stamp (from Dollar Tree)
    • Bamboo Versa Color ink pad

    Thursday, January 14, 2010

    My First Ever Pop Up Card

    The outside -- nothing too exciting, because the fun part of this card is INSIDE!
    Open this card and you'll see....
    This is my FIRST ever pop-up card.  I've wanted to try them for some time, and did once --- it's didn't work out so I gave up.  Then yesterday I "stumbled upon" this post (incredible!!!) with a link to this site!  I had to try again, and the above card shows that I finally made it work!
    Supplies used:
    • Misc. Paper Scraps from my scrap bin
    • Cake pop up template from here
    • Swiss Dots Embossing Folder
    • Cupcake stamp - Studio G
    • Liquid Applique 
    • Pink Glitter (to make the frosting sparkle!)
    • Happy Birthday stamp - ?? no company name on it
    • Blushing Pink Pastel Embossing Powder
    • Colored Pencils (candle flames)
    • Martha Stewart Heart Border Punch
    • Creative Accents Ribbon
    • Alpha Bubbles - Sizzix Die Cut Letters

    Purple ATC Valentines

    The other 1/2 of my daughter's valentines (for the boys) will look like this.  Not exactly masculine, but a little less "frilly" than the girls.
    The back of the card looks like this:
    Supplies used:
    • Black/Green/Purple Cardstock
    • Clip art from here (printed on light purple cardstock)
    • Sizzix Heart Die
    • Swiss Dots Embossing Folder (on hearts)
    • Black ink (over the swiss dots on the hearts)
    • Purple Got Flowers
    • Dew Drops - colored with Metallic Green Bic Marker
    • Versa Mark
    • White Opaque Embossing Powder
    • Corner Rounder Punch
    • Happy Valentines Stamp -- Studio G

    Wednesday, January 13, 2010

    ATC Valentines

    I completed 1/2 of the Valentines I'm making for my little girl to send to her friends/cousins. These are two of the more "girly" ones (I made nine total in this design).
    The back of all of them look like this...
    Supplies used:
    • Black/Pink/Red/White Cardstock
    • Image from Two for Tuesday (Printed on pink cardstock)
    • Homemade Dew Drops -Colored with......
    • Burgundy Nail Enamel (a few cents at the thrift store)
    • Heart Die Cut (Sizzix Kids/Teen Mania)
    • Martha Stewart Heart Border Punch ---- -See that valentine the little girl is holding?  That's the heart border punch cut out in individual hearts.  I punched one in white and one in red and made the opposite color as the punched out heart.  Pretty pleased with myself on this one!
    • Happy Valentines Day Stamp --- Studio G ($1 at Michael's last year)
    • White Opaque Embossing Powder
    • Provo Craft Stamp Die 
    • Provo Craft Celebration Stamps - Heart embossing folder
    • Red Marker
    • Corner Punch

    Tuesday, January 12, 2010

    Silk Flowers

    Went to a local thrift shop today and got this bunch of flower for $1
    Twenty six flowers in all (in layers of 7)
    After pulling them all off the stems I ended up with this pile of flowers...182 total
    My flower collection is growing -- thanks to thrift stores and sales!
    Just a few ideas of ways to use this new expanded collection on cards (or scrapbook pages).
    These all have button centers, but there are other options --- one being those homemade dew drops in an extra large size --- I made some the other night and they work fine --- just didn't have any colored to match these flowers yet!

    Big Flower Valentine

    Supplies:
    • Green/Black/White/Pink Cardstock
    • Misc. Scrap paper
    • Large Scallop Nestie Die (cut on each indent to look like a flower)
    • Green/Pink Silk Flowers (I mentioned in the last post that Michael's had their silk flowers on sale...buy one get one free!  My friend and I went together on the deal and got some silk hydrangeas.  I think she counted 62 individual flowers on each "bunch." These are two of the petals/flowers)
    • Martha Stewart Heart Border Punch
    • White button
    • Pink Ribbon
    • With Love Stamp (Studio G)

    Monday, January 11, 2010

    Flower Valentine

    Inside
    Supplies:
    • Black / White card stock
    • Misc. Paper scraps
    • Martha Stewart heart border punch
    • Textile Embossing Folder
    • Heart Stamp (Craft Smart - from Michael's Dollar Stamps)
    • Blushing Pink Pastel Embossing Powder
    • Foam pop up square
    • 1/2 Pink Gerbera Daisy (bought two at Michael's - buy one get one free - tore them apart to make 7 petals (each) to use on cards -- this one was the biggest petal---I cut in half and got two cards out of it)

    Sunday, January 10, 2010

    Valentines!

    I started with these "doo-dads"....

    ...and made the above valentines today.  Lots of fun using red, pink, white, and hearts!
    Supplies:
    • Inspiration from this blog
    • White/Red/Pink cardstock
    • Pink fun foam
    • Sheet music from an old book
    • Circle punch
    • Heart Die Cut (Sizzix)
    • Misc. Ribbon/Buttons
    • Paper doilies
    • Scrip embossing folder
    • Martha Stewart Border Heart Punch