"Show Us The Possibilities" Contest Voting Begins Today

EDITED 6PM CST:

The links that were sent to the entrants did not work this morning, but they've since figured out why and told us how to fix them. I have them posted under each photo below. It is really easy, I just cast 5 votes myself ;) Simply click on the word VOTE by the picture of the project on the fiskars facebook page, that is all there is to it ! Then again, I am already registered with them and "like" them so , maybe that is why it was so quick and easy for me ? You can click it 5 times (or go to the gallery to find more to vote for) then it will give you a message to come back to vote again tomorrow. Thank you!

Tree Of Love

VOTE HERE

 Butterfly Thoughts

VOTE HERE

Be sure to stop by the Fiskars page on facebook, "like" it then check out the gallery of ideas submitted to their contest. You can vote up to five times per day now through 11:59 p.m. CT 09/16/2012. 

I've submitted the two projects above, Tree Of Love and Butterfly Thoughts. You can see more about them on my blog by clicking the titles. 

I checked the gallery at 8 AM Monday morning (9/3/2012) and my projects were on pages 6 (last entry on the page)  and 7 (fifth entry down).  There are almost 250 inspiring entries to look at. Up to the top 20 projects that receive the most votes will be considered finalists. The judges are going to have a difficult time choosing the top winners !

"Entries will be featured for online viewing through the Fiskars Facebook tab. Click Contest tab and follow instructions to vote. Voting begins at 09/03/2012. Voting closes at 11:59 p.m. CT 09/16/2012. Only five votes per person/email address/authorized email account per day. Up to 20 entries receiving the most votes will be designated as Finalists, subject to verification and validation. Vote totals will be displayed on the voting site. The Finalists' entries will then be judged by a panel of Fiskars Brands judges, who will rate the entries according to the following scale:

1. Creative use of the element - 10 points
2. Execution of the project - 10 points (Attention to detail - 4 points; Craftsmanship - 4 points; Clarity/quality of image - 2 points)

The five top Finalists will be declared Grand Prize winners, and up to five additional Finalists will be First Prize winners."

Many Thanks for the votes
should you decide to cast 
any for my projects =)

Fiskars Fuse Contest Entry 2

This is the photo I am submitting to the contest

BUTTERFLY THOUGHTS FRAME

I used the butterfly die cut from the insert in Creating Keepsakes magazine as a dimensional embellishment for my framed butterfly photos project.

Cut out the butterfly portion of the die cut and embellish as desired. I watercolored, sprayed with glittery mist, added wire antennae, then slightly bent the wings up before mounting to the finished project with dimensional adhesive dots.

Print out saying and adhere to colored card stock, embellish as desired. I used colored rhinestone accents glued along the scallop punched edge.

Print out photos, trim and attach to decorative papers with dimensional adhesive dots. 

The Black decorative paper background is made by heat embossing clear embossing powder over Jumbo Butterfly Wheel (Stampin' Up!).

The frame is something I bought at a church rummage sale years ago - and broke as I was taking it out of my car. I kept it , determined to repair it and make something of it someday. I removed the hooks, sanded, filled the holes, painted. I did not have new glass cut since the project has dimension to it.
The black background paper has clear heat embossed butterflies.

I lightly sponged orange ink around the edges of the white card stock.

The photos are some that I took myself in my flower gardens.

Thanks for looking and if you would, take the time to look at all of the entries in the contest on the Fiskars facebook page. Of course all votes (five per day per email address) are much appreciated ! Voting starts September 3rd and ends September 16th. THANK YOU !

          

Fiskars Fuse Contest Entry 1

The latest issue of Creating Keepsakes magazine had an insert with two die cuts in it, challenging crafters to use them and post their creations for a chance to win the new Fuse die cut machine from Fiskars. I took that challenge and here is one of my projects using the die exactly as it came. I'll post the other tomorrow.

Unfortunately I did not take step by step photos nor do I have patterns. I will try to explain how I made it. 

This is the photo I posted to the contest page,
TREE OF LOVE.

BASE

I used an empty ribbon spool as my base. Cover the bottom hole with heavy duty tape, fill with craft pellets, sand, etc to weight it down then tape over the top hole. Paint the inside and edges with acrylic craft paint. You could wrap a strip of decorative paper on the inside rather than paint it.

Lightly sand the bottom of the spool to rough up the slick surface so adhesive will stick better; glue on a piece of felt or card stock.

Lightly sand the top of the spool to remove the slick finish before adhering embellishments. I used a large scallop circle die cut and made an accordion fold flower out of shimmery paper. Be sure to find the center of each item as well as the tape covering the hole on the spool. Punch a hole in each for the dowel rod to fit snugly into before gluing the pieces to the spool.

The "faux ribbon" was created by printing a saying onto a scrap of drafting vellum, trimming and gluing to the roll.

Here is another project I made using an empty ribbon spool as the base to a little display item: Boo Who

TREE

Paint the dowel rod, if you'd like, with acrylic craft paints.

I folded a piece of scratch paper in half and cut out a large heart shape to use as a pattern. I traced this onto four coordinating pieces of decorative paper (all from an old Die Cuts With A View paper stack).

I folded them in half and made a sandwich out of them, carefully keeping them lined up edge to edge. I ran them through the Big Shot die cut machine all at one time with the heart shape from the Movers and Shapers die set that was available through Stampin' Up!

Run lines of clear drying glue or clear dimensional adhesive (such as Crystal Effects from Stampin' Up!) around the edges of the heart openings and along the edges of the large hearts/tree. Apply glitter.

Tape a small piece of clear fishing line across each of the heart shaped openings, on the back side. NOTE: You could just do this to four openings so long as you note which ones they are and how they will line up so when the tree is assembled, each opening has a piece of clear line across it for attaching the photos.

Glue the sides of the tree together. Be sure to leave a small opening at the very top and bottom in the center for the dowel rod to slide through.

This is how my page looked in My Digital Studio, 

ready to be punched out.

Attach heart shaped photos with double stick tape, back to back, to each opening. I used the full heart punch from Stampin' Up! I also used My Digital Studio to make the heart shaped photos first. I opened a new scrapbook page project, inserted 8 heart shaped digital punches then filled each punch with photos. I printed them then punched them out. NOTE: my printer does not print from My Digital Studio properly so I had to make my digital heart punch/photo images larger than the actual punch size in the program to fit the paper punch properly. I did a practice piece first, altering the size (had to increase the digital punch size by about 1/2 inch) of the punch until it fit the actual punch nearly perfectly.

Hot glue small bows to the tops of each heart shaped window.

Pink Pirouette and Whisper White card stock as well as circle punches

from Stampin' Up! were used to create the tags. I wrote the names with a Sharpie marker. I applied Crystal Effects and glitter around the edges of the white circles. Poke a small rhinestone brad with a little piece of pink organdy ribbon through the hole at the top to make a bow. Attach a piece of pink organdy ribbon behind the tag and to the top of the tree. NOTE: I had to trim one of the ends off of each of the brads so it didn't show because of the position it had to be in to hold the bow in place properly, I could not rotate it to hide them.

Make a large bow out of pink satin ribbon and hot glue to the top of the tree.

Yes, this is yet another project featuring my pets rather than family. According to the rules of the contest, no people faces are allowed so I didn't want to have my project disqualified by using family !

Thanks for looking and if you would, take the time to look at all of the entries in the contest on the Fiskars facebook page. Of course all votes (five per day per email address) are much appreciated ! Voting starts September 3rd and ends September 16th. THANK YOU !

Wood Spoon Snowman

I was looking at the latest creations on a  blog buddies page (http://blackshadowcreations.blogspot.com)  and noticed she was selected to be a part of a design team on a new blog in September ! I'm very excited for her and can't wait to see what they are going to offer, after all the title is Anything But A Card and I like to make all sorts of crafty things. This is one I will need to try to make an effort to follow =) Anyhow, I decided to peek at each of the other design team members blogs to get a feel for what they make.

While visiting sbartists blog this evening, I saw she was having an altered wooden spoon blog hop in honor of her blogs 5 year anniversary. I decided to whip one up. My little snow guy is rather boring when looking at all of the awesome artsy projects that have been shared, but none the less, it was an excuse to put one of the wooden spoons I bought many years ago to use. I had been a long time subsciber to Crafts magazine and there were a couple of projects I saw way back when that I wanted to make requiring a wooden spoon, never did get around to making tthem and don't recall exactly what the projects were now.

I made my own mitten out of scraps of red felt, freehand drawing a pattern for it. I first thought about making it have a bean bag base so it could stand up somewhere. Then I thought it might be better to make it as an ornament for the Christmas tree or perhaps attach it to a "Let It Snow" sign.

I stitched along the edges with some old fuzzy thread that was to be used in a needle punch tool I bought, no joke, easily 20 years ago - and have never used!!!! Now I wonder what was I thinking back then. Truthfully I know : "Oh, it'll make cute decorations on the kids' clothes!" I have an itch to get it out and try to make a little ornament for the Christmas tree. I may stamp a piece of fabric with a snowman image and needle punch it in.... maybe.... one day.

Anyway, back to the project I've shared here.

I cut the wooden spoon down then painted it with white acrylic craft paint. Dotted on black eyes with the end of the paint brush, rubbed on a bit of blush (really needs to be light pink paint to show up better).

The nose is made from orange Sculpey clay. It is one I have had in my stash for some time. I made a dozen of them one day so they'd be ready to use if I ever needed one for a project.

I stamped a snowflake (Snowfall set from Stampin' Up!) with white paint onto the felt then added a couple of little rhinestones. I would rather have used a snowflake die cut piece of white felt, but I don't have one the correct size that could cut through the felt.

Lightly stuffed the mitten and inserted the spoon head, hot glued into place.

Tore a scrap of fabric, tied around the neck, hot glued on a button.

The little shovel is something from an old item that broke long ago. It has been waiting ever so patiently in my craft dungeon to be used again one day.

I'll be sharing how I made the projects I submitted to the Fiskars Fuse contest here on my blog in a couple of days, so come back soon. 

Thanks for looking =) 

Framed Scrapbook Page

This is a repost of an old project, one that was created for a contest several years ago. I made a 12" x 12" scrapbook page of my pets to mount in a frame on the wall.

I thought I'd repost it since I shared the printer tray pet photo collage project recently. Since sharing the original scrapbook page, I've added better photographs to it and mounted it into a 1" deep oak shadowbox frame. That process brought back memories of working in a frame shop many years ago.

I also tried to take a few better photos, but I didn't think to do it before putting it behind the glass in the frame so they are not the best. The glass, and lighting, made it really difficult to get decent photos. Taking it outdoors to try to photograph made it worse , I was getting all sorts of reflections in the glass ! 

For all of the details on this project that uses items all once available from Stampin' Up!, see my original post here. 

For information, and more images, about the painted and stamped wall that you can see a portion of behind the frame above, see my original post here. 

Thanks for looking =)

Grandma's Flowers

 Grown With Love

April Showers Bring May Flowers

so here is a project I'd like to share.

I made this several years ago. 

At the time I did not have any sort of die cutting machine. I stamped large flower images onto lightweight cardboard (the pieces that come in designer paper packs). I then hand cut the flowers out using a pair of scissors. The cut out chip board flowers were traced onto decorative papers then cut out. I adhered the paper flowers onto the card board flowers with Modge Podge glue. 

Punch circles for centers, tie on tags for names and small photos of the grand kids. 

 Decorate a tin container, add foam in the bottom to stick dowel rods into (paint them green with acrylic craft paint and hot glue on the flowers first) then top off with "grass". 


This project was entered in an old  soshelli.com contest.


Thanks for looking =) 

My Digital Studio - Bowling Pins and Ball

Instructions on how I made my digital bowling scrapbook pages with My Digital Studio from Stampin' Up!

To create the planks:
I started with a 12 x 12 background. I added the square punch then stretched it out to create the plank shape, filled with Kraft (reduced the opacity a bit). I added a Soft Suede drop shadow, reduced opacity, and centered on the image. I copied and pasted it a dozen or so times. I really like a look I was getting with this while playing around, it reminded me of beadboard - I have another project in mind now.








The bowling ball is the easiest:
Circle punch, adjust to the size you want and fill with black, add a drop shadow. Add three circle punches, but make them really tiny. Fill with black and add a Going Gray drop shadow before resizing. They are difficult to grab and move when this tiny, the easiest way is to use the arrow keys on the keyboard.








The bowling pins took quite a while to figure out what punches to use; this was the best I was able to come up with:

Oval punch, two heart punches, a circle punch all of them white for the pin then two more ovals for the stripe, one red and one white. Each punch will need to be adjusted in size to get the look you want. Drop shadow on the circle and base oval only. You will need to fiddle with the shadows a bit.



To get the flat bottom, I simply went off the page with the pin a bit rather than try to cover it up with another punch. Normally I would have tried to "erase" the part I didn't want with a punch made of the same background color, but it wouldn't work on this project since the background was already a reduced opacity color. To make the punch "eraser piece" it would need to be reduced in opacity to match the background, so it would become invisible. However by doing this, the pin would still show through. Hang the pins off the edge of the page, problem easily solved !



To make multiple pins, be sure to group all of the pieces together on your completed pin then copy and paste as many times as you'd like. NOTE: They can not be rotated. You will need to build each pin seperately at the desired angle if you want them to look knocked over. At least I didn't see a way to do it easily.

I entered these pages in a soshelli.com contest: they did not win.



Thanks for looking =)

Punchy The Snowman

When I saw the Season Of  Friendship stamp set from Stampin' Up! a couple of years ago, I immediately thought "snowman arms!"

I created this snowman out of punches and the Season of Friendship stamp set to submit to Stampin' Up! for one of the demonstrator challenges. It was not a winner, but it was featured on Stampers Showcase two years ago.

All supplies Stampin' Up!

Baja Breeze, Whisper White, Basic Black, Real Red, Pumpkin Pie card stock

Whisper White, Basic Black, Real Red, Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze classic ink

Dazzling Diamonds glitter

Brad

various punches, all from Stampin' Up!

Paper Piercer - to punch holes in the "buttons"

Season Of Friendship stamp set, Stampin' Up!

adhesive
 
sponge - to sponge white ink on the hat (snow) and edges of Baja Breeze
 
 
Thanks for looking =)

My Digital Studio Contest - Scrapbook page 2

** Winners announced here January 4th, 2011! **

Five customers and five demonstrators were chosen as winners of

$400 worth of digital downloads !

Below is the second digitally created scrapbook page that I submitted to the contest Stampin' Up! held in November 2010 for demonstrators and customers alike. We were to enter a single card and two different scrapbook pages, created completely with My Digital Studio.


I don't scrapbook as it is (gasp!) and had used My Digital Studio just a few times when the contest was announced (GASP!!). I thought I'd give this challenge a try, and a challenge it was. Not that the software is all that difficult to use, but it is difficult for me to make up my mind on what I want a finished project to look like ! This is one of the reasons why I like the My Digital Studio software, I can change my mind over and over without wasting real supplies. Plus, once I have a project completed, if I have saved all of the components to the project (not just the final .jpeg file), I can go back in and change it again if I want. For example, at the time I create a project there may not be a particular stamp set, embellishment or designer paper available digitally. If there is a fun new digital image released that I "must have", such as the perfect background paper, I can purchase it for a small fee then go add it to my previously completed project.


Another reason to save your complete files, you may take a better photograph of a particular subject or be given photographs someone else has taken of a particular event that are better than the photos you already digitally scrapped with. With My Digital Studio digital projects, you are able to go back in and change out the photographs, how cool is that ?!

MY SNOWFLAKES

This scrapbook page was really fun - and uses many digital punches to create a snowman, landscape and falling snowflake photo mats !

This was a little tricky to do because I needed to "erase" parts of the snowflake punch that I did not want to use in order to make twig arms for my snowman. I covered up bits of the brown snowflake punch with punches that were filled with coordinating designer background paper. The tricky part was to find the correct punch to cover what needed to be erased then fill it with paper that would line up with the background paper to make it invisible.

I'm not sure, but I may have reduced the opacity on the background paper on this finished project. I know I did as I was creating it, but not sure if I kept it reduced. The snowflake stamps from Snowburst (and another set or two, Winter Post and ....) were reduced in opacity.



SUPPLIES:

MyDigital Studio Software 118108 $79.95
Satin Ribbon 121063 $3.95
Striped Grosgrain Ribbon 122147 $3.95
Button Latte
Various Punches
Snowburst stamp set
Brads
Background papers




For more amazing ideas using My Digital Studio, be sure to check out My Digital Studio online ! There are sure to be hundreds of ideas posted in the next few days now that the contest is officially over and the winners (I am not one of those lucky, super talented few) have been notified.




My Digital Studio 118108
Catalog Price: $79.95

Use the same great artwork, colors, and accessory images found in our current product line to create personalized digital projects. The options are endless: create photo albums, calendars, and greeting cards using My Digital Studio. Once you've created your personalized gift or heirloom, have it printed in our high-quality print facility and delivered to your door or print it at home.
■ Available in English only


Click here for a list of the digital contents that are included with your initial software purchase.


For more information about My Digital Studio, click here. This web page has everything you need to know about the software, additional digital downloads (prices vary), free updates, printing prices and there are video tutorials.


Thank you for looking and commenting =) Happy New Year !



My Digital Studio Contest - Card

** Winners announced here January 4th, 2011! **

Five customers and five demonstrators were chosen as winners of
$400 worth of digital downloads !

Below is the digitally created card that I submitted to the contest Stampin' Up! held in November 2010 for demonstrators and customers alike. We were to enter a single card and two different scrapbook pages, created completely with My Digital Studio.

I don't scrapbook as it is (gasp!) and had used My Digital Studio just a few times when the contest was announced (GASP!!). I thought I'd give this challenge a try, and a challenge it was. Not that the software is all that difficult to use, but it is difficult for me to make up my mind on what I want a finished project to look like ! This is one of the reasons why I like the My Digital Studio software, I can change my mind over and over without wasting real supplies. Plus, once I have a project completed, if I have saved all of the components to the project (not just the final .jpeg file), I can go back in and change it again if I want. For example, at the time I create a project there may not be a particular stamp set, embellishment or designer paper available digitally. If there is a fun new digital image released that I "must have", such as the perfect background paper, I can purchase it for a small fee then go add it to my previously completed project.

Another reason to save your complete files, you may take a better photograph of a particular subject or be given photographs someone else has taken of a particular event that are better than the photos you already digitally scrapped with.  With My Digital Studio digital projects, you are able to go back in and change out the photographs, how cool is that ?!

JOY  CARD

The card was created with the new trifold card. It is part of a free update for owners of My Digital Studio digital crafting software from Stampin' Up!.

I used various elements, most of which were purchased extra. The My Digital Studio software comes with many fantastic images, papers, embellishments, punches, layouts, etc when you initially purchase it. Once you have the software installed, you can purchase additional content, picking which items you would like to add to your software. The prices of the additional content varies.


The greeting at the bottom was "custom" made from one of the stamp images from the Wishes and Greetings digital stamp set. I digitally stamped it on each panel, moving it into position so each line of the three line image lined up to become one long horizontal stamp. To "erase" the portions of the stamp that I didn't want, I used custom sized punches of Very Vanilla card stock to cover them. The resized Very Vanilla punches become invisible on the Very Vanilla background, totally erasing the part of the stamp image that I do not want. I used this technique on all three of my contest entries.
There is a large gap between each portion of the greeting. I did this because it is a trifold card; if I had it printed I didn't want the folds to be on the greeting.

The heart punch was reduced in size then layered over the "O" in Love.

There are so many bits and pieces to this card, I honestly do not remember everything that I used. The following are what I remember; if they are extras that I bought, I'll note the item number and additional cost.



My Digital Studio Software 118108 $79.95

Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso and Very Vanilla card stock
Designer Paper from the Christmas Cocoa II Digital Kit  120880  $9.95
         and Christmas Jingle Kit
Satin Ribbon   121063  $3.95
Antique Brads 122164   $1.95
Brads
Snowburst, Schoolbook Serif Alphabet, Torn Edges, Wishes and Greetings
  digital stamps
Various punches
Staples for "stitching" on the buttons (this is one of those things I wish came with   the initial software purchase: stitching or knotted linen thread to layer on top of the buttons to make them look more finished)
Embellishments from Christmas Jingle digital kit



For more amazing ideas using My Digital Studio, be sure to check out My Digital Studio online ! There are sure to be hundreds of ideas posted in the next few days now that the contest is officially over, winners have been notified.



My Digital Studio 118108
Catalog Price: $79.95

Use the same great artwork, colors, and accessory images found in our current product line to create personalized digital projects. The options are endless: create photo albums, calendars, and greeting cards using My Digital Studio. Once you've created your personalized gift or heirloom, have it printed in our high-quality print facility and delivered to your door or print it at home.

■ Available in English only


Click here for a list of the digital contents that are included with your initial software purchase.

For more information about My Digital Studio, click here. This web page has everything you need to know about the software, additional digital downloads (prices vary), free updates, printing prices and there are video tutorials.



Thank you for looking and commenting  =)  Happy New Year !

Painted Acetate/Clear Glass Ball Ornaments

Several years ago stamped acetate/glass ball ornaments were all the rage. Some were simply stamped then inserted into a clear glass ornament. Most people colored in the images with Sharpie markers.

I took it a step further - I painted my stamped images !

The first one I made in 2004, the Flaky Friends ornament above, was an experiment because I wasn't sure if it was going to work. I used acrylic craft paint, the indoor/outdoor gloss type. I chose that type because to me it seemed like it would be more flexible. I didn't want the paint to crack when I rolled the acetate to insert into the ornament. Regular acrylic paints may work just as well, but I've never tried them.





I was tickled to see that it would work ! Although the paint in large areas could get streaky, I didn't mind. I made dozens of other ornaments over the years, here are a few favorites:

I used a fine black Sharpie marker to add more stones to the stamped image

Closeup to show detail that can be achieved using a toothpick to dot on paint !
This also shows how the paint needs to be built up in layers, for example: the red berries are dotted on before dry brushing a little bit of white before painting in the greenery.

The back of the acetate was run through a xyron machine then I sprinkled on Dazzling Diamonds glitter. I stamped the front with blue Stazon ink. I did this simplified version for a class project.



 All stamped images are Stampin' Up!©



Here are the steps to painting acetate for an ornament:



Supplies:

Clear glass ornament, you choice of size

acetate/transparency/window sheet

black Stazon ink

rubber stamp image of choice, but thin outline images work best

circle cutter

assorted paints

fine paintbrushes

water

toothpicks





Cut out a circle to fit just inside your glass ornament, leaving  a little tab at the top to sit in the neck. This keeps the image from flopping around.




I stamp the acetate (overhead transparency, window sheet, etc) with black Stazon ink. Flip it over and start painting.



Be sure to paint the things that are going to be in the foreground first, for example I flecked the snowflakes on before doing anything else. By doing this, as I was layering on the other paints for scarves, facial features, so on, the snowflakes would be "in front" of the snowmen. This way it would look like it was snowing. Using this same method, I would paint on the tiny buttons before painting the snowman body, etc. This is what I referred to as "painting in reverse", you need to build your layers of painted features up from what would be the front of the snowman to the back. The opposite of, reverse of, painting on wood for example when I would add paint on a base coat, building up the details and features on top.



Be sure to let each color / layer dry well before moving on !



If you get a little bit out of a line, once the paint is dry you can carefully scratch it off with a toothpick. This works great if it is the first layer of paint on the acetate. It is the easiest way to try to paint small portions of an image, an orange carrot nose for example. If it gets a little out of the nose area, scratch away the excess before painting the white snowman over the orange nose. If it is a second or third coat you could try to very carefully use a damp qtip or the toothpick to remove the paint. Be forewarned, you could easily remove paint from the other layers. If this happens, you can go back in and try to repaint it.



Once the image is completely dry, carefully roll it, painted image to the inside, and insert it into the ornament. You want to roll the painted image to the inside so it doesn't accidentally get scratched because the glass ornament can have rough edges.



Add a little bit of fake snow inside the ornament.



Insert the top.



I added snow texture medium to the top, lightly sprinkled with glitter.



After this is completely dry, tie on a pretty ribbon.



Some ornaments I add a stamped tag to. They all had hand stamped gift boxes with coordinating tissue paper.



Painting the acetate does take much more time. I spend anywhere from 1 - 2 hours on painting them, depending on the amount of detail. I personally really like the look of the painted ornaments. I prefer it to those that are colored in with markers because you can actually see the images and details - not the green Christmas tree showing through. No offense to anyone !



I painted dozens of these to try to sell at bazaars for $5, I think I only sold one at a bazaar.

I also submitted one to the company for a Demonstrator contest several years ago; it did not win.


Here is a step by step photo tutorial showing how to make these using markers
http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/glass_ornament/

and using the same technique with a few extra supplies, you can make snowglobes
http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/glass_ornament/


If you try this technique, I'd love to see your projects !

Thanks for looking and Happy Holidays  =)

Craft Some Holiday Magic contest entry - week 2

Here is my second submission to the Michael's Craft Some Holiday Magic contest.
This weeks project list of "ingredients" the contestants were given: a charger plate, scrapbook papers and glue.

Whew, it took nearly an entire day to cut and assemble the matchboxes alone !
If you are on facebook and go to the Michael's page, "Like" that page then you can access the contest gallery. Once in the gallery, you can "Like" individual projects, which could help the creator win a gift card and then be entered into a contest to win a crafting cruise. This is the photo you will see in the gallery for my submission; a "Like" button shows up with the description when you click on the photo:

SUPPLIES:

Sizzix/Stampin' Up! matchbox die (or reuse real matchboxes)

card stock for the matchboxes

decorative papers

assorted decorative epoxy brads

star shaped brad

1/4" grosgrain ribbon for pull tabs

5/8" grosgrain ribbon for embellishing the tree and the plate

matching thread to gather 5/8"  ribbon

white paint and fine paint brush to hand letter around the edge of the plate

Stazon inks to stamp the ribbon tabs

tiny numbers rubber stamp set

clear drying paper adhesive

hot glue gun or super sticky double sided adhesive

scalloped circle card and paper doily for tree skirt

paper piercer to embellish tree skirt

1/6th inch hole punch to make holes for brads on each drawer and in each scallop of the card

ink pad and sponge to sponge around edges of paper

1) Create 24 matchboxes by using a pattern, a die cut machine or recovering premade matchboxes.

2) Decorate the front of each drawer as you wish. I used epoxy brads and little tabs of 1/4" grosgrain ribbon that I stamped tiny numbers onto with Stazon inks. I punched a tiny hole in the drawer front then poked the brad through the tails of the ribbon and into the hole. I added a dab of fray check (clear drying liquid glued will work) to the backside to help keep the ribbon from fraying.

3) Adhere the the boxes together in sections: 4x2, 3x2, 2x2, 1x2 and another 2x2 for the tree "trunk". I used super strong double stick tape. Wrap each section with decorative paper and 5/8" ribbon. Add extra embellishments as you like.

4) Adhere the sections together to form a tree. Use a strong adhesive, such as sticky strip or hot glue.


5) Make a little paper star or angel to attach to the top if you wish. I made my star freehand, as you can tell since it is sort of misshapen. Surely you could find patterns online.

6) Paint around the edge of the plate with the appropriate paint for your plate type and set according to manufacturers directions. I used indoor/outdoor acrylic craft paint then heat set in the oven since my plate was stone ware. There are other paints available for glass/ceramics.

7) Adhere scrapbook papers to the center of the plate.

8) Adhere ribbon along the edge of the paper. I gathered my ribbon with thread before adhering with super sticky double sided adhesive.

9) Embellish scalloped card to create a tree skirt. I used a paper piercer and punch then layered over a paper doily that I sponged brown ink onto. Adhere to the plate.

10) Use strong adhesive to attach tree to tree skirt/plate if you wish.

11) Write fun things to do on tags with your family during the holidays such as caroling, ornament making, cookie baking and insert in the drawers. Perhaps add tickets to holiday events or little tiny trinkets, candies.

Happy Holidays and thanks for looking =)

Craft Some Holiday Magic Contest entry

A friend told me about a contest that Michael's craft stores is having online through their facebook page. I don't really use facebook and definitely do not use the applications, but she urged me to come up with a project to sumbit: she wants me to win so we can go on a crafting cruise !

She descibed most of the projects to me (my computer/internet connection would not open the photos up) and insisted I could come up with a different idea to submit. Well, I'm not sure how neat the idea is, but it is different than what has been posted so far. I brainstormed several ideas, but in the end decided against them since there have been more entries the past day and several are a slightly similar concept to what I was thinking about doing.

I may well still make my own projects I thought about. . . . . I just can not enter them since it is one entry per person.

The entries are supposed to use clear glass ball ornaments, ribbon and beads. I did use all three items - and more !

I orginally was thinking about making a sort of topiary then after fiddling with several ideas and not having the exact craft supplies I needed and getting discouraged, this odd idea came to me:

a candle holder !

If you go to the Michael's facebook page, click on the Holiday Contest page, like it and accept the application you will be able to see the entries, including mine.

If you "like" my entry, it will help increase my chance to win a gift card for this weeks contest. If I win that, I will then be entered to win a crafting cruise !!!

SUPPLIES:

large clear glass ball ornament

assorted ribbons

mini glass beads

rhinestones

punches

white paper

glitter

clear drying white glue

acrylic craft paints

paintbrushes

terra cotta flower pot and saucer

candle

new pencil, unused eraser (for making polka dots)




INSTRUCTIONS:
Make sure the items you will be painting are clean and dry before you start.

Paint the clear glass ball ornament, flower pot, saucer and candle with acrylic craft paints. Let them dry well before brushing on a second coat of paint. You could also use spray paint. Apply a sealer if you wish.

Punch out snowflakes from white paper. Brush on clear drying glue, sprinkle with glitter, set aside to dry. If you have a die cut machine and a Xyron machine you could use them to make the glittery die cuts.

Spread the seed beads out in a thin layer on a paper plate. Brush a thick coat of clear drying glue onto the pot where you want the beads to stick then roll in the seed beads. You can sprinkle matching glitter on the seed beads while the glue is still wet to fill in around the beads if you'd like. Set aside to dry.

Once the ornament is dry, adhere glittered snowflakes, rhinestones and ribbons. Use a strong adhesive to glue into the flower pot.

Insert candle. The candle I used fit perfectly in the opening of my ornament; you may need to trim a candle to fit.


Thanks for looking - and liking my project on the Michael's facebook page =)

"Boo?" "Whoo?"

Patiently waited for the UPS man to show up yesterday with my order from Stampin' Up!. I was afraid it had been rescheduled because I hadn't seen it all day. Finally at 6:32 PM it was delivered. I've NEVER received a delivery that late, wow ! I hoped it would be here early enough to work on the project I had in mind. It's one of those "It is a neat idea in my mind, but will I be able to make it work the way I want to" projects....... inspired by several punch art projects, I wanted to make something for display. So I spent the morning today trying to bring it to life and here it is; it turned out okay (the photos leave a lot to be desired though)








All supplies are from Stampin' Up!



Stamps:

Vine jumbo - wheel

Stipple Plaid - background

Teeny Tiny Wishes





Punches:

Two Step Owl Extra Large - for owl and ghost

Butterfly Extra Large- for pumpkin vine leaves; I timmed the lower portion of the wing off to create the leaves, but they could easily be cut freehand

Small Oval - for pumpkin

1" Circle - for pumpkin



Card Stock:

Chocolate Chip textured - owl; pumpkin stems

Early espresso - owl tummy

Basic Black - owl and ghost eyes

Whisper White - ghost; owl eyes

Pumpkin Pie - pumpkins and the "ribbon" on the roll

Always Artichoke - field, vines, leaves

Summer Sun - owl beak



Ink: mostly used for sponging on the edges of the punched pieces

Going Gray - ghost

Early Espresso - owl

Whisper White Craft - owl

Pumpkin Pie - pumpkins; stamped Stipple Plaid for ribbon

Always Artichoke - vine wheel

Basic Black - to stamp Happy Halloween



Extras:

cardboard ribbon roll - love finding new uses for "trash"

acrylic craft paint - to paint the rim inside the roll

twig - and a real spider web attached!

craft pellets or sand to weight down the cardboard roll

adhesives

scissors

tweezers - were helpful with the itty bitty parts

Stampin' sponge - to sponge ink on the edges of card stock

dowel - to wrap thin card stock strips around to create vines




Thanks for looking =)




Edited November 13th: I entered this project in the soshelli.com Fabulous Fall challenge. It did not win, but here are the winners:
http://stampinandscrapinbee.blogspot.com/2010/10/ever-want-to-make-christmas-crackers.html

http://butternutsagedesigns.blogspot.com/2010/08/back-to-school-teacher-gift.html

http://www.stampingmoon.com/2010/10/mrs-frankie-goes-to-hollywood.html

http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/aprils/blog

http://inkadinkadoodle.com/?p=2875

http://addinkandstamp.blogspot.com/2010/10/thanksgiving-bitty-boxes-and-more.html