Monday, February 25, 2019

Spooky Bear using Ellen Hutson Bear Hugs Die


More details to follow that will describe the materials used.

Sweets Bears using Ellen Hutson Bear Hugs Die


More to follow that describes the materials used.

Thursday, December 21, 2017

Felt "pinecone" ball ornaments


For my friends that have been curious how I made the felt ornaments (baubles for my British friends) I've been posting on facebook, I thought I would take some photos along the way and share with you how I did it.

Materials:
  • 100% wool felt or wool felt blended with acrylic. Note: 100% Acrylic felt WILL NOT cut with dies (aka cheap felt at the craft store). 
  • Styrofoam balls
  • Tiny pins
  • Craft glue (I use Beacon brand Fabri-Tac. Found in Joann's (USA) or on Amazon UK).
  • Circle dies (can be bought online or at Joann's)
  • Die cutting machine such as Cuttlebug or Sizzix Big Shot. (Don't have one? Call up a scrapbooking friend or relative and you can probably borrow one!) A circle punch might work, but I haven't tried it.
  • Ribbon for hanging. I used Studio Carta's 1/8" braided metallic ribbon.

A note about size: 

The bigger your foam balls are, the bigger the circles you need to cut.
My foam balls have a circumference around of about 12,75cm (5 inches). My felt circles have a diameter across of about 1,8 cm (0.7 inches). The big circles for the top and bottom are about 2,7cm (1.06 inches).

If you want to make this size in just one color, it takes a piece of felt sized 13cm x 20cm (about 5.25" x 8"). If you want to make two color, use half as much of each color.
Ok, let's go!

Step 1: Cut your circles

Using the die cut machine, cut out two large circles to be used for the top and bottom of the ornament. Then, continue cutting the rest of your felt with the small circle die as these are the circles used to cover the foam ball. Note on two large circles: I cut one of each color.

Step 2: Add the bottom big circle

You will work the ornament from the bottom up. Cut 4 notches from the bigger circle you want to be the base of your ornament. The ball is round and your circle is flat, so cutting notches helps it fit smoothly on your curved foam ball. Cover one side of the circle with glue and stick it on the bottom of the ornament.

Step 3: Start your first row!

Start with first circle as shown. I usually start with my darkest color if doing a dark color ornament so that I end up with dark on the top. (That color order works for this size ornament, not sure if you are doing a larger one.) I continue adding circles, placing subsequent pins where the circles overlap, as high up as I can get them (otherwise they will show when the ornament is done). Alternatively, you could continue putting the pins at the top of each circle you add. I like my circles to not flare out so much so I place them on the overlap. However when I'm done a few of the pins show. I fix this by placing some glue way up high under the offending circles and remove the pin.

Watch out!

I noticed as I went around the ball with my first row that each circle migrated upwards. Check your row and fix it now if it is not straight. I put the foam ball seam at the equator position of my ornament to give myself an easy reference point (see image).

After making any corrections, your first row should look like this:

Step 4: Start your second row!

Referring to step 3, repeat the process for your second row. If you are doing a two color ornament, your second row should be your other color. You want to alternate so each row is the opposite color of the last.
!Be sure to check your alignment as you add your circles to be sure they aren't migrating high or low!

Step 5: Continue adding rows until you reach the top

Continue as in step 3 and 4 to add enough rows that you reach the top. You are at the top when your large circle will cover the top with no pins showing. (See image). Remember to check your rows for alignment as you add them!

Step 5: Prepare the top

Once your large circle can cover the top with no pins showing, you are ready to complete your ornament.
Cut your ribbon to length -- I cut mine to 16,5cm ( 6.5"). Then, using a craft knife, cut a slit in the top of the large felt circle, big enough for your ribbon to fit through. *Tip: Find the center of the circle by folding it in half. (see below)

Next, glue the ends of your ribbon together so they won't fray. (see below)


Step 6: Attach ribbon to ball for hanging

I am using braided ribbon and the pins would just slip through the braiding. So, I needed to cut a small piece of felt to pin through.  I glued the ribbon to the ball so that when hung, the ribbon would be coming from the center of the top. That means you have to glue the ends of your ribbon off-center. -- a little to the left or right so that it hangs from the center.
I then glue a small tab of felt over the ribbon so that I can put a pin through all of it to secure it even better and to prevent the pin from going through the braid. You are now ready to add the top!

Step 7: Glue the top on

Slip your circle onto the ribbon by placing it through the slit you cut in it during step 5. Then, (see photos) position the ball so that you can cover the BOTTOM of the top circle with glue. After adding the glue, slide it down the ribbon and center it on top of your ornament and press if firmly. If you get glue where you didn't want to, you can usually scrape it off or trip it off with sharp scissors. You're done!

Step 8: Enjoy your new ornaments!

Friday, June 6, 2014

Hello Friend Fox Card

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I made this card last summer and forgot to post it. I don't recall if it was inspired by any other card I saw.... However, I do know for sure that I learned to do the cool background from somewhere else (I think a PTI designer) where you pat your impression plate with white pigment ink and then run it through your machine to emboss it. Looks very cool! I like that it gives a little extra something to the background. The fox stamp is paper pieced from the Hello, Foxy mini stamp set from Papertrey Ink (PTI). For the torn paper edges, I used one of those deckle edge rulers you tear against to make that effect. It was the first time I had used this tool and it turned out pretty good.

UPDATE: I think it was this burlap-fronted fox card by Jessica Witty that inspired my card.

Materials
Stamps: Hello, Foxy from PTI, Bountiful Banners from PTI
Die: Bountiful Banners from PTI
Ink: Smoky Shadow, Fresh Snow pigment ink, and Kraft ink from PTI
Impression Plate: Woodgrain from PTI
Misc. I think the butterfly is from a Martha Stewart Punch
Cardstock: Ocean Tides from PTI, Kraft

Monday, June 2, 2014

Avery Elle Challenge #8 (Masculine Card)

Visit the blog post for this card:
Making a card off the top of my head is very hard for me...and doing it with a masculine theme is even harder!  For this card I used a mix of stamps, but the focal stamp is the cute beer/soda bottle from Avery Elle's The Man stamp set. I just love the bottle. You can fill it with any color drink!! This card would also make a great Father's Day card with a different sentiment. =)
 
 
Supplies:
Stamps: Soda/Beer: Avery Elle The Man; Oranges: WPLUS9 Milk & Cookies; Sentiment: From a Studio Calico kit set; Crosshatch from Market Street Stamps (closed).
Pattern Paper: Lemonade Stand Collection by BoBunny.
Impression Plate: Woodgrain from PTI
Ink: Lemon Drop from My Favorite Things
Cardstock: Kraft from ?PTI?, Nightshift Blue from My Favorite Things

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Let's Weather It 2

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This is my second card based off a beautiful one by Heather Campbell. It uses the adorable Storybook and Weather It stamp sets by Avery Elle. I love the background paper I found for this card. It is from a 6 x 6 pad called Dreamy by Heidi Swapp. The colors are so much better in person. I just couldn't capture the color well with the camera. :(
 
Supplies:
Stamps: Avery Elle Weather it & Storybook
Dies: Avery Elle Weather It & Storybook; WPLUS9 Banner Trio
Paper Pads 6x6: Dreamy by Heidi Swapp; Umbrella: Hello Sunshine by Lawn Fawn
Ink: Clouds: PTI Ocean Tides stamped off once.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Weather It card



When I saw Heather Campbell's card (that I pretty much CASED), I knew I needed the new Avery Elle Weather It stamp set. I normally wouldn't have bought a set like that but her card made me have to have it. =) It is just adorable. I couldn't wait to make one just liker hers. I forgot to put twine on mine and the grey I had didn't look good to me, so I used aqua mist from PTI for the background paper.  I love the little bow on the umbrella from Heather's card but I have no idea where the die she used is from.  Update: Heather was so sweet to let me know that the little bow is from the Avery Elle Simply Tags: Christmas Elle-ments die set.

Supplies
Avery Elle Weather It stamp set and matching dies. Avery Elle Storybook stamp set for duck. Paper on the umbrella is from the new Lawn Fawn let's polka  paper pad.

Rosie Posie Thinking Of You Card


When I saw the post from Amber at damasklove.com for "inside out stationary", I knew I had to make some!!! I loved her tutorial and I even had the same stamp set (Rosie Pose from PTI).  The only snag is that the dies for this stamp set are one huge chunk of metal. My husband had to take it out in the garage and use a dremmel to separate the flower cuts. It was worth it though!


I also have the "step 2" for the Rosie Posie set where you can stamp the shading on the images. I'm really glad I bought those stamps because I think it really adds a lot to the images. I will definitely be making more of these cards.

**Supplies**
Stamp Sets:
Flowers: Rosie Posie and Rosie Posie Step 2 from Papertrey Ink. *Including the matching die set.
Sentiment: Weather It from Avery Elle

Inks:
Pale Tomato and Red Royal in Hero Arts Shadow Ink.
Spring Moss, Simply Chartreuse, and Smokey Shadow in Papertrey Ink inks.

Envelope: A2 in Punch color from Hero Arts


Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Kitty Birthday Card - Paper Smooches Party Posse set


I made this card for a niece's birthday. She is a teenager so I thought she'd like the cat from the Party Posse set by Paper Smooches. The sentiment is also from that set. I used some glue dots to adhere neon sequins to the card for some fun.

Here are some other card's I've made lately...
The adorable parachute bunny is from The Cats Pajamas stamps and is called "Oh Chute!".
The flowers are from a PTI set.

I just LOVE the deer stamp from Paper Smooches'  "Happy Camper" set.
The party hat is from their "Party Posse" set. Paper is Lawn Fawn.


The piggy stamp is from Paper Smooches' "Green Acres" set.


Tool card made with fun stamp set from Amuse Studio called "tool-rific". You probably can't tell, but I watermark stamped screws and nails in the background.

I made a special e-reader to add to the card that the bunny is holding. I even stamped words on the "screen". The adorable parachute bunny is from The Cats Pajamas stamps and is called "Oh Chute!".

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Take note!


I made this card for someone that likes pigs. I had a hard time coming up with a design. Once I decided to  use the note paper, I had to try it in a few different colors before settling on gray. Just the pig on the notepaper wasn't enough, so I had to figure out what else to add! I'm still fairly new to card making so it takes me a while to get a card "put together".

The pig stamp is from Paper Smooches' "Green Acres" set. I used the PTI notepad page die. The paper pad lines are from a My Favorite Things journaling stamp set as is the sentiment.

I thought it was a fun tough to have the pig have his own note. I used a splotch stamp so it looked like he wrote his note in mud. =)