Stitched Ornament (a small study in contrast)

I love experimenting in contrasts. In this case, glassine from my late father's stamp collection (postage) cut with Papertrey Ink's Stitched Ornaments: Topped dies and stitched together with Rustic Twine. I also love that the twine is the support for the structure, and how the very opaque and sturdy rustic twine contrasts against the translucent, and fragile glassine.

It does take a bit of concentration to make sure the stitching is done slowly and deliberately. It helps to use a rounded tip needle too. Projects like this one which require and slow and deliberate pace create a meditative space for me. And the crinkle of the glassine reminds me of my father turning the pages in his many stamp albums (a sheet of glassine between each page of stamps). In many ways, one of my first introductions to paper crafting.

Papertrey Ink September 2016 Blog Hop

It's Papertrey Ink's September Blog Hop. The frame is made with the medium String Frame die, and strung with Rustic Twine. The tag is cut with Fillable Frames #9 and stamped with Make It Market: Don't Forget to Write and a stamped off image from Woodblock Prints in Dark Chocolate. The cardbase is Classic Kraft.

It is also in keeping with this week's CASology's cue card, so I'm adding it there as well.

March 2016 Papertrey Ink Blog Hop

Today is Papetrey Ink's March 2016 Blog Hop. I stitched "hello" using Papertrey Ink's Quick Stitch Sentiments hello die in Rustic Cream Twine (more visible in person, especially because of the texture). The pattern is stamped with lots of flowers from Peonies On Parade, then colored with Distress Markers (Spun Sugar, Tattered Rose and Squeezed Lemonade) then masked  and stamped with the lace stamp from Waltzingmouse Stamps Faux Fun with Ranger Coffee Archival Ink, then the background was painted with Stormy Seas ink smooshed on nonstick craft mat applied with an aqua brush.

Brown Paper Package, Stitched Up with Twine

 

A fun way to wrap a small gift in an unconventional manner.

Using the star die from Papertrey Inks Quick Stitch kit: Beaded Holiday, I cut two layers of plain brown wrapping paper. I stitched about half way before putting in the pendant using Rustic Twine. Leave enough tail at the starting point to tie a bow. I used a stamped from the Make It Market Co mini kit: Holiday Pin Ups in Pure Poppy ink.

A close up of the pendant, a favorite purse project stitched entirely with French Knots and Cotswold Knots so it was easy to pick up again, like painting with knots.

Christmas Golf Dome

An interactive Christmas Golf Dome for my father's widow who loves golf. I made the snowman and the snow golf ball out of toilet paper and a smidge of glue (this dries much faster than paper clay at this size). I assembled the snowman and attached it with glossy accents. When it had dried I covered it and the snowball with Icicle Stickles. The tiny tree is one I picked up at a big box store and removed the base. The golf cart is die cut and stamped using On the Links stamp and die set with Shrinky Dink so it would fit in the dome.

Make sure the tree is not going to be cramped by the dome (unless that is the look you are going for lol).  The dome base is from the Make It Market kit: Tinsel & Tags. The tag on the front is from Tinier Tags from Stamp-a-faire 2015 stamped with the Merry Christmas from the Make It Market kit: All Through the House (attached to the dome with Glossy Accents).

I made the golf hole by using a standard size hole punch and attaching a piece of straw underneath it and a piece of cardstock at the base of the straw. I punched a hole for the tree wire and put some glossy accents around the hole to make sure the tree stayed put. The tree is decorated with red Stickles. The golf cart is attached with Glossy Accents.

SAF 2015: Threads Challenge

Threads Challenge. Instead of making a card embellishment, I made a bracelet (so a wrist embellishment). I was perusing my stash of Melon Berry buttons (from SAF 2012) and I saw this button that had wavy Melon Berry lines in a transparent button.

I used two strands of Rustic Cream Button Thread and then braided them after making a loop (the two inner threads braided as one strand with the two outer threads. On the loop side I just braided and made a loop, cutting off the excess. The loop should be just large enough for the smaller button to go through.

I used my "needle" applicator to apply Ranger's Matte Multi Medium to make sure the knot doesn't come undone. The button twine can be a little "hairy" after braiding which is easily remedied with a little trimming.

Scroll in a Book

It took me a while to figure out what to do with the cover of this book (which has a scroll inside). It's a Club Scrap project from the Cyprus kit. The amphora stamp is cut down from a much larger stamp (also from the Cyprus kit) stamped with Topiary Antiquities by Ranger. Ranger's Matte Glue n Seal used to glue the image to the book front (no glue shine).

The D-ring is decorated with seam binding tinted by letting it absorb puddles of Distress Ink (smoosh the inkpad on a craft mat and spritz with water. The twine is smooth hemp twine by Darice from the jewelry department. The vial and coin charm are both from Club Scrap's Castaway kit. After I tied the vial, I added a dot of Ranger's Matte Multi Medium.  I used a sticker from Tim Holtz' Chitchat sticker book to put in the vial.

All the scroll components were painted with Iced Spruce Distress Paint. The back of the scroll is stamped with Iced Spruce Distress Ink using a variety of Tim Holtz stamps. The front is stamped with Dina Wakley's Scribbled Insects stamp set (the sentiments in Black Soot, the insects in Gathered Twigs and the background stamps are various Tim Holtz stamps stamped with Scattered Straw).

My Ship Has Come In: 3D Spinner in a Jar Tutorial.

This is the tutorial for my entry for the Bedtime Stories Challenge at Waltzingmouse's PJ Party.

BTW I adapted 3D spinners from a free class I took at Craftsy called Create Stunning Birthday Cards she has three other interactive card techniques in the class.

The lid  is stamped with Wendy Vecchi Archival Ink a couple of times and smudged, then heat set. Then a circle punch is put down with ATG.  The ship is also from Ocean Bound stamped with Parisian Dusk by Memento on Manilla and punched out with a 1 3/4" punch.

The doubled ended banner die is from Papertrey Ink. The right side is curled over a pencil then Scor Tape is put on the very end and then again about 1/2 inch away, bent into shape and attached to the side and fussed into shape. The AHOY is from Ocean Bound stamped with Mermaid Lagoon Distress Ink, and the sentiment is from Papertrey Ink's Studio Style stamped with Chipped Sapphire.

The first step is to make sure the spinner will fit through the lid. In this case, the 2 1/4 inch circle punch fits through with just a bit to spare.

Position to circle dies within a second 2 1/4 circle punch. I keep them in place with a piece of low tack painter's tape or a piece of washi tape. The middle piece is either recycled or put aside for another project.

Now it's time to work on the spinner.

I use my little Gelli Plate to stamp an image in reverse so both sides of the spinner have an image. I haven't done a lot of research on the Gelli Plate, but the VersaFine rolls back very quickly. The image on the right was left too long. When I went to do it again, I had my paper right at hand. (Be aware of ghost images unless you wipe down the plate).

The three ships in the middle are all stamped directly. All the others are  stamped on the Gelli Plate first and then the paper is put on it and rubbed with fingers or a brayer. The variation comes with the speed the paper is put on the plate after inking.

When I'm making a two sided spinner I start with a die cut. I read in a couple of forum that it is easier to get centered images by stamping first and using a mask to place the die. Tape the die in place and run it through the machine.

Then I fussy cut it down to the directly stamped image with a pair of scissors. The clear plastic will be the support. I drew on it with a Sharpie to make it easier to see. The reverse image is trimmed so the base line and the bow of the ship were the edges.

For this project I wanted the ship to slide around the channel rather than spinning while it's sliding, so it's important that the support is at least as wide as the channel. BTW if you want the object to really spin while it's traveling through the channel, make the support narrower than the channel.

Usually I use a button or a coin as the base of the slider, but the jar is fairly narrow, so I made a rectangular base with a bit of shrink it. And because it was white I covered the top with cardstock that matched the base.

Put the directly stamped image face down apply adhesive to the back (I like Ranger's Glue N Seal because it has a little slip to it) put the support pieces down then add a little more glue and apply the reverse image and align. Set aside to dry.

When it is dry, fussy cut the reverse image to match the front. Then cut each plastic in  half vertically (so there are 4 pieces instead of 2) and fold them to a 90 angle from the base of the image altering between the left and right side.

Put Scor Tape on the top and attach the plastic supports.  Trim the plastic flush with the sides of the slider base. Now that the slider is made the height can be determined. It needs to be high enough for it to slide easily.

I used three layers of foam tape cut very very narrowly at the outer edge of the die cut to set the height. 

Three layers of foam tape in the middle so they are the same height (very important to keep the spinner from falling out of the channel). Again, leaving room for the sliding part of the ship to move around.

The sides were made by stamping the Hero Arts Waves background stamp and cutting out a line of waves. Scor Tape was put around the side (where the foam tape is) and the waves attached to the side. Insert the slider in the channel.

Apply a little Scor Tape to the bottom and use a large pair of tweezers (these are sold for Terrariums) to lower the spinner into place. Press down on the middle to make sure it's going to hold in place.

To make the banner fold washi tape over twine.  I used Tim Holt tissue tape over smooth hemp twine (sold in the jewelry making section). Cut the tape into pennants with scissors. The sailboats are from Papertrey Ink's Bitty Baby Blessings stamp set with VersaFine ink (heat set).

Tie a knot at each end of the banner and tape inside the jar under the knot. Put on the lid and ta da!

Sympathy Card

I was very influenced by this card. The cardstock is all Papertrey Ink. The base is Vintage Cream, the mat is Enchanted Evening. The background is colored with Peacock Feathers, Shaded Lilac and Wild Honey edged with Tea Dye Distress Inks. The stamps are all from Papertrey Ink Willow stamp and die set. The leaves are stamped with Spring Moss and Simply Chartreuse, the tree truck is stamped with Dark Chocolate and both are edged with Tea Dye Distress Ink.  The twine is Papertrey Ink's Rustic Cream Twine and Darice's Bleached Hemp. The leaves are popped up with foam tape.

Mason Jar Stamping

Make It Monday #182: Mason Jar Stamping. I don't have a lot of storage space for seasonal decoration, so I went with a jar I could make seasonal with the fillers. (How do I still not have Friendship Jar: Fall Fillers? Oh yeah there are too many awesome crafty distractions lol, especially ermergawd, the Make It Market Co. kits!!).

I painted a small newly emptied homemade jelly jar with blue acrylic craft paint. The stamp is made with fun foam using  the Stamp-a-faire 2014 1980's mini kit cloud die, and put a little Club Scrap Mounted Glue on the back. I used Ashley Cannon Newell's advice for small stamps, and used my finger for the stamp block. I could really get the Versamark in between the glass shapes.

The pumpkins are from Daily Designs, stamped with Orange Zest, the frame stamped with Plum Pudding and then the background painted with Limeade Ice. A Gelly Glaze black pen was used to draw on the faces. The tags were glued to skewers The little bats (from a Halloween kit) were stamped on Classic Kraft and attached to some wire. The "stuffing" for the jar is Classic Kraft run through a Paper Crimper and then cut into strips. The wrapping around the lip is a strand of jewelry hemp and a strand of 2-ply handspun silk embroidery thread.

Simon Says Falling in Love with . . . in my case, stamping fall : D.

The Weiner Takes It All!

The card base is Papertrey Ink Classic Kraft. The background is stamped with two of the sentiments from Paper Smooches Paws for a Cause with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. The dog is also from Paws for a Cause stamped with Black Soot Distress Ink. Papertrey Ink Rustic Twine at the top.

Paper Smooches SPARKS Anything Goes and my 5th contribution to Simon Says Stamp-It.

CASology Week 111: Under

My second contribution to CASology Week 111.  Under is used two ways. The first is images under "glass" (plastic packaging re-used). The chair is from Stampin' Up Have a Seat. And the twine is white hemp.

When the twine is pulled the sentiment is revealed under the chairs.

Since the chairs are stamped, I'm also entering it in Simon Says Stamp-It.

Clearly More Fun

This is a rescued card... I had started with the patterned paper (Papertrey Ink Melon Berry) and then went in a different direction with a different card. The Simon Says Let's Be Clear Challenge provided me another opportunity to try again. I used a blue Spectrum Noir marker on the inside of the clear cardbase.  I adhered a piece of Papretrey Ink Ripe Avocado with a little Glossy Accents behind the patterned paper and used a hole punch and some stitching (Papertrey Ink White Twine at the bottom) and some leftover twine at the top with some sequin stars and a bit of scrap paper. The washi tape is Scotch Expressions. The cow is made with the Cricut Imagine, the sentiment is from Taylored Expressions Simply Magical (with Stazon Ink)  and the oval is from Papertrey Ink's Make It Market kit: Shakers and Sprinkles.

One of my favorite things to do with a clear card is use a folded double sided mat for extra writing space.

Circleville NDS Challenges.

The Cricut Circle Circleville had a National Scrapbook Day Challenge last weekend. For Sis's On Pins Challenge, I made this paper bonnet I found at this pin. I distressed the bonnet edge with the edge of a pair of scissors. The ribbon is 1 inch (which gives a reference to the finished size). The flowers (from the Beyond Birthdays cart) are bent to give some extra dimension and secured with stickles. The cardstock is PTI Ripe Avocado.

And this is my project for the E-I-E-I-O Challenge I pulled out my box of orphaned Cricut Cuts and found the windmill (from Heirloom?), the cow (from one of the Imagine carts) and the balloon from George(?). Jenny's challenge was to use a farm animal and the song "How you going to keep them down on the farm (after they've seen Paris) kept coming to mind. This is the result : D. The cardstock is PTI and so is the twine.

No Place Like Home Mini Banner

Everything for the No Place Like Home Mini Banner comes from the Club Ruby Designers So Thankful Kit except for the cotton twine and the Beacon's 3 in 1 Advanced Craft Glue (LOVE this stuff).

I glued the twine to the Jubilee cut in 4 places, leaving the twine unattached everywhere else, that glue is strong btw and flexible. I put a small line of glue on the twine and then put the pennants on the glue.

Jubilee mat 9.43" x 4.26"
Mat 6.75" x 2" with corners rounded using 1/2" Corner Chomper.

The mini banner holder directions can be found here.

Gift Box and Gift (updated with more pictures)

All the paper used in this project is from the For the Record Collection by Echo Park, except for the cupcake/ornament holder which is cut from a piece of scrap cardstock.

 

The ornament is decorated with leftover cuts from the box. I shortened the sides of the cupcake holder so the ornament sat lower in the box.

Cricut Cuts:

• Gift Box Sweet Tooth Boxes cartridge (lower section made from  Lace Stripes, and the lid from Table Cloth).
• "Ribbon" around the lid made from Martha Stewart Elegant Cake cartridge borders welded together (Newsprint).
• Button Stars from Gypsy Wanderings (twine from Papertrey Ink)
• Flower Handle, made from George &amp Basic Shapes, three flowers cut and glued together to make a handle.