29 July 2011

TAGS with MY FRIEND Stamp and INK-DYED FLOWERS

Crafternoons!


I decided to add some 'more' to my friend's Get Well card [see previous post below] and I settled on making a tag using the same stamp set, since I am exploring all my new stamps!  Then I got a little more energy and went and grabbed my mist bottle which I had used on the get well cardstock, and misted up the tag just as well.


Not satisfied with the tag - I looked around the craft room til I spotted a bottle of plain white fabric flowers - aha!  So I inked up the outer edges of the flower and then on others, I would mist the centers. Either way, there is a little 'spreading' - so if you decide to do it, just be aware if you're trying to leave some of the original colour intact.


I also ROLLED the dyed flower up, and secured it at its tightly rolled-end. One I place right on the tag with glue dots and the other is dangling off a bit of twine. I will add some more to that one in a bit :)


Anyways here's the 3 tags pictures - since you have everything out, why not make more, right?  I am trying to decorate each one a little differently, and one remains undone yet - that's for another afternoon!


I like them - hope you like them - and have a great FRIDAY and LONG WEEKEND (for some - yah, I know!)


crafty hugs,
TAYLOR :)

CLICK ON PICTURES TO SEE THEM LARGER



21 July 2011

Bear with me please!

I am continually working on improving this blog with the wonderful help from my daughter, and hopefully soon from some other nice people.


In the meantime - bear with me, the older posts were copied into this new blog, and maybe hard to see the text , as well certain functions are hidden from views. Some much-needed tweeking shall be done, and things will improve - all in good time!.  


I PROMISE - THINGS WILL BE EASIER!


Thanks for your patience!

20 July 2011

Penquins Summer Fat Page



Here's my half of a Fat Page Swap which has a ' SUMMER ' theme!  We also decided that it should feature some iris folding, and some embellishments.  My iris folding didn't really turn out the traditional way, but the beach ball does have layer over layer of bright, summery glitter papers - and - some clear sequins layered on top to give it some more kick!

This is a non- SU! project, but I feel I must do one now and then, as a way of stretching my wings, let's say :)

Can you believe the little penquin is a button?

***

I was lucky to be included on the stamp's manufacturer's facebook wall of photos HERE - thanks Karen!




19 July 2011

Custom Ribbon Flower Card to Cheer a Friend Featuring MY FRIEND from Stampin' Up!

Crafternoons Stampers,

Time to blog my latest...my correspondence continues this week with a card to a friend who is in recovery from surgery. I really wanted to pay special attention to this one - since I'd like to think that "Get Well" cards fall into that "special" category!!

This is one of the first chances I've had to begin with some of my fabulous NEW ITEMS from the brand spanking NEW CATALOGUE from STAMPIN' UP!  So you can imagine!

So settle down for an afternoon or evening and re-create this beauty for someone special in your life!  Or even make this a border for a frame - wouldn't that be lovely!  Hmmm, now I am thinking more here!


CLICK ON ALL PICTURES TO SEE A LARGE PHOTO



CREATING THE CARD

THE CARD BASE
It's a standard card size, 4-1/4 x 5-1/2 in STAMPIN' UP! Pretty in Pink cardstock. 
The Stamp
A CLASSIC NEW STAMP SET!!!!    

This is the greeting from MY FRIEND #122587. This set has versatility plus! Lots of images and two terrific greeting stamps so it will become a favourite among us. :)

Of course the WEDDING SWEET Stamp Set is another good choice - and its also terrific for many purposes besides the iconic wedding sentiments it includes because of the flourishes it provides! There is a smaller flourish included in the set as well as a lovely 'Thank You' stamp!









Step 1) Stamping


So using some ROSE RED CLASSIC INK - I stamped the HELLO greeting in the upper right-side corner.

Also using the same colour ink, I stamped the flourish design with the Wedding Sweet's largest stamp, going off the edges, and stamping twice before inking to get a lighter image.


Step 2) Add Spritzing/Smooching Effects
Want some fun?   Do some SPRITZING - and in part, some flinging, lol!  I made my OWN CUSTOM MADE SPRITZ by mixing a 50% solution of pharmaceutical alcohol and water into an empty misting bottle. Then to create my CUSTOM COLOUR - I dropped some  refill ink into the solution!!!!   I used a retired colour - Purely Pomegrante and swished to mix well. Pumped and directed the nozzle in the  direction of the card from one side - and sprayed.  I did it a couple of times, careful to stay mostly on one side of the card.  I immediately dried the card with my dryer to avoid the water pluming up the cardstock. No unsightly bumps if we can avoid it!  GREAT WAY TO USE UP THOSE OLDER INKS!!!

Next - I flung some of the SMOOCH using a nylon artist brush - flinging with style, lol! You do need to try to do it without over-doing it!
cardstock to the left is untouched; card to the right is spritzed, smooched


don't forget the back of the card :)


     The ACCENTS

Step 1) Add a Decorative Border - bonus: Stamp to Match the Background!   Using my NEW IN COLOR CARDSTOCK - POOL PARTY - a light greenish-blue reminiscent of the Carribean or a California sky! Very pretty colour!


With SU!'s Decorative Border Punch - SCALLOP TRIM BORDER #118402 - I punched both sides of a 1 inch wide strip of cardstock.  


TECHNIQUE TRICK - Match your Stamped Images: before attaching the border strip to the card - I challenged myself, could I "re-create" the stamped flourish on the card on to the decorative border and match them up?

Inked up the same Wedding Sweet stamp in POOL PARTY CLASSIC INK, and using my 'eagle eye' - I mimicked the direction of the rose red background image , so I could ' continue ' the stamped ' f l o u r i s h e s 'onto the pool party border strip. First time: NOPE!, but lucky us - we can TURN OVER THE CARDSTOCK AND DO IT AGAIN - and this time, I was able to make a pretty good match. Not yet trimmed, I could shift the stamped part to match the background of the card before trimming and attaching it permanently. Voila. If you have an eagle eye yourself, you can see I also added a slight match to the paper flower - see the flourish from the greeting shows up on the flower too! OK! Doing great.


Lastly I added some bling to help bring glamour to the border. Bling, bling, love the bling!



notice how the background stamp ties into the same image on the blue border?  Bird in glittery powder blue!


Step 2) The Bird and Leaf Punch Accents
Really not much to say here - its a punched Bird from a retired set from Stampin' Up!'s BIG SHOT dies - the Sizzlit Birds and Bloom. Which is kinda wrong, because there is one bird, and several flowers in this 4pc die set, lol!  But the bird is in GLITTER CARDSTOCK - oh yes! With a jewel for an eye too!

And of course, to balance the whole, a touch of a deeper blue in the same colour family - I found a punched leaf stem made of retired Bermuda Bay cardstock - uhm-hmm! Pretty!  I keep a stash of accents - don't you?  Grabbed two.  


The Custom Paper Flower Accent
Step 1 - Punch Out Flower Shapes and Supporting Circles With  XL FANCY FLOWER XL PUNCH #118073, punch out 3 flower shapes - #1,2,and 3.    
  With 1" CIRCLE MEDIUM PUNCH # 119868, in the same colour, punch out 3 circles.  



Fancy Flower Punch, Smooch Frost White (jar), Pool Party Ruffled Ribbon, and custom created paper flower (left side)

   TIP:When I layer the flower shapes, I often use circles to act as support between layers -   plus they provide a spot to glue one to the other. 
  
    TIP #2: I actually punched out dozens to make more flowers while watching TV - hey, its all about time management for me at times!

Step 2 - Decorating the Punched Flower Shapes - and Layering Together.# 1 flower shape: leave plain:
 #2 flower shape: I stamped large polka dots using our BACKGROUND DOTTED XL STAMP - this will stack on top of the plain #1 flower shape ....
#3 flower shape: I stamped only the center of the flower #3 using a smaller POLKA DOT  - this will be the top and final layer....

Now the fun part - SQUISH-SQUISH!  That's right - crumple up the two decorated flower shapes, #2 and #3!  Unfold Flower #2 so its slightly crumples but take #3 Flower, and crease it twice in two spots, and squish it flat to create permanent creases [ I glued the creases in place ]....

LAYER the Flower Shapes:
 Glue the punched 1 inch CIRCLES to the back of all 3 Flower Shapes, then, layer accordingly:
a) begin with Plain Flower #1 as the bottom...
b) attach glue to the circle of Flower #2 backside, and glue to Flower #1 beneath... slightly twisted clockwise so that the petals of Flower #1 peek through....
c) attach glue to the circle of Flower #3 backside, and glue on top of Flower #2 beneath - thus creating the top layer!





Step 3 - SPRITZ and SMOOCH the Completed FlowerAs with the card base, I smooched some FROSTED WHITE SHIMMER PAINT # 116854 on to the completed FLOWER and misted it with some GOLD GLOW SMOOCH SPRITZ #118770 spray. [you may want to do this over a protected surface - or in the bathroom like I do for easy clean-up!  Or try our cool COLOUR CATCHER for just this purpose!]

Optional - you could decorate the center of the completed Flower with other accents such as buttons, jewels, brads, bow, etc.  I have chosen to decorate it with a gathered Ribbon Circle and a Fabric Flower plus Glitter.  Read on!

THE RIBBON ACCENT

One of my new fantastic embellishments is the "ruffled, stitched ribbon" featuring our new IN COLORs - and I have it in POOL  PARTY  #122975 Its fab!

It has the heft and premier qualities of a beautiful ribbon that 'feels good to the touch'  - ruffly with that unmistakable grosgrain crisp yet silky so it slips through your fingers - what more could you want from a ribbon?

I turned it into a gathered circle to accent the  f l o w e r !  NOW THIS IS GETTING SPECIAL!  To gather, I prepped a needle with some thread/knot and stiched up one side of the ribbon, taking little 'dips' down and back up all the length of the ribbon - about 12 inches.  Then tugging till it schoooshed its way into a circle, and stitched closed. With the last of the thread, I stitched the ribbon accent right onto the paper flower!  

Still...I looked and saw that the ribbon accent left room for more!  It's open center left a bare spot - so I thought, hmmmm......I had originally thought a half-pearl would be in order. But seeing that made my card seem predictable....no good.  So I began to press my mind a little, and I grabbed a small fabric flower in white, and using a dab of glue and a small tool's handle, I pushed it right down into the center of the ribbon circle. This distorted it, but that was in keeping with the whole flower - a little grungy!   Finally, my glitter went floating down onto another dab of glue, and voila!
  MY FLOWER IS DONE AND ITS PRETTY SPECIAL!!!


- OK,  re-group and finish this card! -

You've stamped the greeting, and the flourishes onto the pink card base in a co-ordinating deep rose. Check!
You smooshed, spritzed some accent decoration to the background in a reddish and gold tone. Check!
You created a decorative border in a complimentary colour - and optional, stamped it to match the background flourishes! Check!
You punched out a bird in some pretty cardstock! Check!
You've created one special paper flower accent, ribbon and all! Check!

PUT IT ALL TOGETHER!!!

Estimate the placement of the Paper Ribbon-Flower Accent  - I chose under the greeting, slightly less than half way down the card; and then slide the border under the flower. When you have agreed that it looks good - make it permanent and attach with glue or sticky strip.   Attach in the same fashion, the bird so it sits atop the border facing the flower!   Tuck in the leaf accents, trimming as necessary. Finally, I like to add a bit of distressing to the bottom edge, so I sponged on some Rose Red ink to the bottom edge of the card. 

There you have it!!!!


Is it not special?  I know it took time - and ....
THANK YOU FOR READING THIS REALLY LONG POST ....
... I am sorry, but sometimes you just have to write it all down.  Succinct I am not!  
 Do what you will for the INSIDE GREETING!  The MY FRIEND stamp set does have another greeting stamp in a smaller type: " my friend ", so I chose that for my inside greeting and then I also made a bit more by taking a strip of no particular length of paper, folding it haphazardly, and gluing it down, then topping it with a punched shape and stamped " GET WELL" sentiment.  You, of course, do what you will!  





8 July 2011

Make a Summer Bookmark !

Crafternoon Stampers and Visiting Friends!

HOW ABOUT A CUTE BOOKMARK FOR YOUR SUMMER READING?






FUN KIDS PROJECT .....or...
Great GIFT
Affordable CRAFT SALE ITEM
Easy CLASSROOM PROJECT
Cool MARKETING TOOL
PARTY LOOT BAG
Even a ID TAG !

What-ever the purpose - this is an EZ-EEEE, QUICK  and FUN, PROJECT!!!      It clips on to thin materials because of 2 magnetic tape squares on the inside/back !   Just fold the tag and presto!

W hat You Need:

Big Shot (or manual die-cutting machine)
Dies - " TWO TAGS "   STAMPIN' UP! Exclusive  Cat #115954
Punch - 1-3/4" SCALLOP CIRCLE    STAMPIN' UP! Exclusive Cat #119854
Punch - 1-3/8 " CIRCLE  STAMPIN' UP! Exclusive Cat # 119860
Stamp of choice
Cardstock of choice and Designer Paper
Ink of choice.  
2 squares of adhesive-back MAGNETIC TAPE (Craft store item, Dollar Store craft section, etc)
glue.
*Optional - add embellishments if you desire.

(bookmark shown here in: Pumpkin Pie and Whisper White cardstock, Sweet and Sour Designer Series Paper, and Melon Mambo ink)

What to Do:
TAG =
Roll  out a Scallop Tag using die-cutting machine, like The BIG SHOT! and our TWO TAG Sizzix Die exclusive to Stampin' Up!


DOUBLE-LAYERED SCALLOP CIRCLE =
Ink and Stamp your image onto a white background cardstock in fun ink colour......then punch out finished stamped image with our  1-3/8 Circle Punch,
Punch out Designer Cardstock with the 1-3/4 Scallop Circle Punch - mount this behind your stamped image- circle.

COMPLETE BOOKMARK =
Adhere the finished stamped/layered Scallop Circle over the " Scalloped top section"  of the tag,
Flip over, and attach 2 squares of Magnetic Tape - one at each end. Start with both squares attached to each other, attach one-half first - then ' fold up the tag ' and attach to the back of the 2nd square.
That's it!



115954 Stampin' Up! Two Tags Bigz Die




TO ORDER SUPPLIES - OR, IF YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE A FUN AFTERNOON WITH YOUR OWN WORKSHOP-PARTY - OR YOU HAVE QUESTIONS,...

PLEASE CONTACT ME - craftroomafternoons@gmail.com


HAVE FUN - AND REMEMBER...
 "You're not crafting if there isn't a mess!"

TAYLOR :)

6 July 2011

Another Handmade Card for my Aunt - Beyond the Garden Designer Paper

It's time for a card for my dear Aunt Elsie!  At her lovely age of 97, I want to send as many cards as I should.

I turned again to using my Stampin' Up! Designer Series Papers - they are always reliable for making your handmade projects look as nice as can be!  You receive 12 papers - 2 of each of the 6 double-side designs!  They really go a long way if you are using the papers for different sized projects, or whether you are strictly using them for scrapbooking - just as they are!

Here I am using one of the pretty floral patterns in BEYOND THE GARDEN DSP - with the delicious colours of Wild Wasabi, Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight, Tangerine Tango and one of my favs, Pacific Point - I always lean towards those ocean blues!  You can find the papers on page 23 of our SUMMER MINI CATALOGUE effective until Aug 31rst!

OK!  I wanted to allow the Designer Paper's patterns to do most of the design - and focus on ACCENTS! I have in my arsenal, a collection of pretty pastel sequins which I have owned for ages, I kid you not, it must be 6 years or more!
So I grabbed needle & thread, my sequins, and all supplies and headed to the coffee shop where I have my favourite table....and in the time it took me to have a coffee, I was done.

I stitched the sequins onto the Beyond the Garden paper of choice, in a pleasant manner near the top right side.  I already had chosen my 'g r e e t i n g ' which said: "Happiness Always" and stamped it in co-ordinating colour, Melon Mambo and punched it out with our DECORATIVE LABEL Punch!

As well I brought along two lengths of ribbon in Marina Mist and Regal Rose - they are close enough to the colours in the pattern!

Finally, I poked a series of holes along the edges for a more subtle accent on the Garden Green CARD BASE.



Now as I was photographing the card, I could see another recently-made card off to the side shelf.  Hmmm, same papers - so I brought it over to show a comparison of the two patterns from the BEYOND THE GARDEN Designer Series Patterns {if you look - the background of these photos is another pattern from the same collection!}

See?


Two cards using the same collection of papers! 



That's when I noticed, I had used the SAME GREETING but in slightly different styles!!!  I didn't even notice this till now, lol!  The funny thing is, I stamped the greetings away from home at another person's place, so how funny that I didn't notice it then!

The last greeting in pink, is from the current STAMPIN' UP! SUMMER MINI - the last page, and its in the stamp set HAPPY GREETINGS!

Now I also know, and this I did notice - is that the 'same' greeting is also in another size, slightly smaller from last years Mini Catalogue!  So I guess that means there are 3 versions! 

Don't know why that fascinates me - just does, lol!


CONTACT ME TO ORDER - AND BOOK A WORKSHOP & HAVE SOME FUN!!!!

Crafternoons Friends!
TAYLOR
:)

4 July 2011

Happy July 4th to our southern Friends!

Hey - here's my tribute to the US holiday where I hope many people south of the border, are enjoying every minute of today and tonight!

Thinking of a celebration I thought hey - let's share some bubbly!

So here is a DIY style  WINE LABEL and a co-ordinating TAG which is as July 4th as I see it!

Used a recently retired SU!  JUMBO ROLLER WHEEL featuring stars, and featuring  red-blue-white colours, of course!  Some glitter, accents and Voila!




Mix up the inks on your stamping using our co-ordinating MARKERS or create ' distinct colour layers' like on ' THANKS ' shown below!


Thanks for dropping by!





1 July 2011

Happy CANADA DAY!!!

hELLLOooooo Happy Canada Day !!!!

WOW another great Holiday and the weather is just great!  I woke up feeling crafty 'right away' and thought "hmmm. what to do, what to do?! "

Then, as I was pulling out the ol' familiar craft items for today's holiday - I thought my scrapbook page of 2009 featuring SOCK MONKEY celebrating Canada Day could use a companion piece - and so that is what I have here to share!

[Note - we have been getting into the 'summer ' mode around here all this past week - and I start usually with the fridge - don't ask me why, LOL - so you'll see why the "colourful and playful" dishes are out - just sayin'!]

So here it is... Canada Day SOCK MONKEY 1.2!

The Pair


2009


and now introducing, Sock Monkey's True North festive page,


Sock Monkey 2011!

Notice how he is sitting in the OPPOSITE position?  Yeah-I created a 'mirror image' !  HOW?  
First, I carefully stamped with fresh ink, my Sock Monkey onto a SMOOTH NON-POROUS SURFACE - I used the back of a large clear block, [or use a scrap of clear plastic sheet] and really carefully, positioned that over my cardstock and  " re-stamped  " it onto my waiting cardstock!   And this is where having a co-ordinating marker comes in handy, since any bare spots can be smoothed out with the marker.    Cool huh?
Now for my next trick, if I can figure out how to make him stand up! LOL!  No, seriously!



What's better than pointing out we ARE the TRUE NORTH, STRONG and FREE!


Cut a corner - for the '11's bottom right to match '09's top left corner!

There's the whole piece!  

Now its time to go hang our large flag up in the window!

OH!  AND I WOULD BE LYIN' IF I DIDN'T SAY I AM DYIN' FOR 2:00 PM!

WHY ON EARTH?  WELL, THAT'S WHEN I CAN PLACE MY 
NEW STAMPIN' UP! CATALOGUE'S  NEW LARGE ORDER - 
YEAH!!!!   IT'S JULY 1RST AND WE LUCKY CANUKS CAN CELEBRATE BY ORDERING FROM THE NEW CATTY!  NEW COLOURS - YES!!!! 

BOY - CAKE AND A NEW CATTY ORDER!!!!!!

HAVE A GREAT CANADA DAY EVERYONE
AND TO OUR FRIENDS DOWN SOUTH  
ENJOY YOUR JULY 4th! 

CRAFTERNOONS!
luv
Taylor B. 
OXOX

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