simple dreams

Noel Wreath Card using Digital Letters

Each month as I create the thank you note that goes out with your orders I try to think of an image that is appropriate for the upcoming season. This will then allow you to either use it as a color reference and/or create a card with that image :-D I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the appreciation you share with us when you receive this note and the little snippet of ribbon. I want you to know that you are special to us and I couldn't do this without your support - so once again I would like to thank you so much for being here and shopping with us!

To begin I selected the Wreath of Gifts. I had a blast creating this card and want to share another way to use the letters that Julia created for this holiday season. When I asked her if this would be something she could do I told her some of the ideas I had in mind that I wanted them for, along with some patterns I wanted her to create with and she just went to work. I am SO very proud of her and the creativity she is bringing to our team. Thank you Julia!

So one of the ideas is to use the letters as ornaments. I felt that the wreath made the perfect letter "O". I colored the packages to coordinate with the beautiful Webster's Pages Sweet Season papers, using a silvery gray ribbon to tie them all together.

The fantastic value in these letters is that you can resize them to whatever size you need. To begin follow the instructions in this post.

Once you have pasted the letters into your Word document resizing is simple. Note where the red arrows are pointing. Double click on the letter itself and you will see it outlined as shown above. By double clicking it will take you to the "Format" window. On the right side of the page you will see two boxes with dimensions in them. For this project input the number 1 in the first box and click enter. This will automatically resize your letters to 1" in size.

Use your space bar to add additional spacing between the letters if desired.

I then used a 1 1/8" punch (which has been ordered but I'm still waiting for them to arrive in the store) to create my circle.

My next steps were to punch the border trim with my edger punch and sew the trim to the decorative paper. By sewing at this point I am able to hide the bottom stitching.

Using a 2-way glue pen around the edge of the circle and dipping the letter in Microfine Glitter gives it that final sparkly touch! Position the ornament letters and wreath by using a see-through ruler. This helps you align them evenly and in a straight line. Yes, the perfectionist syndrome coming out in me again - LOL!

Once the letters are positioned it is time to attach the "string." The new Webster's Pages silver trim is AMAZING! The incredulous thing about this trim is that it is linked together with tiny jump ring like circles. I have absolutely no idea how they even manufacture something so delicate. The beauty of this trim is that you can cut it easily with scissors. As I experimented I realized that when you cut it to a single line it falls apart into individual little circles that they look like little bells :-D I love happy accidents!

As you can also see in the photo above this one I am becoming addicted to this little bottle of Studio Matte Medium. It REALLY holds and to have a non-shiny adhesion is important to me. By placing a very small dab of adhesive on the top of the ornament I was able to attach my "chain". I allowed this to dry before moving on.

Once dry stretch the chain up and over your trim and cut to fit.

Then lift the purple trim apply yet another small dab of Matte Medium and attach the upper end of the "chain."

Not only does this chain sparkle, but it actually creates a musical sound when you shake the card :) I'm such a sucker for little details like this - LOL!

Using my favorite tweezers I then placed little jingle bells on each ornament in the wreath using Matte Medium to hold them in place. A final sparkle was added with the Sakura Stardust pen.

I hope that you can use some of these little details in the creating of your holiday cards. Don't forget to set your clocks back an hour this morning! Thanks for stopping in again today and I hope you have a fabulous Sunday.

downloads: Candy Lane Seasonal Alphabet

stamps: Lockhart Wreath of Gifts

ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

paper: Webster's Pages Sweet Season and Waiting for Santa 6x6 Paper Pack,

accessories: Webster's Pages Sweet Season and Waiting for Santa Trim Pack and Silver Chain Trim, Studio Matte Medium Mini, 2-Way Glue Pen, Silver Microfine Glitter, Vintage Lace Punch around the Page Edger

Waiting for Santa Letterpress Tray - Part 3, Altering Doilies

Thank you to all who have been leaving your love and comments in various locations on the internet and thanks to Webster's Pages for featuring this project on their Inspire Me website. If you love Webster's Pages I would highly recommend joining their Ning site for inspiration! I'm not certain if you will be able to view the page I have linked you to above if you are not a member, but becoming a member has been something I have really enjoyed.

As you probably have figured out by now I love the classic elegance and diversity of the Webster's Pages line of products and will do my best to always keep their items stocked in our store.

Now on with today's how-to complete the tray post.

Doilies, doilies, doilies... yes, I have always loved them, even before they became all the rage. Now that they are we have put together collections of various assortments for you to select from. Altering the color of the doily is SO easy!

Two of the easiest methods of altering the color of the doily are with the ink blending tool and/or misting sprays. For this project I actually combined the two looks.

It is important to work carefully with your ink blending tool. Typically I will start off my paper and swirl on to the paper when using this tool, but with the delicacy of the edge of the doily I need to work blending from the interior outwards.

The final step was lightly spritzing with Sweet Clover Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist.

Today I also want to share how you could get a "2-for-1" when spritzing and use your doily as a mask. As well I would like to introduce you to the new Ranger Perfect Pearls Mists. The beauty of the Perfect Pearls Mists comes in the mixing. Ranger has done a FANTASTIC job of thinking through the mixing process by placing a little "mixer" contraption in the bottle. It takes a LOT less swirling to mix these bottles, for which I am a grateful girl :-D

As you can see in the photo above the coloring of these mists is quite transparent. If you are familiar with Glimmer Mist products and want a similar look it is extremely simple to put a slight amount of the Perfect Pearl Mist into a Mini Mister and then add a squirt of your Distress Reinker to colorize it. Double click on the photo above to see the variation between the simple Kiwi and the mix of Kiwi and Bundled Sage.

When spritzing to add color to your doily you can use it as a mask for an upcoming project. I selected one of the beautiful Webster's 6x6 pages and placed my lacey doily in position in the upper right hand corner of the paper. To hold it in place I simply used my Craft Assistant and a couple of small magnets. This helps to ensure getting a more crisp definition on my masked doily. As you can see I opted to leave the doily in place and dry the mist with my Heat It tool. Yes, I'm a girl who likes to work fast - LOL!

One of my pet peeves when working with "wet" materials is the curling of my paper. Problem solved with the tip below.

TIP: I am fortunate to have a slightly rounded edge on my work surface. By pulling my paper gentley back and forth over this edge in the opposite direction I am easily able to flatten it back out again :-D

I would like to once again remind you that if you are looking for the supplies that I used in the creating of this tray please visit this post.

It's a beautiful, record breaking, sunny day here in Seattle and so I have a grin from ear to ear as I look out the window and prepare to take Jasper for his little lunch break stroll. Thanks for stopping by and I'll see you for a few more techniquey posts regarding this tray in the next couple of days!

Waiting for Santa Letterpress Tray - Part 2, Altering Resin Applique Pieces

When I first laid eyes on the Melissa Frances Resin pieces I knew it was love at first sight. The soft elegance of these designs is oh, so classic! Immediately I knew that I would need to experiment with altering the color of them once I had them in my hot little hands and that time has finally come :-D

The white frame around my girls with Santa draws your eye and I didn't want to compete with that, but felt that the new Tree was THE perfect piece for the top left corner. What to do? With so many options to select from I decided to start with a simple technique.

I began by first spraying the piece with English Ivy Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist. I allowed the liquid to pool in the crevices and then took a paper towel and wiped the surface. The detail that emerged was absolutely lovely, but I wanted just a little more color.

After allowing it to dry slightly I then sprayed with a second and lighter color of Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist, Sweet Clover. Immediately I pulled out my Heat It tool and used it to dry the surface. The gentle heat helped to set the beautiful color in place on my surface, with the soft pooling of the color adding dimension.

A little glue added with a 2-way glue pen and Sand Glitter Ritz on the star finished the piece. I then used some dry clear glue around what would be the base of the tree and added some white Mica Flakes for snow.

It's all in the little details and you know I love details - LOL! Julia was trying to get me to color the presents under the tree with Copics, but I told her that would have to wait for a new project ;-D All I can tell you is that I'm LOVING these little resin pieces and hope to share more with you in the future.

For a complete list of supplies please visit yesterday's post.

Now it's time to head out into the blustery rain and wind --- a warm house and dinner is on the horizon. Thanks for stopping in again today!

 

Waiting for Santa Letterpress Tray - Part 1, Digital Alphabet

I am LOVING the 7 Gypsies display items! When Maddi was born I made a rather lame attempt at creating a scrapbook. I never seemed to have enough time to finish anything and so over the years I gave up on the traditional scrapbook creating. Rather I have become much more into making little books that commemorate a vacation, or special event. Now that I have these display items I am having a blast using them to create special pieces for my home and office. I would also like to rave a little about the Webster's Pages Waiting for Santa and Sweet Treats collections - I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-Y  F-U-N to work with and oh so classicly elegant. OK, on with it now - I've got pictures to take of a costumed girl :-D

Today I want to introduce you to a new product we are carrying in our store :-D These have arisen out of my love for the Optical Lenses, rub ons and rosette die - LOL! Julia has been helping in so many ways here at work and she is the heart behind the alphabets we now have in our store. I asked her if she could create an alphabet in this fall's Pantone color selections. We then pulled out our paper selections to see what they would work with :-D We want to make these super easy to use and hope to share today exactly how fabulous they are!

I will be posting this Letterpress Tray project over a series of days to keep each post as simple as possible. Today we are starting with how to download the file and create the "joy" banner.

To find the alphabet's we created visit our Digital Download section here.

• Add the alphabet of choice to your cart and check out.
• After you have paid for your order you will see the page with the confirmation number pop up. On that same page will be text that says "Download Product Files."
• A screen will pop-up with the files you have purchased.
• Click on the file you would like to save.
• You will then be prompted with the question - "Do you want to open or save this file?" I would like to recomment that you save the file.
• This is the part that can be tricky for some. It is important to keep the files on your computer organized! :-D
• I have created a special file in my "Pictures" folder that I have named Digital Files. This allows me to save my files where I can find them again in the future.
• Click Save.

• Once this action is completed it will ask you if you would like to "Open, Open Folder, or Close" the file.
• Simple select open. In the top left-hand corner of the screen then select "Extract All."
• Your letters are now ready to copy and paste, insert etc.
• If you happen to close the file highlight it as shown in the figure above and in the drop down menu select "Extract All."

• To use your alphabet is as easy as copying and pasting.
• Open up a new Word document
• Highlight the letter you would like to use in the file and using your shortcut keys - Ctrl C, copy that letter.
• Move to your Word document window and using your shortcut keys - Ctrl V, paste that letter in your document.
• Repeat for the remaining letters.
• Print on Neenah cardstock

I used a nesting circle to quickly punch out my letter. We are waiting for the nesting circle punches to arrive in our store as I find this is the quickest and easiest method of preparing my circles.

Tim's rosette dies is one of my all-time faves! I love the neat little pleats that are created during the die-cut process - simple and oh so easy!

TIP: Be certain to use a strong adhesive to hold the rosette together. After a quick exchange with Tim I would like to recommend using a hot glue gun to hold these beauties together :)

Also be certain to follow the directions and have "discs" prepared for both sides of the rosette at your ready before creating your flower, otherwise it will pop right out of your hands. Quess how I know that - LOL!

To raise the rosette off the tray base I stacked a couple of thickness of plain old cardboard. Cardboard is not acid-free, but I highly doubt that this little "work of art" will be saved for posterity :-D

Oh the fun combinations that can be created! The little alphabet circles could have been rolled in glue and glitter to add even more pop. If I were putting them on a banner I would have probably done so, but in this case I really want the Santa picture to be the focal point and am trying to draw your eye to it rather than all the other fantastic little details in this tray :-D

More details will be shared over the next few days, so be certain to stay tuned and let me know what you think. Thanks for stopping in today as it is such a busy time of year. Wishing you a healthy and safe Halloween evening!

Download: Traditional Seasonal Alphabet

stamps: Tim Holtz Festive Sounds and Take Flight

paper: Webster's Paper Waiting for Santa Paper Kit, Grunge Board

ink: Distress Ink Pads - Forest Moss, Antique Linen, and Walnut Stain; Tattered Angels English Ivy and Sweet Clover Glimmer Mist

accessories: 7 Gypsies Letterpress Tray, Princesca Crystal Hardware, and Antique Silver Printer Label Holders; Tim Holtz Dies - Reindeer Flight and Rosette (both so fabulous!); Melissa Frances Tree Applique, Large Newstead Frame, Chipboard Ornaments, White Mica Flakes, Silver Glass Glitter; Webster's Pages Tinsel Trim, Fall Bloomers Deluxe Trim; Glitter Ritz - Celadon, Apple Red and Sand, Crystal Ice Stickles

Alcohol Ink Ornaments for Trina's Market Place

Some of you may have seen my little "proud" moment on Facebook today showing the picture of Trina proudly showing one of the jean purses we made for her Market Place at school. She has been planning and working for several weeks now and I must say that I am so proud of how meticulous she was as she worked on her projects. As we brainstormed ideas as to what she wanted to create for this special project her mind was spinning with all the "tools" we have available to us because of my work.

The goal was to create things that other children would like to purchase with the "money" they have earned at school through performing their jobs, good behaviour, timeliness on turning in their work, etc. With the holiday season right around the corner her goal was to create items that the other kids would like to give to their family members or teachers.

Here she is proudly displaying one of the blue jean purses we created. We used the old blue jeans that she has just grown out of --- therefore making this a very cost efficient gift! She "pushed the gas" and I "drove" as we sewed her projects.

She then needed to turn the straps and decorative belt, as well as sew on a couple of decorative buttons.

Next came the neck warmers. For Halloween I had sewn her a Pebbles costume (from the Flintstones - you can tell how old I am because I was the one who suggested it to her - LOL!)  Using the leftover fur like fabric we created these neck warmers. Now all one has to do is microwave for 2 1/2 minutes and then sit with your toasty, muscle-relaxing warmer on that sore spot.

She also made these darling bookmarks.

She simply stamped the butterflies on sanded Shrink Plastic using Brilliance ink. After allowing it to dry she then colored in the images using the Primacolor color pencils shown. Once completed we just heated them, shrinking them to about 1/3 their original size.

Being boys "don't like" butterflies she made a more masculine version. Her older sister is in highschool and their mascot is the Spartan - therefore the Spartan version. Tracing one of the decals Maddi has and then coloring it in gave her that much needed masculine bookmark :)

(The beautiful gold bookmarks are something that I had purchased quite some time ago from a jewelry making store.)

Now on to these beauties! Everything she made she wanted in groups of six - this is one of two in this particular color series. In addition she made others in the red and purple hues.

To begin remove the "topper" from the clear glass ornament and place a small tea spoon (from a child's play tea set - yes, they have all been confiscated for craft projects because they are just the perfect size - LOL!) of Heirloom Gold Perfect Pearls inside the globe.

Using a mini mister squirt approximately 15 squirts of water inside the globe and mix up the Perfect Pearls so that all lumps are removed. You can also shake the ornament for a while and this will accomplish this task as well. The really cool thing about Perfect Pearls is that they have a binder in them and all that is needed to help them adhere is some moisture.

She then carefully rolled the ornament around and around until all surfaces of the glass were covered with the mixture. It is important not to have it too thin or the pearls will completely drain out when you set them to dry. Once this task is completed very little moisture was left to run out of the ornament. 

She set them in little paper cups to dry overnight.

After selecting a series of three Various Ink Refills she dabbed approximately 3-4 dots of each color of ink on to a felt applicating tool. That's her daddy's hand that is the prop for holding the ornament as she worked. Her fingers were too small and kept slipping inside. This is as crafty as my DH gets - LOL! He was a good support and was quite impressed when the project was completed :) 

This is just another perspective to show you approximately how much alcohol ink was on the felt applicator.

Voila - beautiful hand decorated ornaments for the holidays ahead. If you are looking to craft with your kids these projects just might be the ticket. Just make certain that they are wearing clothes you don't care about and work on a covered surface because the alcohol ink does stain --- althought a little rubbing alcohol does do a great job with the cleaning process. I highly recommend it!

These ornaments really do look spectacular!!! So proud of you my sweet Trina - perhaps she'll have to open her own store someday :)
  

Fantasy Butterfly Ornaments

It was during Winter CHA 2009 that I stumbled upon a booth that had these absolutely fabulous, sparkly, fantasy creatures, flitting through a Christmas tree. I was hooked! The colors were absolutely incredible and with each change in direction they seemingly changed. I knew I had to share this with all of you who like to create your own Christmas ornaments. You can give them as gifts or use them on your own tree. You can even wear them. I kid you not! I wore the dragonfly pictured in the bottom photo that day at CHA and received so many compliments from others wondering where I had purchased my "pin." Well, I hadn't purchased it - the booth owners had given it to me and it coordinated perfectly with my outfit.

So today I want to share my adventure in Fantasy Film and glitter with you!

To begin this adventure I decided to keep it simple and share my learning experience with you. It really is quite easy to create these magical creatures. First ink your stamp, in this instance I used the medium Butterfly, with permanent ink. Palette Ink is the permanent ink I used in today's project.

Use three layers of fantasy film that are cut slightly larger than the size of your rubber stamp image. Place all three layers together.

You will need to use an iron to fuse the fantasy film. The setting I used on my little craft iron was Silk, or medium/high. VERY CAREFULLY place the three layers of fantasy film on top of your inked image. You do not want these to move because it will smudge your image. So no heavy breathing ladies - LOL!

 
Then use a piece of parchment paper or copy paper as a barrier between the film and your iron.  Do not leave your fantasy film exposed as in the picture above or you might end up with a gluey mess on the bottom of your iron. I have set it to the side like this so that you can see that the paper is atop the film.

Press the hot iron to the paper directly over your image. Do not move your iron back and forth, but rather lift and move it. Ironing in the typical fashion may cause your materials to move and smudge. Hold the iron in place for only 3-5 seconds. Remember you only need a little heat to fuse the layers. Once you have the entire image "pressed" then remove the parchment paper and the layer of film.

This is what it looks like after you press it. Use a fine-tipped scissor to then cut out the image.

Surprisingly it is quite easy to cut out.

The four butterflies pictured above are made using two varieties of Fantasy Film. I wanted to share the MANY variations you will be able to achieve. Starting on the left and working towards the right I have the following combinations:

• 3 layers of In the Forest
• 2 layers of In the Forest, 1 layer of Mother of Pearl
• 1 layer of In the Forest, 2 layers of Mother of Pearl
• 3 layers of Mother of Pearl

 
It is so difficult trying to get good pictures of this beautiful iridescent material. As you can see when I lift the butterfly away from the white sheet of paper it appears to be completely different. The transparent shimmer is absolutely exquisite!

You can be finished at this point, but why be finished when there is still more sparkle that can be added? Insert silly grin. Apply glue to the individual segments within the butterfly wings.

Sprinkle glitter over the gluey surface and allow for 15 (fifteen) minutes of drying time. Dump the excess glitter away and using a very soft brush remove the remaining excess.

I decided to experiment with a couple of different types of glue. I wanted to be certain that you really need the Designer Dries Clear Adhesive or wondered if you can get away with using a glue you may already have in your stash. I found that the Art Institute Glitter Glue is thinner, or more watery than the other glues I currently use, so it was easier to apply. It also has the ability to remain in delightful little mounds when squeezed on to your image. So I must admit that I preferred this glue to others that I tried.

As you can see the Flower Soft Glue worked just fine. It is actually the glue that you see in the "glue" picture above. It does not remain mounded as high and I found that I had to deal with little "strings" as I squeezed it from the bottle on to my shiny surface. Overall, it is just fine though if you do not want to purchase yet another glue.

Adding second and third layers of glitter to your projects is easy. After allowing that first layer to dry I then applied glue in additional locations and used a second color of glitter. Brushing away the excess once it was dry I then repeated one last time, for three separate colors on my butterflies.

Simply magical! A little decorating with some of Webster's Pages trims and Chandelier Crystals and I was amazed at how my little "fake" tree took on a whole new life. Poor Cathy, Molly and Carina - I don't know how many times I excitedly beckoned them in to the studio and next to the photo tent, and had them endure my endless little squeals of delight with each new sparkle. Needless to say I do have other little projects that are in the works! Snowflakes, angel wings, round glass ornaments filled with sparkly beauties - the list keeps growing with projects I would like to try! It will be thrilling to see how many of you join me in my sparkly excitement. Happy glittering girls!!!

stamps: Medium Butterfly, Large Dragonfly (other sizes of butterflies and dragonflies would look fabulous as well)

ink: Palette Noir

accessories: Fantasy Film - In the Forest, Mother of Pearl, Baby Bonnet; Martha Stewart Essential Glitter- Aquamarine Crystal, Smoky Quartz, Peridot; Designer Dries Clear Adhesive, Sky Chandelier Crystals, Webster's Pages Home for the Holidays Trim

3-D Punched Tree Scene Christmas Card

What's up?!? Two posts in two days - I'm just giddy with excitement over having the opportunity to finally get some of these ideas that are in my head out on to paper!!! Finally the dreaded taxes are complete (for the most part) and I NEED to play - I've been getting a little punchy here lately with all that bookkeeping! (OK, OK - I hear the groans now from my VERY bad pun, so I'll move right along - LOL!)

I cannot begin to tell you how much fun it is to play with all these fab toys!

This 3-D tree is one I have seen on numerous occasions, I wanted to test it out with the new Martha Stewart Christmas Tree punch and I'm thrilled with the results. I can see all sorts of uses for this little tree! Replace the letter A in PEACE with a dimensional tree, or insert little trees in to the Kaisercraft Advent Calendar, put it on a tag, or create some rolling hills to decorate with a stand of trees... the ideas are endless - I wish that there was more time in the day!

Simply punch out five little trees, in this instance I punched two from the striped paper and three from the patterned green. It is important to score the trees right down the center before attempting to fold them. I like to use my Mini-Scor It for this part of the project. The score line that the Scor-it creates is so superior to any other type of scoring I had used previous to discovering this wonderful gadget. This allows for a very precise fold and makes it easy to fit them together.

As you can see I applied one tree at a time, putting Perfect Paper Adhesive (PPA - I love this glue because it does not "soak" the paper) on one half of the tree.

Then using my teflon bone folder I press the entire length of the tree to ensure proper adhesion.

Becky has been creating MARVELOUS sewing tutorials (for further inspiration visit In Touch - An Adventure in Sewing and the CLASSroom here and here.) It is so awesome to have her as part of our team that teaches and inspires. One of the tips that I find the most useful is when needing to turn my project I make certain the needle is in the down position and "skewered" through my paper.

Then lift the foot into the up position and spin the paper before continuing to sew. 

Using this method I was able to create my "corner star" for this card. This particular look would also make fab photo corners!

Using the star that is included alongside the tree, I mounded it with PPA and sprinkled it generously with Brownstone Glitter. Just a side note about this glitter. I must tell you that in looking at products to carry in our store I felt that the colors, selection and value of this set was excellent and therefore the reason for making it available to you. The zing this glitter gives a project is simply spectacular.

Be certain to allow it to sit and dry before moving it to your project.

One of the fabulous Webster's Pages pages made an ideal setting for the tree (unfortunately at this very minute we do not have any left up on the store, BUT a little birdie tells me that our stamp of the month packet is going to blow your socks off this month. SO be certain to stick close to your computer come November 1st to get first dibs on it!) along with the new Christmas Cheer Block made the perfect backdrop for this little tree. A little Webster's trim, stitching and glitter and project complete! 

Now go get punchy girls - Halloween is tomorrow night and the clocks "Fall back"... so you will have an extra hour on Sunday to do a little creating!

stamps: Memory Box Christmas Cheer Block

paper: Webster's Pages Home for the Holidays & Winter Wings, Memory Box Dill Notecard

ink: Memento Rich Cocoa

accessories: Martha Stewart Large Christmas Tree punch, Webster's Pages Home for the Holidays & Winter Wings Trim, Martha Stewart Essential Glitter - Brownstone, Perfect Paper Adhesive

P.S. For those who wonder what it is that I am up to during the day you can now find me on Facebook. Just search for Ellen Hutson and send me your friend request :) Have a safe, fun and creative weekend!

Reindeer Run over the Frosty Village

Time goes by SO fast - frost was most definitely in the air here in the Pacific NW this morning! I"m so grateful there are no snowflakes yet though.

You know how when you have an idea when you first see a product and you are so anxious to just create it - well... this is one of those ideas. When I first saw the new Martha Stewart Frosty Village punch and Memory Box Reindeer Run stamp I knew I just had to create this card - LOL! 

 

Tip: Use the cover sheet from you paper collection - don't let it go to waste. This is the cover to Dewfrost with the writing cut off and turned on it's side.

To create the darling village edge I simply cut a piece of cardstock at an angle. I then punched the Frosted Village along the top edge and scored it, folding it back on itself.

Another idea I have is to create a pocket card and then insert a folded card into the pocket and havethe village along the top edge popping out of the top edge. If you create one please let me know - I'm so wanting to do this, but... time it is alway against me.

 

Add snow drifts to create some depth to the simple white layer using torn Eclipse tape, a sponge (note the clip to keep my fingers from getting dirty - I have all my sponges clipped like this - LOL!), and Cloudy Blue dye ink. Simply start at the top and sponge your first "drift." Reposition your Eclipse tape moving it down and from side to side to create a variegated pattern. Add some snowy sparkle to the roofline with Icicle Stickles.

 

This wintery scene just needed some reindeer flying through the sky. To create Santa's team of eight I simply inked the image with Memento Rich Cocoa stamping it once and then lifting the stamp and moving it slightly askew to the back, stamping it a second time without reinking. A few more stickles on the snowflakes, some ribbon and a glazed brad to hold the sentiment in place. The Martha Stewart tag punch is an ideal punch to use with the tiny greeting stamps. Quick and simple, just the way I like it.

I hope this post inspires you to use your punches in new and different ways. Pull out some of those old "fancy-fold" ideas and pocket cards to create something fun this holiday season!

 
stamps: Memory Box Reindeer Run and Warmest Wishes

ink: Memento Rich Cocoa, Adirondack Pool Dye Ink Pad

paper: Memory Box Water and Dewfrost

accessories: Martha Stewart Frosty Village Edger punch and Scalloped Tag, Wisteria Glazed Brad, Icicle Stickles, Eclipse Tape

Cosmo Cricket Jolly by Golly Wintry Owls

The title of tonight's post just makes me giddy! Why, you might ask? Well... the answer is simple, Cosmo Cricket is in the house and I just couldn't stand it, I had to create something immediately! There were so many other things I should have been doing, but...

Debbie has been killin' me with her fabulous, sewed creations and all the goodness she makes me dream about when she uses the Cosmo Cricket papers. Needless to say you can truly see her influence in my little mounded hills, it only made me wish for a better sewing machine here at work - LOL! Oh to be able to adjust my zig-zag stitches :)

The heat in the warehouse today was the complete opposite of this wintry scene. Just playing with this gorgeous, monochromatic color scheme, did refresh my spirits though.

I also adore these wintry owls and so creating this card was a snap (other than the sewing - LOL!) Using Natural White cardstock to coordinate with the soft white in the Jolly by Golly papers, I stamped the owl using Memento Rich Cocoa. Using only an E42 Copic marker and my colorless blender I was able to give my Snowy Owls a softened, aged look.

One of the products that I carry in the store, but haven't talked a lot about, or had time to use, is the Martha Stewart glitter set. When Maureen brought it by my office one day I just couldn't take my eyes off of the beautiful colors. Then when I saw the shaker top and the ease with which the top can be removed to return the glitter to the container, I just had to have it. This is the first post of what I hope to be many, in which I get to share some of these beautiful colors and gorgeous sparkle with you.

When I am determining which color to use, I simply lay it down on to the paper that I want to use. Next, I place a little of my 2-way glue in to a corner that I know I won't be using to do a final "test." If this meets with my approval I am set to go. This keeps me from having to recreate my project if I happen to pick a color that doesn't work well. In this case the Aquamarine Crystal was incredible with the Cosmo papers!

As you can see I highlighted the trees and the curvy hills with this gorgeous accent. You may also spot some items that I used to create this card that will be going up in our store as soon as I can get pictures taken and edited. We are adding a few more Martha Stewart punches to the mix. The snowflakes are incredible when mounted together with buttons and the small tag punch is perfect for those teeny, tiny sentiments from Memory Box and CHF.

I can't imagine having to wait any longer for these fab 6x6 paper pads to arrive. It has been well worth the wait and the begging! Julie and Eric, I thank you for listening to me and I hope that I can do your product justice!

Just as an aside, the Boyfriend mini decks are scheduled to arrive "hopefully" by next week, along with coordinating ribbon for the all four collections! I'm a VERY happy girl - can you see the ear to ear grin?!?

stamps: Wintry Owls, Warmest Wishes

ink: Memento Rich Cocoa Ink Pad, Distress Tea Dye Ink Pad

markers: Copic E42 and Colorless Blender

papers: Memory Box Robin's Egg Notecard, Neenah Natural White, Cosmo Cricket Jolly by Golly

other: Martha Stewart Essentials Glitter, Webster's Pages Classic Trim Collection, Marrakech Buttons, Martha Stewart Snowflake Punch and Small Scalloped Tag Punch (hopefully should be up later tomorrow)

Canvas Art - Christmas Angel

As I stated on the CLASSroom post yesterday I am completely intrigued by the possibilities of mixing stamping, canvas art and painting. When I find a new product line that I feel has many possibilities I just get giddy thinking about what I can create using those products. At Summer CHA it was the Claudine Hellmuth Studio Line that tickled my fancy Ü Being able to explore, experiment and learn is something that fascinates me and makes me happy - so my explorations with this product line continue. Below is a creation that is reminiscent of a class that I taught a couple of years ago. So today rather than creating "kitchen art" I put a bit of a festive twist on this little pieces of canvas art and painted it, rather than coloring the images in with pencil.

You could hang these little canvases in a series of three from a ribbon, or set them beside one another on your mantel. You could possibly even turn them in to little stocking holders if you find a simple base to adhere these to.

 

The completed canvas finished size is 4" x 4". These small canvases can be mounted on to a larger canvas surfaces for even more impact.

 

To begin I suggest that you prime the surface withgesso, even though these canvases come already primed. By adding additional layers it helps fill in some of the surface texture, making it easier to stamp on the canvas surface. The piece above has the first steps completed. This canvas was remaining from the class that I taught several years back and being I was on a limited "budget" of time today I thought I would just quickly explain these first two steps that were already complete. After priming the surface I then painted the entire surface with white acrylic paint. Next I inked a soft "foam" stamp using a deep blue chalk ink. I have carried these foam stamps in my store for FAR too long without explaining their purpose - it's about time I shared their purpose - LOL!

As you can see on the right side, the script that I had stamped is rather uneven. This is due to the fact that these little framed canvas pieces have a wood edge that dip down slightly. When using a foam stamp you can easily stamp right off the edge of the canvas without any side effects. The script was stamped using a Silver Encore ink. Once these inks had dried I once again brushed the canvas with a white acrylic wash. 

 

To segment my canvas I use painter's tape. I dipped one side of my brush in Sky Blue and the other side in Blank Canvas (white). Using the edge of the painter's tape as my divider I brush this color on to my canvas as shown. Remove the tape immediately and allow your paint to dry. Once dry I arranged the tape in the opposite direction and adding only Blank Canvas, created my "frame" for the stamped image.

 

As you can see the backs of these canvases show that they are primarily wood, with just a small hole in the section. When stamping on this canvas it is important to have a stable surface on which to stamp and so I fill this little hole with a piece of Penscore. (This is a foam-like material that comes in handy for all sorts of stamping projects.) 

 

I then ink my image with Palette Noir ink and stamp directly on to my canvas. As you can see some of the lines are not as distinct as I would like them to be due to the grain in the canvas, as well as my inability to always stamp evenly - LOL! 

 

Using my Copic Multiliner .05 I fill in any of the image that needs a better outline.

 

I then proceeded to paint the Wreath Angel using the Studio LIne of paints together with a little Lumiere for the Angel wings, ribbon and garment. As you can see I use the smallest of the paint brushes and a little palette in which I mix my colors. I simply dip my paint brush in my color of choice and then proceed to mix it with a small "puddle" of paint that I have transferred to my palette. I always work from one side of this puddle. It is hard to paint and take pictures at the same time, so I apologize for not documenting this better. I simply added the blue paint on my brush to the very right side of this "puddle" and proceeded to mix it in. I leave the left side of this little puddle completely white - this allows me to pick up a diversity of colors and fill in my spaces. It is amazing how many different colors you can fit in to such a small canvas!!!

To create this piece I used a combination of the following colors:

• angel hair - Sable Brown and Charcoal Black
• flesh tones - Blank Canvas, Painterly Pink, Altered Orange, and Yellow Pastel (to create this mix I used SO little - I just barely touch the end of a toothpick to my color and then I mix it in with the white, adding a small drop of water to make this mix a little easier to spread)
• garment - Sky Blue, Canvas White, and Smidge of Blue
• wreath - Landscape Green, Charcoal Black, and Dab of Yellow

Remember - less IS more! I always add just a tiny speck of the darkest color when creating a mix of color for these tiny little canvases.

 

Once all my painting was completed I added tiny specks of Glossy Accents around the wreathe where the little balls were indicated. I then poured tiny silver beads over the surface and then poured the excess back off. Next I stamped the word "joy" and embossed it in Sterling Silver.

 

Next I painted the edges of the canvas with Metallic Brushed Pewter Distress Crackle Paint and once thoroughly dry, I sponged it with Faded Jeans Distressed Ink. Last but not least, I added Stickles to her wings.

 

I would love to see how you create your own custom pieces of art using the canvas selection that we have available for you. If you don't like the idea of stretching your own canvas then purchase those that are "prewrapped". If you prefer to have a flat surface on which to work then I highly recommend the Sticky Back Canvas. You can then wrap your own frame or put it inside of another frame. Options, options, options - it's something I value - LOL!