This week we are joining forces with Inchie Arts to share a myriad of ways to use these fun little Art Squares. There are a vast assortment of sizes and kits to select from and for this week only we are offering a 20% discount on in-stock Inchie Arts products to get you started! To learn other fun techniques just check out the Inchie category here in the CLASSroom. We hope you enjoy this fun-filled week as we share how to use and design in small spaces!
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« September 2016 | Main | November 2016 »
October 2016
October 31, 2016
Hello, Monday 10.31.2016
(click on the pics to enbiggan)
This week I worked with some Inchie Arts Squares to make a card with a detatchable ornament!
They come in a variety of sizes, and colors--check out the adorable village kits HERE!
The surface of the Art Squares are made of a preservation quality matboard that can handle pretty much any art medium you wanna throw at it: You can stamp on them, heat emboss, watercolor, paint, do colored pencil work, chalks/pastels, etc.
It does take a tad longer to heat emboss, due to the thickness, and the heat from the embossing gun may cause it to curl/bend slightly, but unlike watercolor paper or card stock, wet mediums will not cause it to warp or buckle.
The 3" squares make a great focal point on a card, and are also large enough that you could hang your mini masterpiece on the tree as an ornament, if you wanted! :)
LINK: Watch in HD on our YouTube Channel HERE! Thanks for watching, subscribing and giving us a thumbs' up!
Happy Mundane!
SUPPLIES:
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October 29, 2016
Satur-YAY 10.29.16 Take A Bough
Hey everyone! Welcome to Satur-YAY. We're celebrating the weekend by getting our craft on. I hope these projects will get your creative juices flowing!
Today I'll be making several projects featuring the Concord & 9th Take A Bough die. This die is so much fun and so versatile. I'm going to show you a few ways to use it today.
I'll start with walking you through the creation of these adorable trees. This die was designed to make these adorable 3-D trees.
For each of these trees, you'll need 12 of each size of the boughs. You're going to use these to create the various layers of the tree. You can as many, or as few of each layer as you want. For the large trees, I created two of each of the layer sizes. This gives a nice full tree. Don't worry! These are really easy...and I'm going to show you exactly how to assemble them in the video tutorial below.
You will need a 1/8 inch bamboo skewer for each tree you create. This will create your trunk and serve as the base for each of these trees.
If you want a smaller tree, all you have to do is eliminate the larger layers at the bottom.
After I created a few of my little trees, I thought it would be fun to use these boughs to create some cards as well. Nothing screams Christmas quite like pine boughs sprinkled with some red ornaments or berries.
The sentiments on my cards all come from the Concord & 9th O Christmas Tree stamp set. Such a lovely variety of beautiful Christmas sentiments in this stamp set.
I wanted to keep these cards very simple to really let the pine boughs and beautiful sentiments shine.
I arranged the pine boughs in various shapes to create a wreath, as well as some swags. Using a variety of sizes gives each of these arrangements lots of fullness. I tucked some foam adhesive between some of the layers as well to add dimension and keep all the layers from blending together.
Now let's talk about those berries...or ornaments....which ever you prefer. I created them using the Ranger Enamel Accents in Classic Cherry. You can apply this product directly to your project or you can use a craft sheet to make these little enamel dots in advance.
I squirted little drops of this right on to my non stick craft sheet and allowed them to dry. Then I used a little Matte Medium to apply these shiny little drops to my projects. I found that this was the best method for this particular arrangement. If you try to apply two drops directly from the bottle close together, they'll blob together and you'll end up with one giant berry instead of three separate embellishments.
I created several cards...all with the same elements. Each has a very simple layout. I love the classic Christmas feel of these projects.
I think this would also be a great accent on gift tags for the holidays.
It's your turn to create now! Get your crafty goodies out and put those creative wheels in motion. I'd love to see what you're creating. Share it on Instagram or Twitter using #EllenHutsonSaturYAY so we call all see what you're up to.
Don't forget to check out the video tutorial below. I've also linked all the products used in these projects below.
Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you enjoyed all of these projects featuring the Concord & 9th Take A Bough die. I know I had a great time playing with it.
Watch The Video
You can watch this video in HD on our YouTube channel by clicking HERE.
Supplies
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October 28, 2016
Season to Sparkle by Sharon Harnist
(Click on any photo for a larger view)
Oh.My.Goodness. I have not had this much crafting fun in a while! A light up Rudolph holiday framed art piece? Yes, please! I just couldn't help but put a red light-up nose on Julie's adorable new Essentials by Ellen Leaping Deer die!
Here's a video of it working -- turn your sound up or down, depending on if you want to get in the holiday spirit or keep things quiet!
Here's how this 4" x 6" framed piece came together:
First, I dry embossed a piece of 4" x 6" Neenah Solar White 110 Lb. cardstock with Taylored Expressions Twirls and Swirls Embossing Folder.
Then I die cut the Leaping Deer from American Crafts Pow! Gold Glitter Paper, positioned him on the swirl background, and pierced a small hole where I wanted his nose to be.
Next, I positioned all the pieces in my Misti, using the large snowflake stamp from the new Essentials by Ellen Season to Sparkle stamp set as a placeholder for the die cut snowflake that will be on the front of the framed art piece, which will be the "button" to push to make Rudolph's nose light up!
Next, I removed all the elements except the stamp from the Misti, and replaced the swirl background with a blank piece 4" x 6" Solar White 110 Lb. cardstock, then stamped the snowflake. This piece will be my background template, which will be hidden underneath the art piece, and serve as a place to build the circuit (shown below). I also used a pencil to lightly mark through Rudolph's nose hole onto the template, so I would know where to place the LED light (you can see the small dot in the photo below, at the top of the copper foil tape).
Then I did just that -- started building the circuit by using the copper tape found in the Chibitronics Chibi Lights Starter Kit:
A full instruction book comes with the starter kit, along with a sampling of different colors of LED lights to work with. You can find a great beginner single-circuit tutorial video on any of the Chibitronics product pages here in the Ellen Hutson store, and Julie made a wonderful Hello Monday 10.24.16 video also showing how to make a one-light single circuit. These LED light kits are so much fun! Choose from several different LED Light sticker pack colors -- Tropical, all white, primary colors, or even special effects!
In the photo above, the lower right shows where I stamped the snowflake -- this is where the battery will go. To hold the battery in place, I placed a small piece of scrap cardstock (approximately 3/4" x 1-7/8", scored at 7/8" from each end) to create 1/8" "book-binding" type of fold, to allow for the bulk of the battery:
I taped the battery holder in place, over the snowflake. Since the bottom side of the cell battery is the negative (-) side (the top is marked as the positive side), your copper foil tape runs up from the battery (the copper tape runs underneath the battery, on top of the battery holder cardstock), to the pointed negative side of the triangular LED light (marked with the blue arrow on the right below). You must leave a space between the positive and negative foil tape pieces underneath the battery -- the two cannot cross, or they will short-circuit and the light will not work. My tape is a little off center under the light (marked with the red arrow below), but as long as the back sides of the LED light sticker come in contact with the copper foil tape, it will work:
Then the copper foil tape runs from the positive (+) wide end of the LED light (marked with the blue arrow on the left above), down to the battery holder. The tape must run over the battery holder cardstock, onto the inside so it comes in contact with the battery:
When the battery holder is pressed closed, the circuit is complete and the red LED lights up!
To finish the template, I placed X-Press It Foam Tape around the battery to hold it in place, building up the layers until the tape was higher than the battery/holder -- it took three layers. I'm sorry I didn't not get a photo of this -- I was too excited it all actually worked and couldn't wait get it all put together! After placing three layers of additional foam tape on all sides of the template, I topped it with the swirl embossed background.
So now when the large snowflake is pressed, Rudolph's nose lights up!
The Essentials by Ellen Season to Sparkle snowflake was heat embossed with Ranger Silver Super Fine Embossing Powder and die cut with its coordinating Season to Sparkle die, then popped up on foam tape over the battery.
The pretty "Tis the season to Sparkle" sentiment was also heat embossed -- with super-fine silver on top, graduating down to Gold on the "Sparkle" word! The sentiment was die cut with a Taylored Expressions Label Stacklets 8 die, then Krylon Gold Leafing Pen used to color the edges; it is also popped up on foam tape. Lastly, the piece was placed in a 4" x 6" silver frame and Taylored Expressions Build a Scene Christmas Sequins (white and silvery snowflakes) scattered across the background.
I hope you'll give Chibitronics Chibi Lights a try -- they are so much fun and very addictive! Think of the fun a young child would have with this holiday decoration ... I know my teenagers were playing with it most of the evening after I made it and it always received a giggle (and they thought it was cool)!
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Announcing the Winners of the Holiday 2016 Essentials by Ellen Hop Giveaways
It's time to announce the winner of our Grand Prize Giveaway:
************* Drumroll, if you please *************
THE WINNER OF THE ENTIRE
HOLIDAY 2016 ESSENTIALS BY ELLEN COLLECTION IS:
Lauri Bacalzo
on October 18th at 9:55am Lauri Bacalzo said “What an AWSOME release! I love all the different styles…”
Congratulations, Laurie!!!
Please email us at [email protected] so we can arrange to have your prize shipped to you! :)
HOP DESIGNERS' GIVEAWAY WINNERS
We are also announcing the winners of the individual giveaways held at each of the designers' blogs--please email us at [email protected] so we can arrange to have your prize shipped to you:
- Lisa Adametz Gilda (McStamper) on October 18th at 10:24am said “Beautiful cards. Love the “Believe”
- Sandy Allnock pinkheelscreative on October 18th said “Beautiful cards! I love those PH Martin’s…”
- Joni Nina Andaya Maureen Morton on October 19th at 6:19pm said “Such super-soft sweetness! Love your colors…”
- Laurel Beard Julie Kingsley on October 24th at 12:55pm said “my two favorite things: birds and powdered watercolor!”
- Heather Campbell Ann (The Antique Wardrobe) on October 23rd at 6:57am said “Adorable cards, love the little scene…”
- Julie Campbell Super Stick Chick on October 20th at 11:46pm said “Wonderful and festive cards. Love your embroidery!”
- Kittie Caracciolo Pattie Jns on October 18th at 4:35pm said “Good afternoon, Kittie. OH! Really love the burlap tree card…”
- Kimberly Crawford Jennifer Turner on October 19th at 11:12pm said “I’m in love with your retro ornament card…”
- Julie Ebersole Shirley N on October 20th at 5:36pm said “Amazing card designs! Your collection is wonderful…”
- Sharon Harnist Arianna Barbara on October 19th at 3:15am said “Lovely cards!!!”
- Brandi Kincaid Lisa Bzibziak on October 21st said “OMG. So adorable! You’ve made me want that camping set…”
- Stephanie Klauck Crafty Little Peach on October 18th at 12:26pm said “These are all very pretty, but the ornament one is my favorite! TFS!”
- Amy Kolling Ronnie on October 18th at 11:31am said “I love the way you added the antlers to the word die…”
- Emily Leiphart Jean (PagesinTime) on October 24th at 2:56pm said “Delightful cards! So many great details!”
- Karolyn Loncon Jennifer L on October 24th at 4:16pm said “Great cards! The light up snowflakes are so cool…”
- Jennifer McGuire Beverly U on October 19th at 2:02pm said “The Homespun Holiday is my favorite. But I’m not ruling out any…”
- Heather Meeson Melissa Friedrich on October 18th at 6:07pm said “Beautiful JOY word cards, so clever with the snowman…”
- Carly Minner Maaike Uijthoven on October 18th at 1:45pm said “What a cute little shaker card, so lovely…”
- May Park Eileen M on October 23rd said “So cute! I love your coloring skills too!”
- Carolyn Peeler Sam Burnett on October 18th at 9:20am said “What beautiful cards Carolyn! They are simple yet so elegant…”
- Nichol Spohr Stephanie Savidge on October 18th at 9:07am said “Really love both of your cards! Great job!”
- Julia Stainton Nikki on October 18th at 4:32pm said “Love your wreath, it’s so colorful.”
- Keeway Tsao Michele K Henderson on October 18th at 2:15pm said “This is so gorgeous! I love the pretty, soft colors…”
- Carissa Wiley Margarita Navarro-Rivera on October 19th at 5:22pm said “Love, love, love your ornament cards!”
Congratulations to all of you, and thank you to all who entered!
Here's a round up of some of the beautiful hop creations shared by our talented friends above:
Wish you could see all the beautiful projects shared by these talented bloggers in one spot? We've got just the thing! Just click here:
Essentials by Ellen Pinterest Board
Be sure to follow the board so you will always have those inspiring ideas close at hand!
Thank you so much for the enthusiastic response to our Essentials by Ellen Holiday 2016 Release! We could not be more thrilled to know you like them!!!
--The whole gang at Ellen Hutson, LLC
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October 27, 2016
#throwbackthursdays - Marbled Embossing Powder by Carly Tee Minner
Hi Friends! It's Carly and I'm here for another #throwbackthursdays, where we find inspiration in The CLASSroom archives!
Do you ever have a technique you can't wait to try but no card idea in mind? It can't be just me right? LOL! And don't get me wrong, sometimes its just fun to play but sometimes you need to make something specific! Well I've been dying to try using embossing powder and ink to create a faux marbled background (a technique introduced to me by Wendy Vecchi) but I really needed creative direction. So what did I do? I headed to the The CLASSroom to find some inspiration. I just used that little search bar on the right. Have you tried it yet? It's like having a search-able idea book. Go, try!
I went back about a year to a card by Julie that I absolutely adore! You can see it here:
I used her card to make myself a sketch and here is my card:
To create this card, start with the faux marble background...take a die cut circle, cover with embossing ink and white embossing powder. Depending on the coverage you achieved, you might want a second layer of ink and embossing (I did). The goal is a thick layer of embossing.
Use a permanent ink pad like Ranger or Archival to create lines across the embossed surface. Water reactive inks won't work for this technique because they will bead up on the embossed surface.
Use heat gun to re-melt powder and move the ink around until you love the faux-marbled look.
Now create other accents for your card. I stamped and colored small flowers from the Essentials by Ellen Mondo Hydrangea set but holly leaves & berries like Julie's card would be adorable too.
Add a sentiment. I created mine by stamping on vellum and putting a die cut word in the middle.
Put all the pieces together and ta-da!
Fun right? I hope you are inspired to try this marbled embossing technique!
xo, Carly
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October 26, 2016
Tree Farm card duo by Heather Campbell
Hey there and happy Wednesday! Welcome back to the classroom!
Today, I've got a fun card set using images from the adorable new Tree Farm stamp set. This set is SOOOOOO cute!
First, I stamped all the images using my MISTI. I love this tool. Seriously, best investment ever!
Then, I went to town coloring all of the images in!
Next I cut a curve with some masking paper and then added distress inks to my background.
I loosely positioned all of the images and then stamped the sentiment.
Ta-da! I added the images with foam tape. Love this cute little scene!
Lastly, I added small accents with a white gel pen!
I followed the same process to create another card for the stinkin' cute hedgehog! I simply cut along the black line of the sign to slip the hat on the hedgehog.
Added lots of snow and dots with the gel pen.
Along the bottom of both cards I used some 3mm Little B wash tape. I love the accent this gives!
Finally I decided to trim off the white around the hat - so it would appear more behind the sign.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing part of your day with me! I hope you have a wonderful day!
XOXO, Heather
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October 25, 2016
#TexturalTuesdays - Joy Peace Love Stencil with Lisa
Hey there #TexturalTuesdays friends! It's Lisa AAAAAND it's Tuesday so it's time to fill your heads with something fun. :)
First, I want to make sure that you've all had time to enjoy the Essentials by Ellen Holiday 2016 Release Hop and all the beautiful new designs by Julie Ebersole and Brandi Kincaid. TODAY is the very last day to leave a comment on any of the posts in the HOP to be eligible for prizes, so be sure you do!! This post is not eligible for goodies -- sorry. Oh wait! You get to see what I made! And that's pretty cool.
What I did is I used the Essentials by Ellen Designer Dies, Holiday Words by Julie Ebersole and left them attached together. I die-cut them out of acetate to use as a.....STENCIL!!! Yep. Awesome, huh? And keep those left-over acetate bits and use them on another card! YIPPEE!!
I die-cut the beautiful plaid paper into an oval and positioned my new stencil on top to make sure I could align it properly. I used an older washi tape to secure the patterned paper to my surface and a stronger tape to secure the stencil. (This was so I was certain not to tear my patterned paper with the washi tape.)
Then using any type of texture paste and a craft spatula (or flat end of a credit card, gift card) very gently scrape some of the paste over your new stencil. Just be gentle as you scrape. It's easy for the paste to get under the stencil. Got it? But before it has set up, it's still easy to scrape some of the remnants away.
Gently lift your stencil straight up and off. Before it dries and sets up, generously sprinkle the texture paste with the light colored glitter of your choice. Let the glitter become one with the texture paste HAHHA!! ;)
Cool, huh?
From this point on it's just building the card. I created the card base out of Bazzill Card Shoppe Caramel Apple Cardstock. I then cut a smaller panel out of Bazzill Card Shoppe Wax Lips Cardstock. This piece was run through my Big Shot Plus with the brand new Essentials by Ellen Designer Dies Stitches Cover Plate by Julie Ebersole. I also distressed the edges for a little extra funkiness. Between the oval and the red I added just a little square of vellum to soften the color palette. Some snowflakes, twine, and pearls (colored with Copics) finished this card. I hope you like it!
Here are some different views:
Look at that sparkle!!
This is a really weird angle for a card, but I wanted to show the dimension of the texture paste! It's really fun.
Just think of ALL the amazing stencils you can make from the wonderful Essentials by Ellen Designer Dies!! Has your mind blown yet? You will only be held back by YOUR imagination.
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October 24, 2016
Hello, Monday 10.24.2016
(click on the pics to enbiggan)
OK, true story: Initially, I was intimidated by Chibitronics. Loved the effect, but the idea of building an electrical circuit kinda scared me.
My fears were unfounded. I did make one discovery, however, that helped me avoid having to trouble-shoot my LED later on. I'll mention that further down.
I included a fun message inside so the recipient would have a clue what to do when they opened this card.
TIPS:
- If it's your first time ever, start with a "Simple Circuit" and then try the "Parallel Circuit" the next time around.
- Pre-plan your design--it can help to draw out your circuit plan on scratch paper instead of wingin' it. Ask me how I know... ;)
- Personally speaking, keeping my card front design simple helped me greatly, because it does take a little time to make the circuit and I would have gotten frustrated over having to design a more complex card and then figure out how to build a circuit that would work with it, after the fact.
- Use tweezers to handle/position your LED sticker onto the copper tape; my first try, I didn't realize that the oil from my skin/fingertips was neutralizing the adhesive on the back of the LED and preventing a strong/secure contact with the foil tape. It was driving me crazy until I discovered that was what was causing my LED not to light up consistently.
- The foil tape is a little delicate and can tear if you handle it too roughly; be gentle when laying it down. Burnish it down firmly with a bone folder afterwards.
- They mention you can cut the tape in half lengthwise, to double the amount of foil tape on the roll; I didn't try that this time around, but I definitely will the next time--plus skinnier tape may allow me to do more complex circuits within the space.
- The Chibitronics LEDs come in refill packs, colored or white and so does the copper foil tape! Once you get the hang of it, that's nice because you won't need another instruction manual. :)
LINK: Watch in HD on our YouTube Channel HERE! Thanks for watching, subscribing and giving us a thumbs' up!
If you want to make a very special, interactive card for someone, this is certainly a FUN option for the maker AND the receiver! Once I finished my card, I had to sit on my hands to stop playing with it! ;)
Happy Mundane!
SUPPLIES:
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October 21, 2016
Holiday Party Tassel Trio by Julia Stainton
Ready for another creative project? This week has been a busy one here in the CLASSroom as we feature some fabulous We R Memory Keepers tools, some sweet Avery Elle, kick off a new challenge and of course...an amazing new release! Today I'm combining three of the four for a fun and festive holiday party theme.
This project is in three parts. The fringe garland, the fringe gift tag and the coordinating peace holiday card. You can pick or choose what you make or be inspired to create them all.
First up is the fringe tassel. I've seen these popping up everywhere and especially on Pinterest. They are so fun and festive that I want to throw a party! I chose a few ombre glassine papers from We R Memory Keepers in blue and green shades. This makes it perfect for the holidays but also for using for birthdays. In my house there are a LOT of boys so green and blue is always safe and it really doesn't hurt that they are my favorite colors to decorate with.
As I mentioned above we are featuring We R Memory Keepers tools in the CLASSroom and I was really excited to try out the DIY Party Fringe and Score Board. It is seriously cool!!! You can make things like paper lanterns, fringe, rosettes and more! I'm focusing on the fringe aspect of the tool for this project so let's get started.
First of all, I want a fine fringe so I set it to 1/2" spacing on the cutting tool. Isn't it cool that you have OPTIONS?!
Next up I'm using the 12x12 ombre glassine paper and it's been folded in half with the folded edge at the top of the tool. Along the left side there is a marked area for placement. I'm using 1/2" fringe so the left side of the paper goes there.
The top folded edge of the fringe butts up along the top of the tool. Then before cutting you need to set the stop bar or guide. I set it at the 1/2 inch mark. If you leave the stop off, you'll cut all the way through and it's MUCH easier to keep all those pieces together.
To cut, slide the fringe cutter to the top of the cutter. Press DOWN to punch through the paper and then slide towards you in the channels.
Now raise the top of the tool and this is what you'll get. A sweet fringe. But it's not done yet. Slide the paper over, lining up the last cut section with the 1/2" marking and repeat the steps until the entire sheet is fringed.
I know this sounds like a LOT of instructions but it is seriously SO quick! Boom, boom, boom, done!
And here's what they'll look like! Some lovely fringed paper.
Note: I've used glassine paper here. This works best with lighter papers. Try mylar, glassine, tissue paper or very light patterned paper for different looks!
Next open up the 12x12 paper and start to roll up in the middle.
Once rolled fold in half to form your tassle.
Aren't these fun?!
And finally, place the folded section of the tassel over the twine or ribbon for the garland. Then wrap tassel top with twine.
I also thought it would be fun to have a tassel with a tag on a gift bag. I love die cuts and the new Avery Elle Ornamental Set is amazing! The detail is so beautiful!
To color the ornaments after die-cutting them I sponged them with Avery Elle Ink in Seaglass and Lemongrass Pigment Inks. If you start at the edges and sponge the color lightly inwards you'll get a pretty rounded effect in the shading for the ornaments. Inking white die-cuts is a great way to make any color you wish and is often a softer look than die-cutting from colored card stock.
I created a tag from the bracket edge die in MFT Stamps Blueprints 13 Die-namics and then arranged the ornaments over the white card stock tag. To add a pop of color the sentiment is die-cut from Wax Lips Card Stock using the brand new and stunning Holiday Words Die Set by Julie Ebersole in the Essentials by Ellen line.
Punch a hole in the top of the tag with a Crop-a-dile and tie tag and fringe tassel together with twine.
I think this is going to be a fun gift wrap this Christmas!
And for the last project, the Peace card...I've used many of the same products to tie it all together. To create the main panel layers I die-cut a large stitched rectangle from the Blueprints 13 Die-namics set again. But I didn't stop there. To add some diagonal interest, I used the same die AGAIN and laid it on an angle over the die-cut rectangle.
Once it's cut you'll get two pieces that fit together.
I pulled out the same inks and sponged on my color to create a perfectly matched background.
And then the ornaments make another appearance...this time left perfectly white as they are so lovely that way as well. Some words from the Ornamental set add to the Peace sentiment.
For a few embellishments I hooked a sweet little white tassel from Maya Road (see that tassel theme again?) and then some red sequins from Taylored Expressions finish it off.
I hope you'll be inspired to get creative and try out some of these techniques. And remember, you can use them for a festive holiday this year but also throughout the year for other celebrations as well!
Happy creating and have a fabulous weekend!
Julia
Supplies:
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October 20, 2016
Essentials by Ellen October Pin-Sights Challenge
Hola!! Laurel Beard here today bringing to you our next Pin-Sights Challenge! Before I get on with today's inspirational photo and challenge, please join me in congratulating Kate of Pinned & Penned. She was randomly selected to receive the $50 gift certificate to the Ellen Hutson Store from our latest Mix It Up Challenge! Congratulations! Please email me at laurelbeard at me dot com to claim your prize!
The Pin-Sights Challenge is an inspirational based challenge held on the 3rd Thursday of each month. The challenge is based on a Pinterest inspired piece I have chosen specifically for this challenge to spark your imagination and creativity! A jump start if you will...
Whatever speaks to you in this photo is what we want you to be inspired by. The colors. The pictures. The patterns. Whatever floats your boat!! We have THREE amazing designers here with us today that created projects based on this inspirational photo! If you click on each of the designer's names, you will be taken directly to their blog where they will have more information and details regarding their designs. All of the supplies the designers used will be listed at the end of this post along with the Challenge Link up so you can play along! YES!! WE WANT YOU TO PLAY ALONG AND INSPIRE US!!!! But first, let's check out what these amazing designers have created for us today:
How amazing are these projects? PIN AWAY! They are definitely pin worthy! Thank you ladies so much for joining us today!
NOW IT'S TIME WHERE WE INVITE YOU TO PLAY ALONG IN OUR CHALLENGE! ALL CHALLENGE ENTRIES WILL BE PINNED TO OUR ELLEN HUTSON PINTEREST PAGE! WE ALSO HAVE A FLICKR PAGE SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO JOIN OUR GROUP AND ADD YOUR ENTRIES THERE AS WELL.
- To participate, simply use any Essentials by Ellen product and create a project based on the above inspirational photo. You are not limited to just creating handmade cards. You can create altered art, mixed media, art journaling pages, home decor, scrapbooking layouts, etc... Whatever your heart desires is what we want to see!
- We will select one participant randomly to receive a $50 gift certificate to the Ellen Hutson store!
- You have until November 1st to link up your projects below. The randomly selected participated to receive the $50 gift certificate will be announced on November 3rd.
- To enter, please add your projects to the Inlinkz link up at the end of this post.
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October 19, 2016
Halloween Treats by Kittie Caracciolo
Good Wednesday morning and welcome to the CLASSroom. Halloween is just around the corner and is a time for fun treats and party favors. I have two products to share with you today that help make fast and easy bags and containers. First is the Avery Elle-ments Treat Tag and Box.
Cut two box sections.
Fold and score along the score lines.
Apply double stick tape to the bottom of one box section and adhere to the second box section.
Apply double stick tape to the right side of the four corner tabs and secure them in place to the
The box is three inches square and the perfect size for candy and cupcake Halloween Treats.
I filled mine with candy and decorated the tags with with assorted Impression Obsession Halloween dies.
My second set of projects were made using the We R Memory Keepers Goodie Bag Guide. The gingham paper pattern for the bags was printed on printer paper. You could use printed designer paper, glassine or vellum.
The guide is made up of four sections that allows you to make various size bags. You can make the length of your bags as long or short as you would like.
I used section A and D for my six inch wide paper. My finished pencil bag is 5.50” long and my finished pen bag is 3.00”.
Lay the guide over the paper and lining the edges up on both sides at the six inch mark. Press firmly on the guide to hold it in place and begin tearing the paper slowly and gently and work your way to the center.
Go over to the opposite side and repeat the tearing process until you work your way to the center.
Move the guide straight down the paper to the length you would like your bag to be, keeping it in the same position and repeat the tearing steps working from the bottom of the paper.
There is a special notch on both sides of the guide that signify the scoring line for folding the bag. See the arrows on the photo. Line the guide up on both ends of the paper and fold and crease it against the guide. Repeat on both sides of the bag.
Line the guide up on the bottom of the bag and allow a small portion on both sides of the paper to be included in the fold.
Apply double stick tape to one side of the bag and attach to close the sides together.
Apply double stick tape to the bottom and fold up to close the bottom. Note: I folded up a little more on the bag in the photo than I had originally planned to make it fit my pens.
Have fun decorating your bags.
You can check out the Oh Goodie Bag Guide video tutorial on You Tube for a closer look. Thanks for coming by and I hope these projects have inspired you to make your own Halloween treats.
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October 18, 2016
ESSENTIALS BY ELLEN HOLIDAY 2016 RELEASE HOP
Welcome to the Essentials by Ellen Holiday 2016 Release Blog Hop!
This latest batch of stamps and dies are exclusive to Ellen Hutson LLC and are available right now in the shop!
Take a peek while we share the release in greater detail:
LINK: To view in HD on our YouTube Channel click HERE! Thanks for watching, subscribing, and giving us a thumbs' up!
We strive to produce stamps and dies that are designed to compliment and cross-coordinate with each other, as well as with products from previous releases for maximum versatility! As with all our exclusive stamps and dies, they will come in our signature packaging. You can see the whole release in greater detail over in the shop!
To inspire you with all these latest stamps and dies, we have invited some fantastically talented industry friends and designers to join us for a hop chock full of eye candy! Time to grab a steamy hot cuppa and get cozy! *wink*
And, guess what?! There are prizes to be had, people!
Yup! *head bobbing up and down vigorously*
- For a chance to win the whole kit & caboodle, just leave a comment on this post by Tuesday, October 25th.
- And, each participating designer in our hop is also giving away the choice of any Essentials by Ellen stamp set in stock (maximum value $25 USD), so leave them some comment love by Tuesday, October 25th.
- All winners will be drawn and announced here in the CLASSroom on Friday, November 4th.
Comfy? Cozy? Hot cuppa in hand? You are ready!
Just take a look at these beauties:
UBER TALENTED HOP ROSTER:
- The CLASSroom
- Lisa Adametz
- Sandy Allnock
- Joni Nina Andaya
- Laurel Beard
- Heather Campbell
- Julie Campbell
- Kittie Caracciolo
- Kimberly Crawford
- Julie Ebersole
- Sharon Harnist
- Brandi Kincaid
- Stephanie Klauck
- Amy Kolling
- Emily Leiphart
- Karolyn Loncon
- Jennifer McGuire
- Heather Meeson
- Carly Minner
- May Park
- Carolyn Peeler
- Nichol Spohr
- Julia Stainton
- Keeway Tsao
- Carissa Wiley
- The CLASSroom
ENJOY!!! And, don't forget to leave some comment love at each stop along the way to enter all the giveaways!
--The Crew at Ellen Hutson, LLC
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I Wish for a Christmas Party!
Hi there! Carolyn Peeler here with you to share a little holiday vignette created using one of the fabulous new Essentials by Ellen stamps and matching Dies for the greeting card, and the We R Memory Keepers Triangle Score Guide for the kraft paper garland in the background.
I'll be completely honest with you, I was excited to make the garland. But when I first started reading through the little guide that comes packaged with the Triangle Score Guide, I felt a bit intimidated. Measurements and are not my strong suit. There is a reason I am an 'eyeball' crafter as opposed to a measurement crafter - I know my strengths, lol! But I was worried for nothing. Seriously, it was SO much easier than it looked at first blush. I made a little video to walk you through - seeing is believing!
There is no end to the possibilities with this handy guide. There are 5 different shapes you can make with it - I've only showed you one of the possibilities!
As for the card, it was a simple process too. First, stamp the wreath using Ranger Archival ink in Jet Black, allow to dry. Color using Copic markers in the following colors Y21, Y23, RV10, RV11, V01, BG000, BG002, G00, G02. For each shade, start with the lighter color, then shade the outer edge (in a crescent moon shape) with the darker color. For the violet, I don't own a marker in a slightly darker shade, therefore, I simply layered using the same (V01) ink several times in order to darken the color. Once I finished coloring, add a coat of Clear Wink of Stella shimmer ink to each ball - so pretty!! Finally, use the matching die to cut out the wreath.
Cut a piece of white cardstock 8" wide x 5 5/8" high. Fold in half to form your card base.
Next we're going to work on the bottom of the card. Cut a 2.5" high x 4" wide piece of pink striped paper from the My Favorite Things Thick and Thin 6x6 pad. Then, cut a 1 7/16" high x 4" wide piece of white cardstock. Using Versamark ink, stamp the 'wish' onto the white cardstock then heat emboss with Ranger Gold embossing powder. Glue the white strip onto the pink striped paper, then using a sewing machine, sew a zig zag stitch along the bottom of the white cardstock and a straight stitch on the top of it. Cut a narrow strip of Jen Hadfield Gold Foil paper, and glue behind the pink striped paper so that a narrow strip of the gold shows above the top of it. Glue this bottom section of the card to the card base.
We're going to move onto the top of the card now. Use a Ranger 1" Round ink Blending tool and Picked Raspberry Distress ink to add the soft pink shadow behind the area where you will put the wreath. Once the shadow is added, then attach the wreath using 3D Foam Squares so that it is set off from the background.
Your final step is to round the right top and bottom corners of your card, and you're done!
Thanks for joining me today. I hope you enjoyed the projects.
Here are the links to the products used in today's post:
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October 17, 2016
Hello, Monday will be back next week!
Hello, everybody!
We're busy scurrying around behind the scenes in anticipation of the Essentials by Ellen Holiday 2016 release, which debuts tomorrow! We've got an amazing hop planned, just bursting with crazy beautiful samples created by some of our super-talented industry friends! Please tune in for tons of inspiration, prizes and a preview video!
Hello, Monday will resume its normal schedule next week!
"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...!" -- (sing-song voice) *mischievous grin*
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October 15, 2016
Aloha Shadowbox Technique by Nancy Damiano
One of the fun aspects of sharing with you here in the CLASSroom is finding new designers and showcasing their ideas here with all of you. This month we our Mix-It-Up Challenge showcases Pinkfresh and our Essentials by Ellen line. We wanted to encourage you to try the Pinkfresh products because they pair beautifully with our private label line! Today we are thrilled to introduce Nancy Damiano, one of Pinkfresh's designers!
Nancy has been paper crafting for 10+ years and is as in love with it today as much as the fateful day she stumbled upon the scrapbook and card aisle at Michael's. While she is a seasoned scrapbooker, card making has been taking up more and more of her crafty time. She is learning all the techniques that go into these small works of art and has a passion for the color aqua, Disney World, and anything paper + craft.
You are likely to see her talent shared all over the internet, but I encourage you to visit her blog Nancy Damiano - Creating at the Paper Orchard! We would appreciate if you would share some comment love with Nancy for joining us here today! Look for the post that shows a sneak peek of the project below along with a special giveaway we have for you there. Please leave Nancy a comment before October 19th for a chance to win a $50 coupon to use in our store!
Thank you Nancy for sharing your passion for paper crafting with us here today! I can totally see how not only could our customer create a gorgeous page but also use this same technique on a card front! Your work is stunning and we appreciate that you have joined us and shared it here! -Ellen
Combining my scrapbooking and stamping obsessions is a challenge and one of my favorite ways to create! Today I’m combining the beautiful colors and patterns in the Pinkfresh Studio Indigo Hills collection and the perfection that is Julie Ebersole’s Stay Golden stamp set. This design features one of my favorite shadowbox techniques.
To create the shadow box, begin by cutting out a large title with an electronic die cutting machine. You could also draw the large letters by hand and cut out with an X-Acto knife.
Next, place a sheet of white cardstock underneath the cut out and lightly trace the title. This will service as a place guide so that all of the cutouts can be filled without gaps peeking through.
Using the pencil marks, fill in the letters with a repeating stamp like the small pineapples above, a favorite photo, some patterned paper and a stamped sentiment.
Use foam adhesive on the back of the cut out patterned paper to give your shadow box a little lift. Carefully adhere to the background sheet making sure all of the “windows” are filled.
To create a custom embellishment, use the pineapple stamp and a MISTI tool. Stamp the first time with a light yellow pigment ink. Then re-ink jus the top half of the pineapple image with a deeper shade of yellow ink and stamp again. This creates a pretty shadow effect.
Complete stamping the stem and grid over the pineapple shape. Then either use the coordinating die or fussy cut the shape.
Use a yellow misting ink to add droplets of yellow paint to the layout background. Add a swish of yellow paint to the right side of the background to break up some of the gray pattern.
Combining scrapbooking and stamping is a paper lover’s dream! All of the colors used were based on the Indigo Hills collection. Sometimes picking the right colors is the hardest part. Using a palette that has already been worked out saves on time and coordinates the look. Whether you’re a scrapbooker, cardmaker or DIYer, the shadowbox technique can be altered to your favorite techniques!
Happy crafting!
-Nancy
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October 14, 2016
Foxy Fall Hello by Sharon Harnist
Happy Friday, Friends! Today I'm in a cooler Fall mood, so my papercrafting reaped the benefits! Here's the card I have for you today:
Aren't these Mama Elephant New Family forest animals the cutest?!! This stamp set is geared towards a new baby or baby shower, but here's how I turned it into a Fall themed card . . .
First, I stamped two of the foxes onto Prima Marketing's 140 Lb. Watercolor Paper Pad -- I love that you can just open this paper pad and start working on the 6x6 sheet(s). The pad has a glue binding on both the top and bottom of the pad, which is meant to help keep the watercolor paper from warping while you work with a wet medium ... genius! After stamping, I used my wide (4mm) Molotow Masking Pen to cover the images, so I could put my watercolor background wherever I wanted, leaving the animals to be colored as I wished later. The blue masking fluid goes on very smoothly!
While the masking fluid was drying, I used the stamp that is meant to be a floral frame or divider (you can see it at the top of the photo below) to make Fall colored leaves that would be on a tree above the animals' heads. I used these Distress Inks: Fired Brick, Ripe Persimmon, Wild Honey, and Peeled Paint:
Then I used a water brush to blend the stamped ink.
TIP: Blend only one color at a time (moving to each spot you have stamped that same color), being sure to clean your brush between colors so you don't end up with mud!
Once the masking fluid was dry (it doesn't take very long) I repeated the leaf stamping process, using only the tips of the floral stamps to add some fallen leaves beneath and around the foxes. I also stamped a baby fox nose-to-nose to its Mama! The masking fluid allows the baby to appear as if it is wrapped up in Mama's tail!
After blending the leaves on the ground, I used Thermoweb's Adhesive Pick-up square to gently rub off the masking fluid (below) -- the pick-up square makes removal a breeze! Then I began watercoloring the foxes with Rusty Hinge and Brushed Corduroy Distress Inks:
Next, I stamped the bunnies onto watercolor paper and colored them with Hickory Smoke Distress Ink and used Spun Sugar Distress Marker on their ears. Their coordinating New Family dies were used to die cut them, then they were popped up on foam tape. The 6-inch watercolor panel was trimmed down to A2 card size of 5.50" x 4.25".
For the greeting, I used the "hello brand new baby" sentiment, easily masking off the "brand new baby" part beneath the "hello". It was stamped with crisp and bold Jet Black Archival ink:
I like using a strong high-tack double-sided tape like X-Press It's to secure heavier papers such as watercolor paper to a card base. Then a scattering of 6mm and 4mm Pretty Pink Posh clear sequins finish the card:
Is Fall in full color in your part of the country yet? It's just beginning here in south Texas!
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October 13, 2016
#throwbackthursdays - Molotow Masked Script by Carly Tee Minner
Hi Friends! It's Carly and I'm here for another #throwbackthursdays, where we find inspiration in The CLASSroom archives!
This week we are playing with Molotow Masking pens in The CLASSroom. I learned pretty much everything I needed to know about getting started with the Molotow pen from Miss Julie. Check out her awesome CLASSroom article from last fall:
I love the amazing handwritten script projects I've been seeing all over but my script skills need a little work so I decided to fake it a little with the help of a Molotow masking pen and a die cut.
To create this card, start by stamping flowers on a 4-1/4 x 5-1/2 piece of smooth watercolor paper like Bristol. I used Mama Elephant's Organic Blooms stamp set.
Die cut a scripty word from heavyweight cardstock to use as a negative "mask" with the Molotow pen. I used "amazing" from the Essentials by Ellen Positive Word die set and attached it to my stamped panel with a little painter's tape.
Before using the Molotow pen, make sure to shake it up. And shake it up a lot. The fluid should be blue with no white (it separates a bit between uses). And have a piece of scratch paper handy to gently depress the tip on and bring more fluid to the end. I find that the pen can scratch the paper or leave residue if enough masking fluid is not being applied.
After tracing the word with masking fluid, mask part of the stamped image with Molotow and a few splatters too.
Let the masking fluid dry for just a minute and then ink blend, stamp or watercolor over it. I used Spun Sugar Distress ink and an ink blending tool to apply color.
Let ink/paint dry before removing the masking. I don't recommend heat setting Molotow as it can make it harder to remove or cause it to leave blue residue. And I use a white eraser to remove the masking but clean fingers or a cloth work great too.
Color the stamped image. I used Clean Color Real Brush Markers, blending with a waterbrush.
And finish with a few sequins and a stamped sentiment.
Have a great Thursday!
xo, Carly
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October 12, 2016
Hello Brand New Baby by Heather Campbell
Hello hello and happy Wednesday! I'm so excited to be back in the classroom sharing a card made with one of my favorite stamp companies (Mama Elephant!!!) and playing with a new to me product - the Molotow masking pen!
First, I used the adorable new set by Mama Elephant - New Family. Aren't these images just the cutest!!!
First, I stamped the adorable laurel branches.
Then, using my MISTI, I stamped a sentiment.
Then, to mask the laurels, I used a product I've never tried before and I must say I love - the Molotow masking pen!!! It's basically a pen that allows for detailed application of masking fluid - apply, let it dry and then use the mask. Once done, the mask will simply rub off! Here I added the Molotow masking pen to the leaves. I set it aside to dry.
To allow the masking to dry, I stamped all the images.
Then I die cut them out.
I colored them in with Copics.
I love this masking pen because cutting the little leaves out would have been impossible!!! I used post its to mask the outside of the laurels easily.
Then, I sponged ink over to create a scene.
Ta-da! I love how great that Molotow masking pen works!
Then, I colored the leaves in.
Finally I added a simple die cut border.
And secured everything with foam tape.
Lastly, I added some simple gel pen dots!
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October 11, 2016
#TexturalTuesdays - Featuring Mama Elephant & Molotow
Hi there my little #TexturalTuesdays family. :) It's Lisa back with ya today and we have some fun stuff on The CLASSroom blog today. This week the team is featuring Mama Elephant and Molotow here in The Classroom and I'm doing the very same thing in my own little 'ol way.
The Molotow Masking Pens were a new animal to me. While I've used all sorts of sticky notes, pieces of paper, specialized making paper...I've never used masking FLUID. So this was very new. And took awhile for me to get used to. Not gonna lie.
I stamped my words "Oh Happy Day" from the Mama Elephant set Oh Happy Birds onto watercolor paper (smooth side) using Versafine Onyx Black. Since this Ink can take a bit to dry I like to give it a quick zap with my heat tool.
Then I went ahead and used the Masking Pen to outline the sentiment and made sure it was all filled in. After I was sure the masking fluid was dry I started to water color.
I love to use the Kuretake Gansai Tambi water colors. The vibrancy of the colors and how many different looks you can achieve with these colors make these one of my go-to sets to use. Loading up my brush with color, applying it to the paper, then adding water and watching it flow is just mesmerizing to me. There are so many ways to use these pans of paint: from backgrounds (my favorite) to actual coloring, abstracts (splatter effects), you are limited only by your imagination.
After I was done with the background, it was time to remove the masking fluid! I used a white eraser. Not all of it came off cleanly. I also used a cloth to rub some of it off. And it took some elbow grease. In some areas I could see where color had still seeped through. In those areas I watered down a bit of Gesso and painted over it. Easy fix.
(See how messy it looks?! Yikes!! Untouched, for your appreciation.)
I then decided I really, really didn't like the way the sentiment looked. This is what WE artist's do, right? ;) So, I broke out my Essentials by Ellen Clear Stamps Bokeh Dots by Julie Ebersole and stamped the largest "fussy circles" around the sentiment in Versafine Onyx Black. Then I heat set that using Wow! Clear Gloss Super Fine Embossing Powder. Of course, now my circles were beautiful and shiny and my sentiment wasn't. So, I used the MISTI to fix that. I would have screamed if I screwed up!! Everything that could have gone wrong did already. (2 broken trimmers, yes TWO! My photography lights? Burned out. Water spilled. Paper doing weird things. You name it? It happened on this card. Seriously. It's hexed.) I was so happy the sentiment lined up perfectly for me to stamp and emboss I just HAD to celebrate with chocolate!!
(Look how pretty it looks NOW!!)
Then I used the cutie little half floral banners from the same Mama Elephant set, colored them in, and die cut them out. Another ordeal, but you don't have all day to read about all my hiccups, do ya? I put some of the small little 3D Foam adhesive to pop 'em up. So cute!
Cut some of the wonderful Essentials by Ellen 40 lb Vellum and place behind the water-colored piece. I used more of the 3D Foam Adhesives for dimension. Attach a strip of Lawn Fawn Let's Polka In the Meadow (Black White Stripe) and silver glitter tape to the side before adhering to the base card of Bazzill Gummy Bear.
And, as usual, here's some slightly different views!
One more...just for kicks.
Thank you for joining me today! I hope you like how the card turned out. And also like learning through my mistakes. LOL!! Enjoy your week ahead. ♥
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October 10, 2016
Hello, Monday 10.10.2016
(click on the pics to enbiggan)
I'm so used to coloring images in that I have to remind myself how striking a design can be when you do the exact opposite--with the help of the Molotow Masking Pen, it is a lot easier than you think! Here, I've mortise (reverse) masked my leaves and then watercolored... Love LOVE this effect!
I couldn't have gotten this result by using a paper type mask, due to the watercolor/water involved. Loving this method and the results!
LINK: Watch in HD on our YouTube Channel HERE and thanks for giving it a thumbs up!
Happy Mundane! ;)
SUPPLIES:
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October 07, 2016
Craft-a-Board Note Pads by Julia Stainton
It's Craft-a-Board feature week here in the CLASSroom and I couldn't be more delighted. I've been a huge fan of Craft-a-Board for years and there are just so many wonderful things you can do with it. If you're just joining us, Craft-a-Board is an off-white chipboard type paper product that is fabulous. It die-cuts beautifully and it's a lovely light color unlike traditional blah dirt-grey chipboard. Soooo much fresher looking!
Craft-a-Board is a wonderful heavy weight that makes it perfect for projects where you need more stability. That's why today I wanted to show you an easy project that really highlights this strength. With the holidays around the corner, I've been thinking about gifts a lot lately. It's NEVER too early to start and I decided some hand made notepads would be great to give this year. That and the fact that I NEED a lot more organization in my life.
I put these sweet notepads together with Craft-a-Board and lots of fab goodies that I had on hand. By using patterned paper and mixing and matching it, I love the fun and unique looks. I chose to use the Pink Paislee C'est la Vie 6x6 paper pad as I adore the prints. You can use whatever you want to. It's even a great way to use up scraps of paper that you have on hand.
First of all to start, I cut the Craft-a-Board into 4"x6" pieces using the Tonic Guillotine Paper Trimmer. I love this paper trimmer and the guillotine tool makes cutting through Craft-a-Board cleanly, a breeze. I suggest making a bunch of these at once as it streamlines the process.
I also cut my patterned paper and white card stock (for the pages) the same size. Lots of card stock or other note paper and two sheets of patterned paper for every cover as I like to adhere it to both sides of the Craft-a-Board for a finished look. So for every note pad...
- two Craft-a-Board covers
- four sheets of patterned paper
- lots of inside pages
The Tim Holtz Ruler is fab for marking out even segments. You can line up the interval lines along the edge of the note pad and mark off the center and then the other holes as well. I used my Crop-a-dile Punch to punch out the holes to bind the notepad. It will punch through almost everything making it a very valuable tool staple to have on hand.
Once the holes are all punched the Tim Holtz Mini Book Rings hold it all together.
And I like to finish the note pads off with a sweet gold clip. It's great for clipping on receipts or other little notes that you don't want to lose track of.
I love how clean and fresh these notepads look on their own without lots of embellishing and have left these ones as is.
I did however, want to show you that you can also step things up a little and really add lots of fun goodies on the notepads if desired. This would be more of a notepad I keep at home or write special thoughts or quotes in. It's too pretty to trust to the inside of my large purse that I drag around everywhere.
One of the things you can do to step it up is to add dividers, or special vellum or acetate pages in your notepad. I adore this gold foiled vellum from Pinkfresh Studio and how it really glams it up!
And to glam up the front I added a die-cut banner piece and layered it with so many gorgeous buttons from Lilac Lane and paper flowers from Maya Road. I like to adhere the really big embellishments with hot glue to keep them in place.
Thanks so much for stopping by the CLASSroom today! I hope you're inspired to get creative with Craft-a-Board and don't forget it makes amazing 3D projects as well.
Until next time!
Julia
Supplies:
Save
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October 06, 2016
Ellen Hutson October Mix It Up Challenge: Pink Fresh Studio
Hello! Hello! Happy Thursday to you all!!!!! Laurel Beard here today bringing you our October MIX IT UP CHALLENGE! We are mixing it up with Pink Fresh Studio!!!!! Wait until you see what she created for us......
Before I get on to the challenge and the amazing project inspiration, let's first congratulate the randomly selected participant from our last Pin-Sights Challenge. Remember, YOU could win a $50 gift certificate to the Ellen Hutson store just by playing along. Our randomly selected participant (courtesy of random.org) is: Erin. Congratulations! Please email me at laurelbeard at me dot com to claim your prize!
The Mix It Up Challenge is a challenge where we invite one manufacturer to contribute a design that combines both Essentials by Ellen stamps/dies with their product to inspire you all!
I am excited to share the work of Rebecca from the Pinkfresh Studio design team. All the supplies used in the projects today are linked towards the end of this post. Now get ready, because this takes gift wrapping to an entirely new level.
Seriously! I was blown away when I saw these photos! I was speechless. Still am! Be sure to head on over to the Pinkfresh Studio blog for many more photos (close ups) and more details on how Rebecca made these works of art!
Now it's time where we invite YOU to play along in our challenge! ALL CHALLENGE ENTRIES WILL BE PINNED TO OUR ELLEN HUTSON PINTEREST PAGE! And don't forget to add your entries to our Ellen Hutson Flickr page too!
- To qualify, simply combine any Essentials by Ellen product and Pinkfresh Studio product! You can create anything your heart desires! A card, mixed media art, art journaling, framed art, home decor.... It's totally up to you what you want to make!
- We will randomly select one challenge participant to receive a $50 gift certificate to the Ellen Hutson store!!!!
- You have until October 18th to link up your projects! You will find the link up at the end of this post. The winner will be announced on October 20th!
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October 05, 2016
Craft-a-Board Peace, Pine and Pinecones by Kittie Caracciolo
Good Wednesday morning and welcome to the CLASSroom. We’re playing with Craft-a-Board this week and I had fun using Julie’s Poinsettia and Pine set to to create an evergreen arrangement to embellish the Peace sentiment on my project.
I have only used Craft-a-Board a couple of times in the past so I performed a search on the CLASSroom homepage and found Julie’s In Touch post showing several fun and different ways to use the product.
To begin cut pine and pinecone pieces. I had no trouble at all getting a clean cut with the wafer thin dies.
Apply a dark layer of Peeled Paint ink to the outer pine branches with a mini applicator. Just apply a light amount of green to the center of the branch.
Apply a light layer of Vintage Photo ink down the center of the branch.
Apply more green over the brown to blend the colors to create a natural looking branch.
Apply Vintage Photo ink to the pinecone with a mini applicator.
Apply Gathered Twigs ink to the outer edges of the pinecone.
Apply versa to the branches and pinecones and emboss with clear embossing powder.
Cut the sentiment out using Craft-a –Board and again using Bazzill Red Hots cardstock. Attach the two layers together with a Cosmic Glitter Glue. Apply versa to the sentiment and emboss with clear embossing powder.
Julie’s Tip: To create a double-thick embellishment from a more intricate die cut shape, try leaving one shape inside the negative and apply glue over the top; this will prevent glue from getting everywhere. Simply mount the second shape directly over top, then use a stylus or tweezers to eject/release the shape from the negative.
Apply the scalloped layer to the card base using thin strips of mounting tape.
Arrange the pine branches and attach to the card base using glossy accents. Hint: Hold the pieces in place for a bit to reinforce until the glue to begins to set against the slippery embossed pieces.
Apply Cosmic Glitter Glue to the back of the sentiment and attach to the card base.
I was not originally going to add the red branches to the arrangement but felt the design looked too bare. I cut Red Hots foliage pieces from the set to match the sentiment, embossed them with clear embossing powder and attached them around the pine pieces with glossy accents.
I love the foliage and pine dies in the this set and how pretty they looked arranged together against the all white card base.
I hope you are enjoying the focus on Craft-a-Board this week. Thanks for coming by and I’ll see you next time.
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October 04, 2016
Craft-A-Board thank you cards
Hello! Carolyn Peeler with you today. As we are less than a week away from Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada, giving thanks is foremost on my mind. So, what better week to share this trio of thank you cards which were all made using the same techniques and steps. Today's project is the perfect assembly line project that can help you whip out a bunch of cards in a short time span.
First, gather your supplies:
- The beautiful "On Trend 2" 6x6 paper pad by My Mind's Eye
- Lawn Fawn "Scripty Thanks" craft die
- Craft-a-board by Ellen Hutson
- "Warm Fuzzies" stamp set by Ellen Hutson
- Ranger archival ink in "Jet Black"
- Distress inks in the following colors:
Cracked Pistachio large|small
Picked Raspberry large|small
Spiced Marmalade large|small - Ranger flat paint brush
- Nennah Natural White cardstock
- Ranger watercolor paper
- Ranger craft sheet
- Water spray bottle
- Choose three of the patterned papers from the pad to be the background of your cards. Cut them so that they are each 5 inches wide x 4.5 inches high.
- Cut your watercolor paper into three pieces that are 4 inches wide x 2.25 inches high.
- Mist a light coat of water onto the watercolor paper, and using the distress inks as your watercolor paint, paint an ombre background onto each watercolor rectangle.
Here is the spiced marmalade ombre:
And here is the Picked Raspberry ombre:
And here are all three together. You will glue them directly onto the patterned paper card rectangle you cut in step #1.
Next you're going to take the Craft-a-Board and cut the "Thanks" title with it. If you've never used it before, Craft-a-board is a product to get excited about! It is thicker than cardstock, but thinner than chipboard. This means that it will cut with most thin dies. A metal shim will help it cut all the way through. Glue the "thanks" to the upper center of each ombre watercolor rectangle. Then, using "Jet Black" archival ink by Ranger, stamp the "you're so sweet" stamp from the "Warm Fuzzies" stamp set directly below the thanks.
We're almost done! You'll want to cut 3 pieces of cardstock 5.5" high x 8.5" wide. Fold in half. This is your card. Now, glue the patterned paper with the greeting onto the front of the card. The last step is to use a corner rounder to round the bottom corners of your card.
This is a fast project that is PERFECT for assembly line crafting and getting a bunch of cards knocked out at once! Please let me know if you have any questions as I'd be happy to help. And here are the direct links to the products in the Ellen Hutson shop.
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October 03, 2016
Hello, Monday 10.03.2016
(click on the pics to enbiggan)
It's cooling down 'round here in the PNW; the air is feeling crisp and the leaves are turning... and falling...
This Savvy Stamps Leaf Tree die is one of my all-time favorites--perfect for the card idea I had in mind for DIYing my own watercolor chipboard embellishment, using Craft-a-Board! You may or may not need it, but with the calibration on my die cutting machine, I found a metal shim to be helpful for cutting all the way through the Craft-a-Board.
Normally, to make faux chipboard, you have to layer about 5 piece of card stock but when you swap in Craft-a-Board, you really only need one or two, beneath your main layer--which in this case, happens to be watercolor paper because I recently got some new watercolor pencils and wanted to try them out.
In the video, I show two ways to use them; I used the 2nd method on this project.
After it was all dry, I gilded the leaves just a tad with some scrap leftover Deco Foil I had--I love spot-foiling--always looks so chic!
LINK: View in HD on our YouTube Channel HERE and give us a thumbs up! Thanks for watching and subscribing!
Happy Mundane!
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