the CLASSroom

Sweet treat container

Hi everyone! Carolyn Peeler here. Today I have an adorable, easy project to share with you.This one is perfect for any time you realize that you need a sweet way to present a small gift. It would also be great for table favours....hmmm, Thanksgiving is coming ;)

OK, so first, gather up your supplies. I used the Melissa Frances Scalloped Rectangle Treat box. These little boxes are made of chipboard and come unassembled.

 

Gather your pieces, some acrylic paint in whatever color you would like to paint your box, and a paintbrush, or foam brush. Next paint the chipboard pieces. My advice is to apply several thin coasts of paint instead of one thick one. It will dry more quickly if you do that. I applies 4 coats of paint to get the coverage I wanted as I wanted it to look semi-opaque.

After the paint dried, using a sandpaper block, sand the edges of the chipboard pieces to get an instant aged effect.

After sanding, distress the edges of the chipboard with Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink.

Now it's time to assemble the treat box. You will want to use a strong paper glue. Assemble, and allow to dry.

While the box is drying, now is the time to get our flower ready. After cutting white felt with the My Favorite Things Large Rolled Rose die, lay on Ranger Craft Sheet and color with Spun Sugar Distress Stain. I dotted the Distress stain onto the felt and then sprayed with a bit of water so that the color/stain would spread and cover the whole flower. Now you need to have patience and wait for the color to dry onto the felt.

While it dries, cut a little strip (approximately 1/2 an inch wide) of black and white striped paper from the "Homemade" 6x6 paper pad. Notch one end of your paper strip into a little banner and glue it to the front of the little box so that the notch hangs over the right side of it.

Next, apply glue to the bottom edge of the chipboard 'box' and then glue the 'box' onto the piece that will be the base of your treat box. Set aside and allow glue to dry/set.

Using scotch tape, tape the white handle to the interior of the box. (I trimmed the handle as I found that the length provided was much longer than I wanted.)

Once it is dry, roll the flower die cut into the rose shape. Use a hot glue gun to hold the flower together and to glue it to the front of the treat box. 

For a finishing touch, add shredded paper to the interior of the box, then nest treats inside!

Thanks for joining me today. I hope you enjoyed this sweet little project - and, GOOD NEWS! The little treat boxes are currently on sale in the Ellen Hutson store, so now is the time to stock up (and maybe get a head start on creating some table favors for Thanksgiving or Christmas!). By clicking on the links below you will be taken directly to the products on www.ellenhutson.com

Melissa Frances Treat Cup, Scalloped Square Shape

Melissa Frances Treat Cup, Scalloped Rectangle Shape

Melissa Frances Treat Cup, Scalloped Oval Shape

My Favorite Things Die-namics, Large Rolled Rose

Ranger Distress Stain, Spun Sugar

Ranger Non-Stick Craft Sheet

Pebbles Homemade - Cottage Living by Jen Hadfield, 6x6 Paper Pad

Distress Watercolor Layout with Carolyn Peeler

Hi there, Carolyn Peeler here with a fun layout project for you to enjoy. Don't scrapbook? I'd love to 'covert' you, however, not to worry, if scrapbooking isn't your thing, today's techniques/tips are easily adaptable for card, pocket page, planner or mixed media projects.



And here's the video tutorial. Enjoy, and please let me know if you have any questions!

 Special thank you to my friend Rachel McAffee, whose stunning photo of her daughter Averi is the focal page on this layout. 

My Favorite Things Clear Stamps, Blissful Butterflies by Lisa Johnson Designs

Hero Arts Clear Stamps, Kelly's Take Note

My Favorite Things Die-namics, Blissful Butterflies by Lisa Johnson Designs

American Crafts Shimelle, Nesting Dies

Ranger Non-Stick Craft Sheet

Crate Paper, The Pier 6x6 Paper Pad

Crate Paper Journey, 6x6 Paper Pad

Crate Paper Open Book by Maggie Holmes, 6x6 Paper Pad

Melissa Frances, Casual Elegance 12x12 Collection

Ranger Inkssentials Surfaces, Kraft Cardstock, 8.5 x 11

Ranger Watercolor Paper, 10 pk

Ranger Inkssentials Surfaces, Kraft Tag #8

Scrapbook Adhesives Thin 3-D Foam Squares, Mix White

Ranger Distress Marker, Mustard Seed

Ranger Distress Marker, Tea Dye

Ranger Distress Marker, Victorian Velvet

Ranger Distress Marker, Wild Honey

Ranger Distress Marker, Worn Lipstick

Ranger Distress Ink Pad, Worn Lipstick

Ranger Distress Mini Ink Pad, Worn Lipstick

Ranger Distress Mini Ink Pad, Spun Sugar

Ranger Distress Ink Pad, Spun Sugar

Ranger Distress Mini Ink Pad, Victorian Velvet

Ranger Distress Ink Pad, Victorian Velvet

Ranger Distress Mini Ink Pad, Tattered Rose

Ranger Distress Ink Pad, Tattered Rose

Ranger Heat It Craft Tool

Memento Ink Pad, Tuxedo Black

Clear Acrylic Block, 3x4 Rectangluar w/ Alignment Grid

Love You Vintage Valentine Decor by Julia Stainton

 With Valentine's Day in just a couple weeks, I'm busy crafting and decorating for the upcoming holiday. I love creating in a shabby and vintage style and Valentine's is always a great time to design in that manner. Today I'm excited to be back creating and sharing here in the CLASSroom and have a fun decor piece to share with you.

 

I'm loving all the pretty ruffles and details and it's now hanging on my kitchen dresser-turned-sideboard. Another creative project that I took on a few years back. This project is easier than it looks. You truly DO NOT need a sewing machine! Keep reading and I'll share how I created it.

To start off with I've used a premade stitched linen heart (you can find everything in the supply list at the end of the post). It's already two layers stitched together so it's easy...no stitching. The grey trim comes pre-ruffled so all I did was take a piece of it and adhere to the back of the heart project.

Next step is to stamp the front. I've used some pretty Hero Arts stamps and Ranger's Jet Black Archival Ink. Archival inks are my FAVORITE for stamping on fabrics and other porous surfaces. You always get a nice clean impression.

Onto the chipboard steps: I wanted to cover this you chipboard with glass glitter. I love the look of glass glitter, especially on vintage style projects. It's sooo pretty and nothing else seems to compare. When covering chipboard with glitter I like to color it first with a coordinating color so that if you have spaces in the coverage, it's not as obvious.

Glossy Accents works great for adhering so many things but I especially love it for the glass glitter. Just squeeze it on and then I smear it to totally cover the chipboard surface.

It's always good to be generous with glitter when covering anything with it. I like to dump large amounts over the item and allow the glue to dry. Shake off the excess glitter and it's fine to put it back into your jar to use again.

To cover the chipboard hearts I used some new and beautiful papers from the Crate paper Kiss Kiss line. Adhere the papers and trim the excess as close as possible. Then sand or file the edges for a nice finish.

To start layering the embellishments I used hot glue to fix them to the linen.

When adding in embellishments I start with the largest and then slowly build up the layers until I'm happy with the result.

To this point, I've left the heart flat but wanted it to be more three-dimensional. To open up the back I carefully cut a slit in the back layer so that it could be stuffed with pillow batting. I admit I didn't have any on hand so I found some soft ribbon that I no longer needed and stuffed the heart with that. If you want, you can sew the seam shut but I simply hot-glued it closed for a quick and no-sewing project.

To finish off the project I used a gorgeous Melissa Frances hanger and clipped it to the top sections of the altered linen heart. It's embellished with a vintage button and a Tim Holtz Mirrored Star.

Here's a close-up of the embellishment details. The wood bingo piece has been inked with Avery Elle Orchid Pigment Ink to add color to it.

Thanks for joining me today in the CLASSroom! I hope this design inspires you to get creative and make something yourself!

-Julia

Supplies:

 

Maya Road Linen Heart Pieces

Art of the Card Cling Stamp Set, Forever, 6x8

Melissa Frances Glass Glitter, Pure Silver

Ranger Accents, Glossy

Maya Road Chipboard Set, Shot Through the Heart

Crate Paper Kiss Kiss, 6x6 Paper Pad

Melissa Frances Clip Hanger, 6" Flower

Maya Road Vintage Tape Measure Trim Pack

Maya Road Vintage Heart Box Key

Maya Road Velvet Pleats, Black and White

Maya Road Vintage Wood Ribbon Spools

Maya Road Wood Bingo Motifs, Alterable

Avery Elle Ink Pad, Orchid

Ranger Archival Ink Pad, Jet Black

Maya Road Vintage Findings, Mama's Doilies

Maya Road Ribbon, Tulle Pleat Trim, Earl Grey

Maya Road Vintage Trinkets, Lustrous Button Jewels

Precision File Set

Tim Holtz Tonic Non-Stick Micro Serrated Scissors

Maya Road Trinket Pins, Vintage Button

Sweet Love Creative Combo by Julia Stainton

With exactly four weeks left until Valentine's Day, it's time to start thinking about how you'll celebrate those you love this year. As expectations can be high for this holiday, I prefer to turn it into a holiday to include those we love...our family and friends. We can all use a little love so why keep the celebration just for hubby and I?

It's fun to create little treat packages any time of the year and Valentine's Day is no exception. It certainly is a sweet holiday.

Today I have a sweet little treat basket and card combo that's perfect for the big day, no matter who you are giving it to.

I've started off my project using a Melissa Frances treat cup. I missed linking it below but I've used the Rectangle Treat Cup and there are also two lovely varieties...the Scalloped Oval and the Scalloped Square.

To start off my project I've adhered patterned paper to the largest chipboard piece in the kit. I love the look of patterned paper on chipboard and have found the easiest solution for lovely edges is the Precision File Tool Kit. Scallops and fancy edges can be tricky so trim them as much as possible with fine tipped scissors as in the above photo.

Then proceed to sanding and filing the edges with the tool set.

This piece is the base of the teat cup and the paper goes on the top surface, as the way this cup is designed, the top of the base does show.

You'll also see the inside of the chipboard treat cup sides so you'll want to finish them as well. I've used some acrylic paint from an Adirondack Paint Dabber to quickly cover the chipboard in a pretty Shell Pink.

Next step is to cover the outsides of the treat cup sides with more patterned paper. I've used the Authentique Smitten 6x6 paper bundle for this project. The prints are soooo dreamy and I adore how the papers are two-sided.

To put the treat cup together, I found that hot glue worked the best as it sets up quickly. This being the case...make sure you DO work quickly or it will dry before you put it together.

Place one long rectangle, paint side up, on your worksurface. Adhere the two smalled end chipboard pieces to the rectangle. Make sure you line up the straight edges that will adhere to the base so there are no gaps.

Once your rectangle is completely adhered, adhere to the base piece. Then adhere the handle inside the box.

One thing that surprised me about this paper pad is the last two pages of it are stickers! Love them!

I used a few of the stickers to add some interest to the kraft mini tag tied onto the treat cup.

My favorite chipboard set lately is the Shot Through the Heart set by Maya Road. It made the perfect accent for each side of the treat cup and I've finished it off with a vintage button.

Next up is the card. Once again I've used papers from the same kit along with a card base made from Desert Storm cardstock. This card is 4.25"x5.5" in size. I love the look of embellishments going off a layer but this can cause difficulties with placing it in an envelope. By trimming 3/4" from the right side of the card front, you get a peek at the inside of the card and can have embellishments overhanging without difficulty. First the patterned paper was adhered and then the lace trim with Be Creative Tape.

My final card design uses the same chipboard set again for continuity. Some of the chipboard is covered with patterned paper, other with Shell Pink Adirondack Paint and some with paint coated with Glossy Accents and glitter. It may be a little difficult to see the overhang in the above photo...

 

...but laying flat you can get a better idea of the simple construction.

Finally, here's a look at the project details. Click on any of the images to enlarge them for a better look at the projects.

Thanks for stopping by the CLASSroom! Have a fabulous weekend!

 

Supplies:

Crop-a-Dile Corner Chomper Tool	Be Creative Tape, 3mm (1/8")	Kool Tak White Foam Adhesive, 1/4 Squares (1/16 Thick)	Smitten 6x6 paper pad
Wave Vintage Crochet Trim	Shell Pink Paint Dabber	Shot Through the Heart Chipboard	Distress Ink Pad, Brushed Corduroy
Kraft Mini Tags	Precision File Set	Cream Pearl Ball Pins	Neutral Hemp Cord
Tonic Paper Trimmer Guillotine, 12x6	Stickles Dry Fine Glitter, Diamond	Accents, Glossy	Cherry Vintage Finding by Maya Road

InLinkz.com

12 Tags of Christmas with a Feminine Twist 2013 - Day 6 by Julia Stainton

 

I love creating tags each year for the 12 Tags of Christmas with a Feminine Twist. They are always so much fun to put together and a great way to try out new techniques and ideas. Not a tag person? No worries? Most tags are fairly close in size to a card and can be easily made into one. Also if you create a stunning tag and change your mind, just adhere it onto a card front for a beautiful card to send out this holiday season.

Today's tag is created in a beautiful shabby chic style. Soft, vintage and pretty with lots of lovelies and details. Keep reading and I'll tell you all about it.

 

This tag can also be made out of paper but I chose to use fabric. I love texture and Sticky Back Canvas is a great product that can be used in so many ways. This tag is made from some canvas that has been folded over and then adhered onto itself so that it is doublesided. I cut the tag to 3.5"x5.5" in size using a Guillotine Cutter and then cut notches off the top ends to make it look more like a tag. It can be left as is but I always love adding in stitching details so I've stitched around the tag edges with my sewing machine.

The next step is to stamp in with some beautiful vintage style stamps to add some interest and design to the canvas. The Ranger Archival Inks are hands-down my favorite for stamping on fabrics and I've used Jet Black Archival here.

The Ornate Tags Chipboard Set is one of my faves as well. I use it over and over and the outer piece makes a perfect frame for my tag. It's coated with a Silver Krylon Leafing Pen to give it a beautiful silver sheen. I'll be covering it with glitter but find it's always best to coat chipboard with a similar color first before adding the glitter for a cohesive look.

Vintage Glass Glitter is amazing for shabby and vintage style projects. To get the best coverage I apply liberal amounts of Glossy Accents to the surface and then sprinkle on the Vintage Glass Glitter. I left a portion of the chipboard above "unglittered" to show you the process. Once your glitter is sprinkled, leave it there until completely dry. You don't want to flatten your glitter as it takes away from the look. After dry, remove the excess and put it back into the container.

This beautiful vintage Santa image is perfect for highlighting. A soft look was what I wanted so I stamped him onto vellum using the Jet Black Archival Ink. Vellum does not absorb ink well so to prevent smearing I then heat embossed the image using clear embossing powder and a heat gun.

Coloring on the reverse side of vellum is an amazingly lovely and simple technique. Just flip over the vellum and color on the reverse. I've used Memento Markers and lightly blended in the colors.

When you turn it over the coloring is so subtle and lovely.

Finally adhere the image into the altered chipboard frame.

A tag on a tag? Why not?! It's also the perfect way to highlight one of the little mini sentiments on the collage stamp without having to buy another set. Once again it's stamped onto the canvas with Jet Black Archival ink, heat set with the heat gun and then colored with dye based markers.

Just before adhering it all together, I stitched some beautiful pink ribbon along the bottom of the tag.

There's also a little folded and stitched at the top of the tag and embellished with a key.

My final step was to adhere on all the lovely little touches of paper flowers, mirrored stars, sequins and painted buttons.

Thanks for joining me in the CLASSroom today!

 

Santa Letter Stamp	Christmas Miracle Stamp	Natural Studio Sticky Back Canvas 8.5x11	Bazzill 40 lb. Vellum, 25 pk
Tim Holtz Mirrored Stars	laraine pearl white flowers	Vanilla Iridescent Sequins	Trinket Pins, Crystal Star
Wood Alterable Buttons	Melissa Frances Glass Glitter, Pure Silver	Pink Ribbon Collection	Mini TAg Canvas Pieces
Memento Marker, Lady Bug	Memento Marker, Desert Sand	Pear Tart Memento Marker	Angel Pink Memento Marker
Silver Krylon Leafing Pen	Tattered Rose Distress Crackle Paint	Neutral Hemp Cord	NEW Archival Ink Pad, Jet Black
Distress Ink Pad, Brushed Corduroy	Ranger Embossing Powder, Clear	Heat It Craft Tool

InLinkz.com

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Please join us in thanking Julia for once again sharing her elegant, layered style with us! Leave your comment below to be eligible for the random drawing of the $25 gift certificate to our store www.ellenhutson.com - be certain to do so before noon on December 13th to be eligible (one comment per person please.) Join us tomorrow when we debut a new tag designed by Paula Cheney! 

12 Tags of Christmas with a Feminine Twist 2012 - Day 11 by Carolyn Peeler

One of my goals with this series was to try and share a wide variety of beautiful styles with you, so I was absolutely thrilled when Carolyn Peeler accepted my invitation to share her shabby elegant tag with all of us! Her travels abroad to teach and learn are evident in the work that she creates. The soft color palette and little details add warmth and character to each of her projects!

You can find more of her beautiful vintage inspired work on her blog Cut N' Paste. You will discover all sorts of inspiration ranging from beautiful jewelry pieces to vintage goodies she has found in her travels. If an art camp is on your to do list you must check out the one offered by Terri Brush on the Oregon Coast - Carolyn will be sharing some fabulous scrapbooking tricks with the lucky women who attend this event!

Thank you Carolyn for once again sharing your talents with us here in the CLASSroom and even more importantly for being a caring friend! -Ellen

1. Gather two sheets of the Madonna collage paper from the Attic Treasures Vol. 2 6x6 paper pad. I used 2 sheets because one was too short to cover the entire tag. Plus, I did not want to use the portion of the paper with the lamb on it as it did not scream “Christmas” to me ☺

2. Before gluing the papers onto the tag, peel off the dark brown reinforcement that is around the hole at the top of the tag and hang onto it to use later in the project. Glue the papers onto your tag, aligning them however you would like. Trim the excess paper using a craft knife. Using a hole punch, punch the upper hole back onto the tag. Then, glue the dark brown hole reinforcement back onto the tag.

3. Stamp the Angelic Tidings stamp onto your white cardstock. Color using the Copic colors listed. One of the really nice things about this image is that you can color it with just a few colors and still have it look fabulous. Hitting the image with the markers in just a few places and using the white of the cardstock as a part of the ‘colors’ in the finished image can take major time off the coloring procedure.

4. Using scissors, trim the colored image from the cardstock. Also, cut a scrap of fabric (I used osanburg because it was what I had on hand. Muslin, burlap or canvas would also look lovely) a little bigger than your cut out image.

5. Using your sewing machine, sew the fabric to the upper center of the tag as pictured.
6. Using ¼” wide double sided tape, go around the edges of your tag.
7. Sprinkle the Tarnished Silver Glass glitter onto your double sided tape. Tap off the excess and pour it back into your container.

8. Tie a double bow with cream seam binding, then sew one of the Melissa Frances reproduction Glass buttons onto the center of it. Using a glue dot, stick the bow over the hole on the top of the tag.

9. Using pop dots, or other dimensional adhesive, attach the stamped image to the fabric, centering her.
10. Take the long aqua rectangle chipboard piece from the top left of the 5th Avenue Melissa Frances Chipboard accent package and cut a banner shape from it. Distress the edges of the tag with Tea Dye Distress ink. Glue it under the fabric, centering it in the remaining empty space at the bottom of the tag.

11. Using your computer, print “merry Christmas” onto cream cardstock using the Embossed Germanica font. Cut the sentiment from the cardstock and distress its edges with the Tea Dye Distress Ink. Glue the sentiment onto the center of the chipboard from step #10. To finish, place a small rhinestone on either side of the ‘merry christmas’ greeting.

Inkssentials Surfaces, Kraft Tag #8	A1 Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Natural White, 25 pack	Pearl Cling Stamps, Angelic Tidings	Attic Treasures 6x6 Paper Pad
Chipboard Accents, 5th Avenue	Melissa Frances Glass Glitter, Tarnished Silver	Buttons, Reproduction Glass Assortment, 6pk	Tim Holtz, Crinkle Ribbon
Memento Ink Pad, Tuxedo Black	Distress Ink Pad, Tea Dye	Ink Blending Tool	COPIC Sketch Marker E000, Pale Fruit Pink
COPIC Sketch Marker E00, Skin White	COPIC Sketch Marker E35, Chamois	COPIC Sketch Marker E42, Sand White	COPIC Sketch Marker Y23, Yellowish Beige
COPIC Sketch Marker R30, Pale Yellowish Pink	COPIC Sketch Marker, 0 Colorless Blender	Glue Dots, 3/8"	Glue Dots, Pop Up
High Tack Double-Sided Tissue Tape, 1/4"	Non-stick Micro Serrated Scissors	Craft Knife, Fingertip

InLinkz.com

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Thank you Carolyn for sharing this beauty with us! Please leave your comment for Carolyn below to be eligible for the random drawing of the $25 gift certificate to our store www.ellenhutson.com - be certain to do so before noon on December 13th to be eligible (one comment per person please.) I can't believe that tomorrow we wrap up this years' series of feminine tags - we hope you will come back and join us!

Hello, Monday, 12.03.2012

Hello, Monday was on hiatus last week due to my class schedule, but we're back again today with an easy holiday project! As well be certain to scroll down for Day 3 in our 12 Tags of Christmas series!

I've always thought Christmas Crackers to be such a cute and fun tradition for the holidays! Everyone at the table will be charmed by these delightful  decorations, filled with trinkets and candies!

I'm smitten with red, white and kraft this holiday season, so I chose to create my crepe paper "ruffle" using a gorgeous shade of red--Barn Door Distress Stain by Ranger!

This was so easy, I could make yard and yards of it in advance to keep on hand for embellishing my packagins and cards and I think it would make a darling trim on tree ornaments, as well!

Enjoy the video here or in HD on YouTube, and please subscribe to our channel for future Hello, Monday webisodes!

Happy Holidays and thank you for joining me in the CLASSroom today!

 

SUPPLIES & MATERIALS:

 

Crepe Paper, White & Cream	Cleardesign: Designer Snowflakes	Distress Stain, Barn Door	Distress Ink Pad, Barn Door
Maya Road Twine Cording, Sparkle Silver	A1 Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Natural White, 25 pack	Heat It Craft Tool	3D-Dots, 1/16" Thick
Glue Glider Pro	Glue Glider Pro Plus Refill, High Tac 58'	Non-Stick Craft Sheet

InLinkz.com

Copic People Coloring by Sharon Harnist

Happy Friday and welcome to the CLASSroom! Today I'll be showing you a few tips on how to color people with your Copic markers. 

I'll be using a few tips and techniques you'll find in the latest Copic Coloring Guide Level 3: People that Ellen has in stock in the store. I was extremely honored to have an image I colored chosen to be featured on the cover!

For my sample today, I used this beautiful new Pearl cling stamp by Melissa Frances, Just A Little Something:

Isn't she adorable?!!  This wonderful new line of Pearl cling stamps are classic Victorian Melissa Frances style, with her sweet hair bows and period outfits:

There are currently six designs in this new product launch with more to come! Stamps are cling mount red rubber manufactured by the trusted name of Hampton Art.

General note for coloring people: When coloring people/skin/hair, you don't always have to stick with the usual suggested Copic rules of blending families. Each color reacts differently when combined with other colors, so just experiment! The guide has wonderful reference charts for coloring different ethnicities, but try out some different combinations on your own, to find what is most appealing to YOU!

Because I wanted to keep this image in a shabby vintage style, I stamped it with Memento Rich Cocoa onto Neenah Natural White cardstock and then started coloring . . .

Skin - My personal favorite combination for fair Caucasian young child/baby skin is E00 & E11; E33 & BV000 (shadows). Starting with the lightest E00, I base coated all of her skin. Then I used E11 to put shading in the creases of her arms, under her hairline and chin, and under her dress line at the upper arms and lower legs (click on any photo to enlarge):

I went back and blended these two colors a little with my lightest E00. Next, I used my darkest E33 to deepen some of the shading and added a few cast shadows with the BV000 under her chin, on the left side of her face, arms and legs where the dress would cast shadows:

The BV color really cools down the shadows and makes them look a lot more realistic:

Marianne Walker's Shadows & Shading Guide goes into great detail on where and how to place cast shadows and shading on any kind of object and includes templates to help you do so!

Hair - The coloring guide also gives wonderful suggestions for coloring different types of hair. One thing to remember when coloring hair, is to NOT blend (very much or at all) and use a flicking motion (for straighter hair) with your marker. This will help to define strands of hair and the naturally different shading you find in hair. I used the suggestions on coloring curly or wavy hair for Pearl, using  E21, E23, E25:

I base coated all of her hair with the lightest E21, then drew in squiggles of the next two darker colors.

The guide gives wonderful suggested color combinations for many different hair colors.

Dress - R81, R83, R85, R89: The guide gives tips for coloring different types of fabrics, draping, pleats and folds, as well as different fabric textures and how to create patterns for clothing. I used the mid-tone (R83) first along the valleys or folds of the fabric (see, we're bending those original Copic blending rules of starting with the lightest color first!):

Then I used R81 to color in the other areas, leaving the space next to the folds that I colored above white.  This will end up being the highest "point" or peak of the fabric:

Next, I used my darker R85 to deepen the folds of the fabric:

And R81 was used again to help blend everything together, but still leaving some of the original white spaces.  The Coloring Guide goes into much great detail, with color photos, on how to accomplish this technique.

Finishing Details:
I finished Pearl by leaving the dress sash around her middle and collar white and shaded them with C2. The flowers were colored with Y23 and Y26, stems Mint Atyou Spica Glitter Pen; eyes B21, lips R20; shoes E25, E25. Gift: E41, E42, Y23, Y26.

Pearl was die cut and matted with My Favorite Things Die-namics-Traditional Tags and mounted to a Vanilla Bean Memory Box Notecard.  A Distressed Doily die cut was placed behind the tags.

All three levels of the Copic Coloring Guides are stocked in Ellen's store HERE. Each level focuses on different topics that will help bring your Copic coloring to new heights!

Thanks so much for joining me today!

~ Sharon

 

Copic Coloring Guide Level 3: People	Melissa Frances Pearl Cling Stamps, Just A Little Something	Memento Ink Pad, Rich Cocoa	A1 Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Natural White, 25 pack
Copic Sketch Markers	Copic Atyou Spica Glitter Pens	Memory Box Cardstock, Vanilla Bean	Memory Box Cardstock, Cantaloupe
My Favorite Things Die-namics Stax, Traditional Tags	Sizzix Tim Holtz On The Edge Die, Distressed Doily	Ink Blending Tool	Ranger Distress Ink Pad, Antique Linen
Distress Ink Pad, Brushed Corduroy	High Tack Double-Sided Foam Mounting Tape, 1/2"

InLinkz.com

Other: Ivory seam binding 

12 Tags of Christmas with a Feminine Twist 2011 - Day 10 by Ellen

Tim's technique of the day today is ubber fun to play with!

Yes, it truly does look like Vintage Mercury Glass when you add the Inkssentials Foil behind the transfer!!!

I began by applying packing tape to a beautiful Melissa Frances image. Be certain to burnish the tape to the image making certain there are no air bubbles. Then place the tape in bowl of warm water. To remove the paper gently rub between your fingers. I find that if I finish the image as I run water over it under the tape I am able to remove the final bits of paper easily. Work gently so that you do not scratch your image.

Partly remove the backing from a piece of Inkssentials Foil and carefully adhere your packing tape transfer. Make certain that the adhesive side of your packing tape is attached to the sticky side of the foil.

I would like to try this on a larger sized image and try diecutting a foil backed tranfer. It looks so cool just as it is!

To make a statement piece I used a Facet and yes, I applied WAY too much glossy accents - LOL! I have created these embellishments before where I did not apply enough glossy accents and ended up ruining the piece, so I have always been a little too generous with my glossy accents since that time. You will notice that I have also used Icicle Stickles around the rim. By adding the Stickles to the edges you get a little bit of glitter just around the edges of your image.

Place the fragment down on to the foil backed transfer and squeeze out any excess adhesive. Very careful wipe it away as you do so to avoid getting it on the face of your facet. Allow to dry and cut out around edge.

Diecut six wings from Craft-a-Board. Use the base of one wing and trace the edge to alter the length of a second set of wings. In hindsight I wished that I had run these through a textured embossing folder at this point. Perhaps tomorrow I will find the time to try this because when looking at the final photos it just isn't as pretty in the photo as in real life because I couldn't capture the variance in the sheen.

Spray with Biscotti Perfect Pearl mist.

Spray with Calico White mist and then spray with a little more Biscotti Perfect Pearl mist in some spots.

Use the gold paint dabber to "tip" the wings.

Apply some Ultimate Glue randomly to the edges of the wings and add glass glitter. Attach the wings by applying dimensional adhesive dots between layers.

This is one of my favorite "shabby" background techniques. Use a Snow Cap dabber to apply paint to a background stamp.

Allow to dry before proceeding.

Use an ink blending tool and in a swirling motion apply ink starting on non-stick craft sheet and swirling onto the tag. This is what really makes the white pop and colors it ever so slightly at the same time.

Add some tulle and pleated satin trim to the base of the tag.

Lightly sand the Antique Brass reinforcer before applying.

What says Christmas more than Baby Jesus in the Manger surrounded by angels? So soft, pretty and angelic.

stamps: Hero Arts Cling Classic Fabric Design

ink: Distress Ink - Bundled Sage and Iced Spruce

paper: Manila Cardstock, Melissa Frances Deck the Halls, Craft-a-Board

accessories: Angel Wings Die, Tim Holtz Tags & Bookplates Die, Facet, Inkssentials Metal Foil, Packing Tape, Glossy Accents, Icicle Stickles, Snow Cap and Gold Paint Dabber, Melissa Frances Gold Glass Glitter, Maya Road Tulle and Pleated Satin Trim, White Studio Calico Spray, Biscotti Perfect Pearls Mist, 7 Gyspies Reinforcer, Silk Ribbon

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I loved hearing what your favorite holiday movies are so much that I decided this time round I'd like to hear what your favorite holiday treat is? It can be food related or simply something you do for yourself during the holiday season that makes it special. Leave your comment on this post and it will automatically enter you in the random drawing for the Distressed Doily die and Calico Shine spray shown above. Do so before noon on Monday to be eligible. Wishing you a lovely before holiday weekend and hoping that you are able to check off items on your to do list :-D

Anniversary Celebration: Sketch Challenge by Julia Stainton

Welcome to another challenge at the CLASSroom Anniversary Celebration! I am so thankful to be part of this fabulous place of inspiration, learning and an incredible team. Congratulations Ellen on five wonderful years!

Today I have a fun sketch challenge to get you creating this holiday weekend. I think you'll enjoy it! Feel free to flip or turn the sketch and let your creativity run wild! I've designed it to be a 4.25"x5.5" card size but you can also make it taller or alter it to be a square card design. I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Here's my take on the sketch....

As you can see, I stayed pretty true to the sketch and had fun getting into the holiday mood. Christmas is coming soon, don't you know?!

The circular element on this sketch is a great place to stamp or, as I've done, turn it into an embellishment. I like to cut the side pieces in random sizes and it is a great place to use up scraps. Make sure you keep the edges in nice clean and square cuts so that you can butt each layer up to the next for a really smooth seamless look.

To create my sentiment, I've used some Tim Holtz Kraft Resist letters. I love how vintage they look and they are fabulous for inking any color you want. I've sponged Barn Door Distress Ink on them to make them coordinate my project.

The Baker's Twine is tied around my card and a gorgeous Maya Road Antique Button Trinket makes the card extra special.

Enjoy the rest of your Thanksgiving weekend and happy creating!

Julia

 

Supplies:

Solar White cardstock by Neenah, Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink by Ranger, Barn Door Distress Ink by Ranger, Deck the Halls 6x6 paper pack by Melissa Frances, Snowflake Transparency by Maya Road, Tertiary Sew Easy Baker's Twine by We R Memory Keepers, Kraft Resist Chipboard letters by Tim Holtz, Antique Button Jewels Vintage Trinkets by Maya Road 

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Come join in the fun and create a card using the fun sketch Julia provided above! Once you have completed your project please be certain to link directly to that project using the InLinkz tool provided at the end of this post. You have until 11:59pm Pacific Time Wednesday, November 30th to complete your project. All entries for this challenge will be included in a random drawing for the special prize package shown above.

Summer Bliss Card by Julia Stainton

The beautiful warm and lazy days of summer are here. For some that means more crafting time but for others like me, that can mean less. The kids are home and the lake is calling. I still want to find time to create. I still want the cards to be "me".

A great way to create cards and projects in the busy summer is to start with premade embellishments. Ellen carries a phenomenal selection and today I was drawn to create with some gorgeous Melissa Frances chipboard pieces. I could have created this card without the distressing and altering additions and it would have been perfectly beautiful and easy, just the way it was.

If you're like me though, you like to personalize things and truly make them your own. You like to get a little inky and play around with products that can quickly add dimension and alter a piece.

Here's a few things I did to step this card up just a little and still be able to put it together quickly.

1. Stamping: The large background chipboard piece is quickly stamped with a ledger stamp to anchor my cluster area and just add a little extra something.

In the above photo you can see the stamping and also take a peek at how the other embellishments looked before they were altered.

2. Ink: The quickest and easiest way to alter something is to brush or sponge it with ink. I've used white craft ink on this sweet little chipboard butterfly.

3. Crackling: I love a cracked glass finish. The garden lady chipboard piece was covered with Ranger Glossy Accents. Ranger's Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint would also work perfectly for this.

I admit to being a little impatient on this step for it to dry and used a heat gun to speed things up. If you allow it to dry naturally you will get MUCH better crackling on your item.

4.Stickles: Adding Stickles from Ranger is a great way to add a quick dab of shimmer and shine. I've used Rock Candy Distress Stickles to alter this white flower and add some very subtle texture. I love the Distress Stickles line when designing in a vintage style as the look is much more in keeping with the style.

Supplies: Cream Cardstock by Neenah, twine, 5th Avenue Chipboard Accents by Melissa Frances, Trendsetter/Ladies & Gents Petite Papers by Webster's Pages, Glossy Accents by Ranger, Rock Candy Distress Stickles by Ranger, White Pigment Ink, Mini Kraft Tickets by Maya Road, Leaf Trinket Pins by Maya Road, Doilies Designer Threads by Webster's Pages, Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink by Ranger, Sepia Archival Ink by Ranger, Cream Ribbon Lace by Hero Arts, Wedding Shoes Flower by Prima, Receipt Stamp by Jenni Bowlin, Chipboard Butterflies by Magenta, Tiny Attacher by Tim Holtz

Thanks for stopping by the CLASSroom and have a wonderful summer weekend!

Memory Box Die Sandwich Information

This weekend we celebrate the wedding of my nephew and soon-to-be niece. The day of their engagement my nephew planned a wonderfully romantic day, starting at sunrise with a hot air balloon ride. So in keeping with the theme of their wedding reception I wanted to create a card that used a hot air balloon. Well, lo and behold I could not find an appropriate stamp in my collection - imagine that - LOL! Julia to the rescue - she went "spotting" through our stamp collection and found the Hero Arts Flourish Ornament.

 
I would never know that this was a Christmas stamp when used upside down and pieced. I am quite tickled with the end result... it feels so "weddingy."

Begin by printing your sentiment on the cardstock. Stamp the Flourish Ornament on a sheet of decorative 5th Avenue paper.

TIP: Add a hint of color for depth to your designer papers using Copic markers.

Finish off with a little bling!

MEMORY BOX DIE SANDWICH INFORMATION

We have been receiving questions regarding the Memory Box Die sandwiches and so I thought I would share a couple of quick pictures and my thoughts to hopefully assist you.

 

If you already own Nestabilities then simply use the exact same sandwich you are used to. If you do not and are starting from scratch then the most important component to add to the products that come with the Big Shot or Vagabond is the Solo Thin Die Adapter. As you can see in the photo above this adapter comes with instructions printed directly on it. This makes it super easy to use.

I have positioned the plates askew for the photograph above - when cutting you will want to have them positioned directly atop one another.

Following is the sandwich as pictured starting at the base:

• Solo Platform
• Solo Shim (this comes with the Platform, but because it can be damaged after loads of use it can be purchased separately)
• Solo Thin Die Adapter
• Extra shim if necessary - this can be as thin as a piece of copy paper to as thick as a piece of Craft-a-Board. Some machines and dies have a "sweet spot". If you cut out your die image and it is not quite cut all the way through simply add a shim to your sandwich.
• Acrylic Plate or Cutting Pad - I typically keep my extended pad out because it can be easily used for the longer dies such as the rosette. (These cutting pads are too wide to fit in the Cuttlebug.)
• Cardstock
• Memory Box Die - Position with "blade" side facing down towards cardstock. I like to hold my die in position using tissue tape - this helps keep the alignment perfect. Yes, it's the perfectionist syndrome - LOL!
• Acrylic Plate or Cutting Pad

Now simply send your sandwich through your Big Shot, Big Kick or Vagabond. Many of you have also asked what you can use in your Cuttlebug with the longer dies such as the Rosette. Unfortunately I have not a perfect solution for this and so I must admit that my preference lies with with Sizzix machines because of the longer plates and sturdy machines. Now don't go running out and purchasing a new machine blaming it on me - LOL! But, I do believe that you will appreciate the ease of using the longer plates and not having to mess with "rigging it" to try and get the shorter plates to work.

I hope that you find this information helpful. Thank you for once again stopping in here in the CLASSroom - have a lovely weekend!

 
stamps: Hero Arts Flourish Ornament

ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic Markers - BG70, BG72, T2

paper: Melissa Frances 5th Avenue 6x6 Paper, Memory Box Pool Cardstock

accessories: Memory Box Piestra Tile Die, Memory Box Sparkling Diamond Jewels

Melissa Frances Bridal Shower Card

It finally feels like springtime --- YEAH!!! Springtime brings summer weddings and tomorrow I have the honor of attending my niece-to-be's bridal shower. I wanted to create a special card for her. Melissa Frances has the most beautiful wedding inspired sticker collection called Dearly Beloved. The minute I saw it, I knew that it would be perfect with the gorgeous gray Jill has selected for their wedding.

It is the simple embellishments and trim that give this project the fabulous texture that makes me smile! Don't forget that you have until tomorrow at midnight to purchase some of these lovelies on sale - be certain to use promo code embellish at checkout time!

I was feeling that this style was a little outside "my box" but I am absolutely thrilled with the final result. As I stated it started with the bride and the color gray. 

 

I used the coordinating 5th Avenue 6x6 papers as the background.

What could be more perfect for a wedding look than loads of lace? My plan was to play the silky, smooth feeling of the silk and satin, against the matte, cottony texture of the crochet trims. The result is really quite lovely! This would also be a wonderful way to use up those little bits of ribbon ends!

Use Fabritac to apply a single line of adhesive for each piece of ribbon and/or lace. Snip the ends even with the edge of the card and apply Fray Check to the edges. Allow to dry.

 

To create the focal point I used Tim's Styled Label to cut a shaped piece of Craft-a-Board and applied Pearl Dabber to the surface. The sticker was popped up using 3D Dots and I felt THE perfect embellishment is the new Antique Silver Display Trim Corners. These corners come with adhesive already applied and are simple to attach to cards, display trays, scrapbook pages and so much more. LOVE the new studs as well, but had to slap my hands and go with the less is more attitude because it really felt that less was more! :-D

 
paper: Melissa Frances 5th Avenue 6x6 Paper Pad, Dearly Beloved Stickers, Memory Box Dove Gray Cardstock, Essentials Craft-a-Board

accessories: Antique Silver Display Trim Corners, Tim Holtz Styled Labels Die, Pearl Adirondack Dabber, Crochet Trim, Baby Pom Pom, Mini Ovals, Vintage, Vintage Scallop,  Satin Pleat Ribbon, 1/4" Silk Ribbon, Fabritac, Fray Check

Melissa Frances Shabby Chic with Carolyn Peeler

It is such a pleasure to welcome Carolyn Peeler, the Senior Creative Director for Melissa Frances to the CLASSroom today! It was a little over a year ago when I had the pleasure of attending Ranger U --- Carolyn was in the seat next to mine. Oh how I LOVED peeking over to see what she was creating! I distinctly remember the beautiful pink and off-white stripes that she showcased in one of her projects. Simply gorgeous! No matter the technique one could always see Carolyn's shabby chic style shining through!

You can learn more about Carolyn, be inspired and perhaps find a class where she is teaching, by heading over to her blog Cut N' Paste. OK, so you have probably already guessed it, BUT we do have some wonderful blog candy for you over on Cut N' Paste - so head over and leave a warm welcome and thanks for Carolyn! We will do a random drawing and announce the winner together with Carolyn on Tuesday, May 17th. Don't delay!

For additional shabby inspiration you can also visit the Melissa Frances blog.

Once again a huge THANK YOU to Carolyn for sharing some of the shabby Melissa Frances goodness with all of us today! -Ellen

MELISSA FRANCES SHABBY CHIC with Carolyn Peeler

Over the past 7 years, it has been my pleasure to work as the Sr. Creative Director for Melissa Frances. In sort, this means that I have a hand in shaping our product releases, so as you can imagine, I am rather fond of them ☺. Both Melissa and my personal style of dress and home decor runs towards the shabby-chic, so it's not surprise that the products we introduce into our collections have that same esthetic.

For the two projects I designed for Ellen, I decided to show off two sides of my personal style.

 
This first card "Thinking of You Always," is a little more graphic and linear - yet still vintage infused. I loved the idea of taking one of the Melissa Frances brooches and pinning it to felt, so that the recipient of the card can then un-pin the brooch and actually use it.

 
My second card, "Thanks a Bunch," shows off my more shabby style. I love our 5th Avenue Tag Collection and used four of the small tags from the package as a backdrop to the card. The banner sticker is from the 5th Avenue Sticker book (which is a great deal, with 5 pages of stickers) and those Lilies are just the perfect finishing touch!

There are so many soft, pretty embellishments to choose from that it won't be hard for you to find something to love!

A huge thank you to Ellen for the kind invitation to share a few of my creations with you. Please feel welcome to visit me on my home on the web: Cut N' Paste

 

stamps: Hero Arts All Occasions Messages

ink: Vintage Photo Distress Ink

paper: Melissa Frances 6x6 Kitschy Kitchen Paper Pad and 6x6 Attic Treasures Paper Pad, 5th Avenue Sticker Book and Tag Collection; White Cardstock

accessories: Melissa Frances Cream Crochet Lace, Fancy Filigree Brooch, Pink Lilies, Pearls; Jenni Bowlin Office Chipboard Buttons, EK Success Large Scalloped Punch White Buttons, White Pom Pom Trim, Cream Felt, Pop Dots, Sewing Machine & Thread

Valentine Chandelier by Sharon Harnist

I must admit this wasn't my original idea -- I recently came across this wonderful Valentine Chandelier and wanted to make my own version of it -- a little more vintage-themed one, so here's my take on it!  Sorry these photos are not better -- it's hard to get a good photo of things that are constantly turning and twisting!

For the base of the chandelier, I used one chipboard heart "page" from Maya Road's Heart Chipboard Album:

These hearts are a nice size -- approximately 6.50" at the widest point and almost 6.25" tall.  With eight "pages", you can either make a lot of these type of projects, or a very full Valentine album!  Alternately, you could use some of Ellen's Craft-a-Board or Crystal Clear Plastic to fashion whatever shape you'd like your chandelier to have.  That's what I was originally going to do, until I saw how nice and large this heart album was!

I covered the chipboard heart with patterned papers from 7 Gypsies' Lille 6x6 paper pack -- I love the warm tones and vintage collage style of these papers!

The 6-inch paper will not quite cover all of the heart chipboard -- it must be turned at an angle into the corner of the paper and then just some tiny slivers of the chipboard will still show.  The rose trim I used around the edge of the heart chipboard shape finished covering the chipboard just fine. But if this bothers you, the Lille papers are also available in a larger 8-inch size!

 

I trimmed the edge of the heart with Cream Small Organza Roses, adhered with Copic's X-Press It Double-Sided High Tack Tape (shown below is the top side of my paper-covered chipboard heart, untrimmed and the bottom side, shown trimmed with the cream roses):

 

For the photos, I used Ellen's fabulous selection of Assorted Doilies:

See those cute heart doilies in the pack?  They are the perfect size (approximately 4" x 4") for about a 2.50" x 3" photo!  So I made them into "frames" by cutting my black & white photos into heart shapes and adding some Zva Clear Swirl Crystals to dress them up: 

 

I backed the doilies with patterned paper, to give them more stability & weight, and make them pretty on the reverse side, too!  I sponged some Antique Linen Distress Ink on the white doilies, so they would match the vintage patterned papers a little better.  Instructions for the red tissue flowers are below with the Bingo card and the little "love bird" was die cut with Spellbinders smallest Nested Bird die set.

 

I used a Jenni Bowlin Red Adore Mini Bingo Card and since the back of it is plain white, I machine stitched more of the Lille paper onto the back and then trimmed the edges with pinking shears.

 

To accent the front of the Bingo card, I made a tissue flower by die cutting several layers of red tissue paper with Spellbinders Nested Peony dies.  After die cutting, just stack the layers of tissue paper together and secure them in the center (I used Tim Holtz's Tiny Attacher) and cover the staple with a large pearl or rhinestone.  Then fluff up the layers of tissue paper -- quick and easy!  Alternately, you could use a brad to secure the center of the flower.

The "wonky" hanging hearts were die cut with Tim Holtz's Heart Wing Bigz Die (shown below): 

from Memory Box Cranberry cardstock (solid heart) and then topped with the swirly heart die cut from Lille papers (these are two separate shapes on the die):

 

More solid hearts were die cut from Memory Box's Red Biscotti cardstock, aged with Antique Linen Distress Ink so they would match the Lille papers better, and accented with red gemstones. To make it quick and easy to die cut matching images (that you want to have a nice front and back), fold the cardstock in half (Memory Box is colored on one side and white on the back), so the white is on the inside. After die cutting, just adhere these two mirror images together and you'll have a colored heart on both sides! To adhere smaller die cuts like the swirly heart above, I like to use a mini bottle of Ranger's Glossy Accents -- it's a great liquid glue!  The bottle is easier to hold, the small applicator makes it easy to control the "glue" in tight spaces, and it dries quickly.  The double heart at the bottom of the photo above was cut on the fold of the cardstock and then opened up and backed with another piece of patterned cardstock.

 

If you've never used any of Tim's or Sizzix's Bigz dies and don't have either Sizzix's or Tim's die cutting machines but have a Cuttlebug, these dies work perfectly and easily in it!  I just use a Cuttlebug B plate on either side of the die and get perfect cuts every time, even with cardstock doubled like I've done here.

 

The birds were die cut with Spellbinders Nested Bird die, again from doubled Memory Box Cranberry cardstock, and I made the wings from Tim Holtz's Heart Wings Bigz Die!

To assemble the the chandelier, I lined up all my elements in four different columns and played with the placement.  Then I threaded an embroidery needle with fishing line and strung each of the four lines separately, leaving enough fishing line at the top and bottom of each string to allow for tying.  Using my Crop-a-Dile, I punched holes at the point of the heart and on the top of the heart, at each of the curves.  A piercing tool was used to place a hole in the center of the heart for the fourth line.

NOTE: When adhering the heart and bird fronts and backs together, I only placed a strong adhesive on the edges and not in the middles, so I would be able to string the fishing line through the centers of the double-sided cardstock shapes.  These "sandwiched" shapes were then easy to slide up and down the fishing line, to determine good placement and then stayed in place very well.

To anchor the doily heart frames to the fishing line (since I had not thought ahead and glued all of the photos and backing papers to the doilies and didn't leave a space through the middles!), I sewed the fishing line through the bottom of the front of the heart, along the back, and then back through the top of the heart to the front side.  Until the exact placement of the frames was determined, this let me slide the frames up and down the fishing line easily:

   

Once the proper placement was determined, I placed Mini Glue dots on the back of the heart frame where the fishing line was "sewn" through the cardstock.  To make the Glue Dot a little prettier, I sprinkled Glitter Ritz Warm Highlights Transparent Microfine glitter over them!

To weight the ends of the fishing line, I used these beautiful Melissa Frances Diamond Chandelier Drops:

 

The Chandelier Drops also help to weight each line, so they hang nicely.  And the darling butterflies are Jenni Bowlin Vellum Embellished Butterflies in Red! 

Finally, to make the hanger at the top of my chandelier, I used ivory satin ribbon threaded through each of the three outer holes (knotted separately on the bottom of the heart base) and knotted them together at the top. I hope I've explained the construction of this chandelier well - if not, please let me know if the comments and I'll answer your questions! Thanks for visiting the CLASSroom today!  ~ Sharon

 

Paper: 7 Gypsies-Lille 6x6 paper pack, Memory Box Cranberry Cardstock & Cranberry Biscotti Cardstdock; Essentials by Ellen Assorted Doilies, 
Ink: Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink-Antique Linen,
Copic Markers
Tools: Tim Holtz Bigz Die-Heart Wings; Spellbinders Nested Bird & Nested Peony die templates; WRM Crop-a-Dile, Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher,
Accessories: Jenni Bowlin Vellum Embellished Butterflies-Red & Mini Bingo Cards-Red; Maya Road Chipboard Album-Heart; Prima Small Organza Roses-Cream; Melissa Frances Chandelier Drops-Diamond; Hero Arts Assorted Gemstones-Red; Ranger Ink Blending Tool & Mini Glossy Accents; 3/8" Glue Dots; Glue Glider Pro with Perma Tac adhesive, Copic X-Press It High Tack Double-Sided Tape; Zva Clear Swirl Crystals, Glitter Ritz Warm Highlights Transparent Microfine glitter,
Other: fishing line, red tissue paper, pinking shears, sewing machine + ivory thread, embroidery needle

Holiday Recipe Album by Sharon Harnist

I've been promising myself the past several years that I would gather up all of my favorite family holiday recipes from the four different cook books, three loose recipe cards, and five different pieces of paper they are all written on and put them all together into ONE easy-to-access holiday favorites recipe album, so I finally did it!

 

I started with one of the several different Melissa Frances Kitschy recipe albums Ellen carries:

There are also coordinating 6-inch and 12-inch papers Melissa Frances patterned papers that match these albums that you could use on the chipboard album cover, but since I didn't plan very well in advance(!) and was looking for more of a vintage style as opposed to retro/kitschy, I chose some beautiful Conservatory 6x6 papers from 7 Gypsies:

I thought they were the perfect combination of colors, a little bit Christmasy but yet still just plain vintage that would go well in my kitchen or for any holiday!  I also decided to give the album a little bit different shape for the cover, by using this nice, big 7" x 9" Melissa Frances Label style "backdrop" piece of chipboard for the cover:

It's good and sturdy (and a real bargain at just $1!) and easy to cover with the "patchwork" style of papers I chose.  For covering chipboard with paper, my favorite adhesive, especially for something that will be kept in a moist, hot environment, is Royal Coat Decoupage glue.  After adhering the papers to the chipboard cover, sand the edges and then sponge the edges with Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink.  Then give the top of the paper a sealing coat of decoupage glue, too, to help make it water-resistent.  After covering the chipboard label, I punched holes in it using my trusty Crop-a-Dile, that would coordinate with the Kitschy album cover's holes and bound everything together with the binder rings included in the kit.

 

For the cover, I made a flower accent by die cutting Grungepaper with Spellbinders Nested Peony dies and inking them with Worn Lipstick & Fired Brick Distress Inks.  I thought this thicker, sturdier paper would hold up better than regular paper in a moist, hot kitchen environment:

 

I alternated inking each layer of flower with a different Distress color, to give the flower more depth.  To create dimension, I used thick foam tape between the layers of flowers:

 

But because I'm pretty certain the foam tape would end up eventually not holding the suede-like fabric texture of the Grungepaper together over time, I used Tim Holtz's Tiny Attacher to secure the flower together in the center, minus the smallest flower.  Then I added the last, smallest flower to the center to cover up the staple:

 

The Maya Road chipboard letters were colored with YG93 Copic marker, to match the greens in the papers.  I LOVE using Copics to color chipboard -- it dries fast, is easy, not messy, and with 346 Copic colors to choose from, you're sure to find just the color you need!

 

The last finishing touch was this pretty Maya Road Yellow Ruffle Edge Trim that matched these papers perfectly!  It is securely held in place with Copic's 1/8" X-Press It High Tack Double-Sided Tape:

 

The bonus to using this larger chipboard label as an album cover is that you can flip the recipe cards over to the front of the cover and the covers stand up & open and act as a built-in stand, for easy viewing of your recipe!

 

I hope this album sparks some creative ideas for you -- if not for recipes, then maybe for some favorite family photos!  Thanks for visiting the CLASSroom today!  ~ Sharon

 

Paper: Melissa Frances Kitschy Kitchen Homemade Recipe Album, 7 Gypsies Conservatory 6x6 paper pack, Tim Holtz Grungepaper,
Ink: Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Inks-Worn Lipstick, Fired Brick & Brushed Corduroy, Copic marker YG93,
Tools: Spellbinders Nested Peony dies,
Accessories: Maya Road Mini Alphabet Chipboard Set-Noah & Yellow Ruffle Edge Trim, Ranger Ink Blending Tool, WRM Crop-a-Dile, Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher, EK Success 3D Dots thick foam tape, Copic X-Press It High Tack Double-Sided Tape, Royal Coat Decoupage glue, sanding block,

Roses in a Teacup Card by Debbie Olson

Welcome to the Classroom! Today I have a card for you using one of Karen Lockhart's new releases, Roses in a Teacup, along with Copic markers, Melissa Frances Kitschy Kitchen 6" x 6" papers, an Ellen Essentials Doily, and a Hero Arts Sentiment and cardstock. 

I started by choosing some papers that I thought might work well with the Roses in a Teacup stamp. By the time I finished, I chose just one of the three papers, though I drew color inspiration from all of them.

I started with the greenery. I'm working at using darker values. Sometimes it's a challenge since we stampers tend to use Copic values ending in a 5 or lower number! I had decided that the light would come from the upper right side, so the leaves are darker on the left.

Next I worked on the roses. These are TINY. I used regular coloring techniques, but it might be simpler to use the palette method in which you scribble the darker colors on a piece of plastic and use your lighter marker tip as a brush. At the end (as I was finishing the card), I deepened shadows a bit on the left side with a BV02 marker.

Here I colored the teacup in blue-violet tones. I did not avoid the polka dots since I knew I could come back with my Colorless Blender later and push the color out of the dots. I used harder shadows right under the roses and leaves since they are so close to the object.

Finally I added some shadows, based upon where my light source was. I probably could have gone a bit darker with them, but I already went past my comfort zone on those leaves! Edited to add: That unnumbered marker that you see is a mixture of YR31 and 0-Colorless Blender. I used it just on the sunny side, the top right, to add some warmth.

I finished the card with a sweet little doily on the lower third of the card front, a few stitches, and a dyed snippet of 1/4" silk ribbon (dyed with Copic V12 Various Inks/reinker). That's it--thanks for stopping by the Classroom today!

A Sign of Love by Julia Stainton

It's January and by now, the Christmas and holiday decorations are all packed away. Spring seems so very far away but don't worry...Valentine's Day is just around the corner to heat things up.

While I love making Valentines for my guy, I love to think of Valentine's Day as a day to celebrate with my whole family. After all, love is a wonderful thing and meant to be shared. I thought it would be fun to create a wall-art decoration for the holiday. I like it so much, I think it just may hang in my craft studio all year long.

To start this project, I used a Melissa Frances Label Style Backdrop and covered it with some beautiful Parisian Anthology paper by Pink Paislee.

It has a beautiful embossed finish on it that reveals itself when you add ink. I've sprayed this paper with some Viva Pink Glimmer Mist to add color and interest.

The Pink Paislee Artisan Elements are fabulous for adding detail and are wonderful to personalize. Here I've used a RV91 Copic marker to highlight the center of the embossed flowers. Trim off the excess pieces of the embellishment and store back on the sheet for another project.

To create the sentiment, I've used some Tim Holtz Grungeboard letters. The Brushed Pewter Distress Crackle Paint gives the letters a beautiful metallic finish. Clean up is a breeze with the Ranger Craft Sheet.

Once the letters are dry, adhere them to the project with Ranger Glossy Accents.

I thought a mini frame would be a fun addition to the wall art piece. Some Webster's Pages papers are simply trimmed and placed between two sheets of 2" glass before inserting into the Ranger 2" frame.

Adhering lots of elements to a hanging piece can be a challenge, especially if they are not paper. I've used the Tiny Attacher to staple on some of the elements that will be partially hidden such as the heart doily and the crocheted doilies.

The frame was the difficult obstacle to overcome but I found a really fun solution in my stash. The Tim Holtz Hitch Fasteners can be inserted though a hole in the chipboard making a very strong hanger to support the frame.

Here's a shot of the final project.

Supplies: Label Style Backdrop by Melissa Frances, Viva Pink Glimmer Mist by Tattered Angels, Parisian Anthology paper and Circle Artisan Elements by Pink Paislee, heart doily by Ellen's Essentials, Brushed Pewter Distress Crackle Paint by Ranger, Grungeboard Minis by Advantus, RV91 Copic Marker, twine, Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink by Ranger, Ivory Silk Ribbon by May Arts, Hitch Fastener by Advantus, 2" Memory Frame & 2" Memory Glass by Ranger, Glossy Accents by Ranger, Hollywood Vogue Journaling Cards by Webster's Pages, Tiny Attacher by Advantus, Sweet Taffy Pink Embellishments by Prima, heart trinket pins by Maya Road

How do you decorate for Valentine's Day? Do you decorate? Create cards?

Thanks for joining me today in the CLASSroom and happy creating!

12 Tags of Christmas with a Feminine Twist - Tag 4

Tonight's tag is most definitely girly. As I created this tag today my sweet daughters were on my mind - I am ever so grateful for them and simply wanted to reflect on the blessing they are to me. Angels come to mind when I think of Christmas and so today's tag features guardian angels.

The technique that made an impression on me today was the use of stickles, in conjunction with glossy accents, when adhering images to the fragments and charms. LOVE IT!!!

So my experimentation began. The first charm I created I edged the charm with stickles and then filled the center with glossy accents. I realized when I pressed the charm in place atop the guardian angel that I had added WAY to much adhesive and because the stickles were around the edge most of the sparkle squeezed out. On to attempt #2.

As you can see I altered the placement of my stickles and the amount of glossy accents. It worked out perfectly with only a little excess coming out the edges. I used a soft cloth to remove the excess and allowed the images to dry.

Tip #1 - Carefully remove the excess glossy accents from the hole using a toothpick or crafter's pick before it dries.

Once dry use the crafter's pick to punch a hole through the cardstock. Trim excess cardstock to the edge of the charm.

Another idea I have had that I have wanted to try is to use the new Design Adhesives to add interest to the charms. I positioned the adhesive on the back, added Sand Ultrafine Glitter and burnished it into place. I then adhered the charm to a piece of Cranberry cardstock using Glossy Accents.

After adhering the angel to a large flower I added jumprings to all the charms to dangle them from the wrinkled seam binding.

The tag was created using the very convenient tag die. The words that were created to fit within the carved ornament die also works create in the tag die! Simply position the mover as shown above and run it through your Big Shot. Isn't that a fun way to add interest to your tag?!?

This next technique is a resist technique. Ink your image with Embossing ink and use clear embossing powder to create your resist image. Heat set the embossing powder and then use an ink blending tool to make the image pop.

You will notice that I inked the edges of the tag with Spun Sugar before embossing. I wanted the edges to be softer than if I had left the entire tag white before embossing.

Spun Sugar and Victorian Velvet were used to bring out the music background.

Yesterday I had an "oops" moment. When I went to pour the Vintage Glass Glitter back into it's container I was not paying close attention and dumped it into my Tarnished Gold embossing powder. I used a spoon to scope out the mixed portion and decided that today I would experiment with the mix as shown above.

It was an accident that was meant to be - I love the gorgeous effect!

Adding detail over the embossed background was possible by using Coffee Archival ink.

Playing with charms is so much fun. Hopefully I will have an opportunity to play with the alcohol inks and Archival Ink resist technique that Tim shared today later in this tag series.

Thank you for stopping in again today and I hope that you enjoy this Christmas angel tag.

stamps: Stampers Anonymous Festive Sounds and Fancy Flourish

ink: Distress Embossing Ink, Distress Spun Sugar and Victorian Velvet, Coffee Archival Ink

paper: Melissa Frances Angel Die Cuts, Neenah Solar White, Memory Box Cranberry Cardstock

accessories: Tim Holtz Movers and Shapers Tag and Hope Dies, Facets, Baubles; 7 Gypsies Antique Brass Reinforcer, Adelaide Seam Binding; Melissa Frances Tarnished Silver Glass Glitter, Tarnished Gold Embossing Powder, Sand Microfine Glitter, Prima Sweet Taffy Flower

Congratulations Curt! You are the winner of Tim's Winter Sketchbook stamp set and Tidings Tissue Tape. Please contact us with your snail mail address at [email protected] if you have not received an email from us shortly so that we can get these goodies into the mail to you.

Today we have another fun selection - Grunge Flakes stamp set and a package of Facets.

To be entered for this fun blog candy we would like to know how you found us and how long you have followed our blog -you have until tomorrow evening as I write my post to enter. You can post a comment each day on the current post for a chance to win some fun goodies, so be certain to stay tuned for another 8 days :-D

Wishing you a restful night and remainder to your weekend!

Christmas Photo Tray by Sharon Harnist

Remember when I made this Fall photo tray project?  I promised a Christmas version and here it is!  When I made the Fall tray, I used repositionable adhesive to hold each panel in the tray.  That made it easy to remove each section and store them until next Fall, enabeling me to change out this tray seasonally!

 

Once you decorate one of these trays, you'll be hooked -- they are so much fun! Here's how I created each section, starting at the top:

 

On the top left is Spellbinders Wreath die, cut from a Memory Box Dill Notecard.  I sanded the embossed areas of the die cut, then added Christmas Red Stickles for berries.  Jillibean Soup Red Twine ties up the the wreath that is adhered with  EK Success 3D Dots.

 

In the center of the wreath, I placed our family monogram using Ellen's Traditional Seasonal Alphabet Digital Download -- a red letter H tied up with a bow coordinated perfectly with these gorgeous Webster's Pages Waiting For Santa Petite Papers I used!  The darling Christmas Wish List in the center section is a fabulous Melissa Frances Retro Printed Chipboard piece!  I thought it might be fun to have my girls write their wish list to Santa here!

 

For the top right section, I made a Tim Holtz Paper Rosette and topped it with another piece of the Retro Printed Chipboard.  The Christmas tree is a fabulous dimensional Melissa Frances resin Christmas Tree that I airbrushed with these Copic markers:

 

The YG63 was used to base airbrush coat the tree, then YG97 used to add depth directly with the brush tip.  These colors were still a little too bright for the papers, so I finished the piece with a light airbrushing of E25 to give it a more antiqued look.  The tiny tag in the middle far right side, tied with red twine is another MF chipboard piece!

 

On the bottom left section, I hand trimmed a letter "A" ornament from the Webster's paper (both my girls' names start with an A!) and popped it up with foam squares on top of a Martha Stewart Large Snowflake punched piece of cream Webster's paper.  The center section has another Melissa Frances Retro Printed Chipboard snowman that says "Holiday Memories" and is accented with a Melissa Frances Candy Cane.

 

The photo of my girls was framed with Spellbinders Snowflake Frame, cut from more Webster's Waiting For Santa paper.  The bottom right section has another Retro Printed Chipboard "the Season's Greetings" large postage stamp adorning the Webster's paper.

 

Thanks for visiting the CLASSroom today -- I hope this Christmas home decor piece puts you in the holiday spirit on this almost first day December!  ~ Sharon

Paper: Webster's Pages Petite Papers-Waiting For Santa, Copic X-Press It Blender Card, Memory Box Dill Notecard,
Dies & Punches: Spellbinders Wreath & Snowflake Frame; Sizzix Tim Holtz Paper Rosette Decorative Strip Die, Martha Stewart Large Snowflake punch,
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Copic Markers: YG63, YG97, Y26, R39, E25
Accessories: Copic Airbrush System, 7 Gypsies Black Photo Tray, Melissa Frances Christmas Tree Applique, Retro Printed Chipboard & Candy Canes; Traditional Seasonal Alphabet Digital Download, Ranger Stickles-Christmas Red, Jillibean Soup Red & Brown Twine, Sanding Block, EK Success 3D Dots, Glue Dots-Mini & 3/8",

Spooky Silhouettes for Halloween and Spooky Blog Candy

OK - I must admit - they really aren't all that spooky - LOL! In fact I find them quite delightful, but I just had to share more simple and fun uses for the silhouettes I showcased in this month's newsletter article.

Printing the silhouettes on decorative paper adds a completely different look to your silhouette. I love the patterns of the Hocus Pocus 6x6 papers and decided to use them as my background.

Once you have your silhouette prepared these are so very simple to create and change out for the different holiday seasons!The silhouette above is the same silhouette that I used in my Optical Lens Ornament Rub On post.

Double click this link for more Rub On details.

For this framed piece I resized and printed my silhouette on copy paper. Using a light box I was then able to position the silhouette under the Hocus Pocus decorative paper, moving it around to find the best part of the pattern to use as the background.

Using temporary adhesive I adhered the decorative paper to my copy paper and then sent it back through the printer again. Voila - spooky prints appear in my silhouettes!

A few gemstones, together with a spider barette and pony tail holder, and the fabulous Melissa Frances frames make a very personalized set of Halloween prints to display :-D

I hope this inspires you to get creative for the upcoming holidays. You will be seeing me pull these silhouettes out of the frames and reuse the frames for the upcoming Christmas season ;-D

For those of you who do not have Photoshop we are offering a custom digital silhouette rendering so that you can use your own silhouettes in your projects. Visit our store for more information.

Once again I would appreciate your input. I am wondering if you would find it valuable for me to share the steps I use to create a silhoutte in Photoshop. Do you have and use Photoshop? If you do --- are you a beginner, intermediate or advanced user? Do you already know how to make your own silhouette? I am so very happy to provide this information, but do not want to use valuable time to create something that you already know how to do and/or share something that is far more complex than you would ever attempt in the first place - LOL!

Please leave your response in the comments section below before midnight Sunday, October 24th to be entered in our random drawing. By leaving your input you will be entered in to our random drawing which will take place on Monday, October 25th for the following:

• Custom Digital Silhouette Rendering, JPG
• 1 pr. Optical Lenses
• Rub Onz

silhouette: get your own Custom Digital Silhouette Rendering, JPG

paper: Hocus Pocus 6x6

accessories: Melissa Frances Large Chiswick and Large Newstead, Gemstone Spiders and Black Crystals, Temporary Repositionable Adhesive