O Christmas Tree Pop-Up

Today I turn 44. So, I thought I'd share a sneak peak of something I bought as one of those "present(s)-to-myself". This exclusive Stampin' Up! Sizzix Bigz XL die will be available in the upcoming Stampin' Up! Holiday Mini-Catalog, which will be active from September 1, 2009 through January 4, 2010. The die is called "O Christmas Tree Pop-Up" (#116822) and will retail for $42.95. This Bigz XL die and a complementary ornament Sizzlits die were designed by artist Karen Burniston.

I used some Bazzill Bling cardstock and my Cuttlebug to cut out the pieces for my tree assembly. To create this pop-up, you will need one (1) cut of each of the largest tree shapes, four (4) of the smaller tree silhouettes, four (4) of the triangular tree pieces, and one (1) of the base piece (which attaches your tree pop-up to your card base if you choose to use it in a card fashion). Of course, this Bigz XL die is highly versatile for use in home decor, holiday decorations and other Christmas projects. Here are the cuts used in this project:



The assembly of the actual Christmas tree pop-up is relatively easily and I highly recommend reading the enclosed instruction sheet with the die before you begin. After a bit of awkwardness the first time, it becomes a logical process. Amazingly, the assembly of the tree does not require any adhesive or other fasteners. It is comepletely built on a tab and slot construction.

Here are a few shots of the construction portion of the project:








Once you have your basic pop-up tree constructed, the real fun begins: trimming your tree. As I mentioned, there will be a Sizzix Sizzlits die that will cut a star tree topper and various shaped ornaments in the Stampin' Up! Holiday-Mini catalog. (You'll have to wait to see that! I can't just spill everything...). For this tree, I thought it might be fun to use some of my Basic Grey Bling jewels to decorate my tree. Using various colors and shapes of stones, this is what I ended up with:






The fact that I used so many three-dimensional rhinestones as decorations does not make this pop-up tree the ideal candidate for a card. But, I did it anyway so that you can see the possibilities. The one little odd piece from the original cuts is all that is required to attach the tree to a card. Here, you will need a bit of adhesive. I have to admit that I'm absolutely intrigued by the engineering behind this pop-up mechanism. It's quite brilliant.






This is but one of the new and brilliant ideas and products coming in the Stampin' Up! Holiday Mini 2009-2010 catalog. The stamps are adorable and the accessories are all MUST HAVES. (Trust me, if you saw my preview order you'd understand!) Over the next couple of weeks, I'll continue to give you a few sneak peaks of things coming down the pike in Santa's Big Bag of Surprises. Until then, Keep Crafting!

Candy Corn Explosion

I came upon this lovely sheet of candy corn paper from a Die Cuts With A View Fall Stack from last year. It inspired me to play with a couple of Martha Stewart punches and create a couple of Halloween themed cards.

I have to say that I am completely in LOVE with the new Martha Stewart Punch Around The Page punch sets. Additionally, the new wing-edged punches are a dream when it comes to folding them up and conserving on storage space. I recently purchased the Spider Web punch set and finally found a source to order my Loopy Border set. I even re-purchased the Drippy Goo punch just to get the wing-edged version.

Both cards are A2 size and the card base is Bazzill textured cardstock in Raven. The first card features a Drippy Goo border on the decorative mat. The stamped skull image is from the new Stampin' Up! Halloween set entitled "From The Crypt" (#115460, $22.95). It was stamped on Stampin' Up! Whisper White cardstock (#100730, $7.50 for 40 sheets) with a Classic Stampin' Pad in Only Orange (#102696, $5.95). The sentiment is from the Stampin' Up! set "Teeny Tiny Wishes" (#115370, $36.95). The card is accented with a Copic Atyou Spica Glitter Pen in Orange.




The second card showcases the same decorative DCWV paper. I cut a piece at 3 1/4" x 5" and used both the Martha Stewart Wing Edger Spider Web punch and the Corner Spider Web punch to create the all-around border. To highlight the web cuts, I adhered the decorative paper to a piece of Stampin' Up! Whisper White cardstock cut at the same size. I used the Stampin' Up! Ticket Corner Punch (#107214, $6.95) on the four corners as an accent.

Medallion

I guess it is rather gauche to say, but I really love this card. There's just something about the combination of colors and textures that makes me happy.

The centerpiece of the card is one of the new stamps from the 2009-2010 Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalog called "Medallion" (#115223, $17.95). It's a very large damask-inspired background stamp that is very Parisian in feel and style. Because the image is so large, you can really be creative with it--making it a subtle element or a focal point of a card, scrapbook page, or home decor project.

The base of this card is a piece of 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" Stampin' Up! cardstock in Night of Navy, scored at 4 1/4". The mat of Papertrey Ink's Stamper's Select White cardstock is cut at 4" x 5". The Medallion image was stamped in two parts. First, the offset image was stamped on the card mat with Tsukineko Memento Ink in Blue Danube. Then, I restamped the image in Tsukineko Memento Bahama Blue and cut out only the center circle portion and adhered it to the card mat image. The button is from Papertrey Ink's Enchanted Evening Collection and was sewn on the cardstock with their Rustic Jute Button Twine. The card mat was then sponged on the edges with Tsukineko Memento Bahama Blue and adhered to the card base. A diecut journaling block was added to the card interior as the cardstock was so deep in color. The finished piece has a charming couture charm to it (if I may so myself).

Coloration

One of the things that fascinates me most about paper crafting (and crafting, in general) is choosing colors for a project. I swear I can literally spend hours flipping through reams of cardstock, paper stacks, mat stacks and decorative papers browsing and matching, placing swatches and pages side-by-side, changing my mind again and again. I guess in the end--and something I find true of many crafters--we are all paper addicts. Can you really ever have enough paper? I, myself, am trying to debunk this myth apparently. I would never admit this in public, but I think when you have so much paper you actually have to pack some of it away, there might be a problem. But, then again, I tell my therapist it's just my back-up plan.

This card began with a scrap piece of paper left over from a card project from a few days ago (the chandelier card). It was a strip of lovely cardstock from the new Die Cuts With A View stack called "Downtown Loft" that is an exclusive to JoAnn's. It was a green tiled cardstock that had squares of high-gloss interspersed throughout. Since it wasn't large enough to actually use as a card base or mat, I decided to take one of my Martha Stewart punches ("Oak Leaf") down from the rack and punch out as many pieces as I could from the scrap.

As I started playing with my punched-out pieces, I soon was fascinated with a wreath-like shape. I punched out a 1 3/8" circle of white cardstock and and 1 3/8" circle of decorative paper from scraps. Using a Zig 2-way adhesive pen, I attached each leaf stem to the back of the white cardstock circle. Once it was complete, I adhered the decorative paper circle to the white circle. Then I stared at it for a while and decided it "needed" a bit more __________? I ended up piercing a hole through the center and using a Stampin' Up! Corduroy Button in Kiwi Kiss. (Are we sensing a green theme?)

Next, I went looking for papers to mount my creation on. After much thought, I ended up choosing Stardream Fuse Mica cardstock in Fairway for my A2 card base. The card mat is from the DCWV "Taj Mahal" mat stack. After everything was adhered together, I was struck by the fact that an Indian influenced design worked so well with the seemingly incongruent wreath design. One might even daresay it's rather "Christmas-y" in it's overall look. Yet, it could serve as a general everyday notecard.

Sometimes it is a game of trial and error. But, that's not really the right term. For in my opinion, there are no errors...just ideas that don't quite workout like you thought they might. Expressing your creativity and experimenting is a very large part of the entire crafting process.

Keep coloring your world....and as always, crafting...

All Hallow's Eve

I am completely enamored by this new Stampin' Up! Halloween stamp called "All Hallow's Eve" (#113264, $17.95). It's a very large stamp and is deeply etched for maximum detail. I will admit that the size makes it a bit cumbersome to stamp with (and you may have to stamp a few times before you get a print that you're truly happy with). You may also want to ink your stamp with a brayer for larger and quicker coverage.

The card base is Stardream Fuse Mica cardstock in Flame. The image was stamped on Stampin' Up! Whisper White cardstock with Tsukineko Memento ink in Tuxedo Black. The card mat and base were punched with the Stampin' Up! Tag Corner Punch (#107215, $6.95). The ribbon is from artiste extraordinaire Marah Johnson and Creative Imaginations (LOVE IT!). I used a Sakura Metallic Ink Pen in Orange Flame for accent and a Stampin' Up! Stampin' Write Journaling Pen in black for the freehand sentiment.





May your ghosts and goblins always bring treats...and Keep Crafting!

Cricut Exploration: Home Decor

I have a horrible confession to make. Over the weekend, I finally took my poor ignored Cricut Expression off the shelf and played with him. It's not my intent to be a neglectful father. However, my limited crafting space does not allow me to leave my Circut set up for easy use. I'll admit, it's a bit of laziness on my part; That, and a combination of being busy using other techniques and ideas.

This weekend, I decided to explore the Cricut Solutions Home Decor cartridge. After a few imperfect cuts and a blade change, I made a few elements for some card layouts. I really enjoy the modern and fashion-forward look of the cuts on this cartridge.





This first card features the bumblebee cut at 3". This card also features an embossed layer using the exclusive Stampin' Up! Elegant Bouquet Textured Impressions folder by Sizzix. I used Stickles in Fruit Punch to highlight the center of each flower. The bottom is trimmed with the Stampin' Up! Scallop Edge punch. I enhanced the Cricut cutout with a pair of googly eyes and a bit of glitter pen. But my favorite element is the wings. I used a piece of clear acrylic plastic to back the wings showcasing a design of black swirls and flourishes. I really love the effect.






The next card uses the stylized cupcake image on Home Decor cut at 3". The base and mat cardstocks are both Bazzill Bling. The sentiment stamp is Stampin' Up! The real highlight of this card is the coloration of the cupcake. I was striving for an airbrushed (without actually airbrushing) look using my Copic Sketch markers. Using a lot of blending, I think I achieved a fairly decent interpretation of the coloration.





The final card features the chandelier cut from Home Decor. I absolutely ADORE this cut. I cut it at 3" in a yellow Bazzill cardstock. I then used Copic 110 to color in the chandelier leaving the original yellow "bulbs" uncovered. The chandelier is attached to a strip of DCWV Modern Loft cardstock that has been edged with the Stampin' Up! Eyelet Border punch. I used a Stampin' Up! clear rhinestone brad to attach the chandelier to the strip. The sentiment stamp is from Unity Stamp Company. The base cardstock is from the Die Cut With A View Downtown Loft Stack. This is my absolute favorite stack of the new JoAnn Exclusive releases.

Until next time, Keep Crafting!

Little Monsters

For some strange reason of late, I seem to be preoccupied with Christmas. Which is a bit weird since it's more than five months away. My mind is exploding with Christmas card layouts and holiday projects. Most of them are being written in my "inspiration" notebook for perusal at a later date.

But, another holiday struck my fancy yesterday (even though it is still a few months away as well)--Halloween. I recently purchased a terrific set of stamps from Unity Stamp Company called "Little Monsters". They are the most adorable Halloween inspired images. If they don't make you smile, I think a part of you might be dead--which come to think of it might just fit with the holiday!

This card project is a standard A2 size (4 1/4" x 5 1/2"). The base cardstock is Stardream Mica Fuse in Flame. The accent cardstock is by Core'dinations from the All In The Family collection in Orange. It's been cut at 3 1/2" x 4 1/4" and edged with the Stampin' Up! Scallop Border Punch. It was then run through the Cuttlebug with the Tiny Mosaic Folder and sanded with a Stampin' Up! Snow Block.

The Baby Frankenstein and Witch's Hat are from the Unity Stamp Set "Little Monsters" and stamped on Papertrey Ink Stamper's Select White Cardstock using Tsukineko's Memento Ink in Tuxedo Black. I then colored both images using Copic Sketch Markers. They were adhered to the embossed cardstock with Stampin' Up! Stampin' Dimensionals. The scalloped piece was then adhered to the card base with my ATG 714 adhesive gun. For the card sentiments, I used two other stamps ("little monster" and "trick or treat") from the "Little Monsters" set. Something about this card just makes me feel like a little kid again (Not that I'm not accused of the fact more often than I care to admit!). I hope this card gets your "little monsters" waking from the graveyard of holiday's future and inspires you to create something in honor of ghosts and goblins that float by us each and every day! Keep Crafting....

Quilting In The Greenhouse

The art of quilting is an amazing source of inspiration. Taking needle and thread and combining two or more layers of material produces a landscape of textures, colors, and patterns. Adapting ideas from quilting into your cardmaking is an easier transition than you might first imagine.

Today's card project uses the illusion of quilting blocks to create a background for stamped images. You can really use your eye for color and pattern to create some mesmerizing tableaux. You can go bold or subtle. You can go for harmonious or contrasting designs. You'll find yourself playing with your paper blocks--rearranging, rotating, and replacing them over and over.

I chose the following papers to work on this card: the card base is Stardream Fuse Mica Paper in Copper cut at 5 1/2" x 8 1/2"; the decorative papers are Basic Grey 6" x 6" from the Marrakech collection; and a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" piece of Papertrey Ink Stamper's Select white cardstock.



To begin creating the quilting pattern for my card, I used an EK Success 1" square paper punch. The 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" white cardstock will be the base upon which I'll layer my quilting blocks. Using the punch, you'll need to cut out ten (10) 1" x 1" squares of each piece of your patterned paper selections.




Now is when your creative juices really need to kick in. Play with your blocks and look at colors and patterns. Lay them out like a puzzle and try to find the best patchwork design for your project. Once you've settled on a pattern, you can begin adhering your blocks on the cardstock base. I used Stampin' Up! SNAIL adhesive to begin attaching my quilt blocks.




Next, I chose to use my Cuttlebug and the Sizzix Bigz Top Note Die (a Stampin' Up! Exclusive) to add another element of visual interest to my quilted background. Sandwiching the die and quilted cardstock between the two "B" plates, quickly and easily runs through the Cuttlebug.




For the stamped image to complete the look of my card, I chose to use the Stampin' Up! Greenhouse Garden stamp set (I LOVE this set!). I used my Stamp-a-ma-jig to create a two-step floral image and stem. The inks I chose to use are Tsukineko Memento in Pear Tart and Cottage Ivy. I stamped my image on Stampin' Up! Whisper White cardstock and trimmed around the the images. I also chose to add a piece of Stampin' Up! Always Artichoke grosgrain ribbon to the quilted background.




I attached the stem using a Zig 2-way Glue Pen and tucked the end behind the ribbon. The flower is attached using Stampin' Up! Stampin' Dimensionals. I also chose to adhere the entire quilted block with Stampin' Dimensionals to give my card the layered visual interest that allows the images to pop from the very deep and glittery cardstock base.






Until next time, keep crafting!