Christmas in July

Happy Friday Friends!

So as some of you know I work for Micheal's as a scrapbook instructor.   Well we got a new store manager and he is awesome!!!  He asked me to do some displays for the store from their Christmas in July project sheets.   Here is the bag I made.  He told me I didn't have to follow the project sheet, but I need to make the project.   Here is what I did.:

Supplies:
Stamp:  Recollection North Pole set  (reindeer)
Ribbon -  this was just some red and silver ribbon Michael's had in their Christmas section
Embossing powder - Here I used detail.  Read on why I wish I hadn't.
Paper is from Brazzil's (I think)  --  note to self get better about tracking exact supplies
White card stock
Markers - I used momentos this time around
Ink:  Versa Fine - Black   and Tim Holtz distress ink - Antique Photo
Ribbon - the red snow flake ribbon I bought when JoAnn's was clearing out Christmas stock last year.
Plain Gift bag.
EK Success Circle cutter  -  love this little gem!
Heat emboss tool

Instructions:
I measured the bag space for the size to cut the snowflake paper.  It was 7 3/4 X 5 1/4. 

Then I took a piece of White card stock and stamped my reindeer.  (Now so I would have extra reindeers and since I was already inked up, I stamped 4 on the 8 1/2 X 11 sheet of card stock.   I stamped them using the Black Versa Fine ink.  This is my favorite go to ink pad.

With my stamping coming out so clear I made sure I set it aside for a few minutes and made sure it was dry before I began coloring. 

I cut two of them out in a 4" circle.  (A 4" inch circle around each reindeer).   The other two I set aside to cut out later.  I will probably cut out the actual reindeer shape once I color them in.  But that will be another day.

For this project I only used one of the circle cut reindeer's.   I color him in with markers.  I chose Memento markers.  I have several different types of markers and depending on color I want to use, or technique I choose a marker.  I colored him in, in the white areas, I simply left it uncolored.  With the embossing over him, he looks fine.  Again I set him aside to make sure he dried and wouldn't smear.

OK, now I took my embossing stamp pad and stamped all over my reindeer image.  I then took my embossing powder and covered my image.  I did this over a sheet of paper, so I can easily put the excess back in the jar.  If you do it over your craft sheet, it tends to stick and it's an extra mess to clean up.  Now I picked it up with my tweezers and using my heat tool I melted the crystals for my first layer.  You know it's ready when the image comes through clear with vivid colors.   However, make sure you go over the non-color area too.   I repeated this process for about 5 or 6 layers. 

Why you ask... well this is the part where I tell you I wish I hadn't used fine embossing powder.  I was planning on doing a cracked glass technique and only had fine embossing powder.  I thought oh this will work the same just probably have to do extra layers.  OK, not that simple and lost my interest in layering quickly.  :-)   Still I continued on.   I put my project in the freezer to help with cooling off and was hoping my paper would curl more so I would get some good cracks.  Again ---- don't use fine embossing powder.

Next step.  I took it out of the freezer and proceeded to crack it.  It did OK, but not the look I was going for, it was more subtle.  The great thing about art, you can make it look like it wasn't a mistake!  :-)   So now I got out the distress ink and with a make up sponge wiped it over the embossed image.  Trying to pull out some of the cracks.  In real life the cracks are a little easier to see than in the photo.  

Oh what I didn't tell you was that with my first layer of embossing ink the paper seem to thin and I didn't like that look at all.  It made it look messy with the blue paper behind it.  Thus was my next step came into the picture.   I cut another piece of white card stock to put behind the image.  Everything that was suppose to be white was white again.  :-)   Glued it on the diagonal and trimmed with ribbon.   I attached my ribbon with my tape runner.  Then tied the handles with the red snowflake ribbon to bring out a little more of the red in the project. 

Time to get going on your Christmas projects.  I would love for you to share with me!

Diaper Cake

Hi Everyone!

Has it ever felt like things are really falling into place.  That is how I have been feeling lately.  God has really blessed me. 

In the previous posting I showed you a baby shower card I made.  Well here is the diaper cake I made to go with it.  I remember last time I made one it took me several hours, this time it went really quick.  Feels like I forgot a step, but it turned out really cute.

The topper is an item that was on her registry and I just loved what it added to the cake. 

So how did I do it???

Contains:

1 - box of Size 1 96 count diapers

various small items from registry

3 types of ribbon.  

1 - curling ribbon

1 - 1" size

1 - 3/4" size

1 baby bottle

Optional - candy to fill baby bottle

Plastic cake platter

Tape

Rubber bands

Glue Dots

I used the same size diaper for all layers.  (previously I have used different sized from new born to size 3.  Each layer getting a different size diaper)    However, my niece recently had a baby and even though she got a boat load of diapers, she still had to buy new born and size 1.   So I chose to do this cake with all size 1 diapers.  

What I'm not sure of is the # of diapers I used.   I bought a box of 96 and did not use the whole box.  I would guess around 50 or 60.   I rolled each diaper up and secured it with a rubber band.  One thing I recommend when rolling is to roll to the folded part of the diaper.  I found that it made each diaper more uniform and the ends came out flatter. 

I purchased a plastic cake platter from the dollar store as my base.  The center was a baby bottle.  For an added touch I filled it with candy.   I really should have used two bottles, but being a procastinator I didn't have any time left to go get another one.   The taller your cake the taller your center piece needs to be.  You don't have to use a bottle.  You could use a sturdy papertowel empty roll, gift wrap roll, alumnin foil roll, you get the idea.  :-)  What ever you choose to use, you need to secure it to your base.  I used tape and strong glue dots.  (The new elmer glue dots I think are really strong)

Once all of your diapers are rolled and you have your center secured you are ready to start assembly.  Take about 5 or 6 diapers and surround your middle base piece.  (the baby bottle or what ever you are using).  Then secure them all together with another rubberband.  Now surround those diapers with another layer of rolled diapers.  Now at this point I didn't have a large enough rubber band to put around this wring of diapers, so I tied curling ribbon around them tightly.  You now have your base layer of your cake.  You will repeat this process all the way to the top tier. 

Once you have all the tiers of diapers you want it's time for the icing a.k.a. ribbon and registry items.  In my example I took the 1" ribbon (Plain Purple) and wrapped it around each layer of diapers.  Then I took the 3/4" ribbon (Pink and says It's a Girl) centered it on top of the plain purple.    Then I used the purple curling ribbon to help secure various items on to the cake.   The 1st purse I just took one of the attachments and slid it into the ribbon and it held nicely.   (Make sure that you put each ribbon layer on tight to prevent slipping and so it can hold items.)  Because I didn't like seeing the seams, I used curling ribbon and secured two teathing ring type toys over the seams.  Add the curl for a little more punch.   I had two rattles that fast to a baby's arm or leg with velcro.  I just attched them around the ribbon.   

For the topper I used a baby security blanket my friend had registered for.  Then for some extra decorations I added a few barrettes clipped around. 

Well I can barely hold my eyes open, so I'm off to sleep land and hope to post more tomorrow! 

Good Night and God Bless!

Vintage Birthday

Hi,

I'm still working on keeping this blog updated on a regular basis.   I do love crafting, sometimes I just over committment myself.  Can you be addicted to stress?  I think sometimes I like chaos, just so I can figure a way out.

Well enough of me... On to this posting's project.

Yesterday I did a Hero Arts 90 minute scramble challenge.  See the Hero Arts Flickr site for upcoming scrambles.  They are addicting!!! 

THE CHALLENGE
1) Your new creation must contain at least one side without a straight edge.
2) Use your favorite Hero Arts stamp(s).
3) Use your favorite color combination.
4) Use your favorite technique(s).
5) Use your favorite embellishment(s).

The hostest with the mostest had some wonderful examples.   Below is my entry:

It's a card for a Baby Shower I was going to later that day.

This card is in the shape of a Onesie.   It was cut using my Silhouette SD.  I used a Hero Arts Butterfly digital cutting file for the butterfly.   The background stamp is an old Hero Arts trio butterfly set.  

Now I had also began working on a second design during this scramble (high hopes I could do two cards in 90 minutes --- let's just say I'm still striving to hit that goal.)  This card was for a dear friend's mother's 83rd birthday.   She threw her a party with a roaring 20's theme.  That is where I got the inspiration for the design.

This card was so fun to make.   The card base I used black card stock and cut the design from Silhouette.  Then the silhouette of the vintage woman is a Hero Arts design.