Friday, December 28, 2012

Origami Bell Ornament

Hello Crafters!

Ok, I know I'm a day late but, it took a bit of time to get the diagrams together properly for you.  So, without further adue, here's my completed origami ornament with a few instructions below for you.
Now, don't freak out. This is a lot easier than it looks, just like the last ornament. Here's your supply list:

Supplies:
6x6 Heavy Designer Paper (cardstock weight - core paper not recommended)
Bone Folder
Ribbon
Fishing Line (& a needle for threading)
Embellishments (I used strung beads)
Jewelry Finding (for top)
Ornament Hook
Wet Glue (holds better over time)
Hot Glue

Instructions:
Start by placing your square of paper down on your working surface with the side that will be the inside facing up  I am using green as my inside color and red as my outside color for the purposes of these instructions.

inside facing up
 Next, fold from corner to corner diagonally, unfold, repeat on remaining corners. I like to do this fold first to make sure my paper is perfectly square.  Your folds will look like this:
diagonal fold both directions

Now fold paper in half, unfold, and fold in opposite direction, green to the inside.  Your folds will look like this:
rectangular fold in both directions
When you unfold your paper you will have crease lines (did you use your bone folder?) that look like this:
well creased folds
This step is a little harder but, not much.  Take the bottom right corner and line up the bottom edge to the middle crease on your left.  Do the same to the bottom left corner making your edges meet in the middle. Your paper should look like this:
red=outside of paper (ornament)
You will need to unfold these folds and do the same fold (unfold after each corner) to the remaining 3 corners of your paper. When you have finished folding and unfolding your crease lines (you are still using your bone folder, right?) your folds should match these:

dashed lines=original folds, gray lines=folds you just made
OK, here's the toughest part.  Push down slightly in the center (against the green side here) where all your original folds meet while at the same time pushing the sides in at the dashed lines between the edge of the paper and the gray creased lines (above).  Here's what it should look like as you are pushing in:
green=inside of ornament, red=outside of ornament
I have eliminated the extra fold lines from the the diagram center , just imagine they are there. Continue to  fold the sides up to meet the center. The inside of your ornament (red folds) may begin to look like this:
you can barely see the green paper on the inside - you may not see it at all on your model
The last fold is to push the two (four) flat sides up to meet in the middle.  Your ornament will look like this:
darker shade of red is the bottom of the ornament protruding down
Lastly, you'll want to add a hanging embellishment (I used strung beads) before using your wet glue to seal the sides together. Give yourself enough fishing line (threaded on your needle) to come up from the bottom of the ornament through the top of the ornament for adding the jewelry finding.  Hot glue the jewelry finding in place (don't get the hot glue on the fishing line or it will melt), add your ornament hook and decorative ribbon.  Add additional embellishments if desired.  Voila! Your ornament is complete.

If you try this or have any questions, leave me a comment.  I would love to know how you did.  Leave me a link if you post it.  You may use my instructions/diagrams for your personal blog only as long as you link back here.  Happy Crafting!

I entered into these challenges:



Wednesday, December 26, 2012

CAS Christmas Ornament

HelloCrafters!
I trust you all had a happy Christmas. We had a nice calm, relaxing day.


So, here's the instructions for the ornament above I promised yesterday. You won't believe how easy this is. Don't let the length of the instructions fool you. I just want you to learn from my mistakes, not yours. (smile)

Supplies:
Clear Christmas bulb
1 Sheet tissue paper or mulberry paper
Embossing buddy (or used dryer sheet)
Embossing ink
Embossing powder
Rubber or acrylic stamp of choice
Elmer's glue (dries clear)
Water (small amount)
Small bowl or tray
Small paint brush
Skewer or stick at least 8" long
Craft foam block (floral) or upside down box
18" Pretty ribbon
Wet wipes
Start by removing the top metal cover on the neck of the blub and set aside. Next, tear the tissue paper (plain or tone on tone print) into about 2" pieces, the more irregular the better. Tip: wet a small paint brush with water to soften the fibers to make it easier to tear. You'll need about 20 pieces, this will vary depending on how you tore your paper. I have also used mulberry paper - the paint brush technique is a must with this type of paper because of the fibers. Do not use scissors to cut paper.  You want the edges to disappear.

You will want to chose one of your torn tissue pieces large enough for the image you have chosen to stamp on. Use your embossing buddy (or a used dryer sheet) to rub across the image area of the tissue before stamping.  Use embossing ink like Versa-Mark or Color Box to stamp your image then pour on your embossing powder, tap off excess and heat.  Be sure you don't overheat, the paper is thin so it will melt pretty fast.  Set the piece aside.

Now work on attaching the remainder of your tissue pieces.  You can use decoupage glue if you like but, I used watered down Elmer's glue that dries clear. You really don't need that much. I don't really have a formula for the mix but, you can start with 2-3 tablespoons of glue and add 1 teaspoon of water in your tray at a time until the glue is thin enough to work with.  Starting at the neck of the bulb, paint an area of the bulb with the glue big enough for the tissue piece and lay it down making sure there is glue under the whole piece. Now lay down some more glue and take the next piece of tissue and overlap slightly onto the first piece of tissue paper. As you go along you will need to put the skewer into the bulb to keep your hands off the glue and to keep from pulling the tissue away, creating air pockets (not good).  Remember, you don't need a lot of glue, just enough to stick everything down.  You will have wrinkles along the way and that's OK, it will just add to the character of your project.

Now take your embossed piece of tissue, add glue to the area you wish to apply it to and lay it down.  Make sure your orientation is correct. You are probably working upside down at this point so keep that in mind when you apply your stamped image. Now apply one last layer of glue over the whole thing and place the skewer in the foam (or poke a hole in the bottom of a box) and let dry several hours. It's best if you don't try to hurry this step with a glue gun because the glue bubbles easily. Put a fan on it if you desire. A fan will allow your project to be dry enough in an hour or so to complete.

To complete the project, carefully trim off any tissue that hangs over the edge of the neck.  Put the metal topper and hanger back on the ornament and squeeze the flutes back together if you separated them. Tie a bow through the hanger and trim edges. Let completely dry before storing or putting on your tree. You could spray the ornament with a shimmer spray but wait for the glue to dry first (the glue will run if you don't).

This is a very simple project. I've done it several times with elementary children.  The worst part is waiting for it to dry.  Really, I don't even mind when my fingers get "icky". I just keep the wet wipes close by. ;-p
For tomorrow's post I will have an Origami ornament complete with instructions for you. See you then!



Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Merry Christmas!


Christmas time is a special time of year. I love to bake all kinds of goodies adding that oh so important ingredient, love. While I am baking I reflect on what Christmas really means to me.

With joy I reflect on Christmas past when as a child I saw everything in a different light. And don't we see the that same glimmer of light in our own children's eyes on Christmas day? I dream that in years to come our children will look back on the memories we've made as I do now with the same joy in their hearts.

I pray for peace as I reflect on Christmas present where there is conflict in our nation. I also say a prayer of Thanksgiving that we as a nation have come together as one through our faith in God and each other. Coming together is just the beginning.

As I reflect on Christmas future, I remember its the special things in life that make it mean so much. If we let these precious things go, we lose our hope and love. I hope and pray that no person shall be without the joys, peace, and love that I have come to realize in my life throughout the years.

This Christmas I wish you all love. Love has it's place in everything. So, above all love one another. Enjoy yourselves. These are the good old days you're going to miss in the years ahead. Remember, love is not a matter of counting the years, it's making the years count.

Hope you have had a Blessed Christmas!

P.S. Check back tomorrow for the instructions on how to make the beautiful ornament above.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Let it Snow!

Hello Crafters!
I wanted to make a quick post for you today then I am on to finish all my Christmas preparations.
I chose this card today as we are about to get a major dumping of the white stuff  (4"-8" maybe more) tonight and tomorrow.  Although this is not a new card, it has never before been posted and a good example of a CAS (clean and simple) card. I used SU products most of the way here and have noted the ones that aren't. Here's the supply list:

Cardstock:  going gray, night of navy, bordering blue, whisper white
Ink: bordering blue, (white ink from ?)
Stamps: Lace background (not sure the name of the circle sentiment but it is from SU)
Ribbon: Navy organdy, (& scrap string)
White gel pen (Uniball)
Piercing tool
Scallop punch
Foam tape (3M)

This card is pretty self explanatory so there's no need for explanations.
So, there you have it, a CAS card that probably only took me 10 minutes to make.  This would be a great last minute Christmas card for someone you may have missed.
Thanks for stopping by today.  I plan to have more posts this week so be sure to stop back for a visit. Leave a comment if you like, I would love to hear from you!

Monday, December 17, 2012

Artistric Inspirations Challenge #20 - Tags

Hello Crafters!
Welcome to another inspiration for the challenge at Artistic Inspirations.  My image is from Eureka called "Snow Church".  Isn't it just beautiful?  I just love the serenity of the scene, don't you?  I started by cutting the image out leaving about 1/8" border around the frame.

I started with Night of Navy cardstock for my base and added a small doily.  There's actually 2 doilies there because the navy cardstock showed through too much with just one layer.  I used my new Spectrum Noir alcohol markers to color my tag.  I used gray(IG1) to highlight the snow following the drawing and the gray (IG4) for the church.  I added a red (CR11) door to make it a little more festive.  I added gray (IG8) for the roof and trim on the steeple.  I made the tiniest little dots of color for the stained glass windows.  I used green (DG3) for the pine needles and brown (GB10) for the trunk and branches.  I dotted the sky with gray (IG1) dots then went over that with my blue (TB9) marker.  I used the blender to lighten the sky so you could see the stars a bit better.  I decided I wanted the stars to stand out a bit more so I went over them with my white gel pen.  I mounted the image on Real Red cardstock and added a small bit of lace at the bottom.  I popped that up on top of the doily on the right side.
I went fishing in my button bin and found the buttons I needed for the bottom left of the tag (some of these are popped up a bit on one side due to the image itself being popped up.
 I threaded a length of red organdy and blue polka dot ribbon and a piece of lace through a hole I punched in the top of the tag.  I decided I needed a little "sparkle" so I also added a little bit of silver string with the ribbon then tied it off at the top with another piece of silver string and topped it with the a clear button I found on my previous fishing trip and tied that in a knot.  After that I just couldn't let the upper right hand corner be left unattended so I added some bling.  This image just spoke "Silent Night" to me so added the sentiment in my own handwriting and layered it on Real Red cardstock.
Before adding the ribbons I sprayed the whole card with Champagne Mist to give it just a little shimmer.

When I started this project I had no idea what direction I was going.  Sometimes you just have to fiddle along and hope for the best.  I'm happy with the result this time.
Thanks for stopping by today and don't forget to stop by Artistic Inspirations to join up in the challenge we have over there!

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Eclectic Ellapu challenge #10 - Anything Goes

Hello Crafters!
It's time for another challenge over at Eclectic Ellapu.  We have both teams serving up this week for your viewing pleasure.  We sure hope you will join in the challenge as well.

For my project, I wanted to show you something that was quick and easy.  If you are like me then the days are going by much to quickly to work on lengthy projects, or at least not too many of them.

I started with a chipboard coaster and glued (wet glue) blue cardstock to both sides.  I tore two layers of white cardstock to represent snow & glued them in place.  While waiting for the glue to dry, I punched the shapes for the penguin and glued them down. The body is a 1-3/4" circle with a small bit cut off the bottom, the wings are the smallest SU oval punch tucked under the body and the white chest (ink the edges) is the largest oval punch cut to match the body.  The eyes are the 1/2" and 1/4" circle punches.  The beak is from a piece of orange scrap. I tied a knot in 1/4" ribbon for the bow tie and punched 1/8" circles for buttons.  I used SU Boho flower punch (smallest) for the feet (tuck up under the body so only 3 petals show).  Rinse and repeat if you want a bunch of these for gifts/ornaments/tags. When the glue is dry ink the edges.  I punched holes in the top of the coaster for ribbon, threaded the ribbon through and tied a knot to the front.  I wanted to do this before I added the Ranger crackle glue on top so I could seal the knots. Let dry for a few hours.  I just love the shimmer this glue adds to this project.  I also added a little crackle glue to the sides of the coaster to seal the edges.
Thanks for stopping by today and joining our challenge at Eclectic Ellapu.

Saturday, December 15, 2012

SYS Saturday

Hello Crafters!
I have another Stir Your Stash Saturday for you.  First here's the sketch.
I can't seem to stop using the doilies I found in my stash a little while back.
I started with a swirl background in Going Gray ink on Whisper White cardstock trimmed to 4-1/8" x 5-3/8".  The edges are inked in Going Gray also.  I found this beautiful shimmery charcoal gray cardstock from Core'dinations to use for the backing of the card and ran a small piece through the Big Shot with a dotted folder.  I sanded the raised dots to distress it a bit.  The bow is some organdy ribbon I had in my humungous stash of ribbon (some day I'll have to show it to you!) which I wrapped around the whole card front.  The doily was a white one I inked with Baroque Burgandy using my brayer.  Isn't it cool how you still see a little white?  This was just glued down to the card on the left over the bow.  I punched a 2" circle, inked the edges in going gray and stamped the ornament (from SU's new ornament set).  This is popped up in the center of the doily.  I added a little stickles to the top & middle of the ornament, around the the doily and 3 dots on the upper right portion of the Core'dinations cardstock.  Quickly I added some Martha Stewart glitter to make it show up a little better.  Pretty simple card really and it went pretty fast.
Thanks for visiting today.  Be sure to stop back for my challenge posts for Eclectic Ellapu and Artistic Inspirations this week.  Have a great weekend!

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Artistic Inspirations Challenge #19 - Christmas Colors

Hello Crafters!
I am happy to announce to you that I have been excepted as a Design Team Member for Artistic Inspirations Challenge Blog.  We will be doing a lot of "anything goes" challenges and there will be plenty of themes to follow.  Our challenges will run weekly with Team A & Team B alternating.  This is a sister blog to ATC's with Attitude and Fat Pages with Attitude.  They are all great blogs.  ATC's are artistic trading cards and Fat Pages are 4x4 cards (just in case you didn't know).  I've been playing with this 4x4 size card and they can really be fun.  I hope you will check these blogs out and leave a comment for the DT.
 Anyway, here's my first project.
 The first thing I did was paint my paper mache box with the acrylic paint, outside, bottom and lid only.  Once dry I used Ranger 1 step crackle finish (clear).  After letting that dry for a few hours I heated it slightly to increase the cracking a bit (be really careful with that part or the glue will bubble up).  To age the box I went over all the cracks with brown ink then wiped off the excess.  The ink stays in the cracks and creates this subtle aged look.  I wanted to highlight the raised border on the sides so I brushed lightly with a gold leaf paint and it actually made the cracks stand out even more.  Unexpected joy.
The image I used for the box lid is "Beautiful Bow" from Robyn's Fetish, one of our sponsors this week at AI.  I haven't gotten my Spectrum Noir markers yet (Christmas from my hubby) so I used my good colored pencils and a blender pencil to color in the image.  I colored 2 of them for the layers but just did a flat coloring job on the underneath image since you don't see much of it anyway.  I sponged lightly with the brown ink to age this also and disguise my not so perfect cutting job (top image only).  I added the doily to the lid with Tombow liquid glue and smoothed it out with my fingers gluing down any loose edges I found.  I recommend you don't over do it with the glue in this stage as the doily is thin and the paint may show through.  Sponging the doily with a little brown ink toned down the bright white and helped camouflage the glued areas.  The shimmer you see is from my favorite Stampin' Up Champagne Mist paint.  I actually brushed it on this time because I wanted a little more color.  That took a few minutes to dry then I popped up both of the images and added clear lacquer from Hobby Craft.  Quickly I then added the red bling dots for the berries so the lacquer would hold them in place.  Use a pin to pop any bubbles.  Let dry overnight. Note: don't get anxious and touch the surface of the lacquer too soon!  I had to re-lacquer a couple spots twice because of my impatience.  God was giving me a lesson here!
 I just didn't have enough bling to satisfy myself so I put some large red bling dots around the perimeter of the lid and on the top corners with some very sticky glue dots.  I suppose, given more time, I could add some more lacquer just to make sure but they are holding on very well for now just the way they are.
 Well, there you go.  Be sure to stop over at Artistic Inspirations and check out the rest of the DT's projects and enter our challenge.  We would love to have you join us.

Challenges I entered:
No Matter Which Challenges-#5 ends 12/16


Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Christmas Card #3

Hello Crafers!
Well, here's my card I told you about yesterday.
Although I don't usually do simple cards, I do like the way this one turned out. I found this dove in the ornament section of Wal-mart last year.  I thought I only had one package but feel fortunate to have found another one.  So I will be making 24 of these.  I didn't get a close up of the sparkly paper yet but I will soon.  I popped up the dove to give the card a little more dimension and added a bow and a bling dot for the eye.  The background stamp is from the Keepsakes Ornament set from Stampin Up.  The little snowflake is from another acrylic set (don't remember which one at the moment).  I didn't add my Champagne Mist spray to this card because I wanted the dove to stand on it's own.  That's it.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Christmas card #2

Hello Crafers!
I made this card using my newest set from Stampin Up.  This is such a beautiful set.  My previous post was made with the die-cuts that match this set.  There are so many possibilities!  I am still undecided which card will be my main Christmas card this year.  Although this is a nice card I've rejected it for mass production because there's just too many layers.
I really want to make something that has fewer layers and has a focal point that pops.  Unfortunately,  this monochromatic card just isn't doing it for me.  I probably should have used red ribbon. I think I have it figured out with the card that I will post tomorrow.  I'm short on the embellishment so I can only make 10 of them.  Kind of a bummer.  So, I'll fiddle around a little more and see what else I can come up with.  I will be using the same great charcoal glitter card stock from Core'dinations though.  I wish you could see how beautiful the glittery card stock is.  I'll try to get a close-up with tomorrow's post.