Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Finding Inspiration

I have been following the Sizzix Blog and look forward to seeing a new project each morning while sipping my coffee.  The entire Sizzix Design Team is loaded with talent and one of my favorites is Jan Hobbins.  While clicking around on the blog yesterday I saw an older post from Jan way back in July. I just had to make one.  Here is my version of her project.  It is a sewing box using the Tim Holtz Sewing Room Die.  You can see Jan's here.





I used some beautiful paper from "My Mind's Eye" and a couple of round containers
from my local craft store.  All the solid color cardstock is from "Stampin Up", Baja Breeze, So Saffron, Riding Hood Red and Cherry Cobbler.  I always use lots of Tim Holtz products and the Dress Form, Sewing Edge Die, Tape Measure and Tattered Flower Garland are all  Sizzix Dies from Tim's line. The lace is Graphic 45 and the rest of the goodies are from my stash.

Later this week I will make the top container into a pin cushion and fill the larger one with threads and other sewing items.  When I do - I will post some pictires.


Thanks Jan - for the inspiration!

Monday, December 10, 2012

Happy Birthday Susie!

Today is the birthday of Susie, one of my WOW (wild old women) girlfriends.  In her honor I decided to make a spring-loaded card (as seen on the Sizzix blog and on Karen Burniston's blog).  Karen forgot to mention that one of the hardest parts of this card is finding the dang springs.  After a trip to Home Depot and Ace Hardware, I came home with 8 different ones.  Some were too stiff, some were too fat, some were too small.  At last I found 2 that were just right!

One of the problems with making an original card for a friend is that they always get the experimental model (Susie gets one each year, poor girl).  I like to think they will improve with practice.  I went stash diving and found a piece of Olivia Birds paper by Glitz and thought a bird theme would work very well.  I used black chipboard for the base and for the front of the card I used the solid side of the paper.  I cut the Caged Bird Die from Grungboard and embossed it with white and gold and glued some beads on it. The bird was embossed with blue and a little yellow for the beek and a brad for an eye.  I cut a couple of the bars on the cage to make it look as if the bird had escaped. I printed out "wish" on the computer and then cut it out using my wishblade.  Since this card is spring-laoded I needed a clasp to hold it closed.  I used a Hitch Fastener and a Swivel Clasp, both Tim Holtz products, to make the closing gadget.  The little heart is from some old jewelry that I took apart.


Now for my next problem - Karen used her new die the Raising Platform (which I don't have yet) but I used her 3-D Spinning Platform and it worked just fine.  The photo above is showing how it works when opening.  Next time I will cut it from white paper instead of black.  Remember that experimental stuff?

The photo doesn't show how it is raised up but it turned out pretty cute. (See next photo)  I die cut the Top Note Die from Stampin Up for the inside and then added my message on white cut to the same shape but smaller using my wishblade.