Sunday, March 31, 2013

Lucky Me!! -- March Tag

Hi All - Happy Easter,

Boy! do I feel like a big dork- I was on Tim's blog last night checking out the March Tag (because I have to make and post mine today) and I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that I had won a prize for my Chunky February Tag.  Just a little slow on the draw.  Within minutes of my message to Mario, he responded with my prize.  You will be happy to know that I wasted no time using my gift certificate from Inspiration Emporium.


I've had a great month - earlier this month I got honorable mention both on Tim's Blog and on the Sizzix Blog. Tim put me in his "Blogworthy Springtime Links" post for my "Spring Has Sprung Accordion Album".   To add to all the excitement
Karen Burniston tagged the same project and posted it on the Sizzix blog.  I am feeling good right now.

Tim did a great tag with his Bunny Die but since I am so late with my post (as usual) I decided to give a nod to April.  Hopefully this will inspire me to post my April tag much sooner. Keep your fingers crossed.  Here is my tag - ENJOY

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Tattered Floral - Vellum

Hi Folks

Well this is my last post for the week but just had to get in on the Tattered Florals Challenge going on over at the Tim Holtz blog.  I took a look at the other entries and decided to go my own way (I know - what a shock!) using vellum to make my flowers.




It is a rather messy process but I like the results - if you do not like inky fingers, this is not for you. I used the Tattered Florals Die of course and the Movers and Shapers Tattered Florals cutting my flowers from white vellum.  I then sprayed them with Distress Re Inker and water using the Ranger Mini Mister.  I used Squeezed Lemonade, Shaded Lilac and Spun Sugar.  You need to get each piece really wet and covered with ink.  While wet I added the brads and then dried them with the heat gun.  For the large flowers I used 3 large flowers and 3 medium. For the smaller ones I usually use about 5 layers. As they dry you will see them start to curl up, you can shape them some but really don't have to.



For the basket I used a round container that I had in my stash and covered it with a basket weave paper from one of Tim's paper collections.  I made a false bottom on the basket so I didn't have to fill it up.  The handle is simply a strip of paper attached to the basket with a brad.  The Chocolate Bunny is the Easter Elements Die and the Butterfly is a Movers & Shapers from Tim.



I have been crafting and blogging non stop for the last 4 days so guess I better go find the Swiffter and the vacuum cleaner - the house needs some work!

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Spring Has Sprung!!

Have I mentioned lately that I am a BIG fan of Karen Burniston? (Queen of Pop Up Dies) Well, she doesn't know it but she has solved a problem for me with her latest post.  She is showing how to increase the size of the Accordion Album.  I have a brand new set of Tim Holtz Stamps that had yet to meet ink and wanted to use them with the Accordion Album.  The stamps were just a little too big but after seeing Karen's project --  PROBLEM SOLVED --

This is also a good one to enter in the Simon Says Challenge this week.  The stamp you love...(but don't use)  I have to admit the only reason I haven't used these stamps is the fact that they are new.





         Here's how I did it!

I needed the inside frame to be 4 1/4" high - so following Karen's directions I marked my die at 2 1/8" and placed the fold of the cardstock on the taped line. I cut the Accordion Die Frame from Stampin Up, Perfect Plum. I wanted 4 sections so of course cut it 4 times.

I then decided that the best color for the center panels was manila so I used some Smead File Folders.  I cut one panel from scrap paper and then scanned it and cut it out with my Wishblade Electronic Die Cutter.  You could also cut them using the die but I was trying to avoid the center fold.  You could also cut them by hand by tracing and cutting.
For the next step I stamped my images with black Versa Fine Ink and then used clear embossing powder and then heat set.  I colored selected sections of each stamp with Prismacolor Pencils and inked the edges of each panel with Perfect Plum ink.


In order to hide the fold line in the outer frame I decided to emboss the center sections.
I had an old AccuCut Pad that I cut with the Tim Holtz Scissors and placed it on top of the folder.  I taped the pad down to the folder so it wouldn't move when going through the machine. After it is run through the machine it is embossed only where the pad was placed.
 
After joining all the sections and adding the stamped images it's time to join the panels with the tabs and embellish, my favorite part.

A few flowers from the Tattered Flower Garland Die, edged with Perfect Plum, and a couple things from my stash - it's good to go.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG - ENJOY !!