Easter Bunny Card & Free Printable

Another Creative Cutting Challenge is underway and the theme for the next two weeks is EASTER.  My Design Team submission is this sparkly card I created using a new SVG file, Easter Bunny Card, which you can see below.

To make the card, I cut the shaped card base out of purple cardstock.  The next layer was cut from white cardstock and then the top layer in black cardstock.  Now I was ready to "decorate" the eggs, background, bunny ears and eye.  I first used Distress Markers and a water pen, coloring in all the areas except the bunny body.  Next I jazzed up all the eggs with Stickles...in colors that matched the markers.   Finally I punched two holes to add the ribbon and stamped the sentiment (Stampabilities--Happy Easter 02).

With this SVG file, you can use it as a shaped card or use just the bunny element on any craft project.

 Get the file HERE
If you use an electronic cutter, I hope you'll join in the "Easter" Challenge and show us your project! Just click Here for information.

And now for a FREEBIE!  Here is my newest Printable...

It's available for a limited time Here.

As always, I 'd love to see what you make with this or any of my files and printables!

Entered Into the Following Challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Monday--Anything Goes
Cut It Up Challenges--Anything Goes

Paint Dot Glasses

If you've ever wanted to "paint" glasses, this is the project for you!  I saw a project similar to this on Pinterest but the link was broken so I came up with my own method.  It's very simple and you need a minimum of supplies.  Customize the colors to match your decor or make up a batch for wedding or shower favors.

Supplies Needed:

• Drinking Glasses--I got the glasses I used from the Dollar Tree.  They have many styles but I think that the smooth sides glasses work best.  Wine glasses would work great with this technique.
• Glass Paint--I used Folk Art Enamels.  In the sample above I used just two colors, pink and white.
• Dowel piece and skewer--make sure one edge is flat, sand if necessary.
• Rubbing alcohol, paper towel, palette knife, paint palette (I like to reuse clean meat trays or styrofoam plates).

Instructions:

1. Wipe your glass with a rubbing alcohol on the paper towel.  Do not touch the glass where you will be painting.  I found it easiest to put my non-painting hand into the glass to hold it.
2. Squirt out two nickel sized dollops of pink (or whatever color you prefer) paint and one of white paint onto your pallet.
3. Add one to two drops of white paint to one of the colored paint dollops and one or two drops of pink paint to the white dollop. Using the palette knife (or your skewer), mix these together.  You'll now have three separate paint dollops in varying shades of pink.
4. Start with the dowel and the darkest pink shade and randomly dot on the paint until you get a pleasing pattern.  Do the same with the middle value of paint and then the lightest value.  Feel free to have your dots touch and don't put too many of the same value in the same spot.
5. With the skewer, repeat step four.
6. Let dry and cure as instructed on the paint bottle.

Some things to remember when doing this project:

• If you are not happy with your design, until the paint is cured, you can easily wipe it off with rubbing alcohol.
• I'm not sure about other glass paints, but with the Folk Art Enamel, you do not use any water with them.  That means if you must clean your dowel/skewer, simply wipe it off with the paper towel.
• Be sure and follow the curing instructions exactly.  The last thing you want to happen is have all your hard work come off in the dish water!

Iris Folding Card Tutorial

I'm deep in the planning stage for a fundraiser for my Relay For Life team...

a Pinterest and Purses Party!  

Of course in addition to putting the event together, I'm also in charge of the craft projects and getting them on the event's Pinterest board.  Because of that, I'm posting the directions for the Iris Folding cards shown above.  If you've never created these cards before, they are super simple and look so elegant.  

Here's how to make them:

1.  Cut the card front from cardstock using the template found HERE.

2.  Choose four sheets of designer scrapbook paper and cut a 1/2" x 12" strip of each.  If your paper is very thick, go onto step 3.  If your paper is thin, fold each strip length wise down about 1/8".  Snip a small piece of each paper and attach to the paper key on the pattern found HERE.  This will help you keep track of which piece goes where.

3.  Place the card front on the pattern sheet, lining up the opening with the pattern.  You will be working on the back side of the card front so if you are using a patterned front be sure that it is face down.  Attach the card front to the pattern with a small piece of painters tape so that it can easily be removed when you are done.

4.  Starting with "A", lay your corresponding strip of paper on the pattern (folded edge to the center).  Snip the strip slightly past the edges of pattern and tape to the card front on both ends.  (Be sure that no tape is placed on the pattern opening as it will show on the front.)

5.  Move on to the "B" strip, applying the same way.  Then "C" strip and "D" strip, working your way around the opening--A-B-C-D--towards the center until all areas of the pattern has been covered.  This will look very messy...which is okay, it's the back side.  

6.  Carefully pull the card front away from the pattern and attach right side up to the front of a pre-folded 4.25" x 5.5" card

7.  Decorate the center with a gem and add stamped sentiment.

Tumbler Favors

Last weekend I hosted my annual "Girls Weekend".  I always make the gals some goodies and one of their favors was a custom designed tumbler.  Perfect timing as I needed an "Anything Goes" project for the latest Design Team entry over at the SVG Challenge Blog.  I managed to find five of these (enough for the guests but not for me) at Dollar Tree.  Not bad quality either for just a buck a piece.  Each cup's design was specially made for the recipient.  I created two new designs using my SCAL software, altered another of my designs and found two more from other designers.  I cut each one from chocolate brown outdoor vinyl (Oracal 651) using my electronic cutter.  Due to the shape of the tumblers, it was easiest to apply the vinyl using transfer paper.  I made sure to wash the cups first and wipe the outside with rubbing alcohol before applying the vinyl.  I carefully burnished the edges of the design and the favor was ready...perfect for a scrapping/crafting weekend.  No worries about spilling a drink on a creation in progress!  Here's a closer look and details on where to find my designs:

This tumbler was made for my Mom.  

It is one file but it would be simple to break apart the elements if you wanted.  

You can get it HERE.

I made this cup for my SIL.  This gal is part of a set.

Get it HERE

This tumbler was made for my BFF.  I used the lab (wish I could have got all of his face in the photo) from my Dogs set and added the wording on a path that matched the curve of the dog's back.

Get the file HERE 

This one I made for my little sister, who is expecting her first baby.  I found the file on one of the SCAL FaceBook groups I belong to.  I added the wording to the design.

 

This tumbler was made for my "sister from another mother".  I had this design in my files and I have no idea where it came from.  If anyone knows, let me know and I'll give proper credit.

So, what would I have put on my tumbler (if there had been another one available)?  That's easy...a bulldog!!

If you are an electronic cutter too, I hope you'll join in the fun over at Creative Cutting Challenge.  This week's fortnight theme is "Anything Goes" so there is no excuse for not playing along!!
Entered Into the Following Challenges:
All Crafts Challenge--Anything But A Card
Challenges 4 Everybody--#39 Anything Goes
Seemacrafts--Something for Mum
Simply Create Too--#57 Animals
Aud Sentiments--#102 Anything Goes

Another St. Patrick's Day Card

Just a few more days until St. Patrick's Day!  

Here's another card I created using my Shamrock Cards SVG set.  I added Glossy Accents to the center of the shamrock and then popped it up off of the card with a foam dot.  The stitching around the border was inked with a gray pen.  To make it look good, I cut a circle template and traced around it.  A simple card, yet very Irish! 

Entered Into the Following Challenges:

Cut It Up--#40 Green For St. Patrick's Day

Delightful Challenges--Wearing of the Green

Die Cuttin Divas: #156 Luck of the Irish

Twisted Tuesday--Live a Clean Green Life

Open Minded Crafting: #5 Use Something Green

LWD Tuesday Tool Review: Ranger-The Melting Pot

Welcome to another "Tuesday Tool Review" that I've prepared as a DT member for Lone Wolf Designs.  Today I'm featuring a favorite fun tool of mine...The Melting Pot.  There are lots of things you can do with TMP (check out Ranger's "Melt Art Mania" videos) but my favorite thing is to use it for is making embellishments. 

I have various molds that I use with white, clear (color added), gold, black and platinum UTEE.    It's so simple!  Just dial up TMP to the UTEE setting,  add the UTEE (and color if desired), melt and pour into a mold.  It hardens in minutes and your embellishment is ready to go--custom made for your project.   

With the roses pictured above, I added Garnet Heat-It ink to the UTEE.  The large rose was made with clear UTEE and I think it looks like red jelly candy.  The middle rose was made with white UTEE and the same Garnet ink,  making a pretty pink opaque rose.  The smallest rose was made with gold UTEE.  

I made the bulldog head and heart button molds from my own objects....very easy to do as well!

EDIT:  The frozen charlotte mold can be found at Articus Studio

A heat proof craft mat is very handy to have with TMP.  You can pour a puddle of UTEE on a texture plate for a cool embellishment or pour the UTEE right on the craft mat and use cookie cutters to make shapes.

And don't be afraid to experiment!  If you mess something up, just pop it back in TMP and start again.

I also use my TMP with shrink plastic and clear UTEE.  It gives the piece a faux porcelain look.

Remember this project?  The base and flowers were shrink plastic placed in TMP and clear UTEE.

I hoped you enjoyed this Tool Review!  You can find the Ranger--The Melting Pot, UTEE, Texture Treads, Heat-It Inks and much more for your crafting projects at 25% Off MSRP at Lone Wolf Designs, LLC.  All you have to do is join the LWD Discount Retail Sales Facebook group.  If you haven't joined us yet, you're paying too much for your craft supplies!

Annual Girls Weekend

Every March I deep clean the studio and invite my sisters and peeps to come for a weekend of scrapping and pampering.  And this is the weekend!  I've prepared lots of goodies for my guests including these little gift bags.  I bought the little paper bags from Paper Source and love using them for little gifts and favors.  I stamped them with stamps from Stamper's Anonymous and Crafty Secrets, added a thin belly band and oval initials.  I filled them with some special goodies that I hope they'll like.

And since it's such a rare event to have the studio neat and tidy, here are some pics.  All set up and waiting for the girls!

St. Patrick's Day Cut Out Card & a Free Printable

This fortnight's theme over at Creative Cutting Challenge is St. Patrick's Day and because of this, I created not only a card set (Shamrock Cards) but also a printable (scroll down for details).  This card was really easy to do.  With my electronic cutter, I cut the base from green cardstock and the round border from gray-green cardstock.  The card itself was cut from white cardstock.  I used silver ink to stamp the swirled background, using a mask to keep the area that would be under the shamrock cutouts clean.  Once I laid down the circle border, I added a border of silver Stickles to the edge of the cutout.  A ribbon was added and the front was done!

On the inside of the card, I placed the printable on an angle and added the sentiment...hand written on oval punched cardstock.  Isn't the Lucky Girl sweet?!  And she's my gift to you for the next week.

Grab the printable image FREE HERE until March 11th.

Sorry, this image is no longer available.

If you use an electronic cutter, I hope you'll join in the "St. Patrick's Day" Challenge and show us your green! Just click Here for information.

Entered Into the Following Challenges:

Really Reasonable Ribbon--#90 Show Me the Green & Ribbon

Open-Minded Crafting Fun--#5 Use Something Green

Time 4 Scrap--#35 St. Patrick's Day