Izbzee

Holiday card making - part 1

There's a new collection out at Simply Crafty SVGs.  I fell in love with the penguin card as soon as I saw it and decided to jump and get the set as soon as it was released and put my spin on it.  I had ideas swirling!  

Here's my take:  
I cut an extra layer of the solid blackout version of the penguin.   I wanted to make sure the insert was stable enough to handle the wobble.  I also cut a vellum version of the lights and then trimmed the "bulbs" from the black cut.  I used an embossing tool to add a little dimension to the vellum bulbs.  You could also color them if desired or color the light different colors with alcohol markers if you didn't have any colored LED lights.

I used some lights from a chibi kit I'd purchased a while back.  Create your circuit.  I did cut a slot in the panel that goes on the card base back after coloring the panel with distress inks for a night sky.  The panel had been altered by adding some small holes in the spots where the bulbs would be.  You can do that before cutting or marking the panel after cutting.  Mark the back piece of the card base for placement of the LEDs.  Create your circuit.  Since I'd added a slot, i used a slider switch to complete the circuit to turn the lights on and off.  It is hidden behind the insert but very accessible.  The "handle" will fold down for mailing and doesn't add a lot of bulk to the card.

You'll assembly the card pretty much as directed in the video on Sandy's site -- I added some inking and used a small piece of cotton for the pom-pom on the hat for a little more fun.  

Hoping you'll find some creative time soon as well!  

3 Tags of Fall - Tag 3

It's the last day of the 3 Tags of Fall reveal on our FB page.  It's been a fun couple of days to see what the other makers have created and while our numbers are few, we know that there are others creating, but not posting.  

For my last tag, I created this Pinterest inspired BOO tag using SCAL 6 and cut with the Skycut.  I filled the letters with some paper from Lori Whitlock's digital  I Love Halloween collection from Echo Park.  


The tag base was created in SCAL 6.  It has been inked and the sentiment (Avenir and Ballegand fonts) is foiled with black foil.  Using the Magic Moon Font, I've used the Pattern option to fill each of the letters.  Follow the print 2 cut directions for your software and machine.  I've added foam behind the printed letters which have been lightly inked with Black Soot (distress ink) and there are two shadow layers beneath the top layer.  The bottom is a blackout shadow cut in black paper.  The middle layer is a burnt orange color and is glued directly to the bottom blackout layer.  I've added a small wiggle eye as the period of the exclamation mark for a little more dimension and interest.  



Materials:
AC Cardstock
Printer
Distress Ink, blending tool
Foil Quill (standard nib)
Black Foil (Spellbinders)
Bearly Art Glue
Black foam tape
Wiggle Eye

3 Tags of Fall - Tag 2

Fall mean harvest time around here.... and we've been canning, dehydrating and freezing everything from our garden.  We didn't get enough apples to do much with, but this shaker will be the perfect addition to a gift of apple bars.  

I've  had this file in my stash for quite a while.  I can't find the original information, but it is similar to this one,

I started with white paper and added color as needed.  Leaves are colored using the ink refills (dragging the paper through drops of ink. The bow was done the same way.  Once dry, the pieces were "painted" with a light coat of collage pauge for added sheen.  The leaves are from the SCAL library and the bow is from a file another file.  I used a silver marker -- and added a little sheen with the collage pauge after gluing it to the top of the shaker once it was assembled.  

I had a couple of packages of polymer clay apple slices in red and green I could use in the shaker.  

You'll find a few more tags being shared on our FB page:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/eclipsecal

MATERIALS:
AC cardstock (smooth white)
Watercolor Brush Ink Refills (Poetique)
Shaker Sprinkles (Etsy)
Zig 0.08 black pane
Bearly Art Glue
Glossy Collage Pauge by Aleene's
Small flat brush for acrylics
Transparency Acetate
SCAL 6 Pro
Skycut C24

3 Tags of Fall - Tag 1

I haven't done a lot of paper piecing items lately -- and this file has been in my stash of files for quite a while.  I thought it might be fun to make it slightly smaller for a fun tag for an autumn gift bag.  The original file is for a mini album, so I just used the pieces that were necessary for the front and back of the album.  

This file, Owl Critter Book, is from My Scrap Chick.  I reduced the pieces across pages in the SCAL 6 software to 75%.  I was able to use some scraps from the stash too to put this one together! 

All the pieces are inked before assembly and you do need to look at the image that is included in the file to determine placement.  This tag also has a finished back.  The to and from could be added there.  I also added some shimmer to the pieces for a little extra shine.  The hanger is a piece of wired twine formed into a hook. 

You can see this tag and others on our Facebook Group page:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/eclipsecal

Materials:  
Bearly Art Glue
AC cardstock (all scraps from previous projects)
Ranger Distress inks
Wink of Stella
Sakura White Gel Pen
SCAL 6 Pro
Skycut C24

2023 - 5 Tags of Summer - tag 5

For my last tag for this challenge, I created a nighttime mountain scene.  I found a couple of files at Creative Fabrica that would work.  I chose dark papers for this tag to remind me of my last trip to the mountains and looking up at the night sky.  Wouldn't it be neat to see the northern lights too?  Sadly, we hardly ever have the opportunity to see them where we live... but it would be fun!  

I used the same design for this tag as I used for the Summer Reads tag.  I didn't change the size of the tag.  To add the flap to the front of the tag, I added an altered tag from the basic library in SCAL.  This flap will also be the important to the interactive portion of the tag. 

The sentiment, Summer's last hurrah! is foiled using the foil quill.  

Before assembling the front of the tag, I marked the 2nd tag I cut so I could create a circuit for the chibitronics LED lights I planned to add for the interactive piece.  I created the circuit using conductive fabric tape.  Added the lights and secured the lights with an extra layer of tape.  To make sure the tape that would be placed on the back of the tag front would make contact with the battery and circuit, I added a small piece of foam tape and burnished a small piece of tape on the circuit on the back tag.  Add foam tape around the perimeter of the tag and make sure there is a border around the battery to hold it in place.  

Ink the layer pieces as desired.  I added some Pearl Ex mixed with water to the upper portion of the tag front.  Let dry.  Assemble and glue the remaining pieces for the front of that tag.   In the area where the opening is, place a piece of conductive fabric, making sure it aligns with the battery and the circuit.  Test to make sure the lights will light when the flap is pressed against the tag.  

Remove the release paper on the foam tape and align the tag front to the tag back and secure in place.  I used black foam tape.  

 

2023 - 5 Tags of Summer - Tag 4

This tag is pinterest inspired!  I wanted at least one circle shaped tag in this set.  Using kraft colored paper, I created a scalloped back and a circle front.  The circle front is crimped.  Both of these pieces are inked for additional color and texture.  For the larger heart, I used the foil quill to foil the word dream in black foil.  The flower is from the SCAL basic shapes library, but is  not cut using the small center.  The stem and leaf are handcut.  The leaf was also crimped for some extra dimension.  I added some clear Nuvo drops to the brown marker center of the flower.  The smaller hear is stamped with an old Stampin' Up stamp and inked on the edges as is the small pink heart.  All paper is from AC cardstock.

Using some watered down ink, I added a few splats to the hearts.  I had some metallic gold wax and added a little bit of that in a few places on the tag.  I used some twine to finish the tag.  

Fun to make and likely will be on the repeat for the future for a few gift bags later this year.  

2023 5 Tags of Spring - Day 5

It's the final day of this year's reveal.  If you haven't visited the FB page/album and seen all the beautiful makes, today's your day!  There are some amazing pieces from group members and it's always fun to see what others make and create!  

Today's tag is all in pink and white.  I used some digital paper I had in my stash.  The focal piece was generated using swirl and heart shapes found in the SCAL library.  I did use the Symmetrical Mirror command in SCAL to make both sides match.  While not perfect, I did learn a few things in the process and the final results aren't too bad!  ;)  

I used a couple of the small word stamps from a retired Fun Stampers Journey set on a small rectangle scrap of digital paper.  I chose the words to reflect some feelings I was having while creating this for someone special.  

Some small pink acrylic dots were added as well.  

Hoping this weekend offers good things in a creative way for you.  Take care and enjoy!

2023 5 Tags of Spring - Day 4

While looking through some pins on Pinterest, I noticed some beautiful book spines that were being used as bookmarks.  I can't bear to cut up a book, so I thought it might be fun to do a simple spine and use a background paper I created in SPARK.  I added a  resin bezel and an antiqued tag after foiling the "spine"  with some simple lines and fill.  

Using SCAL 6 Pro, I filled the tag shape with the background paper using Pattern Fill.  Print and then foil.  I used two colors of foil, Gold for the broader rectangle shape and pink for the lines.  I left the paper in the upper left corner of the mat and used the WYSIWYG method of adding the foil.  This also allowed ease in changing the foil for the two colors,   Once the foiling was finished, I used the Print 2 cut method for cutting tag.  

I added a gold diamond shaped eyelet tof the ribbon to thread through and hang the heart bezel and tag that had some jewelry rings added.

Thanks again for stopping by - we're nearing the conclusion of this year's reveal.  It's always sad to see it end, but then again, we look forward to the next year's makes.  What's crafting in your creative space this week?  Hoping good things!  

2023 5 Tags of Spring - Day 2

using some Pastel Digital paper from Nit Wit collections,  as well as the floral image used in the framed areas of this tag, this tag was a fun make.  I used the faux glassine technique used in the Valentine Tag project shared in this project. 

The Tag is made of a simple rectangle with equal sized and spaced circle cuts. The hanger element is created using a round rectangle and half circle and the Union command in SCAL 6 was used before adding a smaller circle for the twine to go through.  A little bit of antiqued cheesecloth and a word strip were used to finish off the tag.  

I really like the spring colors and hoping they brighten your day as well.  Spend a little time in your creative space this week!  Enjoy!

2023 5 Tags of Spring - Reveal

It's that time of year again!  I'm excited that the group wanted to do it again.  The rules are the same.... and it's just as fun to make new tags again this year.

This pinterest inspired tag was made using basic shapes from the SCAL Library.  It was fun to play with shapes and create the "eyelet" lace.  The pattern fill command is a great way to use digital paper -- all pieces for this tag were print 2 cut.  For deeper color, I used some markers for a more intense color on the flowers, stems and leaves. Markers were also used on the edges of each of the pieces.  

Thanks for stopping by.  Hoping you have some creative time carved out this week.  Enjoy all the possibilities that Spring brings.